A validated methodological approach to prove the safety of clinical electromagnetic induction systems in magnetic hyperthermia

The present study focuses on the development of a methodology for evaluating the safety of MNH systems, through the numerical prediction of the induced temperature rise in superficial skin layers due to eddy currents heating under an alternating magnetic field (AMF). The methodology is supported and validated through experimental measurements of the AMF’s distribution, as well as temperature data from the torsos of six patients who participated in a clinical trial study. The simulations involved a computational model of the actual coil, a computational model of the cooling system used for the cooling of the patients during treatment, and a detailed human anatomical model from the Virtual Population family. The numerical predictions exhibit strong agreement with the experimental measurements, and the deviations are below the estimated combined uncertainties, confirming the accuracy of computational modeling. This study highlights the crucial role of simulations for translational medicine and paves the way for personalized treatment planning.peer-reviewe

Studying Quantum Dot Blinking through the Addition of an Engineered Inorganic Hole Trap

An all-inorganic compound colloidal quantum dot incorporating a highly emissive CdSe core, which is linked by a CdS tunneling barrier to an engineered charge carrier trap composed of PbS, is designed, and its optical properties are studied in detail at the single-particle level. Study of this structure enables a deeper understanding of the link between photoinduced charging and surface trapping of charge carriers and the phenomenon of quantum dot blinking. In the presence of the hole trap, a “gray” emissive state appears, associated with charging of the core. Rapid switching is observed between the “on” and the “gray” state, although the switching dynamics in and out of the dark “off” state remain unaffected. This result completes the links in the causality chain connecting charge carrier trapping, charging of QDs, and the appearance of a “gray” emission state

Charge Transfer Dynamics in CdS and CdSe@CdS Based Hybrid Nanorods Tipped with Both PbS and Pt

The synthesis of hybrid nanostructures that have specific properties has become a significant topic for construction of “smart” nanomaterials for various applications. Formation of hybrid nanostructures, particularly those combining metals and semiconductors, often introduces new chemical, optical, and electronic properties. Here, we show a simple solution phase synthesis of multicomponent heterostructures based on the growth of metal and semiconductor onto the tips of semiconductor nanorods, leading to the formation of a hybrid semiconductor/semiconductor/metal structure. The synthesis involves the reduction of Pt–acetylacetonate to achieve selective growth of a Pt metal tip onto one side of the CdS rod, followed by the thermal decomposition of Pb–bis­(diethyldithiocarbamate) to grow a PbS nanocrystal onto the other tip of the nanorod. The band alignment between the two semiconductor components as well as the alignment with the Fermi level of the metal could support intraparticle charge transfer, which is often sought after for photocatalysis applications. Yet, we show, using femtosecond transient differential absorption spectroscopy (TDA), that carrier dynamics in such a hybrid system can be more complex than that predicted simply by bulk band alignment considerations. This highlights the importance of the design of band alignment and interface passivation and its role in affecting carrier dynamics within hybrid nanostructures