High-resolution 40Ar/39Ar chronostratigraphy of the post-caldera (<20 ka) volcanic activity at Pantelleria, Sicily Strait

The island of Pantelleria (Sicily Strait), the type locality for pantellerite, has been the locus of major calderaforming eruptions that culminated, ca. 50 ka ago, in the formation of the Cinque Denti caldera produced by the Green Tuff eruption. The post-caldera silicic activity since that time has been mostly confined inside the caldera and consists of smaller-energy eruptions represented by more than twenty coalescing pantelleritic centers structurally controlled by resurgence and trapdoor faulting of the caldera floor. A high-resolution 40Ar/39Ar study was conducted on key units spanning the recent (post-20 ka) intracaldera activity to better characterize the present-day status (and forecast the short-term behavior of) the system based on the temporal evolution of the latest eruptions. The new 40Ar/39Ar data capture a long-term (N15 ka) decline in eruption frequency with a shift in eruptive pace from 3.5 ka−1 to 0.8 ka−1 associated with a prominent paleosol horizon marking the only recognizable volcanic stasis around 12–14 ka. This shift in extraction frequency occurswithoutmajor changes in eruptive style, and is paralleled by a subtle trend of decreasingmelt differentiation index. We speculate that this decline probably occurred (i) without short-term variations in melt production/differentiation rate in a steadystate compositionally-zoned silicic reservoir progressively tapped deeper through the sequence, and (ii) that it was possibly modulated by outboard eustatic forcing due to the 140 m sea level rise over the past 21 ka. The intracaldera system is experiencing a protracted stasis since 7 ka. Coupled with recent geodetic evidence of deflation and subsidence of the caldera floor, the system appears today to be on a wane with no temporal evidence for a short-term silicic eruption

Fast UPLC/PDA determination of squalene in Sicilian P.D.O. pistachio from Bronte: optimization of oil extraction method and analytical characterization

A fast reversed-phase UPLC method was developed for squalene determination in Sicilian pistachio samples that entry in the European register of the products with P.D.O. In the present study the SPE procedure was optimized for the squalene extraction prior to the UPLC/PDA analysis. The precision of the full analytical procedure was satisfactory and the mean recoveries were 92.8 ± 0.3 % and 96.6 ± 0.1 % for 25 and 50 mg L-1 level of addition, respectively. Selected chromatographic conditions allowed a very fast squalene determination; in fact it was well separated in ∼ 0.54 min with good resolution. Squalene was detected in all the pistachio samples analyzed and the levels ranged from 55.45 to 226.34 mg . kg-1. Comparing our results with those of other studies it emerges that squalene contents in P.D.O. Sicilian pistachio samples, generally, were higher than those measured for other samples of different geographic origins

Skeletal muscle Na+K+-ATPase function in Type II diabetes

Insulin resistance is a common factor in metabolic disorders, such as obesity and Type II diabetes mellitus. In skeletal muscle, insulin can induce the translocation of both glucose transporters and the &amp;alpha;-subunit of the Na+K+-ATPase to the plasma membrane. Whilst the detrimental effects of insulin resistance upon insulin-mediated glucose uptake is well recognized, little is known about the effect on Na+K+-ATPase function and the potential benefits antidiabetic therapies, such as exercise training and Rosiglitazone can have on Na+K+-ATPase function in insulin resistant skeletal muscle. Therefore the primary aim of this dissertation was to determine the effect of insulin resistance on Na+K+-ATPase content and maximal in vitro activity in skeletal muscle and the possible beneficial effects of the insulin sensitising drug, Rosiglitazone and exercise training on Na+K+-ATPase. Since Na+K+-ATPase is a membrane-bound enzyme and its function is dependant upon the membrane lipid milieu surrounding it, a second focus of this thesis was to examine a possible link between changes in enzyme activities and membrane phospholipids. The results of the studies undertaken for this thesis repeatedly demonstrated that insulin resistance has a detrimental effect on Na+K+-ATPase function in skeletal muscle. This was shown in both the genetically predisposed obese Zucker and high fat (HF) diet induced Sprague Dawley rat models of insulin resistance. This may have been due to changes seen in the phospholipid profile however this may depend on the insulin resistant animal model used. The findings indicate compromised Na+K+-ATPase function, causing a reduced reserve for Na+K+-ATPase activation in insulin resistant skeletal muscle. This may predispose diabetics to early muscle fatigue with associated impaired exercise tolerance and may further progress the development of type II diabetes and its associated complications. Despite insulin sensitivity increasing through Rosiglitazone, Na+K+-ATPase activity was reduced in the lean rats only. Rosiglitazone had either no effect on Na+K+-ATPase in skeletal muscle of obese Zucker rats or, its effect was not seen because it was not additive to the decrease already observed with insulin resistance alone. Rosiglitazone treatment also did not have any effect on Na+K+-ATPase function in skeletal muscle of the HF fed rats. The other important finding from this thesis was the positive effect exercise training had on the reduced Na+K+-ATPase capacity found with insulin resistance. For the first time, it was shown that chronic exercise training increased Na+K+-ATPase activity and content, reversing the negative effect of insulin resistance on Na+K+-ATPase function

The role of individual knowledge in functional olive oil preferences: Does self-coherence lead to different health attributes perception?

This study examined whether health cues influence the choices of olive oil consumers with different degrees of knowledge about the nutritional properties of olive oil. To this end, a direct survey on the consumption of healthy extra-virgin olive oil was implemented by examining the stated preferences of a sample of consumers. Two econometric analyses were carried out to identify the drivers of the consumption of olive oil with high polyphenol content. The logisticmodel was chosen as the most suitable method to answer the research questions. The results revealed a general consensus among consumers regarding the beneficial properties of olive oil consumption. Moreover, the findings show that different degrees of individual knowledge act as distinctive drivers in influencing the health perception of olive oil consumers. Finally, this study verified that, even for healthy foods, consumers' choices are strongly dependent on their own self-coherence. As a consequence, consumers' knowledge or beliefs that orientate their attitudes are influenced by different motivations and attributes

Impact of sublingual immunotherapy on seasonal asthma and skin reactivity in children allergic to Parietaria pollen treated with inhaled fluticasone propionate

Immunotherapy is a recognized treatment for allergic respiratory diseases

Harmful Compounds and Willingness to Buy for Reduced-Additives Salami. An Outlook on Italian Consumers

The consumption pattern of salami has been subjected to relatively widespread attention by academician, but few studies concerning the health implications of salami consumption have been published. Since additives and product origins represent important attributes for salami, the objective of this paper is twofold: (i) to explore the role of two additives, salt and nitrates, in addition to the Italian origin, in relation to consumer attitudes and preferences towards salami, (ii) to segment consumer behaviour by assessing their willingness-to-buy salami, in order to verify whether different purchasing patterns can be identified within the different social groups. The analysis was conducted on two different levels. The first was developed through a conjoint analysis, while the second implemented a frequency analysis based on a bivariate analysis. Results show the price as one of the most important variables in identifying the quality level of salami, in addition, certain socio-economic segments of consumers show a significant propensity to pay an additional price for salami with a low salt content and is nitrate-free

Exploring Purchasing Determinants for a Low Fat Content Salami: Are Consumers Willing to Pay for an Additional Premium?

Consumers today are increasingly moving toward healthier lifestyles and food purchasing habits. This new awareness has also prompted the meat industry, usually indicted for the use of harmful compounds and ingredients such as additives, salt, and fat, to introduce innovative measures to meet demand. This study aims to assess consumer willingness to pay an additional price premium (APP) for a healthy salami by identifying which factors are more likely to have an effect on the willingness to purchase, such as socio-demographic and product and market-related attributes. An Ordered Logit model has been applied to define factors influencing consumers' willingness to pay for a low-fat salami. Results show a favorable consumer acceptance of reduced-fat salami conveyed by the willingness of consumers to pay an additional price for this product and confirm that the health awareness of consumers is an important driving force in cured meat marketing strategies

Health-related quality of life and functional changes in DMD:A 12-month longitudinal cohort study

Family caregivers of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) live stressful lives in which they spend most of their time caring for their loved ones and managing difficult situations, thereby reducing the time spent in taking care of themselves. This situation may last several years. Previous literature has widely highlighted that this situation reduces caregivers' quality of life and increases their psychological distress and risk of health problems, but there is a lack of studies that focus on psychological interventions for these situations. This qualitative study examined a pilot experience of two mutual support groups for family caregivers of people with ALS. The aim was to identify caregivers' needs, the prominent aspects of their experience, and to understand whether and how this intervention strategy might help them. Six partners (four men and two women) and six adult children (five women and one man) participated in the groups, which were conducted in northern Italy. After the support groups finished, participants underwent semi-structured interviews. The authors conducted a content analysis of the transcripts of the interviews and the 20 group sessions. The thematic areas identified were "caregiving," "being the son/daughter of a person with ALS," "being the partner of a person with ALS," "group experience" and "group evaluation." The caregiving experience was profoundly different depending on whether the caregiver was a son/daughter or a partner of a patient with ALS. Moreover, comparison with peers and mutual support helped participants to better cope with ALS and its consequences, to improve their care for their relatives and to overcome typical caregiver isolation. These results suggest the usefulness of involving communities in caregiver support in order to create new networks and activate personal and social resources for well-being