Dreams Of Long Ago

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Valutazione delle prestazioni di sistemi WiFi per reti veicolari

Le prestazioni di sistemi WiFi usati in reti veicolari per trasferire dati tra veicoli in movimento ed Internet dipendono sia dalla topologia dei punti di accesso a bordo strada che dalla mobilità dei veicoli. L'obiettivo di questa tesi è di valutare tramite un simulatore di rete, ed usando tracce realistiche di mobilità veicolare, le prestazioni di tali sistemi WiFi considerando diverse politiche di posizionamento di un limitato numero di punti di accesso in un'area urbana

BODIPYs in PDT: A Journey through the Most Interesting Molecules Produced in the Last 10 Years

Over the past 30 years, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has shown great development. In the clinical setting the few approved molecules belong almost exclusively to the porphyrin family; but in the scientific field, in recent years many researchers have been interested in other families of photosensitizers, among which BODIPY has shown particular interest. BODIPY is the acronym for 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a, 4a-diaza-s-indacene, and is a family of molecules well-known for their properties in the field of imaging. In order for these molecules to be used in PDT, a structural modification is necessary which involves the introduction of heavy atoms, such as bromine and iodine, in the beta positions of the pyrrole ring; this change favors the intersystem crossing, and increases the O-1(2) yield. This mini review focused on a series of structural changes made to BODIPYs to further increase O-1(2) production and bioavailability by improving cell targeting or photoactivity efficiency

PALEOCEANOGRAPHIC CONDITIONS AT THE BASE OF THE PLIOCENE IN THE SOUTHERN MEDITERRANEAN BASIN

Detailed quantitative analyses of the benthic foraminiferal assemblage from the base of the Pliocene sections (M Pl 1 biozone) at Eraclea Minoa and the Capo Rossello area (southern Sicily) documented fluctuating paleoecological conditions indicative of a dysaerobic bottom water environment. In particular, we identify the Uvigerina pygmaea-peregrina Event, which in the area studied covers the upper part of the M Pl 1 biozone. According to the integrated calcareous plankton biostratigraphy and to cyclostratigraphy based on fluctuations in the relative abundance of fauna in the planktonic foraminiferal assemblage, the base of the Uvigerina pygmaea-peregrina Event coincides with cycle 6a and its top coincides with cycle 10 in the Sicilian sections.A similar temporal correlation is seen in the Tyrrhenian basin (ODP Site 652). On the contrary, the Uvigerina pygmaea-peregrina Event covers a longer time interval in the Jonian basin, where it is recognizable from cycle 4 to cycle 12. The Uvigerina pygmaea-peregrina Event is time equivalent with an interval characterized by cyclically repeated sapropels in the eastern Mediterranean basin. As a matter of fact, 10 sapropels are present in the deep-sea sediments (ODP Site 969) and 10 Uvigerina pygmaea-peregrina peaks are present in the Roccella Ionica - Capo Spartivento composite section in the M Pl 1- lowest M Pl 2 biozones. The diachronous termination of the Uvigerina pygmaea-peregrina Event may indicate that well-oxygenated bottom conditions were established earlier in the western than in the eastern Mediterranean basin. Both the sapropels interval in the eastern Mediterranean and low-oxygen bottom conditions in the Jonian basin occurred during a time interval which straddles a minimum of eccentricity in the astronomical record.  &nbsp

Drug delivery systems for the photodynamic application of two photosensitizers belonging to the porphyrin family

AbstractPhotodynamic therapy involves the concomitant action of three components, light with an appropriate wavelength, molecular oxygen, and a molecule, able to absorb an electromagnetic radiation, called photosensitizer (PS). A fundamental aspect is the bioavailability of the PS that is directly related to some physicochemical properties of the PS itself as it should feature a certain degree of lipophilicity to easily cross the cell membrane, however, at the same time, should be sufficiently water-soluble to navigate in the bloodstream. Consequently, the use of a system for drug delivery becomes essential when photosensitizers with a high degree of lipophilicity are considered. In this work, we present three different drug delivery systems, microemulsions, emulsions and liposomes all capable of carrying a PS belonging to the porphyrin family: the tetraphenyl porphyrin (TPP) and the 4-hydroxyphenyl porphyrin (THPP), which show a relevant different degree of lipophilicity. A series of microemulsions (ME) and emulsions (E) were prepared, among which two formulations, one for THPP and one for TPP, have been chosen. The stability of these two carriers was monitored over time and under various temperature conditions. With the same criteria, two liposomal formulations have been also identified and analyzed. The four formulations mentioned above (one ME, one E and two liposomes) have been tested on SKOV3 tumor cell line comparing the photodynamic activity of the porphyrin formulations versus the aqueous/organic (DMSO) solution of the same two PSs. The results show that all the formulations have proved to be excellent carriers and that the liposomal formulation enhance the photodynamic efficacy of both porphyrins

Primary prophylaxis of neutropenia in women affected by breast cancer undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy with fec 100+/- docetaxel. Comparison of efficacy and tolerability between lenograstim and pegfilgrastim

Objectives: evaluate safety and toxicity of a single injection of pegfilgrastim compared to daily administration of lenograstim in breast cancer patient undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy

Physical Exercise and Appetite Regulation: New Insights

Physical exercise is considered an important physiological intervention able to prevent cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and obesity-related cardiometabolic imbalance. Nevertheless, basic molecular mechanisms that govern the metabolic benefits of physical exercise are poorly understood. Recent data unveil new mechanisms that potentially explain the link between exercise, feeding suppression, and obesity