We report an ambient-pressure liquid-metal-assisted CVD strategy that enables shape-programmable growth of microscale diamond by coupling a liquid-metal Ga-In with ferrocene (Fe(C5H5)2) as a carbon precursor, nanodiamond seeds, and nanosilicon. Building on liquid-metal diamond synthesis, this approach pushes liquid-metal growth toward lower temperature (900°C, 1 atm) while enabling single-crystal diamonds to scale from ∼10 µm to several tens of micrometers with well-developed faceting. Ferrocene decomposition supplies a sustained interfacial carbon flux captured and redistributed by the Ga-In melt toward seed-rich liquid-solid interfaces. Defect-rich nanodiamond provides the crystallographic template required for reliable sp3 nucleation despite low carbon solubility in Ga-In. Nanosilicon plays a complementary role by tuning interfacial kinetics and facet competition, enabling control of crystal habit: cubic (∼10 µm), truncated-tetrahedral, and fully faceted octahedral diamonds are obtained by adjusting the nanosilicon: nanodiamond ratio, with octahedral crystals reaching ∼50 µm. Crystal size is further scaled by regulating hydrogen flow: lowering the H2 rate increases carbon retention at the liquid-metal interface, raises supersaturation, and accelerates diamond deposition. Together, habit control and size scaling establish a practical route for facet regulation and size control under ambient pressure, offering tunable microscale single-crystal diamonds under mild conditions.
Color centers in diamond are promising single-photon sources for quantum technologies and biomedical applications. We studied the formation dynamics of negatively charged silicon-vacancy (SiV) centers during diamond nucleation using time-resolved X-ray pump-probe experiments at the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser Facility. A silicon-containing adamantane precursor was flash-heated within diamond anvil cells using ultrashort femtosecond X-ray pulses at a 2.2-MHz repetition rate. We captured the structural evolution of diamond with X-ray diffraction patterns separated by 443 ns. Correlating these dynamics with postexperiment SiV photoluminescence reveals, for the first time, a link between ultrafast diamond nucleation and color-center inclusion. SiV formation is contingent on diamond formation and occurs only above pressure-dependent energy-delivery-rate thresholds: 34.3 J·s-1 at 17.8 GPa and 178.4 J·s-1 at 14.4 GPa. Our findings define synthesis windows for generating SiV and reveal a kinetic regime in which diamond nucleates without optically active SiV, informing rate- and pressure-aware strategies for producing various color centers.
Progressive diamond bur degradation during the subtractive manufacturing (SM) of polymer-infiltrated ceramic networks (PICNs) compromises restorative clinical quality. To evaluate the degradation extent across two SM systems and investigate its effects on the trueness and surface roughness of PICN crowns. A total of 121 premolar crowns were fabricated from PICN blocks (Vita Enamic) using two SM machines (PrograMill PM7 and inLab MC X5). Crown trueness was quantified by superimposing crown scans onto the original digital design using three-dimensional inspection software (Geomagic Control X) and reported as the root-mean-square (RMS) ± standard deviation (µm). Surface roughness (Ra, Sa, Sq) was measured using confocal microscopy. Bur degradation was assessed after every five crown fabrications using machine-reported lifespan, surface roughness, and color deviation maps. Diamond bur tips, before and after use, were examined using scanning electron microscopy to characterize wear patterns. Statistical comparisons were performed both between and within machines using Welch's Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) (p < 0.05). Significant differences were observed in regional trueness (p < 0.0001): the PM7 yielded more accurate intaglio (inner) surfaces (22.21 ± 4.31 µm), while the MC X5 achieved higher external surface trueness (17.89 ± 2.76 µm). Bur degradation led to distinct error modes - whereas the PM7 exhibited a significant increase in negative deviations (overmilling), the MC X5 predominantly resulted in under-milled surfaces but with less impact from bur degradation. Crown surface roughness also differed between the two SM systems. While a consistent decreasing trend in surface roughness was observed in the MC X5 with repetitive milling cycles, the PM7 showed an initial decline followed by an accelerated increase after the 55th crown. The rate and extent of bur degradation varied by systems, causing distinct impacts on crown quality. Degradation in the PM7 predominantly resulted in adverse over-milling errors, whereas the MC X5 was more likely to cause inadequate material removal. System-specific degradation mechanisms substantially affect the ultimate quality of restorations. Surface roughness initially decreased in both SM systems; however, the systems followed divergent late-stage trajectories - one maintained a downward trend while the other exhibited a U-shaped recovery.
The rapid decay of target signal strength with distance from the sensor presents a key challenge in nanoscale magnetic sensing with the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond, limiting the scope of accessible information as well as the sensitivity and spatial resolution with which that information can be recovered. Here, we introduce a strategy to overcome these limitations by leveraging radical anions formed from rhodamine-derived organic dyes localized to the diamond surface. These radicals, generated through photoreduction, are optically identifiable and persist on time scales exceeding an hour. We experimentally demonstrate their coherent manipulation and detection using single, shallow NV centers for readout. We observe heterogeneity in the local magnetic environments of the photoactivated spins from site to site, likely due to variations in inter-radical dipolar couplings across our measurements. Looking forward, our approach enables correlative nanoscale magnetic/optical imaging and opens new pathways for single-molecule magnetic resonance spectroscopy and quantum many-body simulations in strongly interacting dipolar-coupled spin ensembles.
The persistence of biological material on various substrates over extended periods of time and the visualization of cellular degradation are an important area of consideration in DNA-TPPR research. This study investigates long-term cell persistence of touch deposits and the ability to visualise them on different substrates. A key focus of the study was optimisation of the Diamond Nucleic Acid Dye™ (DD) application to minimise disruption to cells while ensuring effective cell visualisation. Three spray methods were tested across seven distances, with performance evaluated based on fluorescence intensity and the spread of cellular material outside of the deposit circle.Using the optimised method persistence of touch cells on six substrates: glass, plastic, melamine, aluminium, leather, and cotton were assessed at several timepoints up to a year including effect of respraying.Results revealed diminishing and significant variation in. cell persistence across substrates, with cotton and leather displaying lowest persistence. Further, the results of the re-spraying, point to the need for respraying items after initial staining to ensure the best visualisation of cellular material over time. The DNA amounts in the deposits were then assessed, showing that the amount of DNA recovered was considerably less than what would be expected based on the cell counts.This research provides valuable baseline data for forensic caseworkers to prioritise, where possible, sample collection based on substrate-specific cell persistence. Additionally, the study aids the work towards establishing best practices for Diamond Dye™ application to maximise visualisation efficiency with minimal cell disruption.
Diamond-Blackfan Anemia Syndrome (DBAS) is a rare inherited bone marrow failure syndrome diagnosed in early childhood, marked by hypoplastic anemia, congenital anomalies, and increased cancer risk. Most cases involve loss-of-function mutations in ribosomal protein genes, disrupting ribosome biogenesis. We generated iPSC line SANi013-A from a patient with a de novo heterozygous RPS26 c.95-98 duplication. Proerythroblasts derived from peripheral blood were reprogrammed using a non-integrating Sendai virus method. The iPSC line SANi013-A displayed a normal karyotype, expressed pluripotency markers, and differentiated into all three germ layers. This line offers a valuable model for studying DBAS pathogenesis, especially erythropoietic defects.
The rapid growth of computing demand requires high-speed transmission with low power consumption. Micro-light-emitting diodes (micro-LEDs), offering high modulation bandwidth, low-power operation, and array integration, are promising transmitters for next-generation interconnects. Here, we show yellow and red InGaN micro-LEDs, optimized through superlattice strain engineering and a three-period quantum well design, which were transfer-printed onto diamond, with microlenses fabricated by two-photon lithography for coupling optimization. The 20 µm yellow micro-LED achieved an electrical-to-optical bandwidth of 2850.4 MHz at 6.25 A/cm², while the 20 µm red device reached 2593.4 MHz at 50 A/cm². With on-off keying (OOK) modulation through a 1 m fiber link, 20 µm and 40 µm yellow devices achieved 1.5 Gbps at 25 µA (6.25 A/cm²) and 50 µA (3.125 A/cm²), with energy efficiencies of 0.056 pJ/bit and 0.110 pJ/bit, respectively. This study demonstrates the potential of InGaN yellow and red micro-LEDs for energy-efficient high-speed optical interconnects.
The exceptional electrochemical stability of boron-doped diamond (BDD) makes it a promising oxygen evolution reaction (OER) anode in acidic media for proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers; however, its inertness leads to high overpotentials (η). To overcome this activity-stability conflict, we employ atomic-scale interface engineering via single-atom catalysts (SACs) and single-cluster catalysts (SCCs) anchored on BDD. Employing structure prediction and density functional theory (DFT) framework, we screen 28 SACs and 16 SCCs (including α and β isomers). Through stability assessments (formation energies, dissolution potentials, and diffusion barriers), M@BDD and M5@BDD-α/β (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Pt) are identified as promising catalysts following the adsorbate evolution mechanism. Conventional descriptor analysis (ηOER vs ΔG*O-ΔG*OH) reveals a volcano-type activity trend, and ηOER exhibits a strong linear correlation with ΔG*OOH. Crucially, a dynamic reaction pathway is unveiled where proton-coupled electron transfer and *O adsorption on Ni5@BDD-α/β trigger a dramatic reduction in the isomerization barrier, driving a thermodynamically favorable symmetry breaking and establishing a new multicenter bonding-mode. This active site evolution thereby circumvents the rate-determining step identified in static models, achieving a lower η of 0.56 V. This work establishes a design principle for BDD-based catalysts and provides fundamental insight into dynamic active sites.
ERCC6L2 disease (ED) is a rare bone marrow failure syndrome caused by biallelic germline mutations in ERCC6L2. ED leads to the accumulation of somatic TP53 mutations, myelodysplastic syndrome, and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with erythroid predominance and poor prognosis. While ERCC6L2 is implicated in DNA replication and repair, the transcriptomic events underlying delayed erythropoiesis and leukemic progression remain largely undefined. To delineate these processes, we leverage bulk and single-cell transcriptomics of patient fibroblasts, bone marrow, and peripheral blood across disease stages, including single-cell TP53 genotyping. We identify disease-associated erythroid dysregulation and ferroptotic stress emerging prior to TP53 mutation, highlighting an early vulnerability in ED leukemogenesis. We compare ED to Shwachman-Diamond syndrome (SDS) to reveal shared and disease-specific transcriptional programs. TP53 mutations in ED and SDS arise in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells but do not independently drive changes in cell cycle or stress pathways during erythropoiesis, despite harboring distinct germline defects. Both diseases converge in late erythropoiesis into a stress state characterized by ferroptotic signaling, G1 arrest, and BCL2L1 upregulation. As a disease-specific pattern, ED shows aberrant erythroid priming with TP53-driven differentiation arrest shaping progression toward erythroid leukemia. Thereby, we establish the first patient-level single-cell map of ED and provide a curated resource for future work on ED, SDS, and TP53-driven leukemogenesis. Overall, our findings in pre-malignant ED offer a window into early alterations leading to high-risk leukemia.
Report of a case of bilateral recurrent corneal erosion syndrome (RES) resistant to conventional treatment in a patient with epidermolysis bullosa junctional type (EBJ) who was treated successfully with diamond burr keratectomy (DBK). A 34-year-old female with EBJ presented with RES in both eyes unresponsive to intensive lubrication and bandage contact lenses. Given the persistent symptoms, DBK was performed on the left eye in August 2022 and on the right eye in January 2023. Immediate postoperative care included bandage contact lenses, prophylactic antibiotics, and gradual tapering of lubrication therapy. The procedures were uneventful, with complete resolution of symptoms and no recurrence after a follow-up period of up to 30 months. Examination showed clear corneas with intact epithelial integrity. Her visual acuity improved, and lubrication therapy was discontinued. DBK may be considered a safe and effective treatment option for managing refractory RES in patients with EBJ, providing sustained relief where conventional therapies fail.
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People with severe mental illness (SMI) are twice as likely to develop Type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared with people without SMI and have poorer outcomes from T2D. Research evaluating self-management interventions for T2D consistently excludes individuals with SMI, therefore existing offers fail to address the specific needs of this population. The DIAMONDS programme (Diabetes and Mental Illness, Improving Outcomes and Self-management) developed a bespoke supported self-management programme for people with coexisting SMI and T2D. As part of a mixed-methods feasibility study we collected and analysed qualitative data to explore the acceptability of the DIAMONDS intervention. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 service user participants with SMI and T2D, and 10 DIAMONDS Coaches who delivered the intervention. Interviews were informed by the theoretical framework of acceptability and were thematically analysed. Four overarching themes were identified, these included: Recognising and addressing a need-highlighting the importance of the intervention in the context of current gaps in care; 'It's all about person-centred, essentially, isn't it?'-emphasising the role of flexible, individualised delivery in acceptability; Utility of different intervention components-describing how different components were used; Tangible change and beneficial effects- improvements in behaviour and health, including smoking cessation. The DIAMONDS intervention was acceptable for people with SMI and T2D and for DIAMONDS Coaches who were delivering it. A person-centred approach enabled engagement and self-reported behaviour change, but participants needed differing levels of support for behaviour change. These findings informed refinements to the intervention, which will be evaluated in a definitive trial.
We report dinuclear Mn(II) and Co(II) complexes supported by triaryl tetradentate ligands derived from o-phenylenediamide that are flanked by different metal-donor substituents (X = NMe2vs. SMe). Single-crystal XRD data revealed that the Mn complexes (Mn-1 and Mn-2) both possess Mn2N2 diamond cores with relatively similar bond distances, electronic structures, and magnetic properties regardless of the ligand identity. The Co complexes, by contrast, revealed dramatic substituent-dependent differences. Like Mn, the Co complexes were dinuclear, but their core structures varied from open (X = NMe2; no μ-N bridging; Co-1a) to closed (X = SMe; intact Co2N2 diamond core; Co-2), with a second structure isolated with X = NMe2 in between (semi-open core; Co-1b). Of the three structures, Co-2 had the shortest metal-metal distance of 2.4540(8) Å, just at the onset of that expected for Co-Co bonding. Evidence of an appreciable metal-metal interaction in Co-2 was revealed with a unique UV-vis absorption at 516 nm that was assigned to metal-metal charge transfer (MMCT). Moreover, magnetic measurements conducted on Co-2 revealed a magnetic moment of 1.2μB at room temperature, which was much lower than that of other Co and Mn complexes. Active space calculations corroborated the experimental observations and suggested that Co-2 possesses a weak metal-metal bond with a low effective bond order of 0.24. These findings, which are compared to those previously reported for Fe(II) and Cr(II) complexes with the same ligands, reveal the marked influence that metal identity has on the structures, magnetic properties, and metal-metal bonding within this family of triaryl tetradentate ligands.
Single crystals of CsTb(CrO4)2 and CsDy(CrO4)2, where the lanthanide metals are in the trivalent state under ambient conditions, have been investigated under high-pressure conditions on the gigapascal scale utilizing a diamond anvil cell. These compounds were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction in addition to high-pressure solid-state UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and Tb L3-edge high-energy-resolution fluorescence-detected X-ray absorption near-edge structure (HERFD-XANES). The high-pressure UV-vis-NIR spectra reveal strong broadening of the metal-to-ligand charge transfer band to lower energies, associated with a visible color change from yellow to dark red/black. Clear evidence for the stabilization of Tb4+ under high pressure is provided by the appearance of a second edge feature characteristic of Tb4+, starting at 19.62 GPa in the high-pressure L3-edge HERFD-XANES at around 7528 eV. This represents the first example of Tb4+ being stabilized by high pressure and expands upon the limited chemistry of terbium in the tetravalent state.
Zinc selenide (ZnSe) convex aspherical optical components have been widely used because of their excellent optical properties. Single-point diamond turning (SPDT) is the mainstream method for machining of ZnSe aspherical optical surfaces. However, the high brittleness and extremely low fracture toughness of ZnSe make it prone to surface defects such as cracks and pits during the SPDT process, which seriously impair the quality of ultraprecision machined ZnSe surfaces. At present, remarkable achievements have been made in the research on inducing ductile-brittle transition (DBT) to improve the crystal surface quality via the precise control of cutting parameters during the ultraprecision SPDT of ZnSe crystals. Nevertheless, few studies have reported the influence of the ZnSe crystal orientation on the surface quality. The anisotropy of ZnSe crystal grains also exerts a significant impact on the machined surface quality. Therefore, it is crucial to explore the anisotropic cutting mechanism of ultraprecision turning for ZnSe crystals and improve the surface and subsurface quality of ZnSe. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations of different ZnSe crystal planes were combined with gradient ultraprecision turning experiments to systematically investigate the material removal mechanisms of ultraprecision turning for the ZnSe (100), (110), and (111) crystal planes and polycrystalline ZnSe, as well as the effect of cutting depth on the surface quality of different ZnSe crystal planes. The results show that the surface morphologies of different ZnSe crystal planes exhibit distinct differences at the same cutting depth and that the morphologies of different crystal planes also vary at an identical cutting depth. The machined surface quality of ZnSe crystals is significantly affected by the crystal orientation. Among the four crystal planes investigated in the experiments, the machined surface quality is ranked as (110) > (111) > polycrystalline ZnSe > (100).
Tracking small-bodied animals in estuarine environments entails significant technological and analytical challenges. Diamond-backed terrapins are small (max 1.4 kg) turtles that inhabit salt marshes of the eastern U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico. Terrapin movements have been studied with VHF radio telemetry, acoustic telemetry, and mark and recapture methods, which have indicated maximum straight-line movement distances < 10 km and mean home ranges < 1 km2. We deployed 21 Argos satellite tags on adult female terrapins at two sites on Long Island, New York to better understand the spatial ecology of this imperiled species, and to test newly available tracking technology. We processed the location data three ways: (1) we used a location data filter to remove unlikely terrestrial and oceanic locations and applied a state-space model to account for Argos location errors, (2) we applied the state-space model to unfiltered data to determine the effects of not removing unlikely locations, and (3) we used only the highest quality location class 3 (LC 3) locations. We used the data resulting from each of these approaches to calculate four different movement metrics: summer home range size (95% minimum convex polygons (MCPs) and kernel density estimates (50% and 95% KDE, with both reference [href] and least squares cross validation [LSCV] bandwidths)), the total distance traveled from June to August, maximum distance traveled in one day, and daily movement rates. Home ranges estimated from the three processing techniques were similar in size and covered the same spatial areas. Estimates for total distance traveled, daily movement rates, and maximum distance traveled were similar between the state-space modeling techniques, but LC 3 estimated distances were twice as long. Movement metrics and home ranges were similar between the two study sites, despite differences in urbanization and bay size. These results suggest that most movement metrics and home range estimates are fairly insensitive to these different analytical techniques, even at relatively smaller spatial scales. Additionally, our study indicates substantially larger home ranges and longer straight-line movements than VHF telemetry or sonic tag studies, highlighting the utility of satellite tags to improve our understanding of terrapin ecology and conservation.
Fourth-generation synchrotron radiation sources based on diffraction-limited storage rings impose stringent requirements on beamline alignment precision, diagnostic reliability, and real-time monitoring under high-brightness operating conditions. To address these requirements, an integrated fluorescent-target imaging and real-time beam diagnostic platform has been developed at the High Energy Photon Source (HEPS). The system incorporates a radiation-tolerant and ultra-high-vacuum-compatible mechanical assembly with diamond and YAG:Ce scintillators for different heat-load conditions. A distributed multi-camera architecture implemented within the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) areaDetector framework enables synchronized multi-angle monitoring of beam profiles. Key beam parameters are extracted through online image processing and published as EPICS process variables for control-system integration. To support high-throughput diagnostic data handling, the platform further integrates the Mamba Data Worker framework, enabling coordinated multi-target acquisition, HDF5 storage, and automated metadata ingestion into a dedicated HEPS beamline alignment database. Representative deployment demonstrated stable synchronized operation of 13 cameras, with online analysis completed in less than 20 ms and end-to-end latency below 50 ms. These results establish a practical and scalable framework for beamline diagnostics, alignment support, and data-driven optimization at HEPS.
This study demonstrates that high-frequency ultrasound can significantly enhance mass transfer efficiency in a three-phase (gas-liquid-solid) photocatalytic microreactor, improving dye degradation performance. A custom-designed microreactor, consisting of four diamond-shaped mixing chambers, was equipped with piezoelectric plate (PZT) transducers operating at 1.7 MHz, with a nominal input power of 5.1-5.2 W per transducer. The effective acoustic power delivered to the reaction medium was determined using a calorimetric method based on the temperature rise of the liquid, and was found to correspond to 51.3-61.6% of the nominal electrical input power depending on the number of activated PZT transducers. To investigate the synergistic effect between ultrasound and photocatalysis, methylene blue (MB) degradation was evaluated under three operational modes: photocatalysis alone (UV), sonolysis (US), and combined sonophotocatalysis (UV + US). A magnetically recoverable Fe2O3/TiO2 photocatalyst was synthesized and used together with oxygen as the gas phase. Under optimal conditions, the sonophotocatalytic process removed 44.3% of MB, representing a 13% improvement over UV photocatalysis alone and a 55% increase compared with sonolysis. This enhancement was associated with substantial improvements in key performance indicators, including an apparent overall removal coefficient (kORC) of 2470 min-1 and a significantly elevated reaction rate constant under mixed conditions. Statistical analyses using multiple linear regression (MLR) and Pearson correlation confirmed that catalyst dosage had the strongest positive correlation with removal efficiency (r = 0.47, p < 0.01), while flow rate and initial dye concentration negatively influenced performance. The PZT transducer arrangement was also critical: simultaneous activation of three transducers yielded 37.83% removal efficiency, more than doubling the performance of single-transducer configurations. These results demonstrate that high-frequency, plate-type ultrasound integrated into microreactors enhances cavitation, microstreaming, and mass transfer, offering a powerful approach to intensifying triphasic photocatalytic processes and advancing wastewater treatment technologies.
Life expectancy is reduced by 15-20 years for people with severe mental illness (SMI). Many of these deaths result from preventable physical health conditions linked to lack of physical activity. During a supervised physical activity intervention delivered in the community by NHS staff, participants and advisors emphasised the crucial role of community-based physical activity providers, in helping people with SMI maintain their physical activity post intervention. However, community-based physical activity providers often lack guidance or support to engage people with SMI, which may hinder physical activity maintenance for this population. The aim of this project was to co-produce support resources for community-based physical activity providers and NHS professionals, to enhance physical activity engagement among people living with SMI. Support resources were developed using the Double Diamond design framework. 'Data was collected through 32 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with NHS staff trained to deliver a physical activity intervention and community-based activity providers, alongside a national survey of 52 community-based physical activity providers. The results of these informed three co-production workshops involving people with lived experience of SMI. Interviews and survey findings highlighted community providers' willingness to be inclusive, alongside their limited confidence, knowledge, and procedural guidance for supporting people with SMI. These insights informed the co-production of two resources: a practical support booklet and a lived-experience video. We co-produced resources to support community-based physical activity providers in engaging people with SMI. These resources are expected to enhance the impact of physical activity interventions bridging the gap between the NHS and community providers and, when implemented in community settings, improve providers' capacity to create safe and inclusive spaces for physical activity.