Applications of Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) in Foods

Much of the work in the area of physical properties of fats is aimed at determining the relationship among triglyceride structure, crystal properties, crystallization conditions, and macroscopic properties of fats. In finished product containing fat, some of these many macroscopic properties include spredability of margarine, butter and spreads; snap of chocolate; blooming of chocolate; and graininess, smoothness, mouthfeel, water binding, and emulsion stability of spreads [1]. Plastic fats consist of a crystal network in a continuous oil matrix. Many articles in the past have been focused on establishing relationships between lipid composition or polymorphism and macroscopic properties of fats without much consideration of the microstructure of the fat crystal network. Germane to a thorough understanding of plastic fat rheology is a characterization of its microstructure. Not including microstructure as a variable will lead to failure in the prediction of macroscopic properties. In many other non fat or low fat products macroscopic properties depend on their structural organization. Emulsion stability, which is one of the most important physical properties of multiple-phase systems, is strongly determined by oil droplet size and interactions among components that determine spatial distribution of lipid and aqueous phases. Thus, control of food properties for various applications requires a better understanding of the relationships between the food microstructure and macroscopic properties.Fil: Rincón Cardona, Jaime A.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología; ArgentinaFil: Huck Iriart, Cristián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; ArgentinaFil: Herrera, Maria Lidia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentin

The endless quarantine: The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on healthcare workers after three months of mandatory social isolation in Argentina

Objectives: At the end of 2019 the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak spread around the globe with a late arrival to South America. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the long period of mandatory social isolation that took place in Argentina on the general psychological well-being of healthcare workers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A survey was conducted during June 2020, in healthcare workers. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Severity Index, Sleepiness-Wakefulness Inability and Fatigue Test, and Goldberg depression and anxiety scale, were used to analyze the effects of the SARS-Cov 2 outbreak after three months of mandatory social isolation. Analyses were performed by logistic regression and a clustering algorithm in order to classify subjects in the function of their outcome's severity.Results: From 1059 surveys, the majority reported symptoms of depression (81.0%), anxiety (76.5%), poor sleep quality (84.7%), and insomnia (73.7%) with 68.9% suffering from nightmares. Logistic regression showed that being in contact with COVID-19 patients, age, gender and the consumption of sleep medication during the mandatory social isolation were relevant predictors for insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Clustering analysis classified healthcare workers in three groups with healthy/mild, moderate, and severe outcomes. The most vulnerable group was composed mainly of younger people, female, non-medical staff, or physicians in training.Conclusion: An extremely high proportion of Argentinian healthcare workers suffered from sleep problems, anxiety, and depression symptoms. The clustering algorithm successfully separates vulnerable from non-vulnerable populations suggesting the need to carry out future studies involving resilience and vulnerability factors.Fil: Giardino, Daniela L.. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigación Clínica "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Huck Iriart, Cristián. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Riddick, Maximiliano Luis. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Cs.exactas. Centro de Matematica de la Plata.; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Garay, Arturo. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigación Clínica "Norberto Quirno"; Argentin

In situ study of the endotaxial growth of hexagonal CoSi2 nanoplatelets in Si(001)

This investigation aims at studying-by in situ grazing-incidence small-angle x-ray scattering-the process of growth of hexagonal CoSi2 nanoplatelets endotaxially buried in a Si(001) wafer. The early formation of spherical Co nanoparticles with bimodal size distribution in the deposited silica thin film during a pretreatment at 500 °C and their subsequent growth at 700 °C were also characterized. Isothermal annealing at 700 °C promotes a drastic reduction in the number of the smallest Co nanoparticles and a continuous decrease in their volume fraction in the silica thin film. At the same time, Co atoms diffuse across the SiO2/Si(001) interface into the silicon wafer, react with Si, and build up thin hexagonal CoSi2 nanoplatelets, all of them with their main surfaces parallel to Si{111} crystallographic planes. The observed progressive growths in thickness and lateral size of the hexagonal CoSi2 nanoplatelets occur at the expense of the dissolution of the small Co nanoparticles that are formed during the pretreatment at 500 °C and become unstable at the annealing temperature (700 °C). The kinetics of growth of the volume fraction of hexagonal platelets is well described by the classical Avrami equation.Fil: Costa, Daniel Da Silva. Universidade Federal do Paraná; BrasilFil: Huck Iriart, Cristián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Kellermann, Guinther. Universidade Federal do Paraná; BrasilFil: Giovanetti, Lisandro Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Craievich, Aldo F.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Requejo, Felix Gregorio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; Argentin

Amorphous calcium phosphates: Solvent‐controlled growth and stabilization through the Epoxide Route

Calcium phosphates stand among the most promising nanobiomaterials in key biomedical applications as bone repairment, signalling or drug/gene delivery. Intrinsic properties as crystalline structure, composition, particle shape and size define the successful use of these phases. Among them, metastable amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) is currently gaining particular attention due to its inherently high reactivity in solution, which is crucial in bone development mechanisms. However, the preparation of this highly desired (bio)material with control over its shape, size and phase purity Calcium phosphates stand among the most promising nanobiomaterials in key biomedical applications as bone repairment, signalling or drug/gene delivery. Their intrinsic properties as crystalline structure, composition, particle shape and size define their successful use. Among these compounds, metastable amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) is currently gaining particular attention due to its inherently high reactivity in solution, which is crucial in bone development mechanisms. However, the preparation of this highly desired (bio)material with control over its shape, size and phase purity remains as a synthetic challenge. Herein, we have adapted the Epoxide Route for the synthesis of pure and stable ACP colloids. By using biocompatible solvents such as ethylene glycol and/or glycerine we are able to avoid the natural tendency of ACP to maturate into more stable and crystalline apatites. Moreover, this procedure offers size control, ranging from small nanoparticles (60 nm) to micrometric spheroids (>500 nm). The eventual fractalization of the internal mesostructured can be tuned, by simply adjusting the composition of the ethylene glycol:glycerine solvent mixture. These findings introduce the use of green solvents as a new tool to control crystallinity and/or particle size in the synthesis of nanomaterials, avoiding the use of capping agents and preserving the natural chemical reactivity of the pristine surface. remains as a synthetic challenge. Herein, we have adapted the Epoxide Route for the synthesis of pure and stable ACP colloids. By using biocompatible solvents such as ethylene glycol and/or glycerine we are able to avoid the natural tendency of ACP to maturate into more stable and crystalline apatites. Moreover, this procedure offers size control, ranging from small nanoparticles (60 nm) to micrometric spheroids (>500 nm). The eventual fractalization of the internal mesostructured can be tuned, by simply adjusting the composition of the ethylene glycol:glycerine solvent mixture. These findings introduce the use of green solvents as a new tool to control crystallinity and/or particle size in the synthesis of nanomaterials, avoiding the use of capping agents and preserving the natural chemical reactivity of the pristine surface.Fil: Borovik, Paula Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Unidad Ejecutora Instituto de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad Ejecutora Instituto de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Oestreicher, Víctor Santiago Jesús. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; Argentina. Universidad de Valencia. Instituto de Ciencia Molecular.; EspañaFil: Huck Iriart, Cristián. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Jobbagy, Matias. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; Argentina. Universidad de Valencia. Instituto de Ciencia Molecular.; Españ

Reparation of an inflamed air-liquid interface cultured a549 cells with nebulized nanocurcumin

The anti-inflammatory, antifibrotic and antimicrobial activities of curcumin (CUR) are missed because of its low solubility in aqueous media, low bioavailability, and structural lability upon oral intake. Soft nanoparticles such as nanoliposomes are not efficient as CUR carriers, since crystalline CUR is expelled from them to physiological media. Nanostructures to efficiently trap and increase the aqueous solubility of CUR are needed to improve both oral or nebulized delivery of CUR. Here we showed that SRA1 targeted nanoarchaeosomes (nATC) [1:0.4 w:w:0.04] archaeolipids, tween 80 and CUR, 155 ± 16 nm sized of −20.7 ± 3.3 z potential, retained 0.22 mg CUR ± 0.09 per 12.9 mg lipids ± 4.0 (~600 µM CUR) in front to dilution, storage, and nebulization. Raman and fluorescence spectra and SAXS patterns were compatible with a mixture of enol and keto CUR tautomers trapped within the depths of nATC bilayer. Between 20 and 5 µg CUR/mL, nATC was endocytosed by THP1 and A549 liquid–liquid monolayers without noticeable cytotoxicity. Five micrograms of CUR/mL nATC nebulized on an inflamed air–liquid interface of A549 cells increased TEER, normalized the permeation of LY, and decreased il6, tnfα, and il8 levels. Overall, these results suggest the modified pharmacodynamics of CUR in nATC is useful for epithelia repair upon inflammatory damage, deserving further deeper exploration, particularly related to its targeting ability.Fil: Altube, María Julia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Diseño de Estrategias de Targeting de Drogas; ArgentinaFil: Caimi, Lilen Ivonne. Fundación Instituto Leloir; ArgentinaFil: Huck Iriart, Cristián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología; ArgentinaFil: Morilla, María José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Diseño de Estrategias de Targeting de Drogas; ArgentinaFil: Romero, Eder Lilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Diseño de Estrategias de Targeting de Drogas; Argentin

The rhythms of AMBEs (arousal-related motor behavioral episodes) in Agrypnia Excitata: a video motor analysis

In patients with Agrypnia Excitata with fatal familial insomnia (AE-FFI), oscillatory EEG rhythms appear during "pseudosleep" and during atypical REM sleep.Episodes of arousal-related motor behavioral episodes (AMBEs) with and without clearly elaborated behaviors, such as REM Behavior Disorder, constitute an intriguing finding without a known mechanism.Spinal cord involvement should be added to the manifestations of thalamo-limbic-brainstem disconnection. AMBEs can be incorporated into the context of motor abnormalities observed in FFI and other prionopathies.Fil: Garay, Arturo. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigación Clínica "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Giardino, Daniela Laura. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigación Clínica "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Huck Iriart, Cristián. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Blanco, Susana Alicia Ana. Ministerio de Salud. Instituto Nacional del Cáncer; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Reder, Anthony T.. University of Chicago; Estados Unido

Supramolecular organogels based on mesogenic 2,7-difunctionalized triphenylenes as a simple system for water content assessment in light alcohols

A series of three triphenylene compounds-denoted 2,7-THTP-DiCnOH-bearing four hexyloxy ancillary chains and two variable-length alkoxy chains terminally functionalized with hydroxyl groups have been synthesized and characterized. The studied compounds exhibited thermotropic mesomorphism; the detailed nature of the mesophases was found to depend on the relative positions of the terminal functional groups relative to the crown formed by the ancillary chains. All the studied compounds were able to act as supramolecular gelators in a variety of alcohols; their organogelating ability has been rationalized in terms of physicochemical parameters like the dielectric constant, which allowed us to establish very precise predictive "solvent gelation windows" for each compound. Remarkably stable gels have been detected for 2,7-THTP-DiC6OH in methanol. As a proof of principle, we present the water sensing performance as a rapid method for the assessment of water content in alcohol samples based on the influence that the water content exerts on the gels' thermostability.Fil: Vadra, Nahir. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; ArgentinaFil: Huck Iriart, Cristián. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Giovanetti, Lisandro Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Di Chenna, Pablo Hector. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Cukiernik, Fabio Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; Argentin

Temperature-programmed reduction and dispersive X-ray absorption spectroscopy studies of CeO2-based nanopowders for intermediate-temperature Solid-Oxide Fuel Cell anodes

In this work, we study the influence of the average crystallite size and dopant oxide on the reducibility of CeO2-based nanomaterials. Samples were prepared from commercial Gd2O3-, Sm2O3- and Y2O3-doped CeO2 powders by calcination at different temperatures ranging between 400 and 900C and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and BET specific surface area. The reducibility of the samples was analyzed by temperature-programmed reduction and in situ dispersive X-ray absorption spectroscopy techniques. Our results clearly demonstrate that samples treated at lower temperatures, of smallest average crystallite size and highest specific surface areas, exhibit the best performance, while Gd2O3-doped ceria materials display higher reducibility than Sm2O3- and Y2O3-doped CeO2

Unraveling the chemical state of cobalt in Co-based catalysts during Ethanol steam reforming: an in situ study by near ambient pressure XPS and XANES

Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

In situ study of the endotaxial growth of hexagonal CoSi2 nanoplatelets in Si(001)

This investigation aims at studying-by in situ grazing-incidence small-angle x-ray scattering-the process of growth of hexagonal CoSi2 nanoplatelets endotaxially buried in a Si(001) wafer. The early formation of spherical Co nanoparticles with bimodal size distribution in the deposited silica thin film during a pretreatment at 500 °C and their subsequent growth at 700 °C were also characterized. Isothermal annealing at 700 °C promotes a drastic reduction in the number of the smallest Co nanoparticles and a continuous decrease in their volume fraction in the silica thin film. At the same time, Co atoms diffuse across the SiO2/Si(001) interface into the silicon wafer, react with Si, and build up thin hexagonal CoSi2 nanoplatelets, all of them with their main surfaces parallel to Si{111} crystallographic planes. The observed progressive growths in thickness and lateral size of the hexagonal CoSi2 nanoplatelets occur at the expense of the dissolution of the small Co nanoparticles that are formed during the pretreatment at 500 °C and become unstable at the annealing temperature (700 °C). The kinetics of growth of the volume fraction of hexagonal platelets is well described by the classical Avrami equation.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicada