The agrin gene codes for a family of basal lamina proteins that differ in function and distribution

We isolated two cDNAs that encode isoforms of agrin, the basal lamina protein that mediates the motor neuron-induced aggregation of acetylcholine receptors on muscle fibers at the neuromuscular junction. Both proteins are the result of alternative splicing of the product of the agrin gene, but, unlike agrin, they are inactive in standard acetylcholine receptor aggregation assays. They lack one (agrin-related protein 1) or two (agrin-related protein 2) regions in agrin that are required for its activity. Expression studies provide evidence that both proteins are present in the nervous system and muscle and that, in muscle, myofibers and Schwann cells synthesize the agrin-related proteins while the axon terminals of motor neurons are the sole source of agrin

Magnetic Excitations and Continuum of a Field-Induced Quantum Spin Liquid in α\alpha-RuCl3_3

We report on terahertz spectroscopy of quantum spin dynamics in $\alpha$-RuCl$_3$, a system proximate to the Kitaev honeycomb model, as a function of temperature and magnetic field. An extended magnetic continuum develops below the structural phase transition at $T_{s2}=62$K. With the onset of a long-range magnetic order at $T_N=6.5$K, spectral weight is transferred to a well-defined magnetic excitation at $\hbar \omega_1 = 2.48$meV, which is accompanied by a higher-energy band at $\hbar \omega_2 = 6.48$meV. Both excitations soften in magnetic field, signaling a quantum phase transition at $B_c=7$T where we find a broad continuum dominating the dynamical response. Above $B_c$, the long-range order is suppressed, and on top of the continuum, various emergent magnetic excitations evolve. These excitations follow clear selection rules and exhibit distinct field dependencies, characterizing the dynamical properties of the field-induced quantum spin liquid

Polarisation Sensitive Single Molecule Fluorescence Detection with Linear Polarised Excitation Light and Modulated Polarisation Direction Applied to Multichromophoric Entities

Recently, investigations of the fluorescence properties of a multichromophoric dendritic entity at the single molecule level have revealed multiple fluorescence levels, collective off-states, variations of the polarisation, large shifts in the spectral position and changes in the fluorescence decay time. In order to further elucidate the multiple processes taking place in this entity, measurements were done in which the polarisation direction of the linear polarised excitation light was modulated. The detection was sensitive for the s- and p-components of the emitted light. The patterns of modulation and relative intensity in the acquired traces reflect the energy transfer processes occurring in this multichromophoric molecule. In-phase modulation and no modulation are the typical modulation patterns that were observed. Simulations involving several models for energy transfer between the chromophores have been carried out taking into account identical conditions as for the performed measurements. The comparison of the modulation patterns and polarisation histograms to the measured data rules out certain models and refines the photophysical model for the multichromophoric entity

Terahertz Nonlinear Optics of Graphene: From Saturable Absorption to High-Harmonics Generation

Eid HAH, Kovalev S, Tielrooij K-J, Bonn M, Gensch M, Turchinovich D. Terahertz Nonlinear Optics of Graphene: From Saturable Absorption to High-Harmonics Generation. Advanced optical matierals. 2020;8(3): 1900771.Graphene has long been predicted to show exceptional nonlinear optical properties, especially in the technologically important terahertz (THz) frequency range. Recent experiments have shown that this atomically thin material indeed exhibits possibly the largest nonlinear coefficients of any material known to date, paving the way for practical graphene-based applications in ultrafast (opto-)electronics operating at THz rates. Here the advances in the booming field of nonlinear THz optics of graphene are reported, and the state-of-the-art understanding of the nature of the nonlinear interaction of graphene with the THz fields based on the thermodynamic model of electron transport in graphene is described. A comparison between different mechanisms of nonlinear interaction of graphene with light fields in THz, infrared, and visible frequency ranges is also provided. Finally, the perspectives for the expected technological applications of graphene based on its extraordinary THz nonlinear properties are summarized. This report covers the evolution of the field of THz nonlinear optics of graphene from the very pioneering to the state-of-the-art works. It also serves as a concise overview of the current understanding of THz nonlinear optics of graphene and as a compact reference for researchers entering the field, as well as for the technology developers

Arrival time and intensity binning at unprecedented repetition rates

Understanding dynamics on ultrafast timescales enables unique and new insights into important processes in the materials and life sciences. In this respect, the fundamental pump-probe approach based on ultra-short photon pulses aims at the creation of stroboscopic movies. Performing such experiments at one of the many recently established accelerator-based 4th-generation light sources such as free-electron lasers or superradiant THz sources allows an enormous widening of the accessible parameter space for the excitation and/or probing light pulses. Compared to table-top devices, critical issues of this type of experiment are fluctuations of the timing between the accelerator and external laser systems and intensity instabilities of the accelerator-based photon sources. Existing solutions have so far been only demonstrated at low repetition rates and/or achieved a limited dynamic range in comparison to table-top experiments, while the 4th generation of accelerator-based light sources is based on superconducting radio-frequency technology, which enables operation at MHz or even GHz repetition rates. In this article, we present the successful demonstration of ultra-fast accelerator-laser pump-probe experiments performed at an unprecedentedly high repetition rate in the few- hundred-kHz regime and with a currently achievable optimal time resolution of 13 fs (rms). Our scheme, based on the pulse-resolved detection of multiple beam parameters relevant for the experiment, allows us to achieve an excellent sensitivity in real-world ultra-fast experiments, as demonstrated for the example of THz-field-driven coherent spin precession

Intramolecular evolution from a locally excited state to an excimer-like state in a multichromophoric dendrimer evidenced by a femtosecond fluorescence upconversion study

A time-resolved fluorescence upconversion study on a polyphenylene dendrimer with eight peryleneimide chromophores on the surface and on a monochromophoric model compound is reported. The time-dependent fluorescence spectra of the dendrimer show that the initial excitation is into a locally excited chromophore. They further indicate the existence of a decay channel that leads to excited state interaction between chromophores in one dendrimer which takes place on a 5 ps timescale