Ventilator-associated pneumonia in neurocritically ill patients: insights from the ENIO international prospective observational study.

Background: Acute brain injured (ABI) patients are at high risk of developing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). However, incidence, risk factors and effects on outcome of VAP are not completely elucidated in this population. The primary aim of this study was to determine the incidence of VAP in a cohort of ABI patients.

An algorithm for the optimal collection of wet waste.

This work refers to the development of an approach for planning wet waste (food waste and other) collection at a metropolitan scale. Some specific modeling features distinguish this specific waste collection problem from the other ones. For instance, there may be significant differences as regards the values of the parameters (such as weight and volume) characterizing the various collection points.

A dynamic optimization model for solid waste recycling.

Recycling is an important part of waste management (that includes different kinds of issues: environmental, technological, economic, legislative, social, etc.). Differently from many works in literature, this paper is focused on recycling management and on the dynamic optimization of materials collection.

Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Interaction With DNA of N,N'-(Butane-1,4-Diyl)Bis(Guanidinium) Tetrachloroplatinate (II).

The design, synthesis, crystal structure and interaction with DNA of the N,N'-(butane-1,4-diyl)bis(guanidinium) tetrachloroplatinate(ll) are described. Crystal data: a = 8.152(1), b = 8.

In Vivo Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitors Can Be Deprived of This Activity: Unexpected Influence of the Tetrachloroplatinate(II) Counteranion. Crystal Structures of Bis(S-Methyl-Isothiouronium)-N,N'-Bis(3-Guanidinopropyl)Piperazinium and Hexamidinium Tetrachloroplatinates(II) Salts.

The synthesis and crystal structures of bis(S-methylisothiouronium) (MSTUH)(+), N,N'-bis((3- guanidinopropyl)piperazinium (PipeC3GuaH4)(4+) and hexamidinium (HexaH2)(2+) tetrachloro platinate(ll) salts ( called hereafter PtMSTU, PtPipeC3Gua and PtHexa respectively ) were investigated. These compounds contain the "amidine" function ( - C(=NH)NH(2) ) in which the H atoms supplied by the acid have become attached to the imino group of each terminal amidino function. Moreover, in PtPipeC3Gua, the nitrogen atoms of the chair-piperazine moiety are also protonated.

Multi-objective optimization of solid waste flows: environmentally sustainable strategies for municipalities.

An approach to sustainable municipal solid waste (MSW) management is presented, with the aim of supporting the decision on the optimal flows of solid waste sent to landfill, recycling and different types of treatment plants, whose sizes are also decision variables. This problem is modeled with a non-linear, multi-objective formulation. Specifically, four objectives to be minimized have been taken into account, which are related to economic costs, unrecycled waste, sanitary landfill disposal and environmental impact (incinerator emissions).

An environmentally sustainable decision model for urban solid waste management.

The aim of this work is to present the structure and the application of a decision support system (DSS) designed to help decision makers of a municipality in the development of incineration, disposal, treatment and recycling integrated programs. Specifically, within a MSW management system, several treatment plants and facilities can generally be found: separators, plants for production of refuse derived fuel (RDF), incinerators with energy recovery, plants for treatment of organic material, and sanitary landfills. The main goal of the DSS is to plan the MSW management, defining the refuse flows that have to be sent to recycling or to different treatment or disposal plants, and suggesting the optimal number, the kinds, and the localization of the plants that have to be active.

Synthesis of cone, partial-cone, and 1,3-alternate 25, 27-Bis.

The preparation of 25,27-bis[1-(2-ethyl)hexyl]- and 25, 27-bis[1-(2-tert-butoxy)ethyl]calix[4]arene-crown-6 combining one polyether crown-6 and one alkylchain O-attached on each side of a calix[4]arene in the cone, partial-cone, and 1,3-alternate conformations are reported. The control over 25, 27-bisalkylcalix[4]arene-crown-6 conformation via varying specific reaction conditions was studied. The series of calix[4]arenes have been prepared by two routes, which differ in the order in which the alkyl or polyether groups were introduced.

A new class of pyrrolidin-2-ones: synthesis and pharmacological study. II.

The anticonvulsant activity of a second series of pyrrolidin-2-ones (1-2a, 1-4b, 1-9c) was tested on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) treated mice. The compounds were obtained by acylation of N-(3'-aminopropyl)-2-pyrrolidinone with the suitable acid chloride.

Synthesis and evaluation of the CNS activity of new 4-alkoxyphenylimidazolidin-2-ones.

Various 4-alkoxyphenylimidazolidin-2-ones were prepared from benzaldehydes via a Curtius rearrangement and were evaluated for their anticonvulsant activities.

Amide derivatives with H1-antihistaminic effect.

The synthesis and the structure-activity correlation of a series of N-aminoalkylacetamides as H1-antihistaminic agents have been carried out. The compounds were tested in vitro by measurement of the inhibition of histamine-induced contractions on isolated guinea pig ileum; the results are expressed as pA2.

Novel and selective partial agonists of 5-HT3 receptors. 2. Synthesis and biological evaluation of piperazinopyridopyrrolopyrazines, piperazinopyrroloquinoxalines, and piperazinopyridopyrroloquinoxalines.

In continuation of our previous work on piperazinopyrrolothienopyrazine derivatives, three series of piperazinopyridopyrrolopyrazines, piperazinopyrroloquinoxalines, and piperazinopyridopyrroloquinoxalines were prepared and evaluated as 5-HT3 receptor ligands. The chemical modifications performed within these new series led to structure-activity relationships regarding both high affinity and selectivity for the 5-HT3 receptors that are in agreement with those established previously for the pyrrolothienopyrazine series. The best compound (8a) obtained in these new series is in the picomolar range of affinity for 5-HT3 receptors with a selectivity higher than 10(6).

Sequence-selective binding to DNA of bis(amidinophenoxy)alkanes related to propamidine and pentamidine.

The DNA sequences targeted by a complete homologous series of aromatic diamidines have been determined at single-nucleotide resolution via protection from cutting by the endonucleases DNase I, DNase II and micrococcal nuclease. Propamidine, pentamidine and to a lesser extent hexamidine bind selectively to nucleotide sequences composed of at least four consecutive A-T base pairs. In contrast, the binding to DNA of butamidine, heptamidine, octamidine and nonamidine is poorly sequence-selective.

Synthesis and pharmacological activities of some 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro[1,5]benzo[f]thiazepines.

In search of new biological active agents in the series of [1,5]benzothiazepines, some 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-N-(5-morpholinopentanoyl)-[1,5]benzo[f] thiazepines were synthesized and examined in vitro for their calcium antagonist activity compared to the Diltiazem one.

In vitro effects of Celiptium and MR 14504 on mature rat Leydig cell testosterone production.

Percoll-purified mature rat Leydig cells have been used to evaluate the testicular toxicity of two highly potent intercalating agents (Celiptium and MR 14505). Testosterone secretion in the absence and in the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) was measured to assess Leydig cell function. Celiptium and MR 14504 induce time- and dose-related inhibitory effects on the production of testosterone by Leydig cells, both in the presence and in the absence of hCG, whatever the concentration of hCG used.

Novel selective and partial agonists of 5-HT3 receptors. Part 1. Synthesis and biological evaluation of piperazinopyrrolothienopyrazines.

A series of piperazinopyrrolo[1,2-a]thieno[3,2-e]- and -[2,3-e]pyrazine derivatives were prepared and evaluated in order to determine the necessary requirements for high affinity on the 5-HT3 receptors and high selectivity versus other 5-HT receptor subtypes. Various substitutions on the piperazine and the thiophene ring of the pyrrolothienopyrazine moieties were systematically explored as well as replacement of the piperazine by other cyclic amines. The best compounds are in the nanomolar range of affinity of 5-HT3 receptors with high to very high selectivity (up to 10,000 for 14b).

Applicability of CoMFA in ecotoxicology: a critical study on chlorophenols.

Comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) is used to relate ecotoxicological data with steric and electrostatic fields of chemicals forming an intentionally selected homogeneous set, the chlorophenols, for which reliable data are abundant in literature. Among these data, those concerning 16 different biological systems were selected, leading to predictive CoMFA QSAR in 14 of the cases. This is attested by cross-validation and bootstrapping, which also authorize the prediction of the chlorophenols toxicity values, when they are missing.

[Anti-AIDS thienopyrimidine nucleosides].

In response to the AIDS epidemic, the discovery of antiviral agents has been focused on the synthesis of nucleoside analogues. The basis moiety of these pyrimidine nucleosides were thieno and thiano[3,2-d]pyrimidine-2,4-dione possibly substituted on 7 position by methyl or aryl groups, 6,7-dihydrothieno[3,2-d]pyrimidin-4-one, bicyclic heterocycles including an uracil moiety. The first part of organic chemistry work has provided cyclic and acyclic N-nucleosides after adaptation of Vorbrüggen and Niedballa method.

Amoebicidal efficiencies of various diamidines against two strains of Acanthamoeba polyphaga.

The first medical cure of Acanthamoeba keratitis was obtained by use of propamidine isethionate. Since then, it has been the basic drug recommended for use in treatment. Because some Acanthamoeba strains have been reported to be resistant to propamidine and propamidine was found to be only weakly cysticidal, superior homologs such as butamidine, pentamidine, hexamidine, heptamidine, octamidine, and nonamidine were tested for their amoebicidal effects on two Acanthamoeba strains isolated from patients with keratitis.

Mass spectral study of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and potential alternatives (HCFCs and HFCs).

Owing to high ozone depletion potential of the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), the production of such substances has been regulated worldwide by the Montreal Protocol in 1987. There is an urgent need to find other suitable products to replace them and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are considered to be the most probable candidates as CFC alternatives. The HCFCs and HFCs are more susceptible to decomposition during use than CFCs because they contain hydrogen.