Barbara Tirone, Elena Cogato Lanza, Luca Pattaroni, Mischa Piraud (eds), De la différence urbaine. Le quartier des Grottes / Genève, Genève, Métis Presses, series: vuesDensemble, 2013

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Lipopolysaccharides: From Erinyes to Charites

Following the discovery of endotoxins by Richard Pfeiffer, such bacterial product was associated to many severe disorders produced by an overwhelming inflammatory response and often resulting in endotoxic shock and multiple organ failure. However, recent clinical and basic sciences investigations claimed some beneficial roles of typical as well as atypical endotoxins. The aim of this paper is to focus on recent data supporting a beneficial activity of both typical and atypical endotoxins. Such novel perspective looks promising for development of new drugs for prevention and therapy of several human diseases

The IT4NUEVOO Project

Ogni produttore di olio extravergine di oliva (EVOO) è consapevole che la qualità dell’olio prodotto ha un ruolo chiave nella strategia per incoraggiare nuove occasioni di consumo e affrontare le sfide di un mercato globale. Tuttavia, allo stato attuale, in tutti i Paesi produttori è sensibilmente più alta la quantità di olio vergine di oliva (VOO) di scarsa qualità piuttosto che di EVOO. La dimensione aziendale degli oleifici rende molto difficile l'investimento nella ricerca per sviluppare tecnologie, protocolli di estrazione o nuovi prodotti. Dall'altra parte, il consumatore richiede un prodotto di alta qualità con elevate caratteristiche salutistiche e possibilmente nutraceutiche. Per questo motivo diversi studi e progetti sono stati realizzati per sviluppare e verificare come la singola operazione e/o tecnologia di processo influenzano l’estrazione e la qualità dell'olio di oliva. Tuttavia, tutti i risultati sono influenzati da un'elevata variabilità, come molti Autori riportano, a causa di molteplici fattori esterni. Pertanto, il legame intercorrente fra le singole operazioni tecnologiche con la qualità e le proprietà salutari risultano, fino ad ora, non ben definiti a causa di fattori incontrollati. Il progetto IT4NUEVOO ha avuto come obiettivo l'ottimizzazione del processo di estrazione al fine di migliorare la resa di estrazione e delle sostanze antiossidanti presenti nelle olive. La ricerca industriale e lo sviluppo sperimentale del progetto sono stati finalizzati allo sviluppo di un nuovo prodotto alimentare denominato NUEVOO ed alla messa a punto di un protocollo di produzione che integri il ciclo produttivo con nuove macchine per migliorare l’estrazione dei composti polifenolici.Every producer of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is aware that the quality of the oil produced plays a key role in the strategy aiming to encourage new consumption opportunities and to face the challenges of a global market. However, at present, in all producing countries the amount of poor-quality virgin olive oil (VOO) is significantly higher than EVOO. The company size of the oil mills makes it very difficult to invest in research to develop technologies, extraction protocols or new products. On the other hand, the consumer requires a high-quality product with high health and possibly nutraceutical characteristics. For this reason, several studies and projects have been carried out to develop and verify how the single operation and/or process technology affects the extraction and quality of olive oil. However, all results are influenced by a high variability, as many authors report, due to several external factors. Therefore, the link between the individual technological operations with the quality and health properties is, until now, not well defined due to uncontrolled factors. The IT4NUEVOO project aimed to optimise the extraction process in order to improve the extraction yield and the antioxidant substances present in the oil. The industrial and experimental research of the project were aimed to the development of a new food product called NUEVOO and of a new production protocol integrating the production cycle with new machines in order to improve the polyphenolic compounds extraction

A Low-Temperature and Low-Pressure Distillation Plant for Dairy Wastewater

The paper investigates an alternative treatment plant for the typical wastewater effluent of a cheese-making industry, mainly composed of acid or sweet whey mixed with washing water. Two variable parameters have been considered during the tests: four treatment temperatures (39, 46, 53 and 60 °C) and three solid content values (30%, 50% and 70%) of the concentrated product. The minimum and maximum values of the removal efficiency (pollutant amount into concentrate related to raw whey) range from 94.6% to 97.7% for conductivity, from 98.3% to 99.5% for BOD5, from 98.7% to 99.6% for COD and from 98.2% to 99.3% for Total Nitrogen. The plant capacity ranges from about 2 L/h (at 39 °C) to 6 L/h (at 60 °C) of processed whey. On the basis of the experimental findings, the proposed purification technology has demonstrated its suitability both to purify the effluent wastewater and to recover high-quality products (e.g., whey protein concentrate, lactose), thanks to its low thermal damage on the treated product and to its relatively low energy consumption from 0.4 kWh/L (at 60 °C) to 1.0 kWh/L (at 39 °C) of processed whey, with a Coefficient of Performance from approximately 0.6 up to 1.5

Postharvest Technologies of Fresh Citrus Fruit: Advances and Recent Developments for the Loss Reduction during Handling and Storage

Citrus spp. are spread mainly in the Mediterranean basin and represent the largest fruit source for human consumption. Postharvest losses, mainly due to diseases and metabolic disorders of fruits, can cause severe wastage, reaching 30 to 50% of the total production. Preserving quality and extending shelf life are essential objectives for postharvest technological innovation, determined by the proper handling, treatment, storage and transport of harvested produce. Moreover, the application of novel sustainable strategies is critical for the reduction of synthetic fungicide residues on fruit surfaces and the impact on the environment caused by waste disposal of fungicides. In this article, the current knowledge about the safest and more sustainable strategies, as well as advanced postharvest handling and storage technologies, will be critically reviewed

Close linkage with the RET protooncogene and boundaries of deletion mutations in autosomal dominant Hirschsprung disease

Tight linkage with the RET proto-oncogene (Zmax = 3.41 at θ = 0.00), analysis of recombinants and detection of a familial microdeletion in a large pedigree restrict the mapping of the Hirschsprung (HSCR) gene previously localized on proximal 10q. The molecular characterization of the familial microdeletion and of 3 additional cytogenetically visible de novo deletions, isolated in somatic cell hybrids, identify a smallest region of overlap of 250 Kb. This contains the RET proto-oncogene where missense mutations causing multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN 2A) phenotype were recently found. The pentagastrin test (which detects preclinical forms of MEN 2A or B) is negative in adult HSCR patients with deletions of the RET gene. This represents a good candidate for the search of mutations causing HSC

A family nurse-led intervention for reducing health services’ utilization in individuals with chronic diseases : The ADVICE pilot study

Objectives Intensive health services’ utilization is common in older individuals affected by chronic diseases. This study assessed whether a structured family nurse-led educational intervention would be effective in reducing health services’ use (readmissions and/or emergency service access) among older people affected by chronic conditions. Methods This is a non-randomized before-after pilot study. A sample of 78 patients was recruited from two general practices in Italy and 70 among them were followed for 8 months. Standard home care was provided during the first four months’ period (months 1–4), followed by the educational intervention until the end of the study (months 5–8). The intervention, based on the teach-back method, consisted of by-weekly 60-min home sessions targeting aspects of the disease and its treatment, potential complications, medication adherence, and health behaviours. Rates of health services’ use were collected immediately before (T0), and after the interventions (T1). Differences in utilization rates were examined by the McNemar’s test. Potential factors associated with the risk of health services’ use were explored with a Cox proportional hazard regression model. Results The sample (n = 78) was predominantly female (n = 50, 64.1%), and had a mean age of 76.2 (SD = 4.8) years. Diabetes mellitus was the most frequent disease (n = 27, 34.6%). McNemar’s test indicated a significant reduction in health services’ use at T1 (McNemar χ2 = 28.03, P < 0.001). Cox regressions indicated that time and patient education, as well as their interaction, were the only variables positively associated with the probability of health services’ use. Conclusion A teach-back intervention led by a family nurse practitioner has the potential to reduce health services’ use in older patients with chronic diseases

cDNA Sequence and Genomic Structure of the Rat Ret Proto-Oncogene

The RET proto-oncogene, a member of the Receptor Tyrosine Kinase family, plays a crucial role during the development of the excretory system and the enteric nervous system, as demonstrated by in vivo animal studies and by its involvement in the pathogenesis of several human neurocristopathies like Hirschsprung disease and Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 2. Using a multistep RT-PCR approach we have isolated and sequenced the cDNA of the whole rat RET proto-oncogene, reporting the deduced amino acid sequence in comparison with the human and mouse counterparts. Moreover, two different isoforms (RET9 and RET51) have been confirmed in the rat, while a third RET isoform demonstrated in human (RET43) has not resulted to be conserved in this species. Finally, we have determined the genomic structure of the rat RET proto-oncogene comparing the exon-intron boundaries and intron sizes with the known structure of the human homologous gene. Our findings will facilitate the molecular study of appropriate rat models of RET related human diseases