a case study on the selection of promising functional starter strains from grape yeasts a report by student of food science and technology degree university of foggia southern italy

The main aim of this research, performed by some students in Food Science and Technology of Foggia University, is to show how perform the selection of a functional starter through a step-by-step procedure. Fifteen yeast strains were studied in order to assess their biotechnological traits, e.g. catalase, urease, B-glucosidase, pectolytic and xylanolytic activities, production of H2S, resistance to copper, SO2 and acetic acid, growth at different temperatures, alkaline pH, in presence of different amounts of ethanol and glucose, and some probiotic properties. After studying these abilities, yeasts were identified through the miniaturized system API 20 C AUX and two kinds of multivariate analyses (Cluster Analysis and Principal Component Analysis) were performed to highlight the best strains.</p

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Incidence of respiratory viruses in a pediatric population: molecular and epidemiological aspects

Introduction: Respiratory infections are not well defined and the etiology is often unknown. Material and method: four hundred fortynine subjectrs were enrolled in the study; in all patientes there was a suspect of inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract. At admission, a nasopharyngeal swab was made. A multiplex PCR was performed after extraction and reverse transcription of viral RNA. The amplified fragments were revealed by using an electrophoresis separation. Results: Two hundred and four patients (45.4%) were hospitalized for infection of the upper respiratory tract, 141 (31.4%) for lower respiratory infection and the remaining (23%) for other symptoms. One hundred fiftyseven (35%) patients were positive for human influenza A (H1N1 subtype) and 184 for other respiratory viruses,of which 59 (32%) gave a positive for respiratory syncytial virus, 42 (23%) for rhinovirus, 31 (17%) for parainfluenza virus, 12 (6.5%) for coronavirus, 28 (15%) for adenovirus and 6 (3%) for influenza B (3%) and 6 (3%) for metapneumovirus. The M1 gene sequence of influenza A H1N1 strains from 12 patients had a high identity with that of the reference virus. Conclusion: Furthermore H1N1 and RSV were the main causative agents of acute respiratory infection. A molecular approach provides an accurate and rapid aetiological diagnosis of viral respiratory infections. The molecolar features in the M1 gene suggested that the H1N1 influenza strains circulating in Apulia region had a conserved genetic make up

A Case-study on the Selection of Promising Functional Starter Strains from Grape Yeasts: A Report by Student of Food Science and Technology Degree, University of Foggia (Southern Italy)

The main aim of this research, performed by some students in Food Science and Technology of Foggia University, is to show how perform the selection of a functional starter through a step-by-step procedure. Fifteen yeast strains were studied in order to assess their biotechnological traits, e.g. catalase, urease, B-glucosidase, pectolytic and xylanolytic activities, production of H2S, resistance to copper, SO2 and acetic acid, growth at different temperatures, alkaline pH, in presence of different amounts of ethanol and glucose, and some probiotic properties. After studying these abilities, yeasts were identified through the miniaturized system API 20 C AUX and two kinds of multivariate analyses (Cluster Analysis and Principal Component Analysis) were performed to highlight the best strains.</p