Green Synthesis of Iridium Nanoparticles from Winery Waste and Their Catalytic Effectiveness in Water Decontamination

An environmentally friendly procedure was adopted for the first time to prepare green iridium nanoparticles starting from grape marc extracts. Grape marcs, waste of Negramaro winery production, were subjected to aqueous thermal extraction at different temperatures (45, 65, 80, and 100 °C) and characterized in terms of total phenolic contents, reducing sugars, and antioxidant activity. The results obtained showed an important effect of temperature with higher amounts of polyphenols and reducing sugars and antioxidant activity in the extracts with the increase of temperature. All four extracts were used as starting materials to synthesize different iridium nanoparticles (Ir-NP1, Ir-NP2, Ir-NP3, and Ir-NP4) that were characterized by Uv-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering. TEM analysis revealed the presence of very small particles in all samples with sizes in the range of 3.0–4.5 nm with the presence of a second fraction of larger nanoparticles (7.5–17.0 nm) for Ir-NPs prepared with extracts obtained at higher temperatures (Ir-NP3 and Ir-NP4). Since the wastewater remediation of toxic organic contaminants on catalytic reduction has gained much attention, the application of the prepared Ir-NPs as catalysts towards the reduction of methylene blue (MB), chosen as the organic dye model, was evaluated. The efficient catalytic activity of Ir-NPs in the reduction of MB by NaBH4 was demonstrated and Ir-NP2 was prepared using the extract obtained at 65 °C, showing the best catalytic performance, with a rate constant of 0.527 ± 0.012 min−1 and MB reduction of 96.1% in just six min, with stability for over 10 months

The role of ultrafast sequences MRI in the diagnostic evaluation and in the therapeutic option in female stress urinary incontinence.

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Dolphin Morbillivirus in Eurasian Otters, Italy

We report biomolecular evidence of dolphin morbillivirus in 4 wild Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) from southern Italy; 2 animals showed simultaneous immunohistochemical reactivity against morbilliviral antigen. These cases add further concern and support to the progressively expanding host range of dolphin morbillivirus in the western Mediterranean Sea

Evolutionary History of Chromosome 20

The evolutionary history of human chromosome 20 in primates was investigated using a panel of human BAC/PAC probes spaced along the chromosome. Oligonucleotide primers derived from the sequence of each human clone were used to screen horse, cat, pig, and black lemur BAC libraries to assemble, for each species, a panel of probes mapping to chromosomal loci orthologous to the loci encompassed by the human BACs. This approach facilitated marker-order comparison aimed at defining marker arrangement in primate ancestor. To this goal, we also took advantage of the mouse and rat draft sequences. The almost perfect colinearity of chromosome 20 sequence in humans and mouse could be interpreted as evidence that their form was ancestral to primates. Contrary to this view, we found that horse, macaque, and two New World monkeys share the same marker-order arrangement from which the human and mouse forms can be derived, assuming similar but distinct inversions that fully account for the small difference in marker arrangement between humans and mouse. The evolutionary history of this chromosome unveiled also two centromere repositioning events in New World monkey species

Conserved syntenic clusters of protein coding genes are missing in birds

BACKGROUND: Birds are one of the most highly successful and diverse groups of vertebrates, having evolved a number of distinct characteristics, including feathers and wings, a sturdy lightweight skeleton and unique respiratory and urinary/excretion systems. However, the genetic basis of these traits is poorly understood. RESULTS: Using comparative genomics based on extensive searches of 60 avian genomes, we have found that birds lack approximately 274 protein coding genes that are present in the genomes of most vertebrate lineages and are for the most part organized in conserved syntenic clusters in non-avian sauropsids and in humans. These genes are located in regions associated with chromosomal rearrangements, and are largely present in crocodiles, suggesting that their loss occurred subsequent to the split of dinosaurs/birds from crocodilians. Many of these genes are associated with lethality in rodents, human genetic disorders, or biological functions targeting various tissues. Functional enrichment analysis combined with orthogroup analysis and paralog searches revealed enrichments that were shared by non-avian species, present only in birds, or shared between all species. CONCLUSIONS: Together these results provide a clearer definition of the genetic background of extant birds, extend the findings of previous studies on missing avian genes, and provide clues about molecular events that shaped avian evolution. They also have implications for fields that largely benefit from avian studies, including development, immune system, oncogenesis, and brain function and cognition. With regards to the missing genes, birds can be considered ‘natural knockouts’ that may become invaluable model organisms for several human diseases. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-014-0565-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

IFPA meeting 2016 workshop report I: Genomic communication, bioinformatics, trophoblast biology and transport systems

Workshops are an important part of the IFPA annual meeting as they allow for discussion of specialized topics. At IFPA meeting 2016 there were twelve themed workshops, four of which are summarized in this report. These workshops covered innovative technologies applied to new and traditional areas of placental research: 1) genomic communication; 2) bioinformatics; 3) trophoblast biology and pathology; 4) placental transport systems

cardanol based green nanovesicles with antioxidant and cytotoxic activities

ABSTRACTThis manuscript describes the preparation of green nanovesicles by using cardanol as renewable starting material with embedded minor amounts of phthalazines, a class of heterocyclic bioactive compounds. The nanovesicles were prepared by stirring induced self-assembly in aqueous medium without involvement of any organic solvent. Dynamic light scattering studies and transmission electron microscopy revealed the formation of nanostructure with an average diameter in the range of 227–375 nm and a well defined spherical morphology. Potential antioxidant activity of nanovesicles were evaluated for the first time by 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) scavenging assay and bleomycin-dependent DNA damage. Moreover, their cytotoxic effects were also investigated by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay on different tumour cell lines. Unloaded nanovesicles showed moderate antioxidant and antitumoural activity that was further enhanced particularl..