Search results for "Spectroscopy"

Extracellular Vesicles-Based Drug Delivery Systems: A New Challenge and the Exemplum of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

2020

Research for the most selective drug delivery to tumors represents a fascinating key target in science. Alongside the artificial delivery systems identified in the last decades (e.g., liposomes), a family of natural extracellular vesicles (EVs) has gained increasing focus for their potential use in delivering anticancer compounds. EVs are released by all cell types to mediate cell-to-cell communication both at the paracrine and the systemic levels, suggesting a role for them as an ideal nano-delivery system. Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) stands out among currently untreatable tumors, also due to the difficulties in achieving an early diagnosis. Thus, early diagnosis and treatment of …

Potential Health Benefits of Olive Oil and Plant Polyphenols

2018

Beneficial effects of natural plant polyphenols on the human body have been evaluated in a number of scientific research projects. Bioactive polyphenols are natural compounds of various chemical structures. Their sources are mostly fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, roots, bark, leaves of different plants, herbs, whole grain products, processed foods (dark chocolate), as well as tea, coffee, and red wine. Polyphenols are believed to reduce morbidity and/or slow down the development of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases as well as cancer. Biological activity of polyphenols is strongly related to their antioxidant properties. They tend to reduce the pool of reactive oxygen species…

Structural characterization of polysaccharides of a productive strain of the culinary-medicinal king oyster mushroom, pleurotus eryngii (Agaricomycet…

2018

A preliminary biological investigation of the dry basidiomata of strain C-142-c of Pleurotus eryngii has shown significant antioxidant activity. Two different polysaccharides (PEPS-A1 and PEPS-A2) were isolated from the cultivated edible mushroom, P. eryngii C-142-c strain. Based on acid hydrolysis, methylation analysis, and nuclear magnetic resonance experiments (1H, 13C, distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer, double quantum filtered correlation spectroscopy, total correlation spectroscopy, nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy, heteronuclear singlequantum correlation spectroscopy, and heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation spectroscopy), the structures of the repeating uni…

Regulation of vascular function and inflammation via cross talk of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species from mitochondria or nadph oxidase—implicatio…

2020

Oxidative stress plays a key role for the development of cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurodegenerative disease. This concept has been proven by using the approach of genetic deletion of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) producing, pro-oxidant enzymes as well as by the overexpression of RONS detoxifying, antioxidant enzymes leading to an amelioration of the severity of diseases. Vice versa, the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases is aggravated by overexpression of RONS producing enzymes as well as deletion of RONS detoxifying enzymes. We have previously identified cross talk mechanisms between different sources of RONS, which can amplify the oxidative stress-m…

Production of Injectable Marine Collagen-Based Hydrogel for the Maintenance of Differentiated Chondrocytes in Tissue Engineering Applications

2020

Cartilage is an avascular tissue with limited ability of self-repair. The use of autologous chondrocyte transplants represent an effective strategy for cell regeneration

2018

Drosophila melanogaster has been for over a century the model of choice of several neurobiologists to decipher the formation and development of the nervous system as well as to mirror the pathophysiological conditions of many human neurodegenerative diseases. The rare disease Friedreich’s ataxia (FRDA) is not an exception. Since the isolation of the responsible gene more than two decades ago, the analysis of the fly orthologue has proven to be an excellent avenue to understand the development and progression of the disease, to unravel pivotal mechanisms underpinning the pathology and to identify genes and molecules that might well be either disease biomarkers or promising targets for therap…

Stability of a Split Streptomycin Binding Aptamer

2016

Here we investigated the stability of an aptamer, which is formed by two RNA strands and binds the antibiotic streptomycin. Molecular dynamics simulations in aqueous solution confirmed the geometry and the pattern of hydrogen bond interactions that was derived from the crystal structure (1NTB). The result of umbrella sampling simulations indicated a favored streptomycin binding with a free energy of ΔGbind° = −101.7 kJ mol–1. Experimentally, the increase in oligonucleotide stability upon binding of streptomycin was probed by single-molecule force spectroscopy. Rate dependent force spectroscopy measurements revealed a decrease in the natural off-rate (koff-COMPLEX = 0.22 ± 0.16 s–1) for the …

Dual Function Molecules and Processes in Cell Fate Decision: A Preface to the Special Issue

2020

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since 1999, when C.J. Jeffery stated in a pioneering review that “the idea of one gene-one protein-one function has become too simple” [...]

The effect of incorporating different concentrations of chlorhexidine digluconate on the degree of conversion of an experimental adhesive resin

2018

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of chlorhexidine digluconate incorporation on the degree of conversion of an experimental adhesive resin. Material and Methods The experimental resin was prepared from 70 wt% bisphenol A glycerolate dimethacrylate, 30 wt% hydroxyethyl methacrylate, silanized SiO2 nanofillers, 0.5% of camphorquinone and ethyl 4-dimethylaminebenzoate (binary photo-initiator system). Five chlorhexidine digluconate concentrations (0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 wt%) were then incorporated into the experimental resin. Thirty Potassium Bromide pellets were prepared then divided into six groups (n=5/group), repre¬senting the tested adhesive resins (Single Bond 2, 0, …

Serum Amino Acid Profiles in Childhood Predict Triglyceride Level in Adulthood: A 7-Year Longitudinal Study in Girls.

2016

AbstractContext:Branched-chain and aromatic amino acids are associated with high risk of developing dyslipidemia and type II diabetes in adults.Objective:This study aimed to examine whether serum amino acid profiles associate with triglyceride concentrations during pubertal growth and predict hypertriglyceridemia in early adulthood.Design:This was a 7.5-year longitudinal study.Setting:The study was conducted at the Health Science Laboratory, University of Jyväskylä.Participants:A total of 396 nondiabetic Finnish girls aged 11.2 ± 0.8 years at the baseline participated in the study.Main Outcome Measures:Body composition was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry; serum concentrations o…