Salivary cortisol role in response to strong stressors implied in extreme exercises and in sport practice was investigated with the aim to verify the claimed benefits that steers winter swimmers to self-prescribe the trials. Specific biochemical data allow to study a variety of stressors in sports and physical exercises, including extreme ones as winter swimming. Salivary cortisol behavior was examined in winter swimmers trials and canoe, canoe-polo competitions and comparisons of results between days with and without performances were reported. Cortisol circadian rhythm in sedentary subjects was collected as control. All the subjects were selected after anamnesticclinical checks to evaluate their physiological conditions. The circadian cortisol behavior was reported in days with competitions and trials as well as between these events. Abrupt cortisol concentration changes were detected at the time of the trials and competitions: surprisingly, large increasing and decreasing concentrations were detected in both groups. Moreover, in winter swimmers, cortisol concentration remained fairly elevated in the evening of the trial days. In days without competitions, the usual cortisol circadian rhythm was recovered in sportsmen whereas cortisol concentrations persisted at high levels up to the evening in winter swimmers. The view that an extreme sport-like exercise as the winter swimming may well pose some treats ranging from subclinical aspects up to dismetabolic pathologies and even cardiovascular risks is strengthened by results of cortisol trends, suggesting to check physiological conditions. Results demonstrate that well-being feeling can be in contrast to the claimed improvements of health.
Cartilage injury defects in animals and humans result in the development of osteoarthritis and the progression of joint deterioration. Cell isolation from equine hyaline cartilage and evaluation of their ability to repair equine joint cartilage injuries establish a new experimental protocol for an alternative approach to osteochondral lesions treatment. Chondrocytes (CCs), isolated from the autologous cartilage of the trachea, grown in the laboratory, and subsequently arthroscopically implanted into the lesion site, were used to regenerate a chondral lesion of the carpal joint of a horse. Biopsies of the treated cartilage taken after 8 and 13 months of implantation for histological and immunohistochemical evaluation of the tissue demonstrate that the tissue was still immature 8 months after implantation, while at 13 months it was organized almost similarly to the original hyaline cartilage. Finally, a tissue perfectly comparable to native articular cartilage was detected 24 months after implantation. Histological investigations demonstrate the progressive maturation of the hyaline cartilage at the site of the lesion. The hyaline type of tracheal cartilage, used as a source of CCs, allows for the repair of joint cartilage injuries through the neosynthesis of hyaline cartilage that presents characteristics identical to the articular cartilage of the original tissue.
The possibility of improving dental restorative materials is investigated through the addition of two different types of fillers to a polymeric resin. These fillers, consisting of porous alumina and TiO2 nanotubes, are compared based on their common physicochemical properties on the nanometric scale. The aim was to characterize and compare the surface morphological properties of composite resins with different types of fillers using analytical techniques. Moreover, ways to optimize the mechanical, surface, and aesthetic properties of reinforced polymer composites are discussed for applications in dental treatments. Filler-reinforced polymer composites are the most widely used materials in curing dental pathologies, although it remains necessary to optimize properties such as mechanical resistance, surface characteristics, and biocompatibility. Anodized porous alumina nanoparticles prepared by electrochemical anodization offer a route to improve mechanical properties and biocompatibility as well as to allow for the controlled release of bioactive molecules that can promote tissue integration and regeneration. The inclusion of TiO2 nanotubes prepared by hydrothermal treatment in the resin matrix promotes the improvement of mechanical and physical properties such as strength, stiffness, and hardness, as well as aesthetic properties such as color stability and translucency. The surface morphological properties of composite resins with anodized porous alumina and TiO2 nanotube fillers were characterized by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and X-ray chemical analysis. In addition, the stress–strain behavior of the two composite resins is examined in comparison with enamel and dentin.
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