Search Results (24)

The PHEND (Past Has Ears at Notre-Dame) collaborative research project is being carried out by a team of multidisciplinary researchers interested in the acoustic history of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. The project involved the creation of seven digital models representing the interior of the monument between 1182 and 2018. To support one of the virtual reconstructions, that of 1868, a technical report was drawn up based on the written and iconographic archives of the restorations carried out between 1845 and 1870 by the architects Eugène Viollet-le-Duc (1814–1879) and Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus (1807–1857). The archives come mainly from the “Fonds Viollet-le-Duc”, from the work diary of the “Médiathèque du patrimoine et de la photographie” (MPP), and from the archives of the Notre-Dame chapter. In order to select the most relevant data for the digital reconstruction, the research addresses specific questions regarding the cathedral’s materiality, such as structural modifications, restorations, and the choice of materials and furnishings. To understand how the interior of the cathedral was transformed in the 19th century, a detailed inventory of its condition was compiled at two points in time: at the beginning of the restoration in 1848 and following its completion in 1868. In parallel with this work, to provide a graphic representation of the changes that had occurred in each area, comparative illustrations were produced showing the situation before and after restoration. The modifications were then detailed by area: general restoration (vaults, openings, paving), and redevelopment of the choir and the main body of the building (chapels, transept, nave). This research revealed the building’s profound structural changes and the fact that the renovations spared no space. These included mainly modifications to the high windows, a complete redesign of the decorative layout of the choir and chapels, the restoration of all the vaults and paving at different levels, and a complete restoration of the organ. Full article

The internal quality assessment of potato tubers is a crucial task in agro-laboratory processing. Traditional methods struggle to detect internal defects such as hollow heart, internal bruises, and insect galleries using only surface features. We present a novel, fully modular hybrid AI architecture designed for defect detection using RGB images of potato slices, suitable for integration in laboratory. Our pipeline combines high-recall multi-threshold YOLO detection, contextual patch validation using ResNet, precise segmentation via the Segment Anything Model (SAM), and skin-contact analysis using VGG16 with a Random Forest classifier. Experimental results on a labeled dataset of over 6000 annotated instances show a recall above 95% and precision near 97.2% for most defect classes. The approach offers both robustness and interpretability, outperforming previous methods that rely on costly hyperspectral or MRI techniques. This system is scalable, explainable, and compatible with existing 2D imaging hardware. Full article

Metallic nanoclusters (NCs), composed of a few to a hundred atoms, occupy a unique space between molecules and nanoparticles, exhibiting discrete electronic states, strong photoluminescence, and size-dependent catalytic activity. Their ultrasmall cores (<3 nm) and ligand-controlled surfaces confer tunable optical, electronic, and catalytic properties, making them attractive for diverse applications. In recent years, significant progress has been made toward developing faster, more reproducible, and scalable synthesis routes beyond classical wet-chemical reduction. Emerging strategies such as microwave-, photochemical-, sonochemical-, and catalytically assisted syntheses, together with smart, automation-driven platforms, have improved efficiency, structural control, and environmental compatibility. These advances have accelerated the deployment of NCs in imaging, sensing, and catalysis. Near-infrared emitting NCs enable deep-tissue, high-contrast fluorescence imaging, while theranostic platforms combine diagnostic precision with photothermal or photodynamic therapy, gene delivery, and anti-inflammatory treatment. NC-based sensors allow ultrasensitive detection of ions, small molecules, and pathogens, and atomically precise NCs have enabled efficient CO₂ reduction, water splitting, and nitrogen fixation. Therefore, in this review, we highlight studies reported in the past five years on the synthesis and applications of metallic NCs, linking emerging methodologies to their functional potential in nanotechnology. Full article

The detection of Fe²⁺ in environmental water sources is critical due to its biological relevance and potential toxicity at elevated levels. Herein, we report a plasmon-driven catalytic sensing nanoplatform based on p-aminothiophenol (pATP)-functionalized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for the selective and sensitive detection of Fe²⁺. The nanoplatform exploits the inhibition of the plasmon-driven catalytic conversion of pATP to 4,4-dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB), monitored via surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. The catalytic efficiency was quantified by the intensity ratio between the formed DMAB-specific Raman band and the common aromatic ring vibration band of pATP and DMAB. This ratio decreased proportionally with increasing Fe²⁺ concentration over a range of 100 µM to 1.5 mM, with a calculated limit of detection of 39.7 µM. High selectivity was demonstrated against common metal ions, and excellent recovery rates (96.6–99.4%) were obtained in real water samples. Mechanistic insights, supported by chronopotentiometric measurements under light irradiation, revealed a competitive oxidation pathway in which Fe²⁺ preferentially consumes plasmon-generated hot holes over pATP. This mechanism clarifies the observed catalytic inhibition and supports the design of redox-responsive SERS sensors. The platform offers a rapid, low-cost, and portable solution for Fe²⁺ monitoring and holds promise for broader applications in detecting other redox-active analytes in complex environmental matrices. Full article

An unknown aspect of Josep Lluís Sert (Barcelona, 1902–1983) is his deep engagement with Christian spirituality, particularly following his American exile. This perspective is beautifully reflected in his religious-themed projects, among which historiography has highlighted the church of Puerto Ordaz (Venezuela, 1951), the Chapel of St. Botolph (Boston, 1963–1968), and the Carmel de la Paix Chapel (Mazille, 1967–1972), designed, respectively, before, during, and after the Second Vatican Council. Using these three well-known projects as a starting point, our aim is to expand the discussion around this topic to encompass the entirety of Sert’s sacred architecture. The contributions of Sert to the design of modern religious architecture are analyzed in this study, firstly through the distinctive aspects of his architecture, such as its urban scale and interactions between various plastic arts, and secondly through his theological references. This study is based on Sert’s original drawings, as well as specific bibliographic sources and articles from specialized journals. At the same time, it seeks to highlight an aspect of the architect that, despite the significance and brilliance of his designs, has received little attention until now. Full article

This article reports on field tests devoted to the emissions of particles from gas turbines (GT) and more particularly to the formation of soot and its suppression by fuel additives. These field tests involved four heavy-duty gas turbines used as power generators and equipped with air atomization systems. These machines were running on natural gas, No. 2 distillate oil, heavy crude oil and heavy fuel oil, respectively. The GT running on natural gas produced no soot or ash and its upstream air filtration system in fact allowed lower concentrations of exhaust particles than those found in ambient air. Soot emitted when burning the three liquid fuels (No. 2 distillate; heavy crude oil; and heavy oil) was effectively reduced using fuel additives based on iron(III), cerium(III) and cerium(IV). Cerium was found to be very effective as a soot suppressant and gave rise to two surprising effects: cerium(III) performed better than cerium(IV) and a “memory effect” was observed in the presence of heat recovery boilers due to the deposition of active cerium species. All of the reported results, both regarding natural gas emissions and soot reduction, are original. A review of the soot formation mechanisms and a detailed interpretation of the test results are provided. Full article

Gynecomastia in adolescence is a benign condition that mostly disappears spontaneously within approximately two years from onset. When it is associated with hypogonadism, it may suggest a disorder of sexual differentiation. We report the case of a young man (18 years old) with gynecomastia associated with azoospermia, small testes, hyperestrogenism and hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. A karyotype 46,XX was found, and searching for SRY (sex-determining region Y) by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) highlighted the presence of the gene on the terminal region of the short arm, with breakpoints likely in Xp22.3 and Yp11.3. Implications of testosterone replacement therapy with respect to sex differentiation disorder and to physical performance are discussed. Full article

Here, we investigate the correlation between the heat generated by gold nanoparticles, in particular nanospheres and nanobipyramids, and their plasmonic response manifested by the presence of Localized Surface Plasmon Resonances (LSPRs). Using a tunable laser and a thermal camera, we measure the temperature increase induced by colloidal nanoparticles in an aqueous solution as a function of the excitation wavelength in the optical regime. We demonstrate that the photothermal performances of the nanoparticles are strongly related not only to their plasmonic properties but also to the size and shape of the nanoparticles. The contribution of the longitudinal and transversal modes in gold nanobipyramids is also analyzed in terms of heat generation. These results will guide us to design appropriate nanoparticles to act as efficient heat nanosources. Full article

The sensitive and accurate detection of tumor cells is essential for successful cancer therapy and improving cancer survival rates. However, current tumor cell detection technologies have some limitations for clinical applications due to their complexity, low specificity, and high cost. Herein, we describe the design of a terahertz anti-resonance hollow core fiber (THz AR-HCF) biosensor that can be used for tumor cell detection. Through simulation and experimental comparisons, the low-loss property of the THz AR-HCF was verified, and the most suitable fiber out of multiple THz AR-HCFs was selected for biosensing applications. By measuring different cell numbers and different types of tumor cells, a good linear relationship between THz transmittance and the numbers of cells between 10 and 10⁶ was found. Meanwhile, different types of tumor cells can be distinguished by comparing THz transmission spectra, indicating that the biosensor has high sensitivity and specificity for tumor cell detection. The biosensor only required a small amount of sample (as low as 100 μL), and it enables label-free and nondestructive quantitative detection. Our flow cytometry results showed that the cell viability was as high as 98.5 ± 0.26% after the whole assay process, and there was no statistically significant difference compared with the negative control. This study demonstrates that the proposed THz AR-HCF biosensor has great potential for the highly sensitive, label-free, and nondestructive detection of circulating tumor cells in clinical samples. Full article

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is pleiotropic cytokine with pathological pro-inflammatory effects in various acute, chronic and infectious diseases. It is involved in a variety of biological processes including immune regulation, hematopoiesis, tissue repair, inflammation, oncogenesis, metabolic control, and sleep. Due to its important role as a biomarker of many types of diseases, its detection in small amounts and with high selectivity is of particular importance in medical and biological fields. Laboratory methods including enzyme-linked immunoassays (ELISAs) and chemiluminescent immunoassays (CLIAs) are the most common conventional methods for IL-6 detection. However, these techniques suffer from the complexity of the method, the expensiveness, and the time-consuming process of obtaining the results. In recent years, too many attempts have been conducted to provide simple, rapid, economical, and user-friendly analytical approaches to monitor IL-6. In this regard, biosensors are considered desirable tools for IL-6 detection because of their special features such as high sensitivity, rapid detection time, ease of use, and ease of miniaturization. In this review, current progresses in different types of optical biosensors as the most favorable types of biosensors for the detection of IL-6 are discussed, evaluated, and compared. Full article

DNA identification is possible by detecting its components through vibrational spectroscopy. Conventional Raman, Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) have shown a high capacity for the exploration of different molecules and materials (semi-conducting material, carbon nanotubes and biologicals molecules as DNA, proteins). Their applications extended to biological systems and brought significant information to this field. This review summarizes a high number of studies and research conducted with conventional Raman, SERS and TERS on every DNA component starting from the four different nucleic acids in their different forms (nucleosides, deoxyribonucleosides, deoxyribonucleotides) to their biological interaction to form one and double DNA strands. As SERS has an advantage on conventional Raman by exploiting the optical properties of metallic nanostructures to detect very small quantities of molecules, it also clarifies the DNA structure’s orientation in addition to its composition. It also clarifies the influence of different parameters, such as the presence of a spacer or a mutation in the strand on the hybridization process. TERS was shown as a relevant tool to scan DNA chemically and to provide information on its sequence. Full article

Infertility affects about 15% of couples of childbearing age. About half of these cases can be attributed predominantly to a male factor, such as a quantitative or qualitative impairment in spermatogenesis. The first-line genetic screening for non-obstructive azoospermia is limited to karyotyping (to identify chromosome abnormalities) and Y chromosome microdeletions screening, with a view to explaining the spermatogenetic failure and evaluating the likelihood of sperm retrieval in a testicular biopsy. For patients with de la Chapelle syndrome (a 46,XX karyotype with the presence of SRY (Sex determining region Y) gene) and/or Y chromosome microdeletions, or sex chromosome mosaicism, sperm retrieval is usually unsuccessful. Here, we report a patient with de la Chapelle syndrome and a short stature caused by mosaicism and a very rare chromosome rearrangement: mos 46,X,psu dic(X;Y)/45,X/45,psu dic(X;Y). This case indicates that in de la Chapelle syndrome, X- and Y-chromosome breakpoint variability is high. Full article

Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking offers key information in the study of movement ecology of threatened species. Nevertheless, the placement of GPS devices requires animal capture and handling, which may represent a challenge to the individual’s survival after release, mainly due to capture myopathy. The Pyrenean Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus aquitanicus) is a threatened galliform especially sensitive to handling, extremely elusive, and challenging to capture. Our goal was to adapt a sedation protocol for Pyrenean Capercaillies undergoing GPS tagging, in order to increase their welfare and safety during the procedure. From 2018 to 2021, 23 wild Pyrenean Capercaillies were captured and sedated for GPS tagging as part of a European conservation project of emblematic Pyrenean avian species. The birds received intramuscular (IM) sedation with midazolam (ranging from 1.9 mg/kg to 8.08 mg/kg) and were handled for 20 to 40 min. Sedation was reversed with flumazenil (0.1 mg/mL IM). The sedated capercaillies were less responsive to stimuli (i.e., closed eyes and recumbency), showing discrete to no response to handling (i.e., placement of the GPS device, physical examination, cloacal temperature measurement, or reflex tests). Such response was compared in birds with sedation doses above and below the average dose (5.17 mg/kg). Only one clinical sign showed statistically significant differences between the two groups (“open-mouth breathing” sign, p = 0.02). A mortality rate of 4.35% was registered (one individual died during handling). Sedation facilitated the handling of the birds and faster interventions in the field, without increasing mortality when compared to handling without sedation. Therefore, sedation was shown to be a useful tool to reduce stress related to capture and handling of the threatened Pyrenean Capercaillie. Full article

The role of the proangiogenic factor olfactomedin-like 3 (OLFML3) in cancer is unclear. To characterize OLFML3 expression in human cancer and its role during tumor development, we undertook tissue expression studies, gene expression analyses of patient tumor samples, in vivo studies in mouse cancer models, and in vitro coculture experiments. OLFML3 was expressed at high levels, mainly in blood vessels, in multiple human cancers. We focused on colorectal cancer (CRC), as elevated expression of OLFML3 mRNA correlated with shorter relapse-free survival, higher tumor grade, and angiogenic microsatellite stable consensus molecular subtype 4 (CMS4). Treatment of multiple in vivo tumor models with OLFML3-blocking antibodies and deletion of the Olfml3 gene from mice decreased lymphangiogenesis, pericyte coverage, and tumor growth. Antibody-mediated blockade of OLFML3 and deletion of host Olfml3 decreased the recruitment of tumor-promoting tumor-associated macrophages and increased infiltration of the tumor microenvironment by NKT cells. Importantly, targeting OLFML3 increased the antitumor efficacy of anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Taken together, the results demonstrate that OLFML3 is a promising candidate therapeutic target for CRC. Full article