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The authors report the case of a 71-year-old woman presented to the Emergency Department with acute ischemic stroke. She was treated with rt-PA and interventional endovascular revascularization and developed rapidly progressing angioedema that led to emergency intubation. The standard treatment was not very effective and the swelling improved after infusion of fresh frozen plasma. Angioedema after rt-PA infusion could be a life-threatening emergency that requires quick airway management by skilled professionals. As this condition is triggered by several factors, such as unregulated histamine and bradykinin production, the traditional treatment recommended by the guidelines may not be sufficient and the use of FFP can be considered as a safe and valuable aid.

Azospirillum is one of the most important plant growths promoting rhizobacteria used in agriculture worldwide. However, few reports are available describing the effects of this bacterial genus on the inoculated plant microbiome. In order to determine whether A. argentinense inoculation modifies the bacterial microbiota associated with the maize rhizosphere, we performed a high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis under experimental controlled conditions. Rhizosphere metagenomic DNA was obtained from plants inoculated and non-inoculated with A. argentinense Az39, and bulk soil was used as a reference treatment. Biodiversity, microbial community composition, co-occurrence network and predicted function analyses (FAPROTAX) were performed. Azospirillum was the most abundant genus occurring in the rhizosphere of inoculated plants. Regarding the alpha diversity, a significant reduction in the bacteria evenness was observed in the inoculated rhizosphere. The beta diversity analysis showed a differential structure of the communities of each treatment. According to the LEfSe index, the three most abundant genera associated with Az39 inoculation were Burkholderia, Massilia and Sphingobium. An increase in the relative abundance of some members of the Hyphomicrobiales (ex Rhizobiales) order was observed in inoculated plants. Co-occurrence networks showed a positive interaction between Azospirillum and Pseudomonas and a negative correlation with Hyphomicrobium. The FAPROTAX analysis associated Azospirillum inoculation with some functions related to chemoheterotrophy, phototrophy and the nitrogen cycle. Our results allowed us to conclude that Azospirillum is able to colonize the maize rhizosphere after inoculation and that this colonization process induces an increase in the relative abundance of beneficial bacterial genera, also commonly used as biofertilizers in agriculture.

Sugarcane bagasse is the major by-product of the sugarcane industry, and it can serve as a substrate for biotechnological processes for obtaining value-added products. This study gave multiple adding values to sugarcane bagasse using it in two separate bioprocesses. Sugarcane bagasse was used as a substrate for enzymatic cocktail production from Auricularia fuscosuccinea LBM 244 and as a source of proteins and phenolic compounds. A. fuscosuccinea LBM 244 enzyme cocktail-assisted extraction, commercial enzyme assisted extraction and conventional extraction were compared. Enzymatic-assisted extractions released 557–827% more protein content than those at 0 h. A. fuscosuccinea LBM 244 enzyme cocktail released 50% and 30% phenolic compounds more than conventional and commercial enzyme extraction, respectively. These phenolic compounds were represented mainly by ρ-coumaric and ferulic acids. On top of that, the cost of the enzymes in enzyme-assisted extraction was reduced fourfold using the A. fuscosuccinea LBM 244 enzyme cocktail. Fil: Coniglio, Romina Olga. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentina Fil: Díaz, Gabriela Verónica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular; Argentina Fil: Barua, Ramona Celeste. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular; Argentina Fil: Alberto, Edgardo Omar. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús; Argentina Fil: Zapata, Pedro Dario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular; Argentina

Sugarcane bagasse is a natural source of phenolic compounds. However, these compounds are bound to lignocellulose components, reducing their ability to function as good antioxidants. These linkages are hydrolyzed by enzymes like β-glucosidases, increasing free phenolics. Auricularia is a food-grade genus capable of producing β-glucosidases. The aim of this work was (I) to determine naturally occurring species of Auricularia and (II) to obtain phenolic compounds through the solid-state bioprocessing of sugarcane bagasse. We have successfully isolated five strains that were assigned to the taxon A. fuscosuccinea. We determined β-glucosidase activity by fluorescence plate assay of the five isolated strains and adjusted an optimal temperature for mycelial growth at 30 °C. A. fuscosuccinea LBM 243 was chosen for solid-state bioprocessing of sugarcane bagasse. β-glucosidase activity (12.2 ± 0.62 U l-1) and protein content (51.58 ± 6.26 mg l-1) were highest on day 20 of culture. The maximum value of total phenolic content (507.5 ± 9.05 mg l-1) was obtained at day 20 and antioxidant capacity (34.44% ± 11.20) was highest at day 10, both in ethanolic extracts. The best performance of ethanol against methanol extraction in this work is highlighted considering ethanol to be a safe, efficient, and low-cost solvent.

In the past decade, hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) has emerged as an efficient alternative to reversed-phase chromatography (RPC) for the analysis of phospholipid (PL) mixtures based on mass spectrometric detection. Since the separation of PL by HILIC is chiefly based on their headgroup, the mass spectrum of each class can be obtained by spectral averaging under the corresponding HILIC band. Using experimental m/z values resulting from high mass resolution/accuracy instruments, the sum compositions of PL in a specific class can be thus inferred but partial overlapping may occur between signals related to the M + 0 isotopologue of one species and the M + 2/M + 4 isotopologues of species having one/two more C═C bonds in their chemical structures. Here, an automated workflow, named LIPIC (lipid isotopic pattern interference correction), is proposed to account for such interferences. Starting from the experimentally verified assumption that peaks in isotope patterns are Gaussian, LIPIC predicts, as a function of m/z ratio, signal intensities due to M + 2 and M + 4 isotopologues of species with one or two more C = C bonds than the target one and calculates the corrected intensity for the M + 0 isotopologue of the latter. Thanks to an iterative procedure, the suggested algorithm compensates also for slight shifts occurring between experimental and theoretical m/z ratios related to isotopologue peaks. Examples of applications to simulated and experimental mass spectra of two PL classes, i.e., phosphatidylcholines (PC) and cardiolipins (CL), emphasize the increased extent of correction at the increase of molecular masses of involved species.

The cellular uptake of nanoparticles (NPs) represents a critical step in nanomedicine and a crucial point for understanding the interaction of nanomaterials with biological systems. No specific mechanism of uptake has been identified so far, as the NPs are generally incorporated by the cells through one of the few well-known endocytotic mechanisms. Here, an alternative internalization route mediated by microvilli adhesion is demonstrated. This microvillus-mediated adhesion (MMA) has been observed using ceria and magnetite NPs with a dimension of

We present a calculation of the next-to-leading order QCD corrections for the scattering of Dark Matter particles off nucleons in the framework of simplified models with s- and t-channel mediators. These results are matched to the Wilson coefficients and operators of an effective field theory that is generally used for the presentation of experimental results on spin-independent and spin-dependent direct detection rates. Detailed phenomenological studies illustrate the complementary reach of collider searches for Dark Matter and the direct detection experiments CRESST and XENON. In the case of cancellation effects in the tree-level contributions, one-loop corrections can have a particularly large impact on exclusion limits in the case of combined s+t-channel models., 35 pages, 10 figures; version accepted by EPJC

In this work, we evaluated the effects of light on growth, cell physiology and stress response of Azospirillum brasilense Az39, a non-photosynthetic rhizobacteria, under planktonic growth conditions. Methods and results: Exponential cultures of Az39 were exposed to blue (BL), red (RL) and daylight (DL) or maintained in darkness for 24, 48 and 72 h. The biomass production and indole 3-acetic acid (IAA) biosynthesis increased by exposition to DL. Conversely, BL decreased IAA concentration through a direct effect on the molecule. The DL increased superoxide dismutase activity, hydrogen peroxide and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels, but the last one was also increased by BL. Both DL and BL increased cell aggregation but only BL increased biofilm formation. Conclusions: We demonstrated that both BL and DL are stress effectors for A. brasilense Az39 under planktonic growth conditions. The DL increased biomass production, IAA biosynthesis and bacterial response to stress, whereas BL induced cell aggregation and biofilms formation, but decreased the IAA concentration by photooxidation. Significance and Impact of the Study: Blue light and DL changes growth capacity, cell physiology and plant growth promotion ability of A. brasilense Az39 and these changes could be considered to improve the production and functionality of biofertilizers. Fil: Molina, Romina Micaela. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas; Argentina Fil: Lopez, Gaston Alberto. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas; Argentina Fil: Coniglio, Nayla Anahí. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas; Argentina Fil: Furlan, Ana Laura. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas; Argentina Fil: Mora, Maria Veronica. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas; Argentina Fil: Rosas, Susana Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Cassan, Fabricio Dario. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas; Argentina

Spirulina microalga (Arthrospira platensis) is an interesting phototrophic organism because of its high content of nutrients including proteins, lipids, essential amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins, polysaccharides, and minerals. Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) coupled to linear ion trap (LIT) and Orbitrap Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS) via ESI was employed for the separation and characterization of lipid species in A. platensis. Inositolphosphoceramides (IPC) are minor but important constituents of spirulina; their investigation was accomplished by HILIC-ESI-MS including collision-induced dissociation (MS2 , MS3 ) of deprotonated molecules in the LIT analyzer and a schematic fragmentation pattern is described. All four commercial spirulina samples revealed the occurrence of the same IPC species at m/z 796.6 (d18:0/16:0;1), 810.6 (d18:0/17:0;1), 824.6 (d18:0/18:0;1), and 826.6 (d18:0/17:0;2) but in diverse relative abundance. This study sets the stage for future investigations on IPC in other algae and microalgae.

The chemical identity of arsenosugar phospholipids (As-PL) as mono- (i.e., lyso, L-As-PL) and diacyl-arsenosugar PL in four edible and common marine alga samples, such as nori (Porphyra spp.), waka...

The material described in this article deals with waste conversion into energy vectors by pyrolysis, steam cracking, or oxidation of liquid biomass, carried out at small to medium scale. The design of a bench-scale experimental setup devoted to gas phase kinetic data generation in a tubular reactor under laminar regime close to plug flow is detailed based on a very simple approach. Validation of the designed bench-scale setup was successfully carried out within the context of octanoic acid pyrolysis by generating kinetic data with satisfactory measurement repeatability and material balances. The key to this positive result is that axial dispersion coefficient is much smaller in gas-phase than in liquid-phase, thus allowing the designed small sized tubular reactor to be close to the plug flow reactor. Such a feature of the axial dispersion coefficient is not well known by the wider public. Besides, octanoic acid was selected as surrogate for carboxylic acids because of their key role in various industrial applications (combustion of ethyl biodiesel; production of biofuel and biosourced chemicals).

The aim of this paper is to bring valuable phase equilibria information for the design and operation of biolubricant and related biofuel product processes. As a result, Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium (VLE) measurements, at different temperatures, pressures and global compositions, for the ternary systems [Ethanol + 2-Ethyl-1-hexanol + 1-Dodecanol] and [Ethanol + 1-Octanol + 1-Dodecanol], as well as a multicomponent system containing these alcohols together with Balanites aegyptiaca fatty acid ethyl esters are reported for the first time (data pressure and temperature ranges: 4394–26790 Pa, 306–423 K). The Dortmund modified UNIFAC model showed very high accuracy in the prediction of these VLE, with overall average absolute deviations on the liquid and vapor molar compositions of 0.007 and 0.0003 for the ternary systems, 0.003 and 0.006 for the multicomponent system. The authors express their acknowledgments to the ENSIC students who contributed to this work through their Master 1 training. S.P.P. thanks support to project CIMO-Mountain Research Center, UIDB/00690/2020, financed by national funds through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology/MCTES. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Out of several energy-rich organic compounds formed via photosynthesis in autotrophic organisms like plants, a few of them might prove inflammatory or cytotoxic molecules for humans if consumed regularly. Using previously stored chemical energy, chloroplasts convert atmospheric carbon dioxide mainly into glucose and a little fructose which—in the next step—are combined to yield sucrose, starch, cellulose, etc. Nitrogenous compounds, including proteins, are produced in the consequent step in plants. Purines are nitrogenous molecules that, on regular consumption, can create pathogenesis of gout and hyperuricemia in humans. The cytotoxic effects of foods rich in fructose and purines are well known. On the other hand, the plant defence system produces certain compounds which protect the plants against microorganisms and insects and, on regular consumption, might create inflammation in the human body. The set of plant defensive inflammatory molecules include a variety of alkaloids. In this chapter, an attempt is made to present an overview of natural inflammatory molecules—fructose, purines, and alkaloids—contained in fruits and vegetables.

Proteins and lipids are molecules that might be considered as soft targets for oxidative attack, whose modification in the body can increase the risk of inflammation due to mutagenesis. Effects of food processing additives with oxidant attitude are known. Consequently, oxidation during food processing may be a problem, especially when speaking of high-energy foods derived from cereals, with notable amounts of oxidation-sensible lipids and protein chains. The public health perspective with relation to some natural molecules which might lead to excessive oxidation reactions in the human body is extremely important. Consequently, some discussion should be dedicated to unsaturated fatty acids and some of the known polypeptides in cereal-based high-energy foods. Processed high-energy bars and other snacks derived from cereals are really ‘energetic’ if compared with whole cereal grains, and the palatability is directly proportional to the amount of sugars (sweetness) and fats/oils. However, other problems could occur when speaking of high-energy foods. Ultraprocessed foods are completely dissimilar from original foods, and these products contain a notable amount of oxidation-sensible molecules: lipids and proteins. Consequently, processing and non-processing factors could have some important public safety consequences. The aim of this chapter is to give some perspective to this ambit.

The lipidome of a brown seaweed commonly known as wakame (Undaria pinnatifida), which is grown and consumed around the world, including Western countries, as a healthy nutraceutical food or supplement, was here extensively examined. The study was focused on the characterization of phospholipids (PL) and glycolipids (GL) by liquid chromatography (LC), either hydrophilic interaction LC (HILIC) or reversed-phase LC (RPLC), coupled to electrospray ionization (ESI) and mass spectrometry (MS), operated both in high and in low-resolution mode. Through the acquisition of single (MS) and tandem (MS/MS) mass spectra more than 200 PL and GL of U. pinnatifida extracts were characterized in terms of lipid class, fatty acyl (FA) chain composition (length and number of unsaturations), and regiochemistry, namely 16 SQDG, 6 SQMG, 12 DGDG, 5 DGMG, 29 PG, 8 LPG, 19 PI, 14 PA, 19 PE, 8 PE, 38 PC, and 27 LPC. The FA (C16:0) was the most abundant saturated acyl chain, whereas the monounsaturated C18:1 and the polyunsaturated C18:2 and C20:4 chains were the prevailing ones. Odd-numbered acyl chains, iJ., C15:0, C17:0, C19:0, and C19:1, were also recognized. While SQDG exhibited the longest and most unsaturated acyl chains, C18:1, C18:2, and C18:3, in the sn-1 position of glycerol, they were preferentially located in the sn-2 position in the case of PL. The developed analytical approach might pave the way to extend lipidomic investigations also for other edible marine algae, thus emphasizing their potential role as a source of bioactive lipids.

Conventional high throughput methods assaying the chemical state of water and the risk of heavy metal accumulation share common constraints of long and expensive analytical procedures and dedicated laboratories due to the typical bulky instrumentation. To overcome these limitations, a miniaturized optical system for the detection and quantification of inorganic mercury (Hg2+) in water was developed. Combining the bioactivity of a light-emitting mercury-specific engineered Escherichia coli—used as sensing element—with the optical performance of small size and inexpensive Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM)—used as detector—the system is able to detect mercury in low volumes of water down to the concentration of 1 µg L−1, which is the tolerance value indicated by the World Health Organization (WHO), providing a highly sensitive and miniaturized tool for in situ water quality analysis.

The agricultural industries generate lignocellulosic wastes that can be modified by fungi to generate high value-added products. The aim of this work was to analyze the efficiency of the bioconversion of sugarcane bagasse and cassava bagasse using two cheap home-made enzymatic cocktails from Aspergillus niger LBM 134 (produced also from agroindustrial wastes) and compare the hydrolysis yield with that obtained from the bioconversion using commercial enzymes. Sugarcane bagasse and cassava bagasse were pretreated with a soft alkaline solution before the hydrolysis carried out with home-made enzymatic cocktails of A. niger LBM 134 and with commercial enzymes to compare their performances. Mono and polysaccharides were analyzed before and after the bioconversion of both bagasses as well as their microscopic structure. The maximal yield was the 80% of total glucans saccharified from cassava bagasse. The bioconversion of both bagasses were better when we used the home-made enzymatic cocktails than commercial enzymes. We obtained high added-value products from agroindustrial wastes, home-made enzymatic cocktails and hydrolysates rich in fermentable sugars. The importance of this work lays in the higher performance of the cheap home-made enzymatic cocktails over the hydrolytic performance of commercial enzymes due to the cost of producing the home-made enzymatic cocktails were more than 500 times lower than commercial enzymes.

High grade glioma is one of the deadliest human cancers with a median survival rate of only one year following diagnosis. The highly motile and invasive nature of high grade glioma makes it difficult to completely remove surgically. Therefore, increasing our knowledge of the mechanisms glioma cells use to invade normal brain is of critical importance in designing novel therapies. It was previously shown by our laboratory that tumor-associated microglia (TAMs) stimulate glioma cell invasion and this process is dependent on CSF-1R signaling. In this study, we seek to identify pro-invasive factors that are upregulated in microglia in a CSF-1R-dependent manner. We assayed cDNA and protein from microglia treated with conditioned media from the murine glioma cell line GL261, and discovered that several EGFR ligands including amphiregulin (AREG) are strongly upregulated. This upregulation is blocked by addition of a pharmacological CSF-1R inhibitor. Using RNA interference, we show that AREG-depleted microglia are less effective at promoting invasion of GL261 cells into Matrigel-coated invasion chambers. In addition, an AREG blocking antibody strongly attenuates the ability of THP-1 macrophages to activate human glioma cell line U87 invasion. Furthermore, we have identified a signaling pathway which involves CSF-1 signaling through ERK to upregulate AREG expression in microglia. Interfering with ERK using pharmacological inhibitors prevents AREG upregulation in microglia and microglia-stimulated GL261 invasion. These data highlight AREG as a key factor in produced by tumor associated microglia in promoting glioma invasion.

Background: The interest in phenolic compounds present in foods of vegetable origin has shown a notable increase in recent decades. This interest is due to the growing number of scientific studies concerning their beneficial role in human health. The interest in polyphenols has been supported by the current and growing awareness, and attention of consumers to food from a food safety viewpoint and also because of the beneficial effects ascribed to polyphenols. Objective: The aim of this article is to highlight antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activities of various phenolic compounds normally found in certain foods. Conclusions: Phenolic compounds exert different biological functions, such as antioxidant activity, modulation of detoxifying enzymes, stimulation of the immune system, reduction of platelet aggregation, modulation of hormonal metabolism, reduction of blood pressure, and anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal activities.

Objectives The aim of this work is to investigate the biological effects of IQOS smoking on human gingival fibroblasts and human keratinocytes analysing cell viability, morphology, migration, apoptosis and cell cycle. Background Electronic cigarettes and tobacco heating systems have been marketed to reduce smoking damages caused by combustion. Methods Human gingival fibroblasts and human keratinocytes viability was determined by a colorimetric assay measuring mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity (MTT assay); after an in vitro exposure of 24 h, cell morphology was analysed with scanning electron microscope and cell migration was tested by Scratch assay, a method to mimic the migration of the cells during wound healing in vivo. Apoptosis and cell cycle were analysed with flow cytometry, and the expression of related genes (p53, Bcl2, p16 and p21) was indagated using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results IQOS extracts increased both cell viability (23%-41% with fibroblasts and 30%-79% with keratinocytes) and migration. No morphological alterations were observed. IQOS extracts did not induced an increase in cell death, but rose the number of S- and G2/M-phase cells. IQOS extracts also significantly increased p53 expression by fibroblasts (undiluted and 6.25% dilution, 2- and 3.6-fold higher, respectively) and reduced both Bcl2 (about two- and fivefold, respectively) and p21 expressions (about twofold with both extracts), while on keratinocytes both undiluted and 6.25% dilution extracts increased Bcl2 expression (about four- and threefold higher, respectively) and reduced p53 expression (about two- and fivefold, respectively). Conclusion IQOS smoke seemed to induce proliferation as highlighted by a viability assay, and migration and cell cycle analysis. The increased cell proliferation induced by IQOS devices must be carefully investigated for its possible clinical effects on oral cell populations.

In the course of the selective laser melting (SLM) process, the part is built layer by layer involving partial remelting/heating of the previous layer, called as intrinsic heat treatment. Therefore, superficial properties of as-built parts are somewhat different from that of the inside of the part. In this work, the nano-tribological behavior of the commercial pure Ti (CP-Ti) sample built using SLM was investigated considering the near-surface regions with focus on the effect of intrinsic heat treatment. Microstructure and nano-testing allow identifying specific sliding behaviors in three attitude regions: (I) surface (0–50 µm), (II) subsurface (50–200 µm), and (III) inner-part (below 200 µm). The average hardness drops slightly when moving from Regions I and II (3.35 GPa) to Region III (3.09 GPa). The coefficient of friction (COF) values vary from 0.18 to 0.45 for all three regions, and the Region III presents highest worn trace width of 5.8 μm. Regions I and III promote a stick-and-slip behavior while sliding is smooth and continuous in Region II. This gradient microstructural characterization enables associating the behavior of Region II to large-sized lath martensite α′ morphology, which is different from the Regions I and III with finer microstructure. A finite element analysis (FEA) thermal model suggests that the existence of the three identified regions is the consequence of the intrinsic heat treatment induced by the SLM process, in which the remelting/heating and recrystallization have been considered as the main reasons for microstructure coarsening and refinement between Regions I and II, Regions II and III, respectively.

To analyze the effects of four universal adhesives (Optibond Solo Plus—OB, Universal Bond—UB, Prime&Bond Active—PBA, FuturaBond M + —FB) on human gingival fibroblasts in terms of cytotoxicity, morphology and function. After in vitro exposure for up to 48 h, fibroblast viability was determined by the MTT assay determined, morphology by phase-contrast microscopy and migration by the scratch wound assay. Expression levels of IL1β, IL6, IL8, IL10, TNFα and VEGF genes were assessed by RT-PCR and their protein production by Western blot analysis. Apoptosis and cell cycle were analyzed by flow cytometry. OB and UB induced early morphological changes on fibroblasts (3 h) with extended cell death at 24 h/48 h. Gene expression of collagen type I and fibronectin increased fivefold compared with controls, elastin disappeared and elastase increased threefold, indicating gingival tissue tended to become fibrotic. Only UB and OB increased gene expression of inflammatory markers: IL1β at 3 and 48 h (up to about three times), IL6 and IL8 at 3 h (up to almost four times) which corresponded to the increase of the activated form NF-kB. All adhesives showed an effect on the functionality of fibroblasts with cytotoxic effect time and concentration dependent. Among all the OB and UB adhesives, they showed the greatest cell damage. The in-depth analysis of the effects of universal adhesives and possible functional effects represents an important information for the clinician towards choosing the most suitable adhesive system.

By changing the control parameters, many physical systems reach a slow dynamics regime followed by an arrested or a quasi-arrested state. Examples, among others, are gels and glasses. In this paper, we discuss some experimental and theoretical results in polymer and colloidal systems, where gel and glass transitions interfere, and use models from Mode Coupling Theory (MCT) to illustrate the rich phenomenology observed. The continuous and the discontinuous transition lines, found in the MCT models, are considered suitable to describe respectively the gel and the glass transitions, so we suggest that the interplay between gel and glass may be interpreted in terms of the $F_{13}$ MCT model, clarifying also the origin of logarithmic decays often observed in such systems. In particular, the theoretical predictions of the MCT in the $F_{13}$ model are compared with Molecular Dynamics simulations in model systems for chemical gels and charged colloids.

Legionella pneumophila is an organism of public health interest for its presence in water supply systems and other humid thermal habitats. In this study, ten cell-free supernatants produced by Lactobacillus strains were evaluated for their ability to inhibit L. pneumophila strains isolated from hot tap water. Production of antimicrobial substances by Lactobacillus strains were assessed by agar well diffusion test on BCYE agar plates pre-inoculated with L. pneumophila. Cell-free supernatants (CFS) showed antimicrobial activity against all Legionella strains tested: L. rhamnosus and L. salivarius showed the highest activity. By means of a proton-based nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy, we detected and quantified the Lactobacillus metabolites of these CFSs, so to gain information about which metabolic pathway was likely to be connected to the observed inhibition activity. A panel of metabolites with variations in concentration were revealed, but considerable differences among inter-species were not showed as reported in a similar work by Foschi et al. (2018). More than fifty molecules belonging mainly to the groups of amino acids, organic acids, monosaccharides, ketones, and alcohols were identified in the metabolome. Significant differences were recorded comparing the metabolites found in the supernatants of strains grown in MRS with glycerol and the same strains grown in MRS without supplements. Indeed, pathway analysis revealed that glycine, serine and threonine, pyruvate, and sulfur metabolic pathways had a higher impact when strains were grown in MRS medium with a supplement such as glycerol. Among the metabolites identified, many were amino acids, suggesting the possible presence of bacteriocins which could be linked to the anti-Legionella activity shown by cell-free supernatants.

Sodium is the most abundant alkali-metal element and has one of the simplest electronic structures of any metal. At ambient conditions, sodium forms a body-centered-cubic lattice. However, during cooling, it undergoes a partial martensitic phase transition to a complex mixture of rhombohedral polytypes commencing from 36 K. Although the Fermi surface (FS) of bcc sodium has been extensively studied, not much attention has been given to the FS of the martensite structure. Here we report results for the Fermi surface and quantum oscillation (QO) frequencies of several energetically favorable crystal structures of Na at low temperature from first-principles calculations. Interestingly we find that despite drastic differences in the crystal structures of the candidate low-temperature phases of sodium, for all these phases the strongest quantum oscillation peak is centered at 28 kT. Our theoretical results are accompanied by experimental data of QO on a multigrain sodium sample at $T=0.3$ K and ${B}_{\mathrm{max}}=18$ T exhibiting a sharp peak at 28 kT, independent of the sample orientation. The persistence of this peak even in the presence of the structural transitions has an implication for using the quantum oscillations of polycrystalline sodium for high magnetic field calibration.

Agricultural practices generate lignocellulosic waste that can be bioconverted by fungi to generate value-added products such as biofuels. In this context, fungal enzymes are presented as an alternative for their use in the hydrolysis of cellulose to sugars that can be fermented to ethanol. The aim of this work was to characterize LBM 033 strain and to analyze its efficiency in the hydrolysis of cellulosic substrates, including barley straw. LBM 033 strain was identified as Trametes villosa by molecular techniques, through the use of the ITS and rbp2 markers and the construction of phylogenetic trees. The cell-free supernatant of T. villosa LBM 033 showed high titers of hydrolytic enzymatic activities, necessary for the hydrolysis of the holocellulosic substrates, hydrolyzing pure cellulose to cellobiose and glucose and also degraded the polysaccharides contained in barley straw to short soluble oligosaccharides. These results indicate that macro fungi from tropical soil environments, such as T. villosa LBM 033 can be a valuable resource for in-house, cost effectiveproduction of enzymes that can be applied in the hydrolysis stage, which could reduce the total cost of bioethanol production. Fil: Coniglio, Romina Olga. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular; Argentina Fil: Díaz, Gabriela Verónica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular; Argentina Fil: Fonseca, Maria Isabel. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentina Fil: Castrillo, María Lorena. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular; Argentina Fil: Piccinni, Florencia Elizabeth. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular; Argentina Fil: Villalba, Laura L.. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular; Argentina Fil: Campos, Eleonora. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular; Argentina Fil: Zapata, Pedro Dario. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentina

The interest in polyphenols from vegetable sources has been progressively increased because of the demonstrated correlation between their abundance in certain foods or food preparations of traditional importance and heritage, and the answer of anti-inflammatory strategies in hospitalized patients in the presence of polypehnol-rich foods (as a complementary therapy). Consequently, research involving the accessory role of polyphenols as anti-tumoral aids have been carried out with the aim of finding new additional strategies. The purpose of this paper to evaluate the role of phenolic compounds in foods with reference to health effects for human beings. The importance of these molecules has been evaluated by the health and safety perspectives in terms of: fight to cardiovascular diseases; prevention of chronic-degenerative disorders; general antioxidant properties; and anticarcinogenic features. Moreover, the role of polyphenols-rich foods as anticancer agents has been discussed with relation to two distinct “action plans” on the public hygiene level: the promotion of human health on the one side (for non-hospitalized and normal subjects), and reliable contrasting strategies in cancer patients.

Packaged food can contain ‘non-intentionally added substances’ as a result of the interaction between different ingredients in the packaging materials, from degradation processes and from impurities present in raw materials used for their production. One of the main sources of polymer degradation includes exposure of the polymer to high temperatures and to the ultraviolet–visible light. In the interaction of polyethylene terephthalate bottles with mineral water, several non-intentionally added substances have been identified, such as phthalates, aldehydes (acetaldehyde and formaldehyde) and volatile organic compounds (benzene, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, etc.). It is likely that in the majority of cases, due to their very low levels these substances will not be of any health concern.

A novel lignin-based slow release fertilizer with low environmental impact has been developed. More precisely, a granulated simple superphosphate fertilizer, consisting of calcium phosphate monobasic [Ca(H2PO4)2·H2O] and gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) was coated with modified kraft lignins and the diffusion of phosphorus was observed as a function of time. The lignin was hydroxymethylated with formaldehyde and subsequently cross-linked with phenol-formaldehyde resin resulting in HML-PF as coating. Moreover, coating films were prepared from a mixture of acetylated lignin (Lac) and acetylated cellulose (Cellac). Both coatings show similar permeability to calcium phosphate and controlled effectively the P-release, particularly at the initial stages of the experiment. The P-release was linear in the decay phase but there is no lag time in the process. A significant P amount was not released from the particles coated with HML-PF, i.e. 80–50% remained irreversible bound, depending on the coating formulation. The maximum fractional P-release varied among the different coatings tested. Phosphorus is partly retained inside the slightly soluble calcium sulfate matrix.

In this work, the nano-wear-induced behavior of selective laser melting (SLM) processed commercial pure titanium was investigated under several applied loads from 1 mN to 100 mN. The dense (over 99%) commercial pure titanium sample was manufactured using SLM process with optimized process parameters (900 J m-1). Nano-wear testing was performed on the polished surface of SLM processed commercial pure titanium. The friction coefficient increased from 0.04 to 0.9 as the load increased from 1 mN to 100 mN. Additionally, the sliding behavior changed along with the applied loads, from elastic to plastic and unstable friction behaviors. The elastic-plastic transition appeared at applied load of 50 mN, which was also confirmed by the calculation results. While the applied load ranged between 50 mN and 80 mN (plastic friction), the average friction coefficient was light smaller than that of the macroscopic ball-on-disc test. During the sliding, a friction vibration appeared and its mechanism was also investigated and discussed combine the wear surface morphologies.

Shallow-marine carbonates of the mid-Cretaceous Sarvak Formation are important reservoir rocks in southern Iran and the Persian Gulf region. These carbonates were deposited on the margin of the Arabian Plate and rest on the Kazhdumi Formation, which is one of the major hydrocarbon source rocks in the region. The top of the Sarvak Formation coincides with the regional Turonian unconformity. Most of the observed diagenetic features are genetically related to meteoric waters entering the Sarvak Formation during Cenomanian-Turonian and mid-Turonian uplift and the subsequent paleoexposure. Integration of field and petrographic studies and isotope geochemistry reveals the history of a variety of diagenetic processes, which include dissolution and development of secondary porosity which enhance reservoir properties of the Upper Sarvak carbonates. Various types of calcite cements were identified as the main cause for porosity loss in these carbonates. Their diagenetic environment is discussed using the geochemical data acquired as part of the present study. The δ18O and δ13C values (−12.3 to −0.6‰ and −5.8–3.6‰ VPDB, respectively) of the cements indicate precipitation from marine, meteoric and/or mixed meteoric-marine fluids. Some drusy calcite cements exhibit δ18O and δ13C values (−5.1 and 0.8‰ VPDB, respectively) and higher 87Sr/86Sr ratios, comparing to mid-Cretaceous carbonates, (i.e., 0.70747), which may indicate precipitation from meteoric waters. Lower δ18O and δ13C values (e.g. −5.1, 0.8‰ VPDB) combined with higher 87Sr/86Sr ratios (e.g., 0.70747) of some drusy calcite could confirm their precipitation from meteoric waters. Lower δ18O values of some blocky calcite cements (e.g., −12.3‰ VPDB) and matrix-replacive compression-related dolomites (i.e., −7.3 to −3.4‰ VPDB) suggest their precipitation at rising temperatures during burial. The range of δ13C values (−5.8–3.6‰ VPDB) suggests that the main source of carbon in the calcite cements was primarily marine mixed with isotopically more negative carbon from atmospheric/soil-derived CO2.

In this manuscript we report on the design, synthesis and evaluation of dual Sigma 1 Receptor (S1R) modulators/Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors endowed with antioxidant and neurotrophic properties, potentially able to counteract neurodegeneration. The compounds based on arylalkylaminoketone scaffold integrate the pharmacophoric elements of RRC-33, a S1R modulator developed by us, donepezil, a well-known AChE inhibitor, and curcumin, a natural antioxidant compound with neuroprotective properties. A small library of compounds was synthesized and preliminary in vitro screening performed. Some compounds showed good S1R binding affinity, selectivity towards S2R and N-Methyl- d -Aspartate (NMDA) receptor, AChE relevant inhibiting activity and are potentially able to bypass the BBB, as predicted by the in silico study. For the hits 10 and 20, the antioxidant profile was assessed in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell lines by evaluating their protective effect against H2O2 cytotoxicity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Tested compounds resulted effective in decreasing ROS production, thus ameliorating the cellular survival. Moreover, compounds 10 and 20 showed to be effective in promoting the neurite elongation of Dorsal Root Ganglia (DRG), thus demonstrating a promising neurotrophic activity. Of note, the tested compounds did not show any cytotoxic effect at the concentration assayed. Relying on these encouraging results, both compounds will undergo a structure optimization program for the development of therapeutic candidates for neurodegenerative diseases treatment.

To better understand the chemistry of biodiesel surrogates, the gas-phase oxidation of a C12 unsaturated methyl ester, methyl-10-undecenoate, has been studied in a jet-stirred reactor in the temperature range 500–1100 K. These experiments were performed using neat fuel synthetized in the laboratory, with an initial fuel mole fraction set as 0.0021, at quasi-atmospheric pressure (1.07 bar), at a residence time of 1.5 s with dilute mixtures in helium of equivalence ratios of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0. The maximum obtained conversion was shown to be more than twice lower than that of methyl decanoate under the same conditions. This difference cannot be reproduced by the only published model for an unsaturated ester with a close number of carbon atoms (methyl-9-decenoate). A large range of products were quantified in addition to common oxidation products: saturated and unsaturated aldehydes, saturated and unsaturated methyl esters with a second carbonyl function, C2-C10 alkenes, C4-C10 dienes, C4-C10 unsaturated methyl esters, C8-C9 saturated methyl esters, and saturated, unsaturated, and hydroxyl methyl esters involving a cyclic ether. Pathways of formation for the products specific to unsaturated ester oxidation were proposed and possible model improvements were discussed.

Cellulases hydrolyse the cellulose chain into single sugars efficiently. These sugars can be fermented in the bioethanol process, a source of renewable energy. Misiones rainforest is one of the most biodiverse systems on the planet subtropical ecoregions, which is the most probable site to find new fungal strains with potential for degrading cellulose through cellulases. The aim of this work was to find an efficient cellulolytic microorganism through the exploration of native white rot fungi from Misiones. From the qualitative screening 11 fungal strains were selected. The quantitative analysis revealed that the isolated LBM 033 was the best cellulases producer, reaching 57, 226 and 387 U/l of cellobiohydrolase, β-glucosidase and endoglucanase activity, respectively. The zymograms showed that the molecular mass of most of the endoglucanases ranged from 69 to 88 kDa and the molecular mass of most of the cellobiohydrolases was 45 kDa. The search of new cellulases of secretory organisms should lead to an efficient degradation of cellulosic materials, and thus facilitating potential applications in the production of bioenergy from lignocellulosic biomass.

International audience; This work aims to analyze whether Indian mustard can be harnessed within a biorefinery system to generate energy carriers and high value-added products. Within this objective, two options of harnessing Indian mustard seed oil (IMSO) were investigated, the first for the production of ethyl biodiesel (IMSOEEs) and the second for the production of a biolubricant (IMSO2E1HEs) by transesterification of the unpurified IMSOEEs with 2-ethyl-1-hexanol (2E1H). Furthermore, low cost and environmentally-friendly conversion processes were targeted. The biofuel was obtained under mild conditions of ethanolysis (35 °C, atmospheric pressure, ethanol to oil molar ratio of 8, 1.1 wt% KOH, and 50 min) carried out in two-stages separated by addition of recycled glycerol, and followed by dry-purification with Indian mustard stems-based adsorbent. In order to enhance biolubricant yield, reactive distillation with optimized operating pressure was selected (0.05 bar, 70 °C, 2 wt% KOH, 2E1H to IMSOEEs molar ratio of 2, 65 min), followed by bubble-washing (assisted with citric acid) and then vacuum distillation (inferior to 0.01 bar). The produced IMSOEEs met the basic biodiesel properties with a satisfactory ester content (95.8 wt%). Similarly, a high conversion of IMOEEs (93 wt%) was reached for the biolubricant, leading to an IMSO2E1HE product that exhibited satisfactory properties, and thus has the potential to act as a biolubricant. Nevertheless, these results could be improved with a pre-treatment of the departure IMSO to remove species that are not glycerides, such as glucosinolates. Thereby, ensuring that the produced ethyl biodiesel conforms strictly to industry specifications.

The production of bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass comprises the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic structures by three major cellulases. Among them, cellobiohydrolases are considered to be key enzymes playing a significant role on cellulose degradation. The ability to produce lignocellulolytic enzymes by fungi such as Trametes villosa makes them appropriate degraders for large-scale applications. In this context, the aim of this study was to obtain and characterize a cellobiohydrolase-enriched extracellular extract of T. villosa LBM 033 (Misiones, Argentina), which is suitable for the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic residues. The effect of carbon and nitrogen sources on cellobiohydrolase activity was evaluated using experimental designs and a culture medium was optimized to obtain a cellobiohydrolase-enriched extract suitable for the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. Moreover, by secretome analysis, nine enzymes involved in lignocellulosic biomass degradation were identified under the optimized conditions; among them is a cellobiohydrolase II from the glycosil-hydrolase 6 family. Fil: Coniglio, Romina Olga. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentina Fil: Burgos Fonseca, María Isabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular; Argentina Fil: Díaz, Gabriela Verónica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular; Argentina Fil: Ontañon, Ornella Mailén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias Castelar. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina Fil: Ghio, Silvina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias Castelar. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina Fil: Campos, Eleonora. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias Castelar. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Zapata, Pedro Dario. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentina

Inorganic mercury (Hg2+) pollution of water reserves, especially drinking water, is an important issue in the environmental and public health field. Mercury is reported to be one of the most dangerous elements in nature since its accumulation and ingestion can lead to a series of permanent human diseases, affecting the kidneys and central nervous system. All the conventional approaches for assaying Hg2+ have some limitations in terms of bulky instruments and the cost and time required for the analysis. Here, we describe a miniaturizable and high-throughput bioluminescence sensor for Hg2+ detection in water, which combines the specificity of a living bacterial Hg2+ reporter cell, used as sensing element, with the performance of a silicon photomultiplier, used as optical detector. The proposed system paves the basis for portable analysis and low reactants consumption. The aim of the work is to propose a sensing strategy for total inorganic mercury evaluation in water. The proposed system can lay the basis for further studies and validations in order to develop rapid and portable technology that can be used in situ providing remote monitoring.

Azospirillum is one of the best studied genus of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria at present. These bacteria are able to colonize hundreds of plant species and significantly improve their growth, development and productivity under field conditions. Besides nitrogen fixation, the most studied mechanism proposed for Azospirillum to explain plant growth promotion of inoculated plants has been related to its ability to produce several phytohormones, mainly auxins and particularly indole-3-acetic acid. Although different capacities have been described to explain the plant growth regulation by Azospirillum one single mechanism is not quite extensive to explain the full effect observed on inoculated plants. The bacterial mode of action is currently better explained as the result of additive and selective effects. One of the most important achievements obtained thus far is the utilization of azospirilla as commercial inoculants in approximately 7.0 million doses and 5.0 million ha, mainly cultivated with cereal crops and legumes in South America. Different inoculation practices (farmer applied or industrial seed treatments, in-furrow, foliar or soil sprayed applications) have been developed and improved in the last two decades for a wide range of crops, in field conditions. Particularly, the combined inoculation of legumes with rhizobia and azospirilla, could over improve the performance of the plants compared with a single inoculation, due to the complementary biological processes of both microbes. The development and validation of specific novel methodologies for identification of A. brasilense, and particularly the strain Az39 in both bio-products and inoculated samples (i.e. soil, rhizosphere, seeds or plant tissues) offer a precise tool to evaluate the functionality and traceability of these microorganisms in the environment. In this chapter, we explore some classical mechanisms of plant growth promotion in A. brasilense Az39, one of the most widely used PGPR strains for inoculant production in South America. Additionally, we discuss some novel molecular tools designated to identify this strain in both bio-products and field conditions.

In this paper, the evolution of the fabric and 3D geometry of the Calmayo trondhjemitic pluton (512.1 ± 3.4 Ma; Sierra Chica, Cordoba, Argentina) is analyzed using Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS) measurements combined with structural and microstructural data. Gravity data reveal that the pluton is a funnel-shaped body resting on one main root zone detected below the central portion of the pluton. The microstructural observations in the trondhjemite rocks show a progressive textural overprint from magmatic, through high-T to low-T solid-state deformation textures. This overprint is interpreted to be a consequence of the dynamic emplacement and local deformation, particularly close to the adjacent Soconcho shear zone. Late oxidation of the magnetic mineral assemblage (martitization of magnetite) is more intense in the central and southern sectors close to the root zone, explaining the flat magnetic response of this area, and contrasting with a noisy domain to the northeast where magnetite is preserved. We propose that the Calmayo pluton was constructed by several pulses that ascended through a root zone or main conduit. This root zone represents feeder dykes that exploited tension fractures linked to the Soconcho shear zone. Fluids responsible for the late oxidation would have followed similar paths through this protracted shear zone.

By starting first at the laboratory scale, optimal operating conditions for the reaction unit aimed at producing ethyl biodiesels from non-edible vegetable oils (NEVO) were determined with the ultimate objective of proposing an on-farm processing technology that should be sustainable for emerging countries. Three NEVO widely available in Burkina Faso were selected: Balanites aegyptiaca (BA), Azadirachta indica (AI), and Jatropha curcas (JC) oils. Their conversion to fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) was conducted via a two-stage procedure under atmospheric pressure: an alkali-catalyzed ethanolysis at ambient temperature for the BA and AI oils (leading to 93 and 87 wt.% FAEE respectively) and an acid-catalyzed ethanolysis at the normal boiling of the alcohol for the JC oil (leading to 89 wt.% FAEE). Based on the intermediate addition of glycerol at ambient temperature, the two-stage procedure combines chemical kinetics, chemical equilibrium, and phase equilibrium phenomena.

Since the pioneering work of Professor Andre Peneloux, volume translations are often applied to cubic equations of state with the aim of improving the description of volumetric properties. Such translations are either constant or temperature-dependent. In any case, it is well-known that both the translated and untranslated models return the same vapor pressure for a given temperature but lead to different saturated molar volumes. Being aware of the invariance of the calculated vapor pressure, it was decided to investigate which properties among the enthalpy, the entropy, the internal energy, the heat capacities, the speed of sound, the property changes on vaporization and many others were altered by a volume translation. All these state functions are indeed volume-dependent and the influence of the translation on their values needs to be clarified. This is particularly important to understand on which experimental data the volume translation should be fitted on.