Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia

About: Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia is a facility organization based out in Genoa, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Robot & Humanoid robot. The organization has 4561 authors who have published 14595 publications receiving 437558 citations. The organization is also known as: Italian Institute of Technology & IIT.

An Advanced Lithium-Ion Sulfur Battery for High Energy Storage

Abstract: A lithium-ion battery is reported using a sulfur–carbon composite cathode, a graphite anode, and a dimethoxyethane-dioxolane-lithium bis-(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (DOL-DME-LiTFSI) electrolyte advantageously added by lithium nitrate (LiNO3) and a selected polysulfide (Li2S8). The suppressed sulfur dissolution, due to the Li2S8 buffer action, as well as reduced shuttle reactions by the film-forming properties of the LiNO3 positively affect the lithium-ion cell behavior in terms of delivered capacity, coulombic efficiency, and cycle life. The lithium–sulfur cell shows a stable capacity of 750 mAh g−1 for over 200 cycles with an enhanced cycling efficiency. Furthermore, the full lithium-ion sulfur battery using a graphite-based anode shows a working voltage of about 2 V and delivers a stable capacity of 500 mAh g−1. The full cell has enhanced safety content, due to the replacement of the lithium metal anode by suitable intercalation electrode, and shows a theoretical energy density as high as 1000 Wh kg−1 at high current rate of 1 C. The remarkable safety level, low materials cost, and high practical energy density, expected to exceed 300 Wh kg−1, suggest the battery reported is a suitable energy storage system for future applications.

Aging affects the mental rotation of left and right hands.

Abstract: Background Normal aging significantly influences motor and cognitive performance. Little is known about age-related changes in action simulation. Here, we investigated the influence of aging on implicit motor imagery.

Simulating Dye-Sensitized TiO2 Heterointerfaces in Explicit Solvent: Absorption Spectra, Energy Levels, and Dye Desorption

Abstract: Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) represent a valuable, efficient, and low-cost alternative to conventional semiconductor photovoltaic devices. A deeper understanding of the dye/semiconductor heterointerface and of the dye-sensitized semiconductor/electrolyte interactions are fundamental for further progress in DSC technology. Here we report an ab initio molecular dynamics simulation of a dye-sensitized TiO2 heterointerface “immersed” in an explicit water environment for an efficient organic dye, followed by TDDFT excited state calculations of the coupled dye/semiconductor/solvent system. This new computational protocol and the extended model system allows us to gain unprecedented insight into the excited state changes occurring for the solvated dye-sensitized heterointerface at room temperature, and to provide an atomistic picture of water-mediated dye desorption.

The Basis of Muscle Regeneration

Abstract: Muscle regeneration recapitulates many aspects of embryonic myogenesis and is an important homeostatic process of the adult skeletal muscle, which, after development, retains the capacity to regenerate in response to appropriate stimuli, activating the muscle compartment of stem cells, namely, satellite cells, as well as other precursor cells. Moreover, significant evidence suggests that while stem cells represent an important determinant for tissue regeneration, a “qualified” environment is necessary to guarantee and achieve functional results. It is therefore plausible that the loss of control over these cell fate decisions could lead to a pathological transdifferentiation, leading to pathologic defects in the regenerative process. This review provides an overview about the general aspects of muscle development and discusses the cellular and molecular aspects that characterize the five interrelated and time-dependent phases of muscle regeneration, namely, degeneration, inflammation, regeneration, remodeling, and maturation/functional repair.