Diego Garcia | Fine Arts Academy of the University of Tirana (original) (raw)

Papers by Diego Garcia

Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 2005

The objective was to evaluate and compare the pulsed electric field (PEF) resistance of four Gram... more The objective was to evaluate and compare the pulsed electric field (PEF) resistance of four Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis, Listeria monocytogenes, Lactobacillus plantarum, Staphylococcus aureus) and four Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella serotype Senftenberg 775W, Yersinia enterocolitica) bacterial strains under the same treatment conditions. Microbial characteristics such as cell size, shape or type of the cell envelopes did not exert the expected influence on microbial PEF resistance. The most PEF resistant bacteria depended on the treatment medium pH. For instance, L. monocytogenes, which showed the highest PEF resistance at pH 7.0, was one of the most sensitive at pH 4.0. The most PEF resistant strains at pH 4.0 were the Gram-negatives E. coli O157:H7 and S. Senftenberg. A subsequent holding of PEF-treated cells in pH 4.0 for 2 h increased the degree of inactivation up to 4 extra Log 10 cycles depending on the bacterial strain investigated. Under these treatment conditions, the most PEF resistant bacterial strains were still the pathogens S. Senftenberg and E. coli O157:H7. D Industrial relevance: The design of appropriate food preservation processes by PEF requires the selection of an adequate target bacterial strain, which should correspond to the most PEF resistant microorganism contaminating food. This study indicates that the pH of the treatment medium plays an important role in determining this target bacterial strain. On the other hand, the combination of PEF and subsequent holding under acidic conditions has been proven to be an effective method in order to achieve a higher level of microbial inactivation.

Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 1993

Humic substances from two different types of peat ‐ Sphagnum and Carex ‐ were obtained by using e... more Humic substances from two different types of peat ‐ Sphagnum and Carex ‐ were obtained by using either alkali extractants, O.IM NaOH, O.IM KOH, and 0.25M KOH, or solvents containing sodium pyrophosphate (O.IM Na4P2O7, or O.IM NaOH/Na4P2O7). The alkalis released considerably greater amounts of humic substances from the Sphagnum peat than the extractants containing pyrophosphate, whereas the opposite occurred in

International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 1996

Biology and Fertility of Soils, 1996

Two types of compost, consisting of sweet sorghum bagasse with either sewage sludge or a mixture ... more Two types of compost, consisting of sweet sorghum bagasse with either sewage sludge or a mixture of pig slurry and poultry manure, were studied in a pilot plant using the Rutgers system. The total degradation of the piles as determined by the weight loss of organic matter during the bio-oxidative and maturation phases accounted for 64% of the organic matter applied and followed a first-order kinetic function. Concentrations of total and organic N increased during the composting process as the degradation of organic C compounds reduced the compost weight. Losses of N through NH3 volatilization were low, particularly in the compost with sewage sludge due to pH values of <7.0 and the low temperatures reached in the compost during the first 2 weeks. The C:N ratio in the two composts decreased from 24.0 and 15.4 to values between 12 and 10. Increases in cation exchange capacity and in fulvic and humic acid-like C revealed that the organic matter had been humified during composting. The humification index, the C:N ratio, fulvic:humic acid-like C, and cation exchange capacity proved to be the most suitable parameters for assessing the maturity of these composts.

Kidney International, 1989

Short and long term effects of antihypertensive therapy in the diabetic rat. To compare the impac... more Short and long term effects of antihypertensive therapy in the diabetic rat. To compare the impact of differing antihypertensive regimens on the development of renal injury, studies were performed in three groups of moderately hyperglycemic diabetic rats, and one group of nondiabetic control (C) rats. One diabetic group (DM) received no therapy except insulin. The remaining diabetic groups received insulin and either the angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitor captopril (CAP), or triple therapy (TRX) with reserpine, hydralazine and hydrochlorothiazide. CAP and TRX modestly and comparably lowered blood pressure. At 6 to 10 weeks, DM rats exhibited elevation of the single nephron glomerular filtration rate (SNGFR), due to elevations of the glomerular capillary plasma flow rate (QA) and the glomerular capillary hydraulic pressure (P0). in both DM/CAP and DM/TRX rats, blood pressure reduction was associated with selective normalization of P0w, without change in SNGFR or QA. In long-term (70 weeks) studies, DM rats exhibited progressive albuminuria and marked glomerular sclerosis. CAP limited albuminuria and injury to values even lower than those in C rats, whereas TRX served only to delay, but not to prevent, the increase in albuminuria. TRX reduced glomerular sclerosis, but was less effective than CAP. At 70 weeks, CAP and TRX still reduced systemic blood pressure; remained at normal levels with CAP but was no longer controlled with TRX. These results confirm the clinical observation that antihypertensive therapy slows diabetic gbmerulopathy, but also suggest that CAP affords superior long-term protection as compared to the other antihypertensive drug regimen studied.

Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 2005

The objective was to evaluate and compare the pulsed electric field (PEF) resistance of four Gram... more The objective was to evaluate and compare the pulsed electric field (PEF) resistance of four Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis, Listeria monocytogenes, Lactobacillus plantarum, Staphylococcus aureus) and four Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella serotype Senftenberg 775W, Yersinia enterocolitica) bacterial strains under the same treatment conditions. Microbial characteristics such as cell size, shape or type of the cell envelopes did not exert the expected influence on microbial PEF resistance. The most PEF resistant bacteria depended on the treatment medium pH. For instance, L. monocytogenes, which showed the highest PEF resistance at pH 7.0, was one of the most sensitive at pH 4.0. The most PEF resistant strains at pH 4.0 were the Gram-negatives E. coli O157:H7 and S. Senftenberg. A subsequent holding of PEF-treated cells in pH 4.0 for 2 h increased the degree of inactivation up to 4 extra Log 10 cycles depending on the bacterial strain investigated. Under these treatment conditions, the most PEF resistant bacterial strains were still the pathogens S. Senftenberg and E. coli O157:H7. D Industrial relevance: The design of appropriate food preservation processes by PEF requires the selection of an adequate target bacterial strain, which should correspond to the most PEF resistant microorganism contaminating food. This study indicates that the pH of the treatment medium plays an important role in determining this target bacterial strain. On the other hand, the combination of PEF and subsequent holding under acidic conditions has been proven to be an effective method in order to achieve a higher level of microbial inactivation.

Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 1993

Humic substances from two different types of peat ‐ Sphagnum and Carex ‐ were obtained by using e... more Humic substances from two different types of peat ‐ Sphagnum and Carex ‐ were obtained by using either alkali extractants, O.IM NaOH, O.IM KOH, and 0.25M KOH, or solvents containing sodium pyrophosphate (O.IM Na4P2O7, or O.IM NaOH/Na4P2O7). The alkalis released considerably greater amounts of humic substances from the Sphagnum peat than the extractants containing pyrophosphate, whereas the opposite occurred in

International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 1996

Biology and Fertility of Soils, 1996

Two types of compost, consisting of sweet sorghum bagasse with either sewage sludge or a mixture ... more Two types of compost, consisting of sweet sorghum bagasse with either sewage sludge or a mixture of pig slurry and poultry manure, were studied in a pilot plant using the Rutgers system. The total degradation of the piles as determined by the weight loss of organic matter during the bio-oxidative and maturation phases accounted for 64% of the organic matter applied and followed a first-order kinetic function. Concentrations of total and organic N increased during the composting process as the degradation of organic C compounds reduced the compost weight. Losses of N through NH3 volatilization were low, particularly in the compost with sewage sludge due to pH values of <7.0 and the low temperatures reached in the compost during the first 2 weeks. The C:N ratio in the two composts decreased from 24.0 and 15.4 to values between 12 and 10. Increases in cation exchange capacity and in fulvic and humic acid-like C revealed that the organic matter had been humified during composting. The humification index, the C:N ratio, fulvic:humic acid-like C, and cation exchange capacity proved to be the most suitable parameters for assessing the maturity of these composts.

Kidney International, 1989

Short and long term effects of antihypertensive therapy in the diabetic rat. To compare the impac... more Short and long term effects of antihypertensive therapy in the diabetic rat. To compare the impact of differing antihypertensive regimens on the development of renal injury, studies were performed in three groups of moderately hyperglycemic diabetic rats, and one group of nondiabetic control (C) rats. One diabetic group (DM) received no therapy except insulin. The remaining diabetic groups received insulin and either the angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitor captopril (CAP), or triple therapy (TRX) with reserpine, hydralazine and hydrochlorothiazide. CAP and TRX modestly and comparably lowered blood pressure. At 6 to 10 weeks, DM rats exhibited elevation of the single nephron glomerular filtration rate (SNGFR), due to elevations of the glomerular capillary plasma flow rate (QA) and the glomerular capillary hydraulic pressure (P0). in both DM/CAP and DM/TRX rats, blood pressure reduction was associated with selective normalization of P0w, without change in SNGFR or QA. In long-term (70 weeks) studies, DM rats exhibited progressive albuminuria and marked glomerular sclerosis. CAP limited albuminuria and injury to values even lower than those in C rats, whereas TRX served only to delay, but not to prevent, the increase in albuminuria. TRX reduced glomerular sclerosis, but was less effective than CAP. At 70 weeks, CAP and TRX still reduced systemic blood pressure; remained at normal levels with CAP but was no longer controlled with TRX. These results confirm the clinical observation that antihypertensive therapy slows diabetic gbmerulopathy, but also suggest that CAP affords superior long-term protection as compared to the other antihypertensive drug regimen studied.