Enhanced ethanol sensing properties of WO3 modified TiO2 nanorods

Pristine and WO₃ decorated TiO₂ nanorods (NRs) were synthesised to investigate n-n-type heterojunction gas sensing properties. TiO₂ NRs were fabricated via hydrothermal method on fluorine-doped tin oxide coated glass (FTO) substrates. Then, tungsten was sputtered on the TiO₂ NRs and thermally oxidised to obtain WO₃ nanoparticles. The heterostructure was characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. Fabricated sensor devices were exposed to VOCs such as toluene, xylene, acetone and ethanol, and humidity at different operation temperatures. Experimental results demonstrated that the heterostructure has better sensor response toward ethanol at 200 °C. Enhanced sensing properties are attributed to the heterojunction formation by decorating TiO₂ NRs with WO₃.     

Breathers in two-dimensional neural media

In this Letter we show how nontrivial forms of spatially localized oscillations or breathers can occur in two-dimensional excitable neural media with short-range excitation and long-range inhibition. The basic dynamical mechanism involves a Hopf bifurcation of a stationary pulse solution in the presence of a spatially localized input. Such an input could arise from external stimuli or reflect changes in the excitability of local populations of neurons as a precursor for epileptiform activity. The resulting dynamical instability breaks the underlying radial symmetry of the stationary pulse, leading to the formation of a nonradially symmetric breather. The number of breathing lobes is consistent with the order of the dominant unstable Fourier mode associated with perturbations of the stationary pulse boundary.     

Phenolic compounds,essential oil composition,and antioxidant activity of Angelica purpurascens (Avé-Lall.) Gill

In this study, methanol extracts (MEs) and essential oil (EO) of Angelica purpurascens (Avé-Lall.) Gill obtained from different parts (root, stem, leaf, and seed) were evaluated in terms of antioxidant activity, total phenolics, compositions of phenolic compound, and essential oil with the methods of 2,2-azino-bis(3ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS•⁺), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH•) radical scavenging activities, and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP), the Folin–Ciocalteu, liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry (LC−MS/MS), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC−MS), respectively. The root extract of A. purpurascens exhibited the highest ABTS•⁺, DPPH•, and FRAP activities (IC₅₀: 0.05 ± 0.0001 mg/mL, IC₅₀: 0.06 ± 0.002 mg/mL, 821.04 ± 15.96 µM TEAC (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity), respectively). Moreover, EO of A. purpurascens root displayed DPPH• scavenging activity (IC₅₀: 2.95 ± 0.084 mg/mL). The root extract had the highest total phenolic content (438.75 ± 16.39 GAE (gallic acid equivalent), µg/mL)). Twenty compounds were identified by LC−MS/MS. The most abundant phenolics were ferulic acid (244.39 ± 15.64 μg/g extract), benzoic acid (138.18 ± 8.84 μg/g extract), oleuropein (78.04 ± 4.99 μg/g extract), and rutin (31.21 ± 2.00 μg/g extract) in seed, stem, root, and leaf extracts, respectively. According to the GC−MS analysis, the major components were determined as α-bisabolol (22.93%), cubebol (14.39%), α-pinene (11.63%), and α-limonene (9.41%) among 29 compounds. Consequently, the MEs and EO of A. purpurascens can be used as a natural antioxidant source.     

Oscillatory waves in inhomogeneous neural media

In this Letter we show that an inhomogeneous input can induce wave propagation failure in an excitatory neural network due to the pinning of a stationary front or pulse solution. A subsequent reduction in the strength of the input can lead to a Hopf instability of the stationary solution resulting in breatherlike oscillatory waves.     

New patterns of activity in a pair of interacting excitatory-inhibitory neural fields

In this Letter, we study stationary bump solutions in a pair of interacting excitatory-inhibitory (E-I) neural fields in one dimension. We demonstrate the existence of localized bump solutions of persistent activity that can be maintained by the pair of interacting layers when a stationary bump is not supported by either layer in isolation--a scenario which may be relevant as a mechanism for the persistent activity associated with working memory in the prefrontal cortex and may explain why bumps are not seen in in vitro slice preparations. Furthermore, we describe a new type of stationary bump solution arising from a pitchfork bifurcation which produces a stationary bump in each layer with a spatial offset that increases with the bifurcation parameter.     

CHARACTERIZATION OF NANOSTRUCTURES:TOOLS AND CHALLENGES

Apart from long-known and applied nanostructures like carbon black for tyres or pigments for coatings nanotechnology has created highly sophisticated structures used for nano/molecular electronics,diagnostics,drug delivery, UV-absorbers etc.Often the main question to be solved analytically is the local determination of tiny amounts of chemicals resulting in an ever increasing need for highly sensitive as well as locally resolved techniques.Applications of techniques like mass spectroscopy,transmission el...     

Photochromic and fluorescence properties of coumarin fulgimides

Four new fulgimides possessing a fluorescent coumarin unit were synthesized from the corresponding fulgides, and their photochromic as well as fluorescence properties were investigated. The open-ring forms of coumarin fulgimides were found to exhibit fluorescence in the visible region. Upon exposure to UV light, the fulgimides were transformed into the nonfluorescent closed-ring forms, which can be reverted to the initial fluorescent open-ring forms on exposure to visible light. The efficiency of quenching of fluorescence was as high as 95% at the photostationary state of UV irradiation.     

掺杂Eu2O3的SrTiO3及SnO2光致发光

用具有大能隙的本征半导体(SrTiO₃及SnO₂)粉末作本体,分别掺杂1%(原子百分数)的Eu₂O₃;所得物质表现出Eu³⁺离子的线发射光谱特性,但相对发光强度及光谱形状有相当大的变化。X射线衍射结构分析显示Eu³⁺在SrTiO₃晶格里是处在间隙位置,而它在SnO₂晶格里则形成新物相Eu₂Sn₂O₇。     

FLUORESCENCE ENERGY TRANSFER BETWEEN DIMETHYLDIAZAPEROPYRENIUM DICATION AND ETHIDIUM INTERCALATED IN POLY d(A-T)

Dimethyldiazaperopyrenium is one of the largest known DNA intercalators. Fluorescence energy transfer occurred between dimethyldiazaperopyrenium (donor) and ethidium (acceptor) when these dyes were bound to a double-stranded polynucleotide such as poly d(A-T). The addition of increasing amounts of ethidium bromide led to a marked shortening of the fluorescence lifetime of the donor, whereas the excited state of the acceptor was progressively populated via energy transfer from the donor. Critical Förster distance between these two chromophores was calculated to be 3.8 nm. The observed transfer efficiency was lower than that calculated on the basis of this critical distance and a statistical distribution of bound drugs. These results are discussed taking into account the conformational change induced by intercalation of dimethyldiazaperopyrenium in the double-stranded polynucleotide.