Evaluation of the composition and antimicrobial activities of essential oils from four species of Lamiaceae Martinov native to Iran

In this study the essential oils obtained from four different plant species belonging to the Lamiaceae family were extracted by means of hydrodistillation and their composition and antimicrobial activity were evaluated. About 66 components were identified by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and among all, thymol (67.7%), oleic acid (0.5-62.1%), (-)-caryophyllene oxide (0.4-24.8%), α-pinene (1.1-19.4%), 1,8-cineole (0.2-15.4%), palmitic acid (0.32-13.28%), ( +)spathulenol (11.16%), and germacrene D (0.3-10.3%) were the most abundant in all the species tested (i.e. Thymus daenensis, Nepeta sessilifolia, Hymenocrater incanus, and Stachys inflata). In particular, only the composition of essential oils from H. incanus was completely detected (99.13%), while that of the others was only partially detected. Oxygenated monoterpenes (75.57%) were the main compounds of essential oil from T. daenensis; sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons (26.88%) were the most abundant in S. inflata; oxygenated sesquiterpenes (41.22%) were mainly detected in H. incanus essential oil, while the essential oil from N. sessilifolia was mainly composed of non-terpene and fatty acids (77.18%). Due to their slightly different composition, also the antibacterial activity was affected by the essential oil tested. Indeed, the highest antibacterial and antifungal activities were obtained with the essential oil from T. daenensis by means of the inhibition halo (39 ± 1 and 25 ± 0 mm) against Gram-positive strains such as Staphylococcus aureus and Aspergillus brasiliensis. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal/fungicidal concentration (MBC/MFC) of the essential oils obtained from the four species varied from 16 to 2000 μg/mL and were strictly affected by the type of microorganism tested. As an example, the essential oils from H. incanus and S. inflata were the most effective against the Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC 16 and 63 μg/ml, respectively), which is considered one of the most resistant bacterial strain. Therefore, the essential oils obtained from the four species contained a suitable phytocomplexes with potential applications in different commercial area such as agriculture, food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Moreover, these essential oils can be considered a valuable natural alternative to some synthetic antibiotics, thanks to their ability to control the growth of different bacteria and fungi

Psychosocial correlates of flourishing in the late lifespan

Background Flourishing is a primary dimension of psychological well-being that contributes massively to the development of an active, purposeful, and respectful life, full of meaning, values, and personal interests that nurture social ties.AimsThis study primarily intended to examine the contribution of satisfaction with family relations, resilience, metacognitive efficiency, and crystallized intelligence in predicting a flourishing measure in cognitively healthy older adults. Moreover, the impact of gender was investigated on flourishing, satisfaction with family ties, resilience, and metacognitive efficiency.MethodsOne hundred and eighty 65-94-year-old community dwellers were recruited in Sardinia (Italy). Participants self-rated their flourishing, satisfaction with their family connections, psychological hardness (i.e., a dimension of resilience), and cognitive function, whereas global cognitive efficiency and vocabulary were assessed through two internationally validated objective tests.ResultsA hierarchical regression analysis revealed that 30% of the variance in the flourishing condition was explained by satisfaction with family ties, resilience, and metacognitive efficiency. In addition, males exhibited higher flourishing and satisfaction with family ties than females, and the former group also reported being more autonomous and acting proactively to influence its destiny.ConclusionEmotional support and rewarding relations with family members, the ability to face stressful events, and a good perception of one's cognitive efficiency play a crucial role in promoting flourishing in late adulthood

Centre selection for clinical trials and the generalisability of results: a mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: The rationale for centre selection in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) is often unclear but may have important implications for the generalisability of trial results. The aims of this study were to evaluate the factors which currently influence centre selection in RCTs and consider how generalisability considerations inform current and optimal practice. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Mixed methods approach consisting of a systematic review and meta-summary of centre selection criteria reported in RCT protocols funded by the UK National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) initiated between January 2005-January 2012; and an online survey on the topic of current and optimal centre selection, distributed to professionals in the 48 UK Clinical Trials Units and 10 NIHR Research Design Services. The survey design was informed by the systematic review and by two focus groups conducted with trialists at the Birmingham Centre for Clinical Trials. 129 trial protocols were included in the systematic review, with a total target sample size in excess of 317,000 participants. The meta-summary identified 53 unique centre selection criteria. 78 protocols (60%) provided at least one criterion for centre selection, but only 31 (24%) protocols explicitly acknowledged generalisability. This is consistent with the survey findings (n = 70), where less than a third of participants reported generalisability as a key driver of centre selection in current practice. This contrasts with trialists' views on optimal practice, where generalisability in terms of clinical practice, population characteristics and economic results were prime considerations for 60% (n = 42), 57% (n = 40) and 46% (n = 32) of respondents, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Centres are rarely enrolled in RCTs with an explicit view to external validity, although trialists acknowledge that incorporating generalisability in centre selection should ideally be more prominent. There is a need to operationalize 'generalisability' and incorporate it at the design stage of RCTs so that results are readily transferable to 'real world' practice

Jabuticaba (Myrciaria jaboticaba) peel as a sustainable source of anthocyanins and ellagitannins delivered by phospholipid vesicles for alleviating oxidative stress in human keratinocytes

The Brazilian berry scientifically known as jabuticaba is a fruit covered by a dark purple peel that is still rich in bioactives, especially polyphenols. Considering that, this work was aimed at obtaining an extract from the peel of jabuticaba fruits, identifying its main components, loading it in phospholipid vesicles specifically tailored for skin delivery and evaluating their biological efficacy. The extract was obtained by pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE), which is considered an easy and low dissipative method, and it was rich in polyphenolic compounds, especially flavonoids (ortho-diphenols and condensed tannins), anthocyanins (cyanidin 3-O-glucoside and delphinidin 3-O-glucoside) and gallic acid, which were responsible for the high antioxidant activity detected using different colorimetric methods (DPPH, FRAP, CUPRAC and metal chelation). To improve the stability and extract effectiveness, it was incorporated into ultradeformable phospholipid vesicles (transfersomes) that were modified by adding two different polymers (hydroxyethyl cellulose and sodium hyaluronate), thus obtaining HEcellulose-transfersomes and hyaluronan-transfersomes. Transfersomes without polymers were the smallest, as the addition of the polymer led to the formation of larger vesicles that were more stable in storage. The incorporation of the extract in the vesicles promoted their beneficial activities as they were capable, to a greater extent than the solution used as reference, of counteracting the toxic effect of hydrogen peroxide and even of speeding up the healing of a wound performed in a cell monolayer, especially when vesicles were enriched with polymers. Given that, polymer enriched vesicles may represent a good strategy to produce cosmetical and cosmeceutical products with beneficial properties for skin

A new bioinformatic pipeline allows the design of small, targeted gene panels for efficient TMB estimation

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Stability and Antioxidant Activity of Hydro-Glyceric Extracts Obtained from Different Grape Seed Varieties Incorporated in Cosmetic Creams

Grape seeds are agro-industrial by-products, which if improperly managed, may be responsible for socioeconomic and environmental problems. Nevertheless, it is possible to effectively valorize them by means of extraction of the bioactive compounds, especially the antioxidant phenolic molecules, using a safe, green, and environmentally-friendly extractive medium (i.e., hydro-glyceric solution). In the present study, the extraction was performed using seeds from two Lebanese varieties, Obeidi and Asswad Karech, and three international varieties, Marselan, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc. The type and amount of phenolic compounds were identified by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Marselan was the extract richer in catechins (132.99 +/- 9.81 mu g/g of dried matter), and it also contained a higher amount of phenolic compounds (49.08 +/- 0.03 mg of gallic acid equivalent/g of dry matter and 10.02 +/- 0.24 mg of proanthocyanidin content/g of dry matter). The antioxidant capacity of the extracts was assessed using three different colorimetric assays including 2,2-DiPhenyl-1-PicrylHydrazyl (DPPH), CUPRIC ion Reducing Antioxidant Capacity (CUPRAC), and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP). As expected, Marselan exhibited the highest antioxidant activity; as well, the total phenolic and proanthocyanidin content were the highest. The stability of the Marselan extract incorporated into a commercial cream, was performed at three different temperatures (4, 25, and 50 degrees C), and four different concentrations (5, 4, 3, 2%), over a period of 4 months, using different methods such as centrifugation, Heat-Shock Cycles, pH, and viscosity. All Marselan hydro-glyceric extract formulations were proven to be stable over the entire 4 months, where the highest stability was achieved at 4 degrees C and the least at 50 degrees C. This study supports the suitability of the incorporation of phenolic extracts into commercial creams to enrich the cosmetic industry with effective, natural, and safe skincare products

A Cocktail-Based Formula for the Design of Nanosized Cosmeceuticals as Skincare and Anti-Age Products

Nasco and Bovale grape pomace extracts, alone or in association, were loaded in nanoemulsions tailored for cosmetic application, using Kolliphor((R))RH40 (kolliphor) as the synthetic surfactant, Olivem((R))1000 (olivem) as the natural one, and lecithin as the cosurfactant. Pink transparent or milky dispersions, as a function of the used extract and surfactant, were obtained to be used as cosmeceutical serum or milk. The sizes of the nanoemulsion droplets were small ( approximate to 77 nm with kolliphor and approximate to 141 nm with olivem), homogenously dispersed (similar to 0.24 with kolliphor and similar to 0.16 with olivem), highly negatively charged ( similar to-43 mV irrespective of the used surfactant) and their stability either on storage or under stressing conditions was affected by the used extract and surfactant. Formulations protected the extracts from the degradation caused by UV exposition, were biocompatible against keratinocytes, protected them against oxidative damages induced using hydrogen peroxide and inhibited the release of nitrite induced in macrophages using the lipopolysaccharide inflammatory stimulus. The overall results underlined the key role played by the composition of the formula to achieve a suitable cosmeceutical for skin care but even for the prevention of premature aging and chronic damages caused by the stressing conditions

Dynamical non-axisymmetric instabilities in rotating relativistic stars

We present new results on dynamical instabilities in rapidly rotating neutron-stars. In particular, using numerical simulations in full General Relativity, we analyse the effects that the stellar compactness has on the threshold for the onset of the dynamical bar-mode instability, as well as on the appearance of other dynamical instabilities. By using an extrapolation technique developed and tested in our previous study [1], we explicitly determine the threshold for a wide range of compactnesses using four sequences of models of constant baryonic mass comprising a total of 59 stellar models. Our calculation of the threshold is in good agreement with the Newtonian prediction and improves the previous post-Newtonian estimates. In addition, we find that for stars with sufficiently large mass and compactness, the m=3 deformation is the fastest growing one. For all of the models considered, the non-axisymmetric instability is suppressed on a dynamical timescale with an m=1 deformation dominating the final stages of the instability. These results, together with those presented in [1], suggest that an m=1 deformation represents a general and late-time feature of non-axisymmetric dynamical instabilities both in full General Relativity and in Newtonian gravity.Comment: To appear on CQG, NFNR special issue. 16 pages, 5 color figures, movies from http://www.fis.unipr.it/numrel/BarMode/ResearchBarMode.htm

An outlook on modern and sustainable approaches to the management of grape pomace by integrating green processes, biotechnologies and advanced biomedical approaches

Grape pomace is the main solid residue of wine industry, mainly composed of seeds, skins and stalks, all containing high amounts of valuable phytochemicals. Considering its high potential, in this review, an outlook on different resources and products, which can be obtained by the recovery of grape pomace is provided. Special attention has been devoted to the analysis of chemical, physical and biotechnological processes to be applied and also to the high value compounds and products, such as supplements, nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals, that can be manufactured. In particular, in the first part of the review, an update on the composition of grape pomace has been provided along with the analysis of its traditional fate. In the second part, the more modern and green approaches tested to the sustainable management of grape pomace are reported and discussed