Alginate Microbeads Containing Halloysite and Layered Double Hydroxide as Efficient Carriers of Natural Antimicrobials.

The present paper describes the preparation and characterization of novel microbeads from alginate filled with nanoclay such as halloysite nanotubes (HNTs). HNTs were used as support for the growth of layered double hydroxide (LDH) crystals producing a flower-like structure (HNT@LDH). Such nanofiller was loaded with grapefruit seed oil (GO), an active compound with antimicrobial activity, up to 50% wt.

Quercetin-Loaded Polycaprolactone-Polyvinylpyrrolidone Electrospun Membranes for Health Application: Design, Characterization, Modeling and Cytotoxicity Studies.

Fibrous membranes of polycaprolactone (PCL)-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) encapsulating 15% wt of quercetin are fabricated by a uniaxial electrospinning technique. Morphological analysis of the electrospun systems proved the fabrication of micrometric fibers (1.58 µm for PCL/PVP and 2.

One-Pot Terpolymerization of Macrolactones with Limonene Oxide and Phtalic Anhydride to Produce di-Block Semi-Aromatic Polyesters.

The synthesis of novel block copolymers, namely poly(limonene-phthalate)--poly(pentadecalactone) and poly(limonene-phthalate)--poly(pentadecalactone) is here described. To achieve this synthesis, a bimetallic aluminum based complex () was used as catalyst in the combination of two distinct processes: the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of macrolactones such as ω-pentadecalactone (PDL) and ω-6-hexadecenlactone (HDL) and the ring-opening copolymerization (ROCOP) of limonene oxide (LO) and phthalic anhydride (PA). The synthesis of di-block polyesters was performed in a procedure, where the semi-aromatic polyester block was firstly formed by ROCOP of LO and PA, followed by the polyethylene like portion produced by ROP of macrolactones (PDL or HDL).

Encapsulation of Grape ( L.) Pomace Polyphenols in Soybean Extract-Based Hydrogel Beads as Carriers of Polyphenols and pH-Monitoring Devices.

In this work, novel bio-based hydrogel beads were fabricated by using soybean extract as raw waste material loaded with Lambrusco extract, an Italian grape cultivar. The phenolic profile and the total amount of anthocyanins from the Lambrusco extract were evaluated before encapsulating it in soybean extract-based hydrogels produced through an ionotropic gelation technique. The physical properties of the produced hydrogel beads were then studied in terms of their morphological and spectroscopic properties.

Fabrication and Characterization of Bio-Nanocomposites Based on Halloysite-Encapsulating Grapefruit Seed Oil in a Pectin Matrix as a Novel Bio-Coating for Strawberry Protection.

In the framework of designing a novel bio-coating for the preservation of fresh fruits, this paper reports the design, preparation, and characterization of novel bio-nanocomposites based on pectin loaded with grapefruit seed oil (GO), a natural compound with antimicrobial properties, encapsulated into halloysite nanotubes (HNTs). The vacuum-based methodology was used for the encapsulation of the oil into the hollow area of the nanotubes, obtaining nano-hybrids (HNT-GO) with oil concentrations equal to 20, 30, and 50 wt%. Physical properties (thermal, mechanical, barrier, optical) were analyzed.

Hemp fibers modified with graphite oxide as green and efficient solution for water remediation: Application to methylene blue.

In this paper, the use of hemp fibers modified with graphite oxide for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions was investigated. Parameters such as contact time, pH, temperature, initial concentration of dye and ionic strength were varied and their effects on the adsorption recovery were evaluated. The adsorption process attained the equilibrium within 30 min while the adsorption capacity was found to increase with increasing contact time.

Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity of Curcumin-Loaded Electrospun Nanofibers for the Prevention of the Biofilm-Associated Infections.

Curcumin extracted from the rhizome of has been used in therapeutic preparations for centuries in different parts of the world. However, its bioactivity is limited by chemical instability, water insolubility, low bioavailability, and extensive metabolism. In this study, the coaxial electrospinning technique was used to produce both poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL)-curcumin and core-shell nanofibers composed of PCL and curcumin in the core and poly (lactic acid) (PLA) in the shell.

Factors influencing the aesthetics of smile: An observational study on clinical assessment and patient's perception.

Aim: To clinically assess the aesthetics of smile and the possible influencing factors.

Materials And Methods: In this explorative study, an initial questionnaire on demographic variables and perception of own quality of smile (Visual Analogue Scale) was administered by a first examiner. A second blinded assessor examined all patients and recorded clinical data.

The Smile Esthetic Index (SEI): A method to measure the esthetics of the smile. An intra-rater and inter-rater agreement study.

Purpose: To propose a method to measure the esthetics of the smile and to report its validation by means of an intra-rater and inter-rater agreement analysis.

Materials And Methods: Ten variables were chosen as determinants for the esthetics of a smile: smile line and facial midline, tooth alignment, tooth deformity, tooth dischromy, gingival dischromy, gingival recession, gingival excess, gingival scars and diastema/missing papillae. One examiner consecutively selected seventy smile pictures, which were in the frontal view.