Direct competitive assay for HER2 detection in human plasma using Bloch surface wave-based biosensors.

The overexpression and/or amplification of the HER2/neu oncogene has been proposed as a prognostic marker in breast cancer. The detection of the related peptide HER2 remains a grand challenge in cancer diagnosis and for therapeutic decision-making. Here, we used a biosensing device based on Bloch Surface Waves excited on a one-dimensional photonic crystal (1DPC) as valid alternative to standard techniques.

Enhanced fluorescence detection of miRNA by means of Bloch surface wave-based biochips.

We report on the use of biochips based on one-dimensional photonic crystals sustaining Bloch surface waves to specifically detect target miRNA that is characteristic of hemorrhagic stroke (miR-16-5p) at low concentration in a buffer solution. The biochips were functionalized with streptavidin and ssDNA oligonucleotides to enable miRNA detection. To discriminate the target miRNA from a non-specific control (miR-101a-3p), we made use of an optical platform developed to work both in label-free and fluorescence detection modes.

Sustainable Materials Based on Geopolymer-Polyvinyl Acetate Composites for Art and Design Applications.

The recent introduction of the Next Generation EU packages on the circular economy and the Italian Ecological Transition Plan has further boosted the research of effective routes to design materials with low energy and low environmental impact, in all areas of research, including art and design and cultural heritage. In this work, we describe for the first time the preparation and characterization of a new sustainable adhesive material to be used in the art and design sector, consisting of a geopolymer-based composite with polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), both considered more environmentally acceptable than the analogous inorganic or polymeric materials currently used in this sector. The key idea has been the development of organic-inorganic composites by reacting low molecular weight polymers with the geopolymer precursor to obtain a material with reduced brittleness and enhanced adhesion with common substrates.

Development of Geopolymer-Based Materials with Ceramic Waste for Artistic and Restoration Applications.

This contribution presents the preparation and characterization of new geopolymer-based mortars obtained from recycling waste deriving from the production process and the "end-of-life" of porcelain stoneware products. Structural, morphological, and mechanical studies carried out on different kinds of mortars prepared by using several types of by-products (i.e.

Low-Temperature Stability and Sensing Performance of Mid-Infrared Bloch Surface Waves on a One-Dimensional Photonic Crystal.

The growing need for new and reliable surface sensing methods is arousing interest in the electromagnetic excitations of ultrathin films, i.e., to generate electromagnetic field distributions that resonantly interact with the most significant quasi-particles of condensed matter.