A novel enzymatic approach to nanocrystalline cellulose preparation

In this work, conditions for an enzymatic pretreatment prior to NCC isolation from cotton linter were assessed. Different cellulase doses and reaction times were studied within an experimental design and NCC were obtained. At optimal enzymatic conditions (20U, 2 h), a total yield greater than 80% was achieved and the necessary enzymatic treatment time was reduced 90%. Different intensities of enzymatic treatments led to proportional decreases in fiber length and viscosity and also were inversely proportional to the amount of released oligosaccharides. These differences within fibers lead to quantitative differences in NCC: increase in acid hydrolysis yield, reduction of NCC surface charge and crystallinity increase. Benefits produced by enzymatic treatments did not have influence over other NCC characteristics such as their sulfur content (˜1%), size (˜200 nm), zeta potential (˜-50 mV) or degree of polymerization (˜200). Evidence presented in this work would reduce the use of harsh sulfuric acid generating a cleaner stream of profitable oligosaccharidesPostprint (author's final draft

Cellulose oxidation by Laccase-TEMPO treatments

In this work, laccase-TEMPO (Lac-T) treatments were applied to bleached commercial dissolving pulp in order to introduce carbonyl and carboxyl groups, which were found to improve dry and wet strength-related properties. Also the solubility behavior towards xanthate reactions was assessed. The effect of a refining step (R) before the oxidative treatment, the absence or presence of oxygen pressure, TEMPO dose (2 or 8% oven dried pulp) and reaction time (8 or 20 h) were thoroughly examined. Treatments conducted in the presence of oxygen pressure exhibited greater amount of functional groups. Introducing a pre-refining treatment resulted in similar functional groups but higher wet strength was achieved. Specifically, a high W/D strength ratio was observed, indicating that wet strength-related property was satisfactorily developed. Besides the fact that all Lac-T treatments caused severe cellulose degradation, no fiber strength loss was detected. In fact, all oxidized samples presented higher Wet Zero-Span Tensile Strength, mainly in R+ Lac-T (O2) sample, which suggested the formation of hemiacetal linkages between the new introduced aldehyde groups and available free hydroxyl groups resulting from fibrillationPostprint (author's final draft

Political Foundations of Universalistic Care Policy: Comparative Politics of Elderly Care Policy in Japan, the U.S., and Sweden

Two enzyme treatments involving xylanase (X) and laccase (L) were used jointly in an XLE sequence (where E denotes alkaline extraction) to bleach oxygen-delignified eucalyptus kraft pulp in the presence of 1-hydroxybenzotriazol (HBT) as mediator. The results of the XLE sequence were compared with those of an LE sequence. The application conditions for the laccase–mediator system were optimized by using a sequential statistical plan involving three variables (viz., the laccase and mediator doses, and the reaction time) with both sequences. The models used to predict the kappa number and brightness revealed that, once all accessible lignin was removed, the system altered other coloured compounds. The best conditions for the L stage involved a reduced mediator dose (0.5% odp). The xylanase pretreatment increased the accessibility of residual lignin and facilitated removal of hexenuronic acids. For a specific target brightness level of 70% ISO, the X pretreatment can save as much as 30% laccase and 80% mediator while shortening the reaction time by 45%.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Orthorexia nervosa and healthy orthorexia as new eating styles

It was recently proposed that healthy orthorexia (HeOr) and orthorexia nervosa (OrNe) should be differentiated. The aim of the present study was to analyze whether the two dimensions of orthorexia can be considered new eating styles or basically equivalent to restrained eating behavior. Two samples of university students (sample 1, n = 460; sample 2, n = 509) completed the Teruel Orthorexia Scale (TOS), the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ), and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Factor analysis with the TOS and DEBQ items together revealed an adequate fit for the preexisting five-factor solution (TOS: OrNe and HeOr; DEBQ: Restrained Eating, Emotional Eating, and External Eating). This result points out that these factors are conceptually distinguishable. Moreover, we tested whether the different eating styles presented different patterns of correlations with gender, body mass index (BMI), and age, and whether OrNe and HeOr predicted Positive and Negative Affect after controlling for Restrained, Emotional, and External Eating. Whereas Restrained and Emotional Eating were higher for women and increased with BMI in both samples, HeOr and OrNe presented much lower associations with these variables. OrNe was positively related to Negative Affect and negatively to Positive Affect, whereas HeOr was positively related to Positive Affect. Again, this result supports the assumption that OrNe is a new variant of disordered eating, whereas HeOr could possibly be seen as a protective behavior

Effect of process parameters in laccase mediator system delignification of flax pulp. Part II: Impact on effluents properties

Electronic version of an article published as "Chemical engineering journal", vol.152, no.2-3 , 2009, p.330-338Flax pulp was bleached by using an enzyme treatment with laccase (L stage) in the presence of HBT as mediator in order to replace chlorine-based pulp bleaching processes which produce toxic organochlorine compounds with biotechnological products, achieving an environmentally friendly process technology. Enzyme treatments were sequentially conducted according to a factorial design involving four variables: laccase dose, HBT dose, treatment time and oxygen pressure in the reactor. Their influence on the effluent properties (COD, color, toxicity, spectra and residual enzymatic activity) was examined to evaluate the impact of L stage on environment since no experimental data have been published concerning this matter. Mathematical models accurately predicting effluent properties in terms of the previous four variables were developed. High COD levels were obtained as a result of using commercial laccase. Also, red color produced, especially at long treatment time, relates to formation of oxidation products from HBT. The residual enzymatic activity depends basically on mediator dose, and mainly activity loss is produced during the first 30 min of treatment. The toxicity of the effluents was below the limits set by the sewage regulations for Catalonia and can be ascribed to the combined effect of the laccase-mediator system.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author’s final draft

The Role of Negative Affect in Emotional Processing of Food-Related Images in Eating Disorders and Obesity

The aim of the present study was to analyze differences in the emotional processing (valence, arousal, and dominance) of food-related information in patients with eating disorders (ED), patients with obesity, and healthy women. Moreover, the mediator role of negative affect and the moderating role of the diagnostic group (ED vs. non-ED) were analyzed. Method: The sample consisted of 94 women (39 with eating disorders, 19 with obesity, and 36 healthy participants). Measures: International Affective Picture System (IAPS) food picture exposure task; Self-Assessment Manikin Analog-Visual Scale (SAM) appraising Arousal, Valence, and Dominance; Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26); Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Results: Patients with purging symptomatology rated food images as more unpleasant than healthy women. Patients with purging and restrictive eating symptomatology showed higher levels of arousal and less dominance over the emotions experienced, compared to patients with obesity and healthy women. The mediation analysis showed that negative affect mediated the relationship between eating symptomatology (EAT-26) and the Valence of food images, as well as the control over the emotions experienced when viewing food images (Dominance). For the moderation analysis participants were regrouped into two groups (ED patients vs. non-ED patients). The direct relationship between eating symptomatology and food image valence was moderated by the diagnostic group. However, the group did not moderate the direct relationship between the EAT-26 and dominance over experienced emotions, or the indirect effect on eating symptomatology through negative affect. These results show the relevance of negative affect in the emotional processing of food-related information, and they support an eating disorder-disordered eating dimensional perspective.This study was supported by the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (MINECO) and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) through the research project (PSI2014-51920-R)

Biobleaching of high quality pulps with laccase mediator system: influence of treatment time and oxygen supply

Electronic version of an article published as "Biochemical engineering journal", vol. 44, no. 2-3, p.193-198In this study we examined the influence of the treatment time and addition of oxygen on the efficiency of a laccase mediator system (L) applied to flax pulp at atmospheric pressure. The redox potential and the dissolved oxygen concentration during L tests are measured. After L stage, an alkaline extraction (E) is carried out. The pulp properties (kappa number, brightness and viscosity) and the effluents properties (color and COD) were measured in order to evaluate the environmental impact of this enzymatic treatment. The biotreatment involves two distinct stages in both L and LE sequences; in the beginning the pulp exhibits a fast delignification and a slow viscosity decrease that is followed by slow delignification in the second. Pulp brightness changed differently during L stage and LE sequence. Initially brightness after the L stage decreased with respect to the initial pulp; then, it increased rapidly and eventually leveled off. After the LE sequence, brightness increased rapidly in the beginning and more gradually afterwards. The results show that supplying the medium with oxygen and increasing the oxygen concentration in it, influence the kinetics of the process. Based on CIE L*a*b* color coordinates study, the enzyme treatment not only removes lignin, but also alters the structure of the pulp by causing the formation of chromophoric groups giving color. Such groups are removed in an E stagePeer ReviewedPostprint (author’s final draft

Development of an Emergency Radio Beacon for Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Emergency locator transmitters (ELTs) used to locate manned aircrafts are not well suited to find and recover small crashed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). ELTs utilize an international satellite system for search and rescue (Cospas-Sarsat System), which should leverage its expensive resources to save lives as a priority. Besides, ELTs are too big and heavy to be used within small UAVs. Some of the existing solutions for this problem are based on receivers that detect signal strength, which may be a long and tedious process not suitable for user needs. Others do not have enough range or require radio license and expensive amateur radio receivers. This paper presents an emergency radio beacon specifically designed to locate small UAVs. It is triggered automatically in the event of a crash and allows finding and recovering a crashed UAV in a fast and simple way. It meets not only the required specifications of user-friendliness, size and weight of this kind of application, but also it is a high precision and low cost device. Besides, it has enough range and endurance. The experiments carried out show the operation of the proposed system

Los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria y el espectro obsesivo-compulsivo: intrusiones mentales, egodistonía y creencias

Las investigaciones a nivel psicopatológicos de la relación entre los Trastornos Alimentarios (TA) y el Trastorno Obsesivo-Compulsivo (TOC) son muy escasas. La presente tesis se enmarca precisamente dentro del análisis de dicha relación. Objetivos: 1.Analizar la Egosintonía y Egodistonía asociada a las intrusiones mentales de TA y TOC. 2.Analizar las creencias nucleares y creencias asociadas al TOC y su relación con Egosintonía y Egodistonía. Participantes: Un grupo de población general (n=349), de donde se extrajeron: Población subclínica-TA (n=12), población subclínica-TOC (n=18), y población sin riesgo de TA ni TOC(n=50). Contamos con dos muestras de mujeres con diagnóstico de TA (DSM-IV-TR), la primera compuesta por 106 pacientes (61 españolas y 45 inglesas), y la segunda, compuesta por 76 mujeres españolas. También se contó con un grupo de 20 mujeres recuperadas de TA. Instrumentos: Actitudes hacia la comida(EAT-26), Cuestionario de Relaciones Multidimensionales Cuerpo-mí mismo(MBSRQ), Actitudes frente al Cambio(ACTA), Inventario de Obsesiones y Compulsiones de Clark-Beck(CBOCI), Inventario de Depresión de Beck(BDI-II), Inventario de Ansiedad de Beck(BAI), Inventario de Creencias Obsesivas(ICO), Cuestionario de Esquemas de Young(YSQ), Escala de Ideas Sobrevaloradas(OVIS), Inventario de Pensamientos Intrusos Obsesivos(INPIOS) y el Inventario de Pensamientos Intrusos Alimentarios(INPIAS). Resultados: Se construyeron dos cuestionarios para evaluar Egosintonía(CES) y Egodistonía(CED-Reducido) de las intrusiones mentales. Los AFE y AFC mostraron una estructura de tres factores en espejo (CED-R: F1.Indeseabilidad del pensamiento. F2.Irracionalidad e incoherencia con la personalidad. F3.Inmoralidad. CES: F1.Deseabilidad. F2.Racionalidad y coherencia. F3.Moralidad). Los ANOVAS con el INPIAS mostraron un continuo: las pacientes obtuvieron puntuaciones significativamente más altas, seguido por el grupo subclínico-TA, y las mujeres recuperadas y población sin riesgo. Sin embargo, todos menos el grupo sin riesgo valoraron sus intrusiones alimentarias como Racionales e Indeseables. En pacientes, la egosintonía se asoció a estar ocupado con el pensamiento, interfiriendo en su concentración(R2=0,14), y a hacer lo que indica la intrusión(R2=0,20). Mientras que en el grupo sin riesgo se asoció a la frecuencia(R2=0,24) y a la importancia otorgada al mismo(R2=0,11). La Egodistonía fue predicha en pacientes por valorar el pensamiento como inaceptable(R2=0,16), y por el empleo de estrategias de control tipo ansioso(R2=0,20). En población sin riesgo destaca la relación con los intentos de supresión(R2=0,20). Además, en pacientes la Egosintonía se asoció(p<0,001) principalmente a una baja motivación al cambio y la preocupación por el sobrepeso, mientras que la Egodistonía se asoció(p<0,001) a la satisfacción por la apariencia. A nivel subclínico TA y TOC, ambos grupos evaluaron sus intrusiones como Racionales e Indeseables. Finalmente, Egosintonía/Egodistonía no se relacionaron con creencias nucleares, aunque la Egosintonía si correlacionó(p<0,01) con creencias TOC(Importancia de controlar los pensamientos, Intolerancia a la incertidumbre y Perfeccionismo). Conclusiones: Los datos señalan que las intrusiones alimentarias no son completamente Egosintónicas, al menos en todos los aspectos. Además, la Egodistonía parece ser un factor de buen pronóstico, mientras que la Egosintonía se asocia a un bajo insight. Tanto pacientes como mujeres recuperadas de TA valoran de manera similar la Egosintonía y Egodistonía, quizá señalando un posible factor de vulnerabilidad. Por otra parte, en población no clínica, la Egosintonía de las intrusiones se asocia a un mayor riesgo de TA.Objectives: 1.To examine Egosyntonicity and Egodystonicity of Eating Disorder (ED) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) unwanted intrusive cognitions. 2.To analyze core beliefs and obsessive beliefs and their relationships with egosyntonicity/egodystonicity. Participants: The sample consisted of a general population group (n=349), a Subclinical-ED group (n=12), a Subclinical-OCD group (n=18), and people without risk of ED or OCD (n=50). The clinical samples included two groups of ED patients (DSM-IV-TR): 106 ED patients (61 Spanish-45 English), and 76 Spanish ED patients. Finally, a group of 20 women had recovered from ED. Instruments: EAT-26, MBSRQ, Attitudes towards change in ED (ACTA), CBOCI, BDI-II, BAI, Obsessive Beliefs Inventory (ICO), Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ), Overvalued Idea Scale (OVIS), Eating Intrusive Thoughts Inventory (INPIAS), and Obsessive Intrusive Thoughts Inventory (INPIOS). Results: The Egosyntonicity Questionnaire (CES) and Egodystonicity Questionnaire (CED-Reduced) showed that these constructs are better represented as two different dimensions but with common aspects. Patients showed the highest scores on intrusive thoughts and associated variables, followed by the Subclinical-ED, Recovered, and no-risk groups. Every group except the no-risk group rated their intrusions as Rational (Egosyntonicity) and Undesirable (Egodystonicity). In patients and no-risk groups Egosyntonicity/Egodystonicity showed a different pattern of associations, but in both cases the relationships with thought control strategies stand out. Egosyntonicity and Egodystonicity were not associated with core beliefs, but with some obsessive beliefs. Conclusions: Our data indicate that Eating intrusive thoughts are not completely Egosyntonic. Egodystonicity seems to be a good prognosis factor, whereas Egosyntonicity is associated with low insight. In the non clinical population, egosyntonicity is related to a higher risk of developing an ED

Ionic liquid, ultrasound-assisted synthesis of lignin nanoparticles for barrier-enhanced all-cellulose nanocomposite films

The primary purpose of this work was to develop novel all-cellulose nanocomposite (ACNC) films by following a green approach that uses an ionic liquid as solvent and requires no additional reducing agents or stabilizers. In this way, biodegradable, UVblocking ACNC films were obtained by partially dissolving cellulose to entrap lignin nanoparticles (LNP) within. Lignin particles in proportions of 3–7 wt% were modified by sonication in an ionic liquid (IL) to obtain lignin-IL dispersions. The influence of the LNP-IL medium on the chemical, physical, and morphological properties of the resulting nanocomposites was examined, and the properties compared with those of an all-cellulose composite (ACC) film and untreated paper. The TEM technique revealed the formation of unevenly spherical LNPs as small as 5.133 ± 0.003 nm, and XRD spectroscopy a transition from cellulose I to II and an increase in the proportion of non-crystalline cellulose as a result of partial dissolution and regeneration. In addition, SEM images confirmed the deposition of LNPs onto the surface of the regenerated cellulose matrix. The incorporation of LNPs considerably enhanced the UV-blocking, oxygen and water-barrier, biodegradation, antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the films. Moreover, LNPs in proportions of 3 and 5 wt% increased tensile strength, and a proportion of 7 wt% allowed the films to block 97% of light at 280 nm and increased antioxidant activity by 68% relative to the control sample. Interestingly, a 7 wt% LNP content in the films decreased antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli by about 42.85% and 63.88%, respectively. The new, multifunctional biocomposite films are suitable for various uses in cellulose-based food packagingThis research received financial support from the PID2020-114070RB-I00 (CELLECOPROD) project [MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033]. The first author, E. Amini, gratefully acknowledges the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and Banco Santander for the financial support of her predoctoral grant FPI-UPCPostprint (published version