B22-Multimode InfraRed imaging And Microspectroscopy
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Corentin C.
Loron
,
Sean
Mcmahon
,
Laura M.
Cooper
,
Seán F.
Jordan
,
Andrei V.
Gromov
,
Matthew
Humpage
,
Niall
Rodgers
,
Laetitia
Pichevin
,
Hendrik
Vondracek
,
Ruaridh
Alexander
,
Edwin
Rodriguez Dzul
,
Alexander T.
Brasier
,
Michael
Krings
,
Alexander J.
Hetherington
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[33471]
Open Access
Abstract: Prototaxites was the first giant organism to live on the terrestrial surface, represented by columnar fossils of up to eight meters from the Early Devonian. However, its systematic affinity has been debated for over 165 years. There are now two remaining viable hypotheses: Prototaxites was either a fungus, or a member of an entirely extinct lineage. Here, we investigate the affinity of Prototaxites by contrasting its organization and molecular composition with that of Fungi. We report that fossils of Prototaxites taiti from the 407-million-year-old Rhynie chert were chemically distinct from contemporaneous Fungi and structurally distinct from all known Fungi. This finding casts doubt upon the fungal affinity of Prototaxites, instead suggesting that this enigmatic organism is best assigned to an entirely extinct eukaryotic lineage.
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Jan 2026
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B22-Multimode InfraRed imaging And Microspectroscopy
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[31423]
Open Access
Abstract: A facile approach is demonstrated for synthesizing a mechanically tough ZIF-71 [Zn(dcIm)2; dcIm = 4,5-dichloroimidazole] monoliths with a polymer binder, employing namely poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA) through a sol-gel process. The addition of a slight polymer binder (∼10 wt.%) to the sol-gel mixture is shown to enhance the mechanical properties such as the elastic modulus, hardness, fracture toughness, strain hardening, and creep behavior of the composite monoliths compared to the pure ZIF-71 monoliths. Nitrogen sorption measurements revealed that the composite monoliths have a high surface area (∼350 m2/g) although it was reduced from ∼600 m2/g due to pore blockage by the polymer. Composite monoliths exhibit less surface cracks and are relatively stiffer but are notably tougher than the pure ZIF-71 monoliths as the fracture toughness tripled from around 0.15 MPa m1/2 to around 0.45 MPa m1/2. Despite the incorporation of a small quantity of polymer in the monolith, this has a significant impact on increasing the mechanical stiffness, hardness and fracture resistance of the resulting monoliths. Creep response observed under a constant load revealed the presence of PMMA incorporated in the composite monolith. Nearfield infrared (IR) nanospectroscopy via nanoFTIR and pseudoheterodyne (PsHet) scattering-Scanning Nearfield Optical Microscopy (s-SNOM) IR imaging on plastically deformed and indented surfaces revealed local chemical structure-mechanical interactions. Our findings suggest that the polymer chains are trapped inside the ZIF-71 structure, thereby improving the mechanical resilience that might pave the way to future scaling up of MOF monoliths for practical applications and durable devices.
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Jan 2026
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B22-Multimode InfraRed imaging And Microspectroscopy
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Marta
Morana
,
Lorenzo
Barni
,
Haixing
Fang
,
Giulia
Marras
,
Gianfelice
Cinque
,
Antonio
Angellotti
,
Fabrizio
Nestola
,
Alla
Logvinova
,
Denis
Mikhailenko
,
Luca
Bindi
,
Vincenzo
Stagno
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[35052]
Open Access
Abstract: The investigation of mineral inclusions in diamonds represents a unique tool to better understand the mineralogy and composition of hidden portions of Earth's mantle and, hence, determine conditions of pressure and temperature at the time of diamond formation. Using a combination of experimental techniques and different geothermobarometric approaches, we characterized a natural diamond from Udachnaya kimberlite pipe entrapping nine inclusions; the inclusions are five garnets, three clinopyroxene and one sulfide and represent an eclogitic paragenesis. Here, we adopted, for the first time, the elastic geobarometry method to the garnet-diamond inclusion-host system to calculate the entrapment conditions for the diamond-garnet pair, resulting in 5.7(±0.3) GPa at 1154 °C. These P-T data are compared with estimates obtained through chemical geothermobarometry, employing T projection onto the local geotherm, a common approach used for eclogite xenoliths in absence of robust calibrated barometers. Our data demonstrate that elastic geobarometry for the garnet-diamond pair results to be a very reliable tool to determine the diamond formation also for eclogitic systems and this will allow to expand our knowledge on eclogitic diamonds in terms of depth of formation.
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Nov 2025
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B22-Multimode InfraRed imaging And Microspectroscopy
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A.
Angellotti
,
M.
Morana
,
L.
Barni
,
G.
Cinque
,
Y.
Lu
,
R.
Tao
,
G.
Marras
,
A.
Logvinova
,
L.
Bindi
,
D.
Mikhailenko
,
V.
Stagno
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[35052]
Open Access
Abstract: Natural diamonds are exceptional carriers of mineralogical and chemical information from inaccessible depths of our planet. During their crystallization, they can host light elements such as H and N preserving a natural archive of mantle chemistry that, in turn, allows a better understanding of the chemical composition of the growth media, mechanisms of their formation and residence temperatures in the interior of Earth. However, how N and H distribute near entrapped minerals is still unknown. In this study we investigated the effect of chromite mineral inclusions on the spatial distribution of nitrogen and hydrogen in two natural diamonds of peridotitic origin using in situ synchrotron-based Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy. From the acquisition and optimization of high-resolution maps, we determined the distribution of nitrogen, hydrogen, and nitrogen aggregation state.
Our results reveal a dependence between the absorption of H-related peaks with the incorporation of pairs of nitrogen atoms (NA-centers). We explain it as indication that chemical interactions between chromite and H might be masked by variations in the N aggregation state. We also conclude that synchrotron micro-FTIR is an advanced technique to assist the synthesis of N- (and H-) doped diamonds for industrial applications.
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Nov 2025
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B22-Multimode InfraRed imaging And Microspectroscopy
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Abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the use of Synchrotron Radiation Fourier Transform InfraRed microspectroscopy (SR micro-FTIR) in the diagnosing and subtyping of different misfolded proteins in various tissues and organs. To this end, specimens from various organ sites were investigated. Multivariate data analysis was applied to correlate the spectral datasets with histological and immunohistochemical findings and clinical data. The results of the study reveal significant segregation of tissues affected by amyloidosis and controls, but the observed amount of amyloid β-sheet did not correlate with the disease state. Amyloid light-chain type specimens contained more βsheet structures than non-Amyloid a types, and Transthyretrin type showed very little. The Insulin type behaved differently.
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Oct 2025
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B22-Multimode InfraRed imaging And Microspectroscopy
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Lewis
Dowling
,
Charlotte
Evans
,
Paul
Roach
,
Lisa
Vaccari
,
Gianfelice
Cinque
,
Chiara Maria
Stani
,
Giovanni
Birarda
,
Vishnu Anand
Muruganandan
,
Srinivas
Pillai
,
Daniel Gey
Van Pittius
,
Apurna
Jegannathen
,
Josep
Sulé-Suso
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[36088]
Abstract: Liquid biopsy is revolutionizing cancer management, with circulating tumor cells (CTCs), offering a transformative approach to screening, diagnosis, and treatment monitoring. However, existing CTC isolation methods relying on antigen expression or physical properties lack robustness, are operator-dependent, and suffer from automation challenges, leading to inconsistent and time-intensive analyses. A universal, unbiased methodology for CTC detection across tumor types is critically needed. Here, we present the first proof-of-concept study demonstrating the use of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy to study cytospun blood samples coupled with a random forest (RF) classifier, for the detection of a single CTC in the blood of a lung cancer patient as confirmed via immunohistochemistry. Notably, our method utilizes glass coverslips as substrates, routinely employed in pathology departments, enabling seamless integration with histopathological analyses (e.g., staining, immunohistochemistry). Using FT-IR spectral data from in vitro growing lung cancer cells as a training model, we achieved precise CTC identification based on biochemical composition, specifically within the Fingerprint region (1800 cm–1 to 1350 cm–1). This study introduces FT-IR microspectroscopy as a novel, label-free approach for CTCs detection in liquid biopsies, with the potential to redefine cancer diagnostics. By enhancing precision and accessibility in CTC identification, the clinical implementation of this methodology may represent a significant advancement in personalized oncology, offering a clinically viable tool for real-time cancer monitoring and improved patient stratification.
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Oct 2025
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B22-Multimode InfraRed imaging And Microspectroscopy
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Open Access
Abstract: The design and development of controlled-release drug systems represent a pivotal area of research in modern pharmaceutical technologies. An ideal drug release system should precisely regulate both the release rate and duration of the drug, thereby enhancing therapeutic efficacy, reducing dose frequency, and minimizing adverse effects. In recent years, nanomaterials have become integral to drug delivery, with nanotechnology focusing on the design and application of nanomaterials. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising drug carriers due to their high specific surface area, tunable porosity, and selective adsorption capabilities. However, MOFs often exhibit limited thermal stability, susceptibility to degradation, and sensitivity to acidic and basic conditions. To address these limitations, the integration of MOFs with polymers has shown promising potential. MOF-polymer composites can enhance drug loading capacity, improve drug solubility, and provide greater thermal stability while mitigating adverse reactions. Polyurethane (PU) is widely employed as a drug carrier due to its unique chemical properties and biodegradability. However, PU alone may lead to issues such as burst drug release and vulnerability to fungal colonization. Consequently, MOF-PU composites have garnered significant attention as advanced drug carriers, leveraging the synergistic properties of both materials to overcome their individual limitations. This review explores the definition, preparation methods, advantages, and application domains of MOF-PU composites, with a particular emphasis on their role as drug carriers. The objective is to provide a comprehensive reference for ongoing and future research into the utilization of MOF-PU composites in drug delivery systems.
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Sep 2025
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B22-Multimode InfraRed imaging And Microspectroscopy
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[30369]
Open Access
Abstract: Metal–organic framework (MOF) materials have demonstrated promising potential as triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) in recent studies due to their unique advantages, such as high surface area and vast tunability in physicochemical response. However, the poor mechanical stability and durability of MOF-based TENGs may limit their practical applications. In this study, a MOF-based, noncontact rotational TENG has been designed using a highly fluorinated MOF, namely, ZIF-8-CF3, incorporated into a poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) polymer matrix to enhance triboelectric output and mitigate material abrasion during operation. The noncontact TENG demonstrated excellent voltage and current output of 280 ± 8 V and 19.0 ± 0.4 µA, respectively. The power density of the prepared noncontact TENG based on the composite is ∼66 µW/cm2, about 2 times higher than that of the neat PVDF-based TENG. The noncontact TENG exhibits excellent mechanical stability, sustaining high triboelectric output over a test comprising half a million cycles. The potential application of the ZIF-8-CF3/PVDF-based TENG was tested by powering various microelectronics under rotational operations. The prepared rotational device also shows strong potential for use in force and humidity sensing. The basic mechanism of the ZIF-8-CF3/PVDF-based TENG was revealed by ab initio quantum mechanical modeling and nanoscale surface potential analysis.
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Sep 2025
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B18-Core EXAFS
B22-Multimode InfraRed imaging And Microspectroscopy
I11-High Resolution Powder Diffraction
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Boya
Tang
,
David
Brooks
,
Meng
He
,
Yinlin
Chen
,
Zhaozhao
Hu
,
Xue
Han
,
Jiangnan
Li
,
Siyu
Zhao
,
Jiarui
Fan
,
Yukun
Ye
,
Ivan
Da Silva
,
Cheng
Li
,
Zi
Wang
,
Lutong
Shan
,
Bing
Han
,
Weiyao
Li
,
Daniil
Polyukhov
,
Bing
An
,
Catherine
Dejoie
,
Martin
Wilding
,
Shaojun
Xu
,
Meredydd
Kippax-Jones
,
Zhaodong
Zhu
,
Yujie
Ma
,
Floriana
Tuna
,
Eric J. L.
Mcinnes
,
Sarah J.
Day
,
Stephen P.
Thompson
,
Mark D.
Frogley
,
Louise S.
Natrajan
,
Martin
Schroeder
,
Sihai
Yang
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[37900, 37887, 36450]
Abstract: Photocatalytic synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) from oxygen (O2) is a challenging process. Metal–organic framework (MOF) materials are emerging photocatalysts with potential tunable light absorption properties. Herein, we report a rhenium (Re) modified Zr-based MOF, Re10-MFM-67, in which active Re sites are incorporated into MFM-67 by partial replacement of 9,9′-bianthracene-10,10′-dicarboxylic acid (H2L1) with a [(H2L2)ReI(CO)3Cl] (H2L2 = 2,2′-bipyridine-5,5′-dicarboxylic acid) moiety. Re10-MFM-67 (10 refers to the molar percentage content of Re complex within the material) exhibits broadband light absorption with an exceptional rate of formation of H2O2 from O2 of 8.50 mmol gcat–1 h–1 and a record turnover frequency (TOF) of 28.7 h–1 under visible light irradiation (λ > 400 nm). Synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction (SPXRD) and neutron powder diffraction (NPD) confirm the structure of Re10-MFM-67, and together with extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis establish the coordination environment and binding of the [ReI(CO)3Cl] moiety within the framework structure. In situ electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy suggests that photocatalytic H2O2 generation on Re10-MFM-67 occurs via a two-step oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) pathway with the superoxide anion formed as an intermediate. This study promotes the design of MOF-based photocatalysts with conjugated ligands for efficient photosynthesis.
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Jul 2025
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B22-Multimode InfraRed imaging And Microspectroscopy
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[20377]
Abstract: Myopathies, a group of muscle disorders with varied etiologies, cause significant alterations in muscle tissue biomolecular composition. Accurate differentiation of myopathies is essential for effective diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy (microFTIR) is a valuable, non-destructive method for analysing the main biological macromolecules at the microscopic level. Therefore, it may offer insight into the investigation of both primary and secondary myopathies. In our work we use microFTIR to identify unique spectral markers associated with disease progression. For this purpose, muscle tissues from patients diagnosed with dystrophy and myopathy, as well as control tissues, were subjected to probing. The results reveal significant differences in the distribution of lipid, protein, and nucleic acid absorption bands among the sample groups, particularly in regions associated with muscle fibre and connective tissue structure. Notably, vibrational bands at ∼1043, 1388, and 2873 cm−1 assigned to nucleic acids, fatty acids and lipids, respectively showed highest discriminative power in distinguishing pathological from control tissues. In addition, the use of synchrotron radiation FTIR microspectroscopy enabled precise analysis of endomysium-specific changes. This work demonstrates the potential of microFTIR as a novel diagnostic tool for myopathy, offering an early-stage insight into muscle degradation that can support histopathological diagnosis. The ability of microFTIR to detect subtle biomolecular changes represents a promising step forward in non-invasive diagnostics of muscle disorders.
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Jul 2025
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