Flexible oxide thin film transistors: device fabrication and kelvin probe force microscopy analysis

I transistor a film sottile basati su ossidi amorfi semiconduttori sono ottimi candidati nell'ambito dell'elettronica su larga scala. Al contrario delle tecnologie basate su a-Si:H a poly-Si, gli AOS presentano un'elevata mobilità elettrica (m > 10 cm^2/ Vs) nonostante la struttura amorfa. Inoltre, la possibilità di depositare AOS a basse temperature e su substrati polimerici, permette il loro impiego nel campo dell'elettronica flessibile. Al fine di migliorare questa tecnologia, numerosi TFT basati su AOS sono stati fabbricati durante 4 mesi di attività all'Università Nova di Lisbona. Tutti i transistor presentano un canale formato da a-GIZO, mentre il dielettrico è stato realizzato con due materiali differenti: Parylene (organico) e 7 strati alternati di SiO2 e SiO2 + Ta2O5. I dispositivi sono stati realizzati su substrati flessibili sviluppando una nuova tecnica per la laminazione e la delaminazione di fogli di PEN su supporto rigido. L'ottimizzazione del processo di fabbricazione ha permesso la realizzazione di dispositivi che presentano caratteristiche paragonabili a quelle previste per TFT costruiti su substrati rigidi (m = 35.7 cm^2/Vs; VON = -0.10 V; S = 0.084 V/dec). Al Dipartimento di Fisica dell'UNIBO, l'utilizzo del KPFM ha permesso lo studio a livello microscopico delle prestazioni presentate dai dispositivi analizzati. Grazie a questa tecnica di indagine, è stato possibile analizzare l'impatto delle resistenze di contatto sui dispositivi meno performanti e identificare l'esistenza di cariche intrappolate nei TFT basati su Parylene. Gli ottimi risultati ottenuti dall'analisi KPFM suggeriscono un futuro impiego di questa tecnica per lo studio del legame tra stress meccanico e degradazione elettrica dei dispositivi. Infatti, la comprensione dei fenomeni microscopici dovuti alla deformazione strutturale sarà un passaggio indispensabile per lo sviluppo dell'elettronica flessibile

Massive NGS data analysis reveals hundreds of potential novel gene fusions in human cell lines

Background: Gene fusions derive from chromosomal rearrangements and the resulting chimeric transcripts are often endowed with oncogenic potential. Furthermore, they serve as diagnostic tools for the clinical classification of cancer subgroups with different prognosis and, in some cases, they can provide specific drug targets. So far, many efforts have been carried out to study gene fusion events occurring in tumor samples. In recent years, the availability of a comprehensive Next Generation Sequencing dataset for all the existing human tumor cell lines has provided the opportunity to further investigate these data in order to identify novel and still uncharacterized gene fusion events. Results: In our work, we have extensively reanalyzed 935 paired-end RNA-seq experiments downloaded from "The Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia" repository, aiming at addressing novel putative cell-line specific gene fusion events in human malignancies. The bioinformatics analysis has been performed by the execution of four different gene fusion detection algorithms. The results have been further prioritized by running a bayesian classifier which makes an in silico validation. The collection of fusion events supported by all of the predictive softwares results in a robust set of ∼ 1,700 in-silico predicted novel candidates suitable for downstream analyses. Given the huge amount of data and information produced, computational results have been systematized in a database named LiGeA. The database can be browsed through a dynamical and interactive web portal, further integrated with validated data from other well known repositories. Taking advantage of the intuitive query forms, the users can easily access, navigate, filter and select the putative gene fusions for further validations and studies. They can also find suitable experimental models for a given fusion of interest. Conclusions: We believe that the LiGeA resource can represent not only the first compendium of both known and putative novel gene fusion events in the catalog of all of the human malignant cell lines, but it can also become a handy starting point for wet-lab biologists who wish to investigate novel cancer biomarkers and specific drug targets

An update of diagnostic efficacy of ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of clinically significant placenta accreta spectrum disorders

Systematic screening and diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum disorder (PAS) either by ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) would allow referral of high-risk women to specialized multidisciplinary teams. We aimed to report recent findings regarding the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of PAS

Computational deconvolution of transcriptomic data for the study of tumor-infiltrating immune cells:

Cancer is a complex disease characterized by a wide array of mutually interacting components constituting the tumor microenvironment (connective tissue, vascular system, immune cells), many of which are targeted therapeutically. In particular, immune checkpoint inhibitors have recently become an established part of the treatment of cancer. Despite great promise, only a portion of the patients display durable response. Current research efforts are concentrated on the determination of tumor-specific biomarkers predictive of response, such as tumor mutational burden, microsatellite instability, and neo-antigen presentation. However, it is clear that several additional characteristics pertaining to the tumor microenvironment play a critical role in the effectiveness of immunotherapy. Here we comment on the computational methods that are used for the analysis of the tumor microenvironment components from transcriptomic data, discuss the critical needs, and foresee potential evolutions in the field

Role of clusterin in cell adhesion during early phases of programmed cell death in P19 embryonic carcinoma cells

AbstractThis study explored the role of clusterin in mechanisms of cell adhesion and apoptosis in P19 embryonic carcinoma cells. We found that serum deprivation induced transient but dramatic elevation in cell adhesion strength to the culture substrate and eventually led to apoptotic cell death. The time course of cell-adhesion increase overlapped temporally with the elevation of clusterin mRNA (peak 8 h after serum deprivation). The coincidental elevation of clusterin expression and cell adhesion strength preceded the schedule of apoptotic cell death. Clusterin antiserum partially antagonized cell adhesion, but did not modify the course of apoptosis. These data suggest that clusterin expression may partially control cell adhesion with no influence on apoptosis in P19 cells, under defined conditions

Twin reversed arterial perfusion sequence: current treatment options

Twin reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP) sequence is a specific and severe complication of monochorionic multiple pregnancy, characterized by vascular anastomosis and partial or complete lack of cardiac development in one twin. Despite its rarity, interest in the international literature is rising, and we aimed to review its pathogenesis, prenatal diagnostic features and treatment options. Due to the parasitic hemodynamic dependence of the acardiac twin on the pump twin, the management of these pregnancies aims to maximize the pump twin’s chances of survival. If treatment is needed, the best timing of intervention is still debated, although the latest studies encourage intervention in the first trimester of pregnancy. As for the technique of choice to interrupt the vascular supply to the acardiac twin, ultrasound-guided laser coagulation and radiofrequency ablation of the intrafetal vessels are usually the preferred approaches

Novos modelos de educação superior

Recensão crítica, de Minéa Paschoaleto Fratelli, do livro de Tavares, M; Santos. E. (2020). Novos modelos de educação superior. Curitiba: Brasil Publishing. &nbsp

Novel Semiconducting Materials and Thin Film Technologies for High Energy Radiation Detection

Nowadays the development of real-time ionizing radiation detection system operating over large areas is crucial. Increasing quest for flexible, portable, low cost and low power consumption sensors pushed the scientific community to look for alternative materials and technologies able to fulfill these new requirements. In this thesis the potentiality of organic semiconductors and metal oxides as material platforms for novel ionizing radiation sensors is demonstrated. In particular, organic semiconductors are human tissue-equivalent and this represents a unique and desirable property for the development of dosimeters to be employed in the medical field. The ionizing radiation sensors described in this thesis have been designed, fabricated and characterized during my PhD research and are realized onto polymeric foils leading to flexible devices operating at low voltages, in ambient condition and able to directly detect X-rays, gamma-rays and protons. Following the study of the properties and of the mechanisms of interaction between the radiation and the active layers of the sensors, several strategies have been adopted to enhance the efficiency of these detectors. X-rays dosimeters based on organic semiconductors have been realized presenting record sensitivity values compared with the state of the art for large area radiation detection. The unprecedentedly reported performance led to the possibility to testing these devices in actual medical environments. Moreover, the proof-of-principle demonstration of a dosimetric detection of proton beams by organic-based sensors is reported. Finally, a new sensing platform based on metal oxides is introduced. Combining the advantages of amorphous high mobility oxide semiconductors with a multilayer dielectric, novel devices have been designed, capable of providing a sensitivity one order of magnitude higher than the one shown by the standard RADFETs. Thanks to their unique properties, these sensors have been integrated with a wireless readout system based on a commercial RFID tag and its assessment is presented

Retrato de una mujer

Siglo XIX. Tit. facticio. - Cart

Retrato de un eclesiástico

Siglo XIX. Tit. facticio. - Cart