VOLTAMMETRIC NANOELECTRODE ENSEMBLES\ud BASED ON TEMPLATED METAL NANOWIRES\ud IN TRACK-ETCHED POLYMER MEMBRANES

This chapter reviews the recent advances taking place in the field of polymer based electrochemical sensors, in particular nanoelectrode ensembles (NEEs). In these sensors the polymer plays a crucial role in determining the specific characteristics and analytical performances. Synthetic approaches as well as principles of functioning and specific advantages and limits of NEEs are critically discussed. Useful examples of application to determinations of trace and ultratrace concentrations of inorganic and organic electroactive molecules of interest for environmental and biomedical analysis are given along with prospects in the future development of polymer based electrochemical sensors

Comparative Efficacy of State-of-the-Art and New Biological Stump Treatments in Forests Infested by the Native and the Alien Invasive Heterobasidion Species Present in Europe

The Heterobasidion annosum species complex includes major fungal pathogens of conifers worldwide. State-of-the-art preventative stump treatments with urea or with commercial formulations of the fungal biological control agent Phlebiopsis gigantea (i.e., Rotstop(®)) may become no longer available or are not approved for use in many areas of Europe infested by the three native Heterobasidion species and by the North American invasive H. irregulare, making the development of new treatments timely. The efficacy of Proradix(®) (based on Pseudomonas protegens strain DSMZ 13134), the cell-free filtrate (CFF) of the same bacterium, a strain of P. gigantea (MUT 6212) collected in the invasion area of H. irregulare in Italy, Rotstop(®), and urea was comparatively investigated on a total of 542 stumps of Abies alba, Picea abies, Pinus pinea, and P. sylvestris in forest stands infested by the host-associated Heterobasidion species. Additionally, 139 logs of P. pinea were also treated. Results support the good performances of Rotstop(®), and especially of urea against the native Heterobasidion species on stumps of their preferential hosts and, for the first time, towards the invasive North American H. irregulare on stumps of P. pinea. In some experiments, the effectiveness of Proradix(®) and of the strain of P. gigantea was weak, whereas the CFF of P. protegens strain DSMZ 13134 performed as a valid alternative to urea and Rotstop(®). The mechanism of action of this treatment hinges on antibiosis; therefore, further improvements could be possible by identifying the active molecules and/or by optimizing their production. Generally, the performance of the tested treatments is not correlated with the stump size

Bioelectroanalysis with nanoelectrode ensembles and arrays

This review deals with recent advances in bioelectroanalytical applications of nanostructured electrodes, in particular nanoelectrode ensembles (NEEs) and arrays (NEAs). First, nanofabrication techniques, principles of function, and specific advantages and limits of NEEs and NEAs are critically discussed. In the second part, some recent examples of bioelectroanalytical applications are presented. These include use of nanoelectrode arrays and/or ensembles for direct electrochemical analysis of pharmacologically active organic compounds or redox proteins, and the development of functionalized nanoelectrode systems and their use as catalytic or affinity electrochemical biosensors

VOLTAMMETRIC NANOELECTRODE ENSEMBLES BASED ON TEMPLATED METAL NANOWIRES IN TRACK-ETCHED POLYMER MEMBRANES

This chapter reviews the recent advances taking place in the field of polymer based electrochemical sensors, in particular nanoelectrode ensembles (NEEs). In these sensors the polymer plays a crucial role in determining the specific characteristics and analytical performances. Synthetic approaches as well as principles of functioning and specific advantages and limits of NEEs are critically discussed. Useful examples of application to determinations of trace and ultratrace concentrations of inorganic and organic electroactive molecules of interest for environmental and biomedical analysis are given along with prospects in the future development of polymer based electrochemical sensors

MOVIO: A Toolkit for Creating Curated Digital Exhibitions

AbstractIn 2011, the Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Tourism (MiBACT) published a guideline reference book analysing the state of the art and best practices of digital exhibitions made available on-line and offered a handbook successfully translated in English and even in Arabic. To satisfy the needs expressed by museum curators (but not limiting to them) GruppoMeta has implemented the MOVIO platform under the coordination of ICCU: MOVIO is a semantic CMS which provides tools to support the development of virtual/digital exhibitions, touristic and didactic applications. MOVIO supports the creation of a media archive and ‘non-scaring’ ontology builder for a storytelling approach and it allows cultural content publishing (it includes the creation of visit paths, up to mapping, time-line, galleries and social tools). The MOVIO open source SCMS platform is an easy and ready to use toolkit to build online and mobile virtual/digital exhibitions and narrations. It has begun to be experimented by several Italian institutions and several European partners from the AthenaPlus consortium

Effect of electrode distance in grid electrode: Numerical models and in vitro tests

Electrochemotherapy is an emerging local treatment for the management of superficial tumors and, among these, also chest wall recurrences from breast cancer. Generally, the treatment of this peculiar type of tumor requires the coverage of large skin areas. In these cases, electrochemotherapy treatment by means of standard small size needle electrodes (an array of 0.73 cm spaced needles, which covers an area of 1.5 cm2) is time-consuming and can allow an inhomogeneous coverage of the target area. We have previously designed grid devices suitable for treating an area ranging from 12 to 200 cm2. In this study, we propose different approaches to study advantages and drawbacks of a grid device with needles positioned 2 cm apart. The described approach includes a numerical evaluation to estimate electric field intensity, followed by an experimental quantification of electroporation on a cell culture. The electric field generated in a conductive medium has been studied by means of 3-dimensional numerical models with varying needle pair distance from 1 to 2 cm. In particular, the electric field evaluation shows that the electric field intensity with varying needle distance is comparable in the area in the middle of the 2 electrodes. Differently, near needles, the electric field intensity increases with the increasing electrode distance and supply voltage. The computational results have been correlated with experimental ones obtained in vitro on cell culture. In particular, electroporation effect has been assessed on human breast cancer cell line MCF7, cultured in monolayer. The use of 2-cm distant needles, supplied by 2000 V, produced an electroporation effect in the whole area comprised between the electrodes. Areas of cell culture where reversible and irreversible electroporation occurred were identified under microscope by using fluorescent dyes. The coupling of computation and experimental results could be helpful to evaluate the effect of the needle distance on the electric field intensity in cell cultures in terms of reversible or irreversible electroporation

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 14

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the algal genus Chara, for the bryophyte genera Bryum, Grimmia, Cephaloziella, Hypnum, Nogopterium, Physcomitrium, Polytrichastrum, Rhynchostegiella, Saelania, and Schistostega, the fungal genera Cortinarius, Lentinellus, Omphalina, and Xerophorus, and the lichen genera Acarospora, Agonimia, Candelariella, Cladonia, Graphis, Gyalolechia, Hypogymnia, Lichinella, Megalaria, Nephroma, Ochrolechia, Opegrapha, Peltigera, Placidium, Ramalina, Rhizoplaca, Ropalospora, Strangospora, Toniniopsis, Usnea, and Zahlbrucknerell

Placebo from an enactive perspective

Due to their complexity and variability, placebo effects remain controversial. We suggest this is also due to a set of problematic assumptions (dualism, reductionism, individualism, passivity). We critically assess current explanations and empirical evidence and propose an alternative theoretical framework—the enactive approach to life and mind—based on recent developments in embodied cognitive science. We review core enactive concepts such as autonomy, agency, and sense-making. Following these ideas, we propose a move from binary distinctions (e.g., conscious vs. non-conscious) to the more workable categories of reflective and pre-reflective activity. We introduce an ontology of individuation, following the work of Gilbert Simondon, that allow us to see placebo interventions not as originating causal chains, but as modulators and triggers in the regulation of tensions between ongoing embodied and interpersonal processes. We describe these interrelated processes involving looping effects through three intertwined dimensions of embodiment: organic, sensorimotor, and intersubjective. Finally, we defend the need to investigate therapeutic interactions in terms of participatory sense-making, going beyond the identification of individual social traits (e.g., empathy, trust) that contribute to placebo effects. We discuss resonances and differences between the enactive proposal, popular explanations such as expectations and conditioning, and other approaches based on meaning responses and phenomenological/ecological ideas