Measuring the Radius of Gyration and Intrinsic Flexibility of Viral Proteins in Buffer Solution Using Small-Angle X-ray Scattering.

Measuring structural features of proteins dispersed in buffer solution, in contrast to crystal form, is indispensable in understanding morphological characteristics of the biomolecule in a native environment. We report on the structure and apparent viscosity of unfolded α and β variants of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins dispersed in buffer solutions. The radius of gyration of the β variant is found to be larger than that of the α variant, while the ab initio computation of one of the possible particle-like bodies is consistent with the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) profiles resembling a conformation similar to the three-dimensional structure of the folded state of the corresponding α and β spike variant.

Antimicrobial Efficiency of Chitosan and Its Methylated Derivative against Biofilms.

Antimicrobial materials are considered potential alternatives to prevent the development of biofilm-associated contaminations. Concerns regarding synthetic preservatives necessitate the development of innovative and safe natural antimicrobials. In the present study, we discuss the in situ infrared attenuated total reflection spectroscopy (IR-ATR) investigations of the selective antimicrobial efficiency of chitosan in controlling the growth of biofilms.

Self-Standing Bioinspired Polymer Films Doped with Ultrafine Silver Nanoparticles as Innovative Antimicrobial Material.

Thin self-standing films with potential antimicrobial synergistic activity have been produced by a simple green chemical synthesis with overnight thermal treatment. Their properties have been studied by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and other techniques to understand their potential range of applications. In this work, the focus was set on the development of a potential novel and effective alternative to conventional antimicrobial materials.

Synthesis and Characterization of a Biocompatible Nanoplatform Based on Silica-Embedded SPIONs Functionalized with Polydopamine.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have gained increasing interest in nanomedicine, but most of those that have entered the clinical trials have been withdrawn due to toxicity concerns. Therefore, there is an urgent need to design low-risk and biocompatible SPION formulations. In this work, we present an original safe-by-design nanoplatform made of silica nanoparticles loaded with SPIONs and decorated with polydopamine (SPIONs@SiO2-PDA) and the study of its biocompatibility performance by an ad hoc thorough in vitro to in vivo nanotoxicological methodology.

A systematic study of pulse and pulse reverse plating on acid copper bath for decorative and functional applications.

Today industrial electroplating is mainly carried out using direct current even if the use of modulated currents could offer greats opportunities. Adjusting the amplitude and length of the current's pulses it is possible to control grain size, porosity and homogeneity of the deposits; the use of modulated currents could also decrease the environmental impact of deposition processes as they require a much lower percentage of organic additives. The aim of this work is to assess, through both theoretical and experimental investigation, how the deposition parameters affect the various characteristics of the deposit.

Structuring and de-structuring of nanovectors from algal lipids. Part 1: physico-chemical characterization.

Lipid nanocarriers are among the most employed systems for drug delivery purposes in several research and industrial sectors, since their favorable properties ensure broad applicability. The design and characterization of these nanosystems are of paramount importance to obtain controlled outcome, since the supramolecular structure and molecular interactions deeply impact the functionality of the resulting aggregates. The choice of the most appropriate formulation for the target of interest relies on in-depth physico-chemical characterization in order to optimize stability, loading rates and sustained release.

Extremophilic Microorganisms for the Green Synthesis of Antibacterial Nanoparticles.

The biogenic synthesis of nanomaterials, i.e., synthesis carried out by means of living organisms, is an emerging technique in nanotechnology since it represents a greener and more eco-friendly method for the production of nanomaterials.

Large-scale production of extracellular vesicles: Report on the "massivEVs" ISEV workshop.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) large-scale production is a crucial point for the translation of EVs from discovery to application of EV-based products. In October 2021, the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV), along with support by the FET-OPEN projects, "The Extracellular Vesicle Foundry" (evFOUNDRY) and "Extracellular vesicles from a natural source for tailor-made nanomaterials" (VES4US), organized a workshop entitled "massivEVs" to discuss the potential challenges for translation of EV-based products. This report gives an overview of the topics discussed during "massivEVs", the most important points raised, and the points of consensus reached after discussion among academia and industry representatives.

Effect of α-Amylase on the Structure of Chia Seed Mucilage.

Thanks to its nutritional and mechanical properties, chia seed mucilage is becoming increasingly popular in the food industry as a small biomolecule. The mechanical properties of an ingredient are a key element for food appreciation during chewing. Therefore, with this study, we explore for the first time the structural changes that chia seed mucilage undergoes when treated with α-amylase, the most abundant enzyme in human saliva.

The Laccase-Lig Multienzymatic Multistep System in Lignin Valorization.

Invited for this month's cover is the work by Claudia Crestini and collaborators at Ca'Foscari University of Venice, Italy, and University of Insubria, Italy. The image shows the formation of low-molecular-weight compounds by the oxidative depolymerization of lignin by the laccase-Lig multienzymatic multistep system. The Research Article itself is available at 10.

Interaction of surfactants with phospholipid vesicles in the low concentration regime.

The interactions between diluted phospholipid vesicles (0.3 μM - 40 μM) and surfactants (around their cmc) have been investigated as model of the phenomena taking place when enveloped viruses are challenged by detergent formulations such as mouthwashes or dishwashing liquids. We have used negatively charged Small Unilamellar Vesicles (SUVs) to simulate the negatively charged viral envelope and surfactants with different charges: the anionic Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS), the cationic Cetylpyridinium Chloride (CPC) and the non-ionic Octaethylene glycol monodecyl ether (CE).

Active antithrombin glycoforms are selectively physiosorbed on plasma extracellular vesicles.

Antithrombin (AT) is a glycoprotein produced by the liver and a principal antagonist of active clotting proteases. A deficit in AT function leads to AT qualitative deficiency, challenging to diagnose. Here we report that active AT may travel physiosorbed on the surface of plasma extracellular vesicles (EVs), contributing to form the "EV-protein corona.

Electrodeposition of Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS) Nanoparticles on Monocrystalline Silicon.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS) has attracted great attention for its unique chemical and physical properties. The applications of this transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) range from supercapacitors to dye-sensitized solar cells, Li-ion batteries and catalysis. This work opens new routes toward the use of electrodeposition as an easy, scalable and cost-effective technique to perform the coupling of Si with molybdenum disulfide.

On the surface-to-bulk partition of proteins in extracellular vesicles.

Nanomaterials are characterized by an extremely large surface-to-volume ratio. Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) - which have been recently recognized as the universal agent of intercellular communication, being involved in many physiological and pathological processes and interkingdom biochemical communication - are nanoparticles, but this key aspect has never been rationally addressed. Here we report the first attempt to quantify the membrane-to-lumen partition of proteins in EVs.

The Laccase-Lig Multienzymatic Multistep System in Lignin Valorization.

A laccase-Lig multienzymatic multistep system for lignin depolymerization was designed and developed. Studies were performed on pristine and fractionated lignins (Kraft and Organosolv) using a specific cascade of enzymes, that is, laccases from Bacillus licheniformis and from Funalia trogii, respectively for Kraft and Organosolv lignin, followed by the Lig system from Sphingobium sp. SYK-6 (β-etherases Lig E and Lig F, glutathione lyase Lig G).

On the Dynamics of the Carbon-Bromine Bond Dissociation in the 1-Bromo-2-Methylnaphthalene Radical Anion.

This paper studies the mechanism of electrochemically induced carbon-bromine dissociation in 1-Br-2-methylnaphalene in the reduction regime. In particular, the bond dissociation of the relevant radical anion is disassembled at a molecular level, exploiting quantum mechanical calculations including steady-state, equilibrium and dissociation dynamics via dynamic reaction coordinate (DRC) calculations. DRC is a molecular-dynamic-based calculation relying on an ab initio potential surface.

Human Microglia Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Different Microglia Cell Lines: Similarities and Differences.

Microglial cells are a component of the innate immune system in the brain that support cell-to-cell communication via secreted molecules and extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs can be divided into two major populations: large (LEVs) and small (SEVs) EVs, carrying different mediators, such as proteins, lipids, and miRNAs. The microglia EVs cargo crucially reflects the status of parental cells and can lead to both beneficial and detrimental effects in many physiopathological states.

Ball milled glyco-graphene oxide conjugates markedly disrupted biofilms.

The engineering of the surface of nanomaterials with bioactive molecules allows controlling their biological identity thus accessing functional materials with tuned physicochemical and biological profiles suited for specific applications. Then, the manufacturing process, by which the nanomaterial surface is grafted, has a significant impact on their development and innovation. In this regard, we report herein the grafting of sugar headgroups on a graphene oxide (GO) surface by exploiting a green manufacturing process that relies on the use of vibrational ball mills, a grinding apparatus in which the energy is transferred to the reacting species through collision with agate spheres inside a closed and vibrating vessel.

Green Synthesis and Characterization of Antimicrobial Synergistic AgCl/BAC Nanocolloids.

All over the world, one of the major challenges is the green synthesis of potential materials against antimicrobial resistance and viruses. This study demonstrates a simple method like chemistry lab titration to synthesize green, facile, scalable, reproducible, and stable synergistic silver chloride/benzyldimethylhexadecyl-ammonium chloride (AgCl/BAC) colloidal Nanoantimicrobials (NAMs). Nanocolloidal dispersions of AgCl in an aqueous medium are prepared by using silver nitrate (AgNO) as precursor and BAC as both sources of chloride and stabilizer, holding an asymmetric molecular structure.

Low-Cost Potentiometric Sensor for Chloride Measurement in Continuous Industrial Process Control.

Recently, the new updates in legislation about drinking water control and human health have increased the demand for novel electrochemical low-cost sensors, such as potentiometric ones. Nowadays, the determination of chloride ion in aqueous solutions has attracted great attention in several fields, from industrial processes to drinking water control. Indeed, chloride plays a crucial role in corrosion, also influencing the final taste of beverages, especially coffee.

Peripherical thioester functionalization induces -aggregation in bithiophene-DPP films and nanoparticles.

In this work we demonstrated that the peripherical thioacetylation of a bithiophene-DPP molecule can greatly influence the solid-state properties triggering the formation of NIR emitting -aggregates in both bithiophene-DPP films and nanoparticles. The morphology and the kinetic and thermal stability of the organic nanoparticles were also investigated.

Optimization and Characterization of Electrodeposited Cadmium Selenide on Monocrystalline Silicon.

In this work, the optimal conditions for the electrodeposition of a CdSe film on n-Si were demonstrated. The structural and optical properties of the bare films and after annealing were studied. In particular, the crystallinity and photoluminescence of the samples were evaluated, and after annealing at 400 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere, a PL increase by almost an order of magnitude was observed.

Progress in Colloid Delivery Systems for Protection and Delivery of Phenolic Bioactive Compounds: Two Study Cases-Hydroxytyrosol and Curcumin.

Insufficient intake of beneficial food components into the human body is a major issue for many people. Among the strategies proposed to overcome this complication, colloid systems have been proven to offer successful solutions in many cases. The scientific community agrees that the production of colloid delivery systems is a good way to adequately protect and deliver nutritional components.

Self-Supported Fibrous Sn/SnO@C Nanocomposite as Superior Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Low-cost and simple methods are constantly chased in order to produce less expensive lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) while possibly increasing the energy and power density as well as the volumetric capacity in order to boost a rapid decarbonization of the transport sector. Li alloys and tin-carbon composites are promising candidates as anode materials for LIBs both in terms of capacity and cycle life. In the present paper, electrospinning was employed in the preparation of Sn/SnO@C composites, where tin and tin oxides were homogeneously dispersed in a carbonaceous matrix of carbon nanofibers.