Use of compound specific isotope analysis approach to monitor the aging process of Italian balsamic vinegars.

Stable isotope analysis has become a valuable tool for studying food chain processes and verifying the authenticity and geographical origin of typical products. The analysis is particularly important for those foods with geographical indications, such as Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena labelled with the protected designation of origin mark (ABTM PDO) and Aceto Balsamico di Modena with the protected geographical indication (ABM PGI). Understanding how the aging process affects the isotopic composition of specific compounds in ABTM is important for distinguishing between traditional and non-traditional products, as well as for verifying their authenticity.

Is Pilates effective in improving depressive disorders? A comprehensive overview.

Depressive disorders are disabling conditions that account for high social costs. Pilates demonstrated to have several beneficial effects on health. Objective of this manuscript was to systematically review the literature about the effects of Pilates on depressive disorders.

Polyphenolic Compounds in Extracts from Roasted Grapevine Canes: An Investigation for a Circular Approach to Increase Sustainability in the Viticulture Sectors.

In this study, we compared the polyphenolic composition of the roasted grapevine wood chips of four cultivars-namely, Sorbara, Grasparossa, Malbo Gentile, and Spergola. These waste byproducts have the potential as infusion chips for the aging of alcoholic beverages and vinegars, contributing to an enriched sensory profile. Roasting amplifies aromatic nuances and triggers the depletion of crucial bioactive compounds, including polyphenols.

Characterization of Some Stilbenoids Extracted from Two Cultivars of Lambrusco- Species: An Opportunity to Valorize Pruning Canes for a More Sustainable Viticulture.

Pruning canes from grape vines are valuable byproducts that contain resveratrol and other health-boosting stilbenoids. This study aimed to assess the effect of roasting temperature on the stilbenoid content of vine canes by comparing two cultivars, Lambrusco Ancellotta and Salamino. Samples were collected during different phases of the vine plant cycle.

Waste By-Product of Grape Seed Oil Production: Chemical Characterization for Use as a Food and Feed Supplement.

Among the waste materials of wine production, grape seeds constitute an important fraction of the pomace, from which the precious edible oil is extracted. The residual mass from oil extraction, the defatted grape seeds (DGS), can be destined for composting or valorized according to the circular economy rules to produce pyrolytic biochar by gasification or pellets for integral energy recovery. Only a small quantity is used for subsequent extraction of polyphenols and tannins.

VOCs Analysis of Three Different Cultivars of Watermelon ( L.) Whole Dietary Fiber.

In this study, the trend of VOCs of dietary fiber samples, coming from three different watermelon cultivars L. (variety , and ) was investigated. This foodstuff, obtained as a by-product of residual agri-food production, has gained increasing attention because of its many bioactive components and high dietary fiber content.

Mental health and the effects on methylation of stress-related genes in front-line versus other health care professionals during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic: an Italian pilot study.

Healthcare workers experienced high degree of stress during COVID-19. Purpose of the present article is to compare mental health (depressive and Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorders-PTSD-symptoms) and epigenetics aspects (degree of methylation of stress-related genes) in front-line healthcare professionals versus healthcare working in non-COVID-19 wards. Sixty-eight healthcare workers were included in the study: 39 were working in COVID-19 wards (cases) and 29 in non-COVID wards (controls).

Comparative Analysis of VOCs from Winter Melon Pomace Fibers before and after Bleaching Treatment with HO.

In this study, the trend of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in dietary fiber samples from the winter melon ( var. , Yellow Canary type) were investigated. This foodstuff, obtained as a by-product of agri-food production, has gained increasing attention and is characterized by many bioactive components and a high dietary-fiber content.

Tracing geographical origin of Lambrusco PDO wines using isotope ratios of oxygen, boron, strontium, lead and their elemental concentration.

Wine identification is one of the most important aspects in the classification of wines and consumer protection. In particular, assuring wine authenticity is a crucial issue on which researchers are focusing on. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of using chemical (B, Pb and Sr concentration) and isotopic compositions (δB, Pb/Pb, Sr/Sr and δO) of wine samples to trace their geographic origins.

Use of Lead Isotopic Ratios as Geographical Tracer for Lambrusco PDO Wines.

In this study, the lead isotope signature was tested with the aim to verify its potential as geographic tracer for wine production and particularly for the Lambrusco PDO wines of the province of Modena (Italy). A solid phase extraction procedure, for separating lead from the investigated matrices, soil and wine, was optimized. Furthermore, different mathematical models, based on an exponential law and internal or external correction approach, were evaluated for the correction of instrumental mass dependent fractionation.

Development of Sr/Sr maps as targeted strategy to support wine quality.

This study summarizes the results obtained from a systematic and long-term project aimed at the development of tools to assess the provenance of food in the oenological sector. In particular, Sr/Sr isotope ratios were measured on statistically representative set of soils, vine branches and wines sampled in the production district of Modena, worldwide known for the Lambrusco wines production. The obtained data were used to build strontium isotopic maps able to objectively support the Lambrusco PDO wines origin as well as other products of the Modena district.

Durum wheat adulteration detection by NIR spectroscopy multivariate calibration.

In the present work, we explored the possibility of using near-infrared spectroscopy in order to quantify the degree of adulteration of durum wheat flour with common bread wheat flour. The multivariate calibration techniques adopted to this aim were PLS and a wavelet-based calibration algorithm, recently developed by some of us, called WILMA. Both techniques provided satisfactory results, the percentage of adulterant present in the samples being quantified with an uncertainty lower than that associated to the Italian official method.

Investigation on a Roman copper alloy artefact from Pompeii (Italy).

A selection of samples, obtained from a particular copper-alloy domestic artefact of Roman style from Pompeii, has been analysed by using different techniques (IR, Raman, SEM-EDX, FAAS), in order to investigate the chemical nature and composition of the metals utilised for such manufacturing pieces. The surface analysis of the bright red metallic microfragments conducted by different analytical techniques, emphasises the presence of pure unalloyed copper and confirms the absence of other metallic species on the upper layers. On the contrary, the mapping analysis of the section of the laminar metal of the investigated sample shows a consistent enrichment in tin content.

A study of the dielectric behaviour and the liquid structure of a ternary solvent system.

The static dielectric constant of the [DMF(1) + ME(2) + DME(3)] ternary mixtures was measured as a function of temperature (25 < or = t/degrees C < or = 80) and composition, over the whole mole fraction range 0 < or = chi,chi2,chi3 < or = 1. The experimental values were processed by an empirical equation accounting for the dependence epsilon = epsilon(T, phi(i)), where phi(t) is the volume fraction of the components. A comparison between calculated and experimental data shows that this fitting relationship can be effectively employed to predict epsilon values in correspondence to experimental data gaps.

Classification of cereal flours by chemometric analysis of MIR spectra.

Different kinds of cereal flours submitted to various technological treatments were classified on the basis of their mid-infrared spectra by pattern recognition techniques. Classification in the wavelet domain was achieved by using the wavelet packet transform for efficient pattern recognition (WPTER) algorithm, which allowed singling out the most discriminant spectral regions. Principal component analysis (PCA) on the selected features showed an effective clustering of the analyzed flours.

Temperature and composition dependence of the refractive indices of the 2-chloroethanol + 2-methoxyethanol binary mixtures.

Measurements of the refractive index n for the binary mixtures 2-chloroethanol + 2-methoxyethanol in the 0 < or = t/degree C < or = 70 temperature range have been carried out with the purpose of checking the capability of empirical models to express physical quantity as a function of temperature and volume fraction, both separately and together, i.e., in a two independent variables expression.

Beta-functionalised polythiophenes as microelectrode modifiers in low conductive media.

A study on polythiophene coated microelectrodes is reported, the goal being that of checking the capability of these electrochemical systems to work in low conductive media. The possibility of electrochemically p-doping the polymer in the presence of very low concentrations or even in the absence of supporting electrolyte in the solution is ascertained, opening the way to the use of similar systems in pure solvent media. This result is obtained in such conditions that the presence of residual charges--and corresponding counterions--trapped inside the film coating can be reasonably hypothesised.