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• Dosimetric intercomparison for proton beams using ionization chambers and according to the IAEA TRS-398 code of practice. • Measurement sites include CNAO (Pavia), CTP (Trento) and CATANA (Catania) • Results agree within the 1.5% difference considered acceptable for national dose intercomparison. To perform the first dosimetric intercomparison for proton beams in Italy using ionization chambers, according to the IAEA TRS-398 code of practice. Measurement sites included: National Center for Oncological Hadron Therapy (CNAO, Pavia), Center for Proton Therapy (CTP, Trento) and Center for Hadron Therapy and for advanced Nuclear Applications (CATANA, Catania). For comparison we also included a 6 MV photon beam produced at Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri (ICSM, Pavia). For proton beams, both single pseudo-monoenergetic layers (in order to obtain a planned dose of 2 Gy at the reference depth of 2 cm in a water phantom) and Spread-out Bragg peaks (SOBP) have been delivered. Measurements were performed with a PTW Farmer 30010-1 and a PTW Advanced Markus type 34,045 ionization chamber. Data obtained at CATANA, CNAO and CPT in terms of absorbed dose to water depth show good consistency within the experimental uncertainties, with a weighted mean of 1.99 ± 0.01 Gy and a standard error of 0.003 Gy, with reference to a nominal dose of 2 Gy as designed by the treatment planning system. The results showed a standard deviation of less than 1% for single layer and SOBP beams, for all chambers and a percent deviation less than 1.5% for single layer measurements. The weighted means of the absorbed doses for clinical proton beams (118.19 MeV and 173.61 MeV) are consistent within less than 1%. These results agree within the 1.5% difference considered acceptable for national dose intercomparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haemanthus humilis Jacq., an indigenous South African Amaryllidaceae, was studied for the first time for its alkaloid content. From the acid extract of its bulbs, albomaculine, incartine, coccinine and montanine, belonging to the lycorine-, homolycorine- and isoquinoline-type alkaloids respectively, were isolated. Coccinine was the main metabolite (1.49 g/kg) and to the best of our knowledge H. humilis is to date the best natural source of this alkaloid. It is noteworthy that this Amaryllidaceae does not synthesize lycorine, the main and most common alkaloid produced by this plant genus. All the isolated alkaloids were bio-assayed for their anticancer activity against a panel of six human cancer cell lines, with coccinine evaluated for the first time. The results showed that coccinine and montanine have significant activity at low micromolar concentrations. • Haemanthus humilis Jacq., was studied for the first time for its alkaloid content. • Haemanthus humilis did not synthesize lycorine, the main known Amarylidaceae alkaloid. • Albomaculine, incartine, coccinine and montanine were isolated. • Coccinine was the main metabolite and H. humilis is it best natural source. • Coccinine and montanine had significant anticancer activity on human cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Feasibility study for kilovoltage rotational radiotherapy for breast cancer (kV-EBRT). • The technique permit to obtain a focus of dose to the target with sparing of healthy tissue dose. • Radiotherapy can be delivered with a low-cost solution employing low-energy X-ray tubes. We investigated the feasibility of kilovoltage rotational radiotherapy for breast cancer (kV-EBRT) via Monte Carlo simulations and measurements on phantoms. We derived the dose distributions for X-ray beams at 150 kV, 300 kVp and 320 kV irradiating breast cylindrical phantoms of 14 cm diameter, mimicking the pendant breast. Simulations were based on the Geant4 toolkit. The point-like X-ray source was rotated either over a full circle or on a limited arc around the phantom. We studied the influence on the surface dose of the distance between the tumor lesion to the skin, of the irradiation protocol (full scan or partial scan) and of the X-ray tube current modulation. Rotational kV-EBRT permitted a periphery-to-center dose ratio from 13% to 9% in homogeneous breast phantoms. Dose distributions in phantoms with off-center simulated lesions, showed a skin-to-tumor dose ratio of 16% and 34% for lesions at 3.25 and 5.25 cm from cylinder axis, respectively. Simulation of the X-ray tube current modulation during the rotation, permits to reach a dose ratio of 20% for the lesion located at 5.25 cm from phantom axis. We showed the possibility of using low-energy X-ray spectra for kV-EBRT with collimated beams, for obtaining a periphery-to-center dose ratio in the same order of conventional accelerator based megavoltage radiotherapy, when the irradiated area is localized in the center of the breast. For tumors localized near the breast border, we showed that the tube current modulation can be a good solution in order to reduce the skin-to-tumor dose ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Screening for alkaloids produced in four indigenous South African Amaryllidaceae plants, namely, Crinum buphanoides Welw. ex Baker, Crinum graminicola I. Verd., Cyrtanthus mackenii Hook. f and Brunsvigia grandiflora Lindl, leads to the isolation of lycorine as the one metabolite produced by all the species studied. C. graminicola produced lycorine in the best yield (2.1 g/kg). Moreover, 1- O -acetyl- and 2- O -acetyl-lycorine, pratorimine, hippadine and tazettine were isolated from C. buphanoides. Haemanthidine, haemanthamine and criwelline were isolated from C. graminicola , while tazettine and 11-hydroxyvittatine were produced by C. mackenii. Finally, crinamine and 11-hydroxyvittatine were isolated from B. grandiflora. This is the very first report on the isolation of these alkaloids from the four South African Amaryllidaceae. Furthermore, some interesting chemosystematic evaluations are reported. Highlights • Alkaloids were isolated from indigenous South African Amaryllidaceae species. • Eleven alkaloids were isolated for the first time from these four unstudied species. • Lycorine is produced in a 2.1 g/kg dry mass yield by C. graminicola. • Chemosystematic evaluations are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Screening of three native South African Amaryllidaceae bulbs, aimed at finding new metabolites for their promising biological activities, lead to the initial discovery of two interesting non-alkaloid compounds viz., acetovanillone 1 (also known as apocynin) and 4-hydroxyacetophenone 2 (also named piceol) isolated from Crinum buphonoides , while only the former was isolated from Crinum graminicola . This is the first time that acetovanillone 1 and piceol 2 were isolated from C . graminicola and C . buphanoides , respectively. Acetovanillone 1 was recently reported as a metabolite of Boophane disticha (L.f.), another South Africa Amaryllidacea species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of an extensive set of laboratory experiments performed to design a demonstrative electrokinetic plant for extracting heavy metals from marine sediments dredged from the Livorno marine harbour. The investigated sediments displayed a high salinity, a high acid neutralization capacity, a low electrical resistivity (0.5 Ωm), a high alkalinity (pH ≈ 8) and a large fraction of fine particles. The target metals were Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn at relatively weak and inhomogeneous concentrations with high non-mobile fractions. After an accurate characterization, several screening and full electrokinetic tests were performed using cells of two different sizes, several conditioning agents (HNO 3 , HCl, H 2 SO 4 , citric acid, oxalic acid, ascorbic acid, EDTA), different applied current intensities and durations. The tests highlighted the need for long treatment times in order to obtain a significant pH reduction, with some appreciable metal removal being attained only after several weeks. The best results were obtained with strong acids used as the conditioning agents, with significant specific effects of each acid, including pronounced resistivity increase (from 0.5 up to 10 Ωm) and a high electroosmotic flow (EOF) with H 2 SO 4 , or a reversed EOF (electroendosmosis), and minor resistivity changes with HNO 3 . The use of the obtained data to design a demonstrative plant is also presented in the paper, with considerations on operating parameters such as energy and reagent consumption, characteristics of plant components and required safety measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Fish oil-based emulsion is increasingly used in pediatric patients receiving Parenteral Nutrition (PN). However, its unique use in children on long-term PN is nutritionally debatable as some patients are better off with a mixture of long-chain (LCT) or long-chain + medium-chain (LCT + MCT) triglycerides along with Fish Oil (FO). Lipid emulsions are safely infused when particle diameter ranges between 0.4 and 1.0 micron (like chylomicra), according to European guidelines. No data exist on Fish Oil stability when added to other PN components typically present in pediatric formulations such as other lipids or micronutrients. Our goal is to evaluate the stability of a highly refined FO-emulsion in PN admixtures containing LCT or LCT + MCT triglycerides and different calcium content. Stability studies were carried out on six PN admixtures having two levels of calcium concentration compounded with olive oil LCT + FO, LCT + MCT + FO emulsion and pure FO alone, respectively. The analyses were performed immediately at time 0 ( t = 0) and 24, 48, 72, 96 ( t = 96) hours after compounding. Particle diameters were determined by Light Scattering-Reverse Fourier Optics Technique by means of a Laser Granulometer. Every sample was stored at 4 °C and triple tested. Statistical significance was verified by f -test. In all admixtures, physicochemical stability did not change between t = 0 and t = 96 and particle diameters were in the expected range of 0.4–1.0 micron provided calcium concentration remained below 4.5 mmol/L. When calcium exceeded that level, 12% of particle diameters was larger than 1.0 micron and 2% exceeded 5.0 micron immediately after compounding. In particular, admixtures compounded with olive oil LCT + FO emulsion or FO emulsion alone showed lower particle diameters compared to admixture with olive/soybean LCT alone, probably due to a different steric encumbrance of oleic acid and omega-3 fatty acid. In the PN admixtures tested, containing FO-emulsion alone or in combination with olive LCT or LCT + MCT, the fat emulsion appears to be stable and safe for infusion when calcium concentration is maintained below 4.5 mmol/L. If calcium level exceeds 4.5 mmol/L, as often required in premature patients, it is advisable to infuse FO emulsion alone through a second intravenous line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Non-ideal aerosol reactors for synthesizing nano- and micro-metal-oxide powders can currently be accurately designed by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models instead of an expensive trial-and-error experimental technique. According to a multi-scale approach, fluid dynamics of the reacting volume is modeled by an appropriate population balance equation (PBE) coupled to momentum, energy and chemical species conservative equations. The present work refers to the modeling of non-ideal vapor-phase aerosol reactors, in particular to the numerical investigation on the effects of feeding nozzle arrangement, where the most significant gradients and aerosol phenomena occur. The described aerosol CFD model, which a priori assumes a log-normal particle size distribution (PSD), has been validated against both an experimental and an industrial case, and therefore it has been applied to the study of new reactor configurations. Numerical results show that traditional axial-symmetric and jet-opposed nozzle arrangements can be improved adopting a tangential geometry. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The recent COVID-19 emergency has shaped economic performance across all sectors, and the fisheries and aquaculture sector did not come out unscathed. The need to protect against risks has always been primary for economic operators, but COVID-19 has accentuated the need to obtain coverage for health risks. In this regard, the European Union has moved quickly with an amendment art. 35 of European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (Regulation [EU] No. 508/2014), including "public health crises" among the causes considered valid for compensation in mutual funds. In this paper, we analyze the evolution of Regulation 508, focusing on Article 35 and its most recent amendments, to understand if the new reform is adherent to the needs of the fisheries sector in Italy, one of the only two States that have documented in their Operational Plans the intention to implement mutual funds. The work involved an empirical analysis through the use of multivariate statistics carried out on 61 Italian stakeholders. Several company profiles were identified and then the likelihood of subscribing to a mutual fund was estimated based on their focus on health crises. The work underlines that the amendments meet the demands of the sector for improved mutual fund clauses, but it's not yet an attractive tool for the Italian market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose We proposed a new technique for breast cancer rotational radiotherapy using kilovoltage synchrotron radiation (SR) [1]. Here, we compared 2D dose distributions in a breast phantom at 6 MV in circular orbit Volumetric Arc Therapy (VMAT) with respect to 100 keV irradiation in rotational radiotherapy with SR. Methods The dose distribution was evaluated with calibrated EBT3 radiochromic films inserted at midplane in a 14-cm diameter PMMA cylindrical phantom, simulating the pendant breast. We irradiated a cylindrical target (15 × 20 mm2 (W × H)) at the centre of phantom. Measurements were performed at the Imaging and Medical Beamline (Australian Synchrotron, Clayton, Australia) at 100 keV, with a SR beam of size 15 × 20 mm2 (W × H) continuously irradiating the phantom during a 360 deg rotation around the cylinder axis with a central dose to the target of 7 Gy. Megavoltage measurements were performed at 6 MV using a Varian Clinac iX System Linac, with a target dose of 6 Gy. Results The principle of dose summation along the axis of rotation produced a dose distribution peaked at the centre of rotation for small fields. The target-to-surface dose ratio was 20:1 at 6 MV and 9:1 at 100 keV, for a target at the center of the phantom. Conclusions We performed a feasibility test of kilovoltage rotational radiotherapy dedicated to the breast showing a target-to-surface dose ratio higher than with MV radiotherapy but still acceptable for skin tissue sparing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To measure the dose distribution in a phantom during a synchrotron radiation (SR) computed tomography (CT) scan using radiochromic films, for procedure assessment and for offline dose monitoring in SR breast CT. Methods We used XR-QA2 radiochromic films (calibrated in terms of free air kerma) and a 14-cm PMMA cylindrical phantom. Measurements were performed at the SYRMEP beamline of ELETTRA facility, within the SYRMA-3D project for phase-contrast breast CT [1]. The phantom was positioned at isocenter, pending from the patient bed. Measurements were performed at 38 keV, beam size of 3 mm × 150 mm (H × W), at an air kerma corresponding to a mean glandular dose of 5 mGy in a 14-cm diameter 50% glandular breast. The phantom was irradiated over 360° first with a film at the mid-plane, and then with film strips wrapped on its surface. Additional tests were made over 180° with an axial scan pitch of 1, 0.8 or 0.5. Results Results show a dose map at mid-plane the phantom, indicating the cup-shaped horizontal profile due to primary and scatter dose. Analogous maps were recorded with the films at the periphery of the phantom, representing the surface dose maps. Conclusions We performed measurements of the dose distribution in a phantom during a SR CT scan with different irradiation geometries. This technique produces evidence for selecting the suitable scan procedure. Moreover, as an offline monitor system, a piece of calibrated radiochromic film wrapped on a suitable holder around the breast could record the history of the organ irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clin Microbiol Infect 2010; 16: 1358–1361 Limited information exists on the performance of antigen-based rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDT) in diagnosing the novel influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus. Large studies evaluating these tests in consecutive patients with a broad clinical spectrum of influenza-like illnesses are needed. We assessed the ClearView® Exact Influenza A & B test (Inverness Medical, Cologne, Germany) in comparison with real-time (r)RT-PCR for detection of the novel influenza A (H1N1) in a population-based prospective study of 1016 adults and children with suspected influenza in Spain. Three hundred and one (29.6%) patients had a positive sample with the rRT-PCR assay for influenza A and B viruses, with 297 (29.2%) confirmed cases of the novel influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus. Fifty (16.8%) patients with confirmed A (H1N1) 2009 virus were admitted to hospital, with six of them to the intensive care unit. In comparison with rRT-PCR, the ClearView® Exact Influenza A & B test had a sensitivity of 19% (95% CI 14–23), a specificity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 100%, and a negative predictive value of 75% (95% CI 72–78). The sensitivity of the test remained low across all demographic and clinical strata. Although a positive RIDT performed well in predicting PCR-confirmed infection with pandemic H1N1 virus, the sensitivity was very low and a negative test result was a poor predictor of the absence of infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First report on the isolation of (−)-pancratinine-C from the genus narcissus. • Bioactive amaryllidaceae alkaloids were isolated from Turkish narcissus tazetta l. • Alkaloidal contents of the plant were determinated via GC–MS. • Anticholinesterase activity tests and docking studies were carried out on isolates. Galanthamine, is the most known Amaryllidaceae alkaloid, which is currently being prescribed for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) due to its anti-acetylcholinesterase activity. Narcissus L., a genus belonging to the same family, has been subjected to intensive research owing to its broad alkaloidal range. The main objective of the present study was to evaluate Narcissus tazetta L. in terms of its therapeutic potential in AD and to isolate Amaryllidaceae alkaloids with anticholinesterase activity. A qualitative determination of the alkaloidal contents of aerial parts and bulbs of the plant were carried out via Gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC–MS) analysis. Additionally, secondary metabolites were isolated from the ethanolic extract of the plant by means of chromatographic methods. The structural elucidation of isolated compounds was established by spectroscopic techniques. Determination of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activities of the isolated Amaryllidaceae alkaloids were accomplished using a microplate assay modified from Ellman's method. These compounds were also subjected to docking studies to determine the non-covalent interactions formed with the active site residues of cholinesterase enzymes. GC–MS monitoring on the profile of N. tazetta was resulted in the detection of 22 alkaloids. Isolation process on the plant has led to isolate four alkaloids belonging to three different skeleton types. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and MS findings verified that those compounds were identical with (−)-9- O -methylpseudolycorine, (−)-narcissidine, (−)-pancratinine-C and (+)-9- O -demethyl-2-α-hydroxyhomolycorine. Among those; 11-hydroxygalanthine and narcissidine have shown significant acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity based on our bioactivity results. It was observed that the docking scores were found close in general, when the docking scores of the isolated alkaloids calculated inside electric eel acetylcholinesterase (ee AChE) and Equus caballus butyrylcholinesterase (eq BuChE) were examined. Increased anti-acetylcholinesterase activity was observed in lycorine-type. This is the first report on the isolation of (−)-pancratinine-C from the genus Narcissus. Docking scores of all the compounds isolated from the title plant were agreeable with the bioactivity results. The evaluation of the results given in this study, reveals that this particular Turkish Narcissus species represents a promising source of bioactive alkaloids with intriguing chemical structures which may have the potential to be drug leads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Feasibility of manufacturing a new metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) reactor for heteroepitaxial GaAs deposition on large-scale Ge substrates for the production of satellite-use solar cells was investigated. The overall deposition mechanism for GaAs growth from trimethylgallium (TMG) and AsH3 was fully checked and revised through quantum chemistry calculations. Then, the resulting chemical kinetic scheme was used to perform 2D and 3D simulations of the reactor chamber, predicting the GaAs growth rate profile over the whole substrate. Several simulations were performed to optimize reactor shape and geometry to enlarge the so-called “flat area”. The chosen reactor geometry, with the goal of avoiding the formation of parasitic flows and back-mixings, was that of a cold wall horizontal reactor, with rotating susceptor and round-shaped outer walls, and with a single jet gas inlet apparatus. The reactor was assembled at IMEM-CNR laboratory (Parma, Italy): it is completely home made and responds to the requirement of a research and development (R and D) process in a research institute, since it is less expensive than commercially available MOVPE reactors; it is modular and expandable as new reagents lines will become necessary for the growth of III–V arsenides and phosphides; it uses a custom made control software developed on a programmable logic computer (PLC). Moreover, it integrates some new technology such as digital-controlled mass flow controllers and pressure controller and a low-consume vent line with a retroactive pressure control. Some tests were made and GaAs on Ge was successfully deposited. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Grass allergy is the most common pollinosis in Northern Italy. Some patients with grass allergy show polysensitization against other pollens and plant-derived foods. In these patients oral allergic syndrome (OAS) is frequently associated. To evaluate the correlation between food allergy or food sensitization and specific IgE against panallergens such as Bet v 1 and Bet v 2, we studied 56 children (mean age: 8 years 5 months) suffering from respiratory allergy due to grass pollens were enrolled. Specific IgE against the most important food, inhalant allergen and Bet v 1, Bet v 2 were performed by ImmunoCAP technology (UniCAP 1000, Pharmacia Diagnostics, Uppsala, Sweden). We found 14 children (25%) sensitized to Bet v 1 and 13 (23%) to Bet v 2; in 24 cases (42.3%) a sensitization to at least one of the 2 panallergens was observed. Five of the 14 cases (36%) sensitized to Bet v 1 showed food allergy and 8 (57%) food sensitization; 6 (46%) of the 13 children sensitized to Bet v 2 showed food allergy and 7 (54%) food sensitization; only one case of Bet v 1 specific IgE without food allergy or sensitization was seen. Sixteen subjects (29%) showed food allergy (group A); 20 children (35.5%) multiple sensitizations to inhalant and at least one plant-derived food (group B); 20 subjects (35.5%) only inhalant allergens (group C). Sensitization to Bet v 1 (P <0.03) and Bet v 2 (P <0.009) is from a statistical point of view significantly higher in groups A and B than in group C. In the 16 patients with food allergy hazelnut was the major triggering food (50%), followed by peanut (38%), kiwi (31%), apple and walnut (19%). Specific IgE for Bet v 1 is more associated with nuts and legumes, while Bet v 2 is more related to fresh fruit and vegetables. In conclusion grass pollinosis is frequently associated with polysensitization to other pollen and food allergens. Bet v 1 and Bet v 2 specific IgE are significantly higher in these patients than in patients with grass monosensitization, and this sensitization may be considered a possible risk factors to evolve later into food allergy. Among the offending foods, legumes and the nut group are mostly related to Bet v 1, while vegetables and fresh fruits to Bet v 2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Poster: RTT track: Risk management/quality management PO-1947: ARIA 15 Visual care Path for quality assurance of radiation oncology course F. Fragnoli, I. Bonaparte, L. BranÃ, A. Aga, M. De Masi, A. Ciocia, C. Indellicati, R. Parabita, G. Sanfrancesco, C. De Pascali, F. Berloco, M. Caliandro, F. Gregucci, A. Surgo, R. Carbonara, A. Fiorentino. [Extracted from the article]