UP-conversion of terahertz radiation induced by photon drag effect

An all-optical approach to convert terahertz radiation (THz, wavelength λ₁) into infrared (IR, peak wavelength λ₂) is presented. We show that this up-conversion process is due to the photon drag effect induced by the THz radiation in intrinsic narrow-gap semiconductors followed by spatial redistribution of current carriers and band-to-band radiative recombination. The process results in non-selective high-speed (ns range rise/fall times) IR imaging of positive (conventional luminescence) and/or negative (negative luminescence) contrasts. Estimates made for an InSb pixelless converter at 300 K and moderate THz intensity (kW/cm²) show that this up-conversion process (with λ₁/λ₂>10²) can be observed with a conventional thermal imaging camera.     

Rigidity of Branch Groups Acting on Rooted Trees

Automorphisms of groups acting faithfully on rooted trees are studied. We find conditions under which every automorphism of such a group is induced by a conjugation from the full automorphism group of the rooted tree. These results are applied to known examples such as Grigorchuk groups, Gupta–Sidki group, etc.     

Spectral Properties of Image Measures Under the Infinite Conflict Interaction

We introduce the conflict interaction with two positions between a couple of image probability measures and consider the associated dynamical system. We prove the existence of invariant limiting measures and find the criteria for these measures to be a pure point, absolutely continuous, or singular cotinuous as well as to have any topological type and arbitary Hausdorff dimension.     

A stereoselective synthesis of asymmetrically substituted calix[4]arenecarbamates

Calix[4]arenes bearing a methoxy and an R or S α-phenylethylacetamido group at the narrow rim of macrocycles are stereoselectively acylated with 1 equiv of trichloroacetyl isocyanate to give chiral asymmetrically substituted calix[4]arenecarbamates in preparative yields and high diastereomeric excess.     

Identification of extracellular nanoparticle subsets by nuclear magnetic resonance

Exosomes are a subset of secreted lipid envelope-encapsulated extracellular vesicles (EVs) of 50–150 nm diameter that can transfer cargo from donor to acceptor cells. In the current purification protocols of exosomes, many smaller and larger nanoparticles such as lipoproteins, exomers and microvesicles are typically co-isolated as well. Particle size distribution is one important characteristics of EV samples, as it reflects the cellular origin of EVs and the purity of the isolation. However, most of the physicochemical analytical methods today cannot illustrate the smallest exosomes and other small particles like the exomers. Here, we demonstrate that diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method enables the determination of a very broad distribution of extracellular nanoparticles, ranging from 1 to 500 nm. The range covers sizes of all particles included in EV samples after isolation. The method is non-invasive, as it does not require any labelling or other chemical modification. We investigated EVs secreted from milk as well as embryonic kidney and renal carcinoma cells. Western blot analysis and immuno-electron microscopy confirmed expression of exosomal markers such as ALIX, TSG101, CD81, CD9, and CD63 in the EV samples. In addition to the larger particles observed by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) in the range of 70–500 nm, the DOSY distributions include a significant number of smaller particles in the range of 10–70 nm, which are visible also in transmission electron microscopy images but invisible in NTA. Furthermore, we demonstrate that hyperpolarized chemical exchange saturation transfer (Hyper-CEST) with ¹²⁹Xe NMR indicates also the existence of smaller and larger nanoparticles in the EV samples, providing also additional support for DOSY results. The method implies also that the Xe exchange is significantly faster in the EV pool than in the lipoprotein/exomer pool.

Diffusion and xenon NMR based methods to determine a very broad range of sizes and sub-sets of extracellular vesicles.     

Pattern formation in nonextensive thermodynamics: selection criterion based on the Renyi entropy production

We analyze a system of two different types of Brownian particles confined in a cubic box with periodic boundary conditions. Particles of different types annihilate when they come into close contact. The annihilation rate is matched by the birth rate, thus the total number of each kind of particles is conserved. When in a stationary state, the system is divided by an interface into two subregions, each occupied by one type of particles. All possible stationary states correspond to the Laplacian eigenfunctions. We show that the system evolves towards those stationary distributions of particles which minimize the Renyi entropy production. In all cases, the Renyi entropy production decreases monotonically during the evolution despite the fact that the topology and geometry of the interface exhibit abrupt and violent changes.     

Poly[μ2‐chloro‐μ2‐1,4‐oxathiane‐κ2S:S‐copper(I)]

The title complex, [CuCl(C₄H₈OS)]_n, contains infinite spiral (CuS)_n chains linked by bridging Cl atoms into layers. The Cl atoms do not form polymeric fragments with Cu^I, but combine into isolated centrosymmetric Cu₂Cl₂ units. The compound is non‐isomorphous with the Br‐containing analogue, which contains Cu₈S₈ rings linked by Br atoms into chains. The O atom of the 1,4‐oxathiane mol­ecule does not realize its coordination abilities in the known copper(I)–halide complexes, while in copper(II)–halide complexes, oxathiane is coordinated via the S and O atoms. This falls into a pattern of the preferred inter­actions, viz. weak acid (Cu^I atom) with weak base (S atom) and harder acid (Cu^II atom) with harder base (O atom).     

Diastereospecific ring cleavage of bornane-2,3-dione in the Bucherer-Bergs reaction

A novel regio- and diastereospecific ring cleavage of bornane-2,3-dione (camphor quinone) under Bucherer-Bergs reaction conditions has been investigated. The simplicity of this transformation provides a novel and straightforward synthetic pathway to enantiopure derivatives of cyclopentane carboxylic acid as well as functionalized hydantoins in just two steps, starting from inexpensive and easily available camphor.