A novel liquid plasma AOP device integrating microwaves and ultrasounds and its evaluation in defluorinating perfluorooctanoic acid in aqueous media

A simplified and energy-saving integrated device consisting of a microwave applicator and an ultrasonic homogenizer has been fabricated to generate liquid plasma in a medium possessing high dielectric factors, for example water. The microwave waveguide and the ultrasonic transducer were interconnected through a tungsten/titanium alloy stick acting both as the microwave antenna and as the horn of the ultrasonic homogenizer. Both microwaves and ultrasonic waves are simultaneously transmitted to the aqueous media through the tungsten tip of the antenna. The microwave discharge liquid plasma was easily generated in solution during ultrasonic cavitation. The simple device was evaluated by carrying out the degradation of the perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a system highly recalcitrant to degradation by conventional advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). PFOA is 59% degraded in an aqueous medium after only 90 s of irradiation by the plasma. Intermediates were identified by electrospray mass spectral techniques in the negative ion mode.     

Fresnel filtering of Gaussian beams in microcavities

We study the output from the modes described by the superposition of Gaussian beams confined in the quasi-stadium microcavities. We experimentally observe the deviation from Snell's law in the output when the incident angle of the Gaussian beam at the cavity interface is near the critical angle for total internal reflection, providing direct experimental evidence on the Fresnel filtering. The theory of the Fresnel filtering for a planar interface qualitatively reproduces experimental data, and a discussion is given on small deviation between the measured data and the theory.     

Freeze-thawing single human embryonic stem cells induce e-cadherin and actin filament network disruption via g13 signaling

Poor adhesion of single human embryonic stem (hES) cells after freeze-thawing causes death. To investigate mechanisms responsible for this, Rho-dependent protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitor Y-27632-treated and untreated single hES cells were analyzed for E-cadherin and F-actin distribution by immunostaining and phalloidin staining respectively and for G13 signaling pathway components by DNA microarray and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Y-27632-treated cells clustered rapidly and maintained E-cadherin and F-actin distribution without losing Oct-3/4. Immediately after thawing, E-cadherin in untreated hES cells dotted along the membrane and then displayed eccentric cytoplasmic localization. Bleb formation and early Oct-3/4 loss occurred after F-actin network condensation in the cytoplasm. Microarray analyses and quantitative PCR indicated upregulation of two actin reorganization-associated components of the G13 signaling pathway, Arhgdib and Cdc42, in untreated cells. Considering these findings and that cell death was partly interrupted by Y-27632, E-cadherin and actin cytoskeleton network disruption through the G13 signaling pathway may cause hES cell death after freeze-thawing.     

Symmetrically glass-clad photonic crystal nanocavities with ultrahigh quality factors

We design and fabricate ultra-high-quality (Q) photonic nanocavities in a symmetrically glass-clad silicon (Si) two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystal (PhC) structure. We theoretically investigate the dependence of the refractive index of the glass on the Q factors for asymmetric and symmetric structures. We show that the index-symmetric distribution of the glass is a critical factor to realize ultrahigh Q factors for glass-clad 2D PhC structures. We fabricate symmetrically glass-clad Si PhC nanocavities and achieve a record Q factor of 1×10(6), comparable with the highest Q factors of nanocavities in air-bridge structures.     

Cu chemistry of YBa2Cu3O6+x investigated by nuclear quadrupole resonance

The nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) technique has been utilized to characterize the local oxygen coordination of inequivalent Cu sites in YBa₂Cu₃O_6+x(0 ≤ x ≤ 0.91). Essentially, four distinct NQR lines which correspond to 2, 3,4 oxygen coordinated Cu sites in the Cu-O chains and 5 oxygen coordinated Cu sites in the Cu-O planes have been observed. The zero-field NQR frequencies of these are centered at about 30.1, 24.0, 22.0 and 31.5 MHz for ⁶³Cu, respectively. For the antiferromagnetic ordered state (x ≤ 0.3), antiferromagnetic nuclear resonance (AFNR) has been observed at 90 MHz with quadrupole splittings associated with the moment-bearing Cu sites in the Cu-O planes. The relative intensities of these resonance lines depend on the oxygen content, and this gives us a microscopic understanding of the Cu chemistry of this system.     

Information in small neuronal ensemble activity in the hippocampal CA1 during delayed non-matching to sample performance in rats

Background  

The matrix-like organization of the hippocampus, with its several inputs and outputs, has given rise to several theories related to hippocampal information processing. Single-cell electrophysiological studies and studies of lesions or genetically altered animals using recognition memory tasks such as delayed non-matching-to-sample (DNMS) tasks support the theories. However, a complete understanding of hippocampal function necessitates knowledge of the encoding of information by multiple neurons in a single trial. The role of neuronal ensembles in the hippocampal CA1 for a DNMS task was assessed quantitatively in this study using multi-neuronal recordings and an artificial neural network classifier as a decoder.