Sintered material from alkaline basaltic tuffs

The possibility to obtain sintered material from alkaline basaltic tuffs is demonstrated. The parent rock was milled for 10-15 min, the resulting powder was pressed at 100 MPa and the obtained samples were heat-treated in the range of 1000-1140 °C. The sintering behaviour and the phase formation were studied by pycnometry, dilatometry, DTA, XRD and SEM. The final material was obtained by sintering at 1100 °C and is characterized by zero water absorption, 8-9 vol.% closed porosity and a structure similar to a glass-ceramic. Due to high crystallization trend of used composition, phase formation takes place during the sintering and cooling steps; this leads to a crystallinity of ~60% and formation of different crystal phases (pyroxene, anorthite, spinel and hematite). Despite the low-cost production cycle the obtained material is characterized by high mechanical properties: bending strength of 100 MPa and Young modulus of 90 GPa. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Ministry of Education and ScienceThe authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support within Project TK-X-1713/07 (Bulgarian Ministry of Science and Education). They express sincere thanks to Prof. M. Pelino (University of L’Aquila) for the immense technical support, Dr. E. Bernardo (University of Padova) for the evaluations of mechanical properties and Dr. G. Taglieri (University of L’Aquila) for the XRD analysis

Determinants of children's eating behavior

Parents have a high degree of control over the environments and experiences of their children. Food preferences are shaped by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. This article is a review of current data on effective determinants of children's eating habits. The development of children's food preferences involves a complex interplay of genetic, familial, and environmental factors. There is evidence of a strong genetic influence on appetite traits in children, but environment plays an important role in modeling children's eating behaviors. Parents use a variety of strategies to influence children's eating habits, some of which are counterproductive. Overcontrol, restriction, pressure to eat, and a promise of rewards have negative effects on children's food acceptance. Parents' food preferences and eating behaviors provide an opportunity to model good eating habits. Satiety is closely related to diet composition, and foods with low energy density contribute to prevent overeating. Parents should be informed about the consequences of an unhealthy diet and lifestyle and motivated to change their nutritional habits. Parents should be the target of prevention programs because children model themselves on their parents' eating behaviors, lifestyles, eating-related attitudes, and dissatisfaction regarding body image. Pediatricians can have an important role in the prevention of diet-related diseases. Informed and motivated parents can become a model for children by offering a healthy, high-satiety, low-energy-dense diet and promoting self-regulation from the first years of lif

Renal Calculosis of Pandolfo III Malatesta (1370-1427)

The natural mummy of Pandolfo III Malatesta (1370-1427), prince of Fano and leading figure of the Italian Renaissance, was exhumed from his monumental tomb in Fano in 1995. Pandolfo was Captain General of the troops of the Venice Republic in the war against the Visconti of Milan and the Hungarians. Previous studies revealed the typical ergonomic picture of a horseman and a soldier. Obesity, attested by large cutaneous folds, and prostatic nodular hyperplasia were diagnosed. We present a case of renal calculosis affecting this 15th century Italian prince

Breastfeeding and insulin resistance in obese children after one-year nutritional intervention

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between the type of early feeding and indices of insulin metabolism in obese children after an one-year nutritional intervention. Methods: Seventy-two obese children, aged 6-14 years, underwent anthropometric and metabolic measurements at baseline and after an one-year nutritional intervention, based on normocaloric balanced diet and physical activity. Obesity was defined in accordance with the International Obesity Task Force. Body Mass Index (BMI) z-scores were calculated. Fasting blood samples were evaluated for insulin, glucose and lipid profile. Insulin resistance was estimated using the homeostatic model assessment method (HOMA-IR). Duration of full (exclusive/predominant) breastfeeding was categorized at the cut-point of 4 months. Results: out of 72 obese children 16 (22%) were full breastfed whereas 24 (33%) were not-breastfed. At the end of the intervention children showed decreased BMI z-score (median 0,27; IQR, 0,06-0,48; p < 0,0001) HOMA (0,81; 0,44-2,28; p < 0,0001), total cholesterol (median 9,00; IQR, 6,25-17,00; p = 0,016) triglycerides (24,00; 4,00-42,25; p < 0,0001). At the end of treatment decrease in HOMA was associated with duration of full breastfeeding (p = 0,039). Conclusions: Duration of breastfeeding seems to be associated with decreased insulin resistance in obese children after an one-year nutritional intervention