Do ultrafast exciton-polaron decoherence dynamics govern photocarrier generation efficiencies in polymer solar cells?

All-organic-based photovoltaic solar cells have attracted considerable attention because of their low-cost processing and short energy payback time. In such systems the primary dissociation of an optical excitation into a pair of photocarriers has been recently shown to be extremely rapid and efficient, but the physical reason for this remains unclear. Here, two-dimensional photocurrent excitation spectroscopy, a novel non-linear optical spectroscopy, is used to probe the ultrafast coherent decay of photoexcitations into charge-producing states in a polymer:fullerene based solar cell. The two-dimensional photocurrent spectra are interpreted by introducing a theoretical model for the description of the coupling of the electronic states of the system to an external environment and to the applied laser fields. The experimental data show no cross-peaks in the two-dimensional photocurrent spectra, as predicted by the model for coherence times between the exciton and the photocurrent producing states of 20\,fs or less

BRCA1 genetic testing in 106 breast and ovarian cancer families from southern Italy (Sicily): a mutation analyses.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the contribution of germline BRCA1 mutations in the incidence of hereditary and familial Breast Cancer (BC) and/or Ovarian Cancer (OC) in patients from Southern Italy (in the region of Sicily) and to identify a possible association between the higher frequency of BRCA1 mutations and a specific familial profile. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: A consecutive series of 650 patients with BC and/or OC diagnosed between 1999 and 2005 were recruited from the Southern Italian region of Sicily, after interview at the "Regional Reference Centre for the Characterization and Genetic Screening of Hereditary Tumors" at the University of Palermo. Genetic counselling allowed us to recruit a total of 106 unrelated families affected with breast and/or ovarian cancer screened for mutations occurring in the whole BRCA1 gene by automatic direct sequencing. RESULTS: Germline BRCA1 mutations were found in 17 of 106 (16%) Sicilian families. The HBOC profile had a major frequency (66%) of mutations (P < 0.01). A total of 28 sequence variants was identified. Seven of these were pathogenic, 5 unknown biological variant (UV) and 16 polymorphisms. We also identified a pathological mutation (4843delC) as a possible Sicilian founder mutation. CONCLUSIONS: The present study is the first BRCA1 disease-associated mutations analysis in Southern Italian families. The early age of onset of such tumors and the association with the HBOC familial profile could be two valid screening factors for the identification of BRCA1 mutation carriers. Finally, we identified a BRCA1 mutation with a possible founder effec

TP53 and p16INK4A, but not H-KI-Ras, are involved in tumorigenesis and progression of pleomorphic adenomas.

The putative role of TP53 and p16INK4A tumor suppressor genes and Ras oncogenes in the development and progression of salivary gland neoplasias was studied in 28 cases of pleomorphic adenomas (PA), 4 cases of cystic adenocarcinomas, and 1 case of carcinoma ex-PA. Genetic and epigenetic alterations in the above genes were analyzed by Polymerase Chain Reaction/Single Strand Conformational Polymorphism (PCR/SSCP) and sequencing and by Methylation Specific-PCR (MS-PCR). Mutations in TP53 were found in 14% (4/28) of PAs and in 60% (3/5) of carcinomas. Mutations in H-Ras and K-Ras were identified in4%(1/28) and7% (2/28) of PAs, respectively. Only 20% (1/5) of carcinomas screened displayed mutations in K-Ras. p16INK4A promoter hypermethylation was found in 14% (4/28) of PAs and 100% (5/5) carcinomas. All genetic and epigenetic alterations were detected exclusively in the epithelial and transitional tumor components, and were absent in the mesenchymal parts. Our analysis suggests that TP53 mutations and p16INK4A promoter methylation, but not alterations in the H-Ras and K-Ras genes, might be involved in the malignant progression of PA into carcinoma. J. Cell. Physiol. 207: 654–659, 2006. 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Molecular detection of TP53, Ki-Ras and p16INK4A promoter methylation in plasma of patients with colorectal cancer and its association with prognosis. Results of a 3-year GOIM (Gruppo Oncologico dell'Italia Meridionale) prospective study.

BACKGROUND:Despite the improvement in detection and surgical therapy in the last years, the outcome of patients affected by colorectal carcinoma (CRC) remains limited by metastatic relapse. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of free tumor DNA in the plasma of CRC patients in order to understand its possible prognostic role. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ki-Ras, TP53 mutations and p16(INK4A) methylation status were prospectively evaluated in tumor tissues and plasma of 66 CRC patients. RESULTS: In 50 of the 66 primitive tumor cases (76%) at least one significant alteration was identified in Ki-Ras and/or TP53 and/or p16(INK4A) genes. Eighteen of the 50 patients presented the same alteration both in the plasma and in the tumor tissue. At univariate analysis, Ki-Ras mutations proved to be significantly related to quicker relapse (P <0.01), whereas only a trend towards statistical significance (P = 0.083) was observed for the TP53 mutations CONCLUSIONS: Detection of Ki-Ras and TP53 mutation in plasma should be significantly related to disease recurrence. These data suggest that patients with a high risk of recurrence can be identified by means of the analysis of tumor-derived plasma DNA with the use of fairly non-invasive techniques

New national and regional Annex I Habitat records: from #60 to #82

New Italian data on the distribution of the Annex I Habitats are reported in this contribution. Specifically, 8 new occurrences in Natura 2000 sites are presented and 49 new cells are added in the EEA 10 km × 10 km reference grid. The new data refer to the Italian administrative regions of Campania, Calabria, Marche, Piedmont, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany and Umbria. Relevés and figures are provided as Supplementary material respectively 1 and 2

CMS physics technical design report : Addendum on high density QCD with heavy ions

Peer reviewe

TNF-alpha and CD8(+) T Cells Mediate the Beneficial Effects of Nitric Oxide Synthase-2 Deficiency in Pulmonary Paracoccidioidomycosis

Background: Nitric oxide (NO), a key antimicrobial molecule, was previously shown to exert a dual role in paracoccidioidomycosis, an endemic fungal infection in Latin America. in the intravenous and peritoneal models of infection, NO production was associated with efficient fungal clearance but also with non-organized granulomatous lesions. Because paracoccidioidomycosis is a pulmonary infection, we aimed to characterize the role of NO in a pulmonary model of infection.Methodology/Principal Findings: C57Bl/6 wild type (WT) and iNOS(-/-) mice were i.t. infected with 1x10(6) Paracoccidioides brasiliensis yeasts and studied at several post-infection periods. Unexpectedly, at week 2 of infection, iNOS(-/-) mice showed decreased pulmonary fungal burdens associated with an M2-like macrophage profile, which expressed high levels of TGF-beta impaired ability of ingesting fungal cells. This early decreased fungal loads were concomitant with increased DTH reactions, enhanced TNF-alpha synthesis and intense migration of activated macrophages, CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells into the lungs. By week 10, iNOS(-/-) mice showed increased fungal burdens circumscribed, however, by compact granulomas containing elevated numbers of activated CD4(+) T cells. Importantly, the enhanced immunological reactivity of iNOS(-/-) mice resulted in decreased mortality rates. in both mouse strains, depletion of TNF-alpha led to non-organized lesions and excessive influx of inflammatory cells into the lungs, but only the iNOS(-/-) mice showed increased mortality rates. in addition, depletion of CD8(+) cells abolished the increased migration of inflammatory cells and decreased the number of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells into the lungs of iNOS(-/-) mice.Conclusions/Significance: Our study demonstrated that NO plays a deleterious role in pulmonary paracoccidioidomycosis due to its suppressive action on TNF-alpha production, T cell immunity and organization of lesions resulting in precocious mortality of mice. It was also revealed that uncontrolled fungal growth can be overcome by an efficient immune response.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Univ São Paulo, Inst Ciencias Biomed, Dept Imunol, BR-05508 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, São Paulo, BrazilHosp Sirio Libanes São Paulo, Dept Patol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, São Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 04/14518-2FAPESP: 2011/51258-2Web of Scienc