Typical edible non-dairy animal products in Africa from local animal resources

This review aims to identify the main typical non-dairy edible products of animal origin available in Africa, describing their production processes and their strengths and constraints. Farm animals are mainly raised in an extensive, family-run system; there is, however, a significant development of intensive poultry production. Meat products are usually obtained by drying, but meat and/or offal can also be stored as stuffed products and can be additionally treated by smoking and/or curing. The increasing poultry production provides eggs and meat at low price. The small-scale/ family farms are managed mainly by women and children, with a positive social impact. The assets and limits of local breeds and of extensive versus semi-extensive or intensive production systems are discussed. Seafood are an essential source of proteins, minerals and micronutrients. Due its high perishability, the proportion of cured fish in this continent is higher than the world average. Wildlife can supply high-quality meat, but attention must be paid to the vulnerable/ endangered species and to the sanitary aspects of this food chain. Insects are traditionally con- sumed in Africa, supplying very cheap highly nutritive food, with low environmental impact. Finally, a variety of honey and other bee products, including some Slow Food praesidia, are described. From the point of view of the respect of biodiversity and ecosystems, local culture, accessibility and nutritional requirements, animal productions in Africa are usually carried out in a sustainable way; however, the low efficiency of most traditional production systems represents an important limit, also in relation to export opportunities

In&Out insegnare ad apprendere, atti del convegno internazionale Università Roma Tre, Roma 26 maggio 2010

La relazione presenta gli esiti di una ricerca condotta nell'ambito del Corso di laurea in Scienze dell'educazione in modalità e-learning dell'Università degli studi Roma Tre. Il corso si rivolge ad insegnanti della scuola primaria che avevano precedentemente abbandonato gli studi universitari

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis in an Italian center: thirty year experience

BACKGROUND: Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a rare but life-threatening complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). Its incidence and prevalence are still not clearly defined. No data exist on the prevalence of EPS in Italy. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the incidence and prevalence of EPS, and identify potential factors useful for prevention or early diagnosis of EPS. METHODS: A retrospective study in patients starting PD between 1979 and 2013 in one Italian center. Data on demographics, occurrence of EPS, time on PD, peritoneal equilibration test, and therapy for EPS were gathered. RESULTS: EPS occurred in 26/920 patients with a prevalence of 2.8 % and incidence of 1/105 patient-years. The prevalence increased with the time spent on PD: 0.4 % for PD duration 14 years). EPS prevalence was not higher in PD patients transplanted: 5/172 (2.9 %); only two of them (1.2 %) were diagnosed while with a functioning graft. In only one patient (0.6 %) was the diagnosis made during hemodialysis; the other 23 were diagnosed while still on PD. Mortality due to EPS was 38.5 %, and was associated with PD duration. Therapy with steroids reduced mortality [hazard ratio 0.047 (95 % CI: 0.008-0.273); p < 0.001]. CONCLUSIONS: In our experience the prevalence of EPS is low, but increases progressively with the duration of PD. The transfer to hemodialysis or transplantation does not appear to be a key factor for EPS. Therapy with steroids significantly improves the outcom

Does 1.5\ua0T mpMRI play a definite role in detection of clinically significant prostate cancer? Findings from a prospective study comparing blind 24-core saturation and targeted biopsies with a novel data remodeling model

BACKGROUND: Multiparametric-magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) can accurately detect high-grade and larger prostate cancers (PC). AIMS: To evaluate the ability of 1.5 T magnetic field mpMRI-targeted Prostate Biopsies (PBx) in predicting PC in comparison with blind 24-core saturation PBx (sPBx). METHODS: We prospectively collected data from patients undergoing transrectal sPBx and, if needed, targeted PBx of suspected lesions based on the 16-'region-of-interest' (ROI) PI-RADS graph. Data remodeling: for each 'target' (each suspected lesion at mpMRI), we identified all the 16 'ROIs' into which the lesion extended: these single 'ROIs' were identified as 'macro-targets'. For each 'ROI' and 'macro-target', we compared the mpMRI result with that of a saturation and targeted biopsy (if performed). RESULTS: 1.5T mpMRI showed a PI-RADS value\u2009 65\u20093 in 101 patients (82.1%). We found a PC in 50 (40.6%). Negative-positive predictive values for mpMRI were 82-45%, respectively. Of the 22 patients with normal mpMRI, four had a PC, but none had a clinically significant cancer. After the data remodeling, we demonstrated the presence of PC in 228 'ROIs': (a) only in targeted biopsies in 15 'ROIs'/'macro-targets' (6.6%); (b) only in sPBx in 177 'ROIs' (77.6%); (c) in both targeted and sPBx in 36 'ROIs' (15.8%). DISCUSSION: 81.8% of patients with normal 1.5T mpMRI were negative at PBx. Performing only targeted PBx may lead to lack of PC diagnosis in about 50% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with suspected PC and a previous negative PBx, a normal mpMRI may exclude a clinically significant PC, avoiding sPBx

Typical dairy products in Africa from local animal resources

Milk is recognised as an important element of the pastoral civilisations in Africa, where it has not only an economic value, but also a social and cultural value. The objective of this review is to identify the main African dairy products, mainly focussing on typical production processes based on the use of local animal resources. To this aim, dairy products were classified into five categories, according to the type and the production method: fresh cheese, ripened cheese, fermented milk, butter and dairy by-products. These categories give rise to an extraordinary range of local products where tradition, culture, and environmental conditions and constraints play a major role in contributing to this diversification. In some countries, some attempts are being made in order to valorise the local dairy products by establishing Slow Food Presidia or including them in the Ark of Taste compiled by Slow Food. One of the main constraints that limits the commercialisation and export of African dairy products is related to the scarce hygiene in milk production and processing, and the frequent absence of starter cultures, which result in products with non-standardised characteristics, short shelf life and high spoilage susceptibility, with consequent risks for human health. Efforts should be made to support the dairy products chain in Africa, by making production processes safer and by valuing local resources, in order to expand the internal market and the export opportunities. Development cooperation projects may play an important role in this respect and should therefore be encouraged

Hispania terris omnibus felicior. Premesse ed esiti di un processo di integrazione. Atti del convegno internazionale, Cividale del Friuli, 27-29 settembre 2001

Se la conquista romana della Spagna ha carattere militare, la successiva colonizzazione si realizza più come un'emigrazione libera di elementi italici che come un'iniziativa statale. Con la pace augustea, la Spagna diventa un laboratorio di mistica imperiale, mentre la promozione della vita municipale e coloniale ne incoraggia la piena romanizzazione

Distribution of cardiovascular disease and retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes according to different classification systems for chronic kidney disease: A cross-sectional analysis of the renal insufficiency and cardiovascular events (RIACE) Italian multicenter study

Background: The National Kidney Foundation's Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (NKF's KDOQI) staging system for chronic kidney disease (CKD) is based primarily on estimated GFR (eGFR). This study aimed at assessing whether reclassification of subjects with type 2 diabetes using two recent classifications based on both eGFR and albuminuria, the Alberta Kidney Disease Network (AKDN) and the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO), provides a better definition of burden from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) than the NKF's KDOQI classification.Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis of patients with type 2 diabetes (n = 15,773) from the Renal Insufficiency And Cardiovascular Events Italian Multicenter Study, consecutively visiting 19 Diabetes Clinics throughout Italy in years 2007-2008. Exclusion criteria were dialysis or renal transplantation. CKD was defined based on eGFR, as calculated from serum creatinine by the simplified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study equation, and albuminuria, as measured by immunonephelometry or immunoturbidimetry. DR was assessed by dilated fundoscopy. Prevalent CVD, total and by vascular bed, was assessed from medical history by recording previous documented major acute events.Results: Though prevalence of complications increased with increasing CKD severity with all three classifications, it differed significantly between NKF's KDOQI stages and AKDN or KDIGO risk categories. The AKDN and KDIGO systems resulted in appropriate reclassification of uncomplicated patients in the lowest risk categories and a more graded independent association with CVD and DR than the NKF's KDOQI classification. However, CVD, but not DR prevalence was higher in the lowest risk categories of the new classifications than in the lowest stages of the NKF's KDOQI, due to the inclusion of subjects with reduced eGFR without albuminuria. CVD prevalence differed also among eGFR and albuminuria categories grouped into AKDN and KDIGO risk category 1 and moderate, respectively, and to a lesser extent into higher risk categories.Conclusions: Though the new systems perform better than the NKF's KDOQI in grading complications and identifying diabetic subjects without complications, they might underestimate CVD burden in patients assigned to lower risk categories and should be tested in large prospective studies.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT00715481. © 2014 Pugliese et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd