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This paper reports on the development of a fluorescent label-free aptamer assay integrated in a lab-on-chip (LoC) system for the detection of Ochratoxin A (OTA). The detection system relies on the integration, on a single glass substrate, of an array of amorphous silicon photosensors and a long pass interferential filter. The aptamer assay, integrated into the microfluidic network, is an aptasensor having affinity versus OTA, selected as a case study. The fluorescent molecule is a "light switch" complex [Ru(phen)

A series of monometallic and bimetallic Cu/Mg oxide-based structured catalytic sorbents were synthesized by impregnation of extruded activated carbon honeycombs and tested for the purification of simulated biogas from H2S at room temperature. Dynamic H2S (100ppmv) removal tests were run at short contact time under moist conditions in the presence of O2 to compare sulfur capture capacities and to investigate kinetic aspects of the oxidation reactions involved in the mechanism at varying the composition of the active phase. Fresh, exhausted and thermally regenerated honeycomb catalytic sorbents were characterized by N2-adsorption, PSD, XPS, TG-MS to shed light on the specific nature of S-species formed upon catalytic oxidation, the maximum capacity and the efficacy of a simple thermal regeneration treatment at 600 °C. Under moist conditions, the surface chemistry resulted dominated by the basic nature of MgO, and bimetallic CuMg catalytic sorbents show fast H2S removal rates and large S-capacity coupled to easy and complete regenerability.

In order to better understand the adsorption of volatile halogenated anesthetics on metal organic frameworks (MOFs), sevoflurane vapor adsorption experiments were performed on commercial MOF-177 at different temperatures. Due to the surface homogeneity of such an adsorbent, arising from its almost unimodal pore size distribution and the absence of specific, coordinatively unsaturated adsorption active sites, sevoflurane adsorption isotherms exhibited a peculiar deviation from the Langmuirian behavior. Consequently, they show a "kink" at a specific pressure that increases with increasing equilibrium temperature. Successful modeling of such data by means of the Talu-Meunier equation confirmed clustering of adsorbate molecules inside adsorbent micropores, similarly to water vapor adsorption on activated carbon, which may play an important role when designing a system using MOFs as the potential adsorbents for capturing anesthetics.

In this work, the chromium-based MIL-101 metal organic framework has been synthesized and investigated as a fully regenerable, high capacity sorbent for siloxanes, which are common contaminants in raw biogas from anaerobic digestion. Adsorption isotherms of D4, the most common siloxane in waste treatment plants, have been collected at different temperatures and modelled by means of the Langmuir theoretical isotherm. The selected metal organic framework shows a remarkable affinity for siloxane adsorption and an outstanding saturation capacity weakly dependent on temperature. Moreover, repeated adsorption isotherms, collected after a reactivation treatment of the same adsorbent sample, clearly indicate full regeneration capabilities. Considering that chromium-based MIL-101 is also a noticeable H2S adsorbent, the results reported in this work pave the way to its potential application for the simultaneous removal of the two main poisoning compounds contained in biogas.

The immune regulatory mechanisms that modulate Th1 and Th17 immune responses are altered in multiple sclerosis (MS). The inhibitory TIM-3/Gal-9 pathway, in particular, is impaired in primary progressive MS (PPMS). Recent results showed that carcinoembryonic Ag-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM-1), a molecule expressed on activated T lymphocytes, endows TIM-3 with inhibitory function and facilitates the maturation and cell surface expression of TIM-3. We analyzed by flow cytometry CEACAM-1 expression on myelin basic protein (MBP)–stimulated CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes of 56 MS patients with a diagnosis of either PPMS (n = 16), relapsing-remitting MS (n = 20), or benign MS (n = 20) and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. The expression of TIM-3 and annexin V (AV) as well as the production of IFN-γ and the intracellular concentration of HLA-B–associated transcript 3 (Bat3), a molecular adaptor that binds the intracellular tail of TIM-3 promoting both proliferation and proinflammatory cytokine production, were analyzed as well in the same cells. Results showed the following in PPMS: 1) CD4+/CEACAM-1+, CD4+/TIM-3+, CD8+/TIM-3+, CD4+/CEACAM-1+/TIM-3+, and CD8+/CEACAM-1+/TIM-3+ T lymphocytes as well as CEACAM-1 mean fluorescence intensity on CD4+ T lymphocytes were significantly reduced; 2) apoptotic CD4+/AV+/CEACAM-1+ and CD8+/AV+/CEACAM-1+ T lymphocytes were significantly reduced; and 3) Bat3–expressing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were significantly increased. Notably, a specular immunologic scenario was seen in benign MS. CEACAM-1 expression is reduced in PPMS; this exacerbates MBP-specific inflammatory T cell response and reduces the apoptosis of MBP-specific T lymphocytes, possibly as a consequence of the upregulation of Bat3 seen in these patients.

Barium Zirconate Titanate–Barium Calcium Titanate (BZT–BCT) is an environmentally friendly piezoelectric-ferroelectric ceramic that is a promising alternative to lead zirconate titanate (PZT), whose toxicity is well known. Producing thin films by sol–gel deposition with properties comparable to their bulk counterparts is quite a difficult task, because of the substrate constraints which typically generate residual stresses during the production process, leading to the onset of cracks. Moreover, typically employed solutions contain toxic and harmful substances or are unstable over time. Recently, we produced a highly stable BZT–BCT precursor solution based on nontoxic and non-carcinogenic solvents. In this work, we optimized the BZT–BCT sol–gel deposition process by varying the spin coating velocity, which influences the thickness of each deposited layer, and the pyrolysis temperature, which impacts on the formation of cracks. Moreover, we explored the possibility to add a third heat treatment step to the deposition process with the aim of releasing the residual stresses, further improving the film properties. As a result, 250 nm thick films were obtained with optimized morphology and limited presence of cracks, thus enhancing the ferroelectric properties (Pr = 33.26 μC cm−2, Ec = 220.6 kV cm−1, ε = 1817).

This work reports about the production and characterization of Barium Zirconate Titanate-Barium Calcium Titanate (BZT-BCT) ferroelectric-piezoelectric thin films proposed as an alternative to toxic lead zirconate titanate (commonly referred as PZT), widely used in micro-electro-mechanical devices. A highly stable and homogeneous solution, produced thanks to a thorough reagents dehydration, has been deposited on commercial platinum-coated wafers, thus obtaining perovskites thin layers with homogeneous morphology and improved electrical stability with outstanding electrical performances in planar configuration.

In this paper we present a device integrating on a single glass substrate a transparent heater and two resistive temperature sensors. Both heater and sensors are constituted by ITO/Au/ITO stacked film, whose thicknesses have been optimized in order to achieve at the same time good electrical conductivity (about 106 S/m) and high transparency degree (higher than 80%) in the visible region of the spectrum. A double-spiral design has been chosen for the heater in order to achieve a uniform temperature distribution on a large area. Indeed, this geometry ensures a temperature variation of ±1.4 °C in a 2.8 cm diameter circle. For the resistive temperature sensors, a distributed meander-shaped geometry ensures temperature sensitivity as high as 0.12 $\text{k}\pmb \Omega / ^{\circ }\text{C}$ . The proposed device shows therefore the capability to work as a large-area transparent heater introducing the possibility to perform a precise control of the substrate temperature.

Ag-Zeolite-based adsorbents were prepared in order to investigate the nature of the Ag species present in the structure and its correlation with their adsorption capacity and affinity towards ethylene. Na+ in NaA were partially replaced with Ag+ by varying the AgNO3 concentration used in the aqueous solutions, obtaining two dissimilar Ag+ exchange levels. The exchanged zeolites were treated at 90 °C for 12 h and at 350 °C for 4 h in N2 atmosphere. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–visible (UV–Vis), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analyses indicated that thermal treatment could induce framework distortion and reordering of the original Ag+ into different Ag species (Ag and Ag2O nanoparticles, nanoparticulate aggregates and Agmn+ clusters). In an overall analysis, the highest adsorption capacity and affinity towards ethylene were obtained for the samples containing mainly silver cations and reoxidizing-silver species that better promote 5 s1 π–interaction. The increase of silver loading in heat-treated zeolite could not ensure higher olefin adsorption, due to the occurrence of non-oxidizable species. Nevertheless, at low pressure, these samples showed good affinity towards ethylene. Despite presenting inactive nanoparticles against olefin, the high content of accessible charged species remnants even after high-temperature treatment could be responsible for the improved ethylene adsorption.

Controlling the accumulation of ethylene is important in fruit and vegetable packaging. In this work, the potential use of Ag-containing SBA-15 mesoporous silica adsorbent as ethylene scavenger is studied. The adsorption capacity and affinity toward this gas are probing as a function of Ag content and Ag nanospecies present in the materials that were modified by successive thermal treatments at 200 and 350 °C in N2 and air atmospheres. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV–visible, high-resolution electron microscopy and adsorption experiments. The results indicated that the treatment at 200 °C induced effective Ag+ dispersion and generated Ag0 nanoparticles and that a second annealing favored the formation of silver oxide nanoparticles and the reordering of silver and adsorption sites inside the SBA structure. The best overall ethylene adsorption capacity was obtained with the lower Ag content and thermal treatment at 200 °C without further annealing. The increase in the silver loading produced a decrease of ethylene adsorption by blocking of active sites and inhibiting π-interaction. Interestingly, the annealing at 350 °C in air induced a structural rearrangement in the adsorption sites that increased both their adsorption capacity and affinity toward ethylene, particularly at the pressures of interest for applications as scavenger. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

An optoelectronic, integrated system-on-glass for on-chip detection of biomolecules is here presented. The system&rsquo, s working principle is based on the interaction, detected by a hydrogenated amorphous silicon photosensor, between a monochromatic light travelling in a SU-8 polymer optical waveguide and the biological solution under analysis. Optical simulations of the waveguide coupling to the thin-film photodiode with a specific design were carried out. A prototype was fabricated and characterized showing waveguide optical losses of about 0.6 dB/cm, a photodiode shot noise current of about 2.5 fA/Hz and responsivity of 495 mA/W at 532 nm. An electro-optical coupling test was performed on the fabricated device to validate the system. As proof of concept, hemoglobin was studied as analyte for a demonstration scenario, involving optical simulations interpolated with experimental data. The calculated detection limit of the proposed system for hemoglobin concentration in aqueous solution is around 100 ppm, in line with colorimetric methods currently on the market. These results show the effectiveness of the proposed system in biological detection applications and encourage further developments in implementing these kinds of devices in the biomedical field.

Tungsten oxide (WO3) thin-films fabricated on glass slides have been proven to generate lossy mode resonances (LMRs) in the visible region. Obtained devices were characterized in transmission by lateral incidence of light on the edge of glass slides. Resonances at both TE and TM polarizations were analyzed for different thicknesses and in different deposition conditions. Moreover, it was successfully proved that WO3 coated glass slides present a high sensitivity to refractive index, which opens the path to the application of this structure in the domain of optical sensors. This work was supported in part by the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) through project PID2019-106231RB-I00 and by Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR) through the University Research Project 2017 (prot. RG11715C8213BD81).

An innovative and facile synthesis of cobalt based inorganic pigment was carried out by means of a low energy thermal conversion of a cobalt-exchanged zeolite. The Na-A [LTA] zeolite was used, since it is a low cost and easily available raw material. The ion exchange mechanism allowed to control, at microscopic level, the composition of the zeolitic precursor. Several chromatic effects could be obtained by varying the treatment temperature and/or the cobalt concentration in the contact solution. The reliability of these new zeolite-based pigments was tested in porcelain manufacture, in collaboration with the Institute for the Capodimonte porcelain “Giovanni Caselli”. The developed cobalt pigments were successfully tested either in the porcelain mixture to obtain a coloured product or in the decoration step (such as ingobbio, colored glazes and “third fire decoration”).

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a very toxic pollutant, and its removal from wastewater is an absolute priority. Among the different approaches proposed to this aim, adsorption allows to reach very low concentrations with relative ease. In consideration of the promising performances of metal-organic frameworks as adsorbents, in this paper amino-functionalized MIL-101(Cr), or AFMIL, was tested for the adsorption of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions. AFMIL was synthesized and was characterized by X-Ray diffraction, FTIR, SEM and microporosimetry by N2 adsorption/desorption at 77 K. Batch kinetic data for K2Cr2O7 removal from water using AFMIL indicated that the adsorption process is rather fast, and can be described by assuming that the limiting step is intraparticle diffusion, with a weak dependence of diffusivity on temperature. Adsorption isotherms, evaluated at three different temperatures in the range of 25–60 °C, were well fitted by the Dubinin–Radushkevich equation and indicated an adsorbent–adsorbate interaction energy in the order of 21 kJ mol−1, suggesting a markedly chemical phenomenon. The highest observed adsorption capacity of AFMIL toward Cr(VI) was 44 mg g−1 for a liquid phase concentration of 140 mg L−1 at T = 60 °C, a value which compares well with others published in the literature. Central composite design (CCD) with response surface methodology (RSM) was used, and this approach indicated that the optimal pH for Cr(VI) adsorption was 3.51. Overall, the experimental results indicate that AFMIL has very interesting potential applications for Cr(VI) removal from water.

This work reports on the characterization of stability of amorphous silicon diodes used as temperature sensors in lab-on-chip systems. We found that under constant forward current injection, the voltage drop over the diode changes depending on the values of current and injection time. The optimized operating conditions for practical applications have been established on the base of the obtained experimental data.

This article investigates the stability of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) p-i-n junctions employed as temperature sensors in lab-on-chip (LoC) applications. The devices have been tested under forward current injection and different temperatures (from room temperature up to 90 °C) in order to reproduce the practical operating conditions. Two sets of devices with different diborane concentrations in the p-doped layer have been investigated as a case study. For both sets, a temperature-drift error of 0.05 °C/h and a sensitivity around 3 mV/°C in the range between 30 °C and 90 °C have been achieved. These results demonstrate the device suitability as a thin-film temperature sensor integrated into LoC systems that implement thermal treatment of the biological samples as, for example, DNA amplification.

The sorption of Carbon dioxide in the prototype metal-organic framework CuBTC was examined in detail by FTIR spectroscopy. The spectra were collected in-situ under isothermal equilibrium conditions at two different temperatures (308 and 273 K). The results were analyzed by difference spectroscopy (DS) and 2D correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS). In particular, 2D-COS was employed to improve the resolution of the spectral profiles and to verify the occurrence of multiple molecular species. The spectroscopic monitoring of the sorption process provided precise quantitative data as well as relevant molecular-level information. Distinct interaction sites were identified in the framework structure, in agreement with first-principles simulations. A minor fraction of probe molecules characterized by a gas-like behavior was identified by analysis of the v 2 frequency range. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

This paper presents the development of a lab-on-chip, based on thin-film sensors, suitable for DNA treatments. In particular, the system performs on-chip DNA amplification and separation of double-strand DNA into single-strand DNA, combining a polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic network, thin-film electronic devices, and surface chemistry. Both the analytical procedures rely on the integration on the same glass substrate of thin-film metal heaters and amorphous silicon temperature sensors to achieve a uniform temperature distribution (within ±1 °C) in the heated area and a precise temperature control (within ±0.5 °C). The DNA separation also counts on the binding between biotinylated dsDNA and a layer of streptavidin immobilized into a microfluidic channel through polymer-brushes-based layer. This approach results in a fast and low reagents consumption system. The tested DNA treatments can be applied for carrying out the on-chip systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment process, a chemistry technique for the selection of aptamers.

Here, we report on the design, fabrication, and characterization of a prototype of a portable detection system, able to determine if the contamination level of Ochratoxin A (OTA) is below or above the limit imposed by the EU Commission for a specific food. The operating principle of the system is the real-time monitoring of a chromatographic run when an extract of the sample under analysis is spotted on a high-performance thin-layer chromatographic plate. The idea is to induce naturally the fluorescence of the OTA molecules by using an ultraviolet excitation source and to detect the re-emitted light with an array of amorphous silicon photosensors, whose photocurrents will be proportional to the amount of OTA molecules. The system performances have been verified on sample containing pure OTA molecule and OTA extracted from fortified real matrices of wine and beer. The results showed a minimum detectable quantity of OTA of 0.2 ng and repeatability better than 5%. The analysis of the sample is made simultaneously with a reference, which, in the proposed system, corresponds to the amount of OTA equal to the limit for the specific food commodities. Taking into account the extraction efficiency and the minimum acceptable presence of OTA in such food commodities, we infer that the minimum amount of real matrix to be investigated is as low as 5.5 mL.

Innovative materials for the integration of aptamers in Lab-on-Chip systems are important for the development of miniaturized portable devices in the field of health-care and diagnostics. Herein we highlight a general method to tailor an aptamer sequence in two subunits that are randomly immobilized into a layer of polymer brushes grown on the internal surface of microfluidic channels, optically aligned with an array of amorphous silicon photosensors for the detection of fluorescence. Our approach relies on the use of split aptamer sequences maintaining their binding affinity to the target molecule. After binding the target molecule, the fragments, separately immobilized to the brush layer, form an assembled structure that in presence of a “light switching” complex [Ru(phen)2(dppz)]2+, emit a fluorescent signal detected by the photosensors positioned underneath. The fluorescent intensity is proportional to the concentration of the target molecule. As proof of principle, we selected fragments derived from an aptamer sequence with binding affinity towards ATP. Using this assay, a limit of detection down to 0.9 µM ATP has been achieved. The sensitivity is compared with an assay where the original aptamer sequence is used. The possibility to re-use both the aptamer assays for several times is demonstrated.

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles are among the most promising nanovectors for controlled release of active compounds. In this work we design a mesoporous silica-based delivery system in which the release of the active compound is controlled by specific pore/wall interactions and can also be triggered by an external stimulus, such as the simple addition of water into the surrounding releasing medium. Due to its reversibility in presence of water, imine bond formation between amino groups and aldehydes has been proposed as a valuable approach to reach this scope. The amino-group is provided by the amino-functionalized mesoporous silica which has been obtained through the functionalization of Santa Barbara Amorphous (SBA)-15 with aminopropyltrietoxysilane. Whereas the aldehyde is represented by the active compound itself: the natural antimicrobial vanillin. The obtained particles have been embedded into PCL-based films. The amino-functionalization of mesoporous silica has been confirmed through NMR analysis and X-ray diffraction. Imine bond formation and evolution has been followed by 13C NMR before and after the contact of mesoporous silicas with water. Release kinetics of vanillin show that the diffusion of vanillin from films containing the functionalized mesoporous silica is delayed by about 20% and 75% with respect to films containing free vanillin, in water and in ethanol respectively. The most significant feature of the system is the stepwise behavior which shows that the release of the amount of vanillin bound to the NH2 groups of functionalized SBA is triggered only after the addition of water to the surrounding ethanolic solution. These findings give an important insight into the use of pristine and functionalized mesoporous silicas for the development of polymer films for active responsive packaging materials.

Xanthan and ?-carrageenan were used to prepare alkaline hydrogels to be used as electrolytes in aluminium air primary batteries. Two pasty gels were obtained starting from xanthan and KOH solutions (1 M and 8 M), while only the 8 M KOH solution permitted the formation of a stable, elastic and gumminess hydrogel with ?-carrageenan. Discharge tests, performed on three Al/air cells assembled with Al anodes, electrolyte gels and Pt based cathodes, evidenced that all hydrogels exhibited appreciable properties of Al ion conductivities, according to the following performance order: xanthan with KOH 1 M

This work presents an equivalent electrical circuit of hydrogenated amorphous silicon diodes. It is constituted by four diodes and two resistances. Each element is directly related to the physical behavior of the thin film structure and models the different conduction regimes of the device.Results show a very good fitting of the experimental current-voltage characteristic up to several hundreds of millivolts in both forward and reverse bias conditions and demonstrate the suitability of the developed model for designing the diode fabrication parameters for specific application.

We present a device based on amorphous silicon photosensors and glass-diffused waveguides to be used inside lab-on-chip systems, to perform biomolecular recognition by means of optical interaction with the analyte. A 150 × 300 µm2 p-i-n photosensor was fabricated on a 200 µm wide optical waveguide, by using standard thin film microelectronic techniques, such as: thermal diffusion processes, metals and dielectrics deposition, semiconductors growth, UV photolithography and wet-dry etching to define the structure geometries. The electro-optical characterization of the device shows the effectiveness of the optical coupling and suggests its use for on-chip detection in lab-on-chip applications.

The integration of systems for real-time monitoring of DNA amplification reactions is rather limited, because the heating system, the temperature control and the detection system are usually realized with separate modules. In this work, a lab-on-a-chip system for real-time monitoring of the multiple displacement amplification reaction (MDA) is presented. The amplification and detection unit consists of a system-on-glass (SoG) coupled to a microfluidic chip. The SoG includes thin film metallic resistors and amorphous silicon temperature sensors to control the temperature, as well as amorphous silicon photosensors and an interference filter for fluorescence detection on a single glass plate. The amplification reaction is carried out in the microfluidic chip made of cyclic olefin copolymer (COC). By using this setup, the multiple displacement amplification reaction can be monitored in real-time using the fluorophore [Ru(phen)2(dppz)]2+.

The detection of life markers is a high priority task in the exploration of the Solar System. Biochips performing in-situ multiplex immunoassays are a very promising approach alternative to gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. As part of the PLEIADES project, we present the development of a chemiluminescence-based, highly integrated analytical platform for the detection of biomarkers outside of the Earth. The PLEIADES device goes beyond the current lab-on-chip approaches that still require bulky external instrumentation for their operation. It exploits an autonomous capillary force-driven microfluidic network, an array of thin-film hydrogenated amorphous silicon photosensors, and chemiluminescence bioassays to provide highly sensitive analyte detection in a very simple and compact configuration. Adenosine triphosphate was selected as the target life marker. Three bioassay formats have been developed, namely (a) a bioluminescence assay exploiting a luciferase mutant with enhanced thermal and pH stability and (b and c) binding assays exploiting antibodies or functional nucleic acids (aptamers) as biospecific recognition elements and peroxidase or DNAzymes as chemiluminescence reporters. Preliminary results, showing limits of detection in the nanomolar range, confirm the validity of the proposed approach.

This paper reports the development of a miniaturized lab-on-glass,suitable for the on-chip detection of living cell bioluminescence and their on-chip thermal treatments. The glass substrate hosts, on one side, hydrogenated amorphous silicon diodes, working as both temperature sensors and photosensors, and, on the other side, transparent thin films acting as heating sources. The main challenge of the work is the determination of the correct fabrication recipes in order to satisfy the compatibility of different microelectronic steps. The measured uniformity of temperature distribution, sensitivity of the temperature sensors, reverse dark current and spectral response of the photosensors demonstrate the successful technological integration and the suitability of the developed lab-on-glass to control the cell temperature and detect the BL emission with high sensitivity.

This work reports on design and fabrication of a compact lab-on-chip system, based on detection of electrochemiluminescence (ECL) through thin film sensors. The proposed system couples an optoelectronic platform to a disposable microfluidic chip. The optoelectronic platform includes amorphous silicon photosensors for detection of ECL, while the microfluidic chip contains the ECL electrodes and the biological solutions to be analyzed. Optoelectronic characterization of photosensors and preliminary test on the ECL electrodes by cycling voltammetry show the suitability of these devices for the achievement of low-noise and high sensitive system.

The fabrication of window layers more transparent than those based on amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) could be a key factor to enhance the efficiency of heterojunction (HJ) solar cells. In this work amorphous hydrogenated silicon oxide (a-SiO x :H) as a transparent passivating layer and substoichiometric tungsten oxide (WO x ), with its wide band gap and high work function, are proposed to form efficient hole-selective contacts on silicon-based HJ solar cells. A comparison is made between WO x films grown by RF sputtering and by thermal evaporation.

Lab-on-chip are analytical systems which, compared to traditional methods, offer significant reduction of sample, reagent, energy consumption and waste production. Within this framework, we report on the development and testing of an optoelectronic platform suitable for the on-chip detection of fluorescent molecules. The platform combines on a single glass substrate hydrogenated amorphous silicon photosensors and a long pass interferential filter. The design of the optoelectronic components has been carried out taking into account the spectral properties of the selected fluorescent molecule. We have chosen the [Ru(phen)2(dppz)]2+ which exhibits a high fluorescence when it is complexed with nucleic acids in double helix. The on-glass optoelectronic platform, coupled with a microfluidic network, has been tested in detection of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) reaching a detection limit as low as 10 ng/µL.

Multiple-cycle breakthrough tests of a binary gas mixture of the halogenated anesthetic sevoflurane (SF) and water vapor were performed on both the synthesized chromium-based metal organic framework (Cr-MOF) and a conventionally used reference adsorbent. At 1 vol % SF and 50 % relative humidity mixture composition, the Cr-MOF (MIL-101) showed a significantly higher SF adsorption capacity, lower water vapor adsorption capacity, and no roll-up effect compared to the reference sample. After each adsorption measurement, the saturated column was regenerated. MIL-101 showed higher stability with minor SF capacity loss after 14 cycles, while the reference sample lost about a half of the SF capacity after 17 cycles.

This work presents the development and testing of an integrated system for on-chip detection of thermochemiluminescent biomolecules. The activation energy of the reaction is provided by a transparent structure of thin film heaters deposited on one side of a glass substrate. Light, passing through the substrate, reaches an array of amorphous silicon differential structure deposited on the opposite side of the glass substrate. The structure is designed to perform differential current measurements between a light- shielded diode, whose current is sensitive only to temperature, and a photosensor, sensitive to both incident light and temperature. The device therefore balances the thermal variations of the photodiode current and reduces the dark-current noise. These features make the presented system very appealing as highly miniaturized micro-analytical devices for biosensing applications.

Polymerization of furfuryl alcohol carried out using ZnCl2 or CuCl2 as Lewis acid activators was investigated by exploring various synthesis parameters in order to produce activated carbons with different porosity and metal load. The temperature of polymerization was changed according to Lewis acidity strength of the two metal chlorides: 0 &deg, C for CuCl2 and 80 &deg, C for ZnCl2. The polymer obtained was pyrolyzed under pure He flow or under 1000 ppm O2/He flow at 600 or 850 &deg, C in order to produce activated carbons with specific textural features. The load and nature of the residual metal after pyrolysis were determined by ICP and XRD analyses, respectively. Copper was mostly preserved even at high pyrolysis temperature in contrast to zinc, which was almost totally lost at 850 &deg, C. A foamy structure was detected by SEM analysis for all samples. Textural properties were determined by both N2 and CO2 physisorption, surface areas and pore size distributions were evaluated according to BET, DFT and DR models. The polymerization activated by ZnCl2 produced carbons with larger surface areas were also related to the presence of some mesopores, whereas CuCl2 promoted the prevailing formation of narrow micropores, making these materials particularly suited to H2 storage applications.

Inflammasome-driven inflammation is postulated to play a role in multiple sclerosis (MS), but there is no direct evidence that the nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is involved in MS pathogenesis. Uric acid was shown to be one of the “danger” signals involved in the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome; notably, the concentration of uric acid is increased in the serum and in the cerebrospinal fluid of MS individuals. To better investigate the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in MS-associated inflammation, we primed with lipopolysaccharide and stimulated with monosodium urate crystals PBMCs of 41 MS patients with different disease phenotypes. Eleven individuals with primary progressive MS (PPMS), 10 individuals with stable relapsing–remitting MS (SMS), 10 individuals with acute relapsing–remitting MS (AMS), 10 individuals with benign MS were analyzed; 10 healthy controls were enrolled as well in the study. The expression of the NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD (ASC), caspase-1, caspase-8, IL-1β, and IL-18 inflammasome genes was evaluated by RT-PCR. NLRP3 and ASC-speck protein expression was analyzed by FlowSight AMNIS, whereas production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18 and of caspase-1 and caspase-8 was measured by ELISA in supernatants. Results showed that uric acid serum concentration was significantly increased in PPMS; in these and in AMS patients, mRNA for NLRP3, ASC, and IL-18 was upregulated as well, but caspase-8 mRNA was upregulated only in PPMS. Expression of NLRP3 and ASC-speck protein was significantly increased in PPMS, SMS, and AMS patients, but IL-18 and caspase-8 production was significantly increased only in PPMS, in whom a direct correlation between hyperuricemia and caspase-8 was detected. The NLRP3/caspase-8 inflammasome pathway is activated in PPMS, possibly as a consequence of hyperuricemia. Therapeutic strategies reducing NLRP3 activation and/or lowering hyperuricemia could be useful in the therapy of PPMS.

The assurance of food and feed safety, including the identification and effective monitoring of multiple biological and chemical hazards, is a major societal challenge, given the increasing pace at which food commodities are demanded, produced and traded across the globe. Within this context, mycotoxins are globally widespread secondary fungal metabolites, which can contaminate crops either in the field or during storage and have serious human and animal health impacts such as carcinogenic, teratogenic and hepatotoxic effects. Therefore, their presence in a wide range of foods and feeds is strictly regulated, particularly in the European Union. In order to perform effective and routine monitoring of mycotoxin levels in the field prior to further processing, during transport or during processing, rapid, simple, portable and sensitive means of screening of regulated mycotoxins are in high demand. This review focuses on (1) discussing the relevance of mycotoxins and the standard approaches for their sampling and monitoring; and (2) compiling and discussing recent advances in miniaturized analytical tools for mycotoxin detection. This provides insights into current research efforts and opportunities to develop a truly integrated and fit-for-purpose analytical tool, suitable for use at critical points of the food, feed and raw material processing and distribution chains.

3D-structured silica exoskeletons-diatomite was used as reactive inorganic ingredient, with and without metakaolin to produce sustainable multifunctional diatomite-based geopolymeric foams. Suitable amount of Silicon powder and vegetable surfactant were used as foaming agents, while polysilicate solution was used as reactive crosslinker. The resulting porous materials, characterized by hierarchical porosity ranging from macro to nano-scale, were fabricated at 40 °C for 24 h and characterized by means of chemical and morphological investigations, contact angle, thermal and acoustic properties and fire reaction. The presence of diatomite in the produced foams provides an increase of thermal inertia, and the thermal insulation performance firstly due to the intrinsically low thermal conductivity of diatomite and also because silicon and vegetable surfactant are able to promote the formation of a co-continuous mesoporous structure. Furthermore, the created morphological structure provides a good acoustic absorption coefficient in a wide range of frequency. Finally, due to their hydrophilicity/oleophobicity character, diatomite-based geopolymeric foams could, potentially, be proposed as oil/water separation membranes. Keywords: Sustainable chemical-Diatomite, Porous material, Silicate solution, Wettability, Thermal-acoustic insulation

Due to the large latent heat related to dehydration into hemihydrate and anhydrite, gypsum is largely used to make firebreak systems. During a fire exposure, the dehydration can induce cracks inside the panels, since the loss of bound-water molecules leads to a large thermal shrinkage. In this study, hemp fibers were added into the plaster, acting as thermo-mechanical reinforcement of the gypsum panels and hindering the cracks formation. The effect of hemp fibers on the thermal behavior of gypsum panels was studied in terms of thermo-mechanical properties in isothermal conditions. Change in chemical composition and morphology of the gypsum matrix after the thermomechanical test were analysed by thermogravimetry (TGA), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Hemp fibers, even at high temperatures, preserved their “bridge action” between the fracture surfaces, increasing the tenacity of plaster and preventing its fragile collapse.

This paper presents the development of a compact optoelectronic device suitable for on-chip detection of fluorescent molecules. In order to obtain a highly integrated device, a long-pass multi-dielectric filter has been integrated with thin-film amorphous silicon photosensors on a single glass substrate. Filter rejects the excitation light, allowing the reduction of the distance between the source and the fluorescent site and avoiding the use of external optical component. The compatibility of the technological processes determined the materials and the temporal sequence of the device fabrication. The developed device has been designed for the fluorescence detection of ruthenium complex based molecules and tested, as a proof of concept, for the detection of double-stranded DNA down to 0.5 ng. Results demonstrate the correct operation of the integrated system in both rejecting the excitation light and in detecting the fluorescent signal, demonstrating the suitability of this optoelectronic platform in practical biomedical applications.

Scope of the work is to get a comprehensive study on electrical and optical characteristics of SiOx:H film within the role of CO and H in the film growth and composition and on how the Oxygen additionchanges the film structure and Hydrogen inclusion in the amorphous matrix and their chemical bonding with silicon. We monitored the effective lifetime tEFF and FTIR spectraon as-deposited and thermal treated samples to understand the passivation mechanism,correlating wafer lifetime and Hydrogen inclusion in sub-oxide film. H dilution in the gas mixture was the key to enhances passivation quality on c-Si wafers. © 2018 IEEE.

In this paper, we present an optoelectronic system-on-glass (SoG), suitable for detection of fluorescent molecule. It integrates, on the same glass substrate, an array of amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) photosensors and a thin film interferential filter. The system can be directly coupled with another glass substrate hosting a polydimethylsiloxane based microfluidic network where the fluorescent phenomena occur. The compatibility of the different technological steps to attain on the same glass substrate the photosensors and the filter determined the sequence, the selection of materials and the deposition parameters of the whole process. The electro-optical characterization of the photodiode, performed after the filter deposition, demonstrated the efficacy of the filter in reducing the excitation light. The system has been successfully tested using the ruthenium complex [Ru(phen)2(dppz)]2+, a fluorescent dye which works as DNA intercalating molecule. © Springer International Publishing AG 2018.

The present paper describes the development of an integrated lab-on-chip, in which viral DNA amplification with real-time on-chip detection is carried out under constant temperature of 65 °C. The lab-on-chip is composed of a disposable 10-μL polydimethylsiloxane reaction chamber which is thermally and optically coupled to a glass substrate that hosts a thin-film metallic resistive heater and thin-film amorphous silicon diodes which act as temperature and radiation sensors. A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique was optimized to specifically amplify parvovirus B19 DNA and coupled with Bioluminescent Assay in Real Time (BART) technology to provide real-time detection of target DNA. The experimental results demonstrate the ability of the proposed device to discriminate among different concentrations of viral DNA with an excellent agreement with standard off-chip methods.

In this work, the potentialities of the amino-functionalized, chromium-based MIL-101 metal organic framework (NH2-MIL-101) as a high capacity, fully regenerable hydrogen chloride adsorbent have been proved by a thorough adsorption thermodynamics investigation. The chosen adsorbent showed high gaseous HCl adsorption capacities and, to the best of our knowledge, it is the first example of a totally regenerable substrate for this kind of adsorbate, as evidenced by both experimental and modeling results. This paves the way to the implementation of greener, more energetically efficient pressure/temperature swing adsorption processes to purify biogas feeds for high-temperature fuel cells.

On-chip optical detection of chemiluminescent reactions is presented. The device is based on the integration of thin film hydrogenated amorphous silicon photosensors on a functionalized glass substrate ensuring both a good optical coupling and an optimal separation between biological or chemical reagents and the sensing elements. The sensor has been characterized and optimized using the chemiluminescent system composed by the enzyme horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and luminol/peroxide/enhancer cocktail. The detectability of HRP is at the attomole level with a sensitivity of 1.46 fA/fg. Experiments, involving the detection of immobilized bio-specific probes on the functionalized surface have been performed both in bulk and microfluidics regime, proving the ability of the system to effectively detect chemiluminescent reactions and their kinetics. In particular, results achieved using conventional polydimethylsiloxane microfluidics for samples and reagents handling confirmed the good detection capabilities of the proposed system.

An adsorbent based on polyethylene oxide-templated silica monoliths with hierarchical uniform porosity was functionalized with polyethylenimine and was used as a substrate for CO 2 adsorption. Such material, denoted PEI-MonoSil, was characterized by means of thermogravimetric analysis and N 2 adsorption/desorption at 77 K, in order to prove that polymer chains efficiently filled the pores of functionalized samples. CO 2 adsorption isotherms on PEI-MonoSil were evaluated at T = 298, 313, 333, and 348 K for pressures up to 100 kPa by means of a volumetric technique. CO 2 adsorption data revealed a meaningful dependence of the CO 2 adsorption capacity on temperature, with the highest capacity registered at 348 K. CO 2 adsorption on PEI-MonoSil was convincingly modeled by means of the Toth isotherm. The comparison between the results obtained in the present work and those relative to CO 2 adsorption on other nanoporous substrates allowed to highlight a notable affinity of PEI-MonoSil towards CO 2 and a high level of heterogeneity in the adsorbent/adsorbate interaction. Eventually, the modeling effort also allowed to evaluate the isosteric heat of CO 2 adsorption as a function of the fractional coverage of PEI-MonoSil, showing values that are comparable with experimentally estimated values of the enthalpy of reaction between CO 2 and monoethanolamine solutions.