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Nano-Micro Letters
January 2017 , 9:2 | Cite as
Molybdenum Nanoscrews: A Novel Non-coinage-Metal Substrate for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering
Di An
Yan Shen
Jinxiu Wen
Zebo Zheng
Jun Chen
Juncong She
Huanjun Chen
Shaozhi Deng
Ningsheng Xu
First Online: 31 August 2016
For the first time, Mo nanoscrew was cultivated as a novel non-coinage-metal substrate for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). It was found that the nanoscrew is composed of many small screw threads stacking along its length direction with small separations. Under external light excitation, strong electromagnetic coupling was initiated within the gaps, and many hot-spots formed on the surface of the nanoscrew, which was confirmed by high-resolution scanning near-field optical microscope measurements and numerical simulations using finite element method. These hot-spots are responsible for the observed SERS activity of the nanoscrews. Raman mapping characterizations further revealed the excellent reproducibility of the SERS activity. Our findings may pave the way for design of low-cost and stable SERS substrates.
Mo nanoscrews are for the first time cultivated as a novel type of SERS substrate. The SERS activity is originated from the electromagnetic field enhancements on the individual Mo nanoscrew, which is corroborated by single-particle optical characterizations
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) Molybdenum nanoscrews Quasi-one-dimensional nanostructures Electric field enhancements
The online version of this article (doi: 10.1007/s40820-016-0104-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Raman spectroscopy is well known as a noninvasive, non-labeling, and fingerprint-type sensing technique, which has been widely utilized in environmental and life science sensing and diagnostics [1, 2, 3, 4]. However, traditional Raman spectroscopies usually suffer from low sensitivity due to the small Raman scattering cross sections of the analytes. The discovery and development of SERS has brought renascence to the Raman spectroscopy in terms of remarkable enhanced Raman intensity from the analytes [5, 6, 7, 8]. The ultrasensitive sensing ability of the SERS is primarily associated with the enhanced electromagnetic field experienced by the analyte molecules in the vicinity of nanostructures with light focusing property [9, 10, 11]. Coinage metal nanostructures are the most studied architectures as SERS substrates [6, 12, 13, 14, 15]. These metallic nanostructures can sustain plasmon resonances covering a broad spectral range, giving rise to strong near field electromagnetic field enhancement in their nearby regions under resonance excitation. Such field enhancement can strengthen the Raman scattering of the analyte molecules due to the fourth-power-dependence of the Raman intensity on the incoming electric field.
On the other hand, in recent years people begin to show great interests in non-coinage metal-based nanostructures with SERS activity. Such nanostructures can benefit the design and fabrication of high-performance sensors with multiple functionalities that are derived from different materials. For example, dielectric semiconductor nanostructures with high refractive index, such as Si, ZnO, TiO2, Fe2O3 [16, 17, 18], have been shown to exhibit intriguing optical field enhancement properties and have attracted many research interests as novel SERS substrates. In comparison with their coinage metal counterparts, the dielectric nanostructures usually exhibit excellent thermal stability and biocompatibility.
Another type of materials that are considered to exhibit SERS activity is transition metals [19, 20, 21, 22, 23]. Due to their unique d-band electrons, the transition metals can efficiently intermediate various chemical reactions under proper electric bias, which makes them excellent catalysis in various electrochemical reactions. It is therefore possible to combine the SERS and electrocatalytic behaviors of the transition metals as powerful manner to in situ monitor the interfacial reactions. In these regards, various transition metals, such as Ni, Fe, Ru, and Co, have been cultivated as SERS substrates since the 1990s [19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24]. Some of them have even been utilized for investigating the adsorption behavior of organic molecules [23], opening up new avenues for designing of novel surface characterization techniques.
To the best of our knowledge, most of the previous studies on transition metal-based SERS substrates focused on thin films with nanostructured roughness while leaving the elongated nanostructures less explored [25, 26]. In comparison with other geometries, the elongated nanostructures usually exhibit stronger electric field enhancements. However, up to now there is still a lack of consensus on the mechanisms governing the SERS activity of the transition metal nanostructures, which demand for systematic investigations. On one hand, previous studies using transition metal films with nanostructured surfaces suggested that due to the unique electronic band structures of the transition metals, charge transfer could happen between the analyte molecules and metal surface. As a result, the molecules can be strongly polarized and give rise to enhanced Raman scattering. This is the so-called chemical enhancement mechanism [19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24]. On the other hand, the transition metal nanostructures should in principle localize the electromagnetic field closely to their surfaces, which can lead to strong electromagnetic field enhancement at their vicinities. The Raman scattering of the adsorbed molecules will therefore be enhanced. This is the electromagnetic enhancement mechanism, which is well studied in noble metal nanostructures [12, 13, 14, 15, 27].
Here, we demonstrate the observation of SERS activity from quasi-one-dimensional crystalline molybdenum (Mo) nanoscrew assemblies. The as-prepared Mo nanoscrews consist of many screw threads on their surfaces and very sharp heads at the ends. Such geometry is capable of concentrating the light field to enhance the Raman scattering of the adsorbed methylene blue (MB) molecules. Raman mapping indicated that the nanoscrew substrate exhibited reproducible SERS activity over an area of 100 × 100 μm2. The underlying mechanisms of the SERS behavior of the Mo nanoscrew assemblies were then systematically explored in terms of single-particle dark-field scattering spectroscopy, scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM), and numerical electromagnetic simulations, which unveiled that the amplified Raman signal were associated with the electric field enhancement originated from the optical coupling between the screw threads in each individual nanoscrew. Besides, the electromagnetic coupling between different nanoscrews can additionally contribute to the SERS activity of the nanoscrew assemblies. The results obtained in our study can not only demonstrate the SERS activity of the Mo nanostructures, but also further our understanding on light-matter interactions at the nanoscale.
2 Experimental Sections
2.1 Preparation of the Mo Nanoscrews
A Mo boat and a stainless steel substrate were separated with 3 mm spacing and placed in the center of a vacuum chamber. Gas mixture of argon and hydrogen was introduced into the chamber when the vacuum in the chamber was below 5 × 10−2 Torr. Thereafter, the Mo boat was heated up to 1350 °C at a rate of 50 °C min−1. For obtaining the Mo nanoscrews, the steel substrate was kept at 1350 °C for another 15 min followed by a natural cooling process [28].
2.2 Characterizations
Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images were conducted using Zeiss Supra55 microscopes. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) image was obtained by JEOL JEM-2010 microscope operating at 200 kV. Electron dispersive spectrum (EDX) analysis was performed using INCAX-max 250 analyzer integrated within the Zeiss Supra55 microscope. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was conducted using a Rigaku RINT2400 X-ray diffractometer.
Dark-field scattering spectroscopy and imaging were conducted using a home-made dark-field spectroscopy system integrated with a white-light quartz tungsten halogen lamp as excitation source [29]. The scattered spectra from the Mo nanoscrews were corrected by first subtracting the background spectra taken from the adjacent regions without nanoscrews and then dividing them with the calibrated response curve of the entire optical system. Colored scattering images were captured using the color digital camera (ARTCAM-300MI-C, ACH Technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai) mounted on the imaging plane of the microscope.
2.3 Sample Preparation for SERS Measurements
All of the four types of substrates, Mo nanoscrews, Mo thin film-coated glass, quartz, and stainless steel, were immersed in MB solution with specific molecule concentrations for about 4 h to allow for the adsorption of the molecules. The MB solution of various concentrations was prepared by dissolving different amounts of molecule powder into ethanol (99.9 vol%). Afterwards the substrates were dried in air. To prepare the sample for single-particle optical characterizations, the Mo nanoscrews were first scratched from the stainless steel where they were grown and then dispersed into the ethanol. The solution containing the nanoscrews was then subjected to ultrasonication for 10 min to disperse the nanoscrews thoroughly. Thereafter, 10 µL of the suspension was drop-casted onto the Mo- or ITO-coated glass with a pipet and then dried naturally under ambient conditions. The distribution of the nanoscrews onto the substrate can be controlled by tailoring the concentration of the nanoscrew dispersion, which was diluted until well-dispersed nanoscrews were found on the substrate. The substrates deposited with Mo nanoscrews were then immersed in MB solution (10−4 M) for about 4 h. The samples were dried in air at room temperature before the Raman measurements. A pattern-matching method was then utilized to locate the individual nanoscrew for both morphology and optical characterizations [30].
2.4 Raman Measurements
The Raman spectra were acquired using a Renishaw inVia Reflex confocal micro-Raman system equipped with a Leica dark-field microscope. The excitation laser of 633 nm was focused onto the samples with a diameter of ∼1 μm through a 50× objective (Leica, numerical aperture: 0.8). The signal acquisition time for measuring the Raman scattering from samples adsorbed with MB molecules of 10−4, 10−5, and 10−6 M were 10, 30, and 60 s, respectively. Raman maps were obtained by scanning the samples under the microscope and recording the spectrum from every single point. For obtaining the maps with large area of 100 × 100 μm2, the scanning step was 1 μm. To obtain the maps of single Mo nanoscrews, the scanning step was 0.5 μm. The integrated intensity of the Raman band between 1550 and 1700 cm−1 was used to create the Raman maps.
2.5 AFM and SNOM Characterizations
AFM and SNOM characterizations were conducted using a NeaSNOM scattering-type near-field optical microscope (Neaspec GmbH). In a specific measurement, an AFM tip coated with metal layer was illuminated using a visible laser with wavelength of 633 nm. The tip was vibrated vertically with frequency around 280 kHz. The backscattered light from the tip was detected using a pseudoheterodyne interferometric manner, where the scattered light was demodulated at third harmonic of the tip vibration frequency. The optical and topography images of the sample can be simultaneously obtained by scanning the sample below the tip.
2.6 Numerical Calculations
The numerical calculations for the electromagnetic field distribution of an individual Mo nanoscrew were performed using commercial software package (COMSOL Multiphysics v4.3b). In a specific calculation, the screw threads were modeled as casks. The nanoscrew was modeled by stacking series of casks along the length direction of a free-standing tapered cylinder. For simplicity, the supporting substrate was not considered in the calculation. The length of the cylinder was 1.3 μm; the thickness of the casks was 100 nm, and the separation between adjacent casks was set as 2 nm. The dielectric function of Mo was employed according to previous measurements [31]. In the simulation, a p-polarized light with an incidence angle of 45° was launched into the box containing the Mo nanoscrew to simulate the interaction between the excitation light and the nanoscrew. The excitation wavelength was 633 nm.
3 Results and Discussion
Figure 1a shows a typical SEM image of the as-prepared sample, which indicates relatively uniform size and shape distributions. The average density of the nanoscrews is around 4–5 × 107 cm−2. The lengths of the nanoscrew range from 2 to 6 μm, with maximum and minimum diameters of over 500 and 50 nm at their bottoms and tips, respectively. Each individual nanoscrew was consisted of many small screw threads stacking along the longitudinal direction with close separations. The EDS analysis of the nanoscrews indicated that they are mainly composed of metal Mo (Fig. 1b). One should note that small amount of oxygen, with an intensity ratio of ~1/40 to that of the Mo, shows up in the EDS spectrum (Fig. 1b, inset). Such a small amount of oxygen can be ascribed to contaminations during the measurements. In our experiment, before the EDS characterization the Mo nanoscrew was transferred from the growth chamber into the SEM chamber for the EDS measurement. During the transfer, the Mo nanoscrews were exposed to atmospheric conditions, whereby the oxygen and oxidized species (such as –OH) could be adsorbed onto the metal surface. Due to these contaminations, the oxygen peak will show up with weak intensity in the EDS spectrum. Besides, in the EDS measurements due to the limitation of the detector as well as collection geometry, usually light elements with atomic number less than 11 can be very difficult to measure reliably, if they can be detected at all [32]. Therefore, the oxygen peak observed from the EDS spectrum can only be used for reference while not for quantitative analysis.
Morphology and composition characterizations of the Mo nanoscrews. a Representative SEM image of the Mo nanoscrews. b EDS spectrum of the Mo nanoscrews. Inset magnified EDS spectrum showing the oxygen peak. c TEM image of a typical Mo nanoscrew. Inset high-magnification TEM image of area enclosed by the square. d XRD spectrum of the Mo nanoscrews
The morphologies and crystal structure of the nanoscrews can be further revealed by the TEM imaging and XRD analysis (Fig. 1c, d). All of the diffraction peaks in the XRD profile can be indexed as body-centered cubic crystalline Mo (JCPDS 42-1120). The high-resolution TEM image indicated that the small screw threads on the nanoscrew were single-crystalline with a lattice spacing of 0.22 nm, which corresponded to the (110) plane of Mo. On the basis of these characterizations, we conclude that the nanoscrews are made up of pure metal Mo.
The unique structures of the Mo nanoscrews were expected to be able to localize incidence light for enhancing the Raman scattering of the adjacent molecules. MB molecules were then utilized as probe analytes for assessing the SERS performance of the Mo nanoscrews. Besides the nanoscrew sample, three more types of substrates, including rough Mo thin film, quartz, and stainless steel, were used as references. The Mo thin film was prepared by magneto sputtering, which could lead to surface full of bumps and hollows. To evaluate the roughness, the AFM was employed to measure the topography of the Mo film. The root-mean-square average of height deviation on the as-prepared Mo thin film was ~3 nm (Fig. S1). Figure 2a gives the Raman spectra of the MB molecules adsorbed onto the four substrates under 633-nm laser excitation. Except the stainless steel, the other three substrates gave clear Raman bands from the MB molecules, which were assigned to ν (CC)ring + ν (CNC)ring mode (1622, 1397 cm−1) and ν (CC)ring mode (1434 cm−1), respectively (Table 1) [33]. In comparison with the other two substrates, the Raman intensity was evidently enhanced for Mo nanoscrews adsorbed with MB molecules. These results suggested that owing to their polycrystalline surface features and porous architectures, the Mo nanoscrews demonstrated superior SERS activity than that of the rough Mo thin film.
SERS activity characterizations of the Mo nanoscrews. a Raman spectra of MB molecules (10−4 M) adsorbed onto the Mo nanoscrews, Mo thin film, quartz, and stainless steel. The excitation wavelength was 633 nm. b SERS spectra of the Mo nanoscrews adsorbed with 10−4 M (green), 10−5 M (orange), and 10−6 M (light blue) of MB molecules. c Raman mapping image of the MB molecules (10−4 M) adsorbed onto the Mo nanoscrews. The mapping corresponded to the integrated intensity of the Raman band between 1550 and 1700 cm−1. The mapping area was over 100 × 100 μm2. (Color figure online)
Band assignments of the Raman spectrum from the MB molecules [33]
Raman shift (cm−1)
Band assignment
ν (CC)ring + ν (CNC)ring
ν (CC)ring
We would like to discuss more on choose of the excitation wavelength for the Raman characterizations. In the Raman measurements, the Raman shifts of a specific type of molecule does not change with different excitation wavelengths. However, the intensities of the Raman bands are strongly dependent on the excitation wavelengths. On one hand, the intensity of the Raman scattering scales as 1/λ ex 4 , where the λ ex is the excitation wavelength [34]. Hence excitation with a shorter wavelength can result in a stronger Raman scattering. On the other hand, when the excitation frequency is in resonance with an electronic transition of the molecule under investigation, the Raman scattering intensity of the molecule will be strongly enhanced [35]. In such a manner, choosing an excitation wavelength close to the absorption band of the molecule can strengthen the Raman intensity. In our study, the absorption band of the MB molecule centers around 650 nm (Fig. S2a). We therefore employed an excitation wavelength of 633 nm for the Raman characterizations for better demonstration. As a reference, we also conducted the Raman measurements using 785-nm laser as the excitation source, which is far from the MB absorption band. As expected, the Raman intensity of the MB is much lower than that under 633-nm excitation (Fig. S2b). However, in comparison with other substrates, the excellent SERS performance of the Mo nanoscrews still exists under the 785-nm excitation (Fig. S2c).
The SERS activity of the Mo nanoscrews was further studied by immersing the substrates into MB molecule solutions with various concentrations. Figure 2b shows that the Raman intensity degrades as the molecule concentrations are reduced. The main Raman bands of the MB molecules can still be distinguished when the MB concentration reaches 10−6 M. Such performance is much better than most reported values observed in transition metal-based SERS substrates [19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26]. One of the crucial parameters for characterizing the performance of a SERS substrate is the reproducibility of the Raman signal. To evaluate the SERS reproducibility of the Mo nanoscrews, we conducted the Raman mapping within a typical sample by monitoring the integrated intensity between 1550 and 1700 cm−1 over an area larger than 100 × 100 μm2 (Fig. 2c). The results clearly indicated that the Raman spectra collected from different regions were comparable with each other with a relative standard deviation value of ~0.3, suggesting the excellent SERS reproducibility of the Mo nanoscrews.
To further reveal the origin of the SERS activity of the nanoscrews, Raman measurements were conducted on typical individual Mo nanoscrew. In a specific measurement, the Mo nanoscrews were transferred to the Mo-coated glass from the stainless steel substrate, which allowed for both optical measurements and SEM imaging. Another reason for choosing the Mo-coated glass as supported substrate was to provide direct comparison of the SERS performance between the Mo nanoscrews and Mo thin film. The SERS activity from the individual Mo nanoscrews can be apparently seen by comparing the SEM images and associated Raman maps (Fig. 3a–d). The distinct bright red regions with stronger Raman signal intensity showed similar shapes as the profiles of the Mo nanoscrews, suggesting that molecules adsorbed onto the nanoscrews exhibited stronger Raman intensities than those adsorbed onto the Mo thin film. These findings were consistent with the above ensemble measurements. In order to rule out the possibility that the Raman enhancement was originated from the strong coupling between the Mo nanoscrews and metallic Mo film with high refractive index, Raman mapping characterizations were also conducted for nanoscrews deposited onto indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass substrates (Fig. 3e–h) under the same excitation conditions. From the results, one can see that the SERS activity persisted for individual Mo nanoscrew deposited onto the ITO-coated glass substrate. These single-particle Raman mapping characterizations clearly indicated that the Raman enhancement behavior of the Mo nanoscrews was contributed from the intrinsic SERS activity of each nanoscrew in the assemblies.
Raman mapping of the individual Mo nanoscrews modified with MB molecules (10−4 M). a–d SEM images and corresponding Raman maps of the Mo nanoscrews deposited onto the Mo film-coated glass substrate. e–h SEM images and corresponding Raman maps of the Mo nanoscrews deposited onto the ITO-coated glass substrate. The excitation wavelength was 633 nm. The mapping corresponded to the integrated intensity of the Raman band between 1550 and 1700 cm−1
For SERS substrate, the Raman enhancement factor (EF) is a pivotal parameter for quantitatively characterizing its SERS performance. However, in our study, it is difficult to precisely determine the EF of the nanoscrews substrate due to the random distribution of the nanoscrews in the assemblies and the irregular shape of each individual nanoscrew. To provide a preliminary estimation, we choose to calculate the EF using the results from the above single-particle measurements. Specifically, the EF of the substrate can be calculated by referring to the 1622 cm−1 mode of the MB molecule according the following equation [36, 37],
$${\text{EF}} = \frac{{I_{\text{SERS}} /N_{\text{SERS}} }}{{I_{\text{Raman}} /N_{\text{Raman}} }},$$
where I Raman and I SERS are the intensities of the 1622 cm−1 band for the normal (measured on the ITO-coated glass adsorbed with the MB molecules) and SERS (measured on an individual Mo nanoscrew adsorbed with the MB molecules) spectra, N Raman is the number of molecules probed for a normal Raman scattering, and N SERS is the number of molecules probed on the Mo nanoscrew. In our calculations, we employed the area intensity of the 1622 cm−1 band for both I Raman and I SERS. We approximated that the molecules were uniformly adsorbed onto the ITO-coated glass and nanoscrew. Therefore, the ratio between the N Raman and N SERS can be replaced by the ratio between the areas of the ITO-coated glass (A Raman) and nanoscrew (A SERS) within the laser spot.
The A Raman is the area of laser spot with a diameter of 1 µm. The A SERS can be estimated according to the structure of the nanoscrew. We modeled the nanoscrew as stacking casks along its length direction (Fig. S3a, b). The surface area of each cask can be obtained using the following equation (Fig. S3c),
$$A_{\text{cask}} = \int {{\text{d}}A} = \int {2\pi x{\text{d}}s = } 2\int_{R}^{R + r} {\frac{{2\pi rx{\text{d}}x}}{{\sqrt {r^{2} - \left( {x - R} \right)^{2} } }} = 2\left( {\pi^{2} rR + 2\pi r^{2} } \right)}.$$
The A SERS can then be expressed as
$$A_{\text{SERS}} = 0.5\,NA_{\text{cask}},$$
where N is the number of casks within the laser spot. The factor 0.5 is due to the fact that only half of the cask is exposed to the laser. According to the SEM characterizations (Fig. 1a), we chose R and r as 200 and 50 nm, respectively. There are about 10 casks were illuminated by the laser with a spot size of 1 μm in diameter. The ratio of the Raman intensity between the individual Mo nanoscrew and ITO-coated glass was ~1000 (Fig. 3f). Therefore, the EF of an individual Mo nanoscrew can be calculated to be 700.
As mentioned above, the hot-spots with strong electromagnetic field enhancements are very important for the SERS activity of a specific substrate. To unveil the hot-spots in the Mo nanoscrews, we employed single-particle SNOM imaging technique to measure the electromagnetic near field distributions within an individual nanoscrew. The measurements were based on apertureless scattering-type SNOM (s-SNOM), whereby simultaneous morphology and near-field optical images can be obtained via scanning the sample under the atomic force microscope (AFM) tip [38, 39]. Typical topography and associated near-field optical images of a Mo nanoscrew were shown in Fig. 4a, b. Screw threads stacking along the longitudinal direction of the nanoscrew can be seen from the topography image, while the optical image was manifested by bright spots of enhanced optical amplitudes with respect to the background. These regions were corresponded to the hot-spots and not ubiquitous on the nanoscrew. Due to fact that both of the SEM (Fig. 4a, inset) and AFM images had indicated small separations between the screw threads on the nanoscrew, we attributed these hot-spots to the near-field optical coupling between adjacent screw threads, which was similar to those formed between noble metal nanoparticles with small separations [27]. To prove this, numerical electromagnetic simulation was performed to elucidate the electric field distributions on the Mo nanoscrew. To simplify the analysis without losing the physics, in the calculations, the screw threads were modeled as casks. The nanoscrew was modeled by stacking series of casks along the length direction of a free-standing tapered cylinder (Fig. 4c). The relatively large radius of the AFM tip precluded determination of the separation between adjacent screw threads. Therefore, we arbitrarily chose a small value of 2 nm for the separations between adjacent casks in a specific calculation. The calculated near field distributions evidently showed that the gap regions between two neighboring casks could confine the electric field to form hot-spots (Fig. 4c). Furthermore, the sharp tip of the nanoscrew was also shown to strongly concentrate the incidence light. These results agreed with the previous experimental measurements.
Characterizations of the hot-spots on an individual Mo nanoscrew. a AFM topography image of a typical Mo nanoscrew. Inset corresponding SEM image of the nanoscrew. b Optical near-field amplitude (3rd harmonics) at excitation of 633 nm recorded in the same area as that in a. c Calculated electric-field-magnitude enhancement contour of an individual Mo nanoscrew. The nanoscrew was excited by a p-polarized light at an incidence angle of 45°. The polarization of the incidence light had a component parallel to the length direction of the nanoscrew. The excitation wavelength was 633 nm. d Dark-field scattering spectrum of the Mo nanoscrew. Inset dark-field scattering image of the Mo nanoscrew
The strong hot-spots can be further manifested by the far-field scattering properties of the nanoscrews. Due to the localized enhanced electric field, the nanoscrew can be strongly polarized. The oscillating polarized charges in the nanoscrew can therefore induce strong light scattering into the far-field, giving rise to enhanced scattering bands in the visible and near-infrared regions (Fig. 4d). Such strong light scattering behavior of the nanoscrew can be also seen from its scattering image, which shows vivid color appearance (Fig. 4d, inset). These responses of the nanoscrew also suggest its potential in future visible and near-infrared photonic and optoelectronic applications.
The optical near-field results clearly reveal the hot-spots in an individual Mo nanoscrew, which are responsible for the SERS activity of the nanoscrew assemblies. On the other hand, in the assembly the separations between different nanoscrews are small (Fig. 1a), whereby effective electromagnetic coupling between adjacent Mo nanoscrews can be induced. Such coupling effects can give rise to even stronger electric field enhancements, which will additionally contribute to the Raman enhancements of the nanoscrew assemblies. In our current study, we intend to demonstrate the Mo nanoscrews as a novel type of SERS substrate and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. In this regard, it is more important for us to characterize the intrinsic SERS activity from an individual Mo nanoscrew and evaluate its ability to localize the electromagnetic field. Therefore, we did not pay much attention to optimize the SERS performance by taking advantage of the coupling between different nanoscrews in the assemblies.
In conclusion, we have cultivated the Mo nanoscrews as non-coinage-metal SERS substrate. By using Raman mapping technique, we have elucidated the SERS activity of the nanoscrews with good reproducibility. The SERS effect is attributed to the intrinsic SERS activity of each nanoscrew in the assembly. Through high-resolution SNOM and SEM measurements, we have shown that the Raman enhancement behavior of the individual nanoscrew is associated with its unique structure. The as-prepared Mo nanoscrews were composed of many small screw threads stacking along the longitudinal direction with small separations. Such small gaps can act as hot-spots to localize the incidence light for strong electric field enhancements, giving rise to the observed SERS activity. We strongly believe that the results obtained in this study can on one hand help extend the SERS substrates to other low-cost and stable material systems, and on the other hand fertilize the functionalities of transition metal-based nanostructures.
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11474364, 51202300, 51290271), the National Key Basic Research Program of China (Grant Nos. 2013CB933601, 2013YQ12034506), the Guangdong Natural Science Funds for Distinguished Young Scholar (Grant No. 2014A030306017), the Guangdong Special Support Program, the Doctoral Fund of Ministry of Education of China (Grant No. 20120171120012), the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (Grant No. IRT13042), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.
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Supplementary material 1 (PDF 290 kb)
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An, D., Shen, Y., Wen, J. et al. Nano-Micro Lett. (2017) 9: 2. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-016-0104-6
Received 25 May 2016
First Online 31 August 2016


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We Salute Longstanding Nonprofits Who Established The Area Charity Scene
by Debra Banerjee
Americans are among the most generous people on the planet: We donate our time, money, resources – and hearts – to our favorite causes.
So it's no wonder that the United States ranked No. 4 out of 140 countries on the 2018 World Giving Index by the Charities Aid Foundation.
In South Florida, for decades now, giving back has been a way of life, as the vibrant charity scene here attests. We've been rolling up our sleeves, giving hours of volunteer time, making donations and leaving legacy gifts to make an impact on the communities we live in – with no sign of stopping.
Some of South Florida's longstanding charities are still thriving, evolving through decades of societal change. In many ways, their early work established the region's vibrant philanthropic scene and paved the way for countless organizations that followed in their footsteps.
Here, we salute some of the area's oldest nonprofits that have stood the test of time and continue to serve their communities' needs.
Equine-Assisted Therapies of South Florida
In 1982, when Equine-Assisted Therapies (then called Horses and the Handicapped of South Palm Beach County) was founded, the magic number was six.
There were six borrowed horses helping six children with special needs. But the Soroptimist and Kiwanis clubs of Boca Raton, which jumpstarted the organization, knew many others could benefit from the experience, too.
They were right: Today, the organization annually helps more than 135 adults and children with cognitive, physical and emotional disabilities through four therapeutic programs. Its 5-acre home in Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek has a 12-stall barn, a covered riding arena and a therapeutic learning center – and its 300 volunteers have donated more than 10,000 hours of their time.
The Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International named Equine-Assisted Therapies a Premier Accredited Center, putting it in the top 25 percent of therapeutic riding centers in the world.
"The organization thrives off of the heart of volunteers and this most generous community," says Executive Director Molly Murphy.
What volunteers do: sidewalk or lead horses in therapeutic riding classes, work in the barn or office, help with special events
Events: Horseshoe Hoedown features demonstrations of riding skills, and A Day At The Races is nirvana for horse racing aficionados.
Info: equineatsf.org
What began as a Broward County initiative to improve business engagement with the arts in 1988 eventually became the umbrella arts organization ArtsServe in 1993.
The nonprofit, which shares its 25,000-square-foot venue with a Broward County branch library, provides low-cost space where artists, nonprofits and the public can hold classes, workshops, performances, meetings and events.
That goes hand-in-hand with its mission to "serve the community by fostering artistic growth" and its purpose to "act as a creative laboratory responsible for stimulating Broward County's economic vitality through socially-responsible artistic experimentation, arts education and artist advancement," according to its website.
ArtServe has become a national model for other arts incubators and artist-support groups.
"In a nutshell, we're a birthing center for creative businesses and artistic ideas that impact our community both culturally and economically," Executive Director Craig W. Johnson noted on Becon-TV's "Spotlight on the Arts."
What volunteers do: hang/curate art exhibitions, register artwork, help at gallery receptions, work in the gift shop, serve as front desk greeters, complete administrative work
Events: The Season Preview offers a sneak peek of the group's upcoming artistic offerings and a VIP Preview Night.
Info: artserve.org
Miami Rescue Mission
Miami and Hollywood
It's been nearly 100 years since the Miami Rescue Mission began as the faith-based City Mission, serving meals to the needy in 1922.
Today, it also encompasses the Broward Outreach Centers in Hollywood, under the umbrella of The Caring Place, and serves more than 1,300 homeless and needy in South Florida daily with emergency shelter, residential programs, job training, education, health care, housing, employment and youth programs.
Nearly half the staff understands the plight on a personal basis: 40 percent of them have received services themselves, including the organization's president, the Rev. Ronald Brummitt, who overcame drug addiction before turning his life around and earning a master's degree in social work.
Miami Rescue Mission served almost 1 million meals last year.
"People will find hope and help here," says Marilyn Brummitt, director of development.
What volunteers do: mentor abused adults who have been homeless, serve meals, help with food/clothing drives, tutor, provide office and thrift shop help, provide maintenance and food service
Events: Mini fundraisers by individual focus groups take place throughout the year.
Info: miamirescuemission.com
Junior Welfare Society
"We work to change the lives of those who need it most."
That's been the motto of the Junior Welfare Society since 1955, when it began providing one-time emergency assistance to those in Broward County experiencing an unexpected, temporary crisis.
"Junior Welfare Society is there when all other alternatives have been exhausted and immediate help is needed," notes its website.
But it doesn't stop there: The all-volunteer organization partners with social service professionals who develop plans so clients can get back on their feet after receiving assistance.
One hundred percent of donations are distributed.
"It is very inspiring to be a part of Junior Welfare Society," says President Nancy Peterson. "The all-volunteer concept, coupled with the fact that our assistance is provided to our local community, makes JWS a very exceptional group. Recipients of our assistance each month are selected by a sub-committee. Once you have served on this committee, working hard to raise the funds for struggling individuals and families feels so worthwhile."
What volunteers do: hold spring and fall projects to benefit grassroots nonprofit organizations as well as smaller initiatives, such as summer camp sponsorships and back-to-school backpack giveaways
Events: Guests at the annual Toyland Event never arrive without a present or two for the cause.
Info: juniorwelfaresociety.org
The Institute for Regional Conservation
It was fitting that The Institute for Regional Conservation's (IRC) recent 35th anniversary celebration was held in a historic park.
The setting – along with a stroll through preserved hammocks – reflected the group's dedication to protecting, restoring and managing biodiversity on a regional basis since 1984.
This year, IRC received an Impact 100 Palm Beach County grant for its Restoring the Gold Coast program, which restores biodiversity along barrier islands in South Palm Beach County with volunteer help. The first phase will target native coastal ecosystems from Boca Raton to Lake Worth.
IRC's Natives for your Neighborhood website allows home gardeners to learn which native plants are best for their area. Originally designed for South Florida, the website hopes to serve all of Florida by 2020.
"To protect and restore biodiversity, a sea change is needed at all levels of society," says Executive Director George Gann. "Restoring the Gold Coast helps launch that sea change and utilizes education and individual action to move governments and communities toward restoring the 'biological gold' that has been lost from our coastline."
What volunteers do: count and collect seeds, maintain restoration sites until established, complete office work
Events: The group's events center hosts hands-on activities and educational forums.
Info: regionalconservation.org
The Charity Guild of Fort Lauderdale
Ten women can make a big difference. That's exactly what happened in 1952 when that many women created The Charity Guild of Fort Lauderdale to raise money to provide health care and social services for medically fragile, disadvantaged and emotionally challenged children in Broward County.
The current all-woman volunteer organization holds that mission close to its heart while it raises money for Kids in Distress, which treats abused and neglected children and preserves families, and the Children's Diagnostic & Treatment Center, helping children with special health care needs. It has raised more than $2 million over the past 20 years.
"We are still an all-volunteer organization of women, many of whom work, dedicated to the ideals of The Charity Guild and continuing its mission," notes its website. "There are even some second-generation members, all working hard to support, serve and care for the children and families in our community who need it the most."
What volunteers do: fundraise, secure sponsorships and donations for events, donate gift baskets, attend fundraising events
Events: Popular fundraisers include the Spring Luncheon & Fashion Show and a fall event with unique themes (last year's Danger Zone included a raffle to win a helicopter ride during the event).
Info: charityguild.net
Caridad Center
In 1989, when Hagen Ranch Elementary School social worker Caridad Asensio and teacher Connie Berry discovered that many students in the west Boynton Beach school – and their farm worker families – needed medical and dental care, food and clothing, they founded the Migrant Association of South Florida.
Three years later, with volunteer doctors and dentists, they opened a free clinic in a doublewide trailer – and more than 400 lined up.
Today, the 7,500-square-foot facility, renamed Caridad Center, relies on 700 volunteer doctors, dentists, nurses and other health care professionals to provide medical, dental, vision and social services to the mostly uninsured, working poor in Palm Beach County. It is the largest free clinic in Florida.
"We are a difference maker for thousands of children and families who have nowhere else to turn," says Scott Giebler, director of development. "Florida has the fifth highest rate of uninsured people in the nation; combine that with the rising costs of health insurance, the demand for Caridad Center and its life-changing and lifesaving programs we offer will continue to grow for the foreseeable future."
What volunteers do: provide medical care, offer administrative and homework enrichment, tutor students
Events: Its signature event, the Call to Heart Ball, is never dull. (Dance-off, anyone?)
Info: caridad.org
Florence Fuller Child Development Centers
Florence Fuller Child Development Centers (FFCDC) in Boca Raton has been making a difference for economically challenged children and families since 1971.
And we can thank Dorothy Fleegler and Frances Cohen – along with James and Florence Fuller – for starting this organization because they were determined to give children living in poverty the same educational opportunities as their more affluent peers.
What began with 22 children morphed into two campuses, infant and toddler programs, afterschool programs, summer camps and more, serving about 900 children annually. In the past 10 years, 99.9 percent of Head Start grads and after-school participants haven't repeated a grade in elementary school.
That makes FFCDC Executive Director Ellyn Okrent proud.
"The women in the '70s knew the best investment for disadvantaged children would be in education," she says. "It's not only an investment in the children; it's an investment in the community. We've grown from early childhood care to a full array of family support services to parents – the working-class people who are the foundation of our local community."
What volunteers do: help in after-school programs, provide infant care, tutor, complete administrative work
Events: The organization's signature event, the Wee Dream Ball, is one of the county's premier galas.
Info: ffcdc.org O
November 2019 Feature
2018 A&A Publishing Corp

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Peter Helliar bursts into tears on The Project after sharing story about his former radio co-host
Peter Helliar has broken down in tears on The Project as he revealed the heartbreaking story behind his former radio co-host's suicide.
On Tuesday, the 44-year-old was overcome with emotion after his story about Richard Marsland's death in 2008 went to air.
After the segment, Helliar was seen staring down at his desk instead of facing the cameras, with his co-host Waleed Aly asking: 'You OK, mate?'
'Yeah. Um … We need to keep talking about it [mental illness]. We need to keep listening,' Helliar replied with his voice shaking.
'Rich was more than a mate. He was family,' The Project's Peter Helliar recalled the heartbreaking moment Richard Marsland (pictured) took his own life
'Um… Uh, only a few people knew … um, about Richard's history. I don't begrudge him not sharing that, or his family not letting us know at all,' he said.
'But hopefully, 11 years on, we know how to have those conversations and we are better at having them.'
Richard Marsland – an Australian comedian, actor and radio personality – took his own life at age 32.
Helliar, Marsland and Myf Warhurst hosted Triple M's Melbourne breakfast show.
The former SA FM and Channel 31 reporter had a thriving comedy career when his loved ones learned of the news which was 'just such a shock'.
In the segment, Helliar paid tribute to his former co-host who he described as 'one of the happiest, friendliest people' he knew.
'Rich was more than a mate. He was like family,' he said.
'Rich was always smiling. I thought he was always happy, but I was wrong.'
The segment initially aimed to highlight the mental health crisis in Australia.
'We've come a long way when it comes to our understanding of mental illness. Yet every day on average, eight Australians still take their lives,' Helliar said.
'Every day, about 10 million Australians wake up with brekkie radio. Along with an incredible comedian called Richard Marsland, 10 years ago I was lucky enough to be part of a brekkie radio team.'
Downcast: The 44-year-old host was unable to hold back his tears after recalling Richard Marsland's death in December 2008
'Rich was always smiling': The segment about Marsland's life aimed to highlight the mental health crisis in Australia
He has also co-hosted daily morning program AM Adelaide on Channel 7 and then hosted The Late Show nationally with Bessie Bardot on 2DayFM, 92.9 and FoxFM.
Marsland has also made television appearances on shows such as Rove Live, Newstopia and The Glass House.
He wrote a weekly column for Adelaide's The Sunday Mail.
Speaking to Richard's mother, Ally Marsland, she recalled how she first caught her son attempting to take his own life when he was just 22.
'We found him upstairs. He tried to take his life that Friday. We had absolutely no idea. It was just such a shock,' she said.
'But he got help and he got better. And he resumed a normal life and we kind of thought that he was – was over it.
'We're not better off without Rich. I'm not better off without my son.'
'And he's certainly so missed': Helliar spoke to Richard's parents about his mental health battles
One December 5, he was meant to have dinner with his former colleague Tony Martin and friends at a pub but never showed up.
Marsland's body was found by a park ranger in Victoria's Dandenong Ranges on December 6, 2008.
'Told him I loved him. He said the same thing back. You become like family. You get really close,' Helliar told Marsland's parents.
Marsland co-hosted Triple M's Melbourne breakfast show with Helliar before his death
Sunrise weather presenter Sam Mac described Marsland as 'universally loved'.
'He didn't have an enemy. In an industry that can be quite harsh and competitive and "watch your back", he was so supportive and caring,' he said.
'You kind of play back conversations in your mind or moments in your mind. You try and think, "Could I potentially have helped someone in some way or let him know that…" Yeah, it's still very raw.'
Helliar said: 'And he's certainly so missed. And as Sam said, you play things back over your head, and that just doesn't go away.'
For confidential support in Australia Lifeline 13 11 14 www.lifeline.org.au or Mensline: 1300 789 978
Co-host Carrie Bickmore sympathised with Helliar as he broke down on television
Fears for radio host Kyle Sandilands after he fails to show up for work and doesn't answer his phone January 19, 2021


The runners of 400 m hurdles have the possibility to show their talent during the winter season.
This run is the most spectacular run of athletics. All the videos prove it.
After the virage on 4 H indoor, no reflexion but only instinct to do the good choice ( good leg or not). A good work for the summer.
The variants of this race, 200 m hurdles indoor (six hurdles / 91 cm / no change lane) and 600 m hurdles ( twelves hurdles / 84 cm) are attractive for sprinters from 110 m and 800 m.
especially his cousin and teammate."


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All you wanted to know about Global Warming – Its cause and its effects
12 September, 2021 ∙ By	Vidhi Kapoor ∙ 4 Comments
The Earth is warming up, and the phenomenon of the overall temperatures of the planet rising is referred to as Global Warming. This trend of increasing atmospheric temperature has had been observed since as far as 1880. The industrial revolution blew the bugle and marked the beginning of the era of rising annual global temperatures, with an average increase of 0.07 degrees Celsius (0.13 degrees Fahrenheit) every ten years since 1980. The average rate of increase has doubled in the last two decades – and it seems there is no sign of it slowing down.
There are several elements that affect the Earth's climate over time, such as temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, rain, and humidity. This creates a network of intricate ecosystems where plants and animals' life, growth, and survival are affected by a slight change in the climate and throw it out of balance.
According to an analysis at NASA, Earth's global average surface temperature in 2020 tied with 2016 as the warmest year on record
Causes of Global warming
The Greenhouse Effect
Increased human activity such as excessive use of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrialisation has been central to the drastically changing climatic conditions and increased concentration of greenhouse gases.
The heat-trapping pollutants like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, nitrous oxide, and other fluorinated gases form a layer over the Earth's atmosphere. Instead of the radiation escaping back into space, this layer absorbs the sunlight and solar radiation reflected from the Earth's surface. This process traps the heat for years and centuries, leading to rising temperatures and a hotter planet.
We live in a Greenhouse. Video credit:https://climate.nasa.gov/causes
Natural cycles and fluctuations also influence Earth's climate. Some have even blamed the Sun for the global warming trend. Proxy indicators such as sunspot records and the amount of carbon in tree rings are generally used to estimate solar irradiance. However, research shows that neither the natural cycles nor solar irradiance can account for more than 10 per cent of the recent global warming.
NASA with the cutting-edge observations from it's Earth System Observatory helps to understand our ever-changing planet
One of the main effects that global warming has is climate change. Commonly these two terms are used interchangeably. However, they are different. The change in the weather patterns and growing seasons across the globe is referred to as climate change. Melting ice sheets, expanding warmer seas and oceans leading to rising sea levels are the effects of climate change.
A recent report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reveals some shocking climate change findings. The research conducted by 90 scientists from over 40 countries concludes that limitig global warming to 2 degrees Celsius is no longer a viable option. To curb any further devasting effects of climate change, global warming must be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2040. In the event the world fails to achieve this mark, then events like floods, fires, or varying temperatures will no longer be a statistical anomaly but will instead become a seasonal happening just like changing seasons.
Though in our daily lives we might not understand the impact of global warming and climate change, the changes to the environment are happening now and, with time, will make a more significant impact than ever before. If we look around closely, what used to be subtle hints, are now taking more devastating effects such as:
Extended periods of wildfires
Melting glaciers and ice caps in Antarctica and the Artic.
Bleaching of the coral reefs
Coral reef decimation is one of the sad effects of the global climate crisis
Warmer and acidic oceans
Extreme weather conditions due to rising temperatures
Spread of diseases
Farming has been affected by changing rainfall patterns, severe drought, and heat waves. The growth of the produce is mutated, and the quality of the crops has also been affected.
The future is not determined; it is on our hands
While not a lot, there is still time to act and slow down the pace of global warming. The Earth has already warmed 1.1 degree Celsius above the pre-industrial levels. The need of the hour is to bring all nations together and work towards building a fossil-fuel-free economy. And the next decade is crucial in achieving this target. Countries have the technology, scientific foresight and solutions to reverse the damage for a healthier planet. Using alternative and renewable sources of energy like wind, water and electricity; adoption of a flexitarian diet with less dependence on meat; afforestation drive etc., can save our planet Earth. Do you pledge to save our planet?
Energy and Sustainability: Everything you need to know
22 August, 2020 ∙ By	Vidhi Kapoor ∙ 4 Comments
In my last blog, I spoke about Leadership and Sustainability while explaining briefly what sustainability is and its three interlocking aspects. One of the three interlocking aspects was the Environmental sustainability. Environmental sustainability is about the environmental impacts associated with the business while ecological sustainability is about its impacts on biodiversity. And what affects both environmental and ecological sustainability is Energy.
I guess you take the hint that in this blog I will talk about Energy and Sustainability.
Energy constitutes an important part of the environment. Energy production is a dominant contributor to climate change, accounting for 60% of total global greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy has always remained a critical pillar contributing to human well-being and poverty alleviation. It is important for economic development. Over the centuries, the ways and means by which we source energy has changed dramatically. One of the most critical challenges that the world faces today is sufficient access to clean energy for all. Hence the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7), which calls for universal access to sustainable energy by 2030.
Evolution of energy sources
Our historical and current energy systems are dominantly based on fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. Fossil energy was a fundamental driver of the Industrial Revolution. It also led to the technological, social, and economic development. Our energy production systems have important environmental impacts with carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases that the fossil fuels produce.
It is because of these negative impacts of fossil energy that the world needs to find alternative sources of energy, sources that have a lower impact on the environment.
In order to better understand the energy requirements and eventual transition to cleaner sources, it is important to understand how the energy consumption has changed in a region and across the world; how the energy sources have evolved and what kind of access society has to which energy sources.
For example, according to a World Bank report 2016, only 7% of the world's low-income households have access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking; the average share in Sub-Saharan Africa was 13%; and approximately one-third in South Asia. An in-depth analysis of these factors would truly reveal our energy requirements and energy source evolution.
The renewable sources of energy broadly include: the traditional biomass (burning of wood, agricultural waste biomass, and the forestry materials), hydropower, solar, wind energy, and other renewables like geothermal energy.
Let's have a look at global energy consumption.
Global energy consumption
The chart below captures the energy consumption pattern from early 1800s to modern world 2019. While our dependency on traditional biomass has more or less remainedconstant over 219 years, energy production from renewable sources is still a significantly low percentage as compared to total energy generation through fossil fuels.
How much Energy does the World consume:
Global Fossil Fuel Consumption
As seen in the chart below, the main sources of fossil fuel production and consumption are coal, crude oil, and natural gas. Coal was the sole source of energy production until the 1870s after which oil and gas took over. Gas production was 14,119 TWh and oil production 37,024 TWh. Over two decades, it increased to 53,620 TWh and 39,292 TWhrespectively.
Global renewable energy consumption
The Paris climate agreement (December 2015) sets long-term targets for its member nations like reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. There is an ever increasing need of renewable sources to mitigate the greenhouse gas emissions. This can be achieved with two sources of energy – the renewable technologies and nuclear energy. The chart below shows the renewable energy generation from the 1960s to 2018.
The process of transitioning from the fossil fuels to the renewable sources is termed as decarbonisation. The modern renewables including hydropower, solar, wind, geothermal,and modern biofuel production show a considerable increase since the 1960s with the world producing approximately 6.63TWh of modern renewable energy in 2018. Hydropower accounts for more than 70% of this total production.
Affordable and clean energy – why does it matter?
First the question is "why do we need affordable and clean energy?" and second "what kind of sustainable energy sources?". It is one of the United Nations Sustainable development goals to have affordable and clean energy.
So why does it really matter?
1. Economic Development: Nations need energy and electricity to power their economies. Without a sustainable source governments cannot achieve sustainable economic development.
2. Reduce Disparity: The divide of the rich and the poor, the privileged and the under-privileged has widened amongst the developed, developing, and third world countries. About 789 million people around the world lack access to electricity (https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/energy/)
3. Reduce air pollution: Clean energy is the only solution to the growing air-pollution concerns caused by coal, oil,and gas.4. Better healthcare: Energy is key in facilitating state-of-art healthcare facilities in a country. Fighting diseases, formulating vaccination, and fighting pandemics such as COVID-19 is attainable with a steady supply of energy – even better with renewable and clean one.
I truly believe that every one of us has a role to play in energy consumption / energy saving, reducing greenhouse emissions. A small effort such as switching off the meeting room lights after a meeting, or taking a bike or public transport or walking can go a long way in reducing greenhouse emissions. And for those who live, breathe, and sleep energy, we offer a 100% Online MBA in Energy & Sustainability. Chat with our advisors for more information.


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Source Engine bug could allow hacker to take over a PC with CS:GO Steam invite
April 27, 2021 April 21, 2021 swipadorg
If you receive a Steam invite link to play Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), be wary: clicking on it could allow a hacker to take over your computer. If that wasn't bad enough, the bug could be made to spread to other devices, just like a worm.
According to a Motherboard report, the bug is found in Valve's Source Engine used by CS:GO, Dota 2, Team Fortress 2, and others. A security researcher who goes by the name of Florian said he reported the vulnerability to Valve via the bounty program in 2019, but while it has been fixed in almost all of the games, it's still present in CS:GO.
"Florian said that he was able to code an exploit to take advantage of the bug that works 80 percent of the time," writes the publication. He also warned of hackers using it to infect other machines.
"Once you infected somebody this person can be weaponized in order to infect their friends and so on," the researcher explained.
Valve, it seems, has a reputation for not being quick off the mark when it comes to addressing reported bugs. Carl Schou, the founder of the not-for-profit Secret Club group of security researchers, noted that Valve failed to acknowledge two other vulnerabilities reported by members of the group.
"Valve's response has been a complete disappointment right from the start. Our experience has always been slow response times, with little to no patches being pushed to production," he told Motherboard. "They truly don't care about the security and integrity of their games."
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Crispy Baked Falafel with a creamy, herby avocado sauce and za'atar roasted vegetables, sun-dried tomatoes and warm naan. This dish has got all the elements and textures to create a wonderfully YUM and healthy meal; Crispy falafel, creamy avocado sauce, carby naan, sweet sun dried tomatoes and a healthy dose of spiced root vegetables.
I'm pretty sure this is my favorite vegan recipe to date. It's just got it ALL. Right, so I don't always use vegan naan for this, and if you want to make your own, non-vegan naan, try this one! If you want it to be vegan, I can redirect you to Minimalist Baker's easy vegan naan recipe.
This recipe has a lot of steps, but most of them involve the food processor and it's all done in about 45 minutes (not including making naan). It really is a simple and fantastic dish! I adapted this recipe from Pinch of Yum.
Falafel is a vegetarian patty that's often deep fried. It is usually made with chickpeas, fava beans or both. Herbs such as parsley and cilantro and spices are also usually added to the dough. Falafel is a popular dish in the Middle East and often serves as the protein in main dishes. It can be used in a variety of different dishes, such as salads, in pitas (or naan in this case!), or alone as a snack or in a meze (appetizer). In other words; falafel is a versatile veggie ball.
In all honesty, falafel is usually deep fried, but I do not see the point in that. It is beyond delicious just to bake it in the oven. Reducing both calories and clean-up. I think that is a win-win.
Pre-heat oven to 200C (400F) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pulse all ingredients, except for the almond flour, in a food processor until combined. The consistency you're after is a dry, crumbled dough that sticks together when you press it. Add 1 tbsp almond flour and combine, using a spatula. You may need to add more almond flour, but do not add more than 1 tbsp at a time. I only used 1 to get a dry enough dough to handle.
Take 1 heaping tbsp of dough and shape it into a patty using your hands. Repeat with the rest of the dough, and bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes. Makes about 19-20 patties.
Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend consisting of sesame seeds, sumac, thyme and sea salt. I've got a recipe for za'atar right here. It is super simple to make and keeps forever in an airtight container. If you don't want to make this you could just sprinkle the vegetables with dried thyme and salt, which literally already is half of the za'atar. But I still highly recommend making it.
Cut carrots into matchsticks and broccoli head into small florets. You want them to cook at approximately the same time, so make sure it's not big differences in size. Add to a roasting pan or baking sheet and mix with the za'atar, salt, pepper and olive oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes, halfway through you should give the vegetables a stir.
You can serve these both hot or cold. You won't really notice they are cold if you serve them with warm naan and warm falafel. However, if you want them hot you can change the settings of the oven to fan 180 C (360F). Now you can add the baking sheet with the falafel to the lower half the oven and the baking sheet with za'atar vegetables to the upper half of the oven. Add the vegetables 5-10 minutes before you add the falafel. Make sure you check the vegetables for doneness at around 20 minutes.
Place all the avocado sauce ingredients, apart from the almonds, into a food processor and pulse until everything is incorporated. Add the almonds and pulse until smooth. If it's too thick, add in more water or oil. Too thin – more almonds. Store in the refrigerator until everything is ready. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days.
So the biggest hassle of this recipe is that we use the food processor in all the steps. It's easy, but you kind of need to clean it up (or rinse shh) after each step. But I'm telling you, it's worth it! For the sun-dried tomatoes – you guessed it – add them to the food processor along with the oil it comes in. Puree until it's a paste. You do not have to food process the sun dried tomatoes, but I like to so in order to evenly distribute the goodness all over the naan. I'm serious about getting the best flavor out of every bite!
Soo, we are so ready to eat this right now. Warm some naan, and spread the sun-dried tomatoes on top. Add the za'atar roasted vegetables, top with some crispy baked falafel and then drizzle with avocado sauce. Dig in! One healthy meal that is bursting with flavor right there. You're welcome.
Pre-heat oven to 200C (400F) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Pulse all ingredients, except for the almond flour, in a food processor until combined. The consistency you're after is a dry, crumbled dough that sticks together when you press it. Add 1 tbsp almond flour and combine, using a spatula. You may need to add more almond flour, but do not add more than 1 tbsp at a time. I only used 1 to get a dry enough dough to handle.
Place all the avocado sauce ingredients, apart from the almonds, into a food processor and pulse until everything is incorporated. Add the almonds and pulse until smooth. If it's too thick, add in more water or oil. Too thin - more almonds. Store in the refrigerator until everything is ready.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days.
For the sun-dried tomatoes: add them to the food processor along with the oil it comes in. Puree until it's a paste. You do not have to food process the sun dried tomatoes, but I like to so in order to evenly distribute it over the naan.
Warm the naan, and spread the sun-dried tomatoes on top. Add the za'atar roasted vegetables, top with some crispy baked falafel and then drizzle with avocado sauce. Dig in!
These falafels are gluten free, but if you don't need them to be you can use regular flour too. I've also used corn flour, and that is fine too.
* Za'atar can be bought in Asian grocery stores or you can very easily make your own using this recipe (only 4 ingredients!).
** Make sure you choose naan after your dietary restrictions, such as vegan or gluten free. If you do not have any of these restrictions, I have a delicious recipe for homemade naan right here.
*** You can serve these both hot or cold. You won't really notice they are cold if you serve them with warm naan and warm falafel. However, if you want them hot you can change the settings of the oven to fan 180 C (360F). Now you can add the baking sheet with the falafel to the lower half the oven and the baking sheet with za'atar vegetables to the upper half of the oven. Add the vegetables 5-10 minutes before you add the falafel. Make sure you check the vegetables for doneness at around 20 minutes.
This nutrition label does not include naan as they may vary from brand to brand and recipe to recipe. Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided for informational purposes only. If you have any specific dietary concerns, please consult with your healthcare practitioner.
This looks great – even though you have to keep rinsing out your food processor lol! The avocado sauce looks amazing and although there are lots of steps it looks really doable even for a novice like me. I'll definitely be trying this one out!
On the plus side we've constantly done our dishes so it's not that much in the end lol! Thank you so much, I hope you do try it!
I have never heard of "Crispy Baked Falafel" before but is sounds unique and tasty! I'd give this a try!
They looks great! I love sneaking veggies to my kiddos with dishes like this. We will be trying these soon!
It's such a great way to hide the veggies! Thank you so much!
These look and sound amazing!! I can't wait to whip some up always looking for new falafel recipes!!
Thank you so much, Leah Ashley!
This looks delicious, especially with the avocado sauce! I do love falafel but I don't eat it often as it is pretty heavy, so it's nice to see a baked alternative to the fried.
I never fry them anymore as I find it's much better to just bake them!
Falafel is so delish! Thanks Divya!
This looks delicious! I've only made falafels one time & I didn't love how they turned out. I will definitely be trying your recipe…it sounds much better than the one I used last time! Thanks for sharing!
I had the same issue. I tried a recipe once and I was pretty disappointed. However, this has turned out great every time. Thank you, Madi!
Oh wow! This looks absolutely delicious. I've been wanting to make homemade falafel and this recipe sounds really yummy.
Ohh, you've come to the right place. I hope you'll like them!
Oh my god this looks perfect for vegan dinner days!
this is right up my alley. i love falafel but have never made it myself. it sound terrific with the avocado sauce.
Thank you so much. The avocado sauce is such a nice addition to falafel.
I love falafel but have never attempted to make it at home. I wanted to try something different this weekend. I think this just might be it.
This is pretty different than other dishes I usually make, I think it's a breath of fresh air. Thank you so much, Gloria!
This looks delicious! And easier than I expected. Love that it's a great way to sneak in some veggies!
Thank you so much, Jennifer! It really isn't difficult!
Everything about this recipe is amazing! I'm all about that avocado sauce, and I love the addition of the sun-dried tomatoes. Thanks for a fantastic recipe!
Thank you so much, Amanda. The sun-dried tomatoes are soo good!
Wow! This delicious recipe has my mouth watering. It looks so yummy. And your images are absolutely stunning!
Everything about this recipe is just perfect! And, it's going to be on my dinner table this Sunday night. I'm so happy to see that the falafels were baked rather than fried, because they always tend to be a little too oily for my personal tastes. I cannot wait to get this in my mouth!
I just had falafel leftovers today and I was so excited! I hope you'll like them as much as I do!
Thank you so much! The sun-dried tomatoes are a must in my opinion.
An absolutely delicious baked falafel recipe! From the roasted veggies to the tasty naan bread! Then the avocado sauce, I could eat this every day! a great meal for my whole family! The hubs is going to love the addition of the veggies with the falafel!
This crispy baked falafel looks like it is bursting with flavor. I've never had zaatar but it sounds like it's the perfect blend of seasonings. I can't wait to try this new recipe.
Thank you Kelly. I urge you to try za'atar, it's fantastic.
I get excited just by reading through all the ingredients that this falafel has – it is sooo goood! I already imagine myself experimenting with the steps, because that is what I love doing 🙂 Great recipe – thank you!
Crispy? Yes. Baked? Yes. Falafel? Absolutely YES! Falafel is my new inspiration and the more I look for different recipes the more excited I get about all the different types you can make. Can't wait to try yours this weekend. Yum!
YES! Thank you so much, Mimi!
I would love to enjoy this for lunch! The sauces look wonderful -so creamy and full of flavor! I can't wait to give this a try.
Yeess, love the avocado sauce! Thank you so much.
You have such mouth watering recipes and photos. I love the idea of baking the falafel instead of frying them!
You are so kind, Jacqueline. Thank you so much!
I make falafel often but I love your healthiest version! They look flavorful and yummy!


text:
Warehouse Manager At Chemonics International
Job Title: Warehouse Manager At Chemonics International
Organisation: Chemonics International
Qualification: PGD
Industry: Logistics/ Transportation/ Supply
Course: Pharmacy, Public Health, Logistics Management, Business Administration
Chemonics International - We're one of the world's leading partners in international development, because where Chemonics works, development works. From our founding in 1975, we have worked in more than 150 countries to help our clients, partners and beneficiaries take on the world's toughest challenges. Today, we re-imagine global supply chains to deliver essential medicines to the right place at the right time. Our global network of more than 4,000 specialists share an unwavering resolve to work better, driven by a conviction that the world must be better.
We are recruiting to fill the position of:
Job Title: Warehouse Manager
This scope of work (SOW) sets forth the services to be provided by the Warehouse Manager - Deliver & Return to SAII Associates Ltd/Gte, an associate company of Chemonics International Inc. in the implementation of the USAID Global Health Supply Chain – Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) in Nigeria.
The purpose of the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program–Procurement and Supply Management single award IDIQ contract is to ensure uninterrupted supplies of health commodities to prevent suffering, save lives, and create a brighter future for families around the world. The IDIQ has four task orders that directly support the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI), and USAID's family planning and reproductive health program. GHSC-PSM provides health commodity procurement services and systems strengthening technical assistance that address all elements of a comprehensive supply chain. All four task orders are implemented in Nigeria.
The Warehouse Manager will be responsible for overseeing and managing activities related to warehousing operations for GHSC-PSM project in Nigeria
Principal Duties and Responsibilities (Essential Functions)
Ensure the safe receipt, storage and timely dispatch of commodities (pharmaceuticals, laboratory reagents and consumables, long lasting insecticidal treated nets and other related health commodities) for all health programs/various donors, implemented and managed by Chemonics in line with Good Warehousing Practice (GWP)
Provide warehousing technical support to federal and state government owned warehouses in which commodities procured by US government are stored for health programs implemented and managed by Chemonics.
Support the Director Deliver/Return in managing subcontracting of warehousing services (EOI, RFQ, selection, contracting etc.) using service level agreements (SLA)
Conduct market survey on warehousing costs to benchmark current costs.
Support the Director Deliver/Return to develop operational standards for contracted warehousing services and support the advocating and adoption of these standards as being for use in Nigeria
Monitoring contracted third-party warehouse service providers' performance against set key performance indicators (KPIs) Also, undertake audits of warehousing 3PLs; facilities and services
Assist in developing requisite reports including forecasted needs and outputs, monthly warehouse stock reports from all warehousing facilities holding stock for Global Health Supply Chain Program – Procurement and Supply Chain Management (GHSC-PSM) project, Nigeria project, and 3PL performance scorecards (internal distribution only).
Support the Director Deliver/Return develop, manage and nurture mutually beneficial relationship between Global Health Supply Chain Program – Procurement and Supply Chain Management (GHSC-PSM) project, Nigeria, government of Nigeria (GON), stakeholders and respective warehousing 3PLs
Ensure operational and financial efficiencies of warehousing 3PLs and develop their capacity thereby providing a pool of indigenous seasoned warehousing service providers
Support the Director Deliver/Return, liaise with M&E to monitor, track and report on supply operations indicators.
Support and provide technical assistance for process improvements and innovations including Reporting Dashboard/Control Tower Initiative, Data Visibility and other improvements and innovations as the need arises.
Facilitating transfer of skills and knowledge to other staff through mentoring and on-the-job training
Maintain a good knowledge and understanding of all office rules and procedures as set forth in the field office policy manual.
Supervise warehousing team to support achievement of the overall project goals as required to ensure project performance
Perform other duties as directed by the Director, Deliver & Return
The Warehouse Manager - will report directly to the Director -Warehouse & Distribution
Working Conditions/Duration of Assignment:
This is a long-term position for the life of the contract based in Abuja, Nigeria.
Applicants for this position should possess the following minimum qualifications:
Post graduate degree in Pharmacy, Public Health, Logistics Management, Business Administration
At least 8 years of relevant work experience/public health supply chain management.
Membership of supply chain professional body
Experience working on a USAID or donor-funded project
Demonstrated skills in Microsoft Office Suite applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Proven ability to work as a part of a team but self-managing of own time.
Good verbal and written communication skills/Fluency in English is required
Logistics Coordinator At Transport Services Limited (TSL) in Lagos State Nigeria
Transport Services Limited (TSL) in (Lagos State)
Transport Services Limited (TSL) is a foremost indigenous logistics transportation company that provides customized transportation... Read more
Logistics Coordinator At Transport Services Limited (TSL) in Ogun State Nigeria
Transport Services Limited (TSL) in (Ogun State)


Following a recommendation of the SAGE report, the Bermuda Hospitals Board will consider consolidating the two major health service facilities on the island onto one site.
The SAGE Commission's report was made public last month. It says there are duplicated services provided at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) and at Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute (MAWI), since the facilities are operated on different sites. Substantial savings would be generated, according to the report, from operating both facilities on one site.
While the report found duplication of clinical service between the two sites, the board denies there is any service overlap. Through an e-mail, a BHB spokeswoman said KEMH delivers in-patient and outpatient hospital services for medical conditions and residential services for long term care clients in its continuing care unit. MWI, on the other hand, provides outpatient community outreach, residential and acute care services for adults and children with mental health conditions, learning disabilities and substance abuse issues.
Any savings from consolidating the two locations to one site, according to BHB Chairman Jonathan Brewin, would be gained through efficiencies made in support and administrative services and through a sharing of joint infrastructure. The utility plant built as part of the ongoing acute care wing construction project at KEMH could support another building, he said.
The board, Mr Brewin said in a written statement, is "working hard to ensure it maximizes efficiencies," although it's "much too early" to know whether the recommendation is viable. It's also unclear what effect such a project would have on the workforce at KEMH and MAWI.
MAWI needs about $40 million worth of renovations, according to the SAGE report. That site includes 23 inpatient acute care beds, 58 long term and rehab beds and eight substance abuse beds, according to the board's web site. KEMH currently includes 232 inpatient acute care beds, 121 continuing care unit beds and nine hospice beds.
SAGE also recommends the board review of the costs and savings of building a new building next to the new Acute Care Wing that is under construction. The new building should offer services currently provided by MAWI and a Continuing Care Unit for the elderly. To partially fund such a building, the SAGE report suggests the board consider monetizing the old MAWI site.
The acute care wing project has entered its final phase. It is expected to be open to the public in 2014.


I hope your day is filled with TONS of love, hugs, kisses, and chocolate! I'm currently in Mexico traveling with family and away from my 4 loves (bf and fur babies), but I can't wait to be back home and squeeze them all!
I had to end this Valentine's Day with a bang! How cute is this dress? The color and fit are a match made in heaven!
Hope your day is spent showing/getting a little extra love to/from loved ones. Thank you for following along!


The Green Hills of Stranglethorn Complete all of Hemet Nesingwary quests in Stranglethorn Vale up to and including Big Game Hunter.
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