Dipole–dipole interaction in superparamagnetic nanocrystalline Fe63.5Cr10Si13.5B9Cu1Nb3

Cr-substituted Finemet-type nanocrystalline alloy (Fe63.5Cr10Si13.5B9Cu1Nb3) has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry, x-ray diffraction, Mo¨ssbauer spectroscopy, and magnetic measurements. The Curie temperature of the remaining amorphous phase decreases as the crystalline volume fraction increases, reaching values below room temperature. This feature makes the alloy adequate for studying the magnetic decoupling of the ~Fe,Si! nanocrystals at moderated temperatures and, in particular, the superparamagnetic relaxation in broad temperature and crystalline fraction ranges. It was shown that the anomalous dependence of the coercive field on the annealing temperature can be satisfactorily explained assuming a dipolar-type interaction between the crystallites.DGES del Gobierno español-PB97-1119-CO2-01Fondo de investigación del gobierno húngaro-OTKA T-030753Academia de Ciencias de Hungría-AKP 98-25 2,

The third transitional Identity of migrant adolescents. The case of Hotel House an Italian multi-ethnic skyscraper-ghetto

The adolescent\u2019s identity achievement is a complex task, even more so if they are migrants living in a particular context of ethnic ghettoization. Hotel House is an enormous, isolated condominium situated on the outskirts of Porto Recanati, a small Italian town. It is a unique reality poorly studied from a social psychological perspective. The present paper aims to measure the perceived levels of self-concept clarity, self-determination, ethnic group identification, relationship with parents, depression and life satisfaction in a group of 91 adolescents (11\u201319 years; 30% females; 1.5 immigrant\u2019s generation) living in this context. The analysis shows low levels of self-concept clarity and self-determination, especially in female adolescents, quite satisfactory relationships with their parents and medium levels of group identification and life satisfaction. The identification with their ethnic subgroups seems to provide a third transitional identity which works as a temporary link between native country values and host country values. The regression analysis shows significant associations: self-determination is negatively associated with depression and positively associated with the perception of life satisfaction; the father\u2019s closeness is a negative predictor for depression and a positive predictor for life satisfaction; mother\u2019s closeness is negatively associated with depression

Experimental increase in baseline corticosterone level reduces oxidative damage and enhances innate immune response

Glucocorticoid (GC) hormones are significant regulators of homeostasis. The physiological effects of GCs critically depend on the time of exposure (short vs. long) as well as on their circulating levels (baseline vs. stress-induced). Previous experiments, in which chronic and high elevation of GC levels was induced, indicate that GCs impair both the activity of the immune system and the oxidative balance. Nonetheless, our knowledge on how mildly elevated GC levels, a situation much more common in nature, might influence homeostasis is limited. Therefore, we studied whether an increase in GC level within the baseline range suppresses or enhances condition (body mass, hematocrit and coccidian infestation) and physiological state (humoral innate immune system activity and oxidative balance). We implanted captive house sparrows Passer domesticus with either 60 days release corticosterone (CORT) or control pellets. CORT-treated birds had elevated baseline CORT levels one week after the implantation, but following this CORT returned to its pre-treatment level and the experimental groups had similar CORT levels one and two months following the implantation. The mass of tail feathers grown during the initial phase of treatment was smaller in treated than in control birds. CORT implantation had a transient negative effect on body mass and hematocrit, but both of these traits resumed the pre-treatment values by one month post-treatment. CORT treatment lowered oxidative damage to lipids (malondialdehyde) and enhanced constitutive innate immunity at one week and one month post-implantation. Our findings suggest that a relatively short-term (i.e. few days) elevation of baseline CORT might have a positive and stimulatory effect on animal physiology

DNA adducts in peripheral blood lymphocytes from aluminum production plant workers determined by 32P-postlabeling and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

32P-Postlabeling analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) have been used to detect DNA adducts in peripheral blood lymphocytes from primary aluminum production plant workers who were exposed occupationally to a mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Preliminary results reported here are from a comparative study being performed in two aluminum plants. The levels of aromatic DNA adducts have been determined by the 32P-postlabeling assay in samples collected on two occasions, 1 year apart. PAH-DNA adduct levels have also been determined by competitive ELISA in the second set of DNA samples. The results show the necessity of follow-up biomonitoring studies to detect possible alterations in biological effect induced by changing exposures. The comparison of the results obtained by 32P-postlabeling and ELISA may lead to a better understanding of the power and weaknesses of the two methods applied in these studies

Fetal heart rate and fetal heart rate variability in Lipizzaner broodmares

Monitoring fetal heart rate (FHR) and fetal heart rate variability (FHRV) helps to understand and evaluate normal and pathological conditions in the foal. The aim of this study was to establish normal heart rate reference values for the ongoing equine pregnancy and to perform a heart rate variability (HRV) time-domain analysis in Lipizzaner mares. Seventeen middle- and late-term (days 121–333) pregnant Lipizzaner mares were examined using fetomaternal electrocardiography (ECG). The mean FHR (P = 0.004) and the standard deviation of FHR (P = 0.012) significantly decreased during the pregnancy. FHR ± SD values decreased from 115 ± 35 to 79 ± 9 bpm between months 5 and 11. Our data showed that HRV in the foal decreased as the pregnancy progressed, which is in contrast with the findings of earlier equine studies. The standard deviation of normal-normal intervals (SDNN) was higher (70 ± 25 to 166 ± 108 msec) than described previously. The root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) decreased from 105 ± 69 to 77 ± 37 msec between the 5th and 11th month of gestation. Using telemetric ECG equipment, we could detect equine fetal heartbeat on day 121 for the first time. In addition, the large differences observed in the HR values of four mare-fetus pairs in four consecutive months support the assumption that there might be ‘high-HR’ and ‘low-HR’ fetuses in horses. It can be concluded that the analysis of FHR and FHRV is a promising tool for the assessment of fetal well-being but the applicability of these parameters in the clinical setting and in studs requires further investigation

<i>In vivo</i> X-ray elemental imaging of single cell model organisms manipulated by laser-based optical tweezers

We report on a radically new elemental imaging approach for the analysis of biological model organisms and single cells in their natural, in vivo state. The methodology combines optical tweezers (OT) technology for non-contact, laser-based sample manipulation with synchrotron radiation confocal X-ray fluorescence (XRF) microimaging for the first time. The main objective of this work is to establish a new method for in vivo elemental imaging in a two-dimensional (2D) projection mode in free-standing biological microorganisms or single cells, present in their aqueous environment. Using the model organism Scrippsiella trochoidea, a first proof of principle experiment at beamline ID13 of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) demonstrates the feasibility of the OT XRF methodology, which is applied to study mixture toxicity of Cu-Ni and Cu-Zn as a result of elevated exposure. We expect that the new OT XRF methodology will significantly contribute to the new trend of investigating microorganisms at the cellular level with added in vivo capability