Enhancing the quality and safety of Nocellara del Belice green table olives produced using the Castelvetrano method.

The Castelvetrano method is the most widely used among the various table olive processing styles in Sicily. After debittering, the product is stored at low temperatures to prevent the growth of undesirable microorganisms. In an effort to enhance the production process, yeast isolates underwent genotypic characterization and technological screening.

Use of Different Nutrients to Improve the Fermentation Performances of OM13 during the Production of Sevillian Style Green Table Olives.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the fermentation performance of the commercial starter OM13 with four nutrients (A, B, C, and D) that differed in the following ingredients: starch, sugars, maltodextrin, inactivated yeast, inactivated yeast rich in amino acids, inactivated yeast rich in mannoproteins, and salt (NaCl). For this purpose, six different experimental productions of Nocellara del Belice table olives were carried out. During transformation, the fermentation process was monitored by measuring pH and plate counts for lactic acid bacteria (LAB), yeasts, Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcaceae, and Pseudodomondaceae populations.

Evaluation of different conditions to enhance the performances of Lactobacillus pentosus OM13 during industrial production of Spanish-style table olives.

The main objective was to set up a methodology to improve the high volume production of green table olives, cv. Nocellara del Belice. Lactobacillus pentosus OM13 was applied during three different industrial processes of table olives as follows: trial one (IOP1) was subjected to an addition of lactic acid until a brine level of pH 7.

Pneumococcal colonization in older adults.

Background: Little is known about pneumococcal carrier states in older adults. The main aim of this study was to evaluate pneumococcal colonization patterns among older adults in two centres in Milan, Italy, before the widespread use of the 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine (PCV13) in this age group, to investigate demographic and clinical features that are associated with pneumococcal colonization and to estimate the potential coverage offered by PCV13.

Results: Among 417 adults ≥65 years old (171, 41.

Effect of the mechanical harvest of drupes on the quality characteristics of green fermented table olives.

Background: Because of damage caused by mechanical harvesting, the drupes for table olive production are traditionally hand harvested. Until now, no data have been available on the microbiological and chemical features of mechanically harvested drupes during fermentation.

Results: Drupes mechanically harvested and inoculated with Lactobacillus pentosus OM13 were characterized by the lowest concentrations of potential spoilage microorganisms.

An innovative method to produce green table olives based on "pied de cuve" technology.

The technology of "pied de cuve" (PdC) is applied in food process only to produce wines with an enriched community of pro-technological yeasts. PdC promotes the growth of the desirable microbial strains in a small volume of grape must acting as a starter inoculums for higher volumes. The aim of the present work was to investigate the use of partially fermented brines, a technology known as PdC, developed with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on the microbiological, chemical and sensory characteristics of green fermented table olives during two consecutive campaigns.

Use of selected autochthonous lactic acid bacteria for Spanish-style table olive fermentation.

The present work presents a successful attempt to achieve an enhanced and more predictable fermentation process in Spanish-style green olive technology by selection and use of autochthonous starter cultures. During the first phase of this work, two Spanish-like fermentations of green table olives of cultivar (cv) "Nocellara del Belice", coming from irrigated and not irrigated fields, were monitored, in order to highlight the best agricultural conditions for drupe production and to isolate lactic acid bacteria strains with relevant technological properties. Among 88 identified isolates, one Lactobacillus pentosus strain showed remarkable biochemical features and high acidification rate in synthetic brine.

Paraurethral leiomyoma.

Paraurethral leiomyoma is a rare, benign, hormone-dependent neoplasm of mesenchymal origin affecting women. The clinical evidence varies, but it tends to be asymptomatic or associated with the sensation of a foreign body; urinary symptoms are rarely described. The distinction among urethral, paraurethral, and anterior vaginal wall leiomyoma can be very difficult owing to their anatomic proximity.

Influenza vaccination among healthcare workers in a multidisciplinary University hospital in Italy.

Background: Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for healthcare workers (HCWs) in order to reduce the morbidity associated with influenza in healthcare settings. The aim of this study was to evaluate the current vaccination status of the HCWs in one of Italy's largest multidisciplinary University Hospitals.

Methods: Between February 1 and March 31, 2006, we carried out a cross-sectional study of influenza vaccination coverage among HCWs at the University Hospital Fondazione IRCCS "Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena", Milan, Italy.

Risk factors for HIV/AIDS in a low HIV prevalence site of sub-Saharan Africa.

We conducted a hospital-based survey on prevalence and risk factors of HIV-1/2 and other viral infections in Zanzibar archipelago. Blood samples, socio-demographic and behavioural data were collected from 2697 patients. The overall HIV prevalence was 2.

Disseminated Penicillium marneffei infection in an HIV-positive Italian patient and a review of cases reported outside endemic regions.

We describe a case of disseminated Penicillium marneffei in a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive Italian man who stayed for 4 years in Chiang Ray province, northern Thailand. A review of the literature shows that penicilliosis, although unusual, may represent an emerging opportunistic infection among HIV-positive people traveling to endemic areas.

Analysis of protease inhibitor combinations in vitro: activity of lopinavir, amprenavir and tipranavir against HIV type 1 wild-type and drug-resistant isolates.

Background: Despite the increasing number of antiretroviral compounds, the number of useful drug regimens is limited owing to the high frequency of cross-resistance.

Patients And Methods: We studied in vitro two-drug combinations using three protease inhibitors (PIs), tipranavir, amprenavir and lopinavir, on isolates (003 and 004) derived from patients with resistance to multiple PIs compared with the drug-susceptible isolate 14aPre in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Drug interactions were determined by median dose-effect analysis, with the combination index calculated at several inhibitory concentrations (IC).

Unusual codon 69 insertions: influence on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase drug susceptibility.

Introduction: Multiple amino acid changes in the reverse transcriptase (RT) enzyme of the human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) confer simultaneous resistance to most nucleoside RT inhibitors (NRTI). It may take place through different pathways: one of these is the codon 69 insertion, which can involve several 2-amino acid patterns.

Materials And Methods: We are reporting the case of three patients treated with various antiretroviral compounds.