Charge-Transfer Complexes: Halogen-Doped Anthracene as a Case of Study.

Charge transfer (CT) crystals exhibit unique electronic and magnetic properties with interesting applications. We present a rational and easy guide which allows to foresee the effective charge transfer co-crystal production and that is based on the comparison of the frontier molecular orbital (MO) energies of a donor and acceptor couple. For the sake of comparison, theoretical calculations have been carried out by using the cheap and fast PM6 semiempirical Hamiltonian and pure HF/cc-pVTZ level of the theory.

Recent Trends in Structures and Interfaces of MEMS Transducers for Audio Applications: A Review.

In recent years, Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology has had an impressive impact in the field of acoustic transducers, allowing the development of smart, low-cost, and compact audio systems that are employed in a wide variety of highly topical applications (consumer devices, medical equipment, automotive systems, and many more). This review, besides analyzing the main integrated sound transduction principles typically exploited, surveys the current State-of-the-Art scenario, presenting the recent performance advances and trends of MEMS microphones and speakers. In addition, the interface Integrated Circuits (ICs) needed to properly read the sensed signals or, on the other hand, to drive the actuation structures are addressed with the aim of offering a complete overview of the currently adopted solutions.

Profile of workers receiving disability benefits for depressive conditions in south Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Introduction: In recent years, mental disorders have remained the third leading cause of sick-pay benefits due to incapacity for work in Brazil.

Objectives: To assess the profile and outcomes of workers receiving sick pay for depression through the Criciúma unit of the Brazilian National Social Security Institute (Instituto Nacional do Seguro Social, INSS).

Methods: The study was carried out using data obtained from the Electronic System Portal of the INSS Citizen Information Service of Criciúma, state of Santa Catarina.

[Home hemodialysis: multicenter observational study].

Home dialysis is a primary objective of Italian Ministry of Health. As stated in the National Chronicity Plan and the Address Document for Chronic Renal Disease, it is mostly home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis to be carried out in the patient's home. Home hemodialysis has already been used in the past and today has found new technologies and new applications.

Metacognitions, rumination, and worry in personality disorder.

Research on metacognitions and repetitive negative thinking in patients with Personality Disorder (PD) is scarce. We aimed to determine if metacognitions and repetitive negative thinking differed between patients with PD and those without PD, and if metacognitions would predict repetitive negative thinking in patients with PD controlling for several variables. A sample of 558 clinical participants were assessed for the presence of a PD diagnosis and completed the following questionnaires: Penn-State Worry Questionnaire, Ruminative Response Scale, Metacognitions Questionnaire 30, Beck Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory.

The effect of desire thinking on facilitating beliefs in alcohol use disorder: An experimental investigation.

Permissive beliefs relate to the acceptability of engaging in alcohol use in spite of obvious potential negative consequences. They are considered the most proximal and precipitating cognitive factor in the decision to use alcohol and/or the activation of strategies to obtain it. Recent research suggested that 'desire thinking' may be involved in the escalation of craving and addictive behaviours and can play a role in strengthening permissive beliefs.

Oxidative stress in the hybrid fish jundiara (Leiarius marmoratus × Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum) exposed to Roundup Original.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Roundup Original, a glyphosate-based herbicide, against biochemical parameters including thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyl, enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant responses and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) of jundiara fish (Leiarius marmoratus × Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum) at a sublethal concentration of 1.357 mg L. Fish exposed to the herbicide for different periods (6-96 h) showed a significant increase of both hepatic and muscular TBARS and protein carbonyl.

The Experimental Manipulation of Desire Thinking in Alcohol use Disorder.

Objective: Desire thinking is a voluntary cognitive process involving verbal and imaginal elaboration of a desired target. Recent research has revealed that desire thinking may play a significant role in the escalation of craving. The goal of this study was to explore the effect of a desire thinking induction on craving in a sample of patients with alcohol use disorder.

Experimental modification of perspective on thoughts and metacognitive beliefs in alcohol use disorder.

Metacognitive therapy is designed to impact directly on cognitive monitoring and control processes such that individuals can develop alternative ways of experiencing and regulating thoughts. One technique used for this purpose is 'detached mindfulness' which promotes a decentred perspective to thoughts and decouples repetitive thinking and coping from their occurrence. This study set out to test the effects of detached mindfulness against a control condition, a brief exposure to alcohol-related thoughts.

The effect of rumination on craving across the continuum of drinking behaviour.

Background: Rumination is an abstract, persistent, and repetitive thinking style that can be adopted to control negative affect. Recent studies have suggested the role of rumination as direct or indirect cognitive predictor of craving experience in alcohol-related problems.

Aims: The goal of this study was to explore the effect of rumination induction on craving across the continuum of drinking behaviour.

High chronic nephropathy detection yield in CKD subjects identified by the combination of albuminuria and estimated GFR.

Background And Objectives: Epidemiological studies have shown that the burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is huge. CKD is a non-specific diagnosis, however, and it is hard to say which renal disorders comprise the body of CKD diagnosed on the strength of the combination of albuminuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in epidemiological studies, or just how efficient such studies are in detecting chronic nephropathies.

Methods: The INCIPE study identified 524 CKD cases (using the K/DOQI definition based on albuminuria and eGFR) in a random sample of 4000 Italians >40 years old, 262 of whom were randomly chosen to be investigated in order to confirm their CKD and complete a diagnostic workup.

[Follow-up of the kidney donor].

Kidney transplant from a living donor is known to be the best renal replacement therapy. While not as common as in northern Europe and the USA, living donor transplants are on the rise in Italy. Although there is a large body of evidence in the literature about the safety of the surgical procedure, the risk of long-term complications for the donor has not been clearly defined because of the lack of studies with adequate follow-up and a sufficient number of subjects involved.

[A case of Kaposi's sarcoma in the rapamycin era].

We report a case of Kaposi's sarcoma in a patient who received a double kidney transplant in 2005. Immunosuppression was induced with rapamycin and antilymphocyte serum while maintenance therapy consisted of rapamycin, corticosteroids and mycophenolic acid. The patient developed delayed graft function but no rejection.

[Neuronal plasticity and neuropathic pain].

The authors have analysis the physiopathology of neuropathic pain, focusing in particular on the plastic phenomena at the level of the central nervous system. Plastic phenomena take the form of anatomic and neurochemical alterations. In relation to the former, excitatory amino acids play a fundamental role, causing a state of hypersensitivity of N-menthyl-D aspartate (NMDA) receptors (excitation toxicity) which in turn cause the degeneration of inhibitory interneurons localised in the I-III laminae of the dorsal cornu.

[Preemptive analgesia or balanced periemptive analgesia?].

"Preemptive analgesia" means that analgesia given before the painful stimulus prevents or reduces subsequent pain. The concept of preemptive analgesia originates from basic science and experimental studies. However, in some clinical studies preemptive effect is not always present.

Prediction of improvement of ventricular function after first acute myocardial infarction using low-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography.

This study was performed to assess the prevalence of spontaneous improvement of regional left ventricular function in patients after acute myocardial infarction, and to evaluate the role of low-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography for its prediction. In 57 patients with a first acute myocardial infarction (thrombolysis, n = 27; Q-wave, n = 49), regional wall motion was evaluated with 2-dimensional echocardiography at rest, during a low-dose dobutamine stress test performed within 1 week after hospital admission, and at 3-month follow-up. Myocardial viability was considered if there was an improvement of > or = 1 grade in dyssynergic segments from rest to low-dose dobutamine infusion; recovery of regional function was defined as an improvement of > or = 1 grade between rest and follow-up echocardiograms.

[Mitral valve prolapse. Age and sex incidence, echocardiographic diagnosis and clinical and electrocardiographic correlations].

The paper reports an electrocardiographic and M and B-mode echocardiographical study in 3682 non-selected patients among which a total of 241 were identified with mitral valve prolapse. In males the highest frequency was found during the second decade of life with a tendency to decrease with increasing age. In females, who were found to be the most severely affected (2:1 in relation to males), two peaks of incidence were observed during the third and fifth decade, with a greater frequency in the latter and a marked absence of cases in the fourth decade.

Circadian rhythm of sinoatrial conduction time assessed by 24 hours ECG monitoring.

SACT was evaluated in 50 subjects during 24 hours ECG monitoring. All of these subjects presented frequent atrial beats with no evidence of bradyarrhythmias. SACT was measured in accordance with Strauss' formula (SACT = P2P3 - P1P1/2).

Experimental study on the correlation between cardiac function and ovarian hormones.

Results of the study of cardiac function carried out on young women during various phases of the menstrual cycle were correlated to those obtained after acute administration of progesterone. In all cases systolic time intervals reveals a reduction of mechanical systole and of preejection. Direct action progesterone on cardiac function by an unknown mechanism was confirmed.

Cardiovascular effects induced by progesterone administration.

The Authors have studied cardiovascular effects induced by progesterone administration. The results obtained in the present investigation reveal a significant reduction in O-S2 and PEP in the absence of modifications in the values of the other parameters of systolic time intervals. The results confirm the hypothesis that progesterone exerts an adrenergic effect upon cardiac function.