Search results for "Fires"
showing 10 items of 129 documents
Spiral conical approximations to double reflection Wolter optics
2008
The design of a grazing incidence focusing optic obtained from a spiral approximation to multiple nested cones produces an annular image of a point source. The angular size of the annulus depends mainly on the pitch of the winding and the focal length. For a spiral conical approximation to Wolter optics, the effect is magnified by the double reflection. However, if the two conical spirals are wound one clock-wise and the other counter-clock-wise, then the aberration is partially compensated. We use a ray tracing code to evaluate advantages and disadvantages of this optical design for potential applications of a light weight optics technology based on plastic foils that we are currently inve…
Image-Guided Synthesis Reveals Potent Blood-Brain Barrier Permeable Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors
2014
Recent studies have revealed that several histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, which are used to study/treat brain diseases, show low blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration. In addition to low HDAC potency and selectivity observed, poor brain penetrance may account for the high doses needed to achieve therapeutic efficacy. Here we report the development and evaluation of highly potent and blood-brain barrier permeable HDAC inhibitors for CNS applications based on an image-guided approach involving the parallel synthesis and radiolabeling of a series of compounds based on the benzamide HDAC inhibitor, MS-275 as a template. BBB penetration was optimized by rapid carbon-11 labeling and PET im…
Nanoencapsulation in Lipid-Core Nanocapsules Controls Mometasone Furoate Skin Permeability Rate and Its Penetration to the Deeper Skin Layers
2013
<b><i>Aims:</i></b> The influence of nanoencapsulation of mometasone furoate (MF) in poly(ε-caprolactone) lipid-core nanocapsules (LNC) on its in vitro human skin permeation and penetration was evaluated. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Semisolid formulations were prepared by increasing the viscosity of LNC using a carbomer (Carbopol® Ultrez at 0.5% w/v). Two complementary techniques (the static Franz diffusion cell model and the Saarbrücken penetration model) were used to evaluate skin permeation/penetration. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The drug release rate was decreased by nanoencapsulation. The skin permeability of MF was control…
Faceted phospholipid vesicles tailored for the delivery of Santolina insularis essential oil to the skin
2015
The aim of this work was to formulate Santolina insularis essential oil-loaded nanocarriers, namely Penetration Enhancer containing Vesicles (PEVs), evaluate the physico-chemical features and stability, and gain insights into their ability to deliver the oil to the skin.S. insularis essential oil was obtained by steam distillation, and was predominantly composed of terpenes, the most abundant being β-phellandrene (22.6%), myrcene (11.4%) and curcumenes (12.1%). Vesicles were prepared using phosphatidylcholine, and ethylene or propylene glycol were added to the water phase (10% (v/v)) to improve vesicle performances as delivery systems. Vesicles were deeply characterized by light scattering,…
Biofiltration of ethyl acetate under continuous and intermittent loading
2007
A laboratory-scale peat biofilter was used for ethyl acetate removal from an air stream over a period lasting 1 yr. In a first stage, the biofilter was operated under continuous mode: a maximum elimination capacity of 400 g m−3 h−1 was obtained, and ethyl acetate was efficiently degraded with empty bed residence time (EBRT) as short as 22 s. The estimated yield coefficient, determined from the carbon dioxide production, resulted in 0.42 g dry biomass produced per gram of ethyl acetate consumed. The living and the dead cell concentrations were also monitored. The dead cell percentages varied between 18 and 85%, progressive increases in the dead cell percentages were achieved as EBRT decrease…
Mucoadhesive PEGylated inulin-based self-assembling nanoparticles: In vitro and ex vivo transcorneal permeation enhancement of corticosteroids
2019
Abstract As transcorneal drug delivery is still a challenge, the scope of the present study was to prepare useful nanosystems able to enhance transcorneal permeation/penetration of drugs. Moreover, this work aims to evaluate the effectiveness of inulin-based nanosystems in the specific field of ocular drug delivery and the effect of PEG chains to promote mucoadhesion, stability and transcorneal penetration/permeation enhancer effect of self-assembling nanoparticles in vitro (transwell systems and HCE) and ex vivo (Franz cells and bovine cornea). In particular, inulin was chosen as the starting natural polysaccharide polymer to design a novel amphiphilic derivative named INU-EDA-RA-PEG capab…
Modification of carboxyl groups of poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid) via facile wet chemistry method: A kinetic study
2010
Abstract In this work, we present the results of a kinetic study of the surface modification of the carboxyl group of poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid) into acyl chloride. Reaction temperature and time, concentration of the reactants, kind of agitation have been changed in order to understand their effect on the conversion. A study on the penetration of the reaction inside the sample bulk was also performed. The results indicate that, when short reaction times are adopted, the reaction limits to the outer layers of the samples and, in this case, on increasing the temperature, the concentration of the reactants and the stirring allows having a faster kinetic. At longer reaction times, the react…
Compared effects of synthetic and natural bile acid surfactants on xenobiotic absorption I. Studies with polysorbate and taurocholate in rat colon
1991
Some expected differences between synthetic and natural bile acid surfactants relative to their influences on xenobiotic absorption are briefly outlined on the basis of literature data. Then, experimental work is presented which shows that these differences exist and that they can be even more relevant than suspected. Absorption tests were developed in rat colon in situ with polysorbate (synthetic) and sodium taurocholate (natural) surfactants, using a homologous series of phenylalkylcarboxylic acids as test compounds. At the critical micelle concentration (CMC), the two previously reported actions of synthetic surfactants on xenobiotic absorption (i.e. the increase in absorbing membrane po…
Some Features of Polymeric Membranes for Water Purification via Membrane Distillation
2011
Polymeric membranes are currently adopted in water purification processes, such as reverse osmosis (RO) and membrane distillation (MD). This latter technique is very promising for separation effectiveness and energy savings. A valuable and effective MD unit must be equipped with polymeric membranes that exhibit specific properties, for example, hydrophobicity, a narrow pore size range, a high water penetration pressure, and a large vapor permeability. In this work, we present and examine the main features of membranes for MD processes, with the aim of experimentally evaluating the related performances. Scanning electron microscopy analysis was carried out for a first estimate of the pore si…
Polyanion–tobramycin nanocomplexes into functional microparticles for the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in cystic fibrosis
2016
Aim: Efficacy of antibiotics in cystic fibrosis (CF) is compromised by the poor penetration through mucus barrier. This work proposes a new ‘nano-into-micro’ approach, used to obtain a combinatorial effect: achieve a sustained delivery of tobramycin and overcome mucus barrier. Methods: Mannitol microparticles (MPs) were loaded with a tobramycin polymeric nanocomplex and characterized in presence of CF artificial mucus. Results & discussion: MPs are able to alter the rheological properties of CF artificial mucus, enhancing drug penetration into it and allowing a prolonged drug release. MPs resulted to be effective in Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections if compared with free tobramycin. Co…