Pulse propagation in an autoionization medium with double Fano profile

We discuss the propagation of a short laser pulse in an auto- ionizing (AI) medium with degenerate double Fano model. By solving numerically the coupled equations for atoms and fields we show that by the proper choice of Fano parameters involved in the problem (contrary to the case considered in (E. Paspalakis, N. J. Kylstra, and P. L. Knight, Phys. Rev. A60 (1999)) we have now two Fano asymmetry parameters) one can eliminate almost completely the absorption in the pulse propagation. It means that we have the transparency in the medium. From the connection between population trapping in short pulsed laser field and transparency in the propagation of the laser pulse which has been fixed by Paspalakis et al., Phys. Rev. A60 (1999) we conclude that this proper choice leads to the presence of the population trapping (or the existence of the “dark” states) in the atomic system. Moreover, instead of one value of the laser detuning for which the dark states exist in the case of one AI level, we find numerically two such values in the case of two AI levels.     

Quantum non-demolition measurement of photon number using weak nonlinearities

We propose an alternative method for the quantum non-demolition measurement of photon numbers wherein weak cross-Kerr nonlinearities are to be used. The usual approach to quantum non-demolition measurements of quantum number involves encoding the photon number, through a cross-Kerr interaction, into a phase shift of a probe coherent state which is then detected through balanced homodyning. Weak nonlinearities produce small phase shifts which are difficult to detect and distinguish. In the method we propose, unbalanced homodyning acts as a displacement operator on the probe beam coherent state such that the cross-Kerr interaction encodes the photon number into the amplitude of a new coherent state. The value of the photon number can be determined by inefficient photon counting on the new coherent state. Our proposed method requires fewer resources than does the usual approach.     

Combined effect of the perpendicular magnetic field and dilute charged impurity on the electronic phase of bilayer AA-stacked hydrogenated graphene

We address the electronic phase engineering in the impurity-infected functionalized bilayer graphene with hydrogen atoms (H-BLG) subjected to a uniform Zeeman magnetic field, employing the tight-binding model, the Green's function technique, and the Born approximation. In particular, the key point of the present work is focused on the electronic density of states (DOS) in the vicinity of the Fermi energy. By exploiting the perturbative picture, we figure out that how the interaction and/or competition between host electrons, guest electrons, and the magnetic field potential can lead to the phase transition in H-BLG. Furthermore, different configurations of hydrogenation, namely reduced table-like and reduced chair-like, are also considered when impurities are the same and/or different. A comprehensive information on the various configurations provides the semimetallic and gapless semiconducting behaviors for unfunctionalized bilayer graphene and H-BLGs, respectively. Further numerical calculations propose a semimetal-to-metal and gapless semiconductor-to-semimetal phase transition, respectively, when only turning on the magnetic field. Interestingly, the results indicate that the impurity doping alone affects the systems as well, leading to semimetal-to-metal and no phase transition in the pristine system and hydrogenated ones, respectively. However, the combined effect of charged impurity and magnetic field shows that the pristine bilayer graphene is not influenced much as the functionalized ones and phase back transitions appear. Tuning of the electronic phase of H-BLG by using both types of electronic and magnetic perturbations play a decisive role in optical responses.     

Nonlinear spectral-spatial control and localization of supercontinuum radiation

We present the first observation of spatiospectral control and localization of supercontinuum light through the nonlinear interaction of spectral components in extended periodic structures. We use an array of optical waveguides in a LiNbO3 crystal and employ the interplay between diffraction and nonlinearity to dynamically control the output spectrum of the supercontinuum radiation. This effect presents an efficient scheme for optically tunable spectral filtering of supercontinua.     

Multichannel vector sum phase shifter

A novel multichannel vector sum phase shifter that is suitable for phased array antenna applications is demonstrated. Each channel is implemented using a distinct optical wavelength. Selective control of each channel is performed using an acousto-optic polarization coupler. The concept is successfully demonstrated for two individually controlled channels. For each channel, a continuously variable frequency linear phase shift is demonstrated between DC and 7 GHz, with the phasing range exceeding 100 degrees.     

Facile synthesis of SnO2–ZnO core–shell nanowires for enhanced ethanol-sensing performance

The design of core–shell heteronanostructures is powerful tool to control both the gas selectivity and the sensitivity due to their hybrid properties. In this work, the SnO₂–ZnO core–shell nanowires (NWs) were fabricated via two-step process comprising the thermal evaporation of the single crystalline SnO₂ NWs core and the spray-coating of the grainy polycrystalline ZnO shell for enhanced ethanol sensing performance. The as-obtained products were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and photoluminescence. The ethanol gas-sensing properties of pristine SnO₂ and ZnO–SnO₂ core–shell NW sensors were studied and compared. The gas response to 500 ppm ethanol of the core–shell NW sensor increased to 33.84, which was 12.5-fold higher than that of the pristine SnO₂ NW sensor. The selectivity of the core–shell NW sensor also improved. The response to 100 ppm ethanol was about 14.1, whereas the response to 100 ppm liquefied petroleum gas, NH₃, H₂, and CO was smaller, and ranged from 2.5 to 5.3. This indicates that the core–shell heterostructures have great potential for use as gas sensing materials.     

Target Design of Novel Histone Deacetylase 6 Selective Inhibitors with 2-Mercaptoquinazolinone as the Cap Moiety

Epigenetic alterations found in all human cancers are promising targets for anticancer therapy. In this sense, histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) are interesting anticancer agents that play an important role in the epigenetic regulation of cancer cells. Here, we report 15 novel hydroxamic acid-based histone deacetylase inhibitors with quinazolinone core structures. Five compounds exhibited antiproliferative activity with IC₅₀ values of 3.4–37.8 µM. Compound 8 with a 2-mercaptoquinazolinone cap moiety displayed the highest antiproliferative efficacy against MCF-7 cells. For the HDAC6 target selectivity study, compound 8 displayed an IC₅₀ value of 2.3 µM, which is 29.3 times higher than those of HDAC3, HDAC4, HDAC8, and HDAC11. Western blot assay proved that compound 8 strongly inhibited tubulin acetylation, a substrate of HDAC6. Compound 8 also displayed stronger inhibition activity against HDAC11 than the control drug Belinostat. The inhibitory mechanism of action of compound 8 on HDAC enzymes was then explored using molecular docking study. The data revealed a high binding affinity (−7.92 kcal/mol) of compound 8 toward HDAC6. In addition, dock pose analysis also proved that compound 8 might serve as a potent inhibitor of HDAC11.     

Synthesis of Polyanionic Cellulose Carbamates by Homogeneous Aminolysis in an Ionic Liquid/DMF Medium

Polyanionic cellulose carbamates were synthesized by rapid and efficient homogeneous aminolysis of cellulose carbonate half-esters in an ionic liquid/DMF medium. Cellulose bis-2,3-O-(3,5-dimethylphenyl carbamate), as a model compound, reacted with different chloroformates to cellulose carbonates. These intermediates were subjected to aminolysis, for which both the reactivity of different chloroformates towards C6-OH and the reactivity/suitability of the respective carbonate half-ester in the aminolysis were comprehensively studied. Phenyl chloroformate and 4-chlorophenyl chloroformate readily reacted with C6-OH of the model cellulose derivative, while 4-nitrophenyl chloroformate did not. The intermediate 4-chlorophenyl carbonate derivative with the highest DS (1.05) was then used to evaluate different aminolysis pathways, applying three different amines (propargyl amine, β-alanine, and taurine) as reactants. The latter two zwitterionic compounds are only sparingly soluble in pure DMF as the typical reaction medium for aminolysis; therefore, several alternative procedures were suggested, carefully evaluated, and critically compared. Solubility problems with β-alanine and taurine were overcome by the binary solvent system DMF/[EMIM]OAc (1:1, v/v), which was shown to be a promising medium for rapid and efficient homogeneous aminolysis and for the preparation of the corresponding cellulose carbamate derivatives or other compounds that are not accessible by conventional isocyanate chemistry. The zwitterionic cellulose carbamate derivatives presented in this work could be promising chiral cation exchangers for HPLC enantiomer separations.     

Use of a simple surface-active initiator in controlled/living free-radical miniemulsion polymerization under AGET and ARGET ATRP conditions

This communication describes the first example of the efficient use of a simple amphiphilic molecule as both a surfactant and an initiator in the miniemulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate under AGET and ARGET ATRP conditions.     

Controlled pinewood fractionation with supercritical ethanol: A prerequisite toward pinewood conversion into chemicals and biofuels

The objective of this work was to investigate the ability of supercritical (SC) ethanol conditions to attack preferentially the lignin fraction against the carbohydrate fraction and their effects on the product distribution among gases, light products, bio-oils, and chars. In this study, the conversion of each pinewood component was determined by the analysis of solid residues to quantify cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and char contents. It is shown that, by tuning the temperature, hemicellulose and lignin are already transformed in subcritical ethanol conditions, lignin being more reactive than hemicellulose. In contrast, native wood cellulose is recalcitrant to liquefaction in SC ethanol near the critical point (T_c = 241 °C and P_c = 61 bar), but 20% of native wood cellulose is converted in SC ethanol at 280 °C. Besides, the severity of the conditions, in terms of temperature and treatment time, does not significantly influence the yields of gases, light products, and bio-oils but strongly enhances char formation. Interestingly, the increase in SC ethanol density does not change the conversion of biomass components but has a marked effect on bio-oil yield and prevents char formation. The optimum fractionation conditions to convert the lignin component, while keeping unattacked the cellulose fraction with a minimum formation of char, are dense SC ethanol, at 250 °C for 1 h, in batch conditions. However, although lignin is more reactive than hemicellulose under these conditions, these fractions are converted, in a parallel way, to around 50% and 60%, respectively.