Special Issue "Chemical Speciation of Organic and Inorganic Components of Environmental and Biological Interest in Natural Fluids: Behaviour, Interaction and Sequestration".

Several different definitions were in the past proposed to describe the term chemical speciation, and some of them were accepted from the scientific community [...

A Leaf Selfie: Using a Smartphone to Quantify Leaf Vulnerability to Hydraulic Dysfunction.

Accurate predictions of species distribution under current and future climate conditions require modeling efforts based on clear mechanistic relationships between climate variables and plant physiological functions. Vulnerability of leaves to xylem embolism is a key mechanistic trait that might be included in these modeling efforts. Here, we propose a simple set-up to measure leaf vulnerability to embolism on the basis of the optical method using a smartphone, a light source, and a notebook.

Development of Polymeric Membranes Based on Quaternized Polysulfones for AMFC Applications.

A series of quaternary ammonium-functionalized polysulfones were successfully synthesized using a chloromethylation two-step method. In particular, triethylammonium and trimethylammonium polysulfone derivatives with different functionalization degrees from 60% to 150% were investigated. NMR spectroscopic techniques were used to determine the degree of functionalization of the polymers.

Specific Heat and Transport Functions ofWater.

Numerous water characteristics are essentially ascribed to its peculiarity to form stronghydrogen bonds that become progressively more stable on decreasing the temperature. However, thestructural and dynamical implications of the molecular rearrangement are still subject of debate andintense studies. In this work, we observe that the thermodynamic characteristics of liquid water arestrictly connected to its dynamic characteristics.

Structure, Defects, and Magnetism of Electrospun Hematite Nanofibers Silica-Coated by Atomic Layer Deposition.

In the last years, hematite has been utilized in a plethora of applications. High aspect-ratio nanohematite and hematite/silica core-shell nanostructures are arousing growing interest for applications exploiting their magnetic properties. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is utilized here to produce SiO-coated α-FeO nanofibers (NFs) through two synthetic routes, viz.

Does mild intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy require an aggressive management? Evidence from a prospective observational study focused on adverse perinatal outcomes and pathological placental findings.

Objective: To ascertain the most effective approach in pregnancies complicated by mild intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (mICP) by evaluating rates of adverse perinatal outcomes (APOs) and pathological placental findings.

Methods: A total of 89 pregnancies complicated by mICP (defined as total serum bile acids (TSBAs) levels <40 µmol/L) were included. One-drug (ursodeoxycholic acid [UDCA]) ( = 49, 55.

Histamine in Fish Products Randomly Collected in Southern Italy: A 6-Year Study.

Abstract: In total, 4,615 fresh and processed fish samples collected from 2010 to 2015 were analyzed for histamine by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection. Histamine levels were detected in 352 (7.6%) samples, with a maximum of 4,110 mg kg-1 and mean values of 908.

Flexible Graphene/Carbon Nanotube Electrochemical Double-Layer Capacitors with Ultrahigh Areal Performance.

The fabrication of electrochemical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) with high areal capacitance relies on the use of elevated mass loadings of highly porous active materials. Herein, we demonstrate a high-throughput manufacturing of graphene/carbon nanotubes hybrid EDLCs. The wet-jet milling (WJM) method is exploited to exfoliate the graphite into single-few-layer graphene flakes (WJM-G) in industrial volumes (production rate ca.

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Sulfurated Heterocycles with Herbicidal Activity: Reaction of 2-Alkynylbenzoic Acids with Lawesson's Reagent.

The reactivity of 2-alkynylbenzoic acids toward Lawesson's reagent (LR) under microwave irradiation (300 W, 100 °C, CH Cl ) was assessed. It was found that, depending on reaction conditions, either a dithionation- or a monothionation-cycloisomerization process takes place with formation of important sulfurated heterocycles. In particular, using 1 equivalent of LR for 1 h, dithionation occurred, with formation of benzo[c]thiophene-1(3H)-thiones or 1H-isothiochromene-1-thiones, while with 0.

Designing expanded bipyridinium as redox and optical probes for DNA.

We report on the light-switch behaviour of two head-to-tail expanded bipyridinium species as a function of their interaction with calf thymus DNA and polynucleotides. In particular, both DNA and polynucleotides containing exclusively adenine or guanine moieties quench the luminescence of the fused expanded bipyridinium species. This behaviour has been rationalized demonstrating that a reductive photoinduced electron transfer process takes place involving both adenine or guanine moieties.

The Otranto Channel (South Adriatic Sea), a hot-spot area of plankton biodiversity: pelagic polychaetes.

Composition, density and specimen sizes of pelagic polychaete assemblages were analyzed in the Southern Adriatic Sea. The study was based on finely stratified vertical (0-1100 m) and spatial sampling (17 stations) representing spring conditions. Holoplanktonic polychaetes were distributed in both neritic and pelagic waters, although the highest densities were observed along the Otranto Channel.

Extending the Colloidal Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Library to ReS Nanosheets for Application in Gas Sensing and Electrocatalysis.

Among the large family of transition metal dichalcogenides, recently ReS has stood out due to its nearly layer-independent optoelectronic and physicochemical properties related to its 1T distorted octahedral structure. This structure leads to strong in-plane anisotropy, and the presence of active sites at its surface makes ReS interesting for gas sensing and catalysts applications. However, current fabrication methods use chemical or physical vapor deposition (CVD or PVD) processes that are costly, time-consuming and complex, therefore limiting its large-scale production and exploitation.

Isolation of a Halogen-Bonded Complex Formed between Methane and Chlorine Monofluoride and Characterisation by Rotational Spectroscopy and Ab Initio Calculations.

A halogen-bonded complex formed between methane and chlorine monofluoride has been isolated in the gas phase before the reaction between the components and has been characterised through its rotational spectrum, which is of the symmetric-top type but only exhibits = 0 type transitions at the low effective temperature of the pulsed-jet experiment. Spectroscopic constants for two low-lying states that result from internal rotation of the CH subunit were detected for each of the two isotopic varieties HC···ClF and HC···ClF and were analysed to show that ClF lies on the symmetry axis with Cl located closer than F to the C atom, at the distance (C···Cl) ≅ 3.28 Å and with an intermolecular stretching force constant ≅ 4 N m.

Long-term evaluation of quality of life and gastrointestinal well-being after segmental colo-rectal resection for deep infiltrating endometriosis (ENDO-RESECT QoL).

Purposes: The primary objective is to assess the long-term quality of life (QoL) and gastrointestinal well-being in patients with endometriosis (DIE) who underwent segmental resection (SR), through specific questionnaires focused on endometriosis and specific gastrointestinal evaluation. The secondary objectives are represented by the evaluation of peri-operative and post-operative outcomes of the procedure.

Methods: This observational cohort study ENDO-RESECT (ClinicalTrials.

Hexavalent vaccines in preterm infants: an update by Italian Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology jointly with the Italian Society of Neonatology.

Hexavalent vaccines, protecting against six diseases (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis [DTaP], poliovirus, hepatitis B virus [HBV], and Haemophilus influenzae type b [Hib], are routinely the standard of care in Europe. The use of combined vaccines allows the reduction of number of injections and side effects, the reduction of costs, and the increase in adherence of the family to the vaccination schedule both in terms of the number of doses and timing. The safety profile, efficacy and effectiveness of hexavalent vaccines have been extensively documented in infants and children born at term, and data are accumulating in preterm infants.

Paper aging and degradation monitoring by the non-destructive two-dimensional micro-Raman mapping.

The aim of this research is the identification of main and common physical-chemical parameters which induce paper degradation. A simple protocol to monitor the quality and molecular structure of ancient papers under natural degradation processes was proposed. Two-dimensional micro-Raman mapping were carried out.

Speciation Studies of Bifunctional 3-Hydroxy-4-Pyridinone Ligands in the Presence of Zn at Different Ionic Strengths and Temperatures.

The acid-base properties of two bifunctional 3-hydroxy-4-pyridinone ligands and their chelating capacity towards Zn, an essential bio-metal cation, were investigated in NaCl aqueous solutions by potentiometric, UV-Vis spectrophotometric, and H NMR spectroscopic titrations, carried out at 0.15 ≤ /mol ≤ 1.00 and 288.

Bacterial load and inflammatory response in sputum of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency patients with COPD.

Background: Airway inflammation may drive the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) associated with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), but the relationship between airway microbiota and inflammation has not been investigated.

Methods: We studied 21 non-treated AATD (AATD-noT) patients, 20 AATD-COPD patients under augmentation therapy (AATD-AT), 20 cigarette smoke-associated COPD patients, 20 control healthy smokers (CS) and 21 non-smokers (CON) with normal lung function. We quantified sputum inflammatory cells and inflammatory markers (IL-27, CCL3, CCL5, CXCL8, LTB, MPO) by ELISA, total bacterial load (16S) and pathogenic bacteria by qRT-PCR.

Pan-European Study on the Prevalence of the Feline Leukaemia Virus Infection - Reported by the European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases (ABCD Europe).

Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) is a retrovirus associated with fatal disease in progressively infected cats. While testing/removal and vaccination led to a decreased prevalence of FeLV, recently, this decrease has reportedly stagnated in some countries. This study aimed to prospectively determine the prevalence of FeLV viraemia in cats taken to veterinary facilities in 32 European countries.

The Proton Density of States in Confined Water (HO).

The hydrogen density of states (DOS) in confined water has been probed by inelastic neutron scattering spectra in a wide range of its - phase diagram. The liquid-liquid transition and the dynamical crossover from the fragile (super-Arrhenius) to strong (Arrhenius) glass forming behavior have been studied, by taking into account the system polymorphism in both the liquid and amorphous solid phases. The interest is focused in the low energy region of the DOS ( E < 10 meV) and the data are discussed in terms of the energy landscape (local minima of the potential energy) approach.

Non-structural carbohydrate and hydraulic dynamics during drought and recovery in Fraxinus ornus and Ostrya carpinifolia saplings.

The maintenance of hydraulic function during and after a drought event is crucial for tree survival, but the importance of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) in the recovery phase is still debated. We tested whether higher NSC availability facilitates post-drought hydraulic recovery, by applying a short-term drought (S) and a long-term drought combined with shading (L) in Fraxinus ornus and Ostrya carpinifolia. Plants were then re-irrigated and recovery was checked 24 h later, by measuring water potential, stem percentage loss of hydraulic conductance (PLC) and NSC content.

Pain REduction with bone metastases STereotactic radiotherapy (PREST): A phase III randomized multicentric trial.

Background: Palliative antalgic treatments represent an issue for clinical management and a challenge for scientific research. Radiotherapy (RT) plays a central role. Techniques such as stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) were largely investigated in several phase 2 studies with good symptom response, becoming widely adopted.

[From scientific evidence to clinical recommendations: outlooks and challenges for the SIN (Italian Society of Nephrology)].

According to the new Clinical Guidelines National Plan, Scientific Societies take on a key role in creating and implementing guidelines within the National Health System. We chart the efforts of our Society in creating the right kind of expertise and closing the gap with Scientific Societies abroad.

Bioethanol Production from Unpretreated Cellulose under Neutral Selfsustainable Hydrolysis/Hydrogenolysis Conditions Promoted by the Heterogeneous Pd/FeO Catalyst.

The direct conversion of untreated microcrystalline cellulose into C-C alcohols, through a one-pot process promoted by the heterogeneous bimetallic Pd/FeO catalyst, is presented. The process is selfsustainable without the addition of external molecular hydrogen or acid/basic promoters and is mainly selective toward ethanol. At 240 °C, a complete cellulose conversion was reached after 12 h with an ethanol molar selectivity of 51% among liquid products.