Live‐Cell Imaging with Water‐Soluble Aminophenoxazinone Dyes Synthesised through Laccase Biocatalysis

Aminophenoxazinone dyes with variable water solubilities were assayed for the first time in a live‐cell imaging application. Among a library of ten sulfonylated chromophores, one compound gave excellent results as an endocytic marker, showing a precise subcellular distribution. The compound was compared to four commercial vital tracers, including Lucifer Yellow. The first laccase‐mediated regioselective synthesis of a diphosphorylated 2‐aminophenoxazinone dye was also described. This compound, water‐soluble at 10^?2 M , displayed modest fluorescence properties and the ability to complex Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ cations, therefore giving fluorescence quenching.     

Plasma modification of polylactic acid in a medium pressure DBD

In this paper, a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) operating in different atmospheres (air, nitrogen, helium and argon) and at medium pressure is employed to modify the surface properties of polylactic acid (PLA). Chemical and physical changes on the plasma-treated surfaces are examined using contact angle, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. Results show that the discharge gas can have a significant influence on the chemical composition of the PLA surfaces: air and argon plasmas introduce oxygen-containing groups, while nitrogen discharges add nitrogen groups to the PLA surface. Quite surprisingly, also helium plasmas incorporate a small amount of nitrogen-containing functionalities: this observation can however be explained by the fact that the helium discharge operates in the glow mode. In the near future, it will be examined whether the performed plasma treatments can enhance PLA cell attachment and proliferation, which might open the door to many interesting biomedical applications.     

Synthesis and characterization of the core–shell Au covered LSMO manganite magnetic nanoparticles

In this work we report the synthesis and characterization of the nanomagnetic perovskite Sr manganites covered with Au shells having different thickness. La_2/3Sr_1/3MnO₃ (LSMO) manganite nanoparticles were first prepared by a sol–gel procedure. The LSMO manganite nanoparticles were chemically covered with gold to produce the core–shell samples. TEM, HRTEM and atomic emission spectroscopy techniques were used to determine the morphology and structure of the LSMO@Au nanoparticles. The bare LSMO nanoparticles have a mean diameter of around 4.4 nm while LSMO@Au nanoparticles have mean diameters between 7.15 and 4.8 nm depending on the gold quantity involved in the capping process. XRD studies show that both core and shell systems have the expected crystalline structure. The formation of the core–shell structure is sustained by the shift of the plasmon resonance wavelength maximum observed in the UV–vis absorbtion spectra of the LSMO@Au samples depending on the gold concentration. The magnetization versus applied magnetic field of the bare LSMO nanoparticles and LSMO@Au samples shows no hysteresis loop indicating the superparamagnetic behavior of these systems. The analysis of the temperature dependences of FC and ZFC magnetizations shows that for all the samples the axial anisotropy energy barriers are increased due to the magnetic dipolar interactions between neighbor nanoparticles.     

Carbon black oxidation in the presence of Al2O3, CeO2, and Mn oxide catalysts: An EPR study

Carbon black oxidation in the presence of CeO₂, Al₂O₃ and manganese oxide catalysts has been studied in tight contact conditions. In the presence of manganese based catalysts, the temperature gain is about 275 °C compared to the non-catalysed carbon black oxidation. The contribution of the manganese species to enhance the reactivity of carbon black oxidation has been evaluated by EPR technique. For Mn/Ce + CB mixtures the Mn²⁺ content considerably increases consequently to tight milled treatment indicating the reduction of some manganese species with higher oxidation states into Mn²⁺ ions. This phenomenon can be considered as the first step in the carbon black oxidation mechanism in the presence of Mn/Ce catalysts.     

FPGA-based Novel Adaptive Scheme Using PN Sequences for Self-Calibration and Self-Testing of MEMS-based Inertial Sensors

We propose a novel adaptive technique based on pseudo-random (PN) sequences for self-calibration and self-testing of MEMS-based inertial sensors (accelerometers and gyroscopes). The method relies on using a parameterized behavioral model implemented on FPGA, whose parameters values are adaptively tuned, based on the response to test pseudo-random actuation of the physical structure. Dedicated comb drives actuate the movable mass with binary maximum length pseudo-random sequences of small amplitude, to keep the device within the linear operating regime. The frequency of the stimulus is chosen within the mechanical spectral operating range of the micro-device, such that the induced response leads to the identification of the mechanical transfer function, and to the tuning of the associated digital behavioral model. In case of a micro-gyroscope, experimental results demonstrate the adaptive tracking of the damping coefficient from 5.57?×?10^?5? Kg/s to 7.12?×?10^?5? Kg/s and of the stiffness coefficient from 132?N/m to 137.7?N/m. In the case of a MEMS accelerometer, the damping and stiffness coefficients are correctly tracked from 3.4?×?10^?3? Kg/s and 49.56?N/m to 4.57?×?10^?3? Kg/s and 51.48?N/m, respectively—the former values are designer-specified target values, while the latter are experimentally measured parameters for fabricated devices operating in a real environment. Hardware resources estimation confirms the small area the proposed algorithm occupies on the targeted FPGA device.     

Computerized morphometry analysis of epithelial fimbriae nuclear symmetry in BRCA carriers may identify patients at risk for developing ovarian cancer

Serous ovarian tumors may originate in epithelial cells of the fallopian tubes. Computerized morphometry was able to find significant alterations in the fallopian tube epithelium of healthy BRCA carriers. The purpose of this study was to identify a subgroup of BRCA carriers that may be at risk of developing serous ovarian cancer by evaluation of the epithelial nuclear symmetry in the fallopian tubes. Four groups of patients were analyzed; healthy patients, ovarian cancer patients, BRCA carriers, and BRCA noncarriers. All fallopian tubes appeared normal by H&E examination. The ImageProPlus software was used to assess the nuclear symmetry of 65 fimbriae epithelium cells and an artificial neural network algorithm aided in detecting a subpopulation among fimbriae of healthy BRCA carriers at risk for ovarian cancer. Significant differences were found between healthy patients and ovarian cancer patients, and between BRCA carriers and noncarriers. The algorithm was able to accurately predict BRCA carriers with associated ovarian cancer based on fallopian tube nuclear symmetry characteristics. These results reinforce the hypothesis that fimbriae epithelial cells of BRCA carriers may undergo early-stage changes that could predict the risk of progression toward malignancy.     

High speed two-dimensional optical beam position detector

Disclosed is the design of a high speed two-dimensional optical beam position detector which outputs the X and Y displacement and total intensity linearly. The experimental detector measures the displacement from DC to 123 MHz and the intensity of an optical spot in a similar way as a conventional quadrant photodiode detector. The design uses four discrete photodiodes and simple dedicated optics for the position decomposition which enables higher spatial accuracy and faster electronic processing than conventional detectors. Measurements of the frequency response and the spatial sensitivity demonstrate high suitability for atomic force microscopy, scanning probe data storage applications, and wideband wavefront sensing. The operation principle allows for position measurements up to 20 GHz and more in bandwidth.     

Survey of air pollution in Cotonou, Benin--air monitoring and biomarkers

Exposure to genotoxic compounds present in ambient air has been studied in Cotonou, Benin, a city where two-stroke motorbikes are the major form of transportation and gasoline quality is poor. Personal monitoring and biomarkers were used to assess the exposure. Non-smoking taxi-moto drivers (city) and village residents were the study subjects. Benzene exposure was significantly higher in the city, as compared to the village (76.0+/-26.8 microg/m(3) versus 3.4+/-3.0, p=0.0004). Urinary excretion of benzene and S-phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA) were also highest in subjects living in the city, whereas 1-hydroxypyrene was not different. The level of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), associated with particles, ranged from 76.21 to 103.23 in Cotonou versus 1.55 ng/m(3) for the village. Determination of DNA damage in lymphocytes showed that subjects from the city had elevated number of lesions compared to subjects in the village in terms of bulky DNA adducts, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and 5-methylcytosine, whereas DNA fragmentations analysed by alkaline gel electrophoresis was not different between the subjects. In conclusion, this study shows that air pollution is pronounced in Cotonou, Bénin and is associated with elevated levels of DNA damage in residents of the city compared to people living in a non-polluted rural village.