The photosynthetic light reaction is mediated by multiple pigment molecules embedded in a protein matrix. Protein dynamics and conformational heterogeneity contribute to photoreaction processes. This review introduces single-molecule studies of photosynthetic reaction center and light-harvesting proteins using cryogenic spectral analysis and ultrafast spectroscopy.
A soft rod coiling helically around a rigid body is frequently observed in nature, manufacturing processes, and daily life. Examples encompass from DNA inside viral capsid, to tendrils in climbers, and to threads, cables or spaghetti. It is also an important building block for soft machines such as artificial muscles and soft grippers. However, the morphologies of those coils and their stabilities have been largely unexplored. We combine experiment and theory, in which a rotating rigid cylinder slowly winds a flexible rod suspended under gravity. We experimentally determine three distinctive morphologies, tight coiling, helical wrapping, and no wrapping, and rationalize our experimental findings through numerical simulations and the elasticity theory.
Appropriate symmetry breaking generates an anomalous Hall effect (AHE), even in antiferromagnetic (AF) materials; however, examples showing large effects are extremely limited. We show that AF materials NbMnP and Ce2CuGe6 generate large AHE comparable to those in ferromagnets. Using high-quality crystals for both compounds, the mechanism of the AHE was experimentally determined; the AHE in NbMnP was dominated by the intrinsic mechanism, while the large AH conductivity of Ce2CuGe6 is induced cooperatively by the intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms. They revealed that the mechanism of the AHE depends on the material, and new developments are expected in this research area through the expansion of materials.
The multi-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrograph has recently become of great utility in the study of superheavy nuclei. The device efficiently uses each ion and its operation is amenable to the inclusion of a decay detector being coupled into the time-of-flight (TOF) ion impact detector. In this way, TOF-decay correlation can be performed to unambiguously differentiate low-yield radioactive ions from stable molecular ions or dark counts. This will eventually allow the technique to be applied to the study of extremely low-yield nuclei such as those of 113Nh and 115Mc isotopes.