Abstract: Cytotoxic necrotising factor 1 (CNF1) treats dysfunctional astrocytes and is useful to treat conditions associated with astrogliosis and/or neuroinflammation.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an aromatic aldehyde by means of the oxidation of the corresponding starting compound in aqueous medium, and separation of said aldehyde from said medium by pervaporation is disclosed together a plant for its carrying out. Advantageously, the process of the present invention allows control of oxidation reaction and recovery of the product with high selectivity and purity. Among others, benzaldehyde, anisaldehyde and vanillin can advantageously be prepared by this process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to organic semiconductors to be used as intrinsic, direct detectors for ionizing radiations, such as X and gamma rays, neutrons, and charged particles (alpha rays, electrons, positrons, and the like), and to a method for manufacturing such intrinsic, direct detectors for ionizing radiations. The invention further relates to instruments or complex devices provided with a detector based on, or somehow incorporating, the above detectors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a conductive fiber material comprising a base fiber material (1) including a textile fiber, a plurality of nanoparticles (20) deposited on an external surface (10) of said base fiber material, said nanoparticles including one or more metals or metal oxides and a conductive polymer layer deposited on said external surface including nanoparticles.

Abstract: A new and distinct Actinidia chinensis Planchon cultivar named AC1536 is disclosed, characterized by distinctive large, oblong fruit, and an earlier time of maturity for harvesting.

Abstract: The present invention relates to silica nanoparticles comprising at least two dyes. Said dyes have a respective relationship of donor-acceptor couple in an energy transfer process and have a molar absorption coefficient ?10,000 M?1 cm?1 for the considered spectral region, a fluorescence quantum yield ?0.01, good overlap integral, according to the Förster theory, between said donor and said acceptor dye; said active compounds may be lipophilic or may present a functionality useful for the introduction of a trialkoxysilane moiety. The dyes provide an efficient energy transfer process. Said nanoparticles are useful as probes in the field of medicine, in particular therapy and diagnostics, more particularly in theranostics, and in the field of analytical chemistry.

Abstract: Use for measuring temperatures of a coordination complex presenting formula I, wherein M1, M2, M3, M4, M5 are chosen, each independently of the others, in the group consisting of: CuI, AgI, AuI, PdII; n is equal to the sum of the oxidation states of M1, M2, M3, M4, M5 minus 3; II represents a respective portion of each tridentate ligand having the formula III in which R1 is chosen in the group consisting of: Ph, C1-C4 alkyl, halo-alkyl C1-C4 substituted phenyl; R2 is chosen in the group consisting of: Ph, C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 halo-alkyl-, substituted phenyl; R3 is chosen in the group consisting of: C3-C18 alkyl, benzyl, substituted benzyl, C1-C20 hydroxy-alkyl, C1-C20 alkoxy silane.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an aromatic aldehyde by means of the oxidation of the corresponding starting compound in aqueous medium, and separation of said aldehyde from said medium by pervaporation is disclosed together a plant for its carrying out. Advantageously, the process of the present invention allows control of oxidation reaction and recovery of the product with high selectivity and purity. Among others, benzaldehyde, anisaldehyde and vanillin can advantageously be prepared by this process.

Abstract: A method for artificially reproducing an output signal of a non-linear time invariant system includes the steps of inserting an input signal of exponential sine sweep type in the non-linear time invariant system, acquiring an output signal of the non-linear time invariant system corresponding to the input signal, obtaining a mathematical function that characterizes the non-linear time invariant system on the basis of the output signal and applying the mathematical function to a further signal to obtain a still further signal which reproduces the output signal that would be obtained from the non-linear time invariant system if it were driven by the further signal.

Abstract: Compositions containing Montmorillonite and Portland cement for tooth filling are disclosed; such compositions have shown good biocompatibility, excellent marginal adaptation to dentinal walls, short setting time, and improved viscosity.

Abstract: Nanoparticles, which are luminescent and/or electroactive and/or suitable for MRI (magnetic resonance imaging and/or PET (positron emission tomography) applications, comprise a micelle, which has a hydrophilic shell and an hydrophobic central portion, and a polysilicate core; the micelle comprises a plurality of molecules of a functionalized surfactant having the following structure: M1-Hydro1-Lipo-Hydro2-M2 wherein Lipo indicates a hydrophobic chain; Hydro1 ed Hydro2 indicate, each, a respective hydrophilic chain; M1 ed M2 represent respective recognition functionalities.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing polyhydroxyalkanoate oligomers and/or polymers of reduced molecular weight, which comprises reacting at least one polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) with at least one carbonate salt at a temperature of from 50° C. to 300° C., preferably from 120° C. to 200° C. The above reaction allows a controlled degradation of the PHA chains which yields oligomers and/or polymers having a controlled molecular weight, which can be modulated in view of the specific application for which the oligomers and/or polymers are intended. Moreover, during the reaction carbon dioxide evolves which produces a foamed material which can be easily processed on an industrial scale.

Abstract: A method for communication in ultra-wide bandwidth RFID systems includes the steps of generating through a transceiver device an interrogation signal composed of at least a sequence of equally time spaced pulses within a period and transmitting the signal to at least one RFID identification device which generates a response signal and transmits it back to the transceiver device. The interrogation signal is coded according to a numerical coding sequence. The response signal is generated by varying, in each period of the pulse sequence of the interrogation signal, a polarity of pulses using the numerical coding sequence. An apparatus for communication in ultra-wide bandwidth RFID systems includes a transceiver device and a RFID identification device, suitable for communicating with each other. The RFID identification device includes a backscatter modulator suitable for modulating a signal reflected by an antenna of an identification device RFID.

Abstract: A device for conditioning the balance and motor co-ordination of a user (2) comprises a system (3) for acquisition of information relative to the kinematics of at least one part (4) of the body of the user (2), a processing interface (9) connected to the acquisition system (3) to encode the information in a signal, a pair of earphones (12, 13) operating between the processing interface (9) and the user (2), to feed the user the signal suitably defined by a stereophonic sound which can be transmitted in an audio channel.

Abstract: A low-cost and non-invasive method for remote monitoring deformations of a structure (2), which method envisages to couple at least two RFID tags (3) to the structure (2) in its respective points (10a, 10b, 10a-10c), to interrogate at radio frequency the RFID tags (3) so that a resultant electromagnetic field is produced at a certain distance (DINF) from the structure (2), the resultant electromagnetic field ensuing from a combination of the electromagnetic fields produced individually by each RFID tags (3) in response to the interrogation, to measure the resultant electromagnetic field at such a distance (DINF) from the structure (2) for obtaining measurements of the resultant electromagnetic field, and to determine the deformations of the structure (2) as a function of the measurements of the resultant electromagnetic field.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a porous composite material, wherein at least one interdispersed biopolymer is present, with a calcium-phosphate mineral component comprising from 50 w/% to 95 w/% of ?-tricalcium phosphate (?-TCP, ?-Ca3(PO4)2) and from 5 w/% to 50 w/% of octacalcium phosphate (OCP, Ca8H2(PO4)6—5H2O), to the total weight of the mineral component. Such combination of ?-TCP and OCP allows an in vivo faster resorption rate and thereby a faster formation of new bone tissue having a low cristallinity mineral component with nanocrystal structure, features very similar to those of biological apatites. This porous composite material may find application as bone and/or osteal-chart ilagineous substitute (scaffold) and in producing tissue engineering devices.

Abstract: 2,5-bis-diamine-[1,4]benzoquinonic derivatives, having a general formula (I) have proved useful for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease; a method for preparing them and intermediates used in said method are also described.

Abstract: An orthopaedic device (1) for the mobile connection of a first and a second bony segment (4, 5) of an organic device for cooperating with or substituting a natural articulation comprising a first working surface (9) related to the first cooperating segment (4) with a second working surface (10) related to the second bony segment (5) in order to constrain (guide) the relative motion between the said bony segments (4, 5); the first and the second working surface (9, 10) are respectively practically shaped as the axodes of the relative motion of a first and a second link of a linkage practically equivalent to the natural articulation; in particular the first and the second link are corresponding, in the linkage, to the first and the second bony segment (4, 5).

Abstract: Compounds identified by the general formula (I) are used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract: Compounds identified by the general formula (I) are used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease