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Milk is an important food of the daily diet. Many countries include it in their dietary recommendations due to its content in several important nutrients that exert beneficial effects on human health. Human milk is a newborn's first food and plays an important role in the growth, development, and future health of every individual. Cow milk is the type of milk most consumed in the world. However, its relatively high content of saturated fats raises concerns about potential adverse effects on human health, although epidemiological studies have disproved this association. Indeed, dairy consumption appear to be linked to a lower risk of mortality and major cardiovascular disease events. In the last few years many researchers have begun to focus their attention on both the production and quality of cow milk as well as the analysis of milk from other animal species to evaluate their effect on human health. The need to investigate the composition and metabolic effects of milk from other animal species arises from the adverse reactions of individuals in several groups to certain components of cow milk. It has emerged that donkey milk compared with that of other animal species, is the nearest to human milk and an excellent substitute for it. Milk from various animal species shows substantial differences in nutritional composition and distinct metabolic effects. In this review, we discussed the main compositional features and metabolic effects of 3 types of milk: human, cow, and donkey milk.

In the present study the ribosomal RNA of the leech Hirudo medicinalis has been characterized at the aim of identifying possible analogies with other invertebrates. Upon electrophoresis on denaturating gels, ribosomal RNA fraction of H. medicinalis exhibited a remarkable thermal instability by dissociating into two hydrogen-bonded components when heated at 60 degrees C, at variance with the behaviour of the rat rRNA, which does not show this process. This result suggests a functional role in leech ribosome organisation that requires deeper structural studies.

A method for detoxifying industrial wastes is presented, aiming at a safer management and reuse. Focusing, in particular, on bottom ashes from a municipal solid waste incinerator, the proposed “ElectroKinetic Stabilization” (EKS) technique requires a relatively short treatment time and improves the remediation of ashes by combining a fast extraction of chlorides by electromigration, together with a stabilization of metals through their reaction with phosphate anions, which migrate through the ash under the influence of the electric field. Heavy metals react with the phosphate anions, leading to the precipitation of metal hydroxy-apatite or chloro-apatite (for Pb and Ba), or to their trapping in a calcium-apatite mineral, that formed during the process. Along with precipitation, metal immobilization is allowed by the decrease of ash pH to 9–11 by means of H+ produced at the anode from the electrolysis of water. The migration of salts through the wet ashes is very fast and the treatment time could be decreased to 24 h. After EKS, Ba, Pb and F− leaching was reduced by 97%, 92% and 92%, respectively, below the allowed limits. In contrast, the final leaching of Cu and chlorides was reduced by 90% and 80%, respectively, still above the allowed limits.

Il sito Natura 2000 “Vendicari” (ITA090002) si colloca in un più ampio sistema di zone umide costiere della Sicilia Sud-orientale. La particolarità di questi ambienti è legata alla presenza di lagune costiere e di formazioni vegetali che generalmente si trovano a contatto con esse. Questi ambienti costituiscono l’habitat per diverse specie, nonché esclusivi punti di sosta per molti uccelli migratori. Queste aree, un tempo più estese in Sicilia, durante il secolo scorso sono state sottoposte a disturbi e trasformazioni ambientali e paesaggistiche con conseguente riduzione della biodiversità. Le cause che hanno determinato maggiormente tali trasformazioni sono legate allo sfruttamento agricolo intensivo del suolo, che ha portato alla riduzione della complessità e della resilienza degli ecosistemi ed alla semplificazione del paesaggio. Nelle strategie di conservazione della biodiversità la valutazione degli impatti delle attività agricole sulle aree naturali è fondamentale per qualsiasi azione di intervento. Il presente lavoro propone un’analisi sull’influenza delle trasformazioni del paesaggio agrario sulla conservazione degli habitat presenti a Vendicari. Tale valutazione è stata eseguita attraverso l’analisi multitemporale delle trasformazioni del paesaggio avvenute tra il 1955 e il 2007 mediante la fotointerpretazione in ambiente GIS di foto aeree storiche e ortofoto recenti. L’indagine è stata completata con l’elaborazione di indici spaziali che hanno permesso di analizzare le trasformazioni e le dinamiche del paesaggio avvenute nel periodo analizzato. Nel sito gli impatti provocati dai processi di intensificazione dell’uso del suolo sono diminuiti nel tempo in conseguenza anche dell’istituzione della riserva che ha determinato una riduzione della pressione antropica in prossimità degli habitat.

Kawasaki's disease is a systemic vasculitis typical of infancy that affects children under five years old. Given that it is important to make an early diagnosis and to start prompt treatment of this disease owing to possible cardiac complications, even in the long term, the authors felt it important to report a number of cases referred to their attention in order to underline the polymorphism of onset. The symptoms that are considered to be typical of the disease, namely fever, laterocervical adenopathy, alterations of the extremities, polymorphous rash, orolabial modifications, conjunctival hyperemia, can often be masked by the symptoms provoked by the possible involvement of all the organs and apparatuses.

1. We investigated inactivation of the slow calcium current (ICa) at very positive potentials (over 30-40 mV) and recovery from inactivation in cut twitch skeletal muscle fibres of the frog, using the double-vaseline-gap technique. External solutions were buffered against changes in [Ca2+] (Ca(2+)-buffered) with malate. Internal solutions were Ca(2+)-buffered with high concentrations of either EGTA (60 mM) or BAPTA (30 mM). 2. ICa decayed to a steady-state level somewhat less than zero. Inactivation was most rapid at a potential 10 mV more negative than that which elicited the maximal ICa. 3. Involvement of current-dependent processes (i.e. tubular Ca2+ depletion and Ca2+ entry-dependent inactivation) in determining the decay of ICa was excluded, since inactivation was not affected by replacing Ca2+ with Ba2+ or when the size of ICa was reduced by decreasing the [Ca2+]o. Partial block of Ca2+ channels with nifedipine slowed inactivation. This was, however, independent of the size of ICa. Furthermore, neither the peak of ICa nor its time constant of decay nor the time course of ICa recovery from inactivation were affected by changing the [Ca2+]i from pCa 10 to 6. 4. ICa was potentiated during a post-pulse preceded by a pre-pulse at potentials ranging from -60 to -30 mV, whereas a U-shaped inactivation curve was observed at pre-pulse potentials more positive than -30 mV. This curve was asymmetric, since the ascending branch stabilized at a level less than unity. The U-shaped form of the curve depended on post-pulse voltage: it became more pronounced when the post-pulse depolarization increased. Moreover, the activation and inactivation kinetics of ICa during the post-pulse differed from control values. Similar results were found when Ca2+ was replaced with Ba2+. 5. The ICa recovery from inactivation was voltage dependent from -50 to -80 mV; it was voltage independent at more negative potentials, proving that recovery includes a voltage-independent step. 6. The asymmetric U-shaped inactivation curve can be reproduced by a four-state cyclic model without assuming a Ca(2+)-dependent step. Taking into account that recovery from inactivation includes a voltage-independent step which becomes rate limiting at extreme negative potentials, and that during the post-pulse the activation kinetics is faster, we propose a model which has six states, two closed, one open and three inactivated.

The authors evaluated the usefulness of the psychological therapy in addition to usual diet treatment. Fifty subjects with severe obesity, have been randomly assigned to two different treatment groups: a) diet; b) diet plus psychotherapy. At the end of the study only the patients treated with diet plus psychotherapy showed any highly significant body weight reduction and a better diet adherence.

In 75 patients ultrasound (US) demonstrated fatty infiltration of the liver with diffuse increased echogenicity except for a solitary hypoechogenic area located in the quadrate lobe. The liver was also followed-up with US, computed tomography (CT), radionuclide scintigraphy, and fine needle biopsy: a skip area unaffected by steatosis was thus demonstrated. This study and further information found in literature allowed the authors to identify the particular US features which lead to a correct interpretation of these findings, which might otherwise be incorrectly diagnosed as suggestive of substitutive lesions (primary or secondary). These features are: 1) the location of skip areas, usually in the IV segment, in close relationship to a portal vessel; 2) their morphology, triangular, or inverted-V shaped; 3) the absence of mass effects upon the hepatic border and/or upon the adjacent vessels; 4) the presence of fatty liver infiltration; 5) the coexistence of a biohumoral pattern significant for diffuse hepatopathy; 6) the lack of change in US patterns during the follow-up.

The authors describe the sonographic (US) patterns of hyperplastic cholecystoses observed from January 1983 to April 1987 - 39 cases of focal extension and 12 of segmental extension--and confirm the higher sensibility of US versus oral cholecystography. Sonography (SG) allows a straight visualization of the gallbladder wall and its lesions, both in case of limited thickening of the wall (focal cholecystosis) and in case of more extensive thickening (segmental cholecystosis). To cholecystographic findings of focal lesions, SG gives additional information, adding a fundamental diagnostic element: the lack of acoustic shadowing distal to the nodular masses. Nonetheless, SG does not allow a discrimination between focal cholesterolosis and adenomyomatosis, except for particular cases, such as multiple nodular masses, and coexistence with the "comet tail" pattern--the latter due to parietal deposits of cholesterol. Furthermore, the differential diagnosis of focal cholecystoses includes some neoplasms of the gallbladder, and gallstones stuck to the wall, with no acoustic shadowing. In segmental cholecystoses, the direct evaluation of the entity and extension of the wall thickening remains a fundamental diagnostic element, even though such a morphologic detail is often integrated by the functional relieve of hypercontractility of the gallbladder wall after a fatty meal (both oral cholecystography and SG demonstrate it).

The authors report their experience in 40 patients with intestinal Crohn's disease, who underwent both abdominal ultrasound scanning and double-contrast small bowel enema. The various echographic patterns are described, found in the different phases during the evolution of Crohn's disease, underlying the importance of ultrasound in evaluating the real degree of bowel wall thickening and the exo-enteral space, only indirectly appreciated with X-ray examination.

In recent years, invertebrate nervous systems have proved to be experimentally advantageous preparations for studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie learning, because the neuronal networks of invertebrate ganglia are made up by cells large enough to be analysed by different methodologies. Moreover, it is possible to test the effects on neuronal functions of a variety of molecules by injecting them into the neuronal somata.

The mechanisms of some short-term non-associative learning processes, such as habituation and sensitization (or dishabituation) have been analyzed in detail in the defensive withdrawal reflex of the gill and the siphon of Aplysia. It has been shown that behavioral sensitization results from heterosynaptic facilitation of transmitter output on the mechanosensory neurons of the abdominal ganglion that innervate the gill and the siphon. The facilitation of synaptic output between sensory and motor neuron is mediated by two sets of neurons so far identified as the L28 and L29 cells which take contacts with terminal branches of sensory neurons. Serotonin as well as peptide transmitters (small cardioactive peptides SCPa and SCPb) or other unknown transmitters converge to produce synaptic facilitation in the sensory neurons via different receptors triggering a common molecular chain of events to produce the same modulatory effect. The transmitter released activates an adenylate cyclase which increases the intracellular level of cAMP (Brunelli et al. 1976). This enhancement leads to a cAMP-dependent protein phosphorilation through a protein kinase activation which induces a suppression of a specific K+ current. The block of K+ current is thought to cause broadening of the presynaptic action potential and therefore a prolonged influx of Ca++ in the presynaptic terminal which potentiates the transmitter release (Kandel and Schwartz 1982).

The practice of artificial insemination with a donor's semen (AID) is not well accepted in Italy, where many sterile couples cannot overcome the emotional, cultural, and social problems connected with it. The author reports on 241 AIDs, of which 119 resulted in pregnancy. The semen was always used 2 hours within collection from a donor physically and mentally healthy. There were 6 spontaneous abortions (5.04%); newborns were boys more than girls; they were all very healthy, except one case of malformation. The percentage of failure (49.37%) is related to the negative attitude of some couples about the whole procedure. The majority of pregnancies was obtained after 3 cycles of treatment on women younger than 25. Unfortunately still too many couples, discouraged, abandon treatment after a few months. The literature on artificial insemination is not very abundant, and it would be helpful if more physicians would publish the results of their studies.

International audience

Prefazione al convegno "Looking East. Iranian History and Culture under Western Eyes", pubblicata nella collana "Electrum", 24 (2017). Il convegno si è tenuto il 29 e 30 gennaio 2016.

Il lavoro esamina gli stereotipi e i pregiudizi della cultura romano-ellenistica e cristiana della tarda antichità nel recepire una figura di avversario dottrinale come Mani, interpretato come eretico e come persiano, in ciò duplicemente connotato negativamente come antagonista confessionale e come nemico appartenente a una fascia geografica e storico-culturale avversa al mondo occidentale del IV secolo.

The electrokinetic remediation was studied to verify the possibility to reclaim the bottom ash from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI). In Italy, a production of 1 million tons per year of this kind of residue has been estimated, 90% of which is still landfilled. This work shows the results of four electrokinetic remediation tests for the removal of Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd and chlorides, using an open cell with graphite electrodes and without enhancing agents. The four tests have, respectively, been performed at a constant current density of 0.89, 1.67, 2.04 and 2.48 mA cm−2, with duration of 42, 68, 47 and 40 h. Heavy metals occur in ashes in various forms, such as exchangeable, adsorbed, precipitated, organically complexed and residual phases. In order to determine the nature of any given system, in terms of specific chemical species and pertaining mobilities, sequential extraction analyses have been performed. The release of pollutants was investigated for treated and untreated ash. After treatment, the concentration of pollutants in the leachate was reduced by 31–83%, better results being obtained for chlorides. Both the low amount of heavy metal extracted and the increase of ash pH during the electrokinetic tests, suggest to use enhancing agents or a cation exchange membrane at the cathode, to prevent the precipitation of metals as hydroxides.

Il volume di Traina viene presentato mettendo in evidenza le relazioni con la tradzione critica di studi sui letterati siciliani, nonché la prospettiva critica dell'autore, che pone in luce i legami stretti tra autori appartenenti alla letteratura di Sicilia.

Sintesi degli aspetti politici, religiosi, sociali ed economici del regno di Giustiniano

La relazione esamina le condizioni di vita carceraria provate o descritte da scrittori del Seicento, sia desunte da esperienze personali (Cervantes, Marino, Campanella, Galileo), sia immaginate in opere letterarie ("La reina di Scozia" di Federico Della Valle, la carcerazione di Tacito nei "Ragguagli di Parnaso" di Traiano Boccalini, le prigioni d'amore nell'"Adone" o nella lirica di Scipione Errico). E nella ricerca, condotta tenendo presenti le riflessioni di Foucault o di Brombert, non si sono studiati solo aiutori molto noti, ma anche scrittori minori, che spesso si sono espressi in dialetto (Paolo Maura, Giuliano Rossi, Fabio Varese) o che sono emersi dall'oblio solo in anni molto recenti, come il piemontese Filippo San Martino d'Agliè. Nel caso di scrittori affermati, l'indagine li ha posti sotto una prospettiva inedita, nel caso di quelli rimasti fuori del canone letterario si è trattato di una riscoperta di prima mano.

Il saggio analizza il rapporto intertestuale tra l'opera di Sciascia e quella di Unamuno.

Il lavoro esamina l’organizzazione amministrativa dell’impero romano dalla creazione del principato fino ai Severi. Augusto affiancò all’antica ‘macchina amministrativa’ di epoca repubblicana un nuovo apparato, che faceva capo direttamente al princeps, destinato in parte ad assolvere alle funzioni delle magistrature repubblicane, in parte ad affrontare le nuove esigenze che il governo dell’impero imponeva, in nome di una maggiore efficienza. Molte delle novità introdotte da Augusto, magari solo per risolvere la crisi del momento, si trasformarono in istituzioni salde e durature, al massimo perfezionate dai suoi successori, ma mai veramente sconvolte, in qualche caso destinate a sopravvivere finanche allo stesso principato.

Casanova è sempre vissuto in bilico tra legalità e illegalità, sia per questioni personali sia per problemi culturali, spesso legati alle sue letture alternative e libertine. Il saggio esamina i vari periodi di prigionia e fuga di Casanova, da quello celebre nei Piombi veneziani a quelli di Parigi, Londra, Madrid e Barcellona, in un esemplare itinerario geografico e culturale dell'illuminismo europeo.

Il saggio analizza, attraverso dichiarazioni d'autore e lo studio delle carte preparatorie conservate presso il Fondo manoscritti dell'Università di Pavia e presso la Fondazione Bufalino di Comiso, lo stile di ideazione e costruzione dei libri di Bufalino.