Correlating Nanocrystalline Structure with Electronic Properties in 2D Platinum Diselenide

Platinum diselenide (PtSe₂) is a 2D material with outstanding electronic and piezoresistive properties. The material can be grown at low temperatures in a scalable manner, which makes it extremely appealing for many potential electronics, photonics, and sensing applications. Here, the nanocrystalline structure of different PtSe₂ thin films grown by thermally assisted conversion (TAC) is investigated and is correlated with their electronic and piezoresistive properties. Scanning transmission electron microscopy for structural analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for chemical analysis, and Raman spectroscopy for phase identification are used. Electronic devices are fabricated using transferred PtSe₂ films for electrical characterization and piezoresistive gauge factor measurements. The variations of crystallite size and their orientations are found to have a strong correlation with the electronic and piezoresistive properties of the films, especially the sheet resistivity and the effective charge carrier mobility. The findings may pave the way for tuning and optimizing the properties of TAC-grown PtSe₂ toward numerous applications.     

Enterococcus populations in Pecorino Abruzzese cheese: biodiversity and safety aspects

The presence of enterococci in Pecorino Abruzzese cheese during ripening was evaluated. Counts were high, especially in fully ripened summer batches. Seventy strains were isolated and identified based on phenotypical and genotypical features as Enterococcus faecium (48.5%), Enterococcus faecalis (40%), and Enterococcus durans (11.5%), with the first species predominant in spring batches and the second predominant in summer batches. High biodiversity was revealed by random amplification of polymorphic DNA and a PCR assay, suggesting the presence of autochthonous strains. E. faecium isolates were the most resistant to the tested antibiotics, especially to erythromycin, chloramphenicol, and penicillin, but all strains were susceptible to vancomycin, as confirmed by the absence of vanA and vanB genes. The presence of some virulence determinants was investigated, revealing the diffusion of aggregation substance (asal) and gelatinase (gelE) genes in 37.5% of E. faecalis strains. However, none of the isolates produced gelatinase in vitro, suggesting the presence of silent genes. The virulence genes were absent in E. durans. Among E. faecium strains, only Lab 41/1 possessed gelE and asal, whose presence previously has been reported only in E. faecalis. Decarboxylating activity was revealed for phenylalanine (27% of the strains) and tyrosine (96%) but not histidine. The presence of a tyrosine decarboxylase-encoding gene was observed for all strains. A comparison of these results with those of previous studies of clinical and food isolates indicates that enterococci from Pecorino Abruzzese cheese have low pathogenic potential.     

Solid lipid nanoparticles incorporating melatonin as new model for sustained oral and transdermal delivery systems

melatonin (MT) is a hormone produced by the pineal gland at night, involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms. For clinical purposes, exogenous MT administration should mimic the typical nocturnal endogenous MT levels, but its pharmacokinetics is not favourable due to short half-life of elimination. Aim of this study is to examine pharmacokinetics of MT incorporated in solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN), administered by oral and transdermal route. SLN peculiarity consists in the possibility of acting as a reservoir, permitting a constant and prolonged release of the drugs included. In 7 healthy subjects SLN incorporating MT 3 mg (MT-SLN-O) were orally administered at 8.30 a.m. MT 3 mg in standard formulation (MT-S) was then administered to the same subjects after one week at 8.30 a.m. as controls. In 10 healthy subjects SLN incorporating MT were administered transdermally (MT-SLN-TD) by the application of a patch at 8.30 a.m. for 24 hours. Compared to MT-S, Tmax after MT-SLN-O administration resulted delayed of about 20 minutes, while mean AUC and mean half life of elimination was significantly higher (respectively 169944.7 +/- 64954.4 pg/ml x hour vs. 85148.4 +/- 50642.6 pg/ml x hour, p = 0.018 and 93.1 +/- 37.1 min vs. 48.2 +/- 8.9 min, p = 0.009). MT absorption and elimination after MT-SLN-TD demonstrated to be slow (mean half life of absorption: 5.3 +/- 1.3 hours; mean half life of elimination: 24.6 +/- 12.0 hours), so MT plasma levels above 50 pg/ml were maintained for at least 24 hours. This study demonstrates a significant absorption of MT incorporated in SLN, with detectable plasma level achieved for several hours in particular after transdermal administration. As dosages and concentrations of drugs included in SLN can be varied, different plasma level profile could be obtained, so disclosing new possibilities for sustained delivery systems.     

Comparison of static and step-pulsed ultra-high pressure on the microbial stability of fresh cut pineapple

Fresh cut pineapple cubes inoculated with 10^4–5 CFU g⁻¹ Saccharomyces cerevisiae were packed in heat-sealed polyethylene pouches and subjected at ambient temperature to static and step-pulsed ultra-high pressure (UHP) treatments. Static treatments included 100 and 9000 s at 270 MPa and 9000 s at 340 MPa. Step-pulsed pressure treatments included 100, 300 and 600 s at 0–270 MPa using 0·5-s and 10-s pulses. Inoculated treated and untreated samples were held at 4°C for 60 days. Bacteria and yeast counts were determined using plate count agar and yeast extract peptone dextrose agar, respectively. Static treatment at 270 and 340 MPa for 9000 s resulted in <240 CFU g⁻¹ yeast and bacteria counts for up to 60 days. Step-pulsed pressure treatments for 100 s at 0–270 MPa using 0·5-s (200 pulses) and 10-s pulses (10 pulses) were more effective than a 100-s static 270-MPa treatment. Step-pulsed pressure treatments (300 and 600 s) using 0·5-s pulses (600 and 1200 pulses) and 10-s pulses (30 and 60 pulses) were as effective as 9000-s static pressure treatments at 270 and 340 MPa. This storage study confirmed the superiority of step-pulsed over static pressure treatments. © 1998 SCI.     

Synthesis and reactivity of Mannich-derived polyoxyethylene amines as epoxy curing agents

The facile Mannich reaction of phenol, formaldehyde, and polyoxyalkylene polyamines at various molar ratios afforded a family of polyetheramines containing functionalities of phenol, primary amines, secondary amines, and polyoxyethylene or polyoxypropylene block copolymers in the same molecule. The synthesis can be generalized by using various polyoxyethylene or polyoxypropylene diamines (and triamines) of molecular weights ranging from 104 to 430 to prepare a family of Mannich amines, with exception of certain gel products such as phenol/formaldehyde/bis(aminoethyl)ether adduct at 1 : 3 : 3 molar ratio. The series of Mannich amines were evaluated for their epoxy curing reactivities by comparing their gel time and drying time. The Mannich amines prepared from polyoxyethylene amines exhibited higher reactivities than those of polyoxypropylene amine derivatives. The trend of their relative reactivities is explained by the molecular size, the multiplicity of amines in the molecule, and the steric hindrance of amine structure. The physical properties of cured epoxy materials, such as impact, tensile, flexural strength, and hardness properties were also measured and correlated with the amine molecular weight, crosslinking density, and the presence of phenol group. The structure–property relationship is discussed. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 66: 2339–2346, 1997     

VDACs Post-Translational Modifications Discovery by Mass Spectrometry: Impact on Their Hub Function

VDAC (voltage-dependent anion selective channel) proteins, also known as mitochondrial porins, are the most abundant proteins of the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM), where they play a vital role in various cellular processes, in the regulation of metabolism, and in survival pathways. There is increasing consensus about their function as a cellular hub, connecting bioenergetics functions to the rest of the cell. The structural characterization of VDACs presents challenging issues due to their very high hydrophobicity, low solubility, the difficulty to separate them from other mitochondrial proteins of similar hydrophobicity and the practical impossibility to isolate each single isoform. Consequently, it is necessary to analyze them as components of a relatively complex mixture. Due to the experimental difficulties in their structural characterization, post-translational modifications (PTMs) of VDAC proteins represent a little explored field. Only in recent years, the increasing number of tools aimed at identifying and quantifying PTMs has allowed to increase our knowledge in this field and in the mechanisms that regulate functions and interactions of mitochondrial porins. In particular, the development of nano-reversed phase ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (nanoRP-UHPLC) and ultra-sensitive high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) methods has played a key role in this field. The findings obtained on VDAC PTMs using such methodologies, which permitted an in-depth characterization of these very hydrophobic trans-membrane pore proteins, are summarized in this review.     

Triacylglycerols of the olive fruit (Olea europaea L.): characterization of mesocarp and seed triacylglycerols in different cultivars by liquid chromatography and 13C NMR spectroscopy

Triacylglycerols of mesocarp and seed oils extracted from olive fruits of different cultivars were characterized. The analysis of the profiles of the triglyceride isomers which were determined by HPLC, evidenced that ECN 48 (OOO-OOP) and ECN 46 (OLO) triglycerides were the major components of mesocarp and seed oils, whereas triglycerides acylated with the linoleoyl chain appeared to be more abundant in seed oil, i.e. LLL (ECN 42), OLL-PLL (ECN 44), and POL-OLO (ECN 46). Mesocarp and seed oils, likewise the cultivars differed significantly (P<0.05) with regard to all the triglyceride components.¹³C NMR spectroscopy based on carbonyl carbon resonances of triglyceride acyl chains was applied to carry out the regiospecific analysis of triacylglycerols. Acyl chain composition, chain distribution among 1(3)- and 2-glycerol positions, and chain 2-positional specificity, were determined. The results confirmed that two different pools of fatty acids esterified at 1(3)- and 2-positions in triacylglycerols of mesocarp and seed oils exist, the saturated chains being by almost 100% at 1(3)-positions. 2-positional specificity evidenced that the oleoyl chain moved away from a pure random model less than the linoleoyl chain. 2-Distribution and 2-specificity data of oleoyl and linoleoyl chains along with linoleoyl 1(3)-distribution values, appeared to discriminate significantly (P<0.05) mesocarp and seed oils, but no cultivar discrimination was achieved. The effect of fatty acid concentration on their distribution between triacylglycerol positions and the low variability of 2-positonal specificity values of unsaturated chains over a wide range of vegetable oils were highlighted.     

Investigation of polymerizability of ω-alkenyldioxolanes with α-olefins and alkyl vinyl ethers by modified ziegler-natta catalysts

Results are presented of an investigation on the polymerizability of functional olefins, such as allylisopropylidene glycerol (AIPG) and undecenylisopropylidene glycerol (UIPG), in the presence of conventional and modified Ziegler-Natta catalysts based on TiCl₄ or MgCl₂-supported titanium and triisobutylaluminum, hexaisobutyltetraalumoxane, or bisdiethyl-aluminum sulfate. Homopolymerization experiments were performed on AIGP at temperatures of -78, 25, and 50°C; only these at 50°C provided appreciable amounts of polymeric materials insoluble in methanol, whose structures comprise monomeric units derived from opening both dioxolane rings and vinyl double bonds. In spite of all attempts and precautions, polymerization experiments carried out on mixtures of the functional olefins AIPG and UIPG with either 4-methyl-1-pentene or isopropyl vinyl ether gave rise to the homopolymers of the nonfunctional α-olefin and of the vinyl ether, without any appreciable amount of either copolymers or homopolymers of the dioxolane containing monomers. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Nonthermal Technologies for Fruit and Vegetable Juices and Beverages: Overview and Advances

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the design of novel nonthermal processing systems that minimally modify sensory, nutritional, and functional properties of fruit and vegetable juices and beverages. The benefits of nonthermal treatments are strongly dependent on the food matrix. Thus, an understanding of the effects that these technologies exert on the properties of juices and beverages is important to design and optimize technological parameters to produce value‐added products. This review covers research on nonthermal electrical treatments, high pressure processing, ultrasound, radiation processing, inert gas treatments, cold plasma, and membrane processing. Advances towards optimization of processing conditions, and combined technologies approaches have been also extensively reviewed. This information could be useful to: (1) manage processing systems and optimize resources; (2) preserve nutritional value and organoleptic properties, and (3) provide processing conditions for validation of these technologies at the industrial scale.