Laser offset-frequency locking up to 20 GHz using a low-frequency electrical filter technique

A simple, easy-to-implement, and robust technique is reported to offset lock two semiconductor lasers with a frequency difference easily adjustable up to a couple of tens of gigahertz (10 and 19 GHz experimentally demonstrated). The proposed scheme essentially makes use of low-frequency control electronics and may be implemented with any type of single mode semiconductor laser, without any requirement for the laser linewidth. The technique is shown to be very similar to the wavelength modulation spectroscopy method commonly used for laser stabilization onto molecular absorption lines, as demonstrated by experimental results obtained using 935 nm laser diodes.     

A latent class model of residential choice behaviour and ethnic segregation preferences

The nature of ethnic residential clustering involves diverse population segments which through their location decisions influence the spatial patterns of ethnic settlements. While residential location is in part determined by outside constraints, choice plays a role too, making the study of preferences an important research topic. Along with differences in socio-economic characteristics, literature often emphasizes the role of unobserved (behavioural) elements in the formation of preferences for ethnic neighbourhood composition. This paper tests the potential of latent class choice models to examine both observed and unobserved heterogeneity in residential choices across ethnic groups. The empirical example is estimated on stated preferences data from Lugano, Switzerland. The results indicate different ethnic attributes as key choice drivers for households belonging to three latent classes, where the origin of households is the best predictor of class membership. Swiss citizens are mainly concerned about high shares of foreigners, advantaged foreigners favour their co-nationals, while disadvantaged foreigners hold both of such preferences.     

Molecular formula analysis by an MS/MS/MS technique to expedite dereplication of natural products

A facile and sensitive mass spectrometric method has been developed for the dereplication of natural products. The method provides information about the molecular formula and substructure of a precursor molecule and its fragments, which are invaluable aids in dereplication of natural products at their early stages of purification and characterization. Collision-induced MS/MS technique is used to fragment a precursor ion into several product ions, and individual product ions are selected and subjected to collision-induced MS/MS/MS analysis. This method enables the identification of the fragmentation pathway of a precursor molecule from its first-generation fragments (MS/MS), through to the nth generation product ions (MSn). It also allows for the identification of the corresponding neutral products released (neutral losses). Elements used in the molecular formula analysis include C, H, N, O, and S, as most natural products are constituted by these five elements. High-resolution mass separation and accurate mass measurements afforded the unique identification of molecular formula of small neutral products. Through sequential add-up of the molecular formulas of the small neutral products, the molecular formula of the precursor ion and its productions were uniquely determined. The molecular formula of the precursor molecule was then reversely used to identify or confirm the molecular formula of the neutral products and that of the productions. The molecular formula of the neutral fragments allowed for the identification of substructures, leading to a rapid and efficient characterization of precursor natural product. The method was applied to paclitaxel (C47H51NO14; 853 amu) to identify its molecular formula and its substructures, and to characterize its potential fragmentation pathways. The method was further validated by correctly identifying the molecular formula of minocycline (C23H27N3O7; 457 amu) and piperacillin (C23H27N5O7S; 517 amu).     

By-Passing Large Screening Experiments Using Sequencing as a Tool to Identify scFv Fragments Targeting Atherosclerotic Lesions in a Novel In Vivo Phage Display Selection

Atherosclerosis is a chronic, progressive inflammatory disease that may develop into vulnerable lesions leading to thrombosis. To interrogate the molecular components involved in this process, single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) from a semi-synthetic human antibody library were selected on the lesions induced in a rabbit model of atherosclerosis after two rounds of in vivo phage display. Homing Phage-scFvs were isolated from (1) the injured endothelium, (2) the underlying lesional tissue and (3) the cells within the intima. Clones selected on the basis of their redundancy or the presence of key amino acids, as determined by comparing the distribution between the native and the selected libraries, were produced in soluble form, and seven scFvs were shown to specifically target the endothelial cell surface and inflamed intima-related regions of rabbit tissue sections by immunohistology approaches. The staining patterns differed depending on the scFv compartment of origin. This study demonstrates that large-scale scFv binding assays can be replaced by a sequence-based selection of best clones, paving the way for easier use of antibody libraries in in vivo biopanning experiments. Future investigations will be aimed at characterizing the scFv/target couples by mass spectrometry to set the stage for more accurate diagnostic of atherosclerosis and development of therapeutic strategies.     

A Novel Approach to the Discovery of Small-Molecule Ligands of CDK2

In an attempt to identify novel small-molecule ligands of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) with potential as allosteric inhibitors, we have devised a robust and cost-effective fluorescence-based high-throughput screening assay. The assay is based on the specific interaction of CDK2 with the extrinsic fluorophore 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS), which binds to a large allosteric pocket adjacent to the ATP site. Hit compounds that displace ANS directly or indirectly from CDK2 are readily classified as ATP site binders or allosteric ligands through the use of staurosporine, which blocks the ATP site without displacing ANS. Pilot screening of 1453 compounds led to the discovery of 12 compounds with displacement activities (EC(50) values) ranging from 6 to 44 μM, all of which were classified as ATP-site-directed ligands. Four new type I inhibitor scaffolds were confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Although this small compound library contained only ATP-site-directed ligands, the application of this assay to large compound libraries has the potential to reveal previously unrecognized chemical scaffolds suitable for structure-based design of CDK2 inhibitors with new mechanisms of action.     

膨胀型纺织品防火涂料的生态化改进

介绍了在现有的膨胀型防火涂料中,尝试使用环境友好型材料替代体系中的碳源材料,从而减少生产和使用过程中可能对环境造成的影响.叙述了改进的实验过程和改进后涂料的试用效果测试.     

Spectroscopic Study on Ultrafast Carrier Dynamics and Terahertz Amplified Stimulated Emission in Optically Pumped Graphene

This paper reviews recent advances in spectroscopic study on ultrafast carrier dynamics and terahertz (THz) stimulated emission in optically pumped graphene. The gapless and linear energy spectra of electrons and holes in graphene can lead to nontrivial features such as negative dynamic conductivity in the THz spectral range, which may lead to the development of new types of THz lasers. First, the non-equilibrium carrier relaxation/recombination dynamics is formulated to show how photoexcited carriers equilibrate their energy and temperature via carrier-carrier and carrier-phonon scatterings and in what photon energies and in what time duration the dynamic conductivity can take negative values as functions of temperature, pumping photon energy/intensity, and carrier relaxation rates. Second, we conduct time-domain spectroscopic studies using an optical pump and a terahertz probe with an optical probe technique at room temperature and show that graphene sheets amplify an incoming terahertz field. Two different types of samples are prepared for the measurement; one is an exfoliated monolayer graphene on SiO₂/Si substrate and the other is a heteroepitaxially grown non-Bernal stacked multilayer graphene on a 3C-SiC/Si epi-wafer.     

On routing with guaranteed delivery in three-dimensional ad hoc wireless networks

We study the problem of routing in three-dimensional ad hoc networks. We are interested in routing algorithms that guarantee delivery and are k-local, i.e., each intermediate node v’s routing decision only depends on knowledge of the labels of the source and destination nodes, of the subgraph induced by nodes within distance k of v, and of the neighbour of v from which the message was received. We model a three-dimensional ad hoc network by a unit ball graph, where nodes are points in three-dimensional space, and for each node v, there is an edge between v and every node u contained in the unit-radius ball centred at v. The question of whether there is a simple local routing algorithm that guarantees delivery in unit ball graphs has been open for some time. In this paper, we answer this question in the negative: we show that for any fixed k, there can be no k-local routing algorithm that guarantees delivery on all unit ball graphs. This result is in contrast with the two-dimensional case, where 1-local routing algorithms that guarantee delivery are known. Specifically, we show that guaranteed delivery is possible if the nodes of the unit ball graph are contained in a slab of thickness \(1/\sqrt{2}.\) However, there is no k-local routing algorithm that guarantees delivery for the class of unit ball graphs contained in thicker slabs, i.e., slabs of thickness \(1/\sqrt{2} + \epsilon\) for some \( \epsilon > 0.\) The algorithm for routing in thin slabs derives from a transformation of unit ball graphs contained in thin slabs into quasi unit disc graphs, which yields a 2-local routing algorithm. We also show several results that further elaborate on the relationship between these two classes of graphs.     

Synthesis of nanocomposite films from wheat gluten matrix and MMT intercalated with different quaternary ammonium salts by way of hydroalcoholic solvent casting

Protein-based nanocomposites consisting of wheat gluten matrix (WG) and montmorillonite (MMT) modified with quaternary ammonium salts (QA) were developed by hydroalcoholic solvent casting. A simple clay-modifying method using five QA salts of different molecular lengths composed of 4, 5, 16, 40 and 72 carbon atoms, represented by C₄N, C₅OHN, C₁₆N, C₄₀N and C₇₂N, was used for mineral intercalation. XRD analysis of composites containing Na–MMT, C₁₆N–MMT, C₄₀N–MMT, and C₇₂N–MMT indicated the diffraction peaks corresponding to the interlayer spacing were absent, demonstrating that these particles were significantly dispersed in the WG matrix. Concentration and dispersion of MMT in the WG protein were the main factors affecting on permeability to water vapor P_wv through the films. There was a decrease of P_wv when either the raw or the modified MMT was added. The more prominent decrease of the P_wv was found for dispersed mineral particles, such as C₁₆N–MMT, C₄₀N–MMT, and C₇₂N–MMT.