Ricerc@Sapienza

Small nonequilibrium systems in contact with a heat bath can be analyzed with the framework of stochastic thermodynamics. In such systems, fluctuations, which are not negligible, follow universal relations such as the fluctuation theorem. More recently, it has been found that, for nonequilibrium stationary states, the full spectrum of fluctuations of any thermodynamic current is bounded by the average rate of entropy production and the average current.

Physical hydrogels of a high-carboxymethylated derivative of scleroglucan (Scl-CM300) were investigated as potential systems for topical drug delivery using three different therapeutic molecules (fluconazole, diclofenac and betamethasone). Rheological tests were carried out on drug-loaded hydrogels along with in-vitro release studies in a vertical Franz cell, in order to investigate if and how different drugs may influence the rheological and release properties of Scl-CM300 hydrogels.

recently proposed moving-boundary model for food isothermal dehydration was applied
to analyze the dehydration kinetics of ellipsoidal cocoa beans, characterized by a moderate shrinkage
and a non-uniform initial distribution of water content between the core and the shell of the bean.
The aim is to predict the influence of air velocity and non-uniformity of the initial water distribution
on the dehydration rates, as well as the temporal evolution of the water content in the core and

The knowledge of changes in the properties of foods that occur with processing is needed for designing better drying methods that preserve desirable characteristics and minimize/eliminate undesirable ones. To this aim, this study analysed the effect of convective drying at 45–55 °C on physicochemical properties of pear. The drying kinetics, shrinkage and SEM images were evaluated. Portable-NMR was used to determine the drying moisture profile of pears and thickness reduction.