La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ nanofiber cathode for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells by water-based sol-gel electrospinning: Synthesis and electrochemical behaviour

Water-based sol-gel electrospinning is employed to manufacture perovskite oxide La_0.6Sr_0.4Co_0.2Fe_0.8O_3-δ (LSCF) nanofiber cathodes for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells. LSCF fibrous scaffolds are synthesized through electrospinning of a sol-gel solution employing water as the only solvent. Morphological characterizations demonstrate that the LSCF fibers have highly crystalline structure with uniform elemental distribution. After heat treatment, the average fiber diameter is 250 nm and the porosity of the nanofiber tissue is 37.5 %. The heat treated LSCF nanofibers are applied directly onto a Ce_0.9Gd_0.1O_1.95 (CGO) electrolyte disk to form a symmetrical cell. Electrochemical characterization is carried out through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in the temperature range 550?°C–950?°C, and reproducibility of the electrochemical performance for a series of cells is demonstrated. At 650?°C, the average measured polarization resistance R_p is 1.0 Ω cm². Measured performance decay is 1 % during the first 33?h of operation at 750?°C, followed by an additional 0.7 % over the subsequent 70?h.     

High-Fat Diet Leads to Reduced Protein O-GlcNAcylation and Mitochondrial Defects Promoting the Development of Alzheimer’s Disease Signatures

The disturbance of protein O-GlcNAcylation is emerging as a possible link between altered brain metabolism and the progression of neurodegeneration. As observed in brains with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), flaws of the cerebral glucose uptake translate into reduced protein O-GlcNAcylation, which promote the formation of pathological hallmarks. A high-fat diet (HFD) is known to foster metabolic dysregulation and insulin resistance in the brain and such effects have been associated with the reduction of cognitive performances. Remarkably, a significant role in HFD-related cognitive decline might be played by aberrant protein O-GlcNAcylation by triggering the development of AD signature and mitochondrial impairment. Our data support the impairment of total protein O-GlcNAcylation profile both in the brain of mice subjected to a 6-week high-fat-diet (HFD) and in our in vitro transposition on SH-SY5Y cells. The reduction of protein O-GlcNAcylation was associated with the development of insulin resistance, induced by overfeeding (i.e., defective insulin signaling and reduced mitochondrial activity), which promoted the dysregulation of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) flux, through the AMPK-driven reduction of GFAT1 activation. Further, we observed that a HFD induced the selective impairment of O-GlcNAcylated-tau and of O-GlcNAcylated-Complex I subunit NDUFB8, thus resulting in tau toxicity and reduced respiratory chain functionality respectively, highlighting the involvement of this posttranslational modification in the neurodegenerative process.     

Redox proteomics identification of 4‐hydroxynonenal‐modified brain proteins in Alzheimer's disease: Role of lipid peroxidation in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis

Numerous studies have shown that neuronal lipids are highly susceptible to oxidative stress including in those brain areas directly involved in the neurodegenerative process of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Lipid peroxidation directly damages membranes and also generates a number of secondary biologically active products (toxic aldehydes)that are capable of easily attacking lipids, proteins, and DNA. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated regionally increased brain lipid peroxidation in patients with AD; however, extensive studies on specific targets of lipid peroxidation‐induced damage are still missing. The present study represents a further step in understanding the relationship between oxidative modification of protein and neuronal death associated with AD. We used a proteomics approach to determine specific targets of lipid peroxidation in AD brain, both in hippocampus and inferior parietal lobule, by coupling immunochemical detection of 4‐hydroxynonenal‐bound proteins with 2‐D polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and MS analysis. We identified 4‐hydroxynonenal‐bound proteins in the hippocampus and inferior parietal lobule brain regions of subjects with AD. The identified proteins play different biological functions including energy metabolism, antioxidant system, and structural proteins, thus impairing multiple molecular pathways. Our results provide further evidence for the role of lipid peroxidation in the pathogenesis of AD.     

How meaty? Detection and quantification of adulterants,foreign proteins and food additives in meat products

The worldwide consumption of meat is increasing, especially in developing countries. Many studies have correlated a diet characterised by high intake of processed red meats with a risk of colorectal cancer, stroke, coronary heart diseases and diabetes. Moreover, the quality and safety of meat products may be compromised by several admitted and not admitted procedures (i.e. addition of food additives and/or foreign proteins). For these reasons, the topic ‘meat products’ quality and safety’ has gained much in importance during last few years. In this review, the recent advances in the field of analytical methods for the evaluation of meat adulteration due to the addition of foreign proteins and food additives are reported, compared and critically evaluated. Moreover, the most representative monitoring practices, developed worldwide, related to meats adulteration are described and discussed.     

Effect of extra virgin olive oil on glycaemia in healthy young subjects

In this approach we studied the glycaemia levels in 20 healthy young volunteers (26 ± 2 years), before and after a 30‐day intake of 50 mL of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). We selected an oil rich in phenolic compounds (523 mg/L) with a high content of secoiridoidic derivatives (over 94.5%). The findings from our study reveal a significant decrease of glycaemia from 89.6 ± 6.8 to 82.7 ± 10.3 mg/dL (p<0.05), related to a long term daily intake of the study EVOO, as the only added fat. A significant increment of the HDL cholesterol, from 68.7 ± 11.5 to 75.2 ± 4.9 mg/dL, was also highlighted. Total cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, triglycerides, and blood pressure did not show significant variation after the 30‐day consumption of this EVOO. So far, few articles have described the influence of EVOO consumption, on plasma glucose levels in humans. This effect is observed in a group of healthy young humans. Moreover, we confirm that the level of free hydroxytyrosol (OH‐Tyr) in plasma increased up to fourfold (p<0.05) after the 30‐day intake of this EVOO. In addition, the excretion in urine of the main metabolite of OH‐Tyr, homovanillic acid (HVA), significantly increased.     

3D virtual apparel design for industrial applications

The integration of physics-based models within CAD systems for garment design leads to highly accurate cloth shape results for virtual prototyping and quality evaluation tasks. To this aim, we present a physics-based system for virtual cloth design and simulation expressly conceived for design purposes. This environment should allow the designer to validate her/his style and design option through the analysis of garment virtual prototypes and simulation results in order to reduce the number and role of physical prototypes. Garment shapes are accurately predicted by including material properties and external interactions through a particle-based cloth model embedded in constrained Newtonian dynamics with collision management, extended to complex-shaped assembled and finished garments. Our model is incorporated within a 3D graphical environment, and includes operators monitoring the whole design process of apparel, e.g. panel sewing, button/dart insertion, multi-layered fabric composition, garment finishings, etc. Applications and case studies are considered, with analysis of CAD modelling phases and simulation results concerning several male and female garments.     

An IR study of thermally stable V2O5-WO3 -TiO2 SCR catalysts modified with silica and rare-earths (Ce, Tb, Er)

The catalytic activity of silica-free and silica-modified rare earth (Ce, Tb, Er) containing V₂O₅-WO₃ -TiO₂ catalysts in the selective catalytic reduction of NO by ammonia has been investigated as a function of ageing temperatures. The adsorption of ammonia on the catalysts and the behavior of their surface hydroxy groups and of bulk vibrations has also been studied by IR spectroscopy. Rare earths slightly decrease the catalytic activity of catalysts in a fresh state, and this has been attributed to the perturbation, observed by IR, of the vanadyl groups with a likely lowering of their Lewis acidity. However, rare earths (in particular Tb and Er) increase strongly the catalytic activity of catalysts after ageing. Silica only does not seem to have a positive effect on thermal stability and activity when vanadium is present. It has been concluded that rare earths strongly increase the thermal resistance of the catalysts and inhibit rutilization and surface area loss because they do not penetrate the anatase bulk while tend to cover the external surface. In addition the negative action of free vanadium on phase stability is decreased due to formation of rare earth vanadates.