In Maremma: storia del sito e archeologia dei paesaggi

This paper uses the regional context of the Maremma near Orbetello (Grosseto) as a case study to try to show the importance of recent events for the purposes of evaluating archaeological documents. The growth of investigation protocols, digital technologies, diagnostic applications, in the last thirty years has allowed important advances in our ability to evaluate the archaeological potential of many areas. All this, however, must not make us forget the importance of recent histories: agricultural transformations, changes in land use, economic and social trends. In this sense, it might be appropriate to think of the creation of networks based on local landscape observatories useful for analyzing contemporary transformations that are predictably harmful to the conservation of archaeological remains

Back to the Past. The paleogeography as key to understand the Middle Palaeolithic peopling at Grotta dei Santi (Mt Argentario – Tuscany)

The mobility of hunter-gatherer groups is crucial in understanding Palaeolithic settlement dynamics. The concept of mobility cannot be separated from the space in which it occurs, including landscape components, localization of critical resources and of other sites, and routes between them. Nevertheless, the landscape is not constant in time due to the geomorphological changes that occurred in the long timescale of Prehistory. Here we present a paleogeographic reconstruction of the coastal area around Grotta dei Santi during the Neandertal occupation. A GIS-based approach, combining geological, bathymetric, and sea-level fluctuations data, allows us to reconstruct the landscape around the cave at about 45 ky BP. The cave today opens onto a cliff facing the sea. The Neandertal occupation occurred with a sea-level 74 m lower than present-day. Consequently, the cave faced a vast coastal plain, playing a strategic role due to its position, allowing both proximity and control of essential resources

The role of probiotics and postbiotics in modulating the gut microbiome-immune system axis in the pediatric age

The complex microbial community of the gut microbiome plays a fundamental role in driving development and function of the human immune system. This phenomenon is named the gut microbiome-immune system axis. When operating optimally, this axis influences both innate and adaptive immunity, which orchestrates the maintenance of crucial elements of host-microorganisms symbiosis, in a dialogue that modulates responses in the most beneficial way. Growing evidence reveals some environmental factors which can positively and negatively modulate the gut microbiome-immune system axis with consequences on the body health status. Several conditions which increasingly affect the pediatric age, such as allergies, autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, arise from a failure of the gut microbiome-immune system axis. Prenatal or postnatal modulation of this axis through some interventional strategies (including diet, probiotics and postbiotics), may lead to a positive gene-environment interaction with improvement of immune-modulatory effects and final positive effect on human health. In particular probiotics and postbiotics exerting pleiotropic regulatory actions on the gut-microbiome-immune system axis provide an innovative preventive and therapeutic strategy for many pediatric conditions

Immunonutrition for Pediatric Patients With Cow's Milk Allergy: How Early Interventions Could Impact Long-Term Outcomes

Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is one of the most common food allergies and one of the main causes of food-induced anaphylaxis in the pediatric age. Moreover, up to 45% of CMA children develop other atopic manifestations later in life, a phenomenon commonly named atopic march. Thus, CMA imposes a significant cost to health care systems as well as to families, and has emerged as one of the most expensive allergic diseases. The immunonutrition strategy builds its foundation on the ability of selected dietary factors to modulate immune system development and function. Recent studies highlighted the potential of immunonutrition in the management of CMA. This review is focused on the mechanisms and long-term clinical outcomes of the immunonutrition approach in children with CMA. Introduction Much has changed during the recent decades regarding prevalence, persistence, and severity of clinical features and socio-economic burden of food allergy (FA) that currently affects up to 10% of children living in Western countries (1). Based on the immune mechanisms, FA may be classified as IgE-mediated, non-IgE-mediated, or a combination of both pathways (2). In addition, children presenting with FA in early life are at increased risk of developing other allergic manifestations later in life, such as allergic asthma and rhinitis, a phenomenon commonly named atopic march (AM) (3). With an estimated prevalence of up to 3%, cow's milk allergy (CMA) is one of the most common FA and one of the main causes of food-induced anaphylaxis in the pediatric age (4). This condition imposes a significant cost to health care systems as well as to families, and has emerged as one of the most expensive allergic diseases (4). Furthermore, early life CMA could be the first step of AM, which affects up to 45% of CMA children, also after the acquisition of immune tolerance to cow's milk proteins (CMP) (5–8). Both CMA and AM derive from a negative interaction between genetic and environmental factors (3) resulting in alteration in the gut microbiome (GM) and in immune system dysfunction. These modulatory effects are at least in part mediated by epigenetic mechanisms, and are now emerging as potential targets of intervention to facilitate the immune tolerance acquisition and to limit the occurrence of AM in CMA patients (5, 9–11). The traditional dietary management of CMA has greatly changed in the last few years, moving from a passive approach based on the strict elimination diet of CMP-containing foods, to a proactive one, able to change the CMA course (12). The discovery of the pivotal role of selected dietary factors in influencing immune system development and function has introduced the immunonutrition concept. The application of the immunonutrition approach in the management of CMA is paving the way to “active diet therapy,” an integrated dietary strategy able to facilitate the acquisition of immune tolerance and to prevent the occurrence of AM (5, 9, 13–15). The modern dietary management in CMA pediatric patients is focused on three targets: • Dietary education (allergen avoidance and healthy diet) • Ensure adequate intake of macro and micro-nutrients (stimulation of optimal body growth and development) • Active diet therapy (stimulation of immune tolerance and protection against AM occurrence). The immunonutrition approach could be promoted for all three of these targets. This review is focused on the objectives and long-term clinical outcomes of the immunonutrition approach in children affected by CM

The potential role of preventive and therapeutic immunonutrition strategies for pediatric food allergy: A mini-review

: Food allergy (FA) represents one of the main chronic conditions of the pediatric population. The gut microbiome (GM)-immune system axis is a milestone in affecting FA susceptibility. The dynamic and bidirectional crosstalk between the GM and immune system starts early in life, and it is deeply modulated during the first 1,000 days of life. Nutritional factors during this crucial period mainly influence the proper GM-immune system development and function across the lifespan, with potential beneficial or detrimental effects on health status. Immunonutrition strategies, applied from conception, could represent an innovative target for prevention and treatment of pediatric FA. Here we described the potential role of preventive and therapeutic immunonutrition strategies for pediatric FA, highlighting putative future perspectives in this field

Potential Clinical Applications of the Postbiotic Butyrate in Human Skin Diseases

Human skin is the largest organ and the most external interface between the environment and the body. Vast communities of viruses, bacteria, archaea, fungi, and mites, collectively named the skin microbiome (SM), cover the skin surface and connected structures. Skin-resident microorganisms contribute to the establishment of cutaneous homeostasis and can modulate host inflammatory responses. Imbalances in the SM structure and function (dysbiosis) are associated with several skin conditions. Therefore, novel target for the skincare field could be represented by strategies, which restore or preserve the SM natural/individual balance. Several of the beneficial effects exerted by the SM are aroused by the microbial metabolite butyrate. Since butyrate exerts a pivotal role in preserving skin health, it could be used as a postbiotic strategy for preventing or treating skin diseases. Herein, we describe and share perspectives of the potential clinical applications of therapeutic strategies using the postbiotic butyrate against human skin disease

Body growth assessment in children with IgE-mediated cow's milk protein allergy fed with a new amino acid-based formula

Amino acid-based formula (AAF) is a relevant dietary option for non-breastfed children. The present study was designed to evaluate the body growth pattern in cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) children treated for 6 months with a new AAF

Disputas discursivas. Ideas sobre la libertad en los desembarcos iniciales del movimiento neoliberal en Argentina

The Mont Pèlerin Society’s members created different institutes in Latin America and around the world in the mid-20th century to expand a discursive directed to dispute antagonist socioeconomics models. The Centro de Difusión de la Economía Libre of Argentina was one of them. This work relieves the authors whose writings have been disseminated by its periodic publication- Ideas Sobre la Libertad-, the institutional sources of them, the kind of institution, and the hierarchical position occupied by them in these institutions. This, to put attention on those institutions that support the neoliberal project.A mediados del siglo XX en una superficie histórica signada por disputas propias de la Guerra Fría; integrantes de Mont Pèlerin Society, con objeto de dar difusión a entramados conceptuales destinados a dar batalla a perspectivas y modelos que -en algún grado- permiten la legitimación de demandas obreras y entorpecen procesos de extracción de plusvalía, crean diversos institutos a lo largo de América Latina y el globo. Uno de ellos es, en el caso argentino, el Centro de Difusión de la Economía Libre (CDEL). El trabajo que presentamos a continuación releva los autores cuya obra ha sido difundida en la publicación periódica que editase dicho centro, así como, su procedencia institucional, el carácter de tales instituciones y la posición jerárquica que los mismos ocupaban en las entidades de origen. Ello con objeto de adentrarnos, a través del abordaje de un caso concreto, en el estudio del funcionamiento y las estrategias desplegadas por quienes se nucléan alrededor de Mont Pèlerin Society con objeto de dar batalla en el plano discursivo a opciones políticas, económicas y sociales antagónicas