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Italy was the first European country hit by SARS-CoV-2 infection, particularly northern regions. After the beginning of national lockdown (March 9th, 2020), we observed a significant decrease in pediatric emergency department consultations (daily pediatric visits; pre-lockdown, 16 (11–22); lockdown, 3 (1–3); phase 2, 3 (3–5), p

Life Cycle Assessment (the systematic analysis of the environmental impact of products during their entire life cycle), Carbon Footprint and Water Footprint assessments play an important role in decision-making processes. These assessments can help guide land management decisions and will likely play a larger role in the future, especially in natural areas with high biodiversity. Agriculture is a substantial consumer of fresh water, so it is important to identify causes and possible solutions to optimize agricultural water use. Water footprint assessments consider water consumption from several points of view and aid in reaching Sustainable Development Goals. Olive trees are a widespread agricultural crop growing in the Mediterranean Basin and are particularly important in the Umbria region in Italy. This paper estimates the water footprint impact related to the production of 1 kg of olives in a rainfed olive orchard managed using low environmental impact techniques. Eleven years of data collection (meteorological data, olives yield data, processes data) are analyzed for typical rural conditions. The results show that local management techniques have lower water requirements than standard international usages. These results can be used to improve and to further explore agricultural water use.

The oriental gall wasp Dryocosmus kuriphilus represents a limiting pest for the European Chestnut (Castanea sativa, Fagaceae) as it creates severe yield losses. The European Chestnut is a deciduous tree, having major social, economic and environmental importance in Southern Europe, covering an area of 2.53 million hectares, including 75,000 ha devoted to fruit production. Cultivars show different susceptibility and very few are resistant to gall wasp. To deeply investigate the plant response and understand which factors can lead the plant to develop or not the gall, the study of transcriptome is basic (fundamental). To date, little transcriptomic information are available for C. sativa species. Hence, we present a de novo assembly of the chestnut transcriptome of the resistant Euro-Japanese hybrid ‘Bouche de Betizac’ (BB) and the susceptible cultivar ‘Madonna’ (M), collecting RNA from buds at different stages of budburst. The two transcriptomes were assembled into 34,081 (BB) and 30,605 (M) unigenes, respectively. The former was used as a reference sequence for further characterization analyses, highlighting the presence of 1444 putative resistance gene analogs (RGAs) and about 1135 unigenes, as putative MiRNA targets. A global quantitative transcriptome profiling comparing the resistant and the susceptible cultivars, in the presence or not of the gall wasp, revealed some GO enrichments as “response to stimulus” (GO:0050896), and “developmental processes” (e.g., post-embryonic development, GO:0009791). Many up-regulated genes appeared to be transcription factors (e.g., RAV1, AP2/ERF, WRKY33) or protein regulators (e.g., RAPTOR1B) and storage proteins (e.g., LEA D29) involved in “post-embryonic development”. Our analysis was able to provide a large amount of information, including 7k simple sequence repeat (SSR) and 335k single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)/INDEL markers, and generated the first reference unigene catalog for the European Chestnut. The transcriptome data for C. sativa will contribute to understand the genetic basis of the resistance to gall wasp and will provide useful information for next molecular genetic studies of this species and its relatives.

Dryocosmus kuriphilus is the most impactful alien pest of chestnut currently reported in almost the whole Europe after its accidental introduction in Piemonte (North-west Italy) where it was found for the first time in 2002. The Piemonte Region Administration funded a project aimed to find control solutions based on both the biological control of gall-wasp and the study of plant response. This work was carried out from 2004 to 2013 and reports studies on assessment of production loss (2006–2012), cultivar susceptibility (2004–2013) and amount of nutrients subtraction caused by the insect (2012). The assessment of yield loss showed that infestation values (G/B = No. galls/bud) lower than 0.3 G/B caused no significant losses; values between 0.3–0.6 G/B originated a moderate decrease in productivity. A drastic decrease of productivity was observed for values above 0.6 G/B. A second objective was to assess varietal susceptibility in 62 cultivars. The susceptibility trait showed a wide range of variation from total resistance (7 cultivars: two Castanea sativa , one Castanea crenata and 4 Euro-Japanese hybrids) to high susceptibility (>0.6 G/B; 14 cultivars). Finally, size and proximate differences in leaves with gall and healthy leaves were studied to assess the changes due to infestation. Significant differences for leaf area, moisture, dry matter, ash, sugars, starch, and total carbohydrates were observed between the two types of leaves indicating a deep influence of the infestation on leaf functionality and on its photosynthetic capacity.

Key message: This work demonstrates that the Olive tree, which is managed and pruned as a fruit tree, can be treated as a forest tree using allometric equations, to estimate both biomass production and volumes. Abstract: The Olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is an evergreen tree that can grow and accumulate a relatively high amount of dry matter, even in dry environmental conditions common in the Mediterranean basin and typical of traditional rain-fed agriculture. The objective of this research was to develop a tool to predict woody biomass and tree component volume for the olive tree, to be used for different agricultural and environmental purposes. The study was carried out in six olive groves across three locations in Italy, collecting data on the “Leccino” cultivar, which is spread worldwide. Models for volume and biomass were developed for the whole tree and its different components. Basal diameter and a diameter of 80 cm of the trunk height were explored as independent variables for modeling. The results of this study demonstrate a high correlation between the two selected variables and total biomass, above and below-ground biomass and tree component volumes. The same variables show high correlation with total leaf area, but no correlation with the root/shoot ratio, and Leaf Area Index.

The studied plantation is a post-mining site located in Central Italy, between Firenze and Arezzo as a part of an activity of land reclamation and re-establishment of native plant species focus on ecosystem restoration of an area where lignite was extracted since 1863. In the 1980’s once the mining activity ceased, an afforestation activity was started on 1287 ha using several indigenous species. This research work focused on a plantation of English oak (Quercus robur L.), planted in November 1979 on a homogeneous mine spoil bank with an initial density of 1111 trees ha−1, gradually reduced to 157 trees ha−1 in February 2014. The carbon sequestered by the oak plantation biomass, during the whole life spam, was calculated and the environmental impact (in terms of global warming) due to management operations were measured through a Life Cycle Assessment on the basis of its international references (i.e. ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, 2006). Thus both human and biological processes were investigated to get respective CO2-eq sources and sinks. The actual carbon stock and the age beyond which cumulated removals exceed emissions were determined. In addition, the “hotspots” in the life cycle, i.e. treatments and processes that had the greater impacts were found. The estimated standing total C at 34 years old was 92.623 t ha−1, that correspond at a total CO2-eq of 339.925 t ha−1. The studied plantation English oak shows high growth performance in the 34th years after planting and low Carbon footprint, with CO2-eq absorption being higher than CO2-eq emissions since the 4th year after planting.

The issue of detecting harmful compounds in water may be approached in different ways, ranging from analytical methods to chemical sensor arrays. Optochemical sensors offer the advantage of being a simple and effective method for online monitoring of the parameters of interest in water solution. The core of an optochemical sensor is represented by a dye that changes colour upon the interaction with analytes. In this work, we used porphyrins, pH indicators and their mixtures to prepare the colorimetric sensor array for the analysis of ionic salts and organic compounds in water. The colour changes of sensing dyes exposed to an aqueous solution containing target compounds were read out with a system consisting of a computer screen (light source) and a digital camera (detector). Beyond the detection of metallic salts, nitrites, nitrates, phosphates, and organic compounds, we found that the array can recognize creatinine and urea, two markers of kidney functionalities.

Sensor networks prompt a great deal of research interest within the computer and analytical sciences. To this regard, one of the most important issues is concerned with the interpretation of data that are collected by different sensors. Due to sensors non-reproducibility, this problem may also persist even when many replicas of the same sensors are considered. In this case additional calibrations may be required to use a common knowledge database. Noteworthy, the same problem arises in case of sensors replacement. In this paper we demonstrate that in case of optical chemical sensors drawing inspiration from the connectivity strategy of the olfactory bulb, this problem can find a straightforward solution when an image sensor is used to measure the optical properties of an extended sensing layer. If the sensing layer is formed by a number of spots of different indicators, it is demonstrated that a common data processing can be applied to any replica of the sensing layer even if the indicators are spotted with different geometries and in different quantities.

SummaryDuring an ongoing effort to recover and preserve local germplasm, 14 accessions of indigenous minor grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivars from the Umbria Region, Central Italy, were chosen because they had been neglected and were threatened with extinction. Their phenotypic and genetic characteristics were evaluated through an ampelographic study of their shoots, mature leaves, bunches, and berries and by genomic analysis using an international set of nine microsatellite (simple sequence repeat; SSR) markers (VVS2, VVMD5, VVMD7, VVMD27, VrZAG62, VrZAG79, VVMD25, VVMD28, and VVMD32). Comparisons of the SSR profiles of all 14 accessions with grapevine accessions in several databases permitted the identification of unique genotypes, as well as possible synonyms. Information on these older, neglected cultivars will help to reduce the genetic erosion of grapevine germplasm, improve conservation and possible recovery, and assist in the future production of new, distinctive wines.

We report the distinctive photophysical properties of a Cu5-core metal cluster that presents, both in solution and in the solid, temperature dependent fluorescent quantum yield and excited state lifetime in the range between -45 and +80 °C. It allows for an unprecedented accuracy in temperature determination by fluorescence measurements, making it suitable for applications in nanosized environments, e.g. in biology and (nano)materials research.

Natural olfaction suggests that numerous replicas of small sensors can achieve large sensitivity. This concept of sensor redundancy can be exploited by use of optical chemical sensors whose use of image sensors enables the simultaneous measurement of several spatially distributed indicators. Digital image sensors split the framed scene into hundreds of thousands of pixels each corresponding to a portion of the sensing layer. The signal from each pixel can be regarded as an independent sensor, which leads to a highly redundant sensor array. Such redundancy can eventually be exploited to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. In this paper we report an algorithm for reduction of the noise of pixel signals. For this purpose, the algorithm processes the output of groups of pixels whose signals share the same time behavior, as is the case for signals related to the same indicator. To define these groups of pixels, unsupervised clustering, based on classification of the indicator colors, is proposed here. This approach to signal processing is tested in experiments on the chemical sensitivity of replicas of eight indicators spotted on to a plastic substrate. Results show that the groups of pixels can be defined independently of the geometrical arrangement of the sensing spots, and substantial improvement of the signal-to-noise ratio is obtained, enabling the detection of volatile compounds at any location on the distributed sensing layer. peerReviewed

Polymers are commonly used in optical chemical sensors as inert supports for indicator dyes keeping the molecules apart to allow for exposure to analytes and to maintain the peculiar optical properties of the sensitive dyes. However, the partitioning properties of polymers may play a significant role in determining the sensitivity of the sensors. Herewith, the properties of a single dye blended with different polymers have been studied through optical absorbance changes elicited by the exposure to organic vapors. Results show that the partitioning properties of polymers modulate the response of the dye and confer a combinatorial selectivity to the system, allowing for the recognition of vapors.

Sensors are the less durable parts in any chemical sensor system, then the replacement of sensors maintaining hardware and data processing is a necessity in real applications. Though sensors replacement requires a perfect reproducibility of the sensors fabrication. Among the different sensor technologies, those based on optical transduction may offer a straightforward methodology to release the requirement of identical sensor manufacturing. In particular it will be shown here that the use of image sensor provides a surprising parallel with natural olfaction. An important consequence is that the data processing is independent from the geometric arrangement of the sensitive layer. This feature leads to a simple sensor layer replacement and to a prompt arrangement of different sensor systems, even remotely located, into a single data processing system.

In chemical sensors, polymers are frequently used as inert matrices to support chemical indicators, keeping the molecules apart to allow for exposure to analytes. However, the partitioning properties of polymers can play a significant role in determining the properties of chemical sensors. Herewith, the properties of two dyes blended with different polymers have been studied through optical absorbance changes elicited by the exposure to organic vapors. Results show that the partitioning properties of polymers modulate the response of the dyes and confer a broader selectivity to the system, allowing for qualitative analysis of the tested vapors.

The aggregation of gas sensors into arrays was introduced to overcome the limited selectivity of solid-state gas sensors. Indeed, when complemented by a multivariate data analysis technique, such as those used in chemometrics, sensor arrays might allow for the quantification and identification of compounds with a performance well beyond that of a single device. Such arrays have a very close similitude with the properties of the olfactory receptor neurons. Indeed, similarly to sensors, the selectivity of olfactory receptor neurons is also limited, so that a single olfactory receptor neuron senses many compounds and more than one olfactory receptor neuron sense the same compound. The recognition of a specific compound or a specific blend of compounds is then achieved by the collective response of the olfactory receptor neurons. Due to this parallel between olfaction and gas sensor arrays, the latter ones are now currently nicknamed as “electronic noses.” In this article, an overview of the sensor technology mostly used for electronic noses is presented together with a discussion about the data analysis methods that enable the recognition of odors from the electronic nose signals. Finally, a short overview of the application of electronic noses to practical cases is provided. Keywords: gas sensors; multivariate analysis; volatile compounds

Trimethylsilylthiazolidines were readily obtained through reaction of aminoethanethiol with (bromomethoxymethyl)trimethylsilane and efficiently N-functionalized with a variety of protecting groups. Such N-protected thiazolidines can then be satisfactorily reacted with several organic electrophiles under fluoride ion conditions, with a clean transfer of the thiazolidine moiety, to afford good yields of 2- functionalized heterocycles. The thiazolidine ring system derives special importance from the fact that it is an integral part of medicinally important compounds like the penicillins (1) and some antiradiation drugs (2). Substituted thiazolidine derivatives represent important key intermediates for the synthesis of pharmacologically active drugs (3). Recently a number of thiazolidines have been claimed to be retroviral protease inhibitors (3b,4) and have also been investigated as possible substitute for the carbohydrate moiety in the synthesis of new antiviral nucleosides (5). More recently they have also been shown as antitussive active molecules (6). Thiazolidines are also relevant in food chemistry, as far as they are incorporated in flavor enhancing additives (7), and their synthetic utility is shown by their use as blocking groups (8), and as intermediates in the synthesis of aldehydes (9) and aminoethane thiols (10). Despite the utility of the thiazolidine moiety, still very few methodologies for the functionalization of position 2 of the heterocyclic ring exist. Only two reports, in fact, to the

Trop-2 is an epithelial transmembrane glycoprotein that transduces a calcium signal and activates a growth-signaling network that converges on AKT. Trop-2 is overexpressed in the majority of carcinomas, where it drives tumor cell proliferation, and in its mature, glycosylated/functionally-competent form associates with worse prognosis. Trop-2 extracellular domain contains an N-terminal cysteine-rich globular region followed by a cysteine-less region as a connecting “stem” to the transmembrane domain. Trop-2 molecules engage in homophylic interactions between adjacent cells and establish multimeric complexes with tight junction proteins, which may hinder accessibility by therapeutic antibodies. Up to now, Trop-2-targeted approaches have employed anti-Trop-2 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) which essentially recognize a single immunodominant epitope poised between the globular and stem regions. Such mAb have limited or no therapeutic efficacy. In order to untap the potential of anti-Trop-2 immunotherapy we generated novel anti-Trop-2 mAb with tailored specificity towards the globular versus stem regions. Hybridoma diversity was maximized by immunization with soluble human Trop-2 extracellular region produced in different transformed mammalian cell lines (human 293 and murine L) and in insect cells/baculovirus expressing system. These were expected to provide native folding of Trop-2 together with a broad spectrum of differential glycosylation. Trop-2-binding hybridomas were further selected by multiple rounds of flow cytometry analysis using live 293 cells expressing different Trop-2 extracellular portions. Two classes of mAb were identified, that bound the stem versus the globular region. These mAb efficiently bound Trop-2 expressing cancer cells and were able to inhibit cell growth in vitro. In vivo the naked anti-globular OX-G64 and anti-stem OX-S55 mAb were most effective in inhibiting the growth of distinct tumors, including colon, ovary and prostate cancers. Notably, they showed differential efficacy for established tumors versus isolated-cell models of metastatic dissemination, consistent with our strategy of maximizing differential accessibility of Trop-2 according to growth mode. Most remarkably, we demonstrated in vivo synergy of these anti-Trop-2 mAb, paving the way for game-changing anti-cancer mAb therapy. The differential efficacy of the OX-G64 and OX-S55 anti-Trop2 mAb against different tumor histotypes and growth stages further allows to exploit their cancer-killing potential in pathological stage-tailored therapeutic approaches. Citation Format: Emanuela Guerra, Marco Trerotola, Valeria Relli, Chiara Pedicone, Antonella D' Amore, Francesca Dini, Silvia Fratarcangeli, Saverio Alberti. Novel anti-Trop-2 monoclonal antibodies with unique binding specificities show therapeutic synergy against most human cancers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4588. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-4588

e14002 Background: Trop-2 is a calcium signal transducer that drives tumor cell growth. Trop-2 is overexpressed in the majority of carcinomas, where it associates with worse prognosis. The Trop-2 extracellular domain contains a N-terminal cysteine-rich globular domain followed by a stem-like cysteine-less region that connects to the transmembrane domain. Trop-2 engages in homophylic interactions between adjacent cells and interacts with tight-junction proteins, which may severely affect accessibility by therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAb). Available anti-Trop-2 mAb mostly recognize a single immunodominant epitope between the globular and stem regions, and have limited or no therapeutic efficacy. In order to untap the potential of anti-Trop-2 immunotherapy we generated novel anti-Trop-2 mAb with tailored specificity towards the globular versus stem regions. Methods: Balb-C mice were immunized with soluble human Trop-2 produced in human 293 and murine L cell lines and in baculovirus expression system. Domain-targeted anti-Trop-2 mAb were selected by flow cytometry using live 293 transfectants.Therapeutic potential was assessed in human cancer xenografts in murine models. mAb mode of action was investigated by Western blot, live-cell imaging and in vitro ADCC and cancer cell growth inhibition assays. Results: mAb were identified that were differentially directed against the Trop-2 stem versus globular regions. These mAb efficiently bound Trop-2 expressing cancer cells and inhibited cell growth in vitro. In vivo, naked anti-globular OX-G64 and anti-stem OX-S55 mAb were most effective in inhibiting the growth of colon, ovary, breast and prostate cancers as xenografts in nude mice. NSG mice and in vitro mechanism profiling indicated efficient ADCC, together with efficient internalization for ADC development. Differential efficacy for established tumors versus isolated-cell models of metastatic dissemination was shown. Most remarkably, OX-G64/OX-S55 co-administration demonstrated sinergic growth inhibition in vivo. Conclusions: The OX-G64 and OX-S55 anti-Trop-2 mAb are novel domain-targeted, sinergic therapeutic mAb for game-changing anti-cancer immunotherapy.

Since almost every fifth patient treated in hospital care develops pressure ulcers, early identification of risk is important. A non-invasive method for the elucidation of endogenous biomarkers related to pressure ulcers could be an excellent tool for this purpose. We therefore found it of interest to determine if there is a difference in the emissions of volatiles from compressed and uncompressed tissue. The ultimate goal is to find a non-invasive method to obtain an early warning for the risk of developing pressure ulcers for bed-ridden persons. Chemical analysis of the emissions, collected in compresses, was made with gas-chromatography – mass spectrometry and with a chemical sensor array, the so called electronic nose. It was found that the emissions from healthy and hospitalized persons differed significantly irrespective of the site. Within each group there was a clear difference between the compressed and uncompressed site. Peaks that could be certainly deemed as markers of the compression were, however, not identified. Nonetheless, different compounds connected to the application of local mechanical pressure were found. The results obtained with GC-MS reveal the complexity of VOC composition, thus an array of non-selective chemical sensors seems to be a suitable choice for the analysis of skin emission from compressed tissues; it may represent a practical instrument for bed side diagnostics. Results show that the adopted electronic noses are likely sensitive to the total amount of the emission rather than to its composition. The development of a gas sensor-based device requires then the design of sensor receptors adequate to detect the VOCs bouquet typical of pressure. This preliminary experiment evidences the necessity of studies where each given person is followed for a long time in a ward in order to detect the insurgence of specific VOCs pattern changes signalling the occurrence of ulcers. Funding Agencies|NovaMedTech, a regional program within biomedical engineering

The computer screen photo-assisted techniques (CSPT) have been developed during the last 10 years through an extensive collaboration between University of Rome "Tor Vergata" and Linkoping Universit ...

The purpose of the study was the identification of the mechanisms of resistance to Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu in the hybrid-resistant cultivar 'Bouche de Betizac' (Castanea sativa × Castanea crenata). Larvae and eggs of the insect are found in the buds of this cultivar at the end of winter, but there is no gall development after budburst. The hypothesis of the presence of a hypersensitive reaction (HR) in the buds was tested using diaminobenzidine (DAB) to detect H(2)O(2) and by Real Time PCR (RT-PCR) to evaluate the expression of a germin-like protein gene. HR in plants is elicited by the production of reactive oxygen compounds, such as H(2)O(2), and results in the programmed cell death. The DAB test was applied to buds of 'Bouche de Betizac' and of the susceptible cultivar 'Madonna' (C. sativa) at different stages of budburst. The DAB staining produced brown areas in the swelling buds of 'Bouche de Betizac', indicating the presence of H(2)O(2). On the contrary, all uninfested buds, as well as the infested buds of 'Madonna', appeared whitish. Papers report that germin and germin-like proteins (GLP) with oxalate oxidase activity are discrete markers of stress-responsive gene products. A strong expression of the chestnut GLP gene was detected by RT-PCR at bud swelling in infested 'Bouche de Betizac' buds but not in 'Madonna' ones. The results support the hypothesis of the occurrence of an HR in 'Bouche de Betizac' as response to the cynipid infestation, resulting in cell and larvae death.

Congenital tufting enteropathy (CTE) is a life-threatening hereditary disease that is characterized by enteric mucosa tufting degeneration and early onset, severe diarrhea. Loss-of-function mutations of the human EPCAM gene (TROP1, TACSTD1) have been indicated as the cause of CTE. However, loss of mTrop1/Epcam in mice appeared to lead to death in utero, due to placental malformation. This and indications of residual Trop-1/EpCAM expression in cases of CTE cast doubt on the role of mTrop1/Epcam in this disease. The aim of this study was to determine the role of TROP1/EPCAM in CTE and to generate an animal model of this disease for molecular investigation and therapy development. Using a rigorous gene-trapping approach, we obtained mTrop1/Epcam -null (knockout) mice. These were born alive, but failed to thrive, and died soon after birth because of hemorrhagic diarrhea. The intestine from the mTrop1/Epcam knockout mice showed intestinal tufts, villous atrophy and colon crypt hyperplasia, as in human CTE. No structural defects were detected in other organs. These results are consistent with TROP1/EPCAM loss being the cause of CTE, thus providing a viable animal model for this disease, and a benchmark for its pathogenetic course. In the affected enteric mucosa, E-cadherin and β-catenin were shown to be dysregulated, leading to disorganized transition from crypts to villi, with progressive loss of membrane localization and increasing intracellular accumulation, thus unraveling an essential role for Trop-1/EpCAM in the maintenance of intestinal architecture and functionality. Supporting information is available for this article.

Labeling of optically inert receptors with sensitive dyes is a popular technique used for the development of opto-chemical sensors. The bond with an analyte perturbs the interaction between the single components and causes a detectable change in optical features. In this paper, such strategy is further extended preparing blends of two chemoresponsive dyes: a metalloporphyrin and an acid/base indicator. Here, both the constituents can change color upon the interaction with volatile compounds, but some target molecules engage chemical interactions so weak that does not involve changes in the optical spectrum. Our results demonstrate that dye blends show an enhancement of the sensing capabilities compared with those of the basic constituents. Furthermore, the measure of compounds not detectable by the single constituents becomes possible, and the range of class of compounds that can be detected is enlarged. The mixture provides a response pattern not correlated to that of single components, hence this strategy may allow for the preparation of arrays with a wider number of crossselective colorimetric spots.

Carbon monoxide is a odorless, colorless and toxic gas. The effects of carbon monoxide exposure may vary greatly from person to person depending on age, overall health and both concentration and duration of exposure. In this paper the detection of carbon monoxide is accomplished through the conductivity changes of a Cobalt-TriPhenylCorrole (CoTPC) layer deposited onto a micro-fabricated substrate. The influence of light in enhancing sensor sensitivity has also been investigated. Results demonstrate the capability of this sensor to detect carbon monoxide below the limits of toxicity.

Porphyrins are versatile molecules that can serve as sensitive materials in many different kinds of chemical sensors. These properties greatly enhance when porphyrins are aggregated in nanostructured molecular assemblies. Among such structures, nanotubes are particularly interesting. In particular, the superior sensitivity of nanotubes was previously demonstrated with optical sensors. In this paper, we describe a nanotubular structure that enhances the porphyrin conductivity enabling the fabrication of porphyrin based chemoresistances.

Olive oil quality is strictly correlated to the volatile compounds profile. Both quality and defects can be connected to the presence of specific volatile compounds in the oil headspace. In this paper, olive oil samples have been artificially modified by adding a number of compounds known to be typical of the more frequent defects: fusty, musty, muddy and rancid. Results demonstrate the sensitivity of the electronic nose to the compounds characterizing the defects and then the capability of the instrument to identify the defects in real samples.

A biocompatible and elastomeric PU was synthesized from low-molecular-weight PCL as macrodiol, CMD as chain extender and HDI as chain linker for applications in the field of peripheral nerve repair. PU cast films supported in vitro attachment and proliferation of NOBEC. The in vitro adhesion and proliferation of S5Y5 neuroblastoma cells on the inner surface of uncoated, gelatin- and PL-coated PU guides were compared. Due to their superior in vitro performance, PL-coated PU guides were tested in vivo for the repair of 1.8 cm-long defects in rat sciatic nerves. The progressive regeneration was confirmed by EMG and histological analysis showing the presence of regenerating fibers in the distal stumps. Artificial nerve guides are a promising alternative to autografting for peripheral nerve repair. A newly synthesized biocompatible elastomeric poly(ester urethane) containing poly(?-caprolactone) segments was proposed for the realization of nerve guides. PU physicochemical and biological properties were analyzed. Successful nerve regeneration was demonstrated in a rat sciatic nerve model.

For an accurate indoor air composition analysis the most useful tool is represented by the combination of a manual SPME collection of samples and the subsequent gas chromatography/mass spectrometry characterization. This method is lengthy, expensive and moreover it cannot allow a prompt danger signal. In this paper, different classes of indoor air pollutants have been evaluated, focusing the attention on acid and basic compounds and comparing the efficiency of a commercial pH indicator to corrole response. The reactions induced by acids or bases onto the dye embedded membranes led to absorption spectra considerable changes. The computer screen photoassisted technique has been able to discriminate among the tested analytes, showing also low detection limits in the case of trimethylamine. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

In harbor water, the hydrocarbons pollution identification represents an important issue. Hydrocarbon presence derives from oil spills, for instance in bilge water, or it may come from industrial discharge. A prompt identification of oil presence is crucial for living beings and for the maintenance of a healthy marine environment. Both crude oil and fuels contain different fluorophores that under ultraviolet radiation exhibit a strong fluorescence which varies in intensity and hue. Fluorescence results mainly from the emission of aromatic hydrocarbons. Indeed, fluorescence spectroscopy is a widely used technique for characterization of oil samples.

Artificial olfaction systems have been investigated since more than two decades on alleged property of similarities between the receptive field of natural receptors and artificial sensors. Due to the limited number of sensors embedded in these systems the complexity of electronic noses is generally too low to allow the application of olfaction processing models. Actually the literature there are several models attempting to describe some olfaction functionalities, and the availability of an artificial platform to test models could be of great benefit for these studies. Recently, the use of optical image sensors has been demonstrated as a simple method to obtain large sensor arrays. Furthermore, an elegant and simple method to cluster individual sensors in classes allows for the definition of epithelium and glomerular layers. This system enables the application of a complex olfaction model, and these properties are here illustrated applying a glomerular compartmentalization model to the data generated by the exposure of such an artificial system to pure and mixed gases.

Physiological investigations suggest that the olfactory mucosa probably plays an ancillary role in the recognition of odours introducing a sort of chromatographic separation that, together with the zonal distribution of olfactory receptors, gives place to selective spatio-temporal response patterns. It has been recently suggested that this behaviour may be simulated by chemical sensors embedded in continuous polymer layers. In this paper, in analogy to the biology of olfaction, a simple and compact platform able to separate and detect gases and vapours on the basis of their diffusion properties is proposed. In such a system, broadly selective colour indicators, such as metalloporphyrins, are embedded in continuous layers of polymers with different sorption properties. The exposure to various alcohols and amines shows that the porphyrins are mainly responsible for the recognition of the molecular family, while the occurring spatio-temporal signal patterns make possible the identification of the individual chemical species.

The contemporaneous measurement of different physical properties of a chemical sensing layer is expected to provide a general increase of selectivity. The application of this concept generally requires the use of multiple devices. In this paper, the measurement of optical and electric properties of one sensing layer with a single device is presented. The surface potential and optical sensitivities of a field effect transistor are utilized to develop a multi-parametric sensor able to evaluate, at the same time, changes in the electric dipole and in the optical absorbance of a metalloporphyrin layer. The properties of the multiparametric approach are illustrated with an example aimed at recognizing different gases and vapours.

The Electronic tongue (ET) composed of different kind of potentiometric chemical sensors has been applied for the detection of urinary system dysfunctions and creatinine levels. The creatinine contents evaluated by ET were compared with those obtained by automated Jaffe's method and GC-MS, obtaining a satisfying agreement for both methods. Partial least square regression discriminate analysis (PLS-DA) and feed forward back-propagation neural network (FFBP NN) classified 51 urine specimens from healthy volunteers in four classes, according to the creatinine content, showing that both techniques can satisfactorily differentiate urines according to this parameter. The best accuracy result of 92.2% correct classification of unknown samples was achieved with FFBP NN. Moreover, the possibility of ET system to distinguish between urine samples of healthy patients, and those with malignant and non-malignant tumor diagnosis of bladder has been shown.

Nanostructured molecular assemblies may provide additional sensing properties not found in other arrangements of the same basic constituents. Among three-dimensional structures, nanotubes are particularly appealing for applications as chemical sensors, because of the potential inclusion of different guests inside the cavity or the induced modification of the skeletal interaction after analyte binding. Porphyrins are a class of compounds characterized by brilliant sensing properties, appearing also in non-ordered solid-state aggregates. In recent years, it was reported that aggregation of oppositely charged porphyrins led to the formation of self-assembled nanotubes and in this paper their sensing properties, both in solution and in the solid state, have been investigated. The interactions of porphyrin nanotubes with guest molecules have been monitored by following the changes in their UV-vis spectra. The results obtained have been exploited to build up a sensing platform based on a computer screen as a light source and a digital camera as detector. Porphyrin nanostructures exhibited an enhanced sensitivity to different compounds with respect to those shown by single porphyrin subunits. The reason for the increased sensitivity may be likely found in an additional sensing mechanism related to the modulation of the strength of the forces that keep the supramolecular ensemble together.

Venous thromboembolism is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in many diseases, either in medical or in surgical wards. The aim of this study is to determine its frequency in a medical ward and to find all the patients who need a prophylaxys. We examined all the inpatients admitted in our Department during a period of three years, selecting all subjects affected by venous thromboembolism. Patients affected by metastatic cancer, namely pancreatic one, or congestive heart failure showed higher risk to develope venous thromboembolism. A prompt heparinic prophylaxys could reduce thromboembolic events. Male gender could be a further risk factor.

Nanostructured molecular assembly provides, in many cases, peculiar properties that are not found in the individual constituents. Among three-dimensional arrangements the tubular structures are particularly appealing for chemical sensor applications for expected surface increase and cavity effects. In this paper, the sensing properties of self-assembled nanotubes of oppositely charged porphyrins are investigated by measuring the changes of their optical properties. Computer screen photoassisted technology (CSPT) is utilized as a simple and practice platform to test the optical sensitivity of sensing materials and to develop chemical sensing systems.

Reaction of several α,β-unsaturated thioacylsilanes with in situ generated thioaldehydes and thioacylsilanes affords under mild conditions a clean and regioselective access to 2-substituted 4-silyl-1,3-dithiacyclohex-4-ene derivatives, arising from an hetero-Diels–Alder reaction between two different thiocarbonyl compounds.

Summary Optical sensors based on image acquisition hardware represent a promising technique to measure the chemical composition of an environment or the headspace generated by complex samples. However, this approach is still limited by the fact that only a restricted kind of interactions may change the visible spectrum of an indicator. As a consequence, the receptive field, namely the amount of different chemicals that can be captured by an opto-chemical sensor, is rather restricted. To extend the application of optical indicators we propose to use blends of porphyrins and acid-base indicators as materials for opto-chemical sensors. A suitable choice of the components allows to obtain sensing features that are not correlated to those of the single constituents. This strategy provides a straightforward method to develop sensor arrays for a wide number of practical applications, among them it is investigated here the measure of emissions from human skin.

Summary OBJECTIVE To determine the seroprevalence of antibodies against varicella zoster virus (VZV) and rubella virus among the population of two rural areas, Camiri and Villa Montes, Chaco region, southeastern Bolivia. METHODS In a cross-sectional study, serum samples from randomly selected subjects were screened for VZV- and rubella antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS The prevalence of VZV antibodies was 80% (391 of 489). No significant differences were observed between genders and study areas. The prevalence increased with age with a seropositivity rate of 21.2% in the 1‐4-year-old children, 56.9% in the 5‐9 age group and 83.7% in the 10‐14 age group, and reached 98.2% in over 45-year olds. The prevalence of rubella virus antibodies was 76.9% (377 of 490), without significant differences between genders and study areas. Similar to the trend observed for VZV antibodies, the seroprevalence increased with age with a seropositivity rate of 18.1% in the 1‐4-year-old children, 53.9% in the 5‐9 age group and 78.4% in the 10‐14 age group, and reached 94.7% in over 45-year-old subjects. Among the 95 women of childbearing age (15‐44 years) the susceptibility rate was 11.6%. CONCLUSIONS A common seroimmunological profile was evidenced for the two infections. The agespecific profile of VZV seropositivity differs from that reported for other tropical countries where higher median age of seroconversion and lower seroprevalence among adults are observed. Data concerning the prevalence of immunity to rubella may be useful to evaluate the impact of the recently introduced rubella immunization programme.

Molecular cooperation is a fascinating methodology to design functional materials. In chemical sensors, The sensitive unit can be formed by two interacting molecules whose interaction is altered by the adsorption of an analyte. This principle is conveniently exploited in the Indicator Displacement Assay (IDA) where the sensing unit is a colorimetric indicator bound to a colorless receptor. The interaction of the receptor with an analyte may than displace the dye giving rise to a detectable color change [1]. This technique has been demonstrated for instance for the colorimetric detection of sugars [2]. This working principle can be extended preparing an assembly constituted of two chemoresponsive dyes, namely molecules that can change their spectrum as a consequence of the interaction with volatile compounds. AS an example of this apporahc we discuss the case of blends of a porphyrin and an acid-base indicator. Metalloporphyrins allow for the recognition of analytes with Lewis acid/base capabilities, while pH indicators respond to changes in the proton acidity or basicity of the surrounding environment. Molecules that possess none of these properties are not expected to be detected by these chemoresponsive dyes; but they can be optically detected by proper blends of dyes. Solid layers of blends can be spotted onto a transparent substrate to measure the light transmitted through the spote. The layer of spots can be coinveniently matched with a transduction technique known as Computer Screen Photoassisted Technique (CSPT). CSPT arrangement consists of a LCD screen that illuminates the sensing film and a computer camera that records pictures of it during the exposure to vapors of target analytes. Such arrangement was already demonstrated as a suitable system for VOCs classification or for food freshness evaluation [3]. Different experiments aimed at evaluating the sensing capabilities of dye blends compared to those of single components were set up. Results indicate that for most part of the tested volatile compounds the variations of the absorbance spectrum of porphyrin-indicator blends exceed those of the single components. Noteworthy, for some of the compounds a response is found also when no color change is elicited in the membrane based on pure indicators. This is the most interesting characteristic of porphyrin-pH indicator blends as it overcomes the indicator failure in detecting certain chemical species through an optical transduction setup. The blends with different dye ratios show peculiar responses to the volatile compounds. In general the composition with a weight ratio 1:1 guarantees the best performance in terms of intensity response towards the largest number of compounds. Since the molar mass of the two components is similar, this is in agreement with the observation that the binding is established between single molecules. The sensitivity of porphyrins-pH indicator blends was tested with alcohols, amines, ketones, alcohols, ethers, aldehydes. Principal component analysis of the array data shows the effective recognition of different compounds. The blends with different dye ratios show peculiar responses to the volatile compounds. In general the composition with a weight ratio 1:1 guarantees the best performance in terms of intensity response towards the largest number of compounds. Since the molar mass of the two components is similar, this is in agreement with the observation that the binding is established between single molecules. The sensitivity of porphyrins-pH indicator blends was tested with alcohols, amines, ketones, alcohols, ethers, aldehydes. Principal component analysis of the array data shows the effective recognition of different compounds. References [1] E. V. Aslyn, Supramolecular Analytical Chemistry, JOC Perspective 72, 687-699 (2007) [2] T. James, P. Linnane, S. Shinkai,Fluorescent saccharide receptors: a sweet solution to the design, assembly and evaluation of boronic acid derived PET sensors, Chem Comm 281-288 (1996) [3] D. Filippini, A. Alimelli, C. Di Natale, R. Paolesse, A. D’Amico, I Lundström. Chemical Sensing with Familiar Devices, Angew . Chemie. Int. Ed. 45, 3800-3803 (2006)