Salicylic Acid Peel Incorporating Triethyl Citrate and Ethyl Linoleate in the Treatment of Moderate Acne: A New Therapeutic Approach.

BACKGROUND: Acne affects many adolescents. Conventional therapy often results in side effects and poor adherence, and the treatment does not consider the psychological effect of acne on patients, which is comparable with that of disabling diseases. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a peel (30% salicylic acid, triethyl citrate and ethyl linoleate) combined with a home therapy with three topical agents (triethyl citrate, ethyl linoleate and salicylic acid 0.5% cream, lotion) in moderate acne of the face. DESIGN: Prospective, observational, multicenter, open-label, postmarketing, phase IV study. METHODS: Patients were assessed by comparing Global Acne Grading System (GAGS) score and total lesion count from 15 days before the first peel (T-15 ), after four salicylic peels (every 10 ± 2 days (T0 , T10 , T20 , T30 ), and 20 days after of the end of the study (T50 ). This treatment was associated to a home therapy. RESULTS: Fifty-three patients completed the study. The average GAGS score fell 49% between T-15 and T50 (p < .001). No patient withdrew for adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: This therapy was effective and well-tolerated in all cases. Chemo-exfoliation sessions ensured the continuous monitoring of clinical results and improved patient quality of life

Benchmarking Marine Energy Technologies Through LCA: Offshore Floating Wind Farms in the Mediterranean

Floating wind turbines are a valid option for offshore wind farms in the Mediterranean, where the sea-floor falls off rapidly with distance from the coastline. The present study concerns a Life Cycle Assessment of the environmental performance of two types of floating wind turbine. Greenhouse gas emissions of two standard models (raft-buoy and spar-buoy, 154&nbsp;m rotor diameter, 6&nbsp;MW installed power) were estimated in terms of Global Warming Potential (t CO2eq) with the aim of determining a benchmark for evaluating the performance of similar offshore wind farms. Thus, the aim of the paper was to create a benchmark for the design of innovative technologies, such as those developed by specialist companies, and to verify the validity of new designs and technologies in terms of avoided greenhouse gas emissions. The results show that the Carbon Intensity of Electricity of a single floating wind turbine varies in the range 26–79&nbsp;g CO2eq·kWh−1, averaging 49&nbsp;g CO2eq·kWh−1, in line with other studies of offshore wind turbines and other renewable energy sources (such as onshore wind and photovoltaic). Extension of our study to the whole life cycle, including manufacturing, assembly and installation, maintenance and material replacement and a hypothetical decommissioning and end-of-life, showed that wind farms are among the most promising marine renewable energy technologies for the Mediterranean

Lifecycle environmental impact assessment of an overtopping wave energy converter embedded in breakwater systems

Overtopping breakwater systems are among the most promising technologies for exploiting wave energy to generate electricity. They consist in water reservoirs, embedded in piers, placed on top of ramps, higher than sea-level. Pushed by wave energy, seawater fills up the reservoirs and produces electricity by flowing back down through low headhydro turbines. Different overtopping breakwater systems have been tested worldwide in recent years. This study focuses on the Overtopping BReakwater for Energy Conversion (OBREC) system that has been implemented and tested in the harbor of Naples (Italy). The Life Cycle Assessment of a single replicable module of OBREC has been performed for analyzing potential environmental impacts, in terms of Greenhouse Gas Emissions, considering construction, installation, maintenance, and the operational phases. The Carbon Footprint (i.e., mass of CO2eq) to build wave energy converters integrated in breakwater systems has been estimated, more specifically the "environmental investment" (i.e., the share of Carbon Footprint due to the integration of wave energy converter) needed to generate renewable electricity has been assessed. The Carbon Intensity of Electricity (i.e., the ratio between the CO2eq emitted and the electricity produced) has been then assessed in order to demonstrate the profitability and the opportunity to foster innovation in the field of blue energy. Considering the impact for implementing an operational OBREC module (Carbon Footprint = 1.08 t CO2eq; Environmental Investment = 0.48 t CO2eq) and the electricity production (12.6 MWh/year per module), environmental benefits (avoided emissions) would compensate environmental costs (i.e., Carbon Footprint; Environmental Investment) those provided within a range of 25 and 13 months respectively

Design of a novel LOX-1 receptor antagonist mimicking the natural substrate

The lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1), the major receptor for oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) in endothelial cells, is overexpressed in atherosclerotic lesions. LOX-1 specific inhibitors, urgently necessary to reduce the rate of atherosclerotic and inflammation processes, are not yet available. We have designed and synthesized a new modified oxidized phospholipid, named PLAzPC, which plays to small scale the ligand-receptor recognition scheme. Molecular docking simulations confirm that PLAzPC disables the hydrophobic component of the ox-LDL recognition domain and allows the interaction of the l-lysine backbone charged groups with the solvent and with the charged/polar residues located around the edges of the LOX-1 hydrophobic tunnel. Binding assays, in a cell model system expressing human LOX-1 receptors, confirm that PLAzPC markedly inhibits ox-LDL binding to LOX-1 with higher efficacy compared to previously identified inhibitors

Colovesical fistulae in the sigmoid diverticulitis

Nella maggior parte dei casi le fistole colovescicali rappresentano una complicanza della malattia diverticolare e sono la tipologia più comune di fistola colodigestiva; meno comuni sono le fistole colovaginali, colocutanee, coloenteriche e colouterine. Nel presente lavoro abbiamo effettuato una review della letteratura riguardante le fistole colovescicali in chirurgia colorettale per diverticolite del sigma. Decriviamo anche due casi che hanno richiesto un trattamento chirurgico, in uno in elezione e nell’altro in urgenza. In entrambi i casi abbiamo eseguito una resezione colica con anastomosi primaria e minimaresezione vesvicale con posizionamento di catetere di Foley in media per 10 giorni

What kind of hepatitis

Finding one major hepatotropic virus may not be enough to identify the aetiology of liver disease when risk factors are present, particularly in patients with past or present infection with other viral agents, or chronic liver disease. The pathogenic process in these cases is often complex. In the five cases we report, acute hepatitis (initiated by halothane, cytomegalovirus or Epstein-Barr virus) preceded the reactivation of hepatitis B infection, and these events occurred in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. Each case demonstrates how several viruses can be implicated in the development of hepatitis, either as single agents or via cross-activation of T cells. The nosography of hepatitis, therefore, and the optimum therapeutic choices, can puzzle the clinical team

Allele-specific editing ameliorates dominant retinitis pigmentosa in a transgenic mouse model

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of progressive retinal degenerations of mostly monogenic inheritance, which cause blindness in about 1:3,500 individuals worldwide. Heterozygous variants in the rhodopsin (RHO) gene are the most common cause of autosomal dominant RP (adRP). Among these, missense variants at C-terminal proline 347, such as p.Pro347Ser, cause severe adRP recurrently in European affected individuals. Here, for the first time, we use CRISPR/Cas9 to selectively target the p.Pro347Ser variant while preserving the wild-type RHO allele in vitro and in a mouse model of adRP. Detailed in vitro, genomic, and biochemical characterization of the rhodopsin C-terminal editing demonstrates a safe downregulation of p.Pro347Ser expression leading to partial recovery of photoreceptor function in a transgenic mouse model treated with adeno-associated viral vectors. This study supports the safety and efficacy of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated allele-specific editing and paves the way for a permanent and precise correction of heterozygous variants in dominantly inherited retinal diseases