A New Source for the Study of Unexplored Aspects of the Italian Health Transition: The Burial Permits

This paper introduces a new source for the study of mortality and the health transition in Italy: the Burial Permits. In the years leading up to the Italian Unification, local authorities began requiring official documentation, compiled by medical officers, for the burial of individuals in local cemeteries. These documents, preserved in the form of single sheets or registers, contain a wealth of individual-level data on deceased people, including the indication of the cause(s) of death. This feature, a novelty in the Italian historical demographic research, allows addressing a longstanding gap in the availability of individual-level information on causes of death, a factor that has limited and hampered the research on the evolution of the mortality patterns and the health transition in Italy. The paper provides a detailed description of this source and the type of information it contains, reviews what has been done so far, and investigates its possible applications to address new directions in the study of health and mortality in Italy

Assessing the adaptive capacity to climate change using fuzzy logic-based approaches: the case of Sardinian agriculture

Southern Europe and the Mediterranean region are noteworthy hotspots for climate change impacts. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the adaptability of agriculture on the Italian island of Sardinia to the challenges of climate change. The main objective was to identify and quantify the components determining the adaptive capacity of Sardinian agriculture to climate with the aim of understanding and improving the resilience of an administrative region to the expected climate change impacts. Using a fuzzy-set analysis informed by a multidimensional weighted matrix of indicators set up with stakeholders, this study examines various determinants across socio-economic factors, governance structures, technological innovation and physical infrastructure, categorised into three components: Ability, Action and Awareness, leading to an overall Adaptive Capacity Index (best, 0≤ACI≤1, worst). The analysis reveals a moderate overall adaptive capacity (ACI = 0.57), identifying strengths and areas for improvement. In particular, the study highlights critical areas for improving Sardinian agriculture sector, emphasising the importance of strengthening knowledge and education within the agricultural community, improving collaboration among different actors to support innovation propensity and economic capacity, simplifying bureaucratic processes, and enhancing water infrastructure, all of which contribute to strengthening governance in the sector. These findings provide valuable insights for stakeholders, including policymakers and farmers, to facilitate the development and implementation of key adaptation strategies necessary for the long-term sustainability and resilience of Sardinian agriculture

Valorisation of Myrtle Liqueur Processing and Olive Pomace By-products as Ingredients for Functional Dairy Foods

This research has deepened the potential for valorisation of by-products of the Sardinian agri-food industry, in particular olive pomace (OP) and exhausted myrtle berries (MSB), for the formulation of functional yogurts based on whole sheep's milk. The activity was developed with a view to sustainability and the circular economy, with the aim of creating an innovative product capable of combining nutritional benefits, the best chemical-physical, rheological and sensorial properties. The experimental work was divided into three phases. In the initial phase of the study, the incorporation of freeze-dried olive pomace (1% w/w) was assessed at two distinct points during the manufacturing process: prior to heat treatment and subsequent to fermentation. The insertion of the pomace prior to pasteurization yielded optimal results, characterised by a substantial augmentation in water retention capacity, a decline in syneresis, an escalation in total phenolic content, and an enhancement in antioxidant activity. Furthermore, no deleterious effects were observed on sensory characteristics. The rheological and textural analyses indicated comparable or superior performance in comparison to the control, while the SEM images substantiated the effective incorporation of the pomace into the yogurt matrix, thereby enhancing the stability of the gel. This phase thus demonstrated the validity of olive pomace as a functional and sustainable ingredient for dairy products. The second phase of the project was dedicated to the valorisation of exhausted myrtle berries (Myrtus communis L.), a by-product of the production of the liqueur known as "Myrtle of Sardinia". The incorporation of MSB powder (1% w/w) prior to pasteurization or subsequent to fermentation has been demonstrated to enhance the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, whilst concomitantly reducing syneresis and promoting optimal microbiological stability. However, a lower water retention capacity and reduced gel consistency and adhesiveness were observed, suggesting the need for further technological optimisations. Once more, the pre-pasteurization addition was shown to be the most appropriate, particularly with regard to food safety. In the third stage, a technological improvement was introduced via milk homogenization, which was applied to both control and MSB-enriched samples. The efficacy of this treatment was demonstrated by its ability to enhance the distribution of plant particles and the cohesion of protein networks, thereby augmenting the capacity to retain serum. However, the presence of myrtle fibres and polyphenols led to a partial attenuation of the structuring effect of homogenization, likely due to interactions with milk proteins. In order to optimise the product, the addition of inulin (3%) and lactase (0.3 g/kg) was finally evaluated. Inulin has been demonstrated to enhance texture, thereby enabling the assertion of a high fibre content. Conversely, lactase has been shown to mitigate the bitter and astringent qualities of phenolic compounds, rendering yogurt more palatable and suitable for individuals with lactose intolerance. These modifications resulted in enhanced gel structure, reduced syneresis, and increased creaminess, without adverse effects on acidification or color properties. Sensory analysis, facilitated by Penalty Analysis, corroborated an enhancement in the perception of creaminess and colour, accompanied by favourable overall acceptability. The results obtained demonstrate that the valorisation of local by-products, such as olive pomace and exhausted myrtle berries, represents an effective strategy for the development of sustainable functional yogurts with high added value. This highlights the feasibility of an innovative technological approach oriented towards industrial transferability and construction of a more circular and competitive Sardinian dairy supply chain.This research has deepened the potential for valorisation of by-products of the Sardinian agri-food industry, in particular olive pomace (OP) and exhausted myrtle berries (MSB), for the formulation of functional yogurts based on whole sheep's milk. The activity was developed with a view to sustainability and the circular economy, with the aim of creating an innovative product capable of combining nutritional benefits, the best chemical-physical, rheological and sensorial properties. The experimental work was divided into three phases. In the initial phase of the study, the incorporation of freeze-dried olive pomace (1% w/w) was assessed at two distinct points during the manufacturing process: prior to heat treatment and subsequent to fermentation. The insertion of the pomace prior to pasteurization yielded optimal results, characterised by a substantial augmentation in water retention capacity, a decline in syneresis, an escalation in total phenolic content, and an enhancement in antioxidant activity. Furthermore, no deleterious effects were observed on sensory characteristics. The rheological and textural analyses indicated comparable or superior performance in comparison to the control, while the SEM images substantiated the effective incorporation of the pomace into the yogurt matrix, thereby enhancing the stability of the gel. This phase thus demonstrated the validity of olive pomace as a functional and sustainable ingredient for dairy products. The second phase of the project was dedicated to the valorisation of exhausted myrtle berries (Myrtus communis L.), a by-product of the production of the liqueur known as "Myrtle of Sardinia". The incorporation of MSB powder (1% w/w) prior to pasteurization or subsequent to fermentation has been demonstrated to enhance the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, whilst concomitantly reducing syneresis and promoting optimal microbiological stability. However, a lower water retention capacity and reduced gel consistency and adhesiveness were observed, suggesting the need for further technological optimisations. Once more, the pre-pasteurization addition was shown to be the most appropriate, particularly with regard to food safety. In the third stage, a technological improvement was introduced via milk homogenization, which was applied to both control and MSB-enriched samples. The efficacy of this treatment was demonstrated by its ability to enhance the distribution of plant particles and the cohesion of protein networks, thereby augmenting the capacity to retain serum. However, the presence of myrtle fibres and polyphenols led to a partial attenuation of the structuring effect of homogenization, likely due to interactions with milk proteins. In order to optimise the product, the addition of inulin (3%) and lactase (0.3 g/kg) was finally evaluated. Inulin has been demonstrated to enhance texture, thereby enabling the assertion of a high fibre content. Conversely, lactase has been shown to mitigate the bitter and astringent qualities of phenolic compounds, rendering yogurt more palatable and suitable for individuals with lactose intolerance. These modifications resulted in enhanced gel structure, reduced syneresis, and increased creaminess, without adverse effects on acidification or color properties. Sensory analysis, facilitated by Penalty Analysis, corroborated an enhancement in the perception of creaminess and colour, accompanied by favourable overall acceptability. The results obtained demonstrate that the valorisation of local by-products, such as olive pomace and exhausted myrtle berries, represents an effective strategy for the development of sustainable functional yogurts with high added value. This highlights the feasibility of an innovative technological approach oriented towards industrial transferability and construction of a more circular and competitive Sardinian dairy supply chain

Stratification of Motor Cortex Excitability to Transcranial Stimulation Uncovers Functional Network Differences in Healthy Older Adults as Revealed by Resting State EEG Functional Coupling in Brain Network

Background: Understanding the neural organization underlying motor function is essential for explaining individual differences in motor performance and the impact of aging. Methods: We examined 87 healthy older adults who underwent, in different sessions, resting state electroencephalography (EEG) recordings and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) applied to the hand muscles representation area in the primary motor cortex to elicit Motor Evoked Potentials (MEPs). Furthermore, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and handgrip strength evaluations were carried out on subjects. Subjects were split into two groups, Low MEP (L-MEP) and High MEP (H-MEP) groups, based on individual MEP amplitude, and age, sex, and education matched. Functional connectivity was analyzed through Magnitude-Squared Coherence (MSCoh) and Total Coherence (TotCoh) in different frequency bands and brain regions of interest. Findings: The L-MEP presented decreased MSCoh in the Alpha 2 and Beta 1 bands, and decreased TotCoh in the Alpha 2 band within the Temporal region as well as in the Beta 1 band across Parietal, Occipital, and Temporal regions. No significant difference in grip strength was found while the MMSE score of L-MEP group was significantly lower compared to the H-MEP one. These findings indicate that reduced motor cortex excitability reflects decreased network integration, particularly in regions associated with cognitive and sensorimotor processing. These findings may reflect early neurophysiological vulnerability. Conclusions: These results underscore the resting state EEG as a non-invasive, highly sensitive tool monitoring subtle alterations in brain functional networks that may precede clinical symptoms, offering a powerful tool for monitoring and individualized intervention