Synthesis, Conformation and Antiproliferative Activity of Isothiazoloisoxazole 1,1-dioxides

Sixteen new isothiazoloisoxazole 1,1-dioxides, one new isothiazolotriazole and one new isothiazolopyrazole have been synthesised by using 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions to isothiazole 1,1-dioxides. One sub-set of these isothiazoloisoxazoles showed low μM activity against a human breast carcinoma cell line, whilst a second sub-set plus the isothiazolotriazole demonstrated an interesting restricted rotation of sterically hindered bridgehead substituents. A thiazete 1,1-dioxide produced from one of the isothiazole 1,1-dioxides underwent conversion into an unknown 1,2,3-oxathiazolin-2-oxide upon treatment with Lewis acids, but was inert towards 1,3-dipoles and cyclopropenones. Six supporting crystal structures are included

Immediate changes in organic matter and plant available nutrients of Haplic Luvisol soils following different experimental burning intensities in Damak Forest, Hungary

One of the major pedological changes produced by wildfires is the drastic modification of forest soil systems properties. To our knowledge, large research gaps are currently present concerning the effect of such fires on forest Haplic Luvisols soils in Central Europe. In this study, the effects of experimental fires on soil organic matter and chemical properties at different burning intensities in a Central European forest were examined. The study was conducted at Damak Forest, in Hungary, ecosystem dominated by deciduous broadleaf trees, including the rare Hungarian oak Quercus frainetto Ten. The experimental fires were carried out in nine different plots on Haplic Luvisol soils transferred from Damak Forest to the burning site. Three types of fuel load were collected from the forest: litter layer, understorey and overstorey. Groups of three plots were burned at low (litter layer), medium intensity (litter and understorey) and high intensity (litter, understorey and overstorey). Pre-fire and post-fire soil samples were taken from each plot, analysed in the laboratory and statistically compared. Key plant nutrients of organic matter, carbon, potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus were analysed from each sample. No significant differences in soil organic matter and carbon between pre- and post-fire samples were observed, but high intensity fires did increase soil pH significantly. Calcium, magnesium and phosphorus availability increased significantly at all fire intensity levels. Soil potassium levels significantly decreased (ca. 50%) for all intensity treatments, in contrast to most literature. Potassium is a key nutrient for ion transport in plants, and any loss of this nutrient from the soil could have significant effects on local agricultural production. Overall, our findings provide evidence that support the maintaining of the current Hungarian fire prevention policy. © 2019 by the authors

Herpes simplex virus type 1 and Alzheimer’s disease : link and potential impact on treatment

Introduction: Alzheimer\u2019s disease (AD), the most common form of dementia worldwide, is a multifactorial disease with a still unknown etiology. Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) has long been suspected to be one of the factors involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. Areas covered: We review the literature focusing on viral characteristics of HSV-1, the mechanisms this virus uses to infect neural cells, its interaction with the host immune system and genetic background and summarizes results and research that support the hypothesis of an association between AD and HSV-1. The possible usefulness of virus-directed pharmaceutical approaches as potential treatments for AD will be discussed as well. Expert opinion: We highlight crucial aspects that must be addressed to clarify the possible role of HSV-1 in the pathogenesis of the disease, and to allow the design of new therapeutical approaches for AD

The formative tutoring programme in preventing university drop-outs and improving students' academic performance. The case study of the University of Padova (Italy)

The Spanish model of Tutoria Formativa de Carrera may be viewed as a useful strategy to improve student performance and prevent the drop-out phenomenon. In order to verify its adaptability to the Italian academic context, an experimental programme was carried out in three first-cycle degree courses in an Italian university: case studies were chosen according to their high drop-out and low performance rates. A year-long programme of tutoring, together with peer and service tutoring, was proposed to enrolled students, the main aims being to facilitate the transition between secondary school and university, to foster students' integration within the university context and their approach to university-level study, and to guide them towards conscious decisions about their personal and professional careers. By means the innovative approach based on primary prevention and student-centred perspective, substantial results were obtained, highlighting the educational dimension of tutoring, by integration of peer and service tutoring with a new tutoring role for the teaching staff

Robot therapy for functional recovery of the upper limbs: a pilot study on patients after stroke.

Objective: To verify the possibility of administering robotaided therapy for the upper limbs in patients after stroke; to evaluate patients' degree of acceptance and compliance with the treatment; to establish if the treatment has an effect on motor impairment and functional outcome. Design: Quasi-experimental, uncontrolled study. Subjects: Fourteen patients with chronic hemiparesis after stroke. Methods: Patients were treated with a robotic system for the upper limbs (ReoGo TM ; Motorika Medical Ltd, Israel). Subjects performed the following assessment, at the start (T0), at the end of treatment (T1), and at the follow-up performed one month after the end of treatment (T2): Fugl-Meyer test (FM) for upper limbs; strength evaluation; Ashworth scale; visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain; Frenchay Arm test (FAT); Box and Block test (BB Functional Independence Measure (FIM TM ); ABILHAND Questionnaire; Timed Up and Go test (TUG); Euro-Quality of Life questionnaire and; a VAS for treatment satisfaction were administered to the subjects. Results: Total scores of FM, B&B, FAT and FIM TM showed a statistically significant improvement from T0 and T1 (FM p < 0.002, B&B p < 0.012, FAT p < 0.023, FIM TM p < 0.007) and from T0 and T2 (FM p < 0.003, B&B p < 0.011, FAT p < 0.024, FIM p < 0.027). No statistically significant differences were found between evaluations at T1 and T2 (FM p < 0.595, B&B p < 0.491, FAT p < 0.317, FIM p < 0.180). Conclusion: The sample was capable of completing the treatment and demonstrated good participant satisfaction. This pilot study led to the finding of a clinical improvement and excellent patient compliance. It can be hypothesized that the results are robot-dependent and that they were learned and then maintained. However, the study is limited in that a control group was not used. As such, it is desirable to continue this study with a control group, as well as by designing a prospective longitudinal randomized controlled trial study

Emergence of X-shaped spatiotemporal coherence in optical waves

Considering the problem of parametric nonlinear interaction, we report the experimental observation of electromagnetic waves characterized by an X-shaped spatiotemporal coherence; i.e., coherence is neither spatial nor temporal, but skewed along specific spatiotemporal trajectories. The application of the usual, purely spatial or temporal, measures of coherence would erroneously lead to the conclusion that the field is fully incoherent. Such hidden coherence has been identified owing to an innovative diagnostic technique based on simultaneous analysis of both the spatial and temporal spectra

Laser-assisted guiding of electric discharges around objects

Electric breakdown in air occurs for electric fields exceeding 34 kV/cm and results in a large current surge that propagates along unpredictable trajectories. Guiding such currents across specific paths in a controllable manner could allow protection against lightning strikes and high-voltage capacitor discharges. Such capabilities can be used for delivering charge to specific targets, for electronic jamming, or for applications associated with electric welding and machining. We show that judiciously shaped laser radiation can be effectively used to manipulate the discharge along a complex path and to produce electric discharges that unfold along a predefined trajectory. Remarkably, such laser-induced arcing can even circumvent an object that completely occludes the line of sight

X-shaped space-time coherence in optical parametric generation

We study the spatiotemporal coherence properties of superfluorescence radiation generated in optical parametric amplification of quantum noise. We show that the angular dispersion properties of the spatiotemporal spectra, measured in different phase-matching conditions, lead to a clear X-shaped structure of the mutual correlation function of the radiation. Within a statistical picture, we interpret the generated superfluorescence as a stochastic \u201cgas\u201d of quasistationary modes characterized by a skewed correlation in the spatiotemporal domain, with characteristics similar to linear and nonlinear X waves not describable within a separable approach in space and time

Polyaniline (PANI): an innovative support for sampling and removal of VOCs in air matrices

Polyaniline (PANI)-based materials for both removal and sampling of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from air by rapid adsorption/desorption processes have been developed. The polymer was synthesized in form of emeraldine as both salt and base using different synthetic approaches, a traditional one and a "green" one. VOCs adsorption/desorption efficiency was evaluated for all the materials analyzing the desorbed VOCs fractions by GC/MS technique and obtaining results similar to the presently adopted method employing commercial activated carbon. Most important, in this work it has been demonstrated for the first time that the use of PANI-based sorbents allowed the substitution of the toxic CS2, recommended in official methods, with the less hazardous CH3OH as the VOCs extraction solvent. Moreover, a complete regeneration of the polymers could be realized by a few rapid washing steps. Finally, the best PANI-based material was subjected to recycling tests thereby showing a high adsorption/desorption efficiency retention up to four runs