Institution
University of Cagliari
Education•Cagliari, Italy•
About: University of Cagliari is a education organization based out in Cagliari, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Dopamine. The organization has 11029 authors who have published 29046 publications receiving 771023 citations. The organization is also known as: Università degli Studi di Cagliari & Universita degli Studi di Cagliari.
Topics: Population, Dopamine, Dopaminergic, Nucleus accumbens, Agonist
Papers published on a yearly basis
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TL;DR: Both chronic and acute VNS induced persistent changes in hippocampal neurons that may play a key role in the therapeutic efficacy of VNS, but these changes were not associated with evident behavioural alterations characteristic of an antidepressant or anxiolytic action.
Abstract: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is used to treat pharmacotherapy-resistant epilepsy and depression. However, the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic efficacy of VNS remain unclear. We examined the effects of VNS on hippocampal neuronal plasticity and behaviour in rats. Cell proliferation in the hippocampus of rats subjected to acute (3 h) or chronic (1 month) VNS was examined by injection of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and immunohistochemistry. Expression of doublecortin (DCX) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining. The dendritic morphology of DCX+ neurons was measured by Sholl analysis. Our results show that acute VNS induced an increase in the number of BrdU+ cells in the dentate gyrus that was apparent 24 h and 3 wk after treatment. It also induced long-lasting increases in the amount of DCX immunoreactivity and in the number of DCX+ neurons. Neither the number of BrdU+ cells nor the amount of DCX immunoreactivity was increased 3 wk after the cessation of chronic VNS. Chronic VNS induced long-lasting increases in the amount of BDNF immunoreactivity and the number of BDNF+ cells as well as in the dendritic complexity of DCX+ neurons in the hippocampus. In contrast to chronic imipramine treatment, chronic VNS had no effect on the behaviour of rats in the forced swim or elevated plus-maze tests. Both chronic and acute VNS induced persistent changes in hippocampal neurons that may play a key role in the therapeutic efficacy of VNS. However, these changes were not associated with evident behavioural alterations characteristic of an antidepressant or anxiolytic action.
163 citations
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TL;DR: The magnetic properties of ultra-small CoFe(2)O(4) nanoparticles have been investigated by DC magnetization measurements as a function of temperature and magnetic field and localized spin-canting and cation distribution between the two sublattices of the spinel structure account quantitatively for the observed increase in saturation magnetization.
Abstract: The magnetic properties of ultra-small (3 nm) CoFe2O4 nanoparticles have been investigated by DC magnetization measurements as a function of temperature and magnetic field. The main features of the magnetic behaviour are blocking of non-interacting particle moments (zero-field-cooled magnetization Tmax≈40 K), a rapid increase of saturation magnetization (up to values higher than for the bulk material) at low T and an increase in anisotropy below 30 K due to the appearance of exchange bias. The low temperature behaviour is determined by a random freezing of surface spins. Localized spin-canting and cation distribution between the two sublattices of the spinel structure account quantitatively for the observed increase in saturation magnetization.
163 citations
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TL;DR: TMS mechanisms and evidence that rTMS is opening new avenues in addiction treatments are reviewed, showing the potential to affect behaviours relating to drug craving, intake and relapse.
Abstract: Substance use disorders (SUDs) are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In spite of considerable advances in understanding the neural underpinnings of SUDs, therapeutic options remain limited. Recent studies have highlighted the potential of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as an innovative, safe and cost-effective treatment for some SUDs. Repetitive TMS (rTMS) influences neural activity in the short and long term by mechanisms involving neuroplasticity both locally, under the stimulating coil, and at the network level, throughout the brain. The long-term neurophysiological changes induced by rTMS have the potential to affect behaviours relating to drug craving, intake and relapse. Here, we review TMS mechanisms and evidence that rTMS is opening new avenues in addiction treatments.
162 citations
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INAF1, Spanish National Research Council2, National Institute for Space Research3, University of Leicester4, Polish Academy of Sciences5, University of Helsinki6, Roma Tre University7, Royal Institute of Technology8, Stockholm University9, University of Oulu10, University of Valencia11, University of Tübingen12, Max Planck Society13, Marshall Space Flight Center14, Alenia Aeronautica15, University of Pisa16, University of Cagliari17, University of Palermo18, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic19, University of Birmingham20, University of Cambridge21, Tsinghua University22, University of Iowa23, Cornell University24, Centre national de la recherche scientifique25, University of Wrocław26, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology27, Russian Academy of Sciences28, Harvard University29, Georgia Institute of Technology30, University College London31
TL;DR: The X-ray Imaging Polarimetry Explorer (XIPE) as mentioned in this paper was proposed in 2012 to the first ESA call for a small mission with a launch in 2017, but the proposal was, unfortunately, not selected.
Abstract: X-ray polarimetry, sometimes alone, and sometimes coupled to spectral and temporal variability measurements and to imaging, allows a wealth of physical phenomena in astrophysics to be studied. X-ray polarimetry investigates the acceleration process, for example, including those typical of magnetic reconnection in solar flares, but also emission in the strong magnetic fields of neutron stars and white dwarfs. It detects scattering in asymmetric structures such as accretion disks and columns, and in the so-called molecular torus and ionization cones. In addition, it allows fundamental physics in regimes of gravity and of magnetic field intensity not accessible to experiments on the Earth to be probed. Finally, models that describe fundamental interactions (e.g. quantum gravity and the extension of the Standard Model) can be tested. We describe in this paper the X-ray Imaging Polarimetry Explorer (XIPE), proposed in June 2012 to the first ESA call for a small mission with a launch in 2017. The proposal was, unfortunately, not selected. To be compliant with this schedule, we designed the payload mostly with existing items. The XIPE proposal takes advantage of the completed phase A of POLARIX for an ASI small mission program that was cancelled, but is different in many aspects: the detectors, the presence of a solar flare polarimeter and photometer and the use of a light platform derived by a mass production for a cluster of satellites. XIPE is composed of two out of the three existing JET-X telescopes with two Gas Pixel Detectors (GPD) filled with a He-DME mixture at their focus. Two additional GPDs filled with a 3-bar Ar-DME mixture always face the Sun to detect polarization from solar flares. The Minimum Detectable Polarization of a 1 mCrab source reaches 14 % in the 2–10 keV band in 105 s for pointed observations, and 0.6 % for an X10 class solar flare in the 15–35 keV energy band. The imaging capability is 24 arcsec Half Energy Width (HEW) in a Field of View of 14.7 arcmin × 14.7 arcmin. The spectral resolution is 20 % at 6 keV and the time resolution is 8 μs. The imaging capabilities of the JET-X optics and of the GPD have been demonstrated by a recent calibration campaign at PANTER X-ray test facility of the Max-Planck-Institut fur extraterrestrische Physik (MPE, Germany). XIPE takes advantage of a low-earth equatorial orbit with Malindi as down-link station and of a Mission Operation Center (MOC) at INPE (Brazil). The data policy is organized with a Core Program that comprises three months of Science Verification Phase and 25 % of net observing time in the following 2 years. A competitive Guest Observer program covers the remaining 75 % of the net observing time.
162 citations
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TL;DR: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) frequently complicates hepatic cirrhosis secondary to viral infection or iron overload, and patients affected by thalassaemia syndromes have a theoretically high risk of developing the tumour.
Abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) frequently complicates hepatic cirrhosis secondary to viral infection or iron overload. Therefore, patients affected by thalassaemia syndromes have a theoretically high risk of developing the tumour. We collected data on patients attending Italian centres for the treatment of thalassaemia. Twenty-two cases of HCC were identified; 15 were male. At diagnosis, the mean age was 45 +/- 11 years and the mean serum ferritin was 1764 +/- 1448 microg/l. Eighty-six percent had been infected by hepatitis C virus. Nineteen of 22 cases were diagnosed after 1993, suggesting that this problem is becoming more frequent with the aging population of thalassaemia patients.
162 citations
Authors
Showing all 11160 results
Name | H-index | Papers | Citations |
---|---|---|---|
Herbert W. Marsh | 152 | 646 | 89512 |
Michele Parrinello | 133 | 637 | 94674 |
Dafna D. Gladman | 129 | 1036 | 75273 |
Peter J. Anderson | 120 | 966 | 63635 |
Alessandro Vespignani | 118 | 419 | 63824 |
C. Patrignani | 117 | 1754 | 110008 |
Hermine Katharina Wöhri | 116 | 629 | 55540 |
Francesco Muntoni | 115 | 963 | 52629 |
Giancarlo Comi | 109 | 961 | 54270 |
Giorgio Parisi | 108 | 941 | 60746 |
Luca Benini | 101 | 1453 | 47862 |
Alessandro Cardini | 101 | 1288 | 53804 |
Nicola Serra | 100 | 1042 | 46640 |
Jurg Keller | 99 | 389 | 35628 |
Giulio Usai | 97 | 517 | 39392 |