Diode-pumped Q-switched Tm:YAP laser with a pump recycling scheme

We reported on a diode end-pumped AO Q-switched Tm:YAP laser at 1937 nm. The average output power was 3.9 W, with a slope efficiency of 29.4% and optical-optical conversion efficiency of 21.6% at a 5-kHz repetition rate. The temperature dependency of the output power and the pulse width at different repetition rates were investigated in details.     

短孔道Pt/W-s-SBA-15催化剂的合成及甘油催化氢解制1,3-丙二醇性能的研究

合成了孔道平行于短轴方向的W原位掺杂的介孔SBA-15分子筛(W-s-SBA-15), 以其为载体制备了Pt/W-s-SBA-15催化剂, 考察了催化剂中Pt、W负载量变化对甘油氢解制1,3-丙二醇(1,3-PDO)性能的影响. 采用多种手段对催化剂的形貌、活性组分Pt和W的存在状态、催化剂的酸性等性质进行了系统的表征. 催化剂评价结果表明, 随着Pt、W负载量的增加, 甘油的总转化率和液相转化率(CTL)提高, 而1,3-PDO选择性呈先升高后降低的火山型变化趋势. 在Pt负载量为4.0 wt%、W/Si物质的量比为1/480的4Pt/W-s-SBA-15(1/480)催化剂上, 在433 K、H₂压力4.0 MPa、反应时间24 h的条件下, 甘油氢解制1,3-PDO的得率可达49.0%. 根据表征结果, 我们发现在Pt/W-s-SBA-15催化剂上的甘油转化率与Pt活性比表面积直接相关, 而小的Pt粒径、Pt与单分散WO₄之间密切的协同作用, 则有助于提高1,3-PDO的选择性.     

Near-infrared dyes,nanomaterials and proteins

Taking the advantage of reduced scattering and low autofluorescence background, the NIR fluorescence probes, such as fluorescence proteins, organic molecules and nanoparticles, not only hold the promise of in vivo imaging of biological processes in physiology and pathology with high signal-to-noise ratio, but also for clinical diagnosis. In this review, we provide an overview of the recent progress on NIR probes, focusing on fundamental mechanisms of NIR dyes and nanoparticles, and protein engineering strategies for NIR proteins.     

Highly Effective Detection of Amitraz in Honey by Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Spectroscopy Coupled with Chemometric Methods

As an effective and universal acaricide, amitraz is widely used on beehives against varroasis caused by the mite Varroa jacobsoni. Its residues in honey pose a great danger to human health. In this study, a sensitive, rapid, and environmentally friendly surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy method (SERS) was developed for the determination of trace amount of amitraz in honey with the use of silver nanorod (AgNR) array substrate. The AgNR array substrate fabricated by an oblique angle deposition technique exhibited an excellent SERS activity with an enhancement factor of ∽10⁷. Density function theory was employed to assign the characteristic peak of amitraz. The detection of amitraz was further explored and amitraz in honey at concentrations as low as 0.08 mg/kg can be identified. Specifically, partial least square regression analysis was employed to correlate the SERS spectra in full-wavelength with C_amitraz to afford a multiple-quantitative amitraz predicting model. Preliminary results show that the predicted concentrations of amitraz in honey samples are in good agreement with their real concentrations. Compared with the conventional univariate quantitative model based on single peak’s intensity, the proposed multiple-quantitative predicting model integrates all the characteristic peaks of amitraz, thus offering an improved detecting accuracy and anti-interference ability.     

Room-temperature cw and pulsed operation of a diode-end-pumped Tm:YAP laser

We report the continuous-wave and acousto-optical Q-switched operation of a diode-end-pumped Tm:YAP laser. Continuous-wave output power of 3.5 W at 1.99 μm was obtained under the absorbed pump power of 14 W. Under Q-switched laser operation, the average output power increased from 1.57 W to 2.0 W, with an absorbed pump power of 12.6 W, as the repetition rate increased from 1 kHz to 10 kHz. The maximum Q-switched pulse energy was 1.57 mJ with a repetition rate of 1 kHz. The minimum pulse width was measured to be about 80 ns, corresponding to a peak power of 19.6 kW. PACS 42.55.Rz; 42.55.Xi; 42.60.Gd     

Growth and spectral properties of Er:Gd2SiO5 crystal

Er³⁺-doped Gd₂SiO₅ (Er:GSO) single crystal with dimensions of ? 35×40 mm³ has been grown by the Czochralski method. The absorption and fluorescence spectra of the Er:GSO crystal were measured at room temperature. The spectral parameters were calculated based on Judd–Ofelt theory, and the intensity parameters Ω₂, Ω₄ and Ω₆ are obtained to be 6.168×10^?20, 1.878×10^?20, and 1.255×10^?20 cm², respectively. The emission cross-section has been calculated by Fuechtbauer–Ladenbury formula.     

Mono‐ and Dinuclear Phosphorescent Rhenium(I) Complexes: Impact of Subcellular Localization on Anticancer Mechanisms

Elucidation of relationship among chemical structure, cellular uptake, localization, and biological activity of anticancer metal complexes is important for the understanding of their mechanisms of action. Organometallic rhenium(I) tricarbonyl compounds have emerged as potential multifunctional anticancer drug candidates that can integrate therapeutic and imaging capabilities in a single molecule. Herein, two mononuclear phosphorescent rhenium(I) complexes ( Re1 and Re2 ), along with their corresponding dinuclear complexes ( Re3 and Re4 ), were designed and synthesized as potent anticancer agents. The subcellular accumulation of Re1–Re4 was conveniently analyzed by confocal microscopy in situ in live cells by utilizing their intrinsic phosphorescence. We found that increased lipophilicity of the bidentate ligands could enhance their cellular uptake, leading to improved anticancer efficacy. The dinuclear complexes were more potent than the mononuclear counterparts. The molecular anticancer mechanisms of action evoked by Re3 and Re4 were explored in detail. Re3 with a lower lipophilicity localizes to lysosomes and induces caspase‐independent apoptosis, whereas Re4 with higher lipophilicity specially accumulates in mitochondria and induces caspase‐independent paraptosis in cancer cells. Our study demonstrates that subcellular localization is crucial for the anticancer mechanisms of these phosphorescent rhenium(I) complexes.     

Packing,covering and tiling in two-dimensional spaces

Packing, covering and tiling is a fascinating subject in pure mathematics. It mainly deals with arrangement patterns and efficiencies of geometric objects. This subject has a long and rich history, even back to Kepler, Newton, Lagrange and Gauss. Inspired by its applications and with the help of computing methods, in recent years it has become a very active research area in mathematics once again. Most of the fundamental problems in this subject can be characterized as simple sounding but challenging. This subject has important applications in many other areas such as Number Theory, Logic, Complex Analysis, Optimization, Coding Theory, Crystallography, Material Science, Industry, and even Biology. In spite of the long history, many of its key problems are still open, even in the plane. The purpose of this paper is to present a comprehensive review for packing, covering and tiling in the two-dimensional spaces. We will focus on the key problems, the fundamental results, the creative ideas, some important applications, and some significant connections with other areas.     

Synthesis of nonionic polyurethanes with hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene hydrophobic segments and their application in octadecane nanocapsules

Alkane nanocapsule is a kind of promising phase-change material. However, it is difficult to prepare alkane nanocapsule with an elastic shell by traditional method. Therefore, nonionic polyurethane with specially designed structure was synthesized. Octadecane nanocapsule prepared by this polyurethane not only had an elastic shell but also showed some good properties in other aspects. The polyurethane structure was characterized by infrared, hydrogen-1 nuclear magnetic resonance, and gel permeation chromatography. The conductivity of emulsification process was tracked. The average particle sizes of nanocapsules were measured by quasi-elastic light scattering and fell in the range of 240 to 485 nm. Octadecane nanocapsules showed a core–shell structure under transmission electron microscopy. The nanocapsule dispersions had a rather good stability under high-speed shearing and freezing–thawing tests. All of the coalescence ratios were less than 5 wt.% after testing. The fusion enthalpy of nanocapsules reached to 83 J g^?1. It was found that the dried nanocapsule powder had rather good re-dispersion ability, and stable dispersions were obtained simply by agitating the powder into water. Coalescences of re-dispersed dispersions were all less than 1.8 wt.%, and their average particle sizes were in the range of 420 to 675 nm. There was almost no change in fusion enthalpy and melt temperature before and after re-dispersion, which indicated that the polyurethane shell had a good protection of octadecane from leaking out of the nanocapsule.