Novel locally active estrogens accelerate cutaneous wound healing-part 2

Estrogen deprivation is associated with delayed healing, while estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) accelerates acute wound healing and protects against development of chronic wounds. However, current estrogenic molecules have undesired systemic effects, thus the aim of our studies is to generate new molecules for topic administration that are devoid of systemic effects. Following a preliminary study, the new 17β-estradiol derivatives 1 were synthesized. The estrogenic activity of these novel compounds was evaluated in vitro using the cell line ERE-Luc B17 stably transfected with an ERE-Luc reporter. Among the 17β-estradiol derivatives synthesized, compounds 1e and 1f showed the highest transactivation potency and were therefore selected for the study of their systemic estrogenic activity. The study of these compounds in the ERE-Luc mouse model demonstrated that both compounds lack systemic effects when administered in the wound area. Furthermore, wound-healing experiments showed that 1e displays a significant regenerative and anti-inflammatory activity. It is therefore confirmed that this class of compounds are suitable for topical administration and have a clear beneficial effect on wound healing

Performance Assessment in Fingerprinting and Multi Component Quantitative NMR Analyses

An interlaboratory comparison (ILC) was organized with the aim to set up quality control indicators suitable for multicomponent quantitative analysis by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. A total of 36 NMR data sets (corresponding to 1260 NMR spectra) were produced by 30 participants using 34 NMR spectrometers. The calibration line method was chosen for the quantification of a five-component model mixture. Results show that quantitative NMR is a robust quantification tool and that 26 out of 36 data sets resulted in statistically equivalent calibration lines for all considered NMR signals. The performance of each laboratory was assessed by means of a new performance index (named Qp-score) which is related to the difference between the experimental and the consensus values of the slope of the calibration lines. Laboratories endowed with a Qp-score falling within the suitable acceptability range are qualified to produce NMR spectra that can be considered statistically equivalent in terms of relative intensities of the signals. In addition, the specific response of nuclei to the experimental excitation/relaxation conditions was addressed by means of the parameter named NR. NR is related to the difference between the theoretical and the consensus slopes of the calibration lines and is specific for each signal produced by a well-defined set of acquisition parameters

ANALISI GC-MS DELLA FRAZIONE VOLATILE DI PASTA TRADITIONALE ITALIANA

La determinazione dei composti volatili che caratterizzano gli aromi negli alimenti è da tempo oggetto d’interesse per la comunità scientifica. La valutazione della qualità della pasta italiana coinvolge non solo parametri quali l’origine delle materie prime, i metodi di processo, gli standard d’igiene, ma anche l’analisi sensoriale per la determinazione degli aromi. Il grano come materia prima è caratterizzato da bassi livelli di composti volatili, infatti, gli aromi sono generati durante processi come l’impasto e l’essiccamento. A seconda della tecnologia di produzione, artigianale o industriale, l’essiccamento può avvenire con tempi e temperature differenti inducendo modificazioni fisiche sulla matrice tali da influire in misura differente sul profilo aromatico del prodotto finale. La valutazione della frazione volatile della pasta, mediante HS-SPME ed analisi GC-MS potrebbe discriminare il processo industriale da quello artigianale.The determination of the volatile compounds that characterize the aromas in foods has long been of interest to the scientific community. The evaluation of the quality of Italian pasta involves not only the parameters such as the origin of the raw materials, process methods, standards of hygiene, but also the sensory analysis for the determination of the aromas. The wheat as raw material is characterized by low levels of volatile compounds, in fact, the aromas are generated during processes such as kneading and drying. Depending on the technology of production, trade or industrial, drying can be done with time and temperature on the matrix inducing physical changes such as to affect to a different extent on the flavor profile of the final product. The evaluation of the volatile fraction of the paste, using HS-SPME and GC-MS analysis could discriminate the industrial process from the craft