Abstract: A method for laser-processing a metallic surface to produce a functionalized metallic surface comprises: providing a material substrate having the surface; and applying a pulsed laser beam to a region of the surface, the pulsed laser beam being applied at a non-normal angle to the surface, wherein material in the region of the surface ablates due to the applied pulsed laser beam and wherein at least a portion of the ablated material redeposits on the surface to produce one or more material-coated structures angled at the non-normal angle with respect to the surface, wherein the surface having the one or more material-coated structures is the functionalized surface. The functionalized metallic surface has broadband directional emissivity independent of polarization.

Abstract: A method for laser-processing a metallic surface to produce a functionalized metallic surface comprises: providing a substrate having the metallic surface; applying a pulsed laser beam with a controlled fluence to a region of the metallic surface in an environment containing oxygen, wherein metal material in the region of the metallic surface ablates due to the applied pulsed laser beam and wherein at least a portion of the ablated metal material oxidizes and redeposits on the metallic surface to produce one or more oxidized-metal-coated structures; wherein the metallic surface having the one or more oxidized-metal-coated structures is the functionalized metallic surface. Optionally, the functionalized metallic surface has a higher hemispherical emissivity than the metallic surface free of the oxidized-metal-coated structures and prior to applying the pulsed laser beam under otherwise identical conditions.

Abstract: There is provided an optical waveguide comprising: a periodic component comprising a plurality of material elements (101) arranged to receive radiation; and a plurality of tapered waveguides (103), wherein each material element is respectively coupled to a tapered waveguide which tapers outwardly from the material element. The device works as a broadband absorber.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining at least one secondary hyperparathyroidism risk factor (“SHPT”) for a patient is implemented using a risk evaluation computer system in communication with a memory. The method includes receiving a plurality of demographic data associated with a patient from a mobile computing device, receiving a concentration of a renal filtration marker associated with the patient from the mobile computing device, and determining at least one SHPT risk factor for the patient based on the plurality of demographic data and the concentration of the renal filtration marker using at least one estimating equation, the SHPT risk factor indicating a likelihood that the patient has SHPT.