Preliminary study on kinetics of pyroglutamic acid formation in fermented milk

Pyroglutamic acid (pGlu) influences the aromatic and sensory properties of foods and has several benefits for human health. The presence and kinetics of pGlu formation in fermented milk samples were investigated from a chemical point of view. Plain yoghurt, kefir and other probiotic fermented milk products available on the market were analysed to quantify lactic acid and pGlu. The pGlu concentrations in fermented milks ranged from 51.65 to 277.37 mg 100 g-1 dry matter. Laboratory- scale fermented milk was produced, and samples were taken at different times of fermentation and storage to construct the kinetics curve. At the beginning of the fermentation process, pGlu was already present in UHT milk (188.69 mg 100 g-1 dry matter) used to elaborate fermented milk, and its content increased not only during fermentation but during storage as well, reaching up to 403.56 mg 100 g-1 dry matter after 30 days

A new computational technique for re-entry flow calculations based upon a shock-fitting technique for unstructured grids

An in-house developed, 2D/3D unstructured CFD solver has been extended to deal with a mixture of thermally perfect gases in chemical non-equilibrium. The Euler equations have been coupled with a state-to-state kinetic model for argon plasma. The spatial discretization uses compact stencil Residual Distribution Schemes and shock waves can be modelled using either shock-capturing or shock-fitting. Promising results have been obtained using the shock-fitting approach for a 2D hypersonic flow past the fore-body of a circular cylinder

The impact of crustal rheology on natural seismicity: Campi Flegrei caldera case study

We analyze the crustal rheology beneath the active resurgent Campi Flegrei caldera (CFc) in Southern Italy by modelling the 3D brittle-ductile (B/D) transition, based on available thermal, geological and geophysical data. Firstly, the thermal field in the conductive physical regime is modeled using a finite element method; based on an optimization tool, this method is applied to evaluate the location and dimensions of the deep thermal source beneath the caldera. A horizontally-extended thermal anomaly located at about 5000 m depth below sea level is identified beneath Pozzuoli Bay, a part of the CFc. The same isotherm is located at a depth of 20,000 m beyond the caldera. This indicates a higher horizontal temperature gradient in the caldera with respect to the surrounding area. Next, we utilize this thermal model to image the 3D rheological stratification of the shallow crust below the caldera with two different values of strain rates. Within the caldera, the B/D transitions with 3equal to 1012 s 1 and 108 s 1 are located at 3000 m and 5000 m depths, respectively. Outside the caldera, the transition is very deep (15,000e20,000 m), seemingly uninfluenced by the thermal state of the CFc volcanism. Finally, we compare these results with the spatial distribution of earthquake hypocenters, Benioff strain release and b-value distribution to investigate the relationship between crustal rheology and seismicity characteristics. Our analysis reveals that the image of the B/D transition is in agreement with the distribution of earthquake hypocenters, constraining the potential seismogenic volume of the region. Our study demonstrates that knowledge of the rheological state of a volcanic system is an important element to interpret its dynamic, forecast future activity and improve evaluation of the associated seismic hazard. 2018, China University of Geosciences (Beijing) and Peking University. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Levels and congeners distribution of dioxins, furans and dioxin-like PCBs in buffaloes adipose tissues sampled in vivo and milk

The levels of PCDDs, PCDFs and DL-PCBs were analyzed both in milk and adipose tissues sampled "in vivo" from lactating, drying off and heifer buffaloes from a Campania farm which had been impounded by the competent authority owing to the high dioxin levels found in bulk milk. The chemical determination was carried out by HRGC-HRMS using US EPA Method 1613b. The range of WHO-TEQ values for the PCDDs/PCDFs in adipose tissues was 1.79 to 68.64 pg g−1 fat and in milk was 8.33 to 13.95 pg g−1 fat. The contamination profile for dioxins and furans was given by 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD; 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF; 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD and 2,3,7,8-TCDD. The levels of DL-PCBs in adipose tissue varied from 1.38 to 20.13 pg g−1 fat while ranged from 8.33 to 13.95 pg g−1 fat in milk. The pattern of DL-PCBs in both matrices was dominated by congeners PCB 126 and PCB 169

Ground deformation and source geometry of the 30 October 2016 Mw 6.5 Norcia earthquake (Central Italy) investigated through seismological data, DInSAR measurements, and numerical modelling

We investigate the Mw 6.5 Norcia (Central Italy) earthquake by exploiting seismological data, DInSAR measurements, and a numerical modelling approach. In particular, we first retrieve the vertical component (uplift and subsidence) of the displacements affecting the hangingwall and the footwall blocks of the seismogenic faults identified, at depth, through the hypocenters distribution analysis. To do this, we combine the DInSAR measurements obtained from coseismic SAR data pairs collected by the ALOS-2 sensor from ascending and descending orbits. The achieved vertical deformation map displays three main deformation patterns: (i) a major subsidence that reaches the maximum value of about 98 cm near the epicentral zones nearby the town of Norcia; (ii) two smaller uplift lobes that affect both the hangingwall (reaching maximum values of about 14 cm) and the footwall blocks (reaching maximum values of about 10 cm). Starting from this evidence, we compute the rock volumes affected by uplift and subsidence phenomena, highlighting that those involved by the retrieved subsidence are characterized by significantly higher deformation values than those affected by uplift (about 14 times). In order to provide a possible interpretation of this volumetric asymmetry, we extend our analysis by applying a 2D numerical modelling approach based on the finite element method, implemented in a structural-mechanic framework, and exploiting the available geological and seismological data, and the ground deformation measurements retrieved from the multi-orbit ALOS-2 DInSAR analysis. In this case, we consider two different scenarios: the first one based on a single SW-dipping fault, the latter on a main SW-dipping fault and an antithetic zone. In this context, the model characterized by the occurrence of an antithetic zone presents the retrieved best fit coseismic surface deformation pattern. This result allows us to interpret the subsidence and uplift phenomena caused by the Mw 6.5 Norcia earthquake as the result of the gravitational sliding of the hangingwall along the main fault plane and the frictional force acting in the opposite direction, consistently with the double couple fault plane mechanism

Envy, Social Comparison, and Depression on Social Networking Sites: A Systematic Review

This study aims to review the evidence for the reciprocal relationship between envy and social comparison (SC) on social networking sites (SNSs) and depression. We searched PsychINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science from January 2012 to November 2022, adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. A total of 9 articles met our inclusion criteria. In all articles reviewed, a simple correlation was found between SC on SNSs, envy, and depression. Three cross-sectional studies successfully tested a model with envy as a mediator between SNSs and depression. The moderating role of additional variables such as self-efficacy, neuroticism, SC orientation, marital quality, and friendship type was also evident. The only two studies that were suitable to determine direction found that depression acted as a predictor rather than an outcome of SC and envy, and therefore depression might be a relevant risk factor for the negative emotional consequences of SNSs use

NUAK2 is a critical YAP target in liver cancer

Hippo-YAP pathway plays an important role in cancers; however the in vivo relevance of YAP/TAZ target genes is unclear. Here, the authors show that NUAK2 is a target of YAP and participates in a feedback loop to maximize YAP activity. Inhibition of NUAK2 suppresses YAP-driven hepatomegaly and liver cancer growth, offering a new target for cancer therapy

[Prevalence of acid burns among asylum seekers hosted in an initial reception centre as an example of health assessment in a fragile population]

OBJECTIVES: to evaluate the prevalence of acid burns among asylum seekers hosted in an initial reception centre and to evaluate if the prevalence is reduced after the introduction of the European Union (EU) regulation No. 29 (14th September 2016) that indirectly reduced the permanence time of the subjects on board of boats. DESIGN: cross-sectional study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: 10,627 asylum seekers hosted in the centre for initial reception of Piedmont and Valle d\u2019Aosta Regions (Northern Italy) between June 2016 and May 2017. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: frequencies of health problems and prevalence of second and third grade acid burns identified on arrival. RESULTS: among the asylum seekers coming to the centre, about 25% suffered at least from a mild disease, mainly cutaneous, respiratory, or digestive; 69 acid burns were identified (prevalence: 6.7\u2030, 95%CI 5.2-8.3), mainly located in the lower limbs and in the glutes. Median time between disembarkation and treatment is 2 days. Prevalence is significantly higher in women compared to men and a not-significant 20% reduction was observed comparing the situation before and after the introduction of the EU regulation No. 29. CONCLUSION: an assessment of the health status of asylum seekers that takes into account more than the identification of the rare life-threatening or infective diseases allows to take prompt action and to invest economical resources in the fields where they are more useful. This would facilitate a good health care for asylum seekers, that is the basis of an efficient functioning of services for integration