A novel cationic β-cyclodextrin decorated with a choline-like pendant exhibits Iodophor, Mucoadhesive and bactericidal properties.

Iodine is a vital microelement and a powerful antiseptic with a rapid and broad spectrum of action. The development of iodophor compounds to improve the solubility and stability of iodine is still challenging. Here, we report the synthesis of a novel cationic β-cyclodextrin bearing a choline-like pendant (β-CD-Chol) designed to complex and deliver iodine to bacterial cells.

Orange Peel Waste as Feedstock for the Production of Glycerol-Free Biodiesel by the Microalgae .

The bioconversion of agri-food waste into high-value products is gaining growing interest worldwide. Orange peel waste (OPW) is the main by-product of orange juice production and contains high levels of moisture and carbohydrates. In this study, the orange waste extract (OWE) obtained through acid hydrolysis of OPW was used as a substrate in the cultivation of the marine microalgae .

Calix[4]arene Derivative for Iodine Capture and Effect on Leaching of Iodine through Packaging.

A hydrophobic calix[4]arene derivative was investigated for its iodine (I) capture efficiency from gaseous and liquid phase. The iodine uptake was followed by UV-vis spectroscopy. Additionally, the influence of the calix[4]arene derivative-polyolefin system on the leaching of iodine through packaging from a povidone-iodine-based (PVP-I) formulation was evaluated.

-Sulfonato-Calix[4]arene Micelles Stabilize a Povidone Iodine Solution: Supramolecular Interactions, Iodine Retention, and Bactericidal Activity.

Povidone iodine (PVPI) is an antiseptic widely used against a broad spectrum of pathogens. However, undesired side-effects are still associated with PVPI treatment due to the irritant effect of iodine. Reducing the concentration of a PVPI formulation could provide safer and more friendly formulations, for routine use and applications in very delicate organs such as the eye.

In Situ Studies of the Swelling by an Electrolyte in Electrochemical Doping of Ethylene Glycol-Substituted Polythiophene.

Organic mixed ionic electronic conductors (OMIECs) have the potential to enable diverse new technologies, ranging from biosensors to flexible energy storage devices and neuromorphic computing platforms. However, a study of these materials in their operating state, which convolves both passive and potential-driven solvent, cation, and anion ingress, is extremely difficult, inhibiting rational material design. In this report, we present a novel approach to the in situ studies of the electrochemical switching of a prototypical OMIEC based on oligoethylene glycol (oEG) substitution of semicrystalline regioregular polythiophene via grazing-incidence X-ray scattering.

Room-Temperature Postannealing Reduction via Aqueous Sodium Borohydride and Composition Optimization of Fully Solution-Processed Indium Tin Oxide Films.

Solution-processed transparent conductive oxides offer the advantages of low-cost, high-throughput fabrication of electronic devices compared to the specific requirements of vacuum deposition techniques. However, adapting the current state of the art to ink deposition calls for optimization of the precursor ink composition and the postdeposition process. Solution processing of indium tin oxide films can be accomplished at reduced temperatures (250-400 °C) by annealing soluble precursor metal salts together with a fuel/oxidizer, causing an exothermic reaction with elevated local temperatures.

Co-Loading of Temozolomide and Curcumin into a Calix[4]arene-Based Nanocontainer for Potential Combined Chemotherapy: Binding Features, Enhanced Drug Solubility and Stability in Aqueous Medium.

The co-delivery of anticancer drugs into tumor cells by a nanocarrier may provide a new paradigm in chemotherapy. Temozolomide and curcumin are anticancer drugs with a synergistic effect in the treatment of multiform glioblastoma. In this study, the entrapment and co-entrapment of temozolomide and curcumin in a -sulfonato-calix[4]arene nanoparticle was investigated by NMR spectroscopy, UV-vis spectrophotometry, isothermal titration calorimetry, and dynamic light scattering.

Polyphenolic Fraction from Olive Mill Wastewater: Scale-Up and in Vitro Studies for Ophthalmic Nutraceutical Applications.

The valorization of food wastes is a challenging opportunity for a green, sustainable, and competitive development of industry. Approximately 30 million m of olive mill wastewater (OMWW) are produced annually in the world as a by-product of the olive oil extraction process. In addition to being a serious environmental and economic issue because of their polluting load, OMWW can also represent a precious resource of high-added-value molecules such as polyphenols that show acclaimed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and can find useful applications in the pharmaceutical industry.

Sugar and mineral enriched fraction from olive mill wastewater for promising cosmeceutical application: characterization, in vitro and in vivo studies.

Nowadays, agro-food by-products represent a potential low-cost source of biologically active ingredients which have been paid significant attention as nutraceuticals, medicine, food and cosmetics. In a previous study we evaluated the total sugars, metals and polyphenols of olive mill wastewater (OMWW) from a Cerasuola olive cultivar. In the present work we selectively recovered a sugar and mineral enriched fraction (SMEF) from Cerasuola OMWW by a green adsorption/desorption process.

Enantiorecognition of planar "metallocenic" chirality by a nitrile hydratase/amidase bienzymatic system.

For the first time, a bacterial strain expressing a nitrile hydratase/amidase activity was able to recognize a planar element of chirality: Rhodococcus rhodochrous PA-34 whole cells catalysed with a high level of enantioselectivity the biotransformation of a novel nitrile ferrocene derivative into its corresponding amide and/or acid. An important parameter in the enzymatic recognition is the choice of the inducer selected for the bacterial growth phase.

Efficient synthesis of polyoxygenated flavones from naturally occurring flavanones.

Flavonoids are constituents of the human diet (they are present in many beverages and food), and in organisms they are responsible for several biological functions, including that of antioxidant. Because of the increasing interest in these molecules, methods for their synthesis and structural modification are of great importance; studies on the biological activities of many of these compounds are insufficient because of their scarcity and/or high cost. We have developed an expeditious synthesis of polyoxygenated flavones, starting from available and inexpensive flavanones, using a bromination-methoxylation procedure.

Chloroperoxidase from Caldariomyces fumago is active in the presence of an ionic liquid as co-solvent.

Chloroperoxidase from Caldariomyces fumago catalyses the oxidation of 1,2-dihydronaphthalene to (1R,2R)-(+)-dihydroxytetrahydronaphthalene in homogenous citrate buffer/ionic liquid mixtures, using t-butyl hydroperoxide as O2 donor. It tolerates up to 30 (v/v) 1,3-dimethylimidazolium methylsulfate or 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium methylsulfate. The enzyme activity in these ionic liquid co-solvent systems is retained for 24 h, but it falls to 3 h using non-ionic organic solvents such as t-BuOH or acetone.

Effective enzymatic resolution of rac-1-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)propan-2-ol, precursor of fenfluramine.

Lipases from Candida antarctica and from Mucor miehei efficiently catalyze the enantioselective esterification of rac-1-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)propan-2-ol. The obtained enantioforms are suitable to prepare both enantiomers of fenfluramine.

Multianalytic study on cervical HPV lesions.

Nowadays new sophisticated techniques of molecular biology based on the principles of hybridization between nucleic acids, allow a correct diagnosis of genital HPV infection. In the present paper, beside traditional diagnostic methods, we used In Situ Hybridization (ISH) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to detect the presence of HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31 and 33. We tested ten patients affected by cervical lesions of high histological atypias associated with HPV, who underwent surgical conization.

A role for tumor markers in therapeutic decisions after chemotherapy induction of objective remission in stage III epithelial ovarian neoplasms.

The management of advanced stage ovarian carcinomas is presently based on initial surgical debulking, multiple drug chemotherapy including cisplatinum, second-look laparotomy. Such an aggressive approach has improved objective response rates and expected survival time, but no dramatic change has been demonstrated as for definitive cure percentages. Many Authors have attempted to turn an optimal objective response to chemotherapy (no residual or minimal residual disease at second-look) into a definitive cure with irradiation.

Gonadotropin, prolactin and thyrotropin pituitary secretion after exogenous dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate administration in normal women.

The effect of exogenous dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHAS) on luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) pituitary secretion was studied in 8 normal women during the early follicular phase. The plasma levels of these hormones were evaluated after gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)/thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation performed after placebo or after 30 mg DHAS i.v.

Evaluation of tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor (TATI) in women with benign and malignant gynecological disease.

Tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor (TATI) was assayed in healthy subjects and in women with benign and malignant gynecological diseases. Significantly lower levels were found in boys than in healthy adult subjects. No variations in level were evident over the course of a 24 h period.

Different dopaminergic control of plasma luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone and prolactin in ovulatory and postmenopausal women: effect of ovariectomy.

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dopamine infusion on plasma luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone, (FSH) and prolactin (PRL) after acute (1 week postovariectomy) and chronic (postmenopausal women) estrogen withdrawal. We also studied the same group of postmenopausal women after ovariectomy to evaluate the possible influence of other gonadal factors on the endocrine effects of dopamine. In order to have a further indication of neuroendocrine dopamine activity on pituitary secretions, we measured the change in plasma LH, FSH and PRL after the administration of metoclopramide, a dopamine receptor antagonist.

CA 125 and CA 19-9 in peritoneal, cyst and amniotic fluids.

The concentrations of the tumour markers CA 125 and CA 19-9 were determined in peritoneal, cyst and amniotic fluids, with particular attention being paid to certain reliability criteria of the assay methods. The antigens were measured in undiluted samples and after several dilutions. A recovery test was also performed and protein content evaluated.

Plasma and cyst fluid levels of delta 5 and delta 4 steroid hormones in women with gross cystic breast disease.

delta 5 and delta 4 steroid levels were studied in the plasma and cyst fluid of women with gross cystic breast disease (GCBD). In luteal phase a significant increase in plasma levels (mean +/- SEM) of DHA (11.2 +/- 2.

Prolactin changes after administration of agonist and antagonist dopaminergic drugs in puerperal women.

Prolactin (PRL) is an anterior pituitary hormone which plays a large part in the reproductive function of mammals. Its only well-documented effect in humans is that of initiating and maintaining lactation. Among hypothalamic neurotransmitters regulating the anterior pituitary function, dopamine (DA) is currently considered to correspond to the PRL-inhibiting factor.

Prolactin secretion after surgery or bromocriptine treatment of prolactinoma.

In prolactinoma patients, the unresponsiveness of prolactin (PRL) to dynamic tests with thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) or dopamine agonist or antagonist drugs suggests that the disease is caused by the failure of central dopaminergic inhibition. The absence of PRL secretory response to dopamine or TRH in prolactinoma patients also may be an effect of the disease. Twenty-six women diagnosed by dynamic tests and radiologic examination as having PRL-secreting adenoma were treated surgically (15) or with bromocriptine (11) and their condition was evaluated one to three years later by TRH, nomifensine, and domperidone tests.