Archivio istituzionale della Ricerca - Università degli Studi di Parma
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Optimized Enzymatic Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Verbascum nigrum L.: A Sustainable Approach for Enhanced Extraction of Bioactive Compounds
No full textVerbascum nigrum, commonly known as black mullein, is widely used in traditional medicine for its expectorant, mucolytic, sedative, and diuretic properties. This study aimed to develop and optimize a standardized method for extracting phenolic compounds from V. nigrum using enzymatic pretreatment followed by solvent extraction. Enzymatic treatment does not rely on harmful solvents and is a low energy-intensive process, making it a suitable green technology for the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. The research explored the use of different lignocellulolytic enzymes, including pectinase, cellulase, α-amylase, and xylanase, to break down plant cell walls, enhancing the release and bioaccessibility of active compounds. The two-step extraction process proposed combined enzymatic pretreatment and hydroalcoholic extraction, resulting in a considerably improved yield of phenolic compounds (24 mg/g DM). Analytical characterization using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system coupled with a diode-array-detector (DAD) and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled with DAD and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) revealed a higher concentration of target bioactive compounds in enzymatically treated extracts compared to traditional methods, including phenolic derivatives (e.g., caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, and verbascoside), and flavonoids (e.g., luteolin). Up to 22 phenolic and flavonoid compounds were characterized. This study provides new insight into the potential of enzymatic extraction as a green and efficient alternative to conventional extraction methods, for the production of high-quality herbal products richer in (poly)phenolic compounds, highlighting its potential for industrial applications
Access to Highly Functional and Polymerizable Carbonate‐Drug Conjugates
No full text: We here report the synthesis of two types of six-membered cyclic carbonate monomers equipped with various drug molecules through ester linkages. The target compounds can be isolated in good yields and feature diagnostic IR and 13C NMR spectroscopic fingerprints in line with their proposed connectivities. As a potential application, we investigated their ring-opening polymerization (ROP), showing that the nature of the cyclic carbonate is crucial towards macromolecular carbonate formation. The functionalized polycarbonates have molecular weights of up to 10 kg/mol, controllable functionality and a variable drug-to-carbonate ratio. This work demonstrates the adaptive synthesis of new types of functionalized six-membered cyclic carbonates with potential as precursors to polycarbonate-drug type macromolecules
Spectral stochastic gradient method with additional sampling for finite and infinite sums
No full textSuccessful conservative management of multiple skull fracture and quadrate-mandibular medial luxation in a blue-and-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna)
No full textBackgroundWe present a case of beak trauma not previously been reported in a blue-and-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna) and its successful conservative treatment. Several cases of fractures affecting the mandibular, maxillary and maxillofacial bones and pterygo-palatine dislocations, which have been studied using traditional radiology and CT; however, quadrato-mandibular luxation has never been described, individually or associated with other trauma.Case presentationA 4-year-old blue-and-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna) was referred for a recent head trauma. The parrot exhibited right lower beak deviation, difficulty in grasping food and difficulty closing the beak. The parrot was referred for multiple traumatic fractures involving the pterygoid bone, jugal bone and right mandibular arch. The X-ray projections showed an incomplete fracture of the right pterygoid bone, two fracture sites on the right jugal arch, and slight mediorostral displacement of the right quadrate bones. Computed tomography (CT) confirmed the X-ray findings, and indicated additional trauma. The right quadrate bone luxation was manually reduced, and conservative treatment was elected. Analgesia and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were provided. Moreover, a soft food-based diet was recommended for 3 weeks to facilitate recovery and reduce facial bone movements and tension. The parrot started eating dry food approximately 1 month after the trauma; full return of apparently normal beak function was achieved by 2 months.ConclusionsThe CT examination allowed us to obtain a more detailed and complete view of the fractures and traumas and to evaluate the complex articular system of the Psittaciformes beak. For these reasons, CT is recommended for birds with a history of head trauma to select the best treatment for the specific case
Validity and reliability of the Italian version of painad for postoperative pain assessment in geriatric patients with proximal femur fractures
No full textBackground: Pain assessment is essential in nursing care. The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) is widely used but
may not fully capture pain’s multidimensional nature. The Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia (PAINAD)
scale is reliable for assessing pain in cognitively impaired patients. This study aims to evaluate the validity of the
Italian version of PAINAD (PAINAD-IT) for postoperative pain assessment in geriatric patients with femur
fractures.
Methods: This study employs the PAINAD-IT, which was translated and validated for the Italian context by
Costardi et al. (2007). Face and content validity (I-CVI and S-CVI) for non-cognitively impaired patients were
evaluated by experts. Pain assessments were conducted at rest (T0) and during movement (T1). Convergent
validity was tested using Spearman correlation, discriminant validity with the Wilcoxon test, and inter-rater
reliability with Cohen’s kappa. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated.
Results: I-CVIs were ≥0.90 and S-CVI was 0.96. 75 patients were included. Cohen’s kappa was 0.918 at T0 and
0.881 at T1. Both PAINAD and NRS detected a significant increase in pain from T0 to T1 (Wilcoxon p <0.001).
Sensitivity was 26 % and specificity was 99 % for PAINAD-IT scores ≥3.
Conclusion: PAINAD showed strong reliability and correlation with NRS, effectively distinguishing between rest
and pain stages, these results suggest that PAINAD-IT may be a useful tool for pain assessment in geriatric patients
operated for femur fracture. PAINAD-IT scores ≥3 may suggest severe pain. Further multi-centre studies
with larger sample sizes are needed to fully validate PAINAD-IT for postoperative pain assessment in geriatric
patients
Dephasing-tolerant quantum sensing for transverse magnetic fields with spin qudits
No full textWe propose a dephasing-tolerant protocol for quantum sensing of transverse magnetic fields which exploits spin qudit sensors with embedded fault-tolerant (FT) quantum error correction. By exploiting longitudinal drives, the transverse field induces logical Rabi oscillations between encoded states, whose frequency is linear in the transverse field to be probed. Numerical simulations show that the present FT protocol enables the detection of very small fields, orders of magnitudes below the limit imposed by the coherence time
Implications of nurse species in mixed forest plantations management on soil fungal community diversity
No full textMixed plantations provide numerous benefits in terms of ecosystem and socioeconomic services, as well as on soil chemical and biological parameters; thus, a forest management allowing to recover overexploited soils is highly recommended. Although nurse species may deeply affect soil properties, few studies are present in literature assessing their role. A study site characterized by a mixed plantation established on a former agricultural area was selected in order to evaluate the impact of a specific forest management on marginal soils, with a special emphasis on the role of nurse species. The intercropping systems investigated feature two economically important species, Populus alba and Juglans regia, along with one of following nurse trees, Alnus cordata, Elaeagnus umbellata (both N-fixing species), and Corylus avellana. Each stand was replicated three times, and an adjacent agricultural field was included for comparison. Methodologically, topsoils (0–10 cm of depth) were sampled and several chemical and biological parameters determined. Fungal taxa, as well as fungal ecological guilds and their functional roles, were identified by means of metabarcoding analysis. Ectomycorrhizal fungi dominated tree consociations (53.5 %), while non-mycorrhizal saprophytes dominated the arable, control soil (5.3 %). Two-Block Partial Least Squares showed differences both among tree consociations, where the presence of the Alnus cordata resulted in the highest concentration of organic carbon (19.10 ± 1.8 mg g−1), total nitrogen (1.78 ± 0.1 mg g−1), lignin (11.25 ± 1.1 mg g−1), cellulose (1.54 ± 0.2 mg g−1), and bioavailable phosphorus (8.99 ± 1.2 mg kg−1), as well as fluorescein diacetate hydrolase enzyme activity, and between tree consociation and the arable land. Thus, the utilization of Alnus cordata as a nurse species seems to be the best solution for a forest management capable of improving soil chemical and biological quality, providing a viable strategy for the restoration of marginal soils, particularly in a climate change scenario
Protective ileostomy creation after anterior resection of the rectum (PICARR): a decision-making exploring international survey
No full textIn our previous survey of experts, surgeon's decision-making process (DMP) about protective ileostomy (PI) creation after anterior resection was investigated. Based on our previous data, a multiple choice questionnaire has been developed. The aim is to perform a quantitative analysis of the results obtained from an international survey and to describe the clinical practice worldwide. Ten questions were related to participants' demographics and, 20 questions (of which 17 Likert scale questions) investigated the DMP regarding PI creation. To evaluate the tendency of the answers in the Likert-type questions, the mean of the answers obtained was compared with the mean point of the Likert scale. The survey was completed by 1019 physicians. Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and distance of the anastomosis from the anal verge ≤ 10 cm were each considered alone sufficient to justify creation of a PI, with statistically significant differences in comparison to the mean point of the scales in (p = < 0.0001 in both cases). Total Mesorectal Excision alone was not considered a factor sufficient to create a PI (p = 0.416). Most of the participants agree to define their approach to create a PI "tailored" to patients' risk factors (p = < 0.0001) and "influenced by my experience" in case of patients with low/moderate risk of anastomotic leakage (p = < 0.0001). This study provides useful insights on the worldwide clinical practice regarding creation of PI following anterior resection. Given the lack of standardization and evidence-based guidelines, this analysis may be helpful to assist surgeons' practice
Tailoring Hole-Blocking Layers Enables a Versatile Approach for Fast Photomultiplication-Type Organic Photodetectors
No full textOrganic photodetectors (OPDs) are promising for various applications due to their cost-effectiveness in fabrication, flexibility, and tunable response to specific wavelengths. Their excellent sensitivity enables multiple applications in imaging, healthcare, and security monitoring. Notably, photomultiplication-type organic photodetectors (PM-OPDs) offer distinct advantages due to their internal amplification mechanism. In this work, a strategy is presented for employing two hole-blocking layers (HBLs) to improve the photodetection capabilities of PM-OPDs. A systematic exploration of the HBL material combination reveals the importance of shallow lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and deep highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) levels for optimal performance. Utilizing HBLs with deep HOMO levels, HAT(CN)6 and C60, leads to enhanced hole accumulation, resulting in a distinct photomultiplication effect. Optimized devices exhibit an impressive external quantum efficiency (EQE) surpassing 1290%, shot-noise limited specific detectivity of 1.7 × 1012 Jones (2.4 × 1011 Jones based on noise measurements), and a rapid cutoff frequency exceeding 40 kHz, representing a significant advancement in PM-OPD capabilities. Moreover, this device architecture surpasses current limitations by ensuring compatibility with various photoactive layers with balanced donor-acceptor stoichiometry. Our results confirm this universal approach, which enables high-gain PM-OPDs across spectral ranges while maintaining fast response speeds