Work as a process of personal development / Il lavoro come processo di sviluppo personale

This volume introduces a conception of work as a process of personal growth and development. Three fundamental moments of passage are discussed, in which the life and work connection becomes evident: the transition from education to work, the daily relationship between work and extra-work life, the evaluations in the workplace upon which the career paths depend. Critical reflections about mainstream theories, methodologies and practices are suggested. Examples and case studies illustrate their limitations and negative consequences. Finally, alternative organizational choices aimed at improving the work situations and facilitating, in the workplace, the development and well-being of people, are proposed

Aromatic profile of white sweet semi-sparkling wine from Malvasia di Candia aromatica grapes

Malvasia di Candia aromatica is an aromatic white grape (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivar that grows in the Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy regions and is used for manufacturing sweet and dry white wines. A study of the gas chromatography analysis of the aromatic profile was carried out during the winemaking process for the production of a sweet semi-sparkling wine. At the end of the monitoring period, free monoterpenic and fermentative compounds characterised the aromatic profile of the wine. Linalool and nerol had a similar concentration, while the main fermentative compounds were the isoamyl alcohols, 2-phenylethanol, medium-chain fatty acids and their corresponding ethyl esters, and isoamyl acetate. All these compounds showed increasing trends during the fermentation process. The amount of linalool at the end of the monitoring period exceeded the threshold of perception, hence contributing to the floral scent of the wine. The higher alcohols (concentration up to 200 mg/L) and their esters also made a pleasant contribution to the aroma definition. Finally, the low temperature of fermentation helped to preserve the varietal aroma and enhanced the production of fermentative compounds, with a corresponding restraint of higher alcohols. This work is a first approach to a study of the sweet semi-sparkling wine (vino frizzante) obtained from Malvasia di Candia aromatica grapes. A more detailed investigation is required to understand how to improve the varietal and fermentative aromas of the wine

Isolation of carotenoid-producing yeasts from an alpine glacier

Cold-adapted yeasts are increasingly being isolated from glacial environments, including Artic, Antarctic, and mountain glaciers. Psychrophilic yeast isolates mostly belong to Basidiomycota phylum, such as Cryptococcus, Mrakia, and Rhodotorula, and represent an understudied source of biodiversity for potential biotechnological applications. Since some basidiomycetous yeast genera (e.g. Rhodotorula, Phaffia, etc.) were demonstrated to produce commercially important carotenoids (e.g. β-carotene, torulene, torularhodin and astaxanthin), the present study aimed to obtain psychrophilic yeast isolates from the surface ice of two Italian glaciers to identify new pigment-producers. 23 yeast isolates were obtained. Among them, three isolates giving pigmented colonies was subjected to ITS1/ITS2 sequencing and were attributed to the Basidiomycetous yeasts Dioszegia sp., hodotorula mucilaginosa, and Rhodotorula laryngis. The strains were cultured batchwise in a carbon-rich medium at 15°C until the stationary phase was reached, then the pigments were extracted from freeze-dried biomass using DMSO:acetone mixture. Visible spectrum and HPLC-DAD analysis revealed the presence of carotenoid pigments. In batch cultures of Dioszegia sp., carotenoid production was growth-associated and yielded up to 3.4 mg/L of a molecule exhibiting an m/z ratio (568) consistent with the molecular weight of xanthophylls bearing 2 OH groups

Aromatic Characterisation of Malvasia Odorosissima Grapevines and Comparison with Malvasia di Candia Aromatica

Malvasia odorosissima is an aromatic grapevine (Vitis vinifera L., 1753) variety that is often confused with Malvasia di Candia aromatica (Vitis vinifera L., 1753), despite the genetic information now available on the pedigree and genetic relationships linking the two varieties. In an effort to offer a contribution to fill this gap, also from an aromatic point of view, free and glycosylated aroma compounds were determined using the SPE extraction method, followed by GC-MS analysis in two consecutive vintages. The results have for the first time provided the aromatic characterisation of Malvasia odorosissima. Geraniol and its derivatives were the most abundant set of volatiles. In contrast to Malvasia di Candia aromatica and the other aromatic varieties, Malvasia odorosissima showed a very small amount of glycosylated volatiles, thus expressing its aromatic potential almost completely. The abundance of free terpenoids in the aromatic profile of Malvasia odorosissima, even higher than in Malvasia di Candia aromatica, is a main feature for the oenological exploitation of this variety, which is on the brink of extinction. In addition, the presence of rose oxides, found solely in Malvasia odorosissima, renders its aromatic profile more similar to that of White Muscat. This result is consistent with the parent-offspring relationship linking the two varieties that was recently ascertained

Lipid profile and growth of black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens, Stratiomyidae) reared on by‐products from different food chains

BACKGROUND The total amount of bio‐waste produced annually in the EU by the food and beverage chains is estimated at 37 Mtons. The possibility to use insects for the valorization of by‐products from these value chains may represent a sustainable solution. This study aims at investigating the by‐products obtained from different food chains for the rearing of black soldier fly prepupae to evaluate lipid content and profile and outline its possible applications. The substrates used in this experiment were: (i) industrial by‐products (brewery spent grains, cow's milk whey, grape stalks, and tomato peels and seeds) and (ii) by‐products from retailers (bread dough, fish scraps, and spent coffee ground). Fat extracted from prepupae using an adjusted Folch method was utilized for total lipid content and fatty acids profile. RESULTS Best larval performances were obtained from beer (0.22 gweight per prepupa), tomato (0.19 gweight per prepupa), and cheese (0.14 gweight per prepupa) food‐chain by‐products. The extremely different composition of the substrate was reflected in the differentiated lipid profile of black soldier fly prepupae and in a range of ratios between unsaturated and saturated fatty acids comprised from 0.37 for cow's milk way to 1.34 for tomato peels and seeds. CONCLUSION The high content and type of lipids, together with the proteins, and chitin extracted from prepupae are high‐value bio‐based products that could be used in the feed/food industry or for the development of innovative biomaterials, such as biodiesel. These results suggest that food chain by‐products are the best candidate for insect‐bioconversion purposes

Conformational Plasticity of proNGF

Nerve Growth Factor is an essential protein that supports neuronal survival during development and influences neuronal function throughout adulthood, both in the central and peripheral nervous system. The unprocessed precursor of NGF, proNGF, seems to be endowed with biological functions distinct from those of the mature protein, such as chaperone-like activities and apoptotic and/or neurotrophic properties. We have previously suggested, based on Small Angle X-ray Scattering data, that recombinant murine proNGF has features typical of an intrinsically unfolded protein. Using complementary biophysical techniques, we show here new evidence that clarifies and widens this hypothesis through a detailed comparison of the structural properties of NGF and proNGF. Our data provide direct information about the dynamic properties of the pro-peptide and indicate that proNGF assumes in solution a compact globular conformation. The N-terminal pro-peptide extension influences the chemical environment of the mature protein and protects the protein from proteolytic digestion. Accordingly, we observe that unfolding of proNGF involves a two-steps mechanism. The distinct structural properties of proNGF as compared to NGF agree with and rationalise a different functional role of the precursor

Determinazione di pigmenti e attributi sensoriali mediante analisi multivariata del colore di immagini digitali

Recentemente è stato presentato un nuovo metodo automatizzato per la classificazione di matrici alimentari disomogenee sulla base delle comuni fotografie digitali RGB che, rappresentando il contenuto in colore di ogni immagine digitale sotto forma di un segnale (colorigramma) dato dalla sequenza di curve di distribuzione di vari descrittori del colore dei pixel, permette di selezionare le regioni più significative con opportuni algoritmi di feature selection/classificazione. I risultati ottenuti su una serie di campioni di pesto alla genovese, ci hanno spinto a valutare la possibilità di impiegare lo stesso approccio a scopi di calibrazione, utilizzando i colorigrammi ottenuti da fotografie di campioni di pesto per prevederne il contenuto in pigmenti (clorofille, feofitine, caroteni) ed alcune caratteristiche legate all’aspetto, valutate per mezzo di un panel test. Per molte delle proprietà studiate sono stati ottenuti modelli di calibrazione PLS con soddisfacente capacità predittiva, e risultati ancora migliori sono stati raggiunti impiegando un algoritmo di feature selection/calibrazione basato sulla Trasformata Wavelet

Heat-induced chemical modification of grape must as related to its concentration during the production of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar: a preliminary approach.

Occurrence and concentration of some furanic compounds during grape must concentration were studied by high-performanceliquid chromatography with diode array detection. A progressive decrease of the glucose/fructose ratio was observed, along with a progressive increase of cyclic oxygenated compounds, which followed sugar concentration. Furoic acid, furfural, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural were detected and quantified, with the latter found to be the main substance in this group. One other unknown substance with a furan-like UV spectrum was detected. Its accumulation profile was irregular, apparently scarcely influenced by sugar concentration. Two parameters that describe colour (optical absorbance at 280 and 420 nm), pH and reducing sugar content are studied

Andamento dei composti furanici in batterie per la produzione dell’Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia

L’Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale (ABT) di Reggio Emilia deriva da mosto concentrato, che subisce un invecchiamento di almeno 12 anni in batterie costituite da 5 botti, diverse per capacità edessenza legnosa. Sono stati studiati gli andamenti dell’acidità, della concentrazione e del contenuto di composti furanici, in sette differenti batterie, condotte secondo il metodo tradizionale dielaborazione dell’ABT. I derivati furanici si originano durante la concentrazione del mosto, e il loro contenuto tende ad aumentare nel corso dell’invecchiamento, a causa della graduale perdita d’acqua che caratterizza il processo.Tuttavia le cinetiche d’accumulo sono diverse poiché i composti furanici, molecole piuttosto reattive, subiscono, verosimilmente, una rapida evoluzione in questa matrice. Ne risulta una cinetica di accumulo non sempre regolare, che in alcuni casi mostra una flessione, probabilmente a causa di fenomeni di polimerizzazione.Il composto più importante, dal punto di vista quantitativo, è l’idrossimetilfurfurale (HMF), dosato, mediante tecnica HPLC, insieme ad acido furoico (AF), furfurale (Fal), 2-metilfurfurale e5-acetossimetilfurfurale (AMFA