Light management with quantum nanostructured dots-in-host semiconductors.

Insightful knowledge on quantum nanostructured materials is paramount to engineer and exploit their vast gamut of applications. Here, a formalism based on the single-band effective mass equation was developed to determine the light absorption of colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) embedded in a wider bandgap semiconductor host, employing only three parameters (dots/host potential barrier, effective mass, and QD size). It was ascertained how to tune such parameters to design the energy level structure and consequent optical response. Our findings show that the CQD size has the biggest effect on the number and energy of the confined levels, while the potential barrier causes a linear shift of their values. While smaller QDs allow wider energetic separation between levels (as desired for most quantum-based technologies), the larger dots with higher number of levels are those that exhibit the strongest absorption. Nevertheless, it was unprecedently shown that such quantum-enabled absorption coefficients can reach the levels (104-105 cm-1) of bulk semiconductors.

Clinical predictors and microbiology of ventilator-associated pneumonia in the intensive care unit: a retrospective analysis in six Italian hospitals.

The purpose of this study was to assess the main clinical predictors and microbiological features of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) environment. This work is a retrospective analysis over one year from September 2010 to September 2011. Patients' risk factors, causes of admission, comorbidities and respiratory specimens collected in six Italian ICUs were reviewed. Incidence and case fatality rate of VAP were evaluated. After stratification for VAP development, univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the impact of patients' conditions on the onset of this infection. A total of 1,647 ICU patients (pts) were considered. Overall, 115 patients (6.9 %) experienced at least one episode of VAP. The incidence rate for VAP was 5.82/1,000 pts-days, with a case fatality rate of 44.3 %. Multivariate analysis showed that admission for neurological disorders (aIRR 4.12, CI 1.24-13.68, p = 0.02) and emergency referral to ICU from other hospitals (aIRR 2.11, CI 1.03-4.31, p = 0.04) were associated with higher risk of VAP, whereas a tendency to a higher risk of infection was detected for admission due to respiratory disease, cardiac disease, trauma and for having obesity or renal failure. A total of 372 microbiological isolates from respiratory specimens were collected in VAP patients. The most common species were Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, showing high resistance rates to carbapenems. Neurological disorders and emergency referral at the admission into the ICU are significantly associated with the onset of VAP. A high incidence of multi-drug resistant Gram- species was detected in the respiratory specimens.

Inkjet printed highly porous TiO2 films for improved electrical properties of photoanode.

The aim of presented work is to show the improvements obtained in the properties of TiO2 films for dye sensitized solar cells fabricated by inkjet printing using an innovative methodology. We describe the development and properties of TiO2-based inks used in a lab-scale printer, testing various commercial TiO2 pastes. The porosity of the deposited inkjet printed TiO2 films is much higher than using the conventional "doctor blade" deposition technique, as the ink solvent evaporates during the droplet fly from the nozzle to the substrate due to its picoliter volume and the applied heating of a printing stage (70°C). Thanks to higher surface area, the dye sensitized solar cells incorporating inkjet printed TiO2 film gave higher efficiencies (ηmax≈3.06%) than the more compact films obtained by the "doctor blade" method (ηmax≈2.56%). Furthermore, electrochemical analysis indicates that for whole tested thickness range, the inkjet printed layers have higher effective electron diffusion length indicating their better transport properties.

Office paper platform for bioelectrochromic detection of electrochemically active bacteria using tungsten trioxide nanoprobes.

Electrochemically active bacteria (EAB) have the capability to transfer electrons to cell exterior, a feature that is currently explored for important applications in bioremediation and biotechnology fields. However, the number of isolated and characterized EAB species is still very limited regarding their abundance in nature. Colorimetric detection has emerged recently as an attractive mean for fast identification and characterization of analytes based on the use of electrochromic materials. In this work, WO3 nanoparticles were synthesized by microwave assisted hydrothermal synthesis and used to impregnate non-treated regular office paper substrates. This allowed the production of a paper-based colorimetric sensor able to detect EAB in a simple, rapid, reliable, inexpensive and eco-friendly method. The developed platform was then tested with Geobacter sulfurreducens, as a proof of concept. G. sulfurreducens cells were detected at latent phase with an RGB ratio of 1.10 ± 0.04, and a response time of two hours.

Mobile based gold nanoprobe TB diagnostics for point-of-need.

Nanotechnology based diagnostics has provided improved tools for pathogen detection and sensitive and specific characterization of antibiotic resistance signatures. Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex (MTBC) and, according to the World Health Organization, is one of the most serious infectious diseases in the world. Recent advances in molecular diagnostics of TB have improved both the detection time and sensitivity but they still require specialized technical personnel and cumbersome laboratory equipment. Diagnostics at point-of-need is crucial to TB control as it may provide rapid identification of pathogen together with the resistance profile of TB strains, originated from single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in different loci, allowing for a more accurate indication of the adequate therapy.Gold nanoparticles have been widely used in molecular diagnostics platforms. Here, we describe the use of gold nanoprobes (oligonucleotide functionalized gold nanoparticles) to be used in a non-cross-linking colorimetric method for the direct detection of specific DNA targets. Due to the remarkable optical properties of gold nanoparticles, this detection system provides colorimetric detection of the pathogen together with the potential of identification of several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) involved in TB resistance to antibiotics. For point-of-need use, we adapted this strategy to a low-cost mobile scheme using a paper based revelation platform and where the spectral signature is transposed to RGB data via a smartphone device. This way, identification of pathogen and characterization of resistance signatures is achieved at point-of-need.

Development of multicore hybrid particles for drug delivery through the precipitation of CO2 saturated emulsions.

Hybrid lipid-polymer particles are gaining increasing interest to be applied as drug delivery systems due to their greater stability in biological fluids and enhanced cellular uptake of drugs. However, a major drawback is the fact that these particles are usually produced through techniques that use organic solvents. This work studies the possibility of producing for the first time hybrid particles composed by lipid multicores enveloped in a polymeric layer through Particles from Gas Saturated Solutions (PGSS(®)), without using organic solvents. An oil-in-water emulsion, composed by Gelucire 43/01™ (GEL) as the discontinuous phase and by an aqueous polyethylene glycol 4000 (PEG) solution as the continuous phase, was successfully precipitated by PGSS(®). Operating conditions that ensured the stability of the CO2 saturated emulsion were previously evaluated. The resulting PEG-GEL particles present a spherical-like morphology constituted by several lipid cores encapsulated into a polymeric shell. The applicability of these structured particles to be used as drug delivery system (DDS) was studied by using ketoprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), as model drug. The particles provided an initial burst release of the drug due to the progressive dissolution of the external layer of PEG, followed by a controlled release of the NSAID from the GEL cores.

The influence of fibril composition and dimension on the performance of paper gated oxide transistors.

Paper electronics is a topic of great interest due the possibility of having low-cost, disposable and recyclable electronic devices. The final goal is to make paper itself an active part of such devices. In this work we present new approaches in the selection of tailored paper, aiming to use it simultaneously as substrate and dielectric in oxide based paper field effect transistors (FETs). From the work performed, it was observed that the gate leakage current in paper FETs can be reduced using a dense microfiber/nanofiber cellulose paper as the dielectric. Also, the stability of these devices against changes in relative humidity is improved. On other hand, if the pH of the microfiber/nanofiber cellulose pulp is modified by the addition of HCl, the saturation mobility of the devices increases up to 16 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), with an ION/IOFF ratio close to 10(5).

Nanocrystalline cellulose applied simultaneously as the gate dielectric and the substrate in flexible field effect transistors.

Cotton-based nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC), also known as nanopaper, one of the major sources of renewable materials, is a promising substrate and component for producing low cost fully recyclable flexible paper electronic devices and systems due to its properties (lightweight, stiffness, non-toxicity, transparency, low thermal expansion, gas impermeability and improved mechanical properties).Here, we have demonstrated for the first time a thin transparent nanopaper-based field effect transistor (FET) where NCC is simultaneously used as the substrate and as the gate dielectric layer in an 'interstrate' structure, since the device is built on both sides of the NCC films; while the active channel layer is based on oxide amorphous semiconductors, the gate electrode is based on a transparent conductive oxide.Such hybrid FETs present excellent operating characteristics such as high channel saturation mobility (>7 cm(2) V (-1) s(-1)), drain-source current on/off modulation ratio higher than 10(5), enhancement n-type operation and subthreshold gate voltage swing of 2.11 V/decade. The NCC film FET characteristics have been measured in air ambient conditions and present good stability, after two weeks of being processed, without any type of encapsulation or passivation layer. The results obtained are comparable to ones produced for conventional cellulose paper, marking this out as a promising approach for attaining high-performance disposable electronics such as paper displays, smart labels, smart packaging, RFID (radio-frequency identification) and point-of-care systems for self-analysis in bioscience applications, among others.

A low cost, safe, disposable, rapid and self-sustainable paper-based platform for diagnostic testing: lab-on-paper.

There is a strong interest in the use of biopolymers in the electronic and biomedical industries, mainly towards low-cost applications. The possibility of developing entirely new kinds of products based on cellulose is of current interest, in order to enhance and to add new functionalities to conventional paper-based products. We present our results towards the development of paper-based microfluidics for molecular diagnostic testing. Paper properties were evaluated and compared to nitrocellulose, the most commonly used material in lateral flow and other rapid tests. Focusing on the use of paper as a substrate for microfluidic applications, through an eco-friendly wax-printing technology, we present three main and distinct colorimetric approaches: (i) enzymatic reactions (glucose detection); (ii) immunoassays (antibodies anti-Leishmania detection); (iii) nucleic acid sequence identification (Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex detection). Colorimetric glucose quantification was achieved through enzymatic reactions performed within specific zones of the paper-based device. The colouration achieved increased with growing glucose concentration and was highly homogeneous, covering all the surface of the paper reaction zones in a 3D sensor format. These devices showed a major advantage when compared to the 2D lateral flow glucose sensors, where some carryover of the coloured products usually occurs. The detection of anti-Leishmania antibodies in canine sera was conceptually achieved using a paper-based 96-well enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay format. However, optimization is still needed for this test, regarding the efficiency of the immobilization of antigens on the cellulose fibres. The detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis nucleic acids integrated with a non-cross-linking gold nanoprobe detection scheme was also achieved in a wax-printed 384-well paper-based microplate, by the hybridization with a species-specific probe. The obtained results with the above-mentioned proof-of-concept sensors are thus promising towards the future development of simple and cost-effective paper-based diagnostic devices.

Oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors: a review of recent advances.

Transparent electronics is today one of the most advanced topics for a wide range of device applications. The key components are wide bandgap semiconductors, where oxides of different origins play an important role, not only as passive component but also as active component, similar to what is observed in conventional semiconductors like silicon. Transparent electronics has gained special attention during the last few years and is today established as one of the most promising technologies for leading the next generation of flat panel display due to its excellent electronic performance. In this paper the recent progress in n- and p-type oxide based thin-film transistors (TFT) is reviewed, with special emphasis on solution-processed and p-type, and the major milestones already achieved with this emerging and very promising technology are summarizeed. After a short introduction where the main advantages of these semiconductors are presented, as well as the industry expectations, the beautiful history of TFTs is revisited, including the main landmarks in the last 80 years, finishing by referring to some papers that have played an important role in shaping transparent electronics. Then, an overview is presented of state of the art n-type TFTs processed by physical vapour deposition methods, and finally one of the most exciting, promising, and low cost but powerful technologies is discussed: solution-processed oxide TFTs. Moreover, a more detailed focus analysis will be given concerning p-type oxide TFTs, mainly centred on two of the most promising semiconductor candidates: copper oxide and tin oxide. The most recent data related to the production of complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices based on n- and p-type oxide TFT is also be presented. The last topic of this review is devoted to some emerging applications, finalizing with the main conclusions. Related work that originated at CENIMAT|I3N during the last six years is included in more detail, which has led to the fabrication of high performance n- and p-type oxide transistors as well as the fabrication of CMOS devices with and on paper.

Enigmatic reticulated filaments in subsurface granite.

In the last few years, geomicrobiologists have focused their researches on the nature and origin of enigmatic reticulated filaments reported in modern and fossil samples from limestone caves and basalt lava tubes. Researchers have posed questions on these filaments concerning their nature, origin, chemistry, morphology, mode of formation and growth. A tentative microbial origin has been elusive since these filaments are found as hollow tubular sheaths and could not be affiliated to any known microorganism. We describe the presence of similar structures in a 16th century granite tunnel in Porto, Northwest Portugal. The reticulated filaments we identify exhibit fine geometry surface ornamentation formed by cross-linked Mn-rich nanofibres, surrounded by a large amount of extracellular polymeric substances. Within these Mn-rich filaments we report for the first time the occurrence of microbial cells.

Li(+)- and Eu(³+)-doped poly(ε-caprolactone)/siloxane biohybrid electrolytes for electrochromic devices.

The sol-gel process has been successfully combined with the "mixed cation" effect to produce novel luminescent and ion conducting biohybrids composed of a diurethane cross-linked poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL530)/siloxane hybrid network (PCL stands for the poly(ε-caprolactone) biopolymer and 530 is the average molecular weight in gmol(-1)) doped with a wide range of concentrations of lithium and europium triflates (LiCF(3)SO(3) and Eu(CF(3)SO(3))(3), respectively) (molar ratio of ca. 50:50). The hybrid samples are all semicrystalline: whereas at n = 52.6 and 27.0 (n, composition, corresponds to the number of (C(═O)(CH(2))(5)O) repeat units of PCL(530) per mixture of Li(+) and Eu(3+) ions) a minor proportion of crystalline PCL(530) chains is present, at n = 6.1, a new crystalline phase emerges. The latter electrolyte is thermally stable up to 220 °C and exhibits the highest conductivity over the entire range of temperatures studied (3.7 × 10(-7) and 1.71 × 10(-4) S cm(-1) at 20 and 102 °C, respectively). According to infrared spectroscopic data, major modifications occur in terms of hydrogen bonding interactions at this composition. The electrochemical stability domain of the biohybrid sample with n = 27 spans more than 7 V versus Li/Li(+). This sample is a room temperature white light emitter. Its emission color can be easily tuned across the Commission Internationale d'Éclairage (CIE) chromaticity diagram upon simply changing the excitation wavelength. Preliminary tests performed with a prototype electrochromic device (ECD) comprising the sample with n = 6.1 as electrolyte and WO(3) as cathodically coloring layer are extremely encouraging. The device exhibits switching time around 50 s, an optical density change of 0.15, good open circuit memory under atmospheric conditions (ca. 1 month) and high coloration efficiency (577 cm(2) C(-1) in the second cycle).

Stimulation of homology-directed repair at I-SceI-induced DNA breaks during the permissive life cycle of human cytomegalovirus.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) selectively relocalizes many DNA repair proteins, thereby avoiding a potentially detrimental damage response. In the present study, we evaluated interactions between HCMV and the homology-directed repair (HDR) pathway. In permissive human foreskin fibroblasts, a fluorescence-based double-stranded break repair assay was used to determine that HCMV stimulated HDR. Repair of both stably integrated and extrachromosomal reporter substrates was observed to increase. HDR was also stimulated through individual expression of the viral immediate-early protein IE1-72, mimicking full virus infection. These experiments further demonstrate HCMV's role in modulating critical cellular processes during a permissive infection.

Thin and flexible bio-batteries made of electrospun cellulose-based membranes.

The present work proposes the development of a bio-battery composed by an ultrathin monolithic structure of an electrospun cellulose acetate membrane, over which was deposited metallic thin film electrodes by thermal evaporation on both surfaces. The electrochemical characterization of the bio-batteries was performed under simulated body fluids like sweat and blood plasma [salt solution--0.9% (w/w) NaCl]. Reversible electrochemical reactions were detected through the cellulose acetate structure. Thus, a stable electrochemical behavior was achieved for a bio-battery with silver and aluminum thin films as electrodes. This device exhibits the ability to supply a power density higher than 3 µW cm(-2). Finally, a bio-battery prototype was tested on a sweated skin, demonstrating the potential of applicability of this bio-device as a micropower source.

Nanostructured silicon based thin film transistors processed in the plasma dark region.

Nanostructured silicon (na-Si:H) thin films were fabricated using plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) technique under high silane hydrogen dilution and a discharge frequency of 27 MHz, where the substrate was located in the dark region of the plasma, protected by a grounded metal grid. By not exposing the growth surface directly to the plasma we avoid the silicon growth surface to sustain a high ion bombardment leading to a less defective surface and highly compact films. The intrinsic films grown under these conditions were used to produce the channel region of thin film transistors (TFTs) with a bottom gate staggered configuration, integrating different dielectric layers. The devices produced exhibit a field effect mobility close to 1.84 cm2 V(-1) s(-1), threshold voltage around 2 V, on/off ratio above 10(7) and sub-threshold slope below 0.5 V/decade, depending on the dielectric used.

Role of trimethylboron to silane ratio on the properties of p-type nanocrystalline silicon thin film deposited by radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition.

Trimethylboron (TMB) has been receiving attention as a valid alternative to diborane and methane mixtures for the deposition of p-type silicon films for applications in optoelectronic devices such as solar cells. In this paper we report on p-type hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon carbide (nc-Si:C:H) films produced by standard 13.56 MHz plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition technique, using TMB as gas source, under high hydrogen dilution (98%) and using high deposition pressures (3 Torr). The films obtained were characterized by spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), Raman spectroscopy (RS), and electrical measurements to determine their optical, structural and electrical properties. We achieved conductivities as high as 8.3 (omega cm)(-1), one of the highest values of conductivity published to date using TMB with standard rf-PECVD. Spectroscopic ellipsometry modeling revealed that the films growth mechanism proceeds through a sub-surface layer mechanism that leads to the formation of nanocrystalline silicon.

Induction of apoptosis in Jurkat cells by photoexcited psoralen derivatives: Implication of mitochondrial dysfunctions and caspases activation.

The prevailing form of cell death in lymphocytes exposed to psoralen plus UVA light (PUVA), was investigated. We studied the well known drug 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) and an angular derivatives: angelicin (ANG). We evaluated the induction of apoptosis in a human tumor T-cell line (Jurkat). Both compounds provoke a significant induction of apoptosis at 24h from irradiation as demonstrated by a remarkable percentage of cells Annexin-V positive. We investigated the effects of the psoralen derivatives upon UVA irradiation on the cell cycle. The flow cytometric analysis of propidium labeled cells indicates that treatment induces, in a dose dependent manner, a massive accumulation of cells, for both compounds, in G2-S phase after 24h from the irradiation. We have focused our attention on the mitochondrial functionality after irradiation in the presence of psoralen derivatives. We evaluated, by flow cytometry, (i) the mitochondrial potential (Deltapsi(mt)), (ii) the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and (iii) the oxidation of cardiolipin, a phospholipid restricted to the inner mitochondrial membrane. Furthermore the activation of caspases -3, -8 and -9 was also investigated. The obtained data indicated that, upon UVA irradiation, the two compounds induce a strong decrease in mitochondrial functions and activate caspase-3, -8 and -9.

Potential role for p53 in the permissive life cycle of human cytomegalovirus.

Infection of primary fibroblasts with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) causes a rapid stabilization of the cellular protein p53. p53 is a major effector of the cellular damage response, and activation of this transcription factor can lead either to cell cycle arrest or to apoptosis. Viruses employ many tactics to avoid p53-mediated effects. One method HCMV uses to counteract p53 is sequestration into its viral replication centers. In order to determine whether or not HCMV benefits from this sequestration, we infected a p53(-/-) fibroblast line. We find that although these cells are permissive for viral infection, several parameters are substantially altered compared to wild-type (wt) fibroblasts. p53(-/-) cells show delayed and decreased accumulation of infectious viral particles compared to control fibroblasts, with the largest difference of 100-fold at 72 h post infection (p.i.) and peak titers decreased by approximately 10- to 20-fold at 144 h p.i. Viral DNA accumulation is also delayed and somewhat decreased in p53(-/-) cells; however, on average, levels of DNA are not more than fivefold lower than wt at any time p.i. and thus cannot account entirely for the observed differences in titers. In addition, there are delays in the expression of several key viral proteins, including the early replication protein UL44 and some of the late structural proteins, pp28 (UL99) and MCP (UL86). UL44 localization also indicates delayed formation and maturation of the replication centers throughout the course of infection. Localization of the major tegument protein pp65 (UL83) is also altered in these p53(-/-) cells. Partial reconstitution of the p53(-/-) cells with a wt copy of p53 returns all parameters toward wt, while reconstitution with mutant p53 does not. Taken together, our data suggest that wt p53 enhances the ability of HCMV to replicate and produce high concentrations of infectious virions in permissive cells.

Experimental realization of noiseless subsystems for quantum information processing.

We demonstrate the protection of one bit of quantum information against all collective noise in three nuclear spins. Because no subspace of states offers this protection, the quantum bit was encoded in a proper noiseless subsystem. We therefore realize a general and efficient method for protecting quantum information. Robustness was verified for a full set of noise operators that do not distinguish the spins. Verification relied on the most complete exploration of engineered decoherence to date. The achieved fidelities show improved information storage for a large, noncommutative set of errors.

NMR analog of the quantum disentanglement eraser.

We report the implementation of a three-spin quantum disentanglement eraser on a liquid-state NMR quantum information processor. A key feature of this experiment was its use of pulsed magnetic field gradients to mimic projective measurements. This ability is an important step towards the development of an experimentally controllable system which can simulate any quantum dynamics, both coherent and decoherent.