Botulinum toxin treatment in glaucomatous patients: a pilot study

PURPOSE: The purpose was to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment of iatrogenic entropion (IE), in patients affected by primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), by botulinum toxin injections (BTI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 20 patients of the "Glaucoma Center" of the Hospital "Umberto I" (Rome) were examined. These patients had POAG and used prostaglandin analogues (PA). Mean age was 75.5 years old (range 68-83); they had been suffering from PAOG since 10 years and were not affected by other relevant systemic diseases. One to three BTI were made into the lower orbicularis muscle using a 0.3 G needle (0.025 to 0.05 units for each injection site). RESULTS: The results were particularly significant in 18 out of 20 patients. Two patients showed slight improvements. A rating scale ranging from 0 to 6 points (0 corresponded to 'no effect' and 6 to the 'complete' resolution of the entropion) was used to evaluate the goals of the treatment. The average rating was 5.37 points. CONCLUSIONS: The entropion due to glaucoma therapy with PA can be successfully treated with BTI in the orbicularis muscle, despite offering temporary therapeutic effects

Effect of Sequential Inoculum of Beta-Glucosidase Positive and Probiotic Strains on Brine Fermentation to Obtain Low Salt Sicilian Table Olives

In the present study, the \u3b2-glucosidase positive strain Lactobacillus plantarum F3. 3 was used as starter during the fermentation of Sicilian table olives (Nocellara Etnea cultivar) at two different salt concentrations (5 and 8%), in order to accelerate the debittering process. The latter was monitored through the increase of hydroxytyrosol compound. In addition, the potential probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei N24 strain was added after 60 days of fermentation. Un-inoculated brine samples at 5 and 8% of salt were used as control. The fermentation was monitored till 120 days through physico-chemical and microbiological analyses. In addition, volatile organic compounds and sensorial analyses were performed during the process and at the end of the fermentation, respectively. Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts were, in depth, studied by molecular methods and the occurrence of the potential probiotic N24 strain in the final products was determined. Results highlighted that inoculated brines exhibited a higher acidification and debittering rate than control ones. In addition, inoculated brines at 5% of salt exhibited higher polyphenols (hydoxytyrosol, tyrosol, and verbascoside) content compared to samples at 8% of NaCl, suggesting a stronger oleuropeinolytic activity of the starter at low salt concentration. Lactobacilli and yeasts dominated during the fermentation process, with the highest occurrence of L. plantarum and Wickerhamomyces anomalus, respectively. Moreover, the potential probiotic L. paracasei N24 strain was able to survive in the final product. Hence, the sequential inoculum of beta-glucosidase positive and potential probiotic strains could be proposed as a suitable technology to produce low salt Sicilian table olives

Use of microbial pools for the enhancement of olive pâté by products

La valorizzazione dei sottoprodotti agroalimentari richiede la rispondenza a criteri di economicità ed innovazione che possono includere la progettazione di nuovi prodotti a medio e ad elevato valore aggiunto. In particolare, i sottoprodotti oleari rappresentano una fonte di molecole bioattive, la cui azione benefica è stata riconosciuta dall’EFSA. Recentemente, crescente interesse è rivolto al pâté, sottoprodotto ottenuto dall’estrazione olearia attraverso l’utilizzo del decanter multifase (DMF). Il pâté, caratterizzato da un’elevata umidità, dall’assenza di parti legnose e dalla presenza di composti bioattivi, rappresenta una matrice ideale per la formulazione di nuovi alimenti funzionali. Il presente studio ha avuto lo scopo di valorizzare e stabilizzare il pâté attraverso l’impiego di pool microbici. Fermentazioni guidate sono state allestite ed è stato determinato l’effetto di differenti inoculi microbici sulla cinetica di deamarizzazione. Ceppi appartenenti alle specie Candida boidinii, Wickerhamomyces anomalus e Lactiplantibacillus plantarum sono stati inoculati nel pâté ad una densità finale pari a 107 e 108 UFC/g per i lieviti e per L. plantarum, rispettivamente. Sono state disposte diverse tesi: tre inoculate con le singole culture, due inoculate con i ceppi combinati e una inoculata con la miscela dei tre ceppi. La fermentazione è stata monitorata a differenti tempi, attraverso analisi chimiche e microbiologiche. Inoltre, la cinetica di deamarizzazione della componente fenolica è stata monitorata in HPLC e, a fine fermentazione, la comunità microbica è stata caratterizzata attraverso analisi NGS. La fermentazione si è arrestata dopo 14 giorni, quando il pH ha raggiunto valori di 4.33 e 4.36, nei campioni inoculati con i due lieviti in monocoltura. Le analisi microbiologiche hanno evidenziato una densità cellulare costante dei lieviti, una riduzione della carica mesofila aerobia totale e dei lattobacilli in tutti campioni inoculati. La concentrazione di idrossitirosolo ha presentato una riduzione significativa nei campioni inoculati dopo 2 e 4 giorni, seguita da un incremento dopo 8 e 14 giorni. In particolare, un incremento significativo si è osservato, dopo 8 giorni, nei campioni inculati con C. boidinii in coltura singola, nei campioni inoculati con C. boidinii in associazione con L. plantarum, e nel campione inoculato con W. anomalus in coltura singola, raggiungendo concentrazioni di 275, 261 e 231 mg/L, rispettivamente, confermando una correlazione tra microbiota e processo di deamarizzazione. Le analisi NGS hanno rilevato una diminuzione delle Acetobacteraceae e la dominanza di Saccharomycetes in tutti i campioni. I risultati ottenuti confermano che la valorizzazione microbiologica del pâté può rappresentare una strategia per l'ottenimento di un prodotto funzionale ad alto valore aggiunto.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Phytochemical and Ecological Analysis of Two Varieties of Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Grown in a Mountain Environment of Italian Alps

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a multifunctional crop that is capable of prompt environmental adaptation. In this study, a monoecious cultivar (Futura 75) and a dioecious one (Finola) were tested in a mountain area in Valsaviore (Rhaetian Alps, Italy; elevation: 1,100 m a.s.l.) during the growing season 2018. Phytochemical behavior was evaluated by different analytical approaches: HPLC-high-resolution mass spectrometry, SDS-PAGE LC-MS/MS, HS-SPME GC-MS, and GC-FID in order to obtain complete profile of two varieties cultivated in altitude. CSR functional strategy used for ecological evaluation revealed that both genotypes are mainly competitors, although Finola is more stress tolerator (C:S:R = 57:26:17%) than Futura (C:S:R = 69:15:16%). The Finola inflorescences were characterized by higher quantities of \u3b2-ocimene and \u3b1-terpinolene, while \u3b1- and f-pinene accompanied by extremely high f-myrcene were found as predominant in Futura. Both varieties were rich in sesquiterpenes (45 recognized) among which trans-caryophyllene and \u3b1-humulene were the most abundant. Total tetrahydrocannabinol level was lower than 0.1%, while the most abundant cannabinoid was cannabidiolic acid (CBDA): 2.3% found in Finola vs. 2.7% revealed for Futura. The level of corresponding neutral form, cannabidiol, varied drastically: 0.27% (Finola) vs. 0.056% (Futura). Finola showed the unique cannabinoid profile with unexpectedly high cannabidivarin, 2-fold higher that corresponding acidic analogue, whereas the particularity of Futura 75 was the occurrence of cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) in the quantities that was double than those exposed for Finola. The seeds from both chemovars proved to be rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, and Finola showed a higher ratio \u3c96/\u3c93. No difference was found in the protein content, and the SDS-PAGE profile was similar. The most abundant protein was edestin, followed by heat shock protein 70, f-conglycinin, and vicilin. In conclusion, comprehensive phytochemical and ecological study of two fiber-type varieties cultivated in Italian Alps displayed specific, legal, and safe cannabinoids profile, followed by particular terpene composition, polyunsaturated fatty acids content, and favorable protein profile. This postulates that geographical provenience of hemp should be considered in selecting a variety that would be suitable for a specific end-use nutraceutical application

High-Yield Production and Transfer of Graphene Flakes Obtained by Anodic Bonding

We report large-yield production of graphene flakes on glass by anodic bonding. Under optimum conditions, we counted several tens of flakes with lateral size around 20-30 {\mu}m and few tens of flakes with larger size. 60-70% of the flakes have negligible D peak. We show that it is possible to easily transfer the flakes by wedging technique. The transfer on silicon does not damage graphene and lowers the doping. The charge mobility of the transferred flakes on silicon is of the order of 6000 cm^2/V s (at carrier concentration of 10^12 cm^-2), which is typical for devices prepared on this substrate with exfoliated graphene.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures; ACS Nano 201