The TEM characterization of the lamellar structure of osteoporotic human trabecular bone

The lamellar structure of osteoporotic human trabecular bone was characterized experimentally by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). More specifically, the TEM was used to determine if trabecular bone exhibits similar lamellar structural motifs as cortical bone by analyzing unmineralized, mineralized and demineralized bone, and to study the influence of the osteocyte network on the lamellar structure of osteoporotic trabecular bone. Comparison with normal trabecular bone is included. This paper summarizes partial results of a larger study, which addressed the characterization of the hierarchical structure of normal versus osteoporotic human trabecular bone [Rubin, M.A., 2001. Multiscale characterization of the ultrastructure of trabecular bone in osteoporotic and normal humans and in two inbred strains of mice. MS Thesis, Georgia Institute of Technology.] at several structural scales.     

Nucleation and growth mechanism for flame synthesis of MoO2 hollow microchannels with nanometer wall thickness

The growth and morphological evolution of molybdenum-oxide microstructures formed in the high temperature environment of a counter-flow oxy-fuel flame using molybdenum probes is studied. Experiments conducted using various probe retention times show the sequence of the morphological changes. The morphological row begins with micron size objects exhibiting polygonal cubic shape, develops into elongated channels, changes to large structures with leaf-like shape, and ends in dendritic structures. Time of probe–flame interaction is found to be a governing parameter controlling the wide variety of morphological patterns; a molecular level growth mechanism is attributed to their development. This study reveals that the structures are grown in several consecutive stages: material “evaporation and transportation”, “transformation”, “nucleation”, “initial growth”, “intermediate growth”, and “final growth”. XRD analysis shows that the chemical compositions of all structures correspond to MoO₂.     

Realistic Dirac leptogenesis

We present a model of leptogenesis that preserves lepton number. The model maintains the important feature of more traditional leptogenesis scenarios: The decaying particles that provide the CP violation necessary for baryogenesis also provide the explanation for the smallness of the neutrino Yukawa couplings. This model clearly demonstrates that, contrary to conventional wisdom, neutrinos need not be Majorana in nature in order to help explain the baryon asymmetry of the universe.     

Not All Fluorescent Nanodiamonds Are Created Equal: A Comparative Study

Fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) are vital to many emerging nanotechnological applications, from bioimaging and sensing to quantum nanophotonics. Yet, understanding and engineering the properties of fluorescent defects in nanodiamonds remain challenging. The most comprehensive study to date is presented, of the optical and physical properties of five different nanodiamond samples, in which fluorescent nitrogen‐vacancy (NV) centers are created using different fabrication techniques. The FNDs' fluorescence spectra, lifetime, and spin relaxation time (T₁) are investigated via single‐particle confocal fluorescence microscopy and in ensemble measurements in solution (T₁ excepted). Particle sizes and shapes are determined using scanning electron microscopy and correlated with the optical results. Statistical tests are used to explore correlations between the properties of individual particles and also analyze average results to directly compare different fabrication techniques. Spectral unmixing is used to quantify the relative NV charge‐state (NV^? and NV⁰) contributions to the overall fluorescence. A strong variation is found and quantified in the properties of individual particles within all analyzed samples and significant differences between the different particle types. This study is an important contribution toward understanding the properties of NV centers in nanodiamonds. It motivates new approaches to the improved engineering of NV‐containing nanodiamonds for future applications.     

Nuclear Uptake of Gold Nanoparticles Deduced Using Dual‐Angle X‐Ray Fluorescence Mapping

Studies into the cell nucleus' incorporation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are often limited by ambiguities arising from conventional imaging techniques. Indeed, it is suggested that to date there is no unambiguous imaging evidence for such uptake in whole cells, particularly at the single nanoparticle level. This shortcoming in understanding exists despite the nucleus being the most important subcellular compartment in eukaryotes and gold being the most commonly used metal nanoparticle in medical applications. Here, dual‐angle X‐ray flouresence is used to show individually resolved nanoparticles within the cell nucleus, finding them to be well separated and 79% of the intranuclear population to be monodispersed. These findings have important implications for nanomedicine, illustrated here through a specific exemplar of the predicted enhancement of radiation effects arising from the observed AuNPs, finding intranuclear dose enhancements spanning nearly five orders of magnitude.     

Collective behavior of stabilized reaction-diffusion waves

Stabilized wave segments in the photosensitive Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction are directionally controlled with intensity gradients in the applied illumination. The constant-velocity waves behave like self-propelled particles, and multiple waves interact via an applied interaction potential. Alignment arises from the intrinsic properties of the interacting waves, leading to processional and rotational behavior.     

Making molecular balloons in laser-induced explosive boiling of polymer solutions

The effect of the dynamic molecular rearrangements leading to compositional segregation is revealed in coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of short pulse laser interaction with a polymer solution in a volatile matrix. An internal release of matrix vapor at the onset of the explosive boiling of the overheated liquid is capable of pushing polymer molecules to the outskirts of a transient bubble, forming a polymer-rich surface layer enclosing the volatile matrix material. The results explain unexpected "deflated balloon" structures observed in films deposited by the matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation technique.     

Self-collimation and beam splitting in low-index photonic crystals

We study self-collimation and beam splitting in low-refractive-index photonic crystals created within chalcogenide glass. We propose a beam splitter structure that allows direct experimental verification of photonic-crystal effects at optical wavelengths in a straightforward and definitive manner. The beam splitter provides angular separation of 90° using a highly compact spatial footprint, thus delivering direct application in highly integrated photonic devices.     

Synthesis,Electrochemical, and Optical Properties of New Fluorescent,Substituted Thieno[3,2-b][1]Benzothiophenes

The synthesis, electrochemical and optical properties of three fluorescent substituted thieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophenes (TBT) derivatives, including 3-methoxythieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (3-MeO-TBT), 2,3-dimethylthieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (2,3-diMe-TBT), and 6-methoxythieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene-2-carboxylate (6-MeO-TBT-2-COOMe), were investigated. The oxidation potential values varied between 1.40 and 1.20 V/SCE according to the electronic substituent effect, and electropolymerization attempts, performed in 0.1 M LiClO₄ acetonitrile solution, led to the formation of very thin films of poly(3-MeO-TBT) and poly(2,3-di-Me-TBT). Electronic absorption spectra, fluorescence excitation and emission spectra, fluorescence quantum yields (Φ_F) , lifetimes (τ_F), and other photophysical parameters of the three new TBT derivatives were measured in DMSO solutions at room temperature. For the methyl-and methoxy-substituted TBT derivatives, the fluorescence emission peak were slightly red shifted relative to that of unsubstituted TBT (Δλ_em = 1–12 nm) whereas, in the case of 6-MeO-TBT-2-COOMe, a rather strong red-shift (Δλ_em = 73 nm) was attributed to the existence of a “push-pull” electronic interaction of the MeO and COOMe groups. All Φ_F values were rather high, varying between 0.11 and 0.35, according to the substituent effect. Fluorescence decays were mono-exponential and τ_F values were very short, ranging between 0.11 and 0.30 ns for the substituted TBT derivatives until study.     

Overview of finite elements simulation of temperature profile to estimate properties of materials 3D-printed by laser powder-bed fusion

Laser powder bed fusion(LPBF),like many other additive manufacturing techniques,offers flexibility in design expected to become a disruption to the manufacturing industry.The current cost of LPBF process does not favor a try-anderror way of research,which makes modelling and simulation a field of superior importance in that area of engineering.In this work,various methods used to overcome challenges in modeling at different levels of approximation of LPBF process are reviewed.Recent efforts made towards a reliable and computationally effective model to simulate LPBF process using finite element(FE)codes are presented.A combination of ray-tracing technique,the solution of the radiation transfer equation and absorption measurements has been used to establish an analytical equation,which gives a more accurate approximation of laser energy deposition in powder-substrate configuration.When this new analytical energy deposition model is used in in FE simulation,with other physics carefully set,it enables us to get reliable cooling curves and melt track morphology that agree well with experimental observations.The use of more computationally effective approximation,without explicit topological changes,allows to simulate wider geometries and longer scanning time leading to many applications in real engineering world.Different applications are herein presented including:prediction of printing quality through the simulated overlapping of consecutive melt tracks,simulation of LPBF of a mixture of materials and estimation of martensite inclusion in printed steel.