Core-shell Fe@Fex_xOy_y nanoring system: A versatile platform for biomedical applications

Iron oxide (maghemite and magnetite) nanoparticles are the most commonly used magnetic materials in nanomedicine because of their high biocompatibility. However, their low saturation magnetization (60–90 emu/g) limits their applicability. Here, we report a new core–shell (Fe@Fe$_x$O$_y$) nanoring system, which combines the high magnetic saturation of a metallic iron core (220 emu/g) and the biocompatibility of an iron oxide shell. To produce these nanostructures, hematite (α-Fe$_2$O$_3$) nanorings were annealed in a H$_2$ gas atmosphere for different periods to optimize the amount of metallic iron percentage (δ) in the system. Thus, nanostructures with different magnetic saturation (97 to 178 emu/g) could be obtained; based on their metallic iron content, these particles are labeled as Vortex Iron oxide Particle δ (VIPδ). Micromagnetic simulations confirmed that the VIPδ nanorings exhibit a vortex configuration, guaranteeing low remanence and coercitivity. Moreover, the system shows good biocompatibility in various assays as determined through cell viability measurements performed using two different human cell lines, which were exposed to VIP78% for 24 h. Therefore, VIPδ nanorings combine a magnetic vortex state and biocompatibility with their high magnetic saturation and can thus serve as a platform that can be tuned during the synthesis based on desired biomedical application

Development of nanoencapsulation forms from Cymbopogon citratus essential Oil

Cymbopogon citratus essential oil (CCEO) is widely used in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical fields. The aim of this study was to compare two different methods of encapsulating CCEO. The o/w emulsion method was employed here for the first time for producing CCEO nanoparticles with polycaprolactone (PCL) and a molecular inclusion in β-cyclodextrin (CyD) using the precipitation method. The nanoparticles were spherical in shape, with 240.0 nm mean diameter and demonstrated a higher encapsulation efficiency (36.51 %) as the citral content. The efficiency of CCEO/CyD complex was lower (9.46 %) and it showed some specificity for the smallest molecules present in the original oil. It was irregular in shape and had a larger mean diameter (441.2 nm). It was concluded that the o/w emulsion method was the most effective for CCEO encapsulation. The positive findings in this study encourage further research and provide perspectives for the development of phytotherapeutic products from CCEO.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Toward Sourdough Microbiome Data: A Review of Science and Patents

Technological prospecting was performed on documents related to sourdough microbiota using SCOPUS, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Espacenet and Patent Inspiration databases. Scientific articles and patents were analyzed based on three different perspectives: macro (year of publication, country, and institutions), meso (categorization as different taxonomies according to the subject evaluated), and micro (in-depth analysis of the main taxonomies, gathering the documents in subcategories). The main subject addressed in patents was the starter and product preparation, while 58.8% of the scientific publications focused on sourdough starter microbiota (identification and selection of microorganisms). Most patents were granted to companies (45.9%), followed by independent inventors (26.4%) and universities (21.8%). Sourdough products are in the spotlight when the subject is the bakery market; however, a closer integration between academia and industry is needed. Such a collaboration could generate a positive impact on the sourdough market in terms of innovation, providing a bread with a better nutritional and sensory quality for all consumers. Moreover, sourdough creates a new magnitude of flavor and texture in gastronomy, providing new functional products or increasing the quality of traditional ones