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Dot-blot immunoassay based on antibody-nanocluster biohybrids as tags for naked-eye detection
No full textPublisher Copyright: © 2025 The Royal Society of Chemistry.Paper-based assays such as dot-blot show high promise to develop point-of-care testing devices fulfilling the ASSURED requirements suggested by the World Health Organization (affordable, sensitive, specific, user-friendly, rapid and robust, equipment-free, and deliverable). In this technique, natural enzymes are conventionally employed tags to provide bioreceptors such as antibodies with catalytic activity for quantitative assessment. Nonetheless, their inherent biomolecular limitations pose significant challenges, including cost and storage constraints. We propose an alternative conjugation for antibodies based on catalytic bimetallic nanoclusters and their integration in such simple colorimetric paper-based immunoassay. The nanoclusters are composed of gold and platinum and they are embedded in the structure of an anti-rabbit antibody, integrating in a single component the biorecognition and transduction elements required for biosensing. The detection is based on the catalytic properties of the NCs to oxidize an insoluble chromogenic substrate, generating a visible signal on the surface of the paper that can be further analysed for quantitative results. We demonstrate the detection of antibodies against the inflammation biomarker interleukin-6 with a limit of detection of 200 ng mL−1. Experimental results reveal improvements in terms of stability compared to the natural enzyme horseradish peroxidase, retaining most of its activity after a storage equivalent to 6 months at 4 °C. Additionally, incorporating the NCs within the antibody structure instead of attaching them via a covalent bond provides an enhanced sensitivity of 69.7%. This assay could be transferred to other specific antibodies to detect and quantify other analytes of interest.Peer reviewe
Uncertainty-aware Bayesian optimisation framework for the design of floating offshore wind turbines
Full text linkPublisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/Floating wind platforms are complex systems requiring integrated optimization of interdependent subsystems under highly dynamic conditions. Conventional design approaches often treat the process as a black-box optimization problem, minimizing a cost metric based on simplified assumptions. However, these assumptions evolve during project development, and inaccuracies in early-stage models can significantly affect outcomes. This study introduces an uncertainty-aware design paradigm in which uncertainty is not a byproduct but a central element guiding the optimization process and informing decision-making. The proposed framework embeds Bayesian Optimization within the design workflow, leveraging Gaussian Process regression to model both the objective function and its associated uncertainty. This probabilistic representation enables explicit integration of uncertainty into the optimization strategy, while the Lower Confidence Bound acquisition function balances exploration and exploitation according to user-defined preferences. The approach reduces the number of objective function evaluations and provides valuable insights into cost distributions. Its effectiveness is demonstrated through three case studies of increasing complexity: a multi-modal objective function, the mass optimization of a catenary mooring system, and the same system with penalization terms. Compared to a Genetic Algorithm applied to an equivalent problem, the proposed method achieves convergence with approximately 80 % fewer evaluations.Peer reviewe
Composition-Dependent Voltage-Driven OFF-ON Switching of Ferromagnetism in Co-Ni Oxide Microdisks
No full textPublisher Copyright: © 2025 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.Magneto-ionics, which refers to the modification of the magnetic properties of materials through electric-field-induced ion migration, is emerging as one of the most promising methods to develop nonvolatile energy-efficient memory and spintronic and magnetoelectric devices. Herein, the controlled generation of ferromagnetism from paramagnetic Co-Ni oxide patterned microdisks (prepared upon thermal oxidation of metallic microdisks with dissimilar Co-Ni ratios, i.e., Ni25Co75 and Ni50Co50) is demonstrated under the action of voltage. The effect is related to the partial reduction of the oxide phases to their metallic forms. Samples richer in Co show stronger magneto-ionic activity, which manifests in lower-onset threshold voltages, faster switching rates, and larger values of the attained saturation magnetization. By means of scanning electron microscopy, a cobalt segregation phenomenon has been experimentally observed upon thermal oxidation, which has been theoretically discussed from the diffusivities’ viewpoint. X-ray diffraction characterization has revealed transitions between purely mixed Ni and Co oxides, in the OFF state, to a mixture of oxide and metallic phases, in the ON state, because of the oxygen ion motion outward/inward the Co-Ni oxide microdisks, depending on the voltage polarity. Ab initio calculations reveal that the energy barrier for oxygen vacancy migration is lower in CoO than in NiO, in agreement with the obtained magneto-ionic responses. The observation of magneto-ionic effects in patterned disks (and not only in archetypical continuous films) is a step further for the practical utilization of this phenomenon in real miniaturized devices.Peer reviewe
Quasi-Lossy Mode Resonances in Long Period Fiber Gratings: Achieving Linear Wavelength Shifts with Metallic-Dielectric Thin Films
No full textPublisher Copyright: © 1983-2012 IEEE.Long-period fiber gratings (LPFGs) are an important structure in the field of optical fiber sensors, recognized for their ability to couple light between core and cladding modes, enabling sensitivity to the surrounding medium. This characteristic has facilitated their application in biosensing, chemical sensing, and environmental monitoring. Over the years, several strategies have been employed to enhance the sensitivity of LPFGs, including cladding diameter reduction, operation at dispersion turning points (DTPs), and the mode transition phenomenon induced by thin films. However, challenges such as non-linear spectral shifts have limited their practical implementation. In this work, we present a detailed experimental and numerical investigation of LPFGs modified with a gold thin film positioned between the cladding and a high-refractive-index TiO₂ layer. This configuration demonstrates improved linearity in the wavelength shifts observed at DTPs and during mode transitions. Experimental results reveal that increasing the gold layer thickness from 15 nm to 30 nm significantly enhances linearity, reducing the quadratic fitting parameter by nearly 50-fold while maintaining high sensitivity. These findings provide a pathway toward more robust and precise LPFG-based sensors with improved spectral response towards practical applications.Peer reviewe
The paradox of success in evolutionary and bioinspired optimization: Revisiting critical issues, key studies, and methodological pathways
Full text linkPublisher Copyright: © 2025Evolutionary and bioinspired computation are crucial for efficiently addressing complex optimization problems across diverse application domains. By mimicking processes observed in nature, like evolution itself, these algorithms offer innovative solutions beyond the reach of traditional optimization methods. They excel at finding near-optimal solutions in large, complex search spaces, making them invaluable in numerous fields. However, both areas are plagued by challenges at their core, including inadequate benchmarking, problem-specific overfitting, insufficient theoretical grounding, and superfluous proposals justified only by their biological metaphor. This overview recapitulates and analyzes in depth the criticisms concerning the lack of innovation and rigor in experimental studies within the field. To this end, we examine the judgmental positions of the existing literature in an informed attempt to guide the research community toward directions of solid contribution and advancement in these areas. We summarize guidelines for the design of evolutionary and bioinspired optimizers, the development of experimental comparisons, and the derivation of novel proposals that take a step further in the field. We provide a brief note on automating the process of creating these algorithms, which may help align metaheuristic optimization research with its primary objective (solving real-world problems), provided that our identified pathways are followed. Our conclusions underscore the need for a sustained push towards innovation and the enforcement of methodological rigor in prospective studies to fully realize the potential of these advanced computational techniques.Peer reviewe
Novel Binders for Aqueous Electrode Processing of Electrochemical Capacitors
Full text linkPublisher Copyright: © 2024 The Authors. ChemSusChem published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.This work studies the use of epoxy and polyurethane formulations as binders for the aqueous processing of activated carbon (AC) electrodes used as positive and negative electrodes in Electrochemical Double Layer Capacitors (EDLCs). The use of amine and carbodiimide as crosslinkers is also evaluated. The mechanical properties of those different binders have been investigated, looking towards aqueous processable and flexible electrodes. Microstructural analysis of the fabricated AC electrodes has been carried out to understand the pore-blocking effect exhibited by certain polymers. Furthermore, electrochemical characterization of all the systems has been performed by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and constant current charge/discharge measurements at different current densities. The obtained results show that polyurethane (PU) outperforms in terms of energy and power density the carboxymethyl cellulose:styrene butadiene rubber (CMC : SBR) reference system. Moreover, the studied polyurethanes maintain close to 100 % of their initial capacitance after 2500 cycles under a current density of 5 A g−1 and a discharge time of 20 s.Peer reviewe
LARA: Laser-assisted robotic surgery for maxillofacial intervention
No full textPublisher Copyright: © 2026 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.This chapter deals with a project that combines two technologies that have had a considerable impact in the medical field: robotics and lasers. Over the last decade, these two technologies used independently have had a profound impact not only on medical practices but also on the patient care pathway and have made it possible, with other technologies, to pave the way for accurate medicine where the patient's care pathway has been digitized and automated from screening, diagnosis and treatment, and monitoring. The aim of this chapter will be to provide a new, high-performance tool combining these two technologies, robotics and laser, for cutting bone in maxillofacial surgery. The work will make it possible to produce a prototype combining a femtosecond laser source optimized for cutting bone with a robotic arm and online positioning and monitoring systems allowing the surgeon to perform high-performance, contactless surgical procedures that are more precise and describe complex trajectories, thus improving the quality of cutting and regeneration of bone tissue as well as securing the surgical procedure.Peer reviewe
Manufacturing Route for Hot Stamping of Aluminium Alloy Applied to a Wing Rib
No full textPublisher Copyright: © 2025, Trans Tech Publications Ltd. All rights reserved.In this study, a hot stamping process, which delivers ready-to-use parts for the production of aircraft components is applied as an alternative manufacturing method to, for instance, machined parts. The research has been focused on examining the formability of an aluminium alloy at high temperatures. An extensive experimental campaign has been conducted to establish the optimal hot stamping process parameters. As a final stage of the development, a demonstrator corresponding to a wing rib with AA2198 aluminium-lithium alloy has been successfully produced. After the corresponding heat treatment, material properties have been restored.Peer reviewe
Transforming Computer Integrated Manufacturing Facility to Use as a Digital Twin Enabled Learning Factory
No full textPublisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2025.Digital Twin is currently getting wider momentum in many engineering disciplines. Manufacturing industry is one of the main sectors which could gain the benefit of DT through taking decisions real time or in advance before physical systems will be tested which will save many resources and production time thereby to promote sustainable manufacturing. Therefore, empowering future manufacturing and industrial engineering professionals with DT enabled manufacturing facilities is greatly beneficial. This paper presents a transformation of CIM facility as a learning factory to educate and to use as a research facility of DT enabled manufacturing system. More than 25 years old Mitsubishi CIM facility (RHM2, PNC300 and RVM2) is retrofitted incorporating the different sensory platforms to monitor real time activities of the Industrial robot arm, product quality inspection facility, mini-CNC center operations and conveyer system integrated through Siemens (S7–1200) PLC and software installations. The Digital platform is developed by Unity and DT is enabled by RS232 and TCP/IP communication protocols and RHM2, Mini-CNC and conveyor belt hardware software integration. By establishing DT facility through retrofitting the aged CIM system, enables DT enabled Learning Factory concept to be used for education and research with very lower investment and without moving into acquire new hardware’s (robot arms, conveyers, CNC teaching Units) which itself enhance the sustainability in Manufacturing engineering education.Peer reviewe
