Photoelectrocatalytic treatment of levofloxacin using Ti/MMO/ZnO electrode.

Here, the antibiotic levofloxacin (LFX) widely used and detected in the environment was degraded by photoelectrolysis using a new electrode based on zinc oxide (ZnO) and a mixture of mixed oxides of ruthenium and titanium (MMO). The influence of the potential and irradiation of UV light was investigated in the photostability of the Ti/MMO/ZnO electrode and in the degradation of the antibiotic. The experiments were conducted at different pH values (5.

Neural adaptations to long-term resistance training: evidence for the confounding effect of muscle size on the interpretation of surface electromyography.

This study compared elbow flexor (EF; ) and knee extensor (KE; ) maximal compound action potential (M) amplitude between long-term resistance trained (LTRT; = 15 and = 14, 6 ± 3 and 4 ± 1 yr of training) and untrained (UT; = 14 and = 49) men, and examined the effect of normalizing electromyography (EMG) during maximal voluntary torque (MVT) production to M amplitude on differences between LTRT and UT. EMG was recorded from multiple sites and muscles of EF and KE, M was evoked with percutaneous nerve stimulation, and muscle size was assessed with ultrasonography (thickness, EF) and magnetic resonance imaging (cross-sectional area, KE). Muscle-electrode distance (MED) was measured to account for the effect of adipose tissue on EMG and M.

Resistance training intervention performed with different muscle action durations influences the maximal dynamic strength without promoting joint-angle specific strength gains.

The present study investigated the effect of 10-week matched (range of motion, volume, intensity, rest, and repetition duration) training protocols with varying muscle action duration (MAD) on maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) test at eight different knee angles and one-repetition maximum (1RM) test after in seated knee extensor machine. Forty women were allocated into one control and three training groups with varying MAD: 5C1E (5s concentric action [CON] and 1s eccentric action [ECC]), 3C3E (3s CON and 3s ECC), and 1C5E (1s CON and 5s ECC). All training groups (5C1E, 3C3E, and 1C5E) showed a greater relative response in 1RM performance than the control group (0.

In Situ Observation of Low-Power Nano-Synaptic Response in Graphene Oxide Using Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy.

Multiple studies have reported the observation of electro-synaptic response in different metal/insulator/metal devices. However, most of them analyzed large (>1 µm ) devices that do not meet the integration density required by industry (10  devices/mm ). Some studies emploied a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) to explore nano-synaptic response in different materials, but in this setup there is a nanogap between the insulator and one of the metallic electrodes (i.

Choroidal Vascularity Map in Unilateral Central Serous Chorioretinopathy: A Comparison with Fellow and Healthy Eyes.

Background: To map the choroidal vascularity index and compare two eyes in patients with unilateral central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR).

Methods: This was a retrospective, observational study performed in patients with unilateral CSCR. Choroidal thickness (CT) and Choroidal vascularity index (CVI) were measured and mapped in various zones according to the early treatment diabetic retinopathy (ETDRS) grid.

Advanced Data Encryption ​using 2D Materials.

Advanced data encryption requires the use of true random number generators (TRNGs) to produce unpredictable sequences of bits. TRNG circuits with high degree of randomness and low power consumption may be fabricated by using the random telegraph noise (RTN) current signals produced by polarized metal/insulator/metal (MIM) devices as entropy source. However, the RTN signals produced by MIM devices made of traditional insulators, i.

Quality of life of COVID-19 critically ill survivors after ICU discharge: 90 days follow-up.

Purpose: The onset of the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic in Italy induced a dramatic increase in the need for intensive care unit (ICU) beds for a large proportion of patients affected by COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The aim of the present study was to describe the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) at 90 days after ICU discharge in a cohort of COVID-19 patients undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation and to compare it with an age and sex-matched sample from the general Italian and Finnish populations. Moreover, the possible associations between clinical, demographic, social factors, and HRQoL were investigated.

A multimodal approach to cancer-related cachexia: from theory to practice.

: Cachexia represents a relevant issue in oncological care, which is still lacking effective therapies. Although the incidence of cancer cachexia varies across cancer types, it is responsible for approximately a quarter of cancer-related deaths. The pathophysiology of this syndrome is multifactorial, including weight loss, muscle atrophy and impairment of the pro-/anti-inflammatory balance.

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency in the elderly: a case report.

Background: Generally, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is suspected in young patients with pulmonary emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Patients often suffer from diagnostic gaps and are misdiagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), as AATD may present with nonspecific respiratory symptoms. It is never too late to suspect AATD, especially in a patient with an unusual medical history.

Roles of selenium in mineral plant nutrition: ROS scavenging responses against abiotic stresses.

Agronomic biofortification of crops with selenium (Se) is an important strategy to minimize hidden hunger and increase nutrient intake in poor populations. Selenium is an element that has several physiological and biochemical characteristics, such as the mitigation of different types of abiotic stress. Selenoproteins act as powerful antioxidants in plant metabolism through the glutathione peroxidase (GSH) pathway, and provide an increased activity for enzymatic (SOD, CAT, and APX) and non-enzymatic (ascorbic acid, flavonoids, and tocopherols) compounds that act in reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging system and cell detoxification.

Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency: Home Therapy.

While available in only a few countries, home therapy is a possible strategy for the treatment of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. We want to describe our experience in the management of human alpha-1 antitrypsin using home care intravenous augmentation therapy during this emergency period caused by SARS-CoV2 infection. We assessed the safety of the home treatment and the quality of life of patients enrolled in the program.

PEA-OXA Mitigates Oxaliplatin-Induced Painful Neuropathy through NF-κB/Nrf-2 Axis.

Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy is a common, dose-dependent adverse effect of several antineoplastics, such as oxaliplatin (L-OHP). The aim of the present work was to evaluate the potential beneficial effects of 2-pentadecyl-2-oxazoline (PEA-OXA) in a murine model of oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy (OIPN). OIPN was induced by an intraperitoneally injection of L-OHP in rats on five consecutive days (D0-4) for a final cumulative dose of 10 mg/kg.

Immunomodulatory Effect of Microglia-Released Cytokines in Gliomas.

Microglia, a type of differentiated tissue macrophage, are considered to be the most plastic cell population of the central nervous system (CNS). Microglia substantially contribute to the growth and invasion of tumor mass in brain tumors including glioblastoma (GB). In response to pathological conditions, resting microglia undergo a stereotypic activation process and become capable of phagocytosis, antigen presentation, and lymphocyte activation.

Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Screening in a Selected Cohort of Patients Affected by Chronic Pulmonary Diseases in Naples, Italy.

Introduction: Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a genetic condition associated with several respiratory diseases in patients with severe protein deficiency. AATD is often late diagnosed or underdiagnosed. Diagnosis frequently occurs in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema characterized by frequent exacerbations and over ten years' duration.

Home Management of Patients with Moderate or Severe Respiratory Failure Secondary to COVID-19, Using Remote Monitoring and Oxygen with or without HFNC.

Background: Home treatment of patients affected by COVID-19 is still a matter of daily debate. During the clinical evolution of the disease, there are high risks of lung failure, which requires oxygen therapy. Here, we report our clinical experience with at-home treatment using high-flow nasal cannula in non-hospitalised patients with confirmed COVID-19.

Evaluation of Donor and Recipient Characteristics Involved in Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty Outcomes.

To evaluate both donor and recipient features involved in visual acuity restoring and complication insurgence in eyes that have undergone Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK). In this retrospective study, charts of 111 eyes of 96 patients (mean age 70.25 ± 8.

Sustained oxygenation improvement after first prone positioning is associated with liberation from mechanical ventilation and mortality in critically ill COVID-19 patients: a cohort study.

Background: Prone positioning (PP) has been used to improve oxygenation in patients affected by the SARS-CoV-2 disease (COVID-19). Several mechanisms, including lung recruitment and better lung ventilation/perfusion matching, make a relevant rational for using PP. However, not all patients maintain the oxygenation improvement after returning to supine position.

Patient-blood management for COVID19 convalescent plasma therapy: relevance of affinity and donor-recipient differences in concentration of neutralizing antibodies.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) convalescent plasma (CCP) is being extensively investigated as a treatment, with mixed results to date. Overall, there has been a generalized lack of appropriateness in prescriptions, which, in the field of transfusion medicine, is termed patient-blood management.

Objectives: We aimed to separate study design variables that could affect clinical outcome after CCP therapy.

Daytime alternatives for non-invasive mechanical ventilation in neuromuscular disorders.

Mechanical ventilation in recent years has benefited from the development of new techniques and interfaces. These developments allowed clinicians to offer increasingly personalised therapies with the combination of different complementary techniques for treating respiratory insufficiency in patients with neuromuscular diseases. The mouthpiece ventilation, intermittent abdominal pressure ventilator and the negative pressure ventilation can offer many patients alternative therapy options when ventilation is required for many hours a day.

The effect of different resistance training protocols equalized by time under tension on the force-position relationship after 10 weeks of training period.

This study investigated the impact of performing two equalized resistance training (RT) protocols for 10 weeks that differ only by repetition duration and number in the force-position and EMG-position relationship. Participants performed an equalized (36 s of time under tension; 3-4 sets; 3 min between sets; 50-55% of one-repetition maximum; 3× week) RT intervention on the bench press and the only different change between protocols was repetition number (RN; 12 vs.6) or duration (RD; 3 s vs.

Corticospinal excitability and motor representation after long-term resistance training.

It is poorly understood how the central nervous system adapts to resistance training, especially after years of exposure. We compared corticospinal excitability and motor representation assessed with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) between long-term resistance trained (LRT, ≥3 years) versus untrained (UNT) males (n = 15/group). Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) were obtained from the biceps brachii during isometric elbow flexion.

Exercise prehabilitation in lung cancer: Getting stronger to recover faster.

Despite several recent advances, lung cancer surgery is still associated with potentially severe postoperative complications. It has been suggested that preoperative exercise training could render patients with borderline functional parameters eligible for surgery, improve perioperative outcomes and that these benefits might reduce healthcare costs. Nevertheless, given the substantial heterogeneity of the available studies, no specific guidelines for preoperative exercise training have been released so far.

TBK1 Inhibitor Exerts Antiproliferative Effect on Glioblastoma Multiforme Cells.

Glioma are common malignant brain tumors, among which glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) has the worst prognosis. Different studies of GBM revealed that targeting nuclear factor B (NF-B) induced an attenuation tumor proliferation and prolonged cell survival. TBK1 {TANK [TRAF (TNF (tumor-necrosis-factor) receptor-associated factor)-associated NF-B activator]-binding kinase 1} is a serine/threonine protein kinase, and it is a member of the IB kinase (IKK) family involved in NF-B pathway activation.

Effect of Ultra-Micronized-Palmitoylethanolamide and Acetyl-l-Carnitine on Experimental Model of Inflammatory Pain.

Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), a fatty acid amide, has been widely investigated for its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. The ultra-micronized formulation of PEA (um-PEA), that has an enhanced rate of dissolution, is extensively used. Acetyl-l-carnitine (LAC), employed for the treatment of neuropathic pain in humans, is able to cause analgesia by up-regulating type-2 metabotropic glutamate (mGlu2) receptors.

Resistance training with different repetition duration to failure: effect on hypertrophy, strength and muscle activation.

Background: This study investigated the effects of two 14-week resistance training protocols with different repetition duration (RD) performed to muscle failure (MF) on gains in strength and muscle hypertrophy as well as on normalized electromyographic (EMG) amplitude and force-angle relationships.

Methods: The left and right legs of ten untrained males were assigned to either one of the two protocols (2-s or 6-s RD) incorporating unilateral knee extension exercise. Both protocols were performed with 3-4 sets, 50-60% of the one-repetition maximum (1RM), and 3 min rest.