Ulvan-Based Nanofibrous Patches Enhance Wound Healing of Skin Trauma Resulting from Cryosurgical Treatment of Keloids

Keloids are skin fibroproliferative disorders, resulting from abnormal healing of deep cutaneous injuries. Cryosurgery, the most common treatment for keloids, causes skin traumas. Even though the clinical practice of cryosurgery has increased, effective wound healing therapy is still lacking. In this investigation, nonwoven nanofibrous patches composed of ulvan, a marine sulfated polysaccharide exhibiting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, and polyethylene oxide (PEO) were fabricated through electrospinning and characterized. Their wound healing efficacy on skin traumas resulting from cryosurgical treatment of keloids was clinically tested and evaluated in comparison to a reference product. Twenty-four volunteer patients undergoing cryosurgery as a treatment of keloids were selected to apply either the ulvan/PEO patch or the reference product for 21 days. The ulvan/PEO patch, 21 days after cryosurgery, showed significant wound healing, elimination of skin inflammation, restoration of biophysical parameters similar to normal values and significant decrease in haemoglobin concentration, skin texture and volume, while no discomfort or adverse reaction was observed. In contrast, the reference product showed inferior performance in all evaluated parameters. The designed ulvan/PEO patch represents the first wound dressing to effectively heal skin trauma after cryosurgical treatment of keloids.     

Selection and evaluation of phyllosphere yeasts as biocontrol agents against grey mould of tomato

Phyllosphere yeasts antagonistic to the infective activity of Botrytis cinerea were isolated from leaves of greenhouse-grown tomatoes and evaluated in a detached leaf assay for their ability to suppress grey mould. Nine of 30 recovered yeast isolates were found to reduce a disease index by >90% when compared to an untreated control. In greenhouse experiments, the yeast isolate Rhodotorula glutinis Y-44 was the most efficient in controlling grey mould of tomato plants. In further experiments in greenhouse-grown tomato plants the effectiveness of R. glutinis Y-44 was compared with two commercial fungicides. It was demonstrated that R. glutinis Y-44 was as effective as fungicides in controlling the pathogen. Moreover, the population of R. glutinis Y-44 was monitored for 8 weeks after application on tomato plants. The isolate successfully colonized the plant surface, although the population decreased by 10-fold 8 weeks after application. Since B. cinerea is also a major post-harvest pathogen for tomato fruits, the ability of R.␣glutinis Y-44, to protect artificially infected wounded tomato fruits was also tested. It was shown that R.␣glutinis Y-44 was able to reduce by 50% the percentage of infected wounds compared to the untreated controls.     

Plant regeneration of Nerium oleander L. from alginate-encapsulated shoot explants after short-term cold storage

In this study, an efficient protocol for the regeneration of encapsulated explants of oleander (Nerium oleander L.) has been developed. Shoot tips and 1st nodal segments below the shoot tip, from in vitro-derived oleander microshoots, were encapsulated in 2.5% sodium alginate prepared in liquid MS sucrose-free nutrient medium and hardened in 50 mM of calcium chloride producing solid beads, uniform in shape. These artificial seeds, irrespective of their maintenance under light or in darkness, germinated at frequencies of 38.8–42.2%, producing 3.0–3.3 microshoots per bead. In the case of using 100 mM of calcium chloride for hardening, the beads were firm, of uniform globular shape and suitable for handling, exhibiting a germination response of 68.9%. Encapsulated shoot tip explants, following storage at 4°C for 8 weeks, exhibited a higher regeneration response (60.0%) than non-encapsulated similar explants stored under the same conditions (11.1%). Microshoots, excised from cold-stored encapsulated explants after germination, rooted easily in agar-solidified MS medium with 2 μΜ IBA and after their transplantation into a peat-perlite substrate (3:1, v/v), were acclimatised successfully and established in the greenhouse with minimal losses. The present encapsulation procedure could be applied as an alternative method of micropropagation of desirable elite clones of oleander.     

Influence of vineyard location and vine water status on fruit maturation of nonirrigated cv. Agiorgitiko (Vitis vinifera L.). Effects on wine phenolic and aroma components

The influence of site on grape and wine composition was investigated for Vitis vinifera L. cv. Agiorgitiko in the Nemea appellation area in southern Greece. Three nonirrigated plots were studied during the 1997 and 1998 vintages, which were typically very hot and without summer rainfall. Vines were subjected to different water regimens as a result of the variation of soil water-holding capacity and evaporative demand. Vine water status was determined by means of predawn leaf water potential. Differences in vine water status between sites were highly correlated with the earliness of shoot growth cessation and veraison. Grape composition was monitored during fruit ripening. Water deficit accelerated sugar accumulation and malic acid breakdown in the juice. Early water deficit during the growth period was demonstrated to have beneficial effects on the concentration of anthocyanins and total phenolics in berry skins. A similar pattern was observed for the phenolic content of wines elaborated after vinification of grapes harvested on each plot, in both seasons. Limited water availability seemed to increase glycoconjugates of the main aromatic components of grapes as a quantitative increase in levels of bound volatile compounds of the experimental wines was observed under water deficit in both years. Wines produced from grapes of stressed vineyards were also preferred in tasting trials.     

Temperature-dependent survival,development, and adult longevity of the koinobiont endoparasitoid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Venturia canescens</Emphasis> (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) parasitizing <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plodia interpunctella</Emphasis> (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

The effect of various constant temperatures on survival, development, and adult longevity of Venturia canescens Gravenhorst (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) parasitizing larvae of Plodia interpunctella Hübner (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) was studied under laboratory conditions. The following temperatures were tested: 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5, 30, and 32.5°C. The percentage of parasitoids that completed development at each temperature as well as the days needed for the emergence of the parasitoid’s pupa and adult eclosion was measured. Adult longevity was estimated under the same conditions. Survival of V. canescens was significantly higher at 25 and 27.5°C compared to 17.5, 20, 30, and 32.5°C. No individual of V. canescens managed to complete development at 15°C. Overall, developmental time decreased significantly with increasing temperature within the range of 17.5–27.5°C. The lowest developmental time was observed at 27.5°C while the highest at 17.5°C. Upper and lower threshold temperatures for total development were estimated at 36.2 and 13.2°C, respectively. Optimum temperature for development and thermal constant were 30.6°C and 312.5 degree days, respectively. Adult longevity was also affected by temperature, as it was significantly reduced at higher temperatures compared to the lower ones. This information would be useful in determining the potential of using V. canescens as a biological agent in IPM programs, by optimizing mass rearing and release techniques of the parasitoid.     

Investigating Soil Factors Responsible for the Problematic Growth Of 51 Olive (Olea Europαea L.) Cultivars in an Alluvial Soil of Northern Greece

Fifty-one (51) olive cultivars (six trees per cultivar) were planted in an alluvial soil of an experimental field in Northern Greece for study of their growth. Soil is sandy loam (SL) - loamy sand (LS), moderately alkaline and presents no salinity or alkalinity. Despite the applied agronomic practices, i.e., soil fertilization, irrigation, and pest control, about half of the trees did not respond positively to the field conditions, while the remaining ones showed low to moderate growth based on measurements of height and crown diameter. Soil and leaf tissues analysis as well as penetration resistance (PR) measurements showed that olive trees' growth problems could be attributed to a combination of high PR values (>3 MPa) and to a certain degree to low fertility (especially nitrogen and potassium deficiencies). Under the prevailing soil conditions, the most resistant olive cultivars proved to be Dafnolia, Maronia, Oblonca, Ascolana, and Frantoio.     

Differential competitive and allelopathic ability of Cyperus rotundus on Solanum lycopersicum,Solanum melongena and Capsicum annuum

A 2-year greenhouse and laboratory study was conducted to investigate the competition and allelopathy between Cyperus rotundus L. and Solanum lycopersicum L., S. melongena L. and Capsicum annuum L. All crops showed low ability to withstand competition of C. rotundus and this was the reason for the reduction of their total fruit number and fruit yield by 81%–94% and 86%–96%, respectively. The aqueous extracts from C. rotundus plant parts decreased the seed germination and root length of all vegetable cultivars, indicating supplementary allelopathic activity of C. rotundus on all vegetables. The low correlation coefficient between the total fruit yield of the cultivars grown under weed-free conditions and total fruit-yield reduction due to C. rotundus interference indicates clearly that the yielding ability of the cultivars is not related with their tolerance to C. rotundus interference.     

Antifouling Activity of Halogenated Compounds Derived from the Red Alga Sphaerococcus coronopifolius: Potential for the Development of Environmentally Friendly Solutions

Nowadays, biofouling is responsible for enormous economic losses in the maritime sector, and its treatment with conventional antifouling paints is causing significant problems to the environment. Biomimetism and green chemistry approaches are very promising research strategies for the discovery of new antifouling compounds. This study focused on the red alga Sphaerococcus coronopifolius, which is known as a producer of bioactive secondary metabolites. Fifteen compounds, including bromosphaerol (1), were tested against key marine biofoulers (five marine bacteria and three microalgae) and two enzymes associated with the adhesion process in macroalgae and invertebrates. Each metabolite presented antifouling activity against at least one organism/enzyme. This investigation also revealed that two compounds, sphaerococcinol A (4) and 14R-hydroxy-13,14-dihydro-sphaerococcinol A (5), were the most potent compounds without toxicity towards oyster larvae used as non-target organisms. These compounds are of high potential as they are active towards key biofoulers and could be produced by a cultivable alga, a fact that is important from the green chemistry point of view.