Peter van Inwagen

Peter van Inwagen è un filosofo analitico statunitense che ha profondamente influenzato il panorama filosofico analitico mettendone in questione l’impostazione immanentista e i presupposti naturalistici. Dalla sua difesa della teoria platonista delle proprietà e delle relazioni, all’attenzione con la quale ha reinterpretato ed attualizzato le “prove” dell’esistenza di Dio, passando per una rinnovata riflessione critica sull’ontologia e sulla metafisica da essa derivabile, van Inwagen ha avviato ed impostato un’ampia e suggestiva riflessione filosofica che invita ad una rilettura dei temi appartenenti alla tradizione filosofica occidentale tramite gli strumenti logico-analitici contemporanei.Peter van Inwagen is an American analytical philosopher who has profoundly influenced the analytical philosophical panorama by questioning its immanentist approach and naturalistic assumptions. From his defense of the Platonist theory of properties and relationships, to the dedication with which he reinterpreted and updated the “proofs” of the existence of God, passing through a renewed critical reflection on ontology and metaphysics derived from it, van Inwagen has initiated and set up a wide and evocative philosophical reflection that invites a re-reading of the themes belonging to the Western philosophical tradition with the contemporary logical-analytical tools

Determination of carbonyl compounds in different work environments. Comparison between LC-UV/DAD and LC-MS/MS detection methods

There were two analytical methods for the determination of 12 carbonyl compounds (CCs) by using liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and diode array detector (UV/DAD) that were developed and applied to 52 samples that were collected in 10 workplaces. Linearity (0.996 < R2 < 0.999), intra-day repeatability (0.7 < RSD% < 10), and inter-day repeatability (5 < RSD% < 16) were acceptable for both techniques, but the highest sensibility of the MS/MS method allowed us to correctly quantify 98% of the samples (versus 32% by UV/DAD). The comparison of the concentrations that were obtained by quantifying the same sample with both techniques showed good agreement for acetaldehyde and formaldehyde (0.1 < % deviation < 30) but much higher for the less abundant congeners. In real samples, formaldehyde was the most abundant congener (concentrations between 2.7 and 77 μg m-3), followed by acetaldehyde (concentrations between 1.5 and 79 μg m-3) and butyraldehyde (concentrations between 0.4 and 13 μg m-3). In all the beauty salon samples, instead, the most abundant congener was acetaldehyde (concentrations between 19 and 79 μg m-3), probably associated with the use of beauty products. Principal components analysis (PCA) confirms the ubiquitous character of formaldehyde and highlights the influence of minority CCs on different workplaces

Le fattorie didattiche

In questo articolo si è voluto fare una panoramica su cosa è una fattoria didattica in Italia e su come diventarlo;inoltre è stato fatto un confronto con le diverse realtà europe

The Association of HLA-DQ2 with Celiac Disease

DQ2 is a surface receptor of class II MHC exposed on APC immune-competent cells. Its function is to recognize non-self-antigens and present them to CD4+ T-helper lymphocytes, which activate cytokine production and control antibody production and cell response. The activation of T lymphocytes by peptides derived from gluten proteins and the production of antibodies directed against tTG in tissues where it is localized is the basis of the etiopathogenesis of celiac disease (CD). CD is frequently associated with the presence of specific HLA system genes encoding heterodimers DQ2 and DQ8, identifiable by the DQA1*0501/DQB1*0201 or DQA1*0501/DQB1*0202 and DQB1*0302 alleles. DQ2 is also associated with genetic, endocrinological and neurological diseases such as: type 1 diabetes, thyroiditis, pancreatitis and multiple sclerosis. Interactions between DQ2 and T lymphoma have also been demonstrated. The correlation between autoimmune diseases in patients with CD and therefore DQ2 is much more frequent than in healthy subjects

Toxic organic contaminants in airborne particles: levels, potential sources and risk assessment

In the last years, many studies have focused on risk assessment of exposure of workers to airborne particulate matter (PM). Several studies indicate a strong correlation between PM and adverse health outcomes, as a function of particle size. In the last years, the study of atmospheric particulate matter has focused more on particles less than 10 m or 2.5 m in diameter; however, recent studies identify in particles less than 0.1 m the main responsibility for negative cardiovascular effects. The present paper deals with the determination of 66 organic compounds belonging to six different classes of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the ultrafine, fine and coarse fractions of PM (PM < 0.1 m; 0.1 < PM < 2.5 mand 2.5 < PM < 10 m) collected in three outdoor workplaces and in an urban outdoor area. Data obtained were analyzed with principal component analysis (PCA), in order to underline possible correlation between sites and classes of pollutants and characteristic emission sources. Emission source studies are, in fact, a valuable tool for both identifying the type of emission source and estimating the strength of each contamination source, as useful indicator of environment healthiness. Moreover, both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks were determined in order to estimate human health risk associated to study sites. Risk analysis was carried out evaluating the contribution of pollutant distribution in PM size fractions for all the sites. The results highlighted significant differences between the sites and specific sources of pollutants related to work activities were identified. In all the sites and for all the size fractions of PM both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk values were below acceptable and safe levels of risks recommended by the regulatory agencies

Perfluorinated compounds (pfcs) in river waters of central Italy. Monthly variation and ecological risk assessment (era)

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are a wide class of emerging pollutants. In this study, we applied the US EPA method 533 for the determination of 21 PFCs in river water samples. In particular, this method was used to investigate the presence of the target PFCs in six rivers in central Italy during a 4-month-long monitoring campaign. In 73% of the analyzed samples, at least some of the target PFCs were detected at concentrations higher than the limit of detection (LOD). The sum of the 21 target analytes ( n-ary sumation 21PFCs) ranged from 4.3 to 68.5 ng L-1, with the highest concentrations measured in the month of June, probably due to a minor river streamflow occurring in the warmer summer months. Considering the individual congeners, PFBA and PFPeA, followed by PFHxA and PFOA, were the predominantly detected compounds. Short- and medium-chain PFCs (C4-C9) prevail over the long-chain PFCs (C10-C18), likely due to the increased industrial use and the higher solubility of short-chain PFCs compared to long-chain PFCs. The ecological risk assessment, conducted by using the risk quotient method, highlighted that the risk for aquatic environments associated with PFBA, PFPeA, PFBS, PFHxA and PFOA was low or negligible. Only for PFOA, there was a medium level of risk in two rivers in the month of June. With regard to PFOS, 54% of the river water samples were classified as "high risk" for the aquatic environment. The remaining 46% of the samples were classified as "medium risk.

A rapid high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay for unambiguous detection of different milk species employed in cheese manufacturing

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Polychlorinated biphenyl profile in polyhydroxy-alkanoates synthetized from urban organicwastes

Call CIRC-05-2016The microbial synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) from organic wastes is a valuable process to valorize available renewable resources, such as food wastes and biological sludge. Bioplastics find many applications in various sectors, from medical field to food industry. However, persistent organic pollutants could be transferred from wastes to the final product. The present paper demonstrates that the use of municipal wastes in PHA production is safe for the environment and human health and provides a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) profile in both commercial and waste-based PHA samples. PCB analysis in several PHA samples showed very low concentrations of the target analytes. Commercial PHA samples showed a similar PCB level with respect to PHA samples from municipal waste/sludge and higher than PHA samples from fruit waste. For all analyzed PCBs, detected concentrations were consistently lower than the ones reported in regulatory framework or guidelines.publishersversionpublishe

L’aggiornamento dell’anagrafe dell’handicap della Provincia autonoma di Trento

[Update of the handicap registry of the Autonomous Province of Trento]There are some good reasons that support our effort to annually update the handicap registry of the Autonomous Province of Trento.The first reason is due to the fact that in our country there is an incomprehensible dispersion of information that feed the numerous existing databases on disability. This dispersion does not allow to have precise information on the actual number of people with disabilities and their characteristics.A second reason is that each functional articulation of the National Healthcare Systems is accountable to the community of what is enacted for the protection of the fundamental right to health, as proclaimed in Article 32 of the Constitution.A third reason is to make statistical data accessible to policy makers and to all the government since they have a responsibility in making strategic decisions and planning the supply of social and health services dedicated to people with disabilities.The fourth and final reason is the uniqueness of the protection given by our country to people with disabilities. But there is a fourth and final reason that supports our obstinacy: we indicate the typicality of the protection given by our country to people with disabilities. Protection that, in absolute contrast with the general logic of our welfare system, is aimed to the right of citizenship of these people (and their families) when they are not yet hospitalized in long-term structures. With the result that this database, beyond the general macro-statistical indicators, provides a clear idea of the needs that disabled people have when they actually live in the home, witnessing the strong commitment exercised by the network of relatives and the difficulties faced by families in the care burden.Between 1992 and 2012 the database managed by the Operative Unit of Legal Medicine, APSS (Azienda provinciale per i Servizi sanitari di Trento), recorded 18,380 people with disabilities who have submitted 23,920 applications designed to obtain the benefits and facilities provided by the Law of 25 February 1992, no. 104.The article presents the macro-statistical indicators database (sex and age) and some other indicators that represent the complexity of the phenomenon, such as trends of applications, types of disabilities, impairments causing disability, benefits and facilities recognized

Toxic organic contaminants in airborne particles responsible for negative health effects

Several studies in literature have highlighted associations between airborne particulate matter and several adverse health outcomes, as a function of particle size. Traditionally, PM studies have focused on particles less than 10 μm in diameter (PM10) or particles less than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5), with each fraction characterized by a distinct source, and different composition and health effects. Since, diffusion in the alveolar region of smaller particles with an aerodynamic diameter less than 0.1 μm (i.e. 100 nm and therefore also defined as nanoparticles) becomes an effective mechanism and the probability of deposition increases. There is a great debate whether ultrafine fraction (PM0.1) is mainly responsible for negative cardiovascular effects caused by its high oxidative and mutagenic potential. In the present study, size-fractionated airborne particulate matter was collected from outdoor urban and working environments and analyzed for 105 organic contaminants of different classes: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and their derivatives (nitro-PAH and oxy-PAH); polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and Novel Brominated flame-retardants (N-BFRs) selected for their toxicity and persistence in the environment. The selected organic contaminants were subsequently divided into three different macro-groups based on chemical and physical properties (PAH/N-PAH/O-PAH; PCB and PBDE/N-BFR) and subjected to statistical analysis. The monitoring campaigns were carried out in four sites: an urban atmosphere (RM), a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) where aerosol is generated during the different phases of the processes, an intensive livestock farming activity, characterized by sheds serving as a shelter for cows (COW) and an area where feed is stored (FEED). In each monitoring campaign PM was collected with a multistage low-pressure impactor able to sample 14 size intervals of PM on as many filters, subsequently joined to form three dimensional fractions (coarse, fine and ultrafine). The results obtained from the organic contaminant analyses and from the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed a correlation between sites and classes of pollutants, allowing the identification of characteristic emission sources of each monitored site. Emission source studies are in fact a valuable tool for both identifying the type of emission source characteristic of a specific place and estimating the strength of each contamination source in the same place of interest