Surface monitoring based on light scattering by metal nanosensors

Light scattering from objects in the proximity of surfaces is of fundamental importance in a variety of surface- and field-enhanced optical sensing, spectroscopy and microscopy applications. Here, we present surface monitoring techniques based on the spectral analysis of the scattered light by metal nanoparticles which act as sensors (nanosensors) of sample substrates interacting with them. We will focus on the detection of surface inhomogeneities by studying the modifications undergone by the local fields produced in the surrounding of the nanosensor, giving rise to spectral changes in its Plasmon Resonances. We will also describe an alternative technique where the sample information is obtained from the changes induced in the linear polarization degree of the far field scattered by the tip and due to the interaction with the sample.     

Quantum mechanics: cleaning up metaphysical baggage

The dynamic electronic structure of atoms and molecules can be directly observed by means of the (e, 2e) reaction, which measures the distribution of energies and momenta of two electrons in coincidence after a knockout reaction initiated by an electron beam of known momentum incident on a molecular gas target. The molecular state for each event is identified by the electron separation energy. The recoil momentum for each event is known from the difference of measured initial and final momenta. It has been verified that values of this momentum are equal under suitable conditions to the momentum of the electron in the target immediately before knockout. Thus the spherically-averaged electron momentum distribution for each molecular orbital is measured. This is directly related to molecular orbitals calculated by the methods of quantum chemistry. Properties obtained by this method for different types of molecules are discussed.     

Dynamics and hydrogen bonding in liquid ethanol

Molecular dynamics simulations of liquid ethanol at three temperatures have been carried out. The hydrogen bonding states of ethanol molecules have been characterized by the number of hydrogen bonds in which the molecules participate. It is observed that the mean lifetimes of molecules in each hydrogen bonding state are markedly dependent on the temperature. Moreover, molecules with one hydrogen bond are more stable when they are donors than when they are acceptors. The dependence of the reorientational correlation functions on the hydrogen bonding state of molecules has been studied carefully. The decay of these functions is slower for molecules with higher numbers of hydrogen bonds and also becomes slower as temperature decreases. The relaxation for molecules with only one hydrogen bond is faster for those acting as proton donors than for those acting as proton acceptors. Finally, the results obtained by computer simulation are compared with those from recent measurements of the frequency-dependent dielectric permittivity of liquid ethanol.     

Identification of a set of genes showing regionally enriched expression in the mouse brain

Background

We have recorded responses from single neurons in murine visual cortex to determine the effectiveness of the input from the two murine cone photoreceptor mechanisms and whether there is any unique selectivity for cone inputs at this higher region of the visual system that would support the possibility of colour vision in mice. Each eye was stimulated by diffuse light, either 370 (strong stimulus for the ultra-violet (UV) cone opsin) or 505 nm (exclusively stimulating the middle wavelength sensitive (M) cone opsin), obtained from light emitting diodes (LEDs) in the presence of a strong adapting light that suppressed the responses of rods.

Results

Single cells responded to these diffuse stimuli in all areas of striate cortex. Two types of responsive cells were encountered. One type (135/323 – 42%) had little to no spontaneous activity and responded at either the on and/or the off phase of the light stimulus with a few impulses often of relatively large amplitude. A second type (166/323 – 51%) had spontaneous activity and responded tonically to light stimuli with impulses often of small amplitude. Most of the cells responded similarly to both spectral stimuli. A few (18/323 – 6%) responded strongly or exclusively to one or the other spectral stimulus and rarely in a spectrally opponent manner.

Conclusion

Most cells in murine striate cortex receive excitatory inputs from both UV- and M-cones. A small fraction shows either strong selectivity for one or the other cone mechanism and occasionally cone opponent responses. Cells that could underlie chromatic contrast detection are present but extremely rare in murine striate cortex.     

Conformational characteristics of poly(vinylpyrrolidone). solvent-dependence of the chain dimensions

Conformational energies as function of rotational angles over two consecutive skeletal bonds for both meso and racemic diads of poly(Nvinyl-2-pyrrolidone) have been computed. The results of these calculations were used to formulate a statistical model that was then employed to calculate the unperturbed dimensions of this polymer. The conformational energies are sensitive to the Coulombic interactions, which are governed by the dielectric constant, of the solvent, and to the size of the solvent molecules. Consequently, the calculated values of the polymeric chain dimensions are strongly dependent on the nature of the solvent, as it was experimentally found before.