Sustainable Valorization of Industrial Cherry Pomace: A Novel Cascade Approach Using Pulsed Electric Fields and Ultrasound Assisted-Extraction.

In this study, a two-stage cascade extraction process utilizing pulsed electric fields (PEF) (3 kV/cm, 10 kJ/kg) for initial extraction, followed by ultrasound (US) (200 W, 20 min)-assisted extraction (UAE) in a 50% (/) ethanol-water mixture (T = 50 °C, t = 60 min), was designed for the efficient release of valuable intracellular compounds from industrial cherry pomace. The extracted compounds were evaluated for total phenolic content (TPC), flavonoid content (FC), total anthocyanin content (TAC), and antioxidant activity (FRAP), and were compared with conventional solid-liquid extraction (SLE). Results showed that the highest release of bioactive compounds occurred in the first stage, which was attributed to the impact of PEF pre-treatment, resulting in significant increases in TPC (79%), FC (79%), TAC (83%), and FRAP values (80%) of the total content observed in the post-cascade PEF-UAE process.

Enhancing nutritional value and health benefits of gluten-free confectionery products: innovative pastilles and marshmallows.

Introduction: The research focuses on enhancing the nutritional value and potential health benefits of gluten-free confectionery products, developing innovative pastilles and marshmallows enriched with medicinal herb extracts, probiotics, and bioactive compounds from natural sources.

Methods: Physicochemical properties, including water activity, texture, and color, are assessed to evaluate the quality of the final products. Moreover, digestibility of the confectionery products is also investigated, with a focus on the release of bioactive compounds such as total phenolic compounds (TPC) and total anthocyanin (TAC) during simulated gastrointestinal digestion.

Effect of replacing durum wheat semolina with larvae powder on the techno-functional properties of the binary blends.

(TM) larvae, due to their high nutritional value, are gaining growing attention in food and feed sectors. Although few studies dealt with wheat-based products functionalized with TM larvae powder, there is a lack of comprehensive characterization of the raw materials to optimize the formulations for end-product recommendation. This study aimed at investigating the effects of partial replacement of durum wheat semolina with increasing amounts of TM larvae powder (5-30%) on the techno-functional properties of the binary blends.

High-Pressure Homogenization for Enhanced Bioactive Recovery from Tomato Processing By-Products and Improved Lycopene Bioaccessibility during In Vitro Digestion.

The principles of industrial ecology have emerged as pivotal drivers of eco-innovation, aiming to realize a "zero-waste" society where waste materials are repurposed as valuable resources. In this context, High-Pressure Homogenization (HPH) presents a promising, easily scalable micronization technology, capable of enhancing the extractability and bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds found in tomato processing by-products, which are notably abundant waste streams in the Mediterranean region. This study focuses on optimizing HPH treatment parameters to intensify the recovery of bioactive compounds from tomato pomace.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Treatment Practices for Patients With Early Breast Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study From a Large Cancer Center in Italy.

Introduction: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has disrupted health services worldwide. The evidence on the impact of the pandemic on cancer care provision, however, is conflicting. We aimed to audit the management of patients diagnosed with early breast cancer (EBC) during the pandemic in a large, tertiary-level cancer center in Italy.

All-natural wheat gliadin-gum arabic nanocarriers for encapsulation and delivery of grape by-products phenolics obtained through different extraction procedures.

Grape pomace (GP), the major winery by-product, is still rich in phenolic compounds, scarcely applied in food systems due to physicochemical instability issues. This work aimed at fabricating gliadin (G)-based nanoparticles through antisolvent precipitation, for delivery of GP extracts, investigating different extraction strategies with ethanol/water solution (70:30 v/v). Interestingly, the fabricated nanoparticles were characterized by a nanometric size range with hydraulic diameter values around 100 nm and ζ-potential of 18-22 mV.

A Comprehensive Overview of Tomato Processing By-Product Valorization by Conventional Methods versus Emerging Technologies.

The tomato processing industry can be considered one of the most widespread food manufacturing industries all over the world, annually generating considerable quantities of residue and determining disposal issues associated not only with the wasting of invaluable resources but also with the rise of significant environmental burdens. In this regard, previous studies have widely ascertained that tomato by-products are still rich in valuable compounds, which, once recovered, could be utilized in different industrial sectors. Currently, conventional solvent extraction is the most widely used method for the recovery of these compounds from tomato pomace.

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Extracts from Pulsed Electric Field-Treated Artichoke By-Products in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Human THP-1 Macrophages.

In this study, pulsed electric field (PEF-3 kV/cm; 5 kJ/kg) pretreatment was used to intensify the extractability of valuable intracellular compounds from artichoke by-products during a subsequent aqueous extraction (solid-liquid ratio = 1:10 g/mL, T = 20 °C; t = 120 min). Total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS) and HPLC-PDA analysis of the artichoke extract (AE) and the biological effects on human cell lines were determined. Chlorogenic acid was found to be the most abundant phenolic compound (53% of the TPC) in the AE.

Pulsed Electric Field-Assisted Extraction of Aroma and Bioactive Compounds From Aromatic Plants and Food By-Products.

In this work, the effect of pulsed electric field (PEF) pre-treatment on the extractability in green solvents (i. e., ethanol-water mixture and propylene glycol) of target aroma and bioactive compounds, such as vanillin from vanilla pods, theobromine and caffeine from cocoa bean shells, linalool from vermouth mixture, and limonene from orange peels, was investigated.

Emerging Green Techniques for the Extraction of Antioxidants from Agri-Food By-Products as Promising Ingredients for the Food Industry.

Nowadays, the food industry is heavily involved in searching for green sources of valuable compounds, to be employed as potential food ingredients, to cater to the evolving consumers' requirements for health-beneficial food ingredients. In this frame, agri-food by-products represent a low-cost source of natural bioactive compounds, including antioxidants. However, to effectively recover these intracellular compounds, it is necessary to reduce the mass transfer resistances represented by the cellular envelope, within which they are localized, to enhance their extractability.

The Two-Factor Perfectionism Model and Heavy Work Investment in Italy and the U.S.

Research is needed to understand the effects that perfectionism may have in the occupational sector and whether its implications vary cross-nationally. In the current study the relationship of perfectionism on workaholism and work engagement was assessed through multiple groups structural equations models to compare strengths of association in the two countries after measurement invariance was examined for the measures in a sample of 804 U.S.

High Voltage Electrical Discharges as an Alternative Extraction Process of Phenolic and Volatile Compounds from Wild Thyme ( L.): In Silico and Experimental Approaches for Solubility Assessment.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of green solvents for extractions of bioactive compounds (BACs) and essential oils from wild thyme ( L.) using theoretical and experimental procedures. Theoretical prediction was assessed by Hansen solubility parameters (HSPs) and conductor-like screening model for realistic solvents (COSMO-RS), to predict the most suitable solvents for extraction of BACs.

Neuropsychological resiliency after treatment for advanced stage neuroblastoma.

The purpose of this study was to describe the neuropsychological functioning of survivors of advanced stage neuroblastoma. In all, 16 survivors, diagnosed at a median of 2.8 years, who had received intensive chemotherapy and surgical treatments, were identified; 11 had received myeloablative consolidation therapy, eight with total body irradiation (TBI).

Psychosocial and behavioral functioning among pediatric brain tumor survivors.

Objective: To describe the psychosocial and behavioral functioning, as described by patient, parent and teacher, of a cohort of adolescents who have been previously treated for a brain tumor.

Methods: A cohort of 32 patients, 12-18 years old, were evaluated between 1 and 5 years post-treatment for brain tumor during the patient's regularly scheduled follow-up clinic appointment at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The Self-Report questionnaire and the Parent-Report of the Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC) were administered to the patient and to one of the patient's parents, respectively.

Neuropsychological functioning after surgery in children treated for brain tumor.

Objective: To describe the neuropsychological functioning of children treated with surgery only for localized brain tumors in Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Protocol 92-077. Subsequent reports will describe the neuropsychological functioning of children treated with surgery and stereotactic radiation therapy on Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 92-077.

Methods: The intellectual functioning of 106 patients was evaluated within 3 months after surgery.

Memory deficits among children with craniopharyngiomas.

Objective: To describe neuropsychological functioning (with a specific focus on cognition and memory) after surgical treatment of craniopharyngiomas.

Methods: Sixteen patients who were between 6 and 15 years of age at the time of surgery comprised the sample. Each child had been treated for a craniopharyngioma with surgery only, on Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Protocol 92-077.

Excellent therapeutic efficacy and minimal late neurotoxicity in children treated with 18 grays of cranial radiation therapy for high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a 7-year follow-up study of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Consortium Protocol 87-01.

Background: In the current study, the authors evaluated late neuropsychologic effects 7 years after diagnosis and the long-term survival in a cohort of patients treated for high-risk childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with cranial radiation therapy. Efficacy and toxicity were evaluated in relation to patient age at diagnosis (age < or > or = 36 months).

Methods: Two hundred and one patients treated for high-risk ALL on the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Consortium Protocol 87-01 were included, 147 of whom were in continuous complete disease remission and were eligible for cognitive testing.

Cognitive sequelae in children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia with dexamethasone or prednisone.

Purpose: The cognitive sequelae of treatment for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were compared in a group of patients who received dexamethasone during the intensification and maintenance phases of therapy with those in a historical control group for whom antileukemia therapy was similar, except that the corticosteroid component of therapy was prednisone.

Methods: Patients treated for ALL on Dana-Farber Cancer Institute protocols 87-01 (n = 44) and 91-01 (n = 23) were evaluated by standard cognitive and achievement tests. Corticosteroid therapy was delivered in 5-day pulses given every 3 weeks during intensification and continuation phases of therapy for a total of 2 years.

Adaptive and intellectual functioning in autistic and nonautistic retarded children.

This study examined the relationship between adaptive functioning on the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale (VABS) and intellectual functioning on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, 4th edition (SB-IV) in autistic children and nonautistic retarded children of comparable CA and SB-IV composite score (IQ). The autistic group had lower scores than the retarded group in VABS adaptive composite, Socialization domain, and Communication domain, and SB-IV Verbal Reasoning area. VABS domain scores yielded higher classification rates than the SB-IV area scores in discriminating the two groups.

Patterns of memory dysfunction among children surviving temporal lobe tumors.

We compared the cognitive functioning of seven children with left and seven children with right temporal lobe tumors one year or more following completion of medical intervention (surgical resection + radiation therapy). No differences were found between the two groups with respect to verbal IQ, performance IQ.full scale IQ, verbal minus performance IQ, or verbal comprehension, perceptual organization, or freedom from distractability factor scores.

Factors associated with social and behavioral problems among children recently diagnosed with brain tumor.

Compared the psychological adjustment of 81 children with brain tumors to that of 31 control children with various malignancies not involving the central nervous system. Both groups exhibited significantly increased frequencies of elevations on one or more age- and gender-corrected Social Competence and Behavior Problems scales of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) relative to normative expectations. Comparison of the Brain Tumor and Cancer Control groups revealed no significant differences on any CBCL scale.

Social status and the comorbidity of child depression and conduct disorder.

This study examined the overlap between child depression and conduct disorder (D&CD) as a function of peer social status (i.e., popular, rejected, neglected, controversial, average) in a sample of 1,464 nonreferred 4th graders.