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Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is emerging as an innovative tool to phenotype the brain. This study demonstrates the utility of AFM to determine nanomechanical and nanostructural features of the murine dorsolateral frontal cortex from weaning to adulthood. We found an increase in tissue stiffness of the primary somatosensory cortex with age, along with an increased cortical mechanical heterogeneity. To characterize the features potentially responsible for this heterogeneity, we applied AFM scan mode to directly image the topography of thin sections of the primary somatosensory cortical layers II/III, IV and V/VI. Topographical mapping of the cortical layers at successive ages showed progressive smoothing of the surface. Topographical images were also compared with histochemically derived morphological information, which demonstrated the deposition of perineuronal nets, important extracellular components and markers of maturity. Our work demonstrates that high-resolution AFM images can be used to determine the nanostructural properties of cortical maturation, well beyond embryonic and postnatal development. Furthermore, it may offer a new method for brain phenotyping and screening to uncover topographical changes in early stages of neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionic liquids (IL) due to the complex of interesting and important properties become successful alternative to the usual organic solvents in different synthetic processes, and also find more specific application in a modern science and technology, including polymer science. The article contains the overview of the most used IL, their unique properties and different aspects of application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fabrication of quantum-dot-based optoelectronic integrated circuits incorporating twin ring diode lasers, waveguides, directional couplers, a Y-junction mixer, and photodetectors, is reported. Microwave frequency beating between longitudinal modes from individual ring diode lasers as well as beat notes between integrated twin ring diode lasers are demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]