University of Bari Aldo Moro
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Nutritional, rheological, and sensory effect of oat okara enrichment in plant-based ice cream
No full textThe use of agri-food by-products as novel ingredients has gained attention for developing functional foods. This study investigated the effect of non-dairy ice creams fortified with oat okara (OK) at different concentrations (6 %, 12 %, and 15 %), compared to a control (CTR), through proximate composition, rheological measurements (flow behavior and viscosity), in vitro glycemic index, simulated fecal microbiota, sensory analysis. OK6, OK12, and OK15 showed significantly higher dietary fiber (up to 6 g/100 g already in OK6) and protein content (up to 7.70 g/100 g in OK15), meeting the claims for “high fiber” and “source of protein”, respectively (Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006). Rheological analysis revealed enhanced viscosity, consistency, and thixotropy in enriched OK samples, due to the water-holding capacity of fibers and the structuring effect of residual oat proteins. Specifically, OK12 reached a significant increase of viscosity (0.88) and thixotropy (30.46) compared to CTR (0.21 and 17.77, respectively). Furthermore, OK12 and OK15 displayed a significant reduction (67.36 % and 64.49 %, respectively) of predicted glycemic index (pGI) compared to CTR (76.43 %). Although no significant differences in prebiotic activity were shown between CTR and OK-enriched samples, all ice creams promoted the growth of beneficial bacteria compared to the baseline (T0), suggesting a prebiotic potential
Verde speranza: PIANTIaMOLA
No full textQuanti alberi ci sono a Mola? E quante specie di piante? Quanti metri quadrati di verse ci sono per ogni molese? Molto pochi. La conferma in un recente censimento del verde commissionato dal Comune
“Il questo,l’inconfondibile questo”: l’esistenza come traduzione nella lettura carabellesiana di Kant,
No full textIl saggio analizza la lettura di Kant proposta da Carabellese nei corsi universitari raccolti in La filosofia dell’esistenza in Kant (1940-1943). Centrale è l’uso del concetto di “traduzione”, contrapposto a quello di “commutazione”, per interpretare il rapporto tra intelletto e sensibilità, tra cosa in sé e fenomeno. La traduzione diventa per Carabellese il paradigma dell’esistenza: non chiusura nell’“in sé”, ma apertura relazionale e singolarità irripetibile, segnata da eccedenza e intersezione. Così, contro la riduzione critica dell’esistenza al mero giudizio dell’esistente, Carabellese evidenzia la dimensione dinamica e dialogica dell’esserci (Dasein), inteso come incrocio di rapporti e pratica interpretativa sempre in tensione
Vibration transmission analysis in monumental olive trees for precision pruning: the PULP system approach
No full textOlive growing traditional areas are characterized by monumental olive trees. Mechanical harvesting is also applied to these trees using branch shaking machines, but incorrect tree architecture reduces applied vibrations transmission. A new pruning model can improve mechanical harvesting efficiency by focusing on the study of vibration transmission in the tree. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the transmission of vibrations, to develop a model of precision pruning. The PULP system (pruning of unvibrating localized portions) records the transmission of vibrations through a series of accelerometers placed on branches of different orders. The experiment was carried out in a commercial olive orchard in Apulia. An evaluation in pruning and harvesting was carried out followed by the measurement of yield and harvesting efficiency. During pruning, the highest decrement in vibration transmission was from secondary (4.56×10-4 V) to tertiary branches (1.74×10-4 V). Similar values were observed during harvesting, but vibrations transmission inside seemed different. The detachment index showed no significant differences before and after harvesting, highlighting no influence of fruits position inside the canopy. The trees, on which was recorded a yield of 108±7.08 kg tree-1, in the first 12 s of shaking led to a harvesting efficiency of 80±3%. These preliminary data were necessary to better understand the vibration transmission and the different branches’ behaviour. Further studies are necessary in the coming years to improve and use this prototype to realize a precision pruning method for trees harvested with trunk shakers
Flesh Quality, Shelf Life, and Freshness Assessment of Sea Bream Reared in a Coastal Mediterranean Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture System
No full textThis study investigated the flesh quality, shelf life, and sensory freshness of sea bream (Sparus aurata) reared in the REMEDIA Life IMTA system, which incorporates bioremediator organisms—sponges, polychaetes, bivalves, and macroalgae—supported by artificial vertical collectors to enhance the settlement of sessile macroinvertebrates and improve environmental quality. A total of 96 fish (18 months old) were analysed, 48 farmed within the IMTA system and 48 in the conventional offshore system. Both groups received the same commercial feed. For each group, 16 fish were analysed after 1, 7, and 14 days of storage at 2 ± 1 °C to evaluate physical features, chemical and fatty acid composition, and sensory freshness. The total weight was markedly greater for fish in the IMTA group (p < 0.05), which showed a significantly (p < 0.05) longer tail. For all the storage times, the content of total saturated fatty acids was markedly higher in the control group, along with a lower concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids (p < 0.05). The quality index method showed better results for the IMTA group (p < 0.05), particularly after 2 weeks of storage in ice. In conclusion, sea bream reared in the IMTA system showed better flesh quality, extended shelf life, and prolonged sensory freshness
Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum and Leishmania (Sauroleishmania) tarentolae in outdoor cats and report of infection in feline-derived peripheral blood mononuclear cells
No full textBackground: Feline leishmaniosis (FeL) is mainly caused by Leishmania infantum in the Mediterranean Basin. In Italy, in the same epidemiological context where canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is hyperendemic, a nonpathogenic species, Leishmania tarentolae, may also occur in sympatry, infecting reptiles, dogs, and humans. Thus, this study aimed to assess L. tarentolae infection in outdoor cats along with its co-occurrence with L. infantum and to evaluate risk factors. In addition, the persistence of L. tarentolae in feline-derived peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was herein evaluated in vitro. Methods: Outdoor colony or stray cats were screened for Leishmania spp. by immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) using promastigotes of both L. infantum and L. tarentolae. Whole blood and buffy coat were tested by a real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and duplex real-time PCR (dqPCR), and positive samples sequenced following an ITS1 conventional PCR (cPCR). Feline-derived PMBCs were subsequently infected with promastigotes of L. tarentolae to assess the persistence of amastigotes. Viral infections caused by feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) were molecularly addressed in all enrolled cats. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the possible association between Leishmania spp. infection and FIV/FeLV infection by using a multivariate logistic regression model following an initial LASSO-penalized logistic regression. Results: Overall, 42 out of 194 cats (21.6%) were serologically or molecularly positive for Leishmania spp. In particular, 26 (13.4%) cats were seropositive for L. infantum and/or L. tarentolae by IFAT, with 16 (8.2%) animals positive for both species. Molecularly, 14 out of 194 cats (7.2%) were positive for L. infantum by qPCR, whereas five (2.6%) were positive for L. tarentolae by dqPCR. Cat PBMCs were successfully infected with L. tarentolae, and the infection persisted for at least 72 h. Overall, 38 out of the 194 screened cats (19.6%) were infected by FIV and/or FeLV, of which 12 were serologically or molecularly positive for Leishmania spp., with one cat positive for L. tarentolae DNA, and five for L. infantum DNA. Multivariate screening identified municipality (OR 2.206; P = 0.031; 95% CI 1.077–4.516) as a risk factor for Leishmania spp. infection, while the association between Leishmania spp. and FIV infection was not significant (OR 2.359; P = 0.08, 95% CI 0.901–6.179). Conclusions: Colony or stray cats were herein found for the first time infected by L. tarentolae, in areas where L. infantum is endemic. Cross-reactivity using IFAT test may pose a diagnostic hindrance also in FeL. The infection with this saurian-associated Leishmania in cats was further confirmed through the persistence of this Leishmania in cat PBMCs. Further studies are needed to fully unravel the complex interactions between both species of Leishmania and the implication of the sympatric occurrence of both species in the diagnosis and control of leishmaniosis
La revisione delle accise sui prodotti energetici e il principio di sostenibilità
No full textThis contribution aims to illustrate the ongoing but currently stalled
process of revising energy excise duties through a green lens. As highlighted by
the European Commission in the recent Clean Industrial Deal, the complex
balance between environmental protection and economic development under-
scores the tension between the reorientation of internal market competitiveness
and certain constitutional principles, which must be reinterpreted in light of the
recently amended Articles 9 and 41 of the Italian Constitution. Through the
synergistic use of disincentive-based taxation, fiscal incentives, and direct subsi-
dies, it is necessary to ensure the form of “solidarism” envisaged by the Italian
Constitution, while also considering the principle of budgetary equilibrium in
light of likely revenue losses, and the principle of sustainability as a tool for
intergenerational equity
Early Prediction of In-Hospital Mortality in Patients with Acute Infections: Development of the Acute Severity Infection Score (ASIs)
Get PDFIntroduction: Early prognostic stratification in patients hospitalized for acute infections is a major clinical challenge. Existing tools, such as the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), were not specifically developed for this purpose. Objectives: We aimed to design a novel multidimensional prognostic score, the Acute Severity Infection score (ASIs), to predict in-hospital mortality using routinely available clinical data. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 149 adults admitted with acute infections to an internal medicine unit between January 2023 and December 2024. In-hospital all-cause mortality was the primary outcome. Demographic, clinical and laboratory variables obtained within 12 h of admission were analyzed. Variables significantly associated with mortality in both univariate and multivariate regression were incorporated into the ASIs, which ranges from 0 to 7 points. Its performance was compared to SOFA and CCI using ROC curve and Cox regression models. Results: In-hospital mortality occurred in 25.5% of patients. Five variables were independently associated with mortality: lactate ≥ 2.2 mmol/l, frailty composite (confined to bed status, long-term oxygen therapy or advanced malignancy), hemodynamic instability or need for non-invasive ventilation, age ≥ 79.5 years and symptom onset ≥ 3.5 days before admission. ASIs showed the highest discriminative ability (AUC = 0.883) compared to SOFA (AUC = 0.612) and CCI (AUC = 0.742). In multivariate models including all three scores, only ASIs retained independent prognostic significance. Conclusions: The ASIs is a simple tool for early prognostic stratification of patients hospitalized with acute infections. It outperforms existing scores and may enhance clinical decision-making in real-world medical settings
Resting state connectivity patterns associated with trait anxiety in adolescence
No full textAnxiety symptoms occur more frequently during adolescence and early adulthood, increasing the risk of future anxiety disorders. Neuroscientific research on anxiety has primarily focused on adulthood, employing mostly univariate approaches, discounting large-scale alterations of the brain. Indeed adolescents with trait anxiety may display similar abnormalities shown by adults in brain regions ascribed to the default mode network, associated with self-referential thinking and rumination-related processes. The present study aims to explore resting-state connectivity patterns associated with trait anxiety in a large sample of young individuals. We analyzed the rs-fMRI images of 1263 adolescents (mean age 20.55 years) and their scores on anxiety trait. A significant association between trait anxiety and resting-state functional connectivity in two networks was found, with some regions overlapping with the default mode network, such as the cingulate gyrus, the middle temporal gyri and the precuneus. Of note, the higher the trait anxiety, the lower the connectivity within both networks, suggesting abnormal self-referential processing, awareness, and emotion regulation abilities in adolescents with high anxiety trait. These findings provided a better understanding of the association between trait anxiety and brain rs-functional connectivity, and may pave the way for the development of potential biomarkers in adolescents with anxiety.Anxiety symptoms occur more frequently during adolescence and early adulthood, increasing the risk of future anxiety disorders. Neuroscientific research on anxiety has primarily focused on adulthood, employing mostly univariate approaches, discounting large-scale alterations of the brain. Indeed adolescents with trait anxiety may display similar abnormalities shown by adults in brain regions ascribed to the default mode network, associated with self-referential thinking and rumination-related processes. The present study aims to explore resting-state connectivity patterns associated with trait anxiety in a large sample of young individuals. We analyzed the rs-fMRI images of 1263 adolescents (mean age 20.55 years) and their scores on anxiety trait. A significant association between trait anxiety and resting-state functional connectivity in two networks was found, with some regions overlapping with the default mode network, such as the cingulate gyrus, the middle temporal gyri and the pr..
Long-lived particle reconstruction downstream of the LHCb magnet
No full textCharged-particle trajectories are usually reconstructed with the LHCb detector using combined information from the tracking devices placed upstream and downstream of the 4 T m dipole magnet. Trajectories reconstructed using only information from the tracker downstream of the dipole magnet, which are referred to as T tracks, have not been used for physics analysis to date. The challenges of the reconstruction of long-lived particles with T tracks for physics use are discussed and solutions are proposed. The feasibility and the tracking performance are studied using samples of long-lived Λ and KS0 hadrons decaying between 6.0 and 7.6 m downstream of the proton–proton collision point, thereby traversing most of the magnetic field region and providing maximal sensitivity to magnetic and electric dipole moments. The reconstruction can be expanded upstream to about 2.5 m for use in direct searches of exotic long-lived particles. The data used in this analysis have been recorded between 2015 and 2018 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 6 fb-1. The results obtained demonstrate the possibility to further extend the decay volume and the physics reach of the LHCb experiment