Analog and digital circuits using organic thin-film transistors onpolyester substrates

We have fabricated and characterized analog and digital circuits using organic thin-film transistors on polyester film substrates. These are the first reported dynamic results for organic circuits fabricated on polyester substrates. The high-performance pentacene transistors yield circuits with the highest reported clock frequencies for organic circuits     

IP QoS delivery in a broadband wireless local loop: MAC protocoldefinition and performance evaluation

The wireless approach to the last mile access (wireless local loop, known as WLL) is becoming increasingly attractive to network operators and service providers since it offers a flexible and cost-effective solution to enable delivery of even broadband services to end customers. In this paper, a full-blown broadband WLL network is presented. The proposal is based on the OFDM-CDMA technique, to which an added dynamic reservation/request MAC protocol is proposed, fully exploiting the OFDM-CDMA platform. Central to our proposal is the support of different QoS profiles, in the context of QoS aware networks. As a case study, the explicit presentation of the IETF integrated services support over our WLL system is addressed. An extensive performance evaluation focused on the MAC layer is then reported. We prove that our scheme achieves high utilization efficiency, as well as a fair share of the available radio capacity, even in the presence of highly heterogeneous traffic mix. Delay performance is provided for both reference traffic models, as well as for measured IP and MPEG traffic traces offered to the system     

Bistable swirled flames and influence on flame transfer functions

Large Eddy Simulations (LES) are used to study a lean swirl-stabilized gas turbine burner where the flow exhibits two stable states. In the first one, the flame is attached to the central bluff body upstream of the central recirculation zone which contains burnt gases. In the second one the flame is detached from the central bluff body downecirculation zone which is filled by cold unburnt gases and dominated by a strong Precessing Vortex Core (PVC). The existence of these two states has an important effect on the dynamic response of the flame (FTF): both gain and phase of the FTF change significantly in the detached case compared to the attached one, suggesting that the stability of the machine to thermoacoustic oscillations will differ, depending on the flame state. Bifurcation diagrams show that the detached flame cannot be brought back to an attached position with an increased fuel flow rate, but it can be re-attached by forcing it at high amplitudes. The attached flame however, behaves inversely: it can be brought back to the detached position by both decreasing or increasing the pilot mass flow rate, but it remains attached at all forcing amplitudes.     

Identification of Aminoimidazole and Aminothiazole Derivatives as Src Family Kinase Inhibitors

Src family kinases (SFKs) are a family of non‐receptor tyrosine kinases (TKs) implicated in the regulation of many cellular processes. The aberrant activity of these TKs has been associated with the growth and progression of cancer. In particular, c‐Src is overexpressed or hyperactivated in a variety of solid tumors and is most likely a strong promoting factor for the development of metastasis. Herein, the synthesis of new 4‐aminoimidazole and 2‐aminothiazole derivatives and their in vitro biological evaluation are described for their potential use as SFK inhibitors. Initially, 2‐aminothiazole analogues of dasatinib and 4‐aminoimidazole derivatives were synthesized and tested against the SFKs Src, Fyn, Lyn, and Yes. Five hits were identified as the most promising compounds, with K_i values in the range of 90–480 nm . A combination of molecular docking, homology modeling, and molecular dynamics were then used to investigate the possible binding mode of such compounds within the ATP binding site of the SFKs. Finally, the antiproliferative activities of the best candidates were evaluated against SH‐SY5Y and K562 cell lines. Compound 3 b [2‐(4‐{2‐methyl‐6‐[(5‐phenylthiazol‐2‐yl)amino]pyrimidin‐4‐yl}piperazin‐1‐yl)ethanol] was found to be the most active inhibitor.     

A Pharmacogenetics Study in Mozambican Patients Treated with Nevirapine: Full Resequencing of TRAF3IP2 Gene Shows a Novel Association with SJS/TEN Susceptibility

Steven–Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) are severe adverse drug reactions, characterized by extensive epidermal detachment and erosions of mucous membrane. SJS/TEN is one of the most serious adverse reactions to Nevirapine (NVP) treatment, commonly used in developing countries as first-line treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection. In the last years TRAF3IP2 gene variants had been described as associated with susceptibility to several diseases such as psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. We hypothesized that this gene, involved in immune response and in NF-κB activation, could also be implicated in the SJS/TEN susceptibility. We performed a full resequencing of TRAF3IP2 gene in a population of patients treated with NVP. Twenty-seven patients with NVP-induced SJS/TEN and 78 controls, all from Mozambique, were enrolled. We identified eight exonic and three intronic already described variants. The case/control association analysis highlighted an association between the rs76228616 SNP in exon 2 and the SJS/TEN susceptibility. In particular, the variant allele (C) resulted significantly associated with a higher risk to develop SJS/TEN (p = 0.012 and OR = 3.65 (95% CI 1.33–10.01)). A multivariate analysis by logistic regression confirmed its significant contribution (p = 0.027, OR = 4.39 (95% CI 1.19–16.23)). In conclusion, our study suggests that a variant in TRAF3IP2 gene could be involved in susceptibility to SJS/TEN.     

Effect of kaolin and copper based products and of starter cultures on green table olive fermentation

In the present study table olives treated in field with kaolin and copper based products against “olive-fruit fly” were fermented using two selected strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The fermentation process was monitored up to 260 days from brining through physico-chemical, microbiological and sensorial analyses. Results showed a dominance of LAB and yeasts and low level of Enterobacteriaceae counts throughout the whole process both in un-treated and treated samples. When investigating the effect of the single treatments on microbial dynamics, ANOVA results highlighted that copper based products affected significantly the control sample, while the sample inoculated with LAB starters maintained high level throughout the process, guaranteeing the fermentation process. Different behavior was revealed by yeasts population, which was partially influenced by copper treatment at the beginning of the fermentation.The polyphasic approach used in the present study, which combined sensory evaluation to microbial counts and physico-chemical characteristics, let to the conclusion on the importance of starter cultures in fermentation of table olives especially those treated with “non-conventional” pesticide, which could be used to prevent olive fly damage.     

A MAC protocol for a wireless LAN based on OFDM-CDMA

Local access encompasses requirements of high throughput, transfer performance, flexibility, and ease of user/terminal mobility at a relatively low cost. While some of these targets can often be met satisfactorily with wired infrastructures, it is getting increasingly popular to resort to wireless access (wireless LAN), mainly because of its simpler deployment, continuous coverage, availability of ad hoc connectivity, and user/terminal mobility support. This article outlines the proposal of a broadband quality-oriented WLAN system. The basic system characteristics are described, with details given on a MAC protocol supporting IP and exploiting an OFDM-CDMA technique     

The IPCS Collaborative Study on Neurobehavioral Screening. I. Background and genesis

Numerous events over several years culminated in recognition of the need to explicitly evaluate the nervous system as a potential target for environmental chemicals. Based on recommendations from several international expert panels, the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) sponsored the Collaborative Study on Neurobehavioral Screening Methods. A Steering Committee was created to oversee the project, develop the testing protocol, recruit participating laboratories and review and analyze the data. The protocol specified the tests, the chemicals (supplied from a common source) and the exposure conditions (acute and repeated dosing). Test methods were based upon existing practices in toxicological screening as well as recent advances in neurotoxicity screening. Chemicals were selected to produce different profiles of neurobehavioral effects. Considerable latitude was afforded the participating laboratories in the choice of several key variables (e.g., strain of rat, testing device for motor activity assessment) that could potentially affect the results of the experiments. The approach therefore provided a standardized yet flexible protocol for evaluating the reproducibility of neurobehavioral screening data in diverse laboratory settings.     

Influence of autonomic tone on QT interval duration

The autonomic tone has been shown to influence the duration of the QT interval, however the independent contribution of sympathetic and parasympathetic tone is not fully elucidated. The influence of autonomic tone on QT duration was studied in 10 young healthy volunteers by evaluating the changes in QT and RR duration induced by i.v. isoproterenol infusion and by standing before and after i.v. administration of propranolol or atropine. Furthermore, the relationship between RR interval and QT duration was evaluated during nocturnal sinus arrhythmia and submaximal exercise test. Low doses of isoproterenol reduced RR (p < 0.01) but not QT interval duration, while higher doses influenced both RR (p < 0.0001) and QT (p < 0.001) duration. Propranolol did not influence standing-induced shortening of RR and QT intervals; on the contrary, atropine administration abolished standing-induced QT interval shortening, without influencing RR changes. QT duration resulted significantly related to preceding RR interval at peak exercise (r = 0.87, p < 0.001) and during nocturnal sinus arrhythmia (r = 0.73, p < 0.0005), however, the regression lines showing the correlation between QT and preceding RR interval were different. Both sympathetic and parasympathetic tone appear to contribute to heart rate-independent changes in QT duration. In the basal state parasympathetic more than sympathetic tone influences the relation QT-heart rate. Major increases of sympathetic nervous system activity may change the relation QT-heart rate. Thus, in case of abrupt autonomic changes, any proposed formula for heart rate correction of QT may result inappropriate, also in the normal range of heart rate.     

Radiolabeled Polymeric Nanoconstructs Loaded with Docetaxel and Curcumin for Cancer Combinatorial Therapy and Nuclear Imaging

Growing evidence suggests that multifaceted diseases as cancer can be effectively tackled by hitting simultaneously different biological targets and monitoring patient‐specific responses. Combinatorial therapies, relying on the administration of two or more molecules with different cytotoxic mechanisms, are rapidly progressing in the clinic. Here, 100 nm spherical polymeric nanoconstructs (SPNs) are proposed for the combinatorial treatment of tumors by codelivering a potent antimitotic drug—docetaxel (DTXL)—and a broad spectrum anti‐inflammatory molecule—curcumin (CURC). In vitro, SPNs loaded with DTXL and CURC induce a threefold decrease in IC₅₀ as compared to DTXL‐loaded SPNs. This synergic antitumor effect is also significant in mouse models of glioblastoma multiforme, where, after 22 d of treatment, the combinatorial approach leads to complete disease regression. At 90 d post‐treatment initiation, mice injected with DTXL + CURC SPNs have a 100% survival, whereas only 50% of the DTXL SPN treated mice survive. SPNs are also labeled with radioactive ⁶⁴Cu(DOTA) molecules to document, via PET imaging, the progressive tumor mass shrinkage. Sensitization of DTXL by CURC is associated with NF‐κB downregulation and increased apoptosis. These theranostic nanoconstructs could be used for combinatorial treatment and assessment of therapeutic efficacy in other malignancies.