Von Bezold assimilation effect reverses in stereoscopic conditions

Lightness contrast and lightness assimilation are opposite phenomena: in contrast, grey targets appear darker when bordering bright surfaces (inducers) rather than dark ones; in assimilation, the opposite occurs. The question is: which visual process favours the occurrence of one phenomenon over the other? Researchers provided three answers to this question. The first asserts that both phenomena are caused by peripheral processes; the second attributes their occurrence to central processes; and the third claims that contrast involves central processes, whilst assimilation involves peripheral ones. To test these hypotheses, an experiment on an IT system equipped with goggles for stereo vision was run. Observers were asked to evaluate the lightness of a grey target, and two variables were systematically manipulated: (i) the apparent distance of the inducers; and (ii) brightness of the inducers. The retinal stimulation was kept constant throughout, so that the peripheral processes remained the same. The results show that the lightness of the target depends on both variables. As the retinal stimulation was kept constant, we conclude that central mechanisms are involved in both lightness contrast and lightness assimilation

THE DISORDER OF READ-WRITING AND MOTOR COORDINATION: A COMPARISON IN SCHOOL AGE THROUGH THE ANALYSIS OF THE PROCESS AND PRODUCT OF MANUAL WRITING

openLo studio ha preso in considerazione un gruppo di soggetti in età scolare con un disturbo della letto-scrittura e un gruppo di soggetti in età scolare con un disturbo della coordinazione motoria. Ai soggetti è poi stata proposta una prova di scrittura manuale, mediante l'utilizzo di un iPad con apposita penna, con il fine di indagare le variabili di durata, velocità e intensità del processo di scrittura e identificare differenze e analogie nei due gruppi sperimentali

ENHANCEMENT OF SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE GLUTATHIONE AND MICRONUTRIENTS CONTENT FOR NUTRACEUTICAL APPLICATIONS.

This Ph.D. research concerns nutritional and microbiological aspects, and the final aim of this project is the development of innovative food supplements formulations containing Saccharomyces cerevisiae, enriched, by biotechnological processes, with micronutrients and antioxidant molecules. This idea was supported by the fact that even if in the developed world a clinical deficiency of micronutrients is uncommon, a suboptimal intake of certain micronutrients has been linked with an increased risk of chronic diseases such as CVD (cardiovascular disease) and cancer; moreover external factors, such as smoke, UV radiations and pollution contribute to oxidative stress and to the formation of free radicals that are considered to contribute to the risk of cancer. In this context and to contain cellular damage, an important role has recently been attributed to the possible use of molecules with antioxidant activity, such as glutathione. The yeast S. cerevisiae is one of the most studied microorganisms and is considered a model for eukaryotes. It is used both in industrial productions and in human diet. As well as leavening agent for baking products and fermenting agent for alcoholic beverages such as wine and beer, S. cerevisiae is used in the industrial production of ethanol, enzymes and dried yeast both for animal-feed and food supplement (Directive 2002/46/EC). Subsequently to the identification of some potential molecules, with which the yeast might be enriched, the research focused mainly on cell enrichment with reduced glutathione (GSH) and metal-conjugated glutathione, with particular regard to the set-up of biotechnological processes in order to increase product yields. The research also investigated the biological activity of the obtained enriched biomass, in particular the fate of GSH when the biomass is swallowed, by investigating GSH stability during gastric digestion and any possible protective role of the yeast cell, and by analysing GSH transport/absorbtion by intestinal cell lines and any possible toxicity. In the first year of the research numerous trials were carried out in order to increase intracellular GSH levels in S. cerevisiae both during cell growth and applying a post-growth procedure, identified as \u201cactivation\u201d. The best results were obtained applying this second approach in which glucose, GSH precursors (cysteine CYS, glycine GLY and glutamic acid GLU), together with cofactors, were dissolved in a solution in which yeast cells were suspended. In this experimental phase the activation attitude of two different commercial forms of the yeast, compressed or dried, were evaluated. Results highlighted that, even though they generally performed similarly in bread-making process and possessed similar initial intracellular GSH levels (about 0.6% dcw) and for both of them higher yields were obtained during the first 24 h of activation, they evidenced different attitudes towards the tested activation mix. In particular, dried yeast samples reached high GSH levels (1.24 \ub10.08% dcw) with the mix CYS-GLY-GLU, while the compressed yeast also with the CYS-GLY-SER (with serine) (1.44 \ub10.12% dcw). Concerning the influence of the energy source, the dried form did not appear sensitive to the over-presence of glucose, while the compressed yeast form showed different sensitivity to glucose addition, depending on the type of the mixture employed. Glucose addition in CYS-GLY and CYS-GLY-GLU mixtures (in particular at 4 h) increased GSH yields of about 30-40% with respect to the control sample. No increase was evidenced employing the CYS-GLY-SER mixture. The possibility of obtaining GSH directly in extracellular form was also investigated; this approach can represent an interesting opportunity of reducing GSH production cost and furthering the range of application of this molecule. The second year of the research proceeded mainly with the compressed yeast form as it was found to accumulate higher GSH level than the dried one. As GSH biosynthesis is ATP-dependent, in order to increase intracellular ATP levels molecules directly or indirectly involved in its synthesis (i.e. adenosine and adenine) and an ATP-ase inhibitory agent (dithiothreitol) were added to activation solution CYS-GLY-GLU. All the tested mixtures furnished significantly higher GSH yields than the control ones; above all, adenine addition allowed to obtained 1.68\ub10.04 GSH % dcw. Influence of yeast shelf-life on GSH accumulation was also investigated and results showed that when yeast was at the beginning of its shelf-life (1 day) it was able to gain high intracellular GSH levels, with a three-fold increase with respect to t0; when prolonging the age, a significant change in the yeast attitude towards the activation procedure was evidenced, and a general decrease of GSH intracellular levels was found. As well as yeast shelf-life, also intracellular trehalose content was found a very important factor for determining GSH accumulation ability of yeast. Important results were then obtained applying a Design of Experiments (DoE) on four GSH precursor amino acids (A-CYS, B-GLY, C-SER, D-GLU). The Design Expert\uae (Statease, Minneapolis) software, used for analysing results, individuated significant models both for the compressed and dried yeast samples. All four factors were found significant together with AC and BC interactions and the quadratic terms A2 and D2 for compressed yeast, while only A2 for the dried sample. During the prosecution of the research, biological activity of GSH and of enriched biomass was investigated. This part of the research was performed at Instituto de Agrochimica y Tecnologia de los Alimentos (IATA-CSIC) in Valencia (Spain) and the evaluation of an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion followed by cellular transport throught intestinal epithelium was performed. Both standard GSH and yeast cells GSH-enriched were tested. The in vitro gastrointestinal digestion did not affect GSH levels, neither when present as a standard solution nor when it accumulated inside a yeast cell; anyway, a very limited amount of GSH (up to 25%) was found to oxidize to GSSG. In vitro GSH transport trials through the intestinal epithelium were carried out with the Caco-2 cell line model and a co-culture Caco-2:HT-29-MTX (ratios 50:50 and 70:30), comparatively. GSH standard solution was employed at three different levels (3, 10 and 30 mM). Results showed that GSH transport from the apical to the basal chamber is very low, either using Caco-2 cell line and the co-culture. Important results were obtained in experiments regarding the protective effect of GSH in intestinal cells exposed to an inducer of oxidative stress (H2O2). Cell viability reduction was lower in samples added with GSH when employing H2O2 at high concentration (10-20 mM); moreover the use of yeast-enriched was found to prevent cells viability reduction much more than the equivalent standard GSH (3 mM). In the third year of the research experiments were carried out in order to obtain S. cerevisiae copper-enriched cells. Thinking that copper can conjugate with GSH and/or GSSG, the strategy was to enrich cells with GSH and then to furnish them copper acetate with different treatments. Results highlighted that before copper addition GSH levels were in the range 1.2-1.5% dcw, while after 4 and 24 h these levels drastically decreased to 0.5-1% dcw; on the contrary, GSSG was found to increase. All biomass obtained were analysed by ICP-AES: results showed that the biomass centrifuged and resuspended in the copper solution accumulated the highest copper levels; copper direct addition to the activation mixture led to the lowest results. Summarizing, the research was aimed at obtaining GSH and copper-enriched cells of S. cerevisiae, developing an efficient delivery system for nutraceutical compounds and metals, suitable for human nutrition and therapeutic treatments. GSH enriched yeast cells can be obtained applying different post-fermentation strategies, taking in consideration the type of the yeast employed, its shelf-life and the formulation of the activation mixture (energy request and aminoacids precursors). The application of this procedure resulted in an increase of intracellular GSH levels, from initial 0.5-0.7% dcw to a final 1.7-1.9% dcw. Even if the obtained results highlighted that GSH is transported from intestinal cells in limited amount, it can cooperate to maintain important functions of the intestinal lumen. In conclusion obtained GSH and copper-enriched yeast biomass can be considered an interesting opportunity to further the range of application of yeast cell cultures for nutraceutical application

Zymomonas mobilis in Bread Dough: Characterization of Dough Leavening Performance in Presence of Sucrose

Zymomonas mobilis, because of its fermentative metabolism, has potential food applications in the development of leavened baked goods consumable by people with adverse responses to Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Since Z. mobilis is not able to utilize maltose present in flour, the effect of sucrose addition (2.5 g/100 g flour) on bread dough leavening properties was studied. For comparison purposes, leavening performances of S. cerevisiae with and without sucrose were also investigated. Doughs leavened by Z. mobilis without sucrose addition showed the lowest height development (14.95 +/- 0.21 mm) and CO2 production (855 +/- 136 mL). When sucrose was added, fermentative performances of Z. mobilis significantly (p < 0.05) improved (+80% and +85% of gas production and retention, respectively), with a dough maximum height 2.6 times higher, results indicating that Z. mobilis with sucrose can be leavened in shorter time with respect to the sample without addition. S. cerevisiae did not benefit the sucrose addition in terms of CO2 production and retention, even if lag leavening time was significantly (p < 0.05) shorter (about the half) and time of porosity appearance significantly (p < 0.05) longer (about 26%) with respect to S. cerevisiae alone. Results demonstrate that in the presence of sucrose, Z. mobilis can efficiently leaven a bread dough, thus providing innovation possibilities in the area of yeast-free leavened products

La lettera d'una strega veneziana del cinquecento / Cesare Musatti

La lettera d'una strega veneziana del cinquecento / Cesare Musatti Arezzo : E. Sinatti, 1905 8 p. ; 24 cm

Inhibitory serum factor of lymphoproliferative response to allogeneic cells in pregnancy

INTRODUCTION: An inhibitory serum factor of mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) has been associated with successful pregnancy after lymphocyte transfusion in women with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortions (RSA). OBJECTIVE: Investigate whether the inhibitory serum factor of MLC is essential for a successful pregnancy. METHOD: Sera from 33 healthy pregnant women and from 40 women with RSA were assessed by a one-way MLC in which the woman's lymphocytes were stimulated with her partner's lymphocytes or with third party lymphocytes. RESULTS: An inhibitory serum effect (inhibition > 50% as compared to normal serum) was detected in 45% of the pregnant women who had at least 1 previous parity, in 8% of the primigravidea, in 29% of those with one abortion and in 58% of those with more than one abortion. CONCLUSION: MLC inhibitory serum factor does not seem to be an essential factor for pregnancy development. Therefore, it should not be considered as a parameter for the assessment of RSA patients.INTRODUÇÃO: A presença de fator sérico inibidor de cultura mista de linfócitos (CML) tem sido associada ao sucesso gesticional observado em mulheres com história de abortameneto de repetição sem etiologia (AER-SED) submetidas a transfusão de linfócitos. OBJETIVO:Investigar se a presença de fator sérico inibidor de CML é essencial para o sucesso gestional. MÉTODO: Soros de 33 gestantes saudáveis e 40 mulheres com AER-SED foram avaliados em CML unidericional, em que os linfócitos das mulheres foram estimulados por linfócitos de seus parceiros ou de indivíduos não aparentados. RESULTADOS: Um efeito inibidor (inibição > 50% quanto comparado com soro normal) foi detectado em 45% das gestantes a partir da 2ªgestação 8% das primegestas, em 29% das abortadeiras primárias e, em 58% das secundárias. CONCLUSÃO: Este fator não parece ser elemento essencial para o sucesso gestional. Portanto, não deve ser considerado parâmetro para avaliação de pacientes com ARE-SED.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) EPM Pediatrics DepartmentUNIFESP, EPM, Pediatrics DepartmentSciEL

Educare (odgoj, obrazovanje i skrb) u nidu (gnijezdu): kako s mnogo vlakana istkati finu tkaninu

U tradicionalnim pedagoškim pristupima djeci rane dobi velika je pozornost usmjerena na interakcije djece i odraslih. Tullia Musatti i Susanna Мауеr razmatraju implikacije istraživanja koja pokazuju da su razvojna iskustva djece rane dobi znatno šira od samih interakcija s odraslima

Yeast-Free Doughs by Zymomonas mobilis: Evaluation of Technological and Fermentation Performances by Using a Metabolomic Approach

This research focuses on the leavening performances and development of volatile compounds of three strains of Zymomonas mobilis in the production of yeast-free doughs. Z. mobilis DSM 3580, 424, and 473 were used in doughs supplemented with glucose and with or without NaCl. Z. mobilis produced about 10 mg ethanol/g dough, with maximum dough volumes (640\u2013680 mL) being reached after 2 h leavening. NaCl addition postponed this parameter up to 6 h. Among organic acids, hexanoic acid resulted the highest produced compound; DSM 424 and 473 formed more propanoic, butanoic and pentanoic acid, being both negatively affected by NaCl. Esters were mainly discriminated on NaCl addition, with octanoic acid (DSM 3580), butanoic acid (DSM 424), and propanoic acid (DSM 473) ethyl esters as main components. DSM 3580 specifically produced 2-heptanal, DSM 424 2-hexadecenal, (E) and DSM 473 octanal, while DSM 424 and DSM 473 produced 2-butanone-4-hydroxy better than DSM 3580. Z. mobilis unique signatures were the production of nonanoic and undecanoic acids, 2-hexadecenal, (E), L(+)-tartaric acid diethyl ester and 3-decen-5-one, 4-methyl, (E). This outcome can pave the way for using Z. mobilis in baking goods, providing innovation possibilities in the area of yeast-free leavened products

La culture de l’éducation de la petite enfance en Italie

Cet article retrace les étapes historiques qui ont jalonné la construction de la culture de la petite enfance, en Italie au cours des dernières décennies. Il présente les principaux éléments qui constituent cette culture aujourd’hui. Il met en évidence la contribution essentielle des institutions éducatives préscolaires à l’élaboration de cette culture qui s’est constituée, peu à peu, dans un enracinement profond dans les cultures locales des communes qui ont soutenu le développement de ces institutions et dans un lien étroit avec la recherche scientifique.This article retraces the milestones which have marked the development of an early childhood culture in Italy over the past decades. It presents the main elements that currently embody this culture. The article highlights the essential part played by pre-school educational institutions in creating this culture which gradually emerged by rooting itself deeply in the local culture of the towns which supported the development of these institutions and by forming a close partnership with scientific research.Este artículo presenta las etapas históricas que han marcado la construcción de una cultura de la pequeña infancia en Italia durante los últimos decenios. Expone los elementos principales que constituyen a día de hoy dicha cultura. Pone de manifiesto la contribución esencial de las instituciones educativas preescolares de cara a la elaboración de dicha cultura, que se ha ido constituyendo poco a poco, arraigándose profundamente en las culturas locales de los municipios que respaldaban el desarrollo de dichas instituciones y en estrecha colaboración con la investigación científica