Near infrared laser irradiation on single multicellular spheroids

Light is being widely used in biomedicine due to its non-invasive nature, with application in imaging techniques and as a therapeutic agent. However, several aspects of its effect on irradiated tissues still leads to discussion in the scientific community. This particularly relates to novel biological models, as is the case of 3D multicellular spheroids, which are rising as an intermediate model between in vitro monolayer cultures and small animals. The applications of these spherical cell aggregates are diverse and include tissue reconstruction, drug testing or cancer studies, to cite some. To address the effect of light on these models, we use spheroids formed by MCF-7 (adenocarcinoma) or by U-87 MG (glioblastoma) cells. After their growth, they have been irradiated individually with focused laser radiation in the near-infrared (808 nm and 1450 nm), which provokes size changes in the spheroid. Time-lapse imaging in a brightfield microscope allows to define a reduction parameter, which informs about the extent of the size change. This parameter is correlated with cell viability studies; thus, we can set a safe range of reduction in which spheroids are not damaged by irradiation, and a threshold that should be avoided to keep cell mortality low. This correlation can be used as preliminary and visual information on the survival of cells during optical experiments with 3D spheroidsBesides, we would like to mention our funding institution, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion ´ de Espana ˜ (grants PID2019-105195RA-I00, PID2019-110632RB-I00, CNS2022-135495, CNS2022-135965 and TED2021-129937B-I00). P.C. thanks the regional government of Comunidad de Madrid for the Programa Investigo (Plan de Recuperacion, ´ Transformacion ´ y Resiliencia) which was developed thanks to SEPE, Ministerio de Trabajo y Economía Social and the European Union through NextGenerationE

Absorption efficiency of gold nanorods determined by quantum dot fluorescence thermometry

In this work quantum dot fluorescence thermometry, in combination with double-beam confocal microscopy, has been applied to determine the thermal loading of gold nanorods when subjected to an optical excitation at the longitudinal surface plasmon resonance. The absorbing/heating efficiency of low (≈3) aspect ratio gold nanorods has been experimentally determined to be close to 100%, in excellent agreement with theoretical simulations of the extinction, absorption, and scattering spectra based on the discrete dipole approximation

X-ray nanoimaging of Nd3+ optically active ions embedded in Sr0.5Ba0.5Nb2O6 nanocrystals

[EN] The spatial distribution of Sr0.5Ba0.5Nb2O6 nanocrystals is analyzed in a borate-based glass-ceramic by a synchrotron hard X-ray nanoimaging tool. Based on X-ray excited optical luminescence, we examined 2D projections of the Nd3+ optically active ions in the Sr0.5Ba0.5Nb2O6 nanocrystals, as well as in the glassy phase where they are embedded. Our findings reveal areas of agglomerations and/or clusters of nanocrystals ascribed to the diffusion coefficients of their constituent elements. They are characterized by high Nd3+ concentrations that may act as heterogeneous agents for the nucleation and growth of these nanocrystals. (C) 2017 Optical Society of AmericaMINECO, EU-FEDER and CSIC through the projects MAT2013-46649-C4-4-P, MAT201571070-REDC, MAT2016-75586-C4-2-P, MAT2016-75586-C4-4-P, 201550I021 and 201660I001, respectively. JAS acknowledges the Spanish Program Ramón y Cajal for his fellowship. We also thank the ESRF for the beam time allocated and experimental facilities.Martínez-Criado, G.; Alén, B.; Sans-Tresserras, JÁ.; Lozano-Gorrín, A.; Haro-González, P.; Martin, I.; Lavin, V. (2017). X-ray nanoimaging of Nd3+ optically active ions embedded in Sr0.5Ba0.5Nb2O6 nanocrystals. Optical Materials Express. 7(7):2424-2431. https://doi.org/10.1364/OME.7.002424S2424243177Nagata, K., Yamamoto, Y., Igarashi, H., & Okazaki, K. (1981). Properties of the hot-pressed strontium barium niobate ceramics. Ferroelectrics, 38(1), 853-856. doi:10.1080/00150198108209556Imai, T., Yagi, S., Yamazaki, H., & Ono, M. (1999). Effects of Heat Treatment on Photorefractive Sensitivity of Ce- and Eu-Doped Strontium Barium Niobate. Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 38(Part 1, No. 4A), 1984-1988. doi:10.1143/jjap.38.1984Volk, T., Isakov, D., Salobutin, V., Ivleva, L., Lykov, P., Ramzaev, V., & Wöhlecke, M. (2004). Effects of Ni doping on properties of strontium–barium–niobate crystals. Solid State Communications, 130(3-4), 223-226. doi:10.1016/j.ssc.2004.01.039Romero, J. J., Andreeta, M. R. B., Andreeta, E. R. M., Bausá, L. E., Hernandes, A. C., & García Solé, J. (2004). Growth and characterization of Nd-doped SBN single crystal fibers. Applied Physics A, 78(7), 1037-1042. doi:10.1007/s00339-003-2151-3Chayapiwut, N., Honma, T., Benino, Y., Fujiwara, T., & Komatsu, T. (2005). Synthesis of Sm3+-doped strontium barium niobate crystals in glass by samarium atom heat processing. Journal of Solid State Chemistry, 178(11), 3507-3513. doi:10.1016/j.jssc.2005.09.002Haro-González, P., Martín, I. R., Martín, L. L., León-Luis, S. F., Pérez-Rodríguez, C., & Lavín, V. (2011). Characterization of Er3+ and Nd3+ doped Strontium Barium Niobate glass ceramic as temperature sensors. Optical Materials, 33(5), 742-745. doi:10.1016/j.optmat.2010.11.026Ivleva, L. I., Volk, T. R., Isakov, D. V., Gladkii, V. V., Polozkov, N. M., & Lykov, P. A. (2002). Growth and ferroelectric properties of Nd-doped strontium–barium niobate crystals. Journal of Crystal Growth, 237-239, 700-702. doi:10.1016/s0022-0248(01)01997-2Marcinkevičius, A., Juodkazis, S., Watanabe, M., Miwa, M., Matsuo, S., Misawa, H., & Nishii, J. (2001). Femtosecond laser-assisted three-dimensional microfabrication in silica. Optics Letters, 26(5), 277. doi:10.1364/ol.26.000277Sato, R., Benino, Y., Fujiwara, T., & Komatsu, T. (2001). YAG laser-induced crystalline dot patterning in samarium tellurite glasses. Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 289(1-3), 228-232. doi:10.1016/s0022-3093(01)00736-0Haro-González, P., Martín, L. L., González-Pérez, S., & Martín, I. R. (2010). Formation of Nd3+ doped Strontium Barium Niobate nanocrystals by two different methods. Optical Materials, 32(10), 1389-1392. doi:10.1016/j.optmat.2010.03.011Haro-González, P., Martín, I. R., & Creus, A. H. (2010). Nanocrystals distribution inside the writing lines in a glass matrix using Argon laser irradiation. Optics Express, 18(2), 582. doi:10.1364/oe.18.000582Haro-González, P., Martín, I. R., Arbelo-Jorge, E., González-Pérez, S., Cáceres, J. M., & Núñez, P. (2008). Laser irradiation in Nd3+ doped strontium barium niobate glass. Journal of Applied Physics, 104(1), 013112. doi:10.1063/1.2952011Kowalska, D., Haro-González, P., Martín, I. R., & Cáceres, J. M. (2010). Analysis of the optical properties of Er3+-doped strontium barium niobate nanocrystals using time-resolved laser spectroscopy. Applied Physics A, 99(4), 771-776. doi:10.1007/s00339-010-5716-yPellicer-Porres, J., Segura, A., Martínez-Criado, G., Rodríguez-Mendoza, U. R., & Lavín, V. (2012). Formation of nanostructures in Eu3+doped glass–ceramics: an XAS study. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 25(2), 025303. doi:10.1088/0953-8984/25/2/025303Martínez-Criado, G., Alén, B., Sans, J. A., Homs, A., Kieffer, I., Tucoulou, R., … Yi, G. (2012). Spatially resolved X-ray excited optical luminescence. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 284, 36-39. doi:10.1016/j.nimb.2011.08.013Martínez-Criado, G., Sans, J. A., Segura-Ruiz, J., Tucoulou, R., Solé, A. V., Homs, A., … Alén, B. (2011). X-ray excited optical luminescence imaging of InGaN nano-LEDs. physica status solidi (c), 9(3-4), 628-630. doi:10.1002/pssc.201100430Villanova, J., Segura-Ruiz, J., Lafford, T., & Martinez-Criado, G. (2012). Synchrotron microanalysis techniques applied to potential photovoltaic materials. Journal of Synchrotron Radiation, 19(4), 521-524. doi:10.1107/s0909049512021383Smith, J., Akbari-Sharbaf, A., Ward, M. J., Murphy, M. W., Fanchini, G., & Kong Sham, T. (2013). Luminescence properties of defects in nanocrystalline ZnO. Journal of Applied Physics, 113(9), 093104. doi:10.1063/1.4794001Armelao, L., Heigl, F., Jürgensen, A., Blyth, R. I. R., Regier, T., Zhou, X.-T., & Sham, T. K. (2007). X-ray Excited Optical Luminescence Studies of ZnO and Eu-Doped ZnO Nanostructures. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 111(28), 10194-10200. doi:10.1021/jp071379fMartínez-Criado, G., Villanova, J., Tucoulou, R., Salomon, D., Suuronen, J.-P., Labouré, S., … Morse, J. (2016). ID16B: a hard X-ray nanoprobe beamline at the ESRF for nano-analysis. Journal of Synchrotron Radiation, 23(1), 344-352. doi:10.1107/s1600577515019839Jamieson, P. B., Abrahams, S. C., & Bernstein, J. L. (1968). Ferroelectric Tungsten Bronze‐Type Crystal Structures. I. Barium Strontium Niobate Ba0.27Sr0.75Nb2O5.78. The Journal of Chemical Physics, 48(11), 5048-5057. doi:10.1063/1.1668176Haro-González, P., Martín, I. R., & Hernández Creus, A. (2011). Nanocrystals formation on Ho3+ doped strontium barium niobate glass. Journal of Luminescence, 131(4), 657-661. doi:10.1016/j.jlumin.2010.11.011Lavı́n, V., Rodrı́guez-Mendoza, U. R., Martı́n, I. R., & Rodrı́guez, V. D. (2003). Optical spectroscopy analysis of the Eu3+ ions local structure in calcium diborate glasses. Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 319(1-2), 200-216. doi:10.1016/s0022-3093(02)01914-2Chernaya, T. S., Volk, T. R., Verin, I. A., Ivleva, L. I., & Simonov, V. I. (2002). Atomic structure of (Sr0.50Ba0.50)Nb2O6 single crystals in the series of (SrxBa1 − x )Nb2O6 compounds. Crystallography Reports, 47(2), 213-216. doi:10.1134/1.1466494Erbil, A., Cargill III, G. S., Frahm, R., & Boehme, R. F. (1988). Total-electron-yield current measurements for near-surface extended x-ray-absorption fine structure. Physical Review B, 37(5), 2450-2464. doi:10.1103/physrevb.37.2450Solé, V. A., Papillon, E., Cotte, M., Walter, P., & Susini, J. (2007). A multiplatform code for the analysis of energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectra. Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy, 62(1), 63-68. doi:10.1016/j.sab.2006.12.002Martínez-Criado, G., Homs, A., Alén, B., Sans, J. A., Segura-Ruiz, J., Molina-Sánchez, A., … Yi, G.-C. (2012). Probing Quantum Confinement within Single Core–Multishell Nanowires. Nano Letters, 12(11), 5829-5834. doi:10.1021/nl303178uMartínez-Criado, G., Segura-Ruiz, J., Alén, B., Eymery, J., Rogalev, A., Tucoulou, R., & Homs, A. (2014). Exploring Single Semiconductor Nanowires with a Multimodal Hard X-ray Nanoprobe. Advanced Materials, 26(46), 7873-7879. doi:10.1002/adma.201304345Shyu, J.-J., & Wang, J.-R. (2000). Crystallization and Dielectric Properties of SrO-BaO-Nb2O5-SiO2Tungsten-Bronze Glass-Ceramics. Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 83(12), 3135-3140. doi:10.1111/j.1151-2916.2000.tb01694.

Correlation between Arctic river discharge and sea ice formation in Laptev Sea using sea surface salinity from SMOS satellite

European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2020, 4-8 May 2020During the last 3 decades, the Arctic rivers have increased their discharge around 10%, mainly due to the increase of the global atmospheric temperature. The increase of the river discharge carries higher loads of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and suspended matter (SM) entering to the Arctic Ocean. This results in increased absorption of solar energy in the mixed layer, which can potentially contribute to the general sea ice retreat. Observation based studies (e.g. Bauch et al., 2013) showed correlation between river water discharge and local sea ice melting on the Laptev sea shelf due to the change on the ocean heat. Previous studies are based with a limited number of observations, both in space and in time. Thanks to the ESA SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) and NASA SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) missions we have daily the sea surface salinity (SSS) maps from the Arctic, which permit to observe the salinity variations due to the river discharges. The Arctic sea surface salinity products obtained from SMOS measurements have been improved considerable by the Barcelona Expert Center (BEC) team thanks to the project Arctic+Salinity, funded by ESA. The new version of the product (v3) covers the years from 2011 up to 2018, have a spatial resolution of 25km and are daily maps with 9 day averages. The Arctic+ SSS maps provide a better description of the salinity gradients and a better effective spatial resolution than the previous versions of the Arctic product, so the salinity fronts are better resolved. The quality assessment of the Arctic+SSS product is challenging because, in this region, there are scarce number of in-situ measurements. The high effective spatial resolution of the Arctic+ SSS maps will permit to study for the first time scientific physical processes that occurs in the Arctic. We will explore if a correlation between the Lena and Ob rivers discharge with the sea ice melting and freeze up is observed with satellite data, as already stated with in-situ measurements by Bauch et al. 2013. Salinity and sea ice thickness maps from SMOS and sea ice concentration from OSISAF will be used in this study. Bauch, D.,Hölemann, J. , Nikulina, A. , Wegner, C., Janout, M., Timokhov, L. and Kassens, H. (2013): Correlation of river water and local sea-ice melting on the Laptev Sea shelf (Siberian Arctic) , Journal of Geophysical Research C: Oceans, 118 (1), pp. 550-561 . doi: 10.1002/jgrc.2007

The knee prosthesis constraint dilemma: Biomechanical comparison between varus-valgus constrained implants and rotating hinge prosthesis. A cadaver study

The real degree of constriction of rotating hinge knee (RHK) and condylar constrained prostheses (CCK) is a matter of discussion in revision knee arthroplasty. The objectives of this study are to compare the tibial rotation of both implants and validate the use of inertial sensors with optical tracking system as movement measurement tools. A total of 16 cadaver knees were used. Eight knees were replaced using a RHK (Endomodel LINK), and the remaining eight received a CCK prosthesis (LCCK, Zimmer). Tibial rotation range of motion was measured in full extension and at 30°, 60°, and 90° of flexion, with four continuous waveforms for each measurement. Measurements were made using two inertial sensors with specific software and compared with measurements obtained using the gold standard technique - the motion capture camera. The comparison of the accuracy of both measurement methods showed no statistically significant differences between inertial sensors and motion capture cameras, with p > .1; the mean error for tibial rotation was 0.21°. Tibial rotation in the RHK was significantly greater than in the CCK (5.25° vs. 2.28°, respectively), p < .05. We have shown that RHK permit greater tibial rotation, being closer to physiological values than CCKs. Inertial sensors have been validated as an effective and accurate method of measuring knee movement. The clinical significance: RHK appears to represent a lower constriction degree than CCK systems.This study wassupported by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Instituto de Salud Carlos III and European Regional Development Fund "Una manera de hacer Europa" (grant number PI18/01625

Upconverting Ho–Yb doped titanate nanotubes

The synthesis of Ho3 +–Yb3 + codoped titanate nanotubes was carried out successfully via a hydrothermal treatment method from a precursor powder. These novel nanotubes treated at RT, 100 °C and 280 °C were studied with the aim of determining their structural and optical properties. As the thermal treatment was increased, their upconversion emission becomes stronger. This behavior was related to reduction of hydroxyl groups and the water on the surface, which resulted in changes in the interlayer distances of the nanotubes

Accounting for effective interactions among charged microgels

We introduce a theoretical approach to describe structural correlations among charged permeable spheres at finite particle concentrations. This theory explicitly accounts for correlations among microions and between microions and macroions and allows for the proposal of an effective interaction among macroions that successfully captures structural correlations observed in poly- N -isopropyl acrylamide microgel systems. In our description the bare charge is fixed and independent of the microgel size, the microgel concentration, and the ionic strength, which contrasts with results obtained using linear response approximations, where the bare charge needs to be adapted to properly account for microgel correlations obtained at different conditions

Thirty-day suicidal thoughts and behaviours in the Spanish adult general population during the first wave of the Spain COVID-19 pandemic

Aims: To investigate the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and behaviours (STB; i.e. suicidal ideation, plans or attempts) in the Spanish adult general population during the first wave of the Spain coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic (March-July, 2020), and to investigate the individual- and population-level impact of relevant distal and proximal STB risk factor domains. Methods: Cross-sectional study design using data from the baseline assessment of an observational cohort study (MIND/COVID project). A nationally representative sample of 3500 non-institutionalised Spanish adults (51.5% female; mean age = 49.6 [s.d. = 17.0]) was taken using dual-frame random digit dialing, stratified for age, sex and geographical area. Professional interviewers carried out computer-assisted telephone interviews (1-30 June 2020). Thirty-day STB was assessed using modified items from the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. Distal (i.e. pre-pandemic) risk factors included sociodemographic variables, number of physical health conditions and pre-pandemic lifetime mental disorders; proximal (i.e. pandemic) risk factors included current mental disorders and a range of adverse events-experiences related to the pandemic. Logistic regression was used to investigate individual-level associations (odds ratios [OR]) and population-level associations (population attributable risk proportions [PARP]) between risk factors and 30-day STB. All data were weighted using post-stratification survey weights. Results: Estimated prevalence of 30-day STB was 4.5% (1.8% active suicidal ideation; n = 5 [0.1%] suicide attempts). STB was 9.7% among the 34.3% of respondents with pre-pandemic lifetime mental disorders, and 1.8% among the 65.7% without any pre-pandemic lifetime mental disorder. Factors significantly associated with STB were pre-pandemic lifetime mental disorders (total PARP = 49.1%) and current mental disorders (total PARP = 58.4%), i.e. major depressive disorder (OR = 6.0; PARP = 39.2%), generalised anxiety disorder (OR = 5.6; PARP = 36.3%), post-traumatic stress disorder (OR = 4.6; PARP = 26.6%), panic attacks (OR = 6.7; PARP = 36.6%) and alcohol/substance use disorder (OR = 3.3; PARP = 5.9%). Pandemic-related adverse events-experiences associated with STB were lack of social support, interpersonal stress, stress about personal health and about the health of loved ones (PARPs 32.7-42.6%%), and having loved ones infected with COVID-19 (OR = 1.7; PARP = 18.8%). Up to 74.1% of STB is potentially attributable to the joint effects of mental disorders and adverse events-experiences related to the pandemic. Conclusions: STB at the end of the first wave of the Spain COVID-19 pandemic was high, and large proportions of STB are potentially attributable to mental disorders and adverse events-experiences related to the pandemic, including health-related stress, lack of social support and interpersonal stress. There is an urgent need to allocate resources to increase access to adequate mental healthcare, even in times of healthcare system overload.This study was supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación/FEDER (grant number COV20/00711), (PM, grant number ISCIII, CD18/00049), (grant number ISCIII, FI18/00012), (VPS, grant number PI19/00236); Ayudas para la Formación de Profesorado Universitario, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (grant number FPU15/05728); Generalitat de Catalunya (grant number 2017SGR452). The funding institutions had no role in the design, analysis, interpretation or submission of publication of the data. No payment was made for writing this article by a pharmaceutical company or other agency. Corresponding authors had full access to all the data in the study and the final responsibility for the decision of submitting for publication.S

The PAU survey: classifying low-z SEDs using Machine Learning clustering

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society following peer review. The version of record Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 524.3 (2023): 3569-3581 is available online at: https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article-abstract/524/3/3569/7225529?redirectedFrom=fulltextWe present an application of unsupervised Machine Learning clustering to the PAU survey of galaxy spectral energy distribution (SED) within the COSMOS field. The clustering algorithm is implemented and optimized to get the relevant groups in the data SEDs. We find 12 groups from a total number of 5234 targets in the survey at 0.01 < z < 0.28. Among the groups, 3545 galaxies (68 per cent) show emission lines in the SEDs. These groups also include 1689 old galaxies with no active star formation. We have fitted the SED to every single galaxy in each group with CIGALE. The mass, age, and specific star formation rates (sSFR) of the galaxies range from 0.15 < age/Gyr <11; 6 < log (M/M⊙) <11.26, and -14.67 < log (sSFR/yr-1) <-8. The groups are well-defined in their properties with galaxies having clear emission lines also having lower mass, are younger and have higher sSFR than those with elliptical like patterns. The characteristic values of galaxies showing clear emission lines are in agreement with the literature for starburst galaxies in COSMOS and GOODS-N fields at low redshift. The star-forming main sequence, sSFR versus stellar mass and UVJ diagram show clearly that different groups fall into different regions with some overlap among groups. Our main result is that the joint of low- resolution (R ∼50) photometric spectra provided by the PAU survey together with the unsupervised classification provides an excellent way to classify galaxies. Moreover, it helps to find and extend the analysis of extreme ELGs to lower masses and lower SFRs in the local UniverseThis work has been supported by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain, project PID2019-107408GB-C43 (ESTALLIDOS), and the Government of the Canary Islands through EU FEDER funding, projects PID2020010050 and PID2021010077. This article is based on observations made in the Observatorios de Canarias of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) with the WHT operated on the island of La Palma by the Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes (ING) in the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos. The PAU Survey is partially supported by MINECO under grants CSD2007-00060, AYA2015-71825, ESP2017-89838, PGC2018-094773, PGC2018-102021, PID2019-111317GB, SEV-2016-0588, SEV-2016-0597, MDM-2015-0509 and Juan de la Cierva fellowship and LACEGAL and EWC Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant No 734374 and no.776247 with ERDF funds from the EU Horizon 2020 Programme, some of which include ERDF funds from the European Union. IEEC and IFAE are partially funded by the CERCA and Beatriu de Pinos program of the Generalitat de Catalunya. Funding for PAUS has also been provided by Durham Univer sity (via the ERC StG DEGAS-259586), ETH Zurich, Leiden University (via ERC StG ADULT-279396 and Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) Vici grant 639.043.512), University College London and from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the grant agreement No 776247 EWC. The PAU data center is hosted by the Port d’Información Científica (PIC), maintained through a collaboration of CIEMAT and IFAE, with additional support from Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona and ERDF. We acknowledge the PIC services department team for their support and fruitful discussion