Measurements of Multi-Layer Insulation at High Boundary Temperature, using a Simple Non-Calorimetric Method

In spite of abundant literature, the thermal performance of Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI) still deserves dedicated investigation for specific applications, as the achievable insulation strongly depends on installation details. Furthermore, less accurate information is available for warm than for cold boundaries, since errors due to edge effects in small test benches increase strongly with warm boundary temperature. We establish here the thermal performance of MLI between 300 K and 77 K or 4 K, without bringing calorimetric methods into play, through the accurate measurement of a temperature profile. A cylinder in thin copper, wrapped with MLI, is cooled at one extremity while suspended under vacuum inside a sheath at room temperature. For known thermal conductivity and thickness of the tube, the heat flux can be inferred from the temperature profile. In-situ measurement of the thermal conductivity is obtained by applying a know heat flow at the warm extremity of the cylinder. Results, cross-checked with a calibrated heatmeter, compare well with what previously obtained on a large-scale measuring facility

Coffee prevents fatty liver disease induced by a high-fat diet by modulating pathways of the gut-liver axis

Coffee consumption is inversely associated with the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A gap in the literature still exists concerning the intestinal mechanisms that are involved in the protective effect of coffee consumption towards NAFLD. In this study, twenty-four C57BL/6J mice were divided into three groups each receiving a standard diet, a high-fat diet (HFD) or an HFD plus decaffeinated coffee (HFD+COFFEE) for 12 weeks. Coffee supplementation reduced HFD-induced liver macrovesicular steatosis (P\ua0<\ua00\ub701) and serum cholesterol (P\ua0<\ua00\ub7001), alanine aminotransferase and glucose (P\ua0<\ua00\ub705). Accordingly, liver PPAR- \u3b1 (P\ua0<\ua00\ub705) and acyl-CoA oxidase-1 (P\ua0<\ua00\ub705) as well as duodenal ATP-binding cassette (ABC) subfamily A1 (ABCA1) and subfamily G1 (ABCG1) (P\ua0<\ua00\ub705) mRNA expressions increased with coffee consumption. Compared with HFD animals, HFD+COFFEE mice had more undigested lipids in the caecal content and higher free fatty acid receptor-1 mRNA expression in the duodenum and colon. Furthermore, they showed an up-regulation of duodenal and colonic zonulin-1 (P\ua0<\ua00\ub705), duodenal claudin (P\ua0<\ua00\ub705) and duodenal peptide YY (P\ua0<\ua00\ub705) mRNA as well as a higher abundance of Alcaligenaceae in the faeces (P\ua0<\ua00\ub705). HFD+COFFEE mice had an energy intake comparable with HFD-fed mice but starting from the eighth intervention week they gained significantly less weight over time. Data altogether showed that coffee supplementation prevented HFD-induced NAFLD in mice by reducing hepatic fat deposition and metabolic derangement through modification of pathways underpinning liver fat oxidation, intestinal cholesterol efflux, energy metabolism and gut permeability. The hepatic and metabolic benefits induced by coffee were accompanied by changes in the gut microbiota

Intradermal Tuberculin Test in Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis): Experimental use of Mycobacterial Antigens for the Diagnosis of Bovine Tuberculosis

The study aims to evaluate the potential use of mycobacterial ESAT6 and CFP10 antigens, Early Secretory Proteins (ESP) in the Skin Test used for bovine tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis in Water Buffalo. A pilot study was performed on 21 buffaloes from a TB outbreak and 11 buffaloes from a TB-free herd. Three concentrations of ESAT6-CFP10 (10, 20, and 30 mg) and two of ESP (50 and 100 µg) were inoculated in the Skin Test, along with PPDB, PPDA, and PBS as a negative control. Skin thickness was measured with calipers before the test and every 24 hours for 4 days. Then, to evaluate the specificity of the antigens, a field study was conducted, and 100 buffaloes from a TB-free herd were inoculated using the best antigens concentration derived from the pilot study. In the positive buffaloes, the strongest skin response was to PPDB at 24h, with some subjects becoming inconclusive at 72 and 96 h. A peak response to PPDA at 48 hours was detected, followed by a slight decrease. The response to ESP-100 µg remained high at 24 and 48 h, then decreased, remaining positive at 72 h. In the 100 TB-free buffaloes, the best specificity was observed using ESAT6-CFP10 and ESP. ESP yielded the best results, showing higher reactivity in infected animals and no reactivity in the healthy ones at 72 h. Therefore, ESP could be an excellent candidate for further extensive studies in the buffalo species to improve Skin Test performance

Soil management affects the nutraceutical properties of Primitivo's grape pomace

Soil management is a sustainable agronomic practice to produce grapes, wine, and grape pomace with a low environmental impact in viticulture, affecting soil microbial biodiversity, organic matter, and healthy roots. Grape pomace is the main by-product of winemaking and a valuable source of natural phytochemicals. This research aimed to evaluate the phenolic content and antioxidant activity of pomace deriving from the microvinification of the Primitivo wine grapes obtained by four different soil management techniques: cover crop (C), soil mechanical tillage (T), green manure (G) and farm soil management (F). The content of total phenolic compounds and anthocyanins in grapes and wines is the highest with the vineyard cover cropping system. Moreover, grape pomace derived by cover crop soil management shows a significant abundance of these molecules and a more elevated antioxidant activity than the other soil technique

Potency of Netilmicin against Staphylococci Compared to Other Ophthalmic Antibiotics

Netilmicin is a potent and safe antibiotic with a very low incidence of resistance used as a topical ophthalmic medication in bacterial ocular infections. The aim of this study was to compare netilmicin’s Quotient of Inhibitions (QIs) and killing kinetics vs Staphylococci with other ophthalmic antimicrobials. Conjunctival and corneal QIs of netilmicin formulations, in single and multiple doses of administration, were compared with those of tobramycin, ofloxacin, levofloxacin and azithromycin preparations. The same analysis was performed in human tears, comparing netilmicin eye drops solution with tobramycin ofloxacin and levofloxacin. Furthermore, killing kinetics against Staphylococci (ATCC strains and ocular isolates) of the above-cited antibiotics, as well as chloramphenicol, were compared at different time points. QI results showed that in the conjunctiva, netilmicin, in both single and multiple doses of administration, is highly effective against all staphylococcal strains tested, while in the cornea it was particularly active against methicillin-resistant Staphylococci strains. Moreover, in human tears, netilmicin eye drops solution showed a more favourable QI against Staphylococci than tobramycin, ofloxacin and levofloxacin all in single-dose administration regimen. Killing kinetic results showed that netilmicin has a great bactericidal activity vs all the microbe strains tested as netilmicin showed to be almost the most active antibiotic. Results suggest that netilmicin has one of the most favourable killing kinetic and tissue inhibitory effects against Staphylococci than the principal ophthalmic antibiotics on the market

MYC Rearranged Aggressive B-Cell Lymphomas: A Report on 100 Patients of the Fondazione Italiana Linfomi (FIL)

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text

Coffee and liver health

Coffee is one of the most widely used beverages in the world. It includes a wide array of components that can have potential implications for health. Several epidemiological studies associate coffee consumption with a reduced incidence of various chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. Over the past 20 years, an increasing number of epidemiological and experimental studies have demonstrated the positive effects of coffee on chronic liver diseases. Coffee consumption has been inversely associated with the activity of liver enzymes in subjects at risk, including heavy drinkers. Coffee favours an improvement in hepatic steatosis and fibrosis, and a reduction in cirrhosis and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. The mechanisms of action through which it exerts its beneficial effects are not fully understood. Experimental studies show that coffee consumption reduces fat accumulation and collagen deposition in the liver and promotes antioxidant capacity through an increase in glutathione as well as modulation of the gene and protein expression of several inflammatory mediators. Animal and in vitro studies indicate that cafestol and kahweol, 2 diterpens, can operate by modulating multiple enzymes involved in the detoxification process of carcinogens causing hepatocellular carcinoma. It is unclear whether the benefits are significant enough to "treat" patients with chronic liver disease. While we await clarification, moderate daily unsweetened coffee use is a reasonable adjuvant to therapy for these patients