Mesothelioma and thymic tumors: Treatment challenges in (outside) a network setting

The management of patients with mesothelioma and thymic malignancy requires continuous multidisciplinary expertise at any step of the disease. A dramatic improvement in our knowledge has occurred in the last few years, through the development of databases, translational research programs, and clinical trials. Access to innovative strategies represents a major challenge, as there is a lack of funding for clinical research in rare cancers and their rarity precludes the design of robust clinical trials that could lead to specific approval of drugs. In this context, patient-centered initiatives, such as the establishment of dedicated networks, are warranted. International societies, such as IMIG (International Mesothelioma Interest Group) and ITMIG (International Thymic Malignancy Interest Group) provide infrastructure for global collaboration, and there are many advantages to having strong regional groups working on the same issues. There may be regional differences in risk factors, susceptibility, management and outcomes. The ability to address questions both regionally as well as globally is ideal to develop a full understanding of mesothelioma and thymic malignancies. In Europe, through the integration of national networks with EURACAN, the collaboration with academic societies and international groups, the development of networks in thoracic oncology provides multiplex integration of clinical care and research, ultimately ensuring equal access to high quality care to all patients, with the opportunity of conducting high level clinical and translational research projects

Características tecnológicas de la madera de Pinus pinea L. (pino piñonero) de Miramar

El Pinus pinea L. recibe como nombre común el de pino piñonero o doméstico, originario de la costa del Mediterráneo. Fue introducido al país en la época colonial y cultivado como árbol ornamental y frutal. Es frecuente encontrarlo en plazas, paseos y parques, brindando su sombra; en las estancias se lo cultvaba como frutal, del cual se obtenían buenas cosechas de piñones. Anualmente nuestro país importa setenta mil kilogramos y llegan al público al precio de treinta dólares por kilo de piñones pelados. Como referencia histórica, diremos que el pino de San Lorenzo, donde el General San Martín descansó bajo su sonbra, pertenece a esta especie. Como forestal, es utilizado en la tercera etapa de fijación de dunas, debido a su característica particular de prosperar en suelos sueltos. Vidal (6) expresa que su mejor área podría encontrarse en las ondulaciones de la costa marítima de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, en terrenos arenosos profundos, permeables, en sitios relativamente secos, en las estribaciones de Tandil, Córdoba, San Luis y en los valles y faldeos de exposición norte. En Europa, como árbol productor de madera, registra crecimientos de cuatro metros cúbicos por hectárea y por año, en turnos de ochenta años. En el país, con clima templado e inviernos menos rigurosos, con temperatura y humedad adecuada en época de crecimiento, alcanza el turno a los treinta años. La finalidad de este estudio es concretar las características físicas y mecánicas de la madera, que procede de una zona conocida, en una información de fácil manejo e interpretación y factible de comparación con las propiedades de otras especies, o de la misma especie cultivada en otras zonas. Se establece la resistencia promedio de cada ensayo y se calculan estadísticamente los valores mínimos aceptables. Las conclusiones podrán servir de guía a profesionales del ramo de la construcción e industrialización, para el cálculo y dimensiona- do de los elementos de madera que integran una obra. Además se busca poner en evidencia, las ventajas y deficiencias que presenta el material, en cada una de las solicitaciones a que sea sometido

Access to paediatric emergency departments in Italy: a comparison between immigrant and Italian patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>The aim of the study was to investigate whether access to paediatric emergency departments differed between foreign and Italian patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We performed a cross-sectional study between January-December 2007 to analyse attendance's characteristics in the paediatric emergency departments of ten Italian public hospitals. The study population included each foreign patient and the following Italian patient admitted to the same emergency department. All causes of admission of these subjects were evaluated, together with the child's age, gender, country of birth, parents' nationality, time of admission, severity code and discharge-related circumstances.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We enrolled 4874 patients, 2437 foreign (M:F = 1409:1028) and 2437 Italian ones (M:F = 1368:1069). Most of foreign and Italian patients' admissions were sorted as green (72.5% and 87.8%, respectively) or white codes (25.2% and 9.8%, respectively). The most frequent causes for attendance concerned respiratory tract diseases, followed by gastroenteric ones and injuries in both groups.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In our survey immigrants didn't access to emergency departments more than Italian children. Both of them referred to emergency departments mainly for semi-urgent or non-urgent problems. Foreign and Italian patients suffered from the same pathologies. Infectious diseases traditionally thought to be a potential problem in immigrant populations actually seem to be quite infrequent.</p

Características tecnológicas de la madera de pino insigne (Pinus radiata Don.) de Balcarce

El presente trabajo señala las características tecnológicas de las especies maderables que crecen el la Provincia de 'Buenos Aires, comenzando por el estudio del Pinus radiata Don., plantado en las sierras de Balcarce. La finalidad es verificar el comportamiento de la madera de las diferentes especies con el propósito de que sus resultados puedan usarse para seleccionar las especies a plantar en el futuro. Se evalúan los ensayos físicos y mecánicos más conocidos de la madera al estado verde y seca al aire, con ajuste a valores de contenido de humedad del 18 %. Además, y por medio de coeficientes tecnológicos, se hace la transformación de las tensiones obtenidas, a valores comparables.The purpose of the study of the timber-yielding species that grow in the Province of Buenos Aires, is to determine its technological characteristics. The study begins with the Pinus radiata Don. planted in the Sierras of Balcarce. The aim is to verify the behavior of the wood of the various species planted, and apply the results for better selection of future planting. This study evaluates the physical and mechanical test know up to date, of the wood in green state and dry in the oppen air with adjustment of values to a content of 15 % of humidity. Moreover the transformation of the tensions obtanied is done by the technological coeficients to comparative values

Non-Invasive monitoring of diaphragmatic timing by means of surface contact sensors: An experimental study in dogs

BACKGROUND: Non-invasive monitoring of respiratory muscle function is an area of increasing research interest, resulting in the appearance of new monitoring devices, one of these being piezoelectric contact sensors. The present study was designed to test whether the use of piezoelectric contact (non-invasive) sensors could be useful in respiratory monitoring, in particular in measuring the timing of diaphragmatic contraction. METHODS: Experiments were performed in an animal model: three pentobarbital anesthetized mongrel dogs. The motion of the thoracic cage was acquired by means of a piezoelectric contact sensor placed on the costal wall. This signal is compared with direct measurements of the diaphragmatic muscle length, made by sonomicrometry. Furthermore, to assess the diaphragmatic function other respiratory signals were acquired: respiratory airflow and transdiaphragmatic pressure. Diaphragm contraction time was estimated with these four signals. Using diaphragm length signal as reference, contraction times estimated with the other three signals were compared with the contraction time estimated with diaphragm length signal. RESULTS: The contraction time estimated with the TM signal tends to give a reading 0.06 seconds lower than the measure made with the DL signal (-0.21 and 0.00 for FL and DP signals, respectively), with a standard deviation of 0.05 seconds (0.08 and 0.06 for FL and DP signals, respectively). Correlation coefficients indicated a close link between time contraction estimated with TM signal and contraction time estimated with DL signal (a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.98, a reliability coefficient of 0.95, a slope of 1.01 and a Spearman's rank-order coefficient of 0.98). In general, correlation coefficients and mean and standard deviation of the difference were better in the inspiratory load respiratory test than in spontaneous ventilation tests. CONCLUSION: The technique presented in this work provides a non-invasive method to assess the timing of diaphragmatic contraction in canines, using a piezoelectric contact sensor placed on the costal wall

Treated Rhizophora mucronata tannin as a corrosion inhibitor in chloride solution

Treated Rhizopora mucronata tannin (RMT) as a corrosion inhibitor for carbon steel and copper in oil and gas facilities was investigated. Corrosion rate of carbon-steel and copper in 3wt% NaCl solution by RMT was studied using chemical (weight loss method) and spectroscopic (FTIR) techniques at various temperatures in the ranges of 26–90C. The weight loss data was compared to the electrochemical by the application of Faraday’s law for the conversion of corrosion rate data from one system to another. The inhibitive efficiency of RMT was compared with commercial inhibitor sodium benzotriazole (BTA-S). The best concentration of RMT was 20% (w/v), increase in concentration of RMT decreased the corrosion rate and increased the inhibitive efficiency. Increase in temperature increased the corrosion rate and decreased the inhibitive efficiency but, the rate of corrosion was mild with RMT. The FTIR result shows the presence of hydroxyl group, aromatic group, esters and the substituted benzene group indicating the purity of the tannin. The trend of RMT was similar to that of BTA-S, but its inhibitive efficiency for carbon-steel was poor (6%) compared to RMT (59%). BTA-S was efficient for copper (76%) compared to RMT (74%) at 40% (w/v) and 20% (w/v) concentration respectively. RMT was efficient even at low concentration therefore, the use of RMT as a cost effective and environmentally friendly corrosion inhibiting agent for carbon steel and copper is herein proposed

Pre-treatment and extraction techniques for recovery of added value compounds from wastes throughout the agri-food chain

The enormous quantity of food wastes discarded annually force to look for alternatives for this interesting feedstock. Thus, food bio-waste valorisation is one of the imperatives of the nowadays society. This review is the most comprehensive overview of currently existing technologies and processes in this field. It tackles classical and innovative physical, physico-chemical and chemical methods of food waste pre-treatment and extraction for recovery of added value compounds and detection by modern technologies and are an outcome of the COST Action EUBIS, TD1203 Food Waste Valorisation for Sustainable Chemicals, Materials and Fuels