QSAR Modeling of Compounds Derived from 1,2,3-Triazolopiperidine as DPP-4 Enzyme Inhibitors Using Semiempirical AM1

This study aims to model the derived compounds of 1,2,3-triazolopiperidine using sem­iempirical method AM1 and determine the further derivation with the better IC50 values against DPP-4 enzyme theoretically. This research employed ChemDraw Pro 12 software for for 2D struc­tural drawing, Hyperchem 8.0 for 3D modelling, and MLR statistical analysis for modeling QSAR equations. The semiempirical method was likely to be the appropriate platform to apply because the correlation coefficient of H1 NMR chemical shift between theoretical and actual value is rela­tively close, 0.8891. The multilinear regression analysis produced 4 equation models where the best one is equation 4 as detailed below:” IC50   = 875,5116 + (-7400,27*qH35) + (-0,00133* Eat.is) + (-3230,72* qN23) + (3,30277* µ)” n = 25; r2 = 0,594; Adjusted r2= 0,486; PRESS = 1,2× 104. Finally, the theoretically promising substituent was -CN possessing IC50 value = 1.61 nM.

Satisfacción Con La Atención Prenatal, Características Socio-Demográficas Y Obstetricas De Gestantes, Red De Salud Cajamarca, 2012

El propósito del estudio fue identificar la relación entre la satisfacción con la atención prenatal y las características socio-demográficas y obstétricas en madres gestantes, atendidas en establecimientos de salud urbano-marginales de la Red de Salud Cajamarca durante los meses de junio a agosto del 2012. Para ello se utilizó un estudio de tipo descriptivo, nivel correlacional y con un diseño prospectivo transversal. La muestra estuvo constituida por 349 gestantes, obtenida a través de una selección no probabilística de tipo intencional. Para la recolección de datos se utilizó un cuestionario de satisfacción cuya aplicación se realizó a través de entrevistas individuales. Para el análisis de las variables se utilizó el paquete estadístico SPSS versión 18, se realizaron análisis de frecuencias y correlaciones no paramétricas. Los resultados indican que la mayoría de gestantes calificaron su satisfacción con la atención pre natal como buena. Se obtuvo como factores determinantes de la satisfacción con la atención prenatal a las habilidades comunicativas y la empatía mostrada por el profesional de obstetricia, así como también a la calidad de intervención del profesional de obstetricia. La relación entre satisfacción con la atención prenatal y características socio-demográficos presentó relación significativa con el grado de instrucción. Para el caso de las características obstétricas, se halló relación significativa entre la satisfacción con la atención prenatal y el equipamiento del servicio y tiempo transcurrido desde la última atención.Tesi

Endocrine pancreas development at weaning in goat kids

Eighteen three-day old Saanen goat kids were divided into MILK and WEAN groups. MILK kids received goat milk to age 48 days; WEAN kids were initially fed milk but started weaning at 25 days and were completely weaned by 40 days. Total intake per group was recorded daily. On day 25, 40 and 48, body weights were recorded, and plasma samples were taken and analyzed for glucose, free amino-acids and insulin. On day 48, all animals were slaughtered and pancreas samples were analyzed for total DNA and RNA content. Histological sections of pancreas were examined by light microscope and images analyzed by dedicated software. Seven days after the beginning of the weaning program, dry matter intake in the WEAN group began to decrease compared to the MILK one. Nonetheless, body weight did not differ throughout the study period. Weaning significantly decreased plasma levels of glucose, amino-acids and insulin. No difference was observed in pancreatic DNA and RNA content. Histological analysis of pancreas showed that the size of pancreatic islets was not different, but islet number per section was lower in the pancreas of WEAN animals. In conclusion, weaning affects glucose and amino-acid metabolism and influences endocrine pancreas activity and morphology

Riflettere sulla grammatica a scuola: una ricerca sul soggetto

The paper discusses some preliminary results of the research project GRASS - Grammar Reflection at School: Syntactic Subject, which involved 444 junior and senior students from lower to higher education grades and 16 teachers. Starting from some general remarks on the current state of grammar teaching in the Italian school system, particularly critical as far as real speech, discourse and metalinguistic awareness are concerned, the paper highlights and discusses three main critical issues: a)the confusion between (con)textual reference and grammatical function, well attested by thediverse and incongruous ways used by the respondents to identify and represent the subject of sentences from a text; b) the pupils’ and students’ grammaticality judgements on verb and subject agreement, especially in cases of semantic/syntactic mismatch; c) the relation between the respondents’ explicit definitions of grammatical subject and the emerging underlying notions that characterize the different stages of Italian education as far as primary vs. secondary schools are concerned. Finally, some conclusions are drawn on the possible outcomes that this type of research can have in terms of teachers’ training and teaching practices.In questo articolo vengono presentati i primi risultati della ricerca GRASS (Riflessione Grammaticale a Scuola: il Soggetto Sintattico), che ha coinvolto 444 tra alunni e studenti dalla scuola primaria al primo anno di università e 16 insegnanti. Muovendo da alcune riflessioni generali sull’insegnamento della grammatica nella scuola italiana, la cui criticità sta, fra l’altro, nella scarsa considerazione degli usi linguistici reali nello sviluppo della riflessione metalinguistica, l’articolo tratta nello specifico alcuni aspetti emersi dalla ricerca. Innanzitutto, la confusione tra funzione grammaticale e referenza, ben testimoniata dalle espressioni incongrue e idiosincratiche usate dagli informanti per esplicitare i soggetti individuati in un testo. Poi, i giudizi di grammaticalità rispetto a frasi dell’italiano contenenti casi problematici di accordo verbo-soggetto. Infine, l’analisi delle definizioni esplicite di soggetto fornite da alunni e studenti, che forniscono indicazioni sulla sottostante nozione di soggetto così come viene appresa nel corso della scolarizzazione. Il saggio si conclude con alcune riflessioni su come ricerche di questo tipo possano avere ricadute in termini di formazione degli insegnanti e di pratiche didattiche

A Thermal Analytical Study of LEGO® Bricks for Investigating Light-Stability of ABS

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is a thermoplastic polymer widely used in several everyday life applications; moreover, it is also one of the most employed plastics in contemporary artworks and design objects. In this study, the chemical and thermal properties of an ABS-based polymer and its photo-degradation process were investigated through a multi-analytical approach based on thermal, mass spectrometric and spectroscopic techniques. LEGO(& REG;) building blocks were selected for studying the ABS properties. First, the composition of unaged LEGO(& REG;) bricks was determined in terms of polymer composition and thermal stability; then, the bricks were subjected to UV-Vis photo-oxidative-accelerated ageing for evaluation of possible degradation processes. The modifications of the chemical and thermal properties were monitored in time by a multi-technique approach aimed at improving the current knowledge of ABS photodegradation, employing pyrolysis online with gas chromatography and evolved gas analysis, coupled with mass spectrometric detection (Py-GC-MS and EGA-MS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and corroborated by external reflection FT-IR spectroscopy. The multimodal approach provided new evidence on the two-step degradation pathway proposed for ABS, defining molecular markers for polybutadiene oxidation and styrene-acrylonitrile depolymerization. Moreover, the results highlighted the feasibility of correlating accurate compositional and thermal data acquired by bulk techniques with external reflection FT-IR spectroscopy as a non-invasive portable tool to monitor the state of conservation of plastic museum objects in-situ

Reflecting on grammar at school: a research on the subject

The paper discusses some preliminary results of the research project GRASS - Grammar Reflection at School: Syntactic Subject, which involved 444 junior and senior students from lower to higher education grades and 16 teachers. Starting from some general remarks on the current state of grammar teaching in the Italian school system, particularly critical as far as real speech, discourse and metalinguistic awareness are concerned, the paper highlights and discusses three main critical issues: a)the confusion between (con)textual reference and grammatical function, well attested by thediverse and incongruous ways used by the respondents to identify and represent the subject of sentences from a text; b) the pupils’ and students’ grammaticality judgements on verb and subject agreement, especially in cases of semantic/syntactic mismatch; c) the relation between the respondents’ explicit definitions of grammatical subject and the emerging underlying notions that characterize the different stages of Italian education as far as primary vs. secondary schools are concerned. Finally, some conclusions are drawn on the possible outcomes that this type of research can have in terms of teachers’ training and teaching practices

Pilonidal sinus disease. Preliminary case-control study on heat-related wound dehiscence

Background: Pilonidal disease is a morbid condition of the young population, that could impair quality of life with a high cost for the health care system. No consensus exists on optimal surgical treatment, even if several techniques have been proposed. In this preliminary case-control study we compared excision by knife and diathermy to investigate if wound dehiscence could be related to heat spreading during excision of the sinus. Materials and method: Between January 2017 and February 2018, 29 patients underwent to sinus excision.16 patients underwent sinus excision by diathermy (named "Hot" group, case-group) while 13 patients underwent excision by the knife as the control group (named "Cold" group). The temperature data were recorded for both groups. Were considered primary and secondary outcomes. Results: the cold group has worse outcomes in operative time and blood loss, but better results in post-operative pain at first day and first control, number of weekly and total dressings until healing, time for full wound recovery, days to return to work, patient feeling feedback and scar aspect. Wounds healed within 8-12 days were 84.6% in the Cold group and 18.8% in the Hot one. I° Dindo-Clavien complications were respectively 15.4% and 100.0% for the Cold and Hot group. No differences were recorded for II° Dindo-Clavien complications and in days of hospitalization. Conclusion: cold excision of the sinus pilonidalis has better results both in terms of precarious healing and quality of life, probably because the tissues are not subjected to diathermocoagulation damage and therefore the healing occurs more quickly. (United States National Institutes of Health, www.clinicaltrial.gov, number NCT03764657, www.researchregistry.com UIN 5003)

Cielo reproductivo y estructura etaria de Ctenomys mendocinus (Rodentia, Ctenomyidae) del Piedemonte de Mendoza, Argentina

Se estudiaron las características reproductivas y estructura de edades de una población de Ctenomys mendocinus en un área del Piedemonte andino de Mendoza (1330 msnm). La actividad reproductiva se extendió desde mediados de julio hasta marzo, y los nacimientos comenzaron a mediados de octubre. Las camadas nacidas hacia fines de la estación reproductiva fueron el resultado de una segunda preñez, producida en su mayoría por estros post parto o mid-lactancia. Los animales alcanzaron la madurez sexual en la estación reproductiva siguiente a su nacimiento. Los machos maduros permanecieron activos durante todo el año; su tamaño testicular aumentó en invierno cuando se inició la actividad sexual de las hembras. La proporción de sexos a lo largo del año, tanto en animales inmaduros como en maduros, no se apartó significativamente de 1:1. Se registró una alta proporción de animales maduros (73.7%) en el total de la muestra (n=141). Esta población pedemontana presentó un período reproductivo más largo y un mayor porcentaje de preñez por estros post-parto respecto a una población precordillerana (3000 msnm), estudiada previamente. Estas características conducirían a un mayor potencial reproductivo en respuesta a las mejores condiciones climáticas y mayor disponibilidad de alimento en el Piedemonte.Reproductive characteristics and age structure were studied in a population of Ctenomys mendocinus, located in the Andean Piedmont of Mendoza (1330 m elevation). Sexual activity occurred from mid-Jelly through March, with the first births occurring,in mid-October. Litters born at the end of the reproductive season resulted from a second pregnancy caused by postpartum estrus or mid-lactation estrus. Individuals reached sexual maturity in the first reproductive season after their birth. Mature males were active all year long. Their testicular size increased in winter, when sexual activity of females began. Sexual ratio of immature and mature individuals was not significantly different from 1:1 throughout the year. The population consisted of a high proportion of mature individuals (73.7%, n =141). This Piedmont population showed a longer reproductive period, and a higher percentage of pregnancy by postpartum estrus than a population from the Precordillera (3000 m elevation) previously studied. These characteristics would determine a higher reproductive potential, according to the better climatic conditions and higher food availability in the Piedmont

From Picture to Movie: Twenty Years of Ground Deformation Recording Over Tuscany Region (Italy) With Satellite InSAR

Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR) techniques have been long exploited for detecting and mapping slow-moving ground surface displacements due to their millimeter accuracy, non-invasiveness and wide area coverage. A review on different applications of Persistent Scatterers InSAR approaches, proposed and applied over Tuscany region (Italy) across time, is here presented. The study area is characterized by both subsidence of alluvial plains and landslides on hilly and mountainous reliefs. Tuscany has a leading role in Italy in the field of interferometric applications: the first InSAR analyses, which date back to 2003, were performed at local basin scale, by exploiting various PSI-based approaches for risk mapping. The first InSAR applications at regional scale date back to 2009, relying on historical SAR archives of ERS and ENVISAT satellites for updating subsidence and landslide inventory maps at a certain temporal date. Nowadays, the availability of Sentinel-1 SAR data with a regular and systematic 6-days acquisitions plan, allows near-real time monitoring of deformative scenario at regional scale rather than solely mapping of geo-hydrological phenomena. Most recent innovative InSAR applications over Tuscany region scan the territory, exploiting the regular repeat pass of Sentinel-1, and promptly highlight the sites affected by the highest ground movements with high temporal frequency. Such approaches permit us to pass from a static ‘picture’ of regional slope instability to a weekly updated ‘movie’ with improved detail, useful for civil protection practices. These last ongoing works significantly enhance the value of multi-temporal InSAR approaches for investigating and managing geo-hazards over the Region