Effects of solvent and alkaline earth metals on the heat-induced precipitation process of sodium caseinate

The precipitation temperatures of sodium caseinate in H₂O and D₂O in the presence of Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺ and Ba²⁺ were investigated through fluorescence, turbidity and conductivity experiments.     

Survival of Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains in the upper gastrointestinal tract

In the present study six probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains were investigated for their ability to survive in the human upper gastrointestinal tract through a dynamic gastric model of digestion. MRS broth was used as delivery vehicle and survival was investigated during in vitro gastric and gastric plus duodenal digestion. Results highlighted that all tested strains showed good survival rate during both gastric and duodenal digestion. In particular, three strains exhibited a great survival showing a recovery percentage in the range between 117 and 276%. In agreement with survival data, high lactic acid production was detected for all strains, confirming their metabolic activity during digestion.     

Effect of kaolin and copper based products and of starter cultures on green table olive fermentation

In the present study table olives treated in field with kaolin and copper based products against “olive-fruit fly” were fermented using two selected strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The fermentation process was monitored up to 260 days from brining through physico-chemical, microbiological and sensorial analyses. Results showed a dominance of LAB and yeasts and low level of Enterobacteriaceae counts throughout the whole process both in un-treated and treated samples. When investigating the effect of the single treatments on microbial dynamics, ANOVA results highlighted that copper based products affected significantly the control sample, while the sample inoculated with LAB starters maintained high level throughout the process, guaranteeing the fermentation process. Different behavior was revealed by yeasts population, which was partially influenced by copper treatment at the beginning of the fermentation.The polyphasic approach used in the present study, which combined sensory evaluation to microbial counts and physico-chemical characteristics, let to the conclusion on the importance of starter cultures in fermentation of table olives especially those treated with “non-conventional” pesticide, which could be used to prevent olive fly damage.     

Validation by a Collaborative Interlaboratory Study of an ELISA Method for the Detection of Caseinate Used as a Fining Agent in Wine

The clarification or fining of wine removes undesirable substances such as proteins, phenols, and tannin compounds that would cloud the wine and cause bitterness and astringency. Caseinates have useful fining properties, but their residues could present a risk for allergic subjects. A commercial kit that was developed to detect caseinates in food has been examined for its applicability to a wine matrix; it is sensitive to caseinates at concentrations as low as 1 ppm. The general characteristics of the caseinate assay, described below in detail, are as follows. It is a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA): the microplate is first coated with a specific anti-casein antibody; and after incubation with the wine sample, a secondary anti-casein antibody conjugated with horseradish peroxidase is added to form a sandwich. The antibodies have been tested for their immunoreactivity and the reproducibility of antigen recognition has been measured. An interlaboratory collaborative trial was organized to evaluate the performance of this ELISA method and its ease of use by laboratories routinely dealing with wine/food analyses. The results satisfy the criteria established by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine in the Compendium of International Methods of Analysis MA-EAS1-07-ETCOL.     

Absence of allergenic residues in experimental and commercial wines fined with caseinates

The possible presence of allergenic residues in wines treated with one of the potassium caseinates used as fining agents has been investigated.     

Immunotherapy for Biliary Tract Cancer in the Era of Precision Medicine: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives

Biliary tract cancers (BTC) represent a heterogeneous and aggressive group of tumors with dismal prognosis. For a long time, BTC has been considered an orphan disease with very limited therapeutic options. In recent years a better understanding of the complex molecular landscape of biology is rapidly changing the therapeutic armamentarium. However, while 40–50% of patients there are molecular drivers susceptible to target therapy, for the remaining population new therapeutic options represent an unsatisfied clinical need. The role of immunotherapy in the continuum of treatment of patients with BTC is still debated. Despite initial signs of antitumor-activity, single-agent immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) demonstrated limited efficacy in an unselected population. Therefore, identifying the best partner to combine ICIs and predictive biomarkers represents a key challenge to optimize the efficacy of immunotherapy. This review provides a critical analysis of completed trials, with an eye on future perspectives and possible biomarkers of response.     

Novel Insights into Autophagy and Prostate Cancer: A Comprehensive Review

Autophagy is a complex process involved in several cell activities, including tissue growth, differentiation, metabolic modulation, and cancer development. In prostate cancer, autophagy has a pivotal role in the regulation of apoptosis and disease progression. Several molecular pathways are involved, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR. However, depending on the cellular context, autophagy may play either a detrimental or a protective role in prostate cancer. For this purpose, current evidence has investigated how autophagy interacts within these complex interactions. In this article, we discuss novel findings about autophagic machinery in order to better understand the therapeutic response and the chemotherapy resistance of prostate cancer. Autophagic-modulation drugs have been employed in clinical trials to regulate autophagy, aiming to improve the response to chemotherapy or to anti-cancer treatments. Furthermore, the genetic signature of autophagy has been found to have a potential means to stratify prostate cancer aggressiveness. Unfortunately, stronger evidence is needed to better understand this field, and the application of these findings in clinical practice still remains poorly feasible.     

The photoinduced charge transfer mechanism in aligned and unaligned carbon nanotubes

Using time-resolved reflectivity measurements on unaligned and aligned bundled single-wall carbon nanotubes with a pump energy of 1.55 eV, quasi-resonant with the second Van Hove singularity of semiconducting tubes, a positive sign of the transient reflectivity is detected in unaligned nanotubes. In contrast a negative sign is detected in aligned nanotubes. This discovery addresses a long-standing question showing that in unaligned nanotubes the stronger intertube interactions favor the formation of short-lived free charge carriers in semiconducting tubes. A detailed analysis of the transient reflectivity spectral response shows that the free carriers in the photo-excited state of semiconducting tubes move towards metallic tubes in about 400 fs.     

Sugar-derived ionic liquids

Ionic liquids (ILs) are special molten salts with melting points below 100 degrees C that are typically constituted of organic cations (imidazolium, pyridinium, sulfonium, phosphonium, etc.) and inorganic anions. Due to their ionic nature, they are endowed with high chemical and thermal stability, good solvent properties, and non-measurable vapor pressure. Although the recycling of ILs partly compensate their rather high cost, it is important to develop new synthetic approaches to less expensive and environmentally sustainable ILs based on renewable raw materials. In fact, most of these alternative solvents are still prepared starting from fossil feedstocks. Until now, only a limited number of ionic liquids have been prepared from renewable sources (e.g., hydroxy acids, amino acids, terpenes), and even less from naturally occurring carbohydrates. This short review describes the synthesis and applications of chiral and achiral ILs obtained from inexpensive sugars.