A TAVOLA CON CHERUBINI. IL CANTIERE

Nel Vocabolario milanese italiano è presente non solo un  ricchissimo vocabolario bilingue della cucina ma  una vera e propria enciclopedia alimentare (prodotti, ingredienti, mestieri, piatti): un cantiere aperto e di enorme importanza per la storia della nostra cultura linguistica e gastronomica, sia prima dell’Unità sia dopo l’Unità d’Italia. Dining with Cherubini. A work in progressThe Vocabolario milanese italiano not only features a very rich range of terms regarding cooking but it is also a veritable encyclopedia of food (products, ingredients, professions, dishes): a work in progress of huge importance for the history of our culture, language and cuisine, both before and after the unification of Italy

To Eat and To Be : food as Differenciation Policy in Spanish America, 16th and 17th Centuries

ABSTRACT: This paper demonstrates that food served as a marker of social differentiation during the 16th and 17th centuries in the Spanish possessions in America, not only in economic terms but also in the sense that food was associated with the social stratum to which a person belonged. Each one was oblidged to eat foods associated with his or her "natural" stratum. This complex hierarchical model of society was based on European patterns coming from the Middle Ages, such as the Great Chain of Being and humoral theory. This model was reinforced in the early modern period, and it took on new characteristics in America, where it was used to differentiate Spaniards, Creoles, Mestizos and Indians.RESUMEN: Este artículo muestra cómo la alimentación servía como un elemento de diferenciación social durante los siglos XVI y XVII, en la América española, no solo como un factor económico, sino asociado a la calidad o estado al que pertenecieran las personas. En este sentido, a cada uno le correspondía comer aquello que era propio de su condición estamental. Este complejo modelo de jerarquización social estaba basado en principios europeos que venían desde la Edad Media, como la gran cadena del ser y la teoría humoral. En la edad moderna, el modelo se reforzó y en América tomó nuevas características, por la forma en que se buscó diferenciar entre españoles, criollos, mestizos e indios

Engineering Reconnaissance Following the October 2016 Central Italy Earthquakes - Version 2

Between August and November 2016, three major earthquake events occurred in Central Italy. The first event, with M6.1, took place on 24 August 2016, the second (M5.9) on 26 October, and the third (M6.5) on 30 October 2016. Each event was followed by numerous aftershocks. As shown in Figure 1.1, this earthquake sequence occurred in a gap between two earlier damaging events, the 1997 M6.1 Umbria-Marche earthquake to the north-west and the 2009 M6.1 L’Aquila earthquake to the south-east. This gap had been previously recognized as a zone of elevated risk (GdL INGV sul terremoto di Amatrice, 2016). These events occurred along the spine of the Apennine Mountain range on normal faults and had rake angles ranging from -80 to -100 deg, which corresponds to normal faulting. Each of these events produced substantial damage to local towns and villages. The 24 August event caused massive damages to the following villages: Arquata del Tronto, Accumoli, Amatrice, and Pescara del Tronto. In total, there were 299 fatalities (www.ilgiornale.it), generally from collapses of unreinforced masonry dwellings. The October events caused significant new damage in the villages of Visso, Ussita, and Norcia, although they did not produce fatalities, since the area had largely been evacuated. The NSF-funded Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) association, with co-funding from the B. John Garrick Institute for the Risk Sciences at UCLA and the NSF I/UCRC Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) at BYU, mobilized a US-based team to the area in two main phases: (1) following the 24 August event, from early September to early October 2016, and (2) following the October events, between the end of November and the beginning of December 2016. The US team worked in close collaboration with Italian researchers organized under the auspices of the Italian Geotechnical Society, the Italian Center for Seismic Microzonation and its Applications, the Consortium ReLUIS, Centre of Competence of Department of Civil Protection and the DIsaster RECovery Team of Politecnico di Torino. The objective of the Italy-US GEER team was to collect and document perishable data that is essential to advance knowledge of earthquake effects, which ultimately leads to improved procedures for characterization and mitigation of seismic risk. The Italy-US GEER team was multi-disciplinary, with expertise in geology, seismology, geomatics, geotechnical engineering, and structural engineering. The composition of the team was largely the same for the two mobilizations, particularly on the Italian side. Our approach was to combine traditional reconnaissance activities of on-ground recording and mapping of field conditions, with advanced imaging and damage detection routines enabled by state-of-the-art geomatics technology. GEER coordinated its reconnaissance activities with those of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), although the EERI mobilization to the October events was delayed and remains pending as of this writing (April 2017). For the August event reconnaissance, EERI focused on emergency response and recovery, in combination with documenting the effectiveness of public policies related to seismic retrofit. As such, GEER had responsibility for documenting structural damage patterns in addition to geotechnical effects. This report is focused on the reconnaissance activities performed following the October 2016 events. More information about the GEER reconnaissance activities and main findings following the 24 August 2016 event, can be found in GEER (2016). The objective of this document is to provide a summary of our findings, with an emphasis of documentation of data. In general, we do not seek to interpret data, but rather to present it as thoroughly as practical. Moreover, we minimize the presentation of background information already given in GEER (2016), so that the focus is on the effects of the October events. As such, this report and GEER (2016) are inseparable companion documents. Similar to reconnaissance activities following the 24 August 2016 event, the GEER team investigated earthquake effects on slopes, villages, and major infrastructure. Figure 1.2 shows the most strongly affected region and locations described subsequently pertaining to: 1. Surface fault rupture; 2. Recorded ground motions; 3. Landslides and rockfalls; 4. Mud volcanoes; 5. Investigated bridge structures; 6. Villages and hamlets for which mapping of building performance was performed

Lipoprotein(a) Genotype Influences the Clinical Diagnosis of Familial Hypercholesterolemia

: Background Evidence suggests that LPA risk genotypes are a possible contributor to the clinical diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). This study aimed at determining the prevalence of LPA risk variants in adult individuals with FH enrolled in the Italian LIPIGEN (Lipid Transport Disorders Italian Genetic Network) study, with (FH/M+) or without (FH/M-) a causative genetic variant. Methods and Results An lp(a) [lipoprotein(a)] genetic score was calculated by summing the number risk-increasing alleles inherited at rs3798220 and rs10455872 variants. Overall, in the 4.6% of 1695 patients with clinically diagnosed FH, the phenotype was not explained by a monogenic or polygenic cause but by genotype associated with high lp(a) levels. Among 765 subjects with FH/M- and 930 subjects with FH/M+, 133 (17.4%) and 95 (10.2%) were characterized by 1 copy of either rs10455872 or rs3798220 or 2 copies of either rs10455872 or rs3798220 (lp(a) score ≥1). Subjects with FH/M- also had lower mean levels of pretreatment low-density lipoprotein cholesterol than individuals with FH/M+ (t test for difference in means between FH/M- and FH/M+ groups <0.0001); however, subjects with FH/M- and lp(a) score ≥1 had higher mean (SD) pretreatment low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (223.47 [50.40] mg/dL) compared with subjects with FH/M- and lp(a) score=0 (219.38 [54.54] mg/dL for), although not statistically significant. The adjustment of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels based on lp(a) concentration reduced from 68% to 42% the proportion of subjects with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level ≥190 mg/dL (or from 68% to 50%, considering a more conservative formula). Conclusions Our study supports the importance of measuring lp(a) to perform the diagnosis of FH appropriately and to exclude that the observed phenotype is driven by elevated levels of lp(a) before performing the genetic test for FH

Reconnaissance of 2016 Central Italy Earthquake Sequence

The Central Italy earthquake sequence nominally began on 24 August 2016 with a M6.1 event on a normal fault that produced devastating effects in the town of Amatrice and several nearby villages and hamlets. A major international response was undertaken to record the effects of this disaster, including surface faulting, ground motions, landslides, and damage patterns to structures. This work targeted the development of high-value case histories useful to future research. Subsequent events in October 2016 exacerbated the damage in previously affected areas and caused damage to new areas in the north, particularly the relatively large town of Norcia. Additional reconnaissance after a M6.5 event on 30 October 2016 documented and mapped several large landslide features and increased damage states for structures in villages and hamlets throughout the region. This paper provides an overview of the reconnaissance activities undertaken to document and map these and other effects, and highlights valuable lessons learned regarding faulting and ground motions, engineering effects, and emergency response to this disaster

Contemporary Italian Cuisine and Products (1990–2015): Between Reality and Imagination

In “Prodotti e cucina nella storia presente italiana (1990–2015) : fra realtà e immaginazione,” Alberto Capatti spiega che la versatilità di farina, funzionando come un vettore di diffusione, ha contribuito alla nascita di un modello alimentare italiana globale che valorizza varianti regionali e le cosiddette prodotti tipologici oltre prodotti industriali. Il suo discorso di apertura discute il parte che l'immaginazione ha nel processo di trasformando il valore culturale di un prodotto in valore reale di mercato, raccomandando un nuovo approccio per studiare l’industria alimentare contemporaneo che coinvolge il proprio linguaggio ed immagini con cui incontriamo il nostro cibo

De la Guida gastronomica d’Italia au slow food : le rôle pionnier de l’Italie en tourisme gastronomique

Le tourisme gastronomique naît, en Italie, en 1931 : le Touring Club italien vient d’éditer la Guida gastronomica d’Italia (2003), qui offre à ses membres un instrument fiable et minutieux destiné à compléter la visite des sites d’arts, si nombreux dans la péninsule, avec des haltes gourmandes, tant pour l’achat que la dégustation. On n’y trouve pas les adresses de trattorie et d’osterie, mais l’inventaire des aliments, minutieusement décrits et localisés, avec la liste des plats et des vins que chaque région peut offrir. En 1931, le fascisme encourage la consommation des produits nationaux, par une politique alimentaire dénommée autarchie, et relance la visite des régions italiennes grâce à un réseau ferroviaire, qui permet de voyager un peu partout, ainsi qu’aux premières autoroutes, créant ainsi dans le nord un nouveau type de mobilité. Dix années, cinq de guerre et les cinq suivantes consacrées à la reconstruction des routes, des transports et des communications d’un pays ravagé, vont succéder à la décennie gastronomique des années 1930. Elles sont marquées par la raréfaction des aliments, compensée par le marché noir, par un réaménagement des consommations dont la quantité et la qualité n’ont cessé de baisser. À la fin de la guerre, en 1946, lorsque les industries alimentaires commencent à programmer le retour à la normalité, le tourisme gastronomique n’est plus qu’un souvenir, rendu particulièrement amer par la malnutrition, la pauvreté, l’incertitude. La relance des activités industrielles, dans la deuxième moitié des années 1950, va accentuer à la fois la nostalgie (des mets perdus) et l’amnésie (des aliments disponibles). De nombreux produits commencent à se raréfier, la truffe, le gibier et le poisson d’eau douce notamment, d’autres font surface sans qu’on puisse attribuer leur existence à la reprise de l’artisanat alimentaire ou bien à une nouvelle méthode pour inventorier le patrimoine gastronomique. Parmi ceux-ci, on le verra, de nombreux produits de la charcuterie. La tradition va devenir le mot-clé désignant à la fois la survie et une nouvelle manière de privilégier le passé, l’avenir et la mort de la gastronomie. La création de nouveaux réseaux d’osterie et de « sentinelles » chargées de protéger et de sauver les produits exclus de la grande distribution, la formation des gastronomes à partir du potager scolaire jusqu’à l’université, en passant par d’innombrables dégustations, sont autant de projets de Slow Food, dont chacun formule une critique au développement de ces cinquante dernières années et constitue, en lui-même, un acquis. Il n’y a pas de « tourisme gastronomique slow », mais si on devait l’imaginer, il serait aisé de lui assigner un rôle très actif dans la conservation du patrimoine alimentaire. Aujourd’hui, de nombreux  touristes ne voyagent en Italie que pour visiter et déguster ; il faut leur assurer la jouissance des œuvres d’art sous la forme de fioles de vinaigre, de plats de navets ou de corbeilles de cerises

Prodotti e cucina nella storia presente italiana (1990–2015) : fra realtà e immaginazione

This is the english translation of "Prodotti e cucina nella storia presente italiana (1990–2015) : fra realtà e immaginazione".In “Contemporary Italian Cuisine and Products (1990–2015): Between Reality and Imagination,” Alberto Capatti explains how the versatility of flour as a distribution carrier has contributed to the emergence of a global Italian food model that valorizes regional variants and so-called traditional products over mass-produced goods. His keynote address discusses the role that the imagination plays in the process of transforming a product’s perceived cultural value into real market value, advocating a new approach to understanding the contemporary food industry that engages the very language and images with which we encounter our food