Characterization of different substrates for Raman spectroscopic imaging of eukaryotic cells

For Raman spectroscopic analyses of the cells and other biological samples, the choice of the right substrate material is very important to avoid loss of information in characteristic spectral features because of competing background signals. In the current study, Raman spectroscopy is used to characterize several potential Raman substrates. Raman vibrational bands of the substrate material are discussed. The surface topography is analyzed by atomic force microscopy, and the root mean square surface roughness values are reported. Biocompatibility of the substrates is tested with Hep G2 cells evaluating cellular morphology as well as live/dead staining. Calcium fluoride, silicon, fused silica, borofloat glass, and silicon nitride membranes support cell growth and adherence. Silicon, borofloat glass, and fused silica give rise to Raman signals in the region of interest. Calcium fluoride substrate (UV grade) is suitable for Raman spectroscopic investigation of living cells. Nickel foil is suitable substrate for Raman spectroscopic investigation but cellular adherence and viability depend on the quality of the foil. Silicon nitride membranes coated with nickel chrome is a suitable Raman substrate in closed microfluidic systems. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Theory and computer simulation of tweed texture

Abstract

An analytical theory of the ordering interaction J(R _ij ) in structural phase transitions mediated by elastic relaxation in the material is outlined. The ordering process in cell i sets up a local stress field due to the sizes, shapes or displacements of atoms or atomic groups, which is propagated elastically to a distant cell j. The atomistic theory for ferro- and antiferro-elastic transitions takes into account two types of singularity, one due to elastic anisotropy and the other to the Zener interaction J _z of infinite range in ferroelastic transitions. The form of J _k in Fourier space is highly anisotropic with a few “soft” directions coinciding with the orientation of twin boundaries. The asymptoptic J(R) at large R is shown to be very anisotropic as well and decays as R ^?3 in ferroelastic and R ^?5 in antiferroelastic systems.

Computer simulations for a three-dimensional model of about 29,000 particles show a strong tendency to form tweed texture, as observed experimentally. Well above the structural phase transition temperature, the strain fluctuations show well-developed embryos of the tweed texture. On quenching to below the transition temperature, a pronounced micro-twinning appears which follows almost exactly the shape of the embryos and then develops towards a stripe texture. After a certain time needle-shaped domains are formed and a peculiar step-wise process of generating new stripes is observed.     

On the relaxation time of Gauss's continued-fraction map I. The Hilbert space approach (Koopmanism)

It is shown thatU ^*, the adjoint of Koopman's isometric operatorUf(x) =f(Tx) corresponding to the mapTx=x ^–1 (mod 1) of the unit interval, is isomorphic to a symmetric integral operator when restricted to a Hilbert space of holomorphic functionsf This result, also obtained by Babenko in a different setting, allows us to derive new trace formulas. Using generalized Temple's inequalities, we determine the relaxation time of the above system with great accuracy. In contrast to a widespread belief, it appears to be unrelated to the entropy of the mapT.     

Exchangelike effects for closed-shell adsorbates: interface dipole and work function

Based on detailed theoretical analyses, we present, for the first time, direct evidence that the significant interface dipole commonly observed for atoms and molecules physisorbed on metal surfaces originates from exchangelike effects. In the case of Xe, previously proposed contributions from chemical interactions do not play a significant role.     

Tuning high-power laser diodes with as much as 0.38 W of power and M(2) = 1.2 over a range of 32 nm with 3-GHz bandwidth

Gain-guided diode lasers usually have emission wavelengths determined by the manufacturing process, with typically 0.5-1-nm bandwidth. Furthermore, their beam quality is rather poor. We show that external cavities allow for tunable narrow-bandwidth operation of gain-guided diode lasers. At the same time the beam quality is drastically improved; almost diffraction-limited light of more than 200 mW has been achieved over the whole tuning range from 910 to 942 nm with narrow bandwidth.     

Isotope-selective laser photodetachment for 129I accelerator mass spectrometry

2D coordination polymer iron(II) spin crossover complexes containing 3,5-lutidine with host framework Fe(3,5-lutidine)₂Ni(CN)₄were synthesized. Their spin crossover properties were studied by temperature dependent ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. Materials show gradual incomplete spin crossover with distinct thermochromism, while only 25 % of iron(II) ions are switched to the low spin state at 80 K, as determined by a detailed ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer study.     

Development of high resolution resonance ionization mass spectrometry for trace analysis of 93mNb

⁹³Nb(n, n′)^93mNb reaction allows retrospective estimation of integrated fast neutron dose in nuclear reactor. We proposed isomer-selective trace analysis of ^93mNb by Resonance Ionization Mass Spectrometry (RIMS) combined with a gas-jet atomic source and an injection locked Ti:Sapphire laser system operated at several kHz. Resonant ionization spectroscopy of Nb in gas-jet using Ti:Sapphire laser was demonstrated.     

A procedure for clean deposition of100Pd on surfaces

For a program of surface and interface experiments with the PAC isotope¹⁰⁰Pd, a procedure has been developed to chemically separate¹⁰⁰Pd from irradiated rhodium and deposit it on surfaces by evaporation under UHV conditions. First results have been obtained for¹⁰⁰Pd on an Ni(111) surface.     

The shadow of a collapsing dark star

The shadow of a black hole is usually calculated, either analytically or numerically, on the assumption that the black hole is eternal, i.e., that it has existed for all time. Here we ask the question of how this shadow comes about in the course of time when a black hole is formed by gravitational collapse. To that end we consider a star that is spherically symmetric, dark and non-transparent and we assume that it begins, at some instant of time, to collapse in free fall like a ball of dust. We analytically calculate the dependence on time of the angular radius of the shadow, first for a static observer who is watching the collapse from a certain distance and then for an observer who is falling towards the centre following the collapsing star.