In Situ Monitoring of Mechanofluorescence in Polymeric Nanofibers.

Mechanofluorescent polymers represent a promising class of materials exhibiting fluorescence changes in response to mechanical stimuli. One approach to fabricating these polymers involves incorporating aggregachromic dyes, whose emission properties are governed by the intermolecular distance, which can, in turn, be readily altered by microstructural changes in the surrounding polymer matrix during mechanical deformation. In this study, a mechanofluorescent additive featuring excimer-forming oligo(p-phenylene vinylene) dyes (tOPV) is incorporated into electrospun polyurethane fibers, producing mats of fibers with diameters ranging from 300 to 700 nm.

Pneumococcal carriage in a large Sicilian sample population: impact on the current epidemiological scenario and implications for future vaccination strategies.

Introduction: is a prevalent and virulent global pathogen, with colonization being considered a precondition for pneumococcal disease. Understanding colonization is critical for gaining insights into transmission dynamics and developing effective interventions. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of nasopharyngeal colonization and serotype distribution in the Sicilian population.

Effectiveness of sodium hypochlorite and benzalkonium chloride in reducing spoilage yeast biofilms on food contact surfaces.

The study evaluates the effectiveness of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and a commercial quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) against planktonic and biofilm-associated yeast (, , , and ) isolated from ultrafiltration modules in a clarified apple juice production facility. The results demonstrated that the efficacy of disinfection against planktonic yeast cells did not directly correlate with the effectiveness against biofilm-embedded cells. QAC proved to be more effective than NaOCl in reducing yeast biofilms, achieving a higher than 3-log reduction in cell counts.

Dye self-organization in doped silica nanoparticles increases the electrochemiluminescence emission in magnetic bead-based assays.

We have investigated the effect of dye distribution on the electrochemiluminescence (ECL) intensity measured with a simplified magnetic bead-based immunoassay for two families of silica nanoparticles (NPs) doped with the cationic Ru(bpy) and the zwitterionic Ru(bpy)bps complexes (bps = bathophenanthroline disulfonate). The NPs doped with the Ru(bpy)bps complex, which can efficiently self-organize in the NP volume favoring ECL generation, resulted in 150-400% signal enhancement compared to the Ru(bpy)-doped ones.

Risk factors and significance of post-operative edema in Parkinson Disease patients submitted to deep brain stimulation. A ten-year case series.

Background: Peri-electrode edema after deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery for Parkinson Disease (PD) has been reported in up to 100% of cases. The clinical significance of this finding is unclear, with most papers suggesting a benign course. The risk factors are also poorly defined.