Evaluation of in vitro antioxidant properties of some traditional Sardinian medicinal plants: Investigation of the high antioxidant capacity of Rubus ulmifolius

The antioxidant capacities of 11 botanical species used in the tradition of Sardinia as teas beverages or as decoction for medicinal purposes were evaluated using different in vitro methods (BR, TEAC, DPPH and FC). Among the various species, Rubus ulmifolius, resulted the more active with all the used methods. Phytochemical investigation on the extract yields in the isolation of several phenolic compounds namely caffeic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, kaempferol-3-O-glucuronide, kaempferol-3-O-(6″-p-coumaroyl)-β-d-glucopyranoside, kaempferol-3-O-(6″-caffeoyl)-β-d-glucopyranoside, chlorogenic acid, 4-caffeoylquinic acid and 5-caffeoylquinic acid. The antioxidant activity of isolated compounds was also evaluated.     

DNA barcoding as a new tool for food traceability

Food safety and quality are nowadays a major concern. Any case of food alteration, especially when reported by the media, has a great impact on public opinion. There is an increasing demand for the improvement of quality controls, hence addressing scientific research towards the development of reliable molecular tools for food analysis. DNA barcoding is a widely used molecular-based system, which can identify biological specimens, and is used for the identification of both raw materials and processed food. In this review the results of several researches are critically analyzed, in order to exploit the effectiveness of DNA barcoding in food traceability, and to delineate some best practices in the application of DNA barcoding throughout the industrial pipeline. The use of DNA barcoding for food safety and in the identification of commercial fraud is also discussed.     

Determination of viability of Aeromonas hydrophila in increasing concentrations of sodium chloride at different temperatures by flow cytometry and plate count technique

Aeromonads in waters and foods can represent a risk to human health. Factors such as sodium chloride concentration and temperature can affect growth and viability of several food and water-borne pathogens. The behaviour of an Aeromonas hydrophila strain in the presence of 1.7%, 3.4% and 6% NaCl concentrations at 24 degrees C and 4 degrees C was studied over a 188 day period. Viability and membrane potential were assessed by flow cytometry; growth was evaluated by plate count technique. Flow cytometry evidenced that A. hydrophila retained viability over the period although varying according to temperature and salt concentrations. Colony Forming Units were generally lower in number than viable cells especially in the presence of 6% NaCl, indicating the occurrence of stressed cells which maintain metabolic activity yet are not able to grow on agar plates. In conclusion, A. hydrophila showed a long-term halotolerance even at elevated (6%) NaCl concentrations and a lesser sensitivity to salt at low temperature; therefore, low temperature and salt, which are two important factors limiting bacterial growth, do not assure safety in the case of high initial contamination. Finally, cytometry appears a valid tool for the rapid detection of the viability of pathogenic bacteria in food and environmental matrices to control and prevent health risks.     

Craft Beer Microflora Identification Before and After a Cleaning Process

Although beer is a relatively safe product, growth of spoilage microorganisms can cause economic damage. The most effective way to prevent the spoilage of beer is to control contamination with adequate cleaning and sanitation. The aim of this work was to evaluate the microbial flora present both before and after a specific hygiene process was implemented during a brewpub's craft beer production. Various selective and differential culture media methods for the enumeration of beer‐spoilage species are available, but they are time consuming compared to modern techniques. The utilisation of accurate molecular methods, added to the routine microbiological analyses, allowed for the fast identification of common environmental contaminants of beer. A poor sanitation plan by the brewer resulted in microbial contamination of the brewpub. This result demonstrates the importance of good sanitation to avoid the presence of undesirable microorganisms in the product. A cleaning‐in‐place (CIP) method, in operation in many small breweries, could be utilised to prevent the occurrence of such brewery and beer microbial contaminants. In small breweries, the simplest CIP units consist of a single tank and a portable pump. This method requires no additional equipment besides a spraying ball, which is usually included in the design of most tanks.     

Origin and Processing Methods Slightly Affect Allergenic Characteristics of Cashew Nuts (Anacardium occidentale)

The protein content and allergen composition was studied of cashews from 8 different origins (Benin, Brazil, Ghana, India, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Tanzania, Vietnam), subjected to different in‐shell heat treatments (steamed, fried, drum‐roasted). On 2D electrophoresis, 9 isoforms of Ana o 1, 29 isoforms of Ana o 2 (11 of the acidic subunit, 18 of the basic subunit), and 8 isoforms of the large subunit of Ana o 3 were tentatively identified. Based on 1D and 2D electrophoresis, no difference in allergen content (Ana o 1, 2, 3) was detected between the cashews of different origins (P > 0.5), some small but significant differences were detected in allergen solubility between differently heated cashews. No major differences in N‐ and C‐terminal microheterogeneity of Ana o 3 were detected between cashews of different origins. Between the different heat treatments, no difference was detected in glycation, pepsin digestibility, or IgE binding of the cashew proteins.     

Genomic Analysis Made It Possible to Identify Gene-Driver Alterations Covering the Time Window between Diagnosis of Neuroblastoma 4S and the Progression to Stage 4

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a tumor of the developing sympathetic nervous system. Despite recent advances in understanding the complexity of NB, the mechanisms that determine its regression or progression are still largely unknown. Stage 4S NB is characterized by a favorable course of disease and often by spontaneous regression, while progression to true stage 4 is a very rare event. Here, we focused on genomic analysis of an NB case that progressed from stage 4S to stage 4 with a very poor outcome. Array-comparative genomic hybridization (a-CGH) on tumor-tissue DNA, and whole-exome sequencing (WES) on exosomes DNA derived from plasma collected at the onset and at the tumor progression, pointed out relevant genetic changes that can explain this clinical worsening. The combination of a-CGH and WES data allowed for the identification iof somatic copy number aberrations and single-nucleotide variants in genes known to be responsible for aggressive NB. KLRB1, MAPK3 and FANCA genes, which were lost at the time of progression, were studied for their possible role in this event by analyzing in silico the impact of their expression on the outcome of 786 NB patients.     

Solvent vapor treatment controls surface wettability in PMMA femtosecond-laser-ablated microchannels

A solvent vapor treatment was applied to femtosecond-laser-ablated microchannels in PMMA to selectively restore the original hydrophilic wetting behavior of the pristine surface. The hydrophobic surface of the microchannels from the submicron porosity induced by ablation becomes smoother and more transparent after the treatment. This simple and low-cost method, together with suitable masking, can produce wettability patterns that may be exploited to develop passive microfluidic elements such as valves and mixers.     

University-owned and university-invented patents: a network analysis on two Italian universities

The paper presents results from social network analysis applied to data on patenting of academics inventors employed in two Italian universities (Trieste University and Udine university, both located in Friuli Venezia Giulia region). The aim is to compare the co-invention networks generated by the academic inventors, tenured by one of the two universities, in their patenting activity with several organisations—firms, public research organisations—and in their activity for patents owned by one of the two universities. Results show that, despite the structural similarity, non-marginal differences emerge in the interaction of the two forms of patenting across the two universities. Empirical evidence suggests new research questions related in particular to the role played by the differing university patenting strategies in shaping local networks.     

The long and winding road to inhaled TB therapy: not only the bug’s fault

Not all of the issues impacting the success of tuberculosis (TB) treatment arise from pathogen-related disease characteristics. Nowadays, there is an increasing awareness that antibiotic treatment is not the only answer to the TB problem, promoting the search for alternative administration strategies and host-directed therapies. Among all the administration routes, being the lungs the main TB focus, inhalation is conceptually a logical solution to enhance treatment effectiveness and compliance. Nevertheless, research efforts and funding are almost entirely conveyed to conventional approaches. This review will critically evaluate the reasons constraining research in this field, providing some future perspectives. The most recent advances in inhalation approaches for TB will be discussed, either at the preclinical or clinical phase, illustrating the risk of failure and chances of success.