Hybrid optoelectronic bistability in a fiber Bragg grating by use of a tunable fiber laser

We report the observation of hybrid optoelectronic bistability in a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) by use of an electro-optically tuned cw fiber laser in which another wavelength-matched FBG is employed to constitute a tunable resonant cavity. The potential application of such a device as a fiber-optic sensor is also discussed.     

A novel approach to the synthesis of 6-amino-7-hydroxy-flavone

A novel approach to the synthesis of 6-amino-7-hydroxyflavone (1) is described. Reaction in acetone of 2',4'-dihydroxy-5'-nitroacetophenone and benzoyl chloride in the presence of potassium carbonate affords 3-benzoyl-7-hydroxy-6-nitroflavone, which is cleaved in 5% ethanolic potassium hydroxide to give 1-(2,4-dihydroxy-5-nitrophenyl)-3- phenyl-1,3-propanedione. The 1,3-diketone thus formed is then transformed into 7-hydroxy- 6-nitroflavone, followed by reduction to afford the title compound.     

Nitrilotriacetic acid-modified magnetic nanoparticles as a general agent to bind histidine-tagged proteins

Using Nalpha,Nalpha-bis(carboxymethyl)lysine to react with FePt magnetic nanoparticles, we synthesized the FePt-NTA conjugate, which immobilizes Ni2+ ions and selectively binds to histidine-tagged proteins at concentration as low as 0.5 pM. This simple system serves as a useful alternative to existing protocols for protein separation and also acts as a versatile agent for transporting and anchoring proteins.     

Lyotropic liquid crystalline phases formed in an ionic liquid

Lyotropic liquid crystalline phases of an amphiphilic block copolymer are constructed and characterized in an ionic liquid with comparison of component and temperature effects.     

Analysis of planar waveguides with index discontinuity or index slope discontinuity

In this paper, we propose a novel analytic transfer matrix method (ATMM) to the analysis of planar waveguides with index discontinuity or index slope discontinuity, for the cases when the conventional WKB method is no longer valid. We also analyze the physical insight of the approximations in WKB theory, and according to our research, the phase shift at the turning point is not /2, but exactly . Test calculations are done for an index profile with a known solution and the comparison shows that our method gives extremely accurate propagation constant.     

Electrochemical studies of the effect of lanthanide ions on the activity of glutamate dehydrogenase

Using the electrochemical method based on the "diffusion" layer concept of the convective system, the effect of lanthanide ions La3+ and Eu3+ on the activity of glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) has been determined. In suitable concentrations, the lanthanide ions La3+ and Eu3+ can activate the GLDH in the reductive amination of alpha-Ketoglutarate (alpha-KG). The activation mechanism would be that the lanthanide ions could interrupt the binding of NAD+ to GLDH by combining preferentially to NAD+. This mechanism was proposed by the voltammetric studies.     

Preparation of nano-hydroxyapatite/poly(<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-lactide) biocomposite microspheres

Nano-hydroxyapatite (HA)/poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) composite microspheres with relatively uniform size distribution were prepared by a solid-in-oil-in-water (s/o/w) emusion solvent evaporation method. The encapsulation of the HA nanopaticles in microshperes was significantly improved by grafting PLLA on the surface of the HA nanoparticles (p-HA) during emulsion process. This procedure gave a possibility to obtain p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres with uniform morphology and the encapsulated p-HA nanoparticle loading reached up to 40 wt% (33 wt% of pure HA) in the p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres. The microstructure of composite microspheres from core-shell to single phase changed with the variation of p-HA to PLLA ratios. p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres with the diameter range of 2–3 μm were obtained. The entrapment efficiency of p-HA in microspheres could high up to 90 wt% and that of HA was only 13 wt%. Surface and bulk characterizations of the composite microspheres were performed by measurements such as wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).     

Influence of boron on the giant magnetocaloric effect of La(Fe0.9Si0.1)13

The influences of boron addition on the phase formation, Curie temperature and magnetic entropy change of the NaZn₁₃-type La(Fe_0.9Si_0.1)₁₃ compound have been investigated. Eight boron containing La(Fe_0.9Si_0.1)₁₃B_x samples were prepared with x=0, 0.03, 0.06, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.6, respectively. Experimental results show that a small amount of B addition in La(Fe_0.9Si_0.1)₁₃ forms the solid solution NaZn₁₃-type structure phase by substituting B for Si or doping B into interstitial position of the lattice, preserves its giant magnetocaloric effects due to their first-order structural/magnetic transition, as well as increase its Curie temperature T_c slightly. The maximum magnetic entropy changes in the magnetic field change of 0–1.6 T are around 20 J kg^–1 K^–1 for the samples with Boron addition less than 0.3, while improving the Curie temperatures by 2 K.     

A high-throughput search for direct methanol fuel cell anode electrocatalysts of type PtxBiyPbz

We used a high-throughput method to screen for direct methanol fuel cell anode electrocatalysts in the Pt-Bi-Pb system. Previous studies showed that PtBi and PtPb (both NiAs structure type) were active electrocatalysts for the oxidation of formic acid, but only PtPb was active in oxidizing methanol. We synthesized thin films with continuous composition spreads of the three elements by magnetron sputtering at deposition temperatures from ambient to 510 °C. A fluorescence method was then used to identify compositions that were active toward methanol oxidation. Only films deposited between temperatures of 160 and 400 °C showed electrocatalytic activity. The areas that were active for methanol oxidation showed predominantly the NiAs structure type according to XRD, with optimal activity for compositions near PtBi_0.01Pb_0.53.     

MOSFET辐照诱生界面陷阱形成过程的1/f噪声研究

基于界面陷阱形成的氢离子运动两步模型和反应过程的热力学平衡假设,推导了金属-氧化物-半导体-场效应晶体管(MOSFET)经历电离辐照后氧化层空穴俘获与界面陷阱形成间关系的表达式.利用初始1/f噪声功率谱幅值与氧化层空穴俘获之间的联系,建立了辐照前的1/f噪声幅值与辐照诱生界面陷阱数量之间的半经验公式,并通过实验予以验证.研究结果表明,由于辐照诱生的氧化层内陷阱通过与分子氢作用而直接参与到界面陷阱的建立过程中,从而使界面陷阱生成数量正比于这种陷阱增加的数量,因此辐照前的1/f噪声功率谱幅值正比于辐照诱生的界面陷阱数量.研究结果为1/f噪声用作MOSFET辐照损伤机理研究的新工具,对其抗辐照性能进行无损评估提供了理论依据与数学模型.