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Since birth, infants discriminate the biological motion (BM) revealed by point‐light displays (PLDs). To date, no studies have explored whether newborns differentiate BM that approaches rather than withdraws from them. Yet, approach and withdrawal are two fundamental motivations in the socio‐emotional world, key to developing empathy and prosocial behavior. Through a looking‐behavior paradigm, we demonstrated that a few hours after birth, a human figure approaching attracted more visual attention than a human figure receding, showing that newborns are attuned to PLDs of others moving toward rather than walking away from them. Further, a withdrawing body appears to be less attractive than withdrawing scrambled points. Altogether, these observations support the existence of an early predisposition toward social closeness that might have its roots in an evolutionary perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 64k pixel DEPFET module is the key sensitive component of the DEPFET Sensor with Signal Compression (DSSC), a large area 2D hybrid detector for capturing and measuring soft X-rays at the European XFEL. The final 1-megapixel camera has to detect photons with energies between 250 eV and 6 keV , and must provide a peak frame rate of 4.5 MHz to cope with the unique bunch structure of the European XFEL. This work summarizes the functionalities and properties of the first modules assembled with full-format CMOS-DEPFET arrays, featuring 512 × 128 hexagonally-shaped pixels with a side length of 136 μm. The pixel sensors utilize the DEPFET technology to realize an extremely low input capacitance for excellent energy resolution and, at the same time, an intrinsic capability of signal compression without any gain switching. Each pixel of the readout ASIC includes a DEPFET-bias current cancellation circuitry, a trapezoidal-shaping filter, a 9-bit ADC and a 800-word long digital memory. The trimming, calibration and final characterization were performed in a laboratory test-bench at DESY. All detector features are assessed at 18 ∘ C . An outstanding equivalent noise charge of 9.8 e−rms is achieved at 1.1-MHz frame rate and gain of 26.8 Analog-to-Digital Unit per keV ( ADU / keV ). At 4.5 MHz and 3.1 ADU / keV , a noise of 25.5 e−rms and a dynamic range of 26 ke - are obtained. The highest dynamic range of 1.345 Me - is reached at 2.25 MHz and 1.6 ADU / keV . These values can fulfill the specification of the DSSC project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a rare multisystem congenital neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) characterized by distinctive facial anomalies, short stature, developmental delay, hirsutism, gastrointestinal abnormalities and upper limb reduction defects. CdLS syndrome is associated with causative variants in genes encoding for the cohesin complex, a cellular machinery involved in chromatid pairing, DNA repair and gene‐expression regulation. In this report, we describe a familial case of a syndromic presentation in a 4‐year‐old patient (P1) and in his mother (P2). Trio‐based Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) performed on P1 was first negative. Since his phenotypic evolution during the follow‐up was reminiscent of the CdLS spectrum, a reanalysis of WES data, focused on CdLS‐related genes, was requested. Although no alterations in those genes was detected, we identified the likely pathogenetic variant c.40G > A (p.Glu14Lys) in the PHIP gene, in the meanwhile associated with Chung‐Jansen syndrome. Reverse phenotyping carried out in both patients confirmed the molecular diagnosis. CHUJANS belongs to NDDs, featuring developmental delay, mild‐to‐moderate intellectual disability, behavioral problems, obesity and facial dysmorphisms. Moreover, as here described, CHUJANS shows a significant overlap with the CdLS spectrum, with specific regard to facial gestalt. On the basis of our findings, we suggest to include PHIP among genes routinely analyzed in patients belonging to the CdLS spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coffin‐Siris Syndrome (CSS) is a rare multi‐system dominant condition with a variable clinical presentation mainly characterized by hypoplasia/aplasia of the nail and/or distal phalanx of the fifth digit, coarse facies, hirsutism/hypertrichosis, developmental delay and intellectual disability of variable degree and growth impairment. Congenital anomalies may include cardiac, genitourinary and central nervous system malformations whereas congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is rarely reported. The genes usually involved in CSS pathogenesis are ARID1B (most frequently), SMARCA4, SMARCB1, ARID1A, SMARCE1, DPF2, and PHF6. Here, we present two cases of CSS presenting with CDH, for whom Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) identified two distinct de novo heterozygous causative variants, one in ARID1B (case 1) and one in SMARCA4 (case 2). Due to the rarity of CDH in CSS, in both cases the occurrence of CDH did not represent a predictive sign of CSS but, on the other hand, prompted genetic testing before (case 1) or independently (case 2) from the clinical hypothesis of CSS. We provide further evidence of the association between CSS and CDH, reviewed previous cases from literature and discuss possible functional links to related conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infants born preterm are at high risk of presenting neurodevelopmental delay. The Neurofunctional Assessment (NFA) describes infants' neurodevelopment through the evaluation of six different domains. This study aimed to evaluate how, in a cohort of preterm infants, each NFA domain assessed at 3 months of corrected age (CA) was associated with neurodevelopment at 2 years of CA using the Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales Extended Revised (GMDS-ER). In addition, by introducing the NFA complexity score (CS), the study aimed to define a threshold that can help clinicians discriminate infants at higher risk of later neurodevelopmental delay. We conducted an observational, longitudinal study including 211 preterm infants. At 3 months of CA, infants who had normal scores in each domain showed a significantly higher GMDS-ER global quotient (GQ) at 2 years of CA. In addition, linear model results showed a significant negative relationship between the NFA CS and 2-year GMDS-ER GQ (estimate: − 0.27; 95% CI − 0.35, − 0.20; p value < 0.001). Each 10-point increase in the NFA CS was associated with an average 2.7-point decrease in the GMDS GQ. These results highlight how the NFA domains and NFA CS are compelling instruments for the early identification of children at risk for long-term adverse outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: The findings reported in this manuscript can act as a guideline in developing and designing videogames and consoles that are enjoyable, accessible, and inclusive for children with neurological impairments. Game activity is fundamental for children's cognitive and social development. During recent years, technology development has led to changes in several areas, including the ludic one. However, while in the literature, there are plenty of studies that report the importance of technology-based games in rehabilitation program, little attention has been paid to their role as pure entertainment. In contrast, the market does not provide videogames that are engaging, accessible, and inclusive. In this context, a survey was distributed to families who have a child with neuromotor limitations to investigate how these children deal with play, in particular with videogames, and what the requirements are for accessible and inclusive videogames. FightTheStroke distributed the questionnaire to families with a child with neuromotor impairments in April 2020. Fifty-six families responded to the survey. The answers revealed that children generally manifest positive feelings when playing with videogames, especially with cooperative ones, even if they are not fully accessible. The survey also collected user needs and suggestions from families about the design of videogames for neuromotor-impaired children. Guidelines derived from the survey are reported for the development of entertaining, inclusive, and accessible videogames, playable by children with neuromotor disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first DSSC 1-Mpixel camera became available at the European XFEL (EuXFEL) in the Hamburg area in February 2019. It was successfully tested, installed, and commissioned at the Spectroscopy and Coherent Scattering Instrument. DSSC is a high-speed, large-area, 2-D imaging detector system optimized for photon science applications in the energy range between 0.25 and 6 keV. The camera is based on direct conversion Si sensors and is composed of 1024 × 1024 pixels of hexagonal shape with a side length of 136 μm. The 256 application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) provide full parallel readout, comprising analog filtering, digitization, and in-pixel data storage. In order to cope with the demanding X-ray pulse time structure of the EuXFEL, the DSSC provides a peak frame rate of 4.5 MHz. The first Mpixel camera is equipped with miniaturized silicon drift detector (MiniSDD) pixel arrays. The intrinsic response of the pixels and the linear readout limit the dynamic range but allow one to achieve noise values of about 60 electrons r.m.s. at the highest frame rate. The challenge of providing high-dynamic range (~104 photons/pixel/pulse) and single-photon detection simultaneously requires a nonlinear system front end, which will be obtained with the DEPFET active pixel technology foreseen for the advanced version of the camera. This technology will provide lower noise and a nonlinear response at the sensor level. This article describes the architecture of the whole detector system together with the main experimental results achieved up to now. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is an overgrowth disorder caused by defects at the 11p15.5 imprinted region. Many cases of female monozygotic (MZ) twins discordant for BWS have been reported, but no definitive conclusions have been drawn regarding the link between epigenetic defects, twinning process, and gender. Here, we report a comprehensive characterization and follow‐up of female MZ twins discordant for BWS. Methods: Methylation pattern at 11p15.5 and multilocus methylation disturbance (MLID) profiling were performed by pyrosequencing and MassARRAY in placental/umbilical cord samples and postnatal tissues. Whole‐exome sequencing was carried out to identify MLID causative mutations. X‐chromosome inactivation (XCI) was determined by HUMARA test. Results: Both twins share KCNQ1OT1:TSS‐DMR loss of methylation (LOM) and MLID in blood and the epigenetic defect remained stable in the healthy twin over time. KCNQ1OT1:TSS‐DMRLOM was nonhomogeneously distributed in placental samples and the twins showed the same severely skewed XCI pattern. No MLID‐causative mutations were identified. Conclusion: This is the first report on BWS‐discordant twins with methylation analyses extended to extraembryonic tissues. The results suggest that caution is required when attempting prenatal diagnosis in similar cases. Although the causative mechanism underlying LOM remains undiscovered, the XCI pattern and mosaic LOM suggest that both twinning and LOM/MLID occurred after XCI commitment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to investigate General Movements'(GMs) neonatal trajectories and their association with neurodevelopment at three months corrected age (CA) in preterm infants. We conducted an observational, longitudinal study in 216 very low birth weight infants. GMs were recorded at 31 ± 1, 35 ± 1, 40 ± 1 weeks of postmenstrual age and at three months of corrected age (CA). More than 90% of infants showing neonatal trajectories with persistent Normal (N-N) or initial Poor Repertoire to Normal (PR-N) movements presented fidgety pattern at three months CA. On the contrary, fidgety movements were not detected in any infant with a trajectory of persistent Cramped-Synchronized (CS-CS) or an initial Poor-Repertoire to Cramped-Synchronized (PR-CS) movements. Trajectories with initial Normal to Poor-Repertoire (N-PR) or persistent Poor-Repertoire (PR-PR) movements showed an increased risk of having a non-normal Fidgety pattern compared with the N-N group (OR = 8.43, 95% CI: 2.26–31.45 and OR = 15.02, 95% CI: 6.40–35.26, respectively). These results highlight the importance to evaluate neonatal GMs' trajectory to predict infants' neurodevelopment. N-N or PR-N trajectories suggest normal short-term neurodevelopment, especially a lower risk of Cerebral Palsy; whereas findings of N-PR and PR-PR trajectories indicate the need for closer follow up to avoid delay in programming intervention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent literature has investigated the role of multiple birth on neurodevelopmental outcomes of premature infants, especially extremely preterm ones. Multiple gestations are often associated to increased neurodevelopmental disability. Actually, research findings are controversial. Objective: To compare the neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes of multiples and singletons in a cohort of preterm infants ≤28 weeks gestational age at 1 and 2 years of corrected age. Methods: The study included 86 infants, born from January 2014 to September 2017 and enrolled in the follow-up program provided at authors' Institution. Exclusion criteria included: major brain lesions and malformations, severe neuro-sensorial deficits, genetic syndromes, single-twin survivors. Thirty four multiples were compared to 52 singletons, using the Griffiths Mental Development Scales and the Child Behavior Checklist 1½–5. Statistical analysis was based on ANOVA techniques to test group differences. A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The neurodevelopmental outcomes of multiples and singletons at 1 and 2 years of corrected age did not significantly differ at a general level (p > 0.05). Multiples showed significantly lower mean scores than singletons at 1 year in Locomotor (87.15 ± 11.94 vs. 92.48 ± 11.59) and Personal-Social (84.88 ± 10.25 vs. 89.63 ± 8.19) subscales. Considering the behavioral outcomes, higher rates of externalizing problems were observed in multiples at 2 years (54.27 ± 9.64 vs. 49.31 ± 10.39). Conclusion: The slightly lower neurodevelopmental outcome showed by multiples, especially in the gross-motor and personal-social domains at 1 year, might be related to the specific environmental condition they experience. Multiple birth may affect mother's sensitivity to infant's needs and infant's acquisition of emotional and behavioral regulation. This affects the separation process and the acquisition of the independent walking and other gross-motor skills. Being multiples might also induce an hyperstimulation and this could explain their higher vulnerability to externalizing problems (impulsiveness, hyperactivity, attention deficits). Additionally, males are more affected by the multiple condition than females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Moebius syndrome (MBS) is rare disease characterized by nonprogressive congenital uni- or bi-lateral facial (i. e. VII cranial nerve) and abducens (i. e. VI cranial nerve) palsy. Although the neurological and ophthalmological findings are quite well-known, data concerning the attendant functional difficulties and their changes over time are seldom addressed. In this study we attempt to estimate the prevalence of clinical and functional data in an Italian cohort affected by MBS. Methods: The study included 50 children, 21 males and 29 females, aged 1 month to 14 years. The patients entered into a multidisciplinary diagnostic and follow-up protocol that had the specific purpose of detecting clinical and developmental deficits related to MBS. Results: Involvement of the VII cranial nerve (total/partial, bilateral or unilateral) was present in 96 % of patients, and of the VI nerve in 85 %. Two patients were without impairment of the VII nerve and seven patients had no involvement of the VI nerve and were thus classified as Moebius-like because of the involvement of other CNs. Additional affected CNs were numbers III-IV in 16 %, V in 11 %, VIII and X each in 8 %, the XI in 6 %, the IX, most often partially, in 22 %, and the XII in 48 % of cases. Their development was characterized by global delay at one year of age, motor, emotional and speech difficulties at two years of age, a trend toward normalization at three years of age but with weakness in hand-eye coordination, and achieving average results at five years of age. Overall 90 % of children had a normal developmental quotient whereas only 10 % manifested cognitive deficits. Conclusion: Early rehabilitation may enhance the recovery of normal function, particularly in vulnerable areas of development. It is possible that early intervention that integrates sensory and visual information with emotional difficulties can improve the prognosis of the child with MBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depleted field effect transistors (DEPFET) are used to achieve very low noise signal charge readout with sub-electron measurement precision. This is accomplished by repeatedly reading an identical charge, thereby suppressing not only the white serial noise but also the usually constant 1/f noise. The repetitive non-destructive readout (RNDR) DEPFET is an ideal central element for an active pixel sensor (APS) pixel. The theory has been derived thoroughly and results have been verified on RNDR-DEPFET prototypes. A charge measurement precision of 0.18 electrons has been achieved. The device is well-suited for spectroscopic X-ray imaging and for optical photon counting in pixel sensors, even at high photon numbers in the same cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Preterm infants are at high risk of developing motor delay, learning difficulties and behavioural problems and the availability of valid neurodevelopmental assessments is a major clinical issue. This study evaluated the relationship between preterm infants' neurofunctional assessment at term equivalent age and neurodevelopment outcome at three years of chronological age.Methods: Neurofunctional assessment was performed in 70 very low birth weight infants at term equivalent age and neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed at three years of chronological age with the Griffiths Mental Development Scale - Extended Revised.Results: At term equivalent age, 81% of the children had normal neurofunctional scores and 82.5% of those showed normal neurodevelopmental outcome at three years. Of the 19% who had impaired development at term equivalent age, 38.5% had neurodevelopmental delay at three years. Impaired neurofunctional status was associated with an increased risk of developmental delay in the global quotient (odds ratio 12.1) and locomotor sub-quotient (odds ratio 18.35) compared with normal neurofunctional status. Infants with sepsis or necrotising enterocolitis also faced a higher risk of neurodevelopmental delay.Conclusion: Neurofunctional assessment performed at term equivalent age appeared to provide early identification of preterm infants at risk of neurodevelopmental delay at three years of chronological age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents the experimental results from the characterization of the second prototype of a high accuracy (in terms of linearity, mismatch and noise) injection circuit to be used for in-pixel calibration of a large sensor matrix. The circuit was designed for the calibration of the pixel cell unit of a hybrid pixel device, the DEPFET Sensor with Signal Compression (DSSC) chip, for the large format imager at the European X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL), but, in principle, it can be used also for other kinds of detectors, e.g., deep N-well monolithic CMOS sensors. In the case of hybrid pixels, the injection circuit is particularly useful to test the functionality of the readout electronics already at the chip level, when no sensor is connected to the chip. Two injection techniques have been investigated: one for a charge sensitive amplification and the other for a transresistance readout channel. The aim of the paper is to describe the architecture of the calibration circuit, which has been implemented in a 130-nm CMOS technology, and to present the results from the characterization of the second prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

VERITAS (VErsatile Readout based on Integrated Trapezoidal Analog Shapers) is the first 128-channel ASIC developed to read out both the pnCCDs and the DEPFET arrays produced at the MPI-Halbleiterlabor in Munich. These detectors are used in a large variety of scientific applications, ranging from high-speed optical astronomy and X-ray astronomy to the new X-ray Free Electron Laser sources. The main concept of VERITAS is to provide a flexible readout chip able to cope not only with different kinds of detectors, but also with a large set of operating conditions that may require very different noise thresholds and input dynamic ranges. These can vary by more than two orders of magnitude. Every analog channel of VERITAS provides a trapezoidal weighting function. This filtering strategy had never been applied to the pnCCD before. The very first measurements obtained coupling VERITAS with a 128\,\times\,256 pnCCD are shown. With a readout time of 4 \mus/line a noise of 3.9 electrons has been measured in the highest gain mode. The resolution obtained on the Mn-K\alpha peak of a ^55Fe source is 136 eV for single events. A noise of 30 electrons has been achieved in the lowest gain mode at a speed of 6.4 \mus/line. In this low gain setting an input charge up to 2.5\times 10^5 electrons can be processed. These striking results fulfill the requirements of the main foreseen applications of large-size pnCCDs. In order to further improve the performance and the flexibility of the ASIC, a second version based on a fully differential architecture has been designed. The new topology allows one also to switch with the same ASIC between the source follower and drain current readout of the DEPFET sensors and to reach a processing time of about 2–3 \mus/line with an electronics noise \leq10 el. For this reason the second version of VERITAS is very attractive for the proposed ESA X-ray astronomy mission ATHENA. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We present the development of the DSSC instrument: an ultra-high speed detector system for the new European XFEL in Hamburg. The DSSC will be able to record X-ray images with a maximum frame rate of 4.5 MHz. The system is based on a silicon pixel sensor with a DEPFET as a central amplifier structure and has detection efficiency close to 100% for X-rays from 0.5 keV up to 10 keV. The sensor will have a size of approximately 210\,\times\,210 mm^2 composed of 1024\,\times\,1024 pixels with hexagonal shape. Two hundred fifty six mixed signal readout ASICs are bump-bonded to the detector. They are designed in 130 nm CMOS technology and provide full parallel readout. The signals coming from the sensor are processed by an analog filter, immediately digitized by 8-bit ADCs and locally stored in an SRAM, which is able to record at least 640 frames. In order to fit the dynamic range of about 10^4 photons of 1 keV per pixel into a reasonable output signal range, achieving at the same time single 1 keV photon resolution, a non-linear characteristic is required. The proposed DEPFET provides the needed dynamic range compression at the sensor level. The most exciting and challenging property is that the single 1 keV photon resolution and the high dynamic range are accomplished within the 220 ns frame rate of the system. The key properties and the main design concepts of the different building blocks of the system are discussed. Measurements with the analog front-end of the readout ASIC and a standard DEPFET have already shown a very low noise which makes it possible to achieve the targeted single photon resolution for 1 keV photons at 4.5 MHz and also for 0.5 keV photons at half of the speed. In the paper the new experimental results obtained coupling a single pixel to an 8\,\times\,8 ASIC prototype are shown. This 8\,\times\,8 ASIC comprises the complete readout chain from the analog front-end to the ADC and the memory. The characterization of a newly fabricated non-linear DEPFET is presented for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mercury imaging X-ray spectrometer (MIXS) on board of ESA's fifth cornerstone mission BepiColombo will be the first space instrument using DEpleted P-channel FET (DEPFET) based detectors. The MIXS spectrometer comprises two channels with identical focal plane detectors and is dedicated to energy resolved imaging of X-ray fluorescence from the mercurial surface. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The European X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) under construction in Hamburg (Germany) will be able to deliver high intensity X-ray pulses of few tens of femto seconds of duration, at 5 MHz pulse repetition rate. Thanks to its characteristics, this instrument will open up new research opportunities for experiments in femto chemistry, structural biology and material research. A high speed focal plane detector system has been presented, based on a novel non-linear DEPFET as a detector. DEPFETs have been chosen since they can provide excellent energy resolution and high speed readout, a fundamental property to cope with the very demanding pulse time structure of XFEL. Full parallel readout is required, with every channel comprising analog filtering, data conversion and memory storage. In this paper we show results for the first prototype of the analog front end that implements the current readout of the DEPFET pixel. The circuit is based on the Flip Capacitor Filter technique, here briefly presented, and has been designed in 130 nm 1.2 V CMOS technology from IBM. Careful characterization of the individual circuit alone and also connected to a single pixel linear detector has been carried out and the measured performance is summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DEPFET detectors are silicon (Si) active pixel sensors designed and manufactured in the Max-Planck-Institut semiconductor lab. Their high spatial resolution and high energy resolution in X-rays make them attractive for particle tracking in colliders and for X-ray astronomy. This technology is foreseen for the Wide Field Imager of the International X-ray Observatory currently in study with ESA, NASA, and JAXA. New DEPFET matrixes with 256\,\times\,256 pixels of 75-\mum pitch have been produced, mounted on ceramic boards with dedicated front-end electronics and integrated in a new setup able to acquire large-format images and spectra. Excellent homogeneity has been observed. Energy resolution as low as 127 eV FWHM at 5.9 keV has been obtained including all single events of the matrix back illuminated at -45\,^\circC and read out at a 300-frames/s rate. This paper presents experimental methods and results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new advancements in low-noise X-Ray detection pave the way to new space missions for deep space investigation like IXO. The concept of APS (Active Pixel Sensor) devices based on DEPFET (Depleted P-channel FET) structure has been developed to cope with the emerging requirements of low noise and high readout speed. Although the use of DEPFET makes achievable the required noise performance, it is necessary to develop a suitable front-end ASIC to fulfill the challenging speed requirements. We have developed VELA, a new fast multi-channel ASIC for the readout of a DEPFET matrix at high frame rate. The implemented circuit operates the DEPFET pixels in a drain current configuration to achieve a readout speed of 2 μs per line or even faster. The current version of VELA integrates 64 analog channels to readout a 64 x 64 DEPFET matrix up to 7800 frames per second. In the paper, the circuit and the working principle are presented; the VELA performance and the first measurement with a 64 x 64 DEPFET matrix are also reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DePMOS based Active Pixel Sensor (APS) matrix is a new detector concept for X-ray imaging and spectroscopy applications. This type of X-ray detector can provide excellent energy resolution and high-speed readout. Both these features and the advantage of random pixel accessibility can fulfill the requirements of new space applications, like the XEUS Wide Field Imager. In a matrix arrangement, each pixel must be read out by a time variant filter, so a new readout mechanism and a proper multi-channel integrated shaping amplifier are needed. To operate at the required fast processing time (e.g., 4 µs per line) DePMOS transistor cannot be operated in the classical source follower configuration, because this results in a long settling time. So a new design for multi-channel readout of the DePMOS matrix has to be considered. We propose a new fast readout concept, which is based on the DePMOS drain current readout and processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we demonstrate theoretically and experimentally the capability to reduce the readout noise of an optical and X-ray photon detector based on the semiconductor DEPFET device below a level of only 0.3e- ENC (equivalent noise charge). The readout method used is called "Repetitive Non Destructive Readout" (RNDR) and was realized by placing two single DEPFET-devices next to each other and by coupling their charge storing region by an additional gate. By transferring the stored charge from one DEPFET to the other and vice versa the same charge can be measured non-destructively and arbitrarily often. Taking the average value of a large number n of these measurements, the noise is reduced by 1/√n The main advantage of such a detector is to greatly reduce the contribution of the 1/f noise to the readout noise. The theoretically and experimentally achievable resolution for different operating parameters (leakage current, readout noise, number and duration of readouts) was investigated by Monte-Carlo simulations and verified on a real RNDR minimatrix (pixelarray). Single optical photon detection with high quantum efficiency and, even more fascinating, the possibility to distinguish between different numbers of photons, e.g., 100 from 101 are demonstrated in measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid interfaces between organic semiconductors and living tissues represent a new tool for in-vitro and in-vivo applications, bearing a huge potential, from basic researches to clinical applications. In particular, light sensitive conjugated polymers can be exploited as a new approach for optical modulation of cellular activity. In this work we focus on light-induced changes in the membrane potential of Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK-293) cells grown on top of a poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) thin film. On top of a capacitive charging of the polymer interface, we identify and fully characterize two concomitant mechanisms, leading to membrane depolarization and hyperpolarisation, both mediated by a thermal effect. Our results can be usefully exploited in the creation of a new platform for light-controlled cell manipulation, with possible applications in neuroscience and medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]