Part 21: Copolymers with methyl methacrylate

AbstractOptically active photochromic copolymers, deriving from methyl methacrylate (MMA) and the methacrylic ester of (S)-3-hydroxypyrrolidine linked through the nitrogen atom to the highly conjugated photochromic 4'-(β-cyano-β- (methylsulfonyl)vinyl)-4-azobenzene moiety, have been prepared and characterized with the aim to evaluate the effect on their chiro-optical and thermal properties exerted by the insertion of inactive MMA groups along the main chain. The results indicate that these properties are still remarkable at a content of photochromic units as low as 26 mol-%

Methacrylic polymers bearing side-chain permanent dipole azobenzene chromophores spaced from the main chain by chiral moieties

AbstractOptically active photochromic copolymers, deriving from methyl methacrylate (MMA) and the methacrylic ester of (S)-3-hydroxypyrrolidine linked through the nitrogen atom to the highly conjugated photochromic 4'-(β-cyano-β- (methylsulfonyl)vinyl)-4-azobenzene moiety, have been prepared and characterized with the aim to evaluate the effect on their chiro-optical and thermal properties exerted by the insertion of inactive MMA groups along the main chain. The results indicate that these properties are still remarkable at a content of photochromic units as low as 26 mol-%

APPLICAZIONI CLINICHE DELLA TEORIA POLIVAGALE Il potere trasformativo del sentirsi al sicuro

La teoria polivagale chiarisce in che modo il comportamento sociale attenui le difese promuovendo azioni che permettano di sentirsi al sicuro. Secondo questa teoria, gli interventi che stimolano la sensazione di essere al sicuro e l’utilizzo del comportamento sociale per regolare gli stati fisiologici risultano particolarmente efficaci per la cura dei disturbi psicologici che dipendono dall’attivazione inadeguata del sistema delle difese. Sono evidenziate le connessioni tra funzioni del sistema nervoso periferico e comportamento, mettendo in luce le variabili neurofisiologiche associate alle emozioni, all’attaccamento, alla comunicazione sociale, alla self-regulation, alle strategie difensive e ai disturbi psichiatrici. In particolare, l’evoluzione del sistema nervoso periferico viene connessa con l’esperienza affettiva, l’espressione delle emozioni, la comunicazione vocale e il comportamento sociale contingente

An anomalous foveal OCT-sign after posterior capsule rupture in cataract surgery: Complicated cataract surgery maculopathy

Purpose: To report a series of novel optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) foveal abnormalities, that we called "T-sign," that were noticed after a complicated cataract surgery with posterior capsule rupture and vitreous loss. Methods: Retrospective case series of persistent foveal changes that incurred after anteroposterior vitreo-foveal traction secondary to phacoemulsification in presence of posterior capsule rupture. Results: The study included three eyes of three patients that incurred in complicated cataract surgery and intraoperative vitreo-foveal traction. During 8-month follow-up period peculiar abnormalities in fundus examination and in OCT scans were reported in all cases. Conclusion: Phacoemulsification in presence of posterior capsule rupture could induce a vitreo-foveal strain that could be transmitted to the cone outer segment tips (COST line) and inner-outer segment (IS/OS) junction. This focal stress is liable for "T-sign," a persistent SD-OCT abnormality that induce a visual impairment and a slight metamorphopsia in the fixation point. Summary statement: All over the world, more than 9.5 million cataract surgeries are completed each year.1 During surgery, many intraoperative complications could occur, and capsule rupture with vitreous loss is a frequent event. Phacoemulsification in presence of a wide posterior capsule rupture and vitreo-macular adhesion could induce a typical modification of the foveal structure and a permanent visual impairment

Reliability and validity of the Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia in a mixed clinical and nonclinical sample from Italy

The reliability and validity of the Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia (TSIA) have been demonstrated in previous studies with English-speaking community and psychiatric samples and a German-speaking psychiatric sample. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the TSIA in a mixed clinical and nonclinical sample from Italy. The original English version of the TSIA was translated into Italian and administered, along with the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), to 80 healthy subjects, 69 medical outpatients, and 62 psychiatric outpatients. Eighty-one videotaped interviews were used for assessing the interrater reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the hierarchical, four-factor structure of the TSIA obtained in previous studies, with four lower-order factors nested within two higher-order latent factors. The TSIA also demonstrated internal and interrater reliability, and concurrent validity with the TAS-20. The results support the use of the TSIA to assess alexithymia especially when a multimethod approach to measurement is possible

Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Nanodevices Based on Fe3O4 Coated by Megluminic Ligands for the Adsorption of Metal Anions from Water

none7noThe uptake ability toward arsenic(V), chromium(VI), and boron(III) ions of ad hoc functionalized magnetic nanostructured devices has been investigated. To this purpose, ligands based on meglumine have been synthesized and used to coat magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4) obtained by the co-precipitation methodology. The as-prepared hybrid material was characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Moreover, its magnetic hysteresis properties were measured to evaluate its magnetic properties, and the adsorption kinetics and isothermal models were applied to discern between the different adsorption phenomena. Specifically, the better fitting was observed by the Langmuir isotherm model for all metal ions tested, highlighting a higher uptake in arsenic (28.2 mg/g), chromium (12.3 mg/g), and boron (23.7 mg/g) sorption values if compared with other magnetic nanostructured materials. After adsorption, an external magnetic stimulus can be used to efficiently remove nanomaterials from the water. Finally the nanomaterial can be reused up to five cycles and regenerated for another three cycles.mixedScurti S.; Dattilo S.; Gintsburg D.; Vigliotti L.; Winkler A.; Carroccio S. C.; Caretti D.Scurti S.; Dattilo S.; Gintsburg D.; Vigliotti L.; Winkler A.; Carroccio S. C.; Caretti D

Impulsivity, alexithymia and dissociation among pathological gamblers in different therapeutic settings: A multisample comparison study

Since many psychopathological traits seem to be related to Gambling Disorder (GD), impulsivity, alexithymia and dissociation could play a central role in gambling behaviors, particularly in pathological gambling. We test this hypothesis in four distinct samples of gamblers, three undergoing different types of treatments and a control group. The study sample consists of 204 subjects (males 87.3%, mean age=47.75 years, SD=12.08) divided into four groups: (1) 59 subjects belonging to an Outpatients Treatment Program in the National Health System (NHS); (2) 60 subjects of an Outpatients Self-Help Group Program; (3) 35 subjects belonging to a Residential Treatment Program (Inpatients Program); and (4) 50 subjects without gambling problems (Control Group). Results show a positive relationship between gambling behaviors, impulsivity and alexithymia, and a negligible link between gambling behaviors and dissociation. Findings also display the presence of higher levels of all these features in pathological gamblers with higher scores on the SOGS, and particularly, in participants attending a Residential Treatment Program (Inpatients Program). This study confirms the hypothesis of the presence of higher levels of impulsivity, alexithymia and dissociation in pathological gamblers with a greater severity and seems to indicate a significant importance of impulsivity and alexithymia in predicting gambling behaviors