Differential optical absorption spectroscopy measurement of CO2 using a nanosecond white light continuum

We built a differential optical absorption spectroscopy system to measure near-surface CO2 absorption in the atmosphere using a nanosecond white light continuum. The white light laser can cover wavelengths ranging from 420 to 2400 nm, where the CO2 and H2O absorption lines are located. At an optical path length of 568 m, it was possible to evaluate atmospheric CO2 concentration from absorption bands of CO2 and H2O in the vicinity of 2000 nm detected by broadband white light simultaneously.     

On the geometry of multi-Dirac structures and Gerstenhaber algebras

In a companion paper, we introduced a notion of multi-Dirac structures, a graded version of Dirac structures, and we discussed their relevance for classical field theories. In the current paper we focus on the geometry of multi-Dirac structures. After recalling the basic definitions, we introduce a graded multiplication and a multi-Courant bracket on the space of sections of a multi-Dirac structure, so that the space of sections has the structure of a Gerstenhaber algebra. We then show that the graph of a k$k$-form on a manifold gives rise to a multi-Dirac structure and also that this multi-Dirac structure is integrable if and only if the corresponding form is closed. Finally, we show that the multi-Courant bracket endows a subset of the ring of differential forms with a graded Poisson bracket, and we relate this bracket to some of the multisymplectic brackets found in the literature.     

Approach for growth of high-quality and large protein crystals

Three crystallization methods for growing large high-quality protein crystals, i.e. crystallization in the presence of a semi-solid agarose gel, top-seeded solution growth (TSSG) and a large-scale hanging-drop method, have previously been presented. In this study the effectiveness of crystallization in the presence of a semi-solid agarose gel has been further evaluated by crystallizing additional proteins in the presence of 2.0% (w/v) agarose gel, resulting in complete gelification with high mechanical strength. In TSSG the seed crystals are hung by a seed holder protruding from the top of the growth vessel to prevent polycrystallization. In the large-scale hanging-drop method, a cut pipette tip was used to maintain large-scale droplets consisting of protein-precipitant solution. Here a novel crystallization method that combines TSSG and the large-scale hanging-drop method is reported. A large and single crystal of lysozyme was obtained by this method.     

Theoretical DFT study of the structure and chemical activity of small indium(III) oxide clusters

The B3LYP/Lanl2dz and B3LYP/SDD levels of DFT have been used to describe the structural properties of small stoichiometric indium(III) oxide clusters. It was shown that the most stable structures for the monomer and dimer are linear and cubic, respectively, in origin. The most stable trimer is due to the formation of three eight-membered and two six-membered rings with alternation of In and O atoms. Among neutral and monocation tetrameric structures, formation of an ??arrowhead?? isomer is energetically less favorable than the global minimum structure that has eight six-membered and six four-membered rings. In the pentamer and octamer, a few centers of higher coordination number and a variety of In?CO bond lengths are observed. The other centers cannot be fitted to the characteristic bixbyite structure, however, so the larger octamer cannot be a good model for mimicking the properties of the In₂O₃ crystal structure. An H-terminated cluster model consisting of In₁₃O₂₇H₁₅ is proposed that well describes basic features of indium oxide and tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) structures.     

Supramolecular hybrid of metal nanoparticles and semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes wrapped by a fluorene-carbazole copolymer

The first approach for the preparation of metal nanoparticle/semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) hybrids with specified chirality is described. For this purpose, a copolymer of a fluorene derivative with two long-chain alkyl substituents and a carbazole derivative carrying a thiol group was used. The copolymer was found to selectively dissolve (7,6)- and (8,7)SWNTs, as determined by UV/Vis/NIR absorption and Raman spectroscopy and 2D photoluminescence mapping. Gold and silver nanoparticles with diameters of about 3.8 and about 3.2 nm, respectively, were readily attached along the SWNTs by means of coordination bonds between the nanoparticles and the thiol moieties on the copolymer, as revealed by atomic force and electron microscopy studies. The study provides a novel way to design and fabricate metal nanoparticle/semiconducting SWNT hybrids with specific nanotube chirality.     

Measurement of orientation crystallization rates of linear polymers by means of dynamic X-ray diffraction technique. II. Frequency dispersion of strain-induced crystallization coefficient of natural rubber vulcanizates in subsonic range

The orientation crystallization behavior of natural rubber vulcanizates was investigated by means of a dynamic X-ray diffraction technique utilizing the half-circle sector technique. The frequency dependence of dynamic diffraction intensities from diatropic and paratropic crystal planes, (002) and (200) planes, was observed over a frequency range from 10^?3 to 10¹ Hz as a function of temperature, degree of cross-linking, static extension ratio, and dynamic strain amplitude.

The frequency dependence of the dynamic X-ray diffraction gives two dispersion regions around 10^?2 and 10^?1 Hz. The phase angle between the dynamic X-ray diffraction and dynamic strain of a bulk specimen is definitely positive; i.e., the dynamic strain of the specimen is always behind the dynamic orientation crystallization.

The frequency dispersion at low frequencies, around 1WZ Hz is very obvious for the (200) crystal plane and shifts somewhat to higher frequencies under those conditions that increase the mobility of self-diffusion of rubber molecules, i.e., increase of temperature and decreases of extension ratio and degree of cross-linking. The frequency dispersion at high frequencies, around 10¹ Hz, is rather obvious for the (002) crystal plane and does not shift appreciably under the experimental conditions.     

Tuning the work function of graphene with the adsorbed organic molecules: first-principles calculations

We have investigated the energetics and work function (WF) of graphene (GR) with depositing pentacene (C₂₂H₁₄, PEN) and perfluorinated pentacene (C₂₂F₁₄, PFP) using the electronic structure calculations based on the density functional theory with van der Waals (vdW) corrections. Both molecules are adsorbed on GR in flat-laying form with the height of 3.2 Å through vdW interaction, and no explicit exchange of electrons was found between GR and adsorbed molecules. However, we found charge redistribution in the surface to interface region and this brings about the vacuum level shifts, Δ = ?0.06 eV for PEN and Δ = +0.10 eV for PFP, demonstrating that the work function of GR can be tuned by the physisorption of organic molecules.     

The networks from medical knowledge and clinical practice have small-world,scale-free,and hierarchical features

Here, we constructed and analyzed a network (henceforth, “medical knowledge network”) derived from a commonly used medical text. We show that this medical knowledge network has small-world, scale-free, and hierarchical features. We then constructed a network from data from a hospital information system that reflected actual clinical practice and found that this network also had small-world, scale-free, and hierarchical features. Moreover, we found that both the diagnosis frequency distribution of the hospital network and the diagnosis degree distribution of the medical knowledge network obeyed a similar power law. These findings suggest that the structure of clinical practice may emerge from the mutual influence of medical knowledge and clinical practice, and that the analysis of a medical knowledge network may facilitate the investigation of the characteristics of medical practice.