656 research outputs found
Adversarially Trained Autoencoders for Parallel-Data-Free Voice Conversion
We present a method for converting the voices between a set of speakers. Our
method is based on training multiple autoencoder paths, where there is a single
speaker-independent encoder and multiple speaker-dependent decoders. The
autoencoders are trained with an addition of an adversarial loss which is
provided by an auxiliary classifier in order to guide the output of the encoder
to be speaker independent. The training of the model is unsupervised in the
sense that it does not require collecting the same utterances from the speakers
nor does it require time aligning over phonemes. Due to the use of a single
encoder, our method can generalize to converting the voice of out-of-training
speakers to speakers in the training dataset. We present subjective tests
corroborating the performance of our method
Resveratrol-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles versus nanostructured lipid carriers: evaluation of antioxidant potential for dermal applications
Evren H Gokce1, Emrah Korkmaz1, Eleonora Dellera2, Giuseppina Sandri2, M Cristina Bonferoni2, Ozgen Ozer11Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ege, Izmir, Turkey; 2Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, ItalyBackground: Excessive generation of radical oxygen species (ROS) is a contributor to skin pathologies. Resveratrol (RSV) is a potent antioxidant. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) can ensure close contact and increase the amount of drug absorbed into the skin. In this study, RSV was loaded into SLN and NLC for dermal applications.Methods: Nanoparticles were prepared by high shear homogenization using Compritol 888ATO, Myglyol, Poloxamer188, and Tween80. Particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PI), zeta potential (ZP), drug entrapment efficiency (EE), and production yield were determined. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis and morphological transmission electron microscopy (TEM) examination were conducted. RSV concentration was optimized with cytotoxicity studies, and net intracellular accumulation of ROS was monitored with cytofluorimetry. The amount of RSV was determined from different layers of rat abdominal skin.Results: PS of uniform RSV-SLN and RSV-NLC were determined as 287.2 nm ± 5.1 and 110.5 nm ± 1.3, respectively. ZP was –15.3 mV ± 0.4 and –13.8 mV ± 0.1 in the same order. The drug EE was 18% higher in NLC systems. TEM studies showed that the drug in the shell model was relevant for SLN, and that the melting point of the lipid in NLC was slightly lower. Concentrations below 50 µM were determined as suitable RSV concentrations for both SLN and NLC in cell culture studies. RSV-NLC showed less fluorescence, indicating less ROS production in cytofluorometric studies. Ex vivo skin studies revealed that NLC are more efficient in carrying RSV to the epidermis.Conclusion: This study suggests that both of the lipid nanoparticles had antioxidant properties at a concentration of 50 µM. When the two systems were compared, NLC penetrated deeper into the skin. RSV-loaded NLC with smaller PS and higher drug loading appears to be superior to SLN for dermal applications.Keywords: solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, resveratro
Detection of animal species in some meat and meat products by comparatively using dna microarray and real time pcr methods
Cross Border Business Cycle Impacts on the El Paso Housing Market
There is comparatively little empirical evidence regarding the impacts of cross border business cycle fluctuations on metropolitan housing markets located near international boundaries. This study examines the impacts of economic conditions in Mexico on sales of existing single-family houses in El Paso, Texas. Anecdotal evidence suggests that these impacts are fairly notable. Annual frequency data from the University of Texas at El Paso Border Region Modeling Project are used to test this possibility. Results indicate that solid empirical evidence of such a linkage is elusive
Perillyl alcohol in Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLN-PA): Cytotoxicity and antitumor potential in sarcoma 180 mice model
Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth of cells. These cells invade organs and tissues by extension or direct dissemination and can spread to other regions of the body.
Nanomedicine offers many possibilities to prevent the spread of cancer tissue and help cure the disease.
In this work, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) were used to encapsulate perillyl alcohol (PA), a volatile
monoterpene with proven anticancer activity. Encapsulation of PA into SLN (SLN-PA) is expected to
promote controlled release, increase PA bioavailability, and impair the volatility of the monoterpene.
SLN-PA prepared by high-shear homogenization showed average particle diameter around 254 nm,
polydispersity index ~ 0.35, zeta potential ~ -14.7 mV, and encapsulation efficiency 84.6%. Scanning
electron microscope analysis revealed a decrease in crystallinity, suggesting the encapsulation of PA in
the SLN, confirming the spherical shape and the loading of the monoterpene in the SLN. In vitro cytotoxicity
assays against murine fibroblasts (L929) showed that SLN-PA in both treated doses did not
induce any cytotoxicity on non-tumoral cells. In vivo antitumor effect of the SLN-PA was evaluated in
sarcoma 180-transplanted mice. The in vivo results demonstrated a significant tumor inhibition rate of
51.76 and 54.49% via intraperitoneal application of SLN-PA at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg/day (p <
0.05), respective when compared to the negative control (dimethyl sulfoxide). Adverse side effects of
SLN-PA were not noticed in the liver, the kidney, or spleen tissue. The developed SLN-PA can be
considered as a safe approach for site-specific antitumor effect in vivo, reinterpreting new nanoparticles-
based cancer therapy.This work was supported by the Banco do Nordeste (grant FUNDECI/2016.0015), Conselho Nacional
de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa e à Inovação
Tecnológica do Estado de Sergipe (Fapitec) and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel
Superior (CAPES). Eliana B. Souto would like to acknowledge the Portuguese Science and Technology
Foundation (FCT/MCT) and from European Funds (PRODER/COMPETE) for the project
UIDB/04469/2020 (strategic fund), co-financed by FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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