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Currently, one of the most important challenges for the conservation of stone artworks is the removal of metal corrosion products on their surfaces. Traditional cleaning methods, which typically involve the application of aqueous solutions containing chelating agents capable of complexing these metal ions, have shown some weaknesses. These weaknesses become apparent when such methods are applied to statues and other vertical surfaces or when aiming to limit the cleaning process to a specific area with controlled application times. Furthermore, the porosity of the stone surface plays a role concerning the cleaning efficiency. To address these issues, chelating agents can be incorporated into gel-like materials. This study is a proof of concept to evaluate the cleaning efficacy of various gel formulations composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), borax (B), and agarose (AG), loaded with two chelators: ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and potassium sodium tartrate (PST or Rochelle salt). Three types of carbonate stones (travertine, Lecce stone, and Carrara marble) characterized by different porosities were artificially stained with copper sulphates and treated with the different PVA-B-AG formulations. The effectiveness of the treatment was directly monitored on the stones using a multi-technique approach that included scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and non-invasive portable nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Additionally, the rheological properties of the gels were investigated, and the Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflection spectroscopy (FTIR ATR) was used to analyse the chemical structure of the gel before and after treatment, aiming to understand the changes induced by the cleaning process.

Hemiparesis as a term refers to a neurological disorder that can be extremely variable, especially with regard to walking abilities. Few works have assessed the use of virtual reality and biofeedback in children and adolescents with hemiparesis. The aim of this study is to provide insights about the rehabilitation of hemiparetic children and teenagers with visual biofeedback in a virtual reality environment. Six hemiparetic subjects (mean age 13.13 years, age range (7–18), 4 males) received 20 personalized rehabilitation GRAIL (Gait Real-time Analysis Interactive Lab) sessions plus 20 sessions of traditional physiotherapy. After an initial evaluation of rehabilitation needs, training focused on gait pattern correction (GP), walking endurance (WE), or gross motor functions (GMFs). All subjects were assessed for their gait analysis by GRAIL, the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), and the 6–Minute Walking Test (6MWT) before and after rehabilitation. All subjects reached their rehabilitation goals, save for one who showed reduced collaboration. In addition, 4 subjects reached a better GP, 3 subjects reported improvements in WE, and 2 subjects improved in GMF. This personalized training with visual biofeedback delivered in a VR setting appears to be effective in modifying motor control and improving gait pattern, in addition to resistance and functional activities, in subjects with hemiparesis.

Dasatinib is a second-generation multityrosine kinase inhibitor used in the first-line and second-line treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive leukaemia. The most frequent type of Dasatinib-induced intestinal injury is haemorrhagic colitis; other morphologic patterns include apoptotic colopathy, CD8+ T-cell-mediated colitis and non-specific colitis. Aim of this study is to describe a novel Crohn's-like histopathologic pattern of Dasatinib-induced colitis. Four patients developed diarrhoea during Dasatinib treatment; colonoscopy was performed and biopsy sets were taken for histological analysis. All patients showed patchy, chronic active inflammation with cryptitis and microgranulomas (two patients). Ileal and rectal biopsies showed either no or mild, focal inflammation. An increase in lamina propria eosinophils was seen (two patients) and apoptoses were seen (three patients). Complete remission was observed after interruption of treatment. Dasatinib-induced colitis and Crohn's disease may share histologic features including microgranulomas, which can potentially lead to misdiagnosis if no information on treatment is provided., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)