Many Trichoderma species are well-known for their ability to promote plant growth and defence. We study how the interaction of bean plants with R. solani and/or Trichoderma affect the plants growth and the level of expression of defence-related genes. Trichoderma isolates were evaluated in vitro for their potential to antagonize R. solani. Bioassays were performed in climatic chambers and development of the plants was evaluated. The effect of Trichoderma treatment and/or R. solani infection on the expression of bean defence-related genes was analysed by real-time PCR and the production of ergosterol and squalene was quantified. In vitro growth inhibition of R. solani was between 86% and 58%. In In in vivo assays, the bean plants treated with Trichoderma harzianum T019 always had an increased size respect to control and the plants treated with this isolate did not decrease their size in presence of R. solani. The interaction of plants with R. solani and/or Trichoderma affects the level of expression of seven defence-related genes. Squalene and ergosterol production differences were found among the Trichoderma isolates, T019 showing the highest values for both compounds. T. harzianum T019 shows a positive effect on the level of resistance of bean plants to R. solani. This strain induces the expression of plant defence-related genes and produces a higher level of ergosterol, indicating its ability to grow at a higher rate in the soil, which would explain its positive effects on plant growth and defence in the presence of the pathogen.

7060 Background: Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins (IAPs) are a family of molecules that are dysregulated in myeloid stem cell disorders and prevent programmed cell death. SMAC (second mitochondrial activator of caspase) is an endogenous antagonist of IAPs that counteracts their anti-apoptotic effect. Birinapant is a potent SMAC mimetic and in a phase Ib study of patients with MDS it demonstrated an acceptable safety profile and early signs of clinical activity. Methods: This was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 5-AZA with or without birinapant in subjects with hypomethylating agent (HMA) naïve MDS and CMML. Eligible patients initially included de novo IPSS INT-2/high risk MDS or INT-1 risk with > / = 5% bone marrow blasts. The protocol was later amended to include secondary MDS, patients with low blast counts but high risk cytogenetics and patients with AML with low blast counts (20-30%). The primary objective was to compare response rate (RR = CR + PR) between the two arms. Adverse event profiling was a secondary objective. Patients were treated with 5-AZA 75 mg/m2/d IV on d 1-7 or 1-5, 8, 9 in 28 d cycles. Birinapant 13 mg/m2/d or placebo was administered IV twice weekly for 3 of 4 weeks (d 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, and 18). Results: The study was terminated early when a pre-planned interim analysis showed no difference in the response rate between the two arms. For evaluable patients the best overall response was 31.8% for placebo and 29.4% for birinapant (p = 0.96). Serious treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) were higher in the birinapant arm than placebo arm (61.4% vs. 40.8%). Additionally, more patients had a treatment-emergent fatal AE in the birinapant arm (8.8% vs. 0%). Specific grade 3 or higher AEs that were increased in the birinapant arm included febrile neutropenia (34.4% vs. 10.3%), infections (28.1% vs. 13.8%), and thrombocytopenia (25% vs. 20.7%). Conclusions: In this phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the RR of birinapant plus 5-AZA was not superior to 5-AZA alone. Additionally, the AE and SAE rate was higher in the birinapant arm as compared to the placebo arm. Clinical trial information: NCT02147873.

En el marco de dos proyectos sobre adquisición de competencias emprendedoras en tres titulaciones de “Ingenierías Verdes” de la Universidad de León, se estudian los perfiles social, profesional, y emprendedor de 72 estudiantes empleando dos cuestionarios con 29 parámetros. De los resultados destacan: (i) la mayoritaria experiencia laboral afín a la titulación, (ii) la preferencia por el trabajo por cuenta ajena en una gran empresa o el autoempleo como futura salida profesional, y (iii) la utilidad de integrar formación específica sobre emprendimiento y su buena aceptación.