261 research outputs found
Amperometric detection of quantal catecholamine secretion from individual cells by an ion beam microfabricated single crystalline diamond biosensor
It is shown that buried graphitic channels fabricated in monocrystalline diamond by selective damage induced by focused MeV ions, can be considered an effective alternative to the commonly used carbon-fibers to detect the catecholamine release from cells as individual secretory granules discharge their contents during the process of quantal exocytosis. Quantal secretory responses have been measured from stimulated chromaffin cells, which were positioned on the graphitic microelectrode, polarized to +800 mV. Sequences of amperometric spikes started after cell stimulation with the KCl solution, with amplitudes well above the background noise within the range of 8–180 pA and comparable with signals obtained by conventional carbon fiber electrodes
Kelvin probe characterization of buried graphitic microchannels in single-crystal diamond
In this work, we present an investigation by Kelvin Probe Microscopy (KPM) of
buried graphitic microchannels fabricated in single-crystal diamond by direct
MeV ion microbeam writing. Metal deposition of variable-thickness masks was
adopted to implant channels with emerging endpoints and high temperature
annealing was performed in order to induce the graphitization of the
highly-damaged buried region. When an electrical current was flowing through
the biased buried channel, the structure was clearly evidenced by KPM maps of
the electrical potential of the surface region overlying the channel at
increasing distances from the grounded electrode. The KPM profiling shows
regions of opposite contrast located at different distances from the endpoints
of the channel. This effect is attributed to the different electrical
conduction properties of the surface and of the buried graphitic layer. The
model adopted to interpret these KPM maps and profiles proved to be suitable
for the electronic characterization of buried conductive channels, providing a
non-invasive method to measure the local resistivity with a micrometer
resolution. The results demonstrate the potential of the technique as a
powerful diagnostic tool to monitor the functionality of all-carbon
graphite/diamond devices to be fabricated by MeV ion beam lithography.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figure
Microelectrode arrays of diamond-insulated graphitic channels for real time detection of exocytotic events from cultured chromaffin cells and slices of adrenal glands
A microstructured graphitic 4x4 multielectrode array was embedded in a single
crystal diamond substrate (4x4 {uG-SCD MEA) for real-time monitoring of
exocytotic events from cultured chromaffin cells and adrenal slices. The
current approach relies on the development of a parallel ion beam lithographic
technique, which assures the time effective fabrication of extended arrays with
reproducible electrode dimensions. The reported device is suitable for
performing amperometric and voltammetric recordings with high sensitivity and
temporal resolution, by simultaneously acquiring data from 16 rectangularly
shaped microelectrodes (20x3.5 um^2) separated by 200 um gaps. Taking advantage
of the array geometry we addressed the following specific issues: i) detect
both the spontaneous and KCl-evoked secretion simultaneously from several
chromaffin cells directly cultured on the device surface, ii) resolve the
waveform of different subsets of exocytotic events, iii) monitoring quantal
secretory events from thin slices of the adrenal gland. The frequency of
spontaneous release was low (0.12 Hz and 0.3 Hz respectively for adrenal slices
and cultured cells) and increased up to 0.9 Hz after stimulation with 30 mM KCl
in cultured cells. The spike amplitude as well as rise and decay time were
comparable with those measured by carbon fiber microelectrodes and allowed to
identify three different subsets of secretory events associated to "full
fusion" events, "kiss and-run" and "kiss-and-stay" exocytosis, confirming that
the device has adequate sensitivity and time resolution for real-time
recordings. The device offers the significant advantage of shortening the time
to collect data by allowing simultaneous recordings from cell populations
either in primary cell cultures or in intact tissues
All-carbon multi-electrode array for real-time in vitro measurements of oxidizable neurotransmitters
We report on the ion beam fabrication of all-carbon multi electrode arrays
(MEAs) based on 16 graphitic micro-channels embedded in single-crystal diamond
(SCD) substrates. The fabricated SCD-MEAs are systematically employed for the
in vitro simultaneous amperometric detection of the secretory activity from
populations of chromaffin cells, demonstrating a new sensing approach with
respect to standard techniques. The biochemical stability and biocompatibility
of the SCD-based device combined with the parallel recording of
multi-electrodes array allow: i) a significant time saving in data collection
during drug screening and/or pharmacological tests over a large number of
cells, ii) the possibility of comparing altered cell functionality among cell
populations, and iii) the repeatition of acquisition runs over many cycles with
a fully non-toxic and chemically robust bio-sensitive substrate.Comment: 24 pages, 5 figure
Direct experimental observation of nonclassicality in ensembles of single photon emitters
In this work we experimentally demonstrate for the first time a recently
proposed criterion adressed to detect nonclassical behavior in the fluorescence
emission of ensembles of single-photon emitters. In particular, we apply the
method to study clusters of NV centres in diamond observed via
single-photon-sensitive confocal microscopy. Theoretical considerations on the
behavior of the parameter at any arbitrary order in presence of poissonian
noise are presented and, finally, the opportunity of detecting manifold
coincidences is discussed
Creation of pure non-crystalline diamond nanostructures via room-temperature ion irradiation and subsequent thermal annealing
Carbon exhibits a remarkable range of structural forms, due to the availability of sp3, sp2 and
sp1 chemical bonds. Contrarily to other group IV elements such as silicon and germanium,
the formation of an amorphous phase based exclusively on sp3 bonds is extremely
challenging due to the strongly favored formation of graphitic-like structures at room
19 temperature and pressure. As such, the formation of a fully sp3-bonded carbon phase requires
20 an extremely careful (and largely unexplored) definition of the pressure and temperature
across the phase diagram. Here, we report on the possibility of creating full-sp3 amorphous
nanostructures within the bulk crystal of diamond with room-temperature ion-beam
irradiation, followed by an annealing process that does not involve the application of any
external mechanical pressure. As confirmed by numerical simulations, the (previously
unreported) radiation-damage-induced formation of an amorphous sp2-free phase in diamond
is determined by the buildup of extremely high internal stresses from the surrounding lattice,
which (in the case of nanometer-scale regions) fully prevent the graphitization process.
Besides the relevance of understanding the formation of exotic carbon phases, the use of
focused/collimated ion beams discloses appealing perspectives for the direct fabrication of
such nanostructures in complex three-dimensional geometries
Estimates and multivariable risk assessment of mid-buccal gingival recessions in an Italian adult population according to the 2018 World Workshop Classification System
Objectives: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to provide estimate of mid-buccal gingival recession (GR) according to the 2018 World Workshop Classification System and to explore GR risk indicators in a representative urban population in North-West of Italy. Material and methods: This is a secondary analysis using data collected in an epidemiological study enrolling a representative sample of 736 adults, living in Turin. GR prevalence was defined as the presence of at least one mid-buccal GR ≥ 1 mm. GRs were categorized according to the 2018 classification system (RT1, RT2, RT3) and to different severity cutoffs. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify RT GR risk indicators. Results: Mid-buccal GR ≥ 1 mm affected 57.20% of subjects and 14.56% of teeth. When considering RT1 GRs, their prevalence was 40.90% and 6.29% at the patient and tooth level. RT2 and RT3 GRs affected 25.82% and 36.68% of the study population, respectively. RT1 GRs occurred mostly on maxillary and mandibular premolars and maxillary canines, while RT2 and RT3 GRs on maxillary molars and mandibular incisors. Older age, high education, and full-mouth plaque score (FMPS) 60% were significant contributors to RT2 and RT3 GRs. Conclusions: RT1 and RT3 are fairly common findings in this Italian population and are significantly associated to different contributing factors and tooth type distribution pattern. Clinical relevance: Prevention strategies should target different socio-demographic, behavioral, and clinical risk indicators based on the RT classes
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