Potential tolerability of ancient grains in non-celiac wheat sensitivity patients: A preliminary evaluation.

Background and aims: A wheat-free diet (WFD) represents the elective treatment for Non-celiac Wheat Sensitivity (NCWS) patients. Preliminary reports have shown a possible better tolerability of ancient grains in these subjects. The aim of this observational study was to evaluate the frequency of consumption of ancient grains and its correlation with clinical manifestations in NCWS patients. Methods: 223 NCWS patients were recruited, and their consumption of ancient grains was monitored. Participants were first administered a modified version of the Pavia/Biagi questionnaire to investigate their adherence to "modern WFD." The appearance/exacerbation of symptoms after ingestion of ancient grains was then assessed with WHO toxicity grading scale. Results: 50.2% of the recruited patients reported consuming ancient grains before NCWS diagnosis; the diagnostic delay in this group was significantly higher than in non-consumers [median (range) 72 (6-612) vs. 60 months (3-684), P = 0.03] and these patients reported lower frequency of constipation (P = 0.04). Of the 107 patients with optimal adherence to modern WFD, 14 reported eating ancient wheat after NCWS diagnosis. Among them, 5 reported milder symptoms than those caused by modern wheat intake and 3 had an excellent tolerability without symptoms. Timilia/Tumminia variety was the most frequently used ancient grain. Conclusions: NCWS patients who consume ancient grains may receive a late diagnosis due to the possible clinical benefit (tolerability) obtained with these grains. Even after diagnosis, 10% of the patients still consumed ancient grains and had mild or no symptoms. Further studies are required to define the pathophysiological mechanism behind their putative greater tolerability.

A compact and flexible induction furnace for in situ X-ray microradiograhy and computed microtomography at Elettra: design, characterization and first tests.

A compact and versatile induction furnace for in situ high-resolution synchrotron and laboratory hard X-ray microradiography and computed microtomography is described. The furnace can operate from 773 to 1723 K. Its programmable controller enables the user to specify multiple heating and cooling ramp rates as well as variable dwell times at fixed temperatures allowing precise control of heating and cooling rates to within 5 K. The instrument can work under a controlled atmosphere. Thanks to the circular geometry of the induction coils, the heat is homogeneously distributed in the internal volume of the graphite cell (ca. 150 mm3) where the sample holder is located. The thermal gradient within the furnace is less than 5 K over a height of ca. 5 mm. This new furnace design is well suited to the study of melting and solidification processes in geomaterials, ceramics and several metallic alloys, allowing fast heating (tested up to 6.5 K s-1) and quenching (up to 21 K s-1) in order to freeze the sample microstructure and chemistry under high-temperature conditions. The sample can be held at high temperatures for several hours, which is essential to follow phenomena with relatively slow dynamics, such as crystallization processes in geomaterials. The utility of the furnace is demonstrated through a few examples of experimental applications performed at the Elettra synchrotron laboratory (Trieste, Italy).

Development of a laser-based heating system for in situ synchrotron-based X-ray tomographic microscopy.

Understanding the formation of materials at elevated temperatures is critical for determining their final properties. Synchrotron-based X-ray tomographic microscopy is an ideal technique for studying such processes because high spatial and temporal resolutions are easily achieved and the technique is non-destructive, meaning additional analyses can take place after data collection. To exploit the state-of-the-art capabilities at the tomographic microscopy and coherent radiology experiments (TOMCAT) beamline of the Swiss Light Source, a general-use moderate-to-high-temperature furnace has been developed. Powered by two diode lasers, it provides controlled localized heating, from 673 to 1973 K, to examine many materials systems and their dynamics in real time. The system can also be operated in various thermal modalities. For example, near-isothermal conditions at a given sample location can be achieved with a prescribed time-dependent temperature. This mode is typically used to study isothermal phase transformations; for example, the formation of equiaxed grains in metallic systems or to nucleate and grow bubble foams in silicate melts under conditions that simulate volcanic processes. In another mode, the power of the laser can be fixed and the specimen moved at a constant speed in a user-defined thermal gradient. This is similar to Bridgman solidification, where the thermal gradient and cooling rate control the microstructure formation. This paper details the experimental set-up and provides multiple proofs-of-concept that illustrate the versatility of using this laser-based heating system to explore, in situ, many elevated-temperature phenomena in a variety of materials.