Systematic review and meta-analysis on coronary calcifications in COVID-19.

Chest CT is valuable to detect alternative diagnoses/complications of COVID-19, while its role for prognostication requires further investigation. Non-pulmonary radiological findings such as cardiovascular calcifications could increase the predictivity of clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients beyond pulmonary involvement. Several observational studies have reported mixed results on the role of coronary calcifications in COVID-19 patients as a predictor of hospitalization, ventilatory support, and mortality.

Nurse-led distal radial access: efficacy, learning curve, and perspectives of an increasingly popular access. Does learning by doing apply to both the doctor and the nurse?

Background: The distal radial represents an evolution of the standard radial approach. Distal radial arterial access (DRA) in the so-called "anatomical snuffbox" is technically more difficult but offers potential advantages for patients. Moreover, the use of the distal radial would preserve the proximal radial from the risk of arterial occlusion after interventional procedures performed through the radial artery.

Gold(I)-Catalyzed 7- Cyclization: A Key Step to Access the Bicyclo[4.2.1]nonane Skeleton of Vibsatin A, a Neurotrophic Diterpenoid.

Vibsatin A is a new neurotrophic vibsane-type diterpenoid comprising a bridged bicyclo[4.2.1]nonane skeleton.

Silver(I) Oxide-/DBU-Promoted Synthesis of Dihydrofuran Units through Allenyl Silver Formation.

A formal [3+2] cyclization mediated by silver(I) oxide and 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) is described herein.

Natural products and ring-closing metathesis: synthesis of sterically congested olefins.

Covering: 2002 to August 2017.This review highlights recent RCM reactions towards the synthesis of sterically congested natural products. It offers an insight into various synthetic targets and approaches and provides information on the evolution of catalysts as powerful tools enabling the use of increasingly challenging diene precursors.

Assessment of bacterial community structure in a long-term copper-polluted ex-vineyard soil.

The influence of long-term copper contamination on the diversity of bacterial communities was investigated in an ex-vineyard soil. Two sites of the same area but exhibiting different 3-fold exchangeable copper (Ex-Cu) concentrations were analysed. Culturable bacterial community structure was assessed using a variety of approaches: determination of culturable bacteria number, analyses of 132 isolates, and denaturing gradient gel lectrophoresis (DGGE) patterns of bacterial biomass grown on agar plates and of soil DNA.

Integrated waste management in a zone of northern Italy: compost production and use, and analytical control of compost, soil, and crop.

Agricultural soils of two Italian maize farms were treated for five years with an industrially produced high-quality compost. Cattle manure and the usual mineral fertilizer were used for comparison purposes. The effects of the organic and mineral fertilizer treatments were studied by analyzing the compost and manure, cultured soils, and harvested material.

Differential effects of the herbicides bensulfuron and cinosulfuron on soil microorganisms.

Bensulfuron toxicity on soil microbes was evaluated by the methods used in a previous study on cinosulfuron; the effects of the two sulfonylureas were compared. Cinosulfuron and bensulfuron, at the normal field application rate and 100 times higher, had no effect on the total number of bacteria and nitrifiers, or on the respiration activity in the soil, but they did decrease the nitrification activity. In vitro toxicity tests carried out on representative soil microbial strains using bensulfuron at 50 mg l(-1) showed some inhibition of three of the 17 bacterial strains and strong inhibition of almost all the 12 fungal strains; cinosulfuron had had no effect on any of these strains in the previous study.

Response of the bacteria and fungi of two soils to the sulfonylurea herbicide cinosulfuron.

Changes in aerobic bacteria and autotrophic nitrifier numbers, and in respiration and nitrification in two soils treated with cinosulfuron at 42 (field rate) and 4200 microg/kg were studied after 1 and 4 weeks of incubation under laboratory conditions. Only nitrification at 1 week was slightly inhibited by the cinosulfuron treatment, even at the field rate. In vitro toxicity tests carried out in agar media on representative aerobic bacteria, fungi and Azotobacter strains isolated from the two soils, as well as on nine collection soil bacteria, showed that only a very high cinosulfuron concentration (100 mg/l) can have negative effects on the growth of a limited number of soil heterotrophic microorganisms, under conditions similar to those of soil environment.

Influence of the herbicide bentazon on soil microbial community.

Changes in microbial numbers and activities in a soil in response to bentazon applied at 10 and 100 ppm were studied after 4 and 30 weeks of incubation in laboratory conditions. As regards the eight general and functional microbial groups studied (aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, fungi, aerobic and anaerobic N2-fixing bacteria, nitrifiers, aerobic and anaerobic cellulolytic microorganisms), only the number of anaerobic N2-fixing bacteria significantly decreased, in the presence of the highest herbicide concentration for 30 weeks. At both the incubation times, only the higher dose of bentazon markedly inhibited soil nitrification and CO2 emission.

Non-serotonergic 3H-ketanserin binding sites in human platelets: characteristics and interaction with calcium antagonists.

Here we report the identification of binding sites for 3H-ketanserin in human platelet membranes. At 4 degrees C, 3H-ketanserin binding is saturable (Bmax = 0.58 pmol/mg protein), rapid (equilibrium being attained within 20 min) and reversible.

Peripheral vascular and neuronal effects of dopamine receptor agonists. A comparison with receptor binding studies in rat striatum.

A series of dopamine (DA)-receptor agonists was tested in vitro on vascular DA1- and neuronal DA2-receptors and the activity observed was compared to their ability to compete with [3H]-SCH23390 and [3H]-domperidone binding to rat striatal membranes. In rabbit splenic artery, where the presence of the DA1-receptor is established, DA and related agonists produced a complete concentration-dependent relaxation of the thromboxane A2-mimetic U46619-induced tone in IBMX (3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine) treated preparations. The DA vasorelaxant effect proved to be mediated by DA1-receptors, being inhibited by the selective DA1-receptor antagonist SCH23390.

Endogenous hypertriglyceridemia in a nonobese rat model: plasma lipoproteins and dietary sensitivity.

Sprague-Dawley male rats from the Ivanovas-Sieve colony (IVA-SIV) show higher plasma triglyceride levels compared to the standard Charles River (CR) rats. The triglyceride enrichment occurs primarily in the very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), otherwise of a normal % composition, suggesting that the number of particles is increased, rather than their triglyceride (TG) content. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles, corresponding to HDL1, appear to be increased in the IVA-SIV rats, as confirmed by rate-zonal ultracentrifugation.

Pathogenetic mechanisms of the endogenous hypertriglyceridemia in a nonobese rat model.

Male Sprague-Dawley IVA-SIV rats were compared to male Sprague-Dawley Charles River rats of the same age, body weight, and daily food intake. The IVA-SIV rats demonstrated hypertriglyceridemia (182 +/- 9.4 v 131 +/- 9.

Mechanism of the plasma cholesterol lowering effect of tazasubrate in rats: accelerated plasma cholesterol transport with increased liver lipoprotein receptor activity.

Tazasubrate (30 mg/kg/day) a new lipid lowering agent, chemically unrelated to fibrates, reduces plasma cholesterol in rats within 2-3 days to 50% of controls. During the early rapid decrease of plasma cholesterol, increased liver cholesterol concentrations are observed. These return to normal, once the new steady state of plasma cholesterol (at 50% of controls) has been reached.