Second-harmonic generation in periodically poled silicon waveguides with lateral p-i-n junctions.

Electric-field-induced second-harmonic generation is demonstrated in silicon waveguides with reverse biased lateral p-i-n junctions. Phase matching is achieved by periodically poling the applied electric field. Two different poling configurations are compared: in the first, the p- and n-type doped regions of the junctions are on different sides of the waveguide (simple configuration), while in the second, they are alternated periodically across the waveguide sides (interdigitated configuration). Both simulations and experiments show that the generation efficiency is increased by 10 times comparing the interdigitated and simple configurations. The effective second-order susceptibility modulation obtained at a reverse bias voltage of 3.5 V is Δχeff,S(2)≃0.14pm/V for the simple configuration and Δχeff,I(2)≃0.64pm/V for the interdigitated one.

Second-harmonic generation in periodically poled silicon waveguides with lateral p-i-n junctions: publisher's note.

This publisher's note contains corrections to Opt. Lett.45, 3188 (2020)OPLEDP0146-959210.1364/OL.391988.

Tuning the strain-induced resonance shift in silicon racetrack resonators by their orientation.

In this work, we analyze the role of strain on a set of silicon racetrack resonators presenting different orientations with respect to the applied strain. The strain induces a variation of the resonance wavelength, caused by the photoelastic variation of the material refractive index as well as by the mechanical deformation of the device. In particular, the mechanical deformation alters both the resonator perimeter and the waveguide cross-section. Finite element simulations taking into account all these effects are presented, providing good agreement with experimental results. By studying the role of the resonator orientation we identify interesting features, such as the tuning of the resonance shift from negative to positive values and the possibility of realizing strain insensitive devices.

Single-nucleotide polymorphism array-based characterization of ring chromosome 18.

OBJECTIVE: To study genotype-phenotype correlation of ring chromosome 18 [r(18)] in 9 patients with 46,XN karyotype. STUDY DESIGN: In 9 patients with a de novo 46,XN,r(18) karyotype (7 females, 2 males), we performed high-resolution single-nucleotide polymorphism array analysis (Illumina Human Omni1-QuadV1 array in 6 patients, Affymetrix 6.0 array in 3 patients), investigation of parental origin, and genotype-phenotype correlation. RESULTS: No breakpoint was recurrent. Single metaphases with loss of the ring, double rings, or secondarily rearranged rings were found in some cases, but true mosaicism was present in none of these cases. In 3 patients, additional duplications in 18p (of 1.4 Mb, 2 Mb, and 5.8 Mb) were detected. In 1 patient, an additional deletion of 472 kb in Xp22.33, including the SHOX gene, was found. Parental origin of r(18) was maternal in 2 patients and paternal in 4 patients, and formation was most likely meiotic. Karyotype was normal in all investigated parents (n = 15). At birth, mean maternal age was 30 years (n = 9) and mean paternal age was 34.4 years (n = 9). CONCLUSION: Genotype-phenotype correlation revealed extensive clinical variability but no characteristic r(18) phenotype. Severity of clinical signs were generally correlated with the size of the deletion. Patients with large deletions in 18p and small deletions in 18q exhibited mainly symptoms related to 18p-, whereas those with large deletions in 18q and small deletions in 18p had symptoms of 18q-.

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome is caused by mutations in HPS4, the human homolog of the mouse light-ear gene.

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS) is a disorder of organelle biogenesis in which oculocutaneous albinism, bleeding and pulmonary fibrosis result from defects of melanosomes, platelet dense granules and lysosomes. HPS is common in Puerto Rico, where it is caused by mutations in the genes HPS1 and, less often, HPS3 (ref. 8). In contrast, only half of non-Puerto Rican individuals with HPS have mutations in HPS1 (ref. 9), and very few in HPS3 (ref. 10). In the mouse, more than 15 loci manifest mutant phenotypes similar to human HPS, including pale ear (ep), the mouse homolog of HPS1 (refs 13,14). Mouse ep has a phenotype identical to another mutant, light ear (le), which suggests that the human homolog of le is a possible human HPS locus. We have identified and found mutations of the human le homolog, HPS4, in a number of non-Puerto Rican individuals with HPS, establishing HPS4 as an important HPS locus in humans. In addition to their identical phenotypes, le and ep mutant mice have identical abnormalities of melanosomes, and in transfected melanoma cells the HPS4 and HPS1 proteins partially co-localize in vesicles of the cell body. In addition, the HPS1 protein is absent in tissues of le mutant mice. These results suggest that the HPS4 and HPS1 proteins may function in the same pathway of organelle biogenesis.

[Genomics in medicine: challenges and perspectives for the nursing care]. / La genomica in medicina: attualità e prospettive per l'assistenza infermieristica.

INTRODUCTION: The acknowledgment of the genetic component in the majority of pathologies, not only hereditary or oncological, and of the individual biological responses to therapies and in infectious diseases, is now granted. AIMS: The current developments of the genomic fuel new expectations on the modification of medical approach to prevention, diagnosis and therapy of main pathologies, through diagnostic genetic tests, predictive tests and new drugs, towards a "personalized medicine". RESULTS: However, the introduction of the desired benefits to medicine and care derived from this knowledge requires the awareness of health operators of the ethical, social and economical implications of genetics and the estimated risks and opportunities of the genetic information. Nurses should update their knowledge and acquire new competencies in genetics, to be able to answer the new questions that the patients place, especially when affected by genetic diseases. This article offers an update on the practical implications of the genomic knowledge on genetic testing, pharmacogenomics, genetic therapy, determination of the genetic risk and on the role of the genetic nurse.

On the origin of second harmonic generation in silicon waveguides with silicon nitride cladding.

Strained silicon waveguides have been proposed to break the silicon centrosymmetry, which inhibits second-order nonlinearities. Even if electro-optic effect and second harmonic generation (SHG) were measured, the published results presented plenty of ambiguities due to the concurrence of different effects affecting the process. In this work, the origin of SHG in a silicon waveguide strained by a silicon nitride cladding is investigated in detail. From the measured SHG efficiencies, an effective second-order nonlinear susceptibility of ~0.5 pmV-1 is extracted. To evidence the role of strain, SHG is studied under an external mechanical load, demonstrating no significant dependence on the applied stress. On the contrary, a 254 nm ultraviolet (UV) exposure of the strained silicon waveguide suppresses completely the SHG signal. Since UV irradiation is known to passivate charged defects accumulated in the silicon nitride cladding, this measurement evidences the crucial role of charged centers. In fact, charged defects cause an electric field in the waveguide that via the third order silicon nonlinearity induces the SHG. This conclusion is supported by numerical simulations, which accurately model the experimental results.

Characterization of interstitial Xp duplications in two families by tiling path array CGH.

Duplications of the short arm of the X chromosome in male patients are rare. We report on the clinical features of mentally retarded patients in two families with different interstitial duplications of Xp and their characterization by tiling path array comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH). In Family A, we detected a duplication of 9.3 Mb in Xp11p21 in a male with severe mental retardation [karyotype 46,XY,dup(X)(p11.3p21.1)] and his healthy mother. The clinical features of this patient--severe mental retardation, obesity, macrocephaly--are in accordance with those of a previously reported patient with a similar duplication. In Family B, a duplication of 8.5 Mb was diagnosed in Xp22 in three male patients with mental retardation [karyotype 46,XY,dup(X)(p22.11p22.2)] and two healthy females. Characterization of the duplications by array CGH enabled the identification of the genes within these intervals. These comprise known mental retardation genes such as MAOA, NDP, TM4SF2, NDP, RSK2, and CDKL5. Duplication of MAOA will be discussed as a possible cause of obesity.

CNGB3 mutations account for 50% of all cases with autosomal recessive achromatopsia.

Achromatopsia is a congenital, autosomal recessively inherited disorder characterized by a lack of color discrimination, low visual acuity (<0.2), photophobia, and nystagmus. Mutations in the genes for CNGA3, CNGB3, and GNAT2 have been associated with this disorder. Here, we analyzed the spectrum and prevalence of CNGB3 gene mutations in a cohort of 341 independent patients with achromatopsia. In 163 patients, CNGB3 mutations could be identified. A total of 105 achromats carried apparent homozygous mutations, 44 were compound (double) heterozygotes, and 14 patients had only a single mutant allele. The derived CNGB3 mutation spectrum comprises 28 different mutations including 12 nonsense mutations, eight insertions and/or deletions, five putative splice site mutations, and three missense mutations. Thus, the majority of mutations in the CNGB3 gene result in significantly altered and/or truncated polypeptides. Several mutations were found recurrently, in particular a 1 bp deletion, c.1148delC, which accounts for over 70% of all CNGB3 mutant alleles. In conclusion, mutations in the CNGB3 gene are responsible for approximately 50% of all patients with achromatopsia. This indicates that the CNGB3/ACHM3 locus on chromosome 8q21 is the major locus for achromatopsia in patients of European origin or descent.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1): Identification of eight unreported mutations in NF1 gene in Italian patients [corrected].

In the present study the entire NF1 coding region was analyzed for mutations in 132 unrelated Italian NF1 patients. Using PTT, SSCP, and DNA sequencing, we found 8 novel mutations. Clinical diagnosis of NF1 was established according to the NIH consensus criteria. We detected 59 truncated fragments, and 46 of them were characterized by SSCP and direct sequencing. Eight mutations represent novel changes that contribute to the germline mutational spectrum of the NF1 gene. In two patients, premature termination was due to substitutions at nucleotide c.3982C>T (Q1298X) and c.7411C>T (Q2471X), respectively. Two other mutations were caused by the deletions (1756delA, 4699delA), and two by the insertions (c.5266_5267insT, c.7464_7465insTCCA) of a small number of nucleotides. Lastly, we found 2 splice-site mutations (c.2252-2A>C, c.2251+1G>A).

Mutations spectrum of GNE in hereditary inclusion body myopathy sparing the quadriceps.

Hereditary Inclusion Body Myopathy (HIBM) is a unique group of neuromuscular disorders characterized by adult onset and a typical muscle pathology. We have recently identified the gene encoding for a bifunctional enzyme, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2 epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase (GNE), as the mutated gene in the prototype form of the disease presenting quadriceps sparing, particularly common in Middle Eastern Jews. Interestingly, we have identified the homozygous M712T Middle Eastern Jewish mutation also in two unrelated Middle Eastern Moslem families. We have also evaluated the involvement of GNE in several families from worldwide non-Jewish ethnic origins presenting symptoms similar to the Middle Eastern HIBM prototype. A total of 14 GNE mutations were identified (one nonsense and 13 missense), of which six are novel: an homozygous missense mutation in a consanguineous family from Italy and in a non consanguineous family from USA, and distinct compound heterozygotes in families from Germany, Italy, Ireland, Bahamas, USA and East India. This study brings to 17 the number of reported GNE mutations in quadriceps sparing myopathy, occurring either in the epimerase or the kinase domain of the enzyme. The mechanism leading to this unique phenotype still remains to be elucidated.

Infantile encephalopathy and defective mitochondrial DNA translation in patients with mutations of mitochondrial elongation factors EFG1 and EFTu.

Mitochondrial protein translation is a complex process performed within mitochondria by an apparatus composed of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)-encoded RNAs and nuclear DNA-encoded proteins. Although the latter by far outnumber the former, the vast majority of mitochondrial translation defects in humans have been associated with mutations in RNA-encoding mtDNA genes, whereas mutations in protein-encoding nuclear genes have been identified in a handful of cases. Genetic investigation involving patients with defective mitochondrial translation led us to the discovery of novel mutations in the mitochondrial elongation factor G1 (EFG1) in one affected baby and, for the first time, in the mitochondrial elongation factor Tu (EFTu) in another one. Both patients were affected by severe lactic acidosis and rapidly progressive, fatal encephalopathy. The EFG1-mutant patient had early-onset Leigh syndrome, whereas the EFTu-mutant patient had severe infantile macrocystic leukodystrophy with micropolygyria. Structural modeling enabled us to make predictions about the effects of the mutations at the molecular level. Yeast and mammalian cell systems proved the pathogenic role of the mutant alleles by functional complementation in vivo. Nuclear-gene abnormalities causing mitochondrial translation defects represent a new, potentially broad field of mitochondrial medicine. Investigation of these defects is important to expand the molecular characterization of mitochondrial disorders and also may contribute to the elucidation of the complex control mechanisms, which regulate this fundamental pathway of mtDNA homeostasis.

Heterozygous mutations in BBS1, BBS2 and BBS6 have a potential epistatic effect on Bardet-Biedl patients with two mutations at a second BBS locus.

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a pleiotropic genetic disorder with substantial inter- and intrafamilial variability, that also exhibits remarkable genetic heterogeneity, with seven mapped BBS loci in the human genome. Recent data have demonstrated that BBS may be inherited either as a simple Mendelian recessive or as an oligogenic trait, since mutations at two loci are sometimes required for pathogenesis. This observation suggests that genetic interactions between the different BBS loci may modulate the phenotype, thus contributing to the clinical variability of BBS. We present three families with two mutations in either BBS1 or BBS2, in which some but not all patients carry a third mutation in BBS1, BBS2 or the putative chaperonin BBS6. In each example, the presence of three mutant alleles correlates with a more severe phenotype. For one of the missense alleles, we also demonstrate that the introduction of the mutation in mammalian cells causes a dramatic mislocalization of the protein compared with the wild-type. These data suggest that triallelic mutations are not always necessary for disease manifestation, but might potentiate a phenotype that is caused by two recessive mutations at an independent locus, thus introducing an additional layer of complexity on the genetic modeling of oligogenicity.

Utilization of genetic counseling by parents of a child or fetus with congenital malformation in North-East Italy.

Congenital malformations (CM) affect 2-3% of all births, the cause of which, when known, is genetic in 80-90% of cases. A genetic consultation (GC) is indicated for the parents of a child affected by a CM. This study analyzes the parental utilization of genetic counseling (GCU) and its possible influencing factors after termination of pregnancy (TOP) because of fetal anomalies or after the birth of a child affected by a major malformation. The study concerns cases in North-East Italy where there is a CM registry and a center-satellite system for genetic counseling. The results of this analysis are also compared to other similar studies, which address the same topic. Between 1981 and 2000, 1,235 out of 14,888 GC were performed because of the presence of a CM in a child/fetus. In the same period, 4,933 births and 1,112 TOPs were registered. The overall GCU was 19%, with significant differences according to malformative phenotype, severity of the malformative condition, type of birth, and viability. Genetic counseling was performed significantly sooner following TOP than after the birth of a malformed child. GCU showed an unequal distribution according to the parents' place of residence, suggesting that easy and equal access to the genetic service was probably not well provided for. Our results suggest that genetic services should be integrated with related services, and that the public and physicians need a greater awareness of these services.

Tumor de células de Leyding bilateral / Bilateral Leydin cell tumor

Se reporta un caso de tumor testicular bilateral intersticial de células de Leyding de comportamiento benigno, seguido por seis años sin habérsele practicado orquidectomía por decisión de la familia y con el antecedente interesante de hiperplasia suprarenal congénita que hizo necesario el descartar la infiltración por restos de la glándula suprarenal. Su seguimiento sin demostrarse enfermedad metastásica por seis años pone en envidencia que la mayoría de estos tumores son de comportamiento benigno.