V. Di Stefano

Flavocoxid, a dual inhibitor of cyclooxygenase and 5‐lipoxygenase, blunts pro‐inflammatory phenotype activation in endotoxin‐stimulated macrophages

Background and purpose:  The flavonoids, baicalin and catechin, from Scutellaria baicalensis and Acacia catechu, respectively, have been used for various clinical applications. Flavocoxid is a mixed extract containing baicalin and catechin, and acts as a dual inhibitor of cyclooxygenase (COX) and 5‐lipoxygenase (LOX) enzymes. The anti‐inflammatory activity, measured by protein and gene expression of inflammatory markers, of flavocoxid in rat peritoneal macrophages stimulated with Salmonella enteritidis lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was investigated.

Effects of genistein aglycone in osteoporotic, ovariectomized rats: a comparison with alendronate, raloxifene and oestradiol

Genistein aglycone positively affects bone loss in postmenopausal women, but bone quality data are still lacking. To clarify this, we investigated the effects of genistein compared with alendronate, raloxifene and oestradiol in an animal model of established osteoporosis.

Efficacy of genistein aglycone on some cardiovascular risk factors and homocysteine levels: A follow-up study *

BACKGROUND AND AIM Recent evidence suggests that genistein aglycone may act beneficially on surrogate cardiovascular risk markers in postmenopausal women. We assessed the effects of genistein aglycone on some cardiovascular risk factors and homocysteine levels after 3-years of continued therapy in a cohort of osteopenic, postmenopausal women. METHODS AND RESULTS The parent study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 389 postmenopausal women with low bone mass for 24 months. Subsequently, a subcohort (138 patients) continued therapy for an additional year. Participants received 54mg of genistein aglycone (n=71) or placebo (n=67), daily. Both arms received calcium and vitamin D(3) in therapeutic doses. Moreover, 4 weeks before randomization procedures and during our follow-up study, all patients received dietary instructions in an isocaloric fat-restricted diet. Blood lipid profiles, fasting glucose and insulin, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), fibrinogen, osteoprotegerin (OPG) and homocysteine at baseline and after 24 and 36 months of treatment were measured. Compared to placebo, genistein significantly decreased fasting glucose and insulin, HOMA-IR, fibrinogen and homocysteine after 24 and 36 months of treatment. By contrast, isoflavone administration did not affect high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides though serum OPG was higher in the genistein recipients. There were no differences in adverse events or discomfort between groups. Results on routine biochemical, liver function, and hematologic testing did not change over time in placebo or genistein group. CONCLUSIONS After 3-years of treatment, genistein aglycone plus calcium, vitamin D(3) and a healthy diet showed positive effects on some cardiovascular risk factors and homocysteine levels in a cohort of postmenopausal women with low bone mass.

Genistein aglycone reverses glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis and increases bone breaking strength in rats: a comparative study with alendronate.

Background and purpose:  Glucocorticoid‐induced osteoporosis (GIO) is the leading cause of secondary osteoporosis. Clinical evidence suggests a role for genistein aglycone in the treatment of post‐menopausal osteopenia although proof of efficacy in comparison with currently available treatments is still lacking. To clarify this issue, we investigated the effects of genistein on bone compared with alendronate in experimental GIO.

Hydrodynamic modeling of the electro-thermal transport in silicon semiconductors

In this paper, a hydrodynamic model coupling electron and phonon transport in silicon semiconductors has been formulated to describe off-equilibrium phenomena. Closure relations for the higher order moments and the production terms have been obtained on the basis of the maximum entropy principle of extended thermodynamics. Applications to bulk silicon are presented.

Local equilibrium and off-equilibrium thermoelectric effects in silicon semiconductors

Thermoelectric effects in bulk silicon are investigated by using a hydrodynamic model for the electron-phonon system, derived in the framework of extended thermodynamics. This model consists of a set of balance equations, where the higher order moments and the production terms are completely determined without any fitting procedure. If the system is in local thermal equilibrium, the thermopower and Peltier coefficients have been obtained and the phonon-drag contribution has been recovered. The model allows us to define and evaluate the Peltier coefficient when the system is out of thermal equilibrium.

Electro-thermal behaviour of a sub-micron silicon diode

High electric fields, that are characteristic of sub-micron devices, produce highly energetic electrons, lack of equilibrium between electrons and phonons and high rates of heat generation. This regime can be described using an extended hydrodynamic model, which is formed by a set of conservation laws of hyperbolic-type with stiff relaxation terms. In order to overcome this numerical difficulty, an implicit–explicit Runge–Kutta scheme has been used for the time integration. Simulation results for an n+–n–n+ silicon diode are presented.

Electrothermal Monte Carlo validation of a hydrodynamic model for sub-micron silicon devices

An Extended hydrodynamic model for electron and phonon transport has been formulated, on the basis of the Maximum Entropy Principle, in order to describe off-equilibrium phenomena in sub-micron silicon devices. With this procedure one obtains a closed system, with an energy phonon transport equation which is consistent with the thermodynamic principles. To validate this model, an Electrothermal Monte Carlo simulator has been developed. Simulation results for a 1D n+ − n − n+ silicon diode are presented.