Search results for "Targeting"
showing 10 items of 186 documents
Saliency Based Aesthetic Cut of Digital Images
2013
Aesthetic cut of photos is a process well known to professional photographers. It consists of cutting the original photo to remove less relevant parts close to the borders leaving in this way the interesting subjects in a position that is perceived by the observer as more pleasant. In this paper we propose a saliency based technique to automatically perform aesthetic cut in images. We use a standard method to estimate the saliency map and propose some post processing on the map to make it more suitable for our scope. We then apply a greedy algorithm to determine the cut (i.e. the most important part of the original image) both in the cases of free and fixed aspect ratio. Experimental result…
Biocompatible polymeric micelles with polysorbate 80 for use in brain targeting.
2008
In this paper, the synthesis and characterization of novel amphiphilic graft copolymers based on an alpha,beta-poly(N-2-hydroxyethyl)-D, L-aspartamide (PHEA) backbone and D, L-polylactic acid (PLA) hydrophobic side chains are reported. These copolymers were obtained starting from PHEA-ethylenediamine (PHEA-EDA), which was functionalized with polysorbate 80 (PS(80)) and/or PLA in order to obtain the PHEA-EDA-PS(80)-PLA and PHEA-EDA-PLA samples, respectively. The degrees of derivatization, DD(PS80) and DD(PLA), of PHEA-EDA-PS80-PLA, calculated by (1)H-NMR, resulted in being 1.2 +/- 0.03 mol% and 0.54 +/- 0.05 mol%, respectively, while that of PHEA-EDA-PLA was found to be 0.60 +/- 0.05 mol%. S…
A novel rationale for targeting FXI: Insights from the hemostatic miRNA targetome for emerging anticoagulant strategies
2018
Abstract The treatment and prevention of thrombosis is currently under a period of rapid change with the replacement of traditional anticoagulant vitamin K antagonists, which impair the biosynthesis of a wide range of blood coagulation factors, with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), which specifically target factors FXa or FIIa. Nevertheless therapeutic targeting of blood coagulation is an inherently difficult task as it interferes with the delicate balance of pro- and anticoagulant activities. Although anticoagulants are employed in millions of thrombophilic patients worldwide each year, for a growing population with comorbidities who exhibit an increased risk of bleeding with DOAC treat…
Mesoporous silica microparticles gated with a bulky azo derivative for the controlled release of dyes/drugs in colon.
2018
[EN] Mesoporous silica microparticles were prepared, loaded with the dye safranin O (M-Saf) or with the drug budesonide (M-Bud) and capped by the grafting of a bulky azo derivative. Cargo release from M-Saf at different pH values (mimicking those found in the gastrointestinal tract) in the absence or presence of sodium dithionite (a reducing agent mimicking azoreductase enzyme present in the colon) was tested. Negligible safranin O release was observed at pH 6.8 and 4.5, whereas a moderate delivery at pH 1.2 was noted and attributed to the hydrolysis of the urea bond that linked the azo derivative onto the external surface of the inorganic scaffold. Moreover, a marked release was observed w…
Sviluppo di nanocarriers per il “drug release” controllato di biomolecole nella terapia antitumorale
2014
Una nuova generazione di nanogels (NGs) in poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) è stata ottenuta mediante beta–irraggiamento (e-beam) ad alta energia mediante elettroni accelerati, che permette in tempi brevi la reticolazione di polimeri in soluzione acquosa, utilizzando acceleratori di particelle lineari. Oltre al controllo dimensionale, l’aspetto innovativo di tale tecnica è la possibilità di ottenere nanogels sterili, la cui funzionalizzazione di superficie avviene in un unico step. Inizialmente, è stata provata la loro biocompatibilità e non genotossicità in sistemi biologici, caratteristiche fondamentali per la loro applicazione in campo biomedico. Inoltre, sono stati messi a punto dei prot…
Advancing stem cells: New therapeutic strategies for treating central nervous system disorders
2018
In this special issue, we explore new methods and knowledge to improve stem cell transplantation in diseases and conditions such as stroke, PD, and depression. Advancing the conventional idea regarding cell replacement in stem cell therapy, stem cells may also transfer healthy mitochondria to diseased ischemic neurons in stroke and improve the therapeutic time window of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in a conjunctive therapy for stroke, and human Wharton’s Jelly-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hWJ-MSCs) may rely mainly on trophic factor secretion to induce neuroprotective effects. In addition, trophic factors such as neurotrophin-4/5 (NT-4/5) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic …
Nanoparticles as Contrast Agents for MRI of Atherosclerotic Lesions
2008
Nanoparticle contrast agents for MRI may aid in identifying atherosclerotic lesions that give rise to ischemic events by means of penetration and retention in the plaque. These imaging agents may provide valuable information regarding plaque characteristics which can help determine the risk of plaque rupture. By increasing molecular flexibility or adding a means of specifically targeting ligands via antibody or peptide, nanoparticles can enhance certain regions of the atherosclerotic plaque. The development of single contrast agents detectable with multiple imaging modalities may further improve our ability to detect and characterize atherosclerosis in clinical and preclinical applications.…
Evaluation of the inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reaction in rats using a scandium-44-labelled tetrazine for pretargeted PET imaging
2019
Background Pretargeted imaging allows the use of short-lived radionuclides when imaging the accumulation of slow clearing targeting agents such as antibodies. The biotin-(strept)avidin and the bispecific antibody-hapten interactions have been applied in clinical pretargeting studies; unfortunately, these systems led to immunogenic responses in patients. The inverse electron demand Diels-Alder (IEDDA) reaction between a radiolabelled tetrazine (Tz) and a trans-cyclooctene (TCO)-functionalized targeting vector is a promising alternative for clinical pretargeted imaging due to its fast reaction kinetics. This strategy was first applied in nuclear medicine using an 111In-labelled Tz to image TC…
Folate targeted coated SPIONs as efficient tool for MRI
2017
The development of more sensitive diagnostic tools allowing an early-stage and highly efficient medical imaging of tumors remains a challenge. Magnetic nanoparticles seem to be the contrast agents with the highest potential, if properly constructed. Therefore, in this study, hybrid magnetic nanoarchitectures were developed using a new amphiphilic inulin-based graft copolymer (INU-LAPEG-FA) as coating material for 10-nm spinel iron oxide (magnetite, Fe3O4) superparamagnetic nanoparticles (SPION). Folic acid (FA) covalently linked to the coating copolymer in order to be exposed onto the nanoparticle surface was chosen as the targeting agent because folate receptors are upregulated in many can…
A targeted apoB38.9 mutation in mice is associated with reduced hepatic cholesterol synthesis and enhanced lipid peroxidation.
2006
Familial hypobetalipoproteinemia (FHBL) due to truncation-specifying mutations of apolipoprotein B (apoB), which impair hepatic lipid export in very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles, is associated with fatty liver. In an FHBL-like mouse with the apoB38.9 mutation, fatty liver develops despite reduced hepatic fatty acid synthesis. However, hepatic cholesterol contents in apoB38.9 mice are normal. We found that cholesterogenic enzymes (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, sterol-C5-desaturase, and 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase) were consistently downregulated in two separate expression-profiling experiments using a total of 19 mice ( n = 7 each for apob+/+and apob+/38.9, …