Search results for " Character"

Synthesis, Structural Elucidation, and Biological Evaluation of NSC12, an Orally Available Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) Ligand Trap for the Treatme…

2016

NSC12 is an orally available pan-FGF trap able to inhibit FGF2/FGFR interaction and endowed with promising antitumor activity. It was identified by virtual screening from a NCI small molecule library, but no data were available about its synthesis, stereochemistry, and physicochemical properties. We report here a synthetic route that allowed us to characterize and unambiguously identify the structure of the active compound by a combination of NMR spectroscopy and in silico conformational analysis. The synthetic protocol allowed us to sustain experiments aimed at assessing its therapeutic potential for the treatment of FGF-dependent lung cancers. A crucial step in the synthesis generated a c…

Evidence for Water-Tuned Structural Differences in Proteins: An Approach Emphasizing Variations in Local Hydrophilicity

2012

We present experimental evidence for the significant effect that water can have on the functional structure of proteins in solution. Human (HSA) and Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) have an amino acid sequence identity of 75.52% and are chosen as model proteins. We employ EPR-based nanoscale distance measurements using double electron-electron resonance (DEER) spectroscopy and both albumins loaded with long chain fatty acids (FAs) in solution to globally (yet indirectly) characterize the tertiary protein structures from the bound ligands' points of view. The complete primary structures and crystal structures of HSA and as of recently also BSA are available. We complement the picture as we have re…

Effect of the intra-alveolar administration of dexamethasone on swelling, trismus, and pain after impacted lower third molar extraction: a randomized…

2021

Background To evaluate the efficacy of intra-alveolar administration of dexamethasone 4 mg in the control of edema, trismus, and pain resulting from the extraction of impacted lower third molars and the drug permeability through the oral mucosa by in silico prediction. Material and Methods The randomized, double-blind, split-mouth clinical trial included patients who had both impacted lower third molars in equivalent positions. Hemiarches were divided into control side when dexamethasone was administered orally and experimental side when dexamethasone was administered using the intra-alveolar route. Patients were evaluated considering edema, trismus, and pain. The permeability of dexamethas…

A satellite stand-alone procedure for deriving net radiation by using SEVIRI and MODIS products

2018

Abstract In this study, a new stand-alone satellite approach for the estimation of net surface radiation (Rn) has been implemented and validated for the Italian territory. The method uses the MODIS and MSG-SEVIRI time series products and it is independent of the use of ancillary data (i.e. ground measurements). A database of daily measurements of Rn, provided by 9 stations of the FLUXNET network, was used to validate the method in different ecological scenarios in the period 2010-12. The Rn modelled by the proposed approach and the corresponding FLUXNET measurements were in good agreement, with RMSE and R2 of 19.8 Wm−2 and 0.87, respectively, at 8-days scale, and 23.3 Wm−2 and 0.92, respect…

Wild Sicilian Rosemary: Phytochemical and Morphological Screening and Antioxidant Activity Evaluation of Extracts and Essential Oils

2015

To identify the best biotypes, an extensive survey of Sicilian wild rosemary was carried out by collecting 57 samples from various sites, followed by taxonomic characterization from an agronomic perspective. All the biotypes collected were classified as Rosmarinus officinalis L. A cluster analysis based on the morphological characteristics of the plants allowed the division of the biotypes into seven main groups, although the characteristics examined were found to be highly similar and not area-dependent. Moreover, all samples were analyzed for their phytochemical content, applying an extraction protocol to obtain the nonvolatile components and hydrodistillation to collect the essential oil…

Morphological and agronomical characterization of eggplant genetic resources from the Sicily area

2013

The eggplant is a vegetable crop widely grown throughout Sicily both in greenhouse and open field. This study was carried out by the Department of Agri-Environmental Systems at the University of Palermo in the Spring/Summer of 2011 in open fields. The aim of the study was to characterize 6 eggplant ecotypes (G1-G6) and three eggplant varieties (Birgah, Black bell and Viola di Firenze) from a morphological, phenological and production point of view, gathered from Sicily and the smaller islands. The genotypes G1 and G3 were found to be more productive than the varieties used in the test field. Ecotype G1 produced fruits which were dark violet and highly glossy, and produced the lowest percent…

STOP 6: Morphology, internal structure and texture of inland dunes at the Smilškalni site, Middle Gauja Lowland

2014

Taking advantage of the functional synergism between carbon nanotubes and graphene nanoplatelets to obtain polypropylene-based nanocomposites with en…

2020

Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) and Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNP) were incorporated in Polypropylene (PP) as single filler (CNT=1, 2 and 4 %wt. and GNP=2, 4, and 6 %wt.) and in hybrid form (CNT:GNP weight ratio 2:2, 2:4 and 4:2) using a prototype miniature Twin Screw Extruder (TSE) coupled with a double slit rheological die, in order to assess in-line the extent of nanofiller dispersion and to deliver PP-based nanocomposites with enhanced thermo-oxidative stability. The morphological, electrical and mechanical properties, as well as the resistance to thermal and photo degradation of the composites containing single nanofillers (PP/CNT and PP/GNP) were compared with those of hybrid PP based nanocompos…

Smarter, not harder.

2017

The purpose of this investigation was to compare and determine the relevance of the morphological characteristics and variability of running speed parameters (stride length and stride frequency) between Usain Bolt’s three best 100 m performances. Based on this, an attempt was made to define which factors determine the performance of Usain Bolt’s sprint and, therefore, distinguish him from other sprinters. We analyzed the previous world record of 9.69 s set in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the current record of 9.58 s set in the 2009 Berlin World Championships in Athletics and the O lympic record of 9.63 s set in 2012 London Olympics Games by Usain Bolt. The application of VirtualDub Programme …

Isolation, genomic and proteomic characterization of fibroblastic and epithelial limbal stem cells and evaluation of their multilineage differentiati…

2014

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The limbus of the eye, located at the junction of the cornea and conjunctiva of the ocular surface, represents a unique stem cell niche in human body. A critical advantage of limbal cells is that they are easily accessible with a well established and minimally invasive procedure. Several groups have reported the gene expression profile of limbal and corneal epithelial cells that has significantly contributed to the understanding of several cellular pathways and intrinsic factors that underpin the phenotypic difference between the two cell types [1-3]. However the gene expression profile of the human limbal epithelial and limbal stromal cultured cells obtained from the n…