Topical natural-origin polynucleotides in radiation-induced skin and mucosal toxicity

Seventy to 90 percent of patients who have received radiation treatment struggle with radiation skin and mucosal toxicity. The inflicted damage to progenitor cells and local microcirculation makes it more likely that wounds, infections, and fibrosis may occur; lesions of variable severity often co-exist. Acute erythema, hyperpigmentation, and mild desquamation usually wane in weeks and require only minor treatment. Conversely, the management of persistent radiation dermatitis and telangiectasia remains unsatisfactory; chronic lesions may progress to tissue atrophy and disfiguring fibrosis. Protrophic, natural-origin polynucleotides, formulated as Class III medical devices, have long shown to be a reliable topical option to stop the progression of radiation-related lesions. The present review illustrates the rationale of polynucleotides in skin and mucosal radiodermatitis management. It also illustrates the clinical results in a series of exploratory clinical studies carried out with polynucleotide devices over the last decade. The examined studies open the way to the high-level clinical research program, which will develop over the next years

Natural attenuation can lead to environmental resilience in mine environment

Four streams flowing in the Iglesiente and Arburese mine districts (SW Sardinia, Italy), exploited for zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) extraction from sulphides and secondary non-sulphide mineralization (calamine ores), have been studied combining investigations from the macroscale (hydrologic tracer techniques) to the microscale (X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy). In the investigated area, concerns arise from release of metals to water during weathering of ore minerals and mine-waste. Specifically, Zn is observed at extremely high concentrations (10s of mg/L or more) in waters in some of the investigated catchments. The results from synoptic sampling campaigns showed marked differences of Zn loads, from 6.3 kg/day (Rio San Giorgio) to 2000 kg/day (Rio Irvi). Moreover, natural attenuation of metals was found to occur i) through precipitation of Fe compounds (Fe oxy/hydroxides and “green rust”), ii) by means of the authigenic formation of metal sulphides promoted by microbial sulphate reduction, iii) by metal intake in roots and stems of plants (Phragmites australis and Juncus acutus) and by immobilization in the rhizosphere, and iv) by cyanobacterial biomineralization processes that lead to formation of Zn-rich phases (hydrozincite and amorphous Zn-silicate). The biologically mediated natural processes that lead to significant abatement and/or reduction of metal loads, are the response of environmental systems to perturbations caused from mine activities, and can be considered part of the resilience of the system itself. The aim of this study is to understand the effect of these processes on the evolution of the studied systems towards more stable and, likely, resilient conditions, e.g. by limiting metal mobility and favouring the improvement of the overall quality of water. The understanding of how ecosystems adapt and respond to contamination, and which chemical and physical factors control these natural biogeochemical barriers, can help to plan effective remediation actions

Anastomosis configuration and technique following ileocaecal resection for Crohn's disease: a multicentre study

A limited ileocaecal resection is the most frequently performed procedure for ileocaecal CD and different anastomotic configurations and techniques have been described. This manuscript audited the different anastomotic techniques used in a national study and evaluated their influence on postoperative outcomes following ileocaecal resection for primary CD. This is a retrospective, multicentre, observational study promoted by the Italian Society of Colorectal Surgery (SICCR), including all adults undergoing elective ileocaecal resection for primary CD from June 2018 May 2019. Postoperative morbidity within 30 days of surgery was the primary endpoint. Postoperative length of hospital stay (LOS) and anastomotic leak rate were the secondary outcomes. 427 patients were included. The side to side anastomosis was the chosen configuration in 380 patients (89%). The stapled anastomotic (n = 286; 67%), techniques were preferred to hand-sewn (n = 141; 33%). Postoperative morbidity was 20.3% and anastomotic leak 3.7%. Anastomotic leak was independent of the type of anastomosis performed, while was associated with an ASA grade ≥ 3, presence of perianal disease and ileocolonic localization of disease. Four predictors of LOS were identified after multivariate analysis. The laparoscopic approach was the only associated with a reduced LOS (p = 0.017), while age, ASA grade ≥ 3 or administration of preoperative TPN were associated with increased LOS. The side to side was the most commonly used anastomotic configuration for ileocolic reconstruction following primary CD resection. There was no difference in postoperative morbidity according to anastomotic technique and configuration. Anastomotic leak was associated with ASA grade ≥ 3, a penetrating phenotype of disease and ileo-colonic distribution of CD

National variations in perioperative assessment and surgical management of Crohn's disease: a multicentre study

Aim: Crohn's disease (CD) requires a multidisciplinary approach and surgery should be undertaken by dedicated colorectal surgeons with audited outcomes. We present a national, multicentre study, with the aim to collect benchmark data on key performance indicators in CD surgery, to highlight areas where standards of CD surgery excel and to facilitate targeted quality improvement where indicated. Methods: All patients undergoing ileocaecal or redo ileocolic resection in the participating centres for primary and recurrent CD from June 2018 to May 2019 were included. The main objective was to collect national data on hospital volume and practice variations. Postoperative morbidity was the primary outcome. Laparoscopic surgery and stoma rate were the secondary outcomes. Results: In all, 715 patients were included: 457 primary CD and 258 recurrent CD with a postoperative morbidity of 21.6% and 34.7%, respectively. Laparoscopy was used in 83.8% of primary CD compared to 31% of recurrent CD. Twenty-five hospitals participated and the total number of patients per hospital ranged from 2 to 169. Hospitals performing more than 10 primary CD procedures per year showed a higher adoption of laparoscopy and bowel sparing surgery. Conclusions: There is significant heterogeneity in the number of CD surgeries performed per year nationally in Italy. Our data suggest that high-volume hospitals perform more complex procedures, with a higher adoption of bowel sparing surgery. The rate of laparoscopy in high-volume hospitals is higher for primary CD but not for recurrent CD compared with low-volume hospitals

Can Clinical and Surgical Parameters Be Combined to Predict How Long It Will Take a Tibia Fracture to Heal? A Prospective Multicentre Observational Study: The FRACTING Study

Background. Healing of tibia fractures occurs over a wide time range of months, with a number of risk factors contributing to prolonged healing. In this prospective, multicentre, observational study, we investigated the capability of FRACTING (tibia FRACTure prediction healING days) score, calculated soon after tibia fracture treatment, to predict healing time. Methods. The study included 363 patients. Information on patient health, fracture morphology, and surgical treatment adopted were combined to calculate the FRACTING score. Fractures were considered healed when the patient was able to fully weight-bear without pain. Results. 319 fractures (88%) healed within 12 months from treatment. Forty-four fractures healed after 12 months or underwent a second surgery. FRACTING score positively correlated with days to healing: r = 0.63 (p < 0.0001). Average score value was 7.3 \ub1 2.5; ROC analysis showed strong reliability of the score in separating patients healing before versus after 6 months: AUC = 0.823. Conclusions. This study shows that the FRACTING score can be employed both to predict months needed for fracture healing and to identify immediately after treatment patients at risk of prolonged healing. In patients with high score values, new pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments to enhance osteogenesis could be tested selectively, which may finally result in reduced disability time and health cost savings

Are ESG Female? The Hidden Benefits of Female Presence on Sustainable Finance

Though gender equality has been at the centre of debate over the last decades, a number of benefits concerning the impact of female directors on corporate performance are still overlooked. Particularly, the link that seems to exist between female directors and sustainable finance has received limited attention. We investigate the impact of an enhancement in female presence, meant as women in decision-making positions, on a firm’s performance both in financial and sustainability terms. The goal is to contribute to the literature streams on gender economics and on sustainable finance. Most research on sustainable finance and its impact on corporate governance rely only on aggregate ESG ratings for their results. Such scores are typically a black-box, with financial providers supplying little information about their methodology.  Our analysis not only develops disaggregate scores for each dimension, but also provides motivation for the measurement of gender equality by means of specific indicators, such as the number of female directors, going beyond the bare (S) or (G) rating. ESG ratings and specific indicators of gender equality were retrieved from the well-known Bloomberg provider. Relying on a dataset concerning European companies, we empirically show that an increase in gender equality has a positive effect on a firm’s financial performance and on its share of sustainable investments

Are ESG Female? The Hidden Benefits of Female Presence on Sustainable Finance

Though gender equality has been at the centre of debate over the last decades, a number of benefits concerning the impact of female directors on corporate performance are still overlooked. Particularly, the link that seems to exist between female directors and sustainable finance has received limited attention. We investigate the impact of an enhancement in female presence, meant as women in decision-making positions, on a firm’s performance both in financial and sustainability terms. The goal is to contribute to the literature streams on gender economics and on sustainable finance.Most research on sustainable finance and its impact on corporate governance rely only on aggregate ESG ratings for their results. Such scores are typically a black-box, with financial providers supplying little information about their methodology. Our analysis not only develops disaggregate scores for each dimension, but also provides motivation for the measurement of gender equality by means of specific indicators, such as the number of female directors, going beyond the bare (S) or (G) rating. ESG ratings and specific indicators of gender equality were retrieved from the well-known Bloomberg provider. Relying on a dataset concerning European companies, we empirically show that an increase in gender equality has a positive effect on a firm’s financial performance and on its share of sustainable investments

Are ESG Female? The Hidden Benefits of Female Presence on Sustainable Finance

Though gender equality has been at the centre of debate over the last decades, a number of benefits concerning the impact of female directors on corporate performance are still overlooked. Particularly, the link that seems to exist between female directors and sustainable finance has received limited attention. We investigate the impact of an enhancement in female presence, meant as women in decision-making positions, on a firm’s performance both in financial and sustainability terms. The goal is to contribute to the literature streams on gender economics and on sustainable finance. Most research on sustainable finance and its impact on corporate governance rely only on aggregate ESG ratings for their results. Such scores are typically a black-box, with financial providers supplying little information about their methodology.  Our analysis not only develops disaggregate scores for each dimension, but also provides motivation for the measurement of gender equality by means of specific indicators, such as the number of female directors, going beyond the bare (S) or (G) rating. ESG ratings and specific indicators of gender equality were retrieved from the well-known Bloomberg provider. Relying on a dataset concerning European companies, we empirically show that an increase in gender equality has a positive effect on a firm’s financial performance and on its share of sustainable investments

Effect of composition on the rheological properties of traditional balsamic vinegars.

rheology, traditional balsamic vinega

Downstream Processing of Butanol Produced by Fermentation: Thermodynamic Measurements and Modelling

Several factors, including environmental concerns and the concept of sustainability, are leading to an increased interest in processes able to produce fuels and chemicals from alternative, renewable resources. In this context, the interest in the Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol (ABE) fermentation of lignocellulosic biomasses has been intensified in the last years as a route alternative to the petrochemical one for producing butanol both for the chemical industry and as a biofuel. This work focuses on the downstream separation process of the ABE fermentation, which represents a key challenge due to its high energy demand. The attention is devoted to the thermodynamic framework in order to properly describe the phase equilibrium conditions involved in the process. To this purpose, new experimental data, collected at the Process Thermodynamics laboratory (PT lab) of Politecnico di Milano, are presented as for Vapour-Liquid Equilibria (VLE) for the binary system ethanol+water and for Liquid-Liquid Equilibria (LLE) for the pair 1-butanol+water. The collected data show good agreement with the experimental data available in the literature. Then, the performances of the Non-Random Two-Liquid (NRTL) thermodynamic model, coupled with the Redlich-Kwong (RK) Equation of State for the calculation, respectively, of the activity coefficient in the liquid phase and of the fugacity coefficient in the vapor phase, are discussed to assess its reliability in the thermodynamic characterization of the systems of interest. The model can predict the vapour-liquid equilibrium temperature with a percent Average Absolute Deviation (AAD%) in the range 0.17 – 0.26 %, the mole fraction of ethanol and water in the vapor phase with an AAD%, respectively, of 23.3 – 31.6 % and 4.3 – 12.1 %. Concerning the LLE measurements for the system 1-butanol+water, the model predicts the mole fraction of water with an AAD% of 2.4 % and 0.17 %, respectively, in the organic and in the aqueous phases