Understanding the origin and mixing of deep fluids in shallow aquifers and possible implications for crustal deformation studies. San Vittorino plain, Central Apennines

Expanding knowledge about the origin and mixing of deep fluids and the water–rock–gas interactions in aquifer systems can represent an improvement in the comprehension of crustal deformation processes. An analysis of the deep and meteoric fluid contributions to a regional groundwater circulation model in an active seismic area has been carried out. We performed two hydrogeochemical screenings of 15 springs in the San Vittorino Plain (central Italy). Furthermore, we updated the San Vittorino Plain structural setting with a new geological map and cross-sections, highlighting how and where the aquifers are intersected by faults. The application of Na-Li geothermometers, coupled with trace element and gas analyses, agrees in attributing the highest temperatures (>150◦C), the greatest enrichments in Li (124.3 ppb) and Cs (>5 ppb), and traces of mantle-derived He (1–2%) to springs located in correspondence with high-angle faults (i.e., S5, S11, S13, and S15). This evidence points out the role of faults acting as vehicles for deep fluids into regional carbonate aquifers. These results highlight the criteria for identifying the most suitable sites for monitoring variations in groundwater geochemistry due to the uprising of deep fluids modulated by fault activity to be further correlated with crustal deformation and possibly with seismicity

The Volsci Volcanic Field (central Italy). Eruptive history, magma system and implications on continental subduction processes.

Here, we report on the Quaternary Volsci Volcanic Field (VVF, central Italy). In light of new 40Ar/39Ar geochronological data and compositional characterization of juvenile eruptive products, we refine the history of VVF activity, and outline the implications on the pre-eruptive magma system and the continental subduction processes involved. Different from the nearby volcanic districts of the Roman and Campanian Provinces, the VVF was characterized by small-volume (0.01–0.1 km3) eruptions from a network of monogenetic centers (mostly tuff rings and scoria cones, with subordinate lava occurrences), clustered along high-angle faults of lithospheric depth. Leucite-bearing, high-K (HKS) magmas (for which we report for the first time the phlogopite phenocryst compositions) mostly fed the early phase of activity (∼761–539 ka), then primitive, plagioclase-bearing (KS) magmas appeared during the climactic phase (∼424–349 ka), partially overlapping with HKS ones, and then prevailed during the late phase of activity (∼300–231 ka). The fast ascent of primitive magma batches is typical of a tectonically controlled volcanic field, where the very low magma flux is a passive byproduct of regional tectonic strain. We suggest that the dominant compressive stress field acting at depth was accompanied by an extensional regime in the upper crust, associated with the gravity spreading of the Apennine chain, allowing the fast ascent of magma from the mantle source with limited stationing in shallow reservoirs

Reconstructing the Late Pleistocene – Anthropocene interaction between the neotectonic and archaeological landscape evolution in the Apennines (La Sassa cave, Italy)

Caves are one of the most conservative environments on Earth, where archaeological, anthropological,climatic and tectonic data can be well-preserved. Here, we present the results of a multidisciplinarymethod that allowed us to recognize, for thefirst time in this area, the interaction between Late Pleis-tocene to Anthropocene neotectonic and archaeological evolutionary stages of a cave of the Apennines(La Sassa cave), that encompass also its surroundings (Volsci Range and Pontina Plain). Both structuraland 3D survey highlighted a step-wise shape of the cave due to normal fault steps that allowed thelocalized formation of concretions also enveloping archaeological layers. Sixteen14C ages on fauna andhuman bonds and thousands of archaeologicalfinds provided chronological constraints of faulting in theLate Pleistocene and possibly also after the Middle Bronze Age. In the frame of a region that was notpreviously recognized as tectonically active, the structural evidence is relevant for understanding thespeleogenesis of the cave from the Late Pleistocene and its human occupation. Burial and ritual activitiesin the cave from the Copper Age to the Middle Bronze Age have been recognized with implications onpossible settlement pattern schemes with the La Sassa cave as a“persistent place”in the prehistorichuman landscape. The analyses of the ceramic style in a regional framework also suggests the presenceof a cultural boundary near La Sassa, which becomes highly osmotic just after the beginning of theMiddle Bronze Age. The La Sassafindings provide as well implications for the seismic hazard assessmentin a region inhabited by about 0.4 million peopl

Data approximation strategies between generalized line scales and the influence of labels and spacing

Comparing sensory data gathered using different line scales is challenging. We tested whether adding internal labels to a generalized visual analog scale (gVAS) would improve comparability to a typical generalized labeled magnitude scale (gLMS). Untrained participants evaluated cheeses using one of four randomly assigned scales. Normalization to a cross‐modal standard and/or two gLMS transformations were applied to the data. Response means and distributions were lower for the gLMS than the gVAS, but no difference in resolving power was detected. The presence of labels, with or without line markings, caused categorical‐like lumping of responses. Closer low‐end label spacing for gLMS increased influenced participants to mark near higher intensity labels when they were evaluating low‐intensity samples. Although normalization reduced differences between scales, neither transformation nor normalization was supported as appropriate gLMS/gVAS approximation strategies. This study supports previous observations that neither scale offers a systematic advantage and that participant usage differences limit direct scale comparisons

Sour Ageusia in Two Individuals Implicates Ion Channels of the ASIC and PKD Families in Human Sour Taste Perception at the Anterior Tongue

BACKGROUND:The perception of sour taste in humans is incompletely understood at the receptor cell level. We report here on two patients with an acquired sour ageusia. Each patient was unresponsive to sour stimuli, but both showed normal responses to bitter, sweet, and salty stimuli. METHODS AND FINDINGS:Lingual fungiform papillae, containing taste cells, were obtained by biopsy from the two patients, and from three sour-normal individuals, and analyzed by RT-PCR. The following transcripts were undetectable in the patients, even after 50 cycles of amplification, but readily detectable in the sour-normal subjects: acid sensing ion channels (ASICs) 1a, 1beta, 2a, 2b, and 3; and polycystic kidney disease (PKD) channels PKD1L3 and PKD2L1. Patients and sour-normals expressed the taste-related phospholipase C-beta2, the delta-subunit of epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) and the bitter receptor T2R14, as well as beta-actin. Genomic analysis of one patient, using buccal tissue, did not show absence of the genes for ASIC1a and PKD2L1. Immunohistochemistry of fungiform papillae from sour-normal subjects revealed labeling of taste bud cells by antibodies to ASICs 1a and 1beta, PKD2L1, phospholipase C-beta2, and delta-ENaC. An antibody to PKD1L3 labeled tissue outside taste bud cells. CONCLUSIONS:These data suggest a role for ASICs and PKDs in human sour perception. This is the first report of sour ageusia in humans, and the very existence of such individuals ("natural knockouts") suggests a cell lineage for sour that is independent of the other taste modalities

Can information affect sensory perceptions? Evidence from a survey on Italian organic food consumers

This paper aims to investigate the influence of information on consumers’ preferences and sensory perceptions of organic food using a sample of 301 Italian organic food consumers. Consumers stated their preferences for “core organic” attributes, labels and information on food products and performed blind and informed tests on strawberry yoghurts and cookies. Data were analysed using descriptive analysis, Mann-Whitney U tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results revealed that consumers appreciate “core organic” attributes, like artisanal production and variability of sensory attributes. Comparing blind and informed tests, results showed that information affects the overall liking of products and consumers’ perception of product-specific sensory attributes. However, the influence of information on sensory perceptions depends on the product category, sensory attributes and the type of information provided

Regional differences in portion size consumption behaviour: Insights for the global food industry

Abstract: Given the influence of globalization on consumer food behaviour across the world, the purpose of this paper is to contribute to the theoretical discourse around food portion size as a global consumption-related symbol and its underlying socio-economic drivers for food industry strategy. Overall, 25,000 global food consumers were surveyed across 24 countries to elicit insight on portion size consumption behaviour as well as consumer perception on eating and drinking small portion size within selected socio-economic classes. The data was quantitatively analysed to answer the pertinent research objectives. In 20 out of the 24 global markets surveyed, large food portion size was statistically established as a prevalent consumption-related symbol. The paper found that there are regional differences in portion size food consumption behaviour, and further disparities exist across age, gender and income status in 24 countries covering all regions, including Australia, China, Mexico, South Africa, United Kingdom and United States of America. The outlined food industry implications reveal that adaptation and standardisation strategies are still relevant in global food and nutrition strategy as revealed by the variations in the preference for food portion sizes across various countries of the world