A Sustainable Improvement of ω-Bromoalkylphosphonates Synthesis to Access Novel KuQuinones

Owing to the attractiveness of organic phosphonic acids and esters in the pharmacological field and in the functionalization of conductive metal-oxides, the research of effective synthetic protocols is pivotal. Among the others, ω-bromoalkylphosphonates are gaining particular attention because they are useful building blocks for the tailored functionalization of complex organic molecules. Hence, in this work, the optimization of Michaelis–Arbuzov reaction conditions for ω-bromoalkylphosphonates has been performed, to improve process sustainability while maintaining good yields. Synthesized ω-bromoalkylphosphonates have been successfully adopted for the synthesis of new KuQuinone phosphonate esters and, by hydrolysis, phosphonic acid KuQuinone derivatives have been obtained for the first time. Considering the high affinity with metal-oxides, KuQuinones bearing phosphonic acid terminal groups are promising candidates for biomedical and photo(electro)chemical applications

A liberdade de expressão e a cultura do cancelamento: efeitos sociais e jurídicos

Considering the evolution of technology, communication and access to information have become faster and more accessible to people, expanding freedom of expression, but also promoting the emergence of the phenomenon of the “culture of cancellation”. Thus, the objective is to analyze the content of freedom of expression and verify its relationship with the culture of cancellation. To this end, the applied methodology was deductive, using bibliographic research technique, in addition to internet search to illustrate cases of “cancellation”. It was possible to observe that the misuse of the media seems to increase the possibilities of hate speech and the cancellation of people and companies, which allows us to conclude that in this movement, the prosecution comes before the defense, causing damage that hurts the image and honor of individuals and legal entities.Considerando la evolución de la tecnología, la comunicación y el acceso a la información se han vuelto más rápidos y accesibles para las personas, ampliando la libertad de expresión, pero también promoviendo el surgimiento del fenómeno de la “cultura de la cancelación”. Así, el objetivo es analizar el contenido de la libertad de expresión y verificar su relación con la cultura de la cancelación. Para ello, la metodología aplicada fue deductiva, utilizando técnica de investigación bibliográfica, además de la búsqueda en Internet para ilustrar casos de “cancelación”. Se pudo observar que el mal uso de los medios de comunicación parece incrementar las posibilidades de incitación al odio y la cancelación de personas y empresas, lo que permite concluir que en este movimiento la fiscalía llega antes que la defensa, provocando daños que dañan la imagen y honor de las personas naturales y jurídicas.Considerando a evolução da tecnologia, a comunicação e o acesso às informações tornaram-se mais céleres e acessíveis às pessoas, ampliando a liberdade de expressão, mas também promovendo o surgimento do fenômeno da “cultura do cancelamento”. Dessa forma, objetiva-se analisar o conteúdo da liberdade de expressão e verificar sua relação com a cultura do cancelamento. Para tal, a metodologia aplicada foi dedutiva, utilizando técnica de pesquisa bibliográfica, além de busca na internet para ilustrar casos de “cancelamento”. Foi possível observar que a má utilização dos meios de comunicação parece ampliar as possibilidades de discurso de ódio e o cancelamento de pessoas e empresas, o que permite concluir que nesse movimento a acusação vem antes da defesa, causando prejuízos que ferem a imagem e a honra das pessoas físicas e jurídicas

Cognitive dysfunctions and psychological symptoms in migraine without aura: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of cognitive dysfunctions and psychological symptoms, as well as their mutual relationships, in migraine patients are still debated. The aim of the study was to characterize the cognitive profile and psychological symptoms (i.e. depression, anxiety and apathy) in drug-naïve migraine without aura (MwoA) patients. METHODS: Seventy-two consecutive MwoA patients, referred to the Italian University Headache Clinic and 72 healthy subjects (HCs) were enrolled. Patients, during an attack-free period, and HCs completed Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Self-version of Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES-S) and State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y-1 and 2). Clinical parameters of disease severity (i.e. disease duration, migraine attacks per month, mean pain intensity during migraine attacks, migraine disability and impact on daily life) were recorded. RESULTS: Although performance of MwoA patients on MoCA was above Italian cut-off threshold (<15.5) suggesting presence of cognitive impairment, MwoA patients achieved significantly lower scores than HCs on total MoCA scale (22.3 ± 2.7 versus 25.4 ± 2.3) and on its attention (4.9 ± 1.1 versus 5.6 ± 0.7), memory (1.8 ± 1.4 versus 3.1 ± 1.3), visuospatial (3.2 ± 0.9 versus 3.6 ± 0.6) and executive subscales (2.6 ± 1.1 versus 3.1 ± 0.8). In addition, we observed significant correlations between MoCA executive domain subscore and the attack-related disability score (MIDAS). As for behavioral profile, the percentage of depressive symptoms (4.2 %), high state and trait anxiety (13.9 and 9.7 %, respectively), and apathy (11.1 %) in MwoA patients were similar to that of HCs. No significant associations of behavioural symptoms with cognitive performance and clinical parameters were found. CONCLUSIONS: Drug-naïve MwoA patients are characterized by subtle cognitive dysfunctions and low percentage of behavioural symptoms. The results support the importance of searching for subclinical cognitive disturbances in patients with MwoA, who deserve to be followed-up to verify whether they develop clinically relevant disorders over time

Bioactive potential of minor italian olive genotypes from apulia, sardinia and abruzzo

This research focuses on the exploration, recovery and valorization of some minor Italian olive cultivars, about which little information is currently available. Autochthonous and unexplored germplasm has the potential to face unforeseen changes and thus to improve the sustainability of the whole olive system. A pattern of nine minor genotypes cultivated in three Italian regions has been molecularly fingerprinted with 12 nuclear microsatellites (SSRs), that were able to unequivocally identify all genotypes. Moreover, some of the principal phenolic compounds were determined and quantified in monovarietal oils and the expression levels of related genes were also investigated at different fruit developmental stages. Genotypes differed to the greatest extent in the content of oleacein (3,4-DHPEA-EDA) and total phenols. Thereby, minor local genotypes, characterized by stable production and resilience in a low-input agro-system, can provide a remarkable contribution to the improvement of the Italian olive production chain and can become very profitable from a socio-economic point of view

Coherent phonons and the interplay between charge density wave and Mott phases in 1<i>T</i>-TaSe₂

1$T$-TaSe$_{2}$ is host to coexisting strongly-correlated phases including charge density waves (CDWs) and an unusual Mott transition at low temperature. Here, we investigate coherent phonon oscillations in 1$T$-TaSe$_{2}$ using a combination of time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (TR-ARPES) and time-resolved reflectivity (TRR). Perturbation by a femtosecond laser pulse triggers a modulation of the valence band binding energy at the $\Gamma$-point, related to the Mott gap, that is consistent with the in-plane CDW amplitude mode frequency. By contrast, TRR measurements show a modulation of the differential reflectivity comprised of multiple frequencies belonging to the distorted CDW lattice modes. Comparison of the temperature dependence of coherent and spontaneous phonons across the CDW transition shows that the amplitude mode intensity is more easily suppressed during perturbation of the CDW state by the optical excitation compared to other modes. Our results clearly identify the relationship of the in-plane CDW amplitude mode with the Mott phase in 1$T$-TaSe$_{2}$ and highlight the importance of lattice degrees of freedom.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, supplemental materia

Environmental Impact of Food Preparations Enriched with Phenolic Extracts from Olive Oil Mill Waste

Reducing food waste as well as converting waste products into second-life products are global challenges to promote the circular economy business model. In this context, the aim of this study is to quantify the environmental impact of lab-scale food preparations enriched with phenolic extracts from olive oil mill waste, i.e., wastewater and olive leaves. Technological (oxidation induction time) and nutritional (total phenols content) parameters were considered to assess the environmental performance based on benefits deriving by adding the extracts in vegan mayonnaise, salad dressing, biscuits, and gluten-free breadsticks. Phenolic extraction, encapsulation, and addiction to the four food preparations were analyzed, and the input and output processes were identified in order to apply the life cycle assessment to quantify the potential environmental impact of the system analyzed. Extraction and encapsulation processes characterized by low production yields, energy-intensive and complex operations, and the partial use of chemical reagents have a non-negligible environmental impact contribution on the food preparation, ranging from 0.71% to 73.51%. Considering technological and nutritional aspects, the extraction/encapsulation process contributions tend to cancel out. Impacts could be reduced approaching to a scale-up process

Rapporto tecnico sulle attività di campionamento della “Campagna Oceanografica CISAS_2” Crotone 07-12 dicembre 2017

Le attività di campionamento ed acquisizione dati svolte durante la campagna CISAS_2 si inseriscono in seno al progetto “Centro internazionale di studi avanzati su ambiente ed impatti su ecosistema e salute umana (CISAS)” del CNR. L’obiettivo principale del progetto CISAS è la comprensione dei processi e dei meccanismi di trasferimento di alcuni contaminanti convenzionali (metalli pesanti, POPs, radionuclidi, ecc.) e di alcuni contaminanti emergenti (PDBE, composti farmaceutici di nuova generazione, ecc.) dall’ambiente inteso come l’insieme di atmosfera-suoli-acque sotterranee-matrici marine (acque e sedimento) all’ecosistema e all’uomo. Le aree di indagine del progetto sono i Siti di Interesse Nazionale (SIN) di Priolo, Milazzo-Pace del Mela e Crotone che, per specificità e modalità di impatto antropogenico sull’ambiente, l’ecosistema e la salute umana, coprono un ampio spettro di tipologie di interesse. La campagna oceanografica CISAS_ 2 è stata dedicata alla caratterizzazione ambientale del SIN di Crotone, nonché all’identificazione delle sorgenti dei contaminanti la cui distribuzione si ritiene di interesse (per i valori di concentrazione riscontrati nelle diverse matrici ambientali e per livello di tossicità associata agli effetti degli stessi sulla salute dell’ecosistema e dell’uomo) e i pathways di deposizione nelle aree di interesse

Age-Associated Loss of OPA1 in Muscle Impacts Muscle Mass, Metabolic Homeostasis, Systemic Inflammation, and Epithelial Senescence

Mitochondrial dysfunction occurs during aging, but its impact on tissue senescence is unknown. Here, we find that sedentary but not active humans display an age-related decline in the mitochondrial protein, optic atrophy 1 (OPA1), that is associated with muscle loss. In adult mice, acute, muscle-specific deletion of Opa1 induces a precocious senescence phenotype and premature death. Conditional and inducible Opa1 deletion alters mitochondrial morphology and function but not DNA content. Mechanistically, the ablation of Opa1 leads to ER stress, which signals via the unfolded protein response (UPR) and FoxOs, inducing a catabolic program of muscle loss and systemic aging. Pharmacological inhibition of ER stress or muscle-specific deletion of FGF21 compensates for the loss of Opa1, restoring a normal metabolic state and preventing muscle atrophy and premature death. Thus, mitochondrial dysfunction in the muscle can trigger a cascade of signaling initiated at the ER that systemically affects general metabolism and aging

Performance of CMS muon reconstruction in pp collision events at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

The performance of muon reconstruction, identification, and triggering in CMS has been studied using 40 inverse picobarns of data collected in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV at the LHC in 2010. A few benchmark sets of selection criteria covering a wide range of physics analysis needs have been examined. For all considered selections, the efficiency to reconstruct and identify a muon with a transverse momentum pT larger than a few GeV is above 95% over the whole region of pseudorapidity covered by the CMS muon system, abs(eta) < 2.4, while the probability to misidentify a hadron as a muon is well below 1%. The efficiency to trigger on single muons with pT above a few GeV is higher than 90% over the full eta range, and typically substantially better. The overall momentum scale is measured to a precision of 0.2% with muons from Z decays. The transverse momentum resolution varies from 1% to 6% depending on pseudorapidity for muons with pT below 100 GeV and, using cosmic rays, it is shown to be better than 10% in the central region up to pT = 1 TeV. Observed distributions of all quantities are well reproduced by the Monte Carlo simulation.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO