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Wild oleaginous plants from the argan grove of Taroudant: Chemical composition, fatty acid profile, nutritional indicators, and antioxidant activity
No full textThis work investigated the chemical composition and nutritional potential of seeds from nine plants collected in the argan grove of Taroudant, Morocco (Pistacia lentiscus L., Asphodelus tenuifolius Cav., Cistus creticus L., Capparis spinosa L., Lavandula pedunculata (Mill.) Cav., Urtica pilulifera L., Acacia sp, Datura stramonium L., and Vitex agnus castus). The characterization included proximate composition, minerals, fatty acids, and phenolic compounds. Except for seeds of Pistacia lentiscus L., most of the seeds contain more than 7 % of oil and 6 % of protein, with the
highest oil content (36.23 %) for Urtica pilulifera L., and the highest protein content (32.68 %) for Lavandula pedunculata Cav. Seed oils were generally dominated by linoleic acid except those of Lavandula pedunculata with linolenic acid and that of Caparis spinosa L. with oleic acid. Ca, K, Mg, and P were identified as major minerals.
Pistacia lentiscus L. displayed particularly high levels of total phenolic (82.69 mg GAE/g DW), total flavonoids (69.41 mg QE/g DW), and antioxidant activities measured by ABTS (115.71 mg TE/g DW), DPPH (93.24 %), and FRAP (418.9 mmol TE/g DW). These promising results could reveal the potential of these plants as sources of vegetable oils that could follow a development path similar to that of certain known oils such as argan, soybean, rapeseed, and sunflower oils. Future work should address challenges related to sustainable cultivation, efficient extraction at industrial scale, and preliminary assessments of economic feasibility and market potential
Novel Phenomena With Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless Transition, Topological Fluctuations, and Phase Slips in Superconducting NbN Nanoflms
No full textThis thesis presents a systematic investigation of phase fluctuation effects in supercon-
ducting niobium nitride (NbN) nanofilms, exploring the rich physics that emerges dur-
ing dimensional crossover from three-dimensional to two-dimensional and quasi-one-
dimensional behavior. The experimental foundation of this study is based on the careful
optimization of DC magnetron sputtering parameters, enabling the fabrication of high-
quality NbN films with thicknesses ranging from 5 nm to 100 nm on various substrates
including MgO, Al2O3 (r-cut and c-cut), and SiO2. To ensure precise electrical measure-
ments, the fabrication process was refined through the development of Hall bar geometries
using optical lithography and reactive ion etching techniques, with particular attention to
preserving film quality during processing.
Our systematic electrical transport measurements reveal two distinct manifestations of
phase fluctuations in these films. In the two-dimensional regime, we observe the emer-
gence of the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) transition in ultra-thin NbN films (d
< 15 nm), characterized by a universal jump in the superfluid phase stiffness at TBKT . The
application of perpendicular magnetic fields (3-150 Gauss) leads to an interesting behav-
ior: a field-induced crossover from Halperin-Nelson fluctuations to a BCS-like state with
Aslamazov-Larkin fluctuations. This transition exhibits distinct regimes, with the BKT
signature preserved up to 5 Gauss, gradually smearing between 5-50 Gauss, and com-
pletely suppressed by 100 Gauss, where conventional current-voltage behavior emerges.
The crossover mechanism is attributed to field-induced free vortices screening the logarithmic vortex-antivortex interactions.
As the dimensionality is further reduced, we observe the emergence of phase-slip phe-
nomena in the quasi-1D regime. The intrinsic disorder within the granular NbN matrix
leads to the formation of channels, whose dimensions critically influence the nature of
phase fluctuations. Through careful analysis of temperature-dependent resistivity and
current-voltage characteristics, we establish a quantitative correlation between the type of
phase slips (quantum vs. thermal) and the size of these pathways relative to the supercon-
ducting coherence length. Most notably, we discover the unprecedented coexistence of
BKT transition and thermally activated phase slips within the same system, highlighting
the subtle interplay between nano-conducting path dimensions and coherence length.
These investigations employ comprehensive characterization techniques, including resis-
tivity measurements, current-voltage characteristics, and magnetic field-dependent stud-
ies, all conducted using a specially designed pulsed measurement technique to minimize
heating effects. Observing these coexisting phenomena, together with their tunability
through temperature, thickness, and magnetic field, not only advances our understand-
ing of phase fluctuation mechanisms in low-dimensional superconductors but also opens
new possibilities for controlling quantum phase transitions in advanced superconducting
devices
Editorial Board Infrastructures - section Infrastructures and Structural Engineering
No full texthttps://www.mdpi.com/journal/infrastructures/editors?page_no=
Il “ripescaggio” della tutela reale e il repêchage senza reintegrazione
No full textIl saggio analizza il tema del repêchage alla luce della giurisprudenza di legittimità e
delle pronunce della Corte Costituzionale. L’autore critica l’esclusione dell’onere di repêchage dal fatto materiale e sostiene che la sua violazione non è di tipo procedurale (tutela indennitaria) bensì collegata alla soppressione del posto di lavoro (tutela reale). Nella parte finale si valuta in modo
favorevole la “riscoperta” della sentenza delle Sezioni Unite come fondamento dell’onere di repêchage.The essay analyses the issue of repêchage in light of case law and Constitutional
Court rulings. The author criticizes the exclusion of the repêchage obligation from the “material fact” and argues that its violation is not procedural in nature (compensation) but rather linked to
the elimination of the job (reinstatement). The final part gives a favorable assessment to the
“rediscovery” of the ruling by the Supreme Court, Joint Divisions, as a basis for the repêchage obligation
Spectroscopic investigation and insecticidal effects of two natural alkynes from Artemisia campestris, 2,4-pentadiynylbenzene and capillene, against Spodoptera littoralis larvae and non-target organisms
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Effects of Macronutrients on the Growth, Essential Oil Production and Quality of Echinophora platyloba (DC.) in Natural Ecosystems
No full textEchinophora platyloba DC. (Apiaceae) is recognized for its important secondary metabolites and antifungal agents. To evaluate the effects of macronutrient fertilizers on the growth parameters and essential oils yield of E. platyloba, a study was conducted in 2018 at Shahrekord University, Iran. The treatments included the individual and combined application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, along with control groups. The results revealed that nitrogen application significantly influenced biomass accumulation in stems, leaves, and inflorescences, with phosphorus-treated plants showing a notable increase in leaf weight. Compared to a positive control, phosphorus increased the essential oil yield by 488%, while nitrogen enhanced biomass accumulation by 165%. The primary compounds identified included (E)-β-ocimene, (E)-sesquilavandolol, and β-pinene, with percentages ranging between 21.3–32.1%, 14.1–42.0%, and 2.0–8.8%, respectively. The levels of β-pinene, (E)-β-ocimene, γ-decalactone, and spathulenol were found to be higher in the phosphorus and potassium treatments than in nitrogen. In contrast, limonene, linalool, geraniol, and (E)-sesquilavandulol concentrations were greater in the nitrogen treatment compared with phosphorus and potassium treatments. In conclusion, phosphorus fertilization can substantially increase the essential oil yield in E. platyloba compared to other treatments, potentially enhancing production per unit area, which supports farmers’ income and helps prevent the degradation of this species in natural habitats
Development of sugar- and fat-reduced pulse cookies with improved predicted glycemic behavior
No full textCookies, a trendy snack, are traditionally characterized by a poor nutritional profile (high sugars and fats, low
protein and fiber). To improve their nutritional profile, standard wheat “pasta-frolla” cookies were reformulated
with 100 % pulse flour (chickpea and lentil), partial sugar reduction with a commercial fiber syrup (Meltec®),
and full butter replacement using a structured fiber-sunflower oil-water emulsion (alone or in conjunction).
Developed cookies had higher protein and fiber contents, reduced sugar (~45 - 50 % reduction), and saturated
fats (~77 - 80 % reduction) and also had a lower predicted glycemic index compared to traditional cookies.
Water activity and moisture content of the cookies were in line with those of the same product category, while
they had a harder texture compared to their full butter counterparts due to the full substitution of butter (alone or
in combination with sugar reduction). Lentil cookies showed slightly lower in vitro starch and remarkably higher
protein digestibility than the control cookie, and the simultaneous application of sugar and fat substitution did
not negatively affect their overall acceptability. The developed products are expected to be a suitable base for the
development of snacks for elderly consumers, who are the population niche that, due to health issues, is most
likely to be interested in this type of cookies
The Cytotoxic Effects on Tumor Cell Lines of Thymus zygis subsp. gracilis Essential Oil and its Principal Constituents
No full textThymus zygis subsp. gracilis is an aromatic plant endemic to Morocco and Spain where it is used in the folk medicine. In this work, the essential oil (EO) composition of wild Moroccan accessions has been investigated by GC and GC-MS. The chromatogram showed the occurrence of oxygenated monoterpenes, with thymol (29.5%), carvacrol (10.6%), and linalool (7.2%) as the most abundant components; monoterpene hydrocarbons (15.2%), and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (12.5%), were less abundant with p-cymene (10.6%) and caryophyllene (8.3%) as the most representatives. The EO and its main constituents have been tested for their possible cytotoxic activity against three human tumor cell lines (MDA-MB 231, A375, and CaCo-2), with corresponding IC50 values of 31.10, 27.97, and 33.32 μg/mL, respectively. Carvacrol and caryophyllene resulted in the most active constituents. The results demonstrate a good cytotoxic activity against several tumors and suggest that T. zygis subsp. gracilis EO could be regarded as a natural bioactive source
Methods and Instruments | Transmission Electron Microscopy
No full textTransmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and related techniques, such as High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM), principles and applications in the field of electrochemical power sources are briefly described. Instrumentation and operation are introduced together with the basis of electron scattering phenomena that generate contrast both in the real (imaging mode) and reciprocal space (diffraction mode). Applications of TEM to the study of materials in electrochemical devices are discussed demonstrating the capability of this technique in the characterization of electrochemically active materials down to the atomic scale, also by the mean of innovative methods such as operando- and cryo-STEM
Tryptophan and/or canthaxanthin in quail diets: effects on performance, carcass traits, hematology, blood chemistry and hepatic antioxidant capacity
Get PDFTo enhance the health and performance of poultry, novel approaches have to be created. Using
appropriate nutritional interventions to enhance body physiology and thus enhance productivity
is one of these approaches. The purpose of the present investigation intended to examine how
growing quail physiology and growth is affected by supplementing diets with tryptophan (Trp)
and/or canthaxanthin (CX). The sum of 200 unsexed, 1-week-age Japanese quails (Coturnix
coturnix japonica), with a nearly similar body weight (BW) of 33.50 ± 1.20 g, were assigned, in
random, to four experimental groups. Each group consisted of five replicates, with 10 birds per
replicate. Chicks in group 1 (T1) served as the control and were fed a basal diet without any
supplementation from week 1 to week 5. The second (T2) and third (T3) groups received feed
supplemented with 0.01% Trp and 0.005% CX, respectively. The fourth group (T4) was given a
diet containing a combination of 0.01% Trp and 0.005% CX. Results indicated that
supplementation with Trp, CX, or their combination significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced live BW
and body weight gain (BWG) at 5 weeks. No noticeable variations in carcass characteristics were
found across all treatments over the whole trial duration. Blood levels of high-density lipoprotein
were considerably greater in the Trp and/or CX-fed group than in the control group. Adding Trp
and/orCX to quail diets significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the activity of liver enzymes (alanine
transaminase, ALT; aspartate transaminase, AST; alkaline phosphatase, ALP), along with
reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Birds received diets with Trp and/or CX had
higher values of antioxidant indices in serum and liver (P< 0.05), accompanied by low values of
malondialdehyde compared to control group. We concluded that adding quail diet with Trp
and/orCX had positive consequences on the growth performance and some physiological indices.
Keywords: tryptophan, canthaxanthin, performance, blood, quail