Chicory and Jerusalem artichoke productivity in different areas of Italy, in relation to water availability and time of harvest

Inulin is an important polysaccharide synthesised by different crops, which, in the EU has been included in the system of sugar quotas since 1994. Currently, one of the major problems of the agro-industry is the need to extend the length of the sugar crop harvest season. It was therefore decided, also in relation to the increased demand for inulin, to study the two main inulin producing crops in Italy (chicory and Jerusalem artichoke), to verify yield and quality potential and stability in relation to some important agronomic factors such as irrigation and time of harvest. The work was conducted in 1999 and 2000 in four areas of Italy (Udine, Rovigo, Bologna and Bari). The effects evaluated were time of harvest (3 for chicory and 2 for Jerusalem artichoke) and irrigation system (evapotranspiration replacement and dry regime, with irrigation applied only when strictly necessary) on the production of storage organs, sugars and inulin in the two crops. The highest chicory root yield was in Bologna, with an average production of 65.6 t ha -1 (fresh weight), compared to Rovigo (54.4 t ha -1 ), Bari (46.5 t ha -1 ) and Udine (38.7 t ha -1). For final tuber yield in Jerusalem artichoke, Bari was the most productive environment with an average of 80 t ha -1 , followed by Bologna (61 t ha -1 ) and Udine (55.5 t ha -1 ). However, when this crop is whole-plant harvested (stalks and tubers) at pre-flowering, Bologna, with high stalk yields (58.7 t ha -1) appeared to be the most suitable environment. This type of harvesting was also shown to be more productive in terms of sugar and inulin yield. The total sugar content in the different organs analysed (roots, stalk and tubers) was always higher in Udine compared to Bologna, for both crops. Lastly, the length of the inulin chain (average degree of polymerisation [DP]) diminishes with the delaying of the harvest in both crops. The Bologna area had the highest potential in terms of chicory root production, while for the tubers yield of Jerusalem artichoke, the Bari environment was the most productive. But, when Jerusalem artichoke is instead considered as a crop for whole-plant harvest (stalks and tubers), Bologna, with a very high stalk yields, becomes the most suitable area. The highest sugar content in roots, stalks and tubers of both crops was found in the Udine tria

Acclimatization, distribution and potential economic use of Argania spinosa (Sapotaceae) in southern Italy

The authors report updated notes on the acclimatization, distribution, areas suitable for cultivation and, potential use of Argania spinosa (Sapotaceae) in southern Italy. Based on observations carried out on the plants cultivated in Bari and the Botanical Garden of Palermo, and on ecological requirements of the species it is possible to consider A. spinosa as a woody species easily adaptable to the coastal climate of southern Italy

Large-scale plant production of lycium barbarum l. By liquid culture in temporary immersion system and possible application to the synthesis of bioactive substance

Goji (Lycium barbarum L.) has recognized nutritive and antioxidant properties and many products are commercialized for health in food market. Besides its food use, goji has been the subject of more than 2000 years of traditional Chinese medicine, using berries, root bark, and leaves. Here, the potential of the liquid culture in temporary immersion system (TIS) by using the bioreactor Plantform™ was tested for the large-scale production of high-quality goji shoots and the subsequent production of total phenols and flavonoids. The three tested immersion cycles differently influenced the shoot quality in terms of proliferation and hyperhydricity. The best immersion cycle (time and frequency) was proven to have the shortest daily immersion time (6 min every 24 h) which ensured good levels of relative growth and multiplication rate, very limited onset of hyperydricity, and the longest shoots, promoting direct rooting after only 30 days of culture. In comparison with the semisolid culture, the TIS culture resulted in an increase of the total phenolic content (TPC) and in a lower value of the total flavonoid content (TFC). However, considering the higher quantity of biomass produced in the Plantform™ bioreactor, the difference in terms of TFC productivity between semisolid medium and TIS liquid culture was proven to be statistically equivalent

Camelina sativa (L. Crantz) Fresh Forage Productive Performance and Quality at Different Vegetative Stages: Effects of Dietary Supplementation in Ionica Goats on Milk Quality

The research meant to study the productive performances of Camelina sativa and the effects of feeding Camelina fresh forage harvested during five phenological stages (I: main stem elongation; II: maximum stem elongation: III: inflorescence appearance; IV: flowering; V: fruit set visible) on the yield, chemical composition and fatty acid profile of milk from autochthonous Ionica goats. Goats were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 15) that received a traditional forage mixture (Control) or Camelina forage harvested at different stages (CAM). The field experiment was conducted in two years; no significant differences between years were recorded for any of the Camelina production traits. The total biomass increased (p < 0.05) from phase I (1.4 t/ha) to phase V (5.2 t/ha). The distribution of stem, leaves and pod also changed during growth, showing a significant increase of stem from 40.8 to 45.6% and of pod from 0 to 19.4%, whereas leaves decreased from 59.2 to 35.1%. The milk yield and chemical composition were unaffected by the diet, while supplementation with Camelina forage increased milk CLA content (on average 1.14 vs. 0.78%). A markedly higher concentration of PUFAs was found in milk from goats fed Camelina harvested during the last three phenological stages. The index of thrombogenicity of milk from the CAM fed goats was significantly lower compared to the control group. In conclusion, Camelina sativa is a multi-purpose crop that may be successfully cultivated in Southern Italy regions and used as fresh forage for goat feeding. Milk obtained from Camelina fed goats showed satisfactory chemical and fatty acid composition, with potential benefits for human health

Dietary supplementation with camelina sativa (L. crantz) forage in autochthonous ionica goats: Effects on milk and caciotta cheese chemical, fatty acid composition and sensory properties

The research studied the effects of dietary supplementation with Camelina sativa fresh forage on the chemical and fatty acid composition of milk and Caciotta cheese, and its sensory properties. Twenty Ionica goats were randomly assigned to the following two groups (n = 10): the control received a traditional forage mixture (Avena sativa, 70%; Vicia sativa, 20%; Trifolium spp., 10%), while the experimental group was given Camelina sativa fresh forage (CAM). All of the dams grazed on pasture and received a commercial feed (500 g/head/day) at housing. The milk from the CAM group showed a higher (p < 0.05) content of dry matter, fat, lactose and concentrations of C6:0, C11:0, C14:0, C18:2 n-6, CLA and PUFA, while lower (p < 0.05) amounts of C12:0, C18:0 and saturated long chain FA (SLCFA). The Caciotta cheese from the CAM group showed a greater (p < 0.05) content of n-6 FA and n-6/n-3 ratio, although close to four, thus resulting adequate under the nutritional point of view. The overall liking, odour, taste, hardness, solubility and “goaty” flavour were better (p < 0.05) in the CAM cheeses. Further investigation would be advisable in order to evaluate the effect of feeding Camelina forage obtained from different phenological stages, and the application of ensiling techniques

Discontinuation rate and serious adverse events of chemoimmunotherapy as neoadjuvant treatment for triple-negative breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The use of combination of chemotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has shown efficacy in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and chemoimmunotherapy has been introduced in clinical practice. However, limited data are available on the discontinuation rate and serious adverse events of these treatments, particularly in the neoadjuvant setting. Herein, we carried out a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to assess discontinuation rate and serious adverse events of chemoimmunotherapy compared to chemotherapy alone in phase II and III neoadjuvant clinical trials in TNBC. Materials and methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and PubMed/Medline were searched for articles published from June 2008 to May 2023. The outcomes of interest were the discontinuation rate, serious adverse events, and grade 3-4 adverse events. Results: Four studies were included in the analysis. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) for discontinuation rate and serious adverse events were 1.26 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.78-2.06] and 1.79 (95% CI 1.4-2.28), respectively, in patients receiving chemoimmunotherapy compared to chemotherapy alone as neoadjuvant treatment for TNBC. The chemoimmunotherapy group had a higher risk of grade 3-4 adverse events (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.07-1.59). The analysis showed substantial heterogeneity, and the risk of discontinuation rate was heavily influenced by the KEYNOTE-522 trial. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the need for clinical trials specifically focused on safety, quality of life, and treatment adherence in TNBC patients receiving neoadjuvant treatment. Close monitoring of tolerability remains crucial in this clinical setting

Prognostic role of amenorrhea induced by adjuvant chemotherapy in premenopausal patients with early breast cancer.

The prognostic role of drug-induced amenorrhea (DIA) was restrospectively evaluated in 221 out of 254 consecutive premenopausal patients treated with adjuvant CMF or a CMF-containing regimen; 33 patients were eliminated because of lack of menstrual data. All patients had metastatic axillary nodes; drug regimens were: CMF x 9 courses +/- Tamoxifen (TM) and CMF x 6 courses; median age was 43 (range 26-54). Premenopausal status was defined as last normal menses within the 6 weeks preceding initiation of chemotherapy: DIA as cessation of menses for at least 3 months not later than 3 months from the end of chemotherapy. DIA occurred in 166,221 (75.1%) patients and was strictly related to the age of the patients; also, the older the patients the shorter the time required to develop DIA. At median follow up of 69 months, Mantel-Byar analysis showed a longer disease free survival (DFS) for patients who developed DIA as compared with non amenorrheic women (P less than 0.001). DIA prognostic value was independent of age, number of involved nodes, tumour size and number of CMF cycles, as assessed by the Cox model (RH 0.43, 95% C.I. 0.24-0.77), in which DIA was entered as a time dependent covariate

Platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The role of platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients is highly controversial and it is not endorsed by current guidelines. Our meta-analysis aimed to better elucidate its activity, efficacy and safety. Material and methods: A systematic search of Medline, Web of Science and conferences proceedings up to 30 October 2017 was carried out to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating platinum-based versus platinum-free neoadjuvant chemotherapy in TNBC patients. Using the fixed and random effects models, pooled odds ratios (ORs) and hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for pathological complete response (pCR, defined as ypT0/is pN0), event-free survival (EFS), overall survival (OS) and grade 3 and 4 adverse events (AEs: neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia and neuropathy). Results: Nine RCTs (N \ubc 2109) were included. Overall, platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy significantly increased pCR rate from 37.0% to 52.1% (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.46\u20132.62, P < 0.001). Platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy remained significantly associated with increased pCR rate also after restricting the analysis to the three RCTs (N \ubc 611) that used the same standard regimen in both groups of weekly paclitaxel (with or without carboplatin) followed by anthracycline and cyclophosphamide (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.37\u20134.66, P \ubc 0.003). Conversely, among the 96 BRCA-mutated patients included in two RCTs, the addition of carboplatin was not associated with significantly increased pCR rate (OR 1.17, 95% CI 0.51\u20132.67, P \ubc 0.711). Two RCTs (N \ubc 748) reported survival outcomes: no significant difference in EFS (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.49\u20131.06, P \ubc 0.094) and OS (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.46\u20131.63, P \ubc 0.651) was observed. A significant higher risk of grade 3 and 4 hematological AEs, with no increased risk of grade 3 and 4 neuropathy was observed with platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Conclusion: In TNBC patients, platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy is associated with significantly increased pCR rates at the cost of worse hematological toxicities. Platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be considered an option in TNBC patients

Extended Adjuvant Endocrine Treatment in Luminal Breast Cancers in the Era of Genomic Tests

In patients with early-stage endocrine receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer (BC), adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) for 5 years is the standard of care. However, for some patients, the risk of recurrence remain high for up to 15 years after diagnosis and extended ET beyond 5 years may be a reasonable option. Nevertheless, this strategy significantly increases the occurrence of side effects. Here we summarize the available evidence from randomized clinical trials on the efficacy and safety profile of extended ET and discuss available clinical and genomic tools helpful to select eligible patients in daily clinical practice

Potential of native and bioprocessed brewers' spent grains as organic soil amendments

Introduction: The use of novel soil amendments and the exploitation of plant growth-promoting microorganisms are considered promising tools for developing a more sustainable agriculture in times when ensuring high-yield productions with limited resources is essential. Methods: In this study, the potential of brewers' spent grain (BSG), the major by-product of the brewing industry, as organic soil amendment, was investigated. Bioprocessed BSG, obtained by an enzymatic treatment coupled with fermentation, together with native BSG, were used as amendments in a pot-trial. An integrated analytical approach aimed at assessing the modification of the physicochemical properties of a typical Mediterranean alkaline agricultural soil, and the plant growth-promoting effect on escarole (Cichorium endivia var. Cuartana), was carried out. Results: The use of biomasses led to soil organic content and total nitrogen content up to 72 and 42% higher, compared to the unamended soils. Moreover, the lower pH and the higher organic acids content doubled phosphorus availability. Although the number of leaves per plant in escaroles from pots amended with native and bioprocessed BSG did not show any difference compared to plants cultivated on unamended pots, the average fresh weight per escarole head, was higher in pots amended with bioprocessed BSG. Discussion: Hence, the results collected so far encourage BSG application for agricultural purpose, while solving the problem of disposing of such abundant side stream