Search results for "Light"

Electroluminescence and transport properties in amorphous silicon nanostructures

2006

We report the results of a detailed study on the structural, electrical and optical properties of light emitting devices based on amorphous Si nanostructures. Amorphous nanostructures may constitute an interesting system for the monolithic integration of optical and electrical functions in Si ULSI technology. In fact, they exhibit an intense room temperature electroluminescence (EL), with the advantage of being formed at a temperature of 900 °C, while at least 1100 °C is needed for the formation of Si nanocrystals. Optical and electrical properties of amorphous Si nanocluster devices have been studied in the temperature range between 30 and 300 K. The EL is seen to have a bell-shaped trend …

THE BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE OF AMPHIPODS HARBORING CORYNOSOMA CONSTRICTUM (ACANTHOCEPHALA) TO VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF LIGHT

2006

Many studies have shown that photic behavior of amphipods is subject to parasitic manipulation. However, all these investigations have focused on but one property of light (i.e., intensity). This study investigated the possibility that variable wavelength sensitivity, as a potentially important component of amphipod ecology, is subject to parasitic manipulation. The photic behavior of freshwater amphipods Hyalella azteca, infected with the duck acanthocephalan Corynosoma constrictum, was tested. The phototactic responses of infected and uninfected amphipods to various wavelengths in the visible spectrum were compared, and to delineate the effects of intensity and wavelength on behavior, the…

Optical gain, spontaneous and stimulated emission of surface plasmon polaritons in confined plasmonic waveguide

2010

International audience; We develop a theoretical model to compute the local density of states in a confined plasmonic waveguide. Based on this model, we derive a simple formula with a clear physical interpretation for the lifetime modification of emitters embedded in the waveguide. The gain distribution within the active medium is then computed following the formalism developed in a recent work [Phys. Rev. B 78, 161401 (2008)], by taking rigorously into account the pump irradiance and emitters lifetime modifications in the system. We finally apply this formalism to describe gain–assisted propagation in a dielectric–loaded surface plasmon polariton waveguide.

Amyloid Fibrils Formation of Concanavalin A at Basic pH

2011

Mechanisms of partial unfolding and aggregation of proteins are of extreme interest in view of the fact that several human pathologies are characterized by the formation and deposition of protein-insoluble material, mainly composed of amyloid fibrils. Here we report on an experimental study on the heat-induced aggregation mechanisms, at basic pH, of concanavalin A (ConA), used as a model system. Thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence and multiangle light scattering allowed us to detect different intertwined steps in the formation of ConA aggregates. In particular, the ThT fluorescence increase, observed in the first phase of aggregation, reveals the formation of intermolecular β-sheet structure wh…

The use of Stokes-Mueller polarimetry for assessment of amyloid-β progression in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease

2020

Abstract Alzheimer’s disease, being a major societal burden, demands improvement of current techniques for its treatment and diagnostics. Currently only autopsy histology is able to provide the definite diagnosis for Alzheimer’s disease. However, the procedure is rather time consuming and costly. In the current study, we utilized Stokes and Mueller polarimetry techniques to screen for amyloid-β (Aβ) deposits in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded mouse brain tissue at different stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The study has shown that the presence of Aβ plaques influences the properties of scattered polarized light. The Poincaré sphere was used as a graphical tool for the visualization of the a…

Kinetics of different processes in human insulin amyloid formation.

2007

Human insulin has long been known to form amyloid fibrils under given conditions. The molecular basis of insulin aggregation is relevant for modeling the amyloidogenesis process, which is involved in many pathologies, as well as for improving delivery systems, used for diabetes treatments. Insulin aggregation displays a wide variety of morphologies, from small oligomeric filaments to huge floccules, and therefore different specific processes are likely to be intertwined in the overall aggregation. In the present work, we studied the aggregation kinetics of human insulin at low pH and different temperatures and concentrations. The structure and the morphogenesis of aggregates on a wide range…

(E)-2-Cyano-3-(5′-piperidin-1-yl-2,2′-bithien-5-yl)acrylic Acid: A Fluorescent Probe for Detecting Prefibrillar Oligomers

2013

The synthesis of (E)-2-cyano-3-(5′-piperidin-1-yl-2,2′-bithien-5-yl)acrylic acid, a novel amyloid aggregation fluorescent probe, is reported. This new probe is able to monitor soluble oligomeric aggregates after 24 h, at which time Thioflavin T emission, commonly used to monitor amyloid fibril formation, remains unchanged. Atomic force microscopy, native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and dynamic light scattering confirm that the earlier stages of aggregation are prefibrillar oligomeric species not possessing the amyloid structure. This new molecular scaffold expands the toolbox of fluorescent probes for the identification of prefibrillar oligomers, which is needed in studies aimed at …

Rational Management of Macroglossia Due to Acquired Systemic Amyloidosis: Does Surgery Play a Role?

2008

Observation of interaction forces by investigation of the influence of eluent additives on the retention behavior of aqueous nanoparticle dispersions…

2020

The investigation and subsequent understanding of the interactions of nanomaterials with components of their surrounding media is important to be able to evaluate both potential use cases as well as potential risks for human health and for the environment. To investigate such interactions, asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) is an interesting analytical tool. This statement grounds on the fact that interactions of the analyte with the membrane and with components of the eluent are crucial for the retention behavior of the analyte within the field-flow fractionation (FFF) channel. Therefore, the investigation of the retention behavior provides an insight in the nature of the int…

Soret emission from water-soluble porphyrin thin films: effect on the electroluminescence response

2009

The emission properties of TSPP [tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin] and TMPyP [tetrakis(4-methylpyridyl) porphyrin] in thin films, prepared both by the Langmuir–Blodgett technique and the spin-coating method, have been investigated. Surprisingly, in most of the samples analyzed, the emission spectra do not show the usual two bands typical of porphyrins (in the region 650–750 nm), and depend strongly on the excitation energy. The origin of a new emission band detected at ∼480–500 nm is discussed in terms of the nature of the porphyrin aggregates. Moreover, we demonstrate that the presence or absence of this band in the fluorescence spectrum is directly related to the generation of electr…