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This study aimed to evaluate the hypoglycemic potential, antioxidant activity and prebiotic activity of a hydroalcoholic extract of blueberry pomace (BP), an aqueous extract of chia seeds (CS) and a novel combination of BP-CS extracts (BCM) for further use as ingredient of functional food. Spectrometric and HPLC analyses were used to characterize the total phenolic and flavonoid content and composition of BP, while CS was analyzed for total carbohydrate content. Data showed that the BCM mixture exerted an inhibition of alpha-amylase activity, which was 1.36 times higher than that of BP and 1.25 higher than CS extract. The mixture also showed better scavenging activity of free DPPH radicals than individual extracts, and had an IC50 value of 603.12 mu g/mL. In vitro testing indicated that both serum- and colon-reaching products of simulated intestinal digestion of BCM presented the capacity to protect Caco-2 intestinal cells against oxidative stress by inhibition of reactive oxygen species production. In addition, the colon-reaching product of BCM digestion had the capacity to significantly (p < 0.05) stimulate the growth of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus acidophilus, revealing a prebiotic potential. All these results indicated that improved biological activity of the novel combination of BP and CS extracts could be due to the synergistic action of constituents. The combination is recommended for further testing and the development of novel functional food for controlling type 2 diabetes and gastrointestinal conditions.

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The paper presents some aspects regarding the obtaining of new ecological fertilizers for organic and classical agriculture by exploiting valuable residual bioresources, such as marine biomass and waste from viticulture and secondary vinification process. Biomass composed of marine green and brown algae, invertebrate shells, fermented and unfermented grape marc and chopped woody shoots of vines were combined in different proportions, resulting in eight experimental variants of fertilizer, which were incorporated into steppe chernozemic mollisols, specific to the Murfatlar area of Constan.a County, Romania. In 2019, in the proposed mixtures of soil - residual biomass, under greenhouse conditions, different types of vegetal species were cultivated, namely, Vitis vinifera L. (Pinot Gris variety), Lolium perene L., Sinapis alba L., and Trifolium repens L. The comparative statistical interpretation of the obtained results indicated a significant increase of essential nutrients ( phosphorus and potassium), classifying the fertilized soils into the category of those with very good nutrients supply. An improvement of the soil organic matter (humus) was observed, the increase compared to the control being of 40.9% in the case of the V5 variant. A moderate increase of the 3% CaCO3 content was also observed. Considering the experimental results obtained under greenhouse conditions, we will continue the study on experimental lots cultivated with different white and black varieties of Vitis vinifera L, representative for the Murfatlar vineyard.

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The collagen hydrolysate (HC) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) effect on the mechanical, thermal, in vitro degradation, cytotoxicity and antifungal properties of polylactic acid (PLA) plasticized and compatibilized with a mixture of polyethylene glycol (PEG 4000) and Lapol 108 (MB) was studied. The presence of HC led to the decreased tensile properties and to the increased hydrophilicity of biocomposites surfaces. Tested biocomposites led to a very good cellular viability percentage, unaltered cell morphology and a modest antifungal activity. The extrusion trial showed that the PLA/MB/PEG/AgNPs bionanocomposite is a promising potential material for urinary drains. [GRAPHICS]

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The present work reports on the biocompatibility of poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) and poly (3-hydroxybutyrateco-3-hydroxyvalerate) loaded with bacterial cellulose and microcrystalline cellulose via melt processing. Biocompatibility was tested by physico-chemical and in vitro methods. Physico-chemical tests of biocomposites, such as reducing substances, acidity, alkalinity, absorbance by UV/VIS, residue on evaporation were performed on aqueous extract. The cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay. Cell morphology evaluation of cell culture treated with composites was visualized by light microscopy. Also, thermal properties of biocomposites were investigated by DSC analysis. The obtained results have shown good biocompatibility of all biocomposites.

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Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) is the most widely used material for the production of medical devices such as intravenous fluid bags and tubing, enteral feeding, dialysis equipment and catheters. Despite of their numerous advantages, the plastic medical devices are non biodegradable and prone to microbial colonization causing biofilm associated infections which are difficult to treat and tend to chronicisation. A possible solution to surpass these limitations could be the fabrication of new biodegradable polymeric materials with optimized biocompatibility and antimicrobial properties. In this regard, biodegradable polymeric materials, such as poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL), poly(DL-lactic acid) (PLA) etc. have been considered the most desirable solution from the environment management point of view. In this paper, Alg(1%) Zn, Alg(2%) Zn, Alg(3%) Zn compounds were obtained from sodium alginate (AlgNa) crosslinked with ZnCl2. Antimicrobial activity of the AlgZn compounds was assessed by the microdilutions and the diffusion methods, towards Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains (reference and clinical isolates). The Alg(3%) Zn compound was selected as antimicrobial agent to obtain the biocomposites encoded: PLA/PCL/AlgZn0.1 and PLA/PCL/AlgZn0.3. The PLA/PCL sample was used as control. Antibiofilm activity against Staphylococcus xylosus, cytotoxic effect on mammalian cells and thermal analysis by DSC were investigated for the obtained biocomposites. The obtained results show that the addition of the Alg(3%) Zn compound in the biocomposites decreased the glass transition temperature as well as the degree of crystallinity both of the PCL and PLA components in samples. Although the results suggest that the biocomposites containing Alg(3%) Zn did not inhibit the staphylococcal colonization and mature biofilm formation, the high degree of biocompatibility of blends leads to conclusion that these materials could be used for the development of novel bioactive and biodegradable polymeric materials with medical applications.

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New polymeric materials were prepared by mixing a biodegradable, water soluble synthetic polymer (polyethylene glycol-PEG) with a natural polymer with high degree of biocompatibility (type I collagen from bovine tendon). The blends were processed in the form of membranes by mixing aqueous solutions of components and drying of these mixtures. In vitro biocompatibility of polymer mixtures was evaluated by direct contact method, both qualitative methods (cytochemical staining cells with Giemsa) and quantitative methods (determination of cell viability in a culture of human dermal fibroblasts by MTT assay). Evaluation of these materials interaction with cell culture was also made by analyzing the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) by zymography. It was found that the mixture variant with the best degree of biocompatibility was PEG: Col 1:1 in combination ratio.