Search results for "polymers"
showing 10 items of 3567 documents
Cross-Reactivity of Epstein-Barr Virus-Specific Immunoglobulin M Antibodies with Cytomegalovirus Antigens Containing Glycine Homopolymers
2001
ABSTRACTTimely and reliable detection of acute primary human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is important in prenatal screening programs and for differential diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis-like disease. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) based on HCMV proteins enable the sensitive detection of immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies during primary infection. However, concerns have been raised about possible cross-reactivities of the HCMV antigens used for the design of such ELISAs with IgM antibodies induced by Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV). In this study we investigated whether IgM antibodies generated during acute EBV infection reacted with recombinant HCMV antigens. Serum samples f…
The effectiveness of Opuntia ficus-indica mucilage edible coating on postharvest maintenance of ‘Dottato’ fig (Ficus carica L.) fruit
2017
Abstract Breba figs are highly perishable and their shelf-life is very short. In this study, breba figs (cv. ‘Dottato’) were treated with a mucilage solution of Opuntia ficus-indica cladodes, sealed in plastic bags, and stored at 4 °C for 14 days. The effect of the edible coating on the shelf-life and qualitative attributes of the fruit were evaluated by colors, content of total soluble solids, titratable acidity, total phenol, total carotenoids. Results showed that coating improves the quality of breba fig during storage. The edible coating was effective in maintaining fruit fresh weight, visual score values, fruit firmness and total carotenoid content. Coated fruit showed a significantly …
Role of murine macrophages and complement in experimental campylobacter infection
1988
Summary. The roles of macrophages and the complement system as potential host defence mechanisms in mice against campylobacter infection were studied in vivo, by depleting the murine serum-complement or the phagocytic cells. Macrophage-depletion was performed by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of silica dust, Liquoid or dextran sulphate. During 5 days after infection, such mice showed a significant increase in mortality, compared with controls. In contrast, mice that were previously decomplemented by i.p. injection of Cobra Venom Factor showed no significant increase in mortality. The results with combined macrophage depletion and decomplementation did not differ from those with macrophage…
Effect of refrigerated storage on microbiological, chemical and sensory characteristics of a ewes’ raw milk stretched cheese
2017
This study aimed to describe the effects of refrigerated storage up to 180 days on microbiological, chemical, physical, and sensory characteristics of a PDO ewes’ raw milk stretched cheese. To this aim, a total of 224 cheeses were manufactured in four consecutive production weeks, and series of 32 of them were examined before packaging and after 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 180 d of storage at 4 ± 2 °C in the dark, respectively. Lactic acid bacteria cocci displayed the highest levels (7.8 Log CFU*g−1) during early storage and decreased progressively over time (7.4 Log CFU*g−1), while the opposite trend was observed for lactic acid bacteria rods (from 6.5 to 7.3 Log CFU*g−1). TMC and enterocci s…
Surface, mechanical and barrier properties of bio-based composite films based on chitosan and whey protein
2014
Mono-component and composite bilayer and blend films composed of chitosan and whey protein were made. Colour, microstructure, water contact angles, swelling, water vapour sorption, barrier properties (oxygen, water vapour), water vapour diffusion coefficients and mechanical properties were determined. The influence of water vapour on barrier properties was studied in relation to the surface and structural properties. Mono-component and bilayer films were transparent with a homogeneous surface. Contrarily, blend films were translucent. Bilayer films had significantly lower water vapour permeability in comparison to mono-component and blend films. In all bilayer films, the air side (chitosan)…
Mechanical and barrier properties of extruded film made from sodium and calcium caseinates
2014
Abstract Over the past few years, much interest has been placed into the investigation of increased barrier and mechanical properties of protein films via a multitude of approaches. Generally, these techniques involve modifications of interactions among protein molecules, such as ionic crosslinking using divalent ions. To evaluate the crosslinking effect of Ca 2+ cations, films were made from calcium caseinate (CaCAS) and/or sodium caseinate (NaCAS). The production of caseinate thin films was carried out in two steps: first thermoplastic pellets were made using a co-rotating twin-screw extruder, then they were transformed into thin films (60 μm) using a classical film blowing machine. Tensi…
A soluble biocompatible guanidine-containing polyamidoamine as promoter of primary brain cell adhesion andin vitrocell culturing
2014
This paper reports on a novel application of an amphoteric water-soluble polyamidoamine named AGMA1 bearing 4-butylguanidine pendants. AGMA1 is an amphoteric, prevailingly cationic polyelectrolyte with isoelectric point of about 10. At pH 7.4 it is zwitterionic with an average of 0.55 excess positive charges per unit, notwithstanding it is highly biocompatible. In this work, it was found that AGMA1 surface-adsorbed on cell culturing coverslips exhibits excellent properties as adhesion and proliferation promoter of primary brain cells such as microglia, as well as of hippocampal neurons and astrocytes. Microglia cells cultured on AGMA1-coated coverslips substrate displayed the typical restin…
Identification of microplastics using 4‐dimethylamino‐4′‐nitrostilbene solvatochromic fluorescence
2021
In this work, we introduce the use of 4-dimethylamino-4'-nitrostilbene (DANS) fluorescent dye for applications in the detection and analysis of microplastics, an impendent source of pollution made of synthetic organic polymers with a size varying from less than 5 mm to nanometer scale. The use of this dye revealed itself as a versatile, fast and sensitive tool for readily discriminate microplastics in water environment. The experimental evidences herein presented demonstrate that DANS efficiently absorbs into a variety of polymers constituting microplastics, and its solvatochromic properties lead to a positive shift of the fluorescence emission spectrum according to the polarity of the poly…
Single Molecule Studies of a Ladder Type Conjugated Polymer: Vibronic Spectra, Line Widths, and Energy Transfer
2014
Confocal fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy are employed to investigate single poly(ladder-type pentaphenylene) (LPPentP) molecules dispersed in thin poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films at 1.2 K. Emission spectra of single chains show single as well as multi-chromophore emission indicating variegated communication along the chains. The vibronic structure in the emission spectra resembles the one found for other ladder-type polymers. Purely electronic zero-phonon lines in emission are substantially broadened, most probably due to fast spectral diffusion. By surmounting the limitations of emission spectroscopy, nonemitting donor chromophores, which transfer their excitation energy in…
Improvement of interaction in and properties of PMMA-MWNT nanocomposites through microwave assisted acid treatment of MWNT
2013
Soluble derivatives of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) embedded in a poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) matrix forming thick, homogeneous and transparent nanocomposites, were prepared and characterized. A new photo-assisted method using microwaves, to purify the MWNTs from amorphous carbon and synthesis catalyst clusters, was tested in a sulphonitric mix. This method shortened the processing time compared to other methods. Pristine and functionalized MWNTs were introduced into the MMA, then in situ photo-polymerized. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD), as well as Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), Raman and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy w…