Microfluidic interactions between red blood cells and drug carriers by image analysis techniques

This paper was presented at the 4th Micro and Nano Flows Conference (MNF2014), which was held at University College, London, UK. The conference was organised by Brunel University and supported by the Italian Union of Thermofluiddynamics, IPEM, the Process Intensification Network, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Heat Transfer Society, HEXAG - the Heat Exchange Action Group, and the Energy Institute, ASME Press, LCN London Centre for Nanotechnology, UCL University College London, UCL Engineering, the International NanoScience Community, www.nanopaprika.eu.Blood is a complex biological fluid composed of deformable cells and platelets suspended in plasma, a protein-rich liquid. The peculiar nature of blood needs to be considered when designing a drug delivery strategy based on systemically administered carriers. Here, we report on an in vitro fluid dynamic investigation of the influence of the microcapillary flow of red blood cells (RBCs) on micron sized carriers by high speed imaging methods. The experiments were carried out in a 50μm diameter glass capillary that mimicked the hydrodynamic conditions of human microcirculation. Spherical μ particles (μ-Ps), with sizes ranging between 0.5 and 3μm, were tested. Images of the flowing RBCs and μ-Ps were acquired by a highspeed/ high-magnification microscopy. The transport and distribution of rigid particles in a suspension of RBCs under shear flow were followed for: i) the migration of RBCs towards the vessel centerline due to their deformability; ii) the cross-flow migration of μ-Ps towards the vessel wall due to their hydrodynamic interactions with RBCs; iii) the radial distribution of μ-Ps in the presence of RBCs. This study suggests that the therapeutic efficacy of μ-Ps could be ultimately affected by their interactions with the flowing RBCs in the vasculature

The ATLAS RPC ROD for Super LHC

The number of interactions per bunch crossing for the upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider is expected to be ten times greater than the actual one. As a consequence, the ATLAS detector for SLHC foresees the use of a larger number of readout channels and also a new trigger level is under development. In order to face with such issue, we developed a new architecture for the Read Out Driver (ROD) for the ATLAS RPC Muon Spectrometer in the barrel region. Presently, each ROD board receives ATLAS RPC Muon readout data and arranges all the data fragments of a sector of the spectrometer in a unique event, sending it to the next acquisition systems. Our new design is based on the new generation Xilinx Virtex5 FPGA and it works with a clock frequency six times greater than the actual bunch crossing rate of the LHC. We also implemented the output channel of the ROD, presently based on S-Link protocol, by using the GTP transceivers inside the FPGA. We present an overview of our design, focusing on the newly added hardware features

concordance and time estimation of store and forward mobile teledermatology compared to classical face to face consultation

Smartphones have overcome the limitations of image quality seen in older devices and opened a new field of telemedicine called "mobile teledermatology". Technological advances and the need to reduce health service costs will strongly promote the development of telemedicine. For this reason, we evaluated the concordance be tween store-and-forward mobile teledermatology and the classical face-to-face dermatological visit. We also measured the time taken to submit a teleconsultation using a smartphone. Before conventional face-to-face visit, a final-year resident of the 3-year course for general practitioners collected medical history, took digital images of skin diseases with a smartphone and, measuring the time required to complete this operation, transmitted them to an expert teledermatologist. In 391 patients we obtained a concordance between face-to-face and store-and-forward diagnosis of 91.05% (Cohen κ coefficient = 0.906). On average only few minutes needs to be added to a no

Safer school with near-UV technology: novel applications for environmental hygiene

Systems capable of disinfecting air and surfaces could reduce the risk of infectious diseases transmission. Aim: to evalu-ate the effectiveness of near-UV LED ceiling lamps, with a wavelength of 405 nm, in improving environmental hygiene. Between November and December 2020, we conducted an experimental study having a pre-post design in a kindergarten room in Siena where 4 ceiling lamps with 405 nm LED technology were installed. Twice per day, sampling was performed before (T0) and after treatment with near-UV (T1). We used between 8 and 12 pairs of contact plates to sample at various random spots each day. Air samplings were also performed. The plates were incubated at 22 and 36 degrees C. Significance was set at 95% (p < 0.05). The mean level of Colony Forming Unit (CFU) at T(0) was 249 (95% CI 193.1 - 305.0) at 36 degrees C and 535.2 (374.3 - 696.1) at 22 degrees C. The reduction was significant at T(1): by 65% at 36 degrees C and, 72% at 22 degrees C. Also, for air contamination: 95.3% (98.4 & mdash;92.3). A dose threshold of about 5 J/cm2 was identified to have an 80% CFU abatement and remains nearly constant. The advantage of being able to use this technology in the presence of people is very important in the context of controlling environmental contamination. © 2023, The Author(s)

Antenatal syphilis serology in pregnant women and follow-up of their infants in northern Italy

ABSTRACTPositive syphilis serology was noted in 119 (0.49%) of the 24 053 pregnant women delivering at St Orsola Hospital in Bologna, Italy, from November 2000 through July 2007. Six presumptive cases of congenital syphilis with IgM western blot positive results were found. Two infants had a positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test result (one also had a positive CSF PCR result), another presented long-bone lesions, and the remaining three were preterm. These observations confirmed that antenatal syphilis screening facilitates treatment during pregnancy and offsets vertical transmission; moreover, the use of IgM western blot and careful CSF examination allowed the identification and treatment of high-risk newborns

Effect of NASA Light-emitting Diode Irradiation on Wound Healing

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) and near-infrared light therapy on wound healing. Background Data: Light-emitting diodes (LED), originally developed for NASA plant growth experiments in space show promise for delivering light deep into tissues of the body to promote wound healing and human tissue growth. In this paper, we review and present our new data of LED treatment on cells grown in culture, on ischemic and diabetic wounds in rat models, and on acute and chronic wounds in humans. Materials and Methods: In vitro and in vivo (animal and human) studies utilized a variety of LED wavelength, power intensity, and energy density parameters to begin to identify conditions for each biological tissue that are optimal for biostimulation. Results: LED produced in vitro increases of cell growth of 140–200% in mouse-derived fibroblasts, rat-derived osteoblasts, and rat-derived skeletal muscle cells, and increases in growth of 155–171% of normal human epithelial cells. Wound size decreased up to 36% in conjunction with HBO in ischemic rat models. LED produced improvement of greater than 40% in musculoskeletal training injuries in Navy SEAL team members, and decreased wound healing time in crew members aboard a U.S. Naval submarine. LED produced a 47% reduction in pain of children suffering from oral mucositis. Conclusion: We believe that the use of NASA LED for light therapy alone, and in conjunction with hyperbaric oxygen, will greatly enhance the natural wound healing process, and more quickly return the patient to a preinjury/ illness level of activity. This work is supported and managed through the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center–SBIR Program

Does the longevity of one or both parents influence the health status of their offspring?

According to the findings of some recent studies, the centenarians' offspring appear to represent a promising model for research on longevity and healthy aging. This study compares the health status and the functional status of three groups of subjects: 1. individuals with two long-lived parents (one of whom centenarian), 2. individuals with only one long-lived (centenarian) parent, and 3. individuals with no long-lived parents. The goal is to verify whether the centenarians' offspring display any advantage over the offspring of both non-long-lived parents and to evaluate whether the longevity of the non-centenarian parent provides a further advantage. A total of 374 subjects (mean age approximately 70 years) was examined. A threshold for longevity was established for non-centenarian parents through demographic data available for Italy (males surviving to at least 81 years of age and females to 87 years). The participants were assessed for their health and functional status by means of a standardized questionnaire and tests of physical performance. Data were analyzed using multivariate regression models adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors for age-related pathologies. The results of the study show that centenarians' offspring have a better functional status, a reduced risk for several age-related pathologies and reduced drug consumption than the offspring of non-long-lived parents. In addition, the health status of centenarians' offspring does not appear to be influenced by the longevity of the second parent. It therefore seems possible to conclude that at ages around 70 years the genetic contribution to health status deriving from having one centenarian parent is not substantially improved if the other parent is also long-lived

Atypical presentation of acute idiopathic megacolon in a 14-year-old patient

In clinical practice the term "megacolon" is used to indicate a marked dilatation of the cecum and the sigmoid colon (>12 and 6.5 cm, respectively) (1). From a clinical standpoint, a megacolon can be classified as chronic or acute depending on its clinical presentation. Chronic megacolon typically refers to a congenital disorder in which the enteric nervous system (ENS) supplying the colon does not develop properly, thereby leaving the distal segments of the viscus without myenteric and submucosal ganglia (i.e. Hirschsprung's disease) (2). Other cases of non-aganglionic chronic megacolon can be secondary to variety of conditions such as Chagas' disease and neurodegenerative diseases (e.g. Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases), leading to or associated with ENS abnormalities (3). The acute form of megacolon, also referred to as Ogilvie's syndrome, is characterized by a predominant involvement of the cecum and right colon usually affecting elderly patients undergoing surgery (e.g. orthopedic procedures) or taking medications altering gut motility (e.g. opioids or antidepressants) (4). Some forms of acute megacolon, however, can be idiopathic in origin since no underlying etiology can be identified. Patients with acute idiopathic megacolon usually have a longstanding history of constipation, often accompanied by laxative abuse, and their clinical presentation is characterized by abdominal distension and severe pain with radiological evidence of stool impacted in the colon and rectum (1, 4). The case herein reported represents an unusual form of acute idiopathic megacolon characterized by massive descending and sigmoid colon distension complicated with a volvulus in a 14-year-old boy with no Hirschsprung's disease. In addition, just to increase the peculiarity of this case report, the patient had an unremarkable clinical record, and never suffered from chronic constipation in the past

Smartphone-based multicolor bioluminescent 3D spheroid biosensors for monitoring inflammatory activity

Whole-cell biosensors present many advantages, including being able to monitor the toxicity and bioavailability of chemicals; cells grown in traditional 2D cultures, however, do not reproduce the complexity of in vivo physiology. In the last years, 3D cell-culture models have garnered great attention due to their capability to better mimic in vivo cellular responses to external stimuli, providing excellent model living organisms. In order to obtain a predictive, sensitive, and robust yet low-cost 3D cell biosensor, we developed a smartphone-based bioluminescent 3D cell biosensor platform for effect-based analysis. We exploited the Nuclear Factor-kappa B (NF-kB) signal transduction pathway, which is induced by several types of stressors and is involved in the regulation of cell-cycle/growth, inflammation, apoptosis, and immunity. The smartphone-based biosensor relies on immobilized HEK293 spheroids genetically engineered with powerful red- and green-emitting luciferases utilized as inflammation and viability reporters. It provides a limit of detection for Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF\u3b1) of 0.15\u202f\ub1\u202f0.05\u202fng/mL and could be a useful tool to initially screen environmental samples or other compounds on-site, especially for additional more accurate chemical analyses

CD4+CD25+ lymphocyte subsets in chronic graft versus host disease patients undergoing extracorporeal photochemotherapy.

Extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP) has been used successfully for the treatment of chronic Graft versus Host Disease (cGvHD). However, the mechanism by which ECP exerts its protective effects remains elusive. Some recent observations have suggested a possible role of certain subsets of T lymphocytes with immunosuppressive properties (T-regulatory cells) that coexpress CD4 and high levels of the interleukin-2 receptor chain: CD4+CD25+ T lymphocytes. We studied whether ECP affects the percentage of these cells in the peripheral blood of patients with cGvHD. The study population consisted of 14 patients with cGvHD refractory to systemic steroids. On enrolment in each cycle of ECP, patients underwent clinical examination, blood chemistry analysis and other instrumental procedures to document and assess involvement of the various organs and systems. For cytofluorimetric identification and phenotyping of CD4+CD25+ T lymphocytes, peripheral blood samples were collected in EDTA anticoagulant before ECP, after 48 hours, and after 6 and 12 months from the start of treatment. The 14 patients in this study received a total of more than 300 cycles of ECP, with only minor side effects. The clinical outcome was negative in 2 patients and positive in 12 patients. Within-subject analysis indicated that the percentage of CD4+CD25+ T lymphocytes before ECP and after 12 months of treatment was significantly increased. Our study confirms that changes in the percentage of CD4+CD25+ T cells induced by ECP could be a central aspect in the cascade of immune events leading to the immunological and clinical effects of this treatment in patients with cGvHD