Brettanomyces bruxellensis yeasts: impact on wine and winemaking

Yeasts belonging to the Brettanomyces/Dekkera genus are non-conventional yeasts, which affect winemaking by causing wine spoilage all over the world. This mini-review focuses on recent results concerning the presence of Brettanomyces bruxellensis throughout the wine processing chain. Here, culture-dependent and independent methods to detect this yeast on grapes and at the very early stage of wine production are encompassed. Chemical, physical and biological tools, devised for the prevention and control of such a detrimental species during winemaking are also presented. Finally, the mini-review identifies future research areas relevant to the improvement of wine safety and sensory profiles

Antibiotic resistance determinants in the interplay between food and gut microbiota

A complex and heterogeneous microflora performs sugar and lactic acid fermentations in food products. Depending on the fermentable food matrix (dairy, meat, vegetable etc.) as well as on the species composition of the microbiota, specific combinations of molecules are produced that confer unique flavor, texture, and taste to each product. Bacterial populations within such “fermented food microbiota” are often of environmental origin, they persist alive in foods ready for consumption, eventually reaching the gastro-intestinal tract where they can interact with the resident gut microbiota of the host. Although this interaction is mostly of transient nature, it can greatly contribute to human health, as several species within the food microbiota also display probiotic properties. Such an interplay between food and gut microbiota underlines the importance of the microbiological quality of fermented foods, as the crowded environment of the gut is also an ideal site for genetic exchanges among bacteria. Selection and spreading of antibiotic resistance genes in foodborne bacteria has gained increasing interest in the past decade, especially in light of the potential transferability of antibiotic resistance determinants to opportunistic pathogens, natural inhabitants of the human gut but capable of acquiring virulence in immunocompromised individuals. This review aims at describing major findings and future prospects in the field, especially after the use of antibiotics as growth promoters was totally banned in Europe, with special emphasis on the application of genomic technologies to improve quality and safety of fermented foods

Analysis of the positivity rate in IgE positive patients to inhalant allergens in Verona Hospital Laboratory during 2002-2003

Background: At present test tube allergy diagnosis is becoming increasingly more comparable to skin prick tests and is therefore increasingly more reliable, not only from an analytical point of view but also from a clinical one. The cost of test tube allergens has decreased over the years and the specific IgE dosage can quickly give a good diagnostic indication. Objective: To study the percentage of positive subjects for each individual allergen in cases of suspected allergy, the laboratory can easily identify, also by age bracket, the positivity for those well known allergens that are more commonly responsible for allergic pathologies by using the skin prick test. Our laboratory has studied the test tube diagnostic activity of 2002 and 2003. The inhaled allergens used to identify the positivity percentage were selected from those in our Allergy Unit and which literature identifies as those more commonly positive at skin prick tests. Methods: The positivity rate of specific IgEs (UniCAP100- Phamarcia) were analyses for two age brackets before and after the age of 12. The younger than 12 group was then subdivided further into pre-school age (3-5 years) and school age (6-12). Results: It can be stated that in the grass group, the seasonal allergens, the most commonly positive were cereals and pellitory, the latter increasing in adult age (above 12 years). In the tree group of seasonal allergens, positivity was found to increase in adult age for olive and cypress trees. The more commonly positive perennial allergens in the adult age (above 12) are dermathophagoides and cat. Below 12, there is a strong positivity to alternaria. Conclusions: Such test tube studies on IgE positivity are not only useful for better defining diagnostic patterns to give an initial idea of suspected allergy, but also to highlight any changes in the IgE antibody count within different age brackets, with the possibility of documenting the progress of the pathology which is characteristic of the allergy in question

Use of Gianturco-Roubin stents for treating abrupt occlusion of unprotected left main stem during elective PTCA.

Abrupt occlusion of the left main during elective coronary angioplasty has a high mortality rate despite emergent surgery. Coronary stents are useful for managing abrupt occlusion during balloon angioplasty, but patients treated with bail-out stenting to obviate life-threatening occlusions are usually operated after stabilization. Two cases of multiple bail-out stenting of the left main as a stand-alone treatment and their long-term follow-up are reported

Analysis of the positivity rate in IgE positive patients to food allergens in Verona hospital laboratory during 2003

Background: It has been known for some time now that reactions to allergens, not only those inhaled but also those in food, varies with age in atopical patients. Objective: To evaluate the specific IgE positivity percentage in order to improve laboratory diagnosis in subjects with suspected food allergy. Methods: The positivity percentages of specific IgE were analysed (UniCAPIOO-Pharmacia) taking into consideration the two age brackets of below and above 12 years. The below 12 years age bracket was then further divided into pre-school age (3-5 years) and school age (6-12 years). Results: By measuring the simple positivity percentage for specific IgE to food allergens, there is a clear decrease as the child matures in reactions to milk and eggs and an increase towards food IgEs that cross-react with grass and tree pollens or other inhaled allergens like moulds and mites. Conclusion: It will be necessary in the future to have the diagnostic means to identify this cross-reaction problem by using recombinant allergens that can demonstrate the combined reaction between inhaled and food allergens

Haemoglobin polymorphism in the eels of Hispaniola

One hundred and eighty-three eels of Hispaniola were examined for the number of vertebrae and all of them were found to belong to the species Anguilla rostrata (Le Sueur 1817), as was expected. The haemoglobins of 52 individuals were examined with electrophoresis, and a polymorphism was observed. According to the explanation of SICK et al. (1967), 7.7% of the eels of Hispaniola bear the heterozygous pattern already observed in American eels, while the others bear the most common phenotype, which is identical to the only haemoglobin phenotype of the European species