Managing Editor:
Mr. Matthias Burkhalter
MDPI Center Sensors Office
Kandererstrasse 25
CH-4057 Basel / Switzerland
Tel +41 61 683 7734, Fax +41 61 302 8918
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]; http://www.mdpi.org/sensors
Supervisor of this special issue:
Dr. Stefano Mariani
Dipartimento di Ingegneria Strutturale - Politecnico di Milano, Piazza L. da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy
Tel. + 39 02 2399 4279, Fax + 39 02 2399 4220
E mail: [email protected]
http://www.stru.polimi.it/IT/index.plp
Keywords: MEMS, structural sensors, Kalman filtering
Deadline for Paper Submission: 28 February 2009
Title: Femtosecond Laser Microfabrication of an Integrated Device for Optical Release and Sensing of Bioactive Compounds
Authors: Diego Ghezzi 1,2,a, Rebeca Martinez Vazquez 3,a, Roberto Osellame 3,*, Flavia Valtorta 4,5, Alessandra Pedrocchi 1, Roberta Ramponi 3, Giancarlo Ferrigno 1, Giulio Cerullo 3
1 NeuroEngineering and Medical Robotics Laboratory, Bioengineering Department, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
2 Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, The Italian Institute of Technology, 16163 Genova, Italy
3 Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie (IFN) - CNR, Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
4 San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute University, 20132 Milano, Italy
5 Unit of Molecular Neuroscience, The Italian Institute of Technology, 20132 Milano, Italy
E-Mails: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; Tel.: +39-02-2399-6075; Fax: +39-02-2399-6126
a These authors contributed equally to this work
Abstract: Flash photolysis of caged compounds is one of the most powerful approaches to investigate the dynamical response of living cells. Monolithically integrated devices suitable for optical uncaging are highly requested since they greatly simplify the experiments and allow their automation. Here we demonstrate the fabrication of an integrated bio-photonic device finalized to the optical release of caged compounds. Such device is fabricated using femtosecond laser micromachining of a glass substrate. More in detail, femtosecond lasers are used both to cut the substrate in order to create a pit for cell growth and to inscribe optical waveguides for spatially selective uncaging of the compounds present in the culture medium. The operation of this monolithic bio-photonic device is tested using both free and caged fluorescent compounds to probe its capability of multipoint release and optical sensing. Application of this device to the study of neuronal network activity can be envisaged.
Keywords: caged compound; waveguides; laser uncaging; optical release; femtosecond microfabrication; optical sensing
Title: State-of-the-Art and Applications of 3D Imaging Sensors for Industry, Cultural Heritage, Medicine, and Criminal Investigation
Authors: Giovanna Sansoni , Marco Trebeschi and Franco Docchio
Laboratory of Optoelectronics, University of Brescia / via Branze 38, Brescia I-25123, Italy; E-Mails: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];
* Giovanna Sansoni; Tel.: +39-030-3715446; Fax: +39-030-380014
Abstract: 3D Imaging sensors for the acquisition of three dimensional (3D) shapes have reached, in the last years, a considerable degree of interest for a number of applications. The miniaturization and integration of the optical and electronic components that build them plays a crucial role in the achievement of compactness, robustness and flexibility of the sensors. Today, several 3D sensors are available in the market, even in combination with other sensors in a “sensor fusion” approach. An importance equal to that of physical miniaturization is given to the portability of the measurements, via suitable interfaces, into software environments designed for their elaboration, e.g., CAD-CAM systems, virtual renders, and rapid prototyping tools. In this paper, following an overview of the state-of-art of 3D Imaging sensors, a number of significant examples of their use are presented, with particular reference to industry, heritage, medicine, and criminal investigation.
Keywords: 3D sensors, surface quality control, reverse enginnering, optical triangulation, crime scene investigation, heritage restoration, virtual reality.
Title: Organofluoro-Silica Xerogels as High-Performance Optical Sensors
Authors: Rosaria Ciriminna and Mario Pagliaro*
Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati, CNR, via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy; [email protected]
Abstract: Ubiquitous oxygen (O2) is among the most important analytes to be assessed in medicine, industry and in the environment, and currently optical O2 sensors are rapidly replacing older electrochemical methods. Following our discovery that fluorinated xerogel thin-films doped with luminophore tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenathroline) ruthenium(II), ([Ru(dpp)3]2+) are highly sensitive optical sensors for oxygen, the approach has been extended to include a number of different ORMOSIL platforms and sensing species. Hence, for instance, high-performance quenchometric fiber-optic oxygen sensors based on platinum complexes entrapped in fluorinated ORMOSIL have been developed, with enhanced sensitivity and shorter response times than sensors based on ruthenium dyes. This account provides an overview on fluorinated ORMOSIL xerogels as optical chemical sensors and shows how, toghether with the dye quenching rate, the subtle structural features of organofluoro-silica matrix is of fundamental importance in determining the overall sensor performance.
Title: A One-Layer Satellite Surface Energy Balance for Estimating Evapotranspiration Rates and Crop Water Stress Index
Authors: Simona Consoli * and Alfonso Russo
Department of Agricultural Engineering, University of Catania; E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; Address: Dept. of Agricultural Engineering, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia, 100 - 95123 Catania (ITALY), tel: +39 095 7147547; fax: +39 095 7147600
Abstract: Daily evapotranspiration fluxes over the semi-arid Catania Plain area (Eastern Sicily, Italy) were evaluated using remotely sensed data from Landsat Thematic Mapper TM5 images. A one-source parameterization of the surface sensible heat flux exchange using satellite surface temperature has been used. The transfer of sensible and latent heat is described by aerodynamic resistance and surface resistance. Required model inputs are brightness, temperature, fractional vegetation cover or leaf area index, albedo, crop height, roughness lengths, net radiation, air temperature, air humidity and wind speed. The aerodynamic resistance (rah) is formulated on the basis of the Monin-Obukhov surface layer similarity theory and the surface resistance (rs) is evaluated from the energy balance equation. The instantaneous surface flux values were converted into evaporative fraction (EF) over the heterogeneous land surface to derive daily evapotranspiration values. Remote sensing-based assessments of crop water stress (CWSI) were also made in order to identify local irrigation requirements. Evapotranspiration data and crop coefficient values obtained from the approach were compared with: (i) data from the semi-empirical approach “Kc reflectance-based”, which integrates satellite data in the visible and NIR regions of the electromagnetic spectrum with ground-based measurements and (ii) surface energy flux measurements collected from a micrometeorological tower located in the experiment area. The expected variability associated with ET flux measurements suggests that the approach-derived surface fluxes were in acceptable agreement with the observations.
Keywords: evapotranspiration; satellite detection; surface energy balance; water stress indices
Planned Papers
Title: Exploiting Surface Plasmon Resonance Technology for the Identification of Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 (FGF2) Antagonists Endowed with Antiangiogenic Activity
Authors: Marco Rusnati 1, Antonella Bugatti 1, Stefania Mitola 1, Paolo Bergese 2, Laura E. Depero 2 and Marco Presta 1,*
1 Unit of General Pathology and Immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology, School of Medicine, University of Brescia, Italy
2 Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory and INSTM, University of Brescia, Italy
E-Mails: [email protected] (M. R.); [email protected] (A.B.); [email protected] (S. M.) [email protected] (P. B.); [email protected] (L. E. D.) [email protected] (M. P.)
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; Marco Presta, Unit of General Pathology & Immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology, viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy. Tel.: +39-0303717311; Fax: +39-0303701157. E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Angiogenesis, the process of new blood vessel formation from pre-existing ones, plays a key role in various physiological and pathological conditions, including embryonic development, wound repair, inflammation, and tumor growth. The prototypic heparin-binding angiogenic fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) plays an important role in the neovascularization process. Accordingly, FGF2 is considered a target for the development of antiangiogenic therapies. On this basis, numerous natural and synthetic compounds have been tested for their capacity to bind and sequester FGF2 in the extracellular environment, thus preventing its interaction with cellular receptors. We have exploited various experimental approaches, including the innovative surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique and other biosensors, in the search for antiangiogenic FGF2 binders/antagonists. In this review we will summarize our seven-year period of SPR experimentation, with the aim to validate the use of this technology as a first line screening for the identification of antiangiogenic compounds.
Keywords: angiogenesis, fibroblast growth factor-2, heparan sulfate proteoglycans, heparin, interactions, pentraxin 3, peptides, surface plasmon resonance, thrombospondin-1
Title: Developments of CdTe and CdZnTe semiconductor detectors for astrophysical and medical applications
Authors: S. Del Sordo *,1, L. Abbene *, 2, E. Caroli 3, A. M. Mancini 4, P. Ubertini 5 and A. Zappettini 6
1 IASF/INAF, Sezione di Palermo, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy
2 Dipartimento di Fisica e Tecnologie Relative,Universit� di Palermo,Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
3 IASF/INAF, Sezione di Bologna, Via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy
4 Dip. Ing.dell’Innovazione, Univ. degli Studi di Lecce, Via Arnesano, 73100 Lecce, Italy
5 IASF/INAF, Sezione di Roma, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
6 IMEM-CNR, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43100 Parma, Italy
* Corresponding author: [email protected], [email protected]
Abstract: In the last decade, cadmium telluride (CdTe) and cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe ) wide band gap semiconductors have attracted increasing interest as X-ray and gamma ray detectors. Among the traditional high performances spectrometers based on silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge), CdTe and CdZnTe detectors show high quantum efficiency and good room temperature performances and are well suited for the development of compact and reliable detection systems. In this paper, we review the current status of research in the development of CdTe and CdZnTe detectors by a comprehensive survey on the material properties, the growing processes, the different techniques for improving the overall detector performances and some major applications. Astrophysical (as focal plane detectors) and medical (portable systems for diagnostic X-ray measurements) applications are expecially discussed, pointing out the ongoing Italian research activities on the development of these detectors.
Title: Optoelectronic Plethysmography has Improved our Knowledge of Respiratory Physiology and Pathophysiology.
Author: Giorgio Scano; Universit� degli Studi di Firenze - P.zza S.Marco, 4 - 50121 Firenze, Italy
Abstract: It is well known that the methods actually used to tracking thoraco-abdominal volume displacement are affected by several limitations. This review evaluates the clinical usefulness of measuring chest wall kinematics by optoelectronic plethysmography (OEP). OEP provides direct measurements (both absolute and its variations) of the volume of the chest wall and its compartments, according to the model of Ward and Macklem (JAP 1992) without requiring calibration or subject cooperation. The system is non invasive and does not require mouthpiece or nose-clip which may modify and increase the pattern of breathing, making the subject aware of his breathing. Also, the precise assessment of compartmental changes in chest wall volumes, combined with pressure measurements, allows a detailed description of the action and control of the different respiratory muscle groups and the assessment of dynamics of chest wall in a number of different experimental conditions either physiological or clinical as we are going to show.
Tentative Title: Self-mixing Interferometry
Author: Silvano Donati; University of Pavia, Department of Electronics, v. Ferrata, 1 I-27100 Pavia (Italy), Tel: +39 0382 985 204, Fax: +39 0382 422 583;
E-mail: [email protected]
Title: Lactoferrin and Immunoglobulin Determination in Animan Milk by New Immunosensors
Authors: Luigi Campanella, Elisabetta Martini, Manuela Pintore, Mauro Tomassetti; Universita "La Sapienza" Roma
Abstract: In the present study we have employed two different immunosensors, which were recently developed, for the determination of antibacterial proteins (lactoferrin and immunoglobulin G) in buffalo milk and in other commercial animal milk samples (cow and goat), with the aim of suggesting these immunosensor methods for routine control of important diet products, such as cow or goat milk and particularly buffalo milk. To this end we employed two different kinds of immunosensors: one for the analysis of immunoglobulin G, optimized in previous research, the novelty of which is the transducer, which is an enzyme sensor; the other, a new amperometric immunosensor for lactoferrin analysis. Lactoferrin and IgG immunosensors were also used for the determination of Lactoferrin and immunoglobulin G in buffalo milk on different days of lactation. On the latter samples of buffalo milk the antioxidant capacity was also determined, using an enzymatic biosensor based on superoxide dismutase, recently developed in our laboratory. Lastly an experimental comparison of the found Lactoferrin content in several commercial animal milks (buffalo, cow, goat) and in two different yogurt samples, available by Italian market, was lead in detail.
Title: Visual Sensor Tecnology for Advanced Surveillance Systems in Italy
Authors: G.L. Foresti, C. Micheloni, C. Piciarelli and L. Snidaro; Department of Mathematics and Computer Science (DIMI); University of Udine, Via delle Scienze, 208, 33100 Udine, Italy
Abstract: In the last years, there has been a growing interest in surveillance applications due to the increasing availability of cheap sensors and processors at reasonable costs. In addition, citizens are demanding much more safety and security in urban environments. These facts, in conjunction with the increasing maturity of algorithms and techniques, are making possible the use of surveillance systems in various application sectors such as security, transportation, and the automotive industry.
The intelligent surveillance of remote and unattended environments (e.g., metro lines and railway platforms, airport waiting rooms or taxiways, nuclear plants, etc.) is a complex problem implying the cooperative use of multiple sensors. Surveillance systems have provided several degrees of assistance to operators and evolved in an incremental way according to the progress in technology and sensors. Several kinds of sensors are nowadays available for remote surveillance: they range from tactile or pressure sensors (e.g., border surveillance) to chemical sensors (e.g., industrial plant surveillance), audio sensors or visual sensors.
For wide outdoor areas monitoring tasks, the most adequate sensors are the visual ones, as they provide more high-level information. Visual information can be used to classify different kinds of objects (e.g., pedestrians, groups of people, motorcycles, cars, vans, lorries, buses, etc.) moving in the observed scene, to understand their behaviours and to detect anomalous events. Useful information can be transmitted to a remote operator for augmenting its monitoring capabilities and, if necessary, to take appropriate decisions. The main objective of this paper is to analyze technological aspects of advanced visualbased surveillance systems, with particular emphasis on intelligent visual sensor networks that (a) directly process locally acquired digital data, (b) automatically modify intrinsic (focus, iris, etc.) and extrinsic (pan, tilt, zoom, etc.) parameters to increase the quality of acquired data and (c) automatically select the best subset of sensors in order to monitor (detect, track and recognize) a given object moving in the observed environment.
Title: “Dew sensor”: a new device to detect the condensation on different surfaces
Authors: A. Bernardi *1, F. Becherini 1, G. Bassato 2, M. Bellio 2, S. De Grandi 3, A. Pavanini 3, L. Pockel� 3
1 Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council, Padua, Italy
2 TECNO PENTA s.a.s., Teolo, Padua, Italy
3 R.E.D. s.r.l., Teolo, Padua, Italy
* Corresponding author: [email protected]
Abstract: An innovative optical device, called “dew sensor”, has been developed in order to detect directly the condensation on different surfaces (glass, metal, stone). Laboratory tests and field surveys showed that the direct measurement of condensation with the new sensor is more reliable and accurate than the measurement with other commercial devices, as well as the traditional indirect microclimatic measurements. Many problems related to its functioning and use have been carefully studied, in order to realise a useful, cost-effective and portable instrument. The device has been already patented and it has up to now given such promising results that it should result into a specialised industrial production. It may give an added value in existing systems aimed at preventing or controlling condensation in different fields of application, such as cultural heritage conservation, environmental comfort, pharmaceuticals industry, food storage and transport, road safety.
Title: Electrochemical direct determination of Catecholamines for the early detection of neurodegenerative diseases
Author: Antonella Curulli; Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials (ISMN)-CNR, Research Division 2, Via del Castro Laurenziano 7, 00161 Rome, Italy
Abstract: Catecholamines, especially Dopamine and Norepinephrine, are important neurotransmitters in a wide variety of brain processes, many of which are involved in the control of movement, the formation of emotional responses, and the perception of pain and pleasure. Neurological diseases like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and Schizophrenia affect the level of catecholamines in brain. The in-vivo monitoring of these neurotransmitters could represent an easy way to study these neurological disorders, enabling more effective diagnosis and treatments of patients. Here, we show how the use of a nanostructured based TiO2 electrochemical sensor can provide a selective detection of Dopamine and Norepinephrine levels at very low concentration (up to 10 nM) in the presence of physiological concentration of ascorbic acid. The study of interaction between catecholamines and nanostructured TiO2 material, the stability of the electrochemical sensor and the biocompatibility of TiO2 could represent important steps for the design of long-term implantable neurological devices.
Title: Titration sensors for monitoring biological processes in wastewater treatment plants
Authors: Dr. ing. Elena Ficara, DIIAR, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32 – 20133 Milano (Italy); Tel. +39 02 23996407; fax +39 02 23996499; e-mail [email protected]; Prof. ing. Roberto Canziani, DIIAR, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32 – 20133 Milano (Italy); Tel. 02 23996410; fax 02 23996499; e-mail [email protected]; Dr ing. Paolo Ratini, Dr Simone Mariani – SPES s.c.p.a., Via Lamberto Corsi, 43 - 60044 Fabriano (Ancona); Tel. +39.0732.625158; Fax +39.0732.227526; e-mail [email protected]
*Politecnico di Milano (Italy); Corresponding author: Dr ing. Elena FICARA
Abstract: Set-point (DO-stat and pH-stat) titration sensors have been developed and applied to monitor the performance of biological processes, namely for the application in wastewater treatment plants. Set point titration allows the assessment of:
- sewage toxicity to the biomass
- pollution load;
- biomass treatment capacity, in terms of process rate.
The following procedures have been developed and experimented:
1) detection of influent acute toxicity to nitrifying biomass; 2) measurement of maximum rates of oxidation of ammonium to nitrite and of nitrite to nitrate; 3) measurement of the ammonification activity of heterotrophic bacteria; 4) estimation of nitrate concentration; 5) estimation of biological heterotrophic denitrification rate with different organic substrates; 6) respirometric tests to assess readily and slowly biodegradable fractions of organic pollutants.
An automated combined pH-DO stat titration unit has also been developed and tested. The principle of the method and the results of different practical applications are presented.
Keywords – Set-point titration, nitrification, denitrification,
Published papers related to the topic:
Canziani R.; Ficara E.; Fiocchi N.; Ratini P.; Pirani M.; Mariani S.; Bekri M.; Pauss A.; Ribeiro T.; Schoefs O.; Bouvier J.-C.; Harmand J.; Mazouni D. Development of hardware sensors for the on-line monitoring of SBR used for the treatment of industrial wastewaters. Journal Mathematical and Computer Modelling of Dynamical Systems, 2008, 14 (1), 27-37,
Ficara E.; Canziani R. Monitoring denitrification by pH-stat titration. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2007, 98, 3, 369-377
Ficara E.; Fiocchi N.; Canziani R.; Luccarini L.; Ciappelloni F.; Ratini P.; Pirani M.; Mariani S. (2006) SBRs on-line monitoring by set-point titration, Water Science and Technology, 2006, 53(4-5), 541-549
Ficara E.; Cortelezzi P.; Rozzi A. Theory of pH-stat titration. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2003, 82, 28-37.
Rozzi A.; Ficara E.; Rocco A. (2003). DO-stat titration respirometry: principle of operation and validation, Journal of Environmental Engineering (ASCE), 2003, 129(7), 602-609.
Ficara E.; Rozzi A. pH-stat titration to assess nitrification inhibition. Journal of Environmental Engineering (ASCE), 2001, 127(8), 698-704.
Ficara E.; Musumeci; A., Rozzi A. Comparison and combination of titrimetric and respirometric techniques to estimate nitrification kinetics parameters. Water SA, 2000, 26(2), 217-224.
Related papers published in 2007 and 2008
Luca De Stefano 1,*, Paolo Arcari 2, Annalisa Lamberti 2, Carmen Sanges 2, Lucia Rotiroti 1, 3, Ilaria Rea 1, 4 and Ivo Rendina 1
1 Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems – Unit of Naples – National Council of Research, Via P. Castellino 111,
80131 Napoli, Italy (E-mail: [email protected])
2 Department of Biochemistry and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
3 Department of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Cinthia, 80128 Napoli, Italy
4 Department of Physical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: [email protected]
Received: 15 February 2007 / Accepted: 26 February 2007 / Published: 28 February 2007
Full Paper: DNA Optical Detection Based on Porous Silicon Technology: from Biosensors to Biochips
Sensors 2007, 7, 214-221 (PDF format, 130 K)
Vittorio M. N. Passaro 1,*, Francesco Dell’Olio 1, Biagio Casamassima 1 and Francesco De Leonardis 2
1 Photonics Research Group, Dipartimento di Elettrotecnica ed Elettronica, Politecnico di Bari, via Edoardo Orabona n. 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
2 Photonics Research Group, Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Ambiente e per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile, Politecnico di Bari, viale del Turismo n. 8, 74100 Taranto, Italy
* E-mail: [email protected]; URL page: http://dee.poliba.it/photonicsgroup
Received: 23 March 2007 / Accepted: 24 April 2007 / Published: 25 April 2007
Review: Guided-Wave Optical Biosensors
Sensors 2007, 7, 508-536 (PDF format, 579 K)
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Optical Biosensors” Edited by Luigi Zeni)
Domenico Caputo 1,*, Gianpiero de Cesare 1, Corrado Fanelli 2, Augusto Nascetti 1, Alessandra Ricelli 3, Riccardo Scipinotti 1
1 Department of Electronic Engineering, University “La Sapienza”, via Eudossiana, 18 00184 Rome (Italy). Phone: +39-06-44585832; Fax: +39-06-4742647.
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
2 Department of Plant Biology, University “La Sapienza”, Largo Cristina di Svezia, 24 00165 Rome (Italy). E-mail: [email protected]
3 CNR, Institute of Science of Food Production, via G. Amendola, 122/O, 70126 Bari (Italy). E-mail: [email protected]
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 10 July 2007 / Accepted: 24 July 2007 / Published: 25 July 2007
Communication: Innovative Detection System of Ochratoxin A by Thin Film Photodiodes
Sensors 2007, 7, 1317-1322 (PDF format, 78 K)
Stefano Mariani 1,*, Aldo Ghisi 1, Alberto Corigliano 1 and Sarah Zerbini 2
1 Dipartimento di Ingegneria Strutturale, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza L. da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano (Italy). E-mails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
2 MEMS Product Division, STMicroelectronics, Via Tolomeo 1, 20010 Cornaredo (Italy). E-mail: [email protected]
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: [email protected]
Received: 30 August 2007 / Accepted: 6 September 2007 / Published: 7 September 2007
Full Paper: Multi-scale Analysis of MEMS Sensors Subject to Drop Impacts
Sensors 2007, 7, 1817-1833 (PDF format, 1180 K)
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Modeling, Testing and Reliability Issues in MEMS Engineering” Edited by Stefano Mariani)
Carlo Camerlingo 1, Flora Zenone 2,3, Ines Delfino 4, Nadia Diano 3,5, Damiano Gustavo Mita 3,5* and Maria Lepore 3,5
1 Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Cibernetica “E. Caianiello”, Pozzuoli, Italy
2 Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche, Universit� “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
3 Consorzio Interuniversitario INBB, Sezione di Napoli, Italy
4 Biophysics and Nanoscience Centre, CNISM, Universit� della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
5 Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Seconda Universit� di Napoli, Naples, Italy
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail : [email protected]
Received: 21 September 2007 / Accepted: 1 October 2007 / Published: 3 October 2007
Full Paper: Investigation on Clarified Fruit Juice Composition by Using Visible Light Micro-Raman Spectroscopy
Sensors 2007, 7, 2049-2061 (PDF format, 267 K)
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Optical Biosensors” Edited by Luigi Zeni)
Viviana Scognamiglio 1, Vincenzo Aurilia 1, Nunzio Cennamo 2, Paola Ringhieri 1, Luisa Iozzino 1, Micaela Tartaglia 1, Maria Staiano 1, Giuseppe Ruggiero 1, Pierangelo Orlando 1, Tullio Labella 1, Luigi Zeni 2, Annalisa Vitale 1 and Sabato D’Auria 1,*
1 Laboratory for Molecular Sensing, IBP, CNR, Via Pietro Castellino, 111 80131 Naples, Italy;
2 Department of Information Engineering, Seconda Universit� di Napoli, Italy
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: [email protected]
Received: 3 October 2007 / Accepted: 21 October 2007 / Published: 24 October 2007
Full Research Paper: D-galactose/D-glucose-binding Protein from Escherichia coli as Probe for a Non-consuming Glucose Implantable Fluorescence Biosensor
Sensors 2007, 7, 2484-2491 (PDF format, 304 K)
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Optical Biosensors” Edited by Luigi Zeni)
Paola De Luca 1, Maria Lepore 1,2, Marianna Portaccio 1,2, Rosario Esposito 3, Sergio Rossi 4, Umberto Bencivenga 4 and Damiano Gustavo Mita 1,2,*
1 Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Seconda Universit� di Napoli, Naples, Italy
2 Consorzio Interuniversitario INBB, Sezione Napoli, Italy
3 Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche, Universit� “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
4 Istituto di Genetica e Biofisica “Buzzati Traverso” (CNR), Naples, Italy
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: [email protected]
Received: 18 October 2007 / Accepted: 3 November 2007 / Published: 5 November 2007
Full Research Paper: Glucose Determination by Means of Steady-state and Time-course UV Fluorescence in Free or Immobilized Glucose Oxidase
Sensors 2007, 7, 2612-2625 (PDF format, 279 K)
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Optical Biosensors” Edited by Luigi Zeni)
Vittorio M. N. Passaro 1,*, Francesco Dell’Olio 1 and Francesco De Leonardis 2
1 Photonics Research Group, Dipartimento di Elettrotecnica ed Elettronica, Politecnico di Bari, via Edoardo Orabona n. 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
* E-mail: [email protected], URL page: http://dee.poliba.it/photonicsgroup
2 Photonics Research Group, Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Ambiente e per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile, Politecnico di Bari, viale del Turismo n. 8, 74100 Taranto, Italy
Received: 22 October 2007 / Accepted: 14 November 2007 / Published: 15 November 2007
Full Research Paper: Ammonia Optical Sensing by Microring Resonators
Sensors 2007, 7, 2741-2749 (PDF format, 529 K)
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Photonic Sensors for Chemical, Biological, and Nuclear Agent Detection” Edited by Gary Pickrell and Teng K. Ooi)
Giorgio Verrelli 1,2,*, Larisa Lvova 1,4, Roberto Paolesse 1, Corrado Di Natale 2,3 and Arnaldo D'Amico 2,3
1 Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
[email protected]. [email protected]. [email protected].
2 Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via del Politecnico 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
[email protected]. [email protected].
3 CNR-IMM, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere, 00133 Rome, Italy
4 Biological Research Institute of Saint Petersburg State University, Laboratory of Soil Biochemistry, Oraniembaum rd. 2, 198509, Russia
* Corresponding author: [email protected]
Received: 9 October 2007 / Accepted: 12 November 2007 / Published: 15 November 2007
Full Research Paper: Metalloporphyrin - based Electronic Tongue: an Application for the Analysis of Italian White wines
Sensors 2007, 7, 2750-2762 (PDF format, 268 K)
Simone Pantalei 1,*, Emiliano Zampetti 1, Antonella Macagnano 1, Andrea Bearzotti 1, Iole Venditti 2 and Maria V. Russo 2
1 CNR-IMM, Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems, via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
2 Department of Chemistry, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, p.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: [email protected]
Received: 1 October 2007 / Accepted: 20 November 2007 / Published: 23 November 2007
Full Research Paper: Enhanced Sensory Properties of a Multichannel Quartz Crystal Microbalance Coated with Polymeric Nanobeads
Sensors 2007, 7, 2920-2928 (PDF format, 2040 K)
Olga Zeni 1,*, Rosanna Palumbo 2, Romeo Bernini 1, Luigi Zeni 3, Maurizio Sarti 1 and Maria Rosaria Scarf� 1
1 Istituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico dell’Ambiente (IREA) - CNR, Via Diocleziano, 328, 80124 Napoli, Italy
2 Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini (IBB) – CNR, Via Mezzocannone, 16, 80137 Napoli, Italy
3 Seconda Universit� degli Studi di Napoli, Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell' Informazione (DII), Aversa, Italy
Received: 29 October 2007 / Accepted: 16 January 2008 / Published: 24 January 2008
Full Research Paper: Cytotoxicity Investigation on Cultured Human Blood Cells Treated with Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes
Sensors 2008, 8, 488-499 (PDF format, 207 K)
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Optical Biosensors” Edited by Luigi Zeni)
Alberto Ballestra 1, Aurelio Som� 1,* and Renato Pavanello 2
1 Department of Mechanics, Politecnico of Torino, C.so Duca degli Abruzzi,24 - 10129, Torino, Italy
E-mail: [email protected], E-mail: [email protected]
2 Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, State University of Campinas, CEP 13083-970 Campinas, Brazil
E-mail: [email protected]
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 19 November 2007 /Accepted: 26 January 2008 /Published: 6 February 2008
Full Research Paper: Experimental-numerical Comparison of Frequency Shift of Cantilever MEMS in Presence of Residual Stress Gradient
Sensors 2008, 8, 767-783 (PDF format, 638 K)
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Modeling, Testing and Reliability Issues in MEMS Engineering” Edited by Stefano Mariani)
Simone Pascucci 1,*, Cristiana Bassani 2, Angelo Palombo 1, Maurizio Poscolieri 3 and Rosa Cavalli 2
1 National Research Council, Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis, C.da S. Loja - Zona Industriale, Tito Scalo (PZ), 85050, Italy; E-mail: [email protected]
2 National Research Council, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution, Via Fosso del Cavaliere, 100, Roma, 00133, Italy; E-mail: [email protected]
3 National Research Council, IDAC, Via Fosso del Cavaliere, 100, Roma, 00133, Italy; E-mail: [email protected]
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed
Received: 5 February 2008 / Accepted: 19 February 2008 / Published: 22 February 2008
Full Research Paper: Road Asphalt Pavements Analyzed by Airborne Thermal Remote Sensing: Preliminary Results of the Venice Highway
Sensors 2008, 8, 1278-1296 (PDF format, 1130 K)
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Sensors for Urban Environmental Monitoring” Edited by Jiang Dong)
Luca Pulvirenti *, Nazzareno Pierdicca and Frank S. Marzano
Department of Electronic Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy; E-mails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: [email protected]
Received: 23 January 2008 / Accepted: 27 February 2008 / Published: 3 March 2008
Full Research Paper: Topographic Effects on the Surface Emissivity of a Mountainous Area Observed by a Spaceborne Microwave Radiometer
Sensors 2008, 8, 1459-1474 (PDF format, 297 K)
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Remote Sensing of Natural Resources and the Environment (Remote Sensing Sensors)” Edited by Assefa M. Melesse)
Michele Meroni 1, Micol Rossini 1,*, Valentina Picchi 2,3, Cinzia Panigada 1, Sergio Cogliati 1, Cristina Nali 3 and Roberto Colombo 1
1 Remote Sensing of Environmental Dynamics Lab., DISAT, University of Milan-Bicocca, piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano, Italy. E-mails: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
2 CNR, Plant Virology Institute, Milan Unit, Italy. E-mail: [email protected]
3 Department of Tree Science, Entomology and Plant Pathology “G. Scaramuzzi”, University of Pisa, Italy. E-mail: [email protected]
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: [email protected]
Received: 31 January 2008 / Accepted: 11 March 2008 / Published: 13 March 2008
Full Research Paper: Assessing Steady-state Fluorescence and PRI from Hyperspectral Proximal Sensing as Early Indicators of Plant Stress: The Case of Ozone Exposure
Sensors 2008, 8, 1740-1754 (PDF format, 247 K)
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Remote Sensing of Natural Resources and the Environment (Remote Sensing Sensors)” Edited by Assefa M. Melesse)
Mauro Bacci *, Costanza Cucci, Andrea Azelio Mencaglia and Anna Grazia Mignani
Istituto di Fisica Applicata “Nello Carrara” (IFAC-CNR), 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy; Tel.: +39-055-5226370, Fax: +39-055-5226374; E-mails: c. [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-mail: [email protected]
Received: 29 January 2008 / Accepted: 18 March 2008 / Published: 22 March 2008
Full Research Paper: Innovative Sensors for Environmental Monitoring in Museums
Sensors 2008, 8, 1984-2005 (PDF format, 363 K)
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Active and Passive Sensors for Art Diagnostic, Analysis and Investigations” Edited by Luca Pezzati and Brunetto Giovanni Brunetti)
Massimo Arattano 1,* and Lorenzo Marchi 2
1 CNR-IRPI, Strada delle Cacce,73, 10135 Torino, Italy
2 CNR-IRPI, Corso Stati Uniti, 4, 35127 Padova, Italy; E-mail: [email protected]
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-mail: [email protected]; www.irpi.to.cnr.it; Tel.: +39 011 3977831
Received: 18 December 2007 / Accepted: 2 April 2008 / Published: 4 April 2008
Review: Systems and Sensors for Debris-flow Monitoring and Warning
Sensors 2008, 8, 2436-2452 (PDF format, 386 K)
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Sensors for Disaster and Emergency Management Decision Making” Edited by Dr. Jason Levy and Dr. Yang Gao)
Dario Papale 1,*, Claudio Belli 1,2, Beniamino Gioli 3, Franco Miglietta 3, Cesare Ronchi 4, Francesco Primo Vaccari 3 and Riccardo Valentini 1
1 DISAFRI, University of Tuscia, via C. de Lellis, 01100 Viterbo Italy; E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
2 Terrasystem srl, via Pacinotti 5, 01100 Viterbo Italy; E-mail: [email protected]
3 CNR-IBIMET, Istituto di Biometeorologia, via Giovanni Caproni 8, 50145 Firenze Italy; E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected].
4 Barilla G. e R. Fratelli S.p.A., via Mantova 166, 43100 Parma; E-mail: [email protected].
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 30 March 2008 / Accepted: 14 May 2008 / Published: 16 May 2008
Article: ASPIS, A Flexible Multispectral System for Airborne Remote Sensing Environmental Applications
Sensors 2008, 8, 3240-3256 (PDF format, 324 K) DOI: 10.3390/s8053240
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Remote Sensing of Natural Resources and the Environment (Remote Sensing Sensors)” Edited by Assefa M. Melesse)
Rosa Maria Cavalli 1, Lorenzo Fusilli 1, Simone Pascucci 2,*, Stefano Pignatti 2 and Federico Santini 1
1 National Research Council, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution, Via Fosso del Cavaliere, 100, Roma, 00133, Italy
2 National Research Council, Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis, C.da S. Loja - Zona Industriale, Tito Scalo (PZ), 85050, Italy
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: [email protected]
Received: 17 April 2008 / Accepted: 15 May 2008 / Published: 20 May 2008
Article: Hyperspectral Sensor Data Capability for Retrieving Complex Urban Land Cover in Comparison with Multispectral Data: Venice City Case Study (Italy)
Sensors 2008, 8, 3299-3320 (PDF format, 1180 K) DOI: 10.3390/s8053299
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Sensors for Urban Environmental Monitoring” Edited by Jiang Dong)
Carlo Camerlingo 1, Flora Zenone 2, Giuseppe Perna 3, Vito Capozzi 3, Nicola Cirillo 4, Giovanni Maria Gaeta 4 and Maria Lepore 5,*
1 Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Cibernetica “E. Caianiello”, Pozzuoli, Italy
2 Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche, Universit� “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
3 Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Universit� di Foggia, Italy
4 Dipartimento di Malattie Odontostomatologiche, Seconda Universit� di Napoli, Naples, Italy
5 Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Seconda Universit� di Napoli, Naples, Italy
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-mail: [email protected]
Received: 24 January 2008; in revised form: 30 April 2008 / Accepted: 28 May 2008 / Published: 1 June 2008
Article: An Investigation on Micro-Raman Spectra and Wavelet Data Analysis for Pemphigus Vulgaris Follow-up Monitoring.
Sensors 2008, 8, 3656-3664 (PDF format, 169 K) DOI: 10.3390/s8063656
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Bioanalysis in Vivo/in Vitro” Edited by Yoshio Umezawa)
Nazzareno Pierdicca, Marco Chini *, Luca Pulvirenti and Flavia Macina
Department of Electronic Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Roma, Italy; E-Mails: [email protected] (N. P.); [email protected] (L. P.)
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-mail: [email protected] (M.C.)
Received: 29 May 2008; in revised form: 27 June 2008 / Accepted: 6 July 2008 / Published: 10 July 2008
Article: Integrating Physical and Topographic Information Into a Fuzzy Scheme to Map Flooded Area by SAR
Sensors 2008, 8, 4151-4164 (PDF format, 1780 K) DOI: 10.3390/s8074151
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Sensors for Disaster and Emergency Management Decision Making” Edited by Dr. Jason Levy and Dr. Yang Gao)
Simona Privitera 1,2, Salvatore Tudisco 1,2,*, Luca Lanzan� 1,2, Francesco Musumeci 1,2, Alessandro Pluchino 2, Agata Scordino 1,2, Angelo Campisi 1, Luigi Cosentino 1,
Paolo Finocchiaro 1, Giovanni Condorelli 3, Massimo Mazzillo 3, Salvo Lombardo 4 and Emilio Sciacca 4
1 INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, via Santa Sofia 65, 95125 Catania (Italy); E-mails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
2 DMFCI-Dip. Met. Chim. Fis. Ing. & Dip. di Fisica ed Astronomia, Universit� di Catania viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, (Italy); E-mails: [email protected], [email protected]
3 R&D, ST-Microelectronics, Stradale Primosole 50, 95100 Catania (Italy); E-mails: [email protected], [email protected]
4 IMM-CNR, Stradale Primosole 50, 95100 Catania (Italy); E-mails: [email protected], [email protected]
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-mail [email protected]
Received: 28 February 2008; in revised form: 1 August 2008 / Accepted: 5 August 2008 / Published: 6 August 2008
Article: Single Photon Avalanche Diodes: Towards the Large Bidimensional Arrays
Sensors 2008, 8, 4636-4655 (PDF format, 627 K) DOI: 10.3390/s8084636
(This paper belongs to Special Issue: “Integrated High-performance Imagers” Edited by Edoardo Charbon)
Sebania Libertino 1,*, Venera Aiello 2,3, Antonino Scandurra 4, Marcella Renis 2 and Fulvia Sinatra 3
1 CNR – IMM Stradale Primosole 50 Catania, Italy;
2 Universit� degli Studi di Catania, Dipartimento di Chimica Biologica, Chimica Medica e Biologia Molecolare, Catania, Italy; E-Mails: [email protected] (V. A.); [email protected] (M. R.)
3 Universit� degli Studi di Catania, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Catania, Italy; E-mail: [email protected] (F. S.)
4 Laboratorio Superfici e Interfasi (SUPERLAB), Consorzio Catania Ricerche, Catania, Italy; E-mail: [email protected] (A. S.)
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: [email protected] Tel.: (+39)0955968224; Fax: +39)0955968312
Received: 6 August 2008; in revised form: 26 August 2008 / Accepted:10 September 2008 / Published: 15 September 2008
Article: Immobilization of the Enzyme Glucose Oxidase on Both Bulk and Porous SiO2 Surfaces
Sensors 2008, 8, 5637-5648 (PDF format, 349 K) DOI: 10.3390/s8095637
Summary
The aim of this special issue is to provide a comprehensive view on the state-of-the-art sensors technology in Italy. Research articles are solicited which will provide a consolidated state-of-the-art in this area. The Special Issue will publish those full research, review and high rated manuscripts addressing the above topic.
Keywords
Biosensors, Chemical Sensors, Physical Sensors, Remote Sensing Sensors
Submission
Sensors (http://www.mdpi.org/sensors/) is a highly rated journal with a 1.573 impact factor in 2007 (1.373 2006).
Sensors is indexed and abstracted very quickly by Chemical Abstracts, Analytical Abstracts, Science Citation Index Expanded, Chemistry Citation Index, Scopus and Google Scholar.
All papers should be submitted to [email protected] with copy to [email protected]. To be published continuously until the deadline and papers will be listed together at http://www.mdpi.org/sensors/State-of-the-Art-Sensors-Technology-in-Italy.htm.
Please visit the instructions for authors at http://www.mdpi.org/sensors/publguid.htm before submitting a paper. Open Access publication fees are 1050 CHF per paper. English correction fees (250 CHF) will be added in certain cases (1300 CHF per paper for those papers that require extensive additional formatting and/or English corrections.).
MDPI - Matthias Burkhalter - 24 September 2008