Melanin is a multifunctional biological pigment that recently emerged as endowed with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties and with high potentialities in skin protection and regenerative medicine. Here, a biomimetic magnesium-doped nano-hydroxyapatite (MgHA) was synthesized and decorated with melanin molecules starting from two different monomeric precursors, i.e. 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA) and dopamine (DA), demonstrating to be able to polymerize on the surface of MgHA nanostructures, thus leading to a melanin coating. This functionalization was realized by a simple and green preparation method requiring mild conditions in an aqueous medium and room temperature. Complementary spectroscopy and electron imaging analyses were carried out to define the effective formation of a stable coating, the percentage of the organic compounds, and the structural properties of resulting melanin-coated nanostructures, which showed good antioxidant activity. The in vitro interaction with a cell model, i.e. mouse fibroblasts, was investigated. The excellent biocompatibility of all bioinspired nanostructures was confirmed from a suitable cell proliferation. Finally, the enhanced biological performances of the nanostructures coated with melanin from DHICA were confirmed by scratch assays. Jointly our findings indicated that low crystalline MgHA and melanin pigments can be efficiently combined, and the resulting nanostructures are promising candidates as multifunctional platforms for a more efficient approach for skin regeneration and protection

BACKGROUND The lack of disease-modifying drugs is one of the major unmet needs in patients with heart failure (HF). Peptides are highly selective molecules with the potential to act directly on cardiomyocytes. However, a strategy for effective delivery of therapeutics to the heart is lacking. OBJECTIVES In this study, the authors sought to assess tolerability and efficacy of an inhalable lung-to-heart nano-in- micro technology (LungToHeartNIM) for cardiac-specific targeting of a mimetic peptide (MP), a first-in-class for modulating impaired L-type calcium channel (LTCC) trafficking, in a clinically relevant porcine model of HF. METHODS Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) was induced in Göttingen minipigs by means of tachy- pacing over 6 weeks. In a setting of overt HFrEF (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] 30% 8%), animals were randomized and treatment was started after 4 weeks of tachypacing. HFrEF animals inhaled either a dry powder composed of mannitol-based microparticles embedding biocompatible MP-loaded calcium phosphate nanoparticles (dpCaP-MP) or the LungToHeartNIM only (dpCaP without MP). Efficacy was evaluated with the use of echocardiography, invasive hemodynamics, and biomarker assessment. RESULTS DpCaP-MPinhalationrestoredsystolicfunction,asshownbyanabsoluteLVEFincreaseoverthetreatmentperiod of 17% 6%, while reversing cardiac remodeling and reducing pulmonary congestion. The effect was recapitulated ex vivo in cardiac myofibrils from treated HF animals. The treatment was well tolerated, and no adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS The overall tolerability of LungToHeartNIM along with the beneficial effects of the LTCC modulator point toward a game-changing treatment for HFrEF patients, also demonstrating the effective delivery of a therapeuticpeptidetothediseasedheart.

Recently, there has been increasing interest in developing biocompatible inhalable nanoparticle formulations, as they have enormous potential for treating and diagnosing lung disease. In this respect, here, we have studied superparamagnetic iron-doped calcium phosphate (in the form of hydroxyapatite) nanoparticles (FeCaP NPs) which were previously proved to be excellent materials for magnetic resonance imaging, drug delivery and hyperthermia-related applications. We have established that FeCaP NPs are not cytotoxic towards human lung alve- olar epithelial type 1 (AT1) cells even at high doses, thus proving their safety for inhalation administration. Then, D-mannitol spray-dried microparticles embedding FeCaP NPs have been formulated, obtaining respirable dry powders. These microparticles were designed to achieve the best aerodynamic particle size distribution which is a critical condition for successful inhala- tion and deposition. The nanoparticle-in-microparticle approach resulted in the protection of FeCaP NPs, allowing their release upon microparticle dissolution, with dimensions and surface charge close to the original values. This work demonstrates the use of spray drying to provide an inhalable dry powder platform for the lung delivery of safe FeCaP NPs for magnetically driven applications.

As"ScegliTappi" [1] and "SCOT" [2], this document report in pictorial directions how students can build "SmistaTessere", a simple device capable of selecting the tessera based on a defined color. The sequence diagrams allow students, in small groups, to successfully complete this task using the Lego © Education Spike Essential kit. The software diagram is also included.

This document report in pictorial directions how students can build "SCOT", a simple device capable of selecting the tesserae up to four different color. The sequence diagrams allow students, in small groups, to successfully complete this task using the Lego © Education Spike Essential kit. The software diagram, which allows also to count the different tesserae, is also included.

Magnetic shape-memory (MSM) Heuslers have attracted great attention in recent years for both caloric and magnetomechanical applications. Thanks to their multifunctional properties, they are also promising for a vast variety of biomedical applications. However, this topic has been rarely investigated so far. In this communication, we present the first report on the absence of cytotoxicity of MSM Heuslers in Ni-Mn-Ga epitaxial thin films and the perspective toward bioapplications. Qualitative and quantitative biological characterizations reveal that Ni-Mn- Ga films can promote the adhesion and proliferation of human fibroblasts without eliciting any cytotoxic effect. Additionally, our findings show that the morphology, composition, microstructure, phase transformation, and magnetic characteristics of the films are well preserved after the biological treatments, making the material a promising candidate for further investigations.

B4C-TiB2 composites with a 75/25 volume ratio were fabricated through pressureless sintering with and without gas pressure in the final stage of densification, using a new prototypal furnace. The densification was improved by high-energy milling, which introduced WC impurities that served as a sintering aid and resulted in the size reduction of the starting ceramic powders. For comparison, a B4C-TiB2 composite of the same composition and powder treatment was sintered using hot pressing. The gas pressure sintered ceramic showed better strength, stiffness, and toughness than the hot-pressed composite when densified at 2050 °C, but lower hardness. Depth of Penetration tests on discs with thicknesses of 3, 4 and 5 mm and 50 mm of diameter showed that the gas pressure sintered material outperformed the hot-pressed material, and the results were confirmed through statistical analysis. The study also showed that hardness does not determine the best ballistic performance.

A contract has been stipulated for technical/scientific consultancy and technology transfer activities (ISSMC Contract N. CO-2022-01 protocol 117/2022 of 31/01/2022) between the National Research Council - Institute of Science, Technology and Sustainability for Ceramics (CNR-ISSMC former ISTEC) and Industrie Bitossi S.p.A. for the industrialization of a series of ceramic materials based on B4C-TiB2 developed by ISSMC researchers. The ISSMC know-how on materials and on the process developed, is the subject of a patent application for industrial invention in the filing phase.

Benzimidazole anthelmintic drugs hold promise for repurposing as cancer treatments due to their interference with tubulin polymerization and depolymerization, manifesting anticancer properties. We explored the potential of benzimidazole compounds with a piperazine fragment at C-2 as tubulin-targeting agents. In particular, we assessed their anthelmintic activity against isolated Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae and their effects on glioblastoma (U-87 MG) and breast cancer (MDAMB- 231) cell lines. Compound 7c demonstrated exceptional anthelmintic efficacy, achieving a 92.7% reduction in parasite activity at 100 g/mL after 48 hours. In vitro cytotoxicity analysis of MDA-MB 231 and U87 MG cell lines showed that derivatives 7b, 7d, and 7c displayed lower IC50 values compared to albendazole (ABZ), the control. These piperazine benzimidazoles effectively reduced cell migration in both cell lines, with compound 7c exhibiting the most significant reduction, making it a promising candidate for further study. The binding mode of the most promising compound 7c, was determined using the induced fit docking-molecular dynamics (IFD-MD) approach. Regular docking and IFD were also employed for comparison. The IFD-MD analysis revealed that 7c binds to tubulin in a unique binding cavity near that of ABZ, but the benzimidazole ring was fitted much deeper into the binding pocket. Finally, the absolute free energy of perturbation technique was applied to evaluate the 7c binding affinity, further confirming the observed binding mode.

In the last decade Spirulina, also called Arthrospira platensis, has been introduced by the research as one of the most effective biologically active compounds, both for its health benefits and ability to prevent and treat diseases or their symptoms. Spirulina is a photosynthetic cyanobacterium also known as blue-green microalgae. This organism contains a variety of bioactive macromolecules, as well as unsaturated fatty acids and essential amino-acids, which contribute to basic human nutrition. In addition, it contains other compounds, such as chlorophylls, carotenoids, phycocyanins, which give it its typical bright blue color. However, among all the Spirulina components, the most attractive is the active C-phycocyanin. Phycocyanin is a water-soluble phycobiliprotein, known as the only blue food coloring authorized by the FDA and often used in candy, cold drinks, beverages etc. However, recently it has been discovered that phycocyanin has important applications in the biomedical field, such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial molecule and immune system stimulator in critical disease. The main using problem of the extracted phycocyanin, however, is its poor stability depending from temperature, pH and light. Indeed, it easily produces precipitates and changing color rapidly deactivating itself and limiting its wide application. To face this issue, through a natural-inspired approach in this work a stable anti-oxidant and antibacterial phycocyanin-based hybrid compound has been developed and tested. This biomimetic multifunctional system was thought for the designing of a new cosmetic and medical generation products, such as for sunscreen and wound healing. Reproducing the natural biomineralization process, phycocyanin molecules were conjugated with nanostructured hydroxyapatite particles (PcHA), obtaining a hybrid compound characterized from a light blue color. It has been fully investigated by chemical- physical and morphological analysis, in particular stability tests have been performed under different conditions of temperature, pH, and light, demonstrating the chemical stability of phycocyanin when conjugated with HA particles. Furthermore, the antioxidant properties evaluation has highlighted the preservation of molecule efficacy even atier biomineralization. Its optimal cytocompatibility and antibacterial activity, demonstrated by in vitro cellular tests, suggest that PcHA could be promising for many biomedical applications. In particular, its antioxidant effect can be exploited in cosmetic products, especially in sunscreens, to protect skin tissue against free radicals (ROS) damage. While, Pc anti- inflammatory and antibacterial activity can play an important role in the chronic wounds treatment. Its ability to improve skin wounds has already been demonstrated, thus PcHA particles could be functional for dressing patches or topical formulations development.

ANOX fiber is a unique organic material used in high-performance applications such as automotive and aeronautics. It is a non-flammable, infusible, and non-drip fiber, obtained from the controlled oxidation of PAN. During this process, fibers tend to shrink. The resulting chemical composition and mechanical properties of the fiber are dependent on the time and temperature of the process, as well as on the tension applied to the fiber during oxidation. In this work, it was questioned whether fiber shrinkage could be prevented by applying tension to the bundle of fibers during the stabilization process and whether the effect of fiber length variation on the chemical structure and mechanical properties of PAN fibers could be studied. Chemical reactions were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry coupled with thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, while strength and Young's modulus were determined by tensile tests. Results unravel a tension-applied, stabilization-process trade-off: enhanced stress reduces the yield of cyclization and dehydrogenation reactions. Fiber elongation inhibits these processes but boosts tensile strength and elastic modulus, particularly improving Young's modulus, however, it had a marginal influence on elongation at break. When the shrinkage of fibers was about 30 % (no stress applied) the tensile strength and Young's modulus were found to be the lowest values, 130 MPa and 4 GPa, respectively. The best compromise was found when the shrinkage was kept to about 5 %, resulting in improved strength of approximately 175 MPa and a modulus of 5 GPa. Therefore, effective tension management allows precise adjustment of PANOX fiber chemistry and mechanical properties, enabling tailored product design for diverse applications.

Y?O? ceramics for different applications. However, the process of obtaining this material is challenging due to the high melting point of Y2O3, and, therefore, sintering aids are used to reduce the sintering temperature and promote densification during the process [1]. For the presented work ZrO2 was chosen, since it is one of the common sintering aids for producing Y2O3 ceramics [2]. The aim of the study is to establish the optimal concentration of ZrO? for obtaining transparent Y?O? ceramics. The concentration of ZrO? varied in the range of 0-11 mol%. Transparent optical ceramics Y?O?:Zr?? were obtained from a stoichiometric mixture of powders by uniaxial pressing followed by CIP (cold isostatic pressing) and vacuum sintering at 1735°C for 22 hours. The dependence of the optical characteristics of transparent Y?O? ceramics on the concentration of ZrO? was investigated. It was established that 7 mol% is the optimal concentration that allows obtaining yttrium ceramics of the highest optical quality. This sample is characterized by full densification (100% of the theoretical value), homogeneous microstructure without defects, such as pores or secondary phases, and mean grain size of about 4.8 ?m. The optical transmittance of this sample reached 80.2% at 1100 nm. When no sintering aid was used, significant grain growth was observed (about 14 ?m) and the formation of almost opaque ceramics with a transmittance of 7.2% at 1100 nm. An increase in the concentration of ZrO2 up to 7 mol% leads to an increase in optical transmittance. With the subsequent addition of a sintering aid, the optical properties of ceramics deteriorate slightly. At the same time, it is worth noting that the presence of secondary phases is not observed even at 11 mol% of ZrO2. This indicates that for the studied composition range, a solid solution of ZrO2 in Y2O3 is obtained without reaching the solubility limit. References 1. B. Ahmadi, S.R. Reza, M. Ahsanzadeh-Vadeqani,et al, Ceram. Int., 2016, 42, 17081-17088. 2. X. Hou, S. Zhou, Y. Li, et al, Opt. Mater. (Amst.), 2010, 32, 920-923.

TiB2 is a promising material for several fields including impact-resistant armor, wearresistant coatings, cutting tools and crucibles given its physical, mechanical and chemical properties, especially due to the combination of high hardness and exceptional wear resistance. It is however very difficult to sinter below 2000 C, even under mechanical pressure; moreover, the low fracture toughness limits the applicability of the ceramic material. By using sintering additives, it is possible to improve the sintering process and increase the mechanical properties since the additives react with oxidized layers and form secondary phases. In this study, different preparation methods and various combinations of additives (B4C, Si3N4 and MoSi2) via hot pressing sintering have been explored. Through the synergy between optimized process and tailored composition, an almost fully dense material was obtained at 1700 C with hardness of 24.4 0.2 GPa and fracture toughness of 5.4 0.2 MPam1/2. However, the highest hardness (24.5 0.2 GPa) and density values were obtained for only the high-energy-milled sample with WC-Co media, featuring a core-shell grain structure. Finally, optical properties for selected samples were measured, identifying the high-energy-milled TiB2 as the sample with the highest spectral selectivity /" and solar absorptance.

Defect-free Y2O3 transparent ceramics is an interesting material which is used for IR windows, nozzles or laser host, etc, due to its mechanical and optical properties, high thermal and chemical stability, and high melting point. To achieve full densification and the absence of pores, sintering aids are used. For yttria ceramics, the optimal choice is ZrO2. It has a significant influence not only on transmittance, but on the other characteri-stics of the material as well. For high transparency, ceramics has to remain single-phase, thus forming a solid solution of Y2O3 and ZrO2, but the solubility limit isn't studied in detail. Therefore, the presented work aims to investigate the solubility limit of ZrO2 in yttria ceramics and the dependence of properties on the concentration of sintering aid. Ceramics samples with a concentration of ZrO2 of 0-11 mol% were obtained by uniaxial and cold isostatic pressing (CIP) followed by vacuum sintering at 1735 °C for 22 h. The SEM and XRD analysis, refractive index and transmittance measurements were performed. No secondary phases were observed in analysed samples by SEM, which indicates the formation of a solid solution and full solubility of ZrO2 in the analysed range of concentration. Also, it was found that even 3 mol% of ZrO2 significantly improve the microstructure of samples. It allows for the elimination of residual porosity due to full densification during sintering. Also, the grain size decreased from 14 ?m for pure Y2O3 to 3.8-6.1 ?m for samples with 3-11 mol% of ZrO2. XRD analysis showed that the phase composition did not change between samples with 0 and 11 mol% of sintering aid. Decreasing of lattice parameters with increasing of ZrO2 amount was observed due to the replacement of Y3+ ions in the lattice by the smaller Zr4+. A steady increase of refractive index was observed with increasing Zr content. Obtained results allow us to conclude, that the solubility limit of ZrO2 in Y2O3 was not reached within the studied range and that the presence of ZrO2 improves ceramics properties. In the next step, optical transmittance was analysed. Among all obtained Y2O3:Zr4+ ceramics the highest transmittance (78.60% at 1100 nm at a thickness of 2.11 mm) was achieved for the sample with 7 mol.% of ZrO2.

Transparent ceramics stand as cutting-edge class of materials that benefit from the shaping possibilities of ceramic technology and from the crystalline structure that offers superior performance compared to glasses. Transparency may be obtained only when the material is free of defects that scatter light, viz. pores or secondary phases. Mostly, this means a requirement of a fully dense, single-phase, defect-free microstructure. However, the impact of small scatterers on transparency diminishes as their size decreases, allowing the development of multiphase materials, composites, that are transparent in the IR and even in the visible range for nanometric grain sizes. Conversely, another important topic in the field of transparent ceramics are macroscopic composites. The increasing optical quality of transparent ceramics in the past years has ignited a growing interest, especially in optics and photonics [1]. Transparent ceramics stand as counterparts to more traditionally used single crystals, which may have the same composition, but are obtained by different processes, mostly based on growth from melt. This process is time- and energy-consuming, and above all imposes significant limitations on the final shape of the components, which is obtained by machining. Transparent ceramics, in contrast, take advantage of the shaping flexibility of ceramic processing, in particular to produce composite or gradient structures without the need of post-processing and bonding [2]. Unlike the nanocomposites mentioned above, these composites are macroscopic, mostly with relatively small differences in chemical composition among the different parts. In the case of simple shapes and planar interfaces such structures may be obtained by diffusion bonding of polished single crystals, but the process is demanding and expensive. Ceramic processing allows us to shape such structures in the green state with a high degree of freedom, avoiding intermediate cutting, polishing and bonding steps. The aim of the presentation is to illustrate the possibilities and benefits of transparent ceramics with a particular emphasis on multimaterial components, spanning both nano- and macro-composites. The application potential will be illustrated on specific examples involving structures for lasers or protective domes and the shaping possibilities will be discussed. References [1] J. Hostasa, "Ceramics for laser technologies", pp. 110-124 in Encyclopedia of Materials: Technical Ceramics and Glasses - Vol. 3. Ed. M. Pomeroy, Elsevier, 2021. [2] F. Tian et al., J. Eur. Ceram. Soc., 42 (2022) 1833-1851.

Transparent Y2O3 ceramics are important advanced materials, which can be used in different areas because of their mechanical and optical properties, and chemical resistance. However, a high density and the absence of defects are crucial to reach high transmittance. These directly depend on the morphology of the initial powders and on the shaping and sintering conditions. Thus, the choice of powder processing conditions is an urgent issue. The aim of this study is to provide practical information related to the selected powders, and to make more general considerations, linking the microstructure and the type of defects in the sintered ceramics to the process parameters and powder characteristics. In this research, the influence of different commercial powders and their treatment parameters such as milling velocity and time on the quality of Y2O3:3mol.% ZrO2 ceramics was investigated. Yttria ceramics were obtained by cold isostatic pressing (CIP) followed by vacuum sintering. The best properties were obtained with the use of the powder produced by Nippon, which is explained by optimal morphology and specific surface area of this powder. It was established that ball milling for 10 hours at a speed of 200 rpm is optimal. Under these conditions, a homogeneous nano-sized powder of Y2O3 was formed, which ultimately led to the obtaining of transparent ceramics by vacuum sintering at 1735 °C for 32 h with a transmittance of 73 % at 1100 nm (89.5 % of theoretical value). Further the concentration of the sintering additive ZrO2 was increased to 5 mol.% to improve the optical characteristics. Finally, a fully dense optical transparent Y2O3 ceramic with a uniform microstructure was obtained by vacuum sintering (1735 °C, 32 h). The density of this sample is 5.05 g/cm3 (100% of theoretical value) and the in-line transmittance reached 79 % at 1100 nm, which is about 97 % of the theoretical value.

Engineered Nanomaterials (ENMs) have several uses in various industrial fields and are embedded in a myriad of consumer products. However, there is continued concern over the potential adverse health effects and environmental impacts of ENMs due to their unique physico-chemical characteristics. Currently, there are no specific international regulations for various ENMs. There are also no Occupational Exposure Limits (OEL) regulated by the European Union (EU) for nanomaterials in the form of nano-objects, their aggregates or agglomerates (NOAA). For ENMs the question of which metric to be used (i.e., mass, surface area, number concentrations) to determine the exposure is still not resolved. The aim of this work is to assess the worker exposure by inhalation in an industrial spray coating process by using all three metrics mentioned above. Two target ENMs (N-doped TiO2, TiO2N and AgNPs capped with a quaternized hydroxyethyl-cellulose, AgHEC) generated for industrial-scale spraying processes were considered. Results showed that the averaged particle number concentration (10-100 nm) was below 2.7 10(4) cm(-3) for both materials. The Lung Deposited Surface Area (LDSA) was in the range between 73 and 98 mu m(2)cm(-3) and the particle mass concentration (obtained by means of ICP-EOS off-line analysis) resulted below 70 mu g m(-3) and 0.4 mu g m(-3) for TiO2 and Ag, respectively. Although, the airborne particles concentration compared well with the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Level (REL) limits the contribution to the background, according to EN 17058 (Annex E) was significant (particularly in the particle number and PM1 mass concentrations). We successfully evaluated the worker exposure by means of the different airborne particles' metrics (number, surface and mass concentrations). We concluded that worker exposure assessment involving ENMs is a complex procedure with requires both real time and off-line measurements and a deep investigation of the background.

Alessandro Volta e l'elettrochimica come volano per un futuro sostenibile: Un evento IUPAC italiano per l'International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development

Transparent ceramics represent both a symbol of perfection in the world of ceramics, given the necessity to produce materials without defects or porosity, as well as of new possibilities, in particular for harsh environments and high-power laser applications. These materials, with a fully crystalline, single-phase structure and the production flexibility offered by the ceramic processing technologies, represent a new generation of materials for optics and photonics and have been in the spotlight of R&D in the past decade. Zenit Smart Polycrystals is a startup, born as a spin-off of the National Research Council of Italy, founded with the aim to offer new components for the laser, optics, and photonics markets. And the novelty comes from the implementation of additive manufacturing in the production process. Thanks to the flexibility and high precision of shape and composition distribution within a single component, it is possible to disrupt the laser and photonics scene going beyond the technology based on single crystals, i.e. providing near-net-shape components with complex structures produced in one single shaping step, skipping high precision post-polishing and bonding. New tailor-made laser gain media will be offered to materials processing, automotive as well as medical markets.

The article provides a short review on catalyst-based processes for the production of hydrogen starting from methane, both of fossil origin and from sustainable processes. The three main paths of steam- and dry-reforming, partial oxidation and thermo-catalytic decomposition are briefly introduced and compared, above all with reference to the latest publications available and to new catalysts which obey the criteria of lower environmental impact and minimize the content of critical raw materials. The novel strategies based on chemical looping with CO2 utilization, membrane separation, electrical-assisted (plasma and microwave) processes, multistage reactors and catalyst patterning are also illustrated as the most promising perspective for CH4 reforming, especially on small and medium scale. Although these strategies should only be considered at a limited level of technological readiness, research on these topics, including catalyst development and process optimization, represents the crucial challenge for the scientific community.