Evaluation of Different Concentrations of Antimicrobial Quaternary Polymers on the Behavior of Gelatin- and Starch-Based Films.

Nowadays, incorporating quaternary ammonium groups into polymers is one of the most promising strategies for preparing antimicrobial biomaterials for general applications. The main objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of antimicrobial quaternary polymers in gelatin- and starch-based films for the development of active materials intended for applications in food packaging and medical fields. Two antimicrobial biobased polymers, called MeFPIAx (MeFPIA1 and MeFPIA2), were previously synthesized through the radical polymerization of itaconic acid (IA), followed by their subsequent functionalization and modification.

Bio-Based and Biodegradable Polymeric Materials for a Circular Economy.

Nowadays, plastic contamination worldwide is a concerning reality that can be addressed with appropriate society education as well as looking for innovative polymeric alternatives based on the reuse of waste and recycling with a circular economy point of view, thus taking into consideration that a future world without plastic is quite impossible to conceive. In this regard, in this review, we focus on sustainable polymeric materials, biodegradable and bio-based polymers, additives, and micro/nanoparticles to be used to obtain new environmentally friendly polymeric-based materials. Although biodegradable polymers possess poorer overall properties than traditional ones, they have gained a huge interest in many industrial sectors due to their inherent biodegradability in natural environments.

AutoPeptideML: a study on how to build more trustworthy peptide bioactivity predictors.

Motivation: Automated machine learning (AutoML) solutions can bridge the gap between new computational advances and their real-world applications by enabling experimental scientists to build their own custom models. We examine different steps in the development life-cycle of peptide bioactivity binary predictors and identify key steps where automation cannot only result in a more accessible method, but also more robust and interpretable evaluation leading to more trustworthy models.

Results: We present a new automated method for drawing negative peptides that achieves better balance between specificity and generalization than current alternatives.

Variability in Maize Seed Bacterization and Survival Correlating with Root Colonization by Isolates with Plant-Probiotic Traits.

Seed treatment with plant growth-promoting bacteria represents the primary strategy to incorporate them into agricultural ecosystems, particularly for crops under extensive management, such as maize. In this study, we evaluated the seed bacterization levels, root colonization patterns, and root competitiveness of a collection of autochthonous isolates that have demonstrated several plant-probiotic abilities in vitro. Our findings indicate that the seed bacterization level, both with and without the addition of various protectants, is specific to each strain, including their response to seed pre-hydration.

Evaluating the potential of ethyl cellulose/eudragit-based griseofulvin loaded nanosponge matrix for topical antifungal drug delivery in a sustained release pattern.

Fungal infections are very alarming nowadays and are common throughout the world. Severe fungal infections may lead to a significant risk of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Sustained delivery of antifungal agents is needed to mitigate this problem.

Cholesterol nanoarchaeosomes for alendronate targeted delivery as an anti-endothelial dysfunction agent.

Sodium alendronate (ALN) is a very hydrosoluble and poorly permeable molecule used as an antiresorptive agent and with vascular anticalcifying capacity. Loaded into targeted nanovesicles, its anti-inflammatory activity may be amplified towards extra-osseous and noncalcified target cells, such as severely irritated vascular endothelium. Here cytotoxicity, mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP content, and membrane fluidity of human endothelial venous cells (HUVECs) were determined after endocytosis of ALN-loaded nanoarchaeosomes (nanoARC-Chol(ALN), made of polar lipids from : cholesterol 7:3 w/w, 166 ± 5 nm, 0.

Nanomedicines against Chagas disease: a critical review.

Chagas disease (CD) is the most important endemic parasitosis in South America and represents a great socioeconomic burden for the chronically ill and their families. The only currently available treatment against CD is based on the oral administration of benznidazole, an agent, developed in 1971, of controversial effectiveness on chronically ill patients and toxic to adults. So far, conventional pharmacological approaches have failed to offer more effective and less toxic alternatives to benznidazole.

Genome analysis and biogeographic distribution of the earliest divergent Frankia clade in the southern hemisphere.

Coriariaceae are a small plant family of 14-17 species and subspecies that currently have a global but disjunct distribution. All species can form root nodules in symbiosis with diazotrophic Frankia cluster-2 strains, which form the earliest divergent symbiotic clade within this bacterial genus. Studies on Frankia cluster-2 mostly have focused on strains occurring in the northern hemisphere.

Functional characterization of biodegradable films obtained from whole Paecilomyces variotii biomass.

The indiscriminate use of petroleum-based polymers and plastics for single-use food packaging has led to serious environmental problems due the non-biodegradable characteristics. Thus, much attention has been focused on the research of new biobased and biodegradable materials. Yeast and fungal biomass are low-cost and abundant sources of biopolymers with highly promising properties for the development of biodegradable materials.

Structured Tandem Repeats in Protein Interactions.

Tandem repeats (TRs) in protein sequences are consecutive, highly similar sequence motifs. Some types of TRs fold into structural units that pack together in ensembles, forming either an (open) elongated domain or a (closed) propeller, where the last unit of the ensemble packs against the first one. Here, we examine TR proteins (TRPs) to see how their sequence, structure, and evolutionary properties favor them for a function as mediators of protein interactions.

Searching for Frataxin Function: Exploring the Analogy with Nqo15, the Frataxin-like Protein of Respiratory Complex I from .

Nqo15 is a subunit of respiratory complex I of the bacterium , with strong structural similarity to human frataxin (FXN), a protein involved in the mitochondrial disease Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA). Recently, we showed that the expression of recombinant Nqo15 can ameliorate the respiratory phenotype of FRDA patients' cells, and this prompted us to further characterize both the Nqo15 solution's behavior and its potential functional overlap with FXN, using a combination of in silico and in vitro techniques. We studied the analogy of Nqo15 and FXN by performing extensive database searches based on sequence and structure.

A New Method to Evaluate Lower Esophageal Distension Capacity in Eosinophilic Esophagitis by Using Functional Lumen Imaging Probe (EndoFLIP™).

Endoluminal functional lumen impedance planimetry (EndoFLIP) has become the gold standard to evaluate esophageal distensibility, although the study itself and its analysis present challenges. We propose here a new method to assess lower esophageal distension capacity that overcomes several limitations of prior approaches, including incomplete and corrupted EndoFLIP recordings. Esophageal distension capacity was evaluated with a 16-channel EndoFLIP in 10 controls and 14 patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).

Vasopressin Analog [VQ]dDAVP Exerts Cooperative Anticancer Effects in Combination With Low-Dose 5-Fluorouracil on Aggressive Colorectal Cancer Models.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. Despite being an essential component of systemic chemotherapy for advanced CRC, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) clinical use has severe limitations, such as high toxicity, low selectivity and drug resistance. [VQ]dDAVP (1-deamino-4-valine-5-glutamine-8-D-arginine vasopressin) is a peptide vasopressin analog and a selective agonist of the arginine vasopressin type 2 membrane receptor (AVPR2), expressed in microvascular and tumor tissue.

"Multivariate analysis of the impact of sleep and working hours on medical errors: a MICE approach".

Background: The main objective of this study was to describe the relationship between working conditions, sleep and psycho-affective variables and medical errors.

Methods: This was an observational, analytical and cross-sectional study in which 661 medical residents answered questionnaires about working conditions, sleep and psycho-affective variables. Actigraphic sleep parameters and peripheral temperature circadian rhythm were measured in a subgroup of 38 subjects.

Unveiling the Secrets of Calcium-Dependent Proteins in Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria: An Abundance of Discoveries Awaits.

The role of Calcium ions (Ca) is extensively documented and comprehensively understood in eukaryotic organisms. Nevertheless, emerging insights, primarily derived from studies on human pathogenic bacteria, suggest that this ion also plays a pivotal role in prokaryotes. In this review, our primary focus will be on unraveling the intricate Ca toolkit within prokaryotic organisms, with particular emphasis on its implications for plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR).

Chronotype delay and sleep disturbances shaped by the Antarctic polar night.

Chronotype is a reliable biomarker for studying the influence of external zeitgebers on circadian entrainment. Assessment of chronotype variation in participants exposed to extreme photoperiods may be useful to investigate how changes in light-dark cycle modulate the circadian system. This study aimed to examine chronotype and sleep changes during a winter campaign at the Argentine Antarctic station Belgrano II.

Comparative phylogenomics and phylotranscriptomics provide insights into the genetic complexity of nitrogen-fixing root-nodule symbiosis.

Plant root-nodule symbiosis (RNS) with mutualistic nitrogen-fixing bacteria is restricted to a single clade of angiosperms, the Nitrogen-Fixing Nodulation Clade (NFNC), and is best understood in the legume family. Nodulating species share many commonalities, explained either by divergence from a common ancestor over 100 million years ago or by convergence following independent origins over that same time period. Regardless, comparative analyses of diverse nodulation syndromes can provide insights into constraints on nodulation-what must be acquired or cannot be lost for a functional symbiosis-and the latitude for variation in the symbiosis.

More Than Pigments: The Potential of Astaxanthin and Bacterioruberin-Based Nanomedicines.

Carotenoids are natural products regulated by the food sector, currently used as feed dyes and as antioxidants in dietary supplements and composing functional foods for human consumption. Of the nearly one thousand carotenoids described to date, only retinoids, derived from beta carotene, have the status of a drug and are regulated by the pharmaceutical sector. In this review, we address a novel field: the transformation of xanthophylls, particularly the highly marketed astaxanthin and the practically unknown bacterioruberin, in therapeutic agents by altering their pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and pharmacodynamics through their formulation as nanomedicines.

Longitudinal analysis of social isolation effects on finger tapping in the Blursday database.

The Blursday database is a collection of data obtained online from a longitudinal study where participants were asked to participate in several behavioral tasks and questionnaires during the COVID-19 pandemic from their homes. In this study, we analyzed the published data to explore (1) the longitudinal changes in temporal cognition observed from the data collected in the home-based setting (2), the effects of the voluntary quarantine measures implemented in Japan on temporal cognition, (3) whether the participant's temporal cognition is altered by the change in their psychological state or their cognitive abilities, and (4) whether the effects of the quarantine measures depend on the age of the individual. Results show that confinement measures were good predictors for the performance in both spontaneous finger-tapping task and paced finger-tapping task, though these were dependent on the age of the participant.

Two-Step Preparation of Protein-Decorated Biohybrid Quantum Dot Nanoparticles for Cellular Uptake.

Decoration of nanoparticles with specific molecules such as antibodies, peptides, and proteins that preserve their biological properties is essential for the recognition and internalization of their specific target cells. Inefficient preparation of such decorated nanoparticles leads to nonspecific interactions diverting them from their desired target. We report a simple two-step procedure for the preparation of biohybrid nanoparticles containing a core of hydrophobic quantum dots coated with a multilayer of human serum albumin.

Inhaled lipid nanocarriers for pulmonary delivery of glucocorticoids: Previous strategies, recent advances and key factors description.

In view of the strong anti-inflammatory activity of glucocorticoids (GC) they are used in the treatment of almost all inflammatory lung diseases. In particular, inhaled GC (IGC) allow high drug concentrations to be deposited in the lung and may reduce the incidence of adverse effects associated with systemic administration. However, rapid absorption through the highly absorbent surface of the lung epithelium may limit the success of localized therapy.

Protein repeats evolve and emerge in giant viruses.

Nucleocytoplasmatic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs or giant viruses) stand out because of their relatively large genomes encoding hundreds of proteins. These species give us an unprecedented opportunity to study the emergence and evolution of repeats in protein sequences. On the one hand, as viruses, these species have a restricted set of functions, which can help us better define the functional landscape of repeats.