Stachys italica Mill.: synecology, functional compounds and potential use of an Italian endemic taxon.

The metabolomic of the Italian endemic species Stachys italica was investigated and potential positive metabolites for human's health were detected, quantified and discussed in relation to its synecology. Stachys italica is a species endemic to central-southern Italy, traditionally used for human consumption. The present research reports the results of a phytosociological study of this species in two southern regions of Italy (Apulia and Calabria).

An ultra-short-period super-Earth with an extremely high density and an outer companion.

We present the discovery and characterization of a new multi-planetary system around the Sun-like star K2-360 (EPIC 201595106). K2-360 was first identified in K2 photometry as the host of an ultra-short-period (USP) planet candidate with a period of 0.88 d.

Nisin-based therapy: a realistic and eco-friendly biocontrol strategy to contrast subsp. infections .

The lack of sustainable strategies for combating () highlights the pressing need for novel practical antibacterial tools. In this study, subsp. strain ATCC 11454 (), known for its production of nisin A, was tested against subsp.

Synecology of Lagoecia cuminoides L. in Italy and evaluation of functional compounds presence in its water or hydroalcoholic extracts.

Lagoecia cuminoides L. is a very rare and threatened taxon in Italy, never studied before for its ecology and potential use for human consumption. Furthermore, few data are available on the biological activities of its metabolites.

Electrochemical Sensing Platform Based on Carbon Dots for the Simultaneous Determination of Theophylline and Caffeine in Tea.

A simple and selective method for the determination of caffeine (CAF) and theophylline (THEO) has been developed for a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with a composite including carbon dots (CDs) and chitosan (CS). To our knowledge, there are no previous studies that analyze a CDs-modified GCE for the presence of CAF and THEO. The electrochemical behavior of a GCE modified with a CDs-CS composite was studied in acidic medium by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV).

A systemic framework of energy efficiency in schools: experiences from six European countries.

Schools are complex physical and social institutions within national education systems. They account for significant energy consumption and like other buildings can demonstrate inefficient patterns of energy use. Poor energy performance of educational facilities is an intricate issue driven by complex causality of interconnected and dynamic factors.

A proteomic study of "Coppa Piacentina": A typical Italian dry-cured Salami.

Coppa Piacentina is considered a peculiar dry cured salami, since it is manufactured by the entire neck muscles stuffed and matured in natural casings, the same as dry cured ham and fermented dry cured sausages. In this work the proteolysis of external and internal portions was investigated by a proteomic approach and by amino acids analysis. Samples of "Coppa Piacentina" were analyzed at 0 days and after 5 and 8 months of ripening through mono- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.

The Effect of Ultrasound Treatment in Winemaking on the Volatile Compounds of Aglianico, Nero di Troia, and Primitivo Red Wines.

An ultrasound (US) treatment was applied during the vinification of three different red grape cultivars with the aim of assessing the impact on the volatile profile of the wines. A robust solid phase micro extraction coupled with gas chromatography mass-spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) method was developed in order to fix the best parameters for optimizing the volatile organic compound (VOC) recovery. A 15% NaCl solution was added to the samples to increase the salting-out effect, the time/temperature were appropriately selected, and the matrix effect was evaluated by comparing synthetic and real matrices.

Microplastics in water surface and in the gastrointestinal tract of target marine organisms in Salento coastal seas (Italy, Southern Puglia).

Microplastic pollution is a major global environmental threat that has attracted increasing interest from the scientific community over the past decade. The semi-closed and highly urbanized Mediterranean Sea has been investigated since 2012, in several specific studies that have identified it as a target hotspot for microplastic contamination. The marine coastal zone of the Salento peninsula (Apulia, Italy) has peculiar geographical and hydrodynamic features, although there are few published data detailing the level of microplastics present in this area.

Cheese ripening in nonconventional conditions: A multiparameter study applied to Protected Geographical Indication Canestrato di Moliterno cheese.

A multiparameter study was performed to evaluate the effect of fondaco, a traditional ripening cellar without any artificial temperature and relative humidity control, on the chemical, microbiological, and sensory characteristics of Protected Geographical Indication Canestrato di Moliterno cheese. Ripening in such a nonconventional environment was associated with lower counts of lactococci, lactobacilli, and total viable bacteria, and higher presence of enterococci, in comparison with ripening in a controlled maturation room. Moreover, fondaco cheese underwent accelerated maturation, as demonstrated by faster casein degradation, greater accumulation of free AA, and higher formation of volatile organic compounds.

Ecological and Biological Properties of Ten. and Ten.: Two Wild Officinal Species of Conservation Concern in Apulia (Italy). A Preliminary Survey.

This study evaluated the effects of ecology (plant community, topography and pedology), as well as of climate, on the composition of essential oils (EOs) from two officinal wild plant species (Lamiales) from Apulia, namely Ten. and Ten. Few scientific data on their chemical composition are available, due to the fact that the first has a limited distribution range and the second is endemic of southern Italy.

Carotid endarterectomy with saphenous vein patch angioplasty: a single-center experience.

Background: When performing a conventional CEA it is recommended the use of patch angioplasty (PA), since previous meta-analyses have shown PA to be superior to primary closure (PRC) in terms of stroke and restenosis rates. Different materials patches can be employed although none of them has been proved to be superior. Although autologous veins are potentially more resistant to immediate thrombosis as well as infection, cons may be represented by patch rupture and late dilatation.

Postprandial glucose and HbA1c are associated with severity of obstructive sleep apnoea in non-diabetic obese subjects.

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is an underdiagnosed condition frequently associated with glycaemic control impairment in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Aim: To assess the relationship between glycometabolic parameters and OSA in obese non-diabetic subjects.

Methods: Ninety consecutive subjects (mean age 44.

Ecological and Plant Community Implication on Essential Oils Composition in Useful Wild Officinal Species: A Pilot Case Study in Apulia (Italy).

The study focused on the effects of ecology (plant communities and topographical data) on composition of essential oils (EOs) of some officinal wild plant species (Lamiales): subsp. , subsp. and , in different environments of Apulia (Italy).

Long term efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban plus cilostazol in the treatment of critical ischemia of the lower limbs in a frail, elderly patient with non valvular atrial fibrillation.

Background: Many patients with critical lower limb ischemia are not eligible for revascularization procedures. Still, given the emerging role of both platelet and coagulation activation in the formation of arterial thrombi, they may benefit from the novel anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs.

Case Presentation: We describe the case of a male with critical lower limb ischemia complicated by older age, frailty, polymorbidity and non valvular atrial fibrillation, who was deemed as non eligible for surgery.

Effect of Coffee Silver Skin and Brewers' Spent Grain in the Control of Root-knot Nematodes.

Plant parasitic nematodes (PPN) are important pests of numerous agricultural crops especially vegetables, able to cause remarkable yield losses correlated to soil nematode population densities at sowing or transplant. The concern on environmental risks, stemming from the use of chemical pesticides acting as nematicides, compels to their replacement with more sustainable pest control strategies. To verify the effect of aqueous extracts of the agro-industry waste coffee silverskin (CS) and brewers' spent grain (BSG) on the widespread root-knot nematode , and on the physiology of tomato plants, a pot experiment was carried out in a glasshouse at 25 ± 2 °C.

Lactic Acid Fermentation of Pomegranate Juice as a Tool to Improve Antioxidant Activity.

An increasing consumer demand for pomegranate has been globally observed, mainly thanks to the scientific evidence related to its functional and health-promoting features. Pomegranate fruits from twenty accessions identified in Southeastern Italy were characterized according to morphological and chemical features. Juices extracted from pomegranate fruits were fermented with selected PU1 and the antioxidant activity investigated.

Protein aggregation in cooked pork products: New details on the supramolecular organization.

The molecular weight distribution of protein aggregates from raw meat and cooked pork products was assessed by size exclusion-high performance liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC). Electrophoretic analysis under reducing conditions showed that the high molecular weight SE-HPLC peak (peak 1) of the cooked products contained protein aggregates in addition to high molecular weight muscle proteins, while the second peak (peak 2) still contained aggregates and <50 kDa proteins. The protein aggregates composition was investigated by HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry.

Effects of prefermentative cold soak on polyphenols and volatiles of Aglianico, Primitivo and Nero di Troia red wines.

Effectiveness of prefermentative cold soak (PCS) on polyphenols and volatiles extraction during winemaking of three red grape cultivars grown in southern Italy (Aglianico, Primitivo and Nero di Troia) was investigated. Four 200-L stainless steel horizontal rotary wine fermenters were used. The main result was that PCS improved the extraction of polyphenols and increased the antioxidant activity of wines.

Antioxidant activity, tocopherols and polyphenols of acornoil obtained from Quercus species grown in Algeria.

Among the unusual vegetable fats, acorn oil has interesting nutritional and functional properties. Few studies are present in literature on acorn oil characterization and antioxidant activity evaluation while no studies are present regarding the analysis of the phenolic profile. The present study aims at investigating the content of hydrophilic and lipophilic phenolic compounds and pigments, as well as antioxidant properties and quality of the oil extracted from three Quercus species grown in Algeria.

Foggy windows: Pupillary responses during task preparation.

We investigated pupil dilation in 96 subjects during task preparation and during a post-trial interval in a visual search task and an auditory working memory task. Completely informative difficulty cues (easy, medium, or hard) were presented right before task preparation to examine whether pupil dilation indicated advance mobilisation of attentional resources; functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have argued for the existence of such task preparation, and the literature shows that pupil dilation tracks attentional effort during task performance. We found, however, little evidence for such task preparation.

Short communication: Chemical-sensory and volatile compound characterization of ricotta forte, a traditional fermented whey cheese.

Ricotta forte is a traditional whey cheese, obtained through natural fermentation of fresh ricotta, that is getting increasing attention by food traders. In view of possible initiatives for its valorization, the chemical and sensory characteristics were investigated. Samples were obtained from 14 different manufacturer, and were subjected to chemical, biochemical, volatile organic compound, and sensory analyses.

First Case of 2 Synchronous Gluteal Arteries Aneurysms Treated by Endovascular Plug Embolization: Case Report and Literature Review.

Introduction: Gluteal artery aneurysms (GAAs) are rare, accounting for less than 1% of all arterial aneurysms. Most of them are post-traumatic in nature and involve the superior gluteal artery (SGA), while injuries of the inferior gluteal artery (IGA) have been reported less frequently. We report an unusual case of a patient with double saccular GAA of unknown etiology, involving both the SGA and IGA, successfully treated by endovascular embolization.

Comparison of HPLC-RI, LC/MS-MS and enzymatic assays for the analysis of residual lactose in lactose-free milk.

Lactose intolerance is the decreased ability to digest lactose, and the population involved is rapidly increasing all over the world. Different procedures have been reported in the literature to quantify lactose in dairy products, but the official method of analysis is based on enzymatic assay. In this paper, the effectiveness of two enzymatic kits in detecting residual lactose in lactose-free milk was investigated, and a comparison with two alternative chromatographic methods was done.

Ethephon As a Potential Abscission Agent for Table Grapes: Effects on Pre-Harvest Abscission, Fruit Quality, and Residue.

Some plant growth regulators, including ethephon, can stimulate abscission of mature grape berries. The stimulation of grape berry abscission reduces fruit detachment force (FDF) and promotes the development of a dry stem scar, both of which could facilitate the production of high quality stemless fresh-cut table grapes. The objective of this research was to determine how two potential abscission treatments, 1445 and 2890 mg/L ethephon, affected FDF, pre-harvest abscission, fruit quality, and ethephon residue of Thompson Seedless and Crimson Seedless grapes.