Normality in group rings

Let $KG$ be the group ring of a group $G$ over a commutative ring $K$ with unity. The rings $KG$ are described for which $xx^\sigma=x^\sigma x$ for all $x=\sum_{g\in G}\alpha_gg\in KG$, where \quad $x\mapsto x^\sigma=~\sum_{g\in G}\alpha_gf(g)\sigma(g)$\quad is an involution of $KG$; here $f: G\to U(K)$ is a homomorphism and $\sigma$ is an anti-automorphism of order two of $G$.Comment: 8 page

On filtered multiplicative bases of some associative algebras

We deal with the existing problem of filtered multiplicative bases of finite-dimensional associative algebras. For an associative algebra A over a field, we investigate when the property of having a filtered multiplicative basis is hereditated by homomorphic images or by the associated graded algebra of $A$. These results are then applied to some classes of group algebras and restricted enveloping algebras.Comment: 10 page

Impact of Internet gambling on problem gambling among adolescents in Italy: Findings from a large-scale nationally representative survey

Aims: The primary aim of the present study was to understand the impact of online gambling on gambling problems in a large-scale nationally representative sample of Italian youth, and to identify and then further examine a subgroup of online gamblers who reported higher rates of gambling problems. Design: Data from the ESPAD®Italia2013 (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs) Study were used for analyses of adolescent Internet gambling. Setting: Self-administered questionnaires were completed by a representative sample of high school students, aged 15–19 years. Participants: A total of 14,778 adolescent students. Measurements: Respondents’ problem gambling severity; gambling behavior (participation in eight different gambling activities, the number of gambling occasions and the number of online gambling occasions, monthly gambling expenditure); Socio-demographics (e.g., family structure and financial status); and control variables were measured individually (i.e., use of the Internet for leisure activities and playing video games). Findings: Rates of problem gambling were five times higher among online gamblers than non-online gamblers. In addition, factors that increased the risk of becoming a problem online gambler included living with non-birth parents, having a higher perception of financial family status, being more involved with gambling, and the medium preferences of remote gamblers (e.g., Internet cafes, digital television, and video game console). Conclusions: The online gambling environment may pose significantly greater risk to vulnerable players. Family characteristics and contextual elements concerning youth Internet gambling (e.g., remote mediums) may play a key role in explaining problem online gambling among adolescents

Short Soft X-Ray Sources

EnWe report on the characterization of pulsed soft X-rays emitted from laser-produced plasma. The plasma was generated by 40, 80 and 120 mJ laser energies provided by a pulsed KrF excimer laser focused on pure Si, Cu and Ta targets. The utilized detector was a very sensitive Faraday cup which opportunely biased was able to record time resolved signals of X-rays and to estimate their energy. The found X-rays energy values were compared with the ion temperature of the plasma obtained by fitting the time resolved ion current signals with a shifted Maxwell-Boltzmann velocity distribution. The results showed that the laser produced Ta plasma induced bunch of X-rays having in average the highest energy values and it was also characterized by ion temperature higher than the ones of the laser produced Si and Cu plasmas

Immunolocalization of estrogen receptor beta in the epididymis of mature and immature pigs.

A growing body of evidence suggests a role of estrogens in the male reproduction via their specific estrogen receptors (ERalpha/ERbeta). Estrogen receptor distribution along the genital tract tissues has been described in different species, but it is unknown in the pig. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to localize ERbeta in the epididymis of mature and immature pigs (aged 2 and 18 months, respectively). Immunohistochemistry was carried out on paraffin-embedded tissues using a mouse anti-human monoclonal IgG against ERbeta as the primary antibody, and a goat anti-mouse biotinylated IgG as the secondary antibody. Avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex was then applied followed by diaminobenzidine. In immature pigs, the epithelial cells from the caput, corpus and cauda epididymis showed no or very weak immunoreactivity for ERbeta, whereas they were all strongly immmunoreactive in mature pigs. A various intensity of immunostaining from weak to strong in the smooth muscle cells as well as in the connective tissue cells were detected in the epididymis of both, young and adult pigs. This is the first report on the cellular localization of ERbeta protein in porcine epidydimis. The present study demonstrated that (1) irrespectively of the epididymal region, the epithelial cells of caput, corpus and cauda epididymis of mature pigs revealed a strong immunoreactivity for ERbeta, and (2) ERbeta expression in the epididymal epithelium is regulated by puberty. Finally, although the biological activity of ERbeta has not yet been established, the results of the present study suggest its involvement in estrogen modulation of pig epididymal function

Evaluation of drinking patterns and their impact on alcohol-related aggression: a national survey of adolescent behaviours

BACKGROUND: Although there have been a wide range of epidemiological studies examining the impact of patterns of alcohol consumption among adolescents, there remains considerable variability in both defining these patterns and the ability to comprehensively evaluate their relationship to behavioural patterns. This study explores a new procedure for defining and evaluating drinking patterns and integrating well-established indicators. The composite measure is then used to estimate the impact of these patterns on alcohol-related aggressive behaviour among Italian adolescents. METHODS: Data were collected as part of the 2011 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD). A national sample of 14,199 students aged 15–19 years was collected using an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire completed in a classroom setting. Drinking patterns were established using principal component analysis. Alcohol-related aggression was analysed as to its relationship to patterns of drinking, behaviour of friends towards alcohol use, substance use/abuse, school performance, family relationships and leisure activities. RESULTS: Several specific drinking patterns were identified: “Drinking to Excess” (DE), “Drinking with Intoxication” (DI) and “Drinking but Not to Excess” (DNE). A higher percentage of males were involved in alcohol-related aggression compared with females. In males, the DE and DI patterns significantly increased the likelihood of alcohol-related aggression, whereas the DNE pattern was negatively associated. Similar results were found in females, although the DI pattern was not significantly associated with alcohol-related aggression. Overall, cigarette smoking, illegal drug use, truancy, limited parental monitoring, frequent evenings spent outside of the home and peer influence associated strongly with alcohol-related aggression. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that drinking patterns, as uniquely monitored with an integrated metric, can: 1) explain drinking habits better than commonly used indicators of alcohol use and 2) provide a better understanding of behavioural risks such as alcohol-related aggression. Environmental background also appears to strongly associate with this type of aggressive behaviour

A competitive cell-permeable peptide impairs Nme-1 (NDPK-A) and Prune-1 interaction: therapeutic applications in cancer.

The understanding of protein–protein interactions is crucial in order to generate a second level of functional genomic analysis in human disease. Within a cellular microenvironment, protein–protein interactions generate new functions that can be defined by single or multiple modes of protein interactions. We outline here the clinical importance of targeting of the Nme-1 (NDPK-A)–Prune-1 protein complex in cancer, where an imbalance in the formation of this protein–protein complex can result in inhibition of tumor progression. We discuss here recent functional data using a small synthetic competitive cell-permeable peptide (CPP) that has shown therapeutic efficacy for impairing formation of the Nme-1–Prune-1 protein complex in mouse preclinical xenograft tumor models (e.g., breast, prostate, colon, and neuroblastoma). We thus believe that further discoveries in the near future related to the identification of new protein–protein interactions will have great impact on the development of new therapeutic strategies against various cancers

Comparison of alternate and original forms of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA): an Italian normative study

Objective: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a screening test widely used in clinical practice and suited for detection of Mild Cognitive Impairment. Alternate forms of the MoCA were developed to avoid \u201clearning effect\u201d in serial assessments, and the present study aimed at investigating inter-form parallelism and at providing normative values for the Italian versions of MoCAs 2 and 3. Method: Three separate convenience samples were recruited: the first (n = 78) completed three alternate MoCA versions for ascertaining inter-form parallelism; the second (n = 302) and the third (n = 413) samples were administered MoCA 2 or 3 to compute normative data. Results: A three-step procedure complemented by confirmatory factor analysis and a mixed factorial ANOVA suggested that the three MoCA versions are not strictly parallel. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that age and education significantly influenced MoCA 2 and 3 total scores. No significant effect of sex was found. From the derived linear equation, correction grids for MoCA 2 and 3 raw scores were built and equivalent scores computed. Inferential cutoff for adjusted scores, estimated using a non-parametric technique, were 17.49 for MoCA 2 and 18.34 for MoCA 3. Correlation analysis showed strong correlations of MoCA 2 (r = 0.69, p <.001) and MoCA 3 (r = 0.61, p <.001) adjusted total scores with MMSE adjusted scores. Conclusion: The three MoCA forms are not strictly parallel. Specifically developed normative data must be adopted for using MoCA in serial cognitive assessments for clinical and research studies

A 177 ppm RMS Error-Integrated Interface for Time-Based Impedance Spectroscopy of Sensors

This paper presents an integrated circuit for time-based electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of sensors. The circuit exploits maximum-length sequences (MLS) in order to perform a broadband excitation of the sensors under test. Therefore, the measured time-domain EIS is obtained by cross-correlating the input with the output of the analog front end (AFE). Unlike the conventional digital approach, the cross-correlation operation is performed in the analog domain. This leads to a lower RMS error in the measured time-domain EIS since the signal processing is not affected by the quantization noise of the analog-to-digital converter (ADC). It also relaxes the sampling frequency of the ADC leading, along with the lack of random access memory (RAM) usage, to a reduced circuit complexity. Theoretical concepts about the circuit’s design and operation are presented, with an emphasis on the thermal noise phenomenon. The simulated performances are shown by testing a sensor’s equivalent model composed of a 50 kΩ resistor in parallel with a 100 (Formula presented.) (Formula presented.) capacitor. A time-based EIS output of 255 points was obtained with a maximum tested frequency of 500 (Formula presented.) (Formula presented.) and a simulated RMS error of 0.0177% (or 177 ppm)

Influence of laser-lok surface on immediate functional loading of implants in single-tooth replacement: a 2-year prospective clinical study.

he purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of a Laser-Lok microtexturing surface on clinical attachment level and crestal bone remodeling around immediately functionally loaded implants in single-tooth replacement. Seventy-seven patients were included in a prospective, randomized study and divided into two groups. Group 1 (control) consisted of non-Laser-Lok type implants (n = 39), while in group 2 (test), Laser-Lok type implants were used (n = 39). Crestal bone loss (CBL) and clinical parameters including clinical attachment level (CAL), Plaque Index (PI), and bleeding on probing were recorded at baseline examinations and at 6, 12, and 24 months after loading with the final restoration. One implant was lost in the control group and one in the test group, giving a total survival rate of 96.1% after 2 years. PI and BOP outcomes were similar for both implant types without statistical differences. A mean CAL loss of 1.10 ± 0.51 mm was observed during the first 2 years in group 1, while the mean CAL loss observed in group 2 was 0.56 ± 0.33 mm. Radiographically, group 1 implants showed a mean crestal bone loss of 1.07 ± 0.30 mm compared with 0.49 ± 0.34 mm for group 2. The type of implant did not influence the survival rate, whereas Laser-Lok implants resulted in greater CAL and in shallower radiographic peri-implant CBL than non-Laser-Lok implants