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In this work, a study concerning the composition of Italian papers from the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries was carried out using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS). The analyzed samples consisted of papers employed for drawing, writing, printing, and absorbance. Observations carried out by SEM magnified the typical paper morphology. EDXRF in combination with XRD and SEM-EDS allowed the determination of calcite, gypsum, kaolin, talc, magnesite, and dolomite, used as fillers in the production of the papers studied herein. The inks present in the handwritten and printed papers, investigated by SEM-EDS and μ-EDXRF, were synthetic, Fe based, and iron gall inks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Inks and paper are the main materials and components of library and archive collections. Since the beginning of paper and ink production empirical recipes have been followed, but in the 19th century with the transformation of Europe during the Industrial Revolution, the continent became the main leader for the discovery of new products and new industrial production processes. The aim of this study is to shed light on paper and ink production processes during this key historical period. In this study we have chosen some documents preserved in the archive of the Soprintendenza dei Beni Architettonici e Paesaggistici (B.A.P.) di Venezia e Laguna, held in the Palazzo Ducale (Ducal Palace) of Venice. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FT-IR), and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) allowed us to obtain a qualitative and quantitative characterization of the organic and inorganic components in both paper and inks. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were employed for statistical analysis of the results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The paper manufacturing process remained unchanged for many centuries, until, in the nineteenth century, the crisis of rags led industrialized countries to patent new production processes with different raw materials. This study deals with this period of transition by analyzing four samples stored at the archives of Superintendency Beni Architettonici per il Paesaggio e per il Patrimonio Storico Artistico ed Etnoantropologico (BAPPDAD) of Venice Lagoon, based in the Palazzo Ducale. The samples were analyzed by FT-IR (ATR), SEM-EDS, HPLC-MS/MS and Py-GC/MS. These techniques allow the characterization of various raw materials and adhesives used in various stages of paper production. These analyses have found a gradual introduction of ground wood in the composition of papers from the mid-nineteenth century, and the use of rosin as glue only in more recent documents. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article offers information on the additional evidence about the books of Baldassarre Castiglione, a Renaissance author in Italy. The author states that there are three more documents that appeared concerning Castiglione's acquisitions of books. These papers are to be found in Cassetta 6 of the Archivio Castiglioni, in the Archivio di Stato at Mantua. He adds that the documents consist of two letters together with a list of payments and expenditures, which a Mantuan merchant Benedetto Adelardo Da Porto addressed to Castiglione in 1523. Furthermore, the author says that the first of these papers is drafted on September 12, 1523 and the others are written around two months later.

Objective: Human PapillomaVirus (HPV) vaccination has been introduced in recent years in clinical practice as the most effective primary prevention strategy for cervical cancer and HPV-induced lesions, either pre-malignant or benign. Since its introduction, HPV vaccination has been progressively demonstrated as extremely effective in preventing extra-genital and male diseases also; furthermore, non only adolescents but adult subjects have been investigated and reported as positively responding to vaccine immunostimulation. More recently, effectiveness of post-treatment vaccine administration has been preliminarily investigated with very promising results in terms of decreased recurrences. On this basis, we report an Italian-focused picture of the state of the art and take a position in favour of the extension of HPV vaccination to male adolescents, to older age groups and to already treated subjects.

Recycled paper has the potential to be used as a mulch for vegetable production and can be adopted for the cultivation of Italian zucchini. However, there have been no studies about the water savings or crop coefficient values used in irrigation management in this system; therefore, there is a need for more research. In view of the above, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of recycled paper mulch on evaporation and evapotranspiration in Italian zucchini and to determine the crop coefficients in its developmental stages. The study was carried out in two cultivation cycles conducted at the Lysimetric Station in Viçosa, MG, Brazil. The experiments were installed in a randomized block design with four replicates. Four lysimeter cultivation treatments were applied: without mulch (C); with recycled paper as mulch (CP); with only recycled paper (P); and with Bahia grass (G). Irrigation and drainage measurements were performed daily to calculate the crop and reference evapotranspiration, and thus the crop coefficient (Kc) values. The following characteristics were evaluated: fruit yield, NDVI and water productivity. For the cultivation of Italian zucchini using paper as mulch, Kc values of 0.54, 0.77 and 0.44 and Kcb values of 0.15, 0.45 and 0.18 are recommended for the initial, intermediate and final stages, respectively. NDVI can be used to estimate the Kc values for Italian zucchini. The use of recycled paper as mulch reduces the water consumption of Italian zucchini., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Understanding intraspecific geographic variation in animal signals poses a challenging evolutionary problem. Studies addressing geographic variation typically focus on signals used in mate-choice, however, geographic variation in intrasexual signals involved in competition is also known to occur. In Polistes dominulus paper wasps, females have black facial spots that signal dominance: individuals wasps with more complex 'broken' facial patterns are better fighters and are avoided by rivals. Recent work suggests there is dramatic geographic variation in these visual signals of quality, though this variation has not been explicitly described or quantified. Here, we analyze variation in P. dominulus signals across six populations and explore how environmental conditions may account for this variation. Overall, we found substantial variation in facial pattern brokenness across populations and castes. Workers have less broken facial patterns than gynes and queens, which have similar facial patterns. Strepsipteran parasitism, body size and temperature are all correlated with the facial pattern variation, suggesting that developmental plasticity likely plays a key role in this variation. First, the extent of parasitism varies across populations and parasitized individuals have lower facial pattern brokenness than unparasitized individuals. Second, there is substantial variation in body size across populations and a weak but significant relationship between facial pattern brokenness and body size. Wasps from populations with smaller body size (e.g. Italy) tend to have less broken facial patterns than wasps from populations with larger body size (e.g. New York, USA). Third, there is an apparent association between facial patterns and climate, with wasp from cooler locations tending to have higher facial pattern brokenness than wasps from warmer locations. Additional experimental work testing the causes and consequences of facial pattern variation will be important, as geographic variation in signals has important consequences for the evolution of communication systems and social behavior.

In the absence of a functional barrier, mineral oil hydrocarbons from printing inks and recycled fibres tend to migrate from paper-based food-packaging materials through the gas phase into dry food. Concentrations easily far exceed the limit derived from the acceptable daily intake (ADI) of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). Since the estimation of long-term migration into the food by testing at 40°C for 10 days is difficult, it seems preferable (and easier) to use the mineral oil content in the paperboard. Evaporation experiments showed that hydrocarbons eluted up to about n-C₂₄ are sufficiently volatile for relevant migration into dry food: in worst-case situations, about 80% migrate into the packed food. The extraction of the paperboard was optimised to give good recovery of the relevant hydrocarbons, but to discriminate against those of high molecular mass which tend to disturb gas chromatographic analysis in on-line coupled normal phase HPLC-GC-FID. Even though some of the relevant hydrocarbons had already evaporated, the average concentration of < C₂₄ mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) in the paperboard boxes of 102 products from the Swiss and Italian market was 626 mg kg⁻¹. Nearly 15% of investigated boxes still contained more than 1000 mg kg⁻¹ < C₂₄ MOSH up to over 3000 mg kg⁻¹ (maximum = 3500 mg kg⁻¹). This amount of MOSH in the board have the potential of contaminating the packed food at a level exceeding the limit, derived from the JECFA ADI, hundreds of times.

Objective: Our study was aimed at comparing health behavior data collected from a Web-based self-administered questionnaire (Web SAQ) versus a paper-and-pencil self-administered questionnaire and assessing the feasibility of the application., Materials and Methods: One hundred and ninety (n = 190) pupils (ages 14-16 years) of senior high schools anonymously completed a questionnaire, with demographics and queries about lifestyle, alcohol, and tobacco use. For each class, the adolescents were randomly assigned to complete either the paper version of the questionnaire or the equivalent Web-based one, which used a customized platform developed for the purposes of this survey., Results: Females who filled out the Web SAQ required significantly less time and completed a significantly higher percentage of its items. Although the majority of questions on tobacco and alcohol did not differ significantly across the two administration modes, there were gender-related differences in some sensitive information. Male adolescents on the Web SAQ accounted higher per hour drink consumption (r = 0.27, p = 0.015) and more numerous episodes of inebriety (r = 0.26, p = 0.010), whereas females seemed to state a younger age of alcohol onset (r = 0.33, p = 0.002). Females were more likely to report being monthly smokers on the Web SAQ (odds ratio = 0.37). Adolescents felt significantly less observed and females referred being more independent while compiling the Web SAQ., Conclusions: The findings of the study suggest that differences in reporting of some behavior of adolescents when using a Web SAQ do exist, despite the small-to-medium effect sizes. Exploiting the Web requires further investigation for extensive comprehension of the reasons for such differences.

The reuse and recycling of waste paper sludge is increasing rapidly as far as the economical and positive environmental benefits are realised. In this study, primary sludge coming from a large production plant, located in the centre of Italy, was collected and the environmental quality of the sludge was assessed through geotechnical, physical and chemical analysis and leaching tests, as required by the Italian regulation on solid waste recovery. The results suggest that primary sludge from paper industry do not represent a major threat for the environment in regard to the heavy metal content. The use of this sludge for in situ applications appears an interesting avenue for an integrated management of waste from the paper industry.

The authors studied a cohort of 2660 pulp and paper workers in Capitanata, Apulia (Italy). All workers with at least 1 year of employment on January 1 1965 or thereafter until march 30, 2000 where studied. Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMRs) were used to compare the mortality rates of the cohort with those of Apulian population. Ninetyfive percent confidence intervals (CIs) for SMRs were obtained. Cancer risks significantly associated with work where observed: all causes for males (SMR 112.09, 95% CI 104.91-119.77), brain cancer for males (SMR 206.04, 95% CI 103.04-412.01), digestive tract for males (SMR 126.78, CI 100.63-159.73). Association with other malignancies are suggested in this study for Laryngeal and Kidney. These malignancies have been associated with different exposures in the production cycle: biocides (Kidney), Formaldehyde (Kidney, Brain). Unclear is the risk factor for the excess showed in digestive tract cancer.

The paper reports 9 cases of mesothelioma diagnosed by means of histology or cytology that were observed among women resident in the Veneto Region, Northern Italy, whose only activity that could involve exposure to asbestos was as rag sorter. These cases are part of a group of about 260 subjects with mesothelioma whose entire working and residential history has been collected. The women worked as rag sorters between the 1940's and 1960's in textile recycling (8 cases) or (one case) at a paper mill where cotton was used for paper production. The work as rag sorter helps to explain the high proportion of mesotheliomas among women with an occupational exposure to asbestos.

Betaradiography, an identification process which satisfies the current requirements for the study of watermarks was systematically investigated in the Graphic Arts Department of the Louvre museum. The curves obtained in this context allowing the evaluation of the weight of sheets using the C-14 plate used for betaradiography and those allowing evaluation of the exposure time as a function of the weight and the choice of films were found to be essential tools for the rational use of this method. Lastly, a filming apparatus adapted to drawings has been developed allowing the first perfectly conclusive betagraphic films in the Drawing Collection.

A multiple screening program to establish the frequency of congenital hypothyroidism (CH), phenylketonuria (PKU), maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), homocystinuria and hypertyrosinemia in endemic and sporadic goitrous regions of Italy is being carried out. Valine, methionine, leucine, isoleucine, tyrosine and phenylalanine, eluted from a single spot and separated by column chromatography, are measured, using whole blood adsorbed on filter paper. CH is detected by RIA assay of TSH eluted from dried blood spot. A cut-off of 100 microU/ml for TSH is used providing a recall rate of 0.38%. Out of 116,000 newborn infants screened for aminoacidopathies (since 1974), 16 PKU patients, 3 affected by MSUD, 2 homocystinuric babies have been detected. Out of 25,400 newborn infants screened for CH, 5 patients were affected by permanent CH and 29 by transient hyperthyrotropinemia. Thus PKU shows a frequency of 1:7,200 newborn infants, and permanent congenital hypothyroidism 1:5,080. The coordination of screening programs for congenital metabolic diseases in a single central unit allows:--the unification of the input of samples and output of data in a single data bank;--a minimization of the physical and psychological stress to the patients and their families;--and a more satisfactory cost/benefit ratio.