Instability and Death of Spiral Wave in a Two-Dimensional Array of Hindmarsh-Rose Neurons

Spiral wave could be observed in the excitable media, the neurons are often excitable within appropriate parameters. The appearance and formation of spiral wave in the cardiac tissue is linked to monomorphic ventricular tachycardia that can denervate into polymorphic tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. The neuronal system often consists of a large number of neurons with complex connections. In this paper, we theoretically study the transition from spiral wave to spiral turbulence and homogeneous state （death of spiral wave） in two-dimensional array of the Hindmarsh-Rose neuron with completely nearest-neighbor connections. In our numerical studies, a stable rotating spiral wave is developed and selected as the initial state, then the bifurcation parameters are changed to different values to observe the transition from spiral wave to homogeneous state, breakup of spiral wave and weak change of spiral wave, respectively. A statistical factor of synchronization is defined with the mean field theory to analyze the transition from spiral wave to other spatial states, and the snapshots of the membrane potentials of all neurons and time series of mean membrane potentials of all neurons are also plotted to discuss the change of spiral wave. It is found that the sharp changing points in the curve for factor of synchronization vs. bifurcation parameter indicate sudden transition from spiral wave to other states. And the results are independent of the number of neurons we used.     

Characterizations of Stress and Strain Variation in Three-Dimensional Forming of Laser Micro-Manufacturing

A micro-manufacturing technology is presented to form three-dimensional metallic micro-structures directly. Micro grid array structures are replicated on a metallic foil surface, with high spatial resolution in micron levels. The numerical simulation results indicate that the material deformation process is characterized by an ultrahigh strain rate. With increasing pulse duration, the sample absorption strain energy increases, and the sample deformation degree enlarges. The stress state of the central point fluctuates between tensile stress and compression stress. The stress state of the angular point is altered from compressive stress to tensile stress due to geometry and loading conditions. The duration length of pulse stress has an effect on the stress state, as with the increase of pulse duration, fluctuation in the stress state decreases. Therefore, laser micro-manufacturing technology will be a potential laser micro forming method which is characterized by low cost and high efficiency.     

Order Parameter of a Nanometre-Scale S-Wave Superconducting Grain in Quantum Tunnelling Process： Frequency Space Analysis

A nano-scale s-wave superconducting grain, coupled to a normal metallic contact through a tunnelling junction, is placed in an external magnetic field. We suppose that effect of this quantum tunnelling on the Fourier transform of the order parameter is in the form of a small additive correction to the BCS order parameter. At the first order approximation in terms of this correction term and by using an instanton method, the related Green functions （in frequency space） are obtained. By establishing a self-consistent configuration an analytic formula for the order parameter is also found. We also show that a departure from superconductivity can be captured by this formula. This change of state is indeed a manifestation of a quantum transition induced by quantum fluctuations. In this sense, this is an advantage of our simple method which, like other more elaborate methods, can detect a quantum transition in the state of the grain.     

Disappearance of Superconductivity and a Concomitant Lifshitz Transition in Heavily Overdoped Bi_2Sr_2CuO_6 Superconductor Revealed by Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy

By partially doping Pb to effectively suppress the superstructure in single-layered cuprate Bi_2Sr_2CuO_(6+δ)(Pb-Bi2201) and annealing them in vacuum or in high pressure oxygen atmosphere, a series of high quality Pb-Bi2201 single crystals are obtained with T_c covering from 17 K to non-superconducting in the overdoped region. High resolution angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements are carried out on these samples to investigate the evolution of the Fermi surface topology with doping in the normal state. Clear and complete Fermi surfaces are observed and quantitatively analyzed in all of these overdoped Pb-Bi2201 samples. A Lifshitz transition from holelike Fermi surface to electron-like Fermi surface with increasing doping is observed at a doping level of ~0.35. This transition coincides with the change that the sample undergoes superconducting-to-non-superconducting states.Our results reveal the emergence of an electron-like Fermi surface and the existence of a Lifshitz transition in heavily overdoped Bi2201 samples. This provides important information in understanding the connection between the disappearance of superconductivity and the Lifshitz transition in the overdoped region.     

Electronic and magnetic properties of single-layer and double-layer VX_2(X=Cl,Br) under biaxial stress

First-principles calculations and Monte Carlo simulations reveal that single-layer and double-layer VX_2(X = Cl, Br)can be tuned from antiferromagnetic(AFM) semiconductors to ferromagnetic(FM) state when biaxial tensile stress is applied. Their ground states are all T phase. The biaxial tensile stress at the phase transition point of the double-layer VX_2 is larger than that of the single-layer VX_2. The direct band gaps can be also manipulated by biaxial tensile stress as they increases with increasing tensile stress to a critical point and then decreases. The Néel temperature(TN) of double-layer VX_2 are higher than that of single-layer. As the stress increases, the TNof all materials tend to increase. The magnetic moment increases with the increase of biaxial tensile stress, and which become insensitive to stress after the phase transition points.Our research provides a method to control the electronic and magnetic properties of VX_2 by stress, and the single-layer and double-layer VX_2 may have potential applications in nano spintronic devices.     

Preparation and modification of VO_2 thin film on R-sapphire substrate by rapid thermal process

The VO2 thin film with high performance of metal-insulator transition （MIT） is prepared on R-sapphire substrate for the first time by magnetron sputtering with rapid thermal process （RTP）. The electrical characteristic and THz transmittance of MIT in VO2 film are studied by four-point probe method and THz time domain spectrum （THz-TDS）. X-ray diffraction （XRD）, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）, atomic force microscopy （AFM）, and search engine marketing （SEM） are employed to analyze the crystalline structure, valence state, surface morphology of the film. Results indicate that the properties of VO2 film which is oxidized from the metal vanadium film in oxygen atmosphere are improved with a follow- up RTP modification in nitrogen atmosphere. The crystallization and components of VO2 film are improved and the film becomes compact and uniform. A better phase transition performance is shown that the resistance changes nearly 3 orders of magnitude with a 2-~C hysteresis width and the THz transmittances are reduced by 64% and 60% in thermal and optical excitation respectively.     

Magnetic entropy change and magnetic phase transition of LaFe11.4Al1.6Cx （x=0-0.8） compounds

The unit cell volume and phase transition temperature of LaFe11.4Al1.6Cx compounds have been studied. The magnetic entropy change, refrigerant capacity and the type of magnetic phase transition are investigated in detail for LaFe11.4Al1.6Cx with x=0.1, All the LaFe11.4Al1.6Cx （x=0-0.8） compounds have the cubic NaZn13-type structure. The addition of carbon atoms brings about a considerable increase in the lattice parameter. The bulk expansion results in the change of phase transition temperature （Tc）, Tc increases from 187K to 269 K with x varying from 0.1 to 0.8, Meanwhile an increase in the lattice parameter can also cause a change of the magnetic ground state from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic. Large magnetic entropy change IASI is found over a large temperature range around Tc and the refrigerant capacity is about 322J/kg for LaFe11.4Al1.6C0.1. The magnetic phase transition belongs in weakly first-order one for x=0.1.     

Modelling Analysis of Influence of Substrate Surface Defect on Optical Characteristics of Single-Layer Coating

A simple and practical model is used to analyse the influence of substrate surface defect on the optical characteristics of a single-layer coating. A single-layer coating is prepared and its optical properties are fitted. Some explanations for the origin of the transition layer are presented. It is concluded that there is a transition layer forming between the substrate and coating, which is attributed to substrate surface defects, and its refractive index change is nearly of linearity.     

Electronic structure and physical properties of ScN in pressure: density-functional theory calculations

Local density functional is investigated by using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave （FP-LAPW） method for ScN in the hexagonal structure and the rocksalt structure and for hexagonal structures linking a layered hexagonal phase with wurtzite structure along a homogeneous strain transition path. It is found that the wurtzite ScN is unstable and the layered hexagonal phase, labelled as ho, in which atoms are approximately fivefold coordinated, is metastable, and the rocksalt ScN is stable. The electronic structure, the physical properties of the intermediate structures and the energy band structure along the transition are presented. It is found that the band gaps change from 4.0 to 1.0 eV continuously when c/a value varies from 1.68 to 1.26. It is noticeable that the study of ScN provides an opportunity to apply this kind of material （in wurtzite[h]-derived phase）.     

Rovibrational in ultracold quenching of BH 3He collisions

The interaction potential of a He-BH complex is investigated by the coupled-cluster single-double plus perturbative triples （CCSD （T）） method and an augmented correlation consistent polarized valence （aug-cc-pV）5Z basis set extended with a set of （3s3p2dlflg） midbond functions. Using the five two-dimensional model potentials, the first three-dimensional interaction potential energy surface is constructed by interpolating along （r-re） by using a fourth-order polynomial. The cross sections for the rovibrational relaxation of BH in cold and ultracold collisions with 3He atom are calculated based on the three-dimensional potential. The results show that the △v =-1 transition is more efficient than the △v=-2 transition, and that the process of relaxation takes place mainly between rotational energy levels with the same vibration state and the △j=-1 transition is the most efficient. The zero temperature quenching rate coefficient is finite as predicted by Wigner＇s law. The resonance is found to take place around 0.1-1 cm^-1 translational energy, which gives rise to a step in the rate coefficients for temperatures around 0.1-1 K. The final rotational distributions in the state v = 0 resulting from the quenching of state （v = 1,j = 0） at three energies corresponding to the three different regimes are also given.     

水合作用与pH调控聚电解质刷的构象转变

我们基于Flory-Huggins理论,建立理论模型研究水合作用与pH调控聚电解质刷的构象转变.理论模型考虑聚电解质链与水分子间的作用(聚电解质链的水合作用)、体系中的静电作用.研究发现,随着水合作用的改变,聚电解质刷出现由溶胀到塌缩的构象转变.由此表明了水合作用可在很大程度调节聚电解质刷的相变.通过分析pH的调控效应我们还发现,在碱性环境中(pH=8),聚电解质链单体的解离度增大,静电排斥会使得聚电解质刷溶胀.由此表明,聚电解质刷内水合作用与静电效应的耦合,将会共同决定聚电解质刷的构象转变特性.理论结果深刻揭示了水合作用的改变,会使得聚电解质刷体系发生相变,pH可在很大程度上改变其相变特性.     

利用微悬臂梁研究聚N-异丙基丙烯酰胺在金表面的自组装

利用微悬臂梁传感技术研究了巯基化的聚N-异丙基丙烯酰胺（HS-PNIPAM）在微悬臂梁金面上的自组装过程.由于大分子的构象变化改变了分子间的相互作用,导致微悬臂梁的表面应力改变,使微悬臂梁发生弯曲.通过光学方法实时读出微悬臂梁的弯曲信号,得到HS-PNIPAM的自组装动力学曲线.通过对不同分子量HS-PNIPAM的实验结果分析表明：HS-PNIPAM在自组装过程中存在三个阶段,分别对应不同的分子构象.第一阶段为物理吸附阶段,第二、三阶段为伴随着分子构象变化的化学吸附阶段.吸附曲线符合Langmuir等温吸附.分析结果还显示HS-PNIPAM的表面吸附速率κ远小于小分子的吸附速率,并与分子量成负指数关系;HS-PNIPAM的自组装时间远大于小分子的自组装时间,并与分子量成正比;底物表面应力的改变与HS-PNIPAM的分子量成线性关系. 关键词： 微悬臂梁 聚N-异丙基丙烯酰胺 自组装 构象转变     

聚丙烯酸水溶液及α-A12O3悬浮液的流变性研究

研究了pH、聚丙烯酸（PAA）浓度和分子量对PAA水溶液的粘度的影响,发现溶液的流变行为与溶液中PAA高分子链的离子化程度和构型密切相关,高分子链刚性程度的增加和链的伸展使溶液在pH为7－9时的粘度最大;研究了在PAA溶液中引入陶瓷粉体后悬浮液的粘度变化,发现当陶瓷粉体和PAA的量达到一定比值时悬浮液体系的粘度达到最小值,同时发现陶瓷粉体的粒径大小与这一粘度最小值和悬浮液流变特性也有关。     

Quantum ergodicity and energy flow in molecules

We review a theory for coupled many-nonlinear oscillator systems that describes quantum ergodicity and energy flow in molecules. The theory exploits the isomorphism between quantum energy flow in Fock space, that is, vibrational state space, and single-particle quantum transport in disordered solid-state systems. The quantum ergodicity transition in molecules is thereby analogous to the Anderson transition in disordered solids. The theory reviewed here, local random matrix theory (LRMT), describes the nature of the quantum ergodicity transition, statistical properties of vibrational eigenstates, and quantum energy flow through the vibrational states of molecules. Predictions of LRMT have been observed in computational studies of coupled nonlinear oscillator systems, which are summarized here. We also review applications of LRMT to molecular spectroscopy and chemical reaction rate theory, including adoption of LRMT in theories that predict rates of conformational change of molecules taking place at energies corresponding to those below and above the quantum ergodicity transition. A number of specific examples are reviewed, including the application of LRMT to predict (1) dilution factors of IR spectra of organic molecules, (2) rates of conformational change in chemical and photochemical reactions, (3) conformational dynamics of biological molecules in molecular beams, (4) rates of hydrogen bond breaking and rearrangement in clusters of biological molecules and water, and (5) excited state proton transfer reactions in proteins.     

Effect of Polyacrylic Acid on Phase State of Lipids and Diffusion in Lipid-Water System

Lipid vesicles interacting with polyanions are promising for controlled drug delivery. However, different aspects of the interaction of these polymers with lipids are far from complete understanding. In this work we studied the influence of polyacrylic acid (PAA) with small concentrations (1–4 mol%) on the change of the phase state, lateral diffusion of these lipids in lamellar phase and transmembrane water diffusion in macroscopically oriented bilayers of lipid-water systems formed by dimiristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and dioleoylphosphatidylcholine. Measurements were performed by ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and the ¹H NMR technique with a pulsed field gradient. It was found that the presence of PAA does not change the lamellar structure of the system. However, a part of bilayers changes their originally flat geometry and forms vesicles with a higher surface curvature. Macroscopic orientation of bilayers disappeared. For DMPC the presence of PAA leads to a shift of the gel-to-liquid crystalline phase-transition temperature to higher temperatures. An increase of PAA concentration leads to a monotonous decrease in the lateral diffusion coefficient of lipids that is caused, probably, by the ordering of lipids in bilayers. The transbilayer diffusion coefficient of water increases in the presence of PAA, but it depends slightly on the PAA concentration. An increase of pH leads to a change of the lipid lateral and transbilayer diffusion coefficients to the values typical for a pure bilayer. Authors' address: Andrey Filippov, Kazan State University, Kremlevskaya ulitsa 18, Kazan 420008, Russian Federation     

Threonine side chain conformational population distribution of a type I antifreeze protein on interacting with ice surface studied via ¹³C-¹⁵N dynamic REDOR NMR

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) provide survival mechanism for species living in subzero environments by lowering the freezing points of their body fluids effectively. The mechanism is attributed to AFPs' ability to inhibit the growth of seed ice crystals through adsorption on specific ice surfaces. We have applied dynamic REDOR (Rotational Echo Double Resonance) solid state NMR to study the threonine (Thr) side chain conformational population distribution of a site-specific Thr ¹³C_γ and ¹⁵N doubly labeled type I AFP in frozen aqueous solution. It is known that the Thr side chains together with those of the 4th and 8th Alanine (Ala) residues commencing from the Thrs (the 1st) in the four 11-residue repeat units form the peptide ice-binding surface. The conformational information can provide structural insight with regard to how the AFP side chains structurally interact with the ice surface. χ-squared statistical analysis of the experimental REDOR data in fitting the theoretically calculated dynamic REDOR fraction curves indicates that when the AFP interacted with the ice surface in the frozen AFP solution, the conformations of the Thr side chains changed from the anti-conformations, as in the AFP crystal structure, to partial population in the anti-conformation and partial population in the two gauche conformations. This change together with the structural analysis indicates that the simultaneous interactions of the methyl groups and the hydroxyl groups of the Thr side chains with the ice surface could be the reason for the conformational population change. The analysis of the theoretical dynamic REDOR fraction curves shows that the set of experimental REDOR data may fit a number of theoretical curves with different population distributions. Thus, other structural information is needed to assist in determining the conformational population distribution of the Thr side chains.     

Stripping voltammetry of Pb and Cu using a microcantilever electrode

Microfabricated silicon microcantilevers coated with gold on one side have been used as working electrode in a three-electrode electrochemical arrangement. In addition to electrochemical current, cantilever bending has been used as a signal for monitoring electrode reactions on the cantilever surface. The microcantilever bending was measured by an optical beam deflection method as the surface potential was scanned and electrochemical reactions occurred on the surface. The microcantilever bending due to differential surface stress was used to sense Pb and Cu using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep stripping voltammetry (LSSV).     

利用微悬臂梁表面应力研究聚N-异丙基丙烯酰胺分子的构象转变

提出了一种基于微悬臂梁传感技术研究大分子折叠/构象转变的新方法.通过分子自组装的方法将热敏性的聚N-异丙基丙烯酰胺(PNIPAM)分子链修饰到微悬臂梁的单侧表面，用光杠杆技术检测温度在20—40℃之间变化时由于微悬臂梁上的PNIPAM分子在水中的构象转变所引起的微悬臂梁变形.实验结果显示：在升温过程中，微悬臂梁的表面应力发生了变化并且导致微悬臂梁产生了弯曲变形，这个过程对应着微悬臂梁上的PNIPAM分子从无规线团构象到塌缩小球构象的构象转变.在降温过程中，微悬臂梁发生了反方向的弯曲变形，这对应着PNIPA 关键词： 构象转变 聚N-异丙基丙烯酰胺分子链 表面应力 微悬臂梁     

Growth of hydrogel nano- and microlayers covalently bounded onto PE surface

Surface modifying strategies were developed to immobilize PAA cross-linked layers (hydrogel layers) with different thicknesses by chemical binding to the surface of polyethylene (PE). Polyethylene films were functionalized by two methods, chromic acid oxidation and maleic anhydride grafting. The reaction of the functional groups placed onto the film surface with ethylenediamine promoted the formation of an amine-functionalized surface. The thickness of the hydrogel layer was correlated with the presence and the release of impregnated ethylenediamine during the immobilization of the PAA chains by thermal esterification. Ethylenediamine acts as a cross-linking agent between different PAA chains. Attenuated total reflectance (ATR) FTIR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the chemical composition and the morphologies of the modified film surface.     

Shear stress fluctuations in the granular liquid and solid phases

We report on experimentally observed shear stress fluctuations in both granular solid and fluid states, showing that they are non-Gaussian at low shear rates, reflecting the predominance of correlated structures (force chains) in the solidlike phase, which also exhibit finite rigidity to shear. Peaks in the rigidity and the stress distribution's skewness indicate that a change to the force-bearing mechanism occurs at the transition to fluid behavior, which, it is shown, can be predicted from the behavior of the stress at lower shear rates. In the fluid state stress is Gaussian distributed, suggesting that the central limit theorem holds. The fiber bundle model with random load sharing effectively reproduces the stress distribution at the yield point and also exhibits the exponential stress distribution anticipated from extant work on stress propagation in granular materials.