Application of FT-MIR Spectroscopy for Fingerprinting Bioactive Molecules of Plant Ingredients and a New Formula with Antimicrobial Effect

Abstract. The present study aims to fingerprint 7 aromatic herbs (basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage, clove, cinnamon)  and an original derived formula (EPC), in order to find specific biomarkers by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy. The studied aromatic herbs are well known for their antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticarcinogenic effect. After comparison of each plant FT-MIR spectra results concluded that these herbs are rich in phenolic compounds like flavonols, flavanols, phenolic acids, volatile phenols. The fingerprint region was set at 1400-1760 cm-1. FTIR spectroscopy is recommended as a reliable tool to evaluate the quality and authenticity of plant formulas

Changing Personal Values through Value-Manipulation Tasks: A Systematic Literature Review Based on Schwartz’s Theory of Basic Human Values

According to the Theory of Basic Human Values, values are relatively stable, but not immutable, abstract goals which strongly influence peoples' lives. Since their relative stability, psychosocial research is attempting to understand the extent to which it is possible to induce a voluntary change in people's personal values. The main aim of this study was to systematically review the existing literature on experiments to induce a value change, also highlighting the theoretical perspectives used to develop the experimental tasks. We conducted a literature search of five databases (SCOPUS, ProQuest, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science). After the screening and the eligibility phase, we included a total of 14 articles (25 experiments). Most of these studies involved university students and adopted a pre-and post-test design, using different manipulation tasks. The results highlighted the possibility of inducing a voluntary value change, assessed in terms of mean levels and/or rank order. These findings provide new insights regarding the stability of values in the light of the Theory of Basic Human Values. The practical implications and future research directions are discussed

ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF PLEUROTUS ERYNGII AND LENTINUS EDODES HYDRO-ALCOHOLIC EXTRACTS

Besides superior nutritional values mushrooms posed significant medicinal properties. Hydro-alcoholic extracts of several isolates of Pleurotus eryngii and Lentinus edodes mushroom species were investigated for their antimicrobial activities against pathogenic microorganisms with medicinal importance. Antimicrobial activities of the extracts were evaluated by the agar disk diffusion method. Results revealed that the 70% ethylic alcohol extracts have significant inhibitory activities against Bacillus subtilis var. spizizinii, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The results showed that the 70% ethanol extracts of Pleurotus eryngii and Lentinus edodes mushroom isolates may have biopharmaceutical potentiality

The Family Transmission of Ethnic Prejudice: A Systematic Review of Research Articles with Adolescents

Ethnic prejudice is one of the most studied topics in social psychology. Empirical research on its development and intergenerational transmission is increasing but still scarce. This systematic review collected and analyzed psychosocial studies focused on the transmission of ethnic prejudice within families with adolescents. Specifically, it aimed at addressing the following research questions: (a) To what extent is there a vertical (between parents and children) and horizontal (between siblings) transmission of ethnic prejudice within the family? (b) Is this process unidirectional (from parents to children) or bidirectional (between parents and children)? (c) Which individual and/or relational variables influence this process? (d) Can adolescents' intergroup contact experiences affect the family influence on adolescents' ethnic prejudice? The literature search of four databases (Ebsco, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science), carried out from February 2021 to May 2021, following the PRISMA guidelines, yielded 22 articles that matched the eligibility criteria. The findings highlighted a moderate bidirectional transmission of ethnic prejudice between parents and adolescents, which was influenced by several individual and relational variables (e.g., the adolescents' age and sex and the family relationship quality). Moreover, the adolescents' frequent and positive contacts with peers of different ethnicities reduced the parents' influence on the adolescents' ethnic prejudice. The findings are discussed, and their limitations and implications for intervention and future research are considered

Gender Prejudice Within the Family: The Relation Between Parents' Sexism and Their Socialization Values

Gender inequalities are still persistent despite the growing policy efforts to combat them. Sexism, which is an evaluative tendency leading to different treatment of people based on their sex and to denigration (hostile sexism) or enhancement (benevolent sexism) of certain dispositions as gendered attributes, plays a significant role in strengthening these social inequalities. As it happens with many other attitudes, sexism is mainly transmitted by influencing parental styles and socialization practices. This study focused on the association between parents' hostile and benevolent sexism toward women and their socialization values (specifically, conservation and self-transcendence), that are the values parents would like their children to endorse. We took both parents' and children's sex into account in the analyses. One-hundred-sixty-five Italian parental couples with young adult children participated in the study. Parents, both the mother and the father, individually filled in a self-report questionnaire composed of the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory and the Portrait Values Questionnaire. Findings showed that mothers' benevolent sexism was positively related to their desire to transmit conservation values to their sons and daughters. This result was also found for fathers, but with a moderation effect of children's sex. Indeed, the positive relationship between fathers' benevolent sexism and conservation was stronger in the case of sons than of daughters. Moreover, fathers' benevolent sexism was positively associated with self-transcendence values. Finally, fathers' hostile sexism was positively associated with conservation and negatively with self-transcendence. Limitations of the study, future research developments, and practical implications of the results are discussed

More Kindness, Less Prejudice against Immigrants? A Preliminary Study with Adolescents

Prejudice against immigrants is a relevant research topic within social psychology. Researchers identified several individual variables affecting anti-immigrant prejudice, such as morality and personality. However, until now, prejudice has never been studied in relation to kindness, which might be a significant protective factor against prejudice. Based on Kohlberg's theory of moral judgement, four stage dimensions of kindness were identified, from egocentric to authentic kindness (i.e., a means for social progress and improvement). This study aims to explore the relationship between the four kindness dimensions and blatant and subtle prejudice against immigrants in adolescence, by also considering the moderating role of adolescents' sex. It involved 215 Italian participants (77% girls), who were asked to fill in a self-report questionnaire. Results showed that boys scored higher on egocentric kindness than girls, but no sex differences emerged for prejudice. Egocentric and extrinsically motivated kindness appeared to be risk factors for prejudice, whereas the most authentic form of kindness was a protective factor. In addition, adolescents' sex moderated the relationship between egocentric kindness and blatant prejudice, whereby this association was stronger for boys. The implications of these findings, the study's limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed

Characterisation of an Aromatic Plant-based Formula using UV-Vis Spectroscopy, LC-ESI(+)QTOF-MS and HPLC-DAD Analysis

Abstract. It is known for a long time that seasoning/condimentary herbs have antioxidant activity and antibacterial properties, being good natural alternatives for disease prevention. The different efficiency of these plants is assigned to their bioactive molecules, stability and bioavailability. In the present study seven aromatic herbs (basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, clove, cinnamon and sage) were investigated individually. A new product was developed using basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, clove, cinnamon and sage, according to a default recipe. The characterization of each plant aimed to identify the specific “fingerprint†by its main bioactive molecules and the “traceability†of these molecules in the new product, made by mixing the selected plants according to a default recipe. In order to determine the main bioactive compounds of the individual plants composition, in comparison with the new plant-based (EPC) formula, high throughput techniques like UV-Vis spectroscopy and LC-QTOF-MS  spectrometry were used. The most important bioactive compounds determined in the studied herbs, which may exert antioxidant activity and antibacterial properties, were phenolic compounds (phenolic acids, flavonoids), quinones, clorophylls as well some polar terpenoids. The fingerprints are providing comprehensive and accurate information about the compounds that may exert antimicrobial properties. In order to assure the biological effects and the bioavailability of the polyphenols and the secondary metabolites we have to consider the antagonistic and synergistic effect that the metabolites can exert on each other

Triaje avanzado en urgencias hospitalarias ante procesos traumatológicos leves

El triaje avanzado ante los procesos traumatológicos leves clasificados como nivel 4-5, implica la clasificación del paciente por niveles de gravedad, al mismo tiempo que la solicitud de pruebas radiológicas simples, administración de analgesia según los protocolos establecidos y consensuados, lo que supondría, por un lado, disminuir el dolor y la ansiedad del paciente y de los familiares, y por otro reducir el tiempo medio de espera y la demora en los SUH.<br /