Expected and unexpected behavior of the orientational order and dynamics induced by azobenzene solutes in a nematic

We have explored the changes in the phase stability, orientational order, and dynamics of the nematic 4-cyano-4¢-n-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) doped with either the trans or the cis form of different p-azobenzene derivatives using the ESR spin-probe technique. In particular, we have studied the effects induced by each of the seven nonmesogenic 4-R-phenylazobenzenes (R = H, F, Br, CH3, CF3, On-Bu, Ot-Bu) at 1% and 7% mole fraction on the order parameter and on the shift of the nematic-isotropic transition temperature (TNI), as reported by a nitroxide spin probe, and we have tried to relate them to the solute shape and charge distribution. In all the cases the presence of the azo-derivative causes a depression of TNI, more pronounced for the cis isomers. The dependence of on the reduced temperature T*=T/TNI remains the same as that of pure 5CB in all trans-doped samples at 1% and 7% and decreases only slightly in the cis at 1%. However, we observe different and in some cases large variations (up to 25%) in for the cis at 7%, showing solute effects that go beyond the shift in TNI. Surprisingly enough, even at the highest concentration, the probe dynamics appears to be essentially independent of the nature, the configuration, and the concentration of the different solutes and very similar to that observed in the pure 5CB

Survey on antimicrobial residues in raw milk and antimicrobial use in dairy farms in the Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy

This survey investigated the antimicrobials most commonly used in dairy herds and t antimicrobial residues most frequently detected in milk to evaluate the suitability of rapid screening tests to determine antimicrobial residues in milk. The investigation was carried out in 45 dairy herds consulting the farm administration records and in a national dairy industry collecting milk from almost all the dairy farms studied. Data were recorded on: i) treatments with drugs containing antimicrobials during the 12 months prior to the visit; ii) antimicrobial active substances present in the drugs; iii) data from routine controls to detect antimicrobial residues (52,771 samples). The antimicrobial classes most commonly used were penicillins, cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, sulphonamides, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides and lyncosamides; the most frequently used antimicrobial not belonging to any of the previous groups was riphaximin. Sixty-four samples collected from milk trucks yielded antimicrobial residues exceeding the detection limit of the screening test used: sulphonamide residues were the most prevalent (3.4%), followed by tetracycline (0.3%) and penicillins and cephalosporins (0.03%). The antimicrobial classes most commonly used on dairy farms are the same as the residues most frequently detected in milk. The association of several commercially available rapid test kits proved satisfactory for determination of the veterinary antimicrobial drugs most used on dairy farms but at least five kits are required. Therefore knowledge of the most frequently used veterinary drugs and periodic monitoring are required for the dairy industry to develop a targeted and effective control pla

Femoral revision knee Arthroplasty with Metaphyseal sleeves: the use of a stem is not mandatory of a structural point of view

Purpose Metaphyseal sleeves are an option for patients with severe metaphyseal bony defects requiring TKA revision. Although sleeves are usually used with stems, little is known about the exact contribution/need of the stem for the initial sleeve-bone interface stability, particularly in the femur, if the intramedullary canal is deformed or bowed. It is hypothesised that diaphyseal-stem addition increases the sleeve-femur interface stability and the strain-shielding effect on the metaphyseal femur relatively to the stemless condition. Material and methods Synthetic-femur was used to measure cortex strain behaviour and implant cortex micromotions for three techniques: only femoral-component, stemless-sleeve and stemmed-sleeve. Paired t-tests were performed to evaluate the statistical significance of the difference between mean principal strains and implant-cortex micromotions. Finite-element models were developed to assess the cancellous-bone strain behaviour and sleeve-bone interface micromotions; these models were validated against the measurements. Results Cortex strains are reduced significantly (p<0.05) in 83% of strain gauges on stemmed-sleeve, which compares with 33% in stemless condition. Both techniques presented a cancellous bone strain reduction of 50% at the distal region and an increase of nearly four times at the sleeve proximal region relative to the model only with the femoral component. Both techniques presented sleeve-bone micromotions amplitude below 50-150μm, suitable for bone ingrowth. Conclusions The use of a supplemental diaphyseal-stem potentiates the risk of cortex bone resorption compared with the stemless-sleeve condition; however, the stem is not vital for increasing the initial sleeve-bone stability and has a minor effect on the cancellous-bone strain behaviour. Of a purely structural point view, appears that the use of a diaphyseal-femoral-stem with the metaphyseal sleeve is not mandatory in the revision TKA which is particularly relevant in cases where the use of stems is impracticable.publishe

Breast cancer "tailored follow-up" in Italian oncology units: a web-based survey

urpose: Breast cancer follow-up procedures after primary treatment are still a controversial issue. Aim of this study was to investigate, through a web-based survey, surveillance methodologies selected by Italian oncologists in everyday clinical practice. Methods: Referents of Italian medical oncology units were invited to participate to the study via e-mail through the SurveyMonkey website. Participants were asked how, in their institution, exams of disease staging and follow-up are planned in asymptomatic women and if surveillance continues beyond the 5th year. Results: Between February and May 2013, 125 out of 233 (53.6%) invited referents of Italian medical oncology units agreed to participate in the survey. Ninety-seven (77.6%) referents state that modalities of breast cancer follow-up are planned according to the risk of disease progression at diagnosis and only 12 (9.6%) oncology units apply the minimal follow-up procedures according to international guidelines. Minimal follow-up is never applied in high risk asymptomatic women. Ninety-eight (78.4%) oncology units continue follow-up in all patients beyond 5 years. Conclusions: Our survey shows that 90.4% of participating Italian oncology units declare they do not apply the minimal breast cancer follow-up procedures after primary treatment in asymptomatic women, as suggested by national and international guidelines. Interestingly, about 80.0% of interviewed referents performs the so called "tailored follow-up", high intensity for high risk, low intensity for low risk patients. There is an urgent need of randomized clinical trials able to determine the effectiveness of risk-based follow-up modalities, their ideal frequency and persistence in time

O corpo despido pelas práticas de desenhar: dos usos à disciplinarização do desenho

Inserido na problemática de investigação sobre os motivos pelos quais as práticas socioculturais de desenhar teriam adquirido e perdido o estatuto de conteúdo escolar, este artigo tem por objetivo refletir acerca dos diferentes usos dados à prática do desenho do corpo humano em duas atividades específicas: a atividade artística e a atividade médica. Parte-se do pressuposto de que a compreensão de características da vida escolar das práticas de desenhar exige a investigação dessas práticas em espaços não escolares. Como a prática do desenho do corpo tem atravessado os espaços escolares brasileiros, é nosso interesse, portanto, investigar como se pôde formar tal domínio de saber. Nesse sentido, nossa estratégia será analisar que problemáticas permearam tal prática durante o Renascimento, a fim de compreender possíveis implicações filosóficas, conceituais, técnicas e científicas decorrentes de suas diversas significações

Indagine sul benessere animale in 793 allevamenti di bovini da latte nell'Italia meridionale ed insulare

L\u2019indagine sul benessere animale \ue8 stata condotta, tra il 2009 e il 2012, in 793 allevamenti di vacche da latte di 5 Regioni. Lo scopo \ue8 stato quello di valutare le condizioni di benessere degli animali attraverso la raccolta di informazioni rilevate in azienda e la compilazione di apposite schede (check list), mediante le quali \ue8 stato possibile attribuire punteggi relativi a diverse aree funzionali, generali e specifiche per le varie categorie produttive di animali. Al fine di consentire una valutazione del benessere basata non solo sui criteri minimi fissati dalla legislazione vigente ma comprensiva anche di altri aspetti di sicuro impatto sugli animali, le schede messe a punto comprendono sia parametri indiretti, volti a valutare le strutture e l\u2019ambiente di allevamento e le modalit\ue0 di gestione sia parametri diretti, idonei cio\ue8 ad analizzare e misurare gli effetti delle condizioni di allevamento sull\u2019animale. Questo approccio ha consentito di cogliere appieno ed immediatamente i segnali sull\u2019impiego delle animal-based mesures per la valutazione del benessere animale provenienti, come discusso in premessa, sul finire del 2009 a livello internazionale (OIE) e dell\u2019UE ed ora accolti nel Piano strategico dell\u2019UE per il benessere animale per il 2012-2015. Il risultato complessivamente ottenuto dovrebbe, pertanto, essere degno di una qualche attenzione a motivo non solo dell\u2019ampiezza dell\u2019indagine, fin ora priva di riscontri di pari dimensioni nel nostro Paese, ma anche per l\u2019adozione di misure dirette del benessere animale su un campione non trascurabile di animali (complessivamente oltre 100.00)

Jaw bone metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma

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Enantioselective formal synthesis of Acromelic acid A via tandem Michael reaction methodoligy

A new formal synthesis of the potent neurotoxin,Acromelic acid A, has been accomplished by a tandem Michael reaction involving a 2-nitro-1,3-diene incorporated into a dihydropyridone nucleus as electrophilic alkene and an unsaturated glutamic ester derivative prepared from D-serine as a tool for the stereoselective construction of the 2,3,4-trisubstitued pyrrolidine ring sistem