Current hepatocellular carcinoma systemic pharmacological treatment options

Liver cancer is the sixth common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for ~90% of cases of liver cancer and is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death in the world. Up to now, 4 oral multityrosine kinase inhibitors (sorafenib, lenvatinib, regorafenib and cabozantinib), 1 anti-angiogenic antibody (ramucirumab) and 5 immune checkpoint inhibitors, alone or in combination (atezolizumab in combination with bevacizumab, ipilimumab in combination with nivolumab, tremelimumab in combination with durvalumab, nivolumab and pembrolizumab in monotherapy) have been commercialized for advanced HCC patients’ treatment. The aim of this editorial is to provide an insight in current hepatocellular carcinoma systemic pharmacological treatment options

EVOLUZIONE DELLA CAPRIATA LIGNEA DALLE ORIGINI AL XIX SEC.

La ricerca segue lo sviluppo tipologico delle capriate lignee, analizzando il loro comportamento statico e l’evoluzione degli schemi strutturali, in riferimento a determinate periodi storici, attraverso l’esame di alcune strutture ritenute significative e della trattatistica coeva. Infatti lo studio delle descrizioni, delle critiche e dei dibattiti riportati da questi manuali rende possibile discernere tra intuizione innovativa fondata su nuove conoscenze e corrente pratica del costruire. In particolare, per poter proporre una valutazione comparativa dei diversi schemi strutturali, si è fatto ricorso ad un concetto di efficienza strutturale che lega lo stato tensionale di ogni tipo di struttura alla quantità di legno impiegata per realizzarla. A tal fine, per alcuni esempi ritenuti significativi, si è proceduto, a partire dalla documentazione disponibile in letteratura, alla costruzione dello schema statico, tenendo conto delle effettive condizioni di vincolo interne ed esterne, alla definizione dei carichi agenti, ed infine al calcolo numerico tramite un programma di calcolo agli elementi finiti, con una schematizzazione monodimensionale in regime elastico lineare. Nell’ambito del ricco repertorio di schemi classici realizzati nel corso dei secoli, si è scelto di effettuare l’analisi di due delle più antiche opere pervenute ai nostri giorni, quelle del Monastero di Santa Caterina sul Monte Sinai del VI sec d.C., e quelle della Cattedrale di cefalù, del XII sec., e delle capriate del V e del IX src. D.C. della Chiesa di san Paolo fuori le mura, così come documentate nella trattatistica. Tra le più importanti realizzazioni dell’architettura gotica francese, si sono studiate le carpenterie di copertura della Cattedrale di Notre Dame in Bayeux e della Chiesa di St. serge in Angers

Timber covering structures of churches built in Naples during Angevin domination

ABSTRACT: This research goes trough historical phases of the most ancient churches built during Angevin domination in Naples Kingdom, (thirteenth - fifteenth centuries), and specifically of their covering structures. Between those churches, only St. Mary of Donnaregina and St. Peter from Majella preserve their ancient covering systems, on which a deep study has been done, also tracing the history of the most relevant transformations, partly due to decay, partly due to “remedies” contrasting deformation effects induced by the addiction of the ceilings. The efficiency of those interventions has been verified comparing the static analysis on the original schemes with that on the modified ones. The historical research has been extended to the other main Angevin churches in Naples, even if they haven’t preserved their ancient timber covering sys-tems, and it has shown that the most widespread covering system was that constituted of simple king post trusses, with slope of about 30°. The only differing one is that of St. Claire church

Resistographic inspection of ancient timber structures for the evaluation of mechanical characteristics

Among non-destructive testing methods for the analysis of ancient timber structures, the Resistographic method is gaining great diffusion. This method is based on the registration of density, variations through timber sections by means of an electronic drill and nowadays it is generally employed only to detect the presence of defects and damage. The present study is about the use of Resistographic method to evaluate mechanical characteristics of timber and, with this aim, an experimental program on wood-worm damaged timber has been carried on. Results show the usefulness of this non-destructive testing method as it allows the investigation through the interior part of timber and thus can give a quite reliable idea of local strength of wood in the examined section. That gives an useful parameter for the detection of recoverable elements in standing timber structures to be restored. In the present research, beech compressive strength has been evaluated from small clear wood specimens, while the evaluation of strength of dimensional lumber is outside the scope of the work

A scenographic solution for a Neapolitan bridge in the beginning of nineteenth century

Object of the present study is the masonry bridge, still standing, built for King Ferdinand I of Bourbon, in 1818, by the court scenographer and architect Antonio Niccolini, in the Villa Floridiana Park in Naples. The original drawing, plan and front view, of Niccolini’s design is kept in the Archive of the Saint Martin Museum in Naples. The bridge, made of Neapolitan tuff and bricks, with a single polycentric arch, spanning thirty metres, can be ascribed to the typology of lightened tympanum bridges, in which continuum masonry in the backfills is substituted by a system of vaults leaning upon the extrados of the underlying arch. The static behaviour of the bridge will be studied, basing upon a detailed survey and an accurate examination of the historical sources, also employing the graphical methods known at the age of its realization

Fluorophlogopite and F-rich phases in limestone clasts from the Campanian Ignimbrite quarried at Fiano (southern Italy): mineralogical, geochemical and volcanological insights.

Fluorine-rich metamorphosed xenoliths associated to the distal Campanian Ignimbrite (CI) tephra (Campania region, southern Italy) have long attracted the interest of the mineralogical community (i.e. Scacchi, 1890; Zambonini, 1919; Masi & Turi, 1972; Balassone et al., 2002). These rocks derive from the Mesozoic carbonate lithotypes of the Campanian Apennine, embedded in the pyroclastic flow and presently resting at the bottom of the tuff formations. The sedimentary protoliths suffered from the action of hot, volatile-rich pyroclastic flow, and consequently were affected by thermal metamorphism to various degrees. Their peculiarity is the occurrence of F- and Mg-bearing phases, with an ubiquitous presence of neoformed fluorite. The occurrence at Fiano quarries (the so-called “Tufare”) is the classical locality for these rock xenoliths. Similar rocks were also found in the CI of the Caserta area, and in the Latium region (Colli Albani). This research aims both at a crystal chemical study of fluorophlogopite occurring in the Fiano xenoliths, and at a geochemical and volcanological survey, to constrain the petrogenesis processes related to this rare F-, Mg-rich assemblage and to CI. The analysed samples belong to two lithotypes: mica-bearing clasts and variably metamorphosed carbonate blocks. The former lithotype is represented by abundant fluorite, followed by fluorophogopite, F-rich chondrodite, fluoborite, diopside and (Fe,Mg)-oxides. Minor to trace contents of calcite, humite, tremolite, and grossular also occur. Carbonate rocks can show calcite only, or also trace amounts of fluorite. The Fiano micas composition approaches that of the Vesuvius micas from the 1872 eruption (Balassone et al., 2013). The micas belong to the 1M polytype and have crystal chemical features typical of fluorophlogopites i.e., low c lattice parameter (~ 10.13 Å), (~ 2.060 Å) and (~ 3.135 Å) distances. New data on minor to ultratrace elements amounts found in the studied clasts, together with Carbon and Oxygen isotope data will be reported and interpreted in a petrogenetic and volcanological frame. Balassone G., Franco E., Mattia C.A., Petti C. & Puliti R. 2002. Re-examination of fluosiderite, an unknown mineral from southern Italy: equal to fluorine-rich chondrodite. Eur. J. Min., 14, 151-155. Balassone G., Scordari F., Lacalamita M., Schingaro E., Mormone A., Piochi M., Petti C. & Mondillo N. 2013. Trioctahedral micas in xenolithic ejecta from recent volcanism of the Somma-Vesuvius (Italy): crystal chemistry and genetic inferences. Lithos, 160-161, 84-97. Masi U. & Turi B. 1972. Frazionamento isotopico del carbonio e dell'ossigeno negli inclusi calcarei metamorfosati del "Tufo grigio campano" Auct. di Fiano (Salerno). Per. Min., 41, 291-310. Scacchi A. 1890. La regione vulcanica fluorifera della Campania. Mem. R. Com. Geol. It., I, 1-48. Zambonini F. 1919. Il tufo pipernoide della Campania e i suoi minerali. Mem. Descr. Carta Geol. It., 7, 130 pp

Fluorophlogopite-bearing and carbonate metamorphosed xenoliths from the Campanian Ignimbrite (Fiano, southern Italy): Crystal chemical, geochemical and volcanological insights

Fluorine-, boron-, and magnesium-rich metamorphosed xenoliths occur in the Campanian Ignimbrite (CI) deposits at Fiano(southern Italy), at about 50 km northeast of the sourced volcanic area. These rocks originated from Mesozoic limestones of the Campanian Apennines, embedded in a fluid flow. The studied Fiano xenoliths consist of ten fluorophlogopite-bearing calc-silicate rocks and five carbonate xenoliths, characterized by combining mineralogical analyses with whole rock and stable isotope data. The micaceous xenoliths are composed of abundant idiomorphic fluorophlogopite, widespread fluorite, F-rich chondrodite, fluoborite, diopside, Fe(Mg)-oxides, calcite, humite, K-bearing fluoro-richterite and grossular. Out of the five mica-free xenoliths, two are calcite marbles, containing very subordinate fluorite and hematite, and three are weakly meamorphism carbonates, composed of calcite only. The crystal structure and chemical composition of fluorophlogopite approach those of the end member. The Fiano xenoliths are enriched in trace elements with respect to the primary limestones. Comparison between the REE patterns of the Fiano xenoliths and those of both CI and Somma-Vesuvius marble and carbonate xenoliths shows that the Fiano pattern on the whole both overlaps that of Somma-Vesuvius marble and carbonate xenoliths, and yet reproduces the trend of CI rocks. δ13C and δ18O values depict the same trend of depletion in the heavy isotopes observed in the Somma-Vesuvius nodules, related to thermometamorphism. Trace element distribution, paragenesis, stable isotope geochemistry and data modelling point to infiltration of steam enriched in F, B, Mg, As into carbonate rocks at temperature of ∼ 300- 450°C during the emplacement of the CI