Genomic and phenotypic characterization of 26 novel marine bacterial strains with relevant biogeochemical roles and widespread presence across the global ocean.

Prokaryotes dominate global oceans and shape biogeochemical cycles, yet most taxa remain uncultured and uncharacterized as of today. Here we present the characterization of 26 novel marine bacterial strains from a large isolate collection obtained from Blanes Bay (NW Mediterranean) microcosm experiments made in the four seasons. Morphological, cultural, biochemical, physiological, nutritional, genomic, and phylogenomic analyses were used to characterize and phylogenetically place the novel isolates.

Long-Term Monitoring of the Traditional Knowledge of Plant Species Used for Culinary Purposes in the Valencia Region, South-Eastern Spain.

The aim of this study is to inventory and study ethnobotanical knowledge of edible plants in the Valencian Community (Spain). In respect to culinary uses, 92 species of plant were reported to be edible, finding the following uses: 58 raw, 52 cooked, 16 fried, 7 dried, 21 in liquors and beverages, 25 in dessert and sweets, 11 as seasoning, 17 in pickles, and 10 to curdle milk. We prepared a database that includes genus, family, scientific, and vernacular names in Spanish and Catalan for each plant.

Total and specific immunoglobulin E in induced sputum in allergic and non-allergic asthma.

Background: Most patients with nonallergic asthma have normal serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels. Recent reports suggest that total and aeroallergen-specific IgE levels in induced sputum may be higher in nonallergic asthmatics than in healthy controls. Our objective is to compare total and dust-mite specific (Der p 1) IgE levels in induced sputum in allergic and nonallergic asthmatics and healthy controls.

Asthma with bronchial hypersecretion: expression of mucins and toll-like receptors in sputum and blood.

Unlabelled: Asthma with bronchial hypersecretion is a type of asthma that is poorly studied. Its pathogenesis is not well understood, but is probably related to innate impaired immunity, particularly with toll-like receptors (TLRs) and secretory mucins (MUC).

Objectives: 1) Define the clinical and inflammatory phenotype of asthma with bronchial hypersecretion of mucus.

Clinical and inflammatory features of asthma with dissociation between fractional exhaled nitric oxide and eosinophils in induced sputum.

Background: Measurement of the fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and eosinophils in induced sputum are noninvasive markers for assessing airway inflammation in asthma. The clinical usefulness of the correlation between raised FeNO and sputum eosinophilia is controversial. We aimed to examine dissociation between FeNO and sputum eosinophils in a clinical series of asthma patients and to determine whether dissociation between these noninvasive markers was associated with clinical and inflammatory differences in these patients.

Usefulness of the Exhaled Breath Temperature Plateau in Asthma Patients.

Background: Exhaled breath temperature (EBT) has recently been proposed as a noninvasive marker of bronchial inflammation in patients with asthma. However, the usefulness of EBT in everyday clinical practice is not well established. Results to date are contradictory and are mainly derived from small, pediatric populations.

Variability in Asthma Inflammatory Phenotype in Induced Sputum. Frequency and Causes.

Introduction: Recent studies have found variability in asthma inflammatory phenotypes determined by the inflammatory cells in induced sputum (IS). The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and factors affecting inflammatory phenotype variability in IS.

Methods: Retrospective observational study that included 61 asthmatic patients who underwent at least two IS tests over a period of 5 years.

Preparations for colon capsule endoscopy. Prospective and randomized comparative study between two preparations for colon capsule endoscopy: PEG 2 liters + ascorbic acid versus PEG 4 liters.

Introduction: PillCam© colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) enables the study of colonic diseases in a safe and non-invasive way, although there are aspects that need to be improved. Current methods of bowel preparation lead to discordant rates of adequate cleansing and CCE excretion.

Aims: To compare the efficacy of colon cleansing using two different regimes (2L PEG plus ascorbic acid versus 4L PEG alone) for PillCam Colon (C2) capsule endoscopy.

[C-section rate in low-risk women: a useful indicator to compare hospitals attending deliveries with different risks].

Background: the C-section rate has been criticized as a performance indicator for not considering that different hospitals manage deliveries with diverse risks. In this work we explore the characteristics of a new indicator restricted to low C-section risk deliveries.

Methods: retrospective cohort of all births (n=214,611) in all public hospitals during 2005-2010 in the Valencia Region, Spain (source: minimum basic dataset).

Ethnobotanic importance of plants used in pigeon-breeding in Eastern Spain.

Background: The importance that birds of the Columbidae family have had throughout history is visible on the Mediterranean coast. Pigeon fancying is the art of breeding and training carrier pigeons and currently, several breeds exist. The sport of racing pigeons consists in covering a distance at maximum possible speed.

The Relationship between Plants Used to Sustain Finches (Fringillidae) and Uses for Human Medicine in Southeast Spain.

We analyzed plants that are traditionally used by wild bird hunters and breeders to capture and promote captive breeding of Fringillidae (finches or songbirds) in the province of Alicante, Spain. The majority of plants used in songbird breeding have medicinal properties in traditional human medicine (48 different uses); thus, another main goal was to show their relationships with human medical uses. We compiled a list of 97 plant species from 31 botanical families that are used to attract finches and identified 11 different use categories for these plants in finch keeping.

Hyperhidrosis related to nevirapine therapy.

A 70-year-old white man presented to the internal medicine outpatient clinic with symptoms of significant hyperhidrosis. He had been started on antiretroviral therapy (ART) with tenofovir, lamivudine and nevirapine. The patient complained of excessive sweating following severe asthenia after taking nevirapine.

Traditional knowledge of medicinal plants in the Serra de Mariola Natural Park, South-Eastern Spain.

The present study aims to inventory and analyse the ethnobotanical knowledge about medicinal plants in the Serra de Mariola Natural Park. In respect to traditional uses, 93 species reported by local informants were therapeutic, 27 food, 4 natural dyes and 13 handcrafts. We developed a methodology that allowed the location of individuals or vegetation communities with a specific popular use.

Foot ischaemia and toe skin necrosis associated with interleukin-2 infusion in an HIV-infected patient.

A 39-year-old white man developed a severe left toe foot ischaemia and toe skin necrosis following his 12 courses of interleukin (IL)-2 (4.5 MIU twice a day, subcutaneously) for five days every two months. He had no known general risk factors for thrombosis other than HIV infection.

Hair loss induced by lopinavir-ritonavir.

A 38-year-old Caucasian woman with uncontrolled human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection was treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) consisting of zidovudine, lamivudine, and nevirapine. Because her therapeutic response was inadequate, the HAART regimen was changed to abacavir, lamivudine, and lopinavir-ritonavir. Three months after this therapy was started, the patient developed progressive and notable hair loss.

[Systemic candidiasis and infliximab therapy].

The use of infliximab in patients with luminal or fistulizing Crohn's disease refractory to medical treatment (steroids and immunomodulatory drugs) is increasingly widespread. Although the incidence of serious infections in patients undergoing infliximab treatment is not higher than that of controls, systemic fungal infections in patients treated with this antibody have been anecdotally described. We report a case of systemic candidiasis in a patient with refractory Crohn's disease who was treated with infliximab associated with corticosteroids and azathioprine and discuss the role that infliximab could have played in the development of this complication.

Treatment of community-acquired pneumonia in outpatients: randomized study of clarithromycin alone versus clarithromycin and cefuroxime.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of clarithromycin alone in comparison with the combination of clarithromycin and cefuroxime in the treatment of nonhospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in a Mediterranean population.

Methods: CAP was defined as the acute onset of fever (>38 degrees C) with pulmonary opacity on chest roentgenogram. The American Thoracic Society (ATS) criteria (1993) were used to decide on patient hospitalization.

[Clinical manifestations of Stenotrophomas (Xanthomonas) maltophilia infection].

Objective: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (SM) is a gram-negative bacillus whose incidence like nosocomial pathogen has been incremented in the last years, especially in immunocompromised patients, subjected to invasive procedures and those receiving broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy.

Method: We report 15 isolations of SM between 1994-1996.

Results: The criteria for SM infection were fulfilled by 9 patients (60%), and 6 patients (40%) were colonized.

[Langerhans cell histiocytosis of lymph node].

Langerhans cell Histiocytosis or Histiocytosis X encompasses the syndromes of Letterer-Siwe disease, Hand-Schuller-Christian disease and eosinophilic granuloma. The localized disease usually consisted of isolated bone involvement as osteolytic areas. The isolated lymph node disease is uncommon.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt with the Strecker stent for control of refractory acute and chronic variceal bleeding.

Background: We wanted to assess prospectively the safety, efficacy, and applicability of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) with the Strecker stent, focusing mainly on clinical and hemodynamic medium- and long-term follow-up.

Methods: Fifty-two patients reached an indication to perform a TIPS, in an emergency or after refractory variceal bleeding. It was completed in 50 of them.

[The prognostic value of plasma triglycerides in human immunodeficiency virus infection].

Background: Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with an increased prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia, which is more common in advanced stages of disease. Nevertheless, the role of hypertriglyceridemia as a predictive marker of progression of disease and/or mortality is not fully elucidated.

Methods: One-hundred nineteen patients with HIV infection attended at our Outpatient Clinic or hospitalized in our Service were retrospectively studied.