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With the aim to modulate the flavonoid antioxidant properties, catechin and quercetin were covalently inserted into hydrogel networks by free radical grafting procedure. The effective conjugation of both flavonoids into the polymer chains was checked by FT-IR analyses. Water uptake measurements and calorimetric analyses proved the pH- and thermo-responsiveness. The effect of temperature on antioxidant properties were evaluated as scavenging ability and redox performance, while the determination of the ability to preserve folic acid from UV degradation proved the pH responsiveness. Data show that the matrices are more effective in the swollen than in the shrunken state.

Hybrid materials with enhanced antibacterial activity were prepared by incorporation of carbon nanotubes within gelatin-fluoroquinolones bioconjugates. Gelatin bioconjugates were characterized by UV-Vis, FT-IR, and calorimetric analyses, nanohybrids by morphological analyses. Biocompatibility was evaluated on human mesenchymal stem cells, and antibacterial performance against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. Minimun inhibitory concentrations from 0.025 to 0.05 µg mL−1 and from 0.025 to 0.10 µg mL−1, and MBC from 0.025 to 0.10 µg mL−1 and from 0.05 to 0.20 µg mL−1 were detected for Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, respectively, showing that nanotubes increase antimicrobial activity comparing to both free and gelatin-conjugated drugs.

espanolEl objetivo de este estudio fue conocer las experiencias sociales, emocionales y sexuales de una joven travesti y comprender su percepcion de la identidad de genero. Se utilizo una entrevista semiestructurada. Se realizo un analisis fenomenologico. La participante tiene 22 anos, actua como prostituta y dice que no se siente como un hombre o una mujer, sino un travesti. En su "propio mundo" hay evidencia de que tiene un menor grado de auto-conciencia, con opciones existenciales menos integrados. Esto parece evitar que se apoderen y transformar su "propio mundo", manteniendo pensamientos, sentimientos y comportamientos rigidos y con poca movilidad. La mirada del investigador debe ser para dar cabida a esta escucha y lo entiendo, sobre todo el aumento de sus recursos. EnglishThe aim of this case study was to understand the social, emotional and sexual experiences of a young travesti and understand their perception of gender identity. We used a semistructured interview. The analysis was conducted from the phenomenological method. The participant has 22 years, acting as a sex worker and says not feel like a man or a woman, but a travesti. In terms of their "own world", there is evidence that has a lesser degree self-awareness, with less integrated existential choices. This seems to prevent her from taking over and transforming their "own world", keeping thoughts, feelings and behaviors and rigid with little mobility. The researcher should be to accommodate this listening and understand it, especially the enhancement of its resources. portuguesO objetivo deste estudo de caso foi conhecer as vivencias sociais, afetivas e sexuais de uma jovem travesti e compreender sua percepcao sobre a identidade de genero. Utilizou-se uma entrevista semiestruturada. A analise deu-se a partir do referencial fenomenologico. A participante possui 22 anos, atua como profissional do sexo e diz nao se sentir como um homem ou uma mulher, mas uma travesti. No que tange ao seu "mundo proprio", nota-se que a entrevistada evita e foge da angustia, o que dificulta que se conscientize de seus sentimentos e diminua sua capacidade para fazer integracao existencial de suas escolhas. Isso parece impedi-la de assumir e de transformar seu "mundo proprio", mantendo pensamentos, sentimentos e condutas rigidos e com pouca mobilidade. O olhar do pesquisador deve ser o de acolher essa escuta e compreende-la, com destaque para a potencializacao de seus recursos.

Electro-responsive hybrid hydrogel films were prepared by UV-induced polymerization of Acrylamide and N,N′-ethylene bisacrylamide to be applied for the on/off delivery of therapeutics. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes were covalently incorporated into films and acted as a functional element for both enhancing the electro-responsivity and modulating the release of anionic and cationic drugs as diclofenac sodium salt and ciprofloxacin. Hybrid hydrogel films were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, optical microscopy, conductivity measurements, and biocompatibility on human mesenchymal stem cells. Swelling behaviour and drug release profiles were evaluated in the presence of an external applied electric voltage and mathematically modelled. The application of an external electric voltage resulted in a faster release of anionic drugs, while a slower release was recorded for cationic drugs.

A crescente propagação de estudos que enfocam os comportamentos e o envolvimento com as novas tecnologias dos jovens que representam a denominada geração online vem suscitando questionamentos e discussões entre pesquisadores e educadores. As inúmeras indagações acerca das condutas e regras que constituem o mundo virtual por parte dos adolescentes, demonstram que nos encontramos na presença de um fenômeno ainda pouco explorado que tem gerado vários desafios para aqueles envolvidos na educação dessa geração. Diante desse panorama,este estudo buscou mapear as diferentes formas de uso da internet pelos adolescentes considerando as variáveis: sexo, idade, tipos de escola, finalidade de uso, frequência de utilização e a relação com a família. Participaram desta pesquisa 534 adolescentes de ambos os sexos, de escolas públicas e privadas com idades entre 12 e 17 anos. Utilizou-se o Questionário para Uso de Eletrônicos. Os resultados demonstraram que a grande maioria dos jovens possui computador, a maior parte da amostra utiliza a internet de duas a três horas diárias, em suas casas, com pouco ou nenhum monitoramento dos progenitores e/ou cuidadores. Conclui-se que o perfil de uso dos adolescentes caracteriza um universo particular ao qual a família tem pouco acesso tanto em relação às formas de utilização quanto ao conteúdo acessado. Neste contexto, aponta-se a necessidade de um maior envolvimento e esclarecimento de pais, educadores e profissionais da saúde a respeito da relação que os jovens vêm estabelecendo com essa tecnologia.

In this study, during winemaking, was evaluated the influence of cultivar on bioactive compounds (organic acids, d-(+)-glucose, d-(-)-fructose, biogenic amines (BAs), anthocyanins, polyphenols and flavonoids) and antioxidant activity of Calabrian (Southern Italy) autochthonous grapes (Arvino, Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Magliocco Canino, Magliocco Dolce and Nocera). Phenolic compounds increased from grapes to wine for all varieties. Arvino grapevine showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity, while a promising inhibition of the lipid peroxidation was observed with Greco Nero grapes. BAs were mostly formed during alcoholic fermentation and Arvino always showed the lowest BAs amounts, while Magliocco Canino generally exhibited the highest. Collectively, the results demonstrated that Calabrian autochthonous grapevines were rich in sugars, organic acids and phenolic compounds thus allowing the production of high quality wines.

In this chapter, silicon nanowires that are compatible with CMOS fabrication processes have been described. It has been shown that these nanowires can be functionalized by conjugating monoclonal antibodies to their surface in order to build sensitive biochemical sensors. It has also been shown that by using frequency-based signals, all the necessary components to interrogate these nanowires can be built on low-cost CMOS processes.

In recent years, antioxidants have gained great importance because of their potential use in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. This interest is rooted in the cumulative evidence connecting active oxygen and free radicals with numerous human degenerative disorders, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, aging, and atherosclerosis. Polyphenols are the major class of antioxidant able to reduce the oxidative damages of lipids, proteins, enzymes, carbohydrates, and DNA in living cells and tissues. Among the realm of polyphenol compounds, polyphenol conjugates have been proposed as innovative materials which, by combining the advantageous properties of both the components, can increase the efficiency of antioxidants and their range of application in nutritional and biomedical fields. This work is an overview of the different class of polyphenol conjugates, which will be analyzed in terms of nutritional and biological properties, showing how these bio-conjugates will positively affect the human health.

The use of biologics, polymers, silicon materials, carbon materials, and metals has been proposed for the preparation of innovative drug delivery devices. One of the most promising materials in this field are the carbon-nanotubes composites and hybrid materials coupling the advantages of polymers (biocompatibility and biodegradability) with those of carbon nanotubes (cellular uptake, stability, electromagnatic, and magnetic behavior). The applicability of polymer-carbon nanotubes composites in drug delivery, with particular attention to the controlled release by composites hydrogel, is being extensively investigated in the present review.

In this study, pH-responsive hydrogels, synthesized by the coupling reaction of polyacrylic acid and catechin, are proposed as carriers of oxidable drugs toward the GI tract. The presence of polyphenolic moieties in the network gives the polymers properties suitable for the release of unstable drugs in oxidative conditions. The characterization of the hydrogels is obtained by means of morphological and physico-chemical analyses, antioxidant assays and evaluation of the swelling behavior in media simulating the gastric (pH 1.0) and the intestinal (pH 7.4) tracts. The hydrogels are tested as pH-responsive carriers in in vitro release studies of folic acid and thiamine, two model drugs easily degraded by oxidative conditions simulated by UV irradiation and t-butyl hydroperoxide treatment, respectively. Results show that catechin-based carriers are able to control the release of drugs at different pH values, giving a remarkable improvement in the stability of the therapeutics.

Novel spherical hybrid hydrogels composed of gelatin and multi-walled carbon nanotubes were synthesized by emulsion polymerization in the presence of sodium methacrylate and N,N'-ethylenebisacrylamide, and proposed as drug delivery microspheres for the electro-responsive release of Diclofenac sodium salt. Different amounts of nanotubes (up to 35% by weight) were covalently inserted into the polymeric network in order to determine the percentage conferring the highest electric sensitivity to the composite microspheres. Characterization of hydrogels was performed by electrical, morphological and calorimetric analyses, Raman measurements, biocompatibility assays and evaluation of the swelling behaviors in water (pH 1.0 and pH 7.4) with and without the application of an external electric field. Finally, the release profiles were determined and the diffusion behavior was evaluated by semi-empirical equations.

In this study, the quantitative determination of eight biogenic amines (cadaverine, serotonin, histamine, spermidine, spermine, tyramine, putrescine and β-phenylethylamine) by an liquid chromatography method with evaporative light scattering detection was performed. The analysis of several samples of conventional, organic and fair trade cocoa-derivatives showed that organic and fair trade samples always contain much lower amine concentrations in comparison with their conventional counterparts, supporting the idea that biogenic amines can be regarded as cocoa quality markers. Irrespective of the kind of sample, results also showed that the most abundant amines were histamine, tyramine, spermidine, putrescine and spermine while β-phenylethylamine, cadaverine and serotonine have been found more rarely, all the amines never reaching dangerous amounts for consumer health. With the aim to confirm the experimental results, clustering analysis was performed on samples and instrumental results using principal component analysis.

Biogenic amines (BAs), that is, spermine, spermidine, putrescine, histamine, tyramine,β-phenylethylamine, cadaverine, and serotonin, have been determined in several samples of tea leaves, tea infusions, and tea drinks by LC-UV method after derivatization with dansyl chloride. Different extraction solvents have been tested and TCA 5% showed better analytical performances in terms of linearity, recovery percentages, LOD, LOQ, and repeatability than HCl 0.1 M and HClO40.1 M and was finally exploited for the quantitative determination of BAs in all samples. In tea leaves total BAs concentration ranged from 2.23 μg g−1to 11.24 μg g−1and PUT (1.05–2.25 μg g−1) and SPD (1.01–1.95 μg g−1) were always present, while SER (nd–1.56 μg g−1), HIS (nd–2.44 μg g−1), and SPM (nd–1.64 μg g−1) were detected more rarely. CAD and PHE were determined in few samples at much lower concentrations while none of the samples contained TYR. Tea infusions showed the same trend with total BAs concentrations never exceeding 80.7 μg L−1. Black teas showed higher amounts of BAs than green teas and organic and decaffeinated samples always contained much lower BAs levels than their conventional counterparts.

The study evaluated the fatty acids and the biogenic amines (BAs) in 'Nduja of Spilinga stored in different packaging materials (i.e. natural casing under vacuum, glass jar, aluminum tube and OVTENE®) during 15months of shelf-life. Raw materials and pepper mixture were analysed as well. BAs concentrations increased with time, tyramine (TYR), putrescine (PUT) and cadaverine (CAD) were the most abundant. BAs in natural casing were always higher than those found in glass jar, aluminum tube and OVTENE®. Total fatty acids were characterized by higher level of unsaturated fatty acid that decreased with time (glass jar>natural casing under vacuum>aluminum tube>OVTENE®). The reduction of PUFA is the consequence of the increase of peroxides and carbonyls reacting with amino acids to form BAs. This was confirmed by Pearson's correlation matrices implying that lipid oxidation processes were in some way linked to the chemical production of BAs.

The synthesis of a novel functional biomaterial for wound healing treatment was carried out by adopting a free-radical grafting procedure in aqueous media. With this aim, ciprofloxacin (CFX) was covalently incorporated into collagen (T1C) chains employing an ascorbic acid/hydrogen peroxide redox pair as biocompatible initiator system. The covalent insertion of CFX in the polymeric chains was confirmed by FT-IR and UV analyses, while an antibacterial assay demonstrated the activity of the synthesized conjugate against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, microorganisms that commonly infect wounds. A catechin blended conjugate was also tested in order to evaluate the ability to influence fibroblast cell growth. The observed antibacterial activity and stimulation of fibroblast growth support the applicability of CFX-T1C conjugate in wound treatment encouraging the healing process.

The objective of this article was the synthesis and characterization of protein-based microspheres able to respond to pH changes using methacrylated gelatin hydrolyzed, methacrylic acid sodium salt and N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide as protein monomer, pH-responsive functional monomer, and cross-linking agent, respectively. Reverse-phase suspension polymerization as synthetic technique was adopted and, varying the molar ratios of the reagents in the polymerization feed, three different hydrogels were obtained. These were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and dimensional analyses to verify the spherical shape and the dimensional distribution. Then, Fourier transform infrared spectra and water uptake experiments at acidic and neutral pH were performed, in order to verify the copolymerization of all the components and the pH-responsivity, respectively. Finally, after loading of the microspheres with a common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as diclofenac sodium salt, drug release experiments in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1) and in simulated intestinal fluid (pH 7) were performed, confirming the suitability of the obtained materials as drug delivery devices. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012

Carbonate determination in dental apatites such as dentine and enamel is important for studying the dynamics of dental caries and developmental defects of these tissues. Traditionally, these determinations have been performed by acidic digestion with the subsequent measurement of released carbon dioxide gas. As an alternative, Raman spectroscopy has been used for the determination of carbonate in synthetic carbonated apatites with at least four analytical methods published thus far. However, these methods have not been applied to biological apatites. The aim of this comparative study was to test the suitability of these four methods for the determination of B-type carbonate in human enamel and dentine. A method for determining the A-type carbonate content of enamel using the Raman technique is also presented. Raman spectra were obtained from 10 human enamel and dentine samples and analysed with each of the four methods using either a single or multiple ν1(PO43–) band spectral fitting model. Each of the methods resulted in a different determination for the carbonate content when using the same measurement data. The method that used the full-width-at-half-maximum of the ν1(PO43–) band to determine the B-type carbonate concentration was found to be in best agreement with (i) the results (using the acid digestion method) of teeth collected from the same sample population and (ii) previously reported values for both enamel and dentine. The use of a multiple-band spectral fitting model produced the highest determination precision (particularly in the case of dentine).

Background. Trocar Site Hernia (TSH) is defined as an incisional hernia which occurs after minimally invasive surgery on the trocar incision site.In 2004 Tonouchi classified trocar site hernias into 3 types: Early onset type; Late onset type; Special type. Case Report. We report the case of a 76-year old woman that underwent an emergency explorative laparotomy on the 10th p.o. day after a laparoscopic left hemicolectomy. Surgery showed a small bowel herniation through the 12 mm trocar incision site; the intestinal loop appeared necrotic and had to be resected, and the hernia orifice was repaired. We carried out a review of literature about this topic. Discussion. The clinical onset of a trocar site hernia is usually early, occurring within the 30th post operative day and it is caused by the omentum or small bowel entrapment into the trocar orifice. The clinical presentation is insidious, with progression to an acute abdomen, and an emergency surgical approach is often required. Conclusions. TSH is a severe complication of operative laparoscopy especially with large-bore trocar ports. The incidence of TSH resulting from our review ranges from 0.007% to 22% with an average of 1.85%. Prevention of TSH appears to be more effective when trocar insertion through the abdominal wall is tangential, the closure of both the fascia and the peritoneum is performed if the incision is greater than 7 mm, the suture of extra umbilical port site is performed under laparoscopic vision.

In this work, the structural and gas sensing properties of an electropolymerized, polyaniline (PANI)/multiwall carbon nanotube (MWNT) composite based surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor are reported. Thin films made of PANI nanofibers were deposited onto 36 lithium tantalate (LiTaO3) SAW transducers using electropolymerization and were subsequently dedoped. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the compact growth of the composites which is much denser than that of PANI nanofibers. The PANI/MWNT composite based SAW sensor was then exposed to different concentrations of hydrogen (H2) gas at room temperature with a demonstrated electrical response.

A new Molecularly Imprinted Solid Phase Extraction (MISPE) protocol was developed for the selective extraction and purification of glycyrrhizic acid (GL) from liquorice roots. Non-covalent MIP were synthesized using methacrylic acid (MAA), 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrilate (DMAEM) or 2-hydroxyethylmetacrylate (HEMA) as functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as crosslinking agent. After the evaluation of the selectivity of the GL imprinted polymers, the performance of these materials as Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) sorbents was investigated. MIP having HEMA as functional monomer were found to be able to selectively extract almost 80% of GL content in liquorice roots. The proposed MISPE-HPLC procedure has good precision, thus it can be successfully used for the purification of GL from natural sources.

Os transtornos sexuais após lesão encefálica traumática são pouco abordados na literatura científica. O impacto na sexualidade dos pacientes, na parceria, na família e na sociedade ainda é pouco compreendido pelos profissionais de reabilitação. Diante disto, fez-se uma revisão da literatura sobre diversos aspectos da sexualidade após trauma de crânio. Este estudo teve por objetivo investigar a epidemiologia, a etiologia, os diagnósticos, a classificação, as modalidades terapêuticas que vêm sendo adotadas e o prognóstico dos transtornos sexuais de portadores de traumatismo craniano. Realizou-se uma revisão de 39 artigos selecionados nas seguintes bases de dados científicas: MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, LILACS e Scielo, usando como descritores: brain Injuries; traumatic brain Injury; sexuality, sexual behavior; sexual dysfunction psychological; sex education; sexual violence, referentes à pacientes maiores de 18 anos, de ambos os gêneros, no período de janeiro 1966 a maio 2011, nas línguas inglesa, espanhola e portuguesa. Alguns artigos e livros de referencia devido à relevância histórica neste assunto foram incluídos. Os autores abordaram os aspectos clínico-funcionais, psicológicos e sociais da sexualidade desses indivíduos. Conclusão: a avaliação completa por profissionais capacitados na área de sexualidade é recomendada durante o processo de reabilitação para uma melhor reintegração na sociedade. São necessários mais estudos para delinear as disfunções sexuais apresentadas por esses pacientes e suas parcerias, a fim de desenvolver estratégias de tratamento que contemplem suas necessidades possibilitando melhora no relacionamento, satisfação sexual e conseqüentemente na qualidade de vida.

This paper deals with the synthesis of thermoresponsive microspheres with proteic structure exhibiting a transition temperature close to the body temperature. The hydrogels were synthesized by free radical polymerization of methacrylate Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA-MA) as crosslinker, and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and/or N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm), as hydrophilic and thermoresponsive monomers, respectively. The modification of the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance in the polymerization feed allows to modulate the volume phase transition temperature of the macromolecular network. The hydrogels were characterized by infrared spectroscopy and thermal analyses, which showed negative thermoresponsive behavior for all compositions and, by increasing the content of the hydrophilic moieties in the network, the transition temperature was ranged from 34.2 to 36.8°C. To test the preformed materials as drug carriers, diclofenac diethyl ammonium salt was chosen and drug entrapment percent was determined. Drug release profiles, in media at different temperature, depend on the crosslinking degree and on the composition of the hydrogels. By using semiempirical equations, the release mechanism was extensively studied and the diffusional contribute evaluated. The physic-chemical characteristics of thermoresponsive materials confirm the applicability of the microspheres as drug delivery device. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011

In this work, the efficacy of fig syrup, a Mediterranean fig derivative, as a nutraceutical supplement, was demonstrated. Fig syrup is a fruit concentrate used as a common ingredient in the preparation of typical foods, and particularly in cakes. In vitro assays were performed to determine the amount of nutraceutical ingredients, such as phenolic compounds (3.92 mg equivalent of gallic acid per g) and flavonoids (0.35 mg equivalent of catechin per g), while HPLC analyses provided specific information about the composition of antioxidants in the syrup. Furthermore, total antioxidant activity, scavenging properties against DPPH and peroxyl radicals, and the anticholinesterase activity, clearly showed the efficacy of the syrup in preventing damage induced by free radicals and, thus, the applicability of this food derivative as a nutraceutical supplement.

The synthesis of thermo-sensitive antioxidant hydrogels by grafting of an antioxidant molecule and a thermo-responsive monomer into inulin, in the presence of a crosslinker. In particular, catechin and NIPAAm, as antioxidant and thermo-responsive species, respectively, were inserted in a polymeric network employing a redox pair as an eco-friendly radical initiator system. Calorimetric, FT-IR, UV–Vis and fluorescence analyses were performed to verify both the formation of the inulin–antioxidant covalent bond and the insertion of bioactive molecules and monomers in the network. The hydrogels showed transition temperatures in the range 31.3–33.1 °C and a water affinity depending on the temperature of the surrounding medium. The antioxidant activity of the conjugates was evaluated measuring the scavenger properties of the hydrogels against the 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical and the total flavonoid content at different temperatures. The thermo-responsive antioxidant properties of the hydrogels confirmed the efficiency of the proposed synthetic strategy and demonstrated as the antioxidant–carbohydrate thermo-responsive conjugates possess peculiar features for specific applications in the food industry.

A novel flavonoid-polysaccharide conjugate was synthesized by free radical grafting of quercetin on starch. The covalent insertion of quercetin in the polymeric chain was confirmed by FT-IR, DSC and fluorescence analyses, while an estimation of the amount of quercetin bound per g of polymer was obtained by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay. The conjugate shows improved UV stability and retains the antioxidant properties of free quercetin, such as scavenging activity towards free radicals (DPPH and peroxynitrite); inhibition of the free radical formation (peroxidation of linoleic acid) and total antioxidant activity. The conjugate also prevented drug degradation and shows potential health functionality in the treatment of Alzheimer disease, diabetes and as skin-whitening agent.

Objectives To prove the possibility of covalently functionalizing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by free radical grafting of gallic acid on their surface with the subsequent synthesis of materials with improved biological properties evaluated by specific in-vitro assays. Methods Antioxidant CNTs were synthesized by radical grafting of gallic acid onto pristine CNTs. The synthesis of carbon nanotubes was carried out in a fixed-bed reactor and, after the removal of the amorphous carbon, the grafting process was performed. The obtained materials were characterized by fluorescence and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analyses. After assessment of the biocompatibility and determination of the disposable phenolic group content, the antioxidant properties were evaluated in terms of total antioxidant activity and scavenger ability against 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl and peroxyl radicals. Finally the inhibition activity on acetylcholinesterase was evaluated. Key findings The covalent fuctionalization of CNTs with gallic acid was confirmed and the amount of gallic acid bound per g of CNTs was found to be 2.1 ± 0.2 mg. Good antioxidant and scavenging properties were recorded in the functionalized CNTs, which were found to be able to inhibit the acetylcholinesterase with potential improved activity for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. Conclusions For the first time, a free radical grafting procedure was proposed as a synthetic approach for the covalent functionalization of CNTs with an antioxidant polyphenol.

Goal of the present study was the characterization of the biological properties of a gelatin-gallic acid conjugate (Gel-GA) to evaluate its applicability in biomedicine and pharmacy. The macromolecular conjugate was synthesized by free radical grafting reaction between gelatin and gallic acid (GA) to form a covalent conjugate that was found to retain the antioxidant and enzymatic activities of free GA. In particular, the peroxynitrite scavenging power was found to be consistent with a IC(50) value of 2.17 ± 0.4 mg mL(-1). The enzymatic capacities of GA, which are regarded beneficial for cell functions, are partly retained in the Gel-GA conjugate. In particular, acetylcholinesterase inhibition (IC(50) of 7.1 ± 1.3 mg mL(-1)) implies the conjugate's usefulness in the chemoprevention of Alzheimer's disease, while the inhibition of α-amylase (IC(50) of 9.8 ± 1.1 mg mL(-1)) suggests that the conjugate can be a preferred alternative for inhibition of carbohydrate breakdown and control of glycemic index of food products. Finally, the anticancer activity of Gel-GA was proven in prostate carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma cell lines, confirming the potential of the proposed protein-polyphenol conjugate in medicine.

A molecularly imprinted polymer able to recognize melamine in partially aqueous medium was synthesized using methacrylic acid as functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as cross-linking agent. The bound specificity and selectivity of the obtained material were verified by performing binding experiments with melamine and its structural analogue, 2,4,6-trimethoxy-1,3,5-triazine, respectively, using different aqueous binding media. Finally, the ability of MIP to selectively extract melamine from two real samples, a food supplement and a freeze-dried meat sample, was demonstrated.

Transient Coherent Ultrafast Phonon Spectroscopy (TCUPS) is utilized to study phonon dephasing lifetimes in various diamond types. Samples of natural, chemical vapour deposited, and high pressure high temperature diamond are compared showing significant differences. Dephasing mechanisms are discussed. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pt/graphene nanosheet/SiC based devices are fabricated and characterized and their performances toward hydrogen gas are investigated. The graphene nanosheets are synthesized via the reduction of spray-coated graphite oxide deposited onto SiC substrates. Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies indicate incomplete reduction of the graphite oxide, resulting in partially oxidized graphene nanosheet layers of less than 10 nm thickness. The effects of interfaces on the nonlinear behavior of the Pt/graphene and graphene/SiC junctions are investigated. Current−voltage measurements of the sensors toward 1% hydrogen in synthetic air gas mixture at various temperatures ranging up to 100 °C are performed. From the dynamic response, a voltage shift of ∼100 mV is recorded for 1% hydrogen at a constant current bias of 1 mA at 100 °C.

Objectives The aim was to synthesize molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with high recognition properties towards glycyrrhizic acid and to evaluate the performance of these materials to act as base excipients in glycyrrhizic acid sustained release in gastrointestinal simulating fluids. Methods MIPs were synthesized using methacrylic acid (MAA) as acidic, 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) as basic, and 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) as neutral functional monomers, while ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) was chosen as a crosslinking agent. The imprinting effect was evaluated by binding experiments using glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetic acid (analogue molecule) solutions and in-vitro release studies were performed in gastrointestinal simulating fluids. Key findings Good recognition and selectivity properties were found in all the synthesized materials in both ethanol and ethanol–water mixture. The release from non-imprinted polymers was indeed higher at acidic pH, while a slower release was observed in MIPs' case, because of the presence of imprinted cavities in the polymeric structure. The stronger capacity of MAA to interact by hydrogen bonds with the template makes MAA-containing MIPs the most effective materials in both rebinding and release experiments. ConclusionsThe release tests confirm the applicability of imprinted polymer for glycyrrhizic acid sustained release in gastrointestinal simulating fluids.

The aim of this study is the preparation of molecularly imprinted polymers by employing a redox pair as initiator system. Bulk molecularly imprinted polymers were synthesized by using Fenton reagents as initiator system. Theophylline, methacrylic acid, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate were employed as model template, functional monomer, and crosslinking agent, respectively. Conventional imprinted polymers were also prepared by using 2,2′-azoisobutyronitrile in order to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed initiator system. Redox molecularly imprinted polymers and conventional molecularly imprinted polymers were characterized by water uptake measurement, while the imprinting effect of synthesized polymers were evaluated by performing binding experiments in organic (acetonitrile) and in water (buffered water solution at pH = 7.4) media.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the entries associated to the sexual function of patients undergoing physical disability rehabilitation, as well as the course of changes and medical approach through a retrospective review of medical charts. Methods: Medical records referring to the period between July and September, 1998 were evaluated. The data was divided into two groups, records containing physician’s entries on sexual function and/or entries of other health care professionals. The following aspects were investigated: whether complaints were spontaneously voiced by the patient, and whether diagnosis had been reached, with corresponding management. Results: Out of 245 medical records investigated, 17 (6.9%) contained clinical observations on the sexual function; out of those, 14 reached diagnosis. Twelve records (4.9%) had information by non-medical healthcare professionals. Out of 17 entries by doctors, 16 referred to male patients, which was found to be significant (p = 0.0202). Conclusions: Records for the sexual function of patients undergoing physical rehabilitation are scarce. In this population, the sexual function of male patients had more extensive investigation on the part of physicians when compared to other health care professionals.

Novel stimuli-responsive hydrophilic microspheres were prepared by free radical polymerization of hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and methacrylic acid (MA), as hydrophilic monomers, and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and N,N′-ethylenebisacrylamide (EBA), as thermo-sensitive monomer and crosslinker, respectively. Hydrophilic comonomers were introduced in the macromolecular network to synthesize materials with tunable thermal behavior. In addition, by introducing in the polymerization feed both a hydrophilic and a pH-sensitive monomer, such as MA, dual stimuli-responsive (pH and temperature) hydrogels were synthesized. The incorporation of monomers in the network was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy, while the network density and the shape of hydrogels was found to strictly depend on the concentration of monomers in the polymerization feed. Thermal analyses showed negative thermo-responsive behavior with pronounced water affinity of microspheres at a temperature lower than lower critical solution temperature (LCST). In our experiment, the LCST values of the hydrogels were in the range 34.6–37.5°C, close to the body temperature, and the amount of hydrophilic moieties in the polymeric network allows to collect shrinking/swelling transition temperatures higher than the LCST of NIPAAm homopolymers. In order to test the preformed materials as drug carriers, diclofenac diethylammonium salt (DDA) was chosen and drug entrapment percent was determined. Drug release profiles, in media at different temperature and pH, depend on hydrogels crosslinking degree and drug–bead interactions. By using semi-empirical equations, the release mechanism was extensively studied and the diffusional contribute was evaluated. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In the present study, catechin–alginate and catechin–inulin conjugates were obtained by adopting free radical-induced grafting procedure. In the aim to synthesize the antioxidant–polysaccharide conjugates, ascorbic acid/hydrogen peroxide redox pair was employed as water-soluble and biocompatible initiator system. The insertion of catechin onto the polymeric backbones was verified by performing FT-IR, DSC and fluorescence analyses and molecular weight distributions were analyzed by GPC. Finally, the antioxidant properties of the obtained conjugates were evaluated and compared with that of blank alginate and blank inulin, treated in the same conditions but in absence of catechin. The good antioxidant activity showed by functionalized materials confirmed the efficiency of the adopted reaction method to impart peculiar characteristics to macromolecules of natural origin for specific industrial applications. This kind of systems, indeed, could be very useful in the optimization of food preservation and to help manufacturers in elaboration of new food products and packaging.

This paper describes the formation of self-organized nanopores in thin films of titanium prepared using a Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc (FCVA) deposition system. The post-deposition anodization was performed using 0.5% (wt) NH 4 F in ethylene glycol and an aqueous based solution containing 0.5% (wt) NH 4 F and 1 M (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 electrolytes. Homogenously distributed nanopores with dimensions in the range of 10 to 20 nm were obtained. Nanoporous TiO 2 thin films were obtained after annealing the anodized samples at 600 °C for 4 h. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize these nanoporous films. Raman measurements revealed that the rutile TiO 2 polymorph dominates these structures along with imperfect titanium oxidation resulting in the formation of defect structures, particularly when aqueous electrolyte was used for the anodization.