University of Milano-Bicocca

About: University of Milano-Bicocca is a education organization based out in Milan, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Blood pressure. The organization has 8972 authors who have published 22322 publications receiving 620484 citations. The organization is also known as: Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca & Universita degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca.

The cognitive electrophysiology of mind and brain

Abstract: Publisher Summary The event-related potentials (ERPs) of the brain are wave forms reflecting brain voltage fluctuations in time. This chapter highlights cognitive electrophysiology as a well-established field of science. The main assumption of cognitively oriented electrophysiological research is that cognition is implemented in the brain through physiological changes. Traditionally, for more than 100 years, cognitive and neurophysiological processes in humans have been studied by psychophysical and behavioral methods. The difficulty in differentiating cognition from brain localization is not, however, unique to neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies.

The Interaction between Plants and Bacteria in the Remediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons: An Environmental Perspective

Abstract: Widespread pollution of terrestrial ecosystems with petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) has generated a need for remediation and, given that many PHCs are biodegradable, bio- and phyto-remediation are often viable approaches for active and passive remediation. This review focuses on phytoremediation with particular interest on the interactions between and use of plant-associated bacteria to restore PHC polluted sites. Plant-associated bacteria include endophytic, phyllospheric, and rhizospheric bacteria, and cooperation between these bacteria and their host plants allows for greater plant survivability and treatment outcomes in contaminated sites. Bacterially driven PHC bioremediation is attributed to the presence of diverse suites of metabolic genes for aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, along with a broader suite of physiological properties including biosurfactant production, biofilm formation, chemotaxis to hydrocarbons, and flexibility in cell-surface hydrophobicity. In soils impacted by PHC contamination, microbial bioremediation generally relies on the addition of high-energy electron acceptors (e.g., oxygen) and fertilization to supply limiting nutrients (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium) in the face of excess PHC carbon. As an alternative, the addition of plants can greatly improve bioremediation rates and outcomes as plants provide microbial habitats, improve soil porosity (thereby increasing mass transfer of substrates and electron acceptors), and exchange limiting nutrients with their microbial counterparts. In return, plant-associated microorganisms improve plant growth by reducing soil toxicity through contaminant removal, producing plant growth promoting metabolites, liberating sequestered plant nutrients from soil, fixing nitrogen, and more generally establishing the foundations of soil nutrient cycling. In a practical and applied sense, the collective action of plants and their associated microorganisms is advantageous for remediation of PHC contaminated soil in terms of overall cost and success rates for in situ implementation in a diversity of environments. Mechanistically, there remain biological unknowns that present challenges for applying bio- and phyto-remediation technologies without having a deep prior understanding of individual target sites. In this review, evidence from traditional and modern omics technologies is discussed to provide a framework for plant-microbe interactions during PHC remediation. The potential for integrating multiple molecular and computational techniques to evaluate linkages between microbial communities, plant communities and ecosystem processes is explored with an eye on improving phytoremediation of PHC contaminated sites.

Nb-Doped Colloidal TiO2 Nanocrystals with Tunable Infrared Absorption

Abstract: We report a new colloidal synthesis of niobium-doped TiO2 anatase nanocrystals (NCs) that allows for the preparation of ∼10 nm NCs with control over the amount of Nb doping up to ∼14%. The incorporation of niobium ions leads to the appearance of a tunable, broad absorption peak that ranges from the visible range to the mid-infrared. This optical behavior is attributed to the substitution of Nb5+ on Ti4+ sites generating free carriers inside the conduction band of the TiO2 NCs as supported by optical and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic investigations. At the same time, the incorporation of progressively more niobium ions drives an evolution of the shape of the NCs from tetragonal platelets to “peanutlike” rods.

Risk factors for fatal and nonfatal repetition of suicide attempts: a literature review.

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: This review aimed to identify the evidence for predictors of repetition of suicide attempts, and more specifically for subsequent completed suicide. METHODS: We conducted a literature search of PubMed and Embase between January 1, 1991 and December 31, 2009, and we excluded studies investigating only special populations (eg, male and female only, children and adolescents, elderly, a specific psychiatric disorder) and studies with sample size fewer than 50 patients. RESULTS: The strongest predictor of a repeated attempt is a previous attempt, followed by being a victim of sexual abuse, poor global functioning, having a psychiatric disorder, being on psychiatric treatment, depression, anxiety, and alcohol abuse or dependence. For other variables examined (Caucasian ethnicity, having a criminal record, having any mood disorders, bad family environment, and impulsivity) there are indications for a putative correlation as well. For completed suicide, the strongest predictors are older age, suicide ideation, and history of suicide attempt. Living alone, male sex, and alcohol abuse are weakly predictive with a positive correlation (but sustained by very scarce data) for poor impulsivity and a somatic diagnosis. CONCLUSION: It is difficult to find predictors for repetition of nonfatal suicide attempts, and even more difficult to identify predictors of completed suicide. Suicide ideation and alcohol or substance abuse/dependence, which are, along with depression, the most consistent predictors for initial nonfatal attempt and suicide, are not consistently reported to be very strong predictors for nonfatal repetition. Language: en

Effects of airborne pollutants on mitochondrial DNA Methylation

Abstract: Mitochondria have small mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecules independent from the nuclear DNA, a separate epigenetic machinery that generates mtDNA methylation, and are primary sources of oxidative-stress generation in response to exogenous environments However, no study has yet investigated whether mitochondrial DNA methylation is sensitive to pro-oxidant environmental exposures We sampled 40 male participants (20 high-, 20 low-exposure) from each of three studies on airborne pollutants, including investigations of steel workers exposed to metal-rich particulate matter (measured as PM1) in Brescia, Italy (Study 1); gas-station attendants exposed to air benzene in Milan, Italy (Study 2); and truck drivers exposed to traffic-derived Elemental Carbon (EC) in Beijing, China (Study 3) We have measured DNA methylation from buffy coats of the participants We measured methylation by bisulfite-Pyrosequencing in three mtDNA regions, ie, the transfer RNA phenylalanine (MT-TF), 12S ribosomal RNA (MT-RNR1) gene and “D-loop” control region All analyses were adjusted for age and smoking In Study 1, participants with high metal-rich PM1 exposure showed higher MT-TF and MT-RNR1 methylation than low-exposed controls (difference = 141, P = 0002); MT-TF and MT-RNR1 methylation was significantly associated with PM1 exposure (beta = 135, P = 0025); and MT-RNR1 methylation was positively correlated with mtDNA copy number (r = 036; P = 002) D-loop methylation was not associated with PM1 exposure We found no effects on mtDNA methylation from air benzene (Study 2) and traffic-derived EC exposure (Study 3) Mitochondrial MT-TF and MT-RNR1 DNA methylation was associated with metal-rich PM1 exposure and mtDNA copy number Our results suggest that locus-specific mtDNA methylation is correlated to selected exposures and mtDNA damage Larger studies are needed to validate our observations