Luminescence and structural analysis of Ce3+ and Er3+ doped and Ce3+–Er3+ codoped Ca3Sc2Si3O12 garnets: influence of the doping concentration in the energy transfer processes

We present a structural a spectroscopy analysis of Ca₃Sc₂Si₃O₁₂ garnets doped with Ce³⁺ and Er³⁺ ions that were synthesized by the freeze-drying precursor method. Efficient energy transfer has been obtained result in an enhanced NIR emission.

White emission of lithium ytterbium tetraphosphate nanocrystals

An efficient anti-Stokes white broadband emission induced by 976 nm laser diode in lithium ytterbium tetraphosphate (LiYbP4O12) nanocrystals was investigated. The emission occurs at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Its intensity demonstrates an evident threshold dependence on the temperature and excitation density characteristic to avalanche process. The white emission is accompanied by very efficient photoconductivity characterized by microampere photocurrent which increases with the fourth order of applied incident light power (~P4). We show that this emission is critically dependent on temperature and increases significantly in vacuum. It is concluded that the anti-Stokes white emission is associated with theYb3+- CT luminescence.

Nucleolar localization signals of box H/ACA small nucleolar RNAs

The two major families of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), Box C/D and Box H/ACA, are generated in the nucleoplasm and transported to the nucleolus where they function in rRNA processing and modification. We have investigated the sequences involved in the intranuclear transport of Box H/ACA snoRNAs by assaying the localization of injected fluorescent RNAs in Xenopus oocyte nuclear spreads. Our analysis of U17, U64 and U65 has revealed that disruption of either of the conserved sequence elements, Box H or Box ACA, eliminates nucleolar localization. In addition, the stem present at the base of the 3' hairpin is required for efficient nucleolar localization of U65. Fragments or rearrangements of U65 that consist of Box H and Box ACA flanking either the 5' or 3' hairpin are targeted to the nucleolus. The targeting is dependent on the presence of the Box sequences, but not on their orientation. Our results indicate that in each of the two major families of snoRNAs, a motif composed of the signature conserved sequences and an adjacent structural element that tethers the sequence elements directs the nucleolar localization of the RNAs. We demonstrate that telomerase RNA is also targeted to the nucleolus by a Box ACA-dependent mechanism.