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Resume Introduction La semiologie post-traumatique presente des symptomes caracterises notamment par des reviviscences du traumatisme. Ce tableau clinique peut s’enrichir des effets de la consommation puis de la dependance aux drogues. Des liens sont etablis aussi avec le trouble de personnalite limite. Nous revenons ici sur le concept de comorbidite et les entraves que cela peut constituer dans la prise en charge du sujet. Ce concept de comorbidite ressemble par trop a un discours mathematique qui privilegie l’etude des proportions au detriment de celle des relations, et qui risque d’aboutir au developpement d’analyse de structures supposees invariables. Methode Un symptome comorbide se doit d’etre etudie en reference au moment ou il survient, a l’etat psychopathologique ou il s’integre, a sa fonction dans celui-ci, et aux proprietes qu’il acquiert du fait de la place qu’il y prend. Resultats A partir de la nous insistons sur l’importance de l’affirmation diagnostique, mais aussi sur la strategie therapeutique qui conduit a articuler ce qui releve respectivement de l’intrapsychique et de l’intersubjectif, dans le cadre d’une demarche evaluative qui fait appel a la creativite du clinicien. Discussion De fait, notre option est de considerer les conduites addictives comme une tentative de « guerison » d’un trauma, une tentative d’echapper au retour de la reviviscence, meme si cela ne represente pas toutes les experiences addictives. Plus largement, le fonctionnement limite se concoit comme manifestations symptomatiques post-traumatique ou le trauma est d’emprise generationnelle.

In recent times, the searches for alternative materials to plastic is a popular topic, due to the danger that synthetic materials cause to the environment and humans. Among the promising natural polymers, chitosan (CS) is certainly one of the most suitable since it it is edible, non-toxic and derives from crustacean waste.- However, it is necessary to improve its physical properties to be widely applied in food packaging, whose market is dominated by synthetic plastic. In this work we have synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using hot-plate and microwaves-based techniques, using Aloe Vera leaves extracts. The synthetic process follows the principles of green chemistry, since no toxic substance is used to obtain nanomaterials. These NPs, having dimensions

The exponential increase of waste derived from different human activities points out the importance of their reuse in order to create materials with specific properties that can be used for different applications. In this work, it was showed how the typical Mediterranean organic liquid waste, namely olive mill wastewater (OMWW), obtained during olive oil production, can be turned into an efficient reactive agent for the production of noble metals gold (Au) and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with very well-defined physico-chemical properties. More than that, it was demonstrated that this synthetic procedure also leads to a drastic decrease of the organic pollution load of the OMWW, making it safer for environmental disposal and plants irrigation. Then, using healthy hepatic cell line mitochondria, the biological effects induced by these green metal NPs surrounded by a polyphenols shell, with the same NPs synthetized through a standard chemical colloidal reduction process, were compared, finding out that the green NPs are much safer. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].

A significant interest in sustainable sound absorbing materials is fostering many researches on the use of recycled and vegetable products, that normally would have been sent to wastes, as compounds to obtain new building materials. One key issue when preparing new composite materials is the choice of the binder, which, in many cases, may significantly reduce the sustainability of the product by introducing synthetic and plastic elements. In the present paper olive tree pruning wastes bounded with chitosan are investigated to obtain sound absorbing materials. Experimental results showed that absorption coefficients as high as 0.9 can be obtained above 1 kHz using a 50 mm sample, and that a very good agreement with the phenomenological model for sound absorption through a rigid frame is obtained, suggesting that the model can be conveniently used to further improve the sound absorption characteristics of the samples.

Noble metals nanoparticles (NPs) and metal oxide NPs are widely used in different fields of application and commercial products, exposing living organisms to their potential adverse effects. Recent evidences suggest their presence in the aquifers water and consequently in drinking water. In this work, we have carefully synthesized four types of NPs, namely, silver and gold NPs (Ag NPs and Au NPs) and silica and titanium dioxide NPs (SiO2 NPs and TiO2 NPs) having a similar size and negatively charged surfaces. The synthesis of Ag NPs and Au NPs was carried out by colloidal route using silver nitrate (AgNO3) and tetrachloroauric (III) acid (HAuCl4) while SiO2 NPs and TiO2 NPs were achieved by ternary microemulsion and sol-gel routes, respectively. Once the characterization of NPs was carried out in order to assess their physico-chemical properties, their impact on living cells was studied. We used the human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (Caco-2), known as the best representative intestinal epithelial barrier model to understand the effects triggered by NPs through ingestion. Then, we moved to explore how water contamination caused by NPs can be lowered by the ability of three species of aquatic moss, namely, Leptodictyum riparium, Vesicularia ferriei, and Taxiphyllum barbieri, to absorb them. The experiments were conducted using two concentrations of NPs (100 μM and 500 Μm as metal content) and two time points (24 h and 48 h), showing a capture rate dependent on the moss species and NPs type. Then, the selected moss species, able to actively capture NPs, appear as a powerful tool capable to purify water from nanostructured materials, and then, to reduce the toxicity associated to the ingestion of contaminated drinking water.

Over the last decades, several materials have been proposed for the fabrication of dental and mandibular prosthetic implants. Today, the poly(methyl-methacrylate) (PMMA) resin is the most spread material, due to its ease of processing, low cost, aesthetic properties, low weight, biocompatibility, and biostability in the oral cavity. However, the porous surface (which favors the adhesion of microorganisms) and the weak mechanical properties (which lead to wear or fracture) are the major concerns. The inclusion of engineered nanomaterials in the acrylic matrix could improve the performances of PMMA. In this study, we added two different kind of nanomaterials, namely titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) and halloysite clay nanotubes (HNTs) at two concentrations (1% and 3% w/w) in PMMA. Then, we assessed the effect of nanomaterials inclusion by the evaluation of specific physical parameters: Young’s modulus, roughness, and wettability. In addition, we investigated the potential beneficial effects regarding the Candida albicans (C. albicans) colonization reduction, the most common yeast responsible of several infections in oral cavity. Our experimental results showed an improvement of PMMA performance, following the addition of TiO2NPs and HNTs, in a dose dependent manner. In particular, the presence of TiO2NPs in the methacrylate matrix induced a greater increase in PMMA stiffness respect to HNTs addition. On the other hand, HNTs reduced the rate of C. albicans colonization more significantly than TiO2NPs. The results obtained are of great interest for the improvement of PMMA physico-chemical properties, in view of its possible application in clinical dentistry.

In the last decades, the increase in global industrialization and the consequent technological progress have damaged the quality of the environment. As a consequence, the high levels of hazardous compounds such as metals and gases released in the atmosphere and water, have raised several concerns about the health of living organisms. Today, many analytical techniques are available with the aim to detect pollutant chemical species. However, a lot of them are not affordable due to the expensive instrumentations, time-consuming processes and high reagents volumes. Last but not least, their use is exclusive to trained operators. Contrarily, colorimetric sensing devices, including paper-based devices, are easy to use, providing results in a short time, without particular specializations to interpret the results. In addition, the colorimetric response is suitable for fast detection, especially in resource-limited environments or underdeveloped countries. Among different chemical species, transition and heavy metals such as iron Fe(II) and copper Cu(II) as well as volatile compounds, such as ammonia (NH3) and acetaldehyde (C2H4O) are widespread mainly in industrialized geographical areas. In this work, we developed a colorimetric paper-based analytical device (PAD) to detect different contaminants, including Fe2+ and Cu2+ ions in water, and NH3 and C2H4O in air at low concentrations. This study is a &ldquo, proof of concept&rdquo, of a new paper sensor in which the intensity of the colorimetric response is proportional to the concentration of a detected pollutant species. The sensor model could be further implemented in other technologies, such as drones, individual protection devices or wearable apparatus to monitor the exposure to toxic species in both indoor and outdoor environments.

The use of titanium dioxide (TiO2) within two specific classes of devices, namely electrochromic and photoelectrochromic, is described hereafter, with respect to its inherent properties and chromogenic features within architectures that have appeared so far, in this field. The new research trends, involving the applications of TiO2 in chromogenic materials are reported, with particular attention paid to the techniques used for film deposition as well as the synthesis of nanoparticles. Furthermore, the main studies concerning its chemical-physical properties and approaches to its chemical syntheses and fabrication are reviewed, with special regard to “green” routes. In addition, the main aspects relating to toxicological profiles are exposed, with reference to nanoparticles and thin films.

We investigated how the shape of polymeric vesicles, made by the exact same material, impacts the replication activity and metabolic state of both cancer and non-cancer cell types. First, we isolated discrete geometrical structures (spheres and tubes) from a heterogeneous sample using density-gradient centrifugation. Then, we characterized the cellular internalization and the kinetics of uptake of both types of polymersomes in different cell types (either cancer or non-cancer cells). We also investigated the cellular metabolic response as a function of the shape of the structures internalized and discovered that tubular vesicles induce a significant decrease in the replication activity of cancer cells compared to spherical vesicles. We related this effect to the significant up-regulation of the tumor suppressor genes p21 and p53 with a concomitant activation of caspase 3/7. Finally, we demonstrated that combining the intrinsic shape-dependent effects of tubes with the delivery of doxorubicin significantly increases the cytotoxicity of the system. Our results illustrate how the geometrical conformation of nanoparticles could impact cell behavior and how this could be tuned to create novel drug delivery systems tailored to specific biomedical application.

In the last years, there is a growing interest in the application of nanoscaled materials in cancer therapy because of their unique physico-chemical properties. However, the dark side of their usability is limited by their possible toxic behaviour and accumulation in living organisms. Starting from this assumption, the search for a green alternative to produce nanoparticles (NPs) or the discovery of green molecules, is a challenge in order to obtain safe materials. In particular, gold (Au NPs) and silver (Ag NPs) NPs are particularly suitable because of their unique physico-chemical properties, in particular plasmonic behaviour that makes them useful as active anticancer agents. These NPs can be obtained by green approaches, alternative to conventional chemical methods, owing to the use of phytochemicals, carbohydrates, and other biomolecules present in plants, fungi, and bacteria, reducing toxic effects. In addition, we analysed the use of green and stimuli-responsive polymeric bio-inspired nanovesicles, mainly used in drug delivery applications that have revolutionised the way of drugs supply. Finally, we reported the last examples on the use of metallic and Au NPs as self-propelling systems as new concept of nanorobot, which are able to respond and move towards specific physical or chemical stimuli in biological entities.

Simple Summary Polyphenols are present in a broad variety of plants, and they are known to possess anti-inflammation and anticancer properties. We used extracts from Laurus nobilis to synthetize gold nanoparticles (Au NPs), on which polyphenols were absorbed to form a stable shell (Au NPs@polyphenols). Then, the macrophage inflammation response was assessed, with the aim of using the Au NPs@polyphenols as synergistic tools in the thermal treatment of cancer cell models. We showed that the thermal conductivity enhancement, induced by Au during thermal treatment, increased the anticancer effects of polyphenols. After demonstrating the effectiveness of this system in in vitro cancer cell models, the future challenge will be the in vivo application of Au NPs@polyphenols. Abstract Background: In recent decades, gold nanoparticle (Au NP)-based cancer therapy has been heavily debated. The physico-chemical properties of AuNPs can be exploited in photothermal therapy, making them a powerful tool for selectively killing cancer cells. However, the synthetic side products and capping agents often induce a strong activation of the inflammatory pathways of macrophages, thus limiting their further applications in vivo. Methods: Here, we described a green method to obtain stable polyphenol-capped AuNPs (Au NPs@polyphenols), as polyphenols are known for their anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. These NPs were used in human macrophages to test key inflammation-related markers, such as NF-κB, TNF-α, and interleukins-6 and 8. The results were compared with similar NPs obtained by a traditional chemical route (without the polyphenol coating), proving the potential of Au NPs@polyphenols to strongly promote the shutdown of inflammation. This was useful in developing them for use as heat-synergized tools in the thermal treatment of two types of cancer cells, namely, breast cancer (MCF-7) and neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells. The cell viability, calcium release, oxidative stress, HSP-70 expression, mitochondrial, and DNA damage, as well as cytoskeleton alteration, were evaluated. Results: Our results clearly demonstrate that the combined strategy markedly exerts anticancer effects against the tested cancer cell, while neither of the single treatments (only heat or only NPs) induced significant changes. Conclusions: Au NP@polyphenols may be powerful agents in cancer treatment.

Lauric acid is a green derivate that is abundant in some seeds such as coconut oil where it represents the most relevant fatty acid. Some studies have emphasized its anticancer effect due to apoptosis induction. In addition, the lauric acid is a Phase Change Material having a melting temperature of about 43.2 &deg, C: this property makes it a powerful tool in cancer treatment by hyperthermal stress, generally induced at 43 &deg, C. However, the direct use of lauric acid can have some controversial effects, and it can undergo degradation phenomena in the extracellular environment. For this reason, we have encapsulated lauric acid in a silica shell with a one-step and reproducible synthetic route in order to obtain a monodispersed SiO2@LA NPs with a good encapsulation efficiency. We have used these NPs to expose breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7) at different concentrations in combination with hyperthermal treatment. Uptake, viability, oxidative stress induction, caspases levels, and morphometric parameters were analyzed. These nanovectors showed double action in anticancer treatments thanks to the synergic effect of temperature and lauric acid activity.

The current strategies to treat different kinds of cancer are mainly based on chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy. Unfortunately, these approaches are not specific and rather invasive as well. In this scenario, metal nano-shells, in particular gold-based nanoshells, offer interesting perspectives in the effort to counteract tumor cells, due to their unique ability to tune Surface Plasmon Resonance in different light-absorbing ranges. In particular, the Visible and Near Infrared Regions of the electromagnetic spectrum are able to penetrate through tissues. In this way, the light absorbed by the gold nanoshell at a specific wavelength is converted into heat, inducing photothermal ablation in treated cancer cells. Furthermore, inert gold shells can be easily functionalized with different types of molecules in order to bind cellular targets in a selective manner. This review summarizes the current state-of-art of nanosystems embodying gold shells, regarding methods of synthesis, bio-conjugations, bio-distribution, imaging and photothermal effects (in vitro and in vivo), providing new insights for the development of multifunctional antitumor drugs.

The nowadays growing use of nanoparticles (NPs) in commercial products does not match a comprehensive understanding of their potential harmfulness. More in vitro investigations are required to address how the physicochemical properties of NPs guide their engulfment within cells and their intracellular trafficking, fate, and toxicity. These nano-bio interactions have not been extensively addressed yet, especially from a mechanical viewpoint. Cell mechanic is a critical indicator of cell health because it regulates processes like cell migration, tissue integrity, and differentiation via cytoskeleton rearrangements. Here, we investigated in vitro the elasticity perturbation of Caco-2 and A549 cell lines, in terms of Young’s modulus modification induced by SiO2NPS and TiO2NPS. TiO2NPs demonstrated stronger effects on cell elasticity compared to SiO2NPs, as they induced significant morphological and morphometric changes in actin network. TiO2NPS increased the elasticity in Caco-2 cells, while opposite effects have been observed on A549 cells. These results demonstrate the existence of a correlation between the alteration of cell elasticity and NPs toxicity that depends, in turn, on the NPs physicochemical properties and the specific cell tested.

The large use of nanomaterials in many fields of application and commercial products highlights their potential toxicity on living organisms and the environment, despite their physico-chemical properties. Among these, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are involved in biomedical applications such as antibacterial agents, drug delivery vectors and theranostics agents. In this review, we explain the common synthesis routes of Ag NPs using physical, chemical, and biological methods, following their toxicity mechanism in cells. In particular, we analyzed the physiological cellular pathway perturbations in terms of oxidative stress induction, mitochondrial membrane potential alteration, cell death, apoptosis, DNA damage and cytokines secretion after Ag NPs exposure. In addition, their potential anti-cancer activity and theranostic applications are discussed.

The wide use of engineered nanomaterials in many fields, ranging from biomedical, agriculture, environment, cosmetic, urged the scientific community to understand the processes behind their potential toxicity, in order to develop new strategies for human safety. As a matter of fact, there is a big discrepancy between the increased classes of nanoparticles and the consequent applications versus their toxicity assessment. Nanotoxicology is defined as the science that studies the effects of engineered nanodevices and nanostructures in living organisms. This chapter analyzes the physico-chemical properties of the most used nanoparticles, the way they enter the living organism and their cytoxicity mechanisms at cellular exposure level. Moreover, the current state of nanoparticles risk assessment is reported and analyzed.

The development of different kinds of nanoparticles, showing different physico-chemical properties, has fostered their large use in many fields, including medicine. As a consequence, inorganic nanoparticles (e.g., metals or semiconductors), have raised issues about their potential toxicity. The scientific community is investigating the toxicity mechanisms of these materials, in vitro and in vivo, in order to provide accurate references concerning their use. This review will give the readers a thorough exploration on the entry mechanisms of inorganic nanoparticles in the human body, such as titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂NPs), silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO₂NPs), zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs), silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and quantum dots (QDsNPs). In addition, biodistribution, the current trends and novelties of in vitro and in vivo toxicology studies will be discussed, with a particular focus on immune response.

This paper reports the preliminary experimental results of a research project aiming at applying innovative materials and devices to a new modular construction system, named Easy House. The goal of the project is to use specific enabling nanotechnologies to achieve a significant enhancement of thermal performances of the building envelope as well as visual comfort indoor. With this aim, we perform a synthetic chemical route to obtain stable and monodispersed amorphous silica nanocapsules containing phase change materials (PCMs). The first results deriving from in vitro toxicological analyses, here reported, showed that such structures are not harmful and they can be adopted as suitable capsules to host a PCM, typically used in finishing materials, acting as thermal buffers. Moreover, the paper reports the possible advantages deriving from the integration of chromogenic devices, able to ensure energy saving and optimizing the use of daylighting.

The green synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) is currently under worldwide investigation as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional routes (NPs): the absence of toxic solvents and catalysts make it suitable in the design of promising nanomaterials for nanomedicine applications. In this work, we used the extracts collected from leaves of two cultivars (Leccino and Carolea) belonging to the species Olea Europaea, to synthesize silver NPs (AgNPs) in different pH conditions and low temperature. NPs underwent full morphological characterization with the aim to define a suitable protocol to obtain a monodispersed population of AgNPs. Afterwards, to validate the reproducibility of the mentioned synthetic procedure, we moved on to another Mediterranean plant, the Laurus Nobilis. Interestingly, the NPs obtained using the two olive cultivars produced NPs with different shape and size, strictly depending on the cultivar selected and pH. Furthermore, the potential ability to inhibit the growth of two woman cancer cells (breast adenocarcinoma cells, MCF-7 and human cervical epithelioid carcinoma, HeLa) were assessed for these AgNPs, as well as their capability to mitigate the bacteria concentration in samples of contaminated well water. Our results showed that toxicity was stronger when MCF-7 and Hela cells were exposed to AgNPs derived from Carolea obtained at pH 7 presenting irregular shape, on the other hand, greater antibacterial effect was revealed using AgNPs obtained at pH 8 (smaller and monodispersed) on well water, enriched with bacteria and coliforms.

Toxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is supported by many observations in literature, but no mechanism details have been proved yet. Here we confirm and quantify the toxic potential of fully characterized AgNPs in HeLa and A549 cells. Notably, through a specific fluorescent probe, we demonstrate the intracellular release of Ag + ions in living cells after nanoparticle internalization, showing that in-situ particle degradation is promoted by the acidic lysosomal environment. The activation of metallothioneins in response to AgNPs and the possibility to reverse the main toxic pathway by Ag + chelating agents demonstrate a cause/effect relationship between ions and cell death. We propose that endocytosed AgNPs are degraded in the lysosomes and the release of Ag + ions in the cytosol induces cell damages, while ions released in the cell culture medium play a negligible effect. These findings will be useful to develop safer-by-design nanoparticles and proper regulatory guidelines of AgNPs. From the Clinical Editor The authors describe the toxic potential of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) in human cancer cell lines. Cell death following the application of AgNPs is dose-dependent, and it is mostly due to Ag+ ions. Further in vivo studies should be performed to gain a comprehensive picture of AgNP-toxicity in mammals.

We have studied in vitro toxicity of iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) coated with a thin silica shell (Fe3O4/SiO2 NPs) on A549 and HeLa cells. We compared bare and surface passivated Fe3O4/SiO2 NPs to evaluate the effects of the coating on the particle stability and toxicity. NPs cytotoxicity was investigated by cell viability, membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), reactive oxygen species (ROS) assays, and their genotoxicity by comet assay. Our results show that NPs surface passivation reduces the oxidative stress and alteration of iron homeostasis and, consequently, the overall toxicity, despite bare and passivated NPs show similar cell internalization efficiency. We found that the higher toxicity of bare NPs is due to their stronger in-situ degradation, with larger intracellular release of iron ions, as compared to surface passivated NPs. Our results indicate that surface engineering of Fe3O4/SiO2 NPs plays a key role in improving particles stability in biological environments reducing both cytotoxic and genotoxic effects.