Use of smear bacteria and yeasts to modify flavour and appearance of Cheddar cheese

The strains Staphylococcus saprophyticus DPC5671 and Corynebacterium casei DPC5298 were applied in combination with Debaryomyces hansenii DPC6258 to the surface of young Cheddar cheese curd to obtain two different smear-ripened cheeses. A surface microbiota developed over the incubation period, comprising of both yeast and bacteria; pulsed field gel electrophoresis confirmed that the inoculated strains of S. saprophyticus DPC5671 or C. casei DPC5298 were the dominant bacterial strains on the surface of the cheese at the end of the ripening period. The smear cultures changed the appearance and aroma, which were significantly different from the control cheese. The approach presented in this study represents a method for the development of new cheese varieties with novel aromas within a short ripening time

Prostatic stromal tumor with fatal outcome in a young man: histopathological and immunohistochemical case presentation

Stromal tumors of the prostate are rare and only a few cases have been described in the literature, including exceptional cases of stromal tumors with unknown malignant potential (STUMP) and a fatal outcome in young patients. Morphologically distinguishing a STUMP from a stromal sarcoma of the prostate (PSS) is still a challenge. We describe the histopathological and immunohistochemical findings in a 34-year-old man with a malignant specialized cell stromal tumor of the prostate that was diagnosed initially as STUMP, and he developed lung metastases within a few months. The patient attended our hospital because of lower urinary tract symptoms, after having excreted tissue through the urethra a few months before. Ultrasonography and urethrocystoscopy examinations showed a mass arising from the verumontanum, and a transurethral resection (TUR) revealed a highgrade spindle cell sarcoma reminiscent of a phyllode tumor of the breast. The tumor cells were immunoreactive for vimentin, progesterone receptor and, focally, CD34. The preliminary histological findings were subsequently confirmed after radical prostatectomy. The patient developed bilateral lung metastases and died 25 months after the initial diagnosis. Although rare in young patients, the challenging differential diagnosis of STUMP and PSS means that a prostate STUMP diagnosis made on the basis of biopsy or TUR specimens also requires urethrocystoscopic monitoring for the early detection of any progression to PSS. Radical prostatectomy should also be carefully considered

What Is Italian Antispeciesism? An Overview of Recent Tendencies in Animal Advocacy

This chapter offers an overview of the different agents currently operating in Italy as part of the animal liberation movement. It analyses the impact on this social reality by books and essays published or translated in Italian in the last 20 years in the field of Animal Ethics. From the reception of Peter Singer and Tom Regan\u2019s ideas mediated by the work of Paola Cavalieri, Italian philosophers have shaped the narratives and the rhetoric of animal advocates and liberationists. On the other side, activists\u2019 debates on the best strategies to adopt involved intellectuals and enriched their production on Animal Liberation. Groups with an intersectional approach have paid particular attention to theoretical implications and political consequences of their acts, developing radical, non-anthropocentric forms of antispeciesism

Forearm muscle oxidative capacity index predicts sport rock-climbing performance

Abstract: Rock-climbing performance is largely dependent on the endurance of the forearm flexors. Recently, it was reported that forearm flexor endurance in elite climbers is independent of the ability to regulate conduit artery (brachial) blood flow, suggesting that endurance is not primarily dependent on the ability of the brachial artery to deliver oxygen, but rather the ability of the muscle to perfuse and use oxygen, i.e., skeletal muscle oxidative capacity. Purpose: The aim of the study was to determine whether an index of oxidative capacity in the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) predicts the best sport climbing red-point grade within the last 6 months. Participants consisted of 46 sport climbers with a range of abilities. Methods: Using near-infrared spectroscopy, the oxidative capacity index of the FDP was assessed by calculating the half-time for tissue oxygen resaturation (O2HTR) following 3–5 min of ischemia. Results: Linear regression, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, and training experience, revealed a 1-s decrease in O2HTR was associated with an increase in red-point grade by 0.65 (95 % CI 0.35–0.94, Adj R2 = 0.53). Conclusions: Considering a grade of 0.4 separated the top four competitors in the 2015 International Federation Sport Climbing World Cup, this finding suggests that forearm flexor oxidative capacity index is an important determinant of rock-climbing performance

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells express a restricted set of functionally active chemokine receptors capable of promoting migration to pancreatic islets

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) are stromal cells with the ability to proliferate and differentiate into many tissues. Although they represent powerful tools for several therapeutic settings, mechanisms regulating their migration to peripheral tissues are still unknown. Here, we report chemokine receptor expression on human BM-MSCs and their role in mediating migration to tissues. A minority of BM-MSCs (2% to 25%) expressed a restricted set of chemokine receptors (CXC receptor 4 [CXCR4], CX3C receptor 1 [CX3CR1], CXCR6, CC chemokine receptor 1 [CCR1], CCR7) and, accordingly, showed appreciable chemotactic migration in response to the chemokines CXC ligand 12 (CXCL12), CX3CL1, CXCL16, CC chemokine ligand 3 (CCL3), and CCL19. Using human pancreatic islets as an in vitro model of peripheral tissue, we showed that islet supernatants released factors able to attract BM-MSCs in vitro, and this attraction was principally mediated by CX3CL1 and CXCL12. Moreover, cells with features of BM-MSCs were detected within the pancreatic islets of mice injected with green fluorescent protein (GFP)-positive BM. A population of bona fide MSCs that also expressed CXCR4, CXCR6, CCR1, and CCR7 could be isolated from normal adult human pancreas. This study defines the chemokine receptor repertoire of human BM-MSCs that determines their migratory activity. Modulation of homing capacity may be instrumental for harnessing the therapeutic potential of BM-MSCs

Uncertainty in Simulating Wheat Yields Under Climate Change

Projections of climate change impacts on crop yields are inherently uncertain1. Uncertainty is often quantified when projecting future greenhouse gas emissions and their influence on climate2. However, multi-model uncertainty analysis of crop responses to climate change is rare because systematic and objective comparisons among process-based crop simulation models1,3 are difficult4. Here we present the largest standardized model intercomparison for climate change impacts so far. We found that individual crop models are able to simulate measured wheat grain yields accurately under a range of environments, particularly if the input information is sufficient. However, simulated climate change impacts vary across models owing to differences in model structures and parameter values. A greater proportion of the uncertainty in climate change impact projections was due to variations among crop models than to variations among downscaled general circulation models. Uncertainties in simulated impacts increased with CO2 concentrations and associated warming. These impact uncertainties can be reduced by improving temperature and CO2 relationships in models and better quantified through use of multi-model ensembles. Less uncertainty in describing how climate change may affect agricultural productivity will aid adaptation strategy development and policymaking

Persistence of long-term COVID-19 sequelae in patients with cancer: An analysis from the OnCovid registry

Introduction: A significant proportion of patients with cancer who recover from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) may experience COVID-19 sequelae in the early post-infection phase, which negatively affect their continuity of care and oncological outcome. The long-term prevalence and clinical impact of the post-COVID-19 syndrome in patients with cancer are largely unknown. Methods: In this study, we describe the time course of COVID-19 sequelae in patients with non-advanced cancers enrolled in the OnCovid registry. Results: Overall, 186 patients were included, with a median observation period of 9.9 months (95%CI:8,8–11.3) post-COVID-19 resolution. After a median interval of 2.3 months post-COVID-19 (interquartile range: 1.4–3.7), 31 patients (16.6%) reported ≥1 sequelae, including respiratory complications (14, 7.6%), fatigue (13, 7.1%), neuro-cognitive sequelae (7, 3.8%). The vast majority of the patients were not vaccinated prior to COVID-19. COVID-19-related sequelae persisted in 9.8% and 8% of patients 6 and 12 months after COVID-19 resolution. Persistence of sequelae at first oncological follow-up was associated with history of complicated COVID-19 (45.2% vs 24.8%, p = 0.0223), irrespective of oncological features at COVID-19 diagnosis. Conclusion: This study confirms for the first time that, in a largely unvaccinated population, post-COVID-19 syndrome can affect a significant proportion of patients with non-advanced cancer who recovered from the acute illness. COVID-19 sequelae may persist up to 12 months in some patients, highlighting the need for dedicated prevention and supportive strategies

Natural immunity to SARS-CoV-2 and breakthrough infections in vaccinated and unvaccinated patients with cancer

Background Consolidated evidence suggests spontaneous immunity from SARS-CoV-2 is not durable, leading to the risk of reinfection, especially in the context of newly emerging viral strains. In patients with cancer who survive COVID-19 prevalence and severity of SARS-CoV-2 reinfections are unknown. Methods We aimed to document natural history and outcome from SARS-CoV-2 reinfection in patients recruited to OnCovid (NCT04393974), an active European registry enrolling consecutive patients with a history of solid or haematologic malignancy diagnosed with COVID-19. Results As of December 2021, out of 3108 eligible participants, 1806 COVID-19 survivors were subsequently followed at participating institutions. Among them, 34 reinfections (1.9%) were reported after a median time of 152 days (range: 40–620) from the first COVID-19 diagnosis, and with a median observation period from the second infection of 115 days (95% CI: 27–196). Most of the first infections were diagnosed in 2020 (27, 79.4%), while most of reinfections in 2021 (25, 73.5%). Haematological malignancies were the most frequent primary tumour (12, 35%). Compared to first infections, second infections had lower prevalence of COVID-19 symptoms (52.9% vs 91.2%, P = 0.0008) and required less COVID-19-specific therapy (11.8% vs 50%, P = 0.0013). Overall, 11 patients (32.4%) and 3 (8.8%) were fully and partially vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 before the second infection, respectively. The 14-day case fatality rate was 11.8%, with four death events, none of which among fully vaccinated patients. Conclusion This study shows that reinfections in COVID-19 survivors with cancer are possible and more common in patients with haematological malignancies. Reinfections carry a 11% risk of mortality, which rises to 15% among unvaccinated patients, highlighting the importance of universal vaccination of patients with cancer