Effect of Postharvest Application of Carvone on Potato Tubers Grown from True Potato Seed (TPS)

AbstractDormancy duration is an important quality aspect of both ware and seed potato tubers and may be extended by the application of chemical sprout suppressants. The replacement of these synthetic compounds by essential oils with sprouting-inhibitory properties may contribute to the sustainable cultivation of potato.The aim of this study was to examine how the postharvest application of carvone affects potato tubers grown from true potato seed (hybrid CIP IP 88008). Ten days after harvest, tubers were placed in air-tight glass containers and carvone was applied repeatedly (300mL/1000kg tubers) while untreated tubers were used for the control. The containers were stored at 5, 10 and 20°C and opened every two days for 10minutes for aeration. The number of sprouts per tuber, rate of respiration, fresh weight loss and concentration of glucose, fructose and sucrose in tuber tissue from the buds (‘eyes’) and the parenchyma were recorded.Carvone application did not affect bud dormancy duration at 5°C and buds did not sprout even after 98 days’ storage. At 10 and 20°C, carvone application prolonged dormancy, but at 20°C a high percentage of rotted tubers (40%) was observed. At all storage temperatures, carvone reduced weight loss but increased the rate of tuber respiration. Carvone application did not affect sugar content at 5οC, but after 68 days of storage at 10οC the concentration of fructose increased and sucrose decreased. However, after 4 months of storage no differences in sugar concentration were recorded.It is concluded that carvone application can effectively prolong bud dormancy during storage at 10οC. Even though the concentration of reducing sugars and the tuber respiration rate increased, there were no negative effects on the quality aspects of tubers (concentration of glucose, fructose and sucrose) after long term storage

Smart Tourism Destinations: Can the Destination Management Organizations Exploit Benefits of the ICTs? Evidences from a Multiple Case Study

Recent developments of ICTs enable new ways to experience tourism and conducted to the concept of smart tourism. The adoption of cutting-edge technologies and its combination with innovative organizational models fosters cooperation, knowledge sharing, and open innovation among service providers in tourism destination. Moreover, it offers innovative services to visitors. In few words, they become smart tourism destinations. In this paper, we report first results of the SMARTCAL project aimed at conceiving a digital platform assisting Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) in providing smart tourism services. A DMO is the organization charged with managing the tourism offer of a collaborative network, made up of service providers acting in a destination. In this paper, we adopted a multiple case studies approach to analyze five Italian DMOs. Our aims were to investigate (1) if, and how, successful DMOs were able to offer smart tourism services to visitors; (2) if the ICTs adoption level was related to the collaboration level among DMO partners. First results highlighted that use of smart technologies was still in an embryonic stage of development, and it did not depend from collaboration levels

Development of a risk score for early saphenous vein graft failure: An individual patient data meta-analysis

Objectives: Early saphenous vein graft (SVG) occlusion is typically attributed to technical factors. We aimed at exploring clinical, anatomical, and operative factors associated with the risk of early SVG occlusion (within 12 months postsurgery). Methods: Published literature in MEDLINE was searched for studies reporting the incidence of early SVG occlusion. Individual patient data (IPD) on early SVG occlusion were used from the SAFINOUS-CABG Consortium. A derivation (n = 1492 patients) and validation (n = 372 patients) cohort were used for model training (with 10-fold cross-validation) and external validation respectively. Results: In aggregate data meta-analysis (48 studies, 41,530 SVGs) the pooled estimate for early SVG occlusion was 11%. The developed IPD model for early SVG occlusion, which included clinical, anatomical, and operative characteristics (age, sex, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, smoking, serum creatinine, endoscopic vein harvesting, use of complex grafts, grafted target vessel, and number of SVGs), had good performance in the derivation (c-index = 0.744; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.701-0.774) and validation cohort (c-index = 0.734; 95% CI, 0.659-0.809). Based on this model. we constructed a simplified 12-variable risk score system (SAFINOUS score) with good performance for early SVG occlusion (c-index = 0.700, 95% CI, 0.684-0.716). Conclusions: From a large international IPD collaboration, we developed a novel risk score to assess the individualized risk for early SVG occlusion. The SAFINOUS risk score could be used to identify patients that are more likely to benefit from aggressive treatment strategies

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitors as novel regulators of vascular disease

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) has been revealed as an adipokine with potential relevance in cardiovascular disease (CVD), while clinically used DPP-IV inhibitors have demonstrated beneficial cardiovascular effects in several experimental studies. Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is a unique adipose tissue depot in close anatomical proximity and bidirectional functional interaction with the vascular wall, which is a source of DPP-IV and its biology may be influenced by DPP-IV inhibition. Recently, DPP-IV inhibition has been associated with decreased local inflammation and oxidative stress both in the vascular wall and the PVAT, potentially regulating atherogenesis progression in vivo. DPP-IV inhibition may thus be a promising target in cardiovascular disease. However, the exact pleiotropic mechanisms that underlie the cardiovascular effects of DPP-IV inhibition need to be clarified, while the in vivo benefit of DPP-IV inhibition in humans remains unclear

Impaired vascular redox signalling in the vascular complications of obesity and diabetes mellitus

Significance: Oxidative stress, a crucial regulator of vascular disease pathogenesis, may be involved in the vascular complications of obesity, systemic insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus. Recent advances: Excessive production of reactive oxygen species in the vascular wall has been linked with vascular disease pathogenesis. Recent evidence has revealed that vascular redox state is dysregulated in cases of obesity, systemic insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus, potentially participating to the well-known vascular complications of these disease entities. Critical issues: The detrimental effects of obesity and the metabolic syndrome on vascular biology have been extensively described at a clinical level. Furthermore, vascular oxidative stress has often been associated with the presence of obesity and insulin resistance as well as a variety of detrimental vascular phenotypes. However, the mechanisms of vascular redox state regulation under conditions of obesity and systemic insulin resistance, as well as their clinical relevance, are not adequately explored. In addition, the notion of vascular insulin resistance, and its relationship with systemic parameters of obesity and systemic insulin resistance, is not fully understood. In this review, we present all the important components of vascular redox state and the evidence linking oxidative stress with obesity and insulin resistance. Future directions: Future studies are required to describe the cellular effects and the translational potential of vascular redox state in the context of vascular disease. In addition, further elucidation of the direct vascular effects of obesity and insulin resistance is required for better management of the vascular complications of diabetes mellitus

Impaired vascular redox signalling in the vascular complications of obesity and diabetes mellitus

Significance: Oxidative stress, a crucial regulator of vascular disease pathogenesis, may be involved in the vascular complications of obesity, systemic insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus. Recent advances: Excessive production of reactive oxygen species in the vascular wall has been linked with vascular disease pathogenesis. Recent evidence has revealed that vascular redox state is dysregulated in cases of obesity, systemic insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus, potentially participating to the well-known vascular complications of these disease entities. Critical issues: The detrimental effects of obesity and the metabolic syndrome on vascular biology have been extensively described at a clinical level. Furthermore, vascular oxidative stress has often been associated with the presence of obesity and insulin resistance as well as a variety of detrimental vascular phenotypes. However, the mechanisms of vascular redox state regulation under conditions of obesity and systemic insulin resistance, as well as their clinical relevance, are not adequately explored. In addition, the notion of vascular insulin resistance, and its relationship with systemic parameters of obesity and systemic insulin resistance, is not fully understood. In this review, we present all the important components of vascular redox state and the evidence linking oxidative stress with obesity and insulin resistance. Future directions: Future studies are required to describe the cellular effects and the translational potential of vascular redox state in the context of vascular disease. In addition, further elucidation of the direct vascular effects of obesity and insulin resistance is required for better management of the vascular complications of diabetes mellitus

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitors as novel regulators of vascular disease

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) has been revealed as an adipokine with potential relevance in cardiovascular disease (CVD), while clinically used DPP-IV inhibitors have demonstrated beneficial cardiovascular effects in several experimental studies. Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is a unique adipose tissue depot in close anatomical proximity and bidirectional functional interaction with the vascular wall, which is a source of DPP-IV and its biology may be influenced by DPP-IV inhibition. Recently, DPP-IV inhibition has been associated with decreased local inflammation and oxidative stress both in the vascular wall and the PVAT, potentially regulating atherogenesis progression in vivo. DPP-IV inhibition may thus be a promising target in cardiovascular disease. However, the exact pleiotropic mechanisms that underlie the cardiovascular effects of DPP-IV inhibition need to be clarified, while the in vivo benefit of DPP-IV inhibition in humans remains unclear

The interplay between adipose tissue and the cardiovascular system: is fat always bad?

Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, clinical research has revealed a paradoxically protective role for obesity in patients with chronic diseases including CVD, suggesting that the biological “quality” of adipose tissue (AT) may be more important than overall AT mass or body weight. Importantly, AT is recognized as a dynamic organ secreting a wide range of biologically active adipokines, microRNAs, gaseous messengers and other metabolites that affect the cardiovascular system in both endocrine and paracrine ways. Despite being able to mediate normal cardiovascular function under physiological conditions, AT undergoes a phenotypic shift characterised by acquisition of pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory properties in cases of CVD. Crucially, recent evidence suggests that AT depots such as perivascular AT and epicardial AT are able to modify their phenotype in response to local signals of vascular and myocardial origin respectively. Utilisation of this unique property of certain AT depots to dynamically track cardiovascular biology may reveal novel diagnostic and prognostic tools against CVD. Better understanding of the mechanisms controlling the “quality” of AT secretome, as well as the communication links between AT and the cardiovascular system, is required for the efficient management of CVD

The interplay between adipose tissue and the cardiovascular system: is fat always bad?

Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, clinical research has revealed a paradoxically protective role for obesity in patients with chronic diseases including CVD, suggesting that the biological “quality” of adipose tissue (AT) may be more important than overall AT mass or body weight. Importantly, AT is recognized as a dynamic organ secreting a wide range of biologically active adipokines, microRNAs, gaseous messengers and other metabolites that affect the cardiovascular system in both endocrine and paracrine ways. Despite being able to mediate normal cardiovascular function under physiological conditions, AT undergoes a phenotypic shift characterised by acquisition of pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory properties in cases of CVD. Crucially, recent evidence suggests that AT depots such as perivascular AT and epicardial AT are able to modify their phenotype in response to local signals of vascular and myocardial origin respectively. Utilisation of this unique property of certain AT depots to dynamically track cardiovascular biology may reveal novel diagnostic and prognostic tools against CVD. Better understanding of the mechanisms controlling the “quality” of AT secretome, as well as the communication links between AT and the cardiovascular system, is required for the efficient management of CVD