Phenolic Composition of Hydrophilic Extract of Manna from Sicilian Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl and its Reducing, Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activity in Vitro
Manna, a very singular vegetable product derived from the spontaneous solidification of the sap of some Fraxinus species, has long been known for its mild laxative and emollient properties. In this work, a hydro-alcoholic extract of manna (HME) from Sicilian Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl was investigated using HPLC-DAD to find phenol components and using chemical and biological in vitro assays to determine its reducing, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity. We identified elenolic acid, tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, catechin, fraxetin, verbascoside, gallic acid, procyanidin-B1, and luteolin 3,7 glucoside, in order of abundance. Measurements of total antioxidant activity by Folin-Ciocalteu reac…
Performance of two innovative stress sensors imbedded in mortar joints of new masonry elements
Abstract Many historical cities enjoy the presence of masonry buildings with inestimable historical, artistic and cultural value. Old masonry buildings often suffer structural deficiencies, design faults and materials aging process. In recent years, many researchers focused their attention on the opportunities that structural health monitoring (SHM) can ensure for the health state of existing masonry structures, where damage can be difficult to be promptly predicted, pontentially causing abrupt collapses, with high risks for the community. This paper presents an experimental study on the effectiveness of two types of stress sensor for SHM of new masonry elements. Ceramic piezoelectric senso…
Characterization and Processability of Blends of Polylactide Acid with a New Biodegradable Medium-Chain-Length Polyhydroxyalkanoate
In this work the processability and the mechanical performance of polylactide acid (PLA) based blends with a sample of a new biodegradable medium-chain-length poly (hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA) were investigated. The two polymers are incompatible with scarce adhesion and with the dispersed PHA particles size increasing with the PHA content. Rheological tests in shear flow indicate that adding PHA improves the processability of the matrix by increasing the content of this second component in the blend, as observed also for the torque curves, due to the very low viscosity of this new sample of PHA. The processability is only slightly worsened in non-isothermal elongational flow as the melt strengt…
Chemical, Antioxidant and Biological Studies of Brassica incana subsp. raimondoi (Brassicaceae) Leaf Extract
Brassica incana subsp. raimondoi is an endemic taxon present in a restricted area located on steep limestone cliffs at an altitude of about 500 m a.s.l. in eastern Sicily. In this research, for the first time, studies on the phytochemical profile, the antioxidant properties in cell-free and cell-based systems, the cytotoxicity on normal and cancer cells by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT) assay, and on Artemia salina Leach, were performed. The total phenolic, flavonoid, and condensed tannin contents of the leaf hydroalcoholic extract were spectrophotometrically determined. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography—tandem mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS/MS) analysi…
Small Extracellular Vesicles Secreted by Region-specific Astrocytes Ameliorate the Mitochondrial Function in a Cellular Model of Parkinson’s Disease
AbstractExtracellular vesicles (EVs) are emerging as powerful players in cell-to-cell communication both in health and diseased brain. In Parkinson’s disease (PD) – characterized by selective dopaminergic (DAergic) neuron death in ventral midbrain (VMB) and degeneration of DAergic terminals in striatum (STR) – astrocytes (AS) exert dual harmful/protective functions. When activated by chemokine CCL3, AS promote a robust DAergic neuroprotection both in cellular and pre-clinical models of PD, with mechanisms not fully elucidated. Here we used a combination of techniques to characterize AS-EVs derived from VMB and STR, and investigated their potential to exert neuroprotection. First, we show th…
Experimental Investigation on Innovative Stress Sensors for Existing Masonry Structures Monitoring
Historical masonry structures often suffer gradual deterioration that in many cases can compromise the safety levels and the operating conditions of the buildings. In this context, Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is an effective tool for the prediction of the structural behaviour and the state of conservation of buildings. Although many monitoring systems have recently been proposed, there is a lack of practical application of low-cost systems. This paper presents an experimental study based on the use of two innovative stress sensors—capacitive stress sensor and ceramic stress sensor—for the monitoring of existing masonry elements. In order to reproduce the actual conditions of onsite m…
An Early Stage Researcher's Primer on Systems Medicine Terminology
Background: Systems Medicine is a novel approach to medicine, that is, an interdisciplinary field that considers the human body as a system, composed of multiple parts and of complex relationships at multiple levels, and further integrated into an environment. Exploring Systems Medicine implies understanding and combining concepts coming from diametral different fields, including medicine, biology, statistics, modeling and simulation, and data science. Such heterogeneity leads to semantic issues, which may slow down implementation and fruitful interaction between these highly diverse fields. Methods: In this review, we collect and explain more than100 terms related to Systems Medicine. Thes…