According to the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), a high prevalence of malnutrition was found out in both genders: 26% of F and 16.3% of M were classified as being malnourished (MNA<17); 40.9% of F and 35% of M were at risk of malnutrition (MNA 17-23,5). The prevalence of malnutrition was significantly higher in NH subjects in both sexes. Moreover, a relationship was shown between malnutrition and inability to shop, prepare and cook meals because of a low income, distance from markets or supermarkets as well as impossibility to drive the car or to use public transportation. This study confirms the necessity to routinely perform nutritional status evaluation in elderly subjects, to carry out training courses for health workers (doctors, nurses, psychologists, dietitians), to implement nutritional education of the geriatric population, to develop tools and guidelines for health workers and caregivers, to identify and reduce clinical, functional, social or economic risk factors for malnutrition.

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, MLT), the main hormone produced by the pineal gland, not only regulates circadian rhythm, but also has antioxidant, anti-ageing and immunomodulatory properties. MLT plays an important role in blood composition, medullary dynamics, platelet genesis, vessel endothelia, and in platelet aggregation, leukocyte formula regulation and hemoglobin synthesis. Its significant atoxic, apoptotic, oncostatic, angiogenetic, differentiating and antiproliferative properties against all solid and liquid tumors have also been documented. Thanks, in fact, to its considerable functional versatility, MLT can exert both direct and indirect anticancer effects in factorial synergy with other differentiating, antiproliferative, immunomodulating and trophic molecules that form part of the anticancer treatment formulated by Luigi Di Bella (Di Bella Method, DBM: somatostatin, retinoids, ascorbic acid, vitamin D3, prolactin inhibitors, chondroitin-sulfate). The interaction between MLT and the DBM molecules counters the multiple processes that characterize the neoplastic phenotype (induction, promotion, progression and/or dissemination, tumoral mutation). All these particular characteristics suggest the use of MLT in oncological diseases.

No abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanical properties of superelastic and thermal nickel-titanium (NiTi) archwires for correct selection of orthodontic wires. Seven different NiTi wires of two different sizes (0.014 and 0.016 inches), commonly used during the alignment phase, were tested. A three-point bending test was carried out to evaluate the load-deflection characteristics. The archwires were subjected to bending at a constant temperature of 37°C and deflections of 2 and 4 mm. Analysis of variance showed that thermal NiTi wires exerted significantly lower working forces than superelastic wires of the same size in all experimental tests (P < 0.05). Wire size had a significant effect on the forces produced: with an increase in archwire dimension, the released strength increased for both thermal and superelastic wires. Superelastic wires showed, at a deflection of 2 mm, narrow and steep hysteresis curves in comparison with the corresponding thermal wires, which presented a wide interval between loading and unloading forces. During unloading at 4 mm of deflection, all wires showed curves with a wider plateau when compared with 2 mm deflection. Such a difference for the superelastic wires was caused by the martensite stress induced at higher deformation levels. A comprehensive understanding of mechanical characteristics of orthodontic wires is essential and selection should be undertaken in accordance with the behaviour of the different wires. It is also necessary to take into account the biomechanics used. In low-friction mechanics, thermal NiTi wires are to be preferred to superelastic wires, during the alignment phase due to their lower working forces. In conventional straightwire mechanics, a low force archwire would be unable to overcome the resistance to sliding.

No abstract

A series of Cu­(diimine)­(X-sal)­(NO3) complexes, where the diimine is either 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy) or 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) and X-sal is a monoanionic halogenated salicylaldehyde (X = Cl, Br, I, or H), have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and X-ray crystallography. Penta-coordinate geometries copper­(II) were observed for all cases. The influence of the diimine coligands and different halogen atoms on the antiproliferative activities toward human cancer cell lines have been investigated. All Cu­(II) complexes were able to induce a loss of A2780 ovarian carcinoma cell viability, with phen derivatives more active than bpy derivatives. In contrast, no in vitro antiproliferative effects were observed against the HCT116 colorectal cancer cell line. These cytotoxicity differences were not due to a different intracellular concentration of the complexes determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. A small effect of different halogen substituents on the phenolic ring was observed, with X = Cl being the most highly active toward A2780 cells among the phen derivatives, while X = Br presented the lowest IC50 in A2780 cells for bpy analogs. Importantly, no reduction in normal primary fibroblasts cell viability was observed in the presence of bpy derivatives (IC50 > 40 μM). Mechanistically, complex 1 seems to induce a stronger apoptotic response with a higher increase in mitochondrial membrane depolarization and an increased level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) compared to complex 3. Together, these data and the low IC50 compared to cisplatin in A2780 ovarian carcinoma cell line demonstrate the potential of these bpy derivatives for further in vivo studies.

A series of quaternary ammonium-functionalized polysulfones were successfully synthesized using a chloromethylation two-step method. In particular, triethylammonium and trimethylammonium polysulfone derivatives with different functionalization degrees from 60% to 150% were investigated. NMR spectroscopic techniques were used to determine the degree of functionalization of the polymers. The possibility to predict the functionalization degree by a reaction tool based on a linear regression was highlighted. Anionic membranes with a good homogeneity of thickness were prepared using a doctor-blade casting method of functionalized polymers. The chemical–physical data showed that ion exchange capacity, water content, and wettability increase with the increase of functionalization degree. A higher wettability was found for membranes prepared by the trimethylamine (TMA) quaternary ammonium group. A degree of functionalization of 100% was chosen for an electrochemical test as the best compromise between chemical–physical properties and mechanical stability. From anionic conductivity measurement a better stability was found for the triethylamine (TEA)-based membrane due to a lower swelling effect. A power density of about 300 mW/cm2 for the TEA-based sample at 60 °C in a H2/O2 fuel cell was found.

The influence of hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) in the structure, dynamics, and functionality of biological and artificial complex systems is the subject of intense investigation. In this broad context, particular attention has recently been focused on the ultrafast H-bond dependent dynamical properties in the electronic excited state because of their potentially dramatic consequences on the mechanism, dynamics, and efficiency of photochemical reactions and photophysical processes of crucial importance for life and technology. Excited-state H-bond dynamics generally occur on ultrafast time scales of hundreds of femtoseconds or less, making the characterization of associated mechanisms particularly challenging with conventional time-resolved techniques. Here, 2D electronic spectroscopy is exploited to shed light on this still largely unexplored dynamic mechanism. An H-bonded molecular dimer prepared by self-assembly of two boron-dipyrromethene dyes has been specifically designed and synthesized for this aim. The obtained results confirm that upon formation of H-bonds and the dimer, a new ultrafast relaxation channel is activated in the ultrafast dynamics, mediated by the vibrational motions of the hydrogen donor and acceptor groups. This relaxation channel also involves, beyond intra-molecular relaxations, an inter-molecular transfer process. This is particularly significant considering the long distance between the centers of mass of the two molecules. These findings suggest that the design of H-bonded structures is a particularly powerful tool to drive the ultrafast dynamics in complex materials.