196,341 research outputs found
Descrizione delle tecniche chirurgiche per il prelievo d’osso autologo dall’ala iliaca anteriore (proposta di modifica chirurgica)
No full textA possible method to avoid skin effect in polymeric scaffold produced through thermally induced phase separation
No full textScaffold's morphology and in particular pore architecture is a key parameter for cell viability and tissue regeneration. Usually, morphology is managed through Thermally Induced Phase Separation (TIPS) consisting of controlled quenching and freeze-drying to remove ice crystals to create porosity. Nevertheless, the so-called skin effect, a less-/non-porous layer, usually occurring at scaffold's air–liquid or material-mold interface. Skin effect reduces scaffold's performance then the layer have to cut out with consequent loss of material and damage risks. Here, it is presented a possible method to avoid skin effect at mold-polymer interface in biopolymer-based scaffolds. It is based on producing scaffolds not directly in a mold but on a previously frozen distilled water surface. SEM analysis showed the absence of skinned surfaces and a uniform pore pattern in shape and size
Investigation of 2-Fold Disorder of Inhibitors and Relative Potency by Crystallizations of HIV-1 Protease in Ritonavir and Saquinavir Mixtures
No full textHIV-1 protease (PR) was cocrystallized in competitive mixtures of saquinavir (SQV) and ritonavir (RTV) in an attempt to compare the relative potencies of inhibitors using a crystallographic approach. The mixture ratio of RTV/SQV was in the range of 1:1 to 50:1. The crystal form obtained with 1:1 and 5:1 ratios of RTV/SQV was monoclinic, while ratios 15:1 and 50:1 gave orthorhombic crystal form. The four crystal structures of PR/RTV/SQV were solved at 1.03, 1.12, 1.25, and 1.72 Å resolutions. The X-ray crystal structures reveal that the crystal forms are dependent on the occupancy of either SQV or RTV in the active site of PR. At low RTV/SQV concentrations, PR/SQV complex is dominant, and at higher ratios, PR/RTV is found. The absence of a crystal structure having both inhibitors statistically disordered in the catalytic site of PR suggests that the two protein complexes are sufficiently different in properties to be discriminated in crystal growth process. The X-ray structures of the dimeric enzyme with C2 pseudosymmetry show a 2-fold-disorder phenomenon for the SQV, while the RTV inhibitor is detected in a single orientation. The dominancy of PR/SQV crystal form at an equimolar mixture of inhibitor and the presence/absence of the 2-fold disorder of inhibitors have given new insight into the relative potency of these drugs and both suggest a higher potency of SQV with respect to RTV
Monitoring of Drug Release via Intra Body Communication with an Edible Pill
No full textOral drug administration provides a convenient and patient-compliant way for drug delivery, especially for chronic diseases and prolonged pharmacological treatments. However, due to the repetitiveness of such therapeutic approach, the patients are led to neglect/forget the therapy affecting the healthcare delivery. Indeed, the non-adherence to pharmacological prescriptions and the unknown amount of real-time drug release result in a non-compliant therapeutic drug level over the protracted therapies. The proposed technology will enable the monitoring of both pharmacological adherence and real-time drug release. The approach exploits a passive intrabody communication (IBC) activation in order to enable an edible pill, realized starting from food additives and food-grade materials, to monitor pharmacological adherence. Following activation, the signal is modulated by IBC coupling switching triggered by pill degradation in a gastrointestinal tract, resulting in a monitored drug release. The proof-of-concept is designed for a targeted release and monitoring of Metformin in the intestine. The system shows an in vitro limit of cumulative drug release detection of 18 μg mL−1 and a limit of real-time drug release detection of 2 μg mL−1 min−1. This platform represents the first solution to monitor passive drug release in real-time, from intake to complete absorption, enabling unique and long-sought healthcare therapy and treatment opportunity
Sustainable Alternatives to Silicone in Pest Management: A Comparative Study of Biodegradable Oleogel Pheromone Dispensers for Plodia interpunctella
No full textPheromone dispensers are essential tools in integrated pest management (IPM) to reduce chemical pesticide use, particularly in food storage environments. Silicone-based dispensers (SD) are a gold standard due to their low cost and controlled pheromone release, but pose environmental/health risks related to plastic/chemicals pollution. Oleogel-based dispensers (OD) represent a biodegradable alternative, offering the advantage of pheromone incorporation during material preparation, ensuring uniform dispersion, controlled release kinetics, and reduced production steps. This study compared the performance of OD and SD over a 90-day period (at three time points: T0, T45, and T90) in attracting Plodia interpunctella. Both dispensers experienced efficacy reduction over time, but no statistically significant differences emerged between SD and OD. These results highlight OD as a promising, sustainable alternative to SD, with future work needed to optimize its formulation and validate its real-world applications
Green synthesis of stretchable ethyl cellulose film plasticized with transesterified sunflower oil
No full textSustainability and environmental consciousness drive research toward biomaterials and green synthesis. Traditional plasticizers derived from non-renewable sources have raised concerns due to their adverse impact on the environment and human health. As a result, there is a growing interest in replacing these traditional plasticizers with inexpensive naturally derived alternatives. One such promising compound that has gained considerable attention is vegetable oil. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of using transesterified sunflower oil as a plasticizer for ethyl cellulose (EC), a widely used hydrophobic biopolymer. The transesterification reaction, accelerated by the catalyst NaOH, resulted in the formation of short chemical compounds that improved the plasticity of EC films. The mechanical studies demonstrated a remarkable elongation break of approximately 94 %, setting a new record for this type of film. The plasticization process was confirmed through rheological and XRD studies, revealing a notable reduction in the elastic chain and crystallinity of the EC structure. The proposed process advances the state of the art in ethyl cellulose plasticization and stands out for its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and environment-friendly approach. The synthesized films offer exciting possibilities for use in various applications including food packaging, transdermal drug delivery systems, and stretchable electronics
Truncal anaesthesia of the maxillary nerve for outpatient surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion
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Lymphadenectomy versus no lymphadenectomy in endometrial carcinoma: a retrospective analysis of 410 patients.
No full textObjective: Pelvic lymph nodes are the most common site of extrauterine spread in
clinical early-stage endometrial cancer. International Federation of Gynecology and
Obstetrics has mandated surgical evaluation of lymph nodes in endometrial cancer
since 1988; however, the clinical impact of lymphadenectomy has never been addressed.
Design: We reported a retrospective analysis in order to evaluate whether
pelvic systematic lymph dissection improves overall and progression-free survival
compared with no lymphadenectomy. Method: From 1991 through 2008, patients
with endometrial carcinoma were evaluated using a log-rank statistic and a Cox
multivariable regression analysis. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: Of the
410 patients with a diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma, 390 underwent primary
surgery. Of those who underwent surgery, 285 had endometrioid histology. One
hundred and ninety (190) patients had surgery with no lymphadenectomy, whereas
95 had surgery with lymphadenectomy. Only 4 women revealed positive nodes.
Median number of removed nodes was 14 in the lymphadenectomy group. The
5-year survival rate of 90% and 86% was achieved, respectively, for lymphadenectomy
and no lymphadenectomy ( p1⁄40.501). Conclusions: Although systematic
pelvic lymphadenectomy significantly improved surgical staging of women with
clinical early-stage endometrial carcinoma by detecting a higher rate of patients with
positive nodes, it did not improve overall survival
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