Search results for "FAC"
showing 10 items of 36366 documents
Plasmonic nanosensors reveal a height dependence of MinDE protein oscillations on membrane features
2018
6 p.-4 fig.
Functionalized halloysite nanotubes: Efficient carrier systems for antifungine drugs
2018
Abstract Halloysite-cyclodextrin hybrid was employed as carrier for sustained release of clotrimazole for vaginal or buccal treatment of Candidiasis. The nanocarrier was obtained by functionalization of halloysite surface with cyclodextrin moieties by means of microwave irradiation, with the final goal to obtain a scaffold for the covalent linkage of cysteamine hydrochloride. The interaction between clotrimazole and the pristine components, namely cyclodextrin and halloysite, was thoroughly investigated by several techniques such as DSC, TGA, UV–vis spectroscopy and some adsorption studies were, also, carried out. The release of the antifungine molecule was finally investigated in a medium …
Self-assembled multivalent (SAMul) ligand systems with enhanced stability in the presence of human serum
2019
Self-assembled cationic micelles are an attractive platform for binding biologically-relevant polyanions such as heparin. This has potential applications in coagulation control, where a synthetic heparin rescue agent could be a useful replacement for protamine, which is in current clinical use. However, micelles can have low stability in human serum and unacceptable toxicity profiles. This paper reports the optimi- sation of self-assembled multivalent (SAMul) arrays of amphiphilic ligands to bind heparin in competitive conditions. Specifically, modification of the hydrophobic unit kinetically stabilises the self-assembled nanostructures, preventing loss of binding ability in the presence of…
Teaching clinical reasoning and decision-making skills to nursing students: Design, development, and usability evaluation of a serious game
2016
Background\ud \ud Serious games (SGs) are a type of simulation technology that may provide nursing students with the opportunity to practice their clinical reasoning and decision-making skills in a safe and authentic environment. Despite the growing number of SGs developed for healthcare professionals, few SGs are video based or address the domain of home health care.\ud \ud Aims\ud \ud This paper aims to describe the design, development, and usability evaluation of a video based SG for teaching clinical reasoning and decision-making skills to nursing students who care for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in home healthcare settings.\ud \ud Methods\ud \ud A prototy…
Barriers and facilitators of older people's mHealth usage: a qualitative review of older people's views
2018
The aim of this qualitative evidence synthesis is to identify and assess existing\ud evidence on barriers to and facilitators of older people’s usage of mHealth. Existing\ud literature identified many factors that affect people’s experiences and perceptions of\ud mHealth, which are in turn influenced by their personal circumstances and biography.\ud The following themes were identified using the thematic synthesis approach: (a)\ud perception of usefulness, (b) user requirements, (c) self-efficacy, (d) sense of self and\ud control, (e) privacy and confidentiality, and (f) cost. MHealth devices and services are\ud complex interventions that have to be integrated into an older person’s life in…
The Evidence Base for an Ideal Care Pathway for Frail Multimorbid Elderly : Combined Scoping and Systematic Intervention Review
2019
Source at https://doi.org/10.2196/12517. Background: There is a call for bold and innovative action to transform the current care systems to meet the needs of an increasing population of frail multimorbid elderly. International health organizations propose complex transformations toward digitally supported (1) Person-centered, (2) Integrated, and (3) Proactive care (Digi-PIP care). However, uncertainty regarding both the design and effects of such care transformations remain. Previous reviews have found favorable but unstable impacts of each key element, but the maturity and synergies of the combination of elements are unexplored. Objective: This study aimed to describe how the literature o…
Biorefinery process for hydrothermal liquefaction of microalgae powered by a concentrating solar plant: A conceptual study
2017
Abstract A conceptual analysis of coupling a concentrating solar power plant with a biorefinery process consisting in the hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of microalgae to biocrude was performed. The configuration of the CSP-HTL plant was designed to allow continuous operation considering 10 kT of microalgae processed each year using, for the first time, a ternary nitrate mixture as heat transfer fluid and storage medium in the temperature range of 340–410 °C. With adopted models, the capital and operating costs of the solar plant marginally affect the minimum fuel selling prize (MFSP) of biocrude that decreases with the size of the solar field and of the thermal storage system provided that…
Analysis of some renewable energy uses and demand side measures for hotels on small Mediterranean islands: A case study
2018
Abstract Tourist activity strongly influences the energy consumption and the overall load profile of communities with isolated energy systems. One example is hotel sectors on small islands that are not connected to mainland energy distribution grids. The use of solar energy systems could be a smart option for reducing energy consumption and tackling seasonal fluctuation. The operation of a weak and isolated electric grid requires attention to the management of power profiles in very short time frames. Energy storage (thermal or electric), as well as building automation control technologies, can be utilised for these aims. In this context, the present paper illustrates a study conducted at a…
Granulites and Palaeoproterozoic lower crust of the Baidarik Block, Central Asian Orogenic Belt of NW Mongolia
2017
Abstract Mafic granulite xenoliths are hosted by garnetiferous charnockites in the Archaean to Palaeoproterozoic Bumbuger Complex of northwestern Mongolia, one of the exotic basement terranes in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. These rocks crystallized at ca. 1850 Ma under granulite-facies conditions (800 ± 27 °C, 6.8 ± 0.6 kbar) in the lower crust and were partly retrogressed to amphibolite-facies during ascent to higher crustal levels as a result of strong deformation resulting in northwest-trending isoclinal folds. The mafic xenoliths are likely derived from gabbroic protoliths, and geochemical, Hf-in-zircon and Nd whole-rock isotopic data suggest these rocks to have originated from pare…
Analysis of optimal temperature, pressure and binder quantity for the production of biocarbon pellet to be used as a substitute for coke
2019
In order to contribute to the decarbonization of the economy, efficient alternatives to coal and coke should be found not only in the power sector but also in the industrial sectors (like steel, silicon and manganese production) in which coal and coke are used as a reductant and for steel production also as a fuel. To this aim many research works have been focused on the development of a coke substitute based on woody biomass and known as “biocarbon”. There are still barriers to overcome, among them: the biocarbon low density, poor mechanical strength and high reactivity. In this paper a new biocarbon production methodology is proposed, based on: pyrolysis at 600 °C, densification (using py…