The Influence of the Amount of Fluoride Catalyst on the Morphological Properties of the Anilinepropylsilica Xerogel Prepared in Basic Medium

Anilinepropylsilica hybrid powder was synthesized by a sol-gel route in basic medium using HF as catalyst. The effect of the amount of HF catalyst on the morphologies and on organic content was studied. The xerogels were characterized using FTIR, SEM and N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherms. The increase in the HF quantity results in an slight increase in organic content and changes in the particle size, surface area and pore structure.     

The Landscape of microRNAs in βCell: Between Phenotype Maintenance and Protection

Diabetes mellitus is a group of heterogeneous metabolic disorders characterized by chronic hyperglycaemia mainly due to pancreatic β cell death and/or dysfunction, caused by several types of stress such as glucotoxicity, lipotoxicity and inflammation. Different patho-physiological mechanisms driving β cell response to these stresses are tightly regulated by microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of negative regulators of gene expression, involved in pathogenic mechanisms occurring in diabetes and in its complications. In this review, we aim to shed light on the most important miRNAs regulating the maintenance and the robustness of β cell identity, as well as on those miRNAs involved in the pathogenesis of the two main forms of diabetes mellitus, i.e., type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Additionally, we acknowledge that the understanding of miRNAs-regulated molecular mechanisms is fundamental in order to develop specific and effective strategies based on miRNAs as therapeutic targets, employing innovative molecules.     

Precision Oncology via NMR-Based Metabolomics: A Review on Breast Cancer

Precision oncology is an emerging approach in cancer care. It aims at selecting the optimal therapy for the right patient by considering each patient’s unique disease and individual health status. In the last years, it has become evident that breast cancer is an extremely heterogeneous disease, and therefore, patients need to be appropriately stratified to maximize survival and quality of life. Gene-expression tools have already positively assisted clinical decision making by estimating the risk of recurrence and the potential benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. However, these approaches need refinement to further reduce the proportion of patients potentially exposed to unnecessary chemotherapy. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics has demonstrated to be an optimal approach for cancer research and has provided significant results in BC, in particular for prognostic and stratification purposes. In this review, we give an update on the status of NMR-based metabolomic studies for the biochemical characterization and stratification of breast cancer patients using different biospecimens (breast tissue, blood serum/plasma, and urine).     

NOx storage-reduction catalysts based on hydrotalcite: Effect of Cu in promoting resistance to deactivation

Novel NO_x storage-reduction (NO_xSR) catalysts prepared by Pt and/or Cu impregnation of Mg–Al (60:40) hydrotalcite (HT)-type compounds show better performances in NO_x storage than Pt–Ba/Al₂O₃ Toyota-type NO_xSR catalysts at reaction temperatures lower than 250 °C. The presence of Pt or Cu considerably enhances the activity, with the former more active. The nature of the HT source, however, also influences performance. The co-presence of Pt and Cu slightly worsens the low temperature activity, but considerably promotes the resistance to deactivation after severe hydrothermal treatment and in the presence of SO₂. This effect is attributed to both the possibility of formation of a Pt–Cu alloy after reduction, and the modification of the HT induced during the deposition of Cu. The overall Pt–Cu/HT performances are thus superior to those of the Pt–Ba/Al₂O₃ Toyota-type NO_xSR catalysts.     

Autogenous welding of Hastelloy X to Mar-M 247 by laser

Mar-M 247, a nickel-base cast alloy, is used widely in aeroengines for parts such as blades, vanes and airfoil. Hastelloy X is one of the most oxidation- and corrosion-resistant nickel-base wrought alloys. In order to join such alloys in aeroengine manufacturing, laser beam welding has been carried out with lap and butt joints using a 1.2 and a 6.0 kW CO₂ laser. Cracks in the fusion zone can be eliminated by deliberate misalignments in the ranging of the laser beam by 0.2−0.3 mm onto Hastelloy X. Correlations between cracking behavior, hardness of the beads and misalignments have been investigated. Metallurgical analysis using electron microscopes has revealed the redistribution of alloy elements, the microstructures of the fusion zone and microfissures in the heat-affected zone (HAZ).     

On the analytical derivation of the Pareto-optimal set with applications to structural design

The Fritz John conditions for Pareto-optimality have been set in matrix form and used for introducing a procedure for the analytical derivation of the Pareto-optimal set in the design variables domain. Subsequently, the derivation of the Pareto-optimal set in the objective functions domain can be obtained, if possible, by a proper analytical derivation. Both the objective and constraint functions are assumed to be available in analytical form and twice differentiable and convex (or pseudo-convex). The proposed procedure to find the Pareto-optimal set is relatively simple. The computation of the determinant of a matrix is required. A symbolic manipulator can be exploited. If there are two design variables and two objective functions, the Pareto-optimal set can be easily computed by applying a simple formula derived in the paper. If the number of design variables equals the number of objective functions, the Pareto-optimal set in the design variables domain can be found by computing the product of the constraint functions times the determinant of the Jacobian of the objective functions. A number of case studies have been proposed to test the effectiveness of the proposed procedure. The optimal structural design of, respectively, a pair of compressed spheres, a cantilever with rectangular cross section have been faced and solved. Additionally the test problem proposed by Fonseca and Fleming has been addressed and solved analytically. Optimization problems with low dimensionality (2 or 3 design variables and 2 objective functions, 2 or more constraints) have been easily solved. The proposed procedure can be useful in the actual engineering practice at the earliest design stage. In this case the designer can be made aware on the proper design variables setting to obtain the desired tradeoff among conflicting objective functions.     

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma Hodgkin's-like: a randomized trial of ABVD versus MACOP-B with and without radiation therapy

During the last few years, morphological, immunohistochemical, and genetic findings have placed anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) as a distinct clinicopathologic entity, and several reports have focused on the existence of different subtypes of the tumor. Particular attention has been paid to the ALCL-Hodgkin's-like (HL) subtype, which seems to be on the border between Hodgkin's disease (HD) and high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (HG-NHL). From September 1994 to July 1997, during the course of an Italian multicentric trial, 40 ALCL-HLs were randomized to receive as front-line chemotherapy MACOP-B (methotrexate with leucovorin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone, and bleomycin-a third-generation HG-NHL regimen) or ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine-a scheme specific for HD). All patients with bulky disease in the mediastinum at diagnosis underwent local radiotherapy after the chemotherapeutic program. Complete response (CR) was achieved in 17 of the 19 (90%) patients who were treated with MACOP-B, and in 19 of the 21 (91%) patients who were administered ABVD. The probability of relapse-free survival, projected at 32 months, was 94% for the MACOP-B subset and 91% for the ABVD subset. The majority of patients with mediastinal bulky disease obtained CR (evaluated with 67Ga single photon emission computed tomography [SPECT]) after their radiotherapy. The present study suggests that ALCL-HL, in line with its borderline status, responds in an equivalent way to third-generation chemotherapy for HG-NHL and to conventional HD treatment in terms of both CR and relapse-free survival rates. However, as to the latter, a longer follow-up period may be needed before stating the absolute equivalence of the two regimens used.     

Polarization lidar returns from aerosols and thin clouds: a framework for the analysis

Relationships for the interpretation of polarization lidar observations of aerosols and thin clouds are presented. They allow for the separation of contributions to backscatter from solid and liquid phases by the use of either the classical backscatter and depolarization ratio parameters or the particulate cross-polarized backscatter cross sections. It is shown that different aerosol phases can be better separated by use of the latter coordinates. Emphasis is placed on the study of composition and phase properties of polar stratospheric aerosols.