La consulenza ambientale in Italia - il business dell'ecoaudit

Indice: Definizione del business - Analisi del macroambiente - Analisi della domanda - L'offerta: i servizi ambientali - Analisi dell'offert

one step one lane chemical dna sequencing by n methylformamide in the presence of metal ions

We report on a chemical method that allows DNA sequencing by a single reaction. It is based on treatment of 5′-end-labeled DNA with N-methylformamide in the presence of manganese. This method allows the manipulation of samples to be kept to a minimum and consists of a single chemical step that requires about 30 minutes to complete base degradation, phosphodiester bond cleavage and denaturation. Examples of one-treatment, one-lane DNA sequencing of both radioactively and fluorescently 5′-end-labeled DNAs are reported

Formamide as the main building block in the origin of nucleic acids

The simplest molecules grouping the four most common elements of the universe H,C,O and N (with the exception of the biologically inert He) are isocyanate HNCO and formamide H2NCOH. Reasons for the availability of formamide on prebiotic Earth are presented. We review evidence showing that formamide in the presence of largely available catalysts and by moderate heating yields the complete set of nucleic bases necessary for the formation of nucleic acids. Formamide also favours the formation of acyclonucleosides and the phosphorylation and trans-phosphorylation of nucleosides, thus providing a plausible chemical frame for the passage from a simple one-carbon compound to nucleic polymers. Physico-chemical conditions exist in which formamide favours the stability of the phosphoester bonds in nucleic polymers relative to that of the same bonds in monomers. Starting from a formamide-laden environment subject only to the laws of chemistry, a hypothesis is outlined sketching the passage towards an aqueous world in which Darwinian rules apply

ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING STEEL FRAMES WITH INFILLS UNDER MULTIPLE EARTHQUAKES

Many existing steel multi-storey frames in Europe were designed prior to the provisions of modern seismic design codes; therefore, they often exhibit low resistance to earthquakes due to their insufficient energy dissipation capacity. However, the current framework for assessing existing structures in EC8-3 is inadequate and should be reviewed. Particular attention should be paid to the contribution from masonry infill walls as they significantly affect the modal properties and the lateral stiffness of structures. To this end, two 3D models of a two-storey steel moment-resisting frame were developed to assess the applicability of the current framework in EC8-3 to the infilled structures under multiple earthquakes through nonlinear analyses. The modelling of masonry infill walls was achieved through a macro-model using equivalent diagonal struts. The ground motions utilised during the analyses took the records of the recent 2016 Central Italy earthquake sequence. As part of the project HITFRAMES, this paper serves as a preparation for the experiment to be conducted in Greece

Multi-Center Randomized Phase II Clinical Trial on Remote Ischemic Conditioning in Acute Ischemic Stroke Within 9 Hours of Onset in Patients Ineligible to Recanalization Therapies (TRICS-9): Study Design and Protocol

Aim: To assess the efficacy of remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) in patients with ischemic stroke within 9 h of onset, that are not candidates for recanalization therapies.Sample Size Estimates: A sample size of 80 patients (40 in each arm) should yield 80% power to detect a 20% difference in early neurological improvement at 72 h at p = 0.05, two sided.Methods and Design: TRICS-9 is a phase II, multicenter, controlled, block randomized, open-label, interventional clinical trial. Patients recruited in Italian academic hospitals will be randomized 1:1 to either RIC plus standard medical therapy or standard medical therapy alone. After randomization, RIC will be applied manually by four alternating cycles of inflation/deflation 5 min each, using a blood pressure cuff around the non-paretic arm.Study Outcomes: The primary efficacy outcome is early neurological improvement, defined as the percent change in the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at 72 h in each arm. Secondary outcomes include early neurologic improvement at 24 and 48 h, disability at 3 months, rate of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage, feasibility (proportion of patients completing RIC), tolerability after RIC and at 72 h, blood levels of HIF-1 alpha, and HSP27 at 24 h and 72 h.Discussion/Conclusion: RIC in combination with recanalization therapies appears to add no clinical benefit to patients, but whether it is beneficial to those that are not candidates for recanalization therapies is still to be demonstrated. TRICS-9 has been developed to elucidate this issue

Correlation of Serum Cystatin C with Glomerular Filtration Rate in Patients Receiving Platinum-Based Chemotherapy

Objectives. Serum cystatin C seems to be an accurate marker of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) compared to serum creatinine. The aim of this work was to explore the possibility of using serum cystatin C instead of serum creatinine to early predict renal failure in cancer patients who received platinum based chemotherapy. Design and Methods. Serum creatinine, serum cystatin C concentrations, and GFR were determined simultaneously in 52 cancer patients received carboplatin-based or cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Serum creatinine was assayed on Cobas C6000-Roche, serum cystatin C assay was performed on AIA 360-Tosoh, and GFR was determined in all patients, before the first cycle of chemotherapy and before the subsequent administrations. Results. In the overall series, for the prediction of a fall of GFR < 80 mL/min/1.73 m2, the AUC of the ROC curve for cystatin C was 0,667 and the best threshold was 1.135 mg/L (sensitivity 90.5%, specificity 61.1%). For a GFR fall < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, the AUC of ROC curve for cystatin C was 74.3% and the best threshold was 1.415 mg/L (sensitivity 66.7%, specificity 73.2%). Conclusions. Baseline cystatin C values were not able to predict renal failure during subsequent treatment. In conclusion, serum cystatin C is not a reliable early marker to efficiently predict renal failure in patients receiving chemotherapy

Effects of a Lactobacillus paracasei B21060 based synbiotic on steatosis, insulin signaling and toll-like receptor expression in rats fed a high-fat diet.

Insulin resistance (IR) has been identified as crucial pathophysiological factor in the development and progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Although mounting evidence suggests that perturbation of gut microflora exacerbates the severity of chronic liver diseases, therapeutic approaches using synbiotic has remained overlooked. Here, we show that a synbiotic composed by Lactobacillus paracasei B21060 plus arabinogalactan and fructo-oligosaccharides lessens NAFLD progression in a rat model of high fat feeding. IR and steatosis were induced by administration of high fat diet (HFD) for 6 weeks. Steatosis and hepatic inflammation, Toll-like receptor (TLR) pattern, glucose tolerance, insulin signaling and gut permeability were studied. Liver inflammatory markers were down-regulated in rats receiving the synbiotic, along with an increased expression of nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors and expression of downstream target genes. The synbiotic improved many aspects of IR, such as fasting response, hormonal homeostasis and glycemic control. Indeed it prevented the impairment of hepatic insulin signaling, reducing the phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 in Ser 307 and down-regulating suppressor of cytokine signaling 3. Gene expression analysis revealed that in the liver the synbiotic reduced cytokines synthesis and restored the HFD-dysregulated TLR 2, 4 and 9 mRNAs toward a physiological level of expression. The synbiotic preserved gut barrier integrity and reduced the relative amount of Gram-negative Enterobacteriales and Escherichia coli in colonic mucosa. Overall, our data indicate that the L. paracasei B21060 based synbiotic is effective in reducing the severity of liver injury and IR associated with high fat intake, suggesting its possible therapeutic/preventive clinical utilization