Hydrophobic iron oxide nanoparticles: Controlled synthesis and phase transfer via flash nanoprecipitation

Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) synthesized via thermal decomposition find diverse applications in biomedicine owing to precise control of their physico-chemical properties. However, use in such applications requires phase transfer from organic solvent to water, which remains a bottleneck. Through the thermal decomposition of iron oleate (FeOl), we systematically investigate the impact of synthesis conditions such as oleic acid (OA) amount, temperature increase rate, dwell time, and solvent on the size, magnetic saturation, and crystallinity of IONPs. Solvent choice significantly influences these properties, manipulating which, synthesis of monodisperse IONPs within a tunable size range (10-30 nm) and magnetic properties (75 to 42 Am(2)Kg-(1)) is obtained. To enable phase transfer of IONPs, we employ flash nanoprecipitation (FNP) for the first time as a method for scalable and precise size control, demonstrating its potential over conventional methods. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-coated IONPs with hydrodynamic diameter (H-d) in the range of 250 nm, high colloidal stability and high IONPs loadings up to 43% were obtained, such physicochemical properties being tuned exclusively by the size and hydrophobicity of starting IONPs. They showed no discernible cytotoxicity in human dermal fibroblasts, highlighting the applicability of FNP as a novel method for the functionalization of hydrophobic IONPs for biomedicine

AgroCities, Adaptive Cities: dalla rivoluzione del cibo all'evoluzione digitale

Negli ultimi 50 anni il territorio antropizzato ha subito un profondo processo di trasformazione al fine di allinearsi alle politiche globali e rispondere alle esigenze della società contemporanea, primo fra tutti il bisogno primario di cibo. Dalla rivoluzione verde all’agricoltura urbana, il contesto urbano e peri-urbano si è evoluto verso vere e proprie AgroCities, questo rapporto ‘ruralità-urbanità’, con l’evoluzione tecnologica e l’avvio della digital trasformation, si è poi arricchito di nuove connotazioni (innovazione, creatività, sostenibilità), volte a ripensare il paradigma urbano della città proiettata al futuro. Il paper sintetizza questi processi di trasformazione utili a comprendere i fattori che hanno influenzato le città contemporanee e delineato i possibili scenari futuri

Experimental Characterization of a Bladeless Air Compressor

The Tesla compressor is an innovative technology that offers a unique approach to fluid compression. Unlike traditional compressors that use rotating blades, bladeless compressors utilize closely spaced disks to create compression. The purpose of this article is to design a prototype Tesla air compressor with optimal design parameters and investigate the performance and loss characteristics based on numerical analysis and experimental demonstration. The prototype model has been numerically investigated at different rotational speeds, and the results have been compared with those obtained in experiments. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations indicate that the rotor-only efficiency is greater than 90% at very low mass flowrates, while the coupling of the rotor and volute leads to a total-to-static efficiency of approximately 58% (without losses) at 14 g/s. At a nominal mass flow of 4 g/s, the highest total-to-static pressure ratio would be around 1.27. Experimental results indicate leakage losses greatly reduce net mass flow, while pressure ratio values are in good agreement with CFD predictions. During this experiment, a maximum isentropic efficiency of 32.4% is measured. Indeed, the prototype included ventilation and leakage losses, which were not modeled in the CFD analysis. It is remarkable that the compressor does not show any unstable behavior down to zero mass flow (closed valve test), where the CFD and the experiment show consistent pressure ratios. An estimation of the losses from end-wall friction and leakage flow is carried out using numerical simulations at different exit radial clearances. Increasing radial clearance results in an increase in leakage and end-wall power loss, the latter being driven mainly by the axial clearance with the casing, which remained unchanged. To minimize leakage, a Teflon ring has been used as a first measure. Numerical calculations have indicated that the leakage rate is approximately 6 g/s at design speed. A brush seal-type solution can improve the sealing system to reduce leakage

Digital Technology for Nautical Heritage

The nautical heritage is widespread throughout Europe. Historic boats distinguish our coasts and are preserved, restored and enhanced in different ways depending on their national and, even more, local origin. In Italy, the historic boat recovery represents a niche reality; nevertheless, it is essential as it aims to conserve a precious part of the national heritage. The latter is a varied and strongly peculiar heritage that constitutes the foundations of the nautical sector, a driving force for the national economy. Therefore, the protection, conservation and restoration of historical boats have significant consequences for the territory and the social fabric. Nowadays, new technologies and the increasingly widespread digitalization offer new opportunities in this sector. The paper aims to show how digital technologies can positively influence the branch, from a cultural point of view, in the diffusion and valorization of the existing nautical heritage and as a practical tool representing a valid help for designers in every phase of the restoration project

Intuitions and reference of proper names

Experimental philosophy brought out an intense debate on the methodology of philosophical theories of reference. The debate started with the assumption that Kripke’s refutation of classical descriptivism for proper names relies on the method of cases and the evidential role of referential intuitions in Gödel/Schmidt-like cases. Some scholars have rejected such assumption. They claim that referential intuitions have no evidential role in Kripke’s refutation of classical descriptivism and in philosophical theories of reference in general. Thereby they dismiss the findings of empirical surveys on laypeople’s referential intuitions and truth-value judgments as irrelevant to philosophical theories of reference. We side with those scholars. However, we discuss a largely unnoticed aspect of the findings of empirical surveys on laypeople’s referential intuitions and truth-value judgments, which cannot be ignored, not even by the scholars who dismiss the evidential role of referential intuitions and the centrality of the method of cases in philosophical theories of reference. We explain that if those findings were reliable, they would raise a real threat to Kripke’s refutation of classical descriptivism for proper names. We provide evidence that those findings are not reliable

Invasiveness modulation of glioma cells by copper complex-loaded nanoarchitectures

: Among the tumors with the highest lethality, gliomas are primary brain tumors associated with common recurrence inclined to metastasize along the neuraxis and occasionally out of the central nervous system. Even though metastasis is the main responsible for death in oncological patients, few dedicated treatments are approved. Therefore, the establishment of effective anti-metastasis agents is the final frontier in cancer research. Interestingly, some copper complexes have demonstrated promising efficacy as antimetastatic agents, but they may cause off-site effects such as the alteration of copper homeostasis in healthy tissues. Thus, the incorporation of copper-based antimetastatic agents in rationally designed nano-architectures can increase the treatment localization reducing the side effects. Here, copper complex loaded hybrid nano-architectures (CuLNAs) are presented and employed to assess the impact of an intracellular copper source on glioma cell invasiveness. The novel CuLNAs are fully characterized and exploited for cell migration modulation in a glioma cell line. The results demonstrate that CuLNAs significantly reduce cell migration without impairing cell proliferation compared to standard gold and copper NAs. A concomitant antimigratory-like regulation of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition genes confirmed these results, as the gene encoding for the epithelial protein E-cadherin was upregulated and the other explored mesenchymal genes were downregulated. These findings, together with the intrinsic behaviors of NAs, demonstrate that the inclusion of metal complexes in the nano-architectures is a promising approach for the composition of a family of agents with antimetastatic activity