Quantum plasmonic waveguides: Au nanowires

Combining miniaturization and good operating speed is a compelling yet crucial task for our society. Plasmonic waveguides enable the possibility of carrying information at optical operating speed while maintaining the dimension of the device in the nanometer range. Here we present a theoretical study of plasmonic waveguides extending our investigation to structures so small that Quantum Size Effects (QSE) become non negligible, namely quantum plasmonic waveguides. Specifically, we demonstrate and evaluate a blue-shift in Surface Plasmon (SP) resonance energy for an ultra-thin gold nanowire

A promising new ELISA diagnostic test for cattle babesiosis based on Babesia bigemina Apical Membrane Antigen-1.

Babesiosis due to Babesia bigemina is a relevant tick‑borne disease, affecting cattle worldwide. Many surface proteins of the pathogen including the Apical Membrane Antigen 1 (AMA‑1) ‑ have been analysed for vaccine and diagnostic purposes. This study focused on B. bigemina AMA‑1 and on its use for the assessment of diagnostic tests. After bioinformatic analyses, AMA‑1 codifying region was amplified and cloned into an expression vector used to induce protein synthesis in Escherichia coli cells. AMA‑1 was purified by affinity chromatography and used to set up the best condition for an ELISA protocol. Bovine field sera positive to B. bigemina were used to evaluate the presence of anti‑AMA‑1 antibodies. In order to verify the assay specificity, sera positive to Babesia bovis or to the piroplasm Theileria annulata were also included. Significant differences were obtained between sera negative to both B. bigemina and B. bovis and samples positive to B. bigemina, to B. bovis or to both pathogens. No significant reaction was observed with T. annulata positive sera. The results showed that AMA‑1 protein is suitable to be used as antigen in diagnostic assays for babesiosis diagnosis in cattle, as it does not show any cross reaction with anti-T. annulata antibodies

Gevrey local solvability in locally integrable structures

We consider a locally integrable real-analytic structure, and we investigate the local solvability in the category of Gevrey functions and ultradistributions of the complex d' naturally induced by the de Rham complex. We prove that the so-called condition Y(q) on the signature of the Levi form, for local solvability of d' u=f, is still necessary even if we take f in the classes of Gevrey functions and look for solutions u in the corresponding spaces of ultradistributions.Comment: 12 page

Effect of synthetic route on performance of La0.8Sr1.2Fe0.9Cu0.1O4±δ electrodes for symmetric solid oxides fuel cells

The solid oxide La0.8Sr1.2Fe0.9Cu0.1O4±δ of interest as electrode for Symmetric Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SSOFCs) has been prepared via three different synthetic methods: solid-state reaction (SSR), melt citrate route (MC) and co-precipitation (CoP). In order to determine advantages and drawbacks of each synthesis, the materials have been characterized by X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis. Phase purity, structural and morphological characteristics of the powders have been determined. Wet chemical methods (CIT and COP) have the advantage over SSR synthesis of yielding small-sized powders (â\u88¼1mu;m); moreover, melt citrate route allows lowering the preparation temperature down to 1000 °C. Electrochemical characterization was performed by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) in air in an electrolyte supported symmetric cells configuration. Preliminary results allow to draw some conclusions on the relation between the structural and microstructural characteristics of the powders and the electrochemical performance

Variations of Procalcitonin Serum Levels in Neonatal Period

PCR and qPCR detection of HCV, HBV, Dengue, HIV, HSV, H5, CMV, M. tuberculosis, C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae. This method has been being employed for all PCR diagnostic tests carried out at our laboratory, as well as at other diagnostic laboratories where our PCR diagnostic kits are being used. Conclusion: This method has a broad application potential since it can be used in diagnostic laboratories which are capable of doing PCR to detect human pathogens. Additionally, it can be helpful for developing the standard criteria for diagnostic PCR

The role of thermal effects in plasma medical applications: Biological and calorimetric analysis

Abstract: Plasma Medicine tools exploit the therapeutic effects of the exposure of living matter to plasma produced at atmospheric pressure. Since these plasmas are usually characterized by a non-thermal equilibrium (highly energetic electrons, low temperature ions), thermal effects on the substrate are usually considered negligible. Conversely, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), UV radiation and metastables are thought to play a major role. In this contribution, we compare the presence of thermal effects in different operational regimes (corresponding to different power levels) of the Plasma Coagulation Controller (PCC), a plasma source specifically designed for accelerating blood coagulation. In particular, we analyze the application of PCC on human blood samples (in vitro) and male Wistar rats tissues (in vivo). Histological analysis points out, for the highest applied power regime, the onset of detrimental thermal effects such as red cell lysis in blood samples and tissues damages in in-vivo experiments. Calorimetric bench tests performed on metallic targets show that the current coupled by the plasma on the substrate induces most of measured thermal loads through a resistive coupling. Furthermore, the distance between the PCC nozzle and the target is found to strongly affect the total power