University of Udine
Archivio istituzionale della ricerca - Università degli Studi di UdineNot a member yet
91472 research outputs found
Sort by
Percutaneous metal absorption from airborne particulate matter: evaluating the role of skin barrier integrity
No full textHuman exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM), particularly its metal content, represents a growing public health concern due to its potential toxicological effects. While inhalation is generally considered the main exposure route, dermal absorption remains insufficiently explored. This study examined the in vitro percutaneous penetration of selected metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, V) from certified urban road dust (NIST SRM® 1649b) using human skin under both intact and abraded conditions. The particles were applied as a 1 % w/v suspension in artificial sweat medium (pH 4.5), and Franz diffusion cells were used to evaluate metal permeation over 24 h. Complementary solubility tests in simulated sweat solution buffered topH 4.5 and 6.5 showed negligible pH dependence. Scanning electron microscopy revealed submicron primary particles (mean diameter 1.19 ± 0.78 μm) with a high tendency to form agglomerates, accounting for discrepancies with the hydrodynamic size reported in the SRM certificate. No detectable skin absorption was observed for Cd, Cr, and Cu, while the remaining metals showed enhanced permeation in damaged skin, confirming the role of barrier disruption in facilitating transdermal transport. Ni, Pb, and Mn exhibited the highest permeation levels, raising concern due to their sensitizing and toxic potential. These findings provide novel insights into the dermal bioavailability of PM-associated metals and highlight the importance of including skin exposure as a relevant pathway in environmental health risk assessments, especially for populations with compromised skin integrity or in high-exposure occupational settings
The Effect of Unit Particle Geometry on In-Vacuo Structured Fabrics Flexural Vibration
No full textThis study investigates the vibration properties of a new class of composite structures made by single or multiple-core structured fabrics encased in a sealed plastic skin, which is deflated. The core structured fabrics are formed by interlocked truss-like grains. The work focuses on how the flexural response and energy dissipation of these materials are influenced by mechanical (vacuum pressure), packing (single/multiple layers), and geometry (particle type and dimensions) of the fabrics. This article presents a comprehensive set of quasi-static and dynamic three-points bending tests taken on beam-like specimens encompassing single or multiple layers of fabrics made with different types of truss-like grains (cubic, octahedral, and spherical) having different size (of the grain and truss element) and characterized by increasingly higher levels of vacuum pressure exerted by the coating bag (5–80 kPa). The work demonstrates that this new class of structures can be designed to cover a broad range of flexural stiffnesses and fundamental resonance frequencies, whose values can be further tuned online by varying the vacuum in the bags. For instance, for a nominal vacuum of 40 kPa, the bending stiffnesses and fundamental resonance frequency of the samples considered in this study spanned between 0.03×106–1.4×106 Nm m2 and 6–63Hz, respectively. Finally, these structures are characterized by quite stable and low-energy dissipation effects. For instance, apart from layouts with a single core fabric, the loss factor of the samples considered in this study ranged between 0.04 and 0.1
Persistence and Perceptions: Forest Elephants and Farmer Attitudes in the Democratic Republic of Congo
No full textEvaluating the role of secondary surgery and PARP inhibition in platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer relapse
No full textAim: To assess the benefit of secondary cytoreductive surgery (SCS) in patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), and to evaluate how survival outcomes are influenced by second-line PARP inhibitor maintenance therapy. Methods: This retrospective study included 52 patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent EOC treated at the National Cancer Institute of Aviano, Italy, between 2015 and 2022. Patients received either SCS followed by chemotherapy (SCS+CT group) or chemotherapy alone (CT-only group). The primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and post-recurrence survival (PRS). Secondary analyses explored the impact of second-line PARPi maintenance on survival outcomes within each treatment group. Results: Patients in the SCS+CT group experienced significantly longer PFS compared to those in the CT-only group (median 19.2 vs. 10.0 months, p=0.007). Among patients receiving PARPi maintenance, the benefit was even more pronounced: median PFS was 40.3 months in the SCS+CT group versus 21.9 months in the CT-only group (p=0.026). A non-significant trend toward improved PRS was observed in the SCS+CT group (48.3 vs. 36.0 months, p=0.23). PARPi maintenance was associated with longer PRS in both treatment arms (p=0.0056 for SCS+CT; p=0.033 for CT-only). Conclusions: In patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent EOC, SCS combined with chemotherapy significantly improves PFS, particularly when followed by second-line PARPi maintenance. These findings support the role of SCS in carefully selected patients and emphasize the synergistic effect of integrating surgical and molecularly targeted strategies
Incunaboli tutti frutti: casi bibliologici da libri sciancati
No full textAnalisi di casi bibliologici incontrati nelle raccolte degli incunaboli udinesi
The Grammaticalization of the Timavese Progressive Periphrasis
No full textThis study investigates the grammaticalization of the progressive periphrasis in Timavese (Tischlbongarisch). Under the long-term influence of more prestigious Romance varieties,particularly Carnic Friulian, Timavese developed a specific progressive construction: sain(an)darhintar zan + Inf. (‘to be behind to + Infinitive’). This periphrasis is a direct morphosyntacticcalque of the Friulian modeljessî davour al + Inf. Our investigation, based on a field inquiry, indi-cates that the Timavese construction exhibits a significantly lower degree of grammaticalization. It is less integrated into the verbal system, as the simple verb form is often considered an equally valid alternative for the progressive aspect. Furthermore, the Timavese periphrasis displays a more restricted application range across different verb types and grammatical categories, unlike the Friulian model. The study thus confirms the construction as an instance of contact-induced grammatical replication, showing that the development of a borrowed construction does not necessarily perfectly mirror that of the source languag
Epigenetics and the Tumor Microenvironment in Neuroendocrine Tumors
No full textBackground: Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) represent a heterogeneous group of malignancies arising from neuroendocrine cells and are most commonly localized in the gastroenteropancreatic and pulmonary systems. Overall, most NENs are characterized by a low mutational burden. Consequently, increasing research attention has focused on epigenetic mechanisms and the tumor microenvironment, which may actively contribute to tumor pathogenesis. Moreover, epigenetic modifications represent plausible mediators of communication in the crosstalk between neuroendocrine cancer cells and components of the tumor microenvironment, as observed in other non-neuroendocrine malignancies. Objectives: The aim of this review is to summarize current knowledge on the role of epigenetic regulation and the tumor microenvironment in the pathogenesis of neuroendocrine tumors and to discuss their potential as targets for more effective therapeutic strategies. Methods: We reviewed research articles published over the past decades that investigated the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms and the tumor microenvironment in NENs. Results: Several studies highlight the pivotal role of epigenetic alterations and tumor microenvironment interactions in NEN biology, influencing tumor development, progression, and therapeutic response. Conclusions: Further studies are warranted to deepen understanding in this field, as this may lead to the development of more effective therapies and improved clinical outcomes for patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms
Modelling/Playable Media. Walk-through articles as an academic format? How to condense knowledge and render it experiential
No full textDrug-induced pericarditis: a systematic review of all published cases
No full textBackground: No large case series nor clinical trials on drug-induced pericarditis have been reported. This study analyses data from previously reported cases to provide a comprehensive understanding of the aetiology, clinical presentation, management strategies, and outcomes of this rare and often underestimated aetiology of pericarditis. Methods: A systematic review according to PRISMA guidelines was conducted, identifying 121 cases of drug-induced pericarditis. All references found, upon initial assessment at title and abstract level for suitability, were consequently retrieved as full reports for inclusion in this review. Results: Among the 121 cases, 37 were related to anti-cancer, immunosuppressive, immunomodulatory drugs, 27 to anti-inflammatory drugs, 33 to central nervous system agents, 10 to cardiovascular drugs and 18 to other drugs. Median age was 45 (27, 59), 38.8 % were females, the most frequent symptom was pericardial chest pain, described in 86.8 % of patients. Many patients presented associated systemic symptoms; concomitant minor myocardial involvement was found in about half of the patients. All patients were hospitalized and withdrew the drug at the time of diagnosis. Symptoms resolved in an average of 5 ± 4 days and all patients who resumed the drug experienced a new recurrence. 18 patients underwent pericardiocentesis for cardiac tamponade, 9 underwent pericardiectomy. Four patients died during the follow-up. Conclusions: Although uncommon, drug-induced pericarditis can be a life-threatening condition, causing cardiac tamponade or constrictive pericarditis. It is therefore crucial to increase awareness and knowledge of this rare aetiology of pericarditis to ensure prompt diagnosis and timely withdrawal of the causative drug