Tuning the magnetic coupling of a molecular spin interface via electron doping

Mastering the magnetic response of molecular spin interfaces by tuning the occupancy of the molecular orbitals, which carry the spin magnetic moment, can be accomplished by electron doping. We propose a viable route to control the magnetization direction and magnitude of a molecular spin network, in a graphene-mediated architecture, achieved via alkali doping of manganese phthalocyanine (MnPc) molecules assembled on cobalt intercalated under a graphene membrane. The antiparallel magnetic alignment of the MnPc molecules with the underlying Co layer can be switched to a ferromagnetic state by electron doping. Multiplet calculations unveil an enhanced magnetic state of the Mn centers with a 3/2 to 5/2 spin transition induced by alkali doping, as confirmed by the steepening of the hysteresis loops, with higher saturation magnetization values. This new molecular spin configuration can be aligned by an external field, almost independently from the hard-magnet substrate effectively behaving as a free magnetic layer

Il bullismo, valutazioni neuropsicologiche per la tutela giuridica della vittima

Bullying is a growing occurence in modern society. It can have importantimpacts on the public health of the involved countries. This review highlightsthe phenomenon of bullying, with particular reference to the neuropsychologicaleffects that aggressive behavior can have on the victimsand the relationship with legal protecition. Neural plasticity in childhoodand adolescence is still high and aggressive behavior can compromise theproper development of the brain and its activities, leading to discomfortand psychophysical pathologies, not only in the period immediately followingthe event, but also in adulthood. It is essential that the researchers continueto study the effects of bullying at neuropsychological level, in orderto increase the awareness, at political and legislative level, of the need for agrowing diffusion of systems for detecting bullying, supporting, not onlythe deviant behavior of the bully, but also the distress of the victim and therestoration of a neuropsychological balance.Il bullismo è un fenomeno crescente nella società moderna che può avere ripercussioni importanti sulla salute pubblica dei paesi coinvolti. Questa reviewevidenzia il fenomeno del bullismo, con particolare riferimento agli effetti,in termini neuropsicologici, che il comportamento aggressivo può averesu chi lo subisce e alla relazione con gli aspetti di tutela giuridica. La plasticitàneurale nell’età infantile e adolescenziale è ancora alta e gli atti aggressivipossono compromettere il corretto sviluppo del cervello e delle sue funzionalità,portando a disagi e patologie psicofisiche non solo nel periodo immediatamentesuccessivo all’evento, ma anche in età adulta. È fondamentale chela ricerca continui gli studi sugli impatti del bullismo a livello neuropsicologico,al fine di sensibilizzare gli organi politici e legislativi sulla necessità di unasempre maggiore diffusione di sistemi di rilevamento degli atti di bullismo edi supporto, non solo al comportamento deviante del bullo, ma anche al disagiodella vittima e al ripristino di equilibrio neuropsicologico

Il contributo delle neuroscienze cognitive e del diritto in una prospettiva interdisciplinare sul fenomeno del bullismo

The present work aims to underline the contribution of neuroscience in theanalysis of bullying, in the identification of neural mechanisms activated inbully; the activation of these cognitive processes should be considered specificin relation to the gender and the bullistic profile in question. In fact, notall subjects implement these behaviors for the same reasons and with thesame modalities. In this paper, the authors considered necessary to highlightthe different facets of the phenomenon, as well as the juridical regulation, fora comprehensive understanding, able to provide the tools and resources toprevent or operate interventions aimed to contrast bullying.Il presente lavoro mira a rendere noto il contributo delle neuroscienzenell’analisi del bullismo, nell’identificazione di meccanismi neurali che siattivano nel bullo; l’attivazione di tali processi cognitivi, è da considerarsisingolare e specifica in relazione al genere e al profilo bullistico in questione.Difatti, non tutti i soggetti attuano tali comportamenti per le stesse ragionie medesime modalità. In questa sede si è ritenuto necessario renderenote le diverse sfaccettature del fenomeno, nonché della regolamentazionegiuridica, per una comprensione esaustiva dello stesso, in grado difornire gli strumenti e le risorse per prevenire o azionare interventi volti acontrastare il fenomeno

Ovarian surgery for bilateral endometriomas influences age at menopause.

BACKGROUND: Questions remain as to whether surgical excision of ovarian endometriomas might cause damage to ovarian function. To test the hypothesis that ovarian surgery for endometrioma compromises ovarian function and accelerates ovarian failure. METHODS: In a tertiary university Clinic, longitudinal prospective cohort study. Patients who underwent laparoscopy for endometriosis between March 1993 and November 2007 were assessed for inclusion in the study. A prospective follow-up at 3, 6 and 12 months then yearly was conducted. Evolution of menstrual pattern, symptoms and reproductive outcomes were investigated. RESULTS: From over the 14-year period, 302 patients were included in the study. The mean age (±SD) of patients was 32.6 ± 5.6 years; the median duration of follow-up was 8.5 years (range 2-17 years). Menopause was documented in 43 women (14.3%) at a mean age of 45.3 ± 4.3 years (range 32-52 years). Women previously submitted to bilateral cystectomy were younger at menopause than those with monolateral endometrioma (42.1 ± 5.1 years versus 47.1 ± 3.5 years, P = 0.003). Premature ovarian failure (POF) was observed in 7 of 43 (16.3%) menopausal patients; the majority (4, 57.1%) after bilateral cystectomy. The relationship between the preoperative ovarian endometriomas total diameter and menopausal age was significant in case of surgery for bilateral endometriomas (R(2) = 0.754, P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who had been operated on for bilateral endometriomas have an increased risk of POF. Ovarian parenchyma loss at the time of surgery seems related to cyst diameter. In the case of unilateral ovarian endometrioma, the contralateral intact ovary might adequately compensate

Surface decontamination protocols for surgical treatment of peri-implantitis: A systematic review with meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE: To answer the following PICO question: “In patients requiring surgical treatment of peri‐implantitis (P), is any implant surface decontamination protocol (I) superior to others (C) in terms of clinical and radiographic parameters (O)?” METHODS: Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing two or more decontamination protocols as part of the surgical treatment of peri‐implantitis were included. Two authors independently searched for eligible studies, screened titles and abstracts, did full‐text analysis, extracted data, and performed the risk‐of‐bias assessment. Whenever possible, results were summarized through random effects meta‐analyses. RESULTS: Twenty‐two manuscripts reporting on 16 RCTs were included, testing mechanical, chemical and physical decontamination protocols. All of them resulted in an improvement in clinical parameters; however, the superiority of specific protocols over others is mainly based on single RCTs. The use of titanium brushes and implantoplasty showed favorable results as single decontamination methods. Meta‐analyses indicated a lack of added effect of Er:Yag laser on probing pocket depth (PPD) reduction (n = 2, WMD = −0.24 mm, 95% confidence interval [CI] [−1.10; 0.63], p = .59); while systemic antimicrobials (amoxicillin or azithromycin) showed an added effect on treatment success ([PPD ≤5 mm, no bleeding or suppuration, no progressive bone loss]; n = 2, RR = 1.84, 95% CI [1.17;2.91], p = .008), but not in terms of PPD reduction (n = 2, WMD = 0.93 mm, 95% CI [−0.69; 2.55], p = .26), even if with substantial heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS: No single decontamination method demonstrated clear evidence of superiority compared to the others. Systemic antibiotics, but not Er:Yag laser, may provide short‐term clinical benefits in terms of treatment success (CRD42020182303)

Changes in the gene expression of co-cultured human fibroblast cells and osteosarcoma cells: the role of microenvironment

The progression of malignant tumors does not depend exclusively on the autonomous properties of cancer cells; it is also influenced by tumor stroma reactivity and is under strict microenvironmental control. By themselves, stromal cells are not malignant, and they maintain normal tissue structure and function. However, through intercellular interactions or by paracrine secretions from cancer cells, normal stromal cells acquire abnormal phenotypes that sustain cancer cell growth and tumor progression. In their dysfunctional state, fibroblast and immune cells produce chemokines and growth factors that stimulate cancer cell growth and invasion. In our previous work (1), we established an in vitro model based on a monolayer co-culture system of healthy human fibroblasts (HFs) and human osteosarcoma cells (the MG-63 cell line) that simulates the microenvironment of tumor cells and healthy cells. The coexistence between MG-63 cells and HFs allowed us to identify the YKL-40 protein as the main marker for verifying the influence of tumor cells grown in contact with healthy cells. In this study, we evaluated the interactions of HFs and MG-63 cells in a transwell co-culture system over 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, and 96 h. We analyzed the contributions of these populations to the tumor microenvironment during cancer progression, as measured by multiple markers. We examined the effect of siRNA knockdown of YKL- 40 by tracking the subsequent changes in gene expression within the co-culture. We validated the expression of several genes, focusing on those involved in cancer cell invasion, inflammatory responses, and angiogenesis: TNF alpha, IL-6, MMP-1, MMP- 9, and VEGF. We compared the results to those from a transwell co-culture without the YKL-40 knockdown. In a pro-inflammatory environment promoted by TNF alpha and IL-6, siRNA knock- down of YKL-40 caused a down-regulation of VEGF and MMP-1 expression in HFs. These results suggest that the tumor microenvironment has an influence on the protein expression of healthy surrounding tissues and on the process of tumorigenicity. The mechanisms of the microenvironment are emerging as attractive targets for therapeutic strategies

Narrowing of d bands of FeCo layers intercalated under graphene

We report on the electronic properties of an artificial system obtained by the intercalation of equiatomic FeCo layers under graphene grown on Ir(111). Upon intercalation, the FeCo film grows epitaxially on Ir(111), resulting in a lattice-mismatched system. By performing density functional theory calculations, we show that the intercalated FeCo layer leads to a pronounced corrugation of the graphene film. At the same time, the FeCo intercalated layers induce a clear transition from a nearly undisturbed to a strongly hybridized graphene π-band, as measured by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. A comparison of experimental results with the computed band structure and the projected density of states unveils a spin-selective hybridization between the π band of graphene and FeCo-3d states. Our results demonstrate that the reduced dimensionality, as well as the hybridization within the FeCo layers, induces a narrowing and a clear splitting of Fe 3d-up and Fe 3d-down-spin bands of the confined FeCo layers with respect to bulk Fe and Co

Magnetic response and electronic states of well defined Graphene/Fe/Ir(111) heterostructure

We investigate a well defined heterostructure constituted by magnetic Fe layers sandwiched between graphene (Gr) and Ir(111). The challenging task to avoid Fe-C solubility and Fe-Ir intermixing has been achieved with atomic controlled Fe intercalation at moderate temperature below 500 K. Upon intercalation of a single ordered Fe layer in registry with the Ir substrate, an intermixing of the Gr bands and Fe d states breaks the symmetry of the Dirac cone, with a downshift in energy of the apex by about 3 eV, and well-localized Fe intermixed states induced in the energy region just below the Fermi level. First principles electronic structure calculations show a large spin splitting of the Fe states, resulting in a majority spin channel almost fully occupied and strongly hybridized with Gr π states. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism on the Gr/Fe/Ir heterostructure reveals an ordered spin configuration with a ferromagnetic response of Fe layer(s), with enhanced spin and orbital configurations with respect to the bcc-Fe bulk values. The magnetization switches from a perpendicular easy magnetization axis when the Fe single layer is lattice matched with the Ir(111) surface to a parallel one when the Fe thin film is almost commensurate with graphene