Advanced techniques for solving groundwater and surface water problems in the context of inverse methods and climate change.

[ES] El tema de la investigación se centra en técnicas avanzadas para manejar problemas de aguas subterráneas y superficiales relacionados con métodos inversos y cambio climático. Los filtros de Kalman, con especial atención en Ensemble Smoother with Multiple Data Assimilation (ES-MDA), se analizan y mejoran para la solución de diferentes tipos de problemas inversos. En particular, la principal novedad es la aplicación de estos métodos para la identificación de series temporales. La primera parte de la tesis, luego de la descripción del método, presenta el desarrollo de un software escrito en Python para la aplicación de la metodología propuesta. El software cuenta con un flujo de trabajo flexible que puede adaptarse fácilmente para implementar diferentes variantes del filtro de Kalman y ser aplicado para la solución de varios tipos de problemas. Un paquete de herramientas proporciona varias funcionalidades que permiten de configurar el algoritmo de acuerdo con el problema específico analizado. La primera aplicación se refiere a la solución del problema inverso de flujo en ríos. Este es un procedimiento inverso destinado a estimar el flujo de entrada a un sistema hidráulico en función de información recopilada abajo. El procedimiento se prueba mediante dos ejemplos sintéticos y un estudio de caso real; se investiga el impacto de los tamaños de los conjuntos y la aplicación de técnicas de localización e inflación de covarianzas. Los resultados muestran la capacidad del método propuesto de resolver este tipo de problemas; el rendimiento de ES-MDA mejora, especialmente para tamaños de conjuntos pequeños, cuando se aplican técnicas de inflación y localización de covarianza. La segunda aplicación en el campo de las aguas superficiales se refiere a la calibración de un modelo hidrológico-hidráulico que simula los mecanismos de formación de eventos de inundación. ES-MDA se acopla al modelo numérico de forma paralela para la estimación de los coeficientes de rugosidad e infiltración en base al conocimiento de un hidrograma de flujo en una sección del dominio. Los resultados de dos casos sintéticos y un estudio de caso real demuestran la capacidad del método propuesto para calibrar el modelo hidrológico-hidráulico con un tiempo computacional razonable. En el campo de aguas subterráneas, ES-MDA se aplica por primera vez para identificar simultáneamente la ubicación de la fuente y el historial de liberación de un contaminante en un acuífero a partir de datos de concentración detectados en diferentes puntos del dominio. Se realizaron numerosas pruebas para evaluar la influencia de la distribución espacial y temporal de los datos de concentración, el número del conjunto y el uso de técnicas de localización e inflación; además, se presenta un nuevo procedimiento para realizar una localización iterativa espacio-temporal. La metodología se valida mediante un ejemplo analítico y un estudio de caso que utiliza datos obtenidos en el laboratorio mediante una caja de arena. ES-MDA conduce a una buena estimación de los parámetros investigados; una red de monitoreo bien diseñada y la aplicación de correcciones de covarianza mejoran el rendimiento del método y ayudan a mitigar el posible problema de no unicidad de la solución. Otro propósito de la tesis es investigar el efecto del cambio climático en las aguas subterráneas. Se presenta un modelo simplificado que describe la respuesta de los niveles de agua subterránea a las variables meteorológicas hasta 2100. Es un enfoque estadístico sencillo basado en las correlaciones entre los niveles de agua subterránea y dos índices de sequía que dependen de los datos de precipitación y temperatura. El método se utiliza para evaluar el impacto del cambio climático en los recursos de agua subterránea en un área de estudio ubicada en el norte de Italia utilizando datos históricos y de modelos climáticos regionales. Los resultados m[CA] El tema de la investigació se centra en tècniques avançades per a manejar problemes d'aigües subterrànies i superficials relacionats amb mètodes inversos i canvi climàtic. Els filtres de Kalman, amb especial atenció en Ensemble Smoother with Multiple Data Assimilation (ES-MDA), s'analitzen i milloren per a la solució de diferents tipus de problemes inversos. En particular, la principal novetat és l'aplicació d'aquests mètodes per a la identificació de sèries temporals. La primera part de la tesi presenta el desenvolupament d'un programari escrit en Python per l'aplicació de la metodologia presentada. El programari compta amb un flux de treball flexible que pot adaptar-se fàcilment per a implementar diferents variants del filtre de Kalman i ser aplicat per a la solució de diversos tipus de problemes. Un paquet complementar d'eines proporciona diverses funcionalitats que permeten de configurar l'algorisme d'acord amb el problema específic analitzat. La primera aplicació es un nou enfocament per la solució del problema invers de flux en rius. Aquest és un procediment invers destinat a estimar el flux d'entrada a un sistema hidràulic en funció d'informació recopilada aigües avall. El procediment es prova mitjançant dos exemples sintètics i un estudi de cas real; s'investiga l'impacte de les grandàries dels conjunts i l'aplicació de tècniques de localització i inflació de covariàncies. Els resultats mostren la capacitat del mètode proposat de resoldre aquest tipus de problemes; el rendiment de ES-MDA millora, especialment per a grandàries de conjunts xicotets, quan s'apliquen tècniques d'inflació i localització de covariància. La segona aplicació en el camp de les aigües superficials es refereix al calibratge d'un model hidrològic-hidràulic que simula els mecanismes de formació d'esdeveniments d'inundació a partir de sollicitació hidrometeorológicas i la seua posterior propagació. ES-MDA s'acobla al model numèric de manera paral·lela per l'estimació dels coeficients de rugositat i infiltració sobre la base del coneixement d'un hidrograma de flux en una secció del domini. Els resultats de dos casos sintètics i un estudi de cas real demostren la capacitat del mètode proposat per calibrar el model hidrològic-hidràulic amb un temps computacional raonable. En el camp d'aigües subterrànies, ES-MDA s'aplica per primera vegada per identificar simultàniament la ubicació de la font i l'historial d'alliberament d'un contaminant en un aqüífer a partir d'un conjunt de dades de concentració detectats en diferents punts del domini. Es van realitzar nombroses proves per avaluar la influència de la distribució espacial i temporal de les dades de concentració, el número del conjunt i l'ús de tècniques de localització i inflació; a més, es presenta un nou procediment per realitzar una localització iterativa espaciotemporal. La metodologia es valguda mitjançant un exemple analític i un estudi de cas per al qual s'utilitzen dades obtingudes en el laboratori mitjançant una caixa d'arena. ES-MDA condueix a una bona reconstrucció dels paràmetres investigats; una xarxa de monitoratge ben dissenyada i l'aplicació de correccions de covariància milloren el rendiment del mètode i ajuden a mitigar el possible problema de no unicitat de la solució. Un altre propòsit de la tesi és investigar l'efecte del canvi climàtic en les aigües subterrànies. Es presenta un model simplificat que descriu la resposta dels nivells d'aigua subterrània a les variables meteorològiques fins a 2100. És un enfocament estadístic senzill basat en les correlacions entre els nivells d'aigua subterrània i dos índexs de sequera que depenen de les dades de precipitació i temperatura. El mètode s'utilitza per a avaluar l'impacte del canvi climàtic en els recursos d'aigua subterrània en una àrea d'estudi situada en el nord d'Itàlia utilitzant dades històriques i de models climàtics regionals.[EN] This work focuses on the investigation of advanced techniques to handle groundwater and surface water problems in the framework of inverse methods and climate change. The Ensemble Kalman filter methods, with particular attention to the Ensemble Smoother with Multiple Data Assimilation (ES-MDA), are extensively analyzed and improved for the solution of different types of inverse problems. In particular, the main novelty is the application of these methods for the identification of time series function. In the first part of the thesis, after the description of the ES-MDA method, the development of a Python software package for the application of the proposed methodology is presented. It is designed with a flexible workflow that can be easily adapted to implement different variants of the Ensemble Kalman filter and to be applied for the solution of various types of inverse problems. A complemented tool package provides several functionalities that allow to setup the algorithm configuration suiting the specific analyzed problem. The first novelty application of the ES-MDA method aimed at solving the reverse flow routing problem. The objective of the inverse procedure is the estimation of an unknown inflow hydrograph to a hydraulic system on the basis of information collected downstream and a given forward routing model that relates inflow hydrograph and downstream observations. The procedure is tested by means of two synthetic examples and a real case study; the impact of ensemble sizes and the application of covariance localization and inflation techniques are also investigated. The tests show the capability of the proposed method to solve this type of problem; the performance of ES-MDA improves, especially for small ensemble sizes, when covariance localization and inflation techniques are applied. The second application, in the context of surface water, concerns the calibration of a hydrological-hydraulic model that simulates rainfall-runoff processes. The ES-MDA is coupled with the numerical model by parallel way for the estimation of roughness and infiltration coefficients based on the knowledge of a discharge hydrograph at the basin outlet. The results of two synthetic tests and a real case study demonstrate the capability of the proposed method to calibrate the hydrological-hydraulic model with a reasonable computational time. In the groundwater field, ES-MDA is applied for the first time to simultaneously identify the source location and the release history of a contaminant spill in an aquifer from a sparse set of concentration data collected in few points of the aquifer. The impacts of the concentration sampling scheme, the ensemble size and the use of covariance localization and covariance inflation techniques are tested; furthermore, a new procedure to perform a spatiotemporal iterative localization is presented. The methodology is tested by means of an analytical example and a study case that uses real data collected in a laboratory sandbox. ES-MDA leads to a good estimation of the investigated parameters; a well-designed monitoring network and the use of covariance corrections improve the performance of the method and help to minimize ill-posedness and equifinality. A part of the thesis investigates the impact of climate change on the groundwater availability. A surrogate model that describes the response of groundwater levels to meteorological variables up to 2100 is presented. It is a simple statistical approach based on the correlations between groundwater levels and two drought indices that depend on precipitation and temperature data. The presented method is used to evaluate the impact of climate change on groundwater resources in a study area located in Northern Italy using historical and regional climate model data. The results denote a progressive increase of groundwater droughts in the investigated area.Todaro, V. (2021). Advanced techniques for solving groundwater and surface water problems in the context of inverse methods and climate change [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/166439TESI

Climate Change over the Mediterranean Region: Local Temperature and Precipitation Variations at Five Pilot Sites

[EN] The Mediterranean region is one of the most responsive areas to climate change and was identified as a major "hot-spot" based on global climate change analyses. This study provides insight into local climate changes in the Mediterranean region under the scope of the InTheMED project, which is part of the PRIMA programme. Precipitation and temperature were analyzed in an historical period and until the end of this century for five pilot sites, located between the two shores of the Mediterranean region. We used an ensemble of 17 Regional Climate Models, developed in the framework of the EURO-CORDEX initiative, under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). Over the historical period, the temperature presents upward trends, which are statistically significant for some sites, while precipitation does not show significant tendencies. These trends will be maintained in the future as predicted by the climate models projections: all models indicate a progressive and robust warming in all study areas and moderate change in total annual precipitation, but some seasonal variations are identified. Future changes in droughts events over the Mediterranean region were studied considering the maximum duration of the heat waves, their peak temperature, and the number of consecutive dry days. All pilot sites are expected to increase the maximum duration of heat waves and their peak temperature. Furthermore, the maximum number of consecutive dry days is expected to increase for most of the study areas.This paper is supported by the PRIMA programme under grant agreement No. 1923, project Innovative and Sustainable Groundwater Management in the Mediterranean (InTheMED). The PRIMA programme is supported by the European Union.Todaro, V.; D'oria, M.; Secci, D.; Zanini, A.; Tanda, MG. (2022). Climate Change over the Mediterranean Region: Local Temperature and Precipitation Variations at Five Pilot Sites. Water. 14(16). https://doi.org/10.3390/w14162499141

Improvement of the Anticancer Activities of Telmisartan by Zn(II) Complexation and Mechanisms of Action

To improve the anticancer activity of telmisartan, its structure has been modified by Zn(II) complexation giving [Zn(Telm)2(H2O)2]·2H2O (ZnTelm). The cytotoxic effect was measured on the human lung cancer cells (A549) and on the lung fibroblast cells (MRC-5). The complex markedly improved anticancer activity (IC50 75 μM) of telmisartan (IC50 125 μM) or ZnSO4 (IC50 225 μM) and did not show toxicity on non-cancer cells, inducing oxidative stress with cellular ROS generation and GSH/GSSG decrease. Apoptosis was the dominant form of cell death for the complex. The Bax/Bcl-XL ratio was significantly increased aswell as caspase-3 activation. Both the complex and the ligand bind to bovine serumalbumin (BSA) and can be stored and transported by the protein but the interaction with the complex is greater. Telmisartan binds BSA by hydrophobic interactions while the interaction of ZnTelm occurs through van derWaals forces and hydrogen bonding. Therefore, it can be shown that the coordination complex ZnTelm improved the anticancer activity of the antihypertensive drug telmisartan (IC50 75 μM and 125 μM, respectively) and the interaction with BSA.Fil: Martínez, Valeria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Química Inorgánica "Dr. Pedro J. Aymonino". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Química Inorgánica "Dr. Pedro J. Aymonino"; ArgentinaFil: María V. Aguirre. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste; ArgentinaFil: Todaro, Juan Santiago. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste; ArgentinaFil: Ferrer, Evelina Gloria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Química Inorgánica "Dr. Pedro J. Aymonino". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Química Inorgánica "Dr. Pedro J. Aymonino"; ArgentinaFil: Williams, Patricia Ana María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Química Inorgánica "Dr. Pedro J. Aymonino". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Química Inorgánica "Dr. Pedro J. Aymonino"; Argentin

In-depth investigation of the safety of wooden shelves used for traditional cheese ripening

9openInternationalItalian coauthor/editorThe main goal of this research was to characterize the bacterial diversity of the wooden boards used for aging traditional Sicilian cheeses and to evaluate whether pathogenic bacteria are associated with these surfaces. Eighteen cheese dairy factories producing three traditional cheese typologies (PDO Pecorino Siciliano, PDO Piacentinu Ennese, and Caciocavallo Palermitano) were selected within the region of Sicily. The wooden shelf surfaces were sampled by a destructive method to detach wood splinters as well as by a nondestructive brushing to collect microbial cells. Scanning electron microscopy showed the presence of almost continuous bacterial formations on the majority of the shelves analyzed. Yeasts and fungal hyphae were also visualized, indicating the complexity of the plank communities. The amplicon library of the 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 region was paired-end sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq system, allowing the identification of 14 phyla, 32 classes, 52 orders, 93 families, and 137 genera. Staphylococcus equorum was identified from all wooden surfaces, with a maximum abundance of 64.75%. Among cheese-surface-ripening bacteria, Brevibacterium and Corynebacterium were detected in almost all samples. Several halophilic (Halomonas, Tetragenococcus halophilus, Chromohalobacter, Salimicrobium, Marinococcus, Salegentibacter, Haererehalobacter, Marinobacter, and Idiomarinaceae) and moderately halophilic (Salinicoccus, Psychrobacter, and Salinisphaera) bacteria were frequently identified. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were present at low percentages in the genera Leuconostoc, Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, and Streptococcus. The levels of viable microorganisms on the wooden shelves ranged between 2.4 and 7.8 log CFU/cm2. In some cases, LAB were counted at very high levels (8.2 log CFU/cm2). Members of the Enterobacteriaceae family were detected in a viable state for only six samples. Coagulase-positive staphylococci, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes were not detected. Seventy-five strains belonged to the genera Leuconostoc, Lactococcus, Pediococcus, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, and Weissella.openSettanni, Luca; Busetta, Gabriele; Puccio, Valeria; Licitra, Giuseppe; Franciosi, Elena; Botta, Luigi; Di Gerlando, Rosalia; Todaro, Massimo; Gaglio, RaimondoSettanni, L.; Busetta, G.; Puccio, V.; Licitra, G.; Franciosi, E.; Botta, L.; Di Gerlando, R.; Todaro, M.; Gaglio, R

Local climate change assessment at five pilot sites in the Mediterranean region

The objective of this study is to provide an overview of local climate change over the Mediterranean (MED) area under the scope of the InTheMED project, EU funded in the framework of the PRIMA programme. Future precipitation and temperature projections are assessed until the end of this century for five different pilot sites, located in the MED region. To this end, the outputs of 17 Regional Climate Models under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios are used. For each pilot site, the raw climate model data were downscaled at each monitoring station location and bias-corrected on the basis of observations recorded in a 30-year historical period. The changes in the annual precipitation are heterogeneous across the five pilot sites: a negligible variation is expected for some areas and a decrease of up to 30% for others. On the contrary, a significant increase in temperature is expected for all sites, confirming the ongoing warming in the MED region

The Quality of Five Natural, Historical Italian Cheeses Produced in Different Months: Gross Composition, Fat-Soluble Vitamins, Fatty Acids, Total Phenols, Antioxidant Capacity, and Health Index

Five natural historic cheeses of Southern Italy were investigated-Caciocavallo Palermitano (CP), Casizolu del Montiferru (CdM), Vastedda della Valle del Belìce (VVB), Pecorino Siciliano (PS), and Caprino Nicastrese (CN)-which are produced with raw milk and with traditional techniques and tools, from autochthonous breeds reared under an extensive system. The effects of the month of production on gross composition, MUFA, PUFA, PUFA-ω6, PUFA-ω3, α-tocopherol, retinol, cholesterol, TPC, TEAC, and GHIC were evaluated. In CP, CLA, TPC, and GHIC were higher in April than in February. CdM showed higher values in terms of fat, saturated fatty acids, PUFA-ω3, α-tocopherol, TEAC, and GHIC in May than in February and September, while low values in terms of protein, moisture, and CLA were found. In VVB, MUFA, PUFA-ω6, and α-tocopherol increased in June compared with April; conversely, protein, FRAP, and TEAC were higher in April. In PS, protein, CLA, PUFA, PUFA-ω3, α-tocopherol, and GHIC increased in May compared with January; on the contrary, moisture, NaCl, and TEAC showed high values in January. CN showed higher values in terms of PUFA, PUFA-ω6, PUFA-ω3, TPC, TEAC, and GHIC in April and June compared with January. It is shown that each cheese is unique and closely linked to the production area. Cheeses produced in the spring months showed a high nutritional quality due to the greatest presence of healthy compounds originating from an extensive feeding system

SP346NEW MARKERS OF VASCULAR AND CARDIAC DYSFUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE (CKD)

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Interaction of Zn with Losartan : Activation of Intrinsic Apoptotic Signaling Pathway in Lung Cancer Cells and Effects on Alkaline and Acid Phosphatases

A new losartan [2-butyl-5-chloro-3-[[4-[2-(2H-tetrazol-5-yl)phenyl]phenyl]methyl]imidazol-4-yl]methanol zinc(II) complex [Zn(Los)Cl], was synthesized and characterized. The crystal structure was determined by x-ray diffraction methods. When aqueous solutions of the ligand and the metal were mixed, the known and more soluble powder [Zn(Los)₂].3H₂O (ZnLos) complex has been obtained. The interactions with phosphatases showed a concerted mechanism displayed by the Zn ions and ZnLos up to 500 μM concentration: a decrease of the acid phosphatase (AcP) associated with an increase in the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities. The complex and ZnSO₄ showed a cytotoxic behavior on human lung A549 cancer cell line at concentrations higher than 75 μM with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and GSH (and GSH/GSSG ratio) depletion. Apoptotic cells were observed using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) method, a mechanism accompanied by upregulation of BAX protein, downregulation of Bcl-XL and release of caspase-3. The BAX/Bcl-XL ratio was found to be significantly higher in cells exposure to ZnLos than cells treated with ZnSO₄, in agreement with the higher apoptotic percentage of cells found for the complex. Cell death was found to be produced by apoptosis and no necrosis has been observed. On the contrary, losartan exerted low effects on phosphatases, produced some reduction of cancer cell viability (concentrations > 250 μM, number of apoptotic cells similar to the basal) with low ROS depletion, without alteration of the GSH/GSSG and low BAX/Bcl-XL ratios. In the MRC-5, normal lung fibroblasts cell line only ZnSO₄ at concentrations higher than 200 μM displays cytotoxic effects.Centro de Química InorgánicaInstituto de Física La Plat

Il mese di produzione influenza la qualit\ue0 di formaggi tipici?

Il settore lattiero-caseario mediterraneo rappresenta una delle pi\uf9 importanti attivit\ue0 legate al lavoro delle terre montane e marginali e alla produzione di prodotti tipici e di qualit\ue0. Un prodotto \u201ctipico\u201d \ue8 il risultato di diversi fattori strettamente legati all\u2019origine geografica e alle tradizioni sociali e culturali dell\u2019area di produzione. Tali prodotti sono da sempre uno strumento per valorizzare la biodiversit\ue0, la cultura e l\u2019economia di definite aree mediterranee. L\u2019Unione Europea riconosce ufficialmente questa diversificazione di prodotto attraverso l\u2019attribuzione di marchi di qualit\ue0 a denominazione di origine protetta (DOP) e a indicazione geografica protetta (IGP). Nella politica agroalimentare italiana \ue8 presente anche il marchio di prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale (TAP). Recentemente, 15 formaggi storici naturali del Sud Italia, identificati come la \u201cselezione AGER (Agroalimentare e ricerca)\u201d, hanno ricevuto attenzione nel progetto dal titolo \u201cCanestrum casei- Sviluppo di un modello sinergico finalizzato alla qualificazione e valorizzazione dei formaggi storici naturali del Sud Italia nelle regioni Sicilia, Sardegna, Calabria, Basilicata e Campania\u201c. Il progetto mira a qualificare e valorizzare questi formaggi storici e a ridare dignit\ue0 agli allevatori e ai produttori di questi formaggi, meno conosciuti dai consumatori e spesso a rischio di estinzione per oggettive difficolt\ue0 di qualificazione e valorizzazione sul mercato. In questo lavoro vengono studiati 5 dei 15 formaggi della selezione AGER. Il Caciocavallo Palermitano TAP (CP) \ue8 un formaggio a pasta dura, prodotto nella regione Sicilia in provincia di Palermo a 700-1000 m s.l.m. \ue8 un formaggio a pasta filata ottenuto dal latte bovino crudo delle razze Cinisara, Pezzata Rossa, Bruna e meticci, ed \ue8 ancora prodotto con tecniche tradizionali utilizzando tipici strumenti in legno. La Vastedda della Valle del Bel\uecce DOP (VVB), un formaggio a pasta molle e filata, prodotto nella zona collinare (300 m s.l.m.) della Sicilia occidentale. \uc8 prodotto con latte ovino crudo della razza ovina autoctona Valle del Bel\uecce. Questo formaggio viene prodotto utilizzando attrezzature tradizionali in legno e applicando la tecnologia della filatura, che gli conferisce unicit\ue0. Il Pecorino Siciliano DOP (PS) \ue8 un prodotto caseario a pasta dura proveniente dalla zona montana (700 m s.l.m.) della Sicilia centrale e dalla zona collinare (400 m s.l.m.) della Sicilia occidentale. Il Casizolu del Montiferru TAP(CdM) \ue8 un formaggio a pasta dura prodotto nella regione Sardegna nella zona montana (1050 m s.l.m.) del Montiferru e nella zona collinare (500 m s.l.m.) del Montiferru/Guilcer. Si tratta di un formaggio a pasta filata ottenuto da latte bovino crudo delle razze Sardo-Modicana e Bruno-Sarda, allevate in regime estensivo durante l\u2019anno, utilizzando tecniche tradizionali con attrezzature in rame e legno. Il Caprino Nicastrese (CN) \ue8 un formaggio a pasta semidura prodotto nella regione Calabria nelle zone collinari (300-600 m s.l.m.) e montane (601-1200 m s.l.m.) circostanti Nicastro-Lamezia Terme, in provincia di Catanzaro. Si ottiene dal latte crudo della razza caprina autoctona Nicastrese, utilizzando una tecnica tradizionale con attrezzature in legno e acciaio. Questi cinque formaggi sono prodotti in aree ristrette, condizioni pedoclimatiche e attivit\ue0 antropiche (definite come uniche e non riproducibili altrove) che, cos\uec come il territorio e le abitudini, sono conformi alla storia e alla tradizione. Uno degli obiettivi specifici del progetto \u201cCanestrum Casei\u201d \ue8 stato quello di realizzare un\u2019indagine conoscitiva sulla qualit\ue0 di questi formaggi per adempiere alla caratterizzazione della selezione dei formaggi AGER uniformando le informazioni di maggior interesse per i consumatori rispetto alle specificit\ue0 produttive regionali. In particolare, nel presente lavoro, \ue8 stata valutata l\u2019influenza del periodo di produzione sulla composizione chimica, le caratteristiche nutrizionali, il contenuto di polifenoli, la capacit\ue0 antiossidante totale e l\u2019indice di salute dei cinque formaggi tradizionali citati. Pertanto i cinque foraggi tipici del meridione italiano, sopra descritti, sono stati studiati per valutare gli effetti del mese di produzione sulla composizione lorda, MUFA, PUFA, PUFA-\u3c96, PUFA-\u3c93, \u3b1-tocoferolo, retinolo, colesterolo, TPC, TEAC e GHIC. In CP, CLA, TPC e GHIC erano pi\uf9 alti in aprile che in febbraio. Il CdM ha mostrato valori pi\uf9 alti in termini di grassi, acidi grassi saturi, PUFA-\u3c93, \u3b1-tocoferolo, TEAC e GHIC in maggio rispetto a febbraio e settembre, mentre sono stati trovati valori bassi in termini di proteine, umidit\ue0 e CLA. In VVB, MUFA, PUFA-\u3c96, e \u3b1-tocoferolo sono aumentati in giugno rispetto ad aprile; al contrario, proteine, FRAP, e TEAC erano pi\uf9 alti in aprile. In PS, proteine, CLA, PUFA, PUFA-\u3c93, \u3b1-tocoferolo e GHIC sono aumentati in maggio rispetto a gennaio; al contrario, umidit\ue0, NaCl e TEAC hanno mostrato valori elevati in gennaio. CN ha mostrato valori pi\uf9 alti in termini di PUFA, PUFA-\u3c96, PUFA-\u3c93, TPC, TEAC e GHIC in aprile e giugno rispetto a gennaio. \uc8 dimostrato che ogni formaggio \ue8 unico e strettamente legato alla zona di produzione. I formaggi prodotti nei mesi primaverili hanno mostrato un\u2019alta qualit\ue0 nutrizionale dovuta alla maggiore presenza di composti salutari provenienti da un sistema di alimentazione estensiva. I risultati ottenuti da questo studio hanno mostrato che le caratteristiche nutrizionali dei formaggi tradizionali valutati, cio\ue8 il contenuto di acidi grassi, il contenuto di vitamine liposolubili e polifenoli, la capacit\ue0 antiossidante totale e l\u2019indice di salute, erano influenzati dal mese di produzione. In generale, la pi\uf9 alta qualit\ue0 nutrizionale era legata alla maggiore presenza di composti salutari, che provenivano dal pascolo nei mesi primaverili di produzione del formaggio. Ogni formaggio \ue8 unico e strettamente legato alla zona di produzione, anche se un\u2019alta variabilit\ue0, dovuta a numerosi fattori \u2013 tra cui specie, razza, alimentazione, tipo di suolo, posizione geografica, clima e tecnologia di produzione \u2013 caratterizza i parametri analizzati in ogni formaggio