Synthesis,structure, CO oxidation,and H2 production activities of CaCu3−xMnxTi4−xMnxO12 (x = 0, 0.5, and 1.0)

Synthesis of nanocrystalline pristine and Mn-doped calcium copper titanate quadruple perovskites, CaCu_3?xMn_xTi_4?xMn_xO₁₂ (x = 0, 0.5, and 1.0) by modified citrate solution combustion method has been reported. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns attest the phase purity of the perovskite materials. Average particle sizes of all the materials obtained from the Scherrer's formula are in the range of 55–70 nm. The specific surface areas for all the perovskites obtained from BET isotherms are found to be low as expected for the condensed oxide systems and fall in the range of 13–17 m² g^?1. Transmission electron microscopy studies show a reduction in particle size of CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂ with increase in Mn doping. Ca and Ti are present in +2 and +4 oxidation states in all the materials as demonstrated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses. Cu²⁺ gets reduced in CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂ with higher Mn content. Mn is observed to be present only in +3 oxidation state. All the materials have been examined to be active in CO oxidation as well as H₂ production from methanol steam reforming. CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂ with ~14 at.% Mn is found to show best catalytic activities among these materials. A comprehensive analysis of the catalytic activities of these perovskites toward CO oxidation and H₂ production from MSR reveal the cooperative activity of copper-manganese in the doped perovskites and it is more effective at lower manganese content.     

Parotid gland tissues investigated by picosecond time-gated andoptical spectroscopic imaging techniques

Near-infrared (NIR) time-resolved and spectroscopic transillumination imaging techniques are used to investigate normal tissues and Warthin's tumor of human parotid glands. The time-sliced imaging arrangement uses 120-fs, 1-kHz repetition-rate, 800-nm pulses from a Ti: sapphire laser and amplifier system for sample illumination and an ultrafast gated intensified camera system (UGICS) for recording two-dimensional (2-D) images using transmitted light. Images recorded with earlier temporal slices (approximately first 100 ps) of transmitted light highlight the tumor, while those recorded with later temporal slices (later than 200 ps) accentuate normal tissues. The spectroscopic imaging arrangement uses 1210-1300 nm tunable output of a Cr: forsterite laser for sample illumination, a Fourier space gate to discriminate against multiple-scattered light, and a NIR area camera to record 2-D images. The tumor region in the specimen appears brighter than the normal region in spectroscopic images recorded with light of different wavelengths. A wavelength-dependent variation in the ratio of light transmission through the tumor to that through the normal parotid gland is observed. Differences in scattering and wavelength-dependent absorption characteristics of normal parotid gland and Warthin's tumor provide a consistent explanation of these observed features. Histopathological analysis of the specimen sheds light on the probable origin of the differences in scattering and absorption characteristics     

Water-wave scattering by two symmetric circular-arc-shaped thin plates

The problem of surface water-wave scattering by two symmetric circular-arc-shaped thin plates submerged in deep water is investigated in this paper assuming linear theory. The problem is formulated in terms of hypersingular integral equations which are solved approximately using finite series involving Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind. The coefficients of the finite series are obtained numerically by a collocation method. Very accurate numerical estimates for the reflection and the transmission coefficients are then obtained. The numerical results are depicted graphically against the wave number for different arc lengths of the plates, the depth of their submergence and the separation length. Known results for a circular cylinder and horizontal straight plate are recovered.     

Peptide Programmed Hydrogels as Safe Sanctuary Microenvironments for Cell Transplantation

Cell transplantation is one of the most promising strategies for the minimally invasive treatment of a raft of injuries and diseases. However, a standing challenge to its efficacy is poor cell survival due to a lack of mechanical protection during administration and an unsupportive milieu thereafter. In response, a shear‐injectable nanoscaffold vector is engineered considering the three equal requirements of protection, support, and survival. Here, the programmed peptide assembly of tissue‐specific epitopes presents a safe sanctuary microenvironment for the transplantation of cells. For the first time, a mechanistic understanding of the multifactorial role of the nanoscaffold in promoting cell survival is presented, where initial cell survival is dependent on the fluid mechanic process of droplet formation rather than on shear rate. However, provided is the first report of the most critical component of a transplantation vector, distinguishing feigned biological support from mechanical properties from true ongoing biological support post transplantation. This is achieved via the presentation of amino acid constituents that significantly improve the efficacy of the vector compared to a biocompatible, yet inert analogue. Together, the peptide‐programmed hydrogels enable fundamental rules for the engineering of advanced treatment strategies with wide reaching implications for tissue repair and biofabrication.     

Picosecond electronic time-gated imaging of bones in tissues

Two-dimensional in vivo optical images of metacarpal bones of a human palm and in vitro images of turkey and chicken bones embedded in tissues were obtained in the near-infrared region using femtosecond pulse transillumination and picosecond electronic time-sliced detection technique. A small hole drilled in chicken bone and embedded in chicken breast tissue was imaged using early arriving light. Time-gated fluorescence images of an interior marrow region of a bone injected with a fluorescent dye were recorded. The techniques have potential for monitoring bone fracture, bone diseases such as, osteoporosis and arthritis, and diseases that originate in or affect bone marrow     

Room temperature ferromagnetism in Mn-doped zinc oxide nanorods prepared by hybrid wet chemical route

Mn-doped (2.6-4.8 at%) aligned zinc oxide (Mn:ZnO) nanorod-films were synthesized by hybrid wet chemical route onto glass substrates. The chemical composition, structural, microstructural and magnetic studies were performed to investigate the origin of observed room temperature ferromagnetism (∼0.11 μ_B/Mn) in these Mn doped ZnO nanorod-films. XPS studies indicated that incorporated Mn was in Mn²⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ states. Mn²⁺ atomic concentration was found to be significantly larger than Mn⁴⁺ concentration in all the samples. Disappearance of the Raman peak at ∼577 cm⁻¹ arising due to the Zn interstitials may be related to the substitution of Mn²⁺ in the Zn²⁺ site with annealing. Thus, Mn metal inclusions as Mn²⁺ in the ZnO lattice are possibly responsible for such large magnetic moment in the films.     

All-optical Multiplication with the help of Semiconductor Optical Amplifier—assisted Sagnac Switch

An all-optical two 2-bit numbers multiplication with the help of Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA)—assisted Sagnac Switch is proposed and described. The paper describes the multiplication using a set of all-optical half-adder and AND gate. Because of the lack of fast, accurate, and large dynamic range analog-to-digital converter, optical implementation of the digital multiplication through analog convolution algorithm yields a slow digital multiplier. By using a set of optical half-adder and optical AND, a new optical fast digital multiplication method is proposed. The new method promises both higher processing speed and accuracy. Numerical simulation result confirming described methods and conclusion are given in this paper.     

Determination of optical coefficients and fractal dimensional parameters of cancerous and normal prostate tissues

Optical extinction and diffuse reflection spectra of cancerous and normal prostate tissues in the 750 to 860 nm spectral range were measured. Optical extinction measurements using thin ex vivo prostate tissue samples were used to determine the scattering coefficient (μ(s)), while diffuse reflection measurements using thick prostate tissue samples were used to extract the absorption coefficient (μ(a)) and the reduced scattering coefficient (μ'(s)). The anisotropy factor (g) was obtained using the extracted values of μ(s) and μ'(s). The values of fractal dimension (D(f)) of cancerous and normal prostate tissues were obtained by fitting to the wavelength dependence of μ'(s). The number of scattering particles contributing to μ(s) as a function of particle size and the cutoff diameter d(max) as a function of g were investigated using the fractal soft tissue model and Mie theory. Results show that d(max) of the normal tissue is larger than that of the cancerous tissue. The cutoff diameter d(max) is observed to agree with the nuclear size for the normal tissues and the nucleolar size for the cancerous tissues. Transmission spectral polarization imaging measurements were performed that could distinguish the cancerous prostate tissue samples from the normal tissue samples based on the differences between their absorption and scattering parameters.