Flavour compounds of Lavandula angustifolia L. to use in food manufacturing: Comparison of three different extraction methods

Sixty compounds of Lavandula angustifolia L. cultivated in Friuli Venezia Giulia (North-East Italy) were identified and quantified by GC-MS and GC-FID from essential oils obtained by means of hydrodistillation, and from extracts obtained by supercritical CO₂ extraction (SFE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (US). Using absolute calibration, a true quantification of 1-8 cineol, camphor, linalool, linalyl acetate and β-caryophyllene was carried out. The best extracts, in terms of amount of isolated compounds, flavour quality and stability were those obtained with SFE. Sonication performed at low amplitude for 5 min offered respect to high amplitude a promising alternative to hydrodistillation as a source of lavender flavouring ready to use for alcoholic beverages or/and confectionery products.     

Evaluation of Alternative Preservation Treatments (Water Heat Treatment,Ultrasounds, Thermosonication and UV-C Radiation) to Improve Safety and Quality of Whole Tomato

Previously optimised postharvest treatments were compared to conventional chlorinated water treatment in terms of their effects on the overall quality of tomato (‘Zinac’) during storage at 10 °C. The treatments in question were water heat treatment (WHT?=?40 °C, 30 min), ultrasounds (US?=?45 kHz, 80 %, 30 min), thermosonication (TS?=?40 °C, 30 min, 45 kHz, 80 %) and ultraviolet irradiation (UV-C: 0.97 kJ m^?2). The quality factors evaluated were colour, texture, sensorial analysis, mass loss, antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content, peroxidase and pectin methylesterase enzymatic activities, and microbial load reduction. The results demonstrate that all treatments tested preserve tomato quality to some extent during storage at 10 °C. WHT, TS and UV-C proved to be more efficient on minimising colour and texture changes with the additional advantage of microbial load reduction, leading to a shelf life extension when compared to control trials. However, at the end of storage, with exception of WHT samples, the antioxidant activity and phenolic content of treated samples was lower than for control samples. Moreover, sensorial results were well correlated with instrumental colour experimental data. This study presents alternative postharvest technologies that improve tomato (Zinac) quality during shelf life period and minimise the negative impact of conventional chlorinated water on human safety, health and environment.     

Surface properties of phenolic compounds and their influence on the dispersion degree and oxidative stability of olive oil O/W emulsions

The surface and interfacial properties of gallic acid, catechin and quercetin, and their effect on the dispersion degree and the oxidative stability of olive oil oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions prepared using β-lactoglobulin and Tween 20 were studied.Gallic acid showed no effect on the surface properties while catechin was proven to be able to accumulate at the air/water interface, decreasing the surface tension values with increasing its concentration. All the phenolic antioxidants caused a decrease in the interfacial tension at the oil/water interface, even though only catechin and quercetin showed a concentration dependent behaviour.In emulsions, gallic acid did not affect the droplet size of the systems, catechin caused the formation of oil droplets bigger than those of the control, whilst quercetin improved the dispersion state of the emulsions with the increasing of its concentration. Gallic acid, despite its partitioning in the water phase due to its polarity, delayed the formation of both the hydroperoxides and TBARs and limited their accumulation. Catechin did not affect the formation of oxidation products whilst quercetin, among the tested antioxidants, caused the lowest formation of both hydroperoxides and TBARs through 33 days of storage.     

Hydrogen production from methane steam reforming: parametric and gradient based optimization of a Pd-based membrane reactor

In this work three mathematical models for methane steam reforming in membrane reactors were developed. The first one is a steady state, non isothermal, non isobaric and one dimensional model derived from material and energy balances and validated using experimental data from the literature. It is referred as full model. The influence of two different intrinsic kinetics available, as well as, the influence of five important parameters on methane conversion (X_CH4_{\mathrm{CH}_{4}}) and hydrogen recovery (Y_H2_{\mathrm{H}_{2}}) were parametrically evaluated through simulations. The second model, referred as meta-model, was obtained though the response surface technique. This meta-model was included into a constrained optimization problem solved using NPSOL. The third model, referred as a simplified model, takes into account only mass balances from the full model. Using this model, a gradient based method (DIRCOL) was used to perform the optimization of the sum of methane conversion and hydrogen recovery. High methane conversions and hydrogen recoveries were reached through these methodologies.     

Modulation of exploratory behavior in female mice by protein-borne male urinary molecules

Male pheromones are believed to attract females and repel male mice in open field tests but, when tested in more complex environments, they can attract male mice in usually avoided areas. Females were tested in an apparatus with one dark and one light side, in the absence or presence of male urine or the major urinary proteins (MUPs) bearing the natural ligands. Diestrous females were slower in leaving from the dark area when male urine or MUPs were present in it. Estrogen-primed females showed the opposite behavior, with an increase in the same latency. The light-avoidance behavior of prepubertal females, or females reared without males was not influenced by the presence of male chemosignals. The results show that adult female mice can react to MUP-borne volatiles as to adult male urine and use them as cues of male mice, if they were previously exposed to male cues during infancy. MUP-borne molecules are, thus, the olfactory trace of males in the environment and modulate mice exploratory behavior.     

FECOM: a new artificial stool for evaluating defecation

OBJECTIVE: Traditionally, barium paste has been used for performing defecography. Because this substance is not stool-like, barium defecography may not accurately represent defecatory function. Our aim was to prospectively compare the utility of a new artificial stool, "FECOM"--a silicon-filled and barium-coated, deformable device the shape and consistency of which mimicked a normal formed stool with that of barium paste. METHODS: Defecography was performed after placing FECOM or barium paste in a random order in 12 healthy subjects (two men and 10 women). We evaluated the changes in anorectal angle, rectal morphology, rectal sensation, and the subjects' preference for a "stool-like" device. RESULTS: Anorectal angle at rest, during squeeze, cough, and straining were each greater with the FECOM when compared with the barium paste (p < 0.006). Anterior rectocele (nine), mucosal intussusception (four), and incontinence (three) were identified only with barium defecography. Nine (75%) subjects preferred FECOM to barium paste (p < 0.001) and reported that expulsion of this device mimicked more closely their stools at home (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The anorectal angle is influenced by the form and consistency of stool material and is lower with barium paste. The detection of rectocele, mucosal intussusception, and barium leakage in normal subjects during barium defecography questions the significance of these findings. FECOM appears to be a realistic alternative to barium paste for performing defecography.     

Waterfalls and geysers: the development of diversity awareness at Children's Hospital

The development of diversity awareness at Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, has been a work in progress since the early 1980s. The interface of administration and individual initiatives ("waterfalls" and "geysers") has resulted in projects ranging from major international exchange programs to noontime Spanish language classes. This article recounts the journey from a parochial focus to a consciousness of multiculturalism in virtually all aspects of hospital interaction.