Comparative Analysis of Low-Cost Portable Spectrophotometers for Colorimetric Accuracy on the RAL Design System Plus Color Calibration Target.

Novel low-cost portable spectrophotometers could be an alternative to traditional spectrophotometers and calibrated RGB cameras by offering lower prices and convenient measurements but retaining high colorimetric accuracy. This study evaluated the colorimetric accuracy of low-cost, portable spectrophotometers on the established color calibration target-RAL Design System Plus (RAL+). Four spectrophotometers with a listed price between USD 100-1200 (Nix Spectro 2, Spectro 1 Pro, ColorReader, and Pico) and a smartphone RGB camera were tested on a representative subset of 183 RAL+ colors.

Elucidation of Potential Genotoxicity of MXenes Using a DNA Comet Assay.

MXenes are among the most diverse and prominent 2D materials. They are being explored in almost every field of science and technology, including biomedicine. In particular, they are being investigated for photothermal therapy, drug delivery, medical imaging, biosensing, tissue engineering, blood dialysis, and antibacterial coatings.

Triple Spectral Line Imaging of Whole-Body Human Skin: Equipment, Image Processing, and Clinical Data.

Multispectral imaging can provide objective quantitative data on various clinical pathologies, e.g., abnormal content of bio-substances in human skin.

Copper Nanoparticle Loaded Electrospun Patches for Infected Wound Treatment: From Development to In-Vivo Application.

This study investigates the development and application of electrospun wound dressings based on polylactic acid (PLA) nanofibers, chitosan, and copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) for the treatment of purulent skin wounds. The materials were evaluated for their structural, antibacterial, and wound healing properties using an animal model. PLA/Ch-CuNPs demonstrated the most significant antibacterial activity against , , and , surpassing the other tested materials.

Advanced approaches in skin wound healing - a review on the multifunctional properties of MXenes in therapy and sensing.

In recent years, the use of MXenes, a class of two-dimensional materials composed of transition metal carbides, nitrides, or carbonitrides, has shown significant promise in the field of skin wound healing. This review explores the multifunctional properties of MXenes, focusing on their electrical conductivity, photothermal effects, and biocompatibility in this field. MXenes have been utilized to develop advanced wound healing devices such as hydrogels, patches, and smart bandages for healing examination.

Enhanced osteointegration and osteogenesis of osteoblast cells by laser-induced surface modification of Ti implants.

Dental and orthopedic implants have become routine medical technologies for tooth replacement and bone fixation. Despite significant progress in implantology, achieving sufficient osseointegration remains a challenge, often leading to implant failure over the long term. Nanotechnology offers the potential to mimic the natural patterns of living tissues, providing a promising platform for tissue engineering and implant surface design.

Bacteria and RNA virus inactivation with a high-irradiance UV-A source.

Disinfection with LED lamps is a promising ecological and economical substitute for mercury lamps. However, the optimal time/dose relationship needs to be established. Pathogen inactivation by UV-A primarily relies on induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and subsequent oxidative damage.

SU-8-meta-phenylenediamine-conjugated thin film for temperature sensing.

Polymers have distinctive optical properties and facile fabrication methods that have been well-established. Therefore, they have immense potential for nanophotonic devices. Here, we demonstrate the temperature-sensing potential of SU8-meta-phenylenediamine (SU8-mPD), produced by epoxy amination of the SU-8 polymer.

Antibacterial Potential and Biocompatibility of Chitosan/Polycaprolactone Nanofibrous Membranes Incorporated with Silver Nanoparticles.

This study addresses the need for enhanced antimicrobial properties of electrospun membranes, either through surface modifications or the incorporation of antimicrobial agents, which are crucial for improved clinical outcomes. In this context, chitosan-a biopolymer lauded for its biocompatibility and extracellular matrix-mimicking properties-emerges as an excellent candidate for tissue regeneration. However, fabricating chitosan nanofibers via electrospinning often challenges the preservation of their structural integrity.

Photoluminescence-based biosensor for the detection of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 virus proteins by ZnO tetrapod structure integrated within microfluidic system.

This paper reports on development of an optical biosensor for the detection of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 virus proteins in blood serum. ZnO nanotetrapods with high surface area and stable room temperature photoluminescence (PL) were selected as transducers. Structure and optical properties of the ZnO tetrapods have been studied by XRD, SEM and Raman spectroscopy.

MXene-Based Chemo-Sensors and Other Sensing Devices.

MXenes have received worldwide attention across various scientific and technological fields since the first report of the synthesis of TiC nanostructures in 2011. The unique characteristics of MXenes, such as superior mechanical strength and flexibility, liquid-phase processability, tunable surface functionality, high electrical conductivity, and the ability to customize their properties, have led to the widespread development and exploration of their applications in energy storage, electronics, biomedicine, catalysis, and environmental technologies. The significant growth in publications related to MXenes over the past decade highlights the extensive research interest in this material.

Diagnosis of using palladium-platinum bimetallic nanoparticles combined with paper-based analytical devices.

In this study, we demonstrate that palladium-platinum bimetallic nanoparticles (Pd@Pt NPs) as the nanozyme, combined with a multi-layer paper-based analytical device and DNA hybridization, can successfully detect . This nanozyme has peroxidase-like properties, which can increase the oxidation rate of the substrate. Compared with horseradish peroxidase, which is widely used in traditional detection, the Michaelis constants of Pd@Pt NPs are fourteen and seventeen times lower than those for 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine and HO, respectively.

Antimicrobial Activity of Two Different Types of Silver Nanoparticles against Wide Range of Pathogenic Bacteria.

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, particularly the most hazardous pathogens, namely , , , , , and spp. (ESKAPE)-pathogens pose a significant threat to global health. Current antimicrobial therapies, including those targeting biofilms, have shown limited effectiveness against these superbugs.

1D ZnO-Au nanocomposites as label-free photoluminescence immunosensors for rapid detection of Listeria monocytogenes.

In this study, we explore the potential of 1D ZnO-Au nanocomposites as innovative label-free photoluminescence (PL) immunosensors for rapidly detecting Listeria monocytogenes, a significant concern in food safety. We synthesized ZnO nanorods (ZnO_NR) and nanowires (ZnO_NW), followed by Au deposition to create ZnO_NR/Au and ZnO_NW/Au nanocomposites. Our analyses, including SEM, TEM, Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL), revealed distinct structural and optical properties of these nanocomposites, especially noting the superior crystallinity and stability of ZnO_NR/Au.

Optically Guided High-Frequency Ultrasound Shows Superior Efficacy for Preoperative Estimation of Breslow Thickness in Comparison with Multispectral Imaging: A Single-Center Prospective Validation Study.

Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer that is known for its metastatic potential and has an increasing incidence worldwide. Breslow thickness, which determines the staging and surgical margin of the tumor, is unavailable at initial diagnosis. Novel imaging techniques for assessing Breslow thickness lack comparative data.

Discrimination of leucine and isoleucine via fragmentation by electromagnetic field.

Context: We conduct comparative numerical studies of the effects of electric dipole field and electromagnetic radiation field on the amino acids leucine and isoleucine. Since they are structural isomers, distinguishing them by mass is a non-trivial task, while determination of protein structure can be crucial on many occasions. We emphasize the influence of the magnetic field of radiation by utilizing a modified basis sets with correction coefficients to the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] orbitals following the Anisotropic Gaussian Type Orbitals method.

Shaping the Structure and Properties of TiO-ZnO Oxide Coatings Produced by Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation on Titanium Substrate.

The paper presents the results of preliminary research on the possibility of synthesizing ZnO-TiO mixed coatings by plasma electrochemical oxidation (PEO). The aim of the work was to synthesize TiO-ZnO mixed coatings on a titanium substrate from an electrolyte containing ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and to assess the parameters of PEO on the structure, chemical composition, and properties of the obtained oxide coatings. The PEO process was carried out under various current-voltage conditions using different signals: DC, DC pulse, and AC.

Multispectral Imaging Analysis of Skin Lesions in Patients with Neurofibromatosis Type 1.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a rare disease, affecting around 1 in 3500 individuals in the general population. The rarity of the disease contributes to the scarcity of the available diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Multispectral imaging is a non-invasive imaging method that shows promise in the diagnosis of various skin diseases.

Tools for classification of growing/non-growing bacterial colonies using laser speckle imaging.

Prior research has indicated the feasibility of assessing growth-associated activity in bacterial colonies through the application of laser speckle imaging techniques. A subpixel correlation method was employed to identify variations in sequential laser speckle images, thereby facilitating the visualization of specific zones indicative of microbial growth within the colony. Such differentiation between active (growing) and inactive (non-growing) bacterial colonies holds considerable implications for medical applications, like bacterial response to certain drugs or antibiotics.

Thin-film conformal fluorescent SU8-phenylenediamine.

The SU8 polymer is a negative photoresist widely used to produce high-quality coatings, with controllable thicknesses ranging from nanometers to millimeters, depending on fabrication protocols. Apart from conventional use cases in microelectronics and fluidics, SU8 is quite an attractive platform in nanophotonics. This material, being straightforwardly processed by ultraviolet lithography, is transparent to wavelengths longer than 500 nm.

Hybrid Approach to Colony-Forming Unit Counting Problem Using Multi-Loss U-Net Reformulation.

Colony-Forming Unit (CFU) counting is a complex problem without a universal solution in biomedical and food safety domains. A multitude of sophisticated heuristics and segmentation-driven approaches have been proposed by researchers. However, U-Net remains the most frequently cited and used deep learning method in these domains.

Synthetic Calcium-Phosphate Materials for Bone Grafting.

Synthetic bone grafting materials play a significant role in various medical applications involving bone regeneration and repair. Their ability to mimic the properties of natural bone and promote the healing process has contributed to their growing relevance. While calcium-phosphates and their composites with various polymers and biopolymers are widely used in clinical and experimental research, the diverse range of available polymer-based materials poses challenges in selecting the most suitable grafts for successful bone repair.

Nanodiamond Decorated PEO Oxide Coatings on NiTi Alloy.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain a leading cause of death in the European population, primarily attributed to atherosclerosis and subsequent complications. Although statin drugs effectively prevent atherosclerosis, they fail to reduce plaque size and vascular stenosis. Bare metal stents (BMS) have shown promise in acute coronary disease treatment but are associated with restenosis in the stent.

Contactless photoplethysmography for assessment of small fiber neuropathy.

Chronic pain is a prevalent condition affecting approximately one-fifth of the global population, with significant impacts on quality of life and work productivity. Small fiber neuropathies are a common cause of chronic pain, and current diagnostic methods rely on subjective self-assessment or invasive skin biopsies, highlighting the need for objective noninvasive assessment methods. The study aims to develop a modular prototype of a contactless photoplethysmography system with three spectral bands (420, 540, and 800 nm) and evaluate its potential for assessing peripheral neuropathy patients via a skin topical heating test and spectral analyses of cutaneous flowmotions.