Characteristics of some Phytophthora species isolated from oak forest soils in central and northern Italy.

Four Phytophthora species, P. citricola, P. megasperma, P. quercina and P. syringae, were isolated during a systematic survey of oak forests (Quercus cerris and Q. robur) in Tuscany (central Italy), and in the Po Valley and the Venetian Plain (northern Italy) from 22 out of 54 soil samples. The main morphological characteristics of the isolates and their growth rates on different substrates and at different temperatures are reported

Neonatal arterial iliac thrombosis in type-I protein C deficiency: a case report

A male infant born by caesarean section at 38 weeks of gestational age (B.W. 4055 g; Apgar 9-10), in the first two hours of life his right leg became hypovascularizated

INTERACTIVE POLYPHENOLS-BASED BIOPACKAGING FOR FOOD PRESERVATION: AN IN VITRO STUDY

Producing green, sustainable and renewable materials is one of the major challenge nowadays in the food-packaging sector. In this context, the aim of our study is to develop an active cellulose-based packaging, cellulose in fact is one of the most plentiful polymer on the earth. Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), a derivative of curcuma, chosen as antioxidant and antimicrobial natural substance, was added into a cellulose matrix (1.5% w/w) and the resulting material was then studied. In addition to this active compound, the paper also contained chitosan and carboxymethylcellulose, to improve the retention of THC and the mechanical properties. Mechanical, chemical and microbiological analyses were done to completely characterize the active papers. Grammage, dry and wet strength were determined. The polyphenol content was determined by the Folin-Ciolcalteu method. Antimicrobial activity of THC, in solution and after its incorporation into the papers, was tested against Gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida), Gram positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria innocua) and moulds (Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus niger). Antioxidant capacity was also tested through the DPPH method. THC solution presented a good antioxidant capacity: it showed an EC50 equal to 4,49 ppm ( EC50 of Trolox was 2,86 ppm). Its minimal inhibitory concentration is 0,4 g/L for Gram positive bacteria, and higher than 0,6 g/L for Gram negative. THC solution was found effective in delaying the development of moulds. THC polyphenols were quantified as 0,8% on paper weight for the paper containing THC and these quantities together with chitosan resulted able to slow down the growth of microorganism. Pseudomonas is inhibited by the presence of chitosan and THC is able to amplify the antimicrobial activity of chitosan, by inhibiting also the growth of Staphylococcus and E. Coli. The presence of THC does neither affect the mechanical properties of papers, nor the color and the odor. Based on these results, it is possible to conclude that THC exhibits good antioxidant and moderate antimicrobial properties. Paper sheets didn’t lose their mechanical properties. These data will pave the way to the use of THC for the production of an active paper-based packaging to improve the shelf life of food items

Antenatal syphilis serology in pregnant women and follow-up of their infants in northern Italy

ABSTRACTPositive syphilis serology was noted in 119 (0.49%) of the 24 053 pregnant women delivering at St Orsola Hospital in Bologna, Italy, from November 2000 through July 2007. Six presumptive cases of congenital syphilis with IgM western blot positive results were found. Two infants had a positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test result (one also had a positive CSF PCR result), another presented long-bone lesions, and the remaining three were preterm. These observations confirmed that antenatal syphilis screening facilitates treatment during pregnancy and offsets vertical transmission; moreover, the use of IgM western blot and careful CSF examination allowed the identification and treatment of high-risk newborns

Study of cellulose-lysozyme interactions aimed to a controlled release system for bioactives

The potential use of cellulose based materials for active food packaging applications was explored. For this purpose, the sorption of lysozyme in a cellulose based paper pulp was optimized using the experimental design methodology. A Face-Centered Composite design was applied to investigate the effect of short/long fibers ratio and carboxymethyl cellulose concentration on linking lysozyme to the fibers surface and to optimize the cellulosic matrix composition. The related polynomial model showed good fitting ability (R2[0.9) as well as good prediction ability (Q2[0.8). The best combination of factors was 50 % short fibers, 50 % long fibers and at least 4 % carboxymethyl cellulose. Afterwards the lysozyme release was investigated using a mathematical model based on Fick\u2019s second law. It was able to describe the release kinetics of lysozyme from the paper sheets made with the optimized cellulosic matrix into water at different temperatures (between 4 and 23 C), pH (from 4 to 7) and NaCl concentrations (from 0.2 to 2 M). The apparent diffusion coefficients for the lysozyme were in the range of 3.1 X 10-16 6.6x10-14 and the Ea value was 22.1 kJ/mol at pH 5 and NaCl concentration of 0.5 M

Immune infiltrating cells in duodenal cancers

Duodenal adenocarcinoma (DA) is a rare yet aggressive malignancy, with increasing incidence in the last decades. Its low frequency has hampered a thorough understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease and of its biology, limiting the identification of tailored therapeutic options. A large body of evidence has clearly shown the clinical relevance of immune cells in solid tumors, correlating immune features with post-surgical prognosis. The aim of this study was to analyze the immune contexture in a cohort of duodenal adenocarcinomas surgically resected at our Institution and define its correlation with clinical variables. Methods Tissue slides from paraffin-embedded tumor specimens of 15 consecutive DA and 3 adenomas that underwent a pancreaticoduodenectomy in our center between 2010 to 2018 were immunohistochemically stained. The density (percentage of immune reactive area, IRA%) of immune markers CD45RO, CD8, CD20, IL-17, PD-1, CD68 was quantified by computer-assisted image analysis. Demographic, clinical, histopathological data were collected. Results In our population, median IRA % (IQR) of immune subsets was respectively CD45RO-TILs 2.19 (2.14), CD8-TIL 0.42 (0.81), CD20-TILs 0.22 (0.51), CD20-TLT 2.84 (4.64), CD68-TAM 2.19 (1.56), IL17+ cells 0.39 (0.39), PD1-TILs 0.19 (0.41). The median follow-up was 47.5 (22.4\u201363.3) months. At statistical analysis, the density of CD8-TILs inversely correlated with lymph node ratio (p\u2009=\u20090.013), number of metastatic lymph nodes (p\u2009=\u20090.019), and was lower in N+\u2009adenocarcinomas compared to N0 (1.07 vs 0.29; p\u2009=\u20090.093), albeit not significantly. Stratifying patients for the N status, the density of CD8-TILs decreased with the increasing of the N stage (p\u2009=\u20090.065) and was lower in patients who experienced recurrence and died for the disease (0.276 vs 0.641; p\u2009=\u20090.044). Notably, also CD68-TAM distribution was different in patients who had recurrence versus patients who did not (1.028 vs 2.276; p\u2009=\u20090.036). Conclusions Immune cells showed variable expression in correlation with common prognostic factors, suggesting T cell infiltration may play a protective role towards lymphatic spread of disease and nodal metastatization. Furthermore, T cell density and macrophage infiltration were associated to a lower risk of recurrence and disease related death. A multicentric approach may be indicated to allow analysis of larger cohorts of patients, potentially increasing the power of our observations

Sakacin-A antimicrobial packaging for decreasing Listeria contamination in thincut meat: preliminary assessment

BACKGROUND: Minimally processed ready-to-eat products are considered a high-risk food because of the possibility of contamination with pathogenic bacteria, including Listeria monocytogenes from the animal reservoir, and the minimal processing they undergo. In this study, a sakacin-A anti-Listeria active package was developed and tested on thin-cut veal meat slices (carpaccio). RESULTS: Enriched food-grade sakacin-A was obtained from a cell-free supernatant of a Lactobacillus sakei culture and applied (0.63 mg cm 122) onto the surface of polyethylene-coated paper sheets to obtain an active antimicrobial package. The coating retained antimicrobial features, indicating that the process did not affect sakacin-A functionality, as evidenced in tests carried out in vitro. Thin-cut veal meat slices inoculated with Listeria innocua (a surrogate of pathogenic L. monocytogenes) were laid on active paper sheets. After 48 h incubation at 4 \ub0C, the Listeria population was found to be 1.5 log units lower with respect to controls (3.05 vs 4.46 log colony-forming units (CFU) g 121). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the possibility of using an antimicrobial coating containing sakacin-A to inhibit or decrease the Listeria population in ready-to-eat products, thus lowering the risk of food-related diseases