Synthesis of medium-chain glycerides using lipase from Candida rugosa

Enzymatic synthesis of medium-chain glycerides (MCG) from capric acid and glycerol was studied using lipase from Candida rugosa. The effects of various reaction parameters such as time, molar ratio of substrates (mmol capric acid/mmol glycerol), amount of lipase, type of organic solvents, and initial water activity (a w ) were studied. The best conditions tested for MCG synthesis at 37°C were, respectively, time, 24 h; molar ratio of substrates, 2.5; and amount of lipase, 100.0 mg. The use of organic solvents greatly influenced the activity of lipase in the synthesis of MCG. Generally, activity of lipase was high in nonpolar solvents with log P values from 3.50 to 4.50, where P is the partition coefficient between water and 1-octanol. The enzymatic synthesis of MCG was preferably carried out at an initial a w of 0.328, which resulted in maximal yield. Analysis of the products of reaction using gas chromatography showed that lipase from Candida rugosa seemed to produce more dicaprin and tricaprin than monocaprin

Studio di fattibilità del progetto: Biennale del Design di Ascoli Piceno

Il rapporto raccoglie i principali risultati delle attività di ricerca e consulenza tecnicoscientifica per la redazione dello studio di fattibilità del progetto “Biennale del Design ad Ascoli Piceno”, condotte dal Dipartimento ProCAm, Progettazione e Costruzione dell’Ambiente, della Facoltà di Architettura dell’Università di Camerino, in collaborazione con il Consorzio Universitario Piceno (CUP). Obiettivo principale dello studio: delineare i fattori strutturali necessari e le condizioni contestuali più idonee per la realizzazione di una manifestazione biennale dedicata al design, cercando di evidenziarne le potenzialità e gli eventuali benefici, per quanto possibile, anche in termini socio-economici oltre che culturali

I traumi dento-maxillo-facciali nella pratica sportiva. Nota epidemiologica.

Vengono riportati i dati relativi ai traumi dento-maxillo-facciali da sport che hanno comportato il ricovero presso la Clinica odontoiatrica della Università di Modena nel periodo 1973-1988.L'attività sportiva è risultata responsabile del 4.3% di tutti i traumi odontoiatrici. Lo sport maggiormente responsabile dei traumi è risultato il calcio (39.6%), seguito dagli sport invernali (22.9%). Il distretto maggiormente interessato è risultato la mandibola (81.2%), seguito dal terzo medio del massiccio facciale (25%)

Risk of early recurrent fetal loss and levels of thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor.

INTRODUCTION: Though thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) may contribute to hypercoagulability during pregnancy, limited data are available on the role of TAFI in women with recurrent fetal loss. MATERIAL/METHODS: We performed a case-control study aimed at evaluating any possible association between TAFI levels and early recurrent fetal loss (≥ 3, or 2 with at least one normal fetal karyotype, before the 10th week of gestation). 140 women with early recurrent fetal loss and 140 age-matched healthy controls with at least one normal pregnancy were included. The number of miscarriages was 2.59 and occurred at gestational age 6.89weeks. TAFI levels were determined by a chromogenic assay measuring total potential activatable TAFI. RESULTS: TAFI levels were significantly lower in early recurrent fetal loss women (12.2±2.3μg/ml vs 13.2±2.6μg/ml in healthy controls, p=0.001). ORs of early recurrent fetal loss (crude and adjusted for possible confounding variables) were calculated after stratification of TAFI levels into quartiles. 25/140 (17.8%) early recurrent fetal loss women had TAFI levels above 14.0μg/ml (4th quartile) vs 44/140 (31.3%) in healthy women (p=0.014). Crude and adjusted ORs of early recurrent fetal loss in women with TAFI levels in the 4th quartile vs those in the reference category (1st quartile=below 11.0μg/ml) were 0.42 (95%CI: 0.22-0.82) and 0.39 (95%CI: 0.19-0.80), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides evidence that high TAFI levels are associated with reduced risk of early recurrent fetal loss. Further studies are needed to better understand the actual role of TAFI in recurrent fetal loss