1. Hybrid nanostructures of ▫$Fe_3O_4$▫ and Au prepared via coprecipitation and ultrasonic spray pyrolysisLan Kresnik, Peter Majerič, Darja Feizpour, Klementina Pušnik Črešnar, Rebeka Rudolf, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: The coupled processes of coprecipitation and ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) were used to synthesize Fe3O4-Au hybrid nanostructures. The first coprecipitation method enabled the synthesis of Fe3O4 nanoparticles by mixing iron salts’ ions (Fe2+ and Fe3+) and ammonia as the base, and USP was used as the coating process of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles with Au. The formatted hybrid nanostructures consist of Fe3O4 nanoparticles that have Au on their surface in the form of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). AuNPs have a crystalline structure and range in size from 10 to 200 nm. Additional characterization techniques, including ICP-OES, TEM, SEM, EDS, DLS, zeta potential, and room temperature magnetic hysteresis loops, were used to determine the chemical, physical, and magnetic properties of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles and hybrid nanostructures. It was found that USP produces separate AuNPs too (not just on the Fe3O4 surface), suggesting a bimodal formation of AuNPs. The zeta potential of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles showed poor stability (−15 mV), indicating a high tendency to aggregate, and the zeta potential of the hybrid nanostructures was also very low (≅0), which, comparatively means even worse stability. The saturation magnetization of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles was 35 emu/g, which is relatively lower than that of bulk Fe3O4, while the saturation magnetization of the hybrid nanostructures was significantly lower (0.1 emu/g) compared to the Fe3O4 nanoparticles.
Ključne besede: magnetic NPs, gold NPs, transmission electron microscopy, magnetic properties
Objavljeno v DKUM: 29.11.2024; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 6
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2. Electric field driven reconfigurable multistable topological defect patternsSaša Harkai, Bryce S. Murray, Charles Rosenblatt, Samo Kralj, 2020, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Topological defects appear in symmetry breaking phase transitions and are ubiquitous throughout Nature. As an ideal testbed for their study, defect configurations in nematic liquid crystals (NLCs) could be exploited in a rich variety of technological applications. Here we report on robust theoretical and experimental investigations in which an external electric field is used to switch between predetermined stable chargeless disclination patterns in a nematic cell, where the cell is sufficiently thick that the disclinations start and terminate at the same surface. The different defect configurations are stabilized by a master substrate that enforces a lattice of surface defects exhibiting zero total topological charge value. Theoretically, we model disclination configurations using a Landau-de Gennes phenomenological model. Experimentally, we enable diverse defect patterns by implementing an in-house-developed atomic force measurement scribing method, where NLC configurations are monitored via polarized optical microscopy. We show numerically and experimentally that an “alphabet” of up to 18 unique line defect configurations can be stabilized in a 4 × 4 lattice of alternating �=±1 surface defects, which can be “rewired” multistably using appropriate field manipulation. Our proof-of-concept mechanism may lead to a variety of applications, such as multistable optical displays and rewirable nanowires. Our studies also are of interest from a fundamental perspective. We demonstrate that a chargeless line could simultaneously exhibit defect-antidefect properties. Consequently, a pair of such antiparallel disclinations exhibits an attractive interaction. For a sufficiently closely spaced pair of substrate-pinned defects, this interaction could trigger rewiring, or annihilation if defects are depinned.
Ključne besede: line defects, topological defects, nematic liquid crystals, electric field, atomic force microscopy, numerical techniques, polarized optical microscopy
Objavljeno v DKUM: 18.11.2024; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 2
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3. Transforming smartphones into microscopes for teaching anatomyAndrej Šorgo, Vida Lang, 2023, objavljeni znanstveni prispevek na konferenci Opis: A group of prospective biology teachers were given the task of building a microscope out of home appliances and a smartphone. At the end of the course, they built their own microscopes in different designs and took photos of different animal tissues and other material objects. They showed great creativity and tested a variety of solutions. Their work can be seen as a model for their future work with students during their professional careers. An important point is that applying the principles of smartphone microscopy to other school and extracurricular activities can be considered a lifelong skill not only for prospective teachers but also for their future students.
Ključne besede: biology education, human anatomy, microscopy, prospective teachers, smartphone
Objavljeno v DKUM: 25.09.2024; Ogledov: 1; Prenosov: 2
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4. Experimental advances in nanoparticle-driven stabilization of liquid-crystalline blue phases and twist-grain boundary phasesGeorge Cordoyiannis, Marta Lavrič, Vasileios Tzitzios, Maja Trček, Ioannis Lelidis, George Nounesis, Samo Kralj, Jan Thoen, Zdravko Kutnjak, 2021, pregledni znanstveni članek Opis: Recent advances in experimental studies of nanoparticle-driven stabilization of chiral liquid-crystalline phases are highlighted. The stabilization is achieved via the nanoparticles’ assembly in the defect lattices of the soft liquid-crystalline hosts. This is of significant importance for understanding the interactions of nanoparticles with topological defects and for envisioned technological applications. We demonstrate that blue phases are stabilized and twist-grain boundary phases are induced by dispersing surface-functionalized CdSSe quantum dots, spherical Au nanoparticles, as well as MoS2 nanoplatelets and reduced-graphene oxide nanosheets in chiral liquid crystals. Phase diagrams are shown based on calorimetric and optical measurements. Our findings related to the role of the nanoparticle core composition, size, shape, and surface coating on the stabilization effect are presented, followed by an overview of and comparison with other related studies in the literature. Moreover, the key points of the underlying mechanisms are summarized and prospects in the field are briefly discussed.
Ključne besede: liquid crystals, nanoparticles, quantum dots, reduced-graphene oxide, calorimetry, microscopy, blue phases, twist-grain boundary phases, disclination lines, screw dislocations
Objavljeno v DKUM: 09.08.2024; Ogledov: 97; Prenosov: 9
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5. Spermidine supplementation influences mitochondrial number and morphology in the heart of aged miceJil Messerer, Christoph Wrede, Julia Schipke, Christina Brandenberger, Mahmoud Abdellatif, Tobias Eisenberg, Frank Madeo, Simon Sedej, Christian Mühlfeld, 2023, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Aging is associated with cardiac hypertrophy and progressive decline in heart function. One of the hallmarks of cellular aging is the dysfunction of mitochondria. These organelles occupy around 1/4 to 1/3 of the cardiomyocyte volume. During cardiac aging, the removal of defective or dysfunctional mitochondria by mitophagy as well as the dynamic equilibrium between mitochondrial fusion and fission is distorted. Here, we hypothesized that these changes affect the number of mitochondria and alter their three-dimensional (3D) characteristics in aged mouse hearts. The polyamine spermidine stimulates both mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis, and these are associated with improved cardiac function and prolonged lifespan. Therefore, we speculated that oral spermidine administration normalizes the number of mitochondria and their 3D morphology in aged myocardium. Young (4-months old) and old (24-months old) mice, treated or not treated with spermidine, were used in this study (n = 10 each). The number of mitochondria in the left ventricles was estimated by design-based stereology using the Euler-Poincaré characteristic based on a disector at the transmission electron microscopic level. The 3D morphology of mitochondria was investigated by 3D reconstruction (using manual contour drawing) from electron microscopic z-stacks obtained by focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy. The volume of the left ventricle and cardiomyocytes were significantly increased in aged mice with or without spermidine treatment. Although the number of mitochondria was similar in young and old control mice, it was significantly increased in aged mice treated with spermidine. The interfibrillar mitochondria from old mice exhibited a lower degree of organization and a greater variation in shape and size compared to young animals. The mitochondrial alignment along the myofibrils in the spermidine-treated mice appeared more regular than in control aged mice, however, old mitochondria from animals fed spermidine also showed a greater diversity of shape and size than young mitochondria. In conclusion, mitochondria of the aged mouse left ventricle exhibited changes in number and 3D ultrastructure that is likely the structural correlate of dysfunctional mitochondrial dynamics. Spermidine treatment reduced, at least in part, these morphological changes, indicating a beneficial effect on cardiac mitochondrial alterations associated with aging.
Ključne besede: aging, focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy, mitochondria, spermidine, stereology
Objavljeno v DKUM: 17.07.2024; Ogledov: 110; Prenosov: 10
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6. Autolysis affects the iron cargo of ferritins in neurons and glial cells at different rates in the human brainSowmya Sunkara, Snježana Radulović, Saška Lipovšek Delakorda, Christoph Birkl, Stefan Eggenreich, Anna Maria Birkl-Toeglhofer, Maximilian Schinagl, Daniel Funk, Michael Stöger-Pollach, Johannes Haybaeck, Walter Gössler, Stefan Ropele, Gerd Leitinger, 2023, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Iron is known to accumulate in neurological disorders, so a careful balance of the iron concentration is essential for healthy brain functioning. An imbalance in iron homeostasis could arise due to the dysfunction of proteins involved in iron homeostasis. Here, we focus on ferritin—the primary iron storage protein of the brain. In this study, we aimed to improve a method to measure ferritin-bound iron in the human post-mortem brain, and to discern its distribution in particular cell types and brain regions. Though it is known that glial cells and neurons differ in their ferritin concentration, the change in the number and distribution of iron-filled ferritin cores between different cell types during autolysis has not been revealed yet. Here, we show the cellular and region-wide distribution of ferritin in the human brain using state-of-the-art analytical electron microscopy. We validated the concentration of iron-filled ferritin cores to the absolute iron concentration measured by quantitative MRI and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. We show that ferritins lose iron from their cores with the progression of autolysis whereas the overall iron concentrations were unaffected. Although the highest concentration of ferritin was found in glial cells, as the total ferritin concentration increased in a patient, ferritin accumulated more in neurons than in glial cells. Summed up, our findings point out the unique behaviour of neurons in storing iron during autolysis and explain the differences between the absolute iron concentrations and iron-filled ferritin in a cell-type-dependent manner in the human brain.
Ključne besede: ferritin, human brain, energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy, quantitative magnetic resonance imaging, autolysis
Objavljeno v DKUM: 20.03.2024; Ogledov: 228; Prenosov: 25
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7. The development of an electropolymerized, molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sensor for insulin determination using single-drop analysisTanja Zidarič, David Majer, Tina Maver, Matjaž Finšgar, Uroš Maver, 2023, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: An electrochemical sensor for the detection of insulin in a single drop (50 μL) was developed based on the concept of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP). The synthetic MIP receptors were assembled on a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) by the electropolymerization of pyrrole (Py) in the presence of insulin (the protein template) using cyclic voltammetry. After electropolymerization, insulin was removed from the formed polypyrrole (Ppy) matrix to create imprinting cavities for the subsequent analysis of the insulin analyte in test samples. The surface characterization, before and after each electrosynthesis step of the MIP sensors, was performed using atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The performance of the developed MIP–SPCE sensor was evaluated using a single drop of solution containing K3Fe(CN)6 and the square-wave voltammetry technique. The MIP–SPCE showed a linear concentration range of 20.0–70.0 pM (R2 = 0.9991), a limit of detection of 1.9 pM, and a limit of quantification of 6.2 pM. The rapid response time to the protein target and the portability of the developed sensor, which is considered a disposable MIP-based system, make this MIP–SPCE sensor a promising candidate for point-of-care applications. In addition, the MIP–SPCE sensor was successfully used to detect insulin in a pharmaceutical sample. The sensor was deemed to be accurate (the average recovery was 108.46%) and precise (the relative standard deviation was 7.23%).
Ključne besede: electrochemical sensors, electropolymerisation, electron microscopy
Objavljeno v DKUM: 14.03.2024; Ogledov: 335; Prenosov: 36
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8. Complementary assessment of commercial photoluminescent pigments printed on cotton fabricSelestina Gorgieva, Natalija Virant, Alenka Ojstršek, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: The presented study focuses on photoluminescent pigments applied on cotton fabric by a screen-printed procedure using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a binder. Microscopic data depicts irregular shapes and relatively wide size distribution (3–80 µm) of pigments. Regarding composition,the Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy data complement findings suggesting the presence of Eu-doped strontium aluminate in the yellow-green,calcium aluminate in the violet pigment, and metal oxides in the blue pigment.
Ključne besede: photoluminescent pigments, cotton fabric, screen-printing, photoluminescent PDMS coating, confocal microscopy, spectroscopy, printed cotton fabrics, pigments
Objavljeno v DKUM: 08.04.2021; Ogledov: 982; Prenosov: 89
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9. A geostress measurement method based on an integrated drilling and optical microscopic imaging systemJinchao Wang, Chunying Wang, Zengqiang Han, Yiteng Wang, Xinjian Tang, 2018, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Conventional geostress measurement methods are limited by deficiencies including the measurable depth, the complexity, and the long duration of operation. To address these problems and achieve the measurement of geostress in deep wells under conditions of complex high pressures and high temperatures, we propose a new measurement method for geostress based on an integrated drilling and optical microscopy system. Its innovative integrated structure eliminates the problems associated with complex procedures and depth limits, and avoids rock creep caused by long delays, significantly improving the accuracy and range of the measurements. It works by using microscopic imaging and direct contact probes to capture the changes of a borehole’s cross-sectional outlines before and after stress relief. The resulting images are analyzed with search circles to obtain the positions of probe apices, which can be fitted into ellipses that describe the outlines, and calculate the state of the stress. The validity and accuracy of the method was verified by in-door tests and field applications in the ZK1 borehole. The results show that: (1) the integrated system can be used to measure micrometer-grade deformations; (2) the searchcircle approach can accurately obtain the positions of probe apices; and (3) the stress measurement method based on the system is accurate and feasible.
Ključne besede: geostress, probe, optical microscopy, measurement while drilling, search circle
Objavljeno v DKUM: 11.10.2018; Ogledov: 1594; Prenosov: 594
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10. Determination of microstructural changes by severely plastically deformed copper-aluminum alloy : optical studyNebojša Romčević, M. Gilić, Ivan Anžel, Rebeka Rudolf, Miodrag Mitrić, M. Romčević, B. Hadžić, D. Joksimović, Milica Petrović Damjanović, Matija Kos, 2014, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Our work deals with the problem of producing a complex metal-ceramic composite using the processes of internal oxidation (IO) and severe plastic deformation. For this purpose, Cu-Al alloy with 0.4wt.% of Al was used. IO of sample serves in the first step of the processing as a means for attaining a fine dispersion of nanosized oxide particles in the metal matrix. Production technology continues with repeated application of severe plastic deformation (SPD) of the resulting metal matrix composite to produce the bulk nanoscaled structural material. SPD was carried out with equal channel angular pressing (ECAP), which allowed that the material could be subjected to an intense plastic strain through simple shear. Microstructural characteristics of one phase and multiphase material was studied on internally oxidized Cu with 0.4wt.% of Al sample composed of one phase copper-aluminum solid solution in the core and fine dispersed oxide particles in the same matrix in the mantle region. In this manner AFM, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy were used. Local structures in plastically deformed samples reflect presence of $Cu$, $CuO$, $Cu_2O$, $Cu_4O_3$ or $Al_2O_3$ structural characteristics, depending on type of sample.
Ključne besede: metals, oxides, atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, microstructure
Objavljeno v DKUM: 08.08.2017; Ogledov: 1803; Prenosov: 173
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