From spin-Peierls to superconductivity: (TMTTF)_2PF_6 under high pressure

The nature of the attractive electron-electron interaction, leading to the formation of Cooper-pairs in unconventional superconductors has still to be fully understood and is subject to intensive research. Here we show that the sequence spin-Peierls, antiferromagnetism, superconductivity observed in (TMTTF)_2PF_6 under pressure makes the (TM)_2X phase diagram universal. We argue that the suppression of the spin-Peierls transition under pressure, the close vicinity of antiferromagnetic and superconducting phases at high pressure as well as the existence of critical antiferromagnetic fluctuations above T_c strongly support the intriguing possibility that the interchain exchange of antiferromagnetic fluctuations provides the pairing mechanism required for bound charge carriers.Comment: 4 pages, revtex, 4 figures (jpeg,eps,png

On the effect of ultrasound-assisted atmospheric freeze-drying on the antioxidant properties of eggplant

[EN] The low operating temperatures employed in atmospheric freeze-drying permits an effective drying of heat sensitive products, without any impairment of their quality attributes. When using power ultrasound, the drying rate can be increased, thus reducing the process duration. However, ultrasound can also affect the product quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of various drying process variables, namely air temperature and velocity, ultrasound power and sample size, on the antioxidant properties of eggplant (Solanum Melongena L.) samples. For this reason, drying experiments were carried out at different drying temperatures (-5, -7.5, -10 °C), power ultrasound levels (0, 25, 50 W; 21.9 kHz) and air velocities (2, 5 m s-1) using different sample sizes (8.8 mm and 17.6 mm cube side). The ascorbic acid content (Jagota and Dani method), total phenolic content (Folin-Ciocalteau method), and the antioxidant capacity (FRAP method) of the dried products were considered as quality indicators of the dried samples. The increase in air velocity and temperature, as well as the sample size, significantly reduced the antioxidant potential of the dried samples (p-value < 0.05). For a given sample size, the application of ultrasound, at the acoustic power levels tested, did not produce significant effects on the antioxidant indicators considered. Temperature measurements inside the drying sample showed a non-negligible temperature rise when acoustic power was applied.The authors acknowledge the financial support from Generalitat Valenciana (PROMETEOII/2014/005) and INIA-ERDF (RTA2015-00060-C04-02).Colucci, D.; Fisore, D.; Rosselló, C.; Carcel Carrión, JA. (2018). On the effect of ultrasound-assisted atmospheric freeze-drying on the antioxidant properties of eggplant. Food Research International. 106:580-588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2018.01.022S58058810

Gender equality and the gender gap in life expectancy in the European Union

Introduction Life expectancy (LE) depends on the wider determinants of health, which have different impact in women and men. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether gender equality was correlated with LE in women and men. Methods Gender equality in the 27 European Union (EU) member states between 2010 and 2019 was estimated using a modified Gender Equality Index (mGEI), based on the index developed by the European Institute for Gender Equality. The correlation between this mGEI and LE and the gender gap in LE was calculated using the Spearman correlation coefficient. Results Between 2010 and 2019, LE increased more for men than women, which resulted in a narrowing of the gender gap in LE in the EU. During the same period, there was an increase in gender equality, as measured by the mGEI, although with substantial heterogeneity between countries. There was a strong correlation between the mGEI and the gender gap in LE (-0.880), which was explained by a stronger correlation between the mGEI and longer LE in men than in women (0.655 vs 0.629, respectively). The domains of the mGEI most strongly associated with a narrowing of the gender gap in LE were health, money and knowledge, while power was the domain with the weakest association. Conclusions Gender equality appears to be at least as beneficial to men as women with regard to LE, thus reinforcing the key role gender equality plays in improving population health and longevity

Ultrasound assisted low-temperature drying of kiwifruit: Effects on drying kinetics, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity

"This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Vallespir, Francisca, Óscar Rodríguez, Juan A Cárcel, Carmen Rosselló, and Susana Simal. 2019. Ultrasound Assisted Low-temperature Drying of Kiwifruit: Effects on Drying Kinetics, Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 99 (6). Wiley: 2901 9. doi:10.1002/jsfa.9503, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.9503. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving."[EN] Background: Low-temperature drying is considered to be a promising technique for food processing. It preserves thermolabile compounds and might be intensified by acoustic assistance. The effect of acoustic assistance (20.5 kW m(-3)) during low-temperature drying of kiwifruit (at 5, 10 and 15 degrees C, and 1 m s(-1)) on drying kinetics, bioactive compounds (such as ascorbic acid, vitamin E, and total polyphenols), and antioxidant activity was studied. Results: Drying time was shortened by 55-65% when using power ultrasound. A diffusion model was used to evaluate the drying kinetics. The effective diffusion coefficient increased by 154 +/- 30% and the external mass transfer coefficient increased by 158 +/- 66% when ultrasound was applied during drying, compared with drying without ultrasound application. With regard to bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity, although samples dried at 15 degrees C presented significantly higher (P < 0.05) losses (39-54% and 57-69%, respectively) than samples dried at 5 degrees C (14-43% and 23-50%, respectively) when ultrasound was not applied, the application of ultrasound during drying at 15 degrees C significantly reduced (P < 0.05) those losses in all quality parameters (15-47% and 47-58%, respectively). Conclusion: Overall, low-temperature drying of kiwifruit was enhanced by acoustic assistance preserving bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity, especially at 15 degrees C. (c) 2018 Society of Chemical IndustryThe authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of the National Institute of Research and Agro-Food Technology (INIA) and co-financed with ERDF funds (RTA2015-00060-C04-03 and RTA2015-00060-C04-02 projects) and the Spanish Government (MINECO) for the BES-2013-064131 fellowship.Vallespir, F.; Rodríguez, O.; Carcel, JA.; Rosselló, C.; Simal, S. (2019). Ultrasound assisted low-temperature drying of kiwifruit: Effects on drying kinetics, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 99(6):2901-2909. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.9503S29012909996Soquetta, M. B., Stefanello, F. S., Huerta, K. da M., Monteiro, S. S., da Rosa, C. S., & Terra, N. N. (2016). Characterization of physiochemical and microbiological properties, and bioactive compounds, of flour made from the skin and bagasse of kiwi fruit ( Actinidia deliciosa ). Food Chemistry, 199, 471-478. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.12.022Du, G., Li, M., Ma, F., & Liang, D. (2009). Antioxidant capacity and the relationship with polyphenol and Vitamin C in Actinidia fruits. Food Chemistry, 113(2), 557-562. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.08.025Fernández-Sestelo, A., de Saá, R. S., Pérez-Lamela, C., Torrado-Agrasar, A., Rúa, M. L., & Pastrana-Castro, L. (2013). Overall quality properties in pressurized kiwi purée: Microbial, physicochemical, nutritive and sensory tests during refrigerated storage. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 20, 64-72. doi:10.1016/j.ifset.2013.06.009Santacatalina, J. V., Rodríguez, O., Simal, S., Cárcel, J. A., Mulet, A., & García-Pérez, J. V. (2014). Ultrasonically enhanced low-temperature drying of apple: Influence on drying kinetics and antioxidant potential. Journal of Food Engineering, 138, 35-44. doi:10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2014.04.003Vallespir, F., Cárcel, J. A., Marra, F., Eim, V. S., & Simal, S. (2017). Improvement of Mass Transfer by Freezing Pre-treatment and Ultrasound Application on the Convective Drying of Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.). Food and Bioprocess Technology, 11(1), 72-83. doi:10.1007/s11947-017-1999-8Ozuna, C., Cárcel, J. A., Walde, P. M., & Garcia-Perez, J. V. (2014). Low-temperature drying of salted cod (Gadus morhua) assisted by high power ultrasound: Kinetics and physical properties. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 23, 146-155. doi:10.1016/j.ifset.2014.03.008Rodríguez, Ó., Santacatalina, J. V., Simal, S., Garcia-Perez, J. V., Femenia, A., & Rosselló, C. (2014). Influence of power ultrasound application on drying kinetics of apple and its antioxidant and microstructural properties. Journal of Food Engineering, 129, 21-29. doi:10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2014.01.001Garcia-Perez, J. V., Carcel, J. A., Riera, E., Rosselló, C., & Mulet, A. (2012). Intensification of Low-Temperature Drying by Using Ultrasound. Drying Technology, 30(11-12), 1199-1208. doi:10.1080/07373937.2012.675533Cárcel, J. A., García-Pérez, J. V., Riera, E., Rosselló, C., & Mulet, A. (2017). Ultrasonically Assisted Drying. Ultrasound in Food Processing, 371-391. doi:10.1002/9781118964156.ch14García-Pérez, J. V., Carcel, J. A., Mulet, A., Riera, E., & Gallego-Juarez, J. A. (2015). Ultrasonic drying for food preservation. Power Ultrasonics, 875-910. doi:10.1016/b978-1-78242-028-6.00029-6Rodríguez, Ó., Eim, V. S., Simal, S., Femenia, A., & Rosselló, C. (2011). Validation of a Difussion Model Using Moisture Profiles Measured by Means of TD-NMR in Apples (Malus domestica). Food and Bioprocess Technology, 6(2), 542-552. doi:10.1007/s11947-011-0711-7Moraga, G., Martínez-Navarrete, N., & Chiralt, A. (2006). Water sorption isotherms and phase transitions in kiwifruit. Journal of Food Engineering, 72(2), 147-156. doi:10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2004.11.031Lagarias, J. C., Reeds, J. A., Wright, M. H., & Wright, P. E. (1998). Convergence Properties of the Nelder--Mead Simplex Method in Low Dimensions. SIAM Journal on Optimization, 9(1), 112-147. doi:10.1137/s1052623496303470Fernandes, F. A. N., Rodrigues, S., Cárcel, J. A., & García-Pérez, J. V. (2015). Ultrasound-Assisted Air-Drying of Apple (Malus domestica L.) and Its Effects on the Vitamin of the Dried Product. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 8(7), 1503-1511. doi:10.1007/s11947-015-1519-7Heredia, J. B., & Cisneros-Zevallos, L. (2009). The effects of exogenous ethylene and methyl jasmonate on the accumulation of phenolic antioxidants in selected whole and wounded fresh produce. Food Chemistry, 115(4), 1500-1508. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.01.078Benzie, I. F. F., & Strain, J. J. (1996). The Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP) as a Measure of «Antioxidant Power»: The FRAP Assay. Analytical Biochemistry, 239(1), 70-76. doi:10.1006/abio.1996.0292Apak, R., Güçlü, K., Özyürek, M., & Karademir, S. E. (2004). Novel Total Antioxidant Capacity Index for Dietary Polyphenols and Vitamins C and E, Using Their Cupric Ion Reducing Capability in the Presence of Neocuproine:  CUPRAC Method. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 52(26), 7970-7981. doi:10.1021/jf048741xRe, R., Pellegrini, N., Proteggente, A., Pannala, A., Yang, M., & Rice-Evans, C. (1999). Antioxidant activity applying an improved ABTS radical cation decolorization assay. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 26(9-10), 1231-1237. doi:10.1016/s0891-5849(98)00315-3Santacatalina, J. V., Soriano, J. R., Cárcel, J. A., & Garcia-Perez, J. V. (2016). Influence of air velocity and temperature on ultrasonically assisted low temperature drying of eggplant. Food and Bioproducts Processing, 100, 282-291. doi:10.1016/j.fbp.2016.07.010Darıcı, S., & Şen, S. (2015). Experimental investigation of convective drying kinetics of kiwi under different conditions. Heat and Mass Transfer, 51(8), 1167-1176. doi:10.1007/s00231-014-1487-xGarcía-Pérez, J. V., Rosselló, C., Cárcel, J. A., De la Fuente, S., & Mulet, A. (2006). Effect of Air Temperature on Convective Drying Assisted by High Power Ultrasound. Diffusion in Solids and Liquids, 563-574. doi:10.4028/3-908451-36-1.563Gamboa-Santos, J., Montilla, A., Cárcel, J. A., Villamiel, M., & Garcia-Perez, J. V. (2014). Air-borne ultrasound application in the convective drying of strawberry. Journal of Food Engineering, 128, 132-139. doi:10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2013.12.021Do Nascimento, E. M. G. C., Mulet, A., Ascheri, J. L. R., de Carvalho, C. W. P., & Cárcel, J. A. (2016). Effects of high-intensity ultrasound on drying kinetics and antioxidant properties of passion fruit peel. Journal of Food Engineering, 170, 108-118. doi:10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2015.09.015Garcia-Perez, J. V., Ortuño, C., Puig, A., Carcel, J. A., & Perez-Munuera, I. (2011). Enhancement of Water Transport and Microstructural Changes Induced by High-Intensity Ultrasound Application on Orange Peel Drying. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 5(6), 2256-2265. doi:10.1007/s11947-011-0645-0Santacatalina, J. V., Contreras, M., Simal, S., Cárcel, J. A., & Garcia-Perez, J. V. (2016). Impact of applied ultrasonic power on the low temperature drying of apple. Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, 28, 100-109. doi:10.1016/j.ultsonch.2015.06.027Rodríguez, Ó., Eim, V., Rosselló, C., Femenia, A., Cárcel, J. A., & Simal, S. (2017). Application of power ultrasound on the convective drying of fruits and vegetables: effects on quality. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 98(5), 1660-1673. doi:10.1002/jsfa.8673Sivakumaran, S., Huffman, L., Sivakumaran, S., & Drummond, L. (2018). The nutritional composition of Zespri® SunGold Kiwifruit and Zespri® Sweet Green Kiwifruit. Food Chemistry, 238, 195-202. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.08.118Pal, R. S., Kumar, V. A., Arora, S., Sharma, A. K., Kumar, V., & Agrawal, S. (2015). Physicochemical and antioxidant properties of kiwifruit as a function of cultivar and fruit harvested month. Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology, 58(2), 262-271. doi:10.1590/s1516-8913201500371Ball, G. F. M. (2005). Vitamins In Foods. doi:10.1201/9781420026979Kaya, A., Aydın, O., & Kolaylı, S. (2010). Effect of different drying conditions on the vitamin C (ascorbic acid) content of Hayward kiwifruits (Actinidia deliciosa Planch). Food and Bioproducts Processing, 88(2-3), 165-173. doi:10.1016/j.fbp.2008.12.001Izli, N., Izli, G., & Taskin, O. (2016). Drying kinetics, colour, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity properties of kiwi dried by different methods. Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization, 11(1), 64-74. doi:10.1007/s11694-016-9372-6Fernandes, F. A. N., Rodrigues, S., García-Pérez, J. V., & Cárcel, J. A. (2015). Effects of ultrasound-assisted air-drying on vitamins and carotenoids of cherry tomatoes. Drying Technology, 34(8), 986-996. doi:10.1080/07373937.2015.1090445Cruz, L., Clemente, G., Mulet, A., Ahmad-Qasem, M. H., Barrajón-Catalán, E., & García-Pérez, J. V. (2016). Air-borne ultrasonic application in the drying of grape skin: Kinetic and quality considerations. Journal of Food Engineering, 168, 251-258. doi:10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2015.08.001Moreno, C., Brines, C., Mulet, A., Rosselló, C., & Cárcel, J. A. (2017). Antioxidant potential of atmospheric freeze-dried apples as affected by ultrasound application and sample surface. Drying Technology, 35(8), 957-968. doi:10.1080/07373937.2016.1256890Szadzińska, J., Łechtańska, J., Kowalski, S. J., & Stasiak, M. (2017). The effect of high power airborne ultrasound and microwaves on convective drying effectiveness and quality of green pepper. Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, 34, 531-539. doi:10.1016/j.ultsonch.2016.06.030González-Centeno, M. R., Jourdes, M., Femenia, A., Simal, S., Rosselló, C., & Teissedre, P.-L. (2012). 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Does Journal Content in the Field of Women's Health Represent Women's Burden of Disease? A Review of Publications in 2010 and 2020

Background: Historically, women's health has focused on reproductive health. However, noncommunicable and communicable diseases comprise much of the burden of disease in women. Methods: A quantitative analysis of the main health content of articles published in six women's health journals (WHJ) and five general medical journals (GMJ) in 2010 and 2020 was conducted to categorize the main medical area topics of published articles and the life stage under study. Findings were compared with the leading causes of disease in women according to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. Results: There were 1483 articles eligible for analysis. In total, in WHJ, 44% of topics were reproductive health, increasing from 36% in 2010 to 49% in 2020, which was similar to GMJ. Noncommunicable disease was the next most addressed topic, with cancer being the major disease area covered. When compared with the GBD study, major disease areas such as infectious disease, cardiovascular disease, and musculoskeletal disorders were underrepresented as topics in women's health publications. Most articles that focused on a particular life stage were on pregnancy or the reproductive years, with very few articles on menopause. Conclusion: Women's health publishing remains largely focused on reproductive health topics, with few articles on many of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in women. Journals, researchers, funders, and research priority setters should embrace a broader view of women's health to effectively cover content that reflects the broad range of health issues impacting women across the life span

Canonical Variate Analysis for Performance Degradation under Faulty Conditions

Condition monitoring of industrial processes can minimize maintenance and operating costs while increasing the process safety and enhancing the quality of the product. In order to achieve these goals it is necessary not only to detect and diagnose process faults, but also to react to them by scheduling the maintenance and production according to the condition of the process. The objective of this investigation is to test the capabilities of canonical variate analysis (CVA) to estimate performance degradation and predict the behaviour of a system affected by faults. Process data was acquired from a large-scale experimental multiphase flow facility operated under changing operational conditions where process faults were seeded. The results suggest that CVA can be used effectively to evaluate how faults affect the process variables in comparison to normal operation. The method also predicted future process behaviour after the appearance of faults, modelling the system using data collected during the early stages of degradation

Development of dried probiotic apple cubes incorporated with Lactobacillus casei NRRL B-442

[EN] This work presents the development of a probiotic dried apple snack consisting of dried apple cubes impregnated with Lactobacillus casei NRRL B-442. Apple cubes were impregnated with probiotic microorganisms and dried under different temperatures (10-60 degrees C), with or without application of ultrasound. The viability of Lactobacillus casei in the dried apple snack was evaluated studying the effects of drying conditions and ultrasound application (as a drying enhancing technology). A mathematical model was developed to predict the drying kinetics and the inactivation of Lactobacillus casei. Drying and microorganism inactivation rates increased with increasing process temperature and with ultrasound application. The concentration of probiotics in the apple snacks was similar to the concentration of microorganisms in commercial probiotic dairy products when the apples were dried at 60 degrees C or when ultrasound-assisted air-drying was applied, thus proving that the production of dried probiotic apple snacks is possible and technically viable.The authors acknowledge the financial support of Generalitat Valenciana (PROMETEOII/2014/005) from Spain, and the financial support and the award of a scholarship of CNPq from Brazil.Rodrigues, S.; Silva, LCA.; Mulet Pons, A.; Carcel Carrión, JA.; Fernandes, FA. (2018). Development of dried probiotic apple cubes incorporated with Lactobacillus casei NRRL B-442. Journal of Functional Foods. 41:48-54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2017.12.042S48544

European Drying Conference -EuroDrying

Abstract: Fluidized bed agglomeration of skim milk powder by spraying water was used to produce dry agglomerates with improved instant properties. The growth of agglomerates was studied following the evolution of the particle size distribution during agglomeration under different conditions of processing. During the first minutes, initial particles (180µm) associated to form two size populations (250 and 400 µm). The smallest one disappeared quickly while the largest one increased in size until 650-700 µm at the end of experiment (30-40 min). The tested conditions corresponding to a lower final particle moisture content (6.8-7.0 % d.b.) generated the smaller agglomerates (650-640 µm)

Representation of Women in Stroke Clinical Trials: A Review of 281 Trials Involving More Than 500,000 Participants

Background and ObjectivesWomen have been underrepresented in cardiovascular disease clinical trials but there is less certainty over the level of disparity specifically in stroke. We examined the participation of women in trials according to stroke prevalence in the population.MethodsPublished randomized controlled trials with ≥100 participants enrolled between 1990 and 2020 were identified from ClinicalTrials.gov. To quantify sex disparities in enrollment, we calculated the participation to prevalence ratio (PPR), defined as the percentage of women participating in a trial vs the prevalence of women in the disease population.ResultsThere were 281 stroke trials eligible for analyses with a total of 588,887 participants, of whom 37.4% were women. Overall, women were represented at a lower proportion relative to their prevalence in the underlying population (mean PPR 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.81-0.87). The greatest differences were observed in trials of intracerebral hemorrhage (PPR 0.73; 95% CI 0.71-0.74), trials with a mean age of participants <70 years (PPR 0.81; 95% CI 0.78-0.84), nonacute interventions (PPR 0.80; 95% CI 0.76-0.84), and rehabilitation trials (PPR 0.77; 95% CI 0.71-0.83). These findings did not significantly change over the period from 1990 to 2020 (p for trend = 0.201).DiscussionWomen are disproportionately underrepresented in stroke trials relative to the burden of disease in the population. Clear guidance and effective implementation strategies are required to improve the inclusion of women and thus broader knowledge of the impact of interventions in clinical trials