Electrodeposition of sol–gel films on Al for corrosion protection

Sol–gel films were electrodeposited on aluminum electrodes following the methodology we have developed and is based on applying negative potentials. This increases the pH at the surface, causing acceleration of the polymerization. Our process follows the “two step method”, in which the monomer is first hydrolyzed in acidic solution (pH 4) and only then the negative potential is applied, which consumes protons and releases hydroxyl ions, thus enhancing the condensation.Films made of different monomers, i.e., tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), methyl trimethoxysilane and phenyl trimethoxysilane (PTMOS), were prepared, characterized and examined for their corrosion inhibition properties. Potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, optical and scanning electron microscopy as well as atomic force microscopy have been used as a means of film characterization. Hydrophobic and steric silanes, such as PTMOS showed a considerable corrosion inhibition capacity as compared to the capacity exhibited by less hydrophobic and steric derivatives such as TEOS. The difference between the conventional dip-coating method and the electrodeposition approach for depositing sol–gel films was also examined, indicating a clear advantage of the latter.     

BiP Heterozigosity Aggravates Pathological Deterioration in Experimental Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

In the present study, we investigated the involvement of the chaperone protein BiP (also known as GRP78 or Hspa5), a master regulator of intracellular proteostasis, in two mouse models of neurodegenerative diseases: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). To this end, we used mice bearing partial genetic deletion of the BiP gene (BiP^+/− mice), which, for the ALS model, were crossed with mutant SOD1 (mSOD1) transgenic mice to generate mSOD1/BiP^+/− double mutant mice. Our data revealed a more intense neurological decline in the double mutants, reflected in a greater deterioration of the neurological score and rotarod performance, with also a reduced animal survival, compared to mSOD1 transgenic mice. Such worsening was associated with higher microglial (labelled with Iba-1 immunostaining) and, to a lesser extent, astroglial (labelled with GFAP immunostaining) immunoreactivities found in the double mutants, but not with a higher loss of spinal motor neurons (labelled with Nissl staining) in the spinal cord. The morphological analysis of Iba-1 and GFAP-positive cells revealed a higher presence of activated cells, characterized by elevated cell body size and shorter processes, in double mutants compared to mSOD1 mice with normal BiP expression. In the case of the PD model, BiP^+/− mice were unilaterally lesioned with the parkinsonian neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). In this case, however, we did not detect a greater susceptibility to damage in mutant mice, as the motor defects caused by 6-OHDA in the pole test and the cylinder rearing test, as well as the losses in tyrosine hydroxylase-containing neurons and the elevated glial reactivity (labelled with CD68 and GFAP immunostaining) detected in the substantia nigra were of similar magnitude in BiP^+/− mice compared with wildtype animals. Therefore, our findings support the view that a dysregulation of the protein BiP may contribute to ALS pathogenesis. As BiP has been recently related to cannabinoid type-1 (CB₁) receptor function, our work also opens the door to future studies on a possible link between BiP and the neuroprotective effects of cannabinoids that have been widely reported in this neuropathological context. In support of this possibility, preliminary data indicate that CB₁ receptor levels are significantly reduced in mSOD1 mice having partial deletion of BiP gene.     

Generation of null alleles for the functional analysis of six genes from the right arm of Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosome II

Using PCR‐ligated long flanking homology cassettes, null alleles of six open reading frames (ORFs) from chromosome II have been created in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Deletants were constructed in three genetic backgrounds: FY1679, W303 and CEN.PK2. Tetrad analysis of heterozygous deletants revealed that none of the ORFs is essential for vegetative growth. Basic phenotypic analysis of haploid deletants showed that deletion of the YBR283c ORF causes a slight growth defect at 30°C and 37°C on glycerol‐complete, glucose‐complete, and glucose‐minimal media only in the FY1679 and W303 backgrounds. Transformation of these deletants with the corresponding cognate gene in a centromeric plasmid complements the defects. Deletion of the YBR287w ORF leads to poor growth on glucose‐minimal medium at 15°C in the FY1679 background. None of the six ORFs seems to be involved in mating or sporulation. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Adsorption of Heavy Metals from Aqueous Solutions onto Activated Carbon in Single Cu and Ni Systems and in Binary Cu–Ni,Cu–Cd and Cu–Zn Systems

Single copper and nickel adsorption from aqueous solutions onto a granular activated carbon is reported. Metal removals increase on raising pH and temperature, and decrease on raising the initial metal concentration at constant carbon dose. The adsorption processes are modelled using the surface complex formation (SCF) Triple Layer Model (TLM) with an overall surface bidentate species. A dependence of the SCF constant on pH, initial molar metal/carbon ratio and temperature is observed, and a correlation for log K_ads is determined. The SCF model successfully predicts copper and nickel removals in single metal solutions. Adsorption in the binary metal systems copper–nickel, copper–cadmium and copper–zinc is also reported, showing competitive adsorption effects. © 1997 SCI.     

Therapeutic Modulation of the Host Defense by Hemoadsorption with CytoSorb®—Basics,Indications and Perspectives—A Scoping Review

The “normal” immune response to an insult triggers a highly regulated response determined by the interaction of various immunocompetent cells with pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Under pathologic conditions, the massive elevation of cytokine levels (“cytokine storm”) could not be controlled until the recent development of hemoadsorption devices that are able to extract a variety of different DAMPs, PAMPs, and metabolic products from the blood. CytoSorb^® has been approved for adjunctive sepsis therapy since 2011. This review aims to summarize theoretical knowledge, in vitro results, and clinical findings to provide the clinician with pragmatic guidance for daily practice. English-language and peer-reviewed literature identified by a selective literature search in PubMed and published between January 2016 and May 2021 was included. Hemoadsorption can be used successfully as adjunct to a complex therapeutic regimen for various conditions. To the contrary, this nonspecific intervention may potentially worsen patient outcomes in complex immunological processes. CytoSorb^® therapy appears to be safe and useful in various diseases (e.g., rhabdomyolysis, liver failure, or intoxications) as well as in septic shock or cytokine release syndrome, although a conclusive assessment of treatment benefit is not possible and no survival benefit has yet been demonstrated in randomized controlled trials.     

Short-Chain Fatty Acid Formation during Thermoxidation and Frying

Formation and evolution of the short-chain fatty acids originated by oxidation and remaining bound to the parent triglyceride, specifically heptanoate and octanoate, were studied during thermoxidation of palm olein, conventional sunflower oil and high-oleic sunflower oil at 180°C, as well as in real used frying oils of unknown history collected by Food Inspection Services. Fatty acids were quantified by gas–liquid chromatography following transesterification of samples and using methyl nonanoate and methyl heptadecanoate as internal standards. Alteration level was determined through analyses of polar compounds and polar fatty acids. Results showed high correlation coefficients between short-chain fatty acids and polar compounds or polar fatty acids, thus suggesting that quantification of short-chain fatty acids is a good indication of the total alteration level in used frying oils.     

MicroRNA-Mediated Regulation of the Virus Cycle and Pathogenesis in the SARS-CoV-2 Disease

In the last few years, microRNA-mediated regulation has been shown to be important in viral infections. In fact, viral microRNAs can alter cell physiology and act on the immune system; moreover, cellular microRNAs can regulate the virus cycle, influencing positively or negatively viral replication. Accordingly, microRNAs can represent diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of infectious processes and a promising approach for designing targeted therapies. In the past 18 months, the COVID-19 infection from SARS-CoV-2 has engaged many researchers in the search for diagnostic and prognostic markers and the development of therapies. Although some research suggests that the SARS-CoV-2 genome can produce microRNAs and that host microRNAs may be involved in the cellular response to the virus, to date, not enough evidence has been provided. In this paper, using a focused bioinformatic approach exploring the SARS-CoV-2 genome, we propose that SARS-CoV-2 is able to produce microRNAs sharing a strong sequence homology with the human ones and also that human microRNAs may target viral RNA regulating the virus life cycle inside human cells. Interestingly, all viral miRNA sequences and some human miRNA target sites are conserved in more recent SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs). Even if experimental evidence will be needed, in silico analysis represents a valuable source of information useful to understand the sophisticated molecular mechanisms of disease and to sustain biomedical applications.