Identification and Estimation of Clinical Indices Useful for the Diagnosis of Melanoma from Macroscopic Images

openMelanoma is an extremely aggressive form of skin cancer. When not promptly detected and treated, it can quickly metastasize, leading to unfavourable prognostic outcomes. Achieving early melanoma diagnosis relies heavily on accurate and thorough skin analysis, made by an expert dermatologist. To address subjective judgments and time-expensive exams, a novel screening and diagnostic method utilising photogrammetry-derived images of skin lesions has been devised. This innovative approach is based on the acquisition of macroscopic images, depicting a large portion of the patient body, and enables the creation of a three-dimensional model of the patient, allowing for the extraction of corresponding images of each individual lesion. This thesis aims to quantitatively assess the asymmetry, the irregularity of the border and the color of skin lesions through the analysis of segmented macroscopic images, contributing to the development of an automated diagnostic tool useful to the clinician for melanoma identification. The analysis was conducted on a dataset comprising images of healthy skin lesions and lesions reported as suspicious by dermatologists among which nine cases were confirmed as melanomas by biopsy. By utilizing algorithms to objectively compute asymmetry and border irregularity parameters, coupled with an in-depth analysis of color features associated with melanocytic lesions, the investigation unveiled statistically significant differences in these attributes between benign and suspicious lesions. Indeed, statistical tests confirmed distinctive distributions of these parameters between the two skin lesion populations. These findings underscore the potential of automated diagnostic tools derived from macroscopic images in effectively identifying suspicious lesions, thus contributing to early melanoma detection strategies

Isotope analyses to explore diet and mobility in a medieval Muslim population at Tauste (NE Spain)

The Islamic necropolis discovered in Tauste (Zaragoza, Spain) is the only evidence that a large Muslim community lived in the area between the 8th and 10th centuries. A multi-isotope approach has been used to investigate the mobility and diet of this medieval Muslim population living in a shifting frontier region. Thirty-one individuals were analyzed to determine δ15N, δ13C, δ18O and 87Sr/86Sr composition. A combination of strontium and oxygen isotope analysis indicated that most individuals were of local origin although three females and two males were non-local. The non-local males would be from a warmer zone whereas two of the females would be from a more mountainous geographical region and the third from a geologically-different area. The extremely high δ15N baseline at Tauste was due to bedrock composition (gypsum and salt). High individual δ15N values were related to the manuring effect and consumption of fish. Adult males were the most privileged members of society in the medieval Muslim world and, as isotope data reflected, consumed more animal proteins than females and young males. © 2017 Guede et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

THE 18O OF PHOSPHATE OF ANCIENT HUMAN BIOGENIC APATITE CAN REALLY BE USED FOR QUANTITATIVE PALAEOCLIMATE RECONSTRUCTION?

It is well known that the oxygen isotope composition of phosphate apatite (δph) in mammal bones and teeth is strongly correlated to that of the drinking water (δw) ingested by the mammal itself. However, the relation between (δph) and (δw) has to be considered with caution when used for palaeoclimate reconstruction because of the uncertainty of the data. Usually, however, the authors underestimate this problem, that may led to misleading results. On the basis of the phosphate - water data existing in the literature for humans, we estimated that the prediction uncertainty for δw calculated from a new value of δph is on the order of 2.5‰. It means that only in the case the difference between two calculated δw values is higher than about 3- 4‰, the δw values may be considered significantly different. This represents a big limit which cannot be underestimated in the use of human δph for prediction of single δw values and subsequent estimation of palaeotemperature. A similar evaluation would be performed also for other mammals

Microbial quality of raw and ready-to-eat mung bean sprouts produced in Italy

The aim of this study was to determine the microbial quality of mung bean sprouts produced in Italy. The presence of pathogenic microorganisms (Shiga toxin- producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes), total coliforms, and total viable counts (TVCs) were determined. The study covered five years of sprout production. The results demonstrated that no pathogenic microorganisms were present, and the microbial load was less than 6 log CFU/g. The mung bean sprouts currently produced in Italy were found to be acceptable for consumption. An additional aim was to determine the fate of different strains of STEC, L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. by intentionally inoculating mung bean seeds during sprouting and by using chlorinated water to reduce the concentration of these strains in seeds and sprouts. The data demonstrated that these strains increased over 5\u20136 log CFU/g within 3 days from inocula. The chlorinated washing solution reduced the concentration of the investigated strains in seeds and sprouts by approximately 3 and 7 log CFU/g, respectively. However, it was not possible to completely eliminate the pathogens from either the mung bean seeds or sprouts. Despite these encouraging results, the producer's attention to hygienic quality should not be reduced when attempting to produce safe-to-consume mung bean sprouts

Phage Inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes on San Daniele Dry-Cured Ham and Elimination of Biofilms from Equipment and Working Environments

The anti-listerial activity of generally recognized as safe (GRAS) bacteriophage Listex P100 (phage P100) was demonstrated in broths and on the surface of slices of dry-cured ham against 5 strains or serotypes (i.e., Scott A, 1/2a, 1/2b, and 4b) of Listeria monocytogenes. In a broth model system, phage P100 at a concentration equal to or greater than 7 log PFU/mL completely inhibited 2 log CFU/cm2 or 3 log CFU/cm2 of L. monocytogenes growth at 30 \ub0C. The temperature (4, 10, 20 \ub0C) seemed to influence P100 activity; the best results were obtained at 4 \ub0C. On dry-cured ham slices, a P100 concentration ranging from 5 to 8 log PFU/cm2 was required to obtain a significant reduction in L. monocytogenes. At 4, 10, and 20 \ub0C, an inoculum of 8 log PFU/cm2 was required to completely eliminate 2 log L. monocytogenes/cm2 and to reach the absence in 25 g product according to USA food law. Conversely, it was impossible to completely eradicate L. monocytogenes with an inoculum of approximately of 3.0 and 4.0 log CFU/cm2 and with a P100 inoculum ranging from 1 to 7 log PFU/cm2. P100 remained stable on dry-cured ham slices over a 14-day storage period, with only a marginal loss of 0.2 log PFU/cm2 from an initial phage treatment of approximately 8 log PFU/cm2. Moreover, phage P100 eliminated free L. monocytogenes cells and biofilms on the machinery surfaces used for dry-cured ham production. These findings demonstrate that the GRAS bacteriophage Listex P100 at level of 8 log PFU/cm2 is listericidal and useful for reducing the L. monocytogenes concentration or eradicating the bacteria from dry-cured ham

Inferring the diet of extinct elephants: The case study of straight-tusked elephants from Neumark Nord 1 (Northeastern Germany)

Inferring the diet of fossil mammals is a major approach to mammalian palaeobiology and palaeoecology. Compared to other mammals, proboscideans pose significant problems because elephants eat different kinds of food and may change it frequently. Results obtained by analysing the last molars of Palaeoloxodon antiquus from Neumark Nord, highlight the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary approach in inferring the dietary adaptation of elephants. The microwear pattern and stable isotope data obtained for the straight-tusked elephants from Neumark Nord 1, suggest they were mainly grazers in a wooded grassland and moderately humid environment

Effect of a Debaryomyces hansenii and Lactobacillus buchneri starter culture on Aspergillus westerdijkiae ochratoxin a production and growth during the manufacture of short seasoned dry-cured ham

Recently, specific dry-cured hams have started to be produced in San Daniele and Parma areas. The ingredients are similar to protected denomination of origin (PDO) produced in San Daniele or Parma areas, and include pork leg, coming from pigs bred in the Italian peninsula, salt and spices. However, these specific new products cannot be marked as a PDO, either San Daniele or Parma dry cured ham, because they are seasoned for 6 months, and the mark PDO is given only to products seasoned over 13 months. Consequently, these products are called short-seasoned dry-cured ham (SSDCH) and are not branded PDO. During their seasoning period, particularly from the first drying until the end of the seasoning period, many molds, including Eurotium spp. and Penicillium spp., can grow on the surface and work together with other molds and tissue enzymes to produce a unique aroma. Both of these strains typically predominate over other molds. However, molds producing ochratoxins, such as Aspergillus ochraceus and Penicillium nordicum, can simultaneously grow and produce ochratoxin A (OTA). Consequently, these dry-cured hams may represent a potential health risk for consumers. Recently, Aspergillus westerdijkiae has been isolated from SSDCHs, which could represent a potential problem for consumers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to inhibit A. westerdijkiae using Debaryomyces hansenii or Lactobacillus buchneri or a mix of both microorganisms. Six D. hansenii and six L. buchneri strains were tested in vitro for their ability to inhibit A. westerdijkiae. The strains D. hansenii (DIAL)1 and L. buchneri (Lb)4 demonstrated the highest inhibitory activity and were selected for in situ tests. The strains were inoculated or co-inoculated on fresh pork legs for SSDCH production with OTA-producing A. westerdijkiae prior to the first drying and seasoning. At the end of seasoning (six months), OTA was not detected in the SSDCH treated with both microorganisms and their combination. Because both strains did not adversely affect the SSDCH odor or flavor, the combination of these strains are proposed for use as starters to inhibit OTA-producing A. westerdijkiae

Characterization of Non-Saccharomyces Yeast Strains Isolated from Grape Juice and Pomace: Production of Polysaccharides and Antioxidant Molecules after Growth and Autolysis

Non-Saccharomyces yeasts (NSY) represent a relevant part of must and wine microbiota, contributing remarkably to the composition of lees biomass. Despite a number of studies indicate their capacity to increase wine polysaccharide content, their contribution to wine quality during aging on lees (AOL) has not been well elucidated yet. In the present study, twenty yeast strains (13 non-Saccharomyces and 7 Saccharomyces) were isolated from grape must and pomace and identified by morphologic and genetic characterization. Biomass production, cell growth and the release of soluble molecules (polysaccharides, amino acids, thiol compounds and glutathione) were evaluated after growth and after autolysis induced by β-glucanases addition. Differences between strains were observed for all parameters. Strains that produced higher amounts of soluble compounds during growth also showed the highest release after autolysis. Hanseniaspora spp. showed the greatest production of polysaccharides and antioxidant molecules, and biomass production and cell viability comparable to the commercial S. cerevisiae and T. delbrueckii used as reference. The aptitude of certain NSY to release antioxidants and polysaccharides is an interesting feature for managing AOL through sequential or mixed fermentations or for the production of inactive autolyzed yeasts for winemaking

Seasonal variation in nitrogen isotopic composition of bog plant litter during 3years of field decomposition

In this study, we describe the seasonal variation in 15N abundance in the litter of two Sphagnum species and four vascular plant species during 3years of field decomposition in an Italian Alpine bog. Litter bags were periodically retrieved at the end of summer and winter periods, and the δ15N in residual litter was related to mass loss, litter chemistry, and climatic conditions. In Sphagnum litter, higher rates of decomposition during summer months were associated with an increase of δ15N probably due to the incorporation of microbial organic compounds rich in 15N. The litter of Eriophorum vaginatum and Carex rostrata was characterized by a decrease of δ15N, so that the final signature was significantly lower than in initial litter. On the other hand, the residual litter of Potentilla erecta and Calluna vulgaris was characterized by a final δ15N higher than in initial litter. Our data reported a seasonality of 15N abundance in the residual litter of Sphagnum species, but not in that of vascular plant species, thus highlighting the role of differences in litter chemistr

Lactic acid bacteria: Variability due to different pork breeds, breeding systems and fermented sausage production technology

Changes in the ecology of the various lactic acid bacteria (LAB) species, which are involved in traditional fermented sausages, were investigated in the light of the use of different breeds of pork, each of which was raised in two different environments and processed using two different technologies. The semi-quantitative molecular method was applied in order to understand how the different species alternate over time, as well as their concentration ratios. A significant increase in LAB over the first days of fermentation characterized the trials where the starter culture wasn\u2019t added (T), reaching values of 107\u2013108 cfu g 121. On the other hand, in the trials in which sausages were produced with starter addition, LAB counts had a less significant incremental jump from about 106 cfu g 121 (concentration of the inoculum) to 108 cfu g 121. Lactobacillus sakei and Lb. curvatus were detected as the prevalent population in all the observed fermentations. Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lb. casei, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactococcus garviae, and Lb. graminis also appeared, but their concentration ratios varied depending on the diverse experimental settings. The results of cluster analysis showed that a plant- and breed-specific LAB ecology exists. In addition, it was also observed that the breeding system can influence the presence of certain LAB species