Efectos de la maduración y el procesamiento sobre la calidad nutricional y sensorial de las aceitunas de mesa Itrana

In the present study, we evaluated the nutritional and sensory characteristics of table olives of the Italian doubleaptitude olive cultivar (Olea europaea L. cv. Itrana) processed as green (Oliva bianca di Itri) and black (Oliva di Gaeta) table olives with modified Greek methods of preparation. One method provides an initial step of immersion in water to stimulate the growth of specific microflora which contributes to the debittering of the fruits. After 15-45 days, salt is added to the liquid in quantities not exceeding 8 kg per 100 kg of fresh olives. Another method entails the immersion of fruits directly in brine utilizing double-salting (half the amount of NaCl was added immediately and the remaining part after 15 days). All the information derived from chemico-physical, nutritional and sensory data have separated the samples into four groups according to techno-processings, ripening stage and storage. Double-salting is the method which assures the best results.En el presente estudio se evalúan las características nutricionales y sensoriales de la variedad Itrana de aceituna (Olea europaea L.) de doble uso, elaborada en verde (Oliva Bianca di Itri) y en negro (Oliva di Gaeta), utilizando métodos griegos modificados al efecto. Un método consiste en una etapa inicial de inmersión en agua para favorecer el crecimiento de una flora específica que contribuye al endulzado de los frutos. Después de 15-45 días se añade sal a la solución en una cantidad que no exceda 8 kg por 100 g de fruto fresco. Otro procedimiento consiste en colocar directamente las aceitunas en salmuera utilizando un sistema de adición de la sal en dos etapas (la mitad de la sal se añade inmediatamente y el resto a los 15 días). Toda la información derivada de los análisis fisico-químicos, nutricionales y sensoriales ha permitido la separación de las muestras en cuatro grupos según la tecnología de elaboración, el estado de madurez y el almacenamiento. El proceso de adición de sal en dos etapas (“double salting”) fue el procedimiento que dio mejores resultados

Net shape HIPping of a Ni-superalloy: A study of the influence of an as-leached surface on mechanical properties

Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) is a net-shape powder metallurgy technique where powders densification is achieved through the application of high temperature and pressure at the same time. Powders are allocated into a hollow steel mold called capsule or canister which gives the final shape to the particles. This technique is particularly useful for manufacturing complex components made of materials which are extremely difficult to process via forging or casting. Thus, HIP is particularly indicated to handle superalloy powders such as Astroloy, which is the object of the following study. One of the most attractive peculiarities of HIP is the low material waste obtained since the overstock is limited to the layers immediately beneath the steel capsule. At the end of the HIP cycle, the canister is typically removed using an acid leaching bath which is responsible for the alteration of the outermost layers of the final product. Only a little number of research papers deal with the optimization of the removal of these layers; Consequently, manufacturers often apply a very conservative approach by eliminating more material than is actually needed with a final machining procedure. This paper aims to optimize this procedure by systematically assessing the total thickness of the altered layer of material deriving from the HIPping and leaching process together. To achieve this goal, a set of samples were prepared by removing progressively thicker layers of material and then they were bend tested. Finally, the recorded mechanical properties were compared with those obtained with the samples machined from the core material. One of the main findings is that the removal of 500 μm of material is enough to recover mechanical properties which are comparable with those observed in samples coming from the core. More specifically, by eliminating the first 100 μm material, all the corroded layer is removed, which results in an overall increase of all the mechanical properties except for ductility. This property strongly depends on the number of prior particle boundaries arising from the HIPping process itself. Thus, the correct amount of overstock material must include both these layers

Effects of maturation and processing technologies on nutritional and sensory qualities of Itrana table olives

In the present study, we evaluated the nutritional and sensory characteristics of table olives of the Italian doubleaptitude olive cultivar (<i>Olea europaea</i> L. cv. Itrana) processed as green (Oliva bianca di Itri) and black (Oliva di Gaeta) table olives with modified Greek methods of preparation. One method provides an initial step of immersion in water to stimulate the growth of specific microflora which contributes to the debittering of the fruits. After 15-45 days, salt is added to the liquid in quantities not exceeding 8 kg per 100 kg of fresh olives. Another method entails the immersion of fruits directly in brine utilizing double-salting (half the amount of NaCl was added immediately and the remaining part after 15 days). All the information derived from chemico-physical, nutritional and sensory data have separated the samples into four groups according to techno-processings, ripening stage and storage. Double-salting is the method which assures the best results.<br><br>En el presente estudio se evalúan las características nutricionales y sensoriales de la variedad Itrana de aceituna (<i>Olea europaea</i> L.) de doble uso, elaborada en verde (Oliva Bianca di Itri) y en negro (Oliva di Gaeta), utilizando métodos griegos modificados al efecto. Un método consiste en una etapa inicial de inmersión en agua para favorecer el crecimiento de una flora específica que contribuye al endulzado de los frutos. Después de 15-45 días se añade sal a la solución en una cantidad que no exceda 8 kg por 100 g de fruto fresco. Otro procedimiento consiste en colocar directamente las aceitunas en salmuera utilizando un sistema de adición de la sal en dos etapas (la mitad de la sal se añade inmediatamente y el resto a los 15 días). Toda la información derivada de los análisis fisico-químicos, nutricionales y sensoriales ha permitido la separación de las muestras en cuatro grupos según la tecnología de elaboración, el estado de madurez y el almacenamiento. El proceso de adición de sal en dos etapas (“double salting”) fue el procedimiento que dio mejores resultados

Stratigraphic reassessment of Grotta Romanelli sheds light on Middle-Late Pleistocene palaeoenvironments and human settling in the Mediterranean

During the last century, Grotta Romanelli (Southern Italy) has been a reference site for the European Late Pleistocene stratigraphy, due to its geomorphological setting and archaeological and palaeontological content. The beginning of the sedimentation inside the cave was attributed to the Last Interglacial (MISs 5e) and the oldest unearthed evidence of human occupation, including remains of hearths, was therefore referred to the Middle Palaeolithic. Recent surveys and excavations produced new U/Th dates, palaeoenvironmental interpretation and a litho-, morpho- and chrono-stratigraphical reassessment, placing the oldest human frequentation of the cave between MIS 9 and MIS 7, therefore embracing Glacial and Interglacial cycles. These new data provide evidence that the sea reached the cave during the Middle Pleistocene and human occupation occurred long before MISs 5e and persisted beyond the Pleistocene- Holocene boundary

Analysis of local seismic response in the historical city centre of Nafplio (Greece)

Local seismic response analysis represents a fundamental tool for assessing the seismic risk of urban areas and Cultural Heritage (CH) sites, nevertheless several open questions remain when complex geological contexts are considered. This study has been carried out in the framework of the research project STABLE (H2020 RISE-Marie Curie Action) which has the aim of evaluating the seismic action on CH sites in the Mediterranean basin. One of them being the city of Nafplio (Greece), a site characterised by a peculiar geological setting and a medium-high regional seismic hazard. Geological and geophysical data have been collected to reconstruct both the subsoil model and the seismotectonic conditions. Several seismic ambient noise measurements were carried out to establish the site resonance frequency and to validate engineering-geological cross-sections for numerical modelling of the seismic wave propagation. Combined engineering-geological, geophysical and numerical modelling allowed evaluating the local seismic response of the urban area of Nafplio, providing a zonation map with homogeneous seismic response zones for which elastic response spectra will be obtained

Direct oral anticoagulants versus vitamin K antagonists in patients with atrial fibrillation and cancer a meta-analysis

Background: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are recommended as first-line anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, in patients with cancer and AF the efficacy and safety of DOACs are not well established. Objective: We performed a meta-analysis comparing available data regarding the efficacy and safety of DOACs vs vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) in cancer patients with non-valvular AF. Methods: An online search of Pubmed and EMBASE libraries (from inception to May, 1 2020) was performed, in addition to manual screening. Nine studies were considered eligible for the meta-analysis involving 46,424 DOACs users and 182,797 VKA users. Results: The use of DOACs was associated with reduced risks of systemic embolism or any stroke (RR 0.65; 95% CI 0.52–0.81; p 0.001), ischemic stroke (RR 0.84; 95% CI 0.74–0.95; p 0.007) and hemorrhagic stroke (RR 0.61; 95% CI 0.52–0.71; p 0.00001) as compared to VKA group. DOAC use was associated with significantly reduced risks of major bleeding (RR 0.68; 95% CI 0.50–0.92; p 0.01) and intracranial or gastrointestinal bleeding (RR 0.64; 95% CI 0.47–0.88; p 0.006). Compared to VKA, DOACs provided a non-statistically significant risk reduction of the outcomes major bleeding or non-major clinically relevant bleeding (RR 0.94; 95% CI 0.78–1.13; p 0.50) and any bleeding (RR 0.91; 95% CI 0.78–1.06; p 0.24). Conclusions: In comparison to VKA, DOACs were associated with a significant reduction of the rates of thromboembolic events and major bleeding complications in patients with AF and cancer. Further studies are needed to confirm our results

The origin of early Acheulean expansion in Europe 700 ka ago: new findings at Notarchirico (Italy)

Notarchirico (Southern Italy) has yielded the earliest evidence of Acheulean settlement in Italy and four older occupation levels have recently been unearthed, including one with bifaces, extending the roots of the Acheulean in Italy even further back in time. New 40Ar/39Ar on tephras and ESR dates on bleached quartz securely and accurately place these occupations between 695 and 670 ka (MIS 17), penecontemporaneous with the Moulin-Quignon and la Noira sites (France). These new data demonstrate a very rapid expansion of shared traditions over Western Europe during a period of highly variable climatic conditions, including interglacial and glacial episodes, between 670 and 650 (i.e., MIS17/MIS16 transition). The diversity of tools and activities observed in these three sites shows that Western Europe was populated by adaptable hominins during this time. These conclusions question the existence of refuge areas during intense glacial stages and raise questions concerning understudied migration pathways, such as the Sicilian route

The origin of early Acheulean expansion in Europe 700 ka ago: new findings at Notarchirico (Italy)

Notarchirico (Southern Italy) has yielded the earliest evidence of Acheulean settlement in Italy and four older occupation levels have recently been unearthed, including one with bifaces, extending the roots of the Acheulean in Italy even further back in time. New 40Ar/39Ar on tephras and ESR dates on bleached quartz securely and accurately place these occupations between 695 and 670&nbsp;ka (MIS 17), penecontemporaneous with the Moulin-Quignon and la Noira sites (France). These new data demonstrate a very rapid expansion of shared traditions over Western Europe during a period of highly variable climatic conditions, including interglacial and glacial episodes, between 670 and 650 (i.e., MIS17/MIS16 transition). The diversity of tools and activities observed in these three sites shows that Western Europe was populated by adaptable hominins during this time. These conclusions question the existence of refuge areas during intense glacial stages and raise questions concerning understudied migration pathways, such as the Sicilian route

Incidence of re-amputation following partial first ray amputation associated with diabetes mellitus and peripheral sensory neuropathy: a systematic review.

Diabetes mellitus with peripheral sensory neuropathy frequently results in forefoot ulceration. Ulceration at the first ray level tends to be recalcitrant to local wound care modalities and off-loading techniques. If healing does occur, ulcer recurrence is common. When infection develops, partial first ray amputation in an effort to preserve maximum foot length is often performed. However, the survivorship of partial first ray amputations in this patient population and associated re-amputation rate remain unknown. Therefore, in an effort to determine the actual re-amputation rate following any form of partial first ray amputation in patients with diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy, the authors conducted a systematic review. Only studies involving any form of partial first ray amputation associated with diabetes mellitus and peripheral sensory neuropathy but without critical limb ischemia were included. Our search yielded a total of 24 references with 5 (20.8%) meeting our inclusion criteria involving 435 partial first ray amputations. The weighted mean age of patients was 59 years and the weighted mean follow-up was 26 months. The initial amputation level included the proximal phalanx base 167 (38.4%) times; first metatarsal head resection 96 (22.1%) times; first metatarsal-phalangeal joint disarticulation 53 (12.2%) times; first metatarsal mid-shaft 39 (9%) times; hallux fillet flap 32 (7.4%) times; first metatarsal base 29 (6.7%) times; and partial hallux 19 (4.4%) times. The incidence of re-amputation was 19.8% (86/435). The end stage, most proximal level, following re-amputation was an additional digit 32 (37.2%) times; transmetatarsal 28 (32.6%) times; below-knee 25 (29.1%) times; and LisFranc 1 (1.2%) time. The results of our systematic review reveal that one out of every five patients undergoing any version of a partial first ray amputation will eventually require more proximal re-amputation. These results reveal that partial first ray amputation for patients with diabetes and peripheral sensory neuropathy may not represent a durable, functional, or predictable foot-sparing amputation and that a more proximal amputation, such as a balanced transmetatarsal amputation, as the index amputation may be more beneficial to the patient. However, this remains a matter for conjecture due to the limited data available and, therefore, additional prospective investigations are warranted