Cell wall composition and biofilm formation of azoles-susceptible and -resistant Candida glabrata strains

In the present study, three strains of Candida glabrata have been investigated to shed light on the mechanisms involved in azole resistance during adherence and biofilm formation. In particular, a clinical isolate, susceptible to azole-based drugs, DSY562 and two different resistant mutagenic strains deriving from DSY562, SFY114 and SFY115, have been analysed with different approaches for their cell wall composition and properties. A proteomic analysis revealed that the expression of six cell wall-related proteins and biofilm formation varied between the strains. The SFY114 and SFY115 strains resulted to be less hydrophobic than the susceptible parental counterpart DSY562, on the other hand they showed a higher amount in total cell wall polysaccharides fraction in the total cell wall. Accordingly to the results obtained from the hydrophobicity and adherence assays, in the resistant strain SFY115 the biofilm formation decreased compared to the parental strain DSY562. Finally, the total glucose amount in resistant SFY115 was about halved in comparison to other strains. Taken together all these data suggest that azole drugs may affect the cell wall composition of C. glabrata, in relation to the different pathogenic behaviours

Cell wall composition and biofilm formation of azoles-susceptible and -resistant Candida glabrata strains

In the present study, three strains of Candida glabrata have been investigated to shed light on the mechanisms involved in azole resistance during adherence and biofilm formation. In particular, a clinical isolate, susceptible to azole-based drugs, DSY562 and two different resistant mutagenic strains deriving from DSY562, SFY114 and SFY115, have been analysed with different approaches for their cell wall composition and properties. A proteomic analysis revealed that the expression of six cell wall-related proteins and biofilm formation varied between the strains. The SFY114 and SFY115 strains resulted to be less hydrophobic than the susceptible parental counterpart DSY562, on the other hand they showed a higher amount in total cell wall polysaccharides fraction in the total cell wall. Accordingly to the results obtained from the hydrophobicity and adherence assays, in the resistant strain SFY115 the biofilm formation decreased compared to the parental strain DSY562. Finally, the total glucose amount in resistant SFY115 was about halved in comparison to other strains. Taken together all these data suggest that azole drugs may affect the cell wall composition of C. glabrata, in relation to the different pathogenic behaviours

Prevenzione Primaria dei Disturbi del Comportamento Alimentare con l’approccio “Problem-Based Learning”

Objectives. The objective of the study is to test the use of a method of learning, such as Problem Based Learning, as a prevention strategy for eating disorders. In this regard was carried out a summary of the research conducted in the primary prevention of eating disorders to date, identifying the characteristics of effectiveness of interventions to compare the characteristics of PBL as a new approach to prevention. Methods. The research was structured on guidelines of EPICOT whit which was been identified keywords to investigate database; the research was performed mainly on Pub Med, but also in other databases. Were selected 16 articles related to the primary prevention of ED and 9 articles relating to the use of PBL in various contexts of education, to these was added the bibliography to deepen the theory of PBL. Results. Research has led to a summary of the characteristics of effectiveness from use in primary prevention of ED such as interactive intervention, multisessions, use of cognitive dissonance, etc. All features are fully satisfy by Problem Based Learning, furthermore search results support the effectiveness of PBL in the development of Life Skills promoted by WHO as targets across all the programs of health promotion and prevention. Conclusions.The results lead to support the PBL as a new approach to the prevention of eating disorders and more efficacy studies are to be promoted to verify its use in specific contexts

Biological and Exploitable Crossroads for the Immune Response in Cancer and COVID-19

The outbreak of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has exacted a disproportionate toll on cancer patients. The effects of anticancer treatments and cancer patients’ characteristics shared significant responsibilities for this dismal outcome; however, the underlying immunopathological mechanisms are far from being completely understood. Indeed, despite their different etiologies, SARS-CoV-2 infection and cancer unexpectedly share relevant immunobiological connections. In the pathogenesis and natural history of both conditions, there emerges the centrality of the immune response, orchestrating the timed appearance, functional and dysfunctional roles of multiple effectors in acute and chronic phases. A significant number (more than 600) of observational and interventional studies have explored the interconnections between COVID-19 and cancer, focusing on aspects as diverse as psychological implications and prognostic factors, with more than 4000 manuscripts published so far. In this review, we reported and discussed the dynamic behavior of the main cytokines and immune system signaling pathways involved in acute vs. early, and chronic vs. advanced stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection and cancer. We highlighted the biological similarities and active connections within these dynamic disease scenarios, exploring and speculating on possible therapeutic crossroads from one setting to the other

Vaginal microbiome and metabolome highlight specific signatures of bacterial vaginosis

In this study, we sought to find novel bacterial and metabolic hallmarks for bacterial vaginosis (BV). We studied the vaginal microbiome and metabolome of vaginal fluids from BV-affected patients (n = 43) and healthy controls (n = 37) by means of an integrated approach based on quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H-NMR). The correlations between the clinical condition and vaginal bacterial communities were investigated by principal component analysis (PCA). To define the metabolomics signatures of BV, 100 discriminant analysis by projection on latent structure (PLS-DA) models were calculated. Bacterial signatures distinguishing the health condition and BV were identified by qPCR. Lactobacillus crispatus strongly featured the healthy vagina, while increased concentrations of Prevotella, Atopobium and Mycoplasma hominis specifically marked the infection. (1)H-NMR analysis has led to the identification and quantification of 17 previously unreported molecules. BV was associated with changes in the concentration of metabolites belonging to the families of amines, organic acids, short chain fatty acids, amino acids, nitrogenous bases and monosaccharides. In particular, maltose, kynurenine and NAD(+) primarily characterised the healthy status, while nicotinate, malonate and acetate were the best metabolic hallmarks of BV. This study helps to better understand the role of the vaginal microbiota and metabolome in the development of BV infection. We propose a molecular approach for the diagnosis of BV based on quantitative detection in the vaginal fluids of Atopobium, Prevotella and M. hominis, and nicotinate, malonate and acetate by combining qPCR and (1)H-NMR

Impact of a synbiotic food on the gut microbial ecology and metabolic profiles

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The human gut harbors a diverse community of microorganisms which serve numerous important functions for the host wellbeing. Functional foods are commonly used to modulate the composition of the gut microbiota contributing to the maintenance of the host health or prevention of disease. In the present study, we characterized the impact of one month intake of a synbiotic food, containing fructooligosaccharides and the probiotic strains <it>Lactobacillus helveticus </it>Bar13 and <it>Bifidobacterium longum </it>Bar33, on the gut microbiota composition and metabolic profiles of 20 healthy subjects.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The synbiotic food did not modify the overall structure of the gut microbiome, as indicated by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). The ability of the probiotic <it>L. helveticus </it>and <it>B. longum </it>strains to pass through the gastrointestinal tract was hypothesized on the basis of real-time PCR data. In spite of a stable microbiota, the intake of the synbiotic food resulted in a shift of the fecal metabolic profiles, highlighted by the Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry Solid Phase Micro-Extraction (GC-MS/SPME) analysis. The extent of short chain fatty acids (SCFA), ketones, carbon disulfide and methyl acetate was significantly affected by the synbiotic food consumption. Furthermore, the Canonical discriminant Analysis of Principal coordinates (CAP) of GC-MS/SPME profiles allowed a separation of the stool samples recovered before and after the consumption of the functional food.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In this study we investigated the global impact of a dietary intervention on the gut ecology and metabolism in healthy humans. We demonstrated that the intake of a synbiotic food leads to a modulation of the gut metabolic activities with a maintenance of the gut biostructure. In particular, the significant increase of SCFA, ketones, carbon disulfide and methyl acetate following the feeding period suggests potential health promoting effects of the synbiotic food.</p

Perfluorinated compounds (pfcs) in river waters of central Italy. Monthly variation and ecological risk assessment (era)

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are a wide class of emerging pollutants. In this study, we applied the US EPA method 533 for the determination of 21 PFCs in river water samples. In particular, this method was used to investigate the presence of the target PFCs in six rivers in central Italy during a 4-month-long monitoring campaign. In 73% of the analyzed samples, at least some of the target PFCs were detected at concentrations higher than the limit of detection (LOD). The sum of the 21 target analytes ( n-ary sumation 21PFCs) ranged from 4.3 to 68.5 ng L-1, with the highest concentrations measured in the month of June, probably due to a minor river streamflow occurring in the warmer summer months. Considering the individual congeners, PFBA and PFPeA, followed by PFHxA and PFOA, were the predominantly detected compounds. Short- and medium-chain PFCs (C4-C9) prevail over the long-chain PFCs (C10-C18), likely due to the increased industrial use and the higher solubility of short-chain PFCs compared to long-chain PFCs. The ecological risk assessment, conducted by using the risk quotient method, highlighted that the risk for aquatic environments associated with PFBA, PFPeA, PFBS, PFHxA and PFOA was low or negligible. Only for PFOA, there was a medium level of risk in two rivers in the month of June. With regard to PFOS, 54% of the river water samples were classified as "high risk" for the aquatic environment. The remaining 46% of the samples were classified as "medium risk.

Swimming at the time of covid-19. A cross-sectional study among young italian competitive athletes

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, several restriction measures were imposed to control the virus transmission, with important repercussions on different sectors, including sport. This study aimed to explore the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Italian competitive swimmers by analyzing how the disease and the restriction measures affected their training. In total, 396 competitive swimmers (mean age 16.0 ± 3.2 years) participated. A questionnaire was used to collect their general information, to assess whether they had had COVID-19 and the number of training days lost due to the disease or to the closure of swimming facilities, and the possible alternative training adopted. Twenty-four (6.1%) participants had had COVID-19 and lost, on average, 32 training days. The closure of facilities caused an interruption in swimming training for about 18% of the participants. The majority of these continued their training, mainly through home-based exercise, but reduced their weekly training time (-8 median hours/week). A positive association was found between regularly adopted weekly training volume and that assumed during pandemic closure (OR 9.433, CI95% 1.644-54.137, p = 0.012), suggesting that the previous level of engagement in sport can represent a predictor of exercise maintenance in challenging situations such as a pandemic. Further studies are needed to identify personal, environmental, and social resources that can help individuals to counteract the negative effects of restriction measures

Characterization of a multifunctional caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase activated in grape berries upon drought stress

Drought stress affects anthocyanin accumulation and modification in vegetative and reproductive plant tissues. Anthocyanins are the most abundant flavonoids in grape (Vitis vinifera L.) coloured berry genotypes and are essential markers of grape winemaking quality. They are mostly mono- and di-methylated, such modifications increase their stability and improve berry quality for winemaking. Anthocyanin methylation in grape berries is induced by drought stress. A few caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferases (CCoAOMTs) active on anthocyanins have been described in grape. However, no drought-activated O-methyltransferases have been described in grape berries yet. In this study, we characterized VvCCoAOMT, a grapevine gene known to induce methylation of CoA esters in cultured grape cells. Transcript accumulation of VvCCoAOMT was detected in berry skins, and increased during berry ripening on the plant, and in cultured berries treated with ABA, concomitantly with accumulation of methylated anthocyanins, suggesting that anthocyanins may be substrates of this enzyme. Contrary as previously observed in cell cultures, biotic stress (Botrytis cinerea inoculation) did not affect VvCCoAOMT gene expression in leaves or berries, while drought stress increased VvCCoAOMT transcript in berries. The recombinant VvCCoAOMT protein showed in vitro methylating activity on cyanidin 3-O-glucoside. We conclude that VvCCoAOMT is a multifunctional O-methyltransferase that may contribute to anthocyanin methylation activity in grape berries, in particular under drought stress conditions

Evaluation of pre-slaughter losses of Italian heavy pigs

A retrospective observational study evaluated the risk factors for pre-slaughter losses (i.e. animal deaths occurring during transport and lairage) and their economic impact in Italian heavy pigs (about 160 kg body weight). Of the 3,344,730 pigs transported, 1,780 (0.053%) died before slaughter, with most losses occurring during transport (56.6%). The estimated economic impact was of \ue2\u82\uac 424,000. The percentage of batches with at least one animal lost pre-slaughter increased during summer (P&lt;0.001). The proportion of pre-slaughter losses was higher when journey lasted above 90 min (P&lt;0.001) and was correlated with transport duration (P&lt;0.01). Losses were higher (P&lt;0.01) in batches transported at low stocking densities (i.e., when heavier pigs were transported). Batches with lower slaughtering order (i.e., longer lairage time) had higher proportions of losses (P&lt;0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that the odds of a given batch to have at least one animal lost pre-slaughter were 1.32 times higher for batches slaughtered in summer, 1.54 times higher if journey durations exceeded 90 min, 1.25 times higher for batches with low slaughtering order, and not significantly influenced by stocking density during transport