Ferromagnetic contamination of Ultra-Low-Field-NMR sample containers. Quantification of the problem and possible solutions

The presence of a weak remanence in Ultra-Low-Field (ULF) NMR sample containers is investigated on the basis of proton precession. The high-sensitivity magnetometer used for the NMR detection, enables simultaneously the measurement of the static field produced in the sample proximity by ferromagnetic contaminants. The presence of the latter is studied by high resolution chemical analyses of the surface, based on X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and secondary ions mass spectroscopy. Methodologies to reduce the contamination are explored and characterized. This study is of relevance in any ULF-NMR experiment, as in the ULF regime spurious ferromagnetism becomes easily a dominant cause of artefacts.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures

Chemical characterization and antioxidant properties of products and by‐products from Olea europaea L.

The products and by-products of Olea europaea L.: olive fruits (primary agricultural product), oils (primary agro-industrial product), pomaces (agro-industrial processing by-product), and leaves (agricultural practices by-product), are promising sources of bioactive compounds. In the present study, qualitative and quantitative analyses of selected bioactive components in olive fruits, oils, and pomaces were performed. Total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity were analyzed in all samples (humid pomaces 2015: TPP, 26.0 ± 1.5–43.7 ± 3.0 g(GAEq)/kg DW; TEAC/ABTS, 189.5 ± 3.7–388.1 ± 12.0 mmol(Trx)kg DW). Radical (DPPH) quenching potential was analyzed via photometric and EPR methods, obtaining Vis/EPR signal ratio by 1.05 ± 0.45 and 1.66 ± 0.39 for fruits and pomaces, respectively. Through HPLC-UV and HPLC-MS/MS techniques, oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, as well as selected hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonoids, were identified and quantified in olive fruits and pomaces. The main components were rutin, luteolin, and chlorogenic acid. Cytotoxic assay on fibroblast cells revealed toxic effects for selected extracts at highest tested concentrations (5%)

Ecosistemi per la ricerca Atti Convegno ACNP/NILDE Trieste, 22-23 maggio 2014

Il secondo convegno congiunto ACNP / NILDE: ecosistemi per la ricerca è stato ospitato dal 22 al 23 maggio 2014 dall’Università di Trieste. Sotto gli auspici della stessa Università di Trieste e degli altri enti di ricerca del Friuli Venezia Giulia1 sono stati affrontati in un’ottica internazionale i temi del rapporto tra cataloghi collettivi e servizi interbibliotecari, e il più generale ambito dei servizi bibliografici per la ricerca scientifica. ACNP e NILDE possono essere considerati un vero e proprio ecosistema. Le biblioteche e i bibliotecari collaborano tra di loro in maniera reciproca e secondo modalità interconnesse, offrendo agli utenti servizi sempre più evoluti e dinamici. Questo ecosistema, essendo aperto, mette i propri servizi a disposizione della ricerca scientifica in senso generale. Il convegno di Trieste ha offerto l’occasione di investigare e proporre soluzioni innovative, interconnessioni e relazioni nuove e più proficue. Il convegno ha presentato alcune rilevanti esperienze internazionali in tema di servizi interbibliotecari e cataloghi collettivi e la prosecuzione di attività che erano state proposte come spunti di ispirazione nel convegno precedente2 inoltre si sono condotte delle riflessioni sulle nuove esigenze dell’utenza. Una ultima parte è dedicata alla illustrazione degli sviluppi tecnici e le prospettive future di ACNP e di NILDE. Hanno partecipato all’evento oltre 200 colleghi italiani e stranieri ed i relatori dei 18 contributi provenivano da Italia, Germania, Austria, Grecia, Slovenia e Stati Uniti. Il carattere di confronto e di condivisione delle esperienze tipico della realtà partecipativa di ACNP e NILDE, è emerso anche in questa occasione nella tavola rotonda - di cui viene riportato un resoconto dettagliato - che ha affrontato il tema della valutazione della ricerca dal punto di vista delle biblioteche. Inoltre, la molto partecipata sessione poster ha ospitato 13 lavori- anch’essi riportati nel volume - incentrati oltre che su ACNP e NILDE anche sul tema ricerca e sistema biblioteca, dando ottimi spunti di partecipazione, dialogo e confronto sulle diverse realtà in cui operiamo

Different Factors Affecting Human ANP Amyloid Aggregation and Their Implications in Congestive Heart Failure

Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (ANP)-containing amyloid is frequently found in the elderly heart. No data exist regarding ANP aggregation process and its link to pathologies. Our aims were: i) to experimentally prove the presumptive association of Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Isolated Atrial Amyloidosis (IAA); ii) to characterize ANP aggregation, thereby elucidating IAA implication in the CHF pathogenesis.A significant prevalence (85\%) of IAA was immunohistochemically proven ex vivo in biopsies from CHF patients. We investigated in vitro (using Congo Red, Thioflavin T, SDS-PAGE, transmission electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy) ANP fibrillogenesis, starting from α-ANP as well as the ability of dimeric β-ANP to promote amyloid formation. Different conditions were adopted, including those reproducing β-ANP prevalence in CHF. Our results defined the uncommon rapidity of α-ANP self-assembly at acidic pH supporting the hypothesis that such aggregates constitute the onset of a fibrillization process subsequently proceeding at physiological pH. Interestingly, CHF-like conditions induced the production of the most stable and time-resistant ANP fibrils suggesting that CHF affected people may be prone to develop IAA.We established a link between IAA and CHF by ex vivo examination and assessed that β-ANP is, in vitro, the seed of ANP fibrils. Our results indicate that β-ANP plays a crucial role in ANP amyloid deposition under physiopathological CHF conditions. Overall, our findings indicate that early IAA-related ANP deposition may occur in CHF and suggest that these latter patients should be monitored for the development of cardiac amyloidosis

Solid lipid nanoparticles produced via a coacervation method as promising carriers for controlled release of quercetin

Quercetin is a poorly water-soluble flavonoid with many benefits to human health. Besides the natural food resources that may provide Quercetin, the interest in delivery systems that could enhance its bioavailability in the human body has seen growth in recent years. Promising delivery system candidates are represented by Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs) which are composed of well-tolerated compounds and provide a relatively high encapsulation efficiency and suitable controlled release. In this study, Quercetin-loaded and negatively charged Solid Lipid Nanoparticles were synthesized based on a coacervation method, using stearic acid as a core lipid and Arabic Gum as a stabilizer. Samples were qualitatively characterized by Dynamic light scattering (DLS), Zeta Potential, Surface infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), and Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). Encapsulation efficiency, drug release, and antioxidant effect against ABTS•+ were evaluated in vitro by UV-VIS spectrophotometry

DEPENDENCE OF WATER UPTAKE AND MORPHOLOGY OF HYALURONAN AND ALGINATE BASED HYDROGELS ON pH AND DEGREE OF CROSSLINKING

Hydrogels of alginate and hyaluronan with 5%, 50% and 100% crosslinking, (percentage of polysaccharide carboxylate groups involved in crosslinking) are synthesized. Crosslinking and stoichiometry were varied by appropriate addition of chloromethylpyridine iodide (CMPI) to activate the carboxylic groups. Crosslinking percentage was determined by potentiometry, i.e., titrating the free carboxylate groups of the polysaccharide. Water uptake by the gels is studied in relation to crosslinking and pH. Hydrogen bonds in the three-dimensional network, as shown by FT-IR spectroscopy, are used to explain differences in water uptake and their dependence on pH. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the gels is performed at different pHs and the morphologies are compared with their chemical structures. Equilibrium water uptake of AA (gray) and HA (black) gels in relation to percentage crosslinking in 0.6 M NaCl

New hyaluroran derivative with prolonged half-life for ophthalmogical formulation

Two new hyaluronan derivatives containing phosphate or cystamine groups have been synthesised to obtain tear drops with improved rheological properties and prolonged half-life. Rheological analysis, in terms of apparent viscosity, pointed out that phosphorylated hyaluronan showed promising characteristics for the foreseen application. The presence of phosphate groups along the chains, confirmed by infrared analysis, induced a strengthening in hyaluronan hydrogen bond capability thus modifying its thermal behaviour and prolonging its resistance against hyaluronidase attack. Finally, in vitro cytoxicity tests excluded any adverse effect of the developed hyaluronan derivative

CDOM dynamics in the presence of inorganic (silica gel) versus polystyrene plastic particles: a laboratory study - oxygen concentrations

The present dataset relates to a study that explored dissolved organic matter dynamics under three scenarios: a particle-free environment, a particle-enriched system with polystyrene microplastics, and a particle-enriched system with inorganic particles (water insoluble SiO₂). In part 1 of the experiment, natural marine organic matter was obtained by culturing a non-axenic strain of Chaetoceros socialis in 2 L flasks under each of three scenarios (1C = control, 2PS = polystyrene, 3S = silica). Dissolved oxygen concentration was used as a proxy for bacterial activity. Oxygen was measured in each cuvette of all of the three scenarios 1C, 2PS and 3S with a FireSting Oxygen needle-type optical probe and temperature sensor, PyroScience® (Aachen, Germany), at the beginning of part 2 (day 7, t7)