Gene therapy is believed to be the therapy of the future because it aims to eradicate causes rather than symptoms of diseases. The generic aim of gene therapy is to deliver DNA inside cells in order to achieve a stable and regulated expression of transgenes in the target cells or tissues without side effects. Spontaneous entry of naked DNA inside cells is an inefficient process, consequently, a...

Chitosan (CS) is a versatile biopolymer whose morphological and chemico-physical properties can be designed for a variety of biomedical applications. Taking advantage of its electrolytic nature, cathodic polarization allows CS deposition on electrically conductive substrates, resulting in thin porous structures with tunable morphology. Here we propose an easy method to obtain CS membranes with ...

BACKGROUND Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders that can arise sporadically, be genetically inherited or acquired through infection. The key event in these diseases is misfolding of the cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) into a pathogenic isoform that is rich in beta-sheet structure. This conformational change may result in the formation of PrP(Sc), the prion isoform of PrP, which ...

It is known that irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic disease of cyclic nature characterized by recurrent symptoms. IBS patients should receive, as initial therapeutic approach a short course of treatment which, if effective, has the additional value of confirming the diagnosis. Long-term treatment should be reserved to diagnosed IBS patients with recurrent symptoms. Clinical trials with...

In this study, results about sludge stabilization in reed bed systems (RBSs) after the entire period of operation in two different systems situated in Denmark (Helsinge 42,000 population equivalent (p.e.) - 10 years) and in Italy (La Fontina, 30,000 p.e. - 6 years) were presented. In order to evaluate the process of sludge stabilization, parameters that highlighted the biochemical and chemico-s...

In bone engineering, the adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stromal cells rely on signaling from chemico-physical structure of the substrate, therefore prompting the design of mimetic "extracellular matrix"-like scaffolds. In this study, three-dimensional porous poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA)-based scaffolds have been mixed with different components, including single walled c...

The prion protein (PrPC) is highly expressed within the nervous system. Similar to other GPI-anchored proteins, PrPC is found in lipid rafts, membrane domains enriched in cholesterol and sphingolipids. PrPC raft association, together with raft lipid composition, appears essential for the conversion of PrPC into the scrapie isoform PrPSc, and the development of prion disease. Controversial findi...

The purpose of this paper is to list and discuss briefly some of the causes of chemical and physico-chemical disintegration of concrete and to point out some methods that can be used to study these causes. In this paper a distinction is made between physico-chemical (or chemico-physical) and mechanical causes of failure. Processes involving changes in chemical composition (chemical reactions pr...

For the analytical diagnosis of drug poisoning, it is important to develop conditions for detection both native compounds and products their biotransformation in biological samples. Aim. To a method isolating antidepressant Pyrazidol from human urine presence its determine that are suitable diagnostics thymoleptic intoxication by thin layer chromatography. Materials methods. The study was condu...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Lippia scaberrima, an aromatic indigenous South African plant, with medicinal application, potentially has economic value. The production of essential oil from this plant has not been optimized, and this study of the chemico-morphological characteristics was aimed at determining the location of oil production within the plant. Furthermore, the locality of other secondary met...