Targeting Tyrosinase: Development and Structural Insights of Novel Inhibitors Bearing Arylpiperidine and Arylpiperazine Fragments.

The inhibition of tyrosinase (Ty, EC 1.14.18.

Optical Aggregation of Gold Nanoparticles for SERS Detection of Proteins and Toxins in Liquid Environment: Towards Ultrasensitive and Selective Detection.

Optical forces are used to aggregate plasmonic nanoparticles and create SERS-active hot spots in liquid. When biomolecules are added to the nanoparticles, high sensitivity SERS detection can be accomplished. Here, we pursue studies on Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) detection, investigating the BSA-nanorod aggregations in a range from 100 µM to 50 nM by combining light scattering, plasmon resonance and SERS, and correlating the SERS signal with the concentration.

[The origin of depression in Alzheimer disease: a systematic review].

Aim: Depression was associated to Alzheimer's disease (AD), even if its role as predictive symptom, risk factor or reactive factor remains unclear. The aim of this review was to investigate the relation between depression and AD. More specifically, we aimed to examine if depression may be a prodrome of AD or an early reaction to cognitive decline.

Electrospun Conjugated Polymer/Fullerene Hybrid Fibers: Photoactive Blends, Conductivity through Tunneling-AFM, Light Scattering, and Perspective for Their Use in Bulk-Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells.

Hybrid conjugated polymer/fullerene filaments based on MEH-PPV/PVP/PCBM were prepared by electrospinning, and their properties were assessed by scanning electron, atomic and lateral-force, tunneling, and confocal microscopies, as well as by attenuated-total-reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, photoluminescence quantum yield, and spatially resolved fluorescence. Highlighted features include the ribbon shape of the realized fibers and the persistence of a network serving as a template for heterogeneous active layers in solar cell devices. A set of favorable characteristics is evidenced in this way in terms of homogeneous charge-transport behavior and formation of effective interfaces for diffusion and dissociation of photogenerated excitons.

Feline leishmaniosis: Is the cat a small dog?

Leishmania infantum is a vector-borne zoonotic disease transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies and dogs are considered the main reservoir of the parasite. Feline leishmaniosis (FeL) caused by L. infantum is an emergent feline disease more and more frequently reported in endemic areas.

Study of Al interaction with AMP, ADP and ATP in aqueous solution.

The interaction of Al and nucleotide ligands, namely adenosine-5'-monophosphate, (AMP), adenosine-5'-diphosphate, (ADP), adenosine-5'-triphosphate, (ATP), has been studied in aqueous solution at T = 298.15 K and I = 0.15 mol L in NaCl (only for Al-ATP system at I = 0.

Metal Complexes as Self-Indicating Titrants for Acid-Base Reactions in Chloroform.

The paper reports an unprecedented spectrophotometric determination of amines in chloroform, in which amines are not transformed into colored derivatives. This result has been achieved by exploiting the acid-base properties of the tight-ion-paired metal complexes [(HRDTO)Pt(HRDTO)][Cl], which are able to donate a HCl molecule to an amine, giving rise to an ammonium salt and to the neutral complexes [(HRDTO)Pt]. The circumstance that [(HRDTO)Pt(HRDTO)][Cl] and [(HRDTO)Pt] species show different absorptions in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum enables the aforementioned platinum complexes to behave as self-indicating titrants in the spectrophotometric determination of aliphatic amines, which are known to be UV-vis transparent.

TGF-β Signaling Pathways in Different Compartments of the Lower Airways of Patients With Stable COPD.

Background: The expression and localization of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway proteins in different compartments of the lower airways of patients with stable COPD is unclear. We aimed to determine TGF-β pathway protein expression in patients with stable COPD.

Methods: The expression and localization of TGF-β pathway components was measured in the bronchial mucosa and peripheral lungs of patients with stable COPD (n = 44), control smokers with normal lung function (n = 24), and control nonsmoking subjects (n = 11) using immunohistochemical analysis.

A national cohort study on pediatric Behçet's disease: cross-sectional data from an Italian registry.

Background: Behçet's disease is a rare multi-systemic inflammatory disease with unknown etiology which involves principally oral and genital mucosa, skin and eyes. Average age at onset of the disease is about 25-30 years, but it may be diagnosed before the age of 16. It is not very rare in Italy, even though there are limited data concerning epidemiology.

Nocturnal activation of melatonin receptor type 1 signaling modulates diurnal insulin sensitivity via regulation of PI3K activity.

Recent genetic studies have highlighted the potential involvement of melatonin receptor 1 (MT ) and melatonin receptor 2 (MT ) in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Here, we report that mice lacking MT (MT KO) tend to accumulate more fat mass than WT mice and exhibit marked systemic insulin resistance. Additional experiments revealed that the main insulin signaling pathway affected by the loss of MT was the activation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K).

Biosynthesis and structural characterization of polyhydroxyalkanoates produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 from long odd-chain fatty acids.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 was cultured on media containing long odd-chain fatty acids. Heptadecanoic, nonadecanoic, and heneicosanoic acids sustained cell growth and resulted in polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) accumulation when culturing was conducted under nitrogen starvation conditions. No PHA was produced using a complete or magnesium-deprived medium.

"Click" on PLGA-PEG and hyaluronic acid: Gaining access to anti-leishmanial pentamidine bioconjugates.

Pentamidine (Pent), an antiparasitic drug used for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis, has been modified with terminal azide groups and conjugated to two different polymer backbones (PLGA-PEG [PP] copolymer and hyaluronic acid [HA]) armed with alkyne end-groups. The conjugation has been performed by Copper Catalyzed Azido Alkyne Cycloaddition (CuAAC) using CuSO /sodium ascorbate as metal source. The novel PP-Pent and HA-Pent bioconjugates are proposed, respectively, as non-targeted and targeted drug delivery systems against Leishmania infections.

[Long-term outcome of renal function in women with preeclampia and pregestational diabetes].

Pre-eclampsia (PE) is an important cause of acute renal failure and an important risk marker for subsequent chronic kidney disease. In normal pregnancy, there are marked changes in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) including considerably elevated angiotensin II (ang II) levels. However, vascular resistance decreases markedly during normal pregnancy, suggesting that pregnant individuals are less sensitive to ang II than non-pregnant individuals.

Standardization of hemipelvis alignment for in vitro biomechanical testing.

Although in vitro biomechanical tests are regularly performed, the definition of a suitable reference frame for hemipelvic specimens is still a challenge. The aims of the present study were to: (i) define a reference frame for the human hemipelvis suitable for in vitro applications, based on robust anatomical landmarks; (ii) identify the alignment of a hemipelvis based on the alignment of a whole pelvis (including right/left and male/female differences); (iii) identify the relative alignment of the proposed in vitro reference frame with respect to a reference frame commonly used in gait analysis; (iv) create an in vitro alignment procedure easy, robust and inexpensive; (v) quantify the intra-operator repeatability and inter-operator reproducibility of the procedure. A procedure to univocally identify the anatomical landmarks was created, exploiting the in vitro accessibility of the specimen's surface.

Direct vertebral rotation and differently shaped dual rod translation technique in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Direct vertebral rotation (DVR) is widely used to correct the axial deformity in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Indirect rotation techniques may help DVR in order to improve outcome. Vertebral translation technique combined with the use of two differently shaped rods resulted effective in reducing the rib hump deformity.

Modified minimally invasive direct anterior approach through a bikini incision for total hip arthroplasty: technique and results in young female patients.

Direct anterior approach for THA has gained popularity over the last years. However, concerns have been raised regarding the cosmetic, related to the incision that does not respect the Langer’s skin tension line and may produce hypertrophic scars. The aim of this study was to analyze the preliminary results in 22 young female patients undergoing THA through a minimally invasive direct anterior approach using a modified oblique bikini incision.

Direct anterior approach versus posterolateral approach in total hip arthroplasty: effects on early post-operative rehabilitation period.

Main surgical approaches to the hip have been modified during last decades, in an effort to reduce invasiveness of the surgical procedure and allow a faster rehabilitation. Direct anterior approach is the only approach, which does not require muscle detachment, thus theoretically leading to reduced post-operative pain and allows earlier recovery. The aim of this study was to report a comparison between patients operated with direct anterior approach and postero-lateral approach in terms of immediate post-operative and in-hospital records.

Soft tissue adhesion patterns over Trevira tube on modular endoprosthesis for malignant bone tumours: an in vitro study.

A reliable and effective technique in case of limb salvage surgery after resection of extensive bone tumors is represented by the implant of modular or custom-made megaprosthesis. Fixation of the residual surrounding soft tissue on the implant represent a challenge for the surgeon and the use of a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) tube over it, also known as Trevira, is currently a common choice for reattachment with good clinical outcomes. We compared fibroblastic cell culture potential over simple titanium coating vs titanium surrounded by Trevira and evaluated cell viability and replication at 24, 48 and 72 h using MTT cell growth assay and scanning electron microscopy to determine if there was any difference in the potential of cell growth associated to the material used.

Ring/Chain Morphology Control in Overall-Neutral, Internally Ion-Paired Supramolecular Polymers.

The self-assembly of internally ion-paired, neutral AA/BB-type supramolecular polymers composed of complementary di-ionizable homoditopic pairs of monomers is reported. Host-to-guest double-proton transfer mediates the recognition between bis-calix[5]arenedicarboxylic acids and α,ω-diaminoalkanes to yield cyclic, doughnut-shaped assemblies with morphologies (i.e.

Unindicated multiphase CT scans in non-traumatic abdominal emergencies for women of reproductive age: a significant source of unnecessary exposure.

Purpose: To determine the frequency of unindicated CT phases and the resultant excess of absorbed radiation doses to the uterus and ovaries in women of reproductive age who have undergone CT for non-traumatic abdomino-pelvic emergencies.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed all abdomino-pelvic CT examinations in women of reproductive age (40 years or less), between 1 June 2012 and 31 January 2015. We evaluated the appropriateness of each CT phase on the basis of clinical indications, according to ACR appropriateness criteria and evidence-based data from the literature.

How to improve effectiveness of pegvisomant treatment in acromegalic patients.

Purpose: Pegvisomant (PEGV) treatment in acromegaly patients resistant to somatostatin analogues is less effective in the real life than in clinical trials. This is a multicenter, observational, retrospective, longitudinal study. The aim was to detect characteristics which improve long-term PEGV effectiveness.

Effects of prolonged drought on stem non-structural carbohydrates content and post-drought hydraulic recovery in Laurus nobilis L.: The possible link between carbon starvation and hydraulic failure.

Drought-induced tree decline is a complex event, and recent hypotheses suggest that hydraulic failure and carbon starvation are co-responsible for this process. We tested the possible role of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) content on post-drought hydraulic recovery, to verify the hypothesis that embolism reversal represents a mechanistic link between carbon starvation and stem hydraulics. Measurements were performed in laurel plants subjected to similar water stress levels either over short or long term, to induce comparable embolism levels.