Room-temperature growth of high-quality ZnO nanocrystals using a dressed-photon-assisted near-field process

Single-crystalline ZnO nanocrystals were fabricated by room-temperature photo-chemical vapor deposition (PCVD). We further enhanced the growth of high-quality single-crystalline ZnO nanocrystals using dressed photons and phonons (DPPs). This resulted in greater position control and the growth of high-quality ZnO nanocrystals. The ZnO nanocrystals produced with DPPs had excellent cathodoluminescence characteristics, indicating that the near-field PCVD process could be a promising technique for nanophotonic integrated circuit production.     

Proper composition for superconductivity in Pb(Ba, Sr)2(Y, Ca)Cu3O7

Superconductivity and composition analysis of PbBaSr(Y, Ca)Cu₃O_y with fixed ratio of Sr/Ba = 1 were studied. Synthesis condition and superconductivity of Pb(Ba, Sr)₂(Y, Ca)Cu₃O_y with various ratio of Sr/Ba and Ca/Y were also studied. It was found that T_c increased with increasing Ca concentration, and that Sr-rich specimens allowed to contain more Ca. PbBa_0.8Sr_1.2Y_0.6Ca_0.4Cu₃O₇ showed superconductivity with zero-resistance temperature of 42 K, which was higher than PbBaSrY_0.7Ca_0.3Cu₃O₇ with maximum Ca content for Sr/Ba = 1. Decrease in averaged ionic radii of Ba and Sr in Sr-rich compositions would be favorable for the contraction of Cu-O bonds by hole-doping via Ca substitution for Y.     

Effects of downstream magnetic field collimation on ion behavior inelectron cyclotron resonance microwave plasma

Effects of a magnetic held collimation on ion behavior in the downstream region of an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma device are clarified experimentally using a directional ion energy analyzer. The drift energy and its spread of the ion beam observed in the downstream region decrease and the beam temperature increases with the collimating magnetic flux density. Then, the ion temperature measured perpendicular to the axis of the plasma stream slightly decreases. The ion beam is found to be almost parallel to the magnetic field lines, that is, the beam tends to be collimated     

Ultraviolet-A irradiation to the eye modulates intestinal mucosal functions and properties of mast cells in the mouse

We previously reported that topical irradiation of the eye by ultraviolet-B (UVB) activated hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA-A) of the mouse to increase 3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA)-positive melanocytes in the skin by an inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-dependent mechanism. This work demonstrates that irradiation of the eye by ultraviolet-A (UVA) specifically increased DOPA-positive cells in the mucosa of the jejunum and colon of C57BL/6J mice by some HPA- and iNOS-independent mechanism. UVA-induced increase in DOPA-positive cells in the intestine was inhibited by the administration of hexamethonium or prazosin plus propranolol, blockers for the sympathetic nervous system. UVA irradiation of the eye increased DOPA- and histidine decarboxylase (HDC)-positive cells in the intestinal mucosa of both C57BL/6J and WBB6F1/J mice but not in the mutant strain W/Wv of the latter that lack mast cells. UVA irradiation of the eye suppressed the intestinal peristalsis of control, hypophysectomized or iNOS(-/-) C57BL/6J mice by the mechanism that was inhibited by hexamethonium or prazosin plus propranolol. These observations suggest that UVA irradiation of the eye stimulated the sympathetic nervous system to increase the mucosal DOPA- and HDC-positive mast cells and suppressed the peristalsis of the small intestine of the mouse.     

Targeted Delivery using Immunoliposomes with a Lipid-Modified Antibody-Binding Protein

A recombinant antibody-binding protein originating from streptococcal protein G was modified with lipid in a site-directed manner by genetic engineering. The resulting lipoprotein was incorporated into the surface of liposomes by simple mixing. Immunoliposomes were then prepared by binding anti-IgG antibodies molecules onto the surface of proteoliposome via the lipid-anchored streptococcal protein G. Either small fluorophores or fluorescently labeled proteins were encapsulated into prepared immunoliposomes, and these molecular tracers could be delivered into cells whose surfaces were marked with specific antibodies.     

Selection of DNA aptamers recognizing small cell lung cancer using living cell-SELEX

We applied Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment using Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) cells. A DNA aptamer was identified and evaluated by fluorescent confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. Our results showed that the DNA aptamer binds to molecules that exist predominantly on target SCLC cell surfaces compared with other types of SCLC cells.     

Properties of ionic liquids containing silver(I) or protic alkylethylenediamine cations with a bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide anion

Ionic liquids of an N-alkylethylenediamine-silver(I) complex cation (alkyl=hexyl, 2-ethylhexyl, and octyl) or a protic N-alkylethylenediaminium cation (alkyl=butyl, hexyl, 2-ethylhexyl, octyl, decyl, and dodecyl) with a bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide counter anion (Ag-ILs and PILs, respectively) were prepared and their physicochemical properties were investigated. The trend of solidification decreased in the order octyl?hexyl>2-ethylhexyl for the Ag-ILs, and butyl>dodecyl>decyl>octyl>hexyl?2-ethylhexyl for the PILs. The diffusion coefficients of the cations indicated stronger intermolecular interactions in PILs than in the Ag-ILs because of hydrogen-bonding networks, and it has been revealed that the intermolecular interactions increase in the order, hexyl相似文献   

Nanophotonic droplet: a nanometric optical device consisting of size- and number-selective coupled quantum dots

Although recent advances in fabrication technologies have allowed the realization of highly accurate nanometric devices and systems, most approaches still lack uniformity and mass-production capability sufficient for practical use. We have previously demonstrated a novel technique for autonomously coupling heterogeneous quantum dots to induce particular optical responses based on a simple phonon-assisted photocuring method in which a mixture of quantum dots and photocurable polymer is irradiated with light. The cured polymer sequentially encapsulates coupled quantum dots, forming what we call a nanophotonic droplet. Recently, we found that each quantum dot in the mixture is preferably coupled with other quantum dots of similar size due to a size resonance effect of the optical near-field interactions between them. Moreover, every nanophotonic droplet is likely to contain the same number of coupled quantum dots. In this paper, we describe the basic mechanisms of autonomously fabricating nanophotonic droplets, and we examine the size- and number-selectivity of the quantum dots during their coupling process. The results from experiments show the uniformity of the optical properties of mass-produced nanophotonic droplets, revealed by emission from the contained coupled quantum dots, due to the fundamental characteristics of our method.     

Experimental demonstration and stochastic modeling of autonomous formation of nanophotonic droplets

We have previously demonstrated a novel technique for autonomously forming a nanophotonic droplet, which is micro-scale spherical polymer structure that contains paired heterogeneous nanometric components. The sort-selectivity and alignment accuracy of the nanometric components in each nanophotonic droplet, and the related homogeneity of the optical function, are due to a characteristic pairing process based on a phonon-assisted photo-curing method. The proposed method requires irradiating a mixture of components with light to induce optical near-field interactions between each component, and subsequent processes based on these interactions. The pairing yield of components via the interactions is considered to mainly depend on the frequency of their encounters and the size-resonance effect between encountered components. In this paper, we model these two factors by individual stochastic procedures and construct a numerical model to describe the pairing process. Agreement between the results of numerical and experimental demonstrations shows the validity of our stochastic modeling.     

Observation of subcellular nanostructure of single neurons with an illumination mode photon scanning tunneling microscope

We report about the observation of microtubules lying underneath the cell membrane of neural process in neurons with a resolution as high as that of an electron microscope by an illumination mode photon scanning tunneling microscope. Nanoapertures used in our observations were fabricated by means of selective chemical etching and metal coating of an optical fiber. The narrowest observed tube has got an average diameter of 26 nm. Comparing this with its nominal value of 25 nm, the difference which is considered as a measure of resolution (δ) is 1 nm implying a resolution comparable to that of an electron microscope in imaging dielectric specimens. This was possible due to the presence of a boundary between the glass and the metal coating and also due to the use of an aperture of almost the same size as that of the microtubule that enhances the detection.