Effect of destoned olive cake on the aromatic profile of cows’ milk and dairy products: comparison of two techniques for the headspace aroma profile analysis

The aim of this study, carried out within the NOVOROD project (PSR Campania 2007-2013 Misura 124 HC), was to evaluate the aromatic profile of milk and dairy products of dairy cows supplemented with destoned olive cake (DOC). Two techniques for the headspace aroma profile analysis: the thermal desorption by gas chromatography with a mass selective (GC/MS) detector and the electronic nose were compared. The trial was performed into a dairy cow farm. Ten dairy cows were allotted into two homogenous groups: control and experimental. Animals received the same diet, while in the experimental group the concentrate supplementation (15% dry matter) was replaced with DOC. After two weeks of adaptation, animals were fed with the experimental diet for other 15 days. During the experimental period, the milk was collected and cumulatively processed in Caciotta cheese (a soft cheese, 25 days ripened) and in Semicotto cheese (hard cheese, 3 months ripened) for 13 times for each group. Milk and cheese volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were extracted and concentrated with dynamic headspace method and determined by GC/MS. Statistical analysis of data, expressed in arbitrary units (a.u.=peak area × 10–6) and allotted in compound classes, was carried out by ANOVA. All data collected of VOCs were processed with principal component analysis (PCA). Milk and cheese samples were comparatively analysed with the electronic nose, fitted with a tenmetal oxide sensors electronic device. PCA has been used for the evaluation of the pattern data. Our results show that the use of DOC, as an unconventional feed for livestock, has no effect on the aromatic profile of both milk and dairy products. In fact, no significant differences were found in both milk and dairy products between the two groups using the GC/MS method. Also the discriminating analysis carried out by electronic nose did not show significant differences between the two groups. The two compared techniques seem to lead to the same result

Il ricordo di Alfonso d'Aragona nelle opere di G. Pontano

Il saggio analizza la figura di Alfonso il Magnanimo nell'opera del Pontano alla luce di un processo di dignificazione del sovrano come esempio di princeps christianus, che prende le mosse dalle opere storiche di Batolomeo Facio e di Antonio Beccadelli, noto come il Panormita

Comprehensive assessment of sensitizing events and anti-HLA antibody development in women awaiting kidney transplantation

Background: Alloimmunization remains a critical factor which affects the success of kidney transplantation. Patients awaiting solid organ transplantation may develop anti-HLA antibodies after pregnancies, transfusions and previous events of transplantations. Aim: We evaluated the effects of different sensitizing events on the anti-HLA antibody production and the potential role of patient HLA alleles in the context of antibody development in both the overall and pregnancy sensitized groups. Material and methods: We retrospectively stratified 411 women on waiting list for kidney transplantation by route of sensitization. The presence of anti-HLA antibodies was evaluated by Solid Phase Assay and HLA typing was performed by serological and molecular methods. Results: In our study population, 54% of women had anti-HLA antibodies. We found that the 51.6% of women with pregnancy only, 44% of women with transfusion only and 100% of women with a history of transplantation only developed anti-HLA antibodies. Pregnancy only resulted significantly associated with all anti-HLA antibody development such as anti-A, -B, -C, -DR, -DP as well as anti-DQB and -DQA antibodies. We investigated the influence of patient HLA alleles on the antibody development in the overall study population. Patients expressing HLA A*32 (p = 0.024, OR = 0.42), B*14 (p = 0.035, OR = 0.44), HLA-B*44 (p = 0.026, OR = 0.51) and DRB1*01 (p = 0.029, OR = 0.55) alleles produced anti-HLA antibodies less frequently compared to subjects with other alleles. In the pregnancy only group, B*14 (p = 0.010, OR = 0.12) and B*51 (p = 0.005, OR = 0.24) alleles were associated with a low risk of anti-HLA antibody development, while A*11 (p = 0.033, OR = 3.56) and DRB1*04 (p = 0.022, OR = 3.03) alleles seem to represent a higher risk. Conclusions: Pregnancy still remains a strong sensitizing event in women awaiting kidney transplantation. The anti-HLA antibody development in pregnancy appears to be associated with the expression of particular HLA alleles

The epigenetic promise to improve prognosis of heart failure and heart transplantation

Heart transplantation is still the only possible life-saving treatment for end-stage heart failure, the critical epilogue of several cardiac diseases. Epigenetic mechanisms are being intensively investigated because they could contribute to establishing innovative diagnostic and predictive biomarkers, as well as ground-breaking therapies both for heart failure and heart transplantation rejection. DNA methylation and histone modifications can modulate the innate and adaptive immune response by acting on the expression of immune-related genes that, in turn, are crucial determinants of transplantation outcome. Epigenetic drugs acting on methylation and histone-modification pathways may modulate Treg activity by acting as immunosuppressive agents. Moreover, the identification of non-invasive and reliable epigenetic biomarkers for the prediction of allograft rejection and for monitoring immunosuppressive therapies represents an attractive perspective in the management of transplanted patients. MiRNAs seem to fit particularly well to this purpose because they are differently expressed in patients at high and low risk of rejection and are detectable in biological fluids besides biopsies. Although increasing evidence supports the involvement of epigenetic tags in heart failure and transplantation, further short and long-term clinical studies are needed to translate the possible available findings into clinical setting

Le carte aragonesi.Atti del Convegno (Ravello, 3-4 ottobre 2002)

Le carte aragonesi. Atti del Convegno (Ravello, 3-4 ottobre 200