Asymmetric error correction models for the oil–gasoline price relationship

The existing literature on price asymmetries does not systematically investigate the sensitivity of the empirical results to the choice of a particular econometric specification. This paper fills this gap by providing a detailed comparison of the three most popular models designed to describe asymmetric price behavior, namely asymmetric ECM, autoregressive threshold ECM and ECM with threshold cointegration. Each model is estimated on a common monthly data set for the gasoline markets of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and UK over the period 1985–2003. All models are able to capture the temporal delay in the reaction of retail prices to changes in spot gasoline and crude oil prices, as well as some evidence of asymmetric behavior. However, the type of market and the number of countries which are characterized by asymmetric oil–gasoline price relations vary across models. The asymmetric ECM prescribes that long-run price asymmetries are most likely to be found in the second stage of the transmission chain. Conversely, the ECM with threshold cointegration suggests that long-run price asymmetries vary across countries and markets. Short-run price asymmetries are captured by the asymmetric ECM specification and the TAR-ECM. The latter model suggests that all European countries are likely to be affected by asymmetries at the distribution stage, while the results obtained with the asymmetric ECM are mixed.     

Salivary Cytokines as Biomarkers for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review

The prognosis of patients with oral squamous carcinoma (OSCC) largely depends on the stage at diagnosis, the 5-year survival rate being approximately 30% for advanced tumors. Early diagnosis, including the detection of lesions at risk for malignant transformation, is crucial for limiting the need for extensive surgery and for improving disease-free survival. Saliva has gained popularity as a readily available source of biomarkers (including cytokines) useful for diagnosing specific oral and systemic conditions. Particularly, the close interaction between oral dysplastic/neoplastic cells and saliva makes such fluid an ideal candidate for the development of non-invasive and highly accurate diagnostic tests. The present review has been designed to answer the question: “Is there evidence to support the role of specific salivary cytokines in the diagnosis of OSCC?” We retrieved 27 observational studies satisfying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Among the most frequent cytokines investigated as candidates for OSCC biomarkers, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α are present at higher concentration in the saliva of OSCC patients than in healthy controls and may therefore serve as basis for the development of rapid tests for early diagnosis of oral cancer.     

Fruit quality and bioactive compounds relevant to human health of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cultivars grown in Italy

The fruit quality characteristics, phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacities of 24 sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cultivars grown on the mountainsides of the Etna volcano (Sicily, Italy) were evaluated. High-performance liquid chromatographic methods were used to identify and quantify sugars, organic acids and phenolics. A total of seven phenolic compounds were characterised as hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives (neochlorogenic acid, p-coumaroylquinic acid and chlorogenic acid) and anthocyanins (cyanidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-rutinoside, pelargonidin 3-rutinoside and peonidin 3-rutinoside). The total anthocyanin content ranged from 6.21 to 94.20 mg cyanidin 3-glucoside equivalents/100 g fresh weight (FW), while the total phenol content ranged from 84.96 to 162.21 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g FW. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay indicated that fruit of all genotypes possessed considerable antioxidant activity. The high level of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of some sweet cherry fruits implied that they might be sources of bioactive compounds that are relevant to human health.     

Functional properties of pasteurised liquid whole egg products as affected by the hygienic quality of the raw eggs

The viscosity, foaming and baking performances of pasteurised liquid whole egg products were investigated to study the influence of raw egg hygienic quality on egg product functional performances. Uracil, lactic acid and 3OH-butyric acid measured in the pasteurised egg products were taken as chemical indices of the hygienic quality of the raw material. A high variability in the functional properties was observed, especially for overrun and foam stability, as well as in the chemical indices of hygiene. Many interesting correlations were found between variables, for example between overrun and cake volume (p < 0.001). Instead, no significant correlations were found between the chemical indices and the different functional properties. However, the application of Principal Component Analysis demonstrated that a good hygienic quality of the raw material used to prepare the liquid whole egg products is a prerequisite needed to develop good functional performances, although other factors pertaining to composition or processing also have a role.     

The Efficacies of Cell‐Penetrating Peptides in Accumulating in Large Unilamellar Vesicles Depend on their Ability To Form Inverted Micelles

In this study, the direct translocation of cell‐penetrating peptides (CPPs) into large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) was shown to be rapid for all the most commonly used CPPs. This translocation led within a few minutes to intravesicular accumulation up to 0.5 mM , with no need for a transbilayer potential. The accumulation of CPPs inside LUVs was found to depend on CPP sequence, CPP extravesicular concentration and phospholipid (PL) composition, either in binary or ternary mixtures of PLs. More interestingly, the role of anionic phospholipid flip‐flopping in the translocation process was ascertained. CPPs enhanced the flipping of PLs, and the intravesicular CPP accumulation directly correlated with the amount of anionic PLs that had been transferred from the external to the internal leaflet of the LUV bilayer, thus demonstrating the transport of peptide/lipid complexes as inverted micelles.     

Foaming,gelling and rheological properties of egg albumen as affected by the housing system and the age of laying hens

The aim of this work was to study the foaming, gelling and rheological properties of albumen as simultaneously affected by the housing system (i.e. conventional cage, organic and barn) and the age of layers (27, 30, 35, 43, 53 and 68 weeks). Significant effects of the two considered factors and of their interactions were found for almost all the studied properties. In particular, with the increasing of the hen age, a loss in albumen consistency and a weakening of the albumen gel structure were observed. As regards the housing system, differences observed, even if statistically significant, were little and unlikely to have a real effect on technological performances of the eggs when used as food ingredients. Significant correlations amongst technological properties of albumen and its pH and protein content were also found.     

Chemical composition and characterisation of seeds from two varieties (pure and hybrid) of Aesculus hippocastanum

Investigations have been conducted on some samples of naturally desiccated horse-chestnuts (Aesculus hippocastanum), representative of the two most common mediterranean varieties: the pure species (AHP, giving white flowers), and a hybrid (AHH, giving pink flowers). Different experimental techniques have been used to gain more information on morphological structure and chemical composition of these complex matrices. Surface analysis by SEM showed no differences in such floured samples (wild type), while thermal behaviour (DSC) outlines some significant differences between them. Chemical composition reveals some differences in residual moisture (AHP = 6.97%; AHH = 6.59%), proteins (AHP = 2.64%; AHH = 1.82%), lipids (AHP = 4.13%; AHH = 5.10%), glucides (AHP = 15.2%; AHH = 14.3%), and ashes (AHP = 2.51%; AHH = 2.19%). Most likely, these characters modulate other undifferentiated chemical parameters, such as cold water solubility (CWS:AHP = 53.9%; AHH = 48.6%), and total inorganic soluble salts (TISS:AHP = 2.18%; AHH = 1.92%). Principal component analysis was applied to differentiate the two horse-chestnuts varieties. In particular, the first principal component effectively distinguish and discriminates AHH and AHP samples in two well-separated categories, giving, at the same time, some information on the influence of the whole set of chemical compositional parameters.     

Chemical Studies of Caribbean Sacoglossans: Dietary Relationships with Green Algae and Ecological Implications

Eight sacoglossan species associated with green algae and collected along Caribbean coasts have been chemically investigated, together with their prey. The main secondary metabolites have been identified either by TLC comparison with standard compounds, or by ¹H NMR analysis, defining dietary relationships. In addition, two new compounds, ascobullin-A and ascobullin-B, have been found in the sacoglossan Ascobulla ulla and characterized by spectroscopic methods. Finally, the results obtained, together with those already reported for Caribbean sacoglossans, are summarized in a chemoecological scenario, which could be compared with that previously proposed for Mediterranean species.     

The influence of the enzymatic composition of lamb rennet paste on some properties of experimentally produced PDO Fiore Sardo cheese

An experiment on PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) Fiore Sardo cheese making was carried out to assess the influence of rennet paste on cheese quality. Four different preparations of lamb rennet paste (A, B, C and D) were used. Rennet A came exclusively from suckling lambs slaughtered immediately after suckling, rennet B from suckling lambs not fed for 12 h, and rennets C and D from suckling lambs allowed to graze and slaughtered in the same way as A and B, respectively. In vitro lipolysis and multiple cheese-making trials were carried out for each rennet. The enzymatic composition of the prepared rennets was different. Lipolytic activity was assessed in vitro by measuring the quantity of free fatty acids released by hydrolysis of a sheep milk cream substrate. Rennet A had the greatest lipolytic activity, which had a strong preference for esters of short-chain fatty acids. The cheeses made using the different rennets did not differ significantly in their moisture, protein and fat content or in the nitrogen fractions which resulted from proteolysis. The cheese produced with rennet A had the highest lipolysis. Short-chain fatty acids, in particular butyric acid, were prevalent, as they were in the in vitro trials. The diet and the presence of milk in the abomasa was responsible for the enzymatic peculiarities of rennet A. Suckling stimulated the secretion of pre-gastric lipase from the pharingeal tissue. Thus, if one wishes to produce a rennet with the particular enzymatic composition necessary for a particular cheese, the diet and the slaughtering conditions of the lambs should be controlled.     

Isolated superior gluteal nerve injury: two case reports

Isolated superior gluteal nerve injury has been infrequently described in the literature, mainly from injections or hip surgery. Its course through the greater sciatic foramen renders it at risk in pelvic or hip trauma. We report 2 cases of electromyographically documented isolated superior gluteal nerve injury following pelvic trauma. These cases illustrate that weakness in hip abduction following pelvic trauma may indicate the presence of a superior gluteal nerve injury, warranting further clinical and electrodiagnostic evaluation.