Ion irradiation of N2O ices and NO2:N2O4 ice mixtures: first steps to understand the evolution of molecules with the N−O bond in space

Astronomical observations towards star forming regions have revealed the presence of molecules with the N-O bond such as NO, N2O, and HNO. These species are considered potential precursors of prebiotic molecules. Thus understanding nitrogen and oxygen chemistry may help us to better understand the origin and evolution of prebiotic molecules in space. However, species with the N−O bond are poorly studied and laboratory works on the effects induced on them by solar wind and galactic cosmic rays are still scarce. For this, we wanted to study the effects of ion bombardment on molecules with the N−O bond. We focus here on N2O ices and NO2:N2O4 = 1:1 ice mixtures (at 16 and 50/60 K) irradiated with 200 keV protons. Infrared transmission spectroscopy (8000−500 cm-¹; 1.25−20 μm) was used to analyze the samples. Irradiation of N2O ices and NO2:N2O4 ice mixtures produces comparable effects independent of the irradiation temperature, NO being the main product. Moreover, we show that the maximum amount of N2O and N2O4 destroyed by irradiation, at the highest dose reached in our experiments, is equal to about 98 and 70%, respectively. The dose range covered in the experiments has been compared with the astrophysical timescale of surface processing in space, showing that irradiation of N2O and NO2:N2O4 mixtures can produce, within 10⁵−10⁸ years, amounts of solid NO ice detectable towards star forming regions by the James Webb Space Telescope

Impact of use of oral anticancer drugs on activity of Italian oncology practices: results of a survey conducted by the Italian Society of Medical Oncology (AIOM)

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: In recent years, the number of oral anticancer drugs used in clinical practice has rapidly increased. The Italian Society of Medical Oncology (AIOM) conducted a survey to describe the impact of the use of oral anticancer drugs on the daily activity of Italian oncology practices. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A survey questionnaire was distributed to the coordinators of the regional sections of AIOM. A 6-month period was considered, from January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2010. The survey addressed (1) quantitative aspects of the use of oral anticancer drugs; (2) practical aspects in the management of patients treated with these drugs; (3) issues related to treatment costs and reimbursement procedures. RESULTS: Thirty-six questionnaires were received from institutions distributed throughout the Italian territory. Oral anticancer drugs (both chemotherapy and molecularly targeted agents) accounted for a significant proportion (17%) of prescribed treatments. Among the responding institutions, there were different dispensation procedures of oral drugs to patients: drugs were dispensed by the pharmacist (57%) or directly by the medical oncologist (23%) or nurse (20%). The medical oncologist played a major role in the communication with patients (73% alone and a further 24% in cooperation with other professional figures) and was the point of reference in the event of side effects in 97% of cases. In most cases, the reimbursement of drug costs was separated ("File F" procedure) from the flat fare received by the hospital for outpatient visits or day-hospital access. CONCLUSIONS: Optimal organization of oral anticancer treatment warrants the cooperation and integration of multiple professional figures. At least three figures are involved in patient management in the hospital: the medical oncologist, the nurse, and the hospital pharmacist. Oral anticancer treatments are associated with specific reimbursement issues: in the majority of cases, the cost of the drug is reimbursed separately from the cost of patient access

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

The supramolecular chemistry between eastern philosophy and the complexity theory

How supramolecular chemistry interplays between the eastern philosophy and the complexity theory relationship? From which point could we start to speak about the fundamental self-organization process that seems to be "the driving force that lead up to the evolution of the biological word from the inanimate matter"? We think the best way is to focus on the core, and move around a core concept: the self-processes in Nature are the starting point for the whole organic world. Taking suggestion from the old eastern philosophy and observing the recent western theory in this paper we will evidence some analogies between the two apparent different thoughts and show that both approaches want to know more about the emerging of life from inanimate matter. In this perspective we underline that Supramolecular Chemistry, investigating the emerging behaviour or properties of the whole complex system, has a central role to understand the spontaneous evolution of Nature. If the self-organization is a conveyor belt of non-animated to animated complex matter, what are the gears of this engine of Nature able to generate Life and new living beings? We cannot provide a definitive answer to this question, however we can recall some acutely relevant research. In this paper we introduce, first, some basic principles of the ancient eastern philosophy in synergy with the modern science of the complexity. Second, the theories dealing with autopoietic systems and dissipative structures, will be presented in order to compare biological and social mechanisms with the (organic) chemistry world. Finally, we report on a few aspects of supramolecular chemistry of guanosine derivatives and their implications in material sciences, medicine and nanotechnology

PROCESSO DE DEPOSIÇÃO DE TINTA METÁLICA COLOIDAL PARA AQUECEDOR MICROFLUÍDICO, PROCESSO DE DEPOSIÇÃO DE TINTA METÁLICA COLOIDAL PARA SENSOR ELETROQUÍMICO, AQUECEDOR MICROFLUÍDICO, SENSOR ELETROQUÍMICO E USO DO AQUECEDOR MICROFLUÍDICO

A presente invenção compreende em processos de deposição em temperatura ambiente de tinta metálica coloidal dentro da estrutura biológica do bambu visando a obtenção de canais condutores ocos para fluir gases e líquidos com a aplicação na área de fabricação de aquecedores microfluídicos, sensores eletroquímicos e circuitos eletrônicos tridimensionais. O método consiste em depositar tinta metálica coloidal (2) e/ou pastas condutoras (6) à base de carbono, ao longo dos canais de estruturas ligno-celulósicas para promover a deposição de prata nas paredes (5) dos canais e/ou o empacotamento de uma pasta de carbono numa porção de microcanais (3) de uma face do bambu (1). Além disso, vale ressaltar que o método proposto possibilita depositar outros tipos de materiais condutores como Au, Pt, Cu, Zn, nanopartículas de carbono, grafenos, polímeros condutores e semi-condutores como os óxidos de metais quais ZnO, CuO, CuO2, TiO2

Processo de Corte e tratamento do bambu natural, dispositivo ligninocelulosico, processo de deposição catalitica e um microrreator catalitico lignocelulosico

A presente invenção compreende um processo de corte e tratamento do bambu natural, um dispositivo lignocelulósico (LµR) compreendendo os microcanais vasculares metaxilema (A), floema (B), protoxilema (C), esclerênquima (D) e parênquima (E) desobstruídos pelo processo de corte e tratamento do bambu natural, ditos microcanais compreendendo conformações naturais e ainda compreendendo a inserção de conectores em suas extremidades para a injeção de fluidos no interior do dispositivo. O dispositivo lignocelulósico da presente invenção funciona ainda como um micromisturador, em que os fluidos injetados em suas entradas são misturados no interior de seus microcanais. A presente invenção compreende ainda um processo de deposição de metais com propriedades catalíticas, compreendendo pelo menos uma etapa de deposição de íons metálicos, ou nanopartículas metálicas, no dispositivo lignocelulósico (Me-LµR). A presente invenção compreende ainda um microrreator catalítico lignocelulósico, compreendendo o dispositivo lignocelulósico após ser processado pelo processo de deposição de metais com atividades catalíticas