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Background: Plant-based diets have spread widely in the general population and among athletes too, both for well-documented health benefits and for eco-sustainability and ethical concerns. Despite appropriate nutrition is essential for satisfying training, performance, and recovery needs in athletes, little is known about the effects of plant-based diets on body composition in athletes. Appropriate training and nourishment strategies are a daily priority to arrive at victory and achieving an optimal body composition helps achieve success. Our study aimed to shed light on the adequacy of a vegetarian or vegan diet on the body composition of the athlete, in comparison with an omnivorous diet. In particular, we had tried to clarify the effects of well-structured plant-based nutrition in competitive athletes, who, previously, had never followed a diet under specialist supervision. Methods: The groups were followed for 8 months and subjected to a well-planned diet under medical supervision. Anthropometric parameters and body composition evaluation through Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) were performed in each participant. Results: All subjects, especially vegans, showed an improvement in cellular efficiency, muscle mass, and a re-distribution of body water thanks to a better distribution of macronutrients with dietary plans. These changes demonstrate improvement in the athlete's body composition thanks to well-structured plant-based diets that meet the nutrient requirements, without a change in physical training, especially in vegan athletes. Conclusions: The administration of well-structured dietetic schemes for each group has reduced the differences between omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans, underling their more difficult autonomous management and the important role of the nutrition specialist. Given the evidence collected, we demonstrate that plant-based diets are sustainable for athletes and that the role of nutritionist is central to sports and food choices to achieve an optimal body composition.

Introduction: Neuropeptides are frequently identified as potential drugs for the development of new therapeutics or for the study of a variety of human cerebral diseases. Due to their instability when injected proteins and peptides need specific delivery systems, to stretch the biodisponibility. Nanocarriers can be a solution to solve the problem of transport to the central nervous system. Material and method: We performed a data literature analysis from PubMed. We analyze data from multiple studies, reporting that nanovectors are a possible drug delivery system (DDS) in the central nervous system (CNS). Results: We found that several studies are developing nanocarriers for neuropeptides delivery through intranasal route or injected. With this strategy it is possible to deliver efficiently several drugs with different natures such as small polar molecules, peptides, and proteins, and also the large proteins, polysaccharides, and even neuropeptides entering the CNS. Conclusions: We can conclude that the developments of the nanocarriers as DDS for neuropeptides and the transport through the nasal passages are a promising strategy for the delivery of neuropeptides in CNS.

A Roman luxury villa (1st century BC) was discovered in the town of Positano, in the Sorrento peninsula (Campania region, southern Italy). Despite being more than 20 km away from Vesuvius, the villa was buried under almost overall 20 meters (total thickness) of pyclastic materials of the Plinian eruption of 79 AD, which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum towns. The exceptional level of conservation of this residential complex is due to the peculiar burial process, which determined the excellent state of preservation of both the fresco decorations (Fourth Style) and all other artefacts (masonries, plasters, tiles, furnishing remains, wooden elements, kitchenware, glazed oil lamps, bronze vessels and other metallic findings, etc.). This study presents the results of a multi-analytical archaeometric analysis of plasters, fresco pigments and roof tiles, aimed at identifying their mineralogical and petrographic nature and the provenance of raw materials. Constraints to the geoarchaeological landscape of the Positano area are also given. The analyzed plasters are mainly lime-based, usually with the addition of an aggregate. The anchoring layer is made by a volcanic component, characterized by clinopyroxene, alkali feldspar, garnet, amphibole, biotite and leucite crystals, together with a sedimentary component represented by carbonatic fragments, also with traces of microfossils. The features of plasters confirm the high degree of technological standardization of plasters in classical Roman age. Mineral pigments recognized by preliminary XRD are mainly iron-based for the ochers-red-crimson colors and copper-based for green-blues colors. In the roof tiles two kind of tempers are identified. In three samples a volcanic temper was identified, and represented by clinopyroxene, feldspar, garnet and leucite, whereas the temper of a fourth sample contained pumices with minor amounts of alkali feldspar, clinopyroxene and biotite. The raw materials are of local provenance (Somma-Vesuvius, Phlegraean Fields, Apennine limestones), and the microstructure of the materials are comparable with similar artefacts from Pompeii, Herculaneum and other Roman sites in Campania region. On the basis of geoarchaeological investigations, here reported, it is reasonable to think that there are other unearthed archaeological areas in Positano that will require further study to be properly known

At Positano, the renowned town of the Amalfi coast (Salerno province), a Roman villa was found beneath the church of Santa Maria Assunta. It likely dates back to I century BC - I century AD (Julio-Claudian age) and belonged to the freedman Posides Claudi Caesaris, from whose the town might probably derive the name (Della Corte, 1936). The villae were prestigious residences disseminated as status symbol of the wealthy Roman people all around the coastal areas of the Campania region (i.e. Vesuvian villae; Maiuri, 1955. Guzzo & Guidobaldi, 2008). During the 79 AD eruption of the Vesuvius the residence was suddenly destroyed and covered by a volcanoclastic debris flow more than 10 m thick, composed of a mass of gray ashes with large amount of high-porosity welded pumices. During the Middle age, Benedictine monks built an abbey on the same site of the Posides’ villa, then transformed in the present church dedicate to the Virgin. At the beginning of the 2000, the Archaeological Superintendence started the recovery of the overlying Benedictine crypts and extended the excavation and recovery also downward to the villa remains. Inside the crypts it was possible to unearth, descending in the villa from tiles roof till to mosaic pavement, a luxurious triclinio. Imprints of holes related to large wood poles (now replaced with plaster casts), as well as fragments of the roof, coffered ceiling, doors and other wooden remains were found embedded in the volcanoclastic mud. Tuff walls are decorated with fine plasters, polychrome frescoes of excellent painters, with hippocampus, eagle poised upon a globe, Pegasus and Cupids. These lively compositions are basically made by some colors, like the “Pompeian” red, blue and yellow ochre. This work reports a preliminary archaeometric study of various artifacts from the Positano villa, represented by plasters, fresco fragments, tile and other materials. Small but representative samples of the different findings were analyzed, in order to reach our characterization scopes and to provide useful information on probable future restoration activities. The analytical techniques used for mineralogical and petrographic study are: optical and stereoscopic studies on thin sections, modal analysis, X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy analysis (SEM) and energy-dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Data concerning the composition of the artifacts and manufacturing techniques will be reported and compared with the reference literature. Della Corte M. 1936. Posides Claudi Caesaris libertus – Positano da Posidetanum? Rivista Indo-greca-Italica, 20, 67-73 Guzzo P.G. & Guidobaldi M.P. 2007. Nuove ricerche archeologiche nell'area vesuviana (scavi 2003-2006). Atti Conv. Int. Roma 1-3 febbraio, L’Erma di Bretschneider, 629 p. Maiuri A. 1955. Le vicende dei monumenti antichi della costa amalfitana e sorrentina alla luce delle recenti alluvioni. Rend. Acc. Arch. Lett. Belle Arti Napoli, XXIX, 87-98.

The present work describes the results of full lithostratigraphic, pedological and geoarchaeological studies carried out in the Pompeii archaeological area (southern Italy), combined with logs data, surface and underground survey of lava and tephra outcrops. The ancient Pompeii is probably the most famous and complex site of archaeological investigation in the world. Through many studies have been devoted to various archaeological aspects, detailed reconstructions of the geological setting and history of geoarchaeological landscapes are still lacking. At present, Pompeii landscape consists of low hills recognized as volcanic landforms and attributed to the Somma-Vesuvius volcano activity; they correspond to ancient local vents covered of a multilayered succession of repeated volcanic deposits and paleosoils, mainly related to alternating volcanic activity and quiescence periods with consequent pedogenesis (De Maio and Stefani, 2004; D’Ambrosio et al., 2001; Cinque and Irollo, 2004). This succession comprises at least the last 40,000 years of sedimentation history, reflecting the entire spectrum of eruption types of the Somma-Vesuvius, i.e. from Plinian to sub- Plinian eruptions, relatively small eruptions to effusive volcanic events and, on the other hand, soil formations of different durations, intensities and soil-forming environments. Before the foundation of the city, paleosoils repeatedly reveal clear evidence of anthropogenic activity, represented by agricultural practices. Once the city has taken to develop, anthropogenic landscape changes become particularly pronounced. The various periods of edification of the city walls required different types of land management, related to the variable morphological profiles encountered along of defensive wall circuit (longer than 3 km). Outcrops were deeply modified with quarries, underground excavations, earthworks. Several wells were drilled deeper than 20 meters to reach the water table. Two main geological sections, carried out through the Tempio di Venere and the Regio VIII Insula southern lava cliff, show a core of lavas locally capping buried deposits of the Campanian Ignimbrite. Geological risk assessment in such a complex archaeological site needs specific evaluations/methods and flexibility, according to specific conditions and case studies. Di Maio G. & Stefani G. 2004. Considerazioni sulla linea di costa del 79 d.C. e sul porto dell'antica Pompei. Rivista di studi Pompeiani, L'Erma di Bretschneider, Roma,14, 141-195. D’Ambrosio A., Deino A., Di Maio G., Mastroberto M., Melluso L., Morra V., Rota L., Santangelo N., Sperandeo G., Stefani G. 2001. Assetto geoarcheologico dell’area pompeiana. Nuovi dati per un’ipotesi di ricostruzione paleoambientale”. Pompei e società, Electa, Napoli, 207-208. Cinque A. & Irollo G. 2004. The “Pompei Volcano”: new geomorphological and stratigraphical data. Il Quaternario, Italian Journal of Quaternary Science, 17, 101-116.

Pontecagnano (SE of Salerno) archaeological site, the ancient town of Amina (renamed “Picentia” by the Romans) is the largest Etruscan outpost in the south (Camporeale, 2013; Cerchiai, 2013; Cuozzo, 2013). Archaeological investigations - started since the 1960s - certify the area has been inhabited as early as late Neolithic. At the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC the area was settled by peoples of Gaudo culture, probably immigrated from Anatolia. Gaudo population worked metals, as testified from copper daggers and other weapons excavated from more than 9.000 tombs in the area. The National Archaeological Museum of the Agro Picentino was instituted in 2007 and contains more than 8000 findings mainly related to tomb outfits (Tocco, 2007). The main Etruscan settlement was founded between the end of the X and beginning of IX century b.C. on the left side of the Picentino river. The period of its greatest development was the “Orientalizing” age (end of VIII-VII century b.C.), when great and wealthy aristocratic families (the so-called “Princes”) took the power, as also testified by precious artifacts found in the Pontecagnano burials. Then, the settlement took urban connotations, becoming a frontier community. This work deals with mineralogical and geochemical characterization of various metallic artifacts spanning in age from early Eneolithic/Bronze Age to IV century b.C. by means of X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and micro Xray fluorescence m-XRF. The objects are of different types (fibulae, rings, earrings, spears, pins, ingots, slags, etc.), and are mainly composed of lead, copper, silver and bronze. The bronze artifacts are high-Sn (17.3 to 27.4 %, Sn), as expected by ancient alloys; lead and iron, as well as titanium and nickel to a lesser extent, can be also present as minor to trace components. The silver artifacts can contain small amounts of copper, iron and gold; in one case a copper object (91.4 % Cu) also shows other metallic components, as lead (4.8 %), bismuth (2.6 %) and iron (1.1 %). Interesting microstructures are also observed. Finally, the combined use of two spectroscopic techniques allowed us to verify the potential of m-XRF in archaeometallurgy sector in order to carry out non-destructive and non-invasive analyses. Camporeale G. 2013. Vetulonia e Pontecagnano. Due centri etruschi della prima età del Ferro. In: F. Cerchiai L. (2013) Tra Capua e Pontecagnano. La valle del Sarno e la Campania interna tra il Ferro e l’Orientalizzante. In: F. Rafanelli (Ed.) Vetulonia, Pontecagnano e Capua. Vite parallele di tre città etrusche. ARA Edizioni, 30-33. Cuozzo M. 2013. I “principi” di Pontecagnano. In: F. Rafanelli (Ed.) Vetulonia, Pontecagnano e Capua. Vite parallele di tre città etrusche. ARA Edizioni, 40-43. Tocco G. 2007. Guida al Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Pontecagnano. Soprintendenza Beni Archeologici SA-AV-BN, 50 p.

8. A biomonitoring survey using leaves of tree (Betulla aethnensis, Pinus nigra and Populus tremula) and two endemic species (Senecio aethnensis and Rumex aethnensis) above treeline level, was performed on Mt. Etna, in order to evaluate the dispersion and the impact of volcanic emissions. Samples of leaves were collected in summer 2008 from 30 sites in the upper part of the volcano (800-3000 m a.s.l). Acid digestion of samples was carried out with a microwave oven, and 44 elements were analyzed by using plasma spectrometry (ICP-MS and ICP-OES). The highest concentrations of all investigated elements were found in the samples collected closest to the degassing craters, and in the downwind sector, confirming that the eastern flank of Mt. Etna is the most impacted by volcanic emissions. Leaves collected along two radial transects from the active vents on the eastern flank, highlight that the levels of metals decrease one or two orders of magnitude with the distance from the source. This variability is higher for volatile elements (As, Bi, Cd, Cs, Pb, Sb, Tl) than for more refractory elements (Al, Ba, Sc, Si, Sr, Th, U). The different species of plants show significant differences in the bioaccumulation of most of the analyzed elements, in particular lanthanides, which are systematically enriched in Rumex leaves. The high concentrations of many toxic elements in the two endemic species allow us to consider these plants as highly tolerant species to the volcanic emissions, and suitable for biomonitoring researches.

A biomonitoring survey, above tree line level, using two endemic species (Senecio aethnensis and Rumex aethnensis)was performed on Mt. Etna, in order to evaluate the dispersion and the impact of volcanic atmospheric emissions. Samples of leaves were collected in summer 2008 from 30 sites in the upper part of the volcano (1500-3000 m a.s.l). Acid digestion of samples was carried out with a microwave oven, and 44 elements were analyzed by using plasma spectrometry (ICP-MS and ICP-OES). The highest concentrations of all investigated elements were found in the samples collected closest to the degassing craters, and in the downwind sector, confirming that the eastern flank of Mt. Etna is the most impacted by volcanic emissions. Leaves collected along two radial transects from the active vents on the eastern flank, highlight that the levels of metals decrease one or two orders of magnitude with increasing distance from the source. This variability is higher for volatile elements (As, Bi, Cd, Cs, Pb, Sb, Tl) than for more refractory elements (Al, Ba, Sc, Si, Sr, Th, U). The two different species of plants do not show significant differences in the bioaccumulation of most of the analyzed elements, except for lanthanides, which are systematically enriched in Rumex leaves. The high concentrations of many toxic elements in the leaves allow us to consider these plants as highly tolerant species to the volcanic emissions, and suitable for biomonitoring researches in the Mt. Etna area.

Introduction. In Italy the number of teachers among private and public schools is around one million. Voice disorders are thought to be one of the major occupational hazards of school teaching; in fact the teachers often use their voice with high-intensity, in noisy classes, for a long time and without suitable breaks. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of voice problems in teachers of Naples district, identifying risk factors for develop- ing voice pathology. Methods. In this study we evaluated 504 teachers (322 F - 182 M) with an age ranging between 24 and 62 years, randomly choiced in 28 schools of the district of Naples submitted to a questionnaire to determine the prevalence of voice disorders. In our study we have also introduced a comparison group of not-teachers workers of 402 subjects (244 F - 158 M); they were in the same age range as the teacher sample (range: 22- 65 years). The control group was also submitted to a question- naire regarding sociodemographic characteristics, smoking and alcohol use, a self-report of voice problems, voice symptoms, frequency of acute and chronic voice problems, absenteism due to voice problems. Results. The prevalence of reporting a current voice problem was significantly greater in teachers compared with not-teachers (8.7% vs 2.9%), as the prevalence of voice disorders during their lifetime too (51.4% vs 25.9%), c2 = 86.672, p inf. 0.001. Women, compared with men had a higher lifetime prevalence of voice disorders. An other important data evidenced, is that 116 work- ers of the teachers group (23.01%) have been forced, during their professional activity, to miss job for problems related to voice; only 22 subjects of control group (5.47%) instead, missed job for voice troubles. Discussion and Conclusions. This study confirms that teachers have a higher rate of self-reported voice problems than subjects working in other occupations. Teachers, compared with not- teachers, were significantly more likely to have experienced multiple voice symptoms including hoarseness, discomfort while using their voice, difficulty projecting their voice and tiring or change in voice quality after short use. Large proportion of these problems may be preventable and prevention programs need to be developed and evaluated. Italian teachers do not receive any preventive voice training; that, in combination with poor hygienic work conditions, could increase health problems. Thus, voice training of teachers and teacher college students in some cases should be considered as a useful tool to prevent voice disorders., Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, Vol 50, No 1 (2009)

A biomonitoring survey, above treeline level, using two endemic species (Senecio aethnensis and Rumex aethnensis) was performed on Mt. Etna, in order to evaluate the dispersion and the impact of volcanic emissions. Samples of leaves were collected in summer 2008 from 30 sites in the upper part of the volcano (1500-3000 m a.s.l). Acid digestion of samples was carried out with a microwave oven, and 44 elements were analysed by using plasma spectrometry (ICP-MS and ICP-OES). The highest concentrations of all investigated elements were found in the samples collected closest to the degassing craters, and in the downwind sector, confirming that the eastern flank of Mt. Etna is the most impacted by volcanic emissions. Leaves collected along two radial transects from the active vents on the eastern flank, highlight that the levels of metals decreas one or two orders of magnitude with the distance from the source. This variability is higher for volatile elements (As, Bi, Cd, Cs, Pb, Sb, Tl) than for more refractory elements (Al, Ba, Sc, Si, Sr, Th, U). The two different species of plants do not show significant differences in the bioaccumulation of most of the analyzed elements, except for lanthanides, which are sistematically enriched in Rumex leaves. The high concentrations of many toxic elements in the leaves allow us to consider these plants as highly tolerant species to the volcanic emissions, and suitable for biomonitoring researches.