The demographic and clinical characteristics of an Italian population of adult outpatients with chronic cough

Background Chronic cough is a major health problem worldwide and patients are best managed in specialised tertiary centres. Little information is available on the characteristics of chronic cough patients in several European countries, including Italy. Aims We report on the demographic, anthropometric and clinical features of a large Italian population of adult chronic cough outpatients (about 1200), who were referred to a specialised clinic in Florence, Italy, from 2008 to 2018. Methods Demographic, environmental, lifestyle and clinical information was collected at enrolment by means of a custom-designed electronic questionnaire that only allowed for uniform responses. A subjective measure of cough-related discomfort (cough score) was also obtained using a modified Borg Scale. A multivariable logistic regression model was defined to identify the patients' characteristics associated with the cough score. Results The characteristics of the examined population (n = 1204 outpatients) were strikingly similar to those described elsewhere. Female patients outnumbered the males [n = 847 females, (70.0%)]; both females and males displayed the same average cough score. The median age of outpatients was 61 (quartile 1 = 48; quartile 3 = 70) years; age and cough duration were unrelated to the cough score. Nasal obstruction, coughing during consultation, coughing during meals, throat clearing and the presence of respiratory abnormalities were correlated with the degree of discomfort caused by coughing. Discussion The features of chronic cough patients are similar worldwide. The process of cough reflex hypersensitisation may soothe sex-related perceptual differences, leading to similar levels of discomfort. Conclusions There seem to be clinical indicators that help in assessing the level of cough-related discomfort

Tandem chemiluminescence-flow injection analysis for dimethoate determination

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of Spain (Project CTM2006-11991) and FEDER funds.Catalá Icardo, M.; López Paz, JL.; Choves Barón, C. (2010). Tandem chemiluminescence-flow injection analysis for dimethoate determination. Luminescence. 25:235-236. https://doi.org/10.1002/bio.1217S2352362

Bimacrocyclic Effect in Anion Recognition by a Copper(II) Bicyclam Complex

The dicopper(II) complex of the bimacrocyclic ligand α,α′-bis(5,7-dimethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecan-6-yl)-o-xylene, 2, interacts with selected anions in dimethyl sulfoxide solution according to two different modes: (i) halides (Cl-, Br-, and I-) and N3- coordinate the two metal centers at the same time between the two macrocyclic subunits that face each other and (ii) anionic species that do not fit the bridging coordination mode (e.g., NCO-, SCN-, CH3COO-, NO3-, and H2PO4-) interact with copper(II) ions only at the "external" positions or their interaction is too weak to be detected. Occurrence of the bridging interaction is demonstrated by X-ray crystallographic studies performed on the adduct formed by [Cu2(2)]4+ with azide and by electron paramagnetic resonance investigation, as the anion coordination between the two copper(II) centers induces spin-spin coupling. Isothermal titration calorimetry experiments performed on [Cu2(2)]4+ and, for comparison, on [(5,7-dimethyl-6-benzyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane)copper(II)], representing the mononuclear analogue, allowed determination of thermodynamic parameters (log K, ΔH, and TΔS) associated with the considered complex/anion equilibria. Thermodynamic data showed that adducts formed by [Cu2(2)]4+ with halides and azide benefit from an extra stability that can be explained on the basis of the anion advantage of simultaneously binding the two metal centers, i.e., in terms of the bimacrocyclic effect

Quantitative analysis of pulmonary vasculature in systemic sclerosis at spirometry-gated chest CT

Objective To prospectively investigate whether differences in pulmonary vasculature exist in systemic sclerosis (SSc) and how they are distributed in patients with different pulmonary function. Methods Seventy-four patients with SSc undergoing chest CT scan for interstitial lung disease (ILD) screening or follow-up were prospectively enrolled. A thorough clinical, laboratory and functional evaluation was performed the same day. Chest CT was spirometry gated at total lung capacity and images were analysed by two automated software programs to quantify emphysema, ILD patterns (ground-glass, reticular, honeycombing), and pulmonary vascular volume (PVV). Patients were divided in restricted (FVC% <80, DLco%<80), isolated DLco% reduction (iDLco-FVC%≥80, DLco%<80) and normals (FVC%≥80, DLco%≥80). Spearman ρ, Mann-Whitney tests and logistic regressions were used to assess for correlations, differences among groups and relationships between continuous variables. Results Absolute and lung volume normalised PVV (PVV/LV) correlated inversely with functional parameters and positively with all ILD patterns (ρ=0.75 with ground glass, ρ=0.68 with reticular). PVV/LV was the only predictor of DLco at multivariate analysis (p=0.007). Meanwhile, the reticular pattern prevailed in peripheral regions and lower lung thirds, PVV/LV prevailed in central regions and middle lung thirds. iDLco group had a significantly higher PVV/LV (2.2%) than normal (1.6%), but lower than restricted ones (3.8%). Conclusions Chest CT in SSc detects a progressive increase in PVV/LV as DLco decreases. Redistribution of perfusion to less affected lung regions rather than angiogenesis nearby fibrotic lung may explain the results. Further studies to ascertain whether the increase in PVV/LV reflects a real increase in blood volume are needed

Effects of Natural and Anthropogenic Stressors on Fucalean Brown Seaweeds Across Different Spatial Scales in the Mediterranean Sea

Algal habitat-forming forests composed of fucalean brown seaweeds (Cystoseira, Ericaria, and Gongolaria) have severely declined along the Mediterranean coasts, endangering the maintenance of essential ecosystem services. Numerous factors determine the loss of these assemblages and operate at different spatial scales, which must be identified to plan conservation and restoration actions. To explore the critical stressors (natural and anthropogenic) that may cause habitat degradation, we investigated (a) the patterns of variability of fucalean forests in percentage cover (abundance) at three spatial scales (location, forest, transect) by visual estimates and or photographic sampling to identify relevant spatial scales of variation, (b) the correlation between semi-quantitative anthropogenic stressors, individually or cumulatively (MA-LUSI index), including natural stressors (confinement, sea urchin grazing), and percentage cover of functional groups (perennial, semi-perennial) at forest spatial scale. The results showed that impacts from mariculture and urbanization seem to be the main stressors affecting habitat-forming species. In particular, while mariculture, urbanization, and cumulative anthropogenic stress negatively correlated with the percentage cover of perennial fucalean species, the same stressors were positively correlated with the percentage cover of the semi-perennial Cystoseira compressa and C. compressa subsp. pustulata. Our results indicate that human impacts can determine spatial patterns in these fragmented and heterogeneous marine habitats, thus stressing the need of carefully considering scale-dependent ecological processes to support conservation and restoration

Viewing scenes of the history of chemistry through the opera glass

Artistic creation has always reflected the spirit of the moment and opera has not been an exception. There are several examples of operas which appeared at key moments of the development of science, portraying them. Additionally there are also operas that emerged after scientific events or the lifetime of the scientists they were inspired on. In what concerns chemistry, the first category could be exemplified by the apothecary operas (already discussed by the author in a previous paper of this journal) while the others could be illustrated by recent operas such as Dr. Atomic or Madame Curie. Continuing our endeavor of establishing relations between opera and chemistry, and considering that history of science plays an important role in the process of teaching and learning sciences, some milestones of the history of chemistry are here revisited through the opera glass. The operas analyzed have been grouped in the following categories: Operas of Fire and Metallurgy, Operas of the Philosophers of Antiquity, Operas of Alchemy, Operas of the Age of Enlightenment, Operas of the Revolutions and Operas of Entropy.Thanks are due to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT–Portugal) and FEDER (European Fund for Regional Development)-COMPETE/QREN/EU for financial support through the research unity PEst-C/QUI/UI686/2013.

Speciation, Luminescence, and Alkaline Fluorescence Quenching of 4-(2-methylbutyl)aminodipicolinic acid (H2MEBADPA)

4-(2-Methylbutyl)aminodipicolinic acid (H2MEBADPA) has been synthesized and fully characterized in terms of aqueous phase protonation constants (pKa\u27s) and photophysical measurements. The pKa\u27s were determined by spectrophotometric titrations, utilizing a fully sealed titration system. Photophysical measurements consisted of room temperature fluorescence and frozen solution phosphorescence as well as quantum yield determinations at various pH, which showed that only fully deprotonated MEBADPA2– is appreciably emissive. The fluorescence of MEBADPA2– has been determined to be quenched by hydroxide and methoxide anions, most likely through base-catalyzed excited-state tautomerism or proton transfer. This quenching phenomenon has been quantitatively explored through steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements. Utilizing the determined pKas and quenching constants, the fluorescent intensity of MEBADPA2– has been successfully modeled as a function of pH

Synthesis and prospective study of the use of thiophene thiosemicarbazones as signalling scaffolding for the recognition of anions

A family of phenyl-thiosemicarbazone dyes have been prepared and their interactions with anions monitorized via UV-Vis, fluorescence and 1H NMR titrations. Additionally quantum chemical calculations and electrochemical studies completed the studies carried out. The phenyl-thiosemicarbazone dyes show a modulation of their hydrogen-bonding and electron-donating capabilities as a function of the chemical groups attached and display two different chromo-fluorogenic responses towards anions in acetonitrile solutions. The more basic anions fluoride and cyanide are able to induce the dual coordination-deprotonation processes for all the receptors studied, whereas acetate only interacts with receptors 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9 and dihydrogen phosphate displays sensing features only with the more acidic receptors 6. Coordinative hydrogen bonding interactions is indicated by a small bathochromic shift, whilst deprotonation results in the appearance of a new band at ca. 400-450 nm corresponding to a colour change from colourless-yellow to yellow-red depending on the receptor. In the emission fluorescence, hydrogen bonding interaction is visible through the enhancement of the emission band, whereas deprotonation induced the growth of a new red-shifted emission. The chromo-fluorogenic behaviour could be explained on the basis of the deprotonation tendency of the binding sites and the proton affinity of the anions. PM3 and 1H NMR calculations are in agreement with the existence of the dual complexation-deprotonation process, whereas both studies are in discrepancy in relation to which is the proton involved in the deprotonation. Electrochemical studies carried with receptor 3 showed a quite complex redox behaviour and anodic shifts of the reduction peaks in the presence of the basic anions fluoride, cyanide and acetate.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT