This study examines the influence of raw material characteristics, methods of shaping and of parameters of firing process of clay bricks, on pore-size distribution and on resistance to freeze-thaw cycles (with particular emphasis on the retention time of the specimens at the maximum achieved temperature). Pore-size distribution was measured by mercury-intrusion porosimetry, while the resistance to freeze-thaw cycles was assessed by exposing the bricks to freeze-thaw cycles (HRN B.D8.011 standard) monitoring the appearance of surface changes, decrease of compressive strength as well as the Maage factor. A correlation was set up between the Maage factor and the ratio of the compressive strength before and after freezing as a quantitative indicator of bricks resistance to frost. By using this correlation for all the examined bricks, regardless of their raw material and shaping procedure, a low coefficient of correlation (R2 = 0.26) was obtained. When processed separately, machine-made bricks had a significantly higher correlation coefficient value (R2 = 0.60) than the hand-made bricks (R2 = 0.28).Dual-task paradigms have been increasingly used to assess the interaction between cognitive demands and the control of balance and gait. The interaction between functional and cognitive demands can alter movement patterns and increase knee instability in individuals with knee conditions, such as knee anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury or osteoarthritis (OA). However, there is no consensus on the effects of dual-task on gait mechanics and balance in those individuals. This systematic scoping review aims to examine the impact of dual-task gait and standing balance on motor and cognitive performance in individuals with knee OA or ACL injury. A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE electronic databases up until December 2019 was carried out. Inclusion criteria was limited to include dual-task studies that combined cognitive tasks performed simultaneously with gait or standing balance in individuals with knee OA or ACL injuries. In total, fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria, nine articles examined dual-task effects on balance, and six articles reported the effects of dual-task on gait. The total number of individuals included was 230 individuals with ACL injuries, and 168 individuals with knee OA. A decline in gait and balance performance during dual-task testing is present among individuals with ACL injury and/or ACL reconstruction and knee OA. Further research is required, but dual taking assessment could potentially be used to identify individuals at risk of falling or further injury and could be used to develop targeted rehabilitation protocols. A variety of outcome measures have been used across the studies included, making comparisons difficult. The authors, therefore, recommend developing a standardized set of biomechanical balance variables.It has been reported that in the molecular imprinting technique, the use of preformed oligomers instead of functional monomers increases the stability of the non-covalent interactions with the template molecule, providing a sharp gain in terms of binding properties for the resulting imprinted polymer.  https://www.selleckchem.com/pharmacological_epigenetics.html  Based on this theory, we assumed that the delayed addition of template molecules to a polymerization mixture enhances the binding properties of the resulting polymer. To verify this hypothesis, we imprinted several mixtures of 4-vinylpyridine/ethylene dimethacrylate (16 mol/mol) in acetonitrile by adding diclofenac progressively later from the beginning of the polymerization process. After polymerization, the binding isotherms of imprinted and non-imprinted materials were measured in acetonitrile by partition equilibrium experiments. Binding data confirm our hypothesis, as imprinted polymers prepared by delayed addition, with delay times of 5 and 10 min, showed higher binding affinity (Keq = 1.37 × 104 L mol-1 and 1.80 × 104 L mol-1) than the polymer obtained in the presence of template at the beginning (Keq = 5.30 × 103 L mol-1). Similarly, an increase in the imprinting factor measured vs. the non-imprinted polymer in the binding selectivity with respect to mefenamic acid was observed. We believe that the delayed addition approach could be useful in prepar imprinted polymers with higher binding affinity and increased binding selectivity in cases of difficult imprinting polymerization.Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the fifth leading cause of cancer mortality among women. Two-thirds of patients present at advanced stage at diagnosis, and the estimated 5 year survival rate is 20-40%. This heterogeneous group of malignancies has distinguishable etiology and molecular biology. Initially, single-gene sequencing was performed to identify germline DNA variations associated with EOC. However, hereditary EOC syndrome can be explained by germline pathogenic variants (gPVs) in several genes. In this regard, next-generation sequencing (NGS) changed clinical diagnostic testing, allowing assessment of multiple genes simultaneously in a faster and cheaper manner than sequential single gene analysis. As we move into the era of personalized medicine, there is evidence that poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors exploit homologous recombination (HR) deficiency, especially in breast cancer gene 1 and 2 (BRCA1/2) mutation carriers. Furthermore, extensive preclinical data supported the development of aurora kinase (AURK) inhibitors in specific tumor types, including EOC. Their efficacy may be optimized in combination with chemotherapeutic or other molecular agents. The efficacy of metformin in ovarian cancer prevention is under investigation. Certain mutations, such as ARID1A mutations, and alterations in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mTOR pathway, which are specific in ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) and endometrioid ovarian carcinoma (EnOC), may offer additional therapeutic targets in these clinical entities. Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (MOGCTs) are rare and randomized trials are extremely challenging for the improvement of the existing management and development of novel strategies. This review attempts to offer an overview of the main aspects of ovarian cancer, catapulted from the molecular mechanisms to therapeutic considerations.