An ultrasound-assisted procedure for the extraction of pectins from grape pomace with citric acid as the extracting agent was established. A Box-Behnken design (BBD) was employed to optimize the ...extraction temperature (X1: 35-75°C), extraction time (X2: 20-60 min) and pH (X3: 1.0-2.0) to obtain a high yield of pectins with high average molecular weight (MW) and degree of esterification (DE) from grape pomace. Analysis of variance showed that the contribution of a quadratic model was significant for the pectin extraction yield and for pectin MW whereas the DE of pectins was more influenced by a linear model. An optimization study using response surface methodology was performed and 3D response surfaces were plotted from the mathematical model. According to the RSM model, the highest pectin yield (∼32.3%) can be achieved when the UAE process is carried out at 75°C for 60 min using a citric acid solution of pH 2.0. These pectic polysaccharides, composed mainly by galacturonic acid units (<97% of total sugars), have an average MW of 163.9 kDa and a DE of 55.2%. Close agreement between experimental and predicted values was found. These results suggest that ultrasound-assisted extraction could be a good option for the extraction of functional pectins with citric acid from grape pomace at industrial level.
Background: Whereas apathy is increasingly recognised as a frequent abnormal behaviour in dementia, its overlap with depression remains poorly understood. Aims: To assess the psychometric ...characteristics of a structured interview for apathy, and to examine the overlap between apathy and depression in dementia. Methods: A total of 150 patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) underwent a comprehensive psychiatric and cognitive assessment. Results: Twelve per cent of the sample met criteria for both apathy and depression, 7% met criteria for apathy only, and 31% met criteria for depression only. Apathy (but not depression) was significantly associated with more severe cognitive deficits. Apathy and anxiety scores accounted for 65% of the variance of depression scores in dementia, and the diagnosis of apathy had a minor impact on the rating of severity of depression. Conclusions: The Structured Interview for Apathy demonstrated adequate psychometric characteristics. Using a novel structured interview for apathy in AD we demonstrated that whereas the construct of depression primarily consists of symptom clusters of apathy and anxiety, apathy is a behavioural dimension independent of depression.
The usefulness of three different mathematical models to simulate the drying kinetics of kiwi fruits has been evaluated: two empirical models, the exponential and the Page models, and a diffusional ...model solved by the separation of variables method. Drying characteristics of kiwi fruit were examined for average moisture contents from ca. 4.65 to 0.15 kg water/kg dm using heated air for the temperature range of 30–90 °C. Drying kinetics exhibited only one falling rate period. Air temperature affected the drying curves decreasing the drying time of samples. The Page model provided the best simulation of the drying curves of kiwi (average %var
=
99.6
±
0.2%) whereas the exponential model provided the less satisfactory simulation (average %var
=
98.0
±
1.4%). However, only the diffusional model allowed an adequate simulation of the experiments carried out under different conditions of temperature and sample geometry to those used in the identification of the models parameters.
•Hemicelluloses were extracted from grape pomace with ultrasound assistance.•Extraction time, ratio solid:liquid and KOH concentration were the process variables.•Extraction yield and the contents of ...Xyloglucans, Mannans and Xylans were evaluated.•Extraction procedures were optimized by the response surface methodology technique.
An ultrasound-assisted procedure was applied to the extraction of hemicelluloses from grape pomace at a mild temperature (20°C). A Central composite design (CCD) was employed to optimize the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of hemicelluloses from grape pomace with the aim to maximize their extraction yield, and, also, the obtention of the main polymers forming this fraction: Xyloglucans (XLG), Mannans (MAN) and Xylans (XN). Extraction time (X1), solid:liquid ratio (X2) and KOH concentration (X3) were the variables used to optimize the process. The conditions that maximize (1) the extraction yield of hemicelluloses and the contents of (2) XLG, (3) MAN and (4) XN, were: (1) X1=2.6h; X2=1:48 (w/v); X3=0.4M, (2) X1=2.9h; X2=1:57 (w/v); X3=2.25M, (3) X1=2.7h; X2=1:58(w/v);X3=2.2M, and (4) X1=3h; X2=1:60 (w/v); X3=2.3M, respectively. Under these conditions, the maximum extraction yield of hemicelluloses, XLG, MAN and XN contents were: ∼7.9±0.2%, ∼3.6±0.02%, ∼1.1±0.04% and ∼1.2±0.02%, respectively. Close agreement between experimental and predicted values was found. The results suggest that the ultrasound-assisted extraction could be a good option for the extraction of hemicellulosic polysaccharides from grape pomace at industrial level.
We report the results of a pilot study regarding the adaptation of the group eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) protocol for the treatment online, for the management of trauma ...associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy. The target group were healthcare workers in a nursing home (Residenza sanitaria assistita, RSA) who decided to live and stay on site during the most acute phase of the Pandemic in order to protect the residents of the home. Scores for perceived post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and quality of emotional experience improved significantly following participation in the therapy programme. These preliminary results confirm the innovative potential of the EMDR protocol when used online on early intervention, to prevent the development of later psychological disturbances.
We demonstrate a new method of achieving topologically protected states in an elastic hexagonal system of trusses by attaching gyroscopic spinners, which bring chirality to the system. Dispersive ...features of this medium are investigated in detail, and it is shown that one can manipulate the locations of stop-bands and Dirac points by tuning the parameters of the spinners. We show that, in the proximity of such points, uni-directional interfacial waveforms can be created in an inhomogeneous lattice and the direction of such waveforms can be controlled. The effect of inserting additional soft internal links into the system, which is thus transformed into a heterogeneous triangular lattice, is also investigated, as the hexagonal lattice represents the limit case of the heterogeneous triangular lattice with soft links. This work introduces a new perspective in the design of periodic media possessing non-trivial topological features.
The transient analysis of gyro-elastic structured media, composed of periodically placed masses interconnected by elastic rods and attached to gyroscopic spinners, is presented. The analysis is based ...on an asymptotic transient model, developed in this paper, that describes the interaction between a gyroscopic spinner and a mass embedded in a truss system. Several examples are given that illustrate the transient features of special dynamic phenomena, including unidirectional interfacial waves and highly localised waveforms. Two important applications of the model are also proposed, which demonstrate that gyro-elastic systems can be utilised to design an efficient structured topological insulator and a cloaking device for a discrete medium.
The aim of this study is to assess the effects of olive oil wastewater application on soils. The work consists of field application of the waste at different rates (30, 180, 360 m
3 ha
−
1
). ...Increasing rates of waste enhance the soil fertility due to P, organic matter and N. However, temporary nitrogen immobilisation, increase in salinity values and in phenolic compounds concentrations, both sorbed and soluble forms, have also been observed. Phenolic compounds have been rapidly biodegraded in soil.
Residential nursing homes were particularly badly affected by the first wave of COVID-19, with large numbers of their frail person getting infected with COVID-19 and dying. The staff in these ...structures were catapulted into a reality very different from what they were used to. They had to adapt the way they used to take care of their patients in a very short space of time and in a scenario that was continually changing. In this manuscript we describe the subjective experience of staff in a number of Italian nursing homes during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic; and we report data showing the effectiveness of the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) treatment provided to support them during this Pandemic.
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