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Abstract
The fat of Hermetia illucens larvae (black soldier fly, BSFL) is a rich source of lauric acid (LA), and its free fatty acid (FFA) form holds valuable potential for applications in food, feed, pharmaceuticals, or cosmetics. This study aimed to establish specific processing conditions of BSFL that naturally promote lipolysis, resulting in a high free LA (FLA) rich oil. Freezing was used for slaughtering, with different times of frozen storage (1, 7 and 14 d). Then, thermal (oven-drying) and non-thermal (freeze-drying) drying processes were compared. Additionally, the impact of 24 h restrictive vs non-restrictive feeding before slaughtering was tested. Free acidity, free fatty acid profile, lipid oxidation (peroxide value, PV; TBARs test) and antioxidant activity (DPPH test) were measured at days 0 and 30 of processing. Freeze-dried samples exhibited higher free acidity (42%) compared to oven-drying (4%), progressively increasing with frozen storage (24% at day 1 vs 51% at day 14). A restricted diet caused up to 60% free acidity. Nevertheless, the FFA profile was similar for both diet conditions, with LA as the major FFA (41% of total FFAs and 27% of total fat). After 30 days of storage, free acidity approached 70%. Oven-drying caused the highest PV (4.5 mEqO2/kg), especially after 14 d of frozen storage (>5.0 mEqO2/kg) and under restricted diet (6.1 mEqO2/kg). Conversely, freeze-drying maintained the lowest PV in all cases (0.6 mEqO2/kg). TBARs values mirrored the PV pattern. Antioxidant capacity was lower for freeze-drying compared to oven-drying (46% and 71%, respectively), regardless of frozen storage. Irrespective of the drying method, worse antioxidant activity was observed after restrictive diet. After 30 days of storage, the antioxidant activity decreased for all samples. The proposed strategy of freezing slaughtering, followed by frozen storage and freeze-drying offers a promising approach to naturally obtain a FLA-rich product from BSFL.
Abstract
The sustainability of aquaculture production is crucial for the industry’s long-term viability. Diversification of feed ingredients is a key component in achieving this sustainability. Considered a promising alternative to traditional feed ingredients, terrestrial insect meals often lack sufficient n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). This study explores the potential of marine insect species, specifically evaluating the influence of five different substrates on the growth and composition of the European native seaweed fly, Fucellia maritima. The substrates tested include a brown seaweed (Fucus sp.), a green seaweed (Ulva sp.), a red seaweed (the invasive Agarophyton vermiculophyllum), the invasive freshwater hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), and fish processing waste (codfish Gadus morhua frames). Results show no significant difference in the number of individuals per substrate, although Fucus sp. had a higher total number of individuals completing their life cycle. In contrast, feeding on codfish frames resulted in a lower number of completed life cycles, while E. crassipes led to no survival. Protein content in adult flies ranged from 55.2% to 56.7%, and in pupae, it ranged from 46.1% to 48.7% across different feeding substrates. Notably, pupae fed with Ulva sp., exhibited the highest protein content at 48.7%. Lipid content in adult flies ranged from 10.0% to 13.0%, while in pupae, it ranged from 8.8% to 11.4%. Codfish frames had the highest lipid content in both pupae (11.4%) and adults (13%). The most abundant fatty acid in Fucus sp. – fed pupae and adult flies was oleic acid (18:1 n-9), while palmitoleic acid (16:1 n-7) dominated in other treatments. It is worth highlighting that docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 n-3) was reported for the first time in a seaweed fly, namely when supplied with fish processing waste. These findings suggest that Fucellia maritima may be a promising complementary ingredient for formulating marine aquafeeds.
Abstract
We present a novel approach to identifying individual pairs of phonetic correspondences in a dataset of dialect pronunciations. This continues work identifying shibboleths (i.e., characteristic features of a given dialect), a category that has interested dialectology and that dialectometrical research has examined mostly in the form of categorical data or entire phonetic transcriptions. This article reaches into segmental sequences (phonetic transcriptions) to identify individual phonetic correspondences. We follow earlier work in examining how distinctive and how representative a given phonetic correspondence is for a selected group of varieties. We proceed from string alignments, and innovate in characterizing the important notions via information theory. Despite minor problems, the method improves on the generality of competing approaches and can be shown to be useful in detecting characteristic phonetic correspondences in Tuscan varieties. We argue that this facilitates deeper investigation into the relation between aggregating approaches to dialectology and approaches proceeding from features.
Abstract
This paper argues for two claims. First, that in the Sophist a metaphysical theory of being is constructed from the ground up, largely on the basis of a claim treated as an axiomatic principle, the ‘dunamis proposal’ (247d–e), which, I will argue, ought to be understood as Plato’s own definition of being. Second, once its core is in place, the theory is put to use to provide dialectical arguments against proponents of alternative metaphysical theories for the existence of various entities in the ontology. These include—notably—an argument for the existence of Forms.
Abstract
This article presents findings from a survey conducted in Lima, Peru, aimed at understanding the relationships between education, financial literacy, financial inclusion, and informal financial business practices among small female vendors. The study, which collected 118 valid responses, focused on the impact of these factors on vendors’ intentions toward formalization. Formality was assessed based on legal registration with tax authorities, emphasizing the informal practices viewed on a continuum. These practices were evaluated using a five-point gradation scale that depicted varying levels of formality. Financial literacy, financial inclusion, and formalization intentions were measured using a five-point Likert scale, while a dichotomous question captured the formality-informality of the businesses. The demographic variables included age, gender, business tenure, employee count, and business activity. Educational level, typically treated as demographic, was considered an antecedent to financial literacy. The dataset linked to this study included raw survey data. It serves as a valuable resource for researchers, industry representatives, public authorities, and stakeholders from developing countries to deal with informality and formalization. The survey methodology and data are adaptable for use in different national contexts, facilitating comparative analysis in developing countries.
Abstract
This contribution aims to present the results of a brief survey conducted on some ports in the Dhofar region, along the southernmost coast of the Sultanate of Oman, dated to the medieval Islamic period. The research carried out by the University of Naples L’Orientale at the site of al-Balīd and more broadly in the Dhofar region aims not only to advance new study and research activities but also to reinterpret and analyze existing materials, with the goal of developing a more complete understanding of the region’s role during the Islamic era. During this time, the port of al-Balīd, along with Ṣuḥār and Qalhāt in the northern part of the country, was one of the key centres in the trade networks of the western Indian Ocean. However, there were several satellite ports involved in long- medium and short distance trade networks which may have played an important role in communications with the interior where the frankincense resin was collected. The paper will focus on two of these ports: Sūq al-Ḥāsik and Ḥāsik Qadīm.
Abstract
Many people are concerned about the legitimacy of digital technology companies like Meta. In this paper we show that two existing models for characterizing power – sovereign power and structural power – are inadequate when it comes to digital technology companies. This is because they fail to accommodate something crucial: the uniquely empowering nature of digital power. Companies like Meta empower users to interact by providing them with versatile systems defined by minimalist permission structures. Drawing on Searle’s theory of institutions and Hart’s theory of law, we show how these permission structures facilitate the creation of new powers, as well as new institutions, through the emergence and recognition of new social norms. This means we must ask how entities that provide us with such versatile – and thus unsteerable – means of empowerment can come to be legitimate. We argue that a custodial framework for digital legitimacy can assign responsibility for the patterns of empowerment that are sustained by companies like Meta.
Abstract
Information regarding the provenance of papyrological material that was acquired in the Egyptian antiquities market in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries is scarce and often unreliable. This article investigates the provenance of Hamburg’s Papyrus Bilinguis 1, famed for containing the apocryphal Acta Pauli. By researching archival files documenting the acquisition and the context of the find, the papyrus is shown to have been acquired in breach of the Egyptian antiquities law of 1912. The article reveals how Carl Schmidt (1868–1938), the collector who acquired the manuscript for the Hamburg library, by concealing information, tried to cover up his own criminal involvement in the smuggling of the manuscript. Through the investigation of a manuscript that was acquired by a public German institution in awareness of its illegality, the article hopes to contribute to current debates on the translocation of cultural heritage artefacts to Europe and the US in the age of European colonialism and imperialism.