Search results for "Elea"
showing 10 items of 772 documents
A fuzzy methodology to alleviate information overload in elearning
2013
Some aspects of eLearning experience can be en- hanced in a very natural way by using the basic tools offered by fuzzy logic. As a matter of exam- ple, consider the uncontrolled growth of informa- tion produced in a collaborative-oriented context, in which each participant (e.g. students, teachers) is able to insert and share new contents (e.g. com- ments, texts) concerning a university course. All the incrementally added pieces of information can be evaluated in several ways: by the intervention of a “dictator” (e.g. the teacher), using a rating form, or even according to the frequency of access. As contents rapidly become unusable for the effects of information overload, basic tools of fu…
Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue or dienogest plus estradiol valerate to prevent pain recurrence after laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis…
2015
Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of dienogest + estradiol valerate (E2V) and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRH-a) in reducing recurrence of pain in patients with chronic pelvic pain due to laparoscopically diagnosed and treated endometriosis. Design Multi-center, prospective, randomized study. Setting Three university departments of obstetrics and gynecology in Italy. Population Seventy-eight women who underwent laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis combined with chronic pelvic pain. Methods Post-operative administration of dienogest + E2V for 9 months (group 1) or GnRH-a monthly for 6 months (group 2). Main outcome measures A visual analogue scale was used to test intensit…
Decreased release of histamine and sulfidoleukotrienes by human peripheral blood leukocytes after wasp venom immunotherapy is partially due to induct…
1999
Abstract Background: Recent studies provide evidence that venom immunotherapy (VIT) alters the pattern of cytokine production by inducing an allergen-specific T-cell shift in cytokine expression from T H2 (IL-4, IL-5) to T H1 (IFN-γ) cytokines and also inducing the production of IL-10. Objective: This study was carried out to analyze whether these changes in cytokine production of T cells already observed 1 week after the initiation of VIT in subjects with wasp venom allergy also influence the reactivity of effector cells, such as mast cells and basophils. Methods: All subjects included in this study had a history of severe systemic allergic reactions to wasp stings and positive skin test r…
Adjuvant effects of aluminium hydroxide-adsorbed allergens and allergoids – differences in vivo and in vitro
2014
Summary Allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) is a clinically effective therapy for immunoglobulin (Ig)E-mediated allergic diseases. To reduce the risk of IgE-mediated side effects, chemically modified allergoids have been introduced. Furthermore, adsorbance of allergens to aluminium hydroxide (alum) is widely used to enhance the immune response. The mechanisms behind the adjuvant effect of alum are still not completely understood. In the present study we analysed the effects of alum-adsorbed allergens and allergoids on their immunogenicity in vitro and in vivo and their ability to activate basophils of allergic donors. Human monocyte derived dendritic cells (DC) were incubated with native …
Relationships between sodium mobility, in-mouth salt and aroma release, and flavour perception : application to model cheeses
2012
The aim of this work is to understand the effects of changes in the composition of model cheeses on mobility, release and perception of flavor molecules (salt, aroma compounds). Six flavoured model cheeses were formulated (3 lipid/protein (L/P) ratios and 2 salt contents). The microstructure and the rheological properties of the model cheeses were characterized respectively by confocal microscopy and by uniaxial compression test. The mobility of sodium ions was analyzed by 23Na NMR. The kinetics of sodium release was followed in water and then in saliva during consumption of the model cheeses. The retronasal release of aroma compounds was followed by nose-space APCI-MS, simultaneously with …
Relationships between sodium mobility, in-mouth salt and aroma release, and flavour perception : application to model cheeses
2012
The aim of this work is to understand the effects of changes in the composition of model cheeses on mobility, release and perception of flavor molecules (salt, aroma compounds). Six flavoured model cheeses were formulated (3 lipid/protein (L/P) ratios and 2 salt contents). The microstructure and the rheological properties of the model cheeses were characterized respectively by confocal microscopy and by uniaxial compression test. The mobility of sodium ions was analyzed by 23Na NMR. The kinetics of sodium release was followed in water and then in saliva during consumption of the model cheeses. The retronasal release of aroma compounds was followed by nose-space APCI-MS, simultaneously with …
Influence of temperature and NaCl on the release in aqueous liquid media of aroma compounds encapsulated in edible films
2012
This work analyses the release of n-hexanal and D-limonene from edible films, previously encapsulated in the iota-carrageenan matrix (with and without lipid). Both volatile compounds have different physicochemical properties. The effect of temperature (25 degrees C and 37 degrees C) and dissolution medium (water and 0.9% NaCl) on the release and retention of aroma compounds were studied. Hydrophobicity and wettability properties of active iota-carrageenan films were also studied and they were related with the internal and surface microstructure of films. Results highlight that D-limonene is encapsulated in the lipid phase of the films decreasing the release in the salt medium. D-limonene, t…
Mesocarnivore community structuring in the presence of Africa's apex predator
2021
This work was supported by the Peace Parks Foundation; G.C.S. was funded by a doctoral grant from Fundacão para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT: PD/BD/114037/2015); L.H.S. was supported by the National Research Foundation, South Africa (UID: 107099 and 115040) and by the African Institute for Conservation Ecology. Apex predator reintroductions have proliferated across southern Africa, yet their ecological effects and proposed umbrella benefits of associated management lack empirical evaluations. Despite a rich theory on top-down ecosystem regulation via mesopredator suppression, a knowledge gap exists relating to the influence of lions (Panthera leo) over Africa's diverse mesocarnivore (less …
Chitosomes loaded with cranberry proanthocyanidins attenuate the bacterial lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of iNOS and COX-2 in raw 264.7 macro…
2009
Chitosan binds to negatively charged soy lecithin liposomes by an electrostatic interaction driven by its positively charged amino group. This interaction allows stable covered vesicles (chitosomes) to be developed as a suitable targeted carrier and controlled release system. This study investigated the effect of chitosomes on the activation of cranberry proanthocyanidins (PAC) in Raw 264.7 macrophages. Chitosomes were characterized according to size, zeta potential, PAC-loading, and release properties. Results showed an increase in the net positive charge and size of the liposomes as the concentration of chitosan was increased, suggesting an effective covering of the vesicles by means of e…
Stimuli-Responsive Polymeric Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery, Imaging, and Theragnosis.
2020
In the past few decades, polymeric nanocarriers have been recognized as promising tools and have gained attention from researchers for their potential to efficiently deliver bioactive compounds, including drugs, proteins, genes, nucleic acids, etc., in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. Remarkably, these polymeric nanocarriers could be further modified as stimuli-responsive systems based on the mechanism of triggered release, i.e., response to a specific stimulus, either endogenous (pH, enzymes, temperature, redox values, hypoxia, glucose levels) or exogenous (light, magnetism, ultrasound, electrical pulses) for the effective biodistribution and controlled release of drugs or genes…