Phosphodiesterase inhibitors: Could they be beneficial for the treatment of COVID-19?

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV2) infection to be a pandemic disease. SARS-CoV2 was first identified in China and, despite the restrictive measures adopted, the epidemic has spread globally, becoming a pandemic in a very short time. Though there is growing knowledge of the SARS-CoV2 infection and its clinical manifestations, an effective cure to limit its acute symptoms and its severe complications has not yet been found. Given the worldwide health and economic emergency issues accompanying this pandemic, there is an absolute urgency to identify effective treatments and reduce the post infection outcomes. In this context, phosphodiesterases (PDEs), evolutionarily conserved cyclic nucleotide (cAMP/cGMP) hydrolyzing enzymes, could emerge as new potential targets. Given their extended distribution and modulating role in nearly all organs and cellular environments, a large number of drugs (PDE inhibitors) have been developed to control the specific functions of each PDE family. These PDE inhibitors have already been used in the treatment of pathologies that show clinical signs and symptoms completely or partially overlapping with post-COVID-19 conditions (e.g., thrombosis, inflammation, fibrosis), while new PDE-selective or pan-selective inhibitors are currently under study. This review discusses the state of the art of the different pathologies currently treated with phosphodiesterase inhibitors, highlighting the numerous similarities with the disorders linked to SARS-CoV2 infection, to support the hypothesis that PDE inhibitors, alone or in combination with other drugs, could be beneficial for the treatment of COVID-19

Characterization of four typical calabrian cured meat products: Spicy sausage, soppressata, ’nduja and capocollo

Typical Calabrian cured meat products, produced with meat of local and commercial pig breeds were evaluated and characterized for their quality and homogeneity. Sensory, microbiological and physicochemical analyses were carried out at the end of cured meat products ripening. A wide statistical variability was observed in these commercial products due to both company and different productions. The mineral composition was similar to that observed by other authors in similar cured meat products; the statistical analysis revealed only a difference among the samples for magnesium (P<0.01) and for calcium (P<0.05) contents. According to the performed sensory analysis, the meat products were acceptable with some differences due to both production and company variables. About microbial populations, the most abundant were lactic acid bacteria and total aerobic bacteria, while enterobacteria were less represented

Use of biodegradable materials as alternative packaging of typical Calabrian Provola cheese

Calabrian Provola cheese is typically manufactured in the Southern Italy. The request of a more suitable expansion in the national market has promoted this research, based on the evaluation of biodegradable packaging on its qualitative characteristics as alternative of the conventional plastic multilayer film. The tested materials were: Polyethylene/Ethylene vinyl alcohol/Polyamide/Polyethylene (PE/EVOH/PA/PE), Polylactic acid (PLA), coated with a silicon oxide barrier, and Cellophane, coated with resins. The results of this study evidenced that the material based on PLA can be considered a valid alternative packaging because of the quality maintenance of Calabrian Provola cheese and its sustainable characteristics

Efecto del secado y de los métodos químicos y naturales para el procesamiento de aceitunas negras Biancolilla

In the present work, the effects of different drying and brining treatments on pigmented Biancolilla olives were evaluated. The olive cultivar considered is typical of Sicily and was harvested at pigmented state. The carpological data revealed its good quality as table olives. A preliminary fermentation in brine was applied to the samples. Half of the samples were dried whereas the remaining olives were subjected to three different lye treatments and oxidation steps. After washing, the olives were stored according to a natural fermentation or drying process with or without a pretreatment of iron gluconate. The fermentation and oxidation steps conditioned the hygienic characteristics of the final product affecting the pH value of the brine. The use of iron salt for improving the darkening rate of processed olives influenced the color parameters as expected. The oxidation and the addition of iron salt affected the texture of dried olives making them softer than those directly dried. The results suggest that the Biancolilla cultivar is suitable for fermentation in brine without any previous treatment such as oxidation.En el presente trabajo se han evaluado los efectos de los diferentes tratamientos de secado y salado para aceitunas pigmentadas Biancolilla. La variedad de aceituna seleccionada es considerada la típica de Sicilia y fue cosechada en el estadío de pigmentación. Los datos morfolóficos revelan su buena calidad como aceituna de mesa. Se ha aplicado a las muestras una fermentación preliminar. La mitad de ellas se secaron, mientras que las restantes fueron sometidas a tres tratamientos diferentes con lejía y procesos oxidantes. Después del lavado, las aceitunas se almacenan mediante una fermentación natural o proceso de secado, con o sin un pretratamiento de gluconato de hierro. Los pasos de fermentación y oxidación condicionan las características higiénicas del producto final afectando al valor del pH de la salmuera. El uso de la sal de hierro para mejorar la velocidad de oscurecimiento de las aceitunas procesadas influyó sobre los parámetros del color como se esperaba. La oxidación y la adición de la sal de hierro afectó a la textura de las aceitunas secas haciéndolas más blandas que las secadas directamente. Los resultados sugieren que la variedad Biancolilla es adecuada para la fermentación en salmuera, sin ningún tratamiento, tal como la oxidación

Along-Path Evolution of Biogeochemical and Carbonate System Properties in the Intermediate Water of the Western Mediterranean

A basin-scale oceanographic cruise (OCEANCERTAIN2015) was carried out in the Western Mediterranean (WMED) in summer 2015 to study the evolution of hydrological and biogeochemical properties of the most ubiquitous water mass of the Mediterranean Sea, the Intermediate Water (IW). IW is a relatively warm water mass, formed in the Eastern Mediterranean (EMED) and identified by a salinity maximum all over the basin. While it flows westward, toward and across the WMED, it gradually loses its characteristics. This study describes the along-path changes of thermohaline and biogeochemical properties of the IW in the WMED, trying to discriminate changes induced by mixing and changes induced by interior biogeochemical processes. In the first part of the path (from the Sicily Channel to the Tyrrhenian Sea), respiration in the IW interior was found to have a dominant role in determining its biogeochemical evolution. Afterward, when IW crosses regions of enhanced vertical dynamics (Ligurian Sea, Gulf of Lion and Catalan Sea), mixing with surrounding water masses becomes the primary process. In the final part of the investigated IW path (the Menorca-Mallorca region), the role of respiration is further masked by the effects of a complex circulation of IW, indicating that short-term sub-regional hydrological processes are important to define IW characteristics in the westernmost part of the investigated area. A pronounced along-path acidification was detected in IW, mainly due to remineralization of organic matter. This induced a shift of the carbonate equilibrium toward more acidic species and makes this water mass increasingly less adequate for an optimal growth of calcifying organisms. The carbonate buffering capacity also decreases as IW flows through the WMED, making it more exposed to the adverse effects of a decreasing pH. The present analysis indicates that IW evolution in the sub-basins of the WMED is currently driven by complex hydrological and biogeochemical processes, which could be differently impacted by coming climate changes, in particular considering expected increases of extreme meteorological events, mainly due to the warming of the Mediterranean basin

Evaluación de la calidad de diferentes preparaciones típicas de aceitunas de mesa (cv Nocellara del Belice)

Commercially available green table olives of the Nocellara del Belice cultivar were processed in 26 companies. Three different processing conditions were used to obtain olive debittering: natural fermentation, “Castelvetrano” (a typical west Sicilian method) and cracked olives. The green olives packed into 200-500 mL glass jars were analyzed for physico-chemical characteristics that revealed statistical differences among the three debittering methods and a great difference among the samples, reflecting a low level of standardization achieved in these fermented products. The results showed an influence of the treatments on all physico-chemical parameters with the exception of total polyphenol content and lightness (L*) for which no significant differences were found. The average pH in the brine samples was under the hygienic limit of 4.5 with the exception of Castelvetrano olives which showed a higher pH values. The salt concentration of the brine samples appeared lower than the commercial limit according to the table olive trade standards. The brine samples were also analyzed for some microbiological parameters. Not all the samples showed acceptable commercial standards, because Clostridium perfringens, Staphylococcus aureus and coliform bacteria were detected in a few samples.Aceitunas verdes de mesa de la variedad “Nocellara del Belice” disponibles en el mercado fueron procesadas en 26 empresas. Tres condiciones diferentes de procesamiento se utilizaron para obtener aceitunas sin amargor: fermentación natural, Castelvetrano (un típico método del oeste de Sicilia) y aceitunas rajadas. Se analizaron las características fisicoquímicas de las aceitunas verdes en envases de vidrio de 200-500 mL que reveló diferencias significativas entre los tres métodos de eliminación del amargor y una gran diferencia entre las muestras, lo que refleja un bajo nivel de normalización conseguido en estos productos fermentados. Los resultados mostraron una influencia de los tratamientos en todos los parámetros físicoquímicos, con la excepción del contenido de polifenoles totales y de luminosidad (L *) para los que no se encontraron diferencias significativas. El promedio de pH de las muestras de salmuera se encontró por debajo del límite sanitario de 4,5, con la excepción de las aceitunas de Castelvetrano que mostró un valor de pH peligroso. La concentración de sal de las muestras de salmuera fue más baja que el límite comercial de acuerdo a las normas de la tabla del comercio de aceitunas. Algunos de los parámetros microbiológicos se analizaron también en las muestras de salmuera. No todas las muestras mostraron niveles aceptables de los valores comerciales establecidos, debido a que en algunas muestras se detectaron Clostridium perfringens, Staphylococcus aureus y bacterias coniformes