Outer layer scintillating fiber for low-energy β-ray detection.

Standard plastic scintillating fiber cannot detect low-energy β-rays as the cladding prevents them from reaching the fiber core. We developed an outer-layer scintillating (OLS) fiber with a plastic scintillator on the outermost layer for low-energy β-ray detection. The concept of fiber construction is presented.

Transformation of thylakoid membranes during differentiation from vegetative cell into heterocyst visualized by microscopic spectral imaging.

Some filamentous cyanobacteria carry out oxygenic photosynthesis in vegetative cells and nitrogen fixation in specialized cells known as heterocysts. Thylakoid membranes in vegetative cells contain photosystem I (PSI) and PSII, while those in heterocysts contain predominantly PSI. Therefore, the thylakoid membranes change drastically when differentiating from a vegetative cell into a heterocyst.