Search results for "PSU"
showing 10 items of 678 documents
Hybrid GMP–polyamine hydrogels as new biocompatible materials for drug encapsulation
2020
Here we present the preparation and characterization of new biocompatible materials for drug encapsulation. These new gels are based on positively charged [1+1] 1H-pyrazole-based azamacrocycles which minimise the electrostatic repulsions between the negatively charged GMP molecules. Rheological measurements confirm the electroneutral hydrogel structure as the most stable for all the GMP-polyamine systems. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was employed to investigate the kinetics of the hydrogel formation and cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) was used to obtain information about the hydrogel morphology, which exhibited a non-homogeneous structure with a high degree of cross-linking…
Benefits for nurse and facilitated plants emerge when interactions are considered along the entire life-span
2019
The structure of plant communities is often influenced by facilitative interactions where ‘facilitated’ plants benefit from growing associated with ‘nurse’ plants. Facilitation has been mostly studied from the facilitated plant's perspective, and bidirectional effects between nurse and facilitated plants have received less attention. We hypothesized that reciprocal benefits in plant-plant interactions may emerge when interactions are considered along the life-span of the plants involved. Over one spring, we selected five species with similar life-form and growth strategy, and using a full factorial design, we compared different fitness components along the plants’ life-span (seedling establ…
Molecule structural factors influencing the loading of flavoring compounds in a natural-preformed capsule: Yeast cells
2016
International audience; Yeast cells are efficient microcapsules for the encapsulation of flavoring compounds. However, as they are preformed capsules, they have to be loaded with the active. Encapsulation efficiency is to a certain level correlated with LogP. In this study, the effect of structural factors on the encapsulation of amphiphilic flavors was investigated. Homological series of carboxylic acids, ethyl esters, lactones, alcohols and ketones were encapsulated into the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. Although, in a single homological series, the length of the molecule and thus the LogP were correlated with encapsulation efficiency (EY%), big differences were observable between series. Fo…
Micro and nano-encapsulation of vegetable and essential oils to develop functional food products with improved nutritional profiles
2020
Abstract Background A growing awareness regarding the benefits of consumption of functional foods has resulted in the development of new food products through using bioactive compounds. Vegetable-essential oils (V-EOs) are among the most popular ingredients used for the enrichment of different food products to boost their functional properties. However, these oils are sensitive to harsh conditions such as oxidation stress and high temperatures. Recently, different micro/nanoencapsulation systems have been applied to produce suitable carriers for V-EOs to be incorporated into food formulations, which can overcome the limitation of their pure application in foods. Scope and approach Controlle…
New data about Chiropterofauna of the “Monte Pellegrino” Nature Reserve (Palermo, Italy)
2021
This work increase the knowledge related to bat fauna present in the “Monte Pellegrino” Nature Reserve in the Palermo municipality. The acoustic sampling took place in the summer/autumn season using the D500X Bat detector in 22 samples. The identified signals were attributed to 8 species and one genus. The Taxa with the most passes in the reserve are: Tadarita teniotis followed by Pipistrellus kuhlii, Hypsugo savii (100% of Costancy), Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Plecotus sp., Miniopterus schreibersii and last with a single recording Rhinolophus ferrumequinum and Rhinolophus hipposideros. The dendrogram of similarity shows 3 distinct bats cenosis. Two samples present in…
Fig virus-free production and survival rate improvement using meristem tip culture techinique associated with the encapsulation technology
2018
Three Mediterranean F. carica genotypes, i.e. cultivars Palazzo, Bifera nera and Catalanisca, initially infected by Fig leaf mottle-associated virus 1 (FLMaV-1), Fig leaf mottle-associated virus 2 (FLMaV-2), Fig mild mottling-associated virus (FMMaV), Fig mosaic virus (FMV), Fig latent virus 1 (FLV-1), Fig Badnavirus 1 (FBV-1) and Fig fleck-associated virus (FFkaV), were subjected to the sanitation technique via Meristem Tip (0.3-0.5 mm in size) Culture (MTC), also associated with the encapsulation technique (MTC-SS), in order to produce virus-free plant material. Encapsulation was tested to overcome the very low survival and regeneration rates, due to the small propagule size. Encouraging …
Innovative technologies for encapsulation of Mediterranean plants extracts
2017
Abstract Background High-added value biological compounds (BACs) from herbal and plant sources, such as essential oils (EO), antioxidants and volatile compounds, often exhibit remarkable features, ranging from nutritive and medicinal properties, as well as antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, which can be exploited in the production of functional foods. However, most BACs exhibit low water solubility, strong off-flavors/odors, and are generally unstable and easily degraded under common processing and storage conditions. Encapsulation is a technology that enables the delivery in food systems, the protection, as well as the controlled and targeted release of BACs. Scope and approach The …
Evaluation of some growth regulator effects on encapsulated in vitro-derived microcuttings of three Italian Ficus carica L. genotypes.
2017
In this study, the encapsulation technology based on the calcium alginate coating was applied to some Ficus carica L. genotypes. Uninodal microcuttings (3-4 mm long), excised from in vitro proliferating shoots of three Italian cultivars (‘Bifera’, ‘Palazzo’ and ‘Catalanisca’), were employed. The influence of three different plant growth regulators (PGRs): 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), meta-topolin (MT) and zeatine (ZEA), added to the artificial endosperm, were evaluated. Particularly, the viability, regrowth and conversion parameters of the synthetic seeds were registered after 60 days from the sowing on a hormone-free medium. Results showed that the cultivars ‘Catalanisca’ and ‘Palazzo’ showe…
III. Biochemistry of S-layers
1997
During evolution prokaryotes have developed different envelope structures exterior to the cell wall proper. Among these surface components are regularly arranged S-layers and capsules. The structural characterization and the detailed chemical analysis of these surface molecules is a prerequisite to understand their biosynthesis and functional role(s) at the molecular level. Of particular interest are the glycosylated S-layer proteins which belong to the first prokaryotic glycoproteins ever described. Their characterization was performed on strains belonging to the thermophilic Bacillaceae and included structural studies and experiments to learn about the pathways for the glycan biosynthesis…
Cellular encapsulation in the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera), against infection by the entomopathogenic fungus Meta…
2009
Reticulitermes flavipes workers were topically inoculated with approximately 10,000 conidia of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae. After being kept in groups of 20 individuals for 1-9 d, histopathological examination showed that termites had an individual immune reaction. The nodule formation at the point of entrance of the fungal hyphae was identified as a cellular encapsulation and the different steps in the nodule formation are described. The relative number of hemocytes per termite increased 24h after fungal exposure and remained high in the hemolymph for at least 3 d before decreasing back to pre-exposure levels. The role of an individual immune cellular reaction in soc…