Audiogram of a striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba)

The underwater hearing sensitivity of a striped dolphin was measured in a pool using standard psycho-acoustic techniques. The go/no-go response paradigm and up-down staircase psychometric method were used. Auditory sensitivity was measured by using 12 narrow-band frequency-modulated signals having center frequencies between 0.5 and 160 kHz. The 50% detection threshold was determined for each frequency. The resulting audiogram for this animal was U-shaped, with hearing capabilities from 0.5 to 160 kHz (8 1/3 oct). Maximum sensitivity (42 dB re 1 microPa) occurred at 64 kHz. The range of most sensitive hearing (defined as the frequency range with sensitivities within 10 dB of maximum sensitivity) was from 29 to 123 kHz (approximately 2 oct). The animal's hearing became less sensitive below 32 kHz and above 120 kHz. Sensitivity decreased by about 8 dB per octave below 1 kHz and fell sharply at a rate of about 390 dB per octave above 140 kHz.     

Femtosecond fiber-feedback optical parametric oscillator

We demonstrate what is to our knowledge the first synchronously pumped high-gain optical parametric oscillator (OPO) with feedback through a single-mode fiber. This device generates 2.3-2.7 W of signal power in 700-900-fs pulses tunable in a wavelength range from 1429 to 1473 nm. The necessary high gain was obtained from a periodically poled LiTaO(3) crystal pumped with as much as 8.2 W of power at 1030 nm from a passively mode-locked Yb:YAG laser with 600-fs pulse duration and a 35-MHz repetition rate. The fiber-feedback OPO setup is compact because most of the resonator feedback path consists of a standard telecom fiber. Because of the high parametric gain, the fiber-feedback OPO is highly insensitive to intracavity losses. For the same reason, the synchronization of the cavity with the pump laser is not critical, so active stabilization of the cavity length is not required.     

Comparison of target detection capabilities of the beluga and bottlenose dolphin

The echolocation detection capabilities of a beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) and an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) were directly compared in a target detection experiment. Both animals were trained to detect targets in the presence of masking noise. Targets were stainless-steel, water-filled spheres 7.62 and 22.86 cm in diameter. Target ranges of 16.5 and 40 m were used with the 7.62-cm sphere and 80 m with the 22.86-cm sphere. Masking noise with a flat spectrum from 40-160 kHz was projected from a spherical transducer placed 4 or 5 m, depending on the target distance, from the animal hoop station in line with the target. Target detection performance was determined as a function of masking noise level at each target range. The echo-to-noise ratio (Ee/No)max for the beluga at the 75% correct response threshold was approximately 1.0 dB compared to about 10 dB for the dolphin. The differences of each animal's detection performance across the three ranges were consistent with target strength and transmission loss differences. It is speculated that the difference in performance between the two species may be due to differences in critical bandwidth, signal processing capability, or echolocation strategy.     

Formation of microvias in epoxy-glass composites by laser ablation

Single CO₂ laser pulses, of 10.6μm wavelength, are used to form blind microvias (holes in electronic boards for through-plating conducting paths) in copper-clad epoxy-glass laminates. The microvia dimensions depend on pulse energy and duration, the thicknesses of the epoxy-glass laminate and copper cladding, and the distribution of glass within the epoxy-glass laminate. The useful range of laser parameters, especially pulse energy, is primarily determined by the ability to metallize subsequently the blind microvias. Several conclusions can be drawn from the data. The pulse enegy should be within ±20% of the optimum value in order to form vias with a cylindrical geometry. For 300 μm thick laminates, the thickness of the copper on the bottom should be 18 μm or more. A larger range of pulse energies could be used if the glass fibre density was more uniform and if subsequent copper metallization of the blind vias could be improved.     

Eigenvalue spectra and geometric transformation of polyhedra

Starting from one fullerene, the three geometric transformations, cap, face dual and edge dual produce series of carbon clusters and deltahedra. The geometric relation between these polyhedra implies that their topological matrices and eigenvalue spectra must be relative. We have developed a matrix algebra method to research some polyhedra with high symmetry and one kind, two or three kinds of equivalent vertices such as C₆₀(I_h), resolve their exact eigenvalues, and proved this point.     

Synthesis of Gold Microplates Using Bovine Serum Albumin as a Reductant and a Stabilizer

Gold microplates were synthesized in aqueous solutions by reducing HAuCl₄ with the hydroxyl groups in both serine and threonine of bovine serum albumin (BSA), which is a globular protein in its native state. In this article, we systematically investigated the effects of temperature, pH value, the concentration of BSA, and ionic species on the reduction kinetics and thus the size and morphology of the final product. The optimal experimental conditions for producing uniform Au microplates include the following: an elevated temperature in the range of 55–65 °C, an acidic solution with pH≈3, and the presence of NaCl (0.14 M ). We found that if any one of these parameters was deviated from the optimal condition, Au microplates would not be formed in high yields. We also found that the surfaces of the as‐synthesized Au microplates were covered by a dense array of BSA bumps.     

Dual Esterase‐ and Steroid‐Responsive Energy Transfer Modulation of Ruthenium(II) and Rhenium(I) Complex Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles

A number of adamantane‐containing ruthenium(II) and rhenium(I) complexes have been synthesized, characterized, and noncovalently functionalized with β‐cyclodextrin‐capped gold nanoparticles (β‐CD–GNPs) through the host–guest interaction between cyclodextrin and adamantane. The resultant nanoconjugates have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis (EDX), and 2D ROESY ¹H NMR experiments. The Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) properties of the nanoconjugates can be modulated by both esterase‐accelerated hydrolysis and competitive displacement of steroid, by monitoring the emission intensity and luminescence lifetime. The FRET efficiencies are found to vary with the nature of the chromophores and the length of the spacer between the transition metal complexes and the GNPs. This work constitutes a “proof‐of‐principle” assay method for the dual‐functional detection of important classes of biomolecules, such as enzymes and steroids.     

Criteria for pion condensation thresholds in neutron star matter

The criteria for the appearance of pion condensation in neutron star matter are developed in terms of the pion Green's function in the normal state.