Craftmanship and Digitalization in the Italian Knitwear Industry. A Paradigm Shift for the Narrative of Made in Italy

Knitwear is a consolidated industry in Italy and, at the same time, a typical expression of the Made in Italy paradigm linked to the ideas of craftsmanship. While, on the one hand, knitwear is associated with the idea of craft and manufacturing traditions, on the other hand, it is nowadays produced by numerical control machines (CNC) where the technological contribution and the level of automation are very relevant. The convergence of physical and digital environments, at the heart of the Fashion Industry 4.0 debate, is an established feature of knitwear design practice. In the contemporary industrial scenario, knitted items are produced on digitally programmed machines through sophisticated software, and the manual contribution of the individual operator during the knitting phase is reduced to a minimum. In the light of these premises, this contribution questions the opportunity and value of the integration of digital technologies in the storytelling of traditional manufacturing without losing the power to evoke Made in Italy’s values such as quality, aesthetic refinement, and exclusivity. To analyze these issues, the authors report the case study of SMT – Società Manifattura Tessile, a leading knitting company where the technological presence equals that of traditional manufacturing craftmanship, keeping both elements at balance. The case study suggests the importance of the contemporary knitting craftsman to increasingly develop communication skills to make the relationship between technology andmanufacturing explicit and possibly smoothly blend it with the Made in Italy archetypes

Consumer Liking and Value Perception of Mountain Cheese from Different Pasture Periods: Evidence for Mountain Systems Supporting Policies

Every year, mountain pastures show a progressive impoverishment of forage. The loss in grassland feed value restricts the production period of local Pecorino cheeses, which strongly depend on the vegetative cycle of the pasture linked to climatic conditions. The Monte Fietone mountain area (Macerata, Italy) has emblematic pasture flora during spring and early summer. This unique environment is normally used for rearing sheep, allowing regular production of local Pecorino cheeses from their milk, which is rich in vitamins and intrinsic floral aromas. Biologists and agronomists are giving increasing importance to these mountain food products. We conducted sensorial tests and experimental auctions to investigate recognition of the quality of this rare artisanal product. The results indicate considerable potential for economic differentiation. Accordingly, we recommend useful and applicable marketing and policy actions to support the sustainability of mountain grazing systems

Short communication: Effects of summer rainfall variations on sheep body state and farming sustainability in sub-Mediterranean pastoral systems

In sub-Mediterranean climate the grassland aboveground phytomass production peaks in late spring and drops in summer, when the decrease of the pasture feed value may lead to the worsening of the animal welfare. Our goal was to define the summer rainfall values leading to a decrease of semi-extensive farming system sustainability in sub-Mediterranean regions. Summer rainfall variations reflect in the aboveground phytomass production and on the sheep body state. Differences of body condition score (BCS) among years were significant in late summer, which is the mating period for sheep. In the driest year the BCS of end August drops down to 2.1, largely below the value considered sufficient to ensure the animal breeding/milking performances (2.5). Reduction of summer rainfall greater than 15–20% compared to the normal average value (thus less than expected by the scenario of climate change) might be detrimental for semi-extensive rearing sustainability in sub-Mediterranean climate

Immunohistochemistry detected and localized cannabinoid receptor type 2 in bovine fetal pancreas at late gestation

At present, data on the endocannabinoid system expression and distribution in the pancreatic gland appear scarce and controversial as descriptions are limited to humans and laboratory animals. Since the bovine pancreas is very similar to the human in endocrine portion development and control, studies on the fetal gland could prove to be very interesting, as an abnormal maternal condition during late pregnancy may be a predisposing trigger for adult metabolic disorders. The present investigation studied cannabinoid receptor type 2 presence and distribution in the bovine fetal pancreas towards the end of gestation. Histological analyses revealed numerous endocrinal cell clusters or islets which were distributed among exocrine adenomeri in connectival tissue. Immunohistochemistry showed that endocrine-islets contained some CB2-positive cells with a very peculiar localization that is a few primarily localized at the edges of islets and some of them also scattered in the center of the cluster. Characteristically, also the epithelium of the excretory ducts and the smooth muscle layers of the smaller arteries, in the interlobular glandular septa, tested positive for the CB2 endocannabinoid receptor. Conse quently, the endocannabinoid system, via the cannabinoid receptor type 2, was hypothesized to play a major role in controlling pancreas function from normal fetal development to correct metabolic functioning in adulthood

The presence and localization of apelin in the sheep abomasum: impact of diets characterized by different chemical composition

The apelinergic system is a complex system including the apelin peptide (AP), initially isolated in 1998 from bovine stomach homogenates and its receptor, named APJ receptor. The apelin peptide is extensively expressed in several human and laboratory animal organs (heart, lung, brain, mammary gland). Between the different roles hypothesize for apelin there are also the control of blood pressure and the stimulation of drinking behavior in rats. Recently its expression was also evidenced in the basal glandular portion of the stomach in laboratory animals, allowing to hypothesize its intervention in the control of acid secretion. No data concerning its presence and distribution in the abomasums of the sheep are present at the moment. So, we decided to test the presence and distribution of apelin in the abomasums of the sheep and the possible existence of a variability as a consequence of the different water content of the diet.The experiment was conducted using 50 sheep fed on Apennine semi-natural pasture for two experimental periods: in the first period the animals were fed for 45 days on the pasture at the maximum of its flowering; in the second one the animals were fed on the same pasture until its maximum dryness but the half of them daily received adiet integration of cereals. At the end of each experimental period, some animals were regularly slaughtered at the local abattoir, the abomasum specimens were immediately removed and some of them processed for routine tissue-embedding preparation while other for molecular biology. The immunohistochemical reaction was visualized on 5 µm serial sections, using a primary rabbit polyclonal antibody (anti-AP), the avidin-biotin-complex and the DAB as the chromogen. The immunohistochemical study showed a peculiar immunoreaction for AP in the abomasum of the animals examined. In particular, a immunopositive reaction for AP was evident in the cells of the basal third of the tubular glands and they were mainly of the closed type, with an oval or round shape and contained many perinuclear granules. The immunopositive reactions didn’t evidence any difference both in the localization and in the number of the positive cells, between the different groups. Immuno-positivity for AP was not observed in any other histological structure or in the sections utilized as negative controls.These results allow us to conclude that AP is present in the glandular tissue of the abomasums of the sheep, as observed in laboratory animals, with a peculiar cytoplasmatic localization and to hypothesize that AP is involved in the control of gastric secretion, probably via APJ receptor. The AP expression in the stomach doesn’t seem to be influenced by the water content of the diets with a positivity that appears to be localized in the same glandular portion between the different animal groups

Increased C-reactive protein concentration and suicidal behavior in people with psychiatric disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide. Identifying factors associated with suicidality (suicidal ideation [SI]/suicidal behavior) could increase our understanding of the pathophysiological underpinnings of suicide and improve its prevention. Methods: We conducted a systematic review (PubMed/PsycInfo/Cochrane databases, up to September 2020) and random-effect meta-analysis including observational studies comparing peripheral C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in suicidal versus non-suicidal patients affected by any psychiatric disorder and healthy controls (HC). Primary outcome was the CRP standardized mean difference (SMD) between patients with high suicidality versus those with absent or low suicidality. Secondary outcomes were SMD of CRP levels between those with suicide attempt versus no suicide attempt, as well as between those with (high) versus low or absent SI. Quality of included studies was measured with Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Results: Out of initial 550 references, 21 observational studies involving 7682 subjects (7445 with mood disorders or first-episode psychosis, 237 HC) were included. A significant association of CRP levels with suicidality (SMD 0.688, 95% CI 0.476–0.9, p < 0.001) emerged. CRP levels were higher in individuals with high SI (SMD 1.145, 95% CI 0.273–2.018, p = 0.010) and in those with suicide attempt (SMD 0.549, 95%CI 0.363–0.735, p < 0.001) than non-suicidal individuals (either patients or HC). Main analyses were confirmed in sensitivity analysis (removing HC), and after adjusting for publication bias. The cross-sectional design of included studies, and the high heterogeneity of diagnosis and treatment limit the generalizability of these results. Median quality of included studies was high. Conclusion: CRP is associated with higher suicidality in patients with mental disorders. Large cohort studies longitudinally monitoring CRP levels are needed to explore its longitudinal association with suicidality

A Morphological and Ultrastructural Study of the Anterior Digestive Tract of Adult Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

Among the most-used fish species in aquaculture is the Nile tilapia, due to its rapid growth rate and its adaptation to a wide range of farming conditions. A careful description of the morphology of the digestive tract, particularly the esophagus and stomach, allows a better understanding of the relationship between structure and function. Combining scanning and light microscopy we highlighted the presence of five different zones in the stomach (1: esophagus-gastric lumen passage; 2: descending glandular portion; 3: fundic portion; 4: ascending glandular portion; 5: gastric-pyloric transition portion). Histochemical investigation showed a secretion of carboxylates mucopolysaccharides along the esophagus and sulphated complex carbohydrates in the stomach. These results suggest that mucins play a protective role of the epithelial lining, which is essential for a correct digestive process. Finally, the characterization of the main cellular structures may be inspiring for more advanced studies aiming to decipher the role of specific molecules, such as neuropeptides, involved in the physiological digestive process