Abstract: Method for detecting the presence of nucleases in a sample, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: —incubating the sample to be tested for the presence of nucleases with at least one oligonucleotide linker constituting the substrate for the nuclease to be detected, for a sufficient time to cause degradation of said oligonucleotide linker by the nuclease possibly present in the sample, —adding to the sample, upon incubation, colloidal gold nanoparticles comprising gold nanoparticles functionalized with a first probe oligonucleotide and gold nanoparticles functionalized with a respective second probe oligonucleotide, said first and second probe oligonucleotides being complementary to a respective portion of the nucleotide sequence of the oligonucleotide linker, and—examining the possible colour change of the sample as a result of the addition of said nanoparticles, a colour change of the sample to the colour assumed by the colloidal gold particles when aggregated at a distance less than their size bei

Abstract: Pharmaceutical compounds are disclosed having a bicyclic-sulphonamide structure of Formula 1: wherein R1 represents an unsubstituted or a substituted heteroaryl ring; R2, R3, R4, and R5 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, and alkyl-O-alkyl, provided that either R2 and R3, or R4 and R5 are linked or taken together to form a bridge between the carbon atoms to which R2 and R3, or R4 and R5 respectively are directly linked, whereby the N-containing ring in Formula 1 is an azabicyclo moiety. The compounds and compositions including the compounds may be used in therapy as brain-cell-death protectants, for example, in the treatment of chronic neurodegenerative diseases. The compounds are active as inhibitors of N-acylethanolamine-hydrolysing acid amidase (NAAA) and may be used for the therapeutic treatment and prevention of pain and inflammatory disorders and other disorders which benefit from the modulation of fatty acid ethanolamides, particularly palmitoylethanolamide (PEA).

Abstract: A comprehensive system for treatment of wrist joint proprioception. The system includes a manipulandum unit and a controller. The unit includes a base, a handle, a linkage assembly, and motors. The base supports a subject's forearm, and the handle is gripped by the palm. The linkage assembly connects the handle to the base, and establishes three DOFs. The motors are operatively connected to the linkage assembly. The controller is programmed to actuate, and receive feedback information from, each of the plurality of motors. Further, the controller is programmed to perform wrist proprioception assessment operations by actuating the plurality of motors to effectuate movement of the handle relative to the base in a prescribed manner indicative of position motion sense acuity as an objective measure of wrist proprioception functioning. The controller is optionally further programmed to perform rehabilitation training via controlled operation of the unit and a virtually reality environment.

Abstract: A propulsion apparatus for space vehicles, includes a solid state oxygen-rich source layer, means for extracting oxygen from said solid state oxygen-rich source layer, means for accelerating correspondingly extracted oxygen ions into vacuum. A stack includes the solid state oxygen-rich source layer, an active layer being deposited above the solid state oxygen-rich source layer, in contact with the solid state oxygen-rich source layer, the active layer being formed with a material different from the solid state oxygen-rich source layer, the material being an oxide presenting impedance hysteresis behavior.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical compositions are provided which include a microRNA pool capable of promoting, stimulating or increasing neuronal differentiation, as well as methods for treating, ameliorating and/or preventing depression or diseases where damage to nervous tissue occurs, such as neurological diseases, by means of such microRNA pool.

Abstract: A propulsion apparatus for space vehicles, includes a solid state oxygen-rich source layer, means for extracting oxygen from said solid state oxygen-rich source layer, means for accelerating correspondingly extracted oxygen ions into vacuum. A stack includes the solid state oxygen-rich source layer, an active layer being deposited above the solid state oxygen-rich source layer, in contact with the solid state oxygen rich source layer, the active layer being formed with a material different from the solid state oxygen-rich source layer, the material being an oxide presenting impedance hysteresis behavior.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of Formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts or solvates thereof: It further discloses a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compounds of Formula (I) and their uses, in particular to modulate CFTR protein or ABC protein activities.

Abstract: An optical orientation device includes a support structure; an optical element having an optical surface interacting with a laser beam; and a mechanism mounted on the support structure rotating the optical element around mutually perpendicular first and second fixed rotation axes. The mechanism includes a first rotary assembly articulated around a first mobile support axis, which is rotary and perpendicular relative to the first rotation axis. The first rotary assembly is coupled to the support structure to rotate around the first rotation axis, so the optical element rotates around the first rotation axis and the first mobile support axis. A second rotary assembly rotates around a second mobile support axis perpendicular to the first mobile support axis. The beam passes through a cavity around the first rotation axis, the cavity facing the optical element. First and second linear actuators rotate the first rotary assembly and the second rotary assembly, respectively.

Abstract: There is disclosed a trans-acting functional nucleic acid molecule comprising a eukaryotic target binding sequence comprising a sequence reverse complementary to a target mRNA sequence for which protein translation is to be enhanced, and a regulatory sequence comprising an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) sequence or an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) derived sequence and enhancing translation of the target mRNA sequence, wherein the regulatory sequence is located 3? of the target binding sequence.

Abstract: An optical adapter includes a support, which can be removably coupled to an image acquisition device. The support has a substrate made of substantially transparent material. The substrate has a proximal surface intended for facing towards the device and a distal surface located at a distance from the proximal surface and intended for facing towards an object to be observed. The support also has a lens located in a seat obtained in the substrate and facing towards the objective of the device. In addition, the support has a reflector located laterally relative to the lens and arranged for facing towards a light source integrated into the device and conveying the light emitted by the light source in a transversal direction towards the lens and past the distal surface.

Abstract: A deployable structure is described including a first and a second robotic system (4, 6; 604, 606), each of which includes: a respective distal element (12;22); at least one respective shape-locking element (14;24); and a respective coupling structure (16;26) operable in a first and a second operating mode. When the coupling structure of the first robotic system operates in the first operating mode, it is elastically deformable and operable so as to move the first robotic system; when the coupling structure of the first robotic system operates in the second operating mode, it forms a guide for the movement of the second robotic system. When the coupling structure of the second robotic system operates in the first operating mode, it is elastically deformable and is operable so as to move the second robotic system; when the coupling structure of the second robotic system operates in the second operating mode, it forms a guide for the movement of the shape-locking element of the first robotic system.

Abstract: A method for the optoinjection of exogenous material in a recipient biological cell is disclosed and comprises: placing a biological cell on a planar surface of a substrate, transmitting a sub-ns pulsed laser beam through a variable convergence/divergence collimator; focusing the laser beam in a focal spot positioned along an axial direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate; moving the focal spot towards the cell along the axial direction by continuously varying the electric control signal from a first amplitude value a second amplitude value the second amplitude value of the control signal is selected such that the second axial position is positioned inside the cell.

Abstract: Microscopy method and apparatus for determining the positions of emitter objects in a three-dimensional space that comprises focusing scattered light or fluorescent light emitted by an emitter object, separating the focused beam in a first and a second optical beam, directing the first and the second optical beam through a varifocal lens having an optical axis such that the first optical beam impinges on the lens along the optical axis and the second beam impinges decentralized with respect to the optical axis of the varifocal lens, simultaneously capturing a first image created by the first optical beam and a second image created by the second optical beam, and determining the relative displacement of the position of the object in the first and in the second image, wherein the relative displacement contains the information of the axial position of the object along a perpendicular direction to the image plane.

Abstract: A humanoid robot foot (10) comprises: a foot base (12), at least one leaf spring (14) acting as a flexible toe of the foot, said at least one leaf spring (14) having a rear portion (14a) rigidly connected to a flat surface (12b) of the foot base (12), a front portion (14b) projecting from the foot base (12) and an intermediate portion (14c) which is not rigidly connected to the foot base (12) and is therefore freely deflectable, along with the front portion (14b), as a result of the application of an external force on the front portion (14b), and a stiffness adjustment device (26) for actively changing the stiffness (K) of said at least one leaf spring (14).

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a seed-growth based method for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles of controlled shape (cubes, cuboids, octahedrons) and size in an aqueous environment, without the use of shape directing agents. The method involves a first step of preparing a solution comprising water, metal seed growth nanoparticles, a metal salt comprising the same metal as the metal seed growth nanoparticles, and a reducing agent; and a second step of heating the solution to between 9 and 130° C. at a rate of between 1° C./min and 5° C./min and at a pressure of between 1 and 5 atm. The method may also be carried out in a reduced oxygen atmosphere and the concentration of oxygen disclosed in the solution may be less than the concentration of oxygen in an oxygen saturated solution.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of films of conductive polymers, by the technique so-called roll-to-roll, which allows to obtain freestanding films having advantageous features such as toughness, flexibility, ability to adhere to different substrates, a submicron thickness and a very high ratio surface area/thickness; the present films are suitable for use in several technological applications, in particular for the development of biosensors, and in the production of flexible electronic components with large surface, suitable for wearable devices and also intended for contacting skin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of Formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts or solvates thereof: It further discloses a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compounds of Formula (I) and their uses, in particular in the treatment of diseases or disorders associated to increased relative to physiological or desired RhoJ/Cdc42 levels of expression or function.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a process for the preparation of core-shell particles by the coacervation method encapsulating contrast agents for multimodal imaging. The process consists in: a. Providing a water in oil emulsion of a biocompatible polyelectrolyte polymer. b. Providing an aqueous solution of a biocompatible polyelectrolyte polymer having opposite charges of the polyelectrolyte of step a). c. Adding a crosslinking agent to the primary emulsion and the secondary solution. d. Adding at least a tracer independently to the primary emulsion or the secondary solution or emulsion. e. Adding the secondary aqueous solution to the primary emulsions and occurring of the complex coacervation leading to the separation of the coacervate particles. f. Optionally absorb a further tracer into the nanoparticles The disclosure also relates to the coacervates obtained by the above described process and their use as probe for multimodal imaging in the diagnostic field.

Abstract: The present invention concerns novel lantipeptide (lanthionine-containing peptide) compounds having general formula (I), a process for their preparation, the key intermediates in said processes, their pharmaceutical acceptable salts and pharmaceutical compositions containing them, as well as their use in the treatment of pain.

Abstract: Described herein, inter alia, are compositions and methods useful for inhibiting fatty acid amide hydrolase.