Virtual Healthcare: A Literature Review in Business and Management Field

Virtual healthcare has evolved through different research and application steps, this study tries to systematize what has happened in this disruptive situation in management studies, consolidating lessons learned in last twenty years. A bibliometric analysis gives the opportunity to explore in a massive method what was written in 2020, including instant papers and preprints, trying to concentrate on new emerging topics and research fields

Efficacy of Narrowband UVB Phototherapy in Erythema Dyschromicum Perstans Treatment: Case Reports

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Analysis of Polyphenolic Compounds in Water-Based Extracts of Vicia faba L.: A Potential Innovative Source of Nutraceutical Ingredients

The water-based extract of broad bean hulls contains several bioactive molecules, including polyphenols well-known to exert antioxidant activity, which could justify its use in nutraceutical formulations. Hence, the current investigation aimed to establish the polyphenolic profile of water-based extracts from broad bean hulls through UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS analysis. The findings highlighted that p-coumaric acid, chlorogenic acid, and epicatechin were the most common compounds found in the tested extracts, being quantified at a mean concentration of 42.1, 32.6, and 31.2 mg/100 g, respectively. Moreover, broad bean hull extracts were encapsulated into a nutraceutical formulation, after which the antioxidant properties and the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds during the simulated gastrointestinal (GI) process were investigated and compared with the digested non-encapsulated extract. The data highlighted that following the GI process, the capsules were able to preserve active compounds from the adverse effects of digestion, resulting in a greater antioxidant capacity and polyphenol bioaccessibility in the duodenal and colonic phases, compared with the non-encapsulated extract. Our results showed that the water extract from broad bean hulls may be considered a valuable source of natural polyphenolic compounds; in addition, the use of a gastric-resistant capsule could be a suitable alternative to transport these bioactive compounds to the target tissues

A wheelchair by the overboard model: A technological instrument for disabled basketball players

The aim of the study is to identify a solution to the preliminary study of normal people's capacity of adjustment on a wheelchair in the context of basketball, a solution that fundamentally would also encourage the performance of people with disabilities. As the difficulties encountered in the previous study were mainly on the sitting and on the thrust of the wheelchair, the introduction of the new technological instrument already presented could be useful and meaningful: a chair characterized by the presence of an engine, like the one that distinguishes the electric skateboards of the new millennium, such as overboard and Segway, which work thanks to the displacement of the centre of gravity. Practically, shifting the weight of the bust in all directions (back, forward, right, left) translocations occur in space. Consequently, all this would not only favour the norm gifted athletes who at first impact have many difficulties in the conduction of the wheelchair, but also those who have more or less serious disabilities (especially people with amputation of the upper limbs). In fact, the presence of motor and sensors that allow to move the wheelchair only with the movement of the body centre of gravity, simplifies the performance of sports and makes it less expensive from the point of view of energy, as there would no longer be the need to have to push the mobile device manually

Trichilemmal cyst of the buttocks: case report and management

Proliferating trichilemmal cyst (PTC) is a benign adnexal tumors of the skin, related to the isthmus of the hair folicle. PTC was described for the first time 1966 by Wilson-Jone, as "proliferating epidermoid custs". Usually the lesion is encountered on the scalp; but wrist, elbow, mons pubis, vula, buttock, and chest are locations where it can be foubd. Malignant transformation has rarely been report these lesions. Treatment mainly entails wide local surgiucal excision. We report a case of 30 years-old women, with small PTC on buttock areas, treated with topical urea and salicylic acid peeling. Keratolytic action of urea can be used in the treatment of PTC, WHEN THEY ARE AMALL IN SIZE, AND SPREAD OVER A LARGE AREA, WICH IS'S NO POSSBLE PERFORM A SURGICAL EXCISION

Increased endocannabinoid levels reduce the development of precancerous lesions in the mouse colon

Colorectal cancer is an increasingly important cause of death in Western countries. Endocannabinoids inhibit colorectal carcinoma cell proliferation in vitro. In this paper, we investigated the involvement of endocannabinoids on the formation of aberrant crypt foci (ACF, earliest preneoplastic lesions) in the colon mouse in vivo. ACF were induced by azoxymethane (AOM); fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and cannabinoid receptor messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels were analyzed by the quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR); endocannabinoid levels were measured by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry; caspase-3 and caspase-9 expressions were measured by Western blot analysis. Colonic ACF formation after AOM administration was associated with increased levels of 2-arachidonoylglycerol (with no changes in FAAH and cannabinoid receptor mRNA levels) and reduction in cleaved caspase-3 and caspase-9 expression. The FAAH inhibitor N-arachidonoylserotonin increased colon endocannabinoid levels, reduced ACF formation, and partially normalized cleaved caspase-3 (but not caspase-9) expression. Notably, N-arachidonoylserotonin completely prevented the formation of ACF with four or more crypts, which have been show to be best correlated with final tumor incidence. The effect of N-arachidonoylserotonin on ACF formation was mimicked by the cannabinoid receptor agonist HU-210. No differences in ACF formation were observed between CB1 receptor-deficient and wild-type mice. It is concluded that pharmacological enhancement of endocannabinoid levels (through inhibition of endocannabinoid hydrolysis) reduces the development of precancerous lesions in the mouse colon. The protective effect appears to involve caspase-3 (but not caspase-9) activation

Management of Low-Risk Thyroid Cancers: Is Active Surveillance a Valid Option? A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy, representing 2.9% of all new cancers in the United States. It has an excellent prognosis, with a five-year relative survival rate of 98.3%.Differentiated Thyroid Carcinomas (DTCs) are the most diagnosed thyroid tumors and are characterized by a slow growth rate and indolent course. For years, the only approach to treatment was thyroidectomy. Active surveillance (AS) has recently emerged as an alternative approach; it involves regular observation aimed at recognizing the minority of patients who will clinically progress and would likely benefit from rescue surgery. To better clarify the indications for active surveillance for low-risk thyroid cancers, we reviewed the current management of low-risk DTCs with a systematic search performed according to a PRISMA flowchart in electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and EMBASE) for studies published before May 2021. Fourteen publications were included for final analysis, with a total number of 4830 patients under AS. A total of 451/4830 (9.4%) patients experienced an increase in maximum diameter by >3 mm; 609/4830 (12.6%) patients underwent delayed surgery after AS; metastatic spread to cervical lymph nodes was present in 88/4213 (2.1%) patients; 4/3589 (0.1%) patients had metastatic disease outside of cervical lymph nodes. Finally, no subject had a documented mortality due to thyroid cancer during AS. Currently, the American Thyroid Association guidelines do not support AS as the first-line treatment in patients with PMC; however, they consider AS to be an effective alternative, particularly in patients with high surgical risk or poor life expectancy due to comorbid conditions. Thus, AS could be an alternative to immediate surgery for patients with very-low-risk tumors showing no cytologic evidence of aggressive disease, for high-risk surgical candidates, for those with concurrent comorbidities requiring urgent intervention, and for patients with a relatively short life expectancy

Cyclic Peptoids as Mycotoxin Mimics: An Exploration of Their Structural and Biological Properties

Cyclic peptoids have recently emerged as important examples of peptidomimetics for their interesting complexing properties and innate ability to permeate biological barriers. In the present contribution, experimental and theoretical data evidence the intricate conformational and stereochemical properties of five novel hexameric peptoids decorated with N-isopropyl, N-isobutyl, and N-benzyl substituents. Complexation studies by NMR, in the presence of sodium tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate (NaTFPB), theoretical calculations, and single-crystal X-ray analyses indicate that the conformationally stable host/guest metal adducts display architectural ordering comparable to that of the enniatins and beauvericin mycotoxins. Similarly to the natural depsipeptides, the synthetic oligolactam analogues show a correlation between ion transport abilities in artificial liposomes and cytotoxic activity on human cancer cell lines. The reported results demonstrate that the versatile cyclic peptoid scaffold, for its remarkable conformational and complexing properties, can morphologically mimic related natural products and elicit powerful biological activities

Immunization against ROS1 by DNA Electroporation Impairs K-Ras-Driven Lung Adenocarcinomas

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Despite the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immunotherapeutic approaches, there is still an urgent need for novel strategies to improve patient survival. ROS1, a tyrosine kinase receptor endowed with oncoantigen features, is activated by chromosomal rearrangement or overexpression in NSCLC and in several tumor histotypes. In this work, we have exploited transgenic mice harboring the activated K-Ras oncogene (K-RasG12D) that spontaneously develop metastatic NSCLC as a preclinical model to test the efficacy of ROS1 immune targeting. Indeed, qPCR and immunohistochemical analyses revealed ROS1 overexpression in the autochthonous primary tumors and extrathoracic metastases developed by K-RasG12D mice and in a derived transplantable cell line. As proof of concept, we have evaluated the effects of the intramuscular electroporation (electrovaccination) of plasmids coding for mouse- and human-ROS1 on the progression of these NSCLC models. A significant increase in survival was observed in ROS1-electrovaccinated mice challenged with the transplantable cell line. It is worth noting that tumors were completely rejected, and immune memory was achieved, albeit only in a few mice. Most importantly, ROS1 electrovaccination was also found to be effective in slowing the development of autochthonous NSCLC in K-RasG12D mice