Grasping behavior in tufted capuchin monkeys (<i>Cebus apella</i>): Grip types and manual laterality for picking up a small food item

AbstractThis study investigates prehension in 20 tufted capuchins (Cebus apella) in a reaching task requiring individuals to grasp a small food item fixed to a tray. The aim was twofold: 1) to describe capuchins' grasping techniques in detail, focusing on digit movements and on different areas of contact between the grasping fingers; and 2) to assess the relationship between grip types and manual laterality in this species. Capuchins picked up small food items using a wide variety of grips. In particular, 16 precision grip variants and 4 power grip variants were identified. The most frequently used precision grip involved the distal lateral areas of the thumb and the index finger, while the most preferred kind of power grip involved the thumb and the palm, with the thumb being enclosed by the other fingers. Immature capuchins picked up small food items using power grips more often than precision grips, while adult individuals exhibited no significant preference for either grip type. The analysis performed on the time capuchins took to grasp the food and withdraw it from the tray hole revealed that 1) precision grips were as efficient as power grips; 2) for precision grips, the left hand was faster than the right hand; and 3) for power grips, both hands were equally quick. Hand preference analysis, based on the frequency for the use of either hand for grasping actions, revealed no significant hand bias at group level. Likewise, there was no significant relationship between grip type and hand preference. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc

Territory, Typical products, and consumer preferences: the case of the Capicollo Azze Anca Grecanico Presidio Slow Food of Calabria

This study examines the consumption of the Capicollo Azze Grecanico Slow Food from the province of Reggio Calabria. The research considers the main characteristics of the consumer of Capicollo Azze Anca Slow Food, a typical local product of the grecanic area. To examine the characteristics of the sample of consumers was used the method of multiple correspondence analysis (MCA). In addition, it applied a logit regression for each of the four factors identified to evaluate the relationship between individual motivations and socio- economic characteristics and behavior that most affect the decision making of consumers to purchase a local product. The results show a strong propensity of consumers to the link between territory and product quality and the importance attached to food security

Quality Productions, Protection and Recovery of the Internal Areas of Aspromonte: the Role of Truffles

The purpose of this article is to examine the potential of truffle production and  its market in the Aspromonte area. Through interviews with leading operators, collectors, transformers, retailers and restaurateurs, the strengths and weaknesses of the sector, the risks to the external environment and the opportunities offered by the economic system, as well as the needs raised by the operators who in various ways deal with truffles in the Calabria Region was considered. The results show that truffles are natural biological products and play an important role in the management of woodlands: if they are present they are a formidable indicator of environmental health. The results showed that the truffle supply chain can contribute to the promotion of growth strategies for Calabria as indicated among the objectives of the 2030 Strategy Agenda in Goal 11.a Session 1, point 1 which aims at the conservation, redevelopment and promotion of poor or fragile areas with qualitatively significant cultural and environmental heritage. The truffle sector's ability to attract new economic flows generated by production activities, from territorial marketing, from fresh or processed product marketing and from services capable of guaranteeing additional income for farmers and supply chain operators was also highlighted. The results finally showed that the use of SWOT analysis in niche food products provides useful indications for regional development planning actions, for marketing activities, for the promotion of sustainable tourism, for the recovery and enhancement of rural buildings and for the food and wine routes that revolve around the production of truffles and the gastronomy based on fresh and / or processed truffles. Produzioni di pregio, tutela e recupero delle aree interne aspromontane: il ruolo del tartufoScopo di questo articolo è esaminare le potenzialità della produzione e del mercato del tartufo nell’area aspromontana. Attraverso interviste ad opinioni leader, operatori, raccoglitori, trasformatori, rivenditori e ristoratori, sono stati messi in luce i punti di forza e di debolezza del comparto, i rischi dell’ambiente esterno e le opportunità offerte dal sistema economico, nonché le necessità sollevate dagli operatori che a vario titolo si occupano di tartufo nella Regione Calabria.  I risultati mostrano che i tartufi sono prodotti biologici naturali e che svolgono un ruolo importante nella gestione dei terreni boschivi: se sono presenti rappresentano un formidabile indicatore di salubrità ambientale. I risultati hanno evidenziato, altresì che la filiera del tartufo può contribuire alla promozione di strategie di crescita per la Calabria come indicato tra gli obiettivi della Strategia Agenda 2030, Goal 11.a Sessione 1, punto 1, che punta alla conservazione, riqualificazione e promozione di aree disagiate o fragili con patrimoni culturali e ambientali qualitativamente significativi. Si è inoltre evidenziata la capacità del settore tartuficolo di attrarre nuovi flussi economici generati dalle attività di produzione, dal marketing territoriale, dal marketing del prodotto fresco o trasformato e dai servizi idonei a garantire reddito supplementare aggiuntivo per gli agricoltori e per gli operatori della filiera.  I risultati hanno infine mostrato che l'uso dell'analisi SWOT in prodotti alimentari di nicchia fornisce indicazioni utili per le azioni di pianificazione dello sviluppo regionale, per le attività di marketing, per la promozione del turismo sostenibile, per il recupero e la valorizzazione dei fabbricati rurali e per i percorsi enogastronomici che ruotano intorno alla produzione di tartufi e alla gastronomia a base di tartufi freschi e/o trasformati.The purpose of this article is to examine the potential of truffle production and  its market in the Aspromonte area. Through interviews with leading operators, collectors, transformers, retailers and restaurateurs, the strengths and weaknesses of the sector, the risks to the external environment and the opportunities offered by the economic system, as well as the needs raised by the operators who in various ways deal with truffles in the Calabria Region was considered. The results show that truffles are natural biological products and play an important role in the management of woodlands: if they are present they are a formidable indicator of environmental health. The results showed that the truffle supply chain can contribute to the promotion of growth strategies for Calabria as indicated among the objectives of the 2030 Strategy Agenda in Goal 11.a Session 1, point 1 which aims at the conservation, redevelopment and promotion of poor or fragile areas with qualitatively significant cultural and environmental heritage. The truffle sector's ability to attract new economic flows generated by production activities, from territorial marketing, from fresh or processed product marketing and from services capable of guaranteeing additional income for farmers and supply chain operators was also highlighted. The results finally showed that the use of SWOT analysis in niche food products provides useful indications for regional development planning actions, for marketing activities, for the promotion of sustainable tourism, for the recovery and enhancement of rural buildings and for the food and wine routes that revolve around the production of truffles and the gastronomy based on fresh and / or processed truffles. Produzioni di pregio, tutela e recupero delle aree interne aspromontane: il ruolo del tartufoScopo di questo articolo è esaminare le potenzialità della produzione e del mercato del tartufo nell’area aspromontana. Attraverso interviste ad opinioni leader, operatori, raccoglitori, trasformatori, rivenditori e ristoratori, sono stati messi in luce i punti di forza e di debolezza del comparto, i rischi dell’ambiente esterno e le opportunità offerte dal sistema economico, nonché le necessità sollevate dagli operatori che a vario titolo si occupano di tartufo nella Regione Calabria.  I risultati mostrano che i tartufi sono prodotti biologici naturali e che svolgono un ruolo importante nella gestione dei terreni boschivi: se sono presenti rappresentano un formidabile indicatore di salubrità ambientale. I risultati hanno evidenziato, altresì che la filiera del tartufo può contribuire alla promozione di strategie di crescita per la Calabria come indicato tra gli obiettivi della Strategia Agenda 2030, Goal 11.a Sessione 1, punto 1, che punta alla conservazione, riqualificazione e promozione di aree disagiate o fragili con patrimoni culturali e ambientali qualitativamente significativi. Si è inoltre evidenziata la capacità del settore tartuficolo di attrarre nuovi flussi economici generati dalle attività di produzione, dal marketing territoriale, dal marketing del prodotto fresco o trasformato e dai servizi idonei a garantire reddito supplementare aggiuntivo per gli agricoltori e per gli operatori della filiera.  I risultati hanno infine mostrato che l'uso dell'analisi SWOT in prodotti alimentari di nicchia fornisce indicazioni utili per le azioni di pianificazione dello sviluppo regionale, per le attività di marketing, per la promozione del turismo sostenibile, per il recupero e la valorizzazione dei fabbricati rurali e per i percorsi enogastronomici che ruotano intorno alla produzione di tartufi e alla gastronomia a base di tartufi freschi e/o trasformati

Eventos agroalimentarios y de productos típicos: instrumentos de promoción para un territorio del sur de Italia

For most of the hilly, mountainous and inland areas, local and typical agri-food products represent an important tool for producing income, guaranteeing food and nutritional security, providing an answer to basic human needs and the desire to improve the quality of life. The survival of these areas is strongly linked to the persistence of these products, which, in addition to having to be profitable for the communities that produce them and who live from them, must also impose themselves within the framework of the competitiveness imposed by the markets. In fact, it happens that, for many of them, although the production conditions guarantee quality and food safety, the same cannot be said about their ability to compete with most of the semi-industrial productions. Thanks to consumers survey the study proposes a reading of the relationships between food and wine events / manifestations of an internal area in Southern Italy and some local food products offered in the stalls and food stands on occasion of such events. From a methodological point of view, it was decided to apply the “Social Network Analysis” (SNA), comparing gastronomic, folkloristic and cultural events that were detected in the area and with some local food products present in the stalls and stands. The area considered is very interesting with reference to the typical and traditional products, among which the less known and widespread truffle has only recently begun to establish itself. The results showed that some of the products taken into consideration are recurrent, that is, always present in the various events in the area, others less so. The data shows the attractiveness that these events and gastronomic events are able to trigger in consumers and the interest and propensity to buy that the food of local tradition. In particular, tourists seek the experience of local gastronomy and the culture and identity of the destination visited. Reading these data provides some information on the competitive strength that food and wine events and local productions are able to arouse. Events and demonstrations such as those highlighted in the work help to preserve the identity and authenticity of local traditions.Para la mayor parte de las zonas serranas, montañosas y del interior, los productos agroalimentarios locales y típicos representan una importante herramienta para generar ingresos, garantizar la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional, dando respuesta a las necesidades humanas básicas y al deseo de mejorar la calidad de vida. La supervivencia de estas áreas está fuertemente ligada a la persistencia de estos productos, que, además de tener que ser rentables para las comunidades que los producen y que viven de ellos, también deben imponerse en el marco de la competitividad que imponen los mercados. De hecho, sucede que, para muchos de ellos, si bien las condiciones de producción garantizan la calidad y la seguridad alimentaria, no se puede decir lo mismo de su capacidad para competir con la mayoría de las producciones semi-industriales. Gracias a una encuesta a los consumidores, este estudio propone una evaluación de las relaciones entre los eventos / manifestaciones gastronómicas y vinícolas de un área de interior del sur de Italia y algunos productos alimenticios locales que se ofrecen en los puestos de comida con motivo de tales eventos. Desde el punto de vista metodológico, se optó por aplicar el “Análisis de Redes Sociales” (ARS), comparando los eventos gastronómicos, folclóricos y culturales que se detectaron en la zona y con algunos productos alimenticios locales presentes en los puestos. El área considerada es muy interesante en cuanto a los productos típicos y tradicionales, entre los que la trufa es la menos conocida y extendida, y sólo ha comenzado a consolidarse recientemente. Los resultados mostraron que algunos de los productos tomados en consideración son recurrentes, es decir, siempre presentes en los diversos eventos de la zona, otros menos. Los datos muestran el atractivo que estos eventos y jornadas gastronómicas son capaces de suscitar en los consumidores y el interés y propensión a comprar los alimentos de tradición local. En particular, los turistas buscan la experiencia de la gastronomía local y la cultura e identidad del destino visitado. El análisis de estos datos proporciona información sobre la fuerza competitiva que pueden suscitar los eventos enogastronómicos y las producciones locales. Eventos y manifestaciones como los destacados en el trabajo ayudan a preservar la identidad y la autenticidad de las tradiciones locales

A methodology for mapping consumer preferences for local products: The case of the Capicollo Azze Anca Grecanico Slow Food-Calabria

This report has the purpose to investigate on motivations that drive consumers towards purchasing cold cuts and in particular Capicollo Azze Grecanico Slow Food (through a survey carried out in Calabria). The research provides also an analysis of the producers. A Multiple Correspondence Analysis has provided consumer’s motivational profiles. Furthermore, a Logit regression allowed us to evaluate the relationships between individual motivations and some socio-demographic characteristics of local cold cuts and capicollo consumers. The results show a consumers’ propensity to the link between territory and product quality and the importance related to food security. The results are useful for the implications of the choices, the actions and policies of marketing that can offer

CIBO LOCALE E ATTEGGIAMENTI SOSTENIBILI

Consumer preferences and purchasing intentions for local food products are constantly changing. These preferences are mainly influenced by various factors such as experiences and personal needs, the levels of perception on dietary trends and on information. The aim of the paper is to understand consumer preferences and their attitude on the ethical and sustainable aspects of local food purchased. 300 consumers were interviewed on two southern Italian regions through a specific questionnaire. After an initial descriptive analysis, data were processed through multivariate analysis models by applying exploratory factor analysis and principal component analysis. The results show how the sensitivity of consumers regarding purchases and therefore consumption is connected to ethical aspects, to the improvement of local and even global environmental conditions. The data also show a particular attention of consumers to food safety, to the desire to support and sustain the local economy. The study therefore seems to confirm the thesis that sees consumers more attentive, aware and sensitive to the issue of environmental sustainability

CFBM - A Framework for Data Driven Approach in Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation

Recently, there has been a shift from modeling driven approach to data driven approach in Agent Based Modeling and Simulation (ABMS). This trend towards the use of data-driven approaches in simulation aims at using more and more data available from the observation systems into simulation models [1, 2]. In a data driven approach, the empirical data collected from the target system are used not only for the design of the simulation models but also in initialization, evaluation of the output of the simulation platform. That raises the question how to manage empirical data, simulation data and compare those data in such agent-based simulation platform. In this paper, we first introduce a logical framework for data driven approach in agent-based modeling and simulation. The introduced framework is based on the combination of Business Intelligence solution and a multi-agent based platform called CFBM (Combination Framework of Business intelligence and Multi-agent based platform). Secondly, we demonstrate the application of CFBM for data driven approach via the development of a Brown Plant Hopper Surveillance Models (BSMs), where CFBM is used not only to manage and integrate the whole empirical data collected from the target system and the data produced by the simulation model, but also to initialize and validate the models. The successful development of the CFBM consists not only in remedying the limitation of agent-based modeling and simulation with regard to data management but also in dealing with the development of complex simulation systems with large amount of input and output data supporting a data driven approach

Mixed Endometrial Epithelial Carcinoma: Epidemiology, Treatment and Survival Rates-A 10-Year Retrospective Cohort Study from a Single Institution

Mixed endometrial carcinoma (MEEC) refers to rare endometrial tumours that are composed of two or more distinct histotypes, at least one of which is serous or clear cell. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology, treatment outcomes and survival rates of patients with mixed endometrial carcinoma. The medical records of 34 patients diagnosed with MEEC between March 2010 and January 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. Clinicopathological variables and treatment strategies were assessed, and overall survival and disease-free survival rates were evaluated. The histology of endometrioid and serous component was found in 26 (76.5%) patients, followed by serous and clear-cell components (5/34, 14.5%) and mixed endometrioid serous and clear-cell components (3/34, 8.8%). The median age at diagnosis was 70 years (range 52-84), and the median follow-up time was 55 months. The 5-year disease-free survival and the 5-year overall survival were 50.4% and 52.4%, respectively. Advanced disease stage was identified as an independent predictor of inferior disease-free (&lt;0.003) and overall survival (p &lt; 0.001). Except for stage, none of the traditional prognostic factors was associated with disease recurrence or death from disease. MEECs represent rare high-risk endometrial carcinomas with significant diagnostic and treatment challenges. Undoubtedly, the implementation of a molecular analysis can offer further diagnostic and management insights

Androgen serum levels in male patients with adrenocortical carcinoma given mitotane therapy: A single center retrospective longitudinal study

ObjectiveHypogonadism is common in male patients with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) who are under treatment with mitotane, but the phenomenon is underestimated, and its prevalence has been poorly studied. This single-center retrospective longitudinal study was undertaken to assess the frequency of testosterone deficiency before and after mitotane therapy, the possible mechanism involved, and the relationship between hypogonadism with serum mitotane levels and prognosis.Research design and methodsConsecutive male ACC patients followed at the Medical Oncology of Spedali Civili Hospital in Brescia underwent hormonal assessment to detect testosterone deficiency at baseline and during mitotane therapy.ResultsA total of 24 patients entered the study. Of these patients, 10 (41.7%) already had testosterone deficiency at baseline. During follow-up, total testosterone (TT) showed a biphasic evolution over time with an increase in the first 6 months followed by a subsequent progressive decrease until 36 months. Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) progressively increased, and calculated free testosterone (cFT) progressively decreased. Based on cFT evaluation, the proportion of hypogonadic patients progressively increased with a cumulative prevalence of 87.5% over the study course. A negative correlation was observed between serum mitotane levels &gt;14 mg/L and TT and cFT.ConclusionTestosterone deficiency is common in men with ACC prior to mitotane treatment. In addition, this therapy exposes these patients to further elevated risk of hypogonadism that should be promptly detected and counteracted, since it might have a negative impact on quality of life