Efficient broadband silicon-on-insulator grating coupler with low backreflection

We design and fabricate an efficient broadband grating coupler on a 400 nm thick silicon-on-insulator wafer. The measured coupling loss is 3 dB when coupling to a single-mode fiber at 1310 nm wavelength with TE polarization. The spectral FWHM and backreflection are determined to be 58 nm and -27 dB, respectively.     

Excited-state intramolecular proton transfer molecules bearing o-hydroxy analogues of green fluorescent protein chromophore

o-Hydroxy analogues, 1a-g, of the green fluorescent protein chromophore have been synthesized. Their structures and electronic properties were investigated by X-ray single-crystal analyses, electrochemistry, and luminescence properties. In solid and nonpolar solvents 1a-g exist mainly as Z conformers that possess a seven-membered-ring hydrogen bond and undergo excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) reactions, resulting in a proton-transfer tautomer emission. Fluorescence upconversion dynamics have revealed a coherent type of ESIPT, followed by a fast vibrational/solvent relaxation (<1 ps) to a twisted (regarding exo-C(5)-C(4)-C(3) bonds) conformation, from which a fast population decay of a few to several tens of picoseconds was resolved in cyclohexane. Accordingly, the proton-transfer tautomer emission intensity is moderate (0.08 in 1e) to weak (～10(-4) in 1a) in cyclohexane. The stronger intramolecular hydrogen bonding in 1g suppresses the rotation of the aryl-alkene bond, resulting in a high yield of tautomer emission (Φ(f) ≈ 0.2). In the solid state, due to the inhibition of exo-C(5)-C(4)-C(3) rotation, intense tautomer emission with a quantum yield of 0.1-0.9 was obtained for 1a-g. Depending on the electronic donor or acceptor strength of the substituent in either the HOMO or LUMO site, a broad tuning range of the emission from 560 (1g) to 670 nm (1a) has been achieved.     

Crystal-field effects and the local surface modes in a Heisenberg ferromagnet

We have studied the zero-temperature local surface modes that occur on a (001) surface of a Heisenberg ferromagnet with singlet-triplet crystal-field level scheme in the random phase approximation of the double-time Green function method. Experimental aspects of the present model are also discussed.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of the interfacial and structural properties of dimethyldodecylamine-N-oxide micelles

A series of large-scale atomistic molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to study the structural and interfacial properties of nonionic dimethyldodecylamine-N-oxide (DDAO) micelles with an aggregation number of 104 in pure water, which was determined using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). From these simulations, the micelles were found to be generally ellipsoidal in shape with axial ratios of ～1.3-1.4, which agrees well with that found from small-angle neutron scattering measurements. The resulting micelles have an area per DDAO molecule of 94.8 ?(2) and an average number of hydration water molecules per DDAO molecule of ～8. The effect of the encapsulation of ethyl butyrate (CH(3)(CH(2))(2)COOCH(2)CH(3), C(4)) and ethyl caprylate (CH(3)(CH(2))(6)COOCH(2)CH(3), C(8)) on the structural and interfacial properties of the nonionic DDAO aggregates was also examined. In the presence of the C(4) oil molecules, the aggregates were found to be less ellipsoidal and more spherical than the pure DDAO micelles, while the aggregates in the presence of the C(8) oil molecules were almost perfect spheres. In addition, the C(4) oil molecules move into the core of the aggregates, while the C(8) oil molecules stay in the headgroup region of the aggregates. Finally, the structural properties of two micelles formed from different starting states (a "preassembled" sphere and individual DDAO molecules distributing in water) were found to be nearly identical.     

Far-infrared radiation promotes angiogenesis in human microvascular endothelial cells via extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation

This study was designed to determine the in vitro angiogenic ability of far-infrared (FIR) radiation in the skin-derived cultured human microvascular endothelial cells and to elucidate the role of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in this process. The results revealed that FIR radiation from a WS(TM) TY301 FIR emitter activated p38 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), but not Akt or c-Jun N-terminal protein kinases (JNK), and significantly promoted angiogenesis by increasing tube formation in Matrigel and the migration of cells across an eight micron polyester filter. The addition of 50 μM PD98059, a MEK inhibitor, significantly inhibited the activation of ERK and the enhanced angiogenesis; in contrast, the inhibition of p38 phosphorylation did not inhibit the enhanced angiogenesis. After FIR radiation, there was no increase in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) isoforms (VEGF-A, -B, -C and -D) mRNA and VEGF protein, no increase phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) detected using Western blotting, and no increase in NO production detected using flow cytometry in cells pre-incubated with the cell-permeable NO-binding dye diluted 4-amino-5-methylamino-2', 7'-difluorofluorescein diacetate (DAF-FM DA). This study revealed that FIR radiation possesses in vitro angiogenic activity via the activation of the MEK/ERK but not the VEGF/Akt/eNOS-dependent signaling pathways.     

Thermodynamics of binding of 2-methoxy-3-isopropylpyrazine and 2-methoxy-3-isobutylpyrazine to the major urinary protein

In the present study we examine the thermodynamics of binding of two related pyrazine-derived ligands to the major urinary protein, MUP-I, using a combination of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), X-ray crystallography, and NMR backbone (15)N and methyl side-chain (2)H relaxation measurements. Global thermodynamics data derived from ITC indicate that binding is driven by favorable enthalpic contributions, rather than the classical entropy-driven hydrophobic effect. Unfavorable entropic contributions from the protein backbone and side-chain residues in the vicinity of the binding pocket are partially offset by favorable entropic contributions at adjacent positions, suggesting a "conformational relay" mechanism whereby increased rigidity of residues on ligand binding are accompanied by increased conformational freedom of side chains in adjacent positions. The principal driving force governing ligand affinity and specificity can be attributed to solvent-driven enthalpic effects from desolvation of the protein binding pocket.     

Sample stacking for determination of aromatic acid impurities by microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography

In this study, a sample stacking step coupled with microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography (MEEKC) was used to detect and analyze nine aromatic acids (benzoic acid (BA), isophthalic acid (IPA), terephthalic acid (TPA), p-toluic acid (p-TA), 4-carboxylbenzaldehyde (4-CBA), trimesic acid (TSA), trimellitic acid (TMA), o-phthalic acid (OPA), and hemimellitic acid (HMA)) which are common impurities produced during aromatic acid synthesis. First, the presence of both acid and water plugs at the front of the capillary improved the reproducibility in retention time and peak intensity of the tested analytes in the stacking method. Second, the pH and the electrolyte type of acidic plug and sample matrix were found to be the predominant influences on the aromatic acid stacking. The detection limits of these aromatic acids were reduced to the range of 0.00007-0.00032 μg mL⁻¹ by this optimal sample stacking step. This proposed on-line concentration MEEKC method was able to detect trace levels of aromatic acid impurities in commercial aromatic acid products that were not previously possible by the normal MEEKC method. Furthermore, these results in comparison with our previous studies on sample stacking MEEKC method indicated that all acidic species were concentrated by this simple stacking procedure. The sensitivity enhancement, however, was highly dependent on the types of functional groups present in the structures of analytes, and the enhancement was in the order of first the compounds carrying both carboxy and hydroxy groups (e.g. phenolic acid), followed by carboxylic acid compounds (e.g. aromatic acid), and then phenol compounds (e.g. polyphenol).     

Carbazole-oxadiazole containing polyurethanes as phosphorescent host for organic light emitting diodes

New types of polyurethanes (PUs) were prepared from condensation polymerization of isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) with various combination of 9-butyl-3,6-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)carbazole (Cz) and 2,5-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (OXD), and end-capped with 4-tert-butyl phenol. The Cz-OXD PUs can also be used as host for phosphorescent dye. Red EL emission was obtained when Ir(btp)₂(acac) or Ir(2-phq)₂(acac) was used as the phosphorescent dyes in Cz-OXD (3:1) PU. Maximum brightness of 394 cd/m² and EL efficiency of 1 cd/A were achieved for the Ir(2-phq)₂(acac) base device. In addition, white light PLED was demonstrated when co-dopant of Ir(btp)₂(acac) and Firpic were used.     

Dynamic modification of the capillary wall for electrophoretic separations of small ions

Separations of small ions were carried out under nonequilibrated conditions using capillaries treated with NaOH, HCl, or tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris) prior to analysis. For separations of benzoic acid isomers or acids and amines under weakly acidic conditions, capillaries flushed with 0.1 M NaOH and subsequently with running buffers prior to analysis were used. Separations of six benzoic acid isomers were accomplished in 4 min in 1 mM phosphate buffers, pH 4.01, containing 2.5 mM hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin. Without additives, the separation of biological amines and acids were also achieved in 10 min at pH 4.01. Capillaries treated with 0.1 M HCl prior to analysis were tested in separations of six phenols in 5 mM Tris solutions at pH 7.0. As a result of small electrophoretic mobilities of phenols against a small electroosmotic flow, resolution was optimized. We also found that reproducibility was improved using capillaries treated with HCl. The relative standard deviations of migration mobility of phenols were less than 1%, which were smaller than those obtained using capillaries treated with 0.1 M NaOH or Tris.