This review focused on the historical, technological, and analytical characteristics of ricotta cheese available in the literature. Ricotta cheese is a typical dairy product that originated from ...Italy, used in the preparation of several traditional dishes, both sweet and salted. The available studies pertaining to ricotta cheese revealed a considerable biodiversity in the production with a large number of varieties produced, whose production varies according to the local uses and customs. The review shows the main chemical and microbial characteristics of the product and also the several parameters that affect the mechanism of the production process and the final characteristics of the product, including the raw materials, the processing methods, the season, the animals' diet, the animals' species, and breeds. Ricotta production can be artisanal or industrial, with differences in the making process. New trends in ricotta cheese production have been developed, with particular attention to the functional effect on human health and the novel technologies applied to extend the shelf-life of the products. Currently, it is not easy to find these new developments in the market, probably related to the cost of production, which is not always bearable by the farms. However, despite the large classification reported and the great interest by the cheese industry, just a few numbers of studies were found for artisanal ricotta productions, which still need to be characterized and studied.
Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a native raw-milk enzyme used in many countries as the standard assay for rapidly validating the milk pasteurization process. Due to the increased restrictions on the ...production or import of cheeses produced from unpasteurized milk, ALP activity (<10 mU/g) in cheese was measured as a simple and reliable method to check proper milk pasteurization in cheese for both safety inspection and trading controls. In Sicily, the artisanal cheesemaking of the Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) semi-hard cheeses made with raw sheep milk, includes the cooking of the curd, after whey separation, in a wooden vat under hot Scotta whey (≥80°C), for 3 to 4 h, and finally is left to cool at ambient temperature. Thus, the temperatures adopted during cheesemaking may inactivate the ALP enzyme. To this purpose, the aim of this study was to demonstrate how different temperatures of Scotta whey (35°C T35, 60°C T60, 70°C T70, 80°C T80, 90°C T90, and 100°C T100) used during the second cooking of Pecorino cheeses after molding for 3 h, influence the ALP activity in fresh and 3-mo aged cheese, both at core and outside. The results highlight that the rate of reduction of ALP was greater with increasing temperature of the second cooking, in particular for T 80°C curd, indicating that the use of Scotta whey >80°C could be a breakpoint able to reduce the ALP activity to values <10 mU/g. Different effects between the core and the outside portions of the experimental cheeses were found, with a decrease in ALP activity more on the outside than in the core portions, in both fresh and 3-mo aged cheeses, for T80, T90, and T100 treatments. Care must be taken in using ALP to control the use of pasteurized milk in the production of PDO cheeses without considering the cheesemaking processes, such as the second cooking, which could be equal to pasteurization, and an adequate interaction of time and temperature can reduce the ALP activity to values comparable with cheeses produced with pasteurized milk.
The list of standard abbreviations for JDS is available at adsa.org/jds-abbreviations-24. Nonstandard abbreviations are available in the Notes.
The possibility of inclusion of agro-industrial ...byproducts in the diet of small ruminants represents both an economic and an environmental strategy for reducing waste management by industries and costs of feeding as well as the impact of livestock farming. Large amounts of wastes from the cocoa industry are produced annually, with a considerable part represented by cocoa bean shells, considered a suitable ingredient to be included in the diet of ruminants within the limits established by European legislation. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of including cocoa bean shells in the diet of dairy sheep on the sensory, volatile, and antioxidant properties of cheese. To this purpose, 20 lactating Comisana ewes were randomly assigned to 2 experimental groups: control (CTRL) and cocoa bean shells (CBS), and received alfalfa hay ad libitum and 800 g of conventional (CTRL) or experimental (CBS) concentrate containing 11.7% CBS to partially replace corn and barley of the CTRL concentrate. Bulk milk collected from each group was used to produce a total of 15 cheeses per group, obtained in 5 different days of cheesemaking (3 cheeses a day per group). After 60 d of aging, each cheese of each experimental group was sampled for the analyses. The results on chemical composition revealed a greater content of monounsaturated fatty acids and an increase in the nutritional indices, suggesting a favorable role of cocoa bean shell dietary inclusion on the nutritive value of cheese. The cheese sensory profile was affected by the cocoa bean shell inclusion, with more pronounced appearance, odor, aroma, and taste attributes in the product. The volatile profile showed only a few significant differences, mainly related to the cheese ripening process, and no differences were found in α-tocopherol contents in cheese fat between the 2 groups. Therefore, the inclusion of coca bean shells in the diet of dairy sheep allowed us to obtain a good-quality cheese, without altering the characteristics associated with the typical profiles of sheep cheese. Furthermore, the use of this byproduct could contribute to decreasing feed costs and waste management, representing a good practice for increasing the sustainability of dairy products.
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•The homogenization method applied to collect ricotta cheese samples affected the TS contents of the products.•The repeatability and the standard deviation of repeatability are ...indicators of agreement between repeated measures for TS contents.•Ultra-Turrax homogenization provides repeatable measurements when compared with others.•The use of a better homogenization method results in a better estimate of the data, reducing sources of uncertainty.
Ricotta cheese is an Italian dairy product obtained by heat-coagulation of the proteins in whey, resulting from cheese production. The homogenization method applied to collect ricotta cheese samples could affect the total solids (TS) contents of the products. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of 5 different homogenization methods of the samples collection applied for the accuracy in TS determination in ricotta cheese, including un-homogenized method (UNH), un-homogenized combined with the Ultra-Turrax (IKA-Werke GmbH & Co. KG) method (UNH-UTX), spoon-homogenized method (SPN), spoon-homogenized combined with Ultra-Turrax method (SPN-UTX), and Ultra-Turrax homogenized method (UTX). The repeatability and the standard deviation of repeatability are indicators of agreement between repeated measures for TS contents. Results reported that UNH ricotta cheese samples showed large variation in TS content with values ranging from 18.31% to 25.85% and a standard deviation of repeatability higher than 1%; SPN samples showed repeatability values higher than 0.35% and standard deviation of repeatability ranged until 1.36%, suggesting large variability even in this case; the Ultra-Turrax homogenization reported repeatability values lower than 0.1% and standard deviation of repeatability lower than 0.05%, indicating that this method provides repeatable measurements that may reduce the sources of uncertainty in TS determination.
A combined experimental and theoretical study provides a rationale of the chemical and physical behavior for Pt(II)-acetonitrile and -benzonitrile complexes. The increased reactivity of the nitrile ...ligands, after coordination to Pt(II), can be explained by the energy decreasing of the ligands’ LUMOs. The theoretical models are able to reproduce the spectroscopic observations and show an excellent agreement between crystallographic data and optimized structures, nicely supporting the proposed models. Display omitted
•A combined experimental and theoretical study on Platinum(II) nitrile complexes.•Spectroscopic characterization including CP/MAS NMR data.•Redetermination of X-ray structures of cis-and trans-PtCl2(NCPh)2 and cis-PtCl2(NCCH3)2.•Theoretical study for a rationale of spectroscopic data.•Theoretical study for a rationale of the reactivity towards nucleophiles.
The spectroscopic characterization of cis- and trans-PtCl2(NCR)2 (R=CH3, Ph, CH2Ph) was reported in solid state and solution phase. Moreover, the X-ray structures of cis-PtCl2(NCCH3)2, cis- and trans-PtCl2(NCPh)2 were redetermined at low temperature. FT-IR and NMR showed a blue-shift and a slight shielding of the νCN and δ(13CCN) values, respectively, in a counterintuitive way with respect to the well known improved reactivity towards nucleophiles of nitriles ligands coordinated to platinum(II), when compared to their free forms. These spectroscopic behaviors were also confirmed by theoretical experiments at DFT level. Moreover, DFT approach showed that the increased reactivity of the nitrile ligands, after coordination to Pt(II), can be explained by the energy decreasing of the ligands’ LUMOs, instead of an increased polarization of the CN bond, accordingly with the orbital control model previously proposed for trans-PtCl2(MeCN)2. Finally, bond analysis also discarded the occurrence of Pt→N back-donation.
The combined experimental and theoretical study herein reported, provides a rationale of the chemical and physical behavior for Pt(II)-acetonitrile and -benzonitrile complexes, proving to be a potential tool to set suitable based-nitrile intermediates for the synthesis of new organometallic derivatives.
The practice of laparoscopic cholecystectomy under local anesthesia is almost anecdotal. For 15 years we have been using a "transcylindrical cholecystectomy" technique for the treatment of ...cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, and choledocholithiasis. The present study was undertaken to assess the feasibility of transcylindrical cholecystectomy under local anesthesia through a prospective and longitudinal efficacy study.
Transcylindrical cholecystectomy is performed gas-free through a single cylinder 3.8 cm in diameter and 10.0 cm in length. In 60 patients suffering from cholelithiasis (mean age 52.6 years, range 31-83 years; men/women 13/47; body mass index 29.6 kg/m(2), range 24-44 kg/m(2)), transcylindrical cholecystectomy was planned and started under local anesthesia. Patients were reviewed 5 days after surgery; pain was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) and procedure satisfaction was assessed following completion of a patient questionnaire.
Surgery was satisfactorily completed through the cylinder in all patients. In 13 patients (21.7 %) local anesthesia was converted to general anesthesia due to technical difficulties in 11 patients (two related to patient body volume), respiratory depression in one patient, and poor patient tolerance in one patient. Postoperative complications were: wound infection (n = 1, 1.7 %), wound seromas (n = 2, 3.3 %), and nausea (n = 3, 5 %). After surgery, only three patients experienced pain at rest with VAS values of 0.5, 1.5, and 2.9, respectively. All but two patients were discharged from hospital on the day of surgery, and all patients were satisfied with the procedure.
Transcylindrical cholecystectomy under local anesthesia is a feasible technique that builds on the benefits of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and confers an economic advantage and improved safety for patients.
The possibility of inclusion of agro-industrial by-products in the diet of small ruminants represents both an economical and an environmental strategy for reducing waste management by industries and ...the cost of feeding as well as the impact of livestock farming. Large amounts of wastes from the cocoa industry are annually produced with a considerable part represented by cocoa bean shells, considered a suitable ingredient to be included in the diet of ruminants within the limits established by European legislation. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of including cocoa bean shells in the diet of dairy sheep on the sensory, volatile, and antioxidant properties of cheese. To this purpose, 20 Comisana lactating ewes were randomly assigned to 2 experimental groups: control (CTRL) and cocoa bean shells (CBS), and received alfalfa hay ad libitum and 800g of conventional (CTRL) or experimental (CBS) concentrate containing 11.7% CBS to partially replace corn and barley of the CTRL concentrate. Bulk milk collected from each group was used to produce a total of 15 cheeses per group, obtained in 5 different days of cheese-making (3 cheeses a day per group). After 60 d of aging, each cheese of each experimental group was sampled for the analyses. The results on chemical composition revealed a greater monounsaturated fatty acids content and an increase in the nutritional indices suggesting a favorable role of cocoa bean shells dietary inclusion on the nutritive value of the cheese. The cheese sensory profile was affected by the cocoa bean shells inclusion, with more pronounced appearance, odor, aroma, and taste attributes in the product. The volatile profile showed only a few significant differences, mainly related to the cheese ripening process, and no differences were found in α-tocopherol contents in cheese fat between the 2 groups. Therefore, the coca bean shells inclusion in the diet of dairy sheep allowed to obtain a good quality cheese, without altering the characteristics associated with the typical profiles of sheep cheese. Furthermore, the use of this by-product could contribute to decrease feed costs and waste management, representing a good practice for increasing the sustainability of dairy products.
Background
Transcylindrical cholecystectomy (TC) can be performed under local anaesthesia and sedation (LAS) in ambulatory surgery (AS). The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and ...results of TC under LAS.
Methods
TC under LAS was proposed to 583 consecutive patients with cholelithiasis in an AS unit. For the TC procedure, a cylindrical retractor with a transparent plunger was inserted into the hepatocystic triangle, and cholecystectomy was performed through the retractor with reusable open instruments. Pre-, intra-, and post-operative variables were prospectively registered, including complications, reasons for conversion to general anaesthesia (GA), non-programmed admissions, readmissions, pain assessments, and satisfaction with the procedure.
Results
Five hundred patients were eligible for LAS, with GA being required in 128 (25.6%) of them. AS was programmed for 447 patients. The rates of non-programmed admissions, readmissions, and conversion to laparotomy were 8.7% (39), 0.8% (4), and 2.6% (13), respectively. There was no main bile duct injury. At 24 h, physical status was good or excellent in 80.4% of the patients. A history of acute cholecystitis, male sex, a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 39.5 kg/m
2
, and non-suspected acute cholecystitis were found to be independent variables associated with conversion to GA.
Conclusions
TC under LAS is a safe procedure in AS and is feasible in 74% of cholelithiasis patients. Male sex, BMI, gallbladder wall thickness, and a history of acute cholecystitis are factors that increase the probability of conversion to GA.
This prospective study was approved by the ethics committee of Badajoz for patient protection for biomedical research and has been retrospectively registered under the research registry UIN: researchregistry3979.
The need of a common environment where to share information and knowledge is of particular interest in the field of special education not only to support the access to a large amount of available ...information (along with the ability to derive value from this information) but also to foster synergistic actions involving different special education operators. In this paper we present the results of a research aimed at defining a Web-based environment for special edu-cation providing, to operators of the field, personalized in-formation and digital assets covering both their expressed and latent information needs. Offered personalization features are based on the definition and the implementation of a hybrid recommender system based on a mix of cognitive and collaborative approaches, the first based on the similarities among digital objects, the latter leveraging on similarities among user profiles. By combining these two approaches the system is able to provide meaningful but not obvious recommendations with a fair level of serendipity. The encouraging results of an experimentation with real users are also reported.
Context-aware e-learning is an educational model that foresees the selection of learning resources to make the e-learning content more relevant and suitable for the learner in his/her situation. The ...purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that an ontological approach can be used to define leaning contexts and to allow contextualizing learning experiences finding out relevant topics for each context. To do that, we defined a context model able to formally describe a learning context, an ontology-based model enabling the representation of a teaching domain (including context information) and a methodology to generate personalized and context-aware learning experiences starting from them. Based on these theoretical components we improved an existing system for personalized e-learning with contextualisation features and experimented it with real users in two University courses. The results obtained from this experimentation have been compared with those achieved by similar systems.
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