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Campanellula capuensis was described as belonging to the Trochamminacea (trochospiral tests) and later transferred to the genus Orbitolinopsis of the Orbitolinidae (uniserial tests). Challenging its identity as a species of Orbitolinopsis, the most widely accepted classifications of agglutinated foraminifera reinstate Campanellula but retain its inclusion within the Orbitolinidae, subfamily Dictyoconinae. New material from the type locality and the San Lorenzello section (Matese Mountains, southern Apennines, Italy) as well as the construction of a 3D model allow to reinstate the original description as a low- to high-trochospirally (conical) coiled foraminifer with numerous chambers per whorl and to display an overall conical test morphology. An orbitolinid test construction including uniserial chambers (throughout the test or in its adult part) is absent. The conflicting opinions on taxonomic status of Campanellula are discussed leading to the removal from the order Loftusiina and the suborder Orbitolinina. Instead, Campanellula should be included into the order Lituolida and the suborder Verneuilinina. Campanellula capuensis represents a biostratigraphic and palaeobiogeographic marker taxon, restricted to upper Hauterivian-lower Barremian inner platform carbonates of the southern Neotethyan margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Campanellula capuensis was described as belonging to the Trochamminacea (trochospiral tests) and later transferred to the genus Orbitolinopsis of the Orbitolinidae (uniserial tests). Challenging its identity as a species of Orbitolinopsis, the most widely accepted classifications of agglutinated foraminifera reinstate Campanellula but retain its inclusion within the Orbitolinidae, subfamily Dictyoconinae. New material from the type locality and the San Lorenzello section (Matese Mountains, southern Apennines, Italy) as well as the construction of a 3D model allow to reinstate the original description as a low- to high-trochospirally (conical) coiled foraminifer with numerous chambers per whorl and to display an overall conical test morphology. An orbitolinid test construction including uniserial chambers (throughout the test or in its adult part) is absent. The conflicting opinions on taxonomic status of Campanellula are discussed leading to the removal from the order Loftusiina and the suborder Orbitolinina. Instead, Campanellula should be included into the order Lituolida and the suborder Verneuilinina. Campanellula capuensis represents a biostratigraphic and palaeobiogeographic marker taxon, restricted to upper Hauterivian-lower Barremian inner platform carbonates of the southern Neotethyan margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficacy of hypnotic suggestion of high performance was evaluated in 10 young healthy volunteers undergoing isometric exercise (hand grip) in basal conditions of usual normal consciousness and in profound hypnosis. To this aim, they were asked to perform dynamometric hand grip at maximal muscular strength and for the longest time compatible with individual tolerance. As a specific suggestion, a hallucination of drinking an 'energizing potion' capable of increasing muscular performance and abolishing the sense of fatigue and pain associated with isometric exercise was induced. Haemodynamic parameters were continuously measured. In comparison to basal conditions of usual consciousness, the exercise performer under hypnotic suggestion was associated with a 12% increase in maximal muscular strength and a 60% increase in exercise length. A greater increase of heart rate, arterial blood pressure, and double product-accompanied by a lower increase of stroke voLume and consequently of cardiac index-was recorded. Nevertheless, exercise-induced vasodilation was comparable in the two conditions, so that the increase in cardiac index observed during hypnotic suggestion was entirely sustained by heart rate increase. Such a condition can only be tolerated for a short time and at the expense of a reduced myocardial (particularly subendocardic) perfusion. It seems therefore that the hypnotic command 'perform over your natural limits' is followed by an increase in strength but particularly in exercise length. In such conditions, physical performance is actually greater than that achieved in normal conditions, as if the subject was able to draw on energies not usually employed in everyday life. This higher performance is unnatural and is sustained by muscular mechanisms activating unfavourable, and potentially dangerous, haemodynamic reflexes. Although hypnosis is a formidable tool in the study of human physiology, its use in the physical world (particularly sporting activities) should be limited to specific controlled con- ditions. In fact, by increasing muscular power and decreasing the sense of fatigue, hypnosis seems to be able to deprive subjects of the natural feedback mechanisms well-synthesized in the sentences 'It's too much for me' or 'I can't take it any more'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study was aimed to the development of an integrated approach for the characterization of particulate matter (PM) pollution events in the South of Italy. Methods: PM and PM daily samples were collected from June to November 2008 at an urban background site located in Bari (Puglia Region, South of Italy). Meteorological data, particle size distributions and atmospheric dispersion conditions were also monitored in order to provide information concerning the different features of PM sources. Results: The collected data allowed suggesting four indicators to characterize different PM exceedances. PM/PM ratio, natural radioactivity, aerosol maps and back-trajectory analysis and particle distributions were considered in order to evaluate the contribution of local anthropogenic sources and to determine the different origins of intrusive air mass coming from long-range transport, such as African dust outbreaks and aerosol particles from Central and Eastern Europe. The obtained results were confirmed by applying principal component analysis to the number particle concentration dataset and by the chemical characterization of the samples (PM and PM). Conclusions: The integrated approach for PM study suggested in this paper can be useful to support the air quality managers for the development of cost-effective control strategies and the application of more suitable risk management approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of the fumonisins B and B in maize-based food products marketed in Italy was examined. A simply and reliable chromatographic method with fluorimetric detection and postcolumn o-phtalaldehyde derivatization was used for a monitoring of 100 samples (8 flours, 21 corn-meal, 16 snacks, 7 maize samples, 13 gluten-free products, and 35 corn-flakes) bought in local supermarkets during the years 2008 and 2009. The presence of both fumonisins B and B, at a concentration higher than 15 μg/kg, was observed in all samples of corn-meal and maize-flour, in 75% of snacks, in 57% of maize samples, in 54% of gluten-free products, and in 29% of corn-flakes. A total of 7 samples including 4 corn-meals, 2 maize-flours, and 1 maize showed a value exceeding the maximum level fixed in the Regulation 1126/2007/EC; no positive sample was observed in corn-flakes, snacks, and gluten-free foods. Fumonisins contamination, on the whole range of maize-based food products analyzed, emphasizes the need of improve agricultural practices, and increase official control and monitoring studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical composition of PM and PM samples collected during two seasonal monitoring campaigns at residential, urban and industrial Apulia Region- sites was investigated. Ionic fraction, carbonaceous compounds and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons were determined for all samples. High correlations among PM data collected in the investigated sites suggested the regional character of particulate matter. It was also confirmed by five days back trajectories analysis. Moreover, no significant seasonal trend in PM mass concentration was observed in the investigated sites. These results, relevant for the area under investigations, were not observed in the North of Italy and Europe and allow to conclude that PM and PM cannot be considered 'good' indicators for the evaluation of local anthropic contributions to air quality. On the contrary, the high levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons found in Taranto sampling sites suggested that PAHs can be a better indicator for this purpose. This result is also relevant in order to weigh the importance of industrial area and to suggest right policy control to decision makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to compare the quality of table grapes (cv. Italia) held on the vine compared to grapes stored in cold rooms with or without modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP). The grapes were harvested from 12 plants in 2 vineyards in the same area, differing for the age of the plant. Four- and a fourteen-year-old vines were cultivated with the "Apulia tendone" system. After the first harvest, grapes were divided into small clusters and used for storage treatments in air and in MAP. Samples of 400 g were packaged in polypropylene (PP) trays sealed with a polypropylene/polyamide (PP/PA) film with 20% CO2 in air. MAP and control samples were then stored in the same cold room at 0 °C. Initially and after 8, 21, and 28 days, grapes stored in air and MAP were compared to fresh harvested grapes, stored on the plants. Quality attributes included color, texture, maturity index, phenols, antioxidant activity, sugars, organic acids, sensory parameters, and volatile compounds. The results obtained demonstrated that grapes held on the plant and in MAP showed better quality in terms of appearance scores compared to grapes stored in air. In particular, the application of high CO2 contributed to reduce the deterioration rate of the clusters, minimizing weight loss, and delaying degradation processes, and this particularly for grapes from the 14-year-old vine, where grapes held on the plant degraded faster than grapes in the younger vines. Most volatile compounds did not change their concentration with the storage treatment, except for ethyl acetate and ethanol, which increased in MAP at the end of storage, and to some compound responsible for green odor. In conclusion, keeping the grapes on the plant can be considered a good agronomic practice to preserve the quality, whereas MAP can be applied to better maintain postharvest quality of the product throughout storage and distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]