Energy and Environmental Monitoring of a School Building Deep Energy Renovation in Italy

Abstract The Tito M. Plauto school in Cesena is the Italian case study in the FP7 School of the Future project. Objective was the energy renovation of school buildings with high energy and indoor environment targets, to be demonstrated by monitoring before and after the retrofit. Measures involved envelope components and energy systems, including renewable. The energy monitoring started in January 2014 and included thermal and electricity uses; as well the electricity produced by the PV plant. Data were compared to those registered for the 2008-2010 period. The environmental quality was addressed by thermal comfort and CO 2 concentration instrumental monitoring

Toward chemically resolved computer simulations of dynamics and remodeling of biological membranes

Cellular membranes are fundamental constituents of living organisms. Apart from defining the boundaries of the cells, they are involved in a wide range of biological functions, associated with both their structural and the dynamical properties. Biomembranes can undergo large-scale transformations when subject to specific environmental changes, including gel–liquid phase transitions, change of aggregation structure, formation of microtubules, or rupture into vesicles. All of these processes are dependent on a delicate interplay between intermolecular forces, molecular crowding, and entropy, and their understanding requires approaches that are able to capture and rationalize the details of all of the involved interactions. Molecular dynamics-based computational models at atom-level resolution are, in principle, the best way to perform such investigations. Unfortunately, the relevant spatial and time dimensionalities involved in membrane remodeling phenomena would require computational costs that are today unaffordable on a routinely basis. Such hurdles can be removed by coarse-graining the representations of the individual molecular components of the systems. This procedure anyway reduces the possibility of describing the chemical variations in the lipid mixtures composing biological membranes. New hybrid particle field multiscale approaches offer today a promising alternative to the more traditional particle-based simulations methods. By combining chemically distinguishable molecular representations with mesoscale-based computationally affordable potentials, they appear as one of the most promising ways to keep an accurate description of the chemical complexity of biological membranes and, at the same time, cover the required scales to describe remodeling events

DEVELOPMENT OF AN ELECTROCHEMICAL SENSOR BASED ON SCREEN-PRINTED ELECTRODES FOR OCHRATOXIN A IN PORK MEAT SAMPLES

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a nephrotoxic, immunosuppressive and teratogenic mycotoxin produced by As- pergillus and Penicillium spp. fungi during food storage. OTA can be detected in cereal products, coffee, wine, beer, cheese and in poultry and pork meat. Many detection techniques, such as liquid chromatography coupled with immunoaffinity column or solid phase extraction cleanup, have been used for OTA determina- tion in different samples (1). In recent years electrochemical techniques have been used for the rapid and accurate detection of OTA (2). The aim of the present study was to develop a new analytical method for OTA quantitative detection in pork meat based on electrochemical sensing, using graphite-based screen-printed electrodes and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) as detection technique. Experiments were performed with an electrochemical transducer Palmsens, monitored with a personal computer using PSTrace software (Palm Instrument BV, Houten, The Netherlands) for data acquisition and subsequent analysis. The electrochemical assays were performed with miniaturized disposable graphite based screen-printed electrodes (EcoBioServices & Researches s.r.l., Florence, Italy). The effect of pH (range 2-7) and of ionic strength (KCl concentration range 10-200 mM) of the supporting electrolyte solution (acetate buffer) on the DPV peak current and potentials was investigated to optimize the DPV method. The effect of the DPV parameters on OTA oxidation peak was studied. Potential pulse amplitude (Epulse) was evaluated in the range of 10-100 mV. Step height was evaluated in the range of 2-10 mV. The influence of the scan rate was examined in the range of 0.005-0.1V/s. Standard addition method was applied for quantitative analysis. The method was applied for OTA determination in spiked pork meat samples. Results were compared with those provided by a reference HPLC method. The OTA peak current increased with increasing acetate buffer pH (from 2.0 to 7), thus pH of 7.0 for the supporting electrolyte solution was chosen. Concentrations of 75 mM KCl in the supporting electrolyte was selected. The optimization of DPV parameters indicated that best results for voltammograms were obtained from 0 to 1.1 V by using 5 mV potential step, 50 mV potential pulse, 0.01 V/sec scan rate and 0.07 sec time pulse; each scan was performed after an equilibrium time of 30 sec. Calibration graphs of peak height against concentration for OTA by DPV were plotted over the range 25-1000 μg/l in the supporting electrolyte with a LOQ of 25 μg/l. The findings obtained with voltammetric-based sensing were in good agreement with results obtained by HPLC analysis but matrix effects have been detected at lower OTA concentrations indicating the need of more selective extraction procedure. The proposed method is more rapid and inexpensive in comparison with the classical methods for OTA analysis, and can be considered a promising alternative for the evaluation of OTA in meat. 1) Turner et al, Anal Chim Acta, 2009, 632 ,168-180. 2) Prieto-Simón et al, TrAC, 2007, 26, 689-702

OCHRATOXIN A RESIDUES IN HUNTED WILD BOAR (SUS SCROFA) FROM TUSCANY

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a secondary toxic metabolite synthesized by Aspergillus or Penicillium species, which can contaminate various crops. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified OTA as a group 2B possible human carcinogen. OTA is nephrotoxic, mutagenic, teratogenic and immunosuppressive. OTA can also be present in meat of animals where its presence comes as a result of animal feeding with contaminated grain and feed mixtures. The Italian Ministry of Health Circular No 10, dated 9 June 1999, establishes, as a guideline, a maximum value of 1 μg/kg OTA for swine meat and meat products. The significant increase in the wild boar population has resulted in an increased prevalence of wild boar meat, offal and ready-made products in the food industry. The aim of the present study was to determine OTA concentrations in muscle, kidney and liver of wild boar hunted in Tuscany region. A total of twenty wild boars (male n=11 female n=9) were collected in the Province of Pisa from November 2014 to April 2015, animals have been slaughtered and the carcass weight were determined (from a min. of 14.9 kg and a max. of 72.0 kg). Samples of kidney, liver and muscles from each wild boar were collected and analyzed with an enzymatic digestion clean-up and high-pressure liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection method (1). The highest levels of OTA were found in the kidneys of the twenty wild boar analyzed (0.07- 2.01 μg/kg, mean 0.58±0.63 μg/kg). The levels found in the liver ranged between 0.08- 1.93 μg/kg, (mean 0.53±0.60). The lowest concentrations were found in muscle (0.04- 0.77 μg/kg, mean 0.24±0.24). In eight samples of the tissue samples examined in this study (4 kidney and corresponding 4 liver), the levels of OTA were higher than the guideline level (1 μg/kg) established by the Italian Ministry of Health. The present results are in agreement with a previous study conducted in Calabria in wild boars (2). Swine are particularly sensitive to OTA, kidneys showed the highest accumulation of the latter 101 Società Italiana delle Scienze Veterinarie toxin, followed by liver and muscle tissue, finally the lowest accumulation is represented in adipose tissue. The present results showed the same type of accumulation in wild boar. Traditionally in Tuscany, as in other regions, wild boar meats are used to produce niche products, especially coppa and salami. In agreement with the research of Monaci et al. (3), dried wild boar meat may contribute to overall OTA intake by carry-over effects into processed meats. Monitoring the quality of meat destined for transformation is a priority in order to decrease the possibility of toxin carry-over to humans. The present study confirms that contamination of meat products by OTA represents a potential emerging source of OTA for distinct segments of the Italian population, who are significant consumers of locally-produced wild boar specialties. 1. Luci G., Vanni M., Ferruzzi G., Mani D., Intorre L., Meucci V. 2016. MethodsX 3: 171-177. 2. Bozzo G., Ceci E., Bonerba E., Di Pinto A., Tantillo G., De Giglio E. 2012. Toxins (Basel) 4: 1440-1450. 3. Monaci L., Tantillo G., Palmisano F. 2004. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 378: 1777- 1782

Determination of ochratoxin A in pig tissues using enzymatic digestion coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector

We present a new method for the rapid analysis of ochratoxin A (OTA) in pig tissues (muscle, liver and kidney) using enzymatic digestion (ED) coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD). OTA was digested with a 1% pancreatin solution in a phosphate buffer and then cleaned with ethylacetate. After being evaporated to dryness and re-dissolved, the sample was determined using HPLC-FLD. The method was validated taking into account the currently permitted limit of 1 μg/kg OTA in pork meat and derived products in Italy. The recovery was higher than 90%. Intra- and inter-day repeatability expressed as RSD were less than 7%. The LOD and LOQ were 0.001 and 0.002 μg/kg, respectively. Our method is more efficient, easier, and cheaper than conventional clean-up procedures (liquid–liquid extraction)

Serum levels of Ochratoxin A in dogs with chronic kidney disease (CKD): a retrospective study

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by secondary metabolism of several fungi belonging to the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium. OTA is potentially nephrotoxic, neurotoxic, immunotoxic and carcinogenic in several animal species and in humans. This toxin has been detected in several human food and animal feed. The aim of this study was to determine OTA in blood samples of healthy and affected by chronic kidney disease (CKD) dogs. CKD group showed higher incidence of OTA-positivity than healthy dogs (96% vs. 56%) and a significantly higher median value of OTA plasma concentration (0.008 ng/ml vs. 0.144 ng/ml). No significant correlation was observed between OTA levels and creatinine values in CKD dogs. This is first study regarding OTA detection in plasma samples of healthy and CKD dogs; the presence of this toxin is higher in nephropatic patients but is not yet clear, if it is correlated with progression of the disease

Bottom current-controlled quaternary sedimentation at the foot of the Malta Escarpment (Ionian Basin, Mediterranean)

A better understanding of the evolution of bottom current circulation and associated deposits is significant for many applications including paleoclimatology and geological hazard. Besides the large contourite drifts, bottom currents may generate fields of large sediment waves that, depending on their height and velocity of migration, may pose severe risk for infrastructures. Conversely, the time span of their paleoceanographic record is generally relatively short. We use bathymetry data, sub-bottom and seismic reflection profiles and legacy oceanographic data to analyze the sediment waves occurring in a deep environment (from 2400 to 3800 m water depth at the foot of the Malta Escarpment in the Mediterranean Sea) to understand their evolution in time, their significance for paleoceanography, and their relation to present day hydrographic conditions. In the absence of direct stratigraphic information, we use the information from nearby studies and from ODP Site 964 and DSDP Site 374 to constrain the age of the sedimentary successions. We discover that these waves (about 2.5 km in wavelength, 50 m in height, with crest sub-perpendicular to the continental slope trend) have been steadily growing and migrating northward since about 500 ka, although an irregular growth and unsteady migration is distinguishable since about 1800 ka. The waves are generated by predominantly alongslope southward flowing bottom currents compatible with modern hydraulic conditions (mean flow speed of ~5 cm s−1, peaks of 15 cm s−1). The rate of crest migration (~ 2.0–3.2 mm a−1) and the average sedimentation rate (0.64–0.69 mm a−1) are unusually high for deep sea environments away from turbidity currents paths. We infer that the steady development of sediment waves is produced by a drastic increase in sediment input to the Ionian Basin resulting from the tectonic uplift in NE Sicily and Calabria and the onset of a relatively steady, low energy bottom current regime following the Mid-Pleistocene Transition. We attempt to extract information on orbital cyclicity preserved in the seismic record from the power spectra of virtual seismic traces from the well preserved succession of 5 visually discernible, regularly spaced sub-units consisting of alternation of high-amplitude and low-reflectivity packages within the last 500 ka. Peaks in the power spectra can be identified around orbital obliquity and precession periodicities, while eccentricity appears not to be recorded. We discuss the results of seismic cyclicity analysis relative to uncertainties of stratigraphic and petrophysical constraints. The sediment waves along the foot of the Malta escarpment are an excellent candidate for the extraction of a long, continuous and high resolution sedimentary record of the paleo circulation changes and climate cycles in the Mediterranean Sea since about 500 ka.peer-reviewe