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AiRabbi, per studiare i pollini della Val di Rabbi
No full textLe temperature più elevate stanno influenzando la fenologia delle piante, che si manifesta ad esempio con l’anticipo della fase di fioritura, i pollini aerodispersi sono sentinelle di biodiversità e cambiamento climatic
Microbial dynamics and quality characteristics of spontaneously fermented salamis produced by replacing pork fat with avocado pulp
Get PDFThe aim of this study was to develop a novel and healthier fermented meat product by replacing pork fat with avocado pulp (AVP) during salami production. Experimental salamis were produced under laboratory conditions by substituting pork fat with AVP partially (10-AVP) and totally (20-AVP), while control salamis (CTR) remained AVP-free. The microbial composition of control and experimental salamis was assessed using a combined culture-dependent and -independent approach. Over a 20-days ripening period, lactic acid bacteria, coagulase-negative staphylococci, and yeasts dominated the microbial community, with approximate levels of 9.0, 7.0 and 6.0 log CFU/g, respectively. Illumina technology identified 26 taxonomic groups, with leuconostocs being the predominant group across all trials [constituting 31.26-59.12 % of relative abundance (RA)]. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed changes in fatty acid composition and volatile organic compounds due to the substitution of pork fat with AVP. Specifically, monounsaturated fatty acids and terpene compounds increased, while saturated fatty acids and lipid oxidation products decreased. Although AVP influenced the sensory characteristics of the salamis, the highest overall satisfaction ratings were observed for the 10-AVP salamis. Consequently, substituting pork fat with AVP emerges as a viable strategy for producing healthier salamis and diversifying the meat product portfoli
Impact of shift work on dietary habits, body weight, sleep quality, and mental health among Italian workers
Get PDFDose-response and sublethal effects from insecticide and adjuvant exposure on key behaviors of Trissolcus japonicus
Get PDFIn its native range, Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) is a main egg parasitoid of Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera; Pentatomidae). Adventive populations of this parasitoid have been spreading in Europe and North America, allowing active distribution efforts in these areas to utilize it against H. halys in agriculture. We tested exposure of adults and parasitized egg masses to residues of a range of insecticides an adjuvant that the wasp could encounter in perennial horticultural crops, and how exposure might affect key behaviors. The insecticides included Burkholderia rinojensis, Methoxyfenozide, Sulfoxaflor, and Spinosad, and the adjuvant NuFilm®P. The lethal effects were investigated after exposure for 1, 6, and 24 hours to residues applied to Munger cells using a Potter spray tower to determine mortality levels. Sulfoxaflor and Spinosad resulted in 73% and 100% mortality after 24 hours at field rates, while Methoxyfenozide caused 19% mortality at the same rate. Little mortality occurred with Burkholderia rinojensis and NuFilm®P at recommended rates after 24 hours. Regarding sublethal effects, Spinosad, Sulfoxaflor, and Burkholderia rinojensis negatively impacted reproduction. Sulfoxaflor caused a lower angular velocity in parasitoids exposed to H. halys traces. Spinosad, Methoxyfenozide, and NuFilm®P induced a significantly lower overall circadian activity. Our results showed that precision timing of insecticide sprays to pests is necessary, especially for biocontrol programs that involve the release of parasitoids such as T. japonicus. Our results also illustrate how sensor data acquisition and behavioral analysis software can be utilized to detect important sublethal effects such as circadian disruption in minute parasitoid
Effect of high pressure homogenization on in vitro digestibility and colon fermentability of pea protein-rich bread designed for elderly consumers
Get PDFEnrichment of staple foods with proteins can be a solution to tackle protein-energy malnutrition in the elderly. For instance, bread can be enriched with pea proteins that are cheap, sustainable and easily digestible. Non-conventional technologies, such as high pressure homogenization (HPH), can improve the digestibility of plant proteins. To characterize the health functionality of pea-enriched bread, a functional bread tailored to elderly consumers was developed by substituting 5% wheat flour with untreated or HPH-treated pea protein concentrate. Protein digestibility and colon fermentability were assessed by mimicking elderly in vitro gastrointestinal and gut microbiota conditions and compared with adult conditions. Bread reformulation with pea proteins affected physical and chemical properties and produced an increase in hardness, which is one of the key features for the acceptability of bread by the elderly. The highest hardness value was observed for pea protein bread, followed by HPH-treated pea protein bread and wheat bread. In vitro protein digestibility and fermentability were affected by reformulation and by physiological digestive conditions, with lower digestibility under elderly conditions compared to adult ones. The obtained results may contribute to a better understanding of food digestibility under different gastrointestinal conditions and its dependence on physiological and formulation factors, and ultimately would help to design age-tailored food
Thermal characteristics of springs fed by mountain permafrost in Val di Sole (Eastern Italian Alps)
Get PDFIn alpine areas, spring-water temperature is affected by the presence of permafrost and by changes in the periglacial domain caused by the current atmospheric warming. Our interest in spring-water temperature is related to the possibility of investigating the spatial distribution of alpine permafrost and its changes. In particular, spring-water temperature might be helpful as indicator of permafrost occurrence in areas where it is discontinuous or sporadic, and in general where its distribution is poorly known. The spring-water temperature in late summer is a useful evidence of permafrost, and various authors employed such method as auxiliary permafrost evidence, or as a stand-alone method that can be used for mapping permafrost distribution at the catchment scale. However, little is known on the spatial and temporal variability of water temperature at springs with different permafrost contribution and characteristics. Here we present an analysis of the spatial and temporal variability of spring-water temperature in a 795 km2 catchment located in the Eastern Italian Alps, aimed at investigating the spatial distribution of permafrost and its effect on spring-water temperature. From 2018 to 2021, we measured the late-summer spring-water temperature at 220 springs, 133 of which are located downslope of rock glaciers, 81 downslope of other deposits, and 8 in bedrock. In addition, we installed dataloggers for continuous temperature measurements at 31 springs. Results show that the cold springs are mainly associated with intact rock glaciers but also with rock glaciers classified as relict, especially if they have blocky and sparsely vegetated surface. Accordingly, the latter should be reclassified as pseudo-relict, i.e. they appear to be visually relict but host patchy permafrost, as confirmed by geophysics carried out at selected case studies. These results have important implications for the study and modelling of the hydrological, hydrochemical and ecological response of periglacial environments under ongoing climate change
Factors controlling the water quality of rock glacier springs in European and American mountain ranges
Get PDFRock glaciers (RGs) provide significant water resources in mountain areas under climate change. Recent research has highlighted high concentrations of solutes including trace elements in RG-fed waters, with negative implications on water quality. Yet, sparse studies from a few locations hinder conclusions about the main drivers of solute export from RGs. Here, in an unprecedented effort, we collected published and unpublished data on rock glacier hydrochemistry around the globe. We considered 201 RG springs from mountain ranges across Europe, North and South America, using a combination of machine learning, multivariate and univariate analyses, and geochemical modeling. We found that 35 % of springs issuing from intact RGs (containing internal ice) have water quality below drinking water standards, compared to 5 % of springs connected to relict RGs (without internal ice). The interaction of ice and bedrock lithology is responsible for solute concentrations in RG springs. Indeed, we found higher concentrations of sulfate and trace elements in springs sourcing from intact RGs compared to water originating from relict RGs, mostly in specific lithological settings. Enhanced sulfide oxidation in intact RGs is responsible for the elevated trace element concentrations. Challenges for water management may arise in mountain catchments rich in intact RGs, and where the predisposing geology would make these areas geochemical RG hotspots. Our work represents a first comprehensive attempt to identify the main drivers of solute concentrations in RG water