Effects of neural mobilization in patients after lumbar microdiscectomy due to intervertebral disc lesion.

Background: Neural mobilization (NM) techniques have been shown to improve the neural tissue's viscoelastic properties that may lead to recover of the function of the nerve after lumbar spine surgery. This study aimed to determine the effects of NM in addition to standard rehabilitation on lumbar and sciatic pain intensity, disability level, and quality of life in patients after receiving a microdiscectomy of the intervertebral lumbar disc (IVD).

Methods: Twenty-four participants (age 41.

How olive washing and storage affect fruit ethanol and virgin olive oil ethanol, ethyl esters and composition.

Background: Olives are stored for a short time after harvesting pending processing in the oil mills. Furthermore, olives are often washed prior to fruit storage. In this work we study how washing and storage affect fruit ethanol content and the effect on virgin olive oil ethanol content and quality.

Study of virgin olive oil clarification by settling under dynamic conditions.

Background: Vertical centrifugation is the main method for virgin olive oil (VOO) clarification. However, in recent years, settling tanks are also being used to clarify the oils from decanters. They can operate under static or dynamic conditions.

Sterol composition of virgin olive oil of forty-three olive cultivars from the World Collection Olive Germplasm Bank of Cordoba.

Background: In olive oil, sterols constitute the majority of the unsaponifiable fraction. In recent years there has been increased interest in the sterols of olive oil for their health benefits and their importance to virgin olive oil (VOO) quality regulation.

Results: Forty-three olive (Olea europaea L.

How 'ground-picked' olive fruits affect virgin olive oil ethanol content, ethyl esters and quality.

Background: Olives dropped on the ground naturally sometimes are not separated from those fresh and healthy collected from the tree for harvest and processing. In this work we compared the quality, ethanol content and bioactive components of virgin olive oils from ground-picked olives, tree-picked fruits and their mixture.

Results: Ground-picked olives produced 'Lampante' virgin olive oils; these are of a lower quality category, because of important alterations in chemical and sensory characteristics.

Application of solid-phase microextraction to virgin olive oil quality control.

Volatiles of olive oils from 'tree-picked', 'ground-picked' and both mixed olives were analysed by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (FID). Headspace sampling was carried out for 30min of fibre exposition at 40 degrees C of sampling temperature by the selected 74 microm polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) fibre. Chromatographic data were analysed by principal components analysis (PCA) and then selected 14 compounds from x-loading of first principal component that provides a differentiation of oils accord its sensorial characterisation.