Search results for "DISCOVERY"

Developing Primary School Students’ Formal Geometric Definitions Knowledge by Connecting Origami and Technology

2019

In this paper, we present opportunities with the uses of origami and technology, in our case GeoGebra, in teaching formal geometric definitions for fifth-grade primary school students (11-12yrs). Applying origami in mathematical lessons is becoming to be recognized as a valuable tool for improving students’ mathematical knowledge. In previous studies, we developed origami and technology activities for high-school mathematics, but we wanted to explore if such approach would work in primary school as well. For this reason, we chose a flat origami model оf the crane and we used this model to introduce students to basic geometrical notions and definitions, such as points, lines, intersections o…

Effect of Germacrene-Rich Essential Oil of Parentucellia latifolia (L.) Caruel Collected in Central Sicily on the Growth of Microorganisms Inhabiting…

2022

In the present study, the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Parentucellia latifolia (L.) Caruel collected in Central Sicily was analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The results showed the presence of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, with germacrene D and germacrene B accounting, respectively, for 59.2% and 24.3% of the total oil. Different colonies of bacteria and fungi frequently affect cellulosic objects such as books stored in libraries and museums. The antibacterial and antifungal activity against some microorganisms infesting historical-artistic craftsmanship was determined, demonstrating that the essential oil was particular…

Hormesis: Decoding Two Sides of the Same Coin

2015

In the paradigm of drug administration, determining the correct dosage of a therapeutic is often a challenge. Several drugs have been noted to demonstrate contradictory effects per se at high and low doses. This duality in function of a drug at different concentrations is known as hormesis. Therefore, it becomes necessary to study these biphasic functions in order to understand the mechanistic basis of their effects. In this article, we focus on different molecules and pathways associated with diseases that possess a duality in their function and thus prove to be the seat of hormesis. In particular, we have highlighted the pathways and factors involved in the progression of cancer and how t…

Image classification based on 2D feature motifs

2013

The classification of raw data often involves the problem of selecting the appropriate set of features to represent the input data. In general, various features can be extracted from the input dataset, but only some of them are actually relevant for the classification process. Since relevant features are often unknown in real-world problems, many candidate features are usually introduced. This degrades both the speed and the predictive accuracy of the classifier due to the presence of redundancy in the candidate feature set. In this paper, we study the capability of a special class of motifs previously introduced in the literature, i.e. 2D irredundant motifs, when they are exploited as feat…

Finding Repetitions in Biological Networks: Challenges, Trends, and Applications

2013

Impact of Ageing on Pea Protein Volatile Compounds and Correlation with Odor

2022

Vegetal proteins are of high interest for their many positive aspects, but their ‘beany’ off-flavor is still limiting the consumer’s acceptance. The aim of this work was to investigate the conservation of pea protein isolate (PPI) during time and especially the evolution of their organoleptic quality under two storage conditions. The evolution of the volatile compounds, the odor and the color of a PPI has been investigated during one year of storage. PPI was exposed to two treatments mimicking a lack of control of storage conditions: treatment A with light exposition at ambient temperature (A—Light 20 °C) and treatment B in the dark but with a higher temperature …

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…

Non-Occupational Exposure to Pesticides: Experimental Approaches and Analytical Techniques (from 2019)

2021

© 2021 by the authors.

Plant Specialized Metabolites in Hazelnut (Corylus avellana) Kernel and Byproducts: An Update on Chemistry, Biological Activity, and Analytical Aspec…

2019

Abstract Corylus avellana (hazelnut) is one of the most popular tree nuts on a worldwide basis. The main products of C. avellana are kernels, a nutritious food, with a high content of healthy lipids, contained in a hard shell. In recent years, along with the ongoing research carried out on hazelnut kernels, a growing interest has been addressed to the hazelnut byproducts including hazelnut skin, hazelnut hard shell, and hazelnut green leafy cover as well as hazelnut tree leaf. These byproducts deriving from the roasting, cracking, shelling/hulling, and harvesting processes have been found as a source of “phytochemicals” with biological activity. The aim of this review is to provide a compre…

Phytol and Heptacosane Are Possible Tools to Overcome Multidrug Resistance in an In Vitro Model of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

2022

Drug resistance is the ability of cancer cells to gain resistance to both conventional and novel chemotherapy agents, and remains a major problem in cancer therapy. Resistance mechanisms are multifactorial and involve more strictly pharmacological factors, such as P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and biological factors such as inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) and the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. Possible therapeutic strategies for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have increased in recent years; however, drug resistance remains a problem for most pa-tients. Phytol and heptacosane are the major compounds of Euphorbia intisy essential oil (EO) which were demonstrated to inhi…