1,721,101 research outputs found
Andrea Porciello e la filosofia dell’ambiente tra scienza e metaetica = Andrea Porciello and the Philosophy of the Environment between Science and Metaethics
No full textAndrea Porciello’s proposal represents a rare endeavor to confront Environmental Ethics with metaethical questions. In this essay, the adequacy of his ontology of nature and of his metaethical conception are scrutinised. Despite his premise of a scientifically informed understanding of nature grounded on post-Darwinian sciences, contemporary ecological insights reveal shortcomings in his idealized portrayal of nature as perfectly balanced and teleologically oriented towards the welfare of
the system. Moreover, Porciello claims to have overcome moral objectivism through a fusion of subjectivism and moral objectivism. His embrace of Robert Elliot’s “sophisticated subjectivism” is analysed and questioned, revealing a departure from any form of subjectivism
Piperazine salts of hydroxycinnamic acids and hydroxystilbenes
No full textThe present invention relates to a method for stabilising the trans form of hydroxy-stilbenes or of hydroxy-cinnamic acids. Particularly, the present invention relates to compounds of general formula (I) with the trans configuration: (I) Wherein: R is selected from COOH and a group of formula (II): R1 is H, OH or R2, and R2 is independently selected from OH, linear or branched O- (C1-C6) alkyl optionally substituted with a group selected from OH or O- (C1-C6) alkyl; R3 is independently selected from H and linear or branched (C1-C6) alkyl optionally substituted with a group selected from OH or O- (C1-C6) alkyl. A method for the preparation thereof is also described
Wine, research and cardiovascular disease : instructions for use
No full textThe results of studies on the role of appropriate wine consumption in the prevention of cardiovascular disease are inconsistent, suggesting that the general approach to the issue needs to be revisited before further research is conducted. A number of points for consideration are raised: (1) the necessity to characterize wine analytically, as the content in important components of wine, such as resveratrol, is influenced considerably by regional factors, such as climate and local oenological procedures; (2) the bioavailability of the components of wine, which appears to be adequate as a broad range of biological effects have been documented at low concentrations that can be achieved by moderate chronic wine consumption; (3) the lack of importance of wine color, as also white wine consumption affords benefit, thanks to its content in the antioxidants caffeic acid, tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol, which are also found in olive oil; (4) the recommendation by WHO to "investigate the possible protective effects of ingredients other than alcohol in alcoholic beverages"
Grapes, wines, resveratrol, and heart health
No full textEpidemiological and experimental studies have revealed that a mild to moderate drinking of wine, particularly red wine, attenuates the cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and peripheral vascular risk. However, the experimental basis for such health benefits is not fully understood. The cardioprotective effect of wine has been attributed to both components of wine: the alcoholic portion and, more importantly, the alcohol-free portion containing antioxidants. Wines are manufactured from grapes, which also contain a large variety of antioxidants, including resveratrol, catechin, epicatechin, and proanthocyanidins. Resveratrol is mainly found in the grape skin, whereas proanthocyanidins are found only in the seeds. Recent studies have demonstrated that resveratrol and proanthocyanidin are the major compounds present in grapes and wines responsible for cardioprotection. The purpose of this review is to provide evidence that grapes, wines, and resveratrol are equally important in reducing the risk of morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular complications. Both wines and grapes can attenuate cardiac diseases such as atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease. Recently, wine was also found to increase life span by inducing longevity genes. It appears that resveratrol and proanthocyanidins, especially resveratrol, present in grapes and wines play a crucial role in cardioprotective abilities of grapes and wines
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Polyunsaturated linear aldehydes and their derivatives with antiradical and anti-tumoral activity
No full textThe invention relates to polyunsaturated linear aldehydes and derivatives thereof which can be extracted from the feathers or tissues of parrots of prepared synthetically with antioxidant, antitumoral and anti-inflammatory activity, and which are useful in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular, inflammatory, atherosclerotic, proliferative cell and tumour damage and the prevention of alterations caused by ageing
Evaluation of carnitine, acetylcarnitine and isovalerylcarnitine on immune function and apoptosis
No full textThe pool of different carnitine derivatives is formed by carnitine, acetylcarnitine, propionylcarnitine and isovalerylcarnitine. Isovalerylcarnitine is a compound performing activities that differ from those of the other carnitine esters. Its activity on proteolytic enzymes and on the calpain system has been demonstrated in the past. Both the calpain and the caspase systems belong to the protease family and lead to cytochrome activation and apoptosis. The two systems can interact to promote apoptosis. In view of this proapoptotic activity of isovalerylcarnitine, studies were carried out to ascertain whether this carnitine derivative influences cell-reaction processes associated with apoptosis. U937 leukemic cells were selected for these studies because they are a well-established model for the assessment of cellular immune responses. In addition to nuclear morphologic alterations produced by apoptosis that can be detected by specific histochemical and microscopic methods, we also took other cell functions into consideration, such as phagocytosis, cell killing and cell growth, which are indices of immune function related to apoptosis. Unlike reference carnitine forms, isovalerylcarnitine produced an early and marked increase in phagocytosis and also an increase in cell killing. Cell proliferation was reduced. The hypothesis is set forth that isovalerylcarnitine may be a caspase-activating, proapoptotic factor that resembles various anticancer agents, which induce early apoptosis that coincides with early activation of caspase. This hypothesis is supported by the ability of isovalerylcarnitine to induce early phagocytosis and cell killing
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