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In this study, we explore the selective culturing of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) on Si-based diffractive platforms. We demonstrate a single-step and flexible method for producing platforms on nanostructured porous silicon (nanoPS) based on the use of single pulses of an excimer laser to expose phase masks. The resulting patterns are typically 1D patterns formed by fringes or 2D patterns formed by circles. They are formed by alternate regions of almost unmodified nanoPS and regions where the nanoPS surface has melted and transformed into Si nanoparticles. The patterns are produced in relatively large areas (a few square millimeters) and can have a wide range of periodicities and aspect ratios. Direct binding, that is, with no previous functionalization of the pattern, alignment, and active polarization of hMSCs are explored. The results show the preferential direct binding of the hMSCs along the transformed regions whenever their width compares with the dimensions of the cells and they escape from patterns for smaller widths suggesting that the selectivity can be tailored through the pattern period. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2013.

8 págs.; 8 figs., The fabrication of selectively functionalized micropatterns based on nanostructured porous silicon (nanoPS) by phase mask ultraviolet laser interference is presented here. This single-step process constitutes a flexible method for the fabrication of surface patterns with tailored properties. These surface patterns consist of alternate regions of almost untransformed nanoPS and areas where nanoPS is transformed into Si nanoparticles (Si NPs) as a result of the laser irradiation process. The size of the transformed areas as well as the diameter of the Si NPs can be straightforwardly tailored by controlling the main fabrications parameters including the porosity of the nanoPS layers, the laser interference period areas, and laser fluence. The surface patterns have been found to be appropriate candidates for the development of selectively-functionalized surfaces for biological applications mainly due to the biocompatibility of the untransformed nanoPS regions. © 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd, The authors gratefully acknowledge funding from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Spain) under research projects MAT2013-46572-C2-1-R and MAT2014-54826-C2-1-R. R P acknowledges the grant JCI-2012_13034 from the Juan de la Cierva program.

A study of the fluorescence and Raman spectra of a new and complex drug delivery system formed by emodin adsorbed on silver nanoparticles embedded into a matrix of porous silicon is here reported. Several experimental methods of inclusion of the drug-silver set inside the pores, without previous functionalization of porous silicon, have been tested in order to optimize the conditions for the fluorescence detection of emodin. In this sense, we have also added bovine serum albumin to the system, finding that the presence of the protein enhances the fluores-cence signal from emodin.

A method for fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) silicon nanostructures based on selective formation of porous silicon using ion beam irradiation of bulk p-type silicon followed by electrochemical etching is shown. It opens a route towards the fabrication of two-dimensional (2D) and 3D silicon-based photonic crystals with high flexibility and industrial compatibility. In this work, we present the fabrication of 2D photonic lattice and photonic slab structures and propose a process for the fabrication of 3D woodpile photonic crystals based on this approach. Simulated results of photonic band structures for the fabricated 2D photonic crystals show the presence of TE or TM gap in mid-infrared range.

In the last decades great interest has been devoted to photonic crystals aiming at the creation of novel devices which can control light propagation. In the present work, two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) devices based on nanostructured porous silicon have been fabricated. 2D devices consist of a square mesh of 2 μm wide porous silicon veins, leaving 5x5 μm square air holes. 3D structures share the same design although multilayer porous silicon veins are used instead, providing an additional degree of modulation. These devices are fabricated from porous silicon single layers (for 2D structures) or multilayers (for 3D structures), opening air holes in them by means of 1KeV argon ion bombardment through the appropriate copper grids. For 2D structures, a complete photonic band gap for TE polarization is found in the thermal infrared range. For 3D structures, there are no complete band gaps, although several new partial gaps do exist in different high-symmetry directions. The simulation results suggest that these structures are very promising candidates for the development of low-cost photonic devices for their use in the thermal infrared range, The authors also gratefully acknowledge funding from Comunidad de Madrid (Spain) under project “Microseres” and Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Spain) under Research Project MAT2011-28345-C02-01

Nanostructured porous silicon (nanoPS) can be described as a network of silicon crystals with sizes in the range of a few nanometers. The typical large specific surface area and high reactivity of nanoPS make this material very suitable for many different applications in the field of sensing. Moreover, its biocompatibility and biodegradability opens the way to the development of biosensors. Within this context, in the present work the use of nanoPS in the field of electrical biosensing is explored. More specifically, nanoPS-based devices with the structure Al/nanoPS/silicon/Al and AuNiCr/nanoPS/silicon/Al were fabricated for the electrical detection of glucose and the bacteria Escherichia Coli. The experimental results show that the current-voltage characteristics of the metal/nanoPS/silicon/metal structures show a strong dependence on the presence/absence and surface concentration of glucose and the bacteria Escherichia Coli. The present work describes our findings in the correlation between surface concentration of glucose and bacteria E. Coli and current for a given voltage.

9 pags.; 6 figs.; 2 tabs., This work reports on the fabrication of 1D fringed patterns on nanostructured porous silicon (nanoPS) layers (563, 372, and 290nm thick). The patterns are fabricated by phase-mask laser interference using single pulses of an UV excimer laser (193nm, 20ns pulse duration). The method is a single-step and flexible approach to produce a large variety of patterns formed by alternate regions of almost untransformed nanoPS and regions where its surface has melted and transformed into Si nanoparticles (NPs). The role of laser fluence (5-80mJcm-2), and pattern period (6.3-16μm) on pattern features and surface structuring are discussed. The results show that the diameter of Si NPs increases with fluence up to a saturation value of 75nm for a fluence ≈40mJcm-2. In addition, the percentage of transformed to non-transformed region normalized to the pattern period follows similar fluence dependence regardless the period and thus becomes an excellent control parameter. This dependence is fitted within a thermal model that allows for predicting the in-depth profile of the pattern. The model assumes that transformation occurs whenever the laser-induced temperature increase reaches the melting temperature of nanoPS that has been found to be 0.7 of that of crystalline silicon for a porosity of around 79%. The role of thermal gradients across the pattern is discussed in the light of the experimental results and the calculated temperature profiles, and shows that the contribution of lateral thermal flow to melting is not significant for pattern periods ≥6.3μm. © 2014 AIP Publishing LLC., This work has partially been supported under projects MAT2011-28345-C02-01 and MAT2011-28345-C02-02 (Spain). R. J. Pelaez acknowledges the grant JCI- 2012_13034 from the Juan de la Cierva program.

Probe-based technologies are proliferating as a means of inferring traffic states. Technological companies are interested in traffic data for computing the best routes in a traffic-aware manner and they also provide real-time traffic information with certain temporal accuracy. This paper analyses and evaluates how data provided by a fleet of probe cars can be used to develop a navigation service and how the penetration rate of this service affects a set of city-scale KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and driver KPIs. The case study adopts a model-driven approach in which microscopic simulation emulates real-size fleets of probe vehicles that provide positions and speed data. What is noteworthy about the modelling behaviour is that drivers are segmented according to their knowledge of network conditions for selected trips: experts, regular drivers, and tourists. The paper presents and discusses the modelling approach and the results obtained from an experimental Barcelona CBD model designed to evaluate the penetration rates of probe vehicles and route guidance. An analysis of the simulation experiments reveals remarkable links among city-scale KPIs, which—from a multivariate point of view—is a novelty. A simulation-based framework for results analysis and visualization is also introduced in order to simplify the simulation results analysis and easily visualize OD paths for driver segments. Throughout this work, the authors have benefited from the support of inLab FIB team at UPC and the suggestions of Jaume Barceló (Emeritus Professor at UPC). This research was funded by Spanish R+D Programs, TRA2016-76914-C3-1-P, and by Secretaria d’Universitats-i-Recerca-Generalitat de Catalunya, 2017-SGR-1749.

Fluorescence spectra of anti-tumoral drug emodin loaded on nanostructured porous silicon have been recorded. The use of colloidal nanoparticles allowed embedding of the drug without previous porous silicon functionalization and leads to the observation of an enhancement of fluorescence of the drug. Mean pore size of porous silicon matrices was 60 nm, while silver nanoparticles mean diameter was 50 nm. Atmospheric and vacuum conditions at room temperature were used to infiltrate emodin-silver nanoparticles complexes into porous silicon matrices. The drug was loaded after adsorption on metal surface, alone, and bound to bovine serum albumin. Methanol and water were used as solvents. Spectra with 1 μm spatial resolution of cross-section of porous silicon layers were recorded to observe the penetration of the drug. A maximum fluorescence enhancement factor of 24 was obtained when protein was loaded bound to albumin, and atmospheric conditions of inclusion were used. A better penetration was obtained using methanol as solvent when comparing with water. Complexes of emodin remain loaded for 30 days after preparation without an apparent degradation of the drug, although a decrease in the enhancement factor is observed. The study reported here constitutes the basis for designing a new drug delivery system with future applications in medicine and pharmacy., The Secretaria de Estado de Investigacion, Desarrollo e Innovacion (MINECO) (Project FIS2010-15405: Plasmonics: Enhanced Molecular Sensing on Metal Nanostructures (POEMS), Comunidad de Madrid (MICROSERES Project, S2009TIC-1476) and grupo investigación 950247 of the UCM are gratefully acknowledged for their financial support.