The noncovalent interactions between the amyloid beta (Aß) and a-synuclein (Syn) proteins with native gangliosides extracted and purified from human brain and human glioma were studied using an analytical platform encompassing fully automated chip-nanoelectrospray (nanoESI) on a NanoMate robot coupled to a quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF) mass spectrometer (MS). The novel interaction assays developed here for this purpose involved several stages: i) the incubation at 37°C under constant steering of the protein and gangliosides in 10 mM ammonium acetate buffer, pH 6.0, up to a concentration of 1 pmol µL-1 and 10 pmol µL-1, respectively; ii) collection of aliquots directly into the 96-well plate of the robot after 1, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60 and 180 min of incubation and iii) immediate submission of the reaction products to MS screening and structural analysis. Chip-nanoESI QTOF MS and CID MS/MS revealed the formation of the Aß-GT1(d18:1/18:0) and Aß-GT1 (t18:1/18:0) complexes as well as the preferential biding of Syn to GD1, GT1, GQ1 and GO1 species. CID MS/MS top-down fragmentation analysis demonstrated that the Aß protein binds to a GT1b isomer type structure, characterized by Neu5Ac linkage to the external galactose and a disialo element Neu5Ac-Neu5Ac bound to the inner galactose of the molecule. Thus, by chip-MS and tandem MS experiments it was possible to deduce the structure of this non-covalent complex as: Aß- GT1b (d18:1/18:0). Similar results were obtained also for the Aß complex formed with the gangliosides having trihydroxylated ceramide as well as the complexes of Syn with G1 class of gangliosides.

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Urban pollution is one of the most important causes of historical buildings degradation, thus losing valuable architectural vestiges.This paper presents a literature review concerning the damaging effects of various pollutants on broadly used materials in constructing monuments and buildings, part of the cultural heritage.

This paper presents an accurate quantification by FT-IR ATR analyses of pectin content from cotton and flax raw woven fabrics. For this purpose, the investigated samples were exposed to HCl vapours. The relative absorbance of pectin-specific bands was evaluated. The results showed an increase in the band intensity values located at ~ 1735 cm-1 and a decrease of the one from ~ 1645 cm-1 after the exposure of the samples to HCl vapours due to the transformation of the (COO-) linked with Ca2+ groups into acidic carboxylic groups.

Herein, we present the investigation of a fast modulated synthesis of micro/meso sized ZrMOF, porous materials known as UIO-66, containing terephtalic acid (H2BDC) as organic linker using an excess of metal salt precursor and different concentrations of acetic acid (AAc) as organic modulator. The increase in the concentration of modulator up to a certain value leads to an improvement of surface area and a modification of pore structure by producing mesopores at the expense of micropores.

The antioxidant character of natural extracts is an important indicator of quality.In extractsfrom flax seeds, this character is due to a series of biologically active natural compounds. Our experimental design studies the dynamics of antioxidant character due to the variation of three independent variables at two and three levels: solvent composition (ethanol/water 60:40, 80:20, and 100:0 v/v) extraction time (2, 3, and 4 h), and hydrolysis temperature (60 and 80oC). The antioxidant character (dependent variable) of extracts was expressed in the percentage of DPPH inhibition. The polynomial equation obtained by multiple regression analysis indicates that the influence of the three factors on the studied intervals decreases in order: solvent ratio ethanol > extraction time > hydrolysis temperature. In the studied intervals of the variables, the antioxidant character varies between 40.8 - 75.9 % DPPH inhibition. Response surface graphics and calculated nomograms show how much temperature and time can be reduced in the process without the antioxidant character being substantially affected. The experimental design and data processing described herein may constitute a management model of an optimal industrial extraction process from flax seeds.

Yield is one of the factors with major influence on the quality of grapevine production. Winter pruning is the first way to control yield. In this study we applied 3 cutting variants to 4 clones of Cabernet Sauvignon from Sâmbure?ti vineyard, one of the most famous Romanian vineyards for quality red wines. The results of the study show that in order to obtain the typical Cabernet Sauvignon wines in the Sâmbure?ti vineyard, winter pruning is recommended with a maximum of 9 nodes/m2 or a delay in harvesting until more advanced stages of maturity compared to what we applied in this study.

This paper describes the induction of liquid crystalline properties into a Pt(II) complex based on the tridentate chelating N^N^N ligand 2,6-di(pyridine-2-yl)pyridine-4-(1H)-one, following a strategy reported previously by our group, respectively using a lipophilic gallate unit. Two structurally different Pt(II) species containing one or two gallate units were obtained in the same reaction and were characterized by spectroscopic (FT-IR and 1H NMR) and analytic (elemental analysis) methods. Their liquid crystalline behaviour was assessed by polarized optical microscopy (POM) observations.

Faculty of Food Engineering, Tourism and Environmental Protection from "Aurel Vlaicu" University of Arad organized on November 26rd - 27th 2020 The 18th Edition of the Student Scientific Session. Within the general program, 10 parallel sessions were carried out. In the present article, we have been focused on the first on-line edition, due to SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, with 2 sessions that were organized by the Faculty of Food Engineering, Tourism and Environmental Protection: (1) Engineering and Environmental Science, Environmental Protection, Biodiversity, Health, Applied Biology, and (2) Food Technology, Food Engineering, Nutrition, Food Quality and Food Security, Agrotourism Management, Sustainability. In those three sessions were held 15 oral scientific presentations and 13 posters by students from diverse Romanian universities. This event attracted more than 70 attendees from academia.