A. Innocenti - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by A. Innocenti

Research paper thumbnail of Una mela al giorno: ma quale? Imparare a mangiare e a leggere le etichette. II edizione riveduta e aggiornata

Research paper thumbnail of Una mela al giorno: ma quale?

ABSTRACT Aggiornato alla nuova legge Europea reg 1169/2011 per la regolamentazione delle etichett... more ABSTRACT Aggiornato alla nuova legge Europea reg 1169/2011 per la regolamentazione delle etichette alimentari Cosa vuol dire RDA? Come scelgo cosa comprare? I cibi confezionati sono tutti uguali? Quanto e come devo mangiare? Ci sono alimenti migliori di altri? Scritto in maniera semplice e discorsiva, il libro rende accessibile a tutti il tema dell’educazione alimentare, dalle motivazioni che guidano la scelta alimentare ai principi fondamentali della nutrizione, all’interpretazione e comprensione delle etichette alimentari, al discusso argomento degli additivi. Una guida pratica che ci aiuta a capire il rapporto tra noi, ciò che mangiamo e il nostro benessere, e a scegliere cosa e come comprare, indicando gli additivi pericolosi, quelli da evitare e quelli innocui, quali cibi li contengono e quali problemi comportano per la salute. Per chiunque voglia sapere di più sulla corretta alimentazione e voglia mantenersi in forma; per tutti gli sportivi, i professionisti del settore fitness/wellness e del settore sanitario.

Research paper thumbnail of The Role of Nutrients in a Dietary Intervention in Improving Blood Cholesterol Profile and Lowering Cardiovascular Risk

Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences, 2014

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol has been positively associated to an increase of cardiovascul... more Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol has been positively associated to an increase of cardiovascular risk by a large number of epidemiological studies. On the contrary, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol results inversely related to cardiovascular risk. In this contest plasma total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration, and the total cholesterol -high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio seems to be able to predict cardiovascular risk. Diet and its composition affects various plasma cholesterol concentration and their ratios. Particularly, a reduction of saturated fat acids dietary intake is strictly related to both improve of blood lipid profile and reduction of cardiovascular events incidence. On the other hand, the evidences from epidemiologic and clinical studies are consistent in finding that the reduction of cardiovascular risk depends by nutrients used for replacing saturated fat acids. Specifically it has been demonstrated that replacement of saturated fat acids with unsaturated fat acids, either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated ones, is effective in improving cardiovascular risk. On the contrary, saturated fat acids replacement with high glycemic index refined carbohydrate actually increases cardiovascular risk. Despite that, many dietary guidelines do not give any tips about nutrients to use in replacement of saturated fat acids, underestimating the significance. In this perspective Mediterranean diet, represents an attractive dietary pattern for the improvement of blood lipid profile and the reduction of the cardiovascular risk.

Research paper thumbnail of Seasonal variations of pineal involvement in the circadian organization of the ruin lizard Podarcis sicula

The Journal of experimental biology, 1996

To establish whether the effects of pinealectomy on circadian locomotor rhythmicity vary with sea... more To establish whether the effects of pinealectomy on circadian locomotor rhythmicity vary with season, we examined, in constant temperature and darkness, the locomotor behaviour of ruin lizards Podarcis sicula collected and subjected to pinealectomy at different times of the year. Changes in the freerunning period in response to pinealectomy were found to be significantly greater in summer than in winter, spring and autumn. Circadian activity time changed significantly in response to pinealectomy only in spring and summer. Furthermore, while pinealectomy was effective in altering the locomotor rhythms of all individual lizards tested in summer, the same surgery was found to leave locomotor rhythmicity of many lizards tested in autumn and winter completely undisturbed. These results demonstrate for the first time in a non-mammalian vertebrate that the pineal gland is centrally involved in determining circadian organization in some seasons and is only marginally involved in others.

Research paper thumbnail of Melatonin: A coupling device between oscillators in the circadian system of the ruin lizard Podarcis sicula

I. Chronic administration of melatonin (in silastic capsules) lengthened the free-running period ... more I. Chronic administration of melatonin (in silastic capsules) lengthened the free-running period of the locomotor rhythm and shortened the circadian activity time in Podarcis sicula held in constant temperature and darkness.

Research paper thumbnail of Electrolytic lesions to the optic chiasm affect circadian locomotor rhythms in lizards

NeuroReport, 1994

Electrolytic lesions to 85-95% of both optic nerves at the level of the optic chiasm (OC-X) induc... more Electrolytic lesions to 85-95% of both optic nerves at the level of the optic chiasm (OC-X) induce a significant shortening of the free-running period (tau) of locomotor rhythms in Podarcis sicula held in constant temperature (29 degrees C) and constant darkness. Together with previous data in P. sicula, showing that retinalectomy (RET-X) in constant darkness also mostly induces a shortening of tau, the present results demonstrate that the retinae play a central role in the control of behavioural circadian rhythmicity independently of light perception. The fact that OC-X and RET-X affect locomotor rhythms in the same way (mostly by shortening tau), strongly supports the contention that the influence of the retinae on the circadian system is neurally mediated.

Research paper thumbnail of Circadian organization in the ruin lizard Podarcis sicula: the role of the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus

Journal of Comparative Physiology A, 1995

The effects of electrolytic lesions to the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus (SCN) on ci... more The effects of electrolytic lesions to the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus (SCN) on circadian rhythms of locomotor activity were examined in ruin lizards Podarcis sicula maintained in constant darkness and constant temperature (29°C). All lizards (N=15) in which the lesion damaged 80% or more of the SCN became behaviorally arrhythmic. On the contrary, locomotor rhythms persisted in all cases

Research paper thumbnail of Circannual variations of lizard circadian activity rhythms in constant darkness

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 1999

The daily pattern of locomotor activity of Podarcis sicula in the ®eld changes from unimodal in s... more The daily pattern of locomotor activity of Podarcis sicula in the ®eld changes from unimodal in spring to bimodal in summer, becoming unimodal again in autumn. Short-term experiments in which P. sicula collected in dierent months were tested under constant conditions immediately after capture showed that the activity pattern typical of each season is retained in the lizard circadian locomotor rhythm. In constant conditions, the bimodal pattern is associated with a short freerunning period (s) of the circadian locomotor rhythm and a long circadian activity (a), while the unimodal pattern is associated with a long s and short a. To test whether seasonal changes in circadian locomotor rhythms are driven by a circannual clock, we recorded locomotor activity of lizards over 12±15 months in constant temperature and darkness. The present results demonstrate, for the ®rst time in a vertebrate, the existence of circannual changes in constant darkness of both s and a. In most lizards, the longest s along its circannual cycle is associated with a short a, and the shortest s in the same cycle with a long a, so that the pattern of mutual association between s and a is the same as in short-term experiments. Most lizards, however, stayed unimodal all the time. This shows that changes in activity pattern from unimodal to bimodal (and vice versa) are induced by seasonal changes in environmental factors, instead of being incorporated into a circannual rhythm. Circannual changes in s and a of locomotor rhythms may adaptively predispose the circadian system of P. sicula to a change in activity pattern as soon as seasonal changes in the environment demand it.

Research paper thumbnail of Light induced variations of c-fos expression in blinded-pinealectomized lizard brain

Research paper thumbnail of Cloning of a brain opsin from lizard Podarcis sicula

Research paper thumbnail of Int J Behav Med 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Oral communications

Research paper thumbnail of Oral communications: Pinealectomy, pineal transplant, melatonin implant in the same individual lizards Podarcis sicula: sequential effects on circadian rhythms of locomotor activity

Research paper thumbnail of Una mela al giorno: ma quale? Imparare a mangiare e a leggere le etichette. II edizione riveduta e aggiornata

Research paper thumbnail of Una mela al giorno: ma quale?

ABSTRACT Aggiornato alla nuova legge Europea reg 1169/2011 per la regolamentazione delle etichett... more ABSTRACT Aggiornato alla nuova legge Europea reg 1169/2011 per la regolamentazione delle etichette alimentari Cosa vuol dire RDA? Come scelgo cosa comprare? I cibi confezionati sono tutti uguali? Quanto e come devo mangiare? Ci sono alimenti migliori di altri? Scritto in maniera semplice e discorsiva, il libro rende accessibile a tutti il tema dell’educazione alimentare, dalle motivazioni che guidano la scelta alimentare ai principi fondamentali della nutrizione, all’interpretazione e comprensione delle etichette alimentari, al discusso argomento degli additivi. Una guida pratica che ci aiuta a capire il rapporto tra noi, ciò che mangiamo e il nostro benessere, e a scegliere cosa e come comprare, indicando gli additivi pericolosi, quelli da evitare e quelli innocui, quali cibi li contengono e quali problemi comportano per la salute. Per chiunque voglia sapere di più sulla corretta alimentazione e voglia mantenersi in forma; per tutti gli sportivi, i professionisti del settore fitness/wellness e del settore sanitario.

Research paper thumbnail of The Role of Nutrients in a Dietary Intervention in Improving Blood Cholesterol Profile and Lowering Cardiovascular Risk

Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences, 2014

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol has been positively associated to an increase of cardiovascul... more Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol has been positively associated to an increase of cardiovascular risk by a large number of epidemiological studies. On the contrary, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol results inversely related to cardiovascular risk. In this contest plasma total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration, and the total cholesterol -high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio seems to be able to predict cardiovascular risk. Diet and its composition affects various plasma cholesterol concentration and their ratios. Particularly, a reduction of saturated fat acids dietary intake is strictly related to both improve of blood lipid profile and reduction of cardiovascular events incidence. On the other hand, the evidences from epidemiologic and clinical studies are consistent in finding that the reduction of cardiovascular risk depends by nutrients used for replacing saturated fat acids. Specifically it has been demonstrated that replacement of saturated fat acids with unsaturated fat acids, either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated ones, is effective in improving cardiovascular risk. On the contrary, saturated fat acids replacement with high glycemic index refined carbohydrate actually increases cardiovascular risk. Despite that, many dietary guidelines do not give any tips about nutrients to use in replacement of saturated fat acids, underestimating the significance. In this perspective Mediterranean diet, represents an attractive dietary pattern for the improvement of blood lipid profile and the reduction of the cardiovascular risk.

Research paper thumbnail of Seasonal variations of pineal involvement in the circadian organization of the ruin lizard Podarcis sicula

The Journal of experimental biology, 1996

To establish whether the effects of pinealectomy on circadian locomotor rhythmicity vary with sea... more To establish whether the effects of pinealectomy on circadian locomotor rhythmicity vary with season, we examined, in constant temperature and darkness, the locomotor behaviour of ruin lizards Podarcis sicula collected and subjected to pinealectomy at different times of the year. Changes in the freerunning period in response to pinealectomy were found to be significantly greater in summer than in winter, spring and autumn. Circadian activity time changed significantly in response to pinealectomy only in spring and summer. Furthermore, while pinealectomy was effective in altering the locomotor rhythms of all individual lizards tested in summer, the same surgery was found to leave locomotor rhythmicity of many lizards tested in autumn and winter completely undisturbed. These results demonstrate for the first time in a non-mammalian vertebrate that the pineal gland is centrally involved in determining circadian organization in some seasons and is only marginally involved in others.

Research paper thumbnail of Melatonin: A coupling device between oscillators in the circadian system of the ruin lizard Podarcis sicula

I. Chronic administration of melatonin (in silastic capsules) lengthened the free-running period ... more I. Chronic administration of melatonin (in silastic capsules) lengthened the free-running period of the locomotor rhythm and shortened the circadian activity time in Podarcis sicula held in constant temperature and darkness.

Research paper thumbnail of Electrolytic lesions to the optic chiasm affect circadian locomotor rhythms in lizards

NeuroReport, 1994

Electrolytic lesions to 85-95% of both optic nerves at the level of the optic chiasm (OC-X) induc... more Electrolytic lesions to 85-95% of both optic nerves at the level of the optic chiasm (OC-X) induce a significant shortening of the free-running period (tau) of locomotor rhythms in Podarcis sicula held in constant temperature (29 degrees C) and constant darkness. Together with previous data in P. sicula, showing that retinalectomy (RET-X) in constant darkness also mostly induces a shortening of tau, the present results demonstrate that the retinae play a central role in the control of behavioural circadian rhythmicity independently of light perception. The fact that OC-X and RET-X affect locomotor rhythms in the same way (mostly by shortening tau), strongly supports the contention that the influence of the retinae on the circadian system is neurally mediated.

Research paper thumbnail of Circadian organization in the ruin lizard Podarcis sicula: the role of the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus

Journal of Comparative Physiology A, 1995

The effects of electrolytic lesions to the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus (SCN) on ci... more The effects of electrolytic lesions to the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus (SCN) on circadian rhythms of locomotor activity were examined in ruin lizards Podarcis sicula maintained in constant darkness and constant temperature (29°C). All lizards (N=15) in which the lesion damaged 80% or more of the SCN became behaviorally arrhythmic. On the contrary, locomotor rhythms persisted in all cases

Research paper thumbnail of Circannual variations of lizard circadian activity rhythms in constant darkness

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 1999

The daily pattern of locomotor activity of Podarcis sicula in the ®eld changes from unimodal in s... more The daily pattern of locomotor activity of Podarcis sicula in the ®eld changes from unimodal in spring to bimodal in summer, becoming unimodal again in autumn. Short-term experiments in which P. sicula collected in dierent months were tested under constant conditions immediately after capture showed that the activity pattern typical of each season is retained in the lizard circadian locomotor rhythm. In constant conditions, the bimodal pattern is associated with a short freerunning period (s) of the circadian locomotor rhythm and a long circadian activity (a), while the unimodal pattern is associated with a long s and short a. To test whether seasonal changes in circadian locomotor rhythms are driven by a circannual clock, we recorded locomotor activity of lizards over 12±15 months in constant temperature and darkness. The present results demonstrate, for the ®rst time in a vertebrate, the existence of circannual changes in constant darkness of both s and a. In most lizards, the longest s along its circannual cycle is associated with a short a, and the shortest s in the same cycle with a long a, so that the pattern of mutual association between s and a is the same as in short-term experiments. Most lizards, however, stayed unimodal all the time. This shows that changes in activity pattern from unimodal to bimodal (and vice versa) are induced by seasonal changes in environmental factors, instead of being incorporated into a circannual rhythm. Circannual changes in s and a of locomotor rhythms may adaptively predispose the circadian system of P. sicula to a change in activity pattern as soon as seasonal changes in the environment demand it.

Research paper thumbnail of Light induced variations of c-fos expression in blinded-pinealectomized lizard brain

Research paper thumbnail of Cloning of a brain opsin from lizard Podarcis sicula

Research paper thumbnail of Int J Behav Med 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Oral communications

Research paper thumbnail of Oral communications: Pinealectomy, pineal transplant, melatonin implant in the same individual lizards Podarcis sicula: sequential effects on circadian rhythms of locomotor activity