Formation of Microcapsules of Pullulan by Emulsion Template Mechanism: Evaluation as Vitamin C Delivery Systems.

Pullulan is a polysaccharide that has attracted the attention of scientists in recent times as a former of edible films. On the other hand, its use for the preparation of hydrogels needs more study, as well as the formation of pullulan microcapsules as active ingredient release systems for the food industry. Due to the slow gelation kinetics of pullulan with sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP), capsules cannot be formed through the conventional method of dropping into a solution of the gelling agent, as with other polysaccharides, since the pullulan chains migrate to the medium before the capsules can form by gelation.

EHO-85, Novel Amorphous Antioxidant Hydrogel, Containing Leaf Extract-Rheological Properties, and Superiority over a Standard Hydrogel in Accelerating Early Wound Healing: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Many advanced wound healing dressings exist, but there is little high-quality evidence to support them. To determine the performance of a novel amorphous hydrogel (EHO-85) in relation to its application, we compared its rheological properties with those of other standard hydrogels (SH), and we assessed the induction of acceleration of the early stages of wound healing as a secondary objective of a prospective, multicenter, randomized, observer-blinded, controlled trial. The patients were recruited if they had pressure, venous, or diabetic foot ulcers and were treated with EHO-85 ( = 103) or VariHesive (SH) ( = 92), and their response was assessed by intention-to-treat as wound area reduction (WAR (%)) and healing rate (HR mm/day) in the second and fourth weeks of treatment.

Study of nanoemulsions using carvacrol/MCT-(Oleic acid-potassium oleate)/ Tween 80 ®- water system by low energy method.

Carvacrol is studied in different fields due to its microbial and antioxidant properties. Its use is limited because of the water insolubility and its strong taste. To overcome these problems, carvacrol has been successfully loaded into nanoemulsions.

Anatomical damage caused by Bacillus thuringiensis variety israelensis in yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti (L.) larvae revealed by micro-computed tomography.

With micro-computed tomography techniques, using the single-distance phase-retrieval algorithm phase contrast, we reconstructed enhanced rendered images of soft tissues of Aedes aeqypti fourth instar larvae after Bti treatment. In contrast to previous publications based on conventional microscopy, either optical or electron microscopy, which were limited to partial studies, mostly in the form of histological sections, here we show for the first time the effects of Bti on the complete internal anatomy of an insect. Using 3D rendered images it was possible to study the effect of the bacterium in tissues and organs, not only in sections but also as a whole.

pathogenicity involves virulence factor expression and upregulation of bioenergetic and biosynthetic pathways.

The molecular repertoire of effects its virulence and impacts the clinical course of the resulting Chagas disease. This study aimed to determine the mechanism underlying the pathogenicity of . Two cell lines (C8C3 and C8C3), obtained from the clone H510 C8C3 and exhibiting different virulence phenotypes, were used to evaluate the parasite's infectivity in mice.

15.1, a Strain Active against , Contains a Novel Phage and a Phage-Related Particle with Bacteriocin Activity.

A 98.1 Kb genomic region from 15.1, a strain isolated as an entomopathogen toward , the Mediterranean fruit fly, has been characterised in search of potential virulence factors.

Characterization and functional analysis of the proteins Prohibitin 1 and 2 in Trypanosoma cruzi.

Background: Chagas disease is the third most important neglected tropical disease. There is no vaccine available, and only two drugs are generally prescribed for the treatment, both of which with a wide range of side effects. Our study of T.

Absence of Toxoplasma gondii in 100% Iberian products from experimentally infected pigs cured following a specific traditional process.

Infection with Toxoplasma gondii in humans has usually been related to the consumption of raw, undercooked or cured meat. Our study is based on the detection of T. gondii in cured legs and shoulders made from 100% Iberian sows fed mainly with acorn and raised as outdoor livestock in Aracena (Spain), which having been elaborated following a specific curing process (time period and location).

A Tribute to a Master: Professor David J. Ellar.

This Special Issue, on and its toxins, seems to be the right place to pay tribute to one of the most influential scientists in the field of research into this peculiar bacterium [...

Making 3D-Cry Toxin Mutants: Much More Than a Tool of Understanding Toxins Mechanism of Action.

3D-Cry toxins, produced by the entomopathogenic bacterium , have been extensively mutated in order to elucidate their elegant and complex mechanism of action necessary to kill susceptible insects. Together with the study of the resistant insects, 3D-Cry toxin mutants represent one of the pillars to understanding how these toxins exert their activity on their host. The principle is simple, if an amino acid is involved and essential in the mechanism of action, when substituted, the activity of the toxin will be diminished.

Using phage display technology to obtain Crybodies active against non-target insects.

The insecticidal Cry toxins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are increasingly important in the biological control of insect pests and vectors of human disease. Markets for Bt products and transgenic plants expressing their toxins are driven by their specificity, safety and the move away from chemical control agents. However, the high specificity of Cry toxins can also prove to be a limitation when there is no known Cry toxin active against a particular target.

The parasporal crystals of Bacillus pumilus strain 15.1: a potential virulence factor?

Bacillus pumilus strain 15.1 was previously found to cause larval mortality in the Med-fly Ceratitis capitata and was shown to produce crystals in association with the spore. As parasporal crystals are well-known as invertebrate-active toxins in entomopathogenic bacteria such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Cry and Cyt toxins) and Lysinibacillus sphaericus (Bin and Cry toxins), the B.

Threatened preterm labor is a risk factor for impaired cognitive development in early childhood.

Background: Threatened preterm labor is a leading cause of hospital admission during pregnancy. Patients with an episode of threatened preterm labor who deliver at term are considered to have false preterm labor. However, threatened preterm labor has been proposed as a pathologic insult that is not always sufficient to induce irreversible spontaneous preterm birth but that could alter the normal course of pregnancy.

An in-depth characterization of the entomopathogenic strain Bacillus pumilus 15.1 reveals that it produces inclusion bodies similar to the parasporal crystals of Bacillus thuringiensis.

In the present work, the local isolate Bacillus pumilus 15.1 has been morphologically and biochemically characterized in order to gain a better understanding of this novel entomopathogenic strain active against Ceratitis capitata. This strain could represent an interesting biothechnological tool for the control of this pest.

Identification, sequencing and comparative analysis of pBp15.S plasmid from the newly described entomopathogen Bacillus pumilus 15.1.

The Bacillus pumilus 15.1 strain, a recently described entomopathogenic strain active against Ceratitis capitata, contains at least two extrachromosomal elements, pBp15.1S and pBp15.

Draft Genome Sequence of the Entomopathogenic Bacterium Bacillus pumilus 15.1, a Strain Highly Toxic to the Mediterranean Fruit Fly Ceratitis capitata.

We present the draft whole-genome sequence of the entomopathogenic Bacillus pumilus 15.1 strain that consists of 3,795,691 bp and 3,776 predicted protein-coding genes. This genome sequence provides the basis for understanding the potential mechanism behind the toxicity and virulence of B.

Immobilization of pectinesterase in genipin-crosslinked chitosan membrane for low methoxyl pectin production.

In this study, an environmentally friendly method for preparation of chitosan crosslinked membranes with different genipin concentrations (0, 125, 250, and 500 mg/L) was developed. Genipin-crosslinked chitosan membranes were used for the immobilization of fungal pectinesterase (PE). PE was efficiently immobilized in chitosan membranes and used for modification of high-methoxylated pectins into low-methoxylated pectins.

Chitosan macroporous foams obtained in highly concentrated emulsions as templates.

Emulsion templating is an effective route for the preparation of macroporous polymer foams, with well-defined pore structures. This kind of material is usually obtained by polymerization or crosslinking in the external phase of highly concentrated emulsions. The present article describes the synthesis of macroporous foams based on a cationic polymer, chitosan, crosslinked with genipin, a natural crosslinker.

Electrostatic binding and hydrophobic collapse of peptide-nucleic acid aggregates quantified using force spectroscopy.

Knowledge of the mechanisms of interaction between self-aggregating peptides and nucleic acids or other polyanions is key to the understanding of many aggregation processes underlying several human diseases (e.g., Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases).

Oil-in-alcohol highly concentrated emulsions as templates for the preparation of macroporous materials.

New oil-in-alcohol highly concentrated emulsions were formulated and were used as a templates to obtain macroporous poly(furfuryl alcohol) monoliths by a one-step method. The oil-in-alcohol highly concentrated emulsions were prepared by stepwise addition of the oil phase to the surfactant-alcohol solution and were characterized by optical microscopy and by laser diffraction. The typical structure of highly concentrated emulsions, with close-packed polyhedral droplets, has been observed.

Selection of a Bacillus pumilus strain highly active against Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) larvae.

Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), is one of the most important fruit pests worldwide. The medfly is a polyphagous species that causes losses in many crops, which leads to huge economic losses. Entomopathogenic bacteria belonging to the genus Bacillus have been proven to be safe, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective tools to control pest populations.

Tolerance of plastic-encapsulated Pseudomonas putida KT2440 to chemical stress.

Pseudomonas putida dried in the presence of hydroxyectoine or trehalose can withstand exposure to organic solvents and therefore can be encapsulated inside plastics such as polystyrene. Here we show that P. putida in a plastic-encapsulated dried tablet exhibits remarkable tolerance to chemical stress, comparable to that of spores of Bacillus subtilis.

Bacillus cereus Fur regulates iron metabolism and is required for full virulence.

A homologue of the Bacillus subtilis fur gene was identified in Bacillus cereus and characterized. The predicted amino acid sequence of the cloned gene was found to be highly similar to other members of the Fur family of transcriptional regulators. The B.

Display of biologically functional insecticidal toxin on the surface of lambda phage.

The successful use of Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal toxins to control agricultural pests could be undermined by the evolution of insect resistance. Under selection pressure in the laboratory, a number of insects have gained resistance to the toxins, and several cases of resistance in the diamondback moth have been reported from the field. The use of protein engineering to develop novel toxins active against resistant insects could offer a solution to this problem.