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Several benefits can be acquired through physical exercise. Different classes of biomolecules are responsible for the cross-talk between distant organs. The secretome of skeletal muscles, and more widely the field of organokines, is ever-expanding. “Exerkine” has emerged as the umbrella term covering any humoral factors secreted into circulation by tissues in response to exercise. This review aims at describing the most interesting exerkines discovered in the last 3 years, which are paving the way for both physiological novel insights and potential medical strategies. The five exerkines identified all play a significant role in the healthy effect of exercise. Specifically: miR-1192, released by muscles and myocardium into circulation, by modulating cardioprotective effect in trained mice; miR-342-5p, located into exosomes from vascular endothelial cells, also a cardioprotective miRNA in trained young humans; apelin, released by muscles into circulation, involved in anti-inflammatory pathways and muscle regenerative capacity in rats; GDF-15, released into circulation from yet unknown source, whose effects can be observed on multiple organs in young men after a single bout of exercise; oxytocin, released by myoblasts and myotubes, with autocrine and paracrine functions in myotubes. The systemic transport by vesicles and the crosstalk between distant organs deserve a deep investigation. Sources, targets, transport mechanisms, biological roles, population samples, frequency, intensity, time and type of exercise should be considered for the characterization of existing and novel exerkines. The “exercise is medicine” framework should include exerkines in favor of novel insights for public health.

The aim of the work was to assess the influence of the leavening agent on several technological, chemical, and nutritional characteristics of breads prepared with whole soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) flours. As leavening agents in bread-making, baker’s yeast, biga, and sourdough were utilized. Two ancient varieties, Andriolo and Verna, and a modern grain variety, Bologna, were used. Analysis of the obtained breads included the measurement of the phenols content, the antioxidant activity, the in vitro protein and total digestibility, the texture profile, the crumb grain characteristics and the microbial shelf-life test. The results of the principle component analysis of bread features indicated a clustering depending especially on the leavening agent rather than on the employed flour, particularly when sourdough was used. Protein digestibility, crumb grain characteristics, and shelf-life led to the main differences among the samples. Ancient wheat flour displayed similar features when the same leavening agent was applied. Particularly, the use of sourdough levelled the differences due to flour, leading to breads with similar technological and nutritional characteristics. The findings highlighted a marked effect of the leavening agent on bread final characteristics.

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has seriously affected our society. Governments have difficult situations by adopting strict and severe mitigation measures in order to contain the pandemic spreading. These decisions influenced significatively people's behavior changing their habits and routines. This study offers a statistical analysis of the incidence of the Maxillo-Facial traumas in Tuscany southern area, during the pandemic lockdown. The statistical analyzed has been obtained comparing the maxillo-facial trauma occurrence during the Italian lockdown between the 9th of March and the 18th of May 2020 in comparison with same period of the five previous years. KEY WORDS: Covid-19, Italian covid-19, Maxillofacial surgery, Maxillofacial trauma, Pandemic, Surgery management, Trauma incidence in Italy.Lo scoppio della pandemia Covid-19 ha gravemente colpito la nostra società. I governi si trovano in situazioni difficili adottando misure di mitigazione rigorose e severe al fine di contenere la diffusione della pandemia. Queste decisioni hanno influenzato in modo significativo il comportamento delle persone cambiando le loro abitudini e routine. Questo studio offre un’analisi statistica dell’incidenza dei traumi maxillo-facciali nell’area meridionale della Toscana, durante il blocco della pandemia. La statistica analizzata è stata ottenuta confrontando il verificarsi del trauma maxillo-facciale durante il lockdown italiano tra il 9 marzo e il 18 maggio 2020 rispetto allo stesso periodo dei cinque anni precedenti.

Background Chainsaw and circular-saw injuries represent a rare condition within the maxillofacial region. The purpose of this clinical report is to describe the injuries and the clinical and surgical management of these rare traumas. Methods In this clinical report, 11 patients presenting themselves to the emergency room in the hospital "Policlinico Le Scotte," Siena, from March 2016 to September 2017 with severe chainsaw and circular-saw injuries, were included. All of the patients underwent general anesthesia and surgical treatment. This study describes 3 of the 11 patients with saw injuries. Results No complications occurred during surgeries and a good primary closure of the wound margins were achieved in all patients. However, after surgery, the authors experienced some complications in 2 patients: the 1st one displayed chewing problems due to extensive local edema; the 2nd one developed a total loss of vision in his left eye, even though there was no damage inflected to the eye ball during the trauma or surgery. Conclusion All the patients were followed during the 1st year after surgery. The authors evaluated the patients at 3 months, 6 months, and after 1 year, and none of them developed complications or alterations related to the trauma. However, 1 patient is still experiencing loss of vision and he is under constant specialized follow-up.

Wheat baked goods fortification with chickpea flour can improve their overall nutritional quality. However, some antinutritional factors, such as raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs), of this legume limit its supplementation in bread. The reduction of some of these drawbacks can be achieved using sourdough technology. Therefore, the aim of this study was to obtain a sourdough bread possessing the beneficial effect of chickpea flour addition together with a reduced content of RFOs, thanks to the activity of selected lactic acid bacteria. Sixty sourdough lactobacilli were screened for the capability of growing in a medium with raffinose as unique carbohydrates source. The most promising strains were inoculated in liquid chickpea sourdoughs. Lactobacillus plantarum M8 decreased up to 63.22% the initial amount of RFOs hence it was selected for the manufacture of wheat breads with different percentage of pre-fermented chickpea flour (0, 5, 10 and 20% on total flour). Chickpea flour addition significantly (p > 0.05) increased free amino acids, lysine and total phenolic content of breads compared to a control bread made only with wheat flour. Furthermore, RFOs total amount decreased in breads with increased percentage of pre-fermented chickpea flour in the recipe, confirming the ability of the selected L. plantarum M8 strain to reduce RFOs.

This study investigated the establishment of wheat stable sourdoughs, both in liquid (dough yield = 330) and firm (dough yield = 154) conditions, by inoculating 5 strains of different lactic acid bacteria species together with either a Saccharomyces cerevisiae or a Candida milleri strain. Real propagation cycles, consisting of ten refreshments, were simulated to assess the behaviour and robustness of the microorganisms. The results indicated stable microbial communities from seventh backslopping in all the tested conditions, with some differences among the strains. Lactobacillus farciminis Lf19 proved to be the most competitive strain, maintaining high concentrations throughout the refreshments at different dough yield, while Lactobacillus rossiae Lr9 resulted the less performing strain. Due to the longer refreshment time (24h instead of 6h) and to the presence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis Ls51 was probably affected by the maltose depletion in liquid condition. At sourdoughs stability, the main technological characteristics (pH, total titratable acidity, fermentation quotient) were in agreement with those reported for mature sourdoughs. Overall, this study evaluated the effect of modifying some parameters (dough yield, refreshment time, associated yeast, etc.) on microbial composition and on sourdough main features, to select the most suitable sourdough technology to be used.

The bacterial community profile of cricket powder highlighted the presence of four main genera: Bacteroides spp., Parabacteroides spp., Lactococcus spp., and Enterococcus spp. The spontaneous fermentation of cricket powder allowed for the isolation and characterization of seven lactic acid bacteria strains belonging to six species: Latilactobacillus curvatus, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Latilactobacillus sakei, Lactococcus garvieae, Weissella confusa, and Enterococcus durans. The strains were characterized and selected according to different technological properties. L. plantarum CR L1 and L. curvatus CR L13 showed the best performance in terms of general aminopeptidase activity, acidification, and growth rate in MRS broth and in dough with cricket powder and wheat flour, as well as robustness during consecutive backslopping. Thus, they were used as starter-mixed to produce sourdough to manufacture bread fortified with 20% cricket powder. The addition of cricket powder led to a significant increase of protein (up to 94%) and lipid content, from 0.7 up to 6 g/100 g of bread. Spontaneous fermentation represents a source of microbial diversity that can be exploited in order to obtain potential starters for food with innovative ingredients. Edible insects powder can be successfully added in leavened baked goods to enhance their nutritional value.

Kneading (or mixing) is a fundamental unit operation which must be carefully managed since it significantly influences the development of the gluten network and the final bread quality. Nevertheless, there is a lack of specific researches regarding kneading machine type and total element revolutions, thus motivating this work. This paper assesses differences in dough rheology and bread characteristics as a function of two factors: kneading machine type (spiral and double-arm) and total element revolutions (800, 1600, and 2400). Two breadmaking methods, namely straight dough and biga, were investigated. Results show that kneading machine type and total element revolution have statistically-significant effects on dough rheology and bread characteristics in both the methods. For straight dough method, double-arm mixer seems to be the most suitable for the production of bread with optimal characteristics. On the other hand, for biga method, spiral mixer was able to produce bread with the highest specific volume and loaf height. The results presented here allowed a big step forward in understanding the effects of kneading machine type and total element revolutions. Specifically, our work could guide the improvement of straight dough and biga methods (using double-arm and spiral mixers, respectively), and the development of specific kneading machines.

Aim and objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate how different exposures of the V3 nerves during orthognathic surgery impact neurosensory disturbances. Methods The study included 127 patients who underwent either bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO) or BSSO with maxillary le Fort 1. They were divided into 6 groups, identified by the quantity of V3 nerve exposure. All patients were examined in a pre-op period and again after 1, 3, 6 months post-op. The standardized tests used were to clarify the objective and subjective neurosensory status of the exposed nerve. Neurosensory evaluation included; a pin prick test, the 2 points discriminator, light touch, warm and cold tests, and blunt discrimination. They were all done bilaterally on the lower lip area. Results In only 2 patients the nerve was damaged during surgery and thus they were not included in this study. In 10.2% of patients there was no nerve exposure, 25.2% had longitudinal vestibular segment nerve exposed, 22.8% had the longitudinal upper-vestibular segment exposed, 20.5% had the longitudinal lower-vestibular segment exposed, 14.2% had the longitudinal upper-lower-vestibular segment exposed, and in 7.1% of patients the nerve was totally exposed. Given the estimated time of 1 month there was 100% recovery in patients whose nerve was unexposed. Considering the other patients, the authors had a variable number of patients who did not recover completely. Conclusion The authors estimate a correlation between the recovery time and the quantity of the exposed nerve. There is a high incidence of neurosensory disturbance in the lower lip and chin after BSSO and intraoperative quantity of nerve exposure.

Phycocyanin is a well-known bioactive pigment contained in cyanobacteria, such as Arthrospira platensis (commonly known as spirulina), and used in the food and beverage industry. One of the main problems that affects spirulina-based bakery products is phycocyanin degradation during cooking, being this pigment extremely sensitive to heat. The main goal of this work was to evaluate the protective effect against phycocyanin degradation of extra virgin olive (EVO) oil or sunflower oil, by applying thermal treatments directly on A. platensis F&M-C256 biomass and on A. platensis F&M-C256-based “crostini”, as well as on phycocyanin powder. After cooking, A. platensis F&M-C256 “crostini” incorporated with EVO or sunflower oil (10g oil/100g of dough) maintained about 90% of the phycocyanin originally present in the cyanobacterial biomass. When pure tocopherol was added to the biomass in the same amounts, a significant protective effect against phycocyanin degradation was observed. Tocopherol contained in EVO and sunflower oils is the putative main responsible for the protective action against phycocyanin degradation. Therefore, the incorporation of vegetable oils into the dough can be a useful tool for the food industries that use A. platensis biomass and/or phycocyanin as a natural food coloring and bioactive component for bakery products.

Purpose Evaluation of specific computerized posturographic parameters in patients with Meniere's disease (MD) following the intratympanic injection of gadolinium, a contrast agent, used in radiological diagnosing. Materials and methods We have observed 12 adult patients with unilateral Meniere's Disease subjected to inner ear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination after intratympanic gadolinium injection (ITG). The diagnoses have been performed according to the guidelines of the American Academy of otolaryngology. Before and after 24 h the ITG, all patients were subjected to the clinical evaluation and computerized posturography (CP), in 4 conditions depending on open/closed eyes and with/without foam cushion under feet. Results After ITG, in the affected ear the MRI confirmed the endolymphatic hydrops revealing a thin or even disappeared perilymphatic space. The statokinesigram showed improvement of stability only with closed eyes on a foam cushion. The CP performed 24 h after the contrast intratympanic injection showed a significant reduction of Path Length and Confidence Ellipse Area, due to an improvement of vestibular function on static balance. This improvement could be directly dependent to intratympanic pressure modification mediated by volume of contrast liquid, by “columella effect”. Conclusions This study demonstrates the absence of vestibular damage in patients undergoing intratympanic gadolinium infiltration and confirms the relationship between intratympanic pressure and vestibular stability modifications providing positive evidences for an applicative use of CP as a functional assessment to better address diagnosis and follow-up in MD patients treated with intratympanic injections.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of Arthrospira platensis F&M-C256 (spirulina) incorporation on the nutritional and functional properties of “crostini”, a leavened bakery product largely consumed in Italy and Europe. Sourdough was used as leavening and fermentation agent and three concentrations of A. platensis F&M-C256 were tested: 2%, 6% and 10% (w/w). Despite a lower volume increase compared to the control, the A. platensis F&M-C256 “crostini” doughs reached a technological appropriate volume after fermentation. At the end of fermentation, no significant differences in microorganisms concentrations were observed. A. platensis F&M-C256 “crostini” showed higher protein content compared to the control. Considering the European Commission Regulation on nutritional claims, “crostini” incorporated with 6% and 10% biomass can be claimed to be a “source of protein”. Six and ten percent A. platensis “crostini” also presented significantly higher antioxidant capacity and phenolics. A significantly lower value of in vitro dry matter and protein digestibility between A. platensis F&M-C256 “crostini” and the control was found. The overall acceptability decreased with increasing A. platensis F&M-C256 addition. The combination of spirulina biomass addition and the sourdough technology led to the development of a novel microalgae-based bakery product with nutritional and functional features.

&gamma, Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter of the central nervous system and possesses various physiological functions. GABA production can be obtained thanks to lactic acid bacteria activity in different foods such as sourdoughs. Recently, breads made from blends of pseudocereals and wheat flours have attracted much attention. Amaranth is especially interesting because of its high nutritional value, having a high protein content and containing different antioxidant compounds. Therefore, this study aimed to obtain sourdough breads enriched with GABA thanks to bacterial activity and to investigate the effect of amaranth flour addition on the antioxidant and sensorial properties of bread. Eighteen lactobacilli strains were assayed for GABA production in amaranth and wheat flour liquid sourdoughs. Two strains, Lactobacillus brevis A7 and Lactobacillus farciminis A11, demonstrated high GABA producing capability, hence, they were used to prepare breads containing 20% amaranth flour. The results confirmed the capability of the two strains to increase GABA concentrations (up to 39 mg/kg) in breads. Samples with amaranth addition showed a significantly higher total phenolic content compared to the control bread (more than 15 mg GAE 100 g&minus, 1 dwb), sensory analysis showed that breads with amaranth were moderately acceptable. Nevertheless, their general liking evaluation was significantly lower compared to the control bread. The addition of pseudocereal to traditional wheat sourdough and selection of lactobacilli allowed the production of baked goods with enhanced GABA content and antioxidant capacity, but recipes have to be developed to increase the organoleptic acceptability of the final products.

The electric conductivity and the mechanical properties of electrochemically synthesized polypyrrole/p-toluene sulfonic acid (PPy/pTSA) as a function of its processing parameters were investigated. The influence of polymerization current density, pyrrole concentration, and counter ion concentration on the electric conductivity of thick (≫100 μm) polymer films was examined and the electric conductivity was found to be in a range between 1.6 and 97 S · cm−1. Analysis of the polymer's chemical composition delivered a result in agreement with literature data of one counter ion for every 2.97 pyrrole rings for the best conducting samples. In mechanical tests, maximum values for Young's modulus, tensile strength, and elongation at break, were found to be 4.0 GPa, 72.6 MPa, and 11.2%, respectively. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:662–666, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers.

Active fiber composites are electromechanical actuators based on piezo-ceramic fibers, which are embedded in a polymer matrix. The fibers are electrically contacted through so-called interdigitated electrodes (IDEs). State-of-the-art metallic IDEs only contact the fibers at two small sections of their circumference at the top and bottom of the composite ply, respectively. This paper presents an original technique to manufacture IDEs made of a conducting polymer (polypyrrole/p-toluene sulfonic acid), where the polymer electrodes contact the fibers around their whole circumference. The necessary process steps are discussed, namely design of the master electrodes and electrochemical polymer growth with and without fibers. Processing issues are discussed and solutions are suggested.

While liquid composite molding (LCM) technologies for thermoset composites are increasingly used for manufacturing high quality structural components, LCM technologies based on thermoplastic matrices are still in development. Reactive thermoplastic LCM processes are at present applicable only to a few engineering polymers. This work presents perspectives for reactive molding of a high-temperature resistant polyphthalamide (PPA). Thermoanalytical, rheological, and optical tests were performed to assess the behavior of low-melting PA 6T/6I oligomers with increasing temperature and to monitor the polymerization and crystallization reactions. The raw oligomeric material first undergoes a solid-liquid phase transition at around 135 C. At this stage, it shows a shear-thinning behavior and its viscosity is around 102 Pa s. At higher temperatures, the viscosity of the oligomeric melt decreases further until a high temperature crystallization process occurs at about 180 C. Polymerization starts at about 220 C and ends at 290 C. During the reaction the polymer crystallizes as soon as it is formed with an achievable degree of crystallinity considerably higher than that of melt-crystallized samples. In accordance with the results, a viable processing technology based on powder impregnated intermediate materials is proposed.