An updated inventory of the native vascular flora of Italy, providing details on the occurrence at regional level, is presented. The checklist includes 8195 taxa (6417 species and 1778 subspecies), ...distributed in 1092 genera and 152 families; 23 taxa are lycophytes, 108 ferns and fern allies, 30 gymnosperms and 8034 angiosperms. The taxa currently occurring in Italy are 7483, while 568 taxa have not been confirmed in recent times, 99 are doubtfully occurring in the country and 19 are data deficient. Out of the 568 not confirmed taxa, 26 are considered extinct or possibly extinct.
An updated inventory of the vascular flora alien to Italy, providing details on the occurrence at regional level, is presented. The checklist includes 1597 species, subspecies, and hybrids, ...distributed in 725 genera and 152 families; 2 taxa are lycophytes, 11 ferns and fern allies, 33 gymnosperms, and 1551 angiosperms. 157 taxa are archaeophytes and 1440 neophytes. The alien taxa currently established in Italy are 791 (570 naturalized and 221 invasive), while 705 taxa are casual aliens, 4 are not assessed, 7 are of unknown regional distribution, 47 have not been confirmed in recent times, 3 are considered extinct or possibly extinct in the country, and 40 are doubtfully occurring in Italy. This checklist allows to establish an up-to-date number (9792) of taxa constituting the whole (native and alien) Italian flora.
HHV‐6A and HHV‐6B are found as inherited and chromosomally integrated forms (iciHHV‐6A and ‐6B) into all germinal and somatic cells and vertically transmitted in a Mendelian manner in about 1% of the ...population. They were occasionally shown to be horizontally transmitted through hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Here, we present a clinical case of horizontal transmission of iciHHV‐6A from donor to recipient through liver transplantation. Molecular analysis performed on three viral genes (7.2 kb) in the recipient and donor samples supports transmission of iciHHV‐6A from the graft. Transmission was followed by reactivation, with high viral loads in several compartments. The infection was uncontrollable, leading to severe disease and death, despite antiviral treatments and the absence of resistance mutations. This case highlights the fact that physicians should be aware of the possible horizontal transmission of iciHHV‐6 and its consequences in case of reactivation in immunocompromised patients.
The authors report on an inherited chromosomally integrated herpesvirus 6A (iciHHV‐6A) present in a transplanted liver that reactivated in the recipient, infecting the brain and digestive tract with associated clinical symptoms.
•CO2RR is studied at Pd100–xCux nanopowders in the form of solid solution alloys.•Focus is set on the acquisition and interpretation of electrochemical signals.•The synergy between Pd and Cu is ...evidenced directly by cyclic voltammetry.•The critical time for full poisoning exhibits a volcano dependence on composition.•Pd70Cu30 is identified as a close to optimal composition in terms of CO tolerance.
A study of the CO2 electrochemical reduction reaction (CO2RR) at Pd100−xCux solid solution type nanoalloys is presented. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry are used in combination with a cavity microelectrode (CME) for the first time. Low-distorted voltammetric signals obtained with the CME evidence that for alloys with low or moderate Cu content (up to 50 at%) the typical CO2RR inhibition peak, related to CO blocking Pd active sites, becomes a current plateau. Interestingly, the plateau height matches the theoretical value corresponding to the steady state current of a microdisc. This fact indicates a better tolerance of Pd100−xCux towards CO poisoning and also the attainment of a pseudo-steady state where mass transport should be controlled by diffusion. The synergy between Cu and Pd is thus established for the first time at the level of the voltammograms. The chronoamperometric responses exhibit three well defined regions corresponding to (1) double layer charging and diffusion/reaction establishment, (2) beginning of CO poisoning by formation of a CO adlayer and (3) final collapse of the catalytic activity at a critical time, tc, which depends directly on the bimetallic composition. A plot of tc vs. Pd content exhibits a clear volcano shape, from which ~ Pd72Cu28 is identified as a close to optimal composition in terms of CO tolerance and Pd35Cu65 as the composition from which the advantage of alloying Pd with Cu is lost. An in-depth analysis of the I/V response and its evolution with composition and time is performed in the CO2RR and CO stripping regions. As a result, the possibility of developing a method to further increase the catalyst lifetime based on periodical releasing of “CO-like” intermediates by CO stripping is proposed.
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Identification of monogenic diabetes (MgD) conveys benefits for patients’ care. Algorithms for selecting the patients to be genetically tested have been established in EuroCaucasians, but not in ...non-EuroCaucasian individuals. We assessed the diagnosis rate, the phenotype of MgD, and the relevance of selection criteria, according to ancestry in patients referred for a suspected MgD.
Seven genes (GCK, HNF1A, HNF4A, HNF1B, ABCC8, KCNJ11, INS) were analyzed in 1975 adult probands (42% non-EuroCaucasians), selected on the absence of diabetes autoantibodies and ≥2 of the following criteria: age ≤40 years and body mass index <30 kg/m2 at diagnosis, and a family history of diabetes in ≥2 generations.
Pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants were identified in 6.2% of non-EuroCaucasian and 23.6% of EuroCaucasian patients (OR 0.21, 0.16–0.29). Diagnosis rate was low in all non-EuroCaucasian subgroups (4.1–11.8%). Common causes of MgD (GCK, HNF1A, HNF4A), but not rare causes, were less frequent in non-EuroCaucasians than in EuroCaucasians (4.1%, vs. 21.1%, OR 0.16 0.11–0.23). Using ethnicity-specific body mass index cutoffs increased the diagnosis rate in several non-EuroCaucasian subgroups.
The diagnosis rate of MgD is low in non-EuroCaucasian patients, but may be improved by tailoring selection criteria according to patients’ancestry.
In this study, we demonstrate the benefit of an original vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) nanostructuration on the electrochemical performances. This new synthesis way of high purity nanosized V2O5 consists ...in a facile fluorination reaction of micro-V2O5 in aqueous solution followed by a heat-treatment at low temperature (230°C). Highly porous calisson-like particles with crystallite sizes in the 13–30nm range are obtained. Remarkably, this nanostructured V2O5 exhibits outstanding rate capacities and cycling stabilities. This material can deliver reversible capacities of 260mAhg−1 at 15mAg−1 (C/10 rate) and 150mAhg−1 at 300mAg−1 (2C rate), as well as a stable capacity of 200mAhg−1 at C rate after 50 cycles. The unique structural features of nano-LixV2O5 electrodes are determined over the large Li composition range 0≤x<2 based on XRD and Raman microspectrometry experiments. We provide evidence that lithiation in nanosized V2O5 proceeds via solid solution state without domain boundaries: a single phase behavior of the ε’-type whose interlayer distance and unit cell volume linearly increase with x is revealed. This constitutes a disruption of the usual mirco-LixV2O5 phase diagram made of the successive appearance of the (α/ε), (ε/δ) and (δ/γ) wide biphasic regions. These limited and reversible structural changes combined with shorter Li diffusion pathways explain the huge improvement in electrochemical performances of nano-V2O5. These findings fully elucidate the peculiar voltage profile of nanosized V2O5 and give a unique insight into the impact of nanostructures in terms of electrochemistry and solid state chemistry.
This paper reports on the top-down fabrication and electrical performance of silicon nanowire (SiNW) gate-all-around (GAA) n-type and p-type MOSFET devices integrated on bulk silicon using a ...local-silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process. The proposed local-SOI fabrication provides various nanowire cross sections: Omega-like, pentagonal, triangular, and circular, all controlled by isotropic etching using nitride spacers and silicon sacrificial oxidation. The reported top-down SiNW fabrication offers excellent control of wire doping and placement, as well as ohmic source and drain contacts. A particular feature of the process is the buildup of a tensile strain in all suspended nanowires, attaining values of few percents, reflected in stress values higher than 2-3 GPa. A very high yield (>90%) is obtained in terms of functionality of long-channel SiNW GAA mosfet. Device characteristics are reported from cryogenic temperature ( T = 5 K) up to 150 deg C, and promising characteristics in terms of low-field electron mobility, threshold voltage control, and subthreshold slope are demonstrated. Low field mobility for electrons up to 850 cm 2 /Vmiddots is reported at room temperature in suspended devices with triangular cross sections; this mobility enhancement is explained by the process-induced tensile strain. In short, suspended SiNW GAA with small triangular cross sections, a single-electron transistor (SET) operation regime is highlighted at T = 5 K. This is attributed to a combined effect of strain and corner conduction in triangular channel cross sections, suggesting the possibility to hybridize CMOS and SET functions by a unique nanowire fabrication platform.
MAX is a complete suite of XAFS data analysis computer programs, written with the cross-platform object scripting langage Livecode 1 working on Windows, MacOSX and Linux systems, freely available on ...our web site since 2007 2. The 2009 version presentation is available in the XAFS14 conference proceedings 3 and regularly updated on the www.xafs.org web site 4.
Wafer bonding is an established technology for the manufacturing of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) and microfluidic devices. Low temperature direct ...bonding techniques can be of particular interest for the fabrication of monolithic radiation sensors. Such techniques allow the joining of various absorbers on the backside of thinned CMOS circuity without intermediate layers or through vias. This paper presents a method for the electrical characterization of such bonded interfaces based on the Transient Current Technique (TCT). This method can be extended to the investigation of any type of solid-state devices.
The tribocorrosion behavior of tungsten sliding against an alumina ball was evaluated in sulfuric acid under applied electrode potential. Surface chemistry of worn and unworn surfaces was evaluated ...using XPS and AES. Quasi-potentiostatic polarization curves and potential step measurements were performed under mass transport control to assess relevant corrosion factors. It was found that the tribocorrosion rate of tungsten varies with the applied electrode potential and goes through a maximum for a potential of 0.5
V MSE. Different material removal mechanisms were identified. In the wear track, materials deterioration proceeds by cyclic mechanical removal of the passive oxide film followed by anodic oxidation. The removal rate was found to be proportional to the passivation charge density determined in independent electrochemical experiments. At higher potential (1
V MSE) a thick WO
3 tribolayer forms and by covering the wear track reduces the tribocorrosion damage. Outside the wear track the stirring of the solution induced by the moving alumina ball leads to an enhancement of the dissolution rate of the WO
3 passive film and thus to higher material wastage.
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