45 research outputs found
Case Report: Infectious prophylaxis in hematological malignancies
No full textPatients with hematological malignancies and past serological evidence of hepatitis B are at risk for HBV reactivation. In myeloproliferative neoplasms, continuous treatment with the JAK 1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib confers a moderate risk of reactivation (1-10%); nevertheless, no prospective randomized data are available to strongly recommend HBV prophylaxis in these patients. Here, we report a case of primary myelofibrosis and past serological evidence of HBV infection, treated with ruxolitinib and concomitant lamivudine, developing HBV reactivation due to premature withdrawal of prophylaxis. This case underlines the potential need for persistent HBV prophylaxis in the setting of ruxolitinib treatment
Design, synthesis and characterization of hybrid coatings suitable for geopolymeric-based supports for the restoration of cultural heritage
No full textGeopolymers are inorganic materials that form long-range, covalently bonded, networks; they are materials similar to ceramics, whose components are mainly aluminium and silicates. Any inorganic source of silica and alumina, dissolved in the alkaline solution, acts as a precursor of geopolymers. The type of clays most commonly used in the synthesis of geopolymers is based on kaolinite. The present work concerns the modification of the geopolymer at the chemical and nanostructural level, through the design and development of hybrid coating sol-gel formulations to improve characteristics such as mechanical strength, chemical inertness, heat resistance and porosity for possible use in the restoration and conservation of cultural heritage. The methods of functionalization of the geopolymers here shown are: (i) the treatment of the geopolymeric surface, post-drying, through the application of the sol-gel directly on the monolith, for a modification of the surface properties; (ii) the pretreatment of the geopolymeric mixture, through the addition of the alkoxysilane which can induce a homogeneous consolidation of the molecular structure, implementing the properties of the entire monolith. The employed alkoxysilanes differ according to the length of the hydrocarbon chain and the presence of halogen atoms. Hydrophobicity tests were performed on these formulations
Gold Derivatives Development as Prospective Anticancer Drugs for Breast Cancer Treatment
No full textCommonly used anticancer drugs are cisplatin and other platinum‐based drugs. However, the use of these drugs in chemotherapy causes numerous side effects and the onset of frequent drug resistance phenomena. This review summarizes the most recent results on the gold derivatives used for their significant inhibitory effects on the in vitro proliferation of breast cancer cell models and for the consequences deriving from morphological changes in the same cells. In particular, the study discusses the antitumor activity of gold nanoparticles, gold (I) and (III) compounds, gold complexes and carbene‐based gold complexes, compared with cisplatin. The results of screening studies of cytotoxicity and antitumor activity for the gold derivatives show that the death of cancer cells can occur intrinsically by apoptosis. Recent research has shown that gold (III) compounds with square planar geometries, such as that of cisplatin, can intercalate the DNA and provide novel anticancer agents. The gold derivatives described can make an important contribution to expanding the knowledge of medicinal bioorganometallic chemistry and broadening the range of anticancer agents available, offering improved characteristics, such as increased activity and/or selectivity, and paving the way for further discoveries and applications
Potential roles of fluorine-containing sol-gel coatings against adhesion to control microbial biofilm
No full textTreatment of materials by sol-gel technique can be an excellent tool to convey new properties to surfaces, therefore the hybrid organic-inorganic materials show the properties of both phases, contributing for example to the obtainment of an anti-fouling coating. In this research, the explored procedure includes the co-condensation of silane coupling agents with epoxide and amine tail-groups, (3-Glycidyloxypropyl)-trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) and (3- Aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane (APTES), respectively, in combination with two perfluorosilane precursors, namely glycidyl-2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9-hexadecafluorononylether and trimethoxy-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)-silane, either individually or together. This synthetic approach allows collecting stable hydrophobic, non-toxic, anti-fouling coatings that were investigated to study their morphology and chemical structure by different physical-chemical techniques. The anti-fouling properties were evaluated through test on treated glass slides in different microbial suspension in seawater-based medium per 24 h at room temperature. During tests, each suspension was maintained in continuous agitation to simulate the natural movement of seawater, and the attachment of cells on bare degreased glass slides is compared with that occurring on the treated slides. Results show that the fluorinated coatings have good antimicrobial activities and low adhesive properties, no biocidal effects towards the studied microorganisms were observed
Synthesis, chemical–physical characterization, and biomedical applications of functional gold nanoparticles: A review
No full textRelevant properties of gold nanoparticles, such as stability and biocompatibility, together with their peculiar optical and electronic behavior, make them excellent candidates for medical and biological applications. This review describes the different approaches to the synthesis, surface modification, and characterization of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) related to increasing their stability and available features useful for employment as drug delivery systems or in hyperthermia and photothermal therapy. The synthetic methods reported span from the well-known Turkevich synthesis, reduction with NaBH4 with or without citrate, seeding growth, ascorbic acid-based, green synthesis, and Brust–Schiffrin methods. Furthermore, the nanosized functionalization of the AuNP surface brought about the formation of self-assembled monolayers through the employment of polymer coatings as capping agents covalently bonded to the nanoparticles. The most common chemical–physical characterization techniques to determine the size, shape and surface coverage of AuNPs are described underlining the structure–activity correlation in the frame of their applications in the biomedical and biotechnology sectors
sviluppo di un’app android per lo studio basata su sistema rag (retrieval-augmented-generation)
No full textL’avvento dei Large Language Models (LLM) ha rivoluzionato il campo dell’intelligenza artificiale, mostrando capacità senza precedenti nella comprensione e generazione del linguaggio. Tuttavia, limiti intrinseci come la tendenza a produrre informazioni inaccurate (allucinazioni), la conoscenza statica e la mancanza di tracciabilità delle fonti ne ostacolano l’adozione in contesti critici. La letteratura scientifica ha proposto l’architettura Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) come soluzione a tali problemi, integrando i modelli generativi con basi di conoscenza esterne per ancorare le risposte a dati verificabili.
Nonostante il progresso tecnologico, si è identificata una lacuna nel settore degli strumenti per l’apprendimento: l’assenza di una soluzione integrata che supporti lo studente in un ciclo di studio completo. Le applicazioni attuali sono spesso frammentate, consentendo di interagire con un singolo documento o offrendo funzionalità di IA generiche non ottimizzate per lo studio. Il presente lavoro di tesi affronta questo problema attraverso la progettazione e lo sviluppo di ”MyStudyApp”, un’applicazione mobile nativa per Android. Sfruttando un’architettura RAG basata su servizi cloud Microsoft Azure, l’applicazione funge da compagno di studi intelligente, permettendo agli utenti di caricare i propri materiali, dialogare con essi tramite una chat contestuale, generare quiz personalizzati per l’autovalutazione e monitorare i progressi. La validazione del sistema è stata condotta tramite una valutazione sperimentale comparativa tra l’architettura cloud implementata e un’alternativa basata su modelli eseguiti in locale. I risultati dimostrano la netta superiorità dell’approccio cloud in termini di qualità, accuratezza delle risposte e latenza, confermando la validità delle scelte progettuali per offrire uno strumento di studio efficace, affidabile e performante
Nanostructured surface finishing and coatings: Functional properties and applications
No full textThis review presents current literature on different nanocomposite coatings and surface finishing for textiles, and in particular this study has focused on smart materials, drug-delivery systems, industrial, antifouling and nano/ultrafiltration membrane coatings. Each of these nanostructured coatings shows interesting properties for different fields of application. In this review, particular attention is paid to the synthesis and the consequent physico-chemical characteristics of each coating and, therefore, to the different parameters that influence the substrate deposition process. Several techniques used in the characterization of these surface finishing coatings were also described. In this review the sol–gel method for preparing stimuli-responsive coatings as smart sensor materials is described; polymers and nanoparticles sensitive to pH, temperature, phase, light and biomolecules are also treated; nanomaterials based on phosphorus, borates, hydroxy carbonates and silicones are used and described as flame-retardant coatings; organic/inorganic hybrid sol–gel coatings for industrial applications are illustrated; carbon nanotubes, metallic oxides and polymers are employed for nano/ultrafiltration membranes and antifouling coatings. Research institutes and industries have collaborated in the advancement of nanotechnology by optimizing conversion processes of conventional materials into coatings with new functionalities for intelligent applications
The Role of Bronchoalveolar Lavage in Therapeutic Antimicrobial Choices for Hematologic Patients with Pulmonary Infiltrates
No full textBackground and Objectives: Lower respiratory tract infections are particularly frequent in hematological patients; their early diagnosis and the timely start of targeted therapy are essential. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) can provide a microbiological sample from the lower airways in a minimally invasive way. This study aimed to determine the diagnostic yield of BAL in hematological patients for microbiological purposes and its influence on modifying the therapeutic strategy. Material and Methods: This multicenter, retrospective, observational study included data from 193 consecutive patients from two centers from January 2020 to October 2022. The patients underwent a bronchoscopy with BAL in cases of pulmonary infiltrates suspicious of pulmonary infection. The demographic data, presenting symptoms, level of immunosuppression, chest CT changes, BAL sampling results, and antimicrobiological drug administration were analyzed. Results: Of the 193 procedures, 143 (74.1%) were performed on hospitalized patients, while 50 were performed on outpatients. In 53.9% of the cases, the BAL isolated at least one germ; in particular, if the procedure was carried out within 72 h of presenting symptoms, the probability of isolating the germ increased significantly (74.3%, p = 0.04). Among the isolated germs, 59.4% were viruses, 28.6% were bacteria, and 12% were fungi. The patients with higher immunosuppression and the febrile ones underwent BAL earlier than the patients with mild immunosuppression (p = 0.01) and those with other presenting symptoms (p = 0.0001). BAL positivity led to a change in empirical antimicrobial therapy in 79 out of 104 cases (77% vs. 36.3%; p p p p Conclusions: BAL is confirmed as a valid approach for evaluating pulmonary infiltrates in hematological patients, given the excellent clinical impact and high diagnostic yield, mainly if performed early after symptom presentation. However, ongoing antimicrobial treatments at the time of BAL may have potentially affected the diagnostic yield of the procedure
The bounded cohomology of the Thompson's group
No full textLo scopo della tesi è esporre in dettaglio la dimostrazione, dovuta a Monod, di un risultato molto importante nella teoria della coomologia limitata di gruppi, cioè l'aciclicità limitata del gruppo di Thompson. Per la dimostrazione, utilizzeremo le nozioni di risoluzioni forti relativamente iniettive, gruppi amenabili, spazi G-amenabili (dove G è un gruppo), azioni Zimmer-amenable e ergodicità per coefficienti.
Infine, mostreremo che il gruppo di Thompson non ha sottogruppi isomorfi al gruppo libero di rango 2.
The thesis' aim is to explain in detail the proof, due to Monod, of really important result in the field of bounded cohomology of groups, that is the boundedly acyclicity of the Thompson's group. In the proof, we will use the notions of relatively injective strong resolutions, amenable groups, G-amenable spaces (where G is a group), Zimmer-amenable actions and ergodicity with coefficients.
At last, we will show that the Thompson's group does not contain subgroups isomorphic to the free group of rank 2
Gold Derivatives Development as Prospective Anticancer Drugs for Breast Cancer Treatment
No full textCommonly used anticancer drugs are cisplatin and other platinum-based drugs. However, the use of these drugs in chemotherapy causes numerous side effects and the onset of frequent drug resistance phenomena. This review summarizes the most recent results on the gold derivatives used for their significant inhibitory effects on the in vitro proliferation of breast cancer cell models and for the consequences deriving from morphological changes in the same cells. In particular, the study discusses the antitumor activity of gold nanoparticles, gold (I) and (III) compounds, gold complexes and carbene-based gold complexes, compared with cisplatin. The results of screening studies of cytotoxicity and antitumor activity for the gold derivatives show that the death of cancer cells can occur intrinsically by apoptosis. Recent research has shown that gold (III) compounds with square planar geometries, such as that of cisplatin, can intercalate the DNA and provide novel anticancer agents. The gold derivatives described can make an important contribution to expanding the knowledge of medicinal bioorganometallic chemistry and broadening the range of anticancer agents available, offering improved characteristics, such as increased activity and/or selectivity, and paving the way for further discoveries and applications
