First in vitro cell co-culture experiments using laser-induced high-energy electron FLASH irradiation for the development of anti-cancer therapeutic strategies.

Radiation delivery at ultrahigh dose rates (UHDRs) has potential for use as a new anticancer therapeutic strategy. The FLASH effect induced by UHDR irradiation has been shown to maintain antitumour efficacy with a reduction in normal tissue toxicity; however, the FLASH effect has been difficult to demonstrate in vitro. The objective to demonstrate the FLASH effect in vitro is challenging, aiming to reveal a differential response between cancer and normal cells to further identify cell molecular mechanisms.

Fs Laser Patterning of Amorphous AsS Thin Films.

This study investigates the morphological changes induced by femtosecond (fs) laser pulses in arsenic trisulfide (AsS) thin films and gold-arsenic trisulfide (Au\AsS) heterostructures, grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). By means of a direct laser writing experimental setup, the films were systematically irradiated at various laser power and irradiation times to observe their effects on surface modifications. AFM was employed for morphological and topological characterization.

B-Type Natriuretic Peptide at Admission Is a Predictor of All-Cause Mortality at One Year after the First Acute Episode of New-Onset Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Background: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has been assessed extensively, but few studies analysed the predictive value of the NT-proBNP in patients with de novo and acute HFpEF. We sought to identify NT-proBNP at admission as a predictor for all-cause mortality and rehospitalisation at 12 months in patients with new-onset HFpEF. Methods: We analysed 91 patients (73 ± 11 years, 68% females) admitted for de novo and acute HFpEF, using the Cox proportional hazard risk model.

The E/e' Ratio-Role in Risk Stratification of Acute Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction.

: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remains a worldwide management problem. Although there is a general effort for characterizing this population, few studies have assessed the predictive value of the echocardiographic E/e' ratio in patients with acute HFpEF. The aim of the study was to identify groups with different prognosis in patients hospitalized with a first acute episode of HFpEF.

A Practical Risk Score for Prediction of Early Readmission after a First Episode of Acute Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Background: The first admission for acute heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) drastically influences the short-term prognosis. Baseline characteristics may predict repeat hospitalization or death in these patients.

Methods: A 103 patient-cohort, admitted for the first acute HFpEF episode, was monitored for six months.

Laser fabrication of diffractive optical elements based on detour-phase computer-generated holograms for two-dimensional Airy beams.

We have designed, fabricated, and tested an amplitude diffractive optical element for generation of two-dimensional (2D) Airy beams. The design is based on a detour-phase computer-generated hologram. Using laser ablation of metallic films, we obtained a 2  mm×2  mm diffractive optical element with a pixel of 5  μm×5  μm and demonstrated a fast, cheap, and reliable fabrication process.

Laser-direct writing by two-photon polymerization of 3D honeycomb-like structures for bone regeneration.

A major limitation of existing 3D implantable structures for bone tissue engineering is that most of the cells rapidly attach on the outer edges of the structure, restricting the cells penetration into the inner parts and causing the formation of a necrotic core. Furthermore, these structures generally possess a random spatial arrangement and do not preserve the isotropy on the whole volume. Here, we report on the fabrication and testing of an innovative 3D hierarchical, honeycomb-like structure (HS), with reproducible and isotropic arhitecture, that allows in 'volume' migration of osteoblasts.

Electrically stimulated osteogenesis on Ti-PPy/PLGA constructs prepared by laser-assisted processes.

This work describes a versatile laser-based protocol for fabricating micro-patterned, electrically conductive titanium-polypyrrole/poly(lactic-co-glycolic)acid (Ti-PPy/PLGA) constructs for electrically stimulated (ES) osteogenesis. Ti supports were patterned using fs laser ablation in order to create high spatial resolution microstructures meant to provide mechanical resistance and physical cues for cell growth. Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE) was used to coat the patterned Ti supports with PPy/PLGA layers acting as biocompatible surfaces having chemical and electrical properties suitable for cell differentiation and mineralization.

Diode-laser pumping into the emitting level for efficient lasing of depressed cladding waveguides realized in Nd:YVO4 by the direct femtosecond-laser writing technique.

Depressed cladding waveguides have been realized in Nd:YVO(4) employing direct writing technique with a femtosecond-laser beam. It was shown that the output performances of such laser devices are improved by the reduction of the quantum defect between the pump wavelength and the laser wavelength. Thus, under the classical pump at 808 nm (i.

Laser emission from diode-pumped Nd:YAG ceramic waveguide lasers realized by direct femtosecond-laser writing technique.

We report on realization of buried waveguides in Nd:YAG ceramic media by direct femtosecond-laser writing technique and investigate the waveguides laser emission characteristics under the pump with fiber-coupled diode lasers. Laser pulses at 1.06 μm with energy of 2.

Laser parallel nanofabrication by single femtosecond pulse near-field ablation using photoresist masks.

A new near-field processing method by femtosecond laser ablation using photoresist enhancing masks is numerically and experimentally investigated. Periodical structures with 2 μm pitch, 1 μm width and 300 nm height, created in polymethyl methacrylate photoresist by e-beam lithography, were used to intensify the incident laser radiation. The near-field distribution and the intensification factor of the optical radiation were computed using the Finite-Difference-Time-Domain numerical simulations.

One- and two-photon induced emission in heterobimetallic Zn(II)-Sm(III) and Zn(II)-Tb(III) complexes with a side-off compartmental ligand.

Heterobimetallic [Zn(II)Ln(III)] complexes have been obtained using a compartmental Schiff-base ligand, H(2)valdmpn, resulting from the 2:1 condensation between o-vanillin and 2,2-dimethyl-propilenediamine: [Zn(H(2)O)(valdmpn)Sm(O(2)NO)(3)] 1, [Zn(H(2)O)(valdmpn)Tb(O(2)NO)(3)] 2a, [Zn(H(2)O)(valdmpn)Tb(O(2)NO)(3)]·H(2)O 2b, and [Zn(H(2)O)(valdmpn)Gd(O(2)NO)(3)]·H(2)O 3. The crystal structures of 1, 2b, and 3 have been solved. Compounds 1 and 2a crystallize in a non-centrosymmetric space group (P2(1)2(1)2(1)), being isomorphous.

Control of ultrafast laser-induced bulk nanogratings in fused silica via pulse time envelopes.

Employing a method of in-situ control we propose an approach for the optimization of self-arranged nanogratings in bulk fused silica under the action of ultrashort laser pulses with programmable time envelopes. A parametric study of the influence of the pulse duration and temporal form asymmetries is given. Using the diffraction properties of the laser-triggered subwavelength patterns we monitor and regulate the period and the quality of the periodic nanoscale arrangement via the effective nonlinear excitation dose.

Dermal cells distribution on laser-structured ormosils.

Several dermal substitutes for skin grafting are now commercially available, although their performance still needs improvement. Most artificial dermises have a lower take rate than autologous grafts and require more time for sufficient vascular ingrowth to overlay the skin graft. Herein we characterize new two-dimensional scaffolds for tissue-engineering applications, which were fabricated by two-photon polymerization (2PP) of ormosils hybrid materials.

Susceptibility testing of Streptococcus mitis group isolates.

Background & Objectives: Suppurative oral and maxillofacial infections are usually mixed infections due to aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, most frequently by oral streptococci and antimicrobial treatment is necessary for such infections. The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility of Streptococcus mitis group strains isolated from Romanian patients with different oral and maxillofacial infections.

Methods: Eighty-five isolates belonging to S.

Photon BLOCH oscillations in porous silicon optical superlattices.

We report the first observation of oscillations of the electromagnetic field in an optical superlattice based on porous silicon. These oscillations are an optical equivalent of well-known electronic Bloch oscillations in crystals. Elementary cells of our structure are composed by microcavities whose coupling gives rise to the extended collective modes forming optical minigaps and minibands.