Assisted electrochemical conversion of nitrogen heterocompounds using active hydrogen passing through a Pd membrane. A non conventional diesel and VGO hydrotreating option

The conversion of pyridine (PY), quinoline (QUI) and meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) using active hydrogen passing through a Pd membrane under mild conditions (25 °C and ambient pressure) by applying −1.92 mA cm⁻² is reported. Moreover, some results regarding VGO and diesel hydrotreating, under similar conditions, are shown. Relative kinetic conversion constants (k′), calculated for each tested molecules, support the following reactivity order: PY (k′ = 87 × 10⁻⁴ min⁻¹) > QUI (k′ = 5 × 10⁻⁴ min⁻¹) > TPP (k′ = 1 × 10⁻⁴ min⁻¹). Based on the reduction and increasing factors found for aromatic and saturated fractions respectively, it can be established that diesel is easier to transform than VGO. Nevertheless, hydrodenitrogenation seems to be more notable for VGO than for diesel.     

Photochemical production of nitric oxide from a nitrosyl phthalocyanine ruthenium complex by irradiation with light in the phototherapeutic window

The photochemical behavior of [Ru(NO)(NO)₂pc] (pc = phthalocyanine) is reported in this paper. In addition to ligand localized absorption bands (λ < 300 nm), the electronic spectrum of this complex in dichloromethane solution was dominated by an intense absorption at 640 nm characterized as Q-bands. Irradiation of [Ru(NO)(NO)₂pc] at 366 and 660 nm led to the production of nitric oxide (NO) as detected by a NO-sensor. NO production by light irradiation at high energy involved excitation of d_π–π^* transition, while a photoinduced electron transfer occurred at long wavelength irradiation. The NO quantum yields varied from 1.4 × 10⁻³ to 2.3 × 10⁻² mol einstein⁻¹, depending on oxygen concentration.     

Applications to cultural heritage diagnostics at the new nuclear microprobe beam line at CEDAD

A nuclear microprobe beam line has been installed at CEDAD (Centre for Dating and Diagnostics), University of Salento, Lecce, Italy. The beam line is connected to the ?30° port of the high energy switching magnet of a 3 MV HVEE 4130HC Tandetron accelerator. It is based on an Oxford Microbeam magnetic quadrupole triplet and its general features are presented. The results of functional tests are presented showing how a lateral spatial resolution as low as ～2 μm has been achieved in vacuum by analysing standard reference material. The results obtained in the analysis of ancient radiocarbon dated biological tissues are presented for the identification and distribution of toxic elements such as Pb.     

The Diabetic Cardiorenal Nexus

The end-stage of the clinical combination of heart failure and kidney disease has become known as cardiorenal syndrome. Adverse consequences related to diabetes, hyperlipidemia, obesity, hypertension and renal impairment on cardiovascular function, morbidity and mortality are well known. Guidelines for the treatment of these risk factors have led to the improved prognosis of patients with coronary artery disease and reduced ejection fraction. Heart failure hospital admissions and readmission often occur, however, in the presence of metabolic, renal dysfunction and relatively preserved systolic function. In this domain, few advances have been described. Diabetes, kidney and cardiac dysfunction act synergistically to magnify healthcare costs. Current therapy relies on improving hemodynamic factors destructive to both the heart and kidney. We consider that additional hemodynamic solutions may be limited without the use of animal models focusing on the cardiomyocyte, nephron and extracellular matrices. We review herein potential common pathophysiologic targets for treatment to prevent and ameliorate this syndrome.     

Raman Spectroscopy of Oral Candida Species: Molecular-Scale Analyses,Chemometrics, and Barcode Identification

Oral candidiasis, a common opportunistic infection of the oral cavity, is mainly caused by the following four Candida species (in decreasing incidence rate): Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis, and Candida krusei. This study offers in-depth Raman spectroscopy analyses of these species and proposes procedures for an accurate and rapid identification of oral yeast species. We first obtained average spectra for different Candida species and systematically analyzed them in order to decode structural differences among species at the molecular scale. Then, we searched for a statistical validation through a chemometric method based on principal component analysis (PCA). This method was found only partially capable to mechanistically distinguish among Candida species. We thus proposed a new Raman barcoding approach based on an algorithm that converts spectrally deconvoluted Raman sub-bands into barcodes. Barcode-assisted Raman analyses could enable on-site identification in nearly real-time, thus implementing preventive oral control, enabling prompt selection of the most effective drug, and increasing the probability to interrupt disease transmission.     

Combination Strategies Involving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Tyrosine Kinase or BRAF Inhibitors in Aggressive Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer is the most common (~90%) type of endocrine-system tumor, accounting for 70% of the deaths from endocrine cancers. In the last years, the high-throughput genomics has been able to identify pathways/molecular targets involved in survival and tumor progression. Targeted therapy and immunotherapy individually have many limitations. Regarding the first one, although it greatly reduces the size of the cancer, clinical responses are generally transient and often lead to cancer relapse after initial treatment. For the second one, although it induces longer-lasting responses in cancer patients than targeted therapy, its response rate is lower. The individual limitations of these two different types of therapies can be overcome by combining them. Here, we discuss MAPK pathway inhibitors, i.e., BRAF and MEK inhibitors, combined with checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4. Several mutations make tumors resistant to treatments. Therefore, more studies are needed to investigate the patient’s individual tumor mutation burden in order to overcome the problem of resistance to therapy and to develop new combination therapies.     

Nitrogen nutrition,yield and quality of spinach

When grown in solution culture spinach plants confirmed the preference toward NO₃⁻ nutrition and showed heavy toxicity to NH₄⁺. In open field condition the highest yield was achieved with the ammonium sulphate in Bari (autumn–winter cycle—110 days) and with calcium nitrate in Policoro (winter–spring cycle—64 days). By increasing N level, yield, nitrates and oxalates leaf content increased. Oxalate content was not affected by nitrogen form. Remarkable differences were observed between leaf petiole and blade in nitrate (4062 vs 925 mg kg⁻¹ of fresh mass) and oxalate (1051 vs 6999 mg kg⁻¹ of fresh mass). © 1998 SCI.     

Characterization of an oil-degrading Microcoleus consortium by means of confocal scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy

A consortium of microorganisms with the capacity to degrade crude oil has been characterized by means of confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The analysis using CLSM shows that Microcoleus chthonoplastes is the dominant organism in the consortium. This cyanobacterium forms long filaments that group together in bundles inside a mucopolysaccharide sheath. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy have allowed us to demonstrate that this cyanobacterium forms a consortium primarily with three morphotypes of the heterotrophic microorganisms found in the Microcoleus chthonoplastes sheath. The optimal growth of Microcoleus consortium was obtained in presence of light and crude oil, and under anaerobic conditions. When grown in agar plate, only one type of colony (green and filamentous) was observed.     

Factors affecting the development of new towns in Israel

"The purpose of this paper is to study and to explain the differences in success among the new Israeli towns as measured by their ability to attract migrants, with the hope of contributing to the evaluation of policies suggested for their revitalization.... Empirical evidence is presented which supports the hypothesis that the social composition of the population in each town has become the major determinant of the ability of these towns to attract additonal migrants."     

Influence of nitrogen form on yield and nitrate content of subirrigated early potato

Potato is classified among the vegetables with low nitrate content but, in diet, it contributes most to the daily intake of nitrate, because of its high per capita consumption. Two trials were carried out in winter–spring and autumn–winter cycles using a trough bench subirrigation system. Potato seedlings were transplanted into pots containing peat, pumice and vermiculite in a 3:1:1 volume ratio. Both trials were carried out to compare three nutrient solutions having the same nitrogen concentration (6.4 mM ), but different ammonium:nitrate (NH₄‐N:NO₃‐N) percentage ratios (100:0, 50:50 and 0:100). In the winter–spring cycle, tubers were lower in weight and were more numerous than in the autumn–winter cycle. The tuber yield of ammonium‐fed plants was lower than with the mixed form and 100% NO₃‐N, but only in the trial carried out in the winter–spring period. Nitrate‐fed plants yielded a number of tubers almost 3‐fold higher than ammonium‐fed plants. The NO₃ content of tubers harvested in spring in the presence of 100% NH₄‐N in the nutrient solution was a 25% of that in nitrate‐fed plants (44 vs 169 mg kg^?1 of fresh mass); in tubers harvested in winter, with worse light conditions, nitrate content increased with increasing NO₃‐N in the nutrient solution (26, 109, and 225 mg kg^?1 of fresh mass with NH₄‐N:NO₃‐N 100:0, 50:50 and 0:100, respectively). The substrate electrical conductivity increased with increasing ammonium concentration in the nutrient solution, and was higher in the upper layer of the substrate. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry