Radioprotection for Astronauts' Missions: Numerical Results on the Nomex Shielding Effectiveness.

Space missions with humans expose the crews to ionizing radiation, mainly due to the galactic cosmic radiation (GCR). All radiation protection programs in space aim to minimize crews' exposure to radiation. The radiation protection of astronauts can be achieved through the use of shields.

Biosynthesis and physico-chemical characterization of high performing peptide hydrogels@graphene oxide composites.

Hydrogels based on short peptide molecules are interesting biomaterials with wide present and prospective use in biotechnologies. A well-known possible drawback of these materials can be their limited mechanical performance. In order to overcome this problem, we prepared Fmoc-Pheself-assembling peptides by a biocatalytic approach, and we reinforced the hydrogel with graphene oxide nanosheets.

Biosynthesis of innovative calcium phosphate/hydrogel composites: physicochemical and biological characterisation.

The goal of supporting and directing tissue regeneration requires the design of new, advanced materials, with features like biocompatibility, biodegradability and adequate mechanical properties. Our work was focused on developing a new injectable biomimetic composite material, based on a peptidic hydrogel and calcium phosphates with the aim of mimicking the chemical composition of natural bone tissue. Arg-Gly-Asp-grafted chitosan was used to promote cell adhesion.

Noble metal nanoparticle-based networks as a new platform for lipase immobilization.

Enzyme immobilization on nanocarriers is nowadays considered a useful tool for improving activity and maintaining biocatalysts stability while facilitating their recovery and reuse. In this work we prepared Au and Ag based nanoparticles (AuNPs or AgNPs) stabilized with two different ligands, the organometallic dinuclear complex trans,trans-[dithiodibis(tributylphosphine)diplatinum(II)-4,4'-diethynylbiphenyl] (Pt-DEBP) and the organic dithiol 4,4'-dithiol-biphenyl (BI), able to link the NPs in 3D networks. We investigated the ability of these nanocarriers to interact with a model lipolytic enzyme from Pseudomonas fluorescens and maintain its activity, both in aqueous as well as in organic media.

Anti- Biofilm Activity of Pterostilbene or Crude Extract from Non-Fermented Grape Pomace Entrapped in Biopolymeric Nanoparticles.

Polymeric nanoparticle-based carriers are promising agents to deliver drugs to cells. phenolic compounds are known for their antifungal activity against . The aim of the present study was to investigate the antifungal activity of pterostilbene or crude extracts from non-fermented grape pomace, entrapped in poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid nanoparticles (NPs), with diameters of 50 and 150 nm, on biofilm.

Designing unconventional Fmoc-peptide-based biomaterials: structure and related properties.

We have recently employed L-amino acids in the lipase-catalyzed biofabrication of a class of self-assembling Fmoc-peptides that form 3-dimensional nanofiber scaffolds. Here we report that using d-amino acids, the homochiral self-assembling peptide Fmoc-D-Phe3 (Fmoc-F*F*F*) also forms a 3-dimensional nanofiber scaffold that is substantially distinguishable from its L-peptide and heterochiral peptide (F*FF and FF*F*) counterparts on the basis of their physico-chemical properties. Such chiral peptides self-assemble into ordered nanofibers with well defined fibrillar motifs.