721 research outputs found
Long term central venous access in oncology: Who, why, when?
No full textLong Term Central Venous Catheters (LTCVC) are widely used for administration of chemotherapy, blood products, parenteral nutrition, analgesics, antibiotics. Nevertheless, indications for the placement of LTCVC are not well defined in cancer patients and specific guidelines are still missing, so that the need for placement of an LTCVC is often based on the lack of alternative routes for intravenous treatments secondary to the severe loss of peripheral veins by recurrent and/or prolonged infusion of toxic drugs, such as chemotherapy and parenteral nutrition. This approach is the main factor behind several local complications (phlebitis, extravasation of drugs with ulcers or necrosis, pain) as well as an unacceptable delay in the chemotherapy schedule. The need for an LTCVC has to be considered during the first patient assessment while defining the plan of therapy and placement has to be planned prior to therapy administration. The pre-therapy placement of LTCVC is mandatory if one of the following criteria is present: low availability of peripheral venous accesses, schedules of chemotherapy by continuous infusion or by bolus with vesicant drugs with possible local toxicity with or without extravasation, high-dose chemotherapy, multiple infusion requirements (i.e. chemotherapy plus high volumes of intravenous fluids plus blood products), total parenteral nutrition. Pre-therapy placement of LTCVC is suggested for adjuvant chemotherapy in patients at high risk for early tumour recurrence, low patient compliance to multiple venipunctures, domiciliary treatment. In all other conditions, pre-therapy placement of LTCVC is not indicated but infusion routes should be carefully evaluated during the course of therapy so that the need for an LTCVC may be detected before treatment has to be interrupted for lack of vascular access
Biomass district heating system in Italy: A comprehensive model-based method for the assessment of energy, economic and environmental performance
No full textIn the framework of the energy strategy toward 2050, district heating systems (DHS) offers a great flexibility in terms of heat generation technologies and renewable resources integration, resulting, in case of proper management and supply conditions, in fossil primary energy and greenhouse gases savings compared to conventional technologies. In Italy, only the 2.5% of the thermal final uses are satisfied by DHS and, although widely available over the territory, those fuelled by wooden biomass represent less than the half of the total. Many studies in this framework have highlighted the need of methods and tools for a better understanding of the operative conditions, of the potentialities and of the optimal evolution of biomass DHS. To that end, a proper simulation model has been developed and calibrated on a real case study operating in cogeneration, in an urban area of Northern Italy. After investigating the current performance of the real case, some criticalities have been described and new operating scenarios have been defined and simulated. The achieved results represent a support for the stakeholders involved in BDHS and for future energy policies, providing hints on possible challenging evolutive scenarios and on measures to enhance the energy performance and the economic appeal
Portal vein graft rectal evacuation after Whipple procedure. The Fabrizio's disease
No full textIn selected cases, pancreatic resections may be performed ''en bloc'' with arterial and/or venous segments, which have to be replaced with autologous or synthetic grafts. Rectal evacuation of portal vein graft following a Whipple procedure is described, being a late graft infection supposed to underlie this event. Portal vein graft rectal evacuation has not previously been reported in the literature and it is worth keeping if in consideration when performing a regional pancreatectomy
Zetzellia ampelae Johann and Ferla, sp. nov.
No full textZetzellia ampelae Johann and Ferla sp. nov. (Fig. 8) Description. FEMALE. Gnathosoma. Palp coxae with 1 spiniform setae; trochanter without setae; femur with 3 long and serrate setae, one of them more robust; genu with 1 long and serrate seta; tibia with 2 setae, 1 claw and 1 accessory claw slender; tarsus with 3 setae, 1 sensillum trifurcated and 2 solenidia (Fig. 8 B). Infracapitulum with 2 pairs of slender setae and 2 pairs of adoral setae distally. Idiosoma. Oval outline. Dorsum: Prodorsal shield with 3 pairs of serrate setae, 1 pair of eyes and 1 pair of post-ocular bodies. Hysterosomal shield smooth with 4 pairs of setae. Setae c 2, d 2 and f inserted on small independent shields. Short podocephalic canal starting between the base of palps and leg I, extendig to the base of leg I. Venter: 3 pairs of slender setae between coxae, 1 a at level of coxa II, 3 a anterior to coxa III and 4 a at level of coxa IV. Setae ag 1 inserted on small shields before genital opening and setae ag 2 inserted laterally to genital opening, situated on separate shields (Fig. 8 C). Genital region with 4 pairs of setae (g 1, ps 3, ps 2 and ps 1), with ps 3, ps 2, and ps 1 more robust and serrate. Setae g 1 reaching the base of setae ps 2. Leg I – IV setation (Fig. 8 D). coxae 2 (1)- 1-2 - 2; trochanters 1 - 1 - 1 - 1; femora 5 - 4 - 2 - 2; genua 4 - 1 -0-0; tibiae 5 (1)- 5 (1)- 5 (1)- 5 (1); tarsi 12 (1)- 9 (1)- 7 (1)- 7. Male. Unknown. Measurements of this species are provided in Table 7. Type material examined. CAS- 12 (MCN). Female holotype and 2 female paratypes from Boqueirão do Leão: holotype from V. labrusca, Bordeaux cultivar, 0 8 January 2007, coll. F. Diel; 1 female paratype with same data, 21 November 2006, coll. T.B. Horn; 1 female paratype with same data, 11 December 2006, coll. J.F. Silva. Type deposition. Holotype and all paratypes in MCN. Differential diagnosis. The new species is similar to Zetzellia quasagistemas Hernandes and Feres, 2005 regarding c 1 setae inserted on the hysterosomal shield. Zetzellia ampelae sp. nov. has ag 2 setae located on the individual shields lateral to the genital opening and two setae and two claws on the palptibiae, ve, sci and sce setae are 30 % longer than those in Z. quasagistemas (Fig. 8 A). In Z. quasagistemas, ag 2 setae are located on the horseshoe-shaped shield that surrounds the genital opening and it has three setae, in addition to one claw on the palptibiae. Etymology. The species name is derived from the Greek word Ampelos meaning “vine”. Remark. It is not possible to associate the new species with phytophagous mites.Published as part of Johann, Liana, Carvalho, Gervásio Silva, Majolo, Fernanda & Ferla, Noeli Juarez, 2013, Stigmaeid mites (Acari: Stigmaeidae) from vineyards in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, pp. 238-256 in Zootaxa 3701 (2) on pages 252-254, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3701.2.6, http://zenodo.org/record/22293
Pyranoid spirosugars as enzyme inhibitors
No full textBackground: Pyranoid spirofused sugar derivatives represent a class of compounds with a significant impact in the literature. From the structural point of view, the rigidity inferred by the spirofused entity has made these compounds object of interest mainly as enzymatic inhibitors, in particular, carbohydrate processing enzymes. Among them glycogen phosphorylase and sodium glucose co-transporter 2 are important target enzymes for diverse pathological states. Most of the developed compounds present the spirofused entity at the C1 position of the sugar moiety; nevertheless, spirofused entities can also be found at other sugar ring positions. The main spirofused entities encountered are spiroacetals/thioacetals, spiro-hydantoin and derivatives, spiro-isoxazolines, spiro-aminals, spiro-lactams, spiro-oxathiazole and spiro-oxazinanone, but also others are present. Objectives: The present review focuses on the most explored synthetic strategies for the preparation of this class of compounds, classified according to the position and structure of the spirofused moiety on the pyranoid scaffold. Moreover, the structures are correlated to their main biological activities or to their role as chiral auxiliaries. Conclusion: It is clear from the review that, among the different derivatives, the spirofused structures at position C1 of the pyranoid scaffold are the most represented and possess the most relevant enzymatic inhibitor activities. Nevertheless, great efforts have been devoted to the introduction of the spirofused entity also in the other positions, mainly for the preparation of biologically active compounds but also for the synthesis of chiral auxiliaries useful in asymmetric reactions; examples of such auxiliaries are the spirofused chiral 1,3-oxazolidin-2-ones and 1,3-oxazolidine-2-thiones
Agistemus riograndensis Johann and Ferla, sp. nov.
No full textAgistemus riograndensis Johann and Ferla sp. nov. (Fig. 5) Description. FEMALE. Gnathosoma. Palp coxae with 1 spiniform setae; trochanter without setae; femur with 3 long and serrate setae, 1 of them more robust; genu with 1 long seta reaching distal claw; tibia with 2 setae, 1 claw and 1 accessory claw robust, tarsus with 4 setae, 2 solenidia and 1 trifurcated sensillum (Fig. 5 B). Infracapitulum with 2 pairs of long setae and 2 pairs of adoral setae distally. Idiosoma. Oval outline. Dorsum: 7 smooth dorsal shields with setae inserted on small tubercles. Prodorsal shield with 3 pairs of long and serrate setae, 1 pair of eyes and 1 pair of post-ocular bodies. Hysterosomal shield with 5 pairs of long and serrate setae. Seta c 1 reaching the base of d 1. 4 small shields each with 1 lanceolate seta (setae c 2 and f). Suranal shield with 2 pairs of setae, h 1 and h 2. Podocephalic canal starting between the base of palps and leg I, extendig to base of leg II. Venter: 3 pairs of slender setae between coxae, 1 a at level of coxa II, 3 a anterior to coxa III and 4 a at level of coxa IV. Anogenital regions with horseshoe-shaped shield that surrounds genital opening (Fig. 5 C) anteriorly, with 2 pairs of agenital setae (ag 1 and ag 2). Genital region with 4 pairs of setae (g 1, ps 3, ps 2, and ps 1). Seta g 1 reaching base of ps 3. Setae ps 3, ps 2 and ps 1 robust and slightly serrate. Leg I – IV setation (Fig. 5 D): coxae 2 (1)- 1-2 - 2; trochanters 1 - 1 - 1 - 1; femora 5 - 4 - 2 - 2; genua 4 - 1 -0-0; tibiae 5 (1)- 5 (1)- 5 (1)- 5 (1); tarsi 12 (1)- 9 (1)- 7 (1)- 7. MALE. Gnathosoma. As in female. Idiosoma. Oval outline. Dorsum: 5 smooth dorsal shields and setae inserted on small tubercles. Prodorsal shield with 3 pairs of long and serrate setae, 1 pair of eyes and 1 pair of postocular bodies. Hysterosomal shield with 6 pairs of long and serrate setae, including seta f. 2 humeral shields with setae c 2. Suranal shield with 2 pairs of setae, h 1 and h 2. Venter: 3 pairs of slender setae between coxae, 1 a at level of coxa II, 3 a anterior to coxa III and 4 a at level of coxa IV. Terminal anogenital region with 5 pairs of setae. Leg I – IV setation: coxae 2 (1)- 1-2 - 2; trochanters 1 - 1 - 1 - 1; femora 5 - 4 - 2 - 2; genua 4 - 1 -0-0; tibiae 5 (1)- 5 (1)- 5 (1)- 5 (1); tarsi 12 (2)- 9 (2)- 7 (1)- 7 (1). Measurements of this species are provided in Table 4. Character measured Female holotype Female (n= 14) Male (n= 5) Type material. CAS-03 (MCN). Female holotype from Candiota, V. vinifera, Alfrocheiro cultivar, 5 March 2007, coll. L. Johann. 4 female paratypes from Bento Gonçalves: 1 female from V. vinifera, Cabernet Sauvignon cultivar, 7 November 2006, coll. L. Johann; 1 female on same host, Chardonnay cultivar, 5 March 2007, coll. L.B. Oliveira; 1 female on same host, Merlot cultivar, 7 November 2006, coll. T.B. Horn; 1 female on same host, Pinot Noir cultivar, 3 January 2007, coll. L. Johann; 6 female and 1 male paratypes from Boqueirão do Leão: 2 females and 1 male from V. vinifera, Cabernet Sauvignon cultivar, 24 April 2006, coll. T.B. Horn; 1 female from V. labrusca, Bordeaux cultivar, 8 January 2006, coll. T.B. Horn; 1 female with same data, 16 March 2006, coll. T.B. Horn; 2 females with same data, 30 January 2007, coll. T.B. Horn; 2 female and 1 male paratypes from Dois Lajeados: 1 female from V. labrusca, Bordeaux cultivar, 17 April 2006, coll. T.B.Horn; 1 female and 1 male from V. vinifera, Cabernet Sauvignon cultivar, 15 January 2006, coll. F.Diel; 1 female and 3 male paratypes from Encruzilhada do Sul, V. vinifera, Pinot Noir cultivar, 13 February 2007, coll. L. Johann. Type deposition. Holotype and all paratypes in MCN. Differential diagnosis. This species is similar to A. brasiliensis by c 1 setae longer than the distance between the base of c 1 and the base of d 1. In Agistemus riograndensis sp. nov., setae sci, c 1, d 1, and d 2 are 25 % longer than those in A. brasiliensis; the distance between the bases of ve setae is shorter than in A. brasiliensis; and the ratio between ve/ve-ve is 2.8–5.8; g 1 setae exceed the bases of setae ps 3, but do not reach the bases of ps 2. In A. brasiliensis, ve/ve-ve ratio is 1.2–3.4 and gl setae exceed the bases of ps 2 setae. In addition, the measurements of Agistemus riograndensis sp. nov. are similar to those of Agistemus inflatus Meyer, 1969. Agistemus riograndensis sp. nov. bears four setae on genu I and the bases of the dorsal setae are not inflated, whereas A. inflatus has three setae on genu I and the bases of the dorsal setae inflated. Etymology. The species name comes from the type locality – the State of Rio Grande do Sul (“ riograndensis ”). Remark. The new species was observed together with Panonychus ulmi (Tetranychidae) and Calepitrimerus vitis (Eriophyidae), and it is possibly a predator of these phytophagous.Published as part of Johann, Liana, Carvalho, Gervásio Silva, Majolo, Fernanda & Ferla, Noeli Juarez, 2013, Stigmaeid mites (Acari: Stigmaeidae) from vineyards in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, pp. 238-256 in Zootaxa 3701 (2) on pages 247-250, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3701.2.6, http://zenodo.org/record/22293
On line shopping and logistics: a fast dynamic vehicle routing algorithm for dealing with information evolution
No full textOnline shopping has seen booms of orders in recent years. In online shopping, the orders are characterized by tight order-to-delivery lead times and the frequent and discrete arrival of orders. Online shopping has recently expanded into new sectors. Due to the pandemic, online grocery shopping showed a boom and the shift from physical grocery shopping to on line shopping is not expected to disappear with the pandemic end. This increases the number of online orders that should be delivered directly to customers. Online shopping is changing its characteristics: customers even more often pick up online orders in stores. This increases the number of online orders that need to be delivered to physical stores and places requirements on supply chains—especially in terms of speed and efficiency. Delivery at the time and place that is convenient to the consumer is one of the main issues for increasing customer satisfaction and therefore business efficiency. This study proposes an exact algorithm for solving a multi-constrained dynamic vehicle routing problem with a short execution time. The algorithm is therefore able to satisfy customer preferences, allowing for instance last minute changes in order lists and/or delivery addresses
Synthesis of a Small Library of Glycoderivative Putative Ligands of SGLT1 and Preliminary Biological Evaluation
No full textSodium–glucose co-transporter 1 (SGLT1) is primarily expressed on the membrane of enterocytes, a type of epithelial cell found in the intestines, where it mediates the unidirectional absorption of glucose and galactose. Beyond its well-established role in nutrient absorption, SGLT1 also plays a protective role in maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier. Specifically, the natural ligand of SGLT1 (d-glucose) and a synthetic C-glucoside developed by our group can induce a protective anti-inflammatory effect on the intestinal epithelium. In this paper, we report the creation of a small library of C-glycoside, putative ligands for SGLT1, to gain further insights into its unclear mechanism of action. Preliminary biological experiments performed on an in vitro model of doxorubicin-induced mucositis, a severe intestinal inflammatory condition, indicate that the aromatic moiety present in all the compounds of the library is crucial for biological activity, while the sugar component appears to have less influence. These findings will be exploited to develop new, more potent anti-inflammatory compounds and to better understand and rationalize the protective mechanism of action
Curcumin derivatives: Aβ-ligands as potential diagnostic and therapeutic tools for alzheimer's disease
No full textOne of the characteristic features of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is represented by the overexpression of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides, which play a central role in the onset and in the development of the pathology. The targeting of these peptides and aggregates is considered a possible strategy for the development of diagnostic and therapeutic tools for AD. The ability of curcumin to target Aβ plaques and to interfere with Aβ peptides interaction processes, along with other activities also correlated to AD, has already been shown. This review focuses on the synthesis of chemically stable and/or radiolabelled curcumin derivatives and their characterization as active compounds for the treatment/diagnosis of AD. Moreover, their use as potential diagnostic and therapeutic tools, alone or inserted in opportunely functionalized nanoparticles with ability to bind amyloid deposit, stain plaques and pass the blood brain barrier (BBB), is described
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