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| Open AccessRapid internal contraction boosts DNA friction
Single-molecule force spectroscopy provides useful quantitative information about the properties of macromolecules. Otto and colleagues non-invasively inspect the tension dynamics in a taut strand of DNA, thereby extending the use of single-molecule force spectroscopy to the study of macromolecular dynamics.
- Oliver Otto
- , Sebastian Sturm
- & Klaus Kroy
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Highly sensitive sulphide mapping in live cells by kinetic spectral analysis of single Au-Ag core-shell nanoparticles
H2S is an important gasotransmitter in many physiological processes but its concentrations are difficult to measure in vivo. Xiong et al. demonstrate that local variations in H2S levels in live cells can be mapped in real time via spectral shift rates of Au-Ag core-shell plasmonic nanoprobes.
- Bin Xiong
- , Rui Zhou
- & Edward S. Yeung
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High-resolution correlation spectroscopy of 13C spins near a nitrogen-vacancy centre in diamond
The spin states associated with nitrogen vacancies in diamond could be useful in the development of solid-state quantum information processing. Laraoui et al. resolve the temporal dynamics of spins associated with C-13 atoms near such vacancies to better understand and perhaps better exploit their behaviour.
- Abdelghani Laraoui
- , Florian Dolde
- & Carlos A. Meriles
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Probing transcription factor diffusion dynamics in the living mammalian embryo with photoactivatable fluorescence correlation spectroscopy
Transcription factor diffusion along DNA regulates many fundamental cellular and developmental processes. Kaur et al. combine photoactivation and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy to investigate transcription factor diffusion in mouse embryos and show that diffusion kinetics change during cell differentiation.
- Gurpreet Kaur
- , Mauro W. Costa
- & Nicolas Plachta
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| Open AccessUnraveling quantum pathways using optical 3D Fourier-transform spectroscopy
Knowledge of the Hamiltonian of a quantum system is essential for predicting and controlling its behaviour. Li et al.use optical three-dimensional Fourier-transform spectroscopy to separate and study each pathway, gaining quantitative insight into the quantum pathways of an atomic vapour Hamiltonian.
- Hebin Li
- , Alan D. Bristow
- & Steven T. Cundiff
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| Open AccessDetermination of monolayer-protected gold nanoparticle ligand–shell morphology using NMR
Binary mixtures of molecules on the surface of nanoparticles can arrange randomly or into different domains to form Janus, patchy or striped particles. Liuet al.show that NMR can be used to determine the ligand-shell morphology of particles coated with aliphatic and aromatic ligands.
- Xiang Liu
- , Miao Yu
- & Francesco Stellacci
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Dynamics of multiple phases in a colossal-magnetoresistive manganite as revealed by dielectric spectroscopy
Correlated electron oxide materials have rich phase diagrams with magnetic or electronic properties. Using a p-n junction configuration, Shenget al. explore the dielectric response of different phases in manganite thin films and uncover their dynamic transport properties.
- Zhigao Sheng
- , Masao Nakamura
- & Yoshinori Tokura
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Visualizing specific protein glycoforms by transmembrane fluorescence resonance energy transfer
A common post-translational modification is the attachment of sugars, but proteins with different sugar chains, known as glycoforms, are hard to distinguish. Here, the authors use transmembrane fluorescence resonance energy transfer to visualize specific glycoforms of the membrane protein GLUT4 in living cells.
- Yoshimi Haga
- , Kumiko Ishii
- & Tadashi Suzuki
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Article
| Open AccessValley-selective circular dichroism of monolayer molybdenum disulphide
The monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenide molybdenum disulphide has recently attracted attention owing to its distinctive electronic properties. Cao and co-workers present numerical evidence suggesting that circularly polarized light can preferentially excite a single valley in the band structure of this system.
- Ting Cao
- , Gang Wang
- & Ji Feng
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| Open AccessStrong-coupling d-wave superconductivity in PuCoGa5 probed by point-contact spectroscopy
The heavy-fermion material PuCoGa5 is characterized by unconventional superconducting properties. By combining point-contact spectroscopy and first-principles calculations, this study reveals a d-wave symmetry in the system's order parameter.
- D. Daghero
- , M. Tortello
- & R. Caciuffo
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Momentum-dependent multiple gaps in magnesium diboride probed by electron tunnelling spectroscopy
The electronic structure of superconducting magnesium diboride is predicted theoretically to have a distribution of energy gap values. Chenet al. observe this distribution of values experimentally, by means of high-resolution electron tunnelling spectroscopy.
- Ke Chen
- , Wenqing Dai
- & X. X. Xi
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Magnetic resonance force microscopy of paramagnetic electron spins at millikelvin temperatures
Magnetic resonance force microscopy is a scanning probe technique capable of detecting and imaging electron spins. Vinanteet al.bring the operating temperature of this method into the millikelvin temperature regime, revealing spin diffusion phenomena that were hitherto inaccessible.
- A. Vinante
- , G. Wijts
- & T.H. Oosterkamp
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Towards hybrid superlattices in graphene
The controllable modification of graphene by chemical functionalization can modulate its optical and electronic properties. Sunet al. devise a functionalisation-based method to pattern graphane/graphene superlattices within a single sheet of graphene.
- Zhengzong Sun
- , Cary L. Pint
- & James M. Tour
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| Open AccessCoupling artificial molecular spin states by photon-assisted tunnelling
Tunnelling transitions triggered by microwave irradiation between coupled quantum dots have generally been assumed to be spin-conserving. This study shows that this condition is violated in the presence of spin–orbit coupling, thus opening new possibilities for manipulating a two–spin qubit system by microwave irradiation.
- L.R. Schreiber
- , F.R. Braakman
- & L.M.K. Vandersypen
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Metabolomic high-content nuclear magnetic resonance-based drug screening of a kinase inhibitor library
Metabolism is altered in many diseases, and monitoring metabolic changes during treatment could facilitate investigations into treatment efficacy and cellular responses. This study reports an NMR-based method to screen the metabolic responses of mammalian cells to drugs.
- Stefano Tiziani
- , Yunyi Kang
- & Giovanni Paternostro
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Functionalized arrays of Raman-enhancing nanoparticles for capture and culture-free analysis of bacteria in human blood
Detecting bacteria in clinical samples usually requires culture processes that are time consuming and impede rapid diagnoses. Now, a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic method is reported that allows the label- and culture-free detection and analysis of bacteria.
- Ting-Yu Liu
- , Kun-Tong Tsai
- & Yuh-Lin Wang
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Spatio-temporal focusing of an ultrafast pulse through a multiply scattering medium
Multiple scattering complicates femtosecond optics such that phase conjugation allows spatial focusing and imaging through a multiple scattering medium, but temporal control is problematic. McCabeet al. report the full spatio-temporal characterization and recompression of a femtosecond speckle field.
- David J. McCabe
- , Ayhan Tajalli
- & BĂ©atrice Chatel
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| Open AccessStructure and compatibility of a magnesium electrolyte with a sulphur cathode
Magnesium is an ideal rechargeable battery anode material, but coupling it with a low-cost sulphur cathode, requires a non-nucleophilic electrolyte. Kimet al. prepare a non-nucleophilic electrolyte from hexamethyldisilazide magnesium chloride and aluminium trichloride, and show its compatibility with a sulphur cathode.
- Hee Soo Kim
- , Timothy S. Arthur
- & John Muldoon
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Detection of focal adhesion kinase activation at membrane microdomains by fluorescence resonance energy transfer
The focal adhesion kinase has a role in cell adhesion and migration. In this study, a fluorescent resonance energy transfer biosensor is designed to monitor focal adhesion kinase activity at membrane microdomains, revealing that the mechanisms that activate focal adhesion kinase are stimulus dependent.
- Jihye Seong
- , Mingxing Ouyang
- & Yingxiao Wang
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Confined propagation of covalent chemical reactions on single-walled carbon nanotubes
Covalent reactions on carbon nanotube surfaces typically occur at random positions on the hexagonal lattice. Denget al. show that Billups–Birch reductive alkylation takes place at, and propagates from, sp3defect sites, leading to confinement of the reaction fronts in the tubular direction.
- Shunliu Deng
- , Yin Zhang
- & YuHuang Wang
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| Open AccessRevealing the molecular structure of single-molecule junctions in different conductance states by fishing-mode tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
The conductance of single-molecule junctions is affected by the structure of the molecule and how it is bound to the electrodes, which may be examined using Raman spectroscopy. Liuet al. have developed 'fishing-mode' tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, which allows the simultaneous determination of conductance and Raman spectra.
- Zheng Liu
- , Song-Yuan Ding
- & Zhong-Qun Tian
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| Open AccessLarge-scale single-chirality separation of single-wall carbon nanotubes by simple gel chromatography
Large-scale separation of single-wall carbon nanotubes into populations of single chirality is a significant challenge in the practical application of nanotubes. Now, using multicolumn gel chromatography, the large-scale separation of 13 different carbon nanotube species is achieved.
- Huaping Liu
- , Daisuke Nishide
- & Hiromichi Kataura
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Plasmonic beaming and active control over fluorescent emission
Nanometallic optical antennas can concentrate light into a deep-subwavelength volume for sensor and photovoltaic applications. Junet al. demonstrate an optical antenna design that achieves a high level of control over fluorescent emission for a wide range of nanoscale optical spectroscopy applications.
- Young Chul Jun
- , Kevin C.Y. Huang
- & Mark L. Brongersma