2,461 research outputs found
Sub-ballistic behavior in quantum systems with L\'evy noise
We investigate the quantum walk and the quantum kicked rotor in resonance
subjected to noise with a L\'evy waiting time distribution. We find that both
systems have a sub-ballistic wave function spreading as shown by a power-law
tail of the standard deviation.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Amelogenin an extracellular matrix protein in the treatment of venous leg ulcers and other hard to heal wounds. experimental and clinical evidence
Abstract: Amelogenins are extracellular matrix proteins that, under physiological conditions, self-assemble into globular aggregates up to micron-sizes. Studies with periodontal fibroblasts indicate that attachment to these structures increases the endogenous secretion of multiple growth factors and cell proliferation. Pre-clinical and clinical studies indicate that cutaneous wounds benefit from treatment with amelogenins. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving patients with hard-to-heal venous leg ulcers (VLUs) (ie, ulcers with a surface area ≥10 cm2 and duration of ≥6 months) showed that the application of amelogenin (Xelma®, Molnlycke Health Care, Gothenburg, Sweden) as an adjunct treatment to compression results in significant reduction in ulcer size, improvement in the state of ulcers, reduced pain, and a larger proportion of ulcers with low levels of exudate, compared with treatment with compression alone. Amelogenin therapy was also shown to be safe to use in that there were no significant differences in adverse events noted between patients treated with amelogenin plus compression and those treated with compression alone. Case study evaluations indicate that the benefits of amelogenin therapy demonstrated in the RCT are being repeated in “real life” situations and that amelogenin therapy may also have a role to play in the treatment of other wound types such as diabetic foot ulcers
Distribution of chirality in the quantum walk: Markov process and entanglement
The asymptotic behavior of the quantum walk on the line is investigated
focusing on the probability distribution of chirality independently of
position. The long-time limit of this distribution is shown to exist and to
depend on the initial conditions, and it also determines the asymptotic value
of the entanglement between the coin and the position. It is shown that for
given asymptotic values of both the entanglement and the chirality distribution
it is possible to find the corresponding initial conditions within a particular
class of spatially extended Gaussian distributions. Moreover it is shown that
the entanglement also measures the degree of Markovian randomness of the
distribution of chirality.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, It was accepted in Physcial Review
Expression and localization of Phosphoinositide-specific Phospholipases C in cultured and differentiating human osteoblasts
Homeostasis in the bone tissue primarily depends on the balance of the activities of osteoclasts and osteoblasts, primarily involved in bone formation
and turnover (Zaidi 2007; Khosla et al 2005). Osteoblasts maintain the bone
mass, and intervene in bone injuries repair. The limited number of therapeutic agents able to promote osteogenesis ingenerated great interest addressed
to manipulate the activity of osteoblasts. Insights in the events leading to the
differentiation and proliferation of osteoblasts might allow uncover potential
molecular therapy targets to control the complex mechanisms underlying the
skeletal remodeling (Marie 2015; Kawai et al 2011). Oscillations of calcium
act crucially during the remodeling of bone, affecting both the differentiation
and proliferation of osteoblasts. Signal transduction pathways contribute to
the differentiation and metabolic activities of osteoblasts, with special regard
to calcium-related signaling (Kimple et al 2011, Keinan et al 2014), including
the Phosphoinositide (PI) pathway and related Phospholipases C (PLCs).
In order to evaluate the role of PLC enzymes’ family in human osteoblasts
(HOBs), we analyzed the expression of PLC genes and the localization of
PLC enzymes both in cultured HOBs and in in vitro differentiating HOBs
after 3, 10, 17 and 23 days. Our results confirm the transcription of most PLC
genes and the presence of a number of PLC enzymes in HOBs, differently
localized in the nucleus, in the cytoplasm or both, as well as in cell protrusions. The presence of PLC enzymes within the HOBs suggests the activation
of the PI nuclear cycle in HOBs. Along both the culture and differentiation
culture periods, transcripts of splicing variants of selected PLC genes were
detected and the localization of most PLC enzymes varied, with special regard to enzymes belonging to the PLC , and sub-families. The behavior
of selected PLC enzymes will be discussed more in detail. The presented
results overall suggest that PLC signaling might provide further insights into
the complex signal transduction network in bone remodeling, also representing promising molecular targets
Atypical ulcers: Diagnosis and management
Atypical ulcers show atypical clinical features, histology, localization, and resistance to standard therapies. The persistence of a chronic ulcer despite treatment with standard therapies requires a more specific diagnostic investigation. Diagnosis involves obtaining the history and performing clinical examination and additional tests. A skin biopsy is frequently used to confirm unclear diagnosis. In difficult cases, microbiological and immunohistochem-ical examinations, laboratory blood tests, or instrumental tests should be evaluated. The treatment of atypical wounds is characterized by local systemic therapy and pain control. Our results highlight the need for early diagnosis, and standardized and targeted management by a multidisciplinary wound healing center
Surrounding skin management in venous leg ulcers: A systematic review
Objectives: Chronic venous insufficiency may lead to the development of venous leg ulcers, the most common form of chronic wounds in the lower extremity. Key to venous leg ulcer care is the maintenance of healthy skin surrounding the ulcer, as failure to maintain skin integrity may influence the healing outcome. We thus reviewed the scientific literature looking for assessment and management instruments regarding this common but often neglected issue. Method: The search included all studies published between 2000 and May 2019. Keywords used were: “peri-wound skin care”, “surrounding skin venous ulcers”, “surrounding skin management leg ulcers”, and “peri-lesional skin management”. Results: Management of moisture-balance with the selection of appropriate dressings is the most important target in surrounding-wound skin care. Moreover, contact dermatitis related to products and the dressings themselves is a neglected problem in patients with chronic leg ulcers which clinicians increasingly have to manage. The literature search revealed that there is an increasing interest in the use of noninvasive assessment tools in the field of wound care, and focusing on the surrounding-wound skin plays a role in assessing the potential of wound healing. Transepidermal water loss measurement (TEWL) and ultrasonography are two of the measurement techniques available. Conclusion: The integrity of the surrounding skin is necessary for wound healing, and appropriate management is needed to address this aspect which is part of an overall approach to treating wounds
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