Assessing the Potential Content of Ethyl Carbamate in White,Red, and Rosé Wines as a Key Factor for Pursuing Urea Degradation by Purified Acid Urease

The ethyl carbamate (EC) content of a wine after a given temperature‐time storage was theoretically predicted from the potential concentration of ethyl carbamate (PEC), as determined via an accelerated EC formation test. Such information was used to decide whether an enzymatic treatment was needed to reduce the wine urea level before bottling/aging. To this end, 6 white, red, and rosé wines, manufactured in Italy as such or enriched with urea, were tested for their PEC content either before or after enzymatic treatment using a purified acid urease preparation derived from Lactobacillus fermentum. The treatment was severely affected by the total phenolic content (TP) of the wine, the estimated pseudo‐first‐order kinetic rate constant for NH₃ formation reducing by a factor of approximately 2000 as the TP increased from 0 to 1.64 g L^‐1. Such a sensitivity to TP was by far greater than that pertaining to a killed cell‐based enzyme preparation used previously. Urea hydrolysis was successful at reducing EC concentration in wines with low levels of TP and other EC precursors.     

Core shell hybrids based on noble metal nanoparticles and conjugated polymers: synthesis and characterization

Noble metal nanoparticles of different sizes and shapes combined with conjugated functional polymers give rise to advanced core shell hybrids with interesting physical characteristics and potential applications in sensors or cancer therapy. In this paper, a versatile and facile synthesis of core shell systems based on noble metal nanoparticles (AuNPs, AgNPs, PtNPs), coated by copolymers belonging to the class of substituted polyacetylenes has been developed. The polymeric shells containing functionalities such as phenyl, ammonium, or thiol pending groups have been chosen in order to tune hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties and solubility of the target core shell hybrids. The Au, Ag, or Pt nanoparticles coated by poly(dimethylpropargylamonium chloride), or poly(phenylacetylene-co-allylmercaptan). The chemical structure of polymeric shell, size and size distribution and optical properties of hybrids have been assessed. The mean diameter of the metal core has been measured (about 10-30 nm) with polymeric shell of about 2 nm.     

The Fight against the Influenza A Virus H1N1: Synthesis,Molecular Modeling,and Biological Evaluation of Benzofurazan Derivatives as Viral RNA Polymerase Inhibitors

The influenza RNA polymerase complex, which consists of the three subunits PA, PB1, and PB2, is a promising target for the development of new antiviral drugs. A large library of benzofurazan compounds was synthesized and assayed against influenza virus A/WSN/33 (H1N1). Most of the new derivatives were found to act by inhibiting the viral RNA polymerase complex through disruption of the complex formed between subunits PA and PB1. Docking studies were also performed to elucidate the binding mode of benzofurazans within the PB1 binding site in PA and to identify amino acids involved in their mechanism of action. The predicted binding pose is fully consistent with the biological data and lays the foundation for the rational development of more effective PA–PB1 inhibitors.     

MRT letter: Nanoscopy of protein colocalization in living cells by STED and GSDIM

We report the use of superresolution fluorescence microscopy for studying the nanoscale distribution of protein colocalization in living mammalian cells. Nanoscale imaging is attained both by a targeted and a stochastic fluorescence on-off switching superresolution method, namely by stimulated emission depletion (STED) and ground state depletion microscopy followed by individual molecular return (GSDIM), respectively. Analysis of protein colocalization is performed by bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC). Specifically, a nonfluorescent fragment of the yellow fluorescent protein Citrine is fused to tubulin while a counterpart nonfluorescent fragment is fused to the microtubulin-associated protein MAP2 such that fluorescence is reconstituted on contact of the fragment-carrying proteins. Images with resolution down to 65 nm prove a powerful new way for studying protein colocalization in living cells at the nanoscale.     

Industrial districts,urban areas or both? The location behaviour of foreign and domestic firms in an Italian manufacturing region

The Annals of Regional Science - The present paper aims at exploring the location behaviour of manufacturing firms, according to their ownership: domestic firms (henceforth DOMs) and inward foreign...     

Soil sealing footprint as an indicator of dispersed urban growth: a multivariate statistics approach

The present study introduces a set of indicators derived from high-resolution land-use maps with the aim to illustrate the spatial distribution, intensity, and diversity of sealed soils in a Mediterranean region (Rome, Italy) shifting from a mono-centric spatial organization toward a dispersed urban agglomeration. A multivariate approach provides a comprehensive assessment of Rome ‘sealing footprint’, classifying local districts according to different imperviousness profiles. Results illustrate the rearrangement of the land-use structure determined by suburbanization with higher soil consumption and lower land-use efficiency. The approach is considered a promising tool to inform policies for a spatially balanced and land-saving urban development.     

Multi-hazard loss analysis of tall buildings under wind and seismic loads

This paper presents a framework for life-cycle loss estimation for non-structural damage in tall buildings under wind and seismic loads. Life-cycle cost analysis is a useful design tool for decision- makers, aimed at predicting monetary losses over the lifetime of a structure, accounting for uncertainties involved in the problem definition. For tall buildings, sensitive to dynamic excitations like earthquake and wind, it can be particularly suitable to base design decisions not only on initial cost and performance but also on future repair expenses. The proposed approach harmonises the procedures for intervention costs evaluation of structures subjected to multiple-hazards, taking into account the peculiar differences of wind and earthquake, in terms of load characterisation, type and evolution of damage. Relative effect of the two hazards on damage to drift- and acceleration-sensitive non-structural elements are examined. The influence of uncertainty in structural damping is also taken into account. It is shown that, although it is commonly believed that the design of a given structure is usually dominated by either winds or earthquakes, when LCC-based design is performed, both winds and earthquakes may be important.     

Evaluation of ageing in asphalt cores using low-field nuclear magnetic resonance

This paper introduces an innovative methodology for estimating the ageing of asphalt concrete cores without extracting the binder. Asphalt concrete samples at different ageing stages (unaged, 3-month and 6-month aged) and with different percent air voids (4%, 7% and 10%) were analysed with low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The transverse relaxation time T₂ and relative hydrogen index (RHI) obtained from NMR measurements were related to the viscosity of the asphalt binder. The samples were analysed during cooling from 70°C to room temperature, showing increase in viscosity with decreasing temperature. There was a clear trend indicating higher viscosities in samples that were aged for a longer period and samples with higher percent air voids. The RHI and T₂ values obtained from low-field NMR measurements and the viscosity data calculated from measurements using a dynamic shear rheometer were correlated to develop a model that relates viscosity with RHI.     

One-pot preparation of surface-functionalized barium titanate nanoparticles for high-K polystyrene composite films prepared via floating method

An advanced and inexpensive one-pot method to prepare polystyrene (PS)–barium titanate (BT) films by solution mixing is reported. The process was developed to obtain free-standing films with an increased dielectric constant (ε′). Since PS is soluble in apolar solvents, BT nanoparticles (BT-NPs) were surface-modified with palmitic acid (PAc) and embedded within the polymer matrix without affecting homogeneity and smoothness of the composite. The films were prepared by floating method consisting in dropping BT-NPs dispersed in PS/toluene solution on the water surface. After the evaporation of toluene, smooth, free-standing and thermally stable films were obtained with a markedly higher ε′ compared to the neat PS. PAc modification improved the dispersion of BT-NPs in the apolar phase and prevented their diffusion into the aqueous phase during the toluene evaporation. The proposed film-forming technique makes it possible to modulate the thickness and shape of the films by selecting the quantity and concentration of the organic phase and using various templates, thus opening up a broad range of applications.