Search results for "Zein"
showing 6 items of 16 documents
Discorso interiore/discorso esteriore. In dialogo con Giovanni Manetti
2019
A partire da un contributo di Giovanni Manetti (2016) si ripercorre la contrapposizione fra linguaggio esteriore e linguaggio interiore nella tradizione filosofica greca. Si delineano due posizioni di fondo: la posizione discontinuista, rappresentata dagli Stoici, nega etica e razionalità agli animali, perché privi di 'linguaggio interiore' (logos endiathetos), ossia di ragione (logos), anche se capaci di imitare il linguaggio proferito (logos prophorikòs). All'estremo opposto, la posizione continuista, rappresentata dagli Accademici e dagli Scettici, argomenta a favore di una continuità cognitiva fra uomo e animale. Scopo dell'articolo è mostrare che la posizione discontinuista non si orig…
Surface molecularly imprinted silica for selective solid-phase extraction of biochanin A, daidzein and genistein from urine samples
2015
Selective molecularly imprinted silica polymer (SiO2MIP) for extraction of biochanin A, daidzein and genistein was synthesized using the surface molecular imprinting technique with the silica gel as a support. Biochanin A (BCA) was used as a template, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) as a functional monomer, and tetraethoxysilicane (TEOS) as a cross-linker. Non-imprinted polymer with the sol–gel process (SiO2NIP) was also prepared for comparison. The synthesized polymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a standard Brunauer-Emett-Teller (BET) and Barret–Joyner–Halenda (BJH) analysis. The obtained results indicate…
Structure-function relationships of brazzein, a sweet-tasting protein and its interactions with the human sweet taste receptor
2018
International audience; Brazzein is a small heat- and pH-stable sweet-tasting protein isolated from the West African plant, Pentadiplandra brazzeana. Brazzein combines a highly sweet potency, a long history of human consumption, and a remarkable stability, giving it great potential as a natural sweetener. Due to the difficulties of obtaining brazzein from its natural source, several efforts have been made to express brazzein using various heterologous expression systems. Brazzein like all classes of sweet compounds (natural sugars, natural and artificial sweeteners) are perceived through the activation of the T1R2/T1R3 heterodimeric sweet taste receptor. T1R2 and T1R3 subunits are members o…
Daidzein has neuroprotective effects through ligand-binding-independent PPARγ activation.
2011
Phytoestrogens are a group of plant-derived compounds that include mainly isoflavones like daidzein. Phytoestrogens prevent neuronal damage and improve outcome in experimental stroke; however, the mechanisms of this neuroprotective action have not been fully elucidated. In this context, it has been postulated that phytoestrogens might activate the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), which exerts neuroprotective effects in several settings. The aim of this study was to determine whether the phytoestrogen daidzein elicits beneficial actions in neuronal cells by mechanisms involving activation of PPARγ. Our results show that daidzein (0.05-5 μM) decreases cell death induced b…
Antioxidant activity of Sicilian Pistachio (Pistacia vera, L. var. Bronte) nut extracts and its bioactive components
2007
Pistacia vera L. is the only species of Pistacia genus producing edible nuts. This paper investigates the antioxidant potential of a Sicilian variety of pistachio nut by chemical as well as biological assays and measured antioxidant vitamins and a number of antioxidant polyphenols in either the hydrophilic and/or the lipophilic nut extract. In accordance with the majority of foods, the total antioxidant activity, measured as a TAA test, was much higher (50-fold) in the hydrophilic than in the lipophilic extract. Substantial amounts of total phenols were measured. The hydrophilic extract inhibited dose- dependently both the metal-dependent and -independent lipid oxidation of bovine liver mic…
Zein as biodegradable material for effective delivery of alkaline phosphatase and substrates in biokits and biosensors
2016
A biodegradable material, zein, is proposed as a reagent delivery platform for biokits and biosensors based on alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity/inhibition in the presence of phosphatase substrates. The immobilization and release of both the substrate and/or the active ALP, in a biodegradable and low-cost material such as zein, a prolamin from maize, and in combination with glycerol as plasticizer have been investigated. Three zein-based devices are proposed for several applications: (1) inorganic phosphorus estimation in water of different sources (river, lake, coastal water and tap water) with a detection limit of 0.2mg/L - compared to at least 1mg/L required by legislation, (2) estimat…