Impact of an alternative ageing technology using micro-oxigenation on the wine spirit's antioxidant activity

Mestrado em Engenharia de Viticultura e Enologia - Instituto Superior de Agronomia / Faculdade de Ciências - Universidade do PortoThe study of antioxidant activity, a quality parameter, was performed during the first year of a Lourinhã wine spirit’s ageing, through two different ageing technologies: traditional technology using 250 L barrels, and alternative technology using 1000 L stainless steel tanks with wooden staves and micro-oxygenation. In both technologies, the same types of wood were used: Limousin oak and chestnut, and mixture of them, with medium plus toasting level. The quantity of the wooden staves added to the stainless steel tanks was calculated to reproduce the surface area to volume ratio of 250 L wooden barrel, therefore, to be comparable. The tanks were provided with micro-oxygenation during the ageing period, simulating the amount of oxygen entering through the barrels. The alternative technology induced higher antioxidant activity along with faster enrichment in wood derived phenolic compounds. In addition, the antioxidant activity, the total phenolic content and the low molecular weight phenolic compounds concentrations determined by HPLC exhibited significant positive correlations. The results also showed that alternative technology can be used as a valid method of ageing wine spirits since it allowed obtaining a high quality aged beverage through a more economically and environmentally sustainable process. A synergistic effect with the chestnut wood was also observedN/

Antioxidant activity and phenolic composition of wine spirit resulting from an alternative ageing technology using micro-oxygenation: a preliminary study

Aim: Alternative technologies for the aging of wine spirit, as for other spirit beverages, have been developed over the past decade in order to meet consumer and industry expectations of differentiation and sustainability. Physicochemical characterisation of the resulting products has been carried out, but no previous research has evaluated their antioxidant activity. This preliminary study examined the effect of an alternative ageing technology (micro-oxygenation combined with wood staves from chestnut or Limousin oak in 1000 L stainless steel tanks) in comparison with traditional technology (250 L new barrels) on the antioxidant activity and related phenolic composition of the wine spirit. Methods and results: The wine spirits resulting from both technologies were sampled after 8, 15, 30, 180 and 365 days of ageing. Samples taken were analysed using the DPPH method, HPLC and total phenolic index. Significantly higher antioxidant activity (50.43 % vs 36.42 % DPPH inhibition), together with greater enrichment in wood-derived compounds (51.79 vs 27.72 total phenolic index), was achieved in wine spirits aged using the alternative technology than in new barrels. Moreover, chestnut wood stood out from Limousin oak wood with higher promoted antioxidant activity (62.69 % vs 21.35 % DPPH inhibition), and higher phenolic index (49.03 vs 25.67). Significant correlations between the wine spirits’ antioxidant activity, total phenolic index, ellagic acid, gallic acid, vanillin and syringaldehyde concentrations were observed, particularly in those aged using the alternative technology. Conclusion: Micro-oxygenation combined with staves resulted in higher accumulation of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity, thus increasing wine spirit quality and adding value to the product. Significance of the study: These preliminary results show that the characteristics acquired by the wine spirit, coupled with those revealed by previous research and the promotion of faster and cheaper ageing, make the alternative technology a promising option for the industryinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Teicoplanin and Vancomycin resistance in Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus isolated in a rabbit farm in Italy

Objectives Teicoplanin and vancomycin are increasingly important drugs against the human MRSA infections. In veterinary medicine, most studies have focused on glycopeptide-resistant MRSA while few studies have been conducted on MSSA strains. The aims of this study were the typing of MSSA strains circulating in a rabbit farm and the assessment of susceptibility to glycopeptides. Materials and methods Out of 595 MSSA isolated from meat rabbits of different age and farm-workers [1], 96 strains were randomly selected and characterized using spa-typing [2]. Susceptibility to 16 antibiotics, teicoplanin and vancomycin included, was tested [3]. Finally, profiles of antibiotic resistance were combined with spa-types, identifying different pathotypes. Results Twenty-three antibiotic-resistance profiles and 5 different spa-types (t2802, t491, t094, t2036, t605) were identified. The two most frequent spa-types were: t2802 (53.1%), detected in both animals and farmers, and t491 (38.5%). In total, 26 pathotypes were obtained. Resistance to glycopeptides was observed in 17/26 (65.4%) pathotypes. Among them, only one was susceptible to teicoplanin, but resistant to vancomycin (clone t491); 14 were resistant to teicoplanin (t2802, t491, t094, t2036, t605), while being susceptible to vancomycin; two were resistant to both antimicrobials (t491, t094). Conclusion Many different MSSA clones, with different patterns of antibiotic-resistance, were present in this rabbit farm. The same spa-type was observed in both animals and workers, showing that S. aureus strains can easily circulate in a community. More than half of the MSSA clones exhibited resistance to glycopeptides. This data should not be underestimated as these antibiotics are among drugs of choice for treatment of MRSA infections, making it important to extend the surveillance network also to niche zootechnical species

Evidence and antibiotic resistance profiles of clinical Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii (ACB) and non-ACB complex members in companion animals: A 2020-2022 retrospective study

To evaluate the frequency of Acinetobacter spp., belonging to both Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii (ACB) and non-ACB complex, and their antibiotic resistance profiles in veterinary medicine, a three-year (2020–2022) retrospective study was carried out on sick companion animals. Epidemiological data from different clinical canine, feline, and equine samples, were acquired. For each strain, MALDI-TOF MS identification and susceptibility to a panel of 11 antibiotics, by Kirby-Bauer and E-test methods, were performed. Out of 628 bacteriological examinations, 2.5% resulted positive for strains belonging to Acinetobacter genus. Frequencies of 2.3%, 1.9%, and 3% were obtained from both in-visiting and hospitalized dogs, cats, and horses, respectively. Members of ACB-complex accounted for 50% of isolates. Since all strains resulted susceptible to aminoglycosides and polymyxins, no pandrug-resistant (PDR) species were recorded. While 12.5% A. baumannii resulted extensively-drug resistant (XDR), a higher percentage of multidrug-resistant strains was recorded among non-ACB strains (35.5%) than ACB strains (25%). Susceptibility was observed in the same percentage in both groups (62.5%). All ACB strains confirmed their intrinsic resistances. Non-ACB species showed lower resistances against antipseudomonal penicillins plus beta-lactamase inhibitors (P=0.1306), III generation cephalosporins (P=0.0547), and tetracyclines (P=0.0209) than ACB species. Carbapenem-resistance was observed for XDR A. baumannii (12.5%) and, in particular for MDR non-ACB complex members (25%). To our knowledge, A. lactucae represents the first description in two sick dogs in Italy. Furthermore, our results emphasize the role of non-ACB-complex species as important zoonotic pathogens, which could be reservoirs of clinically relevant resistance profiles

Multiorgan MRI findings after hospitalisation with COVID-19 in the UK (C-MORE): a prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study

Introduction: The multiorgan impact of moderate to severe coronavirus infections in the post-acute phase is still poorly understood. We aimed to evaluate the excess burden of multiorgan abnormalities after hospitalisation with COVID-19, evaluate their determinants, and explore associations with patient-related outcome measures. Methods: In a prospective, UK-wide, multicentre MRI follow-up study (C-MORE), adults (aged ≥18 years) discharged from hospital following COVID-19 who were included in Tier 2 of the Post-hospitalisation COVID-19 study (PHOSP-COVID) and contemporary controls with no evidence of previous COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibody negative) underwent multiorgan MRI (lungs, heart, brain, liver, and kidneys) with quantitative and qualitative assessment of images and clinical adjudication when relevant. Individuals with end-stage renal failure or contraindications to MRI were excluded. Participants also underwent detailed recording of symptoms, and physiological and biochemical tests. The primary outcome was the excess burden of multiorgan abnormalities (two or more organs) relative to controls, with further adjustments for potential confounders. The C-MORE study is ongoing and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04510025. Findings: Of 2710 participants in Tier 2 of PHOSP-COVID, 531 were recruited across 13 UK-wide C-MORE sites. After exclusions, 259 C-MORE patients (mean age 57 years [SD 12]; 158 [61%] male and 101 [39%] female) who were discharged from hospital with PCR-confirmed or clinically diagnosed COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and Nov 1, 2021, and 52 non-COVID-19 controls from the community (mean age 49 years [SD 14]; 30 [58%] male and 22 [42%] female) were included in the analysis. Patients were assessed at a median of 5·0 months (IQR 4·2–6·3) after hospital discharge. Compared with non-COVID-19 controls, patients were older, living with more obesity, and had more comorbidities. Multiorgan abnormalities on MRI were more frequent in patients than in controls (157 [61%] of 259 vs 14 [27%] of 52; p<0·0001) and independently associated with COVID-19 status (odds ratio [OR] 2·9 [95% CI 1·5–5·8]; padjusted=0·0023) after adjusting for relevant confounders. Compared with controls, patients were more likely to have MRI evidence of lung abnormalities (p=0·0001; parenchymal abnormalities), brain abnormalities (p<0·0001; more white matter hyperintensities and regional brain volume reduction), and kidney abnormalities (p=0·014; lower medullary T1 and loss of corticomedullary differentiation), whereas cardiac and liver MRI abnormalities were similar between patients and controls. Patients with multiorgan abnormalities were older (difference in mean age 7 years [95% CI 4–10]; mean age of 59·8 years [SD 11·7] with multiorgan abnormalities vs mean age of 52·8 years [11·9] without multiorgan abnormalities; p<0·0001), more likely to have three or more comorbidities (OR 2·47 [1·32–4·82]; padjusted=0·0059), and more likely to have a more severe acute infection (acute CRP >5mg/L, OR 3·55 [1·23–11·88]; padjusted=0·025) than those without multiorgan abnormalities. Presence of lung MRI abnormalities was associated with a two-fold higher risk of chest tightness, and multiorgan MRI abnormalities were associated with severe and very severe persistent physical and mental health impairment (PHOSP-COVID symptom clusters) after hospitalisation. Interpretation: After hospitalisation for COVID-19, people are at risk of multiorgan abnormalities in the medium term. Our findings emphasise the need for proactive multidisciplinary care pathways, with the potential for imaging to guide surveillance frequency and therapeutic stratification