Microbial ecology of retail ready-to-eat escarole and red chicory sold in Palermo City, Italy

Background: Ready-To-Eat (RTE) foods include any edible food that is commonly consumed raw. This study aimed at evaluation of microbial ecology of retail RTE escarole and red chicory sold in Palermo city, Italy. Methods: A total of 32 mono-varietal RTE samples, including escarole (n=16) and red chicory (n=16) samples were obtained from Palermo, Italy. Both RTE vegetables at expiry date were analyzed to quantify spoilage bacteria, pathogenic bacteria, and yeast. All different colonies were isolated and identified on the basis of phenotypic characteristics and genetic polymorphisms by random amplification of polymorphic DNA-Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and further genotype by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene. The statistical analysis was conducted with SAS 9.2 software (Statistical Analysis System Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). Results: The level of Listeria monocytogenes and coagulase-positive staphylococci were below the detection. Total microbial counts were above 8 log10 colony forming unit/g in RTE red chicory, while they were about 1 log cycle lower in escarole. In general, escarole showed lower levels for all microbial groups than red chicory with the exception of the total yeast. A total of 13 strains were identified into ten species belonging to six genera as Bacillus, Erwinia, Pantoea, Pseudomonas, Microbacterium, and Rahnella. The most numerous identified genera were Pseudomonas and Pantoea. Conclusion: This work pointed out the relevance of implementing good hygiene practices during processing in order to prolong quality parameters and acceptability of mono-varietal salads

Application of technological protocols on an industrial scale to improve Seville-style table olive production in Italy and Spain

Improving the fermentation performance of starter strains used in the fermentation of table olives is a biotechnological solution of current interest to improve the quality characteristics of the final product. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of Lactiplantibacillus pentosus OM13 as a starter culture for the fermentation of Seville-type table olives in two different production areas: Italy and Spain. The starter strain L. pentosus OM13 was inoculated into two different table olive varieties: Nocellara del Belice in Italy and Manzanilla in Spain. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Vege-Start 60 was used as a commercial control, while an additional control pro- duction was carried out by spontaneous fermentation. The industrial productions consisted of three different protocols, differing in the type of nutrient and the presence/absence of acclimatisation of the starter strain. All trials were subjected to microbiological monitoring, evaluation of acidification dynamics and sensory analysis of the final product. After 90 days, the pH reached values below 5 in the different treatments. The LAB reached microbial loads varying between 6.5 and 8.7 log CFU/mL throughout the monitoring period. The microbial populations of spoilage and/or potential pathogenic microorganisms were variable depending on the microbial group monitored. However, after 12 days of fermentation, Enterobacteriaceae showed values below the detection limit. In contrast, a fluctuating trend was observed for yeasts, Pseudomonadaceae and Staphylococcaceae. Sensory analyses showed variable differences depending on the technological protocol used. Table olives ob- tained with L. pentosus OM13 in the presence of nutrient, activator and acclimatisation period achieved higher overall acceptability values compared to the other trials. The use of adjuvants (nutrients and activators) is a strategy used in the production of table olives fermented with L. pentosus OM13 to improve the sensory char- acteristics of table olives

Evidence of abnormal scalar timing property in alexithymia

: Evidence suggests that incidental modulation of affective states affects the ability to keep track of time. Alexithymia represents an ideal condition to further address the emotion-time processing link, as it refers to a trait characterized by a deficit of affective processing. 31 healthy participants completed an online version of the TAS-20 scale, which measures alexithymia, and a time reproduction task of visual stimuli related to positive (i.e., happiness) and negative (i.e., anger) facial expressions. Results documented a positive correlation between TAS-20 score and the variability in reproducing sub-second durations of the anger expression stimuli We also found an overestimation of sub-second durations of non-affective expressions in borderline/alexithymic participants. Finally, in line with the literature, we confirmed the overall tendency to overestimate the duration of anger expression stimuli. These findings, which can be interpreted in terms of abnormal scalar timing property in alexithymia, expand previous investigations linking this personality trait with abnormal processing of negative emotions. The evidence that alexithymia predicts the reproduction variability of sub-second durations of negative affective stimuli corroborates previous neuroimaging studies documenting cerebellar deficits in these individuals

Monitoring commercial starter culture development in presence of red grape pomace powder to produce polyphenol-enriched fresh ovine cheeses at industrial scale level

Red grape Nero d'Avola cultivar grape pomace powder (GPP) was applied during fresh ovine cheese production in order to increase polyphenol content. Before cheeses were produced, the bacteria of a freeze-dried commercial starter culture were isolated and tested in vitro against GPP. Two dominant strains, both resistant to GPP, were identified. Thestarter culture was inoculated in pasteurized ewe's milk and the curd was divided into two bulks, one added with 1% (w/w) GPP and another one GPP-free. GPP did not influence the starter culture development, since lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts were 109 CFU/g in both cheeses at 30 d. To exclude the interference of indigenous LAB, the pasteurized milk was analyzed, and several colonies of presumptive LAB were isolated, purified and typed. Four strains were allotted into Enterococcus and Lacticaseibacillus genera. The direct comparison of the polymorphic profiles of cheese bacteria evidenced the dominance of the starter culture over milk LAB. The addition of GPP increased cheese total phenolic compounds by 0.42 g GAE/kg. Sensory evaluation indicated that GPP-enriched cheese was well appreciated by the judges, providing evidence that GPP is a suitable substrate to increase the availability of total phenolic content in fresh ovine cheese

Twenty years of experience in juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) preoperative endovascular embolization: An effective procedure with a low complications rate

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) is a benign tumor of the nasal cavity that predominantly affects young boys. Surgical removal remains the gold standard for the management of this disease. Preoperative intra-arterial embolization (PIAE) is useful for reductions in intraoperative blood loss and surgical complications. In our series of 79 patients who underwent preoperative embolization from 1999 to 2020, demographics, procedural aspects, surgical management and follow-up outcome were analyzed. Embolization was performed in a similar fashion for all patients, with a superselective microcatheterization of external carotid artery (ECA) feeders and an injection of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles, followed, in some cases, by the deployment of coils. Procedural success was reached in 100% of cases, with no complications such as bleeding or thromboembolic occlusion, and surgical intraoperative blood loss was significantly decreased. In conclusion, PIAE is a safe and effective technique in JNA treatment, minimizing intraoperative bleeding

Complications of mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke: Incidence, risk factors, and clinical relevance in the Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in acute stroke

BACKGROUND: There are limited data concerning procedure-related complications of endovascular thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion strokes. AIMS: We evaluated the cumulative incidence, the clinical relevance in terms of increased disability and mortality, and risk factors for complications. METHODS: From January 2011 to December 2017, 4799 patients were enrolled by 36 centers in the Italian Registry of Endovascular Stroke Treatment. Data on demographic and procedural characteristics, complications, and clinical outcome at three months were prospectively collected. RESULTS: The complications cumulative incidence was 201 per 1000 patients undergoing endovascular thrombectomy. Ongoing antiplatelet therapy (p < 0.01; OR 1.82, 95% CI: 1.21-2.73) and large vessel occlusion site (carotid-T, p < 0.03; OR 3.05, 95% CI: 1.13-8.19; M2-segment-MCA, p < 0.01; OR 4.54, 95% CI: 1.66-12.44) were associated with a higher risk of subarachnoid hemorrhage/arterial perforation. Thrombectomy alone (p < 0.01; OR 0.50, 95% CI: 0.31-0.83) and younger age (p < 0.04; OR 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97-0.99) revealed a lower risk of developing dissection. M2-segment-MCA occlusion (p < 0.01; OR 0.35, 95% CI: 0.19-0.64) and hypertension (p < 0.04; OR 0.77, 95% CI: 0.6-0.98) were less related to clot embolization. Higher NIHSS at onset (p < 0.01; OR 1.04, 95% CI: 1.02-1.06), longer groin-to-reperfusion time (p < 0.01; OR 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02-1.07), diabetes (p < 0.01; OR 1.67, 95% CI: 1.25-2.23), and LVO site (carotid-T, p < 0.01; OR 1.96, 95% CI: 1.26-3.05; M2-segment-MCA, p < 0.02; OR 1.62, 95% CI: 1.08-2.42) were associated with a higher risk of developing symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage compared to no/asymptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage. The subgroup of patients treated with thrombectomy alone presented a lower risk of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (p < 0.01; OR 0.70; 95% CI: 0.55-0.90). Subarachnoid hemorrhage/arterial perforation and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage after endovascular thrombectomy worsen both functional independence and mortality at three-month follow-up (p < 0.01). Distal embolization is associated with neurological deterioration (p < 0.01), while arterial dissection did not affect clinical outcome at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Complications globally considered are not uncommon and may result in poor clinical outcome. Early recognition of risk factors might help to prevent complications and manage them appropriately in order to maximize endovascular thrombectomy benefits

Insulin signalling and the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism

The epidemic of type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In both disorders, tissues such as muscle, fat and liver become less responsive or resistant to insulin. This state is also linked to other common health problems, such as obesity, polycystic ovarian disease, hyperlipidaemia, hypertension and atherosclerosis. The pathophysiology of insulin resistance involves a complex network of signalling pathways, activated by the insulin receptor, which regulates intermediary metabolism and its organization in cells. But recent studies have shown that numerous other hormones and signalling events attenuate insulin action, and are important in type 2 diabetes.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/62568/1/414799a.pd

Towards a collaborative research: A case study on linking science to farmers' perceptions and knowledge on Arabica coffee pests and diseases and its management

The scientific community has recognized the importance of integrating farmer's perceptions and knowledge (FPK) for the development of sustainable pest and disease management strategies. However, the knowledge gap between indigenous and scientific knowledge still contributes to misidentification of plant health constraints and poor adoption of management solutions. This is particularly the case in the context of smallholder farming in developing countries. In this paper, we present a case study on coffee production in Uganda, a sector depending mostly on smallholder farming facing a simultaneous and increasing number of socio-ecological pressures. The objectives of this study were (i) to examine and relate FPK on Arabica Coffee Pests and Diseases (CPaD) to altitude and the vegetation structure of the production systems; (ii) to contrast results with perceptions from experts and (iii) to compare results with field observations, in order to identify constraints for improving the information flow between scientists and farmers. Data were acquired by means of interviews and workshops. One hundred and fifty farmer households managing coffee either at sun exposure, under shade trees or inter-cropped with bananas and spread across an altitudinal gradient were selected. Field sampling of the two most important CPaD was conducted on a subset of 34 plots. The study revealed the following findings: (i) Perceptions on CPaD with respect to their distribution across altitudes and perceived impact are partially concordant among farmers, experts and field observations (ii) There are discrepancies among farmers and experts regarding management practices and the development of CPaD issues of the previous years. (iii) Field observations comparing CPaD in different altitudes and production systems indicate ambiguity of the role of shade trees. According to the locality-specific variability in CPaD pressure as well as in FPK, the importance of developing spatially variable and relevant CPaD control practices is proposed. (Résumé d'auteur

The Worker Honeybee Fat Body Proteome Is Extensively Remodeled Preceding a Major Life-History Transition

Honeybee workers are essentially sterile female helpers that make up the majority of individuals in a colony. Workers display a marked change in physiology when they transition from in-nest tasks to foraging. Recent technological advances have made it possible to unravel the metabolic modifications associated with this transition. Previous studies have revealed extensive remodeling of brain, thorax, and hypopharyngeal gland biochemistry. However, data on changes in the abdomen is scarce. To narrow this gap we investigated the proteomic composition of abdominal tissue in the days typically preceding the onset of foraging in honeybee workers