Biological applications of scanning electrochemical microscopy: chemical imaging of single living cells and beyond

Recent applications of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) to studies of single biological cells are reviewed. This scanning probe microscopic technique allows the imaging of an individual cell on the basis of not only its surface topography but also such cellular activities as photosynthesis, respiration, electron transfer, single vesicular exocytosis and membrane transport. The operational principles of SECM are also introduced in the context of these biological applications. Recent progress in techniques for high-resolution SECM imaging are also reviewed. Future directions, such as single-channel detection by SECM, high-resolution imaging with nanometer-sized probes, and combined SECM techniques for multidimensional imaging are also discussed.     

On the problem of uniqueness of the trigonometric moment constants

Summary Given a real-valued function <InlineEquation ID=IE"3"><EquationSource Format="TEX"><![CDATA[<InlineEquation ID=IE"4"><EquationSource Format="TEX"><![CDATA[<InlineEquation ID=IE"5"><EquationSource Format="TEX"><![CDATA[<InlineEquation ID=IE"6"><EquationSource Format="TEX"><![CDATA[<InlineEquation ID=IE"7"><EquationSource Format="TEX"><![CDATA[<InlineEquation ID=IE"8"><EquationSource Format="TEX"><![CDATA[<InlineEquation ID=IE"9"><EquationSource Format="TEX"><![CDATA[<InlineEquation ID=IE"10"><EquationSource Format="TEX"><![CDATA[$]]></EquationSource></InlineEquation>]]></EquationSource></InlineEquation>]]></EquationSource></InlineEquation>]]></EquationSource></InlineEquation>]]></EquationSource></InlineEquation>]]></EquationSource></InlineEquation>]]></EquationSource></InlineEquation>]]></EquationSource></InlineEquation>\mu(x,y)$ of bounded variation in the sense of Hardy and Krause on the square $[0, 2\pi]\times [0, 2\pi]$, the sequence <InlineEquation ID=IE"1"><EquationSource Format="TEX"><![CDATA[<InlineEquation ID=IE"2"><EquationSource Format="TEX"><![CDATA[$$]]></EquationSource></InlineEquation>]]></EquationSource></InlineEquation> \mu_{m,n}:=\int^{2\pi}_0 \int^{2\pi}_0 e^{i(mx+ny)} \, d_x \, d_y \mu(x,y), \quad (m,n)\in \bZ^2, $$ may be called the sequence of trigonometric moment constants with respect to $\mu(x,y)$. We discuss the uniqueness of the expression of the sequence $\{\mu_{m,n}\}$ in terms of the function $\mu(x,y)$.     

Operator Formulas Involving Generalized Stirling Number Derived by Virtue of Normal Ordering of Vacuum Projector

By virtue of the normal ordering of vacuum projector we directly derive some new complicated operator identities, regarding to the generalized Stirling number.     

Investigation of the energy resolution with a RETGEM detector

A novel Micro-pattern gaseous detector （MPGD）, thick GEM with electrodes made of a resistive material （RETGEM） is presented. In this paper we mainly investigate the energy resolution of a RETGEM in Ar＋CO2 with different gas mixtures. The results indicate that an energy resolution 30% in single and double mode can be obtained. The existence of an optimum energy resolution is discussed.     

Study of lower emittance dedicated synchrotron radiation mode for the BEPCⅡ

In this paper,a dedicated synchrotron radiation （SR） mode for the BEPCⅡ with an emittance of 85 nm has been designed,including the linear lattice,chromaticity correction and dynamic aperture optimization.The emittance of the new mode is about 60% of the previous mode used for routine operation of the BEPCⅡ .The effect of wigglers on the linear lattice was compensated and the total dynamic aperture including the wigglers’ nonlinear effect was estimated.The preliminary commissioning at the end of 2008 and the formal operation with the new mode confirmed its merits.     

The effects of temperature and frequency on the magnetization switching mode in circular MI sensors

This paper presents results computed using a meshless method in a point collocation formulation to investigate the effects of temperature and frequency on the magnetization switching mode in the circular amorphous magneto-impedance sensor (element). Specifically, the solutions characterizing the MI effect are solved from a set of coupled nonlinear equations consisting of the Maxwell’s equations, the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation, and the thermal diffusion equation. This coupled nonlinear space-time model predicts the formation and propagation of dynamic domain walls in switching and it is shown how they contribute to experimentally observed temperature and frequency effects. Computed results (that agree well with reported experimental data) suggest radial domain walls may play a larger role in the MI effect than originally believed even for the realistic conditions considered here at 1 MHz or more.     

Vibrational properties of polysiloxanes: from dimer to oligomers and polymers. 1. Structural and vibrational properties of hexamethyldisiloxane (CH3)3SiOSi(CH3)3

The hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDS)(CH₃)₃SiOSi(CH₃)₃ molecule is one of the basic building blocks of silicones and polysiloxanes, as it is used for many chain terminations. Far‐infrared, mid‐infrared, and polarized Raman spectroscopic studies, combined with quantum chemical calculations and vibrational normal mode analyses, were performed for the HMDS molecule. The internal rotation of the trimethylsilyl group was calculated to be nearly free. The large‐amplitude bending motion was found very anharmonic with a barrier to linearity below 4 kJ/mol. Exhaustive assignments of observed wavenumbers have been performed on the basis of calculated potential energy distributions (PED) and atomic displacements. By isotopic ¹⁶O ¹⁸O substitution, the Si O Si symmetric and antisymmetric stretching modes shift from 521 and 1074 cm⁻¹ to 514 and 1028 cm⁻¹, respectively. This spectroscopic observation provides convincing evidence that the molecule is bent with an angle estimated at around 150°. The comparison of HMDS vibrational spectra with the vibrational spectra of some siloxane derivatives reveals strong effects of silicon substituents on the Si O Si symmetric and antisymmetric stretchings. The Si O Si siloxane bridge group plays a key role in the properties of the HMDS molecule and may also account for some important silicone polymer properties such as their very low glass transition, their high compressibility, and their low surface tension. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Metal‐assisted regioselectivity in nucleophilic substitutions: a study by Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations

A series of complexes (Fe^II, Cu^II and Ni^II) of the N,O bidentate ligand 6,7‐dichloroquinoline‐5,8‐dione in water was investigated by using Raman spectroscopy, and the experimental peaks were assigned with the help of computed spectra by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. A strong shift to lower wavenumbers was observed for the vibration of the CO group involved in chelation, depending on the type of metal ion. When each complex was used in the substitution reaction by the nucleophilic reagent piperidine, two products having the same molecular composition but showing the substituent in different regions of the molecule were obtained, and moreover their regioselective formation was in agreement with the size of the Raman shifts previously observed for the complexes. This example confirms the potential of the approach involving Raman spectroscopy combined with DFT calculations in the characterization of metal complexes as key intermediates in organic reactions, with the possibility of predicting the metal system capable to achieve the highest selectivity. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

124 W diode-side-pumped Nd:YAG laser in dynamic fundamental mode

A high power dynamic fundamental mode Nd:YAG laser is experimentally demonstrated with a stagger-pumped laser module and a V-shaped resonator. The rod is pumped symmetrically by staggered bar modules. And dynamic fundamental mode is achieved under different pump levels. The maximal continuous wave (CW) output of 124 W (M²=1.4) is achieved with a dual rod. Average output of 112 W, pulse width of 120 ns, pulse energy of 11.2 mJ and peak power of 93 kW are obtained in Q-switched operation of 10 kHz.