Effect of Mechanical Constraint on Domain Reorientation in Predominantly {111}‐Textured Lead Zirconate Titanate Films

Ferroelectric/ferroelastic domain reorientation was measured in 2.0 μm thick tetragonal {111}‐textured PbZr_0.30Ti_0.70O₃ thin films using synchrotron X‐ray diffraction (XRD). Lattice strain from the peak shift in the 111 Bragg reflection and domain reorientation were quantified as a function of applied electric field amplitude. Domain reorientation was quantified through the intensity exchange between the 112 and 211 Bragg reflections. Results from three different film types are reported: dense films that are clamped to the substrate (as‐processed), dense films that are partially released from the substrate, and films with 3% volume porosity. The highest amount of domain reorientation is observed in grains that are misoriented with respect to the {111} preferred (domain engineered) orientation. Relative to the clamped films, films that were released from the substrate or had porosity exhibited neither significant enhancement in domain reorientation nor in 111 lattice strain. In contrast, similar experiments on {100}‐textured and randomly oriented films showed significant enhancement in domain reorientation in released and porous films. Therefore, {111}‐textured films are less susceptible to changes in properties due to mechanical constraints because there is overall less domain reorientation in {111} films than in {100} films.     

Inflammatory Cutaneous Diseases in Renal Transplant Recipients

Kidney transplant recipients frequently suffer from skin infections and malignancies, possibly due to the effects of long-term immunosuppressive therapy. While the relationships between immunosuppression and these pathological conditions have been widely investigated, little is known about the relative incidence and characteristics of inflammatory skin diseases in this type of patient. In this study, we analyze the incidence of a number of inflammatory cutaneous diseases in a cohort of patients who underwent kidney transplantation. Although our study shows a relatively low incidence of these pathologies in transplanted patients—in agreement with the general action of immunosuppressant therapies in reducing inflammation—we scored a different efficacy of the various immunosuppressive regimens on inflammatory and autoimmune skin diseases. This information can be key for designing immunosuppressive regimens and devising accurate follow-up protocols.     

Self-nucleation of isotactic poly(1-butene) in the trigonal modification

Isotactic poly(1-butene) (i-PBu) is a polyolefin of industrial relevance which exhibits an interesting polymorphism. Upon cooling from the relaxed melt at atmospheric pressure, a tetragonal phase (Form II) develops. However, being metastable, this structure slowly evolves upon aging in the stable trigonal modification (Form I). Another trigonal modification, denoted Form I′, can also crystallize directly from the melt if proper conditions are met, e.g., high pressure, low tacticity, ultrathin samples etc. In this work, we aim to verify whether, by acting on the nucleation stage via a proper thermal history, the direct formation of the trigonal polymorph from the melt in a bulk sample is possible. Nucleation of i-PBu has been tailored by means of the self-nucleation technique, imposed on previously aged samples (Form I). DSC and temperature-resolved WAXS show that different crystallization pathways can be observed, depending on the residual concentration of Form I self-nuclei. With decreasing self-nucleation temperature we first encounter “cross-nucleation” of the tetragonal crystal on trigonal nuclei, followed by concomitant crystallization of Form II and Form I′ and eventually the sole formation of the trigonal modification (Form I′).     

Ficolin-2 Plasma Level Assesses Liver Fibrosis in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Fibrosis is the strongest predictor for disease-specific mortality in non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD), but the need for liver biopsy limits its diagnosis. We assessed the performance of plasma ficolin-2 (FCN-2) as a biomarker of fibrosis identified by an in silico discovery strategy. Two hundred and thirty-five morbidly obese (MO) subjects with biopsy-proven NAFLD stratified by fibrosis stage (F0, n = 44; F1, n = 134; F2, n = 46; F3/F4, n = 11) and 40 cirrhotic patients were enrolled. The cohort was subdivided into discovery (n = 76) and validation groups (n = 159). The plasma level of FCN-2 and other candidate markers was determined. FCN-2 was inversely correlated with the stage of liver fibrosis (ρ = −0.49, p < 0.001) independently of steatosis (p = 0.90), inflammation (p = 0.57), and ballooning (p = 0.59). In the global cohort, FCN-2 level decreased significantly in a stepwise fashion from F0/F1 (median 4753 ng/mL) to F2–F3–F4 (2760 ng/mL) and in cirrhotic subjects (1418 ng/mL). The diagnostic performance of FCN-2 in detecting F ≥ 2 was higher than other indexes (APRI, FIB-4) (AUROC 0.82, 0.68, and 0.6, respectively). The accuracy improved when combined with APRI score and HDL values (FCNscore, AUROC 0.85). Overall, the FCN-2 plasma level can accurately discriminate liver fibrosis status (minimal vs. moderate/advanced) significantly improving the fibrosis diagnostic algorithms.     

MicroRNA Cross-Involvement in Acne Vulgaris and Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Literature Review

Acne Vulgaris (AV) and Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) are common chronic inflammatory skin conditions that affect the follicular units that often coexist or are involved in differential diagnoses. Inflammation in both these diseases may result from shared pathways, which may partially explain their frequent coexistence. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous, short, non-protein coding, gene-silencing or promoting RNAs that may promote various inflammatory diseases. This narrative review investigates the current knowledge regarding miRNAs and their link to AV and HS. The aim is to examine the role of these molecules in the pathogenesis of AV and HS and to identify possible common miRNAs that could explain the similar characteristics of these two diseases. Five miRNA (miR-155 miR-223-, miR-21, and miRNA-146a) levels were found to be altered in both HS and AV. These miRNAs are related to pathogenetic aspects common to both pathologies, such as the regulation of the innate immune response, regulation of the Th1/Th17 axis, and fibrosis processes that induce scar formation. This review provides a starting point for further studies aimed at investigating the role of miRNAs in AV and HS for their possible use as diagnostic-therapeutic targets.     

The Role of Testosterone in the Elderly: What Do We Know?

Testosterone is the most important hormone in male health. Aging is characterized by testosterone deficiency due to decreasing testosterone levels associated with low testicular production, genetic factors, adiposity, and illness. Low testosterone levels in men are associated with sexual dysfunction (low sexual desire, erectile dysfunction), reduced skeletal muscle mass and strength, decreased bone mineral density, increased cardiovascular risk and alterations of the glycometabolic profile. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) shows several therapeutic effects while maintaining a good safety profile in hypogonadal men. TRT restores normal levels of serum testosterone in men, increasing libido and energy level and producing beneficial effects on bone density, strength and muscle as well as yielding cardioprotective effects. Nevertheless, TRT could be contraindicated in men with untreated prostate cancer, although poor findings are reported in the literature. In addition, different potential side effects, such as polycythemia, cardiac events and obstructive sleep apnea, should be monitored. The aim of our review is to provide an updated background regarding the pros and cons of TRT, evaluating its role and its clinical applicability in different domains.     

Evaluation of Cell Migration and Cytokines Expression Changes under the Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field on Wound Healing In Vitro Model

Wound healing (WH) proceeds through four distinct phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Impaired WH may be the consequence of the alteration of one of these phases and represents a significant health and economic burden to millions of individuals. Thus, new therapeutic strategies are the topics of intense research worldwide. Although radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) has many medical applications in rehabilitation, pain associated with musculoskeletal disorders, and degenerative joint disorders, its impact on WH is not fully understood. The process of WH begins just after injury and continues during the inflammatory and proliferative phases. A thorough understanding of the mechanisms by which RF-EMF can improve WH is required before it can be used as a non-invasive, inexpensive, and easily self-applicable therapeutic strategy. Thus, the aim of this study is to explore the therapeutic potential of different exposure setups of RF-EMF to drive faster healing, evaluating the keratinocytes migration, cytokines, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) expression. The results showed that RF-EMF treatment promotes keratinocytes’ migration and regulates the expression of genes involved in healing, such as MMPs, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases, and pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines, to improve WH.