WO-Based Thin Films Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition as Gas Sensors for NO Detection.

Thin films based on tungsten oxide (WO) were grown by nanosecond pulsed laser deposition on alumina printed-circuit boards to fabricate electrochemical sensors for nitrogen dioxide (NO) detection. Samples exposed to thermal annealing (400 °C for 3 h) were also produced to compare the main properties and the sensor performance. Before gas testing, the morphology and structural properties were investigated.

Etching Kinetics of Nanodiamond Seeds in the Early Stages of CVD Diamond Growth.

We present an experimental study on the etching of detonation nanodiamond (DND) seeds during typical microwave chemical vapor deposition (MWCVD) conditions leading to ultra-thin diamond film formation, which is fundamental for many technological applications. The temporal evolution of the surface density of seeds on the Si(100) substrate has been assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The resulting kinetics have been explained in the framework of a model based on the effect of the particle size, according to the Young-Laplace equation, on both chemical potential of carbon atoms in DND and activation energy of the reaction with atomic hydrogen.

Surface Nanotexturing of Boron-Doped Diamond Films by Ultrashort Laser Pulses.

Polycrystalline boron-doped diamond (BDD) films were surface nanotextured by femtosecond pulsed laser irradiation (100 fs duration, 800 nm wavelength, 1.44 J cm single pulse fluence) to analyse the evolution of induced alterations on the surface morphology and structural properties. The aim was to identify the occurrence of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) as a function of the number of pulses released on the unit area.

Frenkel-Poole Mechanism Unveils Black Diamond as Quasi-Epsilon-Near-Zero Surface.

A recent innovation in diamond technology has been the development of the "black diamond" (BD), a material with very high optical absorption generated by processing the diamond surface with a femtosecond laser. In this work, we investigate the optical behavior of the BD samples to prove a near to zero dielectric permittivity in the high electric field condition, where the Frenkel-Poole (FP) effect takes place. Zero-epsilon materials (ENZ), which represent a singularity in optical materials, are expected to lead to remarkable developments in the fields of integrated photonic devices and optical interconnections.

Enhanced and Selective Absorption of Molybdenum Nanostructured Surfaces for Concentrated Solar Energy Applications.

Surfaces of commercial molybdenum (Mo) plates have been textured by fs-laser treatments with the aim to form low-cost and efficient solar absorbers and substrates for thermionic cathodes in Concentrated Solar Power conversion devices. Morphological (SEM and AFM), optical (spectrophotometry), and structural (Raman spectroscopy) properties of the samples treated at different laser fluences (from 1.8 to 14 J/cm) have been characterized after the laser treatments and also following long thermal annealing for simulating the operating conditions of thermionic converters.

Charge Transport Mechanisms of Black Diamond at Cryogenic Temperatures.

Black diamond is an emerging material for solar applications. The femtosecond laser surface treatment of pristine transparent diamond allows the solar absorptance to be increased to values greater than 90% from semi-transparency conditions. In addition, the defects introduced by fs-laser treatment strongly increase the diamond surface electrical conductivity and a very-low activation energy is observed at room temperature.

Mn-Containing Bioactive Glass-Ceramics: BMP-2-Mimetic Peptide Covalent Grafting Boosts Human-Osteoblast Proliferation and Mineral Deposition.

The addition of Mn in bioceramic formulation is gaining interest in the field of bone implants. Mn activates human osteoblast (h-osteoblast) integrins, enhancing cell proliferation with a dose-dependent effect, whereas Mn-enriched glasses induce inhibition of Gram-negative or Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. In an effort to further optimize Mn-containing scaffolds' beneficial interaction with h-osteoblasts, a selective and specific covalent functionalization with a bioactive peptide was carried out.

Insights into the Thermally Activated Cyclization Mechanism in a Linear Phenylalanine-Alanine Dipeptide.

Dipeptides, the prototype peptides, exist in both linear (-) and cyclo (-) structures. Since the first mass spectrometry experiments, it has been observed that some -structures may turn into the cyclo ones, likely via a temperature-induced process. In this work, combining several different experimental techniques (mass spectrometry, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis) with tight-binding and ab initio simulations, we provide evidence that, in the case of l-phenylalanyl-l-alanine, an irreversible cyclization mechanism, catalyzed by water and driven by temperature, occurs in the condensed phase.

Femtosecond-Laser Nanostructuring of Black Diamond Films under Different Gas Environments.

Irradiation of diamond with femtosecond (fs) laser pulses in ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions results in the formation of surface periodic nanostructures able to strongly interact with visible and infrared light. As a result, native transparent diamond turns into a completely different material, namely "black" diamond, with outstanding absorptance properties in the solar radiation wavelength range, which can be efficiently exploited in innovative solar energy converters. Of course, even if extremely effective, the use of UHV strongly complicates the fabrication process.

Proteotoxicity in cardiac amyloidosis: amyloidogenic light chains affect the levels of intracellular proteins in human heart cells.

AL amyloidosis is characterized by widespread deposition of immunoglobulin light chains (LCs) as amyloid fibrils. Cardiac involvement is frequent and leads to life-threatening cardiomyopathy. Besides the tissue alteration caused by fibrils, clinical and experimental evidence indicates that cardiac damage is also caused by proteotoxicity of prefibrillar amyloidogenic species.

Circulating free light chain measurement in the diagnosis, prognostic assessment and evaluation of response of AL amyloidosis: comparison of Freelite and N latex FLC assays.

Background: The measurement of circulating free light chain (FLC) is essential in the diagnosis, prognostic stratification and evaluation of response to therapy in light chain (AL) amyloidosis. For more than 10 years, this has been done with an immunonephelometric assay based on polyclonal antibodies (Freelite), and cutoffs for staging and response assessment have been validated with this method. Recently, a new assay based on monoclonal antibodies (N latex FLC) has been marketed in Europe.

The impact of renal function on the clinical performance of FLC measurement in AL amyloidosis.

Background: The measurement of circulating free light chains (FLC) is of utmost importance in immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis, being a fundamental part of the diagnostic workup, prognostic stratification and assessment of response to therapy. Renal failure is a common feature of AL amyloidosis and can considerably affect the concentration of FLC.

Methods: We assessed the impact of renal failure on the clinical performance of the Freelite assay in 982 consecutive, newly diagnosed patients with AL amyloidosis, 822 with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥30 mL/min/1.

A patient with AL amyloidosis with negative free light chain results.

The detection and quantification of amyloidogenic monoclonal light chains are necessary for the diagnosis and evaluation of response to treatment in AL amyloidosis. However, the amyloid clone is often small and difficult to detect. We report the case of a 68-year-old man who was referred to our Center in April 2013 after syncope and the identification of left ventricular hypertrophy at echocardiography, suspected for amyloidosis.

Novel mitochondrial protein interactors of immunoglobulin light chains causing heart amyloidosis.

In immunoglobulin (Ig) light-chain (LC) (AL) amyloidosis, AL deposition translates into life-threatening cardiomyopathy. Clinical and experimental evidence indicates that soluble cardiotoxic LCs are themselves harmful for cells, by which they are internalized. Hypothesizing that interaction of soluble cardiotoxic LCs with cellular proteins contributes to damage, we characterized their interactome in cardiac cells.

Investigating heart-specific toxicity of amyloidogenic immunoglobulin light chains: A lesson from C. elegans.

Abnormalities in protein folding are involved in many localized and systemic diseases, all of which are characterized by insoluble amyloid formation and deposition. In immunoglobulin light chain (LC) amyloidosis, the most frequent systemic form of amyloidosis, the amyloid involvement of the heart dictates the prognosis and the elucidation of the mechanism of heart targeting and toxicity is essential for designing and testing new effective treatments. To this end, the availability of an appropriate animal model is crucial.

A Caenorhabditis elegans-based assay recognizes immunoglobulin light chains causing heart amyloidosis.

Poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options characterize immunoglobulin light-chain (AL) amyloidosis with major heart involvement. Reliable experimental models are needed to study light-chain (LC)/heart interactions and to explore strategies for prevention of cardiac damage. We have exploited the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a novel tool, because its pharynx is evolutionarily related to the vertebrate heart.

Shotgun protein profile of human adipose tissue and its changes in relation to systemic amyloidoses.

In systemic amyloidosis, accumulation of misfolded proteins as extracellular amyloid fibrils in tissues causes severe organ dysfunction, but the molecular events of tissue damage related to amyloid deposition are still largely unknown. Through the use of the MudPIT proteomic approach, comprehensive protein profiles of human amyloid-affected adipose tissue from patients and its control (non-amyloid-affected) counterpart were acquired. Label-free comparison between patients and controls made it possible to highlight differences related to the presence of amyloid, by describing up- and down-represented proteins, connected into interacting networks.

Changes in tissue proteome associated with ATTR amyloidosis: insights into pathogenesis.

In Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR), tissue deposition of transthyretin fibrils translates into a significant subversion of the tissues proteome. We used multidimensional protein identification technology for profiling the proteome of subcutaneous adipose tissue in patients with ATTR, in comparison with controls and patients with other types of amyloidoses, to identify the global proteomic changes related specifically with this disease. The adipose tissue proteome of five ATTR patients and 11 non-affected controls was analyzed.

Reliable typing of systemic amyloidoses through proteomic analysis of subcutaneous adipose tissue.

Considering the important advances in treating specific types of systemic amyloidoses, unequivocal typing of amyloid deposits is now essential. Subcutaneous abdominal fat aspiration is the easiest, most common diagnostic procedure. We developed a novel, automated approach, based on Multidimensional Protein Identification Technology, for typing amyloidosis.

A novel approach for the purification and proteomic analysis of pathogenic immunoglobulin free light chains from serum.

An excess of circulating monoclonal free immunoglobulin light chains (FLC) is common in plasma cell disorders. A subset of FLC, as amyloidogenic ones, possess intrinsic pathogenicity. Because of their complex purification, little is known on the biochemical features of serum FLC, possibly related to their pathogenic spectrum.

Nanostructured sp2-carbon infiltration of mesoporous silicon layers.

The preparation of composite layers made of porous silicon (PS) infiltrated with nanostructured carbon is reported. These composite layers were obtained by chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) of mesoporous silicon under process conditions normally employed to grow diamond films by Hot Filament Chemical Vapour Deposition (HFCVD). Micro-Raman spectroscopy and Field Emission Gun Scanning Electron Microscopy (FEG-SEM) techniques showed that diamond nucleation density was very low whilst sp2 carbon permeated completely, even after 1 h deposition, the thickness of the PS layers that preserved their mesoporous columnar structure.

In situ functionalization of porous silicon during the electrochemical formation process in ethanoic hydrofluoric acid solution.

In this work, the results of a new method for the preparation of porous silicon (PS) layers with in situ simultaneous functionalization with organic molecules are reported. The molecules of interest are dissolved in the HF ethanoic solution used to prepare the PS layers by partial anodic dissolution of a Si electrode. The method has been proved to be effective with various molecules.