The rapid spread of SARS-COV-2 Omicron variant in Italy reflected early through wastewater surveillance

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant emerged in South Africa in November 2021, and has later been identified worldwide, raising serious concerns. A real-time RT-PCR assay was designed for the rapid screening of the Omicron variant, targeting characteristic mutations of the spike gene. The assay was used to test 737 sewage samples collected throughout Italy (19/21 Regions) between 11 November and 25 December 2021, with the aim of assessing the spread of the Omicron variant in the country. Positive samples were also tested with a real-time RT-PCR developed by the European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), and through nested RT-PCR followed by Sanger sequencing. Overall, 115 samples tested positive for Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant. The first occurrence was detected on 7 December, in Veneto, North Italy. Later on, the variant spread extremely fast in three weeks, with prevalence of positive wastewater samples rising from 1.0% (1/104 samples) in the week 5-11 December, to 17.5% (25/143 samples) in the week 12-18, to 65.9% (89/135 samples) in the week 19-25, in line with the increase in cases of infection with the Omicron variant observed during December in Italy. Similarly, the number of Regions/Autonomous Provinces in which the variant was detected increased from one in the first week, to 11 in the second, and to 17 in the last one. The presence of the Omicron variant was confirmed by the JRC real-time RT-PCR in 79.1% (91/115) of the positive samples, and by Sanger sequencing in 66% (64/97) of PCR amplicons. In conclusion, we designed an RT-qPCR assay capable to detect the Omicron variant, which can be successfully used for the purpose of wastewater-based epidemiology. We also described the history of the introduction and diffusion of the Omicron variant in the Italian population and territory, confirming the effectiveness of sewage monitoring as a powerful surveillance tool

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Cardiac autonomic dysfunction is associated with white matter lesions in patients with MCI

Background. Cardiac autonomic dysfunction has been associated with cognitive impairment, but the underlying pathogenesis is complex and cerebral white matter lesions (WMLs) might be implicated. Methods. Time and frequency heart rate variability (HRV) and visual rating of WMLs were carried out in 42 patients with mild cognitive impairment. Results. After adjustment for relevant demographic and clinical characteristics, including left ventricular mass, reduced HRV indices of parasympathetic (root mean square of successive difference of RR intervals, RMSSD) and sympathetic modulation (low-frequency [LF] power) were associated with increased WML score (RMSSD: B − 0.30, 95% CI − 0.52 to − 0.08, p = .01; LF: B − 0.24, 95% CI − 0.46 to − 0.02, p = .05). In a multiple-adjusted model, RMSSD was the major independent predictor of WMLs ( B − 0.35, 95% CI − 0.57 to − 0.13, p = .002). Conclusion. The evidence for an independent association of cardiac autonomic dysfunction with WMLs might suggest its role in the pathogenesis of WMLs

Dual-purpose barley and oat in a Mediterranean environment

In Mediterranean environments, forage production for livestock is both difficult and costly due to erratic rainfall. As an alternative, barley, oat and triticale can be used as dual-purpose autumn-sown cereals, thus serving as winter grazing and grain for feed. The present study was aimed at estimating the influence of different management systems (dual-purpose with one and two grazings, soft-dough harvest for silage, full maturity grain only) on grain yield, forage and whole plant production, and on quality-related traits of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and oat (Avena sativa L.). The trials were conducted over 2 years (1998/1999 and 1999/2000) in a Southern Italy Mediterranean environment using a flock of sheep for grazing and mechanically clipping the plots, thus simulating the dual-purpose, to obtain forage samples for analyses. Effect of the years was not significant, whereas both crops underwent significant reductions of grain yield, harvest index, thousand kernel weight and seeds/m(2) in the dual-purpose plots but not in the grain only plots. The most drastic yield reduction was recorded in oat after two grazings by comparison to the ungrazed treatment (2.4 t/ha versus 3.9 t/ha). Grain protein content was not affected by dual-purpose in oat, and it was independent of the number of grazings in barley. Barley had a higher production of total biomass and milk feed units than oat in the dual-purpose management systems, except for the soft-dough and grain only treatments. In addition, barley reacted positively to both the dual-purpose systems (one and two grazings). More specifically, whole plant biomass increased from 9.6 t/ha when grown for grain only to 13.6 t/ha in the single grazing system, and milk feed units similarly increased, from 7680 to 9216 MFU/ha. Green forage quality was comparable between the two cereals, even though barley whole plants showed lower fibre content, especially after two grazings. The soft-dough stage of both crops had better forage quality parameters, nevertheless, the lower biomass yields and total milk feed units (in the case of barley) rendered this system non-profitable for the environment studied. Barley demonstrated a clear superiority for the dual-purpose systems in Mediterranean Italy and should thus be preferred to oat, except when using oat to interrupt barley monocropping. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved