In vitro Removal of Therapeutic Drugs with a Novel Adsorbent System

Background/Aim: Substances in the middle molecular weight range have been shown to play a significant pathogenetic role in as diverse disorders as end-stage renal disease and multiple organ failure. To overcome the limitations in the amount removed by hemofilters, new sorbents with a high biocompatibility are actively being developed. Furthermore, biocompatible sorbents by their nonspecific adsorptive behavior could have great impact on detoxification treatment in exogenous intoxications. We performed an in vitro evaluation of a newly developed highly biocompatible sorbent cartridge (Betasorb(R)), examining its adsorptive capacity concerning therapeutic drugs. Methods: Uremic blood spiked with a range of therapeutic drugs was recirculated for 2 h in an in vitro hemoperfusion circuit containing a Betasorb device for hemoperfusion. The drug concentrations before and after the passage of the cartridge were measured, and the total amount removed was calculated. Results: The sorbent showed effective removal of glycopeptide antibiotics, digoxin, theophylline, phenobarbital, phenytoin, carbamazepine, and valproic acid. Moderate removal could be demonstrated for tacrolimus and cyclosporine A; aminoglycosides were removed to a small extent only. Conclusions: Betasorb hemoperfusion shows a potent adsorptive capacity concerning therapeutic drugs (except aminoglycosides) and could be of major value in the treatment of intoxications. On the other hand, drug monitoring and possible adjustments are necessary during Betasorb hemoperfusion to maintain the therapeutic ranges of the drugs in blood. Copyright (C) 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel

Efficiency evaluation of food waste materials for the removal of metals and metalloids from complex multi-element solutions

Recent studies have shown the potential of food waste materials as low cost adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals and toxic elements from wastewater. However, the adsorption experiments have been performed in heterogeneous conditions, consequently it is difficult to compare the efficiency of the individual adsorbents. In this study, the adsorption capacities of 12 food waste materials were evaluated by comparing the adsorbents' efficiency for the removal of 23 elements from complex multi-element solutions, maintaining homogeneous experimental conditions. The examined materials resulted to be extremely efficient for the adsorption of many elements from synthetic multi-element solutions as well as from a heavy metal wastewater. The 12 adsorbent surfaces were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and showed different types and amounts of functional groups, which demonstrated to act as adsorption active sites for various elements. By multivariate statistical computations of the obtained data, the 12 food waste materials were grouped in five clusters characterized by different elements' removal efficiency which resulted to be in correlation with the specific adsorbents' chemical structures. Banana peel, watermelon peel and grape waste resulted the least selective and the most efficient food waste materials for the removal of most of the elements

Leucoreduction of blood components. an effective way to increase blood safety?

Over the past 30 years, it has been demonstrated that removal of white blood cells from blood components is effective in preventing some adverse reactions such as febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reactions, immunisation against human leucocyte antigens and human platelet antigens, and transmission of cytomegalovirus. In this review we discuss indications for leucoreduction and classify them into three categories: evidence-based indications for which the clinical efficacy is proven, indications based on the analysis of observational clinical studies with very consistent results and indications for which the clinical efficacy is partial or unproven

A spatial decision support system for multifunctional landscape assessment: a transformative resilience perspective for vulnerable inland areas

The concept of transformative resilience has emerged from the recent literature and represents a way to interpret the potential opportunities for change in vulnerable territories, where a socioeconomic change is required. This article extends the perspective of transformative resilience to an assessment of the landscape multifunctionality of inland areas, exploring the potential of identifying a network of synergies among the different municipalities that is able to trigger a process of territorial resilience. A spatial decision support system (SDSS) for multifunctionality landscape assessment aims to help local actors understand local resources and multifunctional values of the Partenio Regional Park (PRP) and surrounding municipalities, in the South of Italy, stimulating their cooperation in the management of environmental and cultural sites and the codesign of new strategies of enhancement. The elaboration of spatial indicators according to Landscape Services classification and the interaction between the “Analytic Network Process” (ANP) method, spatial weighted overly and geographic information system (GIS) support the identification of a preferable scenario able to activate a transformative resilience strategy in selected vulnerable inland areas, which can be scaled up in other similar contexts

Human T-lymphotropic virus and transfusion safety. Does one size fit all?

Human T-cell leukemia viruses (HTLV-1 and HTLV-2) are associated with a variety of human diseases, including some severe ones. Transfusion transmission of HTLV through cellular blood components is undeniable. HTLV screening of blood donations became mandatory in different countries to improve the safety of blood supplies. In Japan and Europe, most HTLV-infected donors are HTLV-1 positive, whereas in the United States a higher prevalence of HTLV-2 is reported. Many industrialized countries have also introduced universal leukoreduction of blood components, and pathogen inactivation technologies might be another effective preventive strategy, especially if and when generalized to all blood cellular products. Considering all measures available to minimize HTLV blood transmission, the question is what would be the most suitable and costeffective strategy to ensure a high level of blood safety regarding these viruses, considering that there is no solution that can be deemed optimal for all countries

Ethics of Robotic Aesthetics

This article explores the relationship between expressivity morphology and acceptance, defining the conditions that make service robots desirable by man. In the attempt to define “an ethic for robotic aesthetics”, it is discussed the evolution happened in robot design and how they where perceived by people, both in scientific community and in pop culture. The conception of robots begin with an approach strongly oriented to a biological imitation, especially anthropomorphic, conversely, nowadays, the scenario is various and robots assume a multitude of synthetic aesthetic languages and, moreover, are characterized on the base of the context. In the final part of this article, it is described, through a series of examples, the contemporary scenario in which to the multitude of languages is added also the contamination of the digital world, outlining new morphological types. One of the examples is Virgil, a service robot for Cultutal Heritage enhancement, designed by the research team JOLCRAB Telecom Italia/Politecnico di Torino