Triptycene-based organic molecules of intrinsic microporosity

Four Organic Molecules of Intrinsic Microporosity (OMIMs) were prepared by fusing triptycene-based components to a biphenyl core. Due to their rigid molecular structures that cannot pack space efficiently, these OMIMs form amorphous materials with significant microporosity as demonstrated by apparent BET surface areas in the range of 515–702 m2 g–1. Bulky cyclic 1′,2′,3′,4′-tetrahydro-1′,1′,4′,4′-tetramethylbenzo units placed on the triptycene termini are especially efficient at enhancing microporosity

COVID-19 and Smart City in the Context of Tourism: A Bibliometric Analysis Using VOSviewer Software

Since the beginning of the pandemic (at the end of 2019), papers have been published in journals firstly around the topic of medical area (such as clinical futures and complications, non-pharmaceutical interventions, treatment, virology, etc.), then around other topics (financial, economic, managerial and tourist). Covid-19 has generated impacts that have propagated from themedical field to the depths of human and relational behavior, modifying thought and action even in consumption. Many territories have reacted with specific policies of social limitations, others have devoted attention to technology to monitor the pandemic. This paper focuses on deepening the relationship between the Covid-19 and the Smart cities in the context of tourism. A bibliometric analysis and word concepts (word co-occurrences matrix) has been used to answer the research questions. A VOSviewer software has been used to process 4818 journal papers extracted from WoS (Web of Science) database between November 2019 and March 2022

The Relationship Between Wormlike Micelle Scission Free Energy and Micellar Composition: The Case of Sodium Laurylethersulphate and Cocamidopropyl Betaine

The scission energy is the difference in energy between two hemispherical caps and the cylindrical region of a wormlike micelle. This energy difference is exponentially proportional to the average micelle length, which affects several macroscopic properties such as the viscosity of viscoelastic fluids. Here we use a recently published method by Wang et al (Langmuir 2018 34 1564-1573) to directly calculate the scission energy of micelles composed of monodisperse Sodium Laurylethersulphate (SLESnEO), an anionic surfactant. We perform a systematic study varying the number of ethoxyl groups (n) and salt concentration. The scission energy increases with increasing salt concentration, indicating that the formation of longer micelles is favoured. We attribute this to the increased charge screening that reduces the repulsion between head groups. However, the scission energy decreases with increasing number of ethoxyl groups as the flexibility of the head group increases and the sodium ion becomes less tightly bound to the head group. We then extend to look at the effect of a common co-surfactant, Cocamidopropyl Betaine (CAPB) and find that its addition increases the scission energy, stabilising wormlike micelles at a lower salt concentration

Mathematical competencies: a case study on semiotic systems and argumentation in an Italian High School

This paper describes the main findings of a national action-research project, promoted by Regional School Office of Campania (South of Italy), aimed at improving numeracy and mathematical literacy through supporting schools' activities. The main focus is on processes underlying the creation of capabilities in representation, reasoning and communication. They have been investigated through creation of appropriate activities on the management of different semiotic systems and argumentation. About 400 fifteen-years- old students have been involved in the experimentation, divided into 20 high schools classes, in the Campania Region (South of Italy). The activities were designed to improve students' capabilities to solve real world problems, according to the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) framework. We investigated if the experimental activities might influence the acquisition of representation and communication skills and improve the PISA levels. We showed the project's rationale, its methodological choices, and theoretical framework. A protocols' analysis on conversion between various semiotic systems is also shown, mainly in two different schools' types (a Professional Institute and a Scientific High School). Finally, a quantitative analysis of the improvement of the PISA levels has been carried out, together with a discussion about the connection between the improvement of the mathematical skills and the realized activities

Topical and systemic medical treatments of basal cell carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common non melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in white individuals over the age of 40 years. BCCs usually grow slowly and rarely metastasize, but can be locally invasive if neglected or of an aggressive subtype. The local tissue destruction caused by an untreated BCC can be extensive, therefore optimal treatment should lead to tumour clearance. Surgery and topical medical treatments are successful therapeutic options for most superficial and nodular BCC. Systemic medical treatments may be considered when surgical procedures are not recommended on the basis of the anatomical site and tumor extension, and patients' associated comorbidities. Expected cure rates and cosmetic outcome should be also carefully considered. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of BCC pathogenesis can lead to new developing target medical therapies, and data on their efficacy seem encouraging

Treatment approaches of advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

Common primary cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) accounts for 20% of keratinocyte cancers that is usually successfully treated with surgery or radiotherapy. In a minority of cases, CSCC lesions may progress to locally advanced or metastatic disease that may be difficult to be treated causing significant morbidity and mortality. Chemotherapies and targeted therapy with anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibodies have been used off-label in small studies and case reports of advanced CSCC, but data are scarce and response short-lived. Recently, two PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitors, cemiplimab and pembrolizumab, have been approved for the treatment of advanced CSCC; specifically the former can be administered in patients with locally advanced and metastatic tumours, while the latter in case of recurrent metastatic CSCC. The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors represents a breakthrough in the treatment of CSCC, since numerous clinical trials showed that these agents may provide remarkable clinical benefit with an acceptable safety profile, in a high-need population who had no standard of care. In addition, real-world studies are needed to validate the results observed in clinical trials and numerous clinical trials in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting are ongoing. Finally, further studies should investigate predictive biomarkers useful to better select patients to maximize the treatment efficacy

Numero Ergo Sum: a Proposal for the Improvement of Representation Capability

Our on-going research’s goal is to investigate the processes underlying the improvement of the capabilities of representation and communication of fifteen years old students, through the creation of appropriate activities focused on the management of different semiotic systems and on argumentation