305 research outputs found
Anomalous dispersion of optical phonons at the neutral-ionic transition: Evidence from diffuse X-ray scattering
Diffuse X-ray data for mixed stack organic charge-transfer crystals
approaching the neutral-ionic phase transition can be quantitatively explained
as due to the softening of the optical phonon branch. The interpretation is
fully consistent with vibrational spectra, and underlines the importance of
electron-phonon coupling in low-dimensional systems with delocalized electrons.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
On the Crystal and Magnetic Behavior of ScFe4Al8 Single Crystal
Nuclear and magnetic properties of the ScFe4Al8 single crystal were found to exhibit unparalleled complexity
of nuclear and magnetic structures. Our previous neutron measurements revealed presence of two modulation
vectors, both along [", ", 0], however with dfferent critical temperatures. Recent experiments forced us to revise
our knowledge of the structural ordering in the sample. So far, the crystal structure of this alloy, being of
ThMn12-type, has never been questioned
Neutron Laue and X-ray diffraction study of a new crystallographic superspace phase in n-nonadecane-urea
International audienceAperiodic composite crystals present long-range order without translational symmetry. These materials may be described as the intersection in three dimensions of a crystal which is periodic in a higher-dimensional space. In such materials, symmetry breaking must be described as structural changes within these crystallographic superspaces. The increase in the number of superspace groups with the increase in the dimension of the superspace allows many more structural solutions. This is illustrated in n-nonadecane-urea, revealing a fifth higher-dimensional phase at low temperature
Identification of active oxalotrophic bacteria by Bromodeoxyuridine DNA labeling in a microcosm soil experiments
The oxalate-carbonate pathway (OCP) leads to a potential carbon sink in
terrestrial environments. This process is linked to the activity of
oxalotrophic bacteria. Although isolation and molecular
characterizations are used to study oxalotrophic bacteria, these
approaches do not give information on the active oxalotrophs present in
soil undergoing the OCP. The aim of this study was to assess the
diversity of active oxalotrophic bacteria in soil microcosms using the
Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) DNA labeling technique. Soil was collected near
an oxalogenic tree (Milicia excelsa). Different concentrations of
calcium oxalate (0.5%, 1%, and 4% w/w) were added to the soil
microcosms and compared with an untreated control. After 12days of
incubation, a maximal pH of 7.7 was measured for microcosms with oxalate
(initial pH 6.4). At this time point, a DGGE profile of the frc gene was
performed from BrdU-labeled soil DNA and unlabeled soil DNA.
Actinobacteria (Streptomyces- and Kribbella-like sequences),
Gammaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria were found as the main active
oxalotrophic bacterial groups. This study highlights the relevance of
Actinobacteria as members of the active bacterial community and the
identification of novel uncultured oxalotrophic groups (i.e. Kribbella)
active in soils
Neutral-ionic phase transition : a thorough ab-initio study of TTF-CA
The prototype compound for the neutral-ionic phase transition, namely TTF-CA,
is theoretically investigated by first-principles density functional theory
calculations. The study is based on three neutron diffraction structures
collected at 40, 90 and 300 K (Le Cointe et al., Phys. Rev. B 51, 3374 (1995)).
By means of a topological analysis of the total charge densities, we provide a
very precise picture of intra and inter-chain interactions. Moreover, our
calculations reveal that the thermal lattice contraction reduces the indirect
band gap of this organic semi-conductor in the neutral phase, and nearly closes
it in the vicinity of the transition temperature. A possible mechanism of the
neutral-ionic phase transition is discussed. The charge transfer from TTF to CA
is also derived by using three different technics.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures, 7 table
Phase Transition in a One-Dimensional Extended Peierls-Hubbard Model with a Pulse of Oscillating Electric Field: I. Threshold Behavior in Ionic-to-Neutral Transition
Photoinduced dynamics of charge density and lattice displacements is
calculated by solving the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation for a
one-dimensional extended Peierls-Hubbard model with alternating potentials for
the mixed-stack organic charge-transfer complex, TTF-CA. A pulse of oscillating
electric field is incorporated into the Peierls phase of the transfer integral.
The frequency, the amplitude, and the duration of the pulse are varied to study
the nonlinear and cooperative character of the photoinduced transition. When
the dimerized ionic phase is photoexcited, the threshold behavior is clearly
observed by plotting the final ionicity as a function of the increment of the
total energy. Above the threshold photoexcitation, the electronic state reaches
the neutral one with equidistant molecules after the electric field is turned
off. The transition is initiated by nucleation of a metastable neutral domain,
for which an electric field with frequency below the linear absorption peak is
more effective than that at the peak. When the pulse is strong and short, the
charge transfer takes place on the same time scale with the disappearance of
dimerization. As the pulse becomes weak and long, the dimerization-induced
polarization is disordered to restore the inversion symmetry on average before
the charge transfer takes place to bring the system neutral. Thus, a
paraelectric ionic phase is transiently realized by a weak electric field. It
is shown that infrared light also induces the ionic-to-neutral transition,
which is characterized by the threshold behavior.Comment: 24 pages, 11 figure
[89Zr]Oxinate4 for long-term in vivo cell tracking by positron emission tomography
Purpose 111In (typically as [111In]oxinate3) is a gold standard
radiolabel for cell tracking in humans by scintigraphy. A long
half-life positron-emitting radiolabel to serve the same purpose
using positron emission tomography (PET) has long
been sought. We aimed to develop an 89Zr PET tracer for cell
labelling and compare it with [111In]oxinate3 single photon
emission computed tomography (SPECT).
Methods [89Zr]Oxinate4 was synthesised and its uptake and
efflux were measured in vitro in three cell lines and in human
leukocytes. The in vivo biodistribution of eGFP-5T33 murine
myeloma cells labelled using [89Zr]oxinate4 or [111In]oxinate3
was monitored for up to 14 days. 89Zr retention by living
radiolabelled eGFP-positive cells in vivo was monitored by
FACS sorting of liver, spleen and bone marrow cells followed
by gamma counting.
Results Zr labelling was effective in all cell types with yields
comparable with 111In labelling. Retention of 89Zr in cells
in vitro after 24 h was significantly better (range 71 to
>90 %) than 111In (43â52 %). eGFP-5T33 cells in vivo
showed the same early biodistribution whether labelled with
111In or 89Zr (initial pulmonary accumulation followed by
migration to liver, spleen and bone marrow), but later translocation
of radioactivity to kidneys was much greater for 111In.
In liver, spleen and bone marrow at least 92 % of 89Zr
remained associated with eGFP-positive cells after 7 days
in vivo.
Conclusion [89Zr]Oxinate4 offers a potential solution to the
emerging need for a long half-life PET tracer for cell tracking
in vivo and deserves further evaluation of its effects on survival
and behaviour of different cell types
- âŠ