On the interpretation of fluorescence anisotropy decays from probe molecules in lipid vesicle systems

Measurements of fluorescence depolarization decays are widely used to obtain information about the molecular order and rotational dynamics of fluorescent probe molecules in membrane systems. This information is obtained by least-squares fits of the experimental data to the predictions of physical models for motion. Here we present a critical review of the ways and means of the data analysis and address the question how and why totally different models such as Brownian rotational diffusion and wobble-in-cone provide such convincing fits to the fluorescence anistropy decay curves. We show that while these models are useful for investigating the general trends in the behavior of the probe molecules, they fail to describe the underlying motional processes. We propose to remedy this situation with a model in which the probe molecules undergo fast, though restricted local motions within a slowly rotating cage in the lipid bilayer structure. The cage may be envisaged as a free volume cavity between the lipid molecules, so that its position and orientation change with the internal conformational motions of the lipid chains. This approach may be considered to be a synthesis of the wobble-in-cone and Brownian rotational diffusion models. Importantly, this compound motion model appears to provide a consistent picture of fluorescent probe behavior in both oriented lipid bilayers and lipid vesicle systems.     

A Fluorescent Probe for Diacetyl Detection

A water-soluble fluorescent probe, rhodamine B hydrazide (RBH), was prepared and its properties for recognition of diacetyl were studied. The method employs the reaction of diacetyl with RBH, a colorless and non-fluorescent rhodamine B spiro form derivative to give a pink-colored fluorescent substance. In weakly acidic media, RBH reacts more selectively with diacetyl than with other carbonyls, causing a large increase in fluorescence intensity and thereby providing an easy assay for the determination of diacetyl.     

贵金属纳米结构为敏感层的锥形光纤探针及其SERS活性

表面等离激元纳米结构与便携式光纤拉曼系统相结合,在液体样品和生物活体组织的快速、实时监测上有较好的应用前景。其核心技术是将具有表面增强拉曼散射(SERS)活性的贵金属纳米结构耦合到光纤探针表面。本文基于共价键结合原理,将3-巯丙基三甲氧基硅烷通过与锥形光纤探针表面的硅羟基形成共价键修饰在光纤上;同时,硅烷偶联剂末端的巯基与金或银纳米结构形成Au-S或Ag-S共价键,将金纳米粒子和银纳米立方体牢牢吸附到光纤探针表面。这种SERS光纤探针具有很高的稳定性(SERS信号相对标准偏差低于3%),对农残甲基对硫磷的敏感度达到10纳摩尔,对污染物的远程、便携式在线检测具有重要意义。     

Stress state of silver nanoparticles embedded in a silicate glass matrix investigated by HREM and EXAFS spectroscopy

Ag particles of 3.9 and 5.1 nm mean size in silicate glasses were produced by ion exchange and subsequent annealing at 480 and 600 ^°C. These thermal treatments may induce stresses in matrix and particles in addition to the well known effect of surface atoms because of the thermal expansion mismatch of both materials. Structural characterisation of the particles by high-resolution electron microscopy revealed a size-dependent lattice dilatation quite opposite to the so far observed lattice contraction of similar metal/glass composites. This result, confirmed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Ag K-edge, is discussed in terms of an Ag-Ag bond length increase near the particle surface. The temperature-dependent EXAFS spectra (10-300 K) indicate an increased thermal expansion coefficient of the particles with an increased mean particle size calculated on the basis of an anharmonic Einstein model. With that the bond length increase can be explained. The results can be interpreted by a combination of both the particle size effects and the influence of the surrounding matrix. Received 30 November 2000     

扫描近场光学显微镜中两类光纤探针传输特性的研究

采用局域模式耦合理论，对扫描近场光学显微镜中的两类光纤探针－腐蚀锥和熔拉锥的传输特性进行了比较和分析。给出了光在探针锥中传输时耦合效率的分布情况，以及传输效率随锥长，针尖直径和光波长变化的特性。     

一种局部相含率测量方法

在局部电导探针和单丝电容探针的基础上,提出一种新型局部电容探针,用于测量两相流的局部相含率。静态研究表明,局部电容探针能够测量空气水两相流的局部相含率,测量结果不受导电相电导率变化的影响。从工业蒸馏水变化到饱和食盐水(NaCl的质量分数0～5%),局部电容探针输出结果没有明显变化。电极距离在0～30 mm的范围内变化,测量结果变化小于1%。动态实验表明,局部电容探针测量的两相流的局部相含率,能够很好反映流动过程(以弹状流为例),和实验观察结果完全一致。只需要设置简单的阈值大小,就可以得到相含率的大小。     

Designing of Optical Fiber Sensing Probe

Evanescent wave configuration has been extensively used in the development of fiber-optic sensor for different biomedical applications. In the present investigation we have theoretically proposed the designing of single-mode and multimode optical fiber sensing probes, which can be prepared by removing a few centimeters of cladding near the distal end of the step index optical fiber. In this theoretical study, we found that the removal of cladding causes V-number mismatching and this has led to the loss of signal acquisition from the sensing region. Therefore, to minimize these losses we have proposed to reduce the radius by step etch and tapering technique. It was found that step etching and tapering enhances the strength and penetration depth of the evanescent wave significantly.     

Charge densities and charge noise in mesoscopic conductors

We introduce a hierarchy of density of states to characterize the charge distribution in a mesoscopic conductor. At the bottom of this hierarchy are the partial density of states which represent the contribution to the local density of states if both the incident and the out-going scattering channel is prescribed. The partial density of states play a prominent role in measurements with a scanning tunneling microscope on multiprobe conductors in the presence of current flow. The partial density of states determine the degree of dephasing generated by a weakly coupled voltage probe. In addition the partial density of states determine the frequency-dependent response of mesoscopic conductors in the presence of slowly oscillating voltages applied to the contacts of the sample. The partial density of states permit the formulation of a Friedel sum rule which can be applied locally. We introduce the off-diagonal elements of the partial density of states matrix to describe charge fluctuation processes. This generalization leads to a local Wigner-Smith life-time matrix.     

石墨炉内石墨探针表面上的原子化机理研究 Ⅳ钒的原子化机理

本文通过X-射线衍射分析(XRD),扫描电子显微镜分析(SEM),化学分析光电子能谱分析(ESCA),并结合原子吸收测量,研究了钒在普通石墨管中石磨探针表面上发生的固相化学反应。结果表明,钒化合物在灰化阶段即可转化为热稳定性较高的碳化物,原子化的最后步骤为碳化物的热分解。     

Stabilisation of fcc cobalt layers by 0.4 nm thick manganese layers in Co/Mn superlattices

Epitaxial Co/Mn multilayers (0.75 to 6 nm Co, 0.4 nm Mn layer thickness) have been grown on mica substrates covered by a (0002) Ru buffer layer. The structural properties of these layers have been studied using X-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The Co layers, grown as face centred cubic (fcc), were found to be stabilised by the very thin Mn layers. Data obtained using X-ray diffraction and NMR were analysed and found to be in good agreement, while Monte-Carlo simulations were used to interpret the data and calculate the expected diffracted intensity and NMR spectra. The HRTEM data show that the Mn layers give rise to a large strain contrast extending, in the growth direction, over a distance which exceeds the thickness of the Mn layers. The superlattices could be described as having an fcc structure containing randomly located stacking faults with varying densities. The results verify the presence of a dominant, almost perfect phase of fcc stacking, and of a faulted hcp phase, while the number of defects increases with the Co layer thickness. Received 27 October 1999 and Received in final form 29 May 2000