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Retinal dystrophies such as Retinitis pigmentosa are among the most prevalent causes of inherited legal blindness, for which treatments are in demand. Retinal prostheses have been developed to stimulate the inner retinal network that, initially spared by degeneration, deteriorates in the late stages of the disease. We recently reported that conjugated polymer nanoparticles persistently rescue visual activities after a single subretinal injection in the Royal College of Surgeons rat model of Retinitis pigmentosa. Here we demonstrate that conjugated polymer nanoparticles can reinstate physiological signals at the cortical level and visually driven activities when microinjected in 10-months-old Royal College of Surgeons rats bearing fully light-insensitive retinas. The extent of visual restoration positively correlates with the nanoparticle density and hybrid contacts with second-order retinal neurons. The results establish the functional role of organic photovoltaic nanoparticles in restoring visual activities in fully degenerate retinas with intense inner retina rewiring, a stage of the disease in which patients are subjected to prosthetic interventions. Retinal dystrophies such as Retinitis pigmentosa are among the most prevalent causes of inherited incurable legal blindness. Here the authors demonstrate that conjugated polymer nanoparticles reinstate visual functions in aged rats with fully degenerated and rewired retinas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retinal dystrophies such as Retinitis pigmentosa are among the most prevalent causes of inherited legal blindness, for which treatments are in demand. Retinal prostheses have been developed to stimulate the inner retinal network that, initially spared by degeneration, deteriorates in the late stages of the disease. We recently reported that conjugated polymer nanoparticles persistently rescue visual activities after a single subretinal injection in the Royal College of Surgeons rat model of Retinitis pigmentosa. Here we demonstrate that conjugated polymer nanoparticles can reinstate physiological signals at the cortical level and visually driven activities when microinjected in 10-months-old Royal College of Surgeons rats bearing fully light-insensitive retinas. The extent of visual restoration positively correlates with the nanoparticle density and hybrid contacts with second-order retinal neurons. The results establish the functional role of organic photovoltaic nanoparticles in restoring visual activities in fully degenerate retinas with intense inner retina rewiring, a stage of the disease in which patients are subjected to prosthetic interventions. Retinal dystrophies such as Retinitis pigmentosa are among the most prevalent causes of inherited incurable legal blindness. Here the authors demonstrate that conjugated polymer nanoparticles reinstate visual functions in aged rats with fully degenerated and rewired retinas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin film Si:O alloys have been grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, as intrinsic or highly doped (1 to 5 at. % of B or P dopant) layers. UV-visible/near-infrared spectroscopy revealed a great dependence of the absorption coefficient and of the optical gap (Eg) on the dopant type and concentration, as Eg decreases from 2.1 to 1.9 eV, for the intrinsic or highly p-doped sample, respectively. Thermal annealing up to 400 °C induces a huge H out-diffusion which causes a dramatic absorption increase and a reduction of Eg, down to less than 1.8 eV. A prototypal solar cell has been fabricated using a 400 nm thick, p-i-n structure made of Si:O alloy embedded within flat transparent conductive oxides. Preliminary electrical analyses show a photovoltaic (PV) effect with an open circuit voltage of 0.75 V and a spectral conversion efficiency blue-shifted in comparison to a-Si:H based cell, as expected since the higher Eg in Si:O alloy. These data are presented and discussed, suggesting Si:O alloy as promising material for PV device fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic migraine is a neurological disorder characterized by 15 or more headache days per month of which at least 8 days show typical migraine features. The process that describes the development from episodic migraine into chronic migraine is commonly referred to as migraine transformation or chronification. Ample studies have attempted to identify factors associated with migraine transformation from different perspectives. Understanding CM as a pathological brain state with trigeminovascular participation where biological changes occur, we have completed a comprehensive review on the clinical, epidemiological, genetic, molecular, structural, functional, physiological and preclinical evidence available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several elicitors, stimulating induced resistance mechanisms, have potential in preventing or mitigating pathogen infections. Some of these compounds, triggering the production of jasmonic acid (JA), a precursor of herbivore-induced plant volatiles, could also play a central role in indirect resistance to pest species, by improving beneficial arthropod performance, and necrotrophic pathogens. In the current work, Trichoderma gamsii / T. asperellum and silica gel treatments – alone and in combination – were studied to evaluate the plant defence mechanism on grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) by laboratory and field trials. JA production level was measured before and after Plasmopara viticola infection on potted vines. JA production induced by silica gel was higher than that caused by Trichoderma before infection. In Trichoderma -treated plants, JA production increased after P. viticola inoculation. In vineyard field trials, Mymaridae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) showed higher captures in transparent sticky traps on silica gel-treated plants, in comparison with control. On the other hand, no significant attraction was detected for Ichneumonoidea and other Chalcidoidea in silica gel and T. gamsii / T. asperellum -treated plants. The potential effects of elicitors are discussed, in the frame of attract and reward strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We characterize SnO2:F/p-type a-Si:H/Mo structures by current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements at different temperatures to determine the transport mechanism in the SnO2:F/p-type a-Si:H heterojunction. The experimental I-V curves of these structures, almost symmetric around the origin, are ohmic for |V|<0.1V and have a super-linear behavior (power law) for |V|<0.1V. The structure can be modeled as two diodes back to back connected so that the main current transport mechanisms are due to the reverse current of the diodes. To explain the measured C-V curves, the capacitance of the heterostructure is modeled as the series connection of the depletion capacitances of the two back to back connected SnO2:F/p-type a-Si:H and Mo/p-type a-Si:H junctions. We simulated the reverse I-V curves of the SnO2:F/p-type a-Si:H heterojunction at different temperatures by using the simulation software SCAPS 2.9.03. In the model the main transport mechanism is generation of holes enhanced by tunneling by acceptor-type interface defects with a trap energy of 0.4 eV above the valence bandedge of the p-type a-Si:H layer and with a density of 4.0 × 1013 cm-2. By using I-V simulations and the proposed C-V model the built-in potential (Vbi) of the SnO2:F/p-type a-Si:H (0.16 V) and p-type a-Si:H/Mo (0.14 V) heterojunctions are extracted and a band diagram of the characterized structure is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin films (100-500 nm) of the Si:O alloy have been systematically characterized in the optical absorption and electrical transport behavior, by varying the Si content from 43 up to 100 at. %. Magnetron sputtering or plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition have been used for the Si:O alloy deposition, followed by annealing up to 1250 °C. Boron implantation (30 keV, 3-30×1014 B/cm2) on selected samples was performed to vary the electrical sheet resistance measured by the four-point collinear probe method. Transmittance and reflectance spectra have been extracted and combined to estimate the absorption spectra and the optical band gap, by means of the Tauc analysis. Raman spectroscopy was also employed to follow the amorphous-crystalline (a-c) transition of the Si domains contained in the Si:O films. The optical absorption and the electrical transport of Si:O films can be continuously and independently modulated by acting on different parameters. The light absorption increases (by one decade) with the Si content in the 43-100 at. % range, determining an optical band gap which can be continuously modulated into the 2.6-1.6 eV range, respectively. The a-c phase transition in Si:O films, causing a significant reduction in the absorption coefficient, occurs at increasing temperatures (from 600 to 1100 °C) as the Si content decreases. The electrical resistivity of Si:O films can be varied among five decades, being essentially dominated by the number of Si grains and by the doping. Si:O alloys with Si content in the 60-90 at. % range (named oxygen rich silicon films), are proved to join an appealing optical gap with a viable conductivity, being a good candidate for increasing the conversion efficiency of thin-film photovoltaic cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photon absorption in Si quantum dots (QDs) embedded in SiO2 has been systematically investigated by varying several parameters of the QD synthesis. Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) or magnetron cosputtering (MS) have been used to deposit, upon quartz substrates, single layer, or multilayer structures of Si-rich-SiO2 (SRO) with different Si content (43–46 at. %). SRO samples have been annealed for 1 h in the 450–1250 °C range and characterized by optical absorption measurements, photoluminescence analysis, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and x-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. After annealing up to 900 °C SRO films grown by MS show a higher absorption coefficient and a lower optical bandgap (∼2.0 eV) in comparison with that of PECVD samples, due to the lower density of Si–Si bonds and to the presence of nitrogen in PECVD materials. By increasing the Si content a reduction in the optical bandgap has been recorded, pointing out the role of Si–Si bonds density in the absorption process in small amorphous Si QDs. Both the photon absorption probability and energy threshold in amorphous Si QDs are higher than in bulk amorphous Si, evidencing a quantum confinement effect. For temperatures higher than 900 °C both the materials show an increase in the optical bandgap due to the amorphous-crystalline transition of the Si QDs. Fixed the SRO stoichiometry, no difference in the optical bandgap trend of multilayer or single layer structures is evidenced. These data can be profitably used to better implement Si QDs for future PV technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood decay of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) is a relatively new disease of complex etiology. This disease has gained much attention in recent years because it has become widespread in kiwifruit-growing areas. Foliar symptoms of the disease are associated with toxins produced by pathogens and develop presumably in response to certain environmental and physiological factors. Vineyard surveys were conducted over nine years in a main Italian kiwifruit growing area, to investigate a potential correlation between soil sodicity and the occurrence of leaf symptoms. Greenhouse trials were also carried out to evaluate physiological parameters potentially associated with the symptoms, as transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, net photosynthesis, and water potential of potted vines grown with different levels of soil sodicity. In the vineyard trials, an increase in soil sodicity significantly augmented the incidence of wood decay of kiwifruit. Higher levels of soil sodicity correlated to increased transpiration and decreased water potential in plant tissues, which in turn can increase toxin translocation and accumulation in the leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key points The receptive field of most retinal ganglion cells consists of an excitatory centre and an inhibitory surround., In retinal ganglion cells of non-primates the receptive field surround is provided by lateral inhibition in both the outer and the inner retinal synaptic layers., We use whole cell recording methods to establish the spatial organisation of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs onto ganglion cells in primate retina., We confirm centre-surround organisation in the excitatory inputs to ganglion cells, and show further that inhibitory inputs can also show centre-surround organisation., We show that lateral inhibition in the inner retina shapes the spatial profile of both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs onto ganglion cells., Dynamic clamp experiments provide evidence that reduction of inner retinal inhibition reduces spatial tuning in ganglion cell output., These results show that lateral inhibition in the inner retina of primate shapes the analysis of spatial form and contrast., Abstract The centre-surround organisation of receptive fields is a feature of most retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and is critical for spatial discrimination and contrast detection. Although lateral inhibitory processes are known to be important in generating the receptive field surround, the contribution of each of the two synaptic layers in the primate retina remains unclear. Here we studied the spatial organisation of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs onto ON and OFF ganglion cells in the primate retina. All RGCs showed an increase in excitation in response to stimulus of preferred polarity. Inhibition onto RGCs comprised two types of responses to preferred polarity: some RGCs showed an increase in inhibition whilst others showed removal of tonic inhibition. Excitatory inputs were strongly spatially tuned but inhibitory inputs showed more variable organisation: in some neurons they were as strongly tuned as excitation, and in others inhibitory inputs showed no spatial tuning. We targeted one source of inner retinal inhibition by functionally ablating spiking amacrine cells with bath application of tetrodotoxin (TTX). TTX significantly reduced the spatial tuning of excitatory inputs. In addition, TTX reduced inhibition onto those RGCs where a stimulus of preferred polarity increased inhibition. Reconstruction of the spatial tuning properties by somatic injection of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic conductances verified that TTX-mediated inhibition onto bipolar cells increases the strength of the surround in RGC spiking output. These results indicate that in the primate retina inhibitory mechanisms in the inner plexiform layer sharpen the spatial tuning of ganglion cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytogenetic studies showed that a number of New World primate taxa, particularly the genera Alouatta, Aotus, and Callicebus, have highly derived karyotypes. Cytogenetics in these primates, at every level of analysis, has contributed to the recognition of species and revealed that their number was certainly underestimated by researchers relying solely on traditional morphological data. Further attention was drawn to Alouatta and Aotus because they are characterized by translocations of the Y chromosome to autosomes, generating multiple sex chromosome systems. Here we present a report on the hybridization of human chromosome-specific paints on metaphases from 4 individuals originally assigned to Alouatta caraya and 1 individual of Aotuslemurinus. This is only the third karyotype studied with chromosome painting out of more than 10 known karyomorphs in Aotus. The banded chromosomes matched those of karyotype II as defined by Ma et al. [1976a], and we were able to more precisely assign the origin of the sample to A. l. griseimembra. Our results on the Argentinean Alouatta caraya samples were generally comparable to the banding and hybridization pattern of previous studies of A. caraya including the presence of an X1X1X2X2/X1X2Y1Y2 sex chromosome system. The karyotype of the Brazilian Alouatta sample labeled as A. caraya differs from the 3 Argentinean samples by at least 10 chromosome rearrangements. The diploid number, G banding, and hybridization pattern of this female cell line was almost identical to previous painting results on Alouatta guariba guariba. Therefore we must conclude that this cell line is actually from an A. guariba guariba individual. The contribution of cytogenetic tools in identifying species or in this case assigning individuals or cell lines to their precise taxonomic allocation is stressed. Gathering further molecular cytogenetic data on New World primates should be conservation and management priorities. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Value functions of differential games with L∞ criterion over infinite horizon are known to possess poor regularity. As an alternative to generalized solutions of the Isaacs equation, that usually requires some regularity properties, we propose a characterization of the value functions using the integral form of the Isaacs equation. We prove, without any regularity assumption, that value functions are the lowest super-solution and the largest element of a special set of sub-solutions, of the dynamic programming equation. We characterize also the limits of finite horizon value functions, and propose an approximation scheme in terms of iterations of an infinitesimal operator defined over the set of Lipschitz continuous functions. The images of this operator can be characterized by generalized solutions of a classical Isaacs equation. We illustrate these results on a example, whose value functions can be determined analytically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A minimax optimal control problem with infinite horizon is studied. We analyze a relaxation of the controls, which allows us to consider a generalization of the original problem that not only has existence of an optimal control but also enables us to approximate the infinite-horizon problem with a sequence of finite-horizon problems. We give a set of conditions that are sufficient to solve directly, without relaxation, the infinite-horizon problem as the limit of finite-horizon problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The double sign anomaly of the Hall coefficient has been studied in p-doped and n-doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and annealed up to 500 °C. Dark conductivity as a function of temperature has been measured, pointing out a conduction mechanism mostly through the extended states. Anomalous Hall effect has been observed only in the as-deposited n-doped film, disappearing after annealing at 500 °C, while p-doped samples exhibit normal Hall effect. When Hall anomaly is present, a larger optical band gap and a greater Raman peak associated with Si–H bond are measured in comparison with the cases of normal Hall effect. The Hall anomaly will be related to the hydrogen content and implication on photovoltaic applications will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which compared the Fontenoce necropolis samples excavated from Recanati, Macerata, Italy and the coeval and Neolithic samples from neighbouring areas. The Macerata samples were taken by the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archaeologici delle Marche. Also cited are the use of bivariate analysis in the study, as well as the groups of samples, namely, the Neolithic groups, the Copper Age groups, and the Fontenoce group.

The article presents a study which examined the major morphological cranial features distinguishing present day human groups from the prehistoric samples to develop hypotheses on the continuity/discontinuity, migration and admixture of the human population. Among the races examined are Sardinians, Sicilians, and Italians.

An abstract of the article "The Role of Iron in the Development of Necrosis by Phaeoacremonium Aleophilum in Kiwifruit Young Vines" by F. Osti and colleagues is presented.

The decay of kiwifruit is a complex fungal disease widely spread to virtually all the cultivation areas. The disease affects the woody tissue and is characterized by foliar symptoms probably associated with the action of vascular pathogens such as Phaeoacremonium spp. and Cadophora malorum. Some species of Phaeoacremonium as well as Botryosphaeriaceae, involved in different grapevine trunk disease were shown to produce phytotoxins. Furthermore, several species of Cadophora are known for producing secondary bioactive metabolites. Finally, the nature and appearance of decay symptoms of kiwifruit suggest the involvement of phytotoxins in the host-pathogen interaction. We report on the preliminary results of the isolation and chemical and biological characterization of phytotoxic metabolites produced in liquid culture by Phaeoacremonium spp. and C. malorum isolated from infected kiwifruit plants. To this aim, the ability of Phaeoacremonium spp. and C. malorum to produce phytotoxins in vitro was investigated. The two fungi or a sterile plug (control) were placed in a liquid medium and mycelium and conidia were subsequently removed by filtration. Biological assays on host and non-host plant species were carried out to show the effect of the filtrates on plant leaves. Both pathogens induced leaf wilt and C. malorum necrosis in leaf discs is some cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]