Ab-initio Phonon Calculations for the layered compound TiOCl

We present first-principles frozen-phonon calculations for the three Raman-active $A_g$ modes in the spin-1/2 layered TiOCl system within two different well-known approaches: the local density approximation (LDA) and the so-called LDA+U approximation. We observe that the inclusion of electron correlation in a mean-field level as implemented in the LDA+U leads to a better overall agreement with experimental results. We also discuss the implications of the two approaches on the physics of TiOCl.Comment: Phys. Rev. B (Rapid Comm.) (in Press

Family money, relational life and (class) relative wealth:an empirical analysis on life satisfaction of secondary school students

We investigate factors affecting happiness on a sample of Italian secondary school students. We find that money matters since familyÕs house ownership, mortgages and (class) relative wealth significantly affect life satisfaction. Other crucial factors are geographical residence (those living in Milan are significantly less happy), motherÕs occupation, trust on family and friendships. Even though we cannot rule out inverse causality and other forms of endogeneity, the characteristics of many of the significant regressors such as family wealth, parental job and geographical residence (not under the decisional power of the student)suggest a direct causality nexus for these factors.life satisfaction, secondary school, wealth

Family money, relational life and (class) relative wealth: an empirical analysis on life satisfaction of secondary school students

We investigate factors affecting happiness on a sample of Italian secondary school students. We find that money matters since family’s house ownership, mortgages and (class) relative wealth significantly affect life satisfaction. Other crucial factors are geographical residence (those living in Milan are significantly less happy), mother’s occupation, trust on family and friendships. Even though we cannot rule out inverse causality and other forms of endogeneity, the characteristics of many of the significant regressors such as family wealth, parental job and geographical residence (not under the decisional power of the student) suggest a direct causality nexus for these factors.life satisfaction; secondary school; wealth

Effects of Fe substitution on the electronic, transport, and magnetic properties of ZnGa2_2O4_4: A systematic ab-initio study

We present a density functional study of Fe doped into the tetrahedral and octahedral cation sites of the wide band gap spinel ZnGa$_2$O$_4$. We calculate the electronic structure for different substitutions and discuss the magnetic and transport properties for each case considering different approximations for the exchange-correlation potential. We show that for certain doped cases, significant differences in the predicted behavior are obtained depending on the exchange correlation potential adopted. Possible applications of the doped systems as magnetic semiconductors are outlined.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures; to be published in Phys. Rev.

Virtuous interactions in removing exclusion

We devise a retrospective panel data approach to evaluate the effects of fair trade affiliation on the schooling decisions of a sample of Thai organic rice producers across the past 20 years. We find that the probability of school enrolment in families with more than two children is significantly affected by affiliation years. The finding is robust when dealing with endogeneity and heterogeneity issues in the estimate. The nonpositive preaffiliation performance documents that our result is not affected by selection bias and that fair trade affiliation generates a significant break in the schooling decisions of affiliated households.child schooling; market access; fair trade

Virtuous interactions in removing exclusion: The link between foreign market access and access to education

We devise a retrospective panel data approach to evaluate the effects of fair trade affiliation on the schooling decisions of a sample of Thai organic rice producers across the past 20 years. We find that the probability of school enrolment in families with more than two children is significantly affected by affiliation years. The finding is robust when dealing with endogeneity and heterogeneity issues in the estimate. The non-positive preaffiliation performance documents that our result is not affected by selection bias and that fair trade affiliation generates a significant break in the schooling decisions of affiliated households.child schooling, market access, fair trade.

Valutazione ecografica del polmone dopo circolazione extracorporea e pneumoperitoneo

Si tratta di uno studio preliminare che si propone di individuare e studiare, attraverso l'ecografia, gli effetti della circolazione extra-corporea e dello pneumoperitoneo accompagnato alla posizione di Trendelenburg sulla presenza di acqua polmonare extravascolare ed allo stesso tempo di paragonare i reperti così ottenuti con i risultati di due indagini dalla validità affermata, quali il dosaggio del BNP e la radiografia del torace. È stata selezionata una coorte di 40 pazienti, 21 dei quali sottoposti a interventi cardiochirurgici per valvulopatie o coronaropatie, e 19 sottoposti ad interventi di chirurgia videolaparoscopica robot-assistita per patologie addomino-pelviche. I risultati preliminari, sebbene condizionati dall'esiguità del campione, confermano la validità di questa metodica per una stima semiquantitativa dell'acqua polmonare extravascolare. Confermano inoltre la maggiore sensibilità rispetto alla radiografia

Virtuous interactions in removing exclusion: the link between foreign market access and access to education

We devise a retrospective panel data approach to evaluate the effects of fair trade affiliation on the schooling decisions of a sample of Thai organic rice producers across the past 20 years. We find that the probability of school enrolment in families with more than two children is significantly affected by affiliation years. The finding is robust when dealing with endogeneity and heterogeneity issues in the estimate. The nonpositive preaffiliation performance documents that our result is not affected by selection bias and that fair trade affiliation generates a significant break in the schooling decisions of affiliated households.child schooling, market access, fair trade

Investigating alkyl nitrates as nitric oxide releasing precursors of multitarget acetylcholinesterase-monoamine oxidase B inhibitors

Herein we envisaged the possibility of exploiting alkyl nitrates as precursors of alcohol-bearing dual inhibitors targeting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and monoamine oxidase B (MAO B), key enzymes in neurodegenerative syndromes such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), through biotransformation unmasking an alcoholic function upon nitric oxide (NO) release. The cooperation to neuroprotection of low fluxes of NO and target enzymes’ inhibition by the alcohol metabolites might return a multitargeting effect. The in vitro screening towards ChEs and MAOs of a collection of 21 primary alcohols disclosed a subset of dual inhibitors, among which three diverse chemotypes were selected to study the corresponding nitrates. Nitrate 14 proved to be a brain permeant, potent AChE-MAO B inhibitor by itself. Moreover, it protected human SH-SY5Y lines against rotenone and hydrogen peroxide with a poor inherent cytotoxicity and showed a slow conversion profile to its alcohol metabolite 9d that still behaved as bimodal and neuroprotective molecule