Lactic acid fermentation of pomegranate juice as a tool to improve antioxidant activity

An increasing consumer demand for pomegranate has been globally observed, mainly thanks to the scientific evidence related to its functional and health-promoting features. Pomegranate fruits from twenty accessions identified in Southeastern Italy were characterized according to morphological and chemical features. Juices extracted from pomegranate fruits were fermented with selected Lactobacillus plantarum PU1 and the antioxidant activity investigated. Whey was added to juices to promote the microbial growth. Fermentation led to the increase of the radical scavenging activity (up to 40%) and significant inhibition of the linoleic acid peroxidation. The three fermented juices showing the highest antioxidant activity, and the corresponding unfermented controls, were further characterized. In detail, the cytotoxicity and the protective role toward artificially induced oxidative stress were determined on murine fibroblasts Balb 3T3 through the determination of the viability and the intracellular ROS (reactive oxygen species) scavenging activity (RSA). RSA reached values of ca. 70% in fermented juices, being ca. 40% higher than the unfermented and control samples. Phenols compounds of the pomegranate juices obtained from accessions “Bitonto Piscina,” “Sanrà nero,” and “Wonderful (reference cultivar) were analyzed through ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, showing that a marked increase (up to 60%) of the ellagitannins derivatives occurred during fermentation. Sensory analysis showed suitability of the fermented juices to be used as beverage and food ingredient

Different pH requirements are associated with divergent inhibitory effects of chloroquine on human and avian influenza A viruses

Chloroquine is a 4-aminoquinoline previously used in malaria therapy and now becoming an emerging investigational antiviral drug due to its broad spectrum of antiviral activities. To explore whether the low pH-dependency of influenza A viruses might affect the antiviral effects of chloroquine at clinically achievable concentrations, we tested the antiviral effects of this drug on selected human and avian viruses belonging to different subtypes and displaying different pH requirements. Results showed a correlation between the responses to chloroquine and NH4Cl, a lysosomotropic agent known to increase the pH of intracellular vesicles. Time-of-addition experiments showed that the inhibitory effect of chloroquine was maximal when the drug had been added at the time of infection and was lost after 2 h post-infection. This timing approximately corresponds to that of virus/cell fusion. Moreover, there was a clear correlation between the EC50 of chloroquine in vitro and the electrostatic potential of the HA subunit (HA2) mediating the virus/cell fusion process. Overall, the present study highlights the critical importance of a host cell factor such as intravesicular pH in determining the anti-influenza activity of chloroquine and other lysosomotropic agents

Can we have a rationalized selection of intra-aortic balloon pump, Impella, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the catheterization laboratory?

Cardiac assistance represents an emerging issue in cardiovascular medicine. The evolution of invasive cardiology techniques is making the catheterization laboratory one of the main hospital sites where implantation of percutaneous ventricular assistance devices (PVADs) is discussed and performed. Among available PVADs, intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), Impella, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are the most popular and offer completely different levels and ways to assist critical patients. The main settings calling for PVAD consideration in the catheterization laboratory are clinically indicated high-risk patients (CHIP) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and patients with cardiogenic shock or refractory cardiac arrest.   In CHIP, PVAD serves the purpose of preventing hemodynamic collapse during PCI. This may also allow more extensive revascularizations and higher quality revascularization plans (imaging use, debulking, stent result optimization). IABP or Impella are more commonly selected whereas ECMO is seldom considered as a third option for highly selected patients. The “elective” nature of CHIP-PCI should allow careful procedure planning (peripheral artery disease assessment, access site selection and management) in order to minimize vascular/bleeding complications. Cardiogenic shock is still associated with high mortality rates, and PVAD theoretically offers further recovery chances. The lack of benefit observed with systematic IABP use is currently prompting consideration of the roles of Impella and ECMO. Prolonged assistance is often needed. Thus, team decisions and shared protocols for PVAD selection have to be promoted, taking into consideration available resources and operators’ skills. In this paper, we critically review the available data in the field and highlight the possible decision-making hubs that catheterization-laboratory teams may consider in order to rationalize PVAD selection

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

From Resilience to Burnout in Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Emergency: The Role of the Ability to Tolerate Uncertainty

The COVID-19 outbreak has placed extraordinary demands upon healthcare systems worldwide. Italy’s hospitals have been among the most severely overwhelmed, and as a result, Italian healthcare workers’ (HCWs) well-being has been at risk. The aim of this study is to explore the relationships between dimensions of burnout and various psychological features among Italian healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 emergency. A group of 267 HCWs from a hospital in the Lazio Region completed self-administered questionnaires online through Google Forms, including the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Resilience Scale, and Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale Short Form (IU). Cluster analysis highlighted two opposite burnout risk profiles: low burnout and high-risk burnout. The high-risk group had lower resilience and greater difficulties in tolerating the uncertainty than the low-burnout group. A set of general linear models confirmed that both IU subscales, prospective and inhibition, moderated the relationship between resilience and burnout (specifically in the depersonalization dimension). In conclusion, the results showed that individual levels of resilience and one’s ability to tolerate uncertainty have been significant factors in determining the impact of the COVID-19 emergency on HCWs. The use of emotional strategies that allow individuals to stay in a critical situation without the need to control it appears to protect against burnout in these circumstances

The use of calgranulin-C (S100A12) and fecal zonulin as possible non-invasive markers in children with inflammatory bowel disease: a clinical study

Unlabelled: Calgranulin-C (S100A12) and zonulin are considered markers of intestinal inflammation. Our aim was to evaluate fecal S100A12 (f-S100A12) and fecal zonulin (f-zonulin) in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), compared to fecal calprotectin (FC) and serum inflammatory markers. We enrolled children with a previous diagnosis of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). F-S100A12, f-zonulin, and FC were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Endoscopic examination was considered in the patients who underwent ileocolonoscopy within 2 weeks from the enrollment. One hundred seventeen children, 39.3% with CD and 60.7% with UC were enrolled. In both CD and UC, there was a significant direct correlation between FC and f-S100A12 levels. In children with CD and UC, both FC and f-S100A12 correlated with markers of serum inflammation. We found difference in FC and f-S100A12 levels between patients in clinical relapse and remission (FC: mean 1027 ± 818 mcg/ml vs 580 ± 695 mcg/ml respectively, p = 0.028; f-S100A12: mean 66.4 ± 48.2 mcg/ml vs 42.7 ± 40 mcg/ml, respectively p = 0.02). Moreover, we found difference in FC between children with endoscopic inflammation and remission (mean 825 ± 779 mcg/ml vs 473.3 ± 492 mcg/ml, respectively p = 0.048), as well as for f-S100A12 (53 ± 43 mcg/ml vs mean 31 ± 33 mcg/ml vs, respectively p = 0.019). No significant results were found for f-zonulin. Conclusion: Our data suggest that f-S100A12 and FC are both useful non-invasive biomarkers in the management of pediatric IBD in follow up and in monitoring endoscopic and clinical relapse. What is known: • Fecal calprotectin (FC), fecal S100A12 (f- S100A12), and fecal zonulin represent potential noninvasive markers of gut inflammation. • Since S100A12 is predominantly expressed by granulocytes, high levels of f-S100A12 should be more specific for inflammation than FC. What is new: • FC and f-S100A12 were correlated to each other and despite the lack of correlation with disease location, they were associated with endoscopic inflammation and clinical relapse in children with IBD. • No significant correlations were found between f-zonulin and the inflammatory parameters

Erratum. comorbid depressive disorders in ADHD. the role of ADHD severity, subtypes and familial psychiatric disorders

ObjectiveaaTo evaluate the presence of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Dysthymic Disorder (DD) in a sample of Italian children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and to explore specific features of comorbid depressive disorders in ADHD. MethodsaaThree hundred and sixty-six consecutive, drug-naïve Caucasian Italian outpatients with ADHD were recruited and comorbid disorders were evaluated using DSM-IV-TR criteria. To evaluate ADHD severity, parents of all children filled out the ADHD Rating Scale. Thirty-seven children with comorbid MDD or DD were compared with 118 children with comorbid conduct disorder and 122 without comorbidity for age, sex, IQ level, family psychiatric history, and ADHD subtypes and severity. Resultsaa42 of the ADHD children displayed comorbid depressive disorders: 16 exhibited MDD, 21 DD, and 5 both MDD and DD. The frequency of hyperactive-impulsive subtypes was significantly lower in ADHD children with depressive disorders, than in those without any comorbidity. ADHD children with depressive disorders showed a higher number of familial psychiatric disorders and higher score in the Inattentive scale of the ADHD Rating Scale, than children without any comorbidity. No differences were found for age, sex and IQ level between the three groups. ConclusionaaConsistent with previous studies in other countries, depressive disorders affect a significant proportion of ADHD children in Italy. Patient assessment and subsequent treatment should take into consideration the possible presence of this comorbidity, which could specifically increase the severity of ADHD attention problems