Inhibition by yeast strain of tyrosinase activity in must and wine

The course of tyrosinase activity in musts is related to the strain of yeast used; with strain 633 the activity becomes practically non-detectable during the first days of growth. With other strains a drastic drop always occurs during the first 48 hours, followed by a recovery during the exponential phase of growth, in correlation to a substantial fall of phenols and to the exponential rise in colour. The inhibitory power on the tyrosinase in vitro is a widespread character in the yeast, even if quantitatively different: this character is not always associated with colour stability. Such a character, possessed to a remarkable measure by strains 633 and 36, is bound to the biosynthesis, even in synthetical media, of a compound capable of becoming bound to the protein units of enzyme, thus preventing the enzyme activity.Inhibition par la souche de levure de l'activité de la tyrosinase du moût et du vinLe cours de l'activité de la tyrosinase dans les moûts est rélié à la souche de levure employée: la souche 633 rend l'activité pratiquement inexistante pendant les premiers jours de son dévéloppement. D'autres souches provoquent une baisse drastique pendant les premières 48 heures, suivie par un récouvrement de l'activité de la tyrosinase pendant la phase exponentielle de leur dévéloppement en corrélation à une chute substantielle des composés phénoliques totaux et à la hausse exponentielle de la couleur. Le pouvoir inhibiteur sur la tyrosinase in vitro est un caractère diffusé des levures bien que quantitativement différent; ce caractère n'est pas toujours associé à la stabilité de la couleur des vins blancs. Tel caractère, possedé d'une façon remarquable par les souches 633 et 36, est lié à la biosynthèse, même dans les substrats synthétiques, d'un composé capable de se lier aux unités protéiques de l'enzyme, de façon à prévenir l'activité enzymatique

How the Black Swan damages the harvest: Extreme weather events and the fragility of agriculture in development countries

Climate change constitutes a rising challenge to the agricultural base of developing countries. Most of the literature has focused on the impact of changes in the means of weather variables on mean changes in production and has found very little impact of weather upon agricultural production. Instead, we focus on the relationship between extreme events in weather and extreme losses in crop production. Indeed, extreme events are of the greatest interest for scholars and policy makers only when they carry extraordinary negative effects. We build on this idea and for the first time, we adopt a conditional dependence model for multivariate extreme values to understand the impact of extreme weather on agricultural production. Specifically, we look at the probability that an extreme event drastically reduces the harvest of any of the major crops. This analysis, which is run on data for six different crops and four different weather variables in a vast array of countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, shows that extremes in weather and yield losses of major staples are associated events. We find a high heterogeneity across both countries and crops and we are able to predict per country and per crop the risk of a yield reduction above 90% when extreme events occur. As policy implication, we can thus assess which major crop in each country is less resilient to climate shocks

Primi risultati del progetto LIFE+ sulle analisi microbiologiche delle acque nel Parco dei Gessi dell’Emilia Romagna

Dal 2010 è in corso il Progetto Life + 08NAT/IT/000369 “Gypsum” 2, cofinanziato dall’Unione Europea, finalizzato alla tutela e gestione dei principali ambienti gessosi dell’Emilia Romagna. Nell’ambito dell’Azione A3 è previsto un monitoraggio pluriennale dei principali acquiferi carsici sotto l’aspetto chimico e microbiologico. Nel corso del primo anno sono state analizzate le acque carsiche su circa 50 punti di controllo (inghiottitoi, fiumi, torrenti in grotta, e risorgenti). In generale l’obiettivo di questa sperimentazione è quello di valutare l’impatto di sostanze di origine agricola o di altre forme di inquinamento, legate ad insediamenti o attività antropiche o fattori naturali, in acque di grotta. La sperimentazione è stata sviluppata tramite tecniche microbiologiche classiche e di biologia molecolare (PCR 16S rRNA e PCR-DGGE), finalizzate alla caratterizzazione delle popolazioni microbiche presenti nei diversi siti di prelievo e alla determinazione di loro eventuali variazioni e/o evoluzioni. I valori di carica microbica totale determinati oscillavano da un massimo di 3.32 ad un minimo di 0.18 log UFC/ ml e da un massimo di 2.26 fino a valori al di sotto del limite di determinazione (1 log UFC/ml) per quanto riguarda i coliformi totali e fecali. Le analisi genetiche hanno mostrato la presenza di numerosi specie batteriche (Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Pseudomonas spp., Rahnella aquatilis, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Pedobacter swuonensis, Enterobacter spp., Aeromonas hydrophila, Citrobacter, Klebsiella and Raoultella). I microrganismi identificati possono avere diverse origini, alcuni provengono dal terreno, altri possono essere comuni contaminanti delle acque ed altri avere un’origine antropica (batteri fecali). Fino a questo step del progetto, l’analisi PCR-DGGE ha evidenziato le evoluzioni ecologiche, in termine di popolazioni microbiche, presenti tra i diversi campioni e i diversi siti di campionamento all’interno di una stessa grotta.The Project Life + 08NAT/IT/000369 “Gypsum” 2, co-financed by the European Union, has started in the spring of 2010. This project aims to protect and manage the main karst caves and sites of Emilia-Romagna region. The A3 action provides a periodic monitoring of the main karst aquifers in terms of chemistry and microbiology. During the first year and a half, karst waters of 50 control points were analysed (sinking streams, rivers and streams in caves, and resurgences). The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact, in the waters of the cave, of agricultural substances or other forms of pollution or settlements related to human activities or natural factors. The experiment was developed using traditional microbiology techniques and molecular biology techniques (PCR and 16S rRNA PCR-DGGE), focused on the characterization of microbial populations in the different sampling sites and determination of their variations and/or changes. The total microbial concentration ranged from a maxiimum of 3.32 or 2.26 to values below the limit of detection (1 log CFU/ml) for total and faecal colifroms, respectively. The genetic analysis showed the presence of numerous bacterial species (Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Pseudomonas spp., Rahnella aquatilis, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Pedobacter swuonensis, Enterobacter spp., Aeromonas hydrophila, Citrobacter, Klebsiella and Raoultella). The organisms identified have different origins, some come from the ground, others are common water contaminants and others derive from human activities (faecal bacteria). Up to now, PCR-DGGE revealed the ecological changes, in terms of microbial populations present in the samples, and different sampling sites within the same cave

Novel Deterministic Detection and Estimation Algorithms for Colocated Multiple-Input Multiple-Output Radars

In this manuscript, the problem of detecting multiple targets and estimating their spatial coordinates (namely, their range and the direction of arrival of their electromagnetic echoes) in a colocated multiple-input multiple-output radar system operating in a static or slowly changing two-dimensional or three-dimensional propagation scenario is investigated. Various solutions, collectively called range & angle serial cancellation algorithms, are developed for both frequency modulated continuous wave radars and stepped frequency continuous wave radars. Moreover, specific technical problems experienced in their implementation are discussed. Finally, the accuracy achieved by these algorithms in the presence of multiple targets is assessed on the basis of both synthetically generated data and of the measurements acquired through three different multiple-input multiple-output radars and is compared with that provided by other methods based on multidimensional Fourier analysis and multiple signal classification

Galcanezumab for the treatment of chronic migraine and medication overuse headache: Real-world clinical evidence in a severely impaired patient population

Background: Galcanezumab is a monoclonal antibody acting against the calcitonin gene-related peptide approved for the preventive treatment of migraine. The aim of this article is to explore its effectiveness and safety of galcanezumab in chronic migraine (CM) with medication overuse-headache (MOH). Methods: Seventy-eight patients were consecutively enrolled at the Modena headache center and followed up for 15 months. Visits were scheduled every 3 months, and the following variables were collected: the number of migraine days per month (MDM); the painkillers taken per month (PM); the number of days per month in which the patient took, at least, one painkiller; the six-item headache impact test; and the migraine disability assessment questionnaire (MIDAS) score. Demographic features of the analyzed sample were collected at the baseline and adverse events (AEs) were collected at every visit. Results: After 12 months, galcanezumab significantly reduced the MDM, the PM, the number of days on medication, the HIT-6 as well as the MIDAS scores (all p <.0001). The greatest amelioration was obtained in the first trimester of treatment. A higher MDM, a higher NRS score at the baseline, and a higher number of failed preventive treatments negatively predict the CM relief at the year of treatment. No serious AEs were registered and only one drop-out was due to AE. Conclusions: Galcanezumab is effective and safe for the treatment of patients affected by CM and MOH. Patients with a higher impairment at the baseline may found less benefits with galcanezumab

Predictors of response to erenumab after 12 months of treatment

Objective: Erenumab is a monoclonal antibody acting against calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor and approved for the preventive treatment of chronic migraine. The aim of the present study is to identify clinical predictors of good response in patients with chronic migraine and medication overuse-headache. Material and methods: This was a retrospective single-center not funded study. Enrolled patients were affected by chronic migraine and medication overuse-headache treated with erenumab monthly, up to 1 year. At 1 year, patients were classified as good responders if they displayed a ≥50% reduction in the number of headache days per months compared to the baseline. Results: After 1 year, a significant improvement in the number of headache days per months, analgesic consumption, 6-items headache impact test, and migraine disability assessment questionnaire scores were obtained compared to the baseline. Patients who obtained a ≥50% reduction in the number of headache days per month compared to the baseline displayed a longer history of medication overuse-headache, a higher number of painkillers taken per month at the baseline and a higher number of failed preventive treatments in the past. Conclusions: Patients with longer medication overuse-headache duration, higher analgesic intake, and a higher number of previous preventive treatment failures may receive less benefit with erenumab

Microbiological quality of filled pasta in relation to the nature of heat treatment.

The microbial population present in 49 samples of Italian industrially processed filled pasta was characterized and its changes during refrigerated storage were evaluated. The most frequently isolated species belonged to the genus Bacillus. No pathogenic organisms were isolated from the processed industrial pasta. As a consequence of the diversity of composition and thermal treatment a wide variability was observed (from less than 3 days to more than 1 month) in the shelf life at 4 degrees C of the industrial "fresh filled pasta." However, the results obtained suggested that the shelf life of the processed products depend not only on the number of surviving cells but also on the textural or microstructural changes induced by the heat treatment. Challenge tests using Staphylococcus aureus showed that even pasteurization values (P 70(10), expressed as an equivalent process time, in minutes, necessary to obtain at 70 degrees C the same lethal effect as during the actual process) not exceeding 2 were able to remarkably reduce the cell load of this organism. Subsequent growth of the surviving S. aureus cells occurred only at temperatures > 7 degrees C, particularly when the water activity (aw) values were higher than 0.97

Nabilone for the treatment of medication overuse headache: results of a preliminary double-blind, active-controlled, randomized trial.

Medication overuse headache (MOH) is a severe burden to sufferers and its treatment has few evidence-based indications. The aim of this study is to evaluate efficacy and safety of nabilone in reducing pain and frequency of headache, the number of analgesic intake and in increasing the quality of life on patients with long-standing intractable MOH. Thirty MOH patients were enrolled at the University of Modena's Interdepartmental Centre for Research on Headache and Drug Abuse (Italy) in a randomized, double-blind, active-controlled, crossover study comparing nabilone 0.5 mg/day and ibuprofen 400 mg. The patients received each treatment orally for 8 weeks (before nabilone and then ibuprofen or vice versa), with 1 week wash-out between them. Randomization and allocation (ratio 1:1) were carried out by an independent pharmacy through a central computer system. Participants, care givers, and those assessing the outcomes were blinded to treatment sequence. Twenty-six subjects completed the study. Improvements from baseline were observed with both treatments. However, nabilone was more effective than ibuprofen in reducing pain intensity and daily analgesic intake (p < 0.05); moreover, nabilone was the only drug able to reduce the level of medication dependence (-41 %, p < 0.01) and to improve the quality of life (p < 0.05). Side effects were uncommon, mild and disappeared when nabilone was discontinued. This is the first randomized controlled trial demonstrating the benefits of nabilone on headache, analgesic consumption and the quality of life in patients with intractable MOH. This drug also appears to be safe and well-tolerated. Larger scale studies are needed to confirm these preliminary finding