Local spin resonance and spin-peierls-like phase transition in a geometrically frustrated antiferromagnet

Inelastic magnetic neutron scattering reveals a localized spin resonance at 4.5 meV in the ordered phase of the geometrically frustrated cubic antiferromagnet ZnCr2O4. The resonance develops abruptly from quantum critical fluctuations upon cooling through a first order transition to a co-planar antiferromagnet at T(c) = 12. 5(5) K. We argue that this transition is a three dimensional analog of the spin-Peierls transition.     

A collapsing bubble-induced microinjector: an experimental study

In this study, a new drop-on-demand actuation mechanism, which uses an oscillating bubble as actuator is proposed and its feasibility is investigated via the consideration of two important design parameters, namely, bubble distance to free surface and nozzle dimension. The droplet ejection process captured using high-speed photography technique shows that such an actuation mechanism has interesting features and perhaps some advantages over the conventional ones (thermal bubble, piezoelectric, etc.) employed in inkjet printers such as the ejection of a droplet free of satellite droplets and others.     

Helly-Type Theorems for Line Transversals to Disjoint Unit Balls

We prove Helly-type theorems for line transversals to disjoint unit balls in ℝ ^d . In particular, we show that a family of n≥2d disjoint unit balls in ℝ ^d has a line transversal if, for some ordering ≺ of the balls, any subfamily of 2d balls admits a line transversal consistent with ≺. We also prove that a family of n≥4d−1 disjoint unit balls in ℝ ^d admits a line transversal if any subfamily of size 4d−1 admits a transversal. Andreas Holmsen was supported by the Research Council of Norway, prosjektnummer 166618/V30. Otfried Cheong and Xavier Goaoc acknowledge support from the French-Korean Science and Technology Amicable Relationships program (STAR).     

Elemental Analysis of Stone Fruits by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Direct Mercury Analysis

This study reports the concentrations of eight trace essential (Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Co, V, and Se) and four toxic elements (Pb, As, Cd, and Hg) in commonly consumed stone fruits from South Korea. The samples were digested by microwave-induced combustion and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The concentrations of mercury were analyzed by direct mercury analysis (DMA). The analytical techniques were validated by linearity, limits of detection and quantification, precision, recovery, and for accuracy by analyzing a spinach leave-certified reference material; satisfactory results were obtained in all cases. The concentrations of essential trace elements varied considerably among the stone fruits. Generally stone fruits contained comparatively high concentrations of Zn (0.946 to 7.86?µg/g) and Mn (below the limit of detection to 1.66?µg/g), while lower contents of Cu (0.214 to 1.24?µg/g), Cr (0.032 to 0.114?µg/g), Ni (0.006 to 0.091?µg/g), Co (0.004 to 0.016?µg/g), V (below the limit of detection to 0.023?µg/g), and Se (0.0002 to 0.005?µg/g) were obtained. The concentrations (µg/g) of toxic metals were 0.007 (peach) to 0.016 (cherry) for Pb, 0.001 (plum) to 0.007 (cherry) for As, 0.002 (apricot and cherry) to 0.003 (peach) for Cd, and 0.0003 (peach) to 0.0016 (jujube) for Hg. The values for the estimated dietary intakes, target hazard quotients, and hazard indices were lower than the recommended safety limits by World Health Organization. Therefore, the analyzed stone fruits were deemed to be safe for human consumption.     

A switch-on fluorescence assay for bacterial β-lactamases with amyloid fibrils as fluorescence enhancer and visual tool

Herein is described the development of a novel switch-on fluorescence assay for detecting β-lactamases. The fluorescence assay comprises two components: solid beads coated with a β-lactam antibiotic, which is linked to an environment-sensitive fluorophore (dansylaminothiophenol, DTA), and amyloid fibrils of hen lysozyme (acting as fluorescence enhancer and visual tool). In the presence of the clinically significant TEM-1 β-lactamase, the DTA-antibiotic complex on the solid beads is hydrolyzed, thus releasing the DTA dye into solution. The DTA dye is only weakly fluorescent in solution but gives strong green fluorescence upon binding to lysozyme fibrils. These strongly fluorescent DTA-bound fibrils can be easily visualized by the naked eye upon illumination of the sample with a simple UV lamp. The fluorescence assay can detect TEM-1 at low concentration (0.01 nM). In contrast, no observable fluorescence appears when the fluorescence assay is performed on samples without the TEM-1 β-lactamase.     

Synthesis of water-tolerant indium homoenolate in aqueous media and its application in the synthesis of 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds via palladium-catalyzed coupling with acid chloride

The first water-tolerant, ketone-type indium homoenolate was synthesized via the oxidative addition of In/InCl(3) to enones. The reaction proceeds exclusively in aqueous media. Both indium and indium(III) chloride are necessary for the smooth conversion of the reaction. Similar results were obtained when InCl or InCl(2) was used in place of In/InCl(3). The synthetic utility of the indium homoenolate was demonstrated through the synthesis of 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds via palladium-catalyzed coupling of indium homoenolate with acid chloride.     

Electrospinning fabrication and characterization of poly(vinyl alcohol)/montmorillonite/silver hybrid nanofibers for antibacterial applications

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/montmorillonite clay (MMT)/silver (Ag) nanoparticles have been electrospun for fabricating PVA/MMT/Ag nanofiber in aqueous solutions. Since PVA is a water-soluble and biocompatible polymer, it is one of the best materials for preparation of antibacterial nanofiber. MMT has been used as an inorganic filler to enhance properties of homopolymeric nanofiber. The PVA/MMT/Ag nanofiber diameter increases with increasing contents of MMT clay and Ag nanoparticles. In preservation test, the PVA/MMT/Ag nanofiber confirms an excellent antibacterial performance, elucidating for practical uses as a new preservative. Moreover, the PVA/MMT/Ag nanofiber shows improved thermal properties.     

Gas chromatography‐mass spectrometric method for the screening and quantification of illicit drugs and their metabolites in human urine using solid‐phase extraction and trimethylsilyl derivatization

A simple and rapid GC‐MS method has been developed for the screening and quantification of many illicit drugs and their metabolites in human urine by using automatic SPE and trimethylsilylation. Sixty illicit drugs, including parent drugs and their metabolites that are possibly abused in Korea, can be monitored by this method. Among them, 24 popularly abused illicit drugs were selected for quantification. Very delicate optimizations were carried out in SPE, trimethylsilylation derivatization, and GC/MS to enable such remarkable achievements. Trimethylsilylated analytes were well separated within 21 min by GC‐MS. In the validation results, the LOD of all the analytes were in the range of 2–75 ng/mL. The LOQ of the quantified analytes were in the range of 5–98 ng/mL. The linearity (r²) of the quantified analytes ranged 0.990–1.000 in each concentration range between 10 and 1000 ng/mL. The mean recoveries ranged from 62 to 126% at three different concentrations of each analyte. The inter‐day and inter‐person accuracies were within ?13.3～14.9%, and ?10.1～13.0%, respectively, and the inter‐day and inter‐person precisions were less than 12.9%. The method was reliable and efficient for the screening and quantification of abused illicit drugs in routine urine analysis.     

Magnetic excitations in the low-temperature ferroelectric phase of multiferroic YMn2O5 using inelastic neutron scattering

We studied magnetic excitations in a low-temperature ferroelectric phase of the multiferroic YMn(2)O(5) using inelastic neutron scattering (INS). We identify low-energy magnon modes and establish a correspondence between the magnon peaks observed by INS and electromagnon peaks observed in optical absorption [A. B. Sushkov et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 027202 (2007).]. Furthermore, we explain the microscopic mechanism, which results in the lowest-energy electromagnon peak, by comparing the inelastic neutron spectral weight with the polarization in the commensurate ferroelectric phase.     

RKKY ferromagnetism with Ising-like spin states in intercalated Fe(1/4)TaS2

We investigated the magnetic nature of Fe(1/4)TaS2 using x-ray absorption spectroscopy, photoemission spectroscopy, and first principles band calculations. The results show a large unquenched orbital magnetic moment (～1.0 μ(B)/Fe) at intercalated Fe sites, resulting in a gigantic magnetic anisotropy (H(A)?60 T). The magnetic coupling is well understood in terms of the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction, suggesting a novel RKKY ferromagnet with Ising-type spin states. We also found that this indirect exchange coupling between the neighboring Fe spins is ferromagnetic and maximized at the Fe-Fe distance of 2×2 superstructure.