Search results for "COMPOUND"

Pickering Emulsion Gels Based on Halloysite Nanotubes and Ionic Biopolymers: Properties and Cleaning Action on Marble Surface

2019

We have fabricated ecocompatible Pickering emulsions based on halloysite nanotubes and ionic biopolymers (chitosan and pectin) from renewable resources. The effect of pectin and chitosan on the Pickering emulsion was investigated by direct visualization of the oil droplets and by the thermodynamic characterization at the interface. Pectin enhances the Pickering emulsion stability, while a phase separation and nonhomogeneous gel was observed in the presence of chitosan. We have demonstrated that the Pickering emulsion in a pectin based gel phase is suitable for wax layer removal from a marble surface. A controlled cleaning is achieved by tuning the contact time between the gel and the marble…

Synthesis and Molecular Modeling Studies of Derivatives of a Highly Potent Peptidomimetic Vinyl Ester as Falcipain-2 Inhibitors

2012

Herein we report the synthesis of a set of constrained peptidomimetics endowed with an electrophilic vinyl ester warhead and structurally related to a previously identified lead compound, a potent and irreversible inhibitor of falcipain-2 (FP-2). FP-2 is the main hemoglobinase of the malaria parasite P. falciparum. The new compounds were evaluated for their inhibition against FP-2, and the results were rationalized on the basis of docking experiments. These studies underscore the pivotal role of both the ester function at the P1' site and the trifluoromethyl group of the P3 side chain in determining the correct orientation of the Michael acceptor warhead in the catalytic site, and as a cons…

Relationship Between Visual Field Sensitivity and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness Measured by Scanning Laser Polarimetry and Optical Coherence To…

2009

Purpose: To evaluate the correlation between automated achromatic perimetry (AAP) and the output of two retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) analysers: scanning laser polarimetry (GDx-VCC) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: Quantitative RNFL measurements with GDx-VCC and Stratus-OCT were obtained in one eye from 52 healthy subjects, 38 ocular hypertensive (OHT) patients and 94 glaucomatous patients. All patients underwent a complete examination, including AAP using the Swedish interactive threshold algorithm (SITA). The relationship between RNFL measurements and SITA visual field global indices were assessed by means of the following methods: analysis of variance, bivariate Pearso…

Environmental Enrichment During Adolescence Mitigates Cognitive Deficits and Alcohol Vulnerability due to Continuous and Intermittent Perinatal Alcoh…

2020

Perinatal alcohol exposure affects ontogenic neurodevelopment, causing physical and functional long-term abnormalities with limited treatment options. This study investigated long-term consequences of continuous and intermittent maternal alcohol drinking on behavioral readouts of cognitive function and alcohol vulnerability in the offspring. The effects of environmental enrichment (EE) during adolescence were also evaluated. Female rats underwent continuous alcohol drinking (CAD)—or intermittent alcohol drinking paradigm (IAD), along pregestation, gestation, and lactation periods—equivalent to the whole gestational period in humans. Male offspring were reared in standard conditions or EE un…

Inulin-Based Polymeric Micelles Functionalized with Ocular Permeation Enhancers: Improvement of Dexamethasone Permeation/Penetration through Bovine C…

2021

Ophthalmic drug delivery is still a challenge due to the protective barriers of the eye. A common strategy to promote drug absorption is the use of ocular permeation enhancers, while an innovative approach is the use of polymeric micelles. In the present work, the two mentioned approaches were coupled by conjugating ocular permeation enhancers (PEG2000, carnitine, creatine, taurine) to an inulin-based co-polymer (INU-EDA-RA) in order to obtain self-assembling biopolymers with permeation enhancer properties for the hydrophobic drug dexamethasone (DEX). Inulin derivatives were properly synthetized, were found to expose about 2% mol/mol of enhancer molecules in the side chain, and resulted abl…

New Evidence of the Enhanced Elimination of a Persistent Drug Used as a Lipid Absorption Inhibitor by Advanced Oxidation with UV-A and Nanosized Cata…

2019

This work demonstrates new evidence of the efficient destruction and mineralization of an emergent organic pollutant using UV-A and titanium nanosized catalysts. The target compound considered in this work is the primary metabolite of a lipid regulator drug, clofibrate, identified in many studies as refractory during conventional wastewater treatment. The photocatalytic performance study was carried out in batch mode at laboratory scale, in aqueous suspension. Kinetic data showed that titanium dioxide P25 Aeroxide® exhibits the highest photocatalytic efficiency compared to the other investigated catalysts. Pollutant degradation and mineralization efficiencies strongly increased when decreas…

Effect of Gold(I) on the Room-Temperature Phosphorescence of Ethynylphenanthrene.

2020

The synthesis of two series of gold(I) complexes containing the general formulae PR 3 ‐Au‐C≡C‐phenanthrene (PR 3 = PPh 3 ( 1a / 2a ), PMe 3 ( 1b / 2b ), PNaph 3 ( 1c / 2c )) or (diphos)(Au‐C≡C‐phenanthrene) 2 (diphos = 1,1‐ bis (diphenylphosphino)methane, dppm ( 1d / 2d ); 1,4‐ bis (diphenylphosphino)butane, dppb ( 1e / 2e )) have been synthesized. The two series differ on the position of the alkynyl substituent on the phenanthrene chromophore, being at the 9‐position (9‐ethynylphenanthrene) for the L1 ‐series and at the 2‐position (2‐ethynylphenanthrene) for the L2 ‐series. The compounds have been fully characterized by 1 H and 31 P NMR and IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and single cry…

Impact of Genetic and Cultural Factors on Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Composition

Low Tree Vigor, Free Palmette Training Form, and High Planting Density Increase Olive and Oil Yield Efficiency in Dry, Sloping Areas of Mediterranean…

2022

Exploiting biodiversity must be considered today an effective strategy to improve the sustainability of olive production systems. The evaluation of local cultivars, based on their vegetative and fruiting traits, along with an analysis of product quality, may contribute significantly to the development and diffusion of new olive-growing systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate growth, productivity, and olive oil quality of three Sicilian cultivars with different vigor/growth habit grown in four different combinations of training form and planting density. ‘Abunara’, ‘Calatina’, and ‘Nocellara del Belice’ olive trees were planted in four different int…

In Vitro Cytotoxic Effect of Aqueous Extracts from Leaves and Rhizomes of the Seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile on HepG2 Liver Cancer Cells: Fo…

2023

Aqueous extracts from Posidonia oceanica’s green and brown (beached) leaves and rhizomes were prepared, submitted to phenolic compound and proteomic analysis, and examined for their potential cytotoxic effect on HepG2 liver cancer cells in culture. The chosen endpoints related to survival and death were cell viability and locomotory behavior, cell-cycle analysis, apoptosis and autophagy, mitochondrial membrane polarization, and cell redox state. Here, we show that 24 h exposure to both green-leaf- and rhizome-derived extracts decreased tumor cell number in a dose–response manner, with a mean half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) estimated at 83 and 11.5 μg of dry extract/mL, respecti…