Filamentous fungi are the main pathogens of withered grapes destined for passito wine production. Knowledge of which species inhabit these post-harvest fruits and their pathogenicity is essential in ...order to develop strategies to control infection, but is still scarce. This study investigated the predominant mycobiota of withered grapes through a cultivation-dependent approach. Strain and species heterogeneity was evidenced on examining isolates collected over three consecutive years. Colony morphology and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis revealed the occurrence of several phenotypes and haplotypes, respectively. Strains were phylogenetically analyzed based on sequence typing of different genes or regions (e.g. calmodulin, β-tubulin and internal transcribed spacer region). Beside the most common necrotrophic-saprophytic species of Penicillium, Aspergillus, Alternaria and Botrytis species responsible for fruit rot, other saprobic species were identified (e.g. Trichoderma atroviride, Sarocladium terricola, Arthrinium arundinis and Diaporthe eres) generally not associated with post-harvest fruit diseases. Species such as Penicillium ubiquetum, Cladosporium pseudocladosporioides, Lichtheimia ramosa, Sarocladium terricola, Diaporthe nobilis, Bipolaris secalis, Paraconiothyrium fuckelii and Galactomyces reessii that had never previously been isolated from grapevine or grape were also identified. Moreover, it was not possible to assign a species to some isolates, while some members of Didymosphaeriaceae and Didymellaceae remained unclassified even at genus level. This study provides insights into the diversity of the epiphytic fungi inhabiting withered grapes and evidences the importance of their identification to understand the causes of fruit diseases. Finally, phylogenetic species delimitation furnished data of interest to fungal taxonomy.
•The mycobiota of withered grapes is characterized by extensive heterogeneity.•Phylogenetic analysis assigned taxon affiliation accurately to isolates.•Species generally not associated with post-harvest fruit diseases were identified.•Phylogenetic species delimitation furnished data of interest to fungal taxonomy.
Linked article: This article is commented on by N. Woltsche et al., pp. e144–e145 in this issue. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.15367.
Interest in breast density reporting legislation has accelerated in the past several years, driven primarily by patients turned advocates under the mentorship and leadership of Are You Dense, Inc, ...and Are You Dense Advocacy, Inc. The history of the density reporting movement and the birth of education and advocacy nonprofits are described, along with how legislative efforts began. The decades of scientific research on dense tissue's masking effect and its being established as an independent risk factor for breast cancer are summarized. Finally, the opposition's arguments against density reporting legislation are addressed.
AIMS: There is scarce information on the occurrence of several fungi that infect withered grapes to produce passito wine. Isolation and characterization of Neofusicoccum parvum strains and evaluation ...of their effects on withered grape and wine were carried out. METHODS AND RESULTS: Nine isolates were phenotypically characterized by colony morphology and genetically discriminated by molecular methods. Two representative strains were identified as N. parvum according to the phylogenetic analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), and a part of translation elongation factor 1‐alfa (TEF) and β‐tubulin DNA sequences. The pathogenicity of both strains on grape berries varied according to the inoculation and incubation conditions. Under withering conditions, infected berries showed browning and shrivelling and some berries showed pycnidial development on the surface. The infection affected laccase, esterase, β‐glucosidase and tannase on grape juice as well as the content of several aroma molecules on resulting wines. Strain‐specific effects on wine composition were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: Neofusicoccum parvum occurred in withered grapes and was able to infect grapes under withering condition changing the aroma wine. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study reports for the first time the N. parvum isolation in fruit‐drying rooms and indicates its important role on postharvest grape infection.
Summary
Locally advanced basal cell carcinoma (laBCC) represented an uncommon, difficult‐to‐treat form of skin cancer until the recent approval of the Hedgehog inhibitor vismodegib. Approximately 80% ...of laBCCs occur in the head and neck region, causing disfiguring skin changes that have an impact on patient quality of life (QoL). Because the lives of patients with advanced BCCs are severely disrupted, it would be expected that the QoL family members involved in caregiving would also be affected. The aim of our study was to quantify the QoL of both patients and family members during vismodegib treatment using the Dermatology Life Quality Index and the Family Dermatology Life Quality Index, respectively.
The lysozyme of hen's egg white is used in winemaking to control spontaneous lactic acid bacteria (LAB). A total of eight LAB strains, isolated from grape must and wine, were used to assess the ...inhibitory effects of wine phenolics on lysozyme activity. The presence of phenolics, extracted from grape pomace, in growth medium reduced the mortality rate due to the lysozyme activity. This effect was especially clear in the case of strains belonging to
Lactobacillus uvarum,
Pediococcus parvulus and
Oenococccus oeni, which are more sensitive to lysozyme than
L. plantarum and
L. hilgardii strains. Cell lysis assays carried out on four strains sensitive to lysozyme and
Micrococcus lysodeikticus ATCC 4698, used as a reference strain, confirmed the inhibition of grape pomace phenolics on the muramidase. There was no interference from non-flavonoids, flavanols and flavonol compounds, when they were tested individually, on the lysozyme activity against the strains. Anthocyanins extracted from grape skins slightly inhibited the activity only against
M. lysodeikticus. However, proanthocyanidins extracted from seed berries, strongly inhibited the lysozyme. In this extract, dimers were the predominant oligomers of flavan-3-ol. The study demonstrated that the effectiveness of lysozyme against LAB in red winemaking is related to the amount of low molecular weight proanthocyanidins that are released when the grapes are macerating.
► The hen's egg lysozyme is utilised in winemaking to control spontaneous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that cause wine spoilage. ► Lysozyme against LAB is more effective in white than in red vinification. ► Wine phenolics inhibit the muramidase activity. ► Low molecular weight proanthocyanidins are main responsible of the lysozyme inhibition.
Summary
Background
Severe ulcerative colitis is a life‐threatening disorder, despite i.v. glucocorticoids treatment. Infliximab has been proposed as a safe rescue therapy.
Aim
To evaluate short‐ and ...long‐term effectiveness and safety of infliximab in severe refractory ulcerative colitis.
Methods
Eighty‐three patients with severe ulcerative colitis (i.v. glucocorticoids treatment‐refractory) were treated with infliximab in 10 Italian Gastroenterology Units. Patients underwent one or more infusions according to the choice of treating physicians. Short‐term outcome was colectomy/death 2 months after the first infusion. Long‐term outcome was survival free from colectomy. Safety data were recorded.
Results
Twelve patients (15%) underwent colectomy within 2 months. One died of Legionella pneumophila infection 12 days after infliximab. Early colectomy rates were higher in patients receiving one infusion (9/26), compared with those receiving two/more infusions (3/57, P = 0.001, OR = 9.53).
Seventy patients who survived colectomy and did not experience any fatal complications were followed‐up for a median time of 23 months; 58 patients avoided colectomy during the follow‐up. Forty‐two patients were maintained on immunosuppressive drugs. No clinical features were associated with outcomes.
Conclusions
Infliximab is an effective and relatively safe therapy to avoid colectomy and maintain long‐term remission for patients with severe refractory ulcerative colitis. In the short term, two or more infusions seem to be more effective than one single infusion.
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