Synthesis of fluorescent oligonucleotide--EYFP conjugate: towards supramolecular construction of semisynthetic biomolecular antennae

A novel species of DNA--protein conjugate was synthesized by chemically linking DNA oligonucleotides to Aequorea victoria green fluorescent protein mutant EYFP. An additional cysteine was added to the C-terminus of the EYFP by genetic engineering and used to covalently attach amino-modified oligonucleotide with the aid of the heterobifunctional crosslinker sSMCC. EYFP maintained its fluorescence upon conjugation. The oligonucleotide provides an additional binding site to the fluorescent protein, and hence, the EYFP conjugate could be specifically hybridized with both complementary DNA-protein conjugates in-solution as well as immobilized at capture oligonucleotides attached to a solid substrate. These studies are paving the way for future applications in the self-assembly of photoactive supramolecular complexes, such as artificial light-harvesting systems.     

B-CALM: An open-source GPU-based 3D-FDTD with multi-pole dispersion for plasmonics

Numerical calculations with finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) on metallic nanostructures in a broad optical spectrum require an accurate approximation of the permittivity of dispersive materials. In this paper, we present the algorithms behind B-CALM (Belgium-California Light Machine), an open-source 3D-FDTD solver operating on Graphical Processing Units with multi-pole dispersion models. Our modified architecture shows a reduction in computing times for multi-pole dispersion models. We benchmark B-CALM by computing the absorption efficiency of a metallic nanosphere on a broad spectral range with a six-poles Drude-Lorentz model and compare it with Mie theory.

     

Effective Nonlocal Euclidean Gravity

A nonlocal form of the effective gravitational action could cure the unboundedness of euclidean gravity with Einstein action. On sub-horizon length scales the modified gravitational field equations seem compatible with all present tests of general relativity and post-Newtonian gravity. They induce a difference in the effective Newtonian constant between regions of space with vanishing or nonvanishing curvature scalar (or Ricci tensor). In cosmology they may lead to a value < 1 for the critical density after inflation. The simplest model considered here appears to be in conflict with nucleosynthesis, but generalizations consistent with all cosmological observations seem conceivable.     

Imaging spin-reorientation transitions in consecutive atomic Co layers on Ru(0001)

By means of spin-polarized low-energy electron microscopy, we show that the magnetic easy axis of one to three atomic-layer thick cobalt films on Ru(0001) changes its orientation twice during deposition: One-monolayer and three-monolayer thick films are magnetized in plane, while two-monolayer films are magnetized out of plane. The Curie temperatures of films thicker than one monolayer are well above room temperature. Fully relativistic calculations based on the screened Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method demonstrate that only for two-monolayer cobalt films does the interplay between strain, surface, and interface effects lead to perpendicular magnetization.     

Linking confinement to spectral properties of the dirac operator

We represent Polyakov loops and their correlators as spectral sums of eigenvalues and eigenmodes of the lattice Dirac operator. The deconfinement transition of pure gauge theory is characterized as a change in the response of moments of eigenvalues to varying the boundary conditions of the Dirac operator. We argue that the potential between static quarks is linked to spatial correlations of Dirac eigenvectors.     

How can nanobiotechnology oversight advance science and industry: examples from environmental,health, and safety studies of nanoparticles (nano-EHS)

Nanotechnology has great potential to transform science and industry in the fields of energy, material, environment, and medicine. At the same time, more concerns are being raised about the occupational health and safety of nanomaterials in the workplace and the implications of nanotechnology on the environment and living systems. Studies on environmental, health, and safety (EHS) issues of nanomaterials have a strong influence on public acceptance of nanotechnology and, eventually, affect its sustainability. Oversight and regulation by government agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play significant roles in ensuring responsible and environmentally friendly development of nanotechnology. The EHS studies of nanomaterials can provide data and information to help the development of regulations and guidelines. We present research results on three aspects of EHS studies: physico-chemical characterization and measurement of nanomaterials; emission, exposure, and toxicity of nanomaterials; and control and abatement of nanomaterial releases using filtration technology. Measurement of nanoparticle agglomerates using a newly developed instrument, the Universal NanoParticle Analyzer (UNPA), is discussed. Exposure measurement results for silicon nanoparticles in a pilot scale production plant are presented, as well as exposure measurement and toxicity study of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Filtration studies of nanoparticle agglomerates are also presented as an example of emission control methods.     

Studies of the out-of-plane emission of pions in symmetric heavy-ion collisions

Triple differential cross-sections of midrapidity pions from ²⁰⁹Bi+²⁰⁹Bi collisions were measured with the Kaon Spectrometer at SIS at incident energies of 400, 700 and 1000 AMeV. The azimuthal emission pattern of the pions has been investigated in dependence of beam energy and impact parameter. An enhanced emission of pions perpendicular to the reaction plane is observed. The strength of the anisotropy increases with beam energy and pion transverse momentum. In contrast to the nucleons the anisotropy varies only little with the impact parameter. No difference in the behaviour of positive and negative pions is observed.     

Trapped ion chain as a neural network: error resistant quantum computation

We demonstrate the possibility of realizing a neural network in a chain of trapped ions with induced long range interactions. Such models permit one to store information distributed over the whole system. The storage capacity of such a network, which depends on the phonon spectrum of the system, can be controlled by changing the external trapping potential. We analyze the implementation of error resistant universal quantum information processing in such systems.