Unveiling the correlation between non‐diffracting tractor beam and its singularity in Poynting vector

This paper investigates the singular optics of nonparaxial light beams in the near field when the light behaves as a tractor beam. New insights into the optical pulling force, which is usually represented by integrating the stress tensor at a black box enclosing the object, are interpreted by the optical singularity of the Poynting vector. The negative nonconservative pulling force originates from the transfer of the azimuthal Poynting vector to the longitudinal component partly owing to the presence of a scatterer. The separatrice pattern and singularity shifts of the Poynting vector unanimously exhibit a differentiable near‐field distribution in the presence of optical pulling force. A new method is established to calculate the near‐field optical force using the differential Poynting vector in the far field. The results obtained provide a clear physical interpretation of the light–matter interaction and manifest the significance of singular optics in manipulating objects.

     

[5‐(p‐alkoxy)phenyl‐10, 15, 20‐tri‐phenyl] porphyrin and their rare earth complex liquid crystalline

Three series of porphyrin liquid crystalline compounds, [5‐(p‐alkoxy)phenyl‐10, 15, 20‐tri‐phenyl] porphyrin and their rare earth complexes (Tb (III), Dy (III), Er (III), Yb (III)), with a hexagonal columnar discotic columnar(Col_h) phase have been synthesized. These compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductances, UV‐visible spectra, infrared spectra, luminescence spectra, and cyclic voltammetry. These compounds exhibit more than one mesophases, which transition points of temperature change from ?33.6 to 16.0 °C, and transition points of temperature for isotropic liquid also increase from 4.9 to 38.2 °C, with increasing chain length. Their surface photovoltage (SPV) response have also been investigated by the means of surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPS) and field‐induced surface photovoltage spectroscopy (EFISPS). It was found that their SPV bands are analogous with the UV‐visible absorption spectra and derived from the same transition. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Initiation of petroleum formation and antioxidant function – a DFT study of sulfur?sulfur bond dissociation enthalpies

Experimental studies showed that sulfur radicals play the vital role in petroleum formation. 1 Sulfur‐ centered radicals also exhibit activities in antioxidant functions. Here we conduct a theoretical investigation of their precursor‐disulfides. By investigation into substituent effect on sulfur? sulfur bond dissociation enthalpies (S? S BDEs), we would like to find the most effective provider for sulfur radicals. In the present work, 50 alpha‐substituted disulfides and 16 para‐substituted aryl disulfides are studied systematically, with the general formula XS‐SX or HS‐SX. The substituent effect on S? S BDEs is found to be very eminent, ranging from 33.2 to 75.0 kcal/mol for alpha‐substituted disulfide, and from 43.7 to 59.7 kcal/mol for para‐substituted phenyl disulfides. We also evaluate the performance of 44 density functional methods to get an accurate prediction. A further study indicates that substituents play a major role in radical energies, instead of molecule energies, which is substantiated by the good linearity between XS‐SX bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) and HS‐SX BDE. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An unusual case of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis confined to brainstem

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is an immune-mediated demyelinating disorder usually encountered in children or adolescents and characterized by multifocal neurological deficits of rapid onset. Typical target areas of demyelination include the corona radiata, centrum semiovale, periventricular white matter, cerebellar peduncles and brainstem. Involvement of deep gray matter nuclei is also frequent. We report a 6-year-old boy with ADEM who had only brainstem involvement. Serial magnetic resonance images representing the stage of disease and response to steroid treatment are presented.     

Functional organic single crystals for solid‐state laser applications

Because of long‐range order and high chemical purity, organic crystals have exhibit unique properties and attracted a lot of interest for application in solid‐state lasers. As optical gain materials, they exhibit high stimulated emission cross section and broad tunable wavelength emission as similar to their amorphous counterpart; moreover, high purity and high order give them superior properties such as low scattering trap densities, high thermal stability, as well as highly polarized emission. As electronic materials, they are potentially able to support high current densities, thus making it possible to realize current driven lasers. This paper mainly describes recent research progress in organic semiconductor laser crystals. The building molecules, crystal growth methods, as well as their stimulated emission characteristics related with crystal structures are introduced; in addition, the current state‐of‐the‐art in the field of crystal laser devices is reviewed. Furthermore, recent advances of crystal lasers at the nanoscale and single crystal light‐emitting transistors (LETs) are presented. Finally, an outlook and personal view is provided on the further developments of laser crystals and their applications.     

NMR Study of Water Distribution inside Tomato Cells: Effects of Water Stress

Tomato pericarp tissue was studied by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry. Two kinds of experiments were performed to investigate the correlation between multi-exponential NMR relaxation and the subcellular compartments. The longitudinal (T ₁) versus transverse (T ₂) relaxation times were first measured on fresh samples and then the transverse relaxation time was measured on samples exposed to water stress. Four signal components were found in all experiments. The results showed that all signal components corresponded to the water in different cell compartments, and that no signal from non-exchangeable protons was present. Moreover, we demonstrated that NMR relaxation is suitable for the continuous monitoring of water rebalancing between subcellular compartments of plant tissues.     

Interaction of Candida parapsilosis isolates with human hair and nail surfaces revealed by scanning electron microscopy analysis

Candida parapsilosis is found frequently as commensal organism on epithelial tissues, and is also an increasing cause of nosocomial infection. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations were used to analyse the capability of C. parapsilosis cells to adhere and grow as biofilm on human natural substrates and to compare the adherence pattern of isolates exhibiting distinct phenotypes. Cells from the crepe phenotype are predominantly elongated and form pseudohyphae whereas cells from the smooth phenotype are yeast-shaped, either in liquid cultures or on human nail and hair surfaces. The electron micrographs revealed that C. parapsilosis cells from the smooth phenotype adhered in higher number to both surfaces compared to the observed for the crepe phenotype. SEM analysis of human hair surface revealed that cells from the smooth phenotype appear as clumped blastoconidia of uniform morphology embedded in a flocculent extracellular material forming biofilm. The extracellular material and biofilm were seeing in a less extension in the crepe phenotype. A distinct adherence pattern was observed when human nail was used as substrate. Here C. parapsilosis cells seem to be linked to surface structures of human nail plate. Fibrillar extracellular material was observed connecting neighbouring cells as well as nail surface.     

Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering and density functional theory studies of bis(4‐aminophenyl)sulfone

Raman and surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of dapsone by using colloidal silver nanoparticles have been recorded. Density functional theory was used for the optimization of ground state geometries and simulation of the vibrational spectrum of this molecule. The SERS spectrum with a large silver cluster as a model metallic surface was simulated for the first time. Taking into account the experimental and calculated Raman as well as the SERS normal modes and the corresponding assignments, along with the modeling of the free dapsone and the one in the presence of the colloidal silver nanoparticles, the importance of the sulfone group on the SERS effect in dapsone was inferred. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A pigment (CuS) identified by micro‐Raman spectroscopy on a Chinese funerary lacquer ware of West Han Dynasty

A blue pigment was identified by micro‐Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The test sample, a funerary lacquer tray, belongs to West Han Dynasty (206 BC–AD 8) of China and was decorated with faint blue patterns. The result from Raman spectroscopy showed that the faint blue is covellite (CuS) due to the presence of a characteristic peak at 474.5 cm⁻¹, which further was confirmed by XRF, SEM–EDX and XRD. This research indicated that CuS had been used as a blue pigment to decorate lacquer wares from the West Han Dynasty in China. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The design of a peptide linker group to enhance the SERS signal intensity of an atto680 dye‐nanoparticle system

The Surface enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy (SERRS) spectra of three modified atto680 dyes were recorded using Au nanoparticles and an excitation laser operating at 670 nm. The dyes were modified with linker groups based on the small peptides, Cys, Cys–Gly and Cys–Gly–Gly. The Cys thiol group acted as the coupling point to the Au surface and the Gly  NH₂ group used to attach the dye. The maximum signal was recorded for the Cys–Gly linker. This gave a signal intensity for the 577 cm⁻¹ Raman peak of the atto680 dye that was more than 27 times greater than the unmodified dye. The Au nanoparticles used had a diameter of 49.8 ± 1.2 nm and were synthesised by the citrate reduction method. The Raman dye‐AuNP probes were also used in an immunoassay to detect mouse IgG in the femto mole range. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.