First evidence of wulfenite in Calabria Region (Southern Italy)

This data article contains mineralogical and chemical data of the wulfenite (PbMoO4) sampled from mine of Fiumarella in Calabria region (Southern Italy). Wulfenite is a rare mineral belonging to the class of minerals called molybdates and if found in large amounts it can be used for the extraction of molybdenum. In the mine of Fiumarella, in addition to primary minerals such as barite, galena, cerussite, anglesite, fluorite and chalcopyrite, wulfenite was also detected. Wulfenite crystals are bipyramidal, few microns in size and grow as single crystals that can reach 1 mm. Methods for obtaining the data sets include optical microscopy, micro X-Ray Fluorescence and micro-Raman spectroscopy

Dry fractionation as a promising technology to reuse the physically defected legume-based gluten-free pasta

Dry fractionation was applied to the legume-based pasta (yellow lentils:whole rice 90:10 w:w) discarded for physical defects. After the air classification, the fine fraction showed a 33% increment of the protein content compared to the raw material, with a 21% yield. The scanning electron micrographs revealed the presence of protein–starch complexes and broken starch granules which led to a low protein separation efficiency. The fine fraction showed interesting nutritional features due to the high concentration of the essential micronutrients Zn (43.3 mg kg−1) and Fe (72.6 mg kg−1). However, also the alpha-galactosides were enriched into the same fraction. The two fractions, fine and coarse, were both characterised by elevated water absorption capacity, with significantly higher values in the fine one. Finally, the gelling capacity varied among the fractions, being influenced by the protein content. Overall, these ingredients could be used to fortify the protein and the essential mineral contents of bakery products, sauces, and creams

ALKALINE HYDROTHERMAL STABILIZATION OF Cr(VI) IN A SANDY SOIL

Chromium (Cr) pollution of soil is a serious environmental problem, especially in industrialized areas. Risks for human and environmental health are strictly connected to Cr oxidation state, which is usually trivalent or hexavalent in soil. While Cr(III) is stable, scarcely mobile and weakly toxic, Cr(VI) is highly soluble, mobile and carcinogenic. Among the different remediation strategies, stabilization/solidification (S/S) is used as rapid and cost-effective technique for heavy metal polluted soils. It consists of the addition of appropriate materials to the polluted soil, mostly under alkaline conditions, in order to chemically and/or physically transform the contaminant in a stable and less toxic form. Waste materials like coal fly ash or other cheap sources of Si and Al can be used to stabilize heavy metals in soil (Terzano et al., 2005). This study aims at evaluating a new S/S process for the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) in polluted soils and the incorporation of Cr(III) in newly formed minerals by using a reactive mixture of glass and aluminum (recovered from solid municipal wastes) and an alkaline hydrothermal treatment

The origin of early Acheulean expansion in Europe 700 ka ago: new findings at Notarchirico (Italy)

Notarchirico (Southern Italy) has yielded the earliest evidence of Acheulean settlement in Italy and four older occupation levels have recently been unearthed, including one with bifaces, extending the roots of the Acheulean in Italy even further back in time. New 40Ar/39Ar on tephras and ESR dates on bleached quartz securely and accurately place these occupations between 695 and 670 ka (MIS 17), penecontemporaneous with the Moulin-Quignon and la Noira sites (France). These new data demonstrate a very rapid expansion of shared traditions over Western Europe during a period of highly variable climatic conditions, including interglacial and glacial episodes, between 670 and 650 (i.e., MIS17/MIS16 transition). The diversity of tools and activities observed in these three sites shows that Western Europe was populated by adaptable hominins during this time. These conclusions question the existence of refuge areas during intense glacial stages and raise questions concerning understudied migration pathways, such as the Sicilian route

The origin of early Acheulean expansion in Europe 700 ka ago: new findings at Notarchirico (Italy)

Notarchirico (Southern Italy) has yielded the earliest evidence of Acheulean settlement in Italy and four older occupation levels have recently been unearthed, including one with bifaces, extending the roots of the Acheulean in Italy even further back in time. New 40Ar/39Ar on tephras and ESR dates on bleached quartz securely and accurately place these occupations between 695 and 670 ka (MIS 17), penecontemporaneous with the Moulin-Quignon and la Noira sites (France). These new data demonstrate a very rapid expansion of shared traditions over Western Europe during a period of highly variable climatic conditions, including interglacial and glacial episodes, between 670 and 650 (i.e., MIS17/MIS16 transition). The diversity of tools and activities observed in these three sites shows that Western Europe was populated by adaptable hominins during this time. These conclusions question the existence of refuge areas during intense glacial stages and raise questions concerning understudied migration pathways, such as the Sicilian route

Evidence of Genetic Instability in Tumors and Normal Nearby Tissues

We have analyzed the sequence heterogeneity of the transcripts of the human HPRT and G6PD single copy genes that are not considered tumor markers. Analyses have been performed on different colon cancers and on the nearby histologically normal tissues of two male patients. Several copies of each cDNA, which were produced by cloning the RT-PCR-amplified fragments of the specific mRNA, have been sequenced. Similar analyses have been performed on blood samples of two ostensibly healthy males as reference controls. The sequence heterogeneity of the HPRT and G6PD genes was also determined on DNA from tumor tissues. The employed analytical approach revealed the presence of low-frequency mutations not detectable by other procedures. The results show that genetic heterogeneity is detectable in HPRT and G6PD transcripts in both tumors and nearby healthy tissues of the two studied colon tumors. Similar frequencies of mutations are observed in patient genomic DNA, indicating that mutations have a somatic origin. HPRT transcripts show genetic heterogeneity also in healthy individuals, in agreement with previous results on human T-cells, while G6PD transcript heterogeneity is a characteristic of the patient tissues. Interestingly, data on TP53 show little, if any, heterogeneity in the same tissues. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings show that genetic heterogeneity is a peculiarity not only of cancer cells but also of the normal tissue where a tumor arises

Improved outcome in children with advanced stage B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL): results of the United Kingdom Children Cancer Study Group (UKCCSG) 9002 protocol

From July 1990 to March 1996, 112 children with stage III or IV B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL) with up to 70% FAB L3-type blasts (n= 42) in the bone marrow without central nervous system (CNS) disease were treated on the United Kingdom Children Cancer Study Group (UKCCSG) 9002 protocol (identical to the French LMB 84). The median age was 8.3 years. There were 81 boys and 31 girls. According to the extent of the primary disease, patients were sub-staged into three groups: IIIA with unresectable abdominal tumour (n= 39); IIIB with abdominal multiorgan involvement (n= 57) and IIIX with extra-abdominal primary lymphoma often presenting as pleural effusion (n= 16). Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out to evaluate the prognostic significance of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level at diagnosis, the sub-stage and the time to achieve complete remission (CR). With a median follow up of 48 months (range 12–92), the overall and event free survival (EFS) is 87% (95% confidence interval (CI) 79.2–92.1%) and 83.7% (95% CI 76.3–89.2%) respectively. Six patients (5.4%) never achieved CR, of whom one is alive following high-dose therapy. Eight patients (7.1%) relapsed after achieving CR, three are alive after second-line therapy. There were three early toxic deaths (2.7%), mainly from infection, and one late death from a second cancer. There was no significant difference in EFS according to LDH level at diagnosis, the sub-stage or the time to CR. This study confirms the overall good prognosis and low rate of toxic deaths in patients with advanced B-NHL treated with this intensive regimen. No significant difference in EFS according to the sub-stage, the time to achieve CR or LDH level at diagnosis making it difficult to identify a group that should not receive intensive therapy. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Linarite and connellite dataset from Calabria region (Southern Italy): First evidence

This dataset article contains mineralogical and chemical data of linarite and connellite sulfate minerals. These minerals were found included in the oxidized zones of cupriferous sulfide ores in the Fiumarella Mine, in Calabria region (Southern Italy). Linarite is a basic sulfate of copper and lead with the formula of PbCuSO4(OH)2 while connellite is a hydrated sulfate of copper with an ideal formula of Cu36Cl6(SO4)2(OH)62∙12H2O. Recently, in the mine of Fiumarella, in addition to primary minerals such as barite, galena, cerussite, anglesite, fluorite and chalcopyrite, wulfenite (PbMoO4) was also detected. Linarite consists of a prismatic bright blue crystal with a vitreous luster of micrometric size implanted upon on a matrix made up of barite. Connellite includes micrometric acicular tuft crystals protruding from matrix. Methods for obtaining the datasets include optical microscopy, micro X-ray Fluorescence and micro-Raman spectroscopy

First evidence of wulfenite in Calabria Region (Southern Italy)

This data article contains mineralogical and chemical data of the wulfenite (PbMoO4) sampled from mine of Fiumarella in Calabria region (Southern Italy). Wulfenite is a rare mineral belonging to the class of minerals called molybdates and if found in large amounts it can be used for the extraction of molybdenum. In the mine of Fiumarella, in addition to primary minerals such as barite, galena, cerussite, anglesite, fluorite and chalcopyrite, wulfenite was also detected. Wulfenite crystals are bipyramidal, few microns in size and grow as single crystals that can reach 1 mm. Methods for obtaining the data sets include optical microscopy, micro X-Ray Fluorescence and micro-Raman spectroscopy