Superior Antibacterial Activity of Integral Lemon Pectin Extracted via Hydrodynamic Cavitation

Pectin extracted via hydrodynamic cavitation in water only from waste lemon peel and further isolated via freeze drying displays significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, a Gram positive pathogen which easily contaminates food. The antibacterial effect of the new IntegroPectin is largely superior to that of commercial citrus pectin, opening the way to advanced applications of a new bioproduct now obtainable in large amounts and at low cost from citrus juice industry's waste.     

Elucidation of the solidification sequence of a complex graphitic HSS alloy under a combined approach of DTA and EBSD analyses

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - In this work, a complex graphitic high-speed steel (Gr-HSS) obtained from a spin-casting process that allows high cooling rates during solidification...     

Effect of Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents on trans-Resveratrol Photo-Chemical Induced Isomerization and 2,4,6-Trihydroxyphenanthrene Electro-Cyclic Formation

trans-Resveratrol is a natural bioactive compound with well-recognized health promoting effects. When exposed to UV light, this compound can undergo a photochemically induced trans/cis isomerization and a 6π electrochemical cyclization with the subsequent formation of 2,4,6-trihydroxyphenanthrene (THP). THP is a potentially harmful compound which can exert genotoxic effects. In this work we improved the chromatographic separation and determination of the two resveratrol isomers and of THP by using a non-commercial pentafluorophenyl stationary phase. We assessed the effect of natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDES) as possible photo-protective agents by evaluating cis-resveratrol isomer and THP formation under different UV-light exposure conditions with the aim of enhancing resveratrol photostability and inhibiting THP production. Our results demonstrate a marked photoprotective effect exerted by glycerol-containing NaDES, and in particular by proline/glycerol NaDES, which exerts a strong inhibitory effect on the photochemical isomerization of resveratrol and significantly limits the formation of the toxic derivative THP. Considering the presence of resveratrol in various commercial products, these results are of note in view of the potential genotoxic risk associated with its photochemical degradation products and in view of the need for the development of green, eco-sustainable and biocompatible resveratrol photo-stable formulations.     

Structural Insights into the Design of Synthetic Nanobody Libraries

Single domain antibodies from camelids, or nanobodies, are a unique class of antibody fragments with several advantageous characteristics: small monomeric size, high stability and solubility and easy tailoring for multiple applications. Nanobodies are gaining increasing acceptance as diagnostic tools and promising therapeutic agents in cancer and other diseases. While most nanobodies are obtained from immunized animals of the camelid family, a few synthetic nanobody libraries constructed in recent years have shown the capability of generating high quality nanobodies in terms of affinity and stability. Since this synthetic approach has important advantages over the use of animals, the recent advances are indeed encouraging. Here we review over a dozen synthetic nanobody libraries reported so far and discuss the different approaches followed in their construction and validation, with an emphasis on framework and hypervariable loop design as critical issues defining their potential as high-class nanobody sources.     

Glucose/Ribitol Dehydrogenase and 16.9 kDa Class I Heat Shock Protein 1 as Novel Wheat Allergens in Baker’s Respiratory Allergy

Wheat allergens are responsible for symptoms in 60–70% of bakers with work-related allergy, and knowledge, at the molecular level, of this disorder is progressively accumulating. The aim of the present study is to investigate the panel of wheat IgE positivity in allergic Italian bakers, evaluating a possible contribution of novel wheat allergens included in the water/salt soluble fraction. The water/salt-soluble wheat flour proteins from the Italian wheat cultivar Bolero were separated by using 1-DE and 2-DE gel electrophoresis. IgE-binding proteins were detected using the pooled sera of 26 wheat allergic bakers by immunoblotting and directly recognized in Coomassie stained gel. After a preparative electrophoretic step, two enriched fractions were furtherly separated in 2-DE allowing for detection, by Coomassie, of three different proteins in the range of 21–27 kDa that were recognized by the pooled baker’s IgE. Recovered spots were analyzed by nanoHPLC Chip tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The immunodetected spots in 2D were subjected to mass spectrometry (MS) analysis identifying two new allergenic proteins: a glucose/ribitol dehydrogenase and a 16.9 kDa class I heat shock protein 1. Mass spectrometer testing of flour proteins of the wheat cultivars utilized by allergic bakers improves the identification of until now unknown occupational wheat allergens.     

Influence of Initial pH Value on the Adsorption of Reactive Black 5 Dye on Powdered Activated Carbon: Kinetics,Mechanisms, and Thermodynamics

The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of initial pH value (pH₀) on the isothermal adsorption of Reactive Black 5 (RB5) dye on commercial powdered activated carbon. Four initial pH values were chosen for this experiment: pH₀ = 2.00, 4.00, 8.00, and 10.00. In order to investigate the mechanism of adsorption kinetic, studies have been performed using pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models as well as an intraparticle diffusion model. In addition, thermodynamic parameters of adsorption were determined for pH₀ = 4.00. Results of this research showed that the initial pH value significantly influences the adsorption of RB5 dye onto activated carbon. The highest adsorption capacities (q_e) and efficiencies of decolouration were observed for initial pH values of pH₀ = 2.00 (q_e = 246.0 mg g⁻¹) and 10.00 (q_e = 239.1 mg g⁻¹) due to strong electrostatic interactions and attractive π···π interactions, respectively. It was also shown that the adsorption of RB5 dye on activated carbon at all initial pH values is kinetically controlled, assuming a pseudo-second-order model, and that intraparticle diffusion is not the only process that influences on the adsorption rate.     

The Wound-Healing Effect of Mango Peel Extract on Incision Wounds in a Murine Model

Mangifera indica can generate up to 60% of polluting by-products, including peels. However, it has been shown that flavonoids and mangiferin are mainly responsible for the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activities closely related to the wound-healing process. The chemical composition of MEMI (methanolic extract of M. indica) was analyzed by HPLC-DAD, as well as concentrations of total phenol (TPC) and flavonoids (TFC) and antioxidant activity (SA₅₀). Wound-healing efficacy was determined by measurements of wound contraction, histological analysis, and tensiometric method; moreover, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and acute dermal toxicity (OECD 402) were also evaluated. Phenol, resorcinol, conjugated resorcinol, and mangiferin were detected. TPC, TFC, and SA₅₀ were 136 mg GAE/g, 101.66 mg QE/g, and 36.33 µg/mL, respectively. Tensile strength and wound contraction closure did not show significant differences between MEMI and dexpanthenol groups. Histological analysis (after 14 days) shows a similar architecture between MEMI treatment and normal skin. MEMI exhibits a reduction in edema. Staphylococcus epidermidis had an MIC of 2 mg/mL, while Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli reached 4 mg/mL. The MEMI showed no signs of toxicity. Therefore, this study demonstrates multiple targets that flavonoids and mangiferin of MEMI may present during the healing process.     

Application of Deep Eutectic Solvents in the Synthesis of Substituted 2-Mercaptoquinazolin-4(3H)-Ones: A Comparison of Selected Green Chemistry Methods

In this study, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were used as green and eco-friendly media for the synthesis of substituted 2-mercaptoquinazolin-4(3H)-ones from different anthranilic acids and aliphatic or aromatic isothiocyanates. A model reaction on anthranilic acid and phenyl isothiocyanate was performed in 20 choline chloride-based DESs at 80 °C to find the best solvent. Based on the product yield, choline chloride:urea (1:2) DES was found to be the most effective, while DESs acted both as solvents and catalysts. Desired compounds were prepared with moderate to good yields using stirring, microwave-assisted, and ultrasound-assisted synthesis. Significantly, higher yields were obtained with mixing and ultrasonication (16–76%), while microwave-induced synthesis showed lower effectiveness (13–49%). The specific contribution of this research is the use of DESs in combination with the above-mentioned green techniques for the synthesis of a wide range of derivatives. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy.     

A Ferrofluid with Surface Modified Nanoparticles for Magnetic Hyperthermia and High ROS Production

A ferrofluid with 1,2-Benzenediol-coated iron oxide nanoparticles was synthesized and physicochemically analyzed. This colloidal system was prepared following the typical co-precipitation method, and superparamagnetic nanoparticles of 13.5 nm average diameter, 34 emu/g of magnetic saturation, and 285 K of blocking temperature were obtained. Additionally, the zeta potential showed a suitable colloidal stability for cancer therapy assays and the magneto-calorimetric trails determined a high power absorption density. In addition, the oxidative capability of the ferrofluid was corroborated by performing the Fenton reaction with methylene blue (MB) dissolved in water, where the ferrofluid was suitable for producing reactive oxygen species (ROS), and surprisingly a strong degradation of MB was also observed when it was combined with H₂O₂. The intracellular ROS production was qualitatively corroborated using the HT-29 human cell line, by detecting the fluorescent rise induced in 2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate. In other experiments, cell metabolic activity was measured, and no toxicity was observed, even with concentrations of up to 4 mg/mL of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). When the cells were treated with magnetic hyperthermia, 80% of cells were dead at 43 °C using 3 mg/mL of MNPs and applying a magnetic field of 530 kHz with 20 kA/m amplitude.     

Thermodynamic behavior of polyelectrolytes with the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) phenomenon

A series of vinyl polymers with L-valine and L-leucine residues, and related copolymers with N-isopropylacrylamide, were studied in aqueous solution at different temperatures (25, 30 and 35°C) and at two ionic strengths (0.01 M and 0.1 M NaCl). The protonation behavior revealed great differences between the polymers that were attributed to the size of the hydrophobic lateral group. Macromolecular shrinkage, occurring above a critical degree of protonation β, was related to hydrophobic forces outweighing the electrostatic repulsions between COO – groups. Low salt concentrations increased the electrostatic potential while high temperatures increased the hydrophobic interaction at lower β. The release of fewer water molecules structured around the polymer chain, responsible for the lower critical solution temperature phenomenon, revealed lower entropy changes at higher temperatures. The reversible configuration of graft polymer chains instantly responded to changes in pH and temperature, modifying the water filtration rates through the pores of cellulose membranes.