Room temperature syntheses of ZnO and their structures

ZnO has many technological applications which largely depend on its properties, which can be tuned by controlled synthesis. Ideally, the most convenient ZnO synthesis is carried out at room temperature in an aqueous solvent. However, the correct temperature values are often loosely defined. In the current paper, we performed the synthesis of ZnO in an aqueous solvent by varying the reaction and drying temperatures by 10 ◦C steps, and we monitored the synthesis products primarily by XRD). We found out that a simple direct synthesis of ZnO, without additional surfactant, pumping, or freezing, required both a reaction (TP) and a drying (TD) temperature of 40 ◦C. Higher temperatures also afforded ZnO, but lowering any of the TP or TD below the threshold value resulted either in the achievement of Zn(OH)2 or a mixture of Zn(OH)2/ZnO. A more detailed Rietveld analysis of the ZnO samples revealed a density variation of about 4% (5.44 to 5.68 gcm−3 ) with the synthesis temperature, and an increase of the nanoparticles’ average size, which was also verified by SEM images. The average size of the ZnO synthesized at TP = TD = 40 ◦C was 42 nm, as estimated by XRD, and 53 ± 10 nm, as estimated by SEM. For higher synthesis temperatures, they vary between 76 nm and 71 nm (XRD estimate) or 65 ± 12 nm and 69 ± 11 nm (SEM estimate) for TP = 50 ◦C, TD = 40 ◦C, or TP = TD = 60 ◦C, respectively. At TP = TD = 30 ◦C, micrometric structures aggregated in foils are obtained, which segregate nanoparticles of ZnO if TD is raised to 40 ◦C. The optical properties of ZnO obtained by UV-Vis reflectance spectroscopy indicate a red shift of the band gap by ~0.1 eV

The incidence of hip, forearm, humeral, ankle, and vertebral fragility fractures in Italy: results from a 3-year multicenter study

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to assess the incidence and hospitalization rate of hip and "minor" fragility fractures in the Italian population. METHODS: We carried out a 3-year survey at 10 major Italian emergency departments to evaluate the hospitalization rate of hip, forearm, humeral, ankle, and vertebral fragility fractures in people 45 years or older between 2004 and 2006, both men and women. These data were compared with those recorded in the national hospitalizations database (SDO) to assess the overall incidence of fragility fractures occurring at hip and other sites, including also those events not resulting in hospital admissions. RESULTS: We observed 29,017 fractures across 3 years, with hospitalization rates of 93.0% for hip fractures, 36.3% for humeral fractures, 31.3% for ankle fractures, 22.6% for forearm/wrist fractures, and 27.6% for clinical vertebral fractures. According to the analyses performed with the Italian hospitalization database in year 2006, we estimated an annual incidence of 87,000 hip, 48,000 humeral, 36,000 ankle, 85,000 wrist, and 155,000 vertebral fragility fractures in people aged 45 years or older (thus resulting in almost 410,000 new fractures per year). Clinical vertebral fractures were recorded in 47,000 events per year. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of fragility fractures in the Italian population is very high and calls for effective preventive strategies

Is it really advantageous to operate proximal femoral fractures within 48 h from diagnosis? – A multicentric retrospective study exploiting COVID pandemic-related delays in time to surgery

Objectives: Hip fractures in the elderly are common injuries that need timely surgical management. Since the beginning of the pandemic, patients with a proximal femoral fracture (PFF) experienced a delay in time to surgery. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate a possible variation in mortality in patients with PFF when comparing COVID-19 negative versus positive. Methods: This is a multicentric and retrospective study including 3232 patients with PFF who underwent surgical management. The variables taken into account were age, gender, the time elapsed between arrival at the emergency room and intervention, pre-operative American Society of Anesthesiology score, pre-operative cardiovascular and respiratory disease, and 10-day/1-month/6-month mortality. For 2020, we had an additional column, “COVID-19 swab positivity.” Results: COVID-19 infection represents an independent mortality risk factor in patients with PFFs. Despite the delay in time-to-surgery occurring in 2020, no statistically significant variation in terms of mortality was detected. Within our sample, a statistically significant difference was not detected in terms of mortality at 6 months, in patients operated within and beyond 48 h, as well as no difference between those operated within or after 12/24/72 h. The mortality rate among subjects with PFF who tested positive for COVID-19 was statistically significantly higher than in patients with PFF who tested. COVID-19 positivity resulted in an independent factor for mortality after PFF. Conclusion: Despite the most recent literature recommending operating PFF patients as soon as possible, no significant difference in mortality was found among patients operated before or after 48 h from diagnosis

Personalizing Cancer Pain Therapy: Insights from the Rational Use of Analgesics (RUA) Group

Introduction: A previous Delphi survey from the Rational Use of Analgesics (RUA) project involving Italian palliative care specialists revealed some discrepancies between current guidelines and clinical practice with a lack of consensus on items regarding the use of strong opioids in treating cancer pain. Those results represented the basis for a new Delphi study addressing a better approach to pain treatment in patients with cancer. Methods: The study consisted of a two-round multidisciplinary Delphi study. Specialists rated their agreement with a set of 17 statements using a 5-point Likert scale (0 = totally disagree and 4 = totally agree). Consensus on a statement was achieved if the median consensus score (MCS) (expressed as value at which at least 50% of participants agreed) was at least 4 and the interquartile range (IQR) was 3–4. Results: This survey included input from 186 palliative care specialists representing all Italian territory. Consensus was reached on seven statements. More than 70% of participants agreed with the use of low dose of strong opioids in moderate pain treatment and valued transdermal route as an effective option when the oral route is not available. There was strong consensus on the importance of knowing opioid pharmacokinetics for therapy personalization and on identifying immediate-release opioids as key for tailoring therapy to patients’ needs. Limited agreement was reached on items regarding breakthrough pain and the management of opioid-induced bowel dysfunction. Conclusion: These findings may assist clinicians in applying clinical evidence to routine care settings and call for a reappraisal of current pain treatment recommendations with the final aim of optimizing the clinical use of strong opioids in patients with cancer

Discutindo a educação ambiental no cotidiano escolar: desenvolvimento de projetos na escola formação inicial e continuada de professores

A presente pesquisa buscou discutir como a Educação Ambiental (EA) vem sendo trabalhada, no Ensino Fundamental e como os docentes desta escola compreendem e vem inserindo a EA no cotidiano escolar., em uma escola estadual do município de Tangará da Serra/MT, Brasil. Para tanto, realizou-se entrevistas com os professores que fazem parte de um projeto interdisciplinar de EA na escola pesquisada. Verificou-se que o projeto da escola não vem conseguindo alcançar os objetivos propostos por: desconhecimento do mesmo, pelos professores; formação deficiente dos professores, não entendimento da EA como processo de ensino-aprendizagem, falta de recursos didáticos, planejamento inadequado das atividades. A partir dessa constatação, procurou-se debater a impossibilidade de tratar do tema fora do trabalho interdisciplinar, bem como, e principalmente, a importância de um estudo mais aprofundado de EA, vinculando teoria e prática, tanto na formação docente, como em projetos escolares, a fim de fugir do tradicional vínculo “EA e ecologia, lixo e horta”.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Future instrumentation for solar physics: a double channel MOF imager on board ASI Space Mission ADAHELI

A Magneto-Optical Filter-based system has been proposed as an optional payload for ASI’s low-budget Solar Mission ADAHELI, which has completed its Phase A feasibility study. The instrument is capable of providing simultaneous Dopplergrams, intensity and magnetic solar full-disk maps using the potassium 770 nm and sodium 589 nm solar Fraunhofer lines. The instrument is a version, re-designed for a space environment, of the one which has run an observing campaign at the South Pole in 2008 with unprecedented performance. The MOF-based system we present here is a low-cost, low-weight instrument, thus particularly fit to space applications, capable of providing stability and sensitivity of signals on long-term observations. The instrument will explore regions of the oscillation spectrum not available to other missions’ instruments

Methanolysis of 1-aryl-1,2-epoxycyclohexanes in the condensed and in the gas phase: importance of the substituent for the reaction mechanism

The stereoselectivity of a series of 1-aryl-1,2-epoxycyclohexanes substituted on the phenyl group was determined in acid methanolysis in the condensed phase (0.2N H2SO4-MeOH) and in the reaction with MeOH in the gas phase under catalysis by a gaseous Bronsted acid (D-3(+)). The results obtained show the presence of a clear Hammett-type dependence of the syn/anti adduct ratio on the Brown sigma(+) of the substituent on the phenyl group, thus continuing the validity of the ion-dipole pair mechanism in order to rationalize the stereochemical behavior of 2-aryloxiranes in opening reactions under acidic conditions. Only in the cases of the p-OMe- and p-NO2-substituted epoxides, does an S(N)1 and an S(N)2 process, respectively, appear to be involved. Copyright (c) 2004 John Wiley T Sons, Ltd

Denosumab for bone health in prostate and breast cancer patients receiving endocrine therapy? A systematic review and a meta-analysis of randomized trials

Hormonal therapies for receptor positive-breast and prostate cancer patients have shown clinical efficacy but also several side effects including osteoporosis, loss of bone mass and increased fracture risk. Denosumab represents an anti RANKL (receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB ligand) monoclonal anti-body acting as inhibitor of osteoclasts formation, function, and survival, then increasing bone mass. Herein, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the role of Denosumab in saving bone health in prostate and breast cancer patients receiving respectively androgen deprivation therapy and adjuvant endocrine therapy. Moreover, selected patients have to be treated with Denosumab at the dose of 60 mg every six month or placebo. Outcomes studied included the bone mass density (BMD) increase at 24 and 36 months, BMD loss, reduction of fractures risk (in particular vertebral) at 24 and 36 months and safety (overall, serious adverse events - SAEs and discontinuation rate). Our results showed a reduction of the BMD loss up to 36 months both at the lumbar and femoral level and a BMD increase both at 24 and 36 months. It was also found a reduction in the number of new vertebral and femoral fractures at 24 and 36 months. Finally, our pooled analysis showed that Denosumab did not affect both the SAEs and therapy discontinuation risk. In conclusion, Denosumab administration can be considered effective and safe in the prevention and management of the above mentioned adverse events related to hormonal therapies designed for breast and prostate tumors