Green Composites Based on Hedysarum coronarium with Outstanding FDM Printability and Mechanical Performance

The addition of natural scraps to biodegradable polymers has gained particular interest in recent years, allowing reducing environmental pollution related to traditional plastic. In this work, new composites were fabricated by adding 10% or 20% of Hedysarum coronarium (HC) flour to Poly (lactic acid) (PLA). The two formulations were first produced by twin screw extrusion and the obtained filaments were then employed for the fabrication of composites, either for compression molding (CM) or by fused deposition modeling (FDM), and characterized from a morphological and mechanical point of view. Through FDM it was possible to achieve dense structures with good wettability of the filler that, on the contrary, cannot be obtained by CM. The results indicate that the filler effectively acts as reinforcement, especially for FDM composites. The most remarkable enhancement was found in the flexural properties (+100% of modulus and ultimate strength), followed by tensile resistance and stiffness (+60%) and impact strength (+50%), whereas a moderate loss in tensile deformability was observed, especially at the highest loading. By adding HC to the polymeric matrix, it was possible to obtain a green, high-performance, and cost-effective composite, which could find applications for the fabrication of panels for furniture or the automotive industry

Leg ulcer and osteomyelitis due to methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus infection after fracture repair treatment: a case highlighting the potential role of prostaglandin E₁ vasodilator

Prostaglandins appear to reduce biofilm formation and chronicization of infections, and stimulate a rapid and effective clearance of infecting micro-organisms. We report a case of recovery from methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) osteomyelitis after multidisciplinary management with antibiotics, anti-thrombotics and prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) vasodilator, in a patient with tibial plateau fracture repaired with internal fixation devices. A 47-year-old HIV-negative male with chronic ulcer on the proximal third of the left leg was admitted to the Orthopaedic Unit of the Orestano Clinic in Palermo, Italy, for suspected osteomyelitis. A biopsy of the skin ulcer and blood cultures were performed and resulted positive for MSSA. Labelled leukocyte scintigraphy confirmed osteomyelitis. No clinical improvement was observed after combined antibiotic treatment with rifampicin plus trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. The patient underwent a 4-day therapeutic cycle: PGE1 (alprostadil 60 mg/day IV) combined with nadroparin calcium plus gentamicin, followed by treatment with aminaftone plus sulodexide plus levofloxacin. At discharge, the patient's painful symptoms had completely resolved and the ulcer had cicatrized; recovery from osteomyelitis was confirmed by scintigraphy. This treatment protocol including PGE1 may result in a significant improvement in quality of life and functional status of patients with a reduction in direct and indirect costs and economic benefit for the National Health Service

Bacterial biofilms on biopolymeric sorbent supports for environmental bioremediation

Bioremediation encompasses a broad range of environmental biotechnology, which require multidisciplinary approaches through implementation of innovative tools to the natural biological process occurring in soil, water and air. Immobilization of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms on biodegradable sorbent supports significantly promotes bioremediation processes. Recently ecofriendly, low cost bioremediation devices based on polylactic acid (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL) membranes hosting a biodegrading bacterial biofilms were obtained[1]. This work investigates the higher effectiveness of immobilizing hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria compared to that of planktonic cells. Soil hydrocarbon (HC) degrading Actinobacteria Nocardia cyriacigeorgica strain SoB, Gordonia amicalis strain SoCg[2], and the marine hydrocarbonoclastic Alcanivorax borkumensis strain AU3-AA-7[3] were immobilized on PLA and PCL membranes and tested on hexadecane. The capacity of adhesion and proliferation of these biodegrading biofilms within the biopolymers were evaluated at various time points (5, 10, 15, and 30 incubation days) using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The SEM images revealed that PLA and PCL nanofibers were nearly completely covered by a complex three-dimensional bacterial film for all tested strains. Quantification of total biomass (estimated as total dsDNA) confirmed biofilm growth up to 30 days of incubation. Crude oil biodegradation ability of biofilms-membranes systems, assessed by Gas Chromatography-FID analysis, demonstrated the removal of over 60% of the oil after 5 days of incubation, outperforming free-living bacteria by 24%. Viable plate counts showed that bacterial biofilms adsorbed on biopolymers were still viable after 30 days, indicating their potential for long-term applications

Elevated blood Hsp60, its structural similarities and cross-reactivity with thyroid molecules, and its presence on the plasma membrane of oncocytes point to the chaperonin as an immunopathogenic factor in Hashimoto's thyroiditis

The role Hsp60 might play in various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases is under investigation, but little information exists pertaining to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT). With the aim to fill this gap, in the present work, we directed our attention to Hsp60 participation in HT pathogenesis. We found Hsp60 levels increased in the blood of HT patients compared to controls. The chaperonin was immunolocalized in thyroid tissue specimens from patients with HT, both in thyrocytes and oncocytes (Hurthle cells) with higher levels compared to controls (goiter). In oncocytes, we found Hsp60 not only in the cytoplasm but also on the plasma membrane, as shown by double immunofluorescence performed on fine needle aspiration cytology. By bioinformatics, we found regions in the Hsp60 molecule with remarkable structural similarity with the thyroglobulin (TG) and thyroid peroxidase (TPO) molecules, which supports the notion that autoantibodies against TG and TPO are likely to recognize Hsp60 on the plasma membrane of oncocytes. This was also supported by data obtained by ELISA, showing that anti-TG and anti-TPO antibodies cross-react with human recombinant Hsp60. Antibody-antigen (Hsp60) reaction on the cell surface could very well mediate thyroid cell damage and destruction, perpetuating inflammation. Experiments with recombinant Hsp60 did not show stimulation of cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HT patients. All together, these results led us to hypothesize that Hsp60 may be an active player in HT pathogenesis via an antibody-mediated immune mechanism

Clinical anatomic, immunomorphologic and molecular anatomic data suggest interplay of thyroidal molecules, autoantibodies and Hsp60 in Hashimoto’s disease

Hsp60 is, typically, a mitochondrial protein, but it also occurs in the cytosol, vesicles, and plasma membrane, and in the intercellular space and biological fluids, e.g., blood. Changes in the levels and distribution of Hsp60 are linked to several pathologies, including cancer and chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. What is the histopathological pattern of Hsp60 in the thyroid of Hashimoto’s patients? Are there indications of a pathogenic role of Hsp60 that may make Hashimoto’s thyroiditis a chaperonopathy? Experiments reported here provide information regarding those questions. We found by various immunomorphological techniques increased levels of Hsp60 in the thyroid from HT patients, localized to thyrocytes of small and degenerated follicles and to oncocytes (Hurtle cells). Immunofluorescence showed the chaperonin both inside the cells and also in the plasma membrane, especially in oncocytes. We also found that Hsp60 levels in the blood of HT patients were increased compared to controls and correlated with those of autoantibodies against two distinctive thyroidal proteins, thyroglobulin (TG) and thyroid peroxidase (TPO) (r=0.379, p=0.0103; r=0.484, p=0.0008; respectively). Molecular analysis of these two proteins in comparison with Hsp60 demonstrated various regions of high structural similarity shared by them, which could very well be immunologically crossreactive epitopes. Thus, it is likely that the three proteins potentiate each other as immunogens to elicit autoantibodies and, as antigens, to cause antigen-antibody reactions at those sites in which Hsp60 is exposed, for example the surface of oncocytes. This would lead to inflammation and oncocyte lysis with destruction of thyroidal tissue. The cytometric bead assay revealed that recombinant Hsp60 did not induce increment of cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HT patients. Consequently, we propose that Hsp60 is implicated in the pathogenesis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis as autoantigen, via a participation of autoantibodies that also recognize TG and TPO, whereas participation of inflammatory cytokines induced by the chaperonin is unlikely. Supported by IEMEST (FC and AJLM)

Descrizione del primo caso clinico di rapida guarigione di un ulcera cutanea in soggetto con osteomielite da Staphylococcus aureus dopo trattamento che include PGE1 vasodilatatore

Background: L'osteomielite è uno delle complicanze infettive più gravi del paziente sottoposto a riduzione della fratture mediante mezzi di sintesi. Alcuni pazienti hanno manifestazioni sistemiche di infezione ma alcuni anche se non diabetici e immunocompetenti possono avere solo sintomi locali come ulcerazione cutanea da fistola ossea. Recentemente alcuni lavori dimostrano come l’utilizzo delle prostaglandine ad azione vasodilatatoria come PGE1, PGE2 in associazione alla terapia antibiotica possano contribuire alla più rapida guarigione della osteomielite senza intervento chirurgico ortopedico poiché le prostaglandine sembrano ridurre la formazione del biofilm e la cronicizzazione dell’infezione favorendo una rapida ed efficace clearance del microorganismo. Qui di seguito il primo caso di guarigione da un’osteomielite causata da Staphylococcus aureus in un paziente con pregressa frattura del piatto tibiale e impianto di mezzi di sintesi regredita dopo solo management medico con antibiotici, antitrombotici e PGE1 vasodilatatore (ALPROSTADIL ALFACICLODESTRINA). Case report: Nel mese di Dicembre 2013 giunge all’osservazione della Casa di Cure Orestano, Palermo, Italia, un soggetto di età 47 anni per osteomielite ed ulcera cronica al terzo prossimale della gamba sinistra con anamnesi patologica remota negativa per qualsiasi comorbidità, che riferiva pregresso intervento due anni prima della osservazione per riduzione della frattura al piatto tibiale della gamba sinistra con mezzi di sintesi eseguito presso altro presidio ospedaliero. Il processo osteomielitico era confermato da indagine con scintigrafia con leucociti marcati eseguita presso altra struttura. Il paziente inoltre, mostrava esito di campione colturale positivo per Staphylococcus aureus ottenuto durante re intervento eseguito presso altro presidio. Per tale motivo il paziente veniva ricoverato in regime di Day-Hospital presso Casa di Cure Orestano eseguendo il seguente ciclo terapeutico della durata di 4 gg con PGE1 (alprostadil 60 mg/die e.v. diluita in 250 cc di soluzione fisiologica in 3 ore, one daily) associata a Nadroparina calcica (3800ui / 0,4 ml, s.c. one daily) e terapia antibiotica. Successivamente il paziente è stato seguito in regime ambulatoriale con Aminaftone (2-idrossi-3-metil-1,4 naftoidrochinone-2-p-aminobenzoato) 75mg/die plus L-Propionil Carnitina 1 gr/die plus Sulodexide 50 mg/die plus terapia antibiotica per os; questa terapia combinata è stata praticata per un mese. Durante tale trattamento le valutazioni ambulatoriali di chirurgia vascolare mostravano miglioramento della sintomatologia locale e tendenza a rapida riepitelizzazione dell’ulcera. Si è quindi proposta al paziente l’esecuzione di un secondo ciclo di trattamento per via endovenosa come menzionato in regime di Day-Hospital della durata di 4 gg. Alla Dimissione si notavano completa risoluzione della sintomatologia dolorosa e cicatrizzazione dell’ulcera; la guarigione del processo osteomielitico è stata confermata dalla ripetizione dell’indagine scintigrafica con leucociti marcati. Conclusioni: Dopo disamina della letteratura, gli autori affermano che questo è a tutt’oggi il primo caso clinico di accelerata guarigione da processo osteomielitico con ulcerazione da fistolizzazione ossea in un soggetto immunocompetente senza fattori di rischio (es. diabete) con un trattamento che include PGE1 nel protocollo di management delle complicanze che possono verificarsi in seguito a una frattura ossea. Il nostro caso sembra avvalorare le recenti osservazioni pubblicate da Lovati et al. (Plos One 2014) che suggeriscono come l'uso di una combinazione di farmaci antibiotici e vasodilatatore possa prevenire le infezioni ossee su modello animale. In conclusione, il nostro caso suggerisce come il nostro management medico dell’evento osteomielite con fistolizzazione cutanea in caso d’infortunio sul lavoro, potrebbe ridurre i tempi di guarigione tra la lesione primaria e i tempi di trattamento della complicanza osteomielitica, con una notevole ricaduta in termine di costi/beneficio tanto per un più rapido riavvio del lavoratore alla propria attività, e con minori postumi permanenti, quanto in termine di minore impegno temporale ed economico per il SSN

Biodegradable Membrane with High Porosity and Hollow Structure Obtained via Electrospinning for Oil Spill Clean-up Application

The use of biodegradable polymers for the production of membranes to be used in wastewater treatment has attracted increasing interest considering the possibility of reducing the risk of second pollution. In this work, porous fibrous membranes based on polylactic acid and polyethylene oxide (PEO) blends were prepared. The solutions were electrospun using two approaches: (i) conventional coaxial electrospinning followed by leaching treatment (double-step, DS); (ii) coaxial wet electrospinning with in situ leaching (single-step, SS). By varying PEO type and processing method it was possible to control membranes structure and porosity. DS leaching treatment lead to surface porosity (i.e. shell leaching), while SS allowed obtaining hollow and porous fibers (i.e. with shell and core leaching). Process, properties and structure relationships of devices were analysed trough rheological, morphological, mechanical and surface characterizations. Furthermore, the influence of the different porous structures on oil sorption capacity and reusability of the membranes was evaluated. Results reveal that different porosities lead to a variation in membranes mechanical performance, in their wettability and, consequently, in their oil spill cleanup capacity. Membranes obtained with SS displayed higher performance in oil removal if compared to the DS ones, due to their hollow structure and higher surface area