A LC-QTOF Method for the Determination of PEGDE Residues in Dermal Fillers

Hyaluronic acid is one of the most important ingredients in dermal fillers, where it is often cross-linked to gain more favorable rheological properties and to improve the implant duration. Poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PEGDE) has been recently introduced as a crosslinker because of its very similar chemical reactivity with the most-used crosslinker BDDE, while giving special rheological properties. Monitoring the amount of the crosslinker residues in the final device is always necessary, but in the case of PEGDE, no methods are available in literature. Here, we present an HPLC-QTOF method, validated according to the guidelines of the International Council on Harmonization, which enables the efficient routine examination of the PEGDE content in HA hydrogels

Sintesi di derivati amminoacidici di analoghi dello pterostilbene e valutazione della loro attività antitumorale

Il cancro al seno, che è il cancro più comune nelle donne in tutto il mondo, è caratterizzato da diversi sottotipi, alcuni dei quali sviluppano nel tempo resistenza alla terapia. Ciò rende necessario sviluppare nuove strategie di trattamento, attraverso la sintesi di composti terapeutici innovativi e nuovi approcci farmacologici. Un possibile approccio potrebbe essere la modifica di composti naturali che mostrano una debole attività antitumorale, al fine di incrementare la loro biodisponibilità, attività biologica e diversità chimica, decorando lo scaffold principale. Lo pterostilbene, analogo dimetilato naturale del resveratrolo, possiede un’interessante attività antitumorale e, per tale ragione, è un buon candidato per uno studio di questo tipo. I risultati ottenuti da uno screening preliminare, su derivati sintetizzati per reazioni di coupling peptidico tra amminoacidi e pterostilbene o suoi analoghi, hanno mostrato una migliore attività per il composto, ottenuto dal coupling tra analogo amminico dello pterostilbene e L-Trp, sulla linea cellulare MDA-231 di cancro al seno triplo-negativo. Per tale ragione, il corrente lavoro di tesi è basato sulla modifica della molecola attiva, mediante uno studio di relazione struttura-attività, al fine di identificare i gruppi funzionali determinanti per la sua attività e cercare di comprendere il suo meccanismo d’azione. Le molecole sintetizzate, sono state testate presso l’università del Salento, su due diverse linee cellulari do cancro al seno: MDA-231 e MCF-7. Breast cancer, the most common cancer in women worldwide, is characterized by several subtypes, some of which develop resistance to therapy over time. This makes it necessary to develop new treatment strategies, by development of innovative therapeutic compounds and new pharmacological approaches. A possible approach could be the modification of natural compounds which show a weak anticancer activity in order to increase their bioavailability, biological activity and chemical diversity, by decorating the main scaffold. Pterostilbene, a natural dimethylated analog of resveratrol, possesses an interesting anticancer activity, so it is a good candidate for this kind of study. The results obtained from a preliminary screening, based on compounds synthesized through peptide coupling reaction between amino acids and pterostilbene or its analogues, showed better activity for derivatives synthesized through the coupling between amino analog of pterostilbene and L-Trp. Taking this in mind, this thesis was based on the modification of the positive hit through a structure-activity relation study, to identify decisive functional groups for its activity and to understand its action mechanism. The synthesized molecules were tested to University of Salento on two different breast cancer cell-lines: MDA-231 and MCF-7

Treatment of the Paretic Hand with a Robotic Glove Combined with Physiotherapy in a Patient Suffering from Traumatic Tetraparesis: A Case Report

Background: cervical spinal cord injury leads to loss of upper limb functionality, which causes a decrease in autonomy to perform activities of daily living. The use of robotic technologies in rehabilitation could contribute to improving upper limb functionality and treatment quality. This case report aims to describe the potential of robotic hand treatment with Gloreha Sinfonia, in combination with conventional rehabilitation, in a tetraparetic patient. Material: fifteen rehabilitative sessions were performed. Evaluations were conducted pre-treatment (T0), post-treatment (T1), and at two-months follow-up (T2) based on: the upper-limb range of motion and force assessment, the FMA-UE, the 9-Hole Peg Test (9HPT), and the DASH questionnaire. A virtual reality game-based rating system was used to evaluate the force control and modulation ability. Results: the patient reported greater ability to use hands with less compensation at T1 and T2 assessments. Improvements in clinical scales were reported in both hands at T1, however, at T2 only did the dominant hand show further improvement. Improved grip strength control and modulation ability were reported for T1. However a worsening was found in both hands at T2, significant only for the non-dominant hand. The maximum force exerted increased from T0 to T2 in both hands. Conclusion: hand treatment combining physical therapy and Gloreha Sinfonia seems to have benefits in functionality and dexterity in tetraparetic patient in the short term. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings, to verify long-term results, and to identify the most appropriate modalities of robotic rehabilitation