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To improve measurements of the dielectric permittivity of nanometric portions by means of Local Dielectric Spectroscopy (LDS), we introduce an extension to current analytical models for the interpretation of the interaction between the probe tip of an electrostatic force microscope (EFM) and a thin dielectric film covering a conducting substrate. Using the proposed models, we show how more accurate values for the dielectric constant can be obtained from single-frequency measurements at various probe/substrate distances, not limited to a few tip radii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objectives: New advances in technologies are opening the possibility to support functional evaluation and rehabilitation in the field of speech therapy. Among available systems, a virtual reality rehabilitation system (VRRS, Khymeia) is a multi-domain ecosystem. Despite it being used in a limited number of studies, its use in speech-therapy has shown potential for promoting linguistic and literacy skills., Methods: This pilot study aims to assess the feasibility of single-session speech assessment with the VRRS in twenty-eight children with cerebral palsy (CP) by means of ad hoc questionnaires. Moreover, we evaluated the feasibility and the effects of an intensive tele-rehabilitation treatment with the VRRS in a subgroup of three children with unilateral CP., Results: Feasibility was generally good when using the VRRS for assessments. Both clinicians and children found it to have good usability, although acceptability scores were higher for children than clinicians. For tele-rehabilitation, overall improvements were observed in both linguistic and learning (reading and writing) skills., Conclusions: This study paves the way for VRRS use in speech-therapy tele-rehabilitation for children with CP and language and learning difficulties.

Sex/gender (S/G) differences in ASD language profiles have been poorly investigated. The present study aims to explore whether male (M) and female (F) children with ASD and with normal non-verbal cognitive abilities differ in their linguistic profiles. A sample of 76 Italian children with ASD (range: 4.9-8 years), including 50 Ms and 26 Fs, was retrospectively recruited. Language profiles were analyzed using standardized tests for the evaluation of receptive and expressive vocabulary as well as grammar. Grammatical comprehension was the most impaired domain compared to the other language measures in both M and F children. Comparing language profiles between S/G, Fs showed significantly better scores than Ms in grammatical production ( p = 0.002), and Ms showed better active negative sentence comprehension ( p = 0.035). Moreover, comparing the language profiles between Ms and Fs with a receptive disorder, Fs had significantly worse grammatical comprehension and better grammatical production than Ms. Even among children without a receptive disorder, Fs had significantly higher grammatical production scores. The S/G differences in language profile, particularly better expressive language in Fs than Ms, can partially contribute to the delayed ASD diagnosis or underdiagnosis of Fs without intellectual disability. Finally, the results document the importance of accurately investigating both expressive and receptive abilities in children with ASD., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

This study shows that entirely thiophene-based core@shell nanoparticles, in which the shell is made of the oxidized form of the core polymer (P3HT@PTDO x NPs), result in a type II interface at the particle surface. This enables the development of advanced photon nanotransducers with unique chemical-physical and biofunctional properties due to the core@shell nanoarchitecture. We demonstrate that P3HT@PTDO x NPs present a different spatial localization of the excitation energy with respect to the nonoxidized NPs, showing a prevalence of surface states as a result of a different alignment of the HOMO/LUMO energy levels between the core and shell. This allows for the efficient photostimulation of retinal neurons. Indeed, thanks to the stronger and longer-lived charge separation, P3HT@PTDO x NPs, administered subretinally in degenerate retinas from the blind Royal College of Surgeons rats, are more effective in photostimulation of inner retinal neurons than the gold standard P3HT NPs.

This paper presents a custom, low-cost electronic system specifically designed for rapid and quantitative detection of the malaria parasite in a blood sample. The system exploits the paramagnetic properties of malaria-infected red blood cells (iRBCs) for their magnetophoretic capture on the surface of a silicon chip. A lattice of nickel magnetic micro-concentrators embedded in a silicon substrate concentrates the iRBCs above coplanar gold microelectrodes separated by 3 μm for their detection through an impedance measurement. The sensor is designed for a differential operation to remove the large contribution given by the blood sample. The electronic readout automatically balances the sensor before each experiment and reaches a resolution of 15 ppm in the impedance measurement at 1 MHz allowing a limit of detection of 40 parasite/μl with a capture time of 10 minutes. For better reliability of the results, four sensors are acquired during the same experiment. We demonstrate that the realized platform can also detect a single infected cell in real experimental conditions, measuring human blood infected by Plasmodium falciparum malaria specie.

Background: Cerebellar hemorrhage (CBH) represents the main form of direct cerebellar injury in preterm infants. Most CBHs occur bilaterally, while isolated unilateral hemorrhages are less frequent and often associated with focal atrophy. Limited and heterogeneous data exist on preterm birth, unilateral CBH and consequent long-term neurodevelopmental and non-motor outcomes., Case Report: This is the case of a six-year-old child, born preterm, diagnosed with a complete atrophy of the right cerebellar hemisphere through brain MRI and presenting mild social atypies, visuo-perceptive and pragmatic language impairment, but only minor neurological signs., Discussion: Despite the large extension of the patient's CBH neurological sequelae were mild, likely due to cerebellar plasticity, and only specific deficits in non-motor, behavioral and social skills were shown. Evidence exists on cerebellar contribution to dynamic visual information processing and to perceptual signals detection and prediction, that might explain the presence of non-motor signs.

Recent advancements in the field of electronics have paved the way to the development of new applications, such as tattoo electronics, where the employment of ultraconformable devices is required, typically achievable with a significant reduction in their total thickness. Organic materials can be considered enablers, owing to the possibility of depositing films with thicknesses at the nanometric scale, even from solution. However, available processes do not allow obtaining devices with thicknesses below hundreds of nanometres, thus setting a limit. Here, we show an all-organic field effect transistor that is less than 150 nm thick and that is fabricated through a fully solution-based approach. Such unprecedented thickness permits the device to conformally adhere onto nonplanar surfaces, such as human skin, and to be bent to a radius lower than 1 μm, thereby overcoming another limitation for field-effect transistors and representing a fundamental advancement in the field of ultrathin and tattoo electronics., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Language deficits represent one of the most relevant factors that determine the clinical phenotype of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The main aim of the research was to study the grammatical comprehension of children with ASD. A sample of 70 well-diagnosed children (60 boys and 10 girls; aged 4.9-8 years) were prospectively recruited. The results showed that language comprehension is the most impaired language domain in ASD. These findings have important clinical implications, since the persistence of grammatical receptive deficits may have a negative impact on social, adaptive and learning achievements. As for the grammatical profiles, persistent difficulties were found during the school-age years in morphological and syntactic decoding in children with relatively preserved cognitive and expressive language skills. These data and the lack of a statistically significant correlation between the severity of ASD symptoms and language skills are in line with the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) perspective that considers the socio-communication disorder as a nuclear feature of ASD and the language disorder as a specifier of the diagnosis and not as a secondary symptom anymore. The presence of receptive difficulties in school-age ASD children with relatively preserved non-verbal cognitive abilities provides important hints to establish rehabilitative treatments.

Inherited retinal dystrophies and late-stage age-related macular degeneration, for which treatments remain limited, are among the most prevalent causes of legal blindness. Retinal prostheses have been developed to stimulate the inner retinal network; however, lack of sensitivity and resolution, and the need for wiring or external cameras, have limited their application. Here we show that conjugated polymer nanoparticles (P3HT NPs) mediate light-evoked stimulation of retinal neurons and persistently rescue visual functions when subretinally injected in a rat model of retinitis pigmentosa. P3HT NPs spread out over the entire subretinal space and promote light-dependent activation of spared inner retinal neurons, recovering subcortical, cortical and behavioural visual responses in the absence of trophic effects or retinal inflammation. By conferring sustained light sensitivity to degenerate retinas after a single injection, and with the potential for high spatial resolution, P3HT NPs provide a new avenue in retinal prosthetics with potential applications not only in retinitis pigmentosa, but also in age-related macular degeneration.

Organic devices are attracting considerable attention as prostheses for the recovery of retinal light sensitivity lost to retinal degenerative disease. The biotic/abiotic interface created when light-sensitive polymers and living tissues are placed in contact allows excitation of a response in blind laboratory rats exposed to visual stimuli. Although polymer retinal prostheses have proved to be efficient, their working mechanism is far from being fully understood. In this review article, we discuss the results of the studies conducted on these kinds of polymer devices and compare them with the data found in the literature for inorganic retinal prostheses, where the working mechanisms are better comprehended. This comparison, which tries to set some reference values and figures of merit, is intended for use as a starting point to determine the direction for further investigation.

In this letter, we report on the fabrication, the characterization, and the in vitro testing of structures suitable for cell culturing, prepared through two-photon polymerization of a nanocomposite resist. More in details, commercially available Ormocomp has been doped with piezoelectric barium titanate nanoparticles, and bioinspired 3D structures resembling trabeculae of sponge bone have been fabricated. After an extensive characterization, preliminary in vitro testing demonstrated that both the topographical and the piezoelectric cues of these scaffolds are able to enhance the differentiation process of human SaOS-2 cells.

We describe a case of duplication of the left internal carotid artery from a point 1 cm distal to the origin to the proximal petrous segment where the vessel reunites. Duplication and fenestration of the internal carotid artery are discussed. A review of embryologic development is presented. Identification of these entities is important, especially in patients who require surgical intervention involving the internal carotid artery.

With the increasing use of three-dimensional MRI techniques it is becoming necessary to explore automated techniques for locating pathology in the volume images. The suitability of a specific technique to locate and identify healthy tissues of the brain was examined as a first step toward eventually identifying pathology in images. This technique, called multispectral image segmentation, is based on the classification of tissue types in an image according to their characteristics in various spectral regions. The spectral regions chosen for this study were the hydrogen spin-lattice relaxation time T1, spin-spin relaxation time T2, and spin density, rho. Single-echo, spin-echo magnetic resonance images of axial slices through the brain at the level of the lateral ventricles were recorded on a 1.5 Tesla imager from 20 volunteers ranging in age from 17 to 72 years. These images were used to calculate the T1, T2, and rho images used for the classification. Tissue classification was performed by locating clusters of pixels in a three-dimensional T1(-1)-T2(-1)-rho histogram. Gray matter, white matter, cerebrospinal fluid, meninges, muscle, and adipose tissues were readily classified in magnetic resonance images of the volunteers with a single set of T1, T2, and rho values. Cluster characteristics, such as size, shape, and location, provided information on the imaging procedure and tissue characteristics.

There is a controversy in the literature regarding the prevalence of osseous changes in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of asymptomatic persons. Using cephalometrically corrected tomograms, we assessed one TMJ of each of 34 asymptomatic persons who had no arthrographic or magnetic resonance imaging evidence of internal derangement. Minimal flattening of the condyle or articular eminence was seen in 12 joints (35%). More advanced osseous changes such as erosion, osteophytosis, or sclerosis were not seen in any joint. The findings suggest that generally no osseous changes occur in the TMJ in asymptomatic persons without internal derangement. When osseous changes occur, they are confined to minimal flattenings. Minimal flattening is probably of no clinical significance because the persons were asymptomatic, and arthrography and magnetic resonance imaging showed no evidence of abnormalities in the soft tissues.

The authors have studied variations of Böhler's angle by various radiographic incidences. They have defined anatomic references of this angle on the correspondent dry bone. With the same radiographic incidences, Böhler's angle was 32 degrees. This value remained constant when X-ray incidences were modified with 15 degrees in all the directions from the external profile. Anatomic variations of the 3 references on dry bone which define this angle, were very small. Böhler's angle is therefore a good morphologic reference for evolutive study of each patient. It's variation in population needs comparative radiographic control of the opposite side.

Thirty-four carotid artery bifurcations were examined using both magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and digital subtraction arch aortography to determine their accuracy when compared to selective carotid angiography. The sensitivity of MRA was 73% and its specificity was 91% when compared with selective carotid angiography. The sensitivity of arch aortography was 27% and its specificity was 100%.

Condensed image processing (CIP), a computerized technique of scintiscans that generates a vertical distribution of activity as a function of time in a single image, was applied to isotopic lymphoscintigrams of four patients with leg lymphedema. By "condensing" information gained from multiple images into a single image, CIP better evaluates ascending progression of radiolabeled colloid in peripheral lymph and better localizes stagnant areas. In "high lymph flow failure," CIP also depicts radioactive "bursts" suggestive of increased lymphatic truncal contractility. This data processing method improves interpretation of dynamic scintiscan recordings and seems ideally suited for evaluation of peripheral lymph kinetics.

In our experience, indications for surgical management of lymphedema do not amount to more than 10% of cases. Surgery is significantly complemented by expert pre and postoperative physiotherapy. Excisional procedures are presently seldom carried out, although they may be helpful when carried out as simple "orange-slice"-type resection, or as the Thompson operation. Liposuction is an attractive alternative, but its effectiveness needs be confirmed yet. Actually, the most effective types of surgical treatment are microsurgical lymphovenous or lymphoveno-lymphatic bypass. Secondary lymphedema of the lower extremities (more rarely of the upper limbs) are primary indications. The Campisi-Casaccia team from Genoa has acquired interesting experience with congenital lymphedema. Results relating to surgical treatment of lymphedema can be assessed only after a follow-up of 3-5 years. About one third of cases, on average, do very well and another third do well. Elastic support of the leg must practically always be maintained.

116 physicians out of the 1000 who were questioned use pressure-therapy in the treatment of lymphedema of the extremities. Another 170 are interested in the technique and await this report before possibly adopting it. Overall, the devices utilized are compartmented and use discontinued pressure that is asynchronous in relations to heart beat; each session lasts 30 minutes, on average, with compression and resting phases lasting 45 seconds and 15 seconds, respectively. The usual schedule is one session daily, three days per week, in two series clustered within a single year. Although manual drainage of lymphatics is combined with pressure-therapy in 71.55% of the times, only 43.47% of physicians use elastic support following the treatment. Results are good or very good in 64.4% of cases, and the incidence of post-therapeutic events is rather low (polyuria, pain recrudescence of lymphangitis, etc.). Aside from lymphedema, venous insufficiency, hypodermitis and leg ulcers may also benefit from pressure-therapy.

The osteogenic exostosis of the ribs are unfrequent. Their location on the first rib is exceptional. One case is described. The authors, after a review of the literature, recall the particular symptomatology which can be observed, like thoracic outlet syndrome. A partial or total resection of the first rib is advocated. The surgical approach has to be discussed.

After a brief review of the classical methodology and results of lymphoscintigraphy, the technique is considered in terms of an original kinetic study approach. Immediately after distal subcutaneous injection of a technetium colloid (rhenium sulfocolloid), 40 1-min serial images of the limbs are recorded followed 4 h after injection by recording of static images. The main abnormalities detected by scintigraphy concern the lymphatic vessels, nodes and interstitium. They reveal the presence of lymphedema and provide information about its mechanism, indicating, particularly in the case of primary lymphedema, whether there is predominant hyperplasia or hypoplasia in vessels or nodes. Synoptic study of the initial dynamic recording based on simple examination of serial images is difficult. Complementary data provided by activity curves determined from manually selected regions of interest (ROI'S) are of limited value since the ROI'S correspond to superimposed spatial structures. Two data-processing techniques--the condensed image (CI) and factorial analysis (FA)--were therefore applied to dynamic scintigraphic recordings in order to study lymphatic progress of the radiotracer in the legs. A complete dynamic series is described in two IC, one for each leg. The CI, obtained by mounting the 40 serial images in vertical strips 1 pixel in width, describes the spatial distribution of radioactivity along the leg during recording. Factorial analysis provides automatic extraction of pure kinetic components or factors from the dynamic series despite their spatial superposition. The factors are described by factorial curves and factorial images representing the spatial identity of the factor. Three-factor FA was applied successively to each leg.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Imaging of the thoracic duct is usually performed by radiological lymphography. However, this procedure, which uses an oil based dye injected directly into the lymph channels, has some adverse effects. In this paper we note that lymphoscintigraphy, a physiological and non invasive method, may visualize thoracic duct abnormalities, and might be particularly useful when radiological lymphography is contraindicated.