Reward preferences of pathological gamblers under conditions of uncertainty: an experimental study

Among many personality traits, impulsivity represents one of the most important traits associated with pathological gambling. Empirical research has highlighted the multidimensional nature of impulsivity, which includes different heterogeneous traits and behavioral tendencies. The present study experimentally examined reward preferences of pathological gamblers under conditions of uncertainty using the Balloon Analogue Risk Task. Furthermore it also examined the relationship between impulsivity, time perspective, inability to tolerate delay in gratification, and risktaking. The present study is the first to simultaneously examine all these variables simultaneously in a sample of pathological gamblers (n=54) and healthy controls (n=54) from Italy. All participants participated in the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) and were also administered Italian versions of the South Oaks Gambling Screen, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, the Consideration of Future Consequences, and the Monetary Choice Questionnaire. Analyses revealed that compared to HCs, PGs were more risk prone on the BART, and reported elevated levels of impulsivity, steeper discounting rates and a shorter time perspective. All the measures correlated with the gambling severity and strong correlations between the BIS, CFC-14 and BART were observed. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that impulsivity and risk-taking were strong predictors of pathological gambling

Water buffalo mozzarella cheese stored in polysaccharide-based gels: correlation between prolongation of the shelf-life and physicochemical parameters.

An innovative packaging system has been developed, based on natural gels, that has shown the peculiar characteristic to strongly increase the shelf life of water buffalo Mozzarella cheese. To explain the mechanism of action of the gel, measurements of Ca and Na in the cheese and in the storage liquid were carried out, together with pH determination. A correlation has been found between the constant level of Ca and pH in the cheese and the prolongation of nutritional characteristics; in fact, both parameters diminish significantly in the absence of gel. At the same time, the weight of the cheese in gel remained constant for as long as 30 d. Confocal laser microscopy gave direct evidence of the persistent physical structure of proteins and lipids of Mozzarella when stored in gel

Shedding light on surface exposition of poly(ethylene glycol) and folate targeting units on nanoparticles of poly(ε-caprolactone) diblock copolymers: beyond a paradigm

Polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) of poly(\u3b5-caprolactone) (PCL) covered with a hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) shell are usually prepared from diblock PEG-PCL copolymers through different techniques. Furthermore PEG, NPs can be decorated with targeting ligands to accumulate in specific cell lines. However, the density and conformation of PEG on the surface and its impact on the exposition of small targeting ligands has been poorly considered so far although this has a huge impact on biological behaviour. Here, we focus on PEG-PCL NPs and their folate-targeted version to encourage accumulation in cancer cells overexpressing folate receptor \u3b1. NPs were prepared with mixtures of PEG-PCL with different PEG length (short 1.0kDa, long 2.0kDa,) and a folate-functionalized PEG-PCL (PEG 1.5kDa) by the widely employed solvent displacement method. In depth characterization of NPs surface by 1H NMR, fluorescence and photon correlation spectroscopy evidenced a PEGylation extent below 7% with PEG in a mushroom conformation and the presence of folate more exposed to water pool in the case of copolymer with short PEG. NPs with short PEG adsorbed HSA forming a soft corona without aggregating. Although limited, PEGylation overall reduced NPs uptake in human macrophages. Uptake of NPs exposing folate prepared with short PEG was higher in KB cells (FR+) than in A549 (FR-), occurred via FR-receptor and involved lipid rafts-dependent endocytosis. In conclusion, the present results demonstrate that PEG length critically affects protein interaction and folate exposition with a logical impact on receptor-mediated cell uptake. Our study highlights that the too simplistic view suggesting that PEG-PCL gives PEG-coated NPs needs to be re-examined in the light of actual surface properties, which should always be considered case-by-case

Lignosulfonates as fire retardants in wood flour-based particleboards

Wood flour particleboards (WFP), like other wood-based items, require the addition of fire retardants (FRs) to reduce their high flammability. In this work, a waste lignosulfonate (CaLS) from paper mill is used as a low-cost FR to reduce WFP flammability. CaLS is purified by dialysis and the dialysed lignosulfonate (LD) is used, alone or combined with ammonium polyphosphate (APP), as a FR additive in the preparation of urea-formaldehyde WFP. The fire behaviour of the modified WFPs is studied by cone calorimetry. The use of 15 wt.% LD reduces the peak of heat release rate (HRR) and total smoke production by 25%, also increasing char formation. HRR peak is further reduced up to 40%, if APP is introduced in the formulation. This work discloses a viable and cost-effective strategy for improving the fire retardancy performance of WFP by partial replacement of a commercial FR with a fully renewable additive, isolated through a green and cost-effective process. Copyright © 2019 Stefania Angelini et al

Cutting-edge R&D activities of CIRTEN in support of the Technology Park annexed to the Italian National Repository of radioactive waste

R&D activities taking place at the institutions belonging to Consorzio Interuniversitario per la Ricerca TEcnologica Nucleare are here presented and discussed. A special focus is on Technology Park annexed to the Italian National Repository of radioactive waste

Development of a petrographic classification of fly-ash components from coal combustion and co-combustion. (An ICCP Classification System, Fly-Ash Working Group – Commission III.)

A new system for the microscopic classification of fly-ash components has been developed by the Fly-Ash Working Group, Commission III of the ICCP and is presented herein. The studied fly-ashes were obtained from the combustion of single coals of varied rank, coal blends, and coals blended with other fuels (biomass, petroleum coke), in different operating conditions and by means of different technologies. Microscopic images of the fly-ash samples were used to test the optical criteria proposed for classifying the fly-ash components. The classification system developed is based on a small number of microscopic criteria, subdivided into six independent levels or categories, three of which are directed at whole particle identification on the basis of nature, origin and type of fly-ash particle, while the other three levels are directed at the smaller section identification on the basis of character, structure and optical texture of unburned carbons. To classify the inorganic components of the fly-ash, the criterion proposed is composition in terms of metallic/non-metallic character. To establish the classification criteria the petrographers involved in the work performed three successive round robins. Evaluation of the results by using firstly descriptive statistics and then the criteria and parameters employed by the ICCP in their accreditation programs indicated that the classification of the fly-ash components was accurate and that there was only a minor bias. The main conclusion of this study was that the proposed criteria are valuable for identifying, and classifying fly-ash components and for describing the optical properties of fly-ash particles

Desafios para promoção da abordagem ecossistêmica à gestão de praias na América Latina e Caribe

The complexity of global changes and their effects on social-ecological systems motivate the development of more integrated and innovative management approaches to balance the society-nature relationship. With the challenge of meeting global demands and considering local impacts, Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) emerges as an assessment and action strategy with the potential to qualify social-ecological interactions. In this sense, sandy beaches are an important and complex social-ecological system whose management has been historically characterized by a reductionist, immediatist, fragmented and technocratic approach - all challenges for EBM implementation. This article aims to discuss opportunities to incorporate EBM in beach management and the challenges to its implementation in Latin America and the Caribbean (LA&C). GBE can guide beach management processes towards achieving sustainability. Despite the challenges faced in LA&C, GBE implementation must be strengthened in the region to support beach sustainability through the promotion of transdisciplinarity and international cooperation.A complexidade das mudanças globais e seus efeitos nos sistemas socioecológicos motivam o desenvolvimento de abordagens de gestão mais integradas e inovadoras para equilibrar as relações sociedade-natureza. Com o desafio de suprir demandas globais e considerar impactos locais, a Gestão Baseada em Ecossistemas (GBE) aparece como uma estratégia de avaliação e ação com potencial de qualificar as interações socioecológicas. Nesse sentido, as praias arenosas surgem como um importante e complexo sistema socioecológico cuja gestão é historicamente realizada de forma reducionista, imediatista, fragmentada e tecnocrática, o que são desafios para a implementação da GBE. Dessa forma, esse artigo visou discutir as oportunidades de incorporar a GBE na gestão de praias e os desafios para sua implementação na América Latina e Caribe. Assim, observa-se que a GBE pode orientar a adequação dos processos da gestão de praias. Apesar dos desafios enfrentados na AL&C sua implementação é uma ferramenta a ser fortalecida na região por meio da transdisciplinaridade e cooperação internacional para promover a sustentabilidade das praias