Pear fruit corking disorder is a non-infectious physiological condition that primarily occurs during the late developmental stages of pear and significantly impacts fruit quality and economic value in several major cu...Pear fruit corking disorder is a non-infectious physiological condition that primarily occurs during the late developmental stages of pear and significantly impacts fruit quality and economic value in several major cultivars.As the underlying mechanism remains unclear,effective prevention strategies and genetic improvements continue to present major challenges.In this study,‘Akizuki’pear was used as experimental material,and the lignin content in cork-affected tissue was found to be significantly higher than in healthy tissue.Exogenous abscisic acid(ABA)treatment induced cork formation and promoted lignin biosynthesis,a major structural component,in both pear fruits and calli.Through integrated RNA-seq and expression analyses,we identified the ABA-responsive gene PbrMYB8,which was differentially expressed between healthy and diseased tissues and associated with lignin biosynthesis during corking disorder.Stable transformation of PbrMYB8 into pear calli and Arabidopsis confirmed its role in promoting lignin biosynthesis.Notably,PbrMYB8 not only activated lignin biosynthesis genes independently but also interacted with PbrMYB169 to form a protein complex that co-regulated their expression.These findings improve our understanding of lignin biosynthesis in pear fruit corking disorder by identifying a key regulator and its interaction network and provide a theoretical foundation for future strategies aimed at improving pear fruit quality.展开更多
A novel photocatalyst based on TiO2-PANI composite supported on small pieces of cork has been reported. It was prepared by simple impregnation method of the polyaniline（PANI）-modified TiO2 on cork. The TiO2-PANI/Cor...A novel photocatalyst based on TiO2-PANI composite supported on small pieces of cork has been reported. It was prepared by simple impregnation method of the polyaniline（PANI）-modified TiO2 on cork. The TiO2-PANI/Cork catalyst shows the unique feature of floating on the water surface. The as-synthesized catalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction（XRD）,scanning electron micrograph（SEM）, transmission electron microscopy（TEM）, thermogravimetric analysis（TGA）, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy（FT-IR）, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra（UV-vis DRS） and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller（BET） surface area analysis. Characterization suggested the formation of anatase highly dispersed on the cork surface. The prepared floating photocatalyst showed high efficiency for the degradation of methyl orange dye and other organic pollutants under solar irradiation and constrained conditions, i.e., no-stirring and no-oxygenation. The TiO2-PANI/Cork floating photocatalyst can be reused for at least four consecutive times without significant decrease of the degradation efficiency.展开更多
There is the challenge to use materials in a more sustainable way.Even though cork has an interesting eco-profile as a material,other aspects contributing to an enhanced sustainable use of the resource are discussed:a...There is the challenge to use materials in a more sustainable way.Even though cork has an interesting eco-profile as a material,other aspects contributing to an enhanced sustainable use of the resource are discussed:addressing the life-span of products,materials substitution,and the trend of materials development identified.展开更多
The radiation dosimetry in medical practice requires special phantom to simulate the organs and tissues of a human body. To achieve the same elemental composition as that of the human lung by weight percent, we constr...The radiation dosimetry in medical practice requires special phantom to simulate the organs and tissues of a human body. To achieve the same elemental composition as that of the human lung by weight percent, we constructed lung equivalent phantom (LEP) using cork with absorbed water in order for it to uniformly absorb the water. Then, we presented the physical properties and dosimetric characteristics of other commercial phantoms and the LEP. We found that the physical properties and dosimetric characteristics of the LEP were approximately the same as those of human lung tissue. LEP constitutes a new dosimetry tool because it can provide the dose distributions and point doses similar to those for the body with respiratory motion of lung.展开更多
An ion exchanger was prepared by sulfonation of cork-waste chars. The exchange properties of the resultant material were characterized using Na+, Ca2+ or Fe3+ aqueous solutions. The content of metal ions in the soluti...An ion exchanger was prepared by sulfonation of cork-waste chars. The exchange properties of the resultant material were characterized using Na+, Ca2+ or Fe3+ aqueous solutions. The content of metal ions in the solutions were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. On the basis of the results obtained, the chemical equilibrium and its thermodynamic aspects related to the ion exchange process were studied. It was found that equilibrium constant K varies by the order: Na+<Ca2+<Fe3+, its value increasing with increasing temperature, and that △H°>0 and △5°>0, with -△G° following the sequence: Ca2+>Na+>Fe3+.展开更多
The density of black regranulate (BR) of cork and of black agglomerate (BA) and composite agglomerate (CA) prepared fromsuch a waste by different methods was investigated. The preparation of the agglomerates was under...The density of black regranulate (BR) of cork and of black agglomerate (BA) and composite agglomerate (CA) prepared fromsuch a waste by different methods was investigated. The preparation of the agglomerates was undertaken by controlling thespecimen thickness for BA and the particle size for BR and the binder dosage for CA. The mass changes produced in theoven-drying treatment at 376.15 K of the agglomerates and in their subsequent stabilization under ambient conditions werealso analyzed. The density was determined by standard methods. For BR, the bulk density first decreased and then increasedwith decreasing particle size. It was much lower than the apparent density of the agglomeration products of cork. Although toa lesser extent, the density was also lower for BA than for CA. It was higher for the smaller thickness specimens of BA. In thecase of CA, the density followed the same variation trends as for BR. Furthermore it increased significantly with the increasein resin dosage. This resulted in a noticeable increase in the weight loss during the oven-drying and in a significant decreasein the degree of moisture adsorption during the stabilization period of the agglomerate.展开更多
In the present study, we tested the effect of amino acids on secondary somatic embryogenesis of Moroccan cork oak (Quercus suber L.). Secondary mature and immature somatic embryos were obtained from primary somatic em...In the present study, we tested the effect of amino acids on secondary somatic embryogenesis of Moroccan cork oak (Quercus suber L.). Secondary mature and immature somatic embryos were obtained from primary somatic embryos cultured in N30K medium supplemented with nineteen amino acids. Stimulation of embryogenesis was dependent on the type and concentration of amino acid in the medium. Thus, L-glutamine and L-asparagine at 3.42 mM have been proved to be the most favorable for the formation of functional somatic embryos and the induction of secondary somatic embryos.展开更多
Maamora is considered the most important cork-oak forest in the world with regard to surface. Therefore, anthropic pressure, including cork harvesting, grazing and soft acorn picking up by local communities, has harmf...Maamora is considered the most important cork-oak forest in the world with regard to surface. Therefore, anthropic pressure, including cork harvesting, grazing and soft acorn picking up by local communities, has harmful consequences on forest regeneration and the forest become older exceeding harvesting age. Thus, its sustainability depends on the managers’ ability to succeed cork oak plantations. This work presents an assessment approach to evaluate Quercus suber suitability to its plantation which is based on a random forest algorithm (RF). In fact, this suitability has been assessed through analyzing management data related to previous plantation success rates (SR). Then a relationship between SR and a set of environmental and social factors has been investigated using the RF. Application of the fitted model to continuous maps of all involved factors enabled establishment of suitability maps which would help managers to make more rational decisions in terms of cork oak regeneration, ensuring Maamora forest sustainability.展开更多
The mineralization of the organic matter is a very important phenomenon which leads to the release of nutriments used by plants. The rate of transformation of the organic matter depends on several factors and paramete...The mineralization of the organic matter is a very important phenomenon which leads to the release of nutriments used by plants. The rate of transformation of the organic matter depends on several factors and parameters such as climatic factors and biological and physicochemical properties of the soil and the litter. In this study, we investigate the effect of the addition of litter of various species as well as the effect of soil moisture on mineralization of organic matter and on mineral nitrogen release in three soils sampled in three cork oak stands during a period of 41 days under the same laboratory conditions. Carbon mineralization was determined using CO2 respiration method, whereas the mineral nitrogen content was measured at the last day of incubation both in soil samples with added plant leaf material, and in control soil samples without addition under two treatments of moisture (40% and 80% WHC—water holding capacity). Our results show that the addition of leaf litter causes an increase in the microbial activity. Soils without addition were significantly different from the plant leaf added soils in respect to carbon mineralization at the end of the incubation period. Moreover, it is noted that the mineralization of carbon is more marked with moisture at 80% than that of 40%, contrary to that of the nitrogen, which is not influenced by the variation of moisture.展开更多
The present study is about in vitro culture of cork oak, through callogenesis from nodes and internodes, withdrawn from seedlings of three months. These latter were obtained after acorns germination on peat. Nodes sho...The present study is about in vitro culture of cork oak, through callogenesis from nodes and internodes, withdrawn from seedlings of three months. These latter were obtained after acorns germination on peat. Nodes showed a high capacity for callogenesis and the best rate was obtained on a medium containing Woody Plant Medium (WPM) macronutrients, Murashige and Skoog (MS) micronutrients and vitamins, 4.5 μM of 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP), 7 μM of 2-naphthalineacetic acid (NAA) and 30 g/L of Sucrose. Calluses are transplanted onto the same mineral solution, with or without growth regulators, and in the 3rd transplanting;small white embryos appear on the surface of calluses.展开更多
Sandwich structures are comprised of two external faces/skins(usually made of synthetic fiber/resin)and a core between them,being lightweight and with high stiffness.The employment of composite materials such as engin...Sandwich structures are comprised of two external faces/skins(usually made of synthetic fiber/resin)and a core between them,being lightweight and with high stiffness.The employment of composite materials such as engineering materials has achieved more space in various segments of the industry,due to the following properties found:low density,stiffness,resistance to abrasion,impact and corrosion developed along the technological advancement of materials.This study aimed to develop a composite structure sandwich with cork core using in the face resin unsaturated polyester and glass fiber material,in order to obtain a final material with improved mechanical and physical properties compared to a conventional composite,without core.The samples were obtained by pressing process for different volume percentage of glass fiber in order to evaluate the influence of this parameter on the behavior of the material.The different samples were mechanically analyzed using the tests by tensile,bending and hardness,revealing high efficiency,except for the bending test in which the sandwich composite showed lower values compared to the composite standard.It was also performed to test water absorption,thermal and acoustic insulation test achieving satisfactory results and proving the effectiveness of cork in the search for materials with insulating characteristics,thus enabling the use of cork as a raw material for this class of materials contributing to sustainability and helping to generate values and innovation.In addition,it functions as a great thermal and acoustic insulation.展开更多
Products with long life-spans are generally acknowledged to have a significant contribution towards sustainability. This paper provides an overview and discussion of the two years results of a longitudinal study perfo...Products with long life-spans are generally acknowledged to have a significant contribution towards sustainability. This paper provides an overview and discussion of the two years results of a longitudinal study performed with users and several cork products. The research aimed to tackle the process of life-span, and the results include： （1） the identification and interrelation of the aspects influencing the life-span of the products; （2） the evolution of life-span over time; and （3） new knowledge and guidelines arising about the material. Overall, most cork products are still being used, have a very good life-span, and most issues arising are material related.展开更多
Cork oak in Maamora forest is experiencing the dieback phenomenon. The evaluation of the latter in this forest has gained the importance over time and with the solicitation of managers to objectify its phytosanitary s...Cork oak in Maamora forest is experiencing the dieback phenomenon. The evaluation of the latter in this forest has gained the importance over time and with the solicitation of managers to objectify its phytosanitary situation. Aiming at prioritizing management actions, remote sensing seems to be an effective tool to inquire about stands’ health conditions and their evolution. To this end, this study aims at mapping and validating health status of cork oak stands in Maamora. Sentinel 2 images in 2015 and 2020 were processed to calculate the differential normalized difference water index (NDWI), revealing vegetation moisture variation caused by drought. A statistical method based on thresholds was used to map cork oak dieback stands, those with no changes and those recovered. Results have shown that 54.63% of cork oak in Maamora forest have not changed in terms of phytosanitary situation between 2015 and 2020, 31.10% of oak stands are afflicted by a slight decline and 12.97% by a severe decline. Areas with slight or strong recovery remain minimal and represent 1.04% and 0.25% respectively. Ground data indicated that the map generated displayed a good distinction between stands severely and slightly declined with a global accuracy of 66.66%. Therefore, further research elaborating an advanced vegetation index reflecting the various factors of dieback would be of much importance.展开更多
The major production places for cork are Spain and Portugal. The cork is used in making stoppers for bottles containing brandy, whisky or champagne. In recent decades, cork room wall decorations and cork floor boards ...The major production places for cork are Spain and Portugal. The cork is used in making stoppers for bottles containing brandy, whisky or champagne. In recent decades, cork room wall decorations and cork floor boards have become popular for being toxicfree, odourless and harmless to human health. So it is called a green building material.展开更多
Objective: To examine the association between chronic infection and cumulative burden of infection and acute coronary syndrome. Design: The 5C(Cork coronary care case-control)-study was a community based case-control ...Objective: To examine the association between chronic infection and cumulative burden of infection and acute coronary syndrome. Design: The 5C(Cork coronary care case-control)-study was a community based case-control study. Patients and controls underwent a standard physical examination and had blood samples taken for serological analysis for Helicobacter pylori(IgG), Chlamydia pneumoniae(IgA, IgM, and IgG), cytomegalovirus(IgG), and herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2(IgG). Setting: Patients were recruited from four hospitals in Cork City and Mal lowTown, Controls, individually matched on age and sex, were selected by incident density sampling from the same general practices as the referent case. Main outcome measures: Age and sex adjusted and fully adjusted odds ratios for acute coronary syndrome by seropositivity and by increasing number of infections. Results: Cases and controls did not differ significantly in seropositivity to C pneumoniae, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex viruses, and H pylori. In unconditional logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, waist to hip ratio, smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and social class there was no evidence of an increasing risk for acute coronary syndrome with increasing burden of infection. Conclusions: The findings do not support an association between specific infectious agents and acute coronary syndrome and do not provide evidence of a burden of infection effect.展开更多
基金funded by the National Science Foundation of China(32230097)the Earmarked Fund for China Agriculture Research System(CARS-28)the Project of Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory(Grant No.ZSBBL-KY2023-08).
文摘Pear fruit corking disorder is a non-infectious physiological condition that primarily occurs during the late developmental stages of pear and significantly impacts fruit quality and economic value in several major cultivars.As the underlying mechanism remains unclear,effective prevention strategies and genetic improvements continue to present major challenges.In this study,‘Akizuki’pear was used as experimental material,and the lignin content in cork-affected tissue was found to be significantly higher than in healthy tissue.Exogenous abscisic acid(ABA)treatment induced cork formation and promoted lignin biosynthesis,a major structural component,in both pear fruits and calli.Through integrated RNA-seq and expression analyses,we identified the ABA-responsive gene PbrMYB8,which was differentially expressed between healthy and diseased tissues and associated with lignin biosynthesis during corking disorder.Stable transformation of PbrMYB8 into pear calli and Arabidopsis confirmed its role in promoting lignin biosynthesis.Notably,PbrMYB8 not only activated lignin biosynthesis genes independently but also interacted with PbrMYB169 to form a protein complex that co-regulated their expression.These findings improve our understanding of lignin biosynthesis in pear fruit corking disorder by identifying a key regulator and its interaction network and provide a theoretical foundation for future strategies aimed at improving pear fruit quality.
文摘A novel photocatalyst based on TiO2-PANI composite supported on small pieces of cork has been reported. It was prepared by simple impregnation method of the polyaniline（PANI）-modified TiO2 on cork. The TiO2-PANI/Cork catalyst shows the unique feature of floating on the water surface. The as-synthesized catalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction（XRD）,scanning electron micrograph（SEM）, transmission electron microscopy（TEM）, thermogravimetric analysis（TGA）, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy（FT-IR）, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra（UV-vis DRS） and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller（BET） surface area analysis. Characterization suggested the formation of anatase highly dispersed on the cork surface. The prepared floating photocatalyst showed high efficiency for the degradation of methyl orange dye and other organic pollutants under solar irradiation and constrained conditions, i.e., no-stirring and no-oxygenation. The TiO2-PANI/Cork floating photocatalyst can be reused for at least four consecutive times without significant decrease of the degradation efficiency.
基金the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT reference:SFRH/BD/46646/2008)
文摘There is the challenge to use materials in a more sustainable way.Even though cork has an interesting eco-profile as a material,other aspects contributing to an enhanced sustainable use of the resource are discussed:addressing the life-span of products,materials substitution,and the trend of materials development identified.
文摘The radiation dosimetry in medical practice requires special phantom to simulate the organs and tissues of a human body. To achieve the same elemental composition as that of the human lung by weight percent, we constructed lung equivalent phantom (LEP) using cork with absorbed water in order for it to uniformly absorb the water. Then, we presented the physical properties and dosimetric characteristics of other commercial phantoms and the LEP. We found that the physical properties and dosimetric characteristics of the LEP were approximately the same as those of human lung tissue. LEP constitutes a new dosimetry tool because it can provide the dose distributions and point doses similar to those for the body with respiratory motion of lung.
文摘An ion exchanger was prepared by sulfonation of cork-waste chars. The exchange properties of the resultant material were characterized using Na+, Ca2+ or Fe3+ aqueous solutions. The content of metal ions in the solutions were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. On the basis of the results obtained, the chemical equilibrium and its thermodynamic aspects related to the ion exchange process were studied. It was found that equilibrium constant K varies by the order: Na+<Ca2+<Fe3+, its value increasing with increasing temperature, and that △H°>0 and △5°>0, with -△G° following the sequence: Ca2+>Na+>Fe3+.
文摘The density of black regranulate (BR) of cork and of black agglomerate (BA) and composite agglomerate (CA) prepared fromsuch a waste by different methods was investigated. The preparation of the agglomerates was undertaken by controlling thespecimen thickness for BA and the particle size for BR and the binder dosage for CA. The mass changes produced in theoven-drying treatment at 376.15 K of the agglomerates and in their subsequent stabilization under ambient conditions werealso analyzed. The density was determined by standard methods. For BR, the bulk density first decreased and then increasedwith decreasing particle size. It was much lower than the apparent density of the agglomeration products of cork. Although toa lesser extent, the density was also lower for BA than for CA. It was higher for the smaller thickness specimens of BA. In thecase of CA, the density followed the same variation trends as for BR. Furthermore it increased significantly with the increasein resin dosage. This resulted in a noticeable increase in the weight loss during the oven-drying and in a significant decreasein the degree of moisture adsorption during the stabilization period of the agglomerate.
文摘In the present study, we tested the effect of amino acids on secondary somatic embryogenesis of Moroccan cork oak (Quercus suber L.). Secondary mature and immature somatic embryos were obtained from primary somatic embryos cultured in N30K medium supplemented with nineteen amino acids. Stimulation of embryogenesis was dependent on the type and concentration of amino acid in the medium. Thus, L-glutamine and L-asparagine at 3.42 mM have been proved to be the most favorable for the formation of functional somatic embryos and the induction of secondary somatic embryos.
文摘Maamora is considered the most important cork-oak forest in the world with regard to surface. Therefore, anthropic pressure, including cork harvesting, grazing and soft acorn picking up by local communities, has harmful consequences on forest regeneration and the forest become older exceeding harvesting age. Thus, its sustainability depends on the managers’ ability to succeed cork oak plantations. This work presents an assessment approach to evaluate Quercus suber suitability to its plantation which is based on a random forest algorithm (RF). In fact, this suitability has been assessed through analyzing management data related to previous plantation success rates (SR). Then a relationship between SR and a set of environmental and social factors has been investigated using the RF. Application of the fitted model to continuous maps of all involved factors enabled establishment of suitability maps which would help managers to make more rational decisions in terms of cork oak regeneration, ensuring Maamora forest sustainability.
文摘The mineralization of the organic matter is a very important phenomenon which leads to the release of nutriments used by plants. The rate of transformation of the organic matter depends on several factors and parameters such as climatic factors and biological and physicochemical properties of the soil and the litter. In this study, we investigate the effect of the addition of litter of various species as well as the effect of soil moisture on mineralization of organic matter and on mineral nitrogen release in three soils sampled in three cork oak stands during a period of 41 days under the same laboratory conditions. Carbon mineralization was determined using CO2 respiration method, whereas the mineral nitrogen content was measured at the last day of incubation both in soil samples with added plant leaf material, and in control soil samples without addition under two treatments of moisture (40% and 80% WHC—water holding capacity). Our results show that the addition of leaf litter causes an increase in the microbial activity. Soils without addition were significantly different from the plant leaf added soils in respect to carbon mineralization at the end of the incubation period. Moreover, it is noted that the mineralization of carbon is more marked with moisture at 80% than that of 40%, contrary to that of the nitrogen, which is not influenced by the variation of moisture.
文摘The present study is about in vitro culture of cork oak, through callogenesis from nodes and internodes, withdrawn from seedlings of three months. These latter were obtained after acorns germination on peat. Nodes showed a high capacity for callogenesis and the best rate was obtained on a medium containing Woody Plant Medium (WPM) macronutrients, Murashige and Skoog (MS) micronutrients and vitamins, 4.5 μM of 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP), 7 μM of 2-naphthalineacetic acid (NAA) and 30 g/L of Sucrose. Calluses are transplanted onto the same mineral solution, with or without growth regulators, and in the 3rd transplanting;small white embryos appear on the surface of calluses.
文摘Sandwich structures are comprised of two external faces/skins(usually made of synthetic fiber/resin)and a core between them,being lightweight and with high stiffness.The employment of composite materials such as engineering materials has achieved more space in various segments of the industry,due to the following properties found:low density,stiffness,resistance to abrasion,impact and corrosion developed along the technological advancement of materials.This study aimed to develop a composite structure sandwich with cork core using in the face resin unsaturated polyester and glass fiber material,in order to obtain a final material with improved mechanical and physical properties compared to a conventional composite,without core.The samples were obtained by pressing process for different volume percentage of glass fiber in order to evaluate the influence of this parameter on the behavior of the material.The different samples were mechanically analyzed using the tests by tensile,bending and hardness,revealing high efficiency,except for the bending test in which the sandwich composite showed lower values compared to the composite standard.It was also performed to test water absorption,thermal and acoustic insulation test achieving satisfactory results and proving the effectiveness of cork in the search for materials with insulating characteristics,thus enabling the use of cork as a raw material for this class of materials contributing to sustainability and helping to generate values and innovation.In addition,it functions as a great thermal and acoustic insulation.
文摘Products with long life-spans are generally acknowledged to have a significant contribution towards sustainability. This paper provides an overview and discussion of the two years results of a longitudinal study performed with users and several cork products. The research aimed to tackle the process of life-span, and the results include： （1） the identification and interrelation of the aspects influencing the life-span of the products; （2） the evolution of life-span over time; and （3） new knowledge and guidelines arising about the material. Overall, most cork products are still being used, have a very good life-span, and most issues arising are material related.
文摘Cork oak in Maamora forest is experiencing the dieback phenomenon. The evaluation of the latter in this forest has gained the importance over time and with the solicitation of managers to objectify its phytosanitary situation. Aiming at prioritizing management actions, remote sensing seems to be an effective tool to inquire about stands’ health conditions and their evolution. To this end, this study aims at mapping and validating health status of cork oak stands in Maamora. Sentinel 2 images in 2015 and 2020 were processed to calculate the differential normalized difference water index (NDWI), revealing vegetation moisture variation caused by drought. A statistical method based on thresholds was used to map cork oak dieback stands, those with no changes and those recovered. Results have shown that 54.63% of cork oak in Maamora forest have not changed in terms of phytosanitary situation between 2015 and 2020, 31.10% of oak stands are afflicted by a slight decline and 12.97% by a severe decline. Areas with slight or strong recovery remain minimal and represent 1.04% and 0.25% respectively. Ground data indicated that the map generated displayed a good distinction between stands severely and slightly declined with a global accuracy of 66.66%. Therefore, further research elaborating an advanced vegetation index reflecting the various factors of dieback would be of much importance.
文摘The major production places for cork are Spain and Portugal. The cork is used in making stoppers for bottles containing brandy, whisky or champagne. In recent decades, cork room wall decorations and cork floor boards have become popular for being toxicfree, odourless and harmless to human health. So it is called a green building material.
文摘Objective: To examine the association between chronic infection and cumulative burden of infection and acute coronary syndrome. Design: The 5C(Cork coronary care case-control)-study was a community based case-control study. Patients and controls underwent a standard physical examination and had blood samples taken for serological analysis for Helicobacter pylori(IgG), Chlamydia pneumoniae(IgA, IgM, and IgG), cytomegalovirus(IgG), and herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2(IgG). Setting: Patients were recruited from four hospitals in Cork City and Mal lowTown, Controls, individually matched on age and sex, were selected by incident density sampling from the same general practices as the referent case. Main outcome measures: Age and sex adjusted and fully adjusted odds ratios for acute coronary syndrome by seropositivity and by increasing number of infections. Results: Cases and controls did not differ significantly in seropositivity to C pneumoniae, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex viruses, and H pylori. In unconditional logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, waist to hip ratio, smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and social class there was no evidence of an increasing risk for acute coronary syndrome with increasing burden of infection. Conclusions: The findings do not support an association between specific infectious agents and acute coronary syndrome and do not provide evidence of a burden of infection effect.
