154 research outputs found

    The use of body language in public speaking

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    This research examined various methods of body language, gestures, and expressions used during public speeches. Numerous public speakers have used different techniques during their speeches to improve their presentations. Certain objectives of the research explain how body language can enhance public speech. The third objective was to examine how to prepare and implement various uses of body language into a public speech. Lastly, the research sought to identify the advantages of implementing different hand and arm movement methods while using assorted levels of voice ranges. The study was conducted by observing public speeches at expositions, seminars, government official public speeches, award acceptance speeches, and university professor lectures. Multiple prerecorded public speeches were also evaluated with the use of the internet. The primary results are that using different methods of hand gestures, arm movements, facial expressions, a strong voice, and maintaining a good posture significantly benefits public speeches. It was also established that preparing for a public speech by selecting the type of body language that will support your style of presentation will improve the success of your speech. The recommendation is that public speakers maintain a good posture and respect the audience while maintaining eye contact with all members attending the event. Additionally, the speakers should keep their hands and arm moving at all times while occasionally returning their hands to their waistline area and use various facial gestures and expressions to help entice the audience. Lastly, public speakers should use a strong voice during their speeches as it helps audience members focus during the presentation

    Microfluidic Fabricated Liposomes for Nutlin-3a Ocular Delivery as Potential Candidate for Proliferative Vitreoretinal Diseases Treatment

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    Elisabetta Esposito,1 Elena Pozza,2 Catia Contado,1 Walter Pula,1 Olga Bortolini,3 Daniele Ragno,1 Sofia Toldo,3 Fabio Casciano,4 Agnese Bondi,1 Enrico Zauli,2 Paola Secchiero,4 Giorgio Zauli,3 Elisabetta Melloni4 1Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, I-44121, Italy; 2Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, I-44121, Italy; 3Department of Environmental Sciences and Prevention, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, I-44121, Italy; 4Department of Translational Medicine and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, I-44121, ItalyCorrespondence: Elisabetta Esposito; Elisabetta Melloni, Tel +39 0532 455230 ; +39 0532 455936, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: Proliferative vitreoretinal diseases (PVDs) represent a heterogeneous group of pathologies characterized by the presence of retinal proliferative membranes, in whose development retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is deeply involved. As the only effective treatment for PVDs at present is surgery, we aimed to investigate the potential therapeutic activity of Nutlin-3a, a small non-genotoxic inhibitor of the MDM2/p53 interaction, on ARPE-19 cell line and on human RPE primary cells, as in vitro models of RPE and, more importantly, to formulate and evaluate Nutlin-3a loaded liposomes designed for ophthalmic administration.Methods: Liposomes were produced using an innovative approach by a microfluidic device under selection of different conditions. Liposome size distribution was evaluated by photon correlation spectroscopy and centrifugal field flow fractionation, while the liposome structure was studied by transmission electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The Nutlin-3a entrapment capacity was evaluated by ultrafiltration and HPLC. Nutlin-3a biological effectiveness as a solution or loaded in liposomes was evaluated by viability, proliferation, apoptosis and migration assays and by morphological analysis.Results: The microfluidic formulative study enabled the selection of liposomes composed of phosphatidylcholine (PC) 5.4 or 8.2 mg/mL and 10% ethanol, characterized by roundish vesicular structures with 150– 250 nm mean diameters. Particularly, liposomes based on the lower PC concentration were characterized by higher stability. Nutlin-3a was effectively encapsulated in liposomes and was able to induce a significant reduction of viability and migration in RPE cell models.Conclusion: Our results lay the basis for a possible use of liposomes for the ocular delivery of Nutlin-3a. Keywords: Nutlin-3a, liposomes, microfluidic, PVDs, CFF

    Il TiO2 nelle lozioni solari è sottoforma di nanoparticelle? FlowFFF ed ICP-AES assieme rispondono.

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    L’applicazione delle nanotecnologie in campo cosmetico e farmaceutico è prassi consolidata oramai da decenni. Molti sono i farmaci ed i prodotti per la cura personale in cui è possibile trovare delle nanodispersioni, ma attualmente davvero pochi sono i metodi analitici che consentono l’analisi dimensionale dei componenti nanoparticellati, quando invece è noto, che i possibili effetti negativi sull’uomo non sono collegati solo alle dosi (concentrazione) ma anche alle dimensioni delle particelle utilizzate. I filtri solari sono tra i prodotti per la cura personale più diffusi. Il fattore di protezione è dato soprattutto da molecole organiche in grado di intercettare la radiazione UV, ma esso può essere notevolmente aumentato dall’impiego di filtri inorganici, tra cui il TiO2 è l’unico ammesso e regolamentato dalla legislazione europea. Il contenuto massimo con cui esso può essere utilizzato del 25% ma in nessun caso la concentrazione viene espressa esplicitamente nella lista degli ingredienti, né viene indicata la dimensione delle nanoparticelle utilizzate. L’unica indicazione pratica è che esse debbano essere di dimensioni inferiori ai 100 nm per evitare l’antiestetico “effetto bianco” quando questi preparati sono spalmati sulla pelle. In questo studio, la tecnica di frazionamento in campo flusso - flusso (FlFFF) è stata accoppiata con un rivelatore specifico, lo Spettrometro ad Emissione Atomica con sorgente al plasma ad accoppiamento induttivo (ICP-AES) per determinare e caratterizzare dimensionalmente il contenuto di TiO2 di una lozione solare di una nota ditta cosmetica. Le nano particelle di TiO2 sono state isolate dal preparato cosmetico e frazionate con la FlFFF. Il profilo di eluizione ottenuto in linea mediante rivelazione UV è stato sovrapposto al profilo di concentrazione del Ti determinato dall’ICP-AES sulle frazioni di eluato raccolte durante il frazionamento. La separazione è avvenuta quantitativamente ed i frattogrammi, opportunamente trasformati in distribuzioni dimensionali (PSD) hanno dimostrato che le particelle di TiO2 hanno dimensioni comprese tra i 30 ed gli 80 nm, come verificato dalla microscopia elettronica a scansione (SEM)

    TiO2 nano- and micro-particles in commercial foundation creams: Field Flow-Fractionation techniques together with ICP-AES and SQW Voltammetry for their characterization

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    A procedure to determine the presence of nano- or micro- TiO2 particles in commercial cosmetic formulations, which may have a daily use, is proposed. Two identification techniques the Square Wave Voltammetry (SWV) and ICP-AES were employed to determine the amount of TiO2 in six foundation creams sold in Italy and USA. A new SWV method, based on an acidic microwave-assisted digestion of the sample, has been set up and the results were compared and critically commented with those obtained by the established ICP-AES method. The analytical procedure was verified by analyzing the P-25 Degussa sample. The sizes of the particles contained in the foundations were investigated through Sedimentation (SdFFF) and Flow Field-Flow Fractionation (FlFFF) by analyzing aqueous slurries obtained from the foundation through a solvent extraction procedure. The FFF techniques sinergically coupled with the ICP-AES allowed to assess the sizes of the TiO2 particles. The content of the extracted slurries was also checked by TEM observations

    WO3 colloids for photoelectrochemical uses studied through SdFFF and FlFFF.

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    Tungsten trioxide (WO3) is an indirect band gap semiconductor with interesting photoelectrochemical properties. Nanocrystalline WO3 thin films are used as high performance photoanodes, whose current–voltage behavior is strongly affected by the crystal size. For this reason the nanoparticle formation, evolution and aggregation are aspects which call for a carefully investigation. In this work, colloidal suspensions of about 20-30 nm WO3 particles were obtained through a simple sol-gel. The WO3 colloidal suspensions were subjected to a controlled temperature aging process whose time evolution in terms of particle size distribution was followed by Sedimentation Field-Flow Fractionation (SdFFF) and Flow Field-Flow Fractionation (FlFFF). The experiments performed at 60 °C showed that in a few hours the initially transparent sol of WO3 particles undergo a progressive increase in mass, giving after 5 hours particles and/or aggregates of about 120 nm, expressed in terms of equivalent spherical diameter. The observed shift in particle size distribution SdFFF maxima, the broadening of the FlFFF fractograms and the SEM observations seem to suggest that primary WO3 nanocrystals formed during the initial stage tend to change their shape spontaneously becoming well-defined square particles which aggregate to form large clusters at a rate determined by the temperature set during the aging process. The particle size distribution of the suspensions were related to the photoelectrochemical properties of the WO3 particles, preparing thin films on a transparent conductive glass from the aged suspensions sampled at regular intervals. The current-voltage polarization curves recorded in a biased photoelectrolytic cell in the potential range 0-1.8 V (vs SCE) showed a diminution of the maximum photocurrent from 3.7 mA cm-2 to 2.8 mA cm-2 with aging times of 1h and 5h respectively. This loss of performance was mainly attributed to the reduction of the electroactive surface area

    A new strategy for pressed powder eye shadow analysis: Allergenic metal ion content and particle size distribution

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    Nine cheap eye shadow products were analyzed through Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GF-AAS) to quantify their Cr, Co and Ni contents, all known to be skin sensitizers. In many cases, the concentrations were higher than 1 or 5 ppm (µg/g), i.e. the limits recommended in the scientific literature to minimize the risk of reaction in particularly sensitive subjects. In most cases, the concentration of Cr was higher than that of Ni and Co, up to a limit case of 150 mg/g. In this particular sample, the potential amount of Cr that could be released in ionic form was determined in sweat simulating solutions by GF-AAS and confirmed through a specific spectrofluorimetric method ; the results indicated the presence of approximately 80-90 ppb (ng/g) of Cr3+. The water dispersible particles were isolated from the eye shadow powders through a simple solvent extraction procedure. The aqueous suspensions were then sorted through Sedimentation Field Flow Fractionation (SdFFF) and the particles sizes were calculated from experimental fractograms using theory. For the most part, the computed sizes were in the micron range, as confirmed by some SEM photographs taken on fractions collected during the separations. The SdFFF coupled off-line with the GFAAS enabled elemental characterization of pigment particles as a function of size.This finding reduces the concern that the ingredients of such makeup formulations may contain nanoparticles

    High-Speed Separation and Size Characterization of Wheat and Barley Starch Granules by Lift-Hyperlayer Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation in Synergy with SPLITT Fractionation

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    The complementary employment of two separation techniques, one analytical-scale, the other preparative-scale, i.e. the lift-hyperlayer asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AsyFlFFF) and the split flow-thin cell (SPLITT) is presented for the first time as a methodology to size-separate and rapidly characterize starch granules of different botanical origins. Very rapid separation and size characterization is achieved by AsyFlFFF and the techniques are mutually used to characterize and confirm data produced by the other. Light microscopy (LM) was used to test the quality of the performed SPLITT separations and consequently to evaluate the AsyFlFFF results. The procedure was applied to wheat and barley starch
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