Rapid determination of phenolic composition in chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acids are the main responsible of the antioxidant activity of chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.). Traditional methods for the analysis of the phenolic content in vegetables often suffer from limitations such as being expensive, time-consuming, and complex.

Efficacy of MRI data harmonization in the age of machine learning: a multicenter study across 36 datasets.

Pooling publicly-available MRI data from multiple sites allows to assemble extensive groups of subjects, increase statistical power, and promote data reuse with machine learning techniques. The harmonization of multicenter data is necessary to reduce the confounding effect associated with non-biological sources of variability in the data. However, when applied to the entire dataset before machine learning, the harmonization leads to data leakage, because information outside the training set may affect model building, and potentially falsely overestimate performance.

Photomobile Polymer-Piezoelectric Composite for Enhanced Actuation and Energy Generation.

In this study, we present an innovative approach to increase the quantum yield and wavelength sensitivity of photomobile polymer (PMP) films based on azobenzene by doping the polymer matrix with noble metal nanoparticles. These doped PMP films showed faster and more significant bending under both UV as well as visible and near-infrared light regardless of whether it was coherent, incoherent, polarized, or unpolarized irradiation, expanding the potential of PMP-based actuators. To illustrate their practical implications, we created a proof-of-concept model of power generation by coupling it to flexible piezoelectric materials under simulated sunlight.

Photon- and Singlet-Oxygen-Induced Cis-Trans Isomerization of the Water-Soluble Carotenoid Crocin.

Studying the cis-trans isomerization process in crocin (CR), one of the few water-soluble carotenoids extracted from saffron, is important to better understand the physiological role of cis-carotenoids in vivo and their potential as antioxidants in therapeutic applications. For that, cis-trans isomerization of both methanol- and water-dissolved CR was induced by light or thermally generated singlet oxygen (O). The kinetics of molecular concentrations were monitored by both high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and non-destructive spectrophotometric methods.

Editorial for the Special Issue on Micro/Nanophotonic Devices in Europe.

Photonics has often been defined as the key technology of the 21st century [...

Sol-Gel Photonic Glasses: From Material to Application.

In this review, we present a short overview of the development of sol-gel glasses for application in the field of photonics, with a focus on some of the most interesting results obtained by our group and collaborators in that area. Our main attention is devoted to silicate glasses of different compositions, which are characterized by specific optical and spectroscopic properties for various applications, ranging from luminescent systems to light-confining structures and memristors. In particular, the roles of rare-earth doping, matrix composition, the densification process and the fabrication protocol on the structural, optical and spectroscopic properties of the developed photonic systems are discussed through appropriate examples.

Pulmonary emphysema and coronary artery calcifications at baseline LDCT and long-term mortality in smokers and former smokers of the ITALUNG screening trial.

Objectives: Cardiovascular disease (CVD), lung cancer (LC), and respiratory diseases are main causes of death in smokers and former smokers undergoing low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for LC screening. We assessed whether quantification of pulmonary emphysematous changes at baseline LDCT has a predictive value concerning long-term mortality.

Methods: In this longitudinal study, we assessed pulmonary emphysematous changes with densitometry (volume corrected relative area below - 950 Hounsfield units) and coronary artery calcifications (CAC) with a 0-3 visual scale in baseline LDCT of 524 participants in the ITALUNG trial and analyzed their association with mortality after 13.

NAVIGATOR: an Italian regional imaging biobank to promote precision medicine for oncologic patients.

NAVIGATOR is an Italian regional project boosting precision medicine in oncology with the aim of making it more predictive, preventive, and personalised by advancing translational research based on quantitative imaging and integrative omics analyses. The project's goal is to develop an open imaging biobank for the collection and preservation of a large amount of standardised imaging multimodal datasets, including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography data, together with the corresponding patient-related and omics-related relevant information extracted from regional healthcare services using an adapted privacy-preserving model. The project is based on an open-source imaging biobank and an open-science oriented virtual research environment (VRE).

Machine and Deep Learning Prediction Of Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness Using Multiparametric MRI.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequent male malignancy and the assessment of PCa aggressiveness, for which a biopsy is required, is fundamental for patient management. Currently, multiparametric (mp) MRI is strongly recommended before biopsy. Quantitative assessment of mpMRI might provide the radiologist with an objective and noninvasive tool for supporting the decision-making in clinical practice and decreasing intra- and inter-reader variability.

Microwave Radiometry at Frequencies From 500 to 1400 MHz: An Emerging Technology for Earth Observations.

Microwave radiometry has provided valuable spaceborne observations of Earth's geophysical properties for decades. The recent SMOS, Aquarius, and SMAP satellites have demonstrated the value of measurements at 1400 MHz for observing surface soil moisture, sea surface salinity, sea ice thickness, soil freeze/thaw state, and other geophysical variables. However, the information obtained is limited by penetration through the subsurface at 1400 MHz and by a reduced sensitivity to surface salinity in cold or wind-roughened waters.

Cost Effective Silver Nanowire-Decorated Graphene Paper for Drop-On SERS Biodetection.

The use of SERS for real-world bioanalytical applications represents a concrete opportunity, which, however, is being largely delayed by the inadequacy of existing substrates used to collect SERS spectra. In particular, the main bottleneck is their poor usability, as in the case of unsupported noble metal colloidal nanoparticles or because of the need for complex or highly specialized fabrication procedures, especially in view of a large-scale commercial diffusion. In this work, we introduce a graphene paper-supported plasmonic substrate for biodetection as obtained by a simple and rapid aerosol deposition patterning of silver nanowires.

A Compact LIF Spectrometer for in-Field Operation in Polar Environments.

We present a compact laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectrometer prototype (SFIDA-405) designed for in-field operation in polar environments. It uses 405 nm excitation to acquire LIF spectra in the 450-930 nm spectral range on a solid surface via an optical-fiber coupled measurement head. The prototype (battery powered; module + measurement head weight: <1.

Intelligent environments for all: a path towards technology-enhanced human well-being.

Emerging intelligent environments are considered to offer significant opportunities to positively impact human life, both at an individual and at a societal level, and in particular to provide useful means to support people in their daily life activities and thus improve well-being for everybody, especially for older people and for people with limitations of activities. In this context, accessibility and usability, although necessary, are not sufficient to ensure that applications and services are appropriately designed to satisfy human needs and overcome potential functional limitations in the execution of everyday activities fundamental for well-being. This position paper puts forward the claim that, in order to achieve the above objective, it is necessary that: (i) the design of is centered around the well-being of people, roughly intended as the possibility of executing the (everyday) human activities necessary for living (independently), thus emphasizing usefulness in addition to usability; (ii) the technological environment is orchestrated around such activities and contains knowledge about how they are performed and how people need to be supported to perform them; (iii) the environment makes use of monitoring and reasoning capabilities in order to adapt, fine-tune and evolve over time the type and level of support provided, and this process takes place considering ethical values; (iv) the applications must also support the possibility of contact with other people, who in many cases may be the only effective help.

Application of Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy on Plastics in Cultural Heritage Collections: A Comparative Assessment of Two Portable Mid-Fourier Transform Infrared Reflection Devices.

Plastics have been increasingly used to create modern and contemporary art and design, and nowadays, museum collections hold numerous objects completely or partially made of plastics. However, the preservation of these materials is still a challenging task in heritage conservation, especially because some plastics show signs of degradation shortly after their production. In addition, different degradation mechanisms can often take place depending on the plastic composition and appropriate environmental and packaging conditions should be adopted.

Ficoll as testing material for diffusion weighted imaging-quality assurance phantoms.

Purpose: The aim of this work is to test the use of aqueous solutions of Ficoll®**, a highly branched polymer displaying crowding properties, to build a phantom suitable for Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

Methods: We developed a test object made of a cylindrical plastic container with a precise geometrical arrangement suitable for measuring several samples at the same time. The container was designed to host single vials with variable geometry and number, and to fit inside common commercial head coils for MRI scanners.

Comprehensive Analysis of Radiomic Datasets by RadAR.

Quantitative analysis of biomedical images, referred to as radiomics, is emerging as a promising approach to facilitate clinical decisions and improve patient stratification. The typical radiomic workflow includes image acquisition, segmentation, feature extraction, and analysis of high-dimensional datasets. While procedures for primary radiomic analyses have been established in recent years, processing the resulting radiomic datasets remains a challenge due to the lack of specific tools for doing so.

Non-invasive techniques applied to the alchemical codex of the State Archive of Florence.

This paper focuses on the application of non-invasive techniques to study a peculiar object, an alchemical codex completely made of lead stored at the State Archive of Florence. The sheets of the codex appeared entirely covered by thick and heterogeneous corrosion patinas for which a restoration was planned for their removal. This activity was supported by analytical investigations to characterise the materials that made up the patinas using non-invasive techniques.

Photonic Crystal Stimuli-Responsive Chromatic Sensors: A Short Review.

Photonic crystals (PhC) are spatially ordered structures with lattice parameters comparable to the wavelength of propagating light. Their geometrical and refractive index features lead to an energy band structure for photons, which may allow or forbid the propagation of electromagnetic waves in a limited frequency range. These unique properties have attracted much attention for both theoretical and applied research.

Editorial for the Special Issue on Glassy Materials Based Microdevices.

Glassy materials, i.e., glasses and most polymers, play a very important role in microtechnologies and photonics[.

About the Implementation of Frequency Conversion Processes in Solar Cell Device Simulations.

Solar cells are electrical devices that can directly convert sunlight into electricity. While solar cells are a mature technology, their efficiencies are still far below the theoretical limit. The major losses in a typical semiconductor solar cell are due to the thermalization of electrons in the UV and visible range of the solar spectrum, the inability of a solar cell to absorb photons with energies below the electronic band gap, and losses due to the recombination of electrons and holes, which mainly occur at the contacts.

Glassy Microspheres for Energy Applications.

Microspheres made of glass, polymer, or crystal material have been largely used in many application areas, extending from paints to lubricants, to cosmetics, biomedicine, optics and photonics, just to mention a few. Here the focus is on the applications of glassy microspheres in the field of energy, namely covering issues related to their use in solar cells, in hydrogen storage, in nuclear fusion, but also as high-temperature insulators or proppants for shale oil and gas recovery. An overview is provided of the fabrication techniques of bulk and hollow microspheres, as well as of the excellent results made possible by the peculiar properties of microspheres.

Multiple Consequences Induced by Epidermally-Located Anthocyanins in Young, Mature and Senescent Leaves of .

Anthocyanic morphs are generally less efficient in terms of carbon gain, but, in turn, are more photoprotected than anthocyanin-less ones. To date, mature leaves of different morphs or leaves at different developmental stages within the same species have generally been compared, whereas there is a lack of knowledge regarding different stages of development of red . green leaves.

Analysis of the Antitumor Activity of Clotrimazole on A375 Human Melanoma Cells.

Aim: The current study was designed to characterize the anticancer effects of clotrimazole on human cutaneous melanoma cells.

Materials And Methods: The v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 V600E mutant melanoma cell line A375 was used as an in vitro model. Characterization tools included analyses of cell viability, gene expression, cell-cycle progression, annexin V reactivity and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation.

Laser-assisted penetrating keratoplasty: 1-year results in patients using a laser-welded anvil-profiled graft.

Purpose: To describe a new laser-assisted penetrating keratoplasty technique combining a femtosecond anvil-like trephination pattern with the laser welding procedure.

Design: Cohort prospective study with 1 year of follow-up (June 2011 through January 2013).

Methods: This study was performed at Misericordia e Dolce Public Hospital, Prato, Italy.

Comparative study of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in transmission, attenuated total reflection, and total reflection modes for the analysis of plastics in the cultural heritage field.

This study was completed within the framework of two research projects dealing with the conservation of contemporary artworks. The first is the Seventh Framework Project (FP7) of the European Union, Preservation of Plastic ARTefacts in Museum Collections (POPART), spanning years 2008-2012, and the second is the Italian project funded by the Tuscan Region, Preventive Conservation of Contemporary Art (Conservazione Preventiva dell'Arte Contemporanea (COPAC)), spanning 2011-2013. Both of these programs pointed out the great importance of having noninvasive and portable analytical techniques that can be used to investigate and characterize modern and contemporary artworks, especially those consisting of synthetic polymers.