Herbs for voice database : developing a rational approach to the study of herbal remedies used in voice care

Herbs have been used for voice care since ancient times and many herbal remedies are still in use in every geographical areas and cultures, both as traditional medicine and as sources of botanicals used in commercial products. Many of these plants are used as extracts and other phytopreparates, and a full phytochemical analysis is sometimes incomplete or lacking. The mechanisms of action of these botanicals include antibacterial, antiinflammatory, mucolytic, and other general activities; nevertheless, mechanisms that could be specifically referred to voice are often unknown, as well as the corresponding molecular targets and therefore a rational approach in the use of these remedies is hard to be applied by phoniatricians. To address this problem, we collected information on plants used for voice care from several different geographical areas, using both literature data and a pool of contributors from an international network of artistic phoniatrics and vocologists. The plants have been organized in a database (Herbs for Voice Database) and classified according to the natural compounds contained in them, their molecular targets and the pathologies they are recommended for. This first database contains 44 plants, 101 phytocompounds, and 32 recognized molecular targets. The distribution of herbs and phytocompounds according to the botanical families, their known biological activity, traditional uses, and molecular targets were analyzed. In particular, data analysis shows that the somatosensory and pain receptor Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin 1 ion channel is targeted by a large number of different phytochemicals contained in the herbs for voice, and could therefore be involved in a mechanism of action common to many plants

A trip in voice phytotheraphy: TRPA1 ion channel as a target for bioactive compounds in herbal remedies for voice care

Voice is the sound we produce to communicate meanings and ideas and has a capital importance in human social development. Herbs have been used for voice care since ancient times and many herbal remedies are still in use, both as folk medicine and as sources of botanicals used in commercial products. In Europe Sisymbrium officinale (L.) Scop (the "singers'plant\u201d) is the most popular herbal remedy for voice care, but many other plants are employed in phytopreparations. The mechanisms of action of these botanicals include anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, mucolytic, antinociceptive and other general activities; nevertheless, mechanisms that could be specifically referred to voice are often unknown. We collected information on plants used worldwide for voice care; the plants have been organized in a database (Herbs for Voice Database) and classified according to the bioactive compounds, their molecular targets and the pathologies they are recommended for. The data were analyzed with the aim to identify some possible common mechanism of action and the molecular targets involved. The analysis of data shows that an important pathway involves the somatosensory TRPA1 (Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin type 1) ion channel, a well-known mediator of irritation, inflammatory and neurogenic pain. Agonists of this ion channel have been identified in 27 over 44 plants, corresponding to 61,3% of the plants in the database. Also TRPM8 (Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin type 8), involved in the perception of coolness, was identified among the molecular targets. This finding reinforces the hypothesis that these somatosensory ion channels could be involved in relevant mechanisms of action of these traditional remedies and open new perspectives in the rational study of voice phytopharmacology and therapy. This research was funded by FONDAZIONE CARIPLO (Milano, I), University of Milano (I) and Conservatorio di Musica G. Verdi (Milano, I), grant number 2017-1653

Grey-Blue Regression in Melanoma In Situ—Evaluation on 111 Cases

As fibrosis and melanosis are often seen in malignant melanoma, the presence of dermoscopic signs of regression may represent a clue for the diagnosis of malignancy. Our aim was to assess the frequency and extent of 11 dermoscopic features of regression evaluating dermoscopic images of 111 melanomas in situ (MIS). Regression structures (grey-blue areas, white areas, peppering, and/or blue-whitish veil) were present in 80.1% of the lesions. Approximately 80% of the lesions showed regression of dermoscopic structures and light brown areas. Most lesions showed the presence of grey-blue areas (74.7%), whereas peppering was observable in 30.6% of MIS. Areas of fibrosis were mainly observable as structureless areas with a pinkish hue (50.4%). Based on our data, the reticular pattern of blue regression and light brown areas can be considered a significant discriminator and a reliable predictor of MIS

Effectiveness of Different Analytical Methods for the Characterization of Propolis : a Case of Study in Northern Italy

Propolis is used as folk medicine due to its spectrum of alleged biological and pharmaceutical properties and it is a complex matrix not still totally characterized. Two batches of propolis coming from two different environments (plains of Po Valley and the hilly Ligurian\u2013 Piedmont Apennines) of Northern Italy were characterized using different analytical methods: Spectrophotometric analysis of phenols, flavones and flavonols, and DPPH radical scavenging activity, HPLC, NMR, HSPME and GC\u2013MS and HPLC\u2013MS Orbitrap. Balsam and moisture content were also considered. No statistical differences were found at the spectrophotometric analysis; balsam content did not vary significantly. The most interesting findings were in the VOCs composition, with the Po Valley samples containing compounds of the resins from leaf buds of Populus nigra L. The hills (Appennines) samples were indeed characterize by the presence of phenolic glycerides already found in mountain environments. HPLC\u2013Q-Exactive-Orbitrap\uae\u2013MS analysis is crucial in appropriate recognition of evaluate number of metabolites, but also NMR itself could give more detailed information especially when isomeric compounds should be identified. It is necessary a standardized evaluation to protect and valorize this production and more research on propolis characterization using different analytical techniques

Phytochemicals from Ruta graveolens Activate TAS2R Bitter Taste Receptors and TRP Channels Involved in Gustation and Nociception

Ruta graveolens (rue) is a spontaneous plant in the Mediterranean area with a strong aroma and a very intense bitter taste, used in gastronomy and in folk medicine. From the leaves, stems and fruits of rue, we isolated rutin, rutamarin, three furanocoumarins, two quinolinic alkaloids, a dicoumarin and two long chain ketones. Bitter taste and chemesthetic properties have been evaluated by in vitro assays with twenty receptors of the TAS2R family and four TRP ion channels involved in gustation and nociception. Among the alkaloids, skimmianine was active as a specific agonist of T2R14, whereas kokusaginin did not activate any of the tested receptors. The furanocoumarins activates TAS2R10, 14, and 49 with different degrees of selectivity, as well as the TRPA1 somatosensory ion channel. Rutamarin is an agonist of TRPM5 and TRPV1 and a strong antagonist of TRPM8 ion channels

Environmental sustainability of orthopedic devices produced with powder bed fusion

Additive manufacturing consists in melting metallic powders to produce objects from 3D data, layer upon layer. Its industrial applications range from automotive, biomedical (e.g., prosthetic implants for dentistry and orthopedics), aeronautics and others. This study uses life cycle assessment to evaluate the possible improvement in environmental performance of laser-based powder bed fusion additive manufacturing systems on prosthetic device production. Environmental impacts due to manufacturing, use, and end of life of the designed solution were assessed. In addition, two powder production technologies, gas atomization (GA) and plasma atomization (PA), were compared in order to establish the most sustainable one. Production via traditional subtractive technologies and the additive manufacturing production were also compared. 3D building was found to have a significant environmental advantage compared to the traditional technology. The powder production process considerably influences on a damage point of view the additive manufacturing process; however, its impact can be mitigated if GA powders are employed

Improving diagnostic accuracy of dermoscopically equivocal pink cutaneous lesions with reflectance confocal microscopy in telemedicine settings : double reader concordance evaluation of 316 cases

Solitary pink lesions in differential diagnosis with hypopigmented/amelanotic melanoma present a diagnostic challenge in daily practice and are regularly referred for second expert opinion. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) has been shown to improve diagnostic accuracy of dermoscopically equivocal pink lesions. No studies have been performed to evaluate the effect of adding a second expert reader and automatic removal of lesions with discordant management recommendations and its potential effect on diagnostic sensitivity and final management of these lesions in retrospective or telemedicine settings.To improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce potential mismanagement of dermoscopically equivocal pink cutaneous lesions by implementing double reader concordance evaluation of RCM images.316 dermoscopically equivocal pink lesions with dermoscopy-RCM image sets were evaluated retrospectively. Accuracy of three readers was evaluated by single reader evaluation of dermoscopy only and dermoscopy-RCM image sets and finally by double reader evaluation of dermoscopy-RCM image sets. Lesions with discordant diagnosis between two readers were automatically recommended for excision.Dermoscopy only evaluation resulted in an overall sensitivity of 95.9% and specificity of 33.6%, with 1 of 12 amelanotic melanomas mismanaged. Dermoscopy-RCM image set single reader evaluation resulted in an overall sensitivity of 93.9% and overall specificity of 54.2%, with 1 of 12 melanomas mismanaged. Dermoscopy-RCM image set double reader concordance evaluation resulted in an overall sensitivity of 98.3% and specificity of 42.7%, with no amelanotic melanoma mismanagement.Evaluation of dermoscopy-RCM image sets of equivocal pink lesions by a single reader in telemedicine settings is limited by the potential for misdiagnosis of dangerous malignant lesions. Double reader concordance evaluation with automatic referral of lesions for removal in the case of discordant diagnosis improves the diagnostic sensitivity in this subset of lesions and reduce potential misdiagnosis in settings where a second expert opinion may be employed

Solid-state phase transformations in thermally treated Ti-6Al-4V alloy fabricated via laser powder bed fusion

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) technology was used to produce samples based on the Ti-6Al-4V alloy for biomedical applications. Solid-state phase transformations induced by thermal treatments were studied by neutron diffraction (ND), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Although, ND analysis is rather uncommon in such studies, this technique allowed evidencing the presence of retained \u3b2 in \u3b1' martensite of the as-produced (#AP) sample. The retained \u3b2 was not detectable byXRDanalysis, nor by STEM observations. Martensite contains a high number of defects, mainly dislocations, that anneal during the thermal treatment. Element diffusion and partitioning are the main mechanisms in the \u3b1 \u2194 \u3b2 transformation that causes lattice expansion during heating and determines the final shape and size of phases. The retained \u3b2 phase plays a key role in the \u3b1' \u2192 \u3b2 transformation kinetics

Biomedical Co-Cr-Mo Components Produced by Direct Metal Laser Sintering

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) is an additive manufacturing technique based on a laser power source that sinters powdered materials using a 3D CAD model. The mechanical components produced by this procedure typically show higher residual porosity and poorer mechanical properties than those obtained by traditional manufacturing techniques. In this study, samples were produced by DMLS starting from a Co-Cr-Mo powder (in the \u3b3 phase) with a composition suitable for biomedical applications. Samples were submitted to hardness measurements and structural characterization. The samples showed a hardness value remarkably higher that those commonly obtained for the same cast or wrought alloys. In fact, the HRC value measured for the samples is 47 HRC, while the usual range for CAST Co-Cr-Mo is from 25 to 35 HRC. The samples microstructure was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and energy dispersive microanalysis (EDX) in order to clarify the origin of this unexpected result. The laser treatment induced a melting of the metallic Co-Cr-Mo powder, generating a phase transformation from the \u3b3 (fcc) to the e (hcp) phase. The rapid cooling of the melted powder produced the formation of e (hcp) nano-lamellae inside the \u3b3 (fcc) phase. The nano-lamellae formed an intricate network responsible for the measured hardness increase. The results suggest possible innovative applications of the DMLS technique to the production of mechanical parts in the medical and dental fields, where a high degree of personalization is required