Remarkable Infrared Nonlinear Optical, Dielectric, and Strong Diamagnetic Characteristics of Semiconducting K3[BiS3]

The ternary sulfido bismuthate K3[BiS3] is synthesized in quantitative yields. The material exhibits nonlinear optical properties with strong second harmonic generation properties at arbitrary wavelengths in the infrared spectral range and a notable laser induced damage threshold of 5.22 GW cm amp; 8722;2 for pulsed laser radiation at a wavelength of 1040 nm, a pulse duration of 180 fs, and a repetition rate of 12.5 kHz. K3[BiS3] indicates semiconductivity with a direct optical band gap of 2.51 eV. Dielectric and impedance characterizations demonstrate amp; 954; values in the range of 6 amp; 8722;13 at 1 kHz and a high electrical resistivity. A strong diamagnetic behavior with a susceptibility of amp; 8722;2.73 10 amp; 8722;4 m3 kg amp; 8722;1 at room temperature is observed. These results suggest it is a promising nonlinear optical candidate for the infrared region. The synergic physical characteristics of K3[BiS3] provide insight into the correlation of optical, electrical, and magnetic propertie

Acromegalic gigantism, physicians and body snatching. Past or present?

The skeletons of 2 famous acromegalic giants: Charles Byrne (1761–1783) and Henri Cot = Joseph Dusorc (1883–1912) and the embalmed body of the famous acromegalic giant Édouard Beaupré (1881–1904) all ended up in the medical collections of museums despite the fact that these patients had never donated or even refused to donate their corpses, nor had their relatives given permission. The corpse of the acromegalic giant John Aasen (1890–1938) was voluntarily donated to a physician annex collector of trivia from acromegalic giants. The autopsy on the acromegalic giant John Turner (1874–1911) was performed during his funeral ceremony without the relatives being informed. Only recently, the acromegalic giant Alexander Sizonenko (1959–2012) was made a financial offer during his life in exchange for his body after his death. The case-histories of these 6 patients and also the circumstances that led to the (in-) voluntary donation of their bodies are reviewed