The Bacterial and Fungal Microbiota of “Robiola di Roccaverano” Protected Designation of Origin Raw Milk Cheese

Robiola di Roccaverano is an artisanal Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) soft cheese made with raw goat’s milk and by the addition of Natural Milk Culture (NMC) to drive the fermentation process. Cheeses collected from five different dairy plants were analyzed for their bacterial and fungal microbiota diversity. Lactococcus lactis and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were the main bacterial population, while Galactomyces candidum and Kluyveromyces marxianus constituted the core mycobiota but many other minor taxa were observed, suggesting a high level of complexity in fungal composition by these cheeses compared to bacteria population

The HMGB1/RAGE pro-inflammatory axis in the human placenta: Modulating effect of low molecular weight heparin

We evaluated whether physiological and pre-eclamptic (PE) placentae, characterized by exacerbated inflammation, presented alterations in pro-inflammatory High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) and its Receptor of Advanced Glycation End products (RAGE) expression. Moreover, we investigated, in physiological placental tissue, the ability of Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH) to modify HMGB1 structural conformation thus inhibiting RAGE binding and HMGB1/RAGE axis inflammatory activity. HMGB1, RAGE, IL-6 and TNFα (HMGB1/RAGE targets) mRNA expression were assessed by Real Time PCR. HMGB1, RAGE protein levels were assessed by western blot assay. Physiological term placental explants were treated by 0.5 U LMWH for 24 or 48 h. HMGB1 and RAGE expression and association were evaluated in LMWH explants by RAGE immunoprecipitation followed by HMGB1 immunoblot. HMGB1 spatial localization was evaluated by immuofluorescent staining (IF). HMGB1 expression was increased in PE relative to physiological placentae while RAGE was unvaried. 24 h LMWH treatment significantly up-regulated HMGB1 expression but inhibited HMGB1/RAGE complex formation in physiological explants. RAGE expression decreased in treated relative to untreated explants at 48 h. IF showed HMGB1 localization in both cytoplasm and nucleus of mesenchymal and endothelial cells but not in the trophoblast. IL-6 and TNFα gene expression were significantly increased at 24 h relative to controls, while they were significantly down-regulated in 48 h vs. 24 h LMWH explants. Our data depicted a new molecular mechanism through which LMWH exerts its anti-inflammatory effect on PE placentae, underlying the importance of HMGB1/RAGE axis in PE inflammatory response

Copertura, attendibilità e validità degli indicatori bibliometrici tratti da Google Scholar nel campo delle scienze politiche e sociali (CAVIB Scholar)

L\u2019obiettivo del progetto di ricerca CAVIB Scholar \ue8 quello di valutare l\u2019attendibilit\ue0 e la validit\ue0 degli indicatori bibliometrici tratti da Google scholar nonch\ue9 il loro grado di copertura della produzione scientifica nelle aree cosiddette non bibliometriche. Attingendo a diverse fonti di dati (Google scholar, Scopus, Web of science) \ue8 stato creato un dataset al livello di base delle singole pubblicazioni e un dataset aggregato al livello degli autori. Oltre alla copertura, \ue8 stata analizzata l\u2019attendibilit\ue0 degli indicatori delle diverse dimensioni della produzione scientifica attraverso l\u2019analisi delle correlazioni e la validit\ue0 degli indicatori bibliometrici utilizzando diversi criteri esterni (punteggi individuali VQR 2004-2010 ed esiti ASN 2012). Le analisi sono state sviluppate per i docenti afferenti all\u2019Area 14 \u2013 Scienze Politiche e Sociali che, per quanto riguarda la produzione scientifica, presentano una certa eterogeneit\ue0 interna che \ue8 risultata utile in fase di analisi. La copertura della produzione scientifica da parte di Google scholar \ue8 risultata sicuramente pi\uf9 ampia di quella offerta da Scopus e Web of science ma non cos\uec estesa come generalmente sostenuto. Gli indicatori tratti da Google scholar presentano un elevato grado di attendibilit\ue0 e soprattutto di validit\ue0. La discussione dei risultati ottenuti tiene conto dei diversi contesti valutativi nei quali possono svilupparsi gli esercizi bibliometrici

A Systematic Review on Materno-Foetal Outcomes in Pregnant Women with IgA Nephropathy: A Case of “Late-Maternal” Preeclampsia?

Background: IgA nephropathy is the most common primary glomerulonephritis in pregnancy and shares with other immunologic diseases and kidney diseases a relationship with adverse maternal outcomes, whose entity and pattern is only partially quantified. Recent studies provide new information and a systematic review regarded progression of kidney disease. The discussion of the outcomes with respect to low-risk pregnancies may help to perfect the estimation of the risks, and to identify specific research needs. Methods: A search strategy was built on Medline, EMBASE and the Cochrane review for the period January 2000-April 2017, aimed at retrieving both case series (defined as with at least 6 pregnancies in women with IgA nephropathy) and case reports, to look into rare occurrences. All papers, with or without control groups, were selected if they reported on at least one pregnancy outcome, or on long-term kidney function. Search strategy, paper selection and data extraction were done in duplicate (PROSPERO N 42016042623). Meta-analysis of case series was performed with Metanalyst Beta 3.13. Case reports were analysed narratively. Results: The search retrieved 556 papers, of which 27 were included (13 series and 14 case-reports). The case series report on 581 women with 729 pregnancies. The analysis was performed in comparison to the available control groups: 562 non-pregnant controls were available for the analysis of progression of kidney disease. As for pregnancy related outcomes (preeclampsia (PE), pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), preterm birth, small babies), we meta-analyzed the data with respect to the only series of low-risk pregnancies (1418 pregnancies). When compared with women who never got pregnant after diagnosis of IgA nephropathy, in the present meta-analysis pregnancy in women with IgA nephropathy was not associated with a higher risk of progression of kidney disease, possibly due to the overall preserved kidney function at baseline: end-stage kidney disease (OR 0.68; CI 0.28-1.65). Conversely, the incidence of adverse pregnancy-related outcomes was increased compared to low-risk controls: PE and PIH were more than ten-fold increased (OR 11.80; CI 7.53-18.48 and OR 10.39; CI 5.45-19.80), while the increase in risk of preterm birth and "low birth weight babies" was less marked (OR 3.37; CI 1.91-5.95 and OR 2.36; CI 1.52-3.66), a discrepancy suggesting the occurrence of "late" or "maternal" PE, that may affect less severely foetal growth or shorten gestation. In conclusion, in the present meta-analysis IgA nephropathy was not associated with an increased progression of kidney disease. The more than ten-fold increased risk of PIH and PE, in combination with a doubled risk of small babies, suggests the occurrence of "late" or "maternal" PE, usually less affecting early foetal growth. This finding may be of help in defining control policies, while further research is needed to guide clinical management

Self-attraction effect and correction on three absolute gravimeters

The perturbations of the gravitational field due to the mass distribution of an absolute gravimeter have been studied. The so called Self Attraction Effect (SAE) is crucial for the measurement accuracy, especially for the International Comparisons, and for the uncertainty budget evaluation. Three instruments have been analysed: MPG-2, FG5-238 and IMPG-02. The SAE has been calculated using a numerical method based on FEM simulation. The observed effect has been treated as an additional vertical gravity gradient. The correction (SAC) to be applied to the computed g value has been associated with the specific height level, where the measurement result is typically reported. The magnitude of the obtained corrections is of order 1E-8 m/s2.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Metrologi

Church attendance and religious change inEastern Europe (1990-2015)

Eastern Europe is one of the areas where the debate on religious change and individual-level secularization has been recently more intense. The attempt to explain religious developments in this part of Europe has brought to a fierce competition among the main theories of religious change (secularization, individualization and market theory). An additional source of interest for Eastern European countries stems from their heterogeneity, in both religious (e.g. the Catholic rather than the Orthodox tradition) and historical terms (starting from the intensity of the Soviet regime's grip). Finally, literature analysis highlights some inconsistencies among the different authors in assessing church attendance trends, see for example the recent contributions by Brenner (2016), van Ingen and Moor (2015) and Burkimsher (2014): such discrepancies give room to new contributions. The paper aims to contribute to the debate on religious change in Eastern Europe focusing on estimates of church attendance trends for the past twenty-five years. The research design considers more studies simultaneously to enlarge the observation window and get more reliable estimates. To this end, we consider the following comparative and repeated cross-sectional surveys: Eurobarometer (various series), European Social Survey (ESS), European Values Study (EVS), the World Values Survey (WVS), International Social Survey Programme (ISSP). Church attendance is available in all these studies and, despite some relevant criticisms, continues to be a key indicator of religious change. At the end of the paper the trends detected for Eastern Europe will be compared to those in Western countries in order to highlight differences and similarities

Rapporto sull’attività 29 Giugno – 6 Luglio 2013

In questo lavoro viene descritta la campagna geofisica e idro-oceanografica ‘GARGANO2013’ effettuata grazie ad una collaborazione tra INGV e Marina Militare Italiana nell’ambito di un accordo di collaborazione denominato CONAGEM (Coordinamento Nazionale per la Geofisica Marina). Tale accordo, siglato nel 2005 fra i principali enti pubblici di ricerca che operano in mare, prevede infatti la possibilità di attuare congiuntamente campagne di ricerca marine condividendone dati e risultati. La campagna è stata organizzata con la finalità di raccogliere quanti più possibili elementi utili a caratterizzare l’area marina del Gargano sotto un profilo ambientale predisponendone un quadro di riferimento per successive attività di monitoraggio delle fenomenologie presenti nell’area di indagine. In quest’ottica, l’obiettivo prefissato era la mappatura di eventuali affioramenti di acque dolci in mare. Contestualmente, è stata eseguita la sperimentazione di prototipi strumentali per future applicazioni a bordo nave: in particolare, sono state eseguite misure di tipo accelerometrico al fine di caratterizzare le sollecitazioni dinamiche cui sono sottoposti gli strumenti a bordonave ottenendo così utili informazioni per lo sviluppo di nuove tecnologie quali piattaforme inerziali per uso scientifico e strumentazione per prospezioni gravimetriche da utilizzare su nave

Ranking e valutazione : il caso delle classifiche delle universit\ue0

L\u2019articolo si compone di due parti. La prima, pi\uf9 generale, \ue8 dedicata all\u2019introduzione alle classifiche delle universit\ue0, alla presentazione delle principali classifiche internazionali e alla discussione degli usi che ne vengono fatti. La seconda si concentra sulla classifica italiana Censis-la Repubblica sviluppando due tipi di analisi: dapprima un\u2019analisi, per cos\uec dire teorica, sull\u2019impianto della classifica e la validit\ue0 degli indicatori, poi un\u2019analisi empirica di indicatori e indici sulla base di una parziale ricostruzione della base dati Censis-la Repubblica. A partire dai risultati di tali analisi viene stilato un elenco degli elementi a cui prestare attenzione nella definizione di classifiche di istituzioni complesse come le universit\ue0. The paper consists of two parts. The first is more general: it introduces to university ranking, shows the leading international ranking, discusses the uses people make of rankings. The second focuses on Italian ranking Censis-la Repubblica developing two different kinds of analyses: after considering indicators validity and reliability, principal components analysis and cluster analysis are applied to a partial replication of Censis-la Repubblica data. A list of points to pay attention comes out of these analyses: it can be useful when defining rankings of complex institutions such as universities

Hematocrit: another important factor in systemic neonatal cardiovascular adaptation

Background: Global cardiovascular adaptation of normal healthy term newborns is rarely studied from a multiorgan and hematological point of view. Aims: To evaluate comprehensive neonatal cardiovascular adaptation during the first days of life with echocardiography and renal-cerebral echo color-Doppler and to correlate it with hematocrit (Ht) changes. Study design: A prospective observational study was conducted on 35 healthy term neonates with a mean ± SD gestational age and birth weight of 39.5 ± 1.1 weeks and 3,400 ± 330 g, respectively. All infants underwent serial echocardiograms at 15 ± 4 hours (day 1) and 72 ± 4 hours (day 3) of age. At the same time, cerebral and renal Doppler parameters were acquired and Ht was sampled. Results: The weight and Ht declined by 220 g (189-251) and 8.1% (6.7-9.5), respectively. Systolic and diastolic diameters of the right ventricle and diastolic left ventricle posterior wall thickness showed a reduction, while the diastolic diameter of the left ventricle showed a small increase. The Doppler cardiac evaluation showed an increase in the mitral E/A ratio and pulmonary acceleration time, a reduction of late transmitral flow peak velocity, aortic peak systolic velocity (PSV), aortic peak systolic pressure gradient, aortic velocity-time integral, aortic mean pressure gradient and pulmonary mean acceleration. We also found a reduction of cerebral resistance parameters and an increase in PSV, end-diastolic velocity, and time-averaged velocity. Other measured parameters remained unchanged. Conclusion: Systemic cardiovascular evaluation about changes in Ht is an essential approach to study newborns, especially during the first days of life when Ht shows a significant decrease. Knowledge of the laws of physics related to the effect of Ht changes on vascular parameters is another important factor in understanding the pathophysiology of neonatal disease states. Further studies are useful to help physicians make evidence-based decisions in the management of newborns in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs)