Immunoreactivity to the pre-core box antibody shows that most glycine-rich beta-proteins accumulate in lepidosaurian beta-layer and in the corneous layer of crocodilian and turtle epidermis

The differentiation of the corneous layers of reptilian epidermis has been analyzed by ultrastructural immunocytochemistry using specific antibodies against the conserved pre-core box region of their keratin-associated beta-proteins (KAbetaPs, formerly indicated as beta-keratins) and silver-intensification. The epitope analysis in the sequences of different reptilian KAbetaPs indicates that this antibody recognizes mainly glycine-rich beta-proteins in lizards and snakes. The immunoreactivity of the beta-layer of the tuatara to this antibody also suggests that a similar epitope is present in beta-proteins of this relict species. In crocodilians the antibody recognizes glycine-rich beta-proteins, so far representing all the known crocodilian KAbetaPs. In hard-shelled turtle the antibody labels mainly type 1 KAbetaPs that represent most types found in this turtle. The antibody does not label the corneous layer of the soft-shelled turtle that contains exclusively type 2 KAbetaPs, with a low identity to the epitope recognized by the antibody. The prevalent labeling of the beta-layers in lepidosaurian epidermis and of the corneous layer in turtle and crocodilian epidermis suggest that this antibody is mainly directed toward KAbetaPs rich in glycine. The latter are main constituents of the corneous layer in turtles and crocodilians and of the beta-layer in lizards, snakes and the tuatara. These proteins are largely responsible for the inflexibility, mechanical resistance, chromophobicity and relative hydrophobicity of the reptilian corneous layer.     

Modulus, confinement, and temperature effects on surface capillary wave dynamics in bilayer polymer films near the glass transition

We report relaxation times (τ) for surface capillary waves on 27-127?nm polystyrene (PS) top layers in bilayer films using x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy. At ～10?°C above the PS glass transition temperature (T_{g}), τ tracks with underlayer modulus, being significantly smaller on softer substrates at low in-plane scattering wave vector. Relative to capillary wave theory, we also report stiffening behavior upon nanoconfinement of the PS layers. At PS T_{g}+40?°C, both effects become negligible. We demonstrate how neighboring polymer domains impact dynamics over substantial length scales.     

A transmission electron microscopy study of the deformation behavior underneath nanoindents in nanoscale Al–TiN multilayered composites

Nanoscale multilayered Al–TiN composites were deposited using the dc magnetron sputtering technique in two different layer thickness ratios, Al : TiN = 1 : 1 and Al : TiN = 9 : 1. The Al layer thickness varied from 2 nm to 450 nm. The hardness of the samples was tested by nanoindentation using a Berkovich tip. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was carried out on samples extracted with focused ion beam from below the nanoindents. The results of the hardness tests on the Al–TiN multilayers with two different thickness ratios are presented, together with observations from the cross-sectional TEM studies of the regions underneath the indents. These studies revealed remarkable strength in the multilayers, as well as some very interesting deformation behavior in the TiN layers at extremely small length scales, where the hard TiN layers undergo co-deformation with the Al layers.     

A closer look at the feather coloration in the male purple sunbird,Nectarinia asiatica

During the breeding season male, but not female, individuals of the purple sunbird possess colourful plumage of chiefly blue and black coloration with a splatter of orange and yellow on the chest. Representative feathers of these colours were collected from male birds during the breeding season and analyzed by reflectance and scanning electron microscopy. The rachis, which is the central support of a feather on which various barbs and barbules are arranged, is spongy and made up of keratin layers with rod-shaped melanosomes sparsely distributed within these layers. Barbs and barbules are the structural units of the feather and depending on how they are arranged provide a characteristic shape to the feather. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of the feathers revealed the presence of various metal elements that might contribute to the feathers’ colorations. Blue feathers are iridescent and contain mainly iron, copper, zinc and cobalt (in that order of abundance); black feathers were also found to contain mainly iron and copper, but chromium instead of zinc and cobalt, while yellow feathers were found to contain predominantly cobalt and nickel. The metal content of the feathers in an as yet unknown way may be involved in the production of the distinct absorbance and reflectance patterns that the brilliant plumage of the purple sunbird is renowned for.     

非均匀性对增透膜增透特性的影响

通过对基底与膜层、膜层之间界面处非均匀性对增透膜增透性能影响的讨论,得到以下结论:在沉积初期,由于基底表面特性和沉积参数的波动,从而在基底与膜层之间产生过渡层,使增透性能减弱,对增透膜的增透效果影响较大;在膜层之间的过渡层,正余弦过渡使增透性能变强,双曲、指数使增透性能减弱,但影响较小,线性渐变基本没有影响。实验镀制了增透膜并对其进行拟合分析,发现基底与膜层以及膜层之间的过渡层按正余弦变化时与实验结果比较吻合,并给予了解释。     

Thermal modeling of laser sintering of two-component metal powder on top of sintered layers via multi-line scanning

Laser sintering of a two-component metal powder layer on top of sintered layers, with a moving circular Gaussian laser beam is modeled numerically. The overlap between the adjacent scanning lines, as well as the binding between the newly sintered layer and existing sintered layers underneath through melting, are also considered. The governing equation is formulated by a temperature-transforming model, with partial shrinkage induced by melting taken into account. The liquid flow of the molten low melting point metal powders driving by capillary and gravity forces is formulated by Darcy’s law. The effects of the dominant processing parameters, including the moving laser beam intensity, scanning speed, and the number of the existing sintered layers underneath on the shape of the heat affected zone (HAZ) are investigated. PACS 44.05.+e; 81.20.Ev     

Vitellin cleavage products are proteolytically degraded by ubiquitination in stick insect embryos

Vitellin polypeptides are proteolytically processed in ovarian follicles and embryos of the stick insect Carausius morosus. Data show that vitellin polypeptide A(3) of 54kDa is processed to yield polypeptide A(3)(*) of about 48kDa upon completion of ovarian development, whereas vitellin polypeptide A(2) of 90kDa yields polypeptide E(9) during embryonic development. As vitellin polypeptides are processed, polypeptides A(3)(*) and E(9) are transferred from the yolk granules to the cytosolic space of the vitellophages and start to express a ubiquitin reactivity. At the confocal microscope, anti-ubiquitin antibodies label specifically numerous small yolk granules and the cytosolic space of vitellophages. During embryonic development, ubiquitin carrying granules undergo acidification in much the same way as larger yolk granules. However, only these latter organelles are capable of converting a latent cysteine pro-protease into an active yolk protease upon acidification of their luminal space. These data are interpreted as indicating that ubiquitin-like polypeptides are restricted to small granules throughout ovarian and embryonic development, and that vitellin cleavage products are ubiquitinated following acidification of large yolk granules and transfer to the cytosolic space of the vitellophages.     

纳米多层膜“软"相结构参量对硬度的Hall-Petch表征

采用直流磁控溅射方法制备了不同调制比的Ni/Al纳米多层膜,利用X射线衍射技术和纳米压入连续刚度法分析了薄膜微结构及塑性变形的尺度依赖性.实验结果表明,尽管调制比有所不同,多层膜的硬度与“软"相的微结构特征参量随调制波长减小具有相似变化规律,说明多层膜的变形机制对“软"相的微结构约束存在敏感性.随着薄膜特征尺度的减小,为统一多层膜中晶界和膜界两种强化机制,提出一个与“软”相相关的表征参量r(r＝L_sub/d,L关键词： 纳米多层膜 塑性变形 调制波长 Hall-Petch关系     

Investigation of the swelling of human skin cells in liquid media by tapping mode scanning force microscopy

The swelling of individual human skin cells (so-called corneocytes) was studied in distilled water and hexadecene, respectively, by tapping mode scanning force microscopy. The area, the mean height, and the volume were recorded and compared to data of the same cell, which has been obtained under ambient conditions. In distilled water, we found an average swelling in height and volume of about (-)%5010, but no significant increase of the area. Additionally, phase-contrast images suggest a significant change of the viscoelastic properties of the corneocytes. On the other hand, the corneocytes behaved inertly when exposed to hexadecene as an example of a non-polar solvent.     

Direct measurement of the growth mode of graphene on SiC(0001) and SiC(0001¯)

We have determined the growth mode of graphene on SiC(0001) and SiC(0001ˉ) using ultrathin, isotopically labeled Si(13)C "marker layers" grown epitaxially on the Si(12)C surfaces. Few-layer graphene overlayers were formed via thermal decomposition at elevated temperature. For both surface terminations (Si face and C face), we find that the (13)C is located mainly in the outermost graphene layers, indicating that, during decomposition, new graphene layers form underneath existing ones.     

Damage dependent electrical activation of boron implanted silicon

The important role of damage dependent electrical activation in the case of boron implanted silicon layers is whown by comparing measured acceptor concentration profiles in differently amorphized silicon layers. It is shown that the amorphous layer is completely recrystallized after a 650° C anneal for 10 min and the implanted boron is electrically active. In the heavily damaged but not amorphous region underneath the amorphous layer the implanted boron is hardly electrically active after this temperature treatment. At higher annealing temperatures the electrical activity increases, but 900° C are required for complete activation of the implanted boron. These results indicate that the process to activate the implanted boron electrically is strongly damage dependent. We thus found a new contribution to the understanding of the annealing behavior of implanted layers.     

A wave field synthesis approach to reproduction of spatially correlated sound fields

This article discusses an open-loop wave field synthesis (WFS) approach for the reproduction of spatially correlated sound fields. The main application concerns laboratory reproduction of turbulent boundary layer wall pressure on aircraft fuselages and measurement of their sound transmission loss. The problem configuration involves reconstruction of random sound pressure distributions on a planar reproduction surface using a planar array of reproduction monopoles parallel to the reproduction plane. In this paper, the WFS formulation is extended to sound fields with imposed time and spatial correlation properties (or equivalently imposed cross-spectral density in the frequency and wave number domains). Numerical examples are presented for the reproduction of a propagating plane wave, diffuse acoustic field and wall pressure in subsonic or supersonic turbulent boundary layers. The reproduction accuracy is examined in terms of the size of the source plane and reproduction plane, their separation, and the number of reproduction sources required per acoustic wavelength. While the reproduction approach cannot reconstruct sub-wavelength correlation scales of subsonic turbulent boundary layers, it effectively reconstructs correlation scales larger than the acoustic wavelength, making it appropriate for diffuse acoustic field and supersonic turbulent layers.     

Surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy on novel black silicon‐based nanostructured surfaces

Two different black silicon nanostructured surfaces modified with thin gold layers were tested for analytical signal enhancement with Surface‐Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS). The relationship between the thicknesses of the gold layers and the analytical signal enhancement was studied. Also, effects of Ti and Ti/Pt adhesion layers underneath the gold layers on the analytical signal enhancement were tested. An enhancement factor of 7.6 × 10⁷ with the excitation laser 785 nm was achieved for the tested analyte, Rhodamine 6G, and non‐resonance SER spectra were recorded in a 5 s acquisition mode. Such an enhancement enables to achieve a detection limit down to 2.4 pg of Rhodamine 6G on a black silicon‐based nanosurface coated with a 400‐nm‐thin layer of gold. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

X-ray triple-axis diffractometry investigation of Si/SiGe/Si on silicon-on-insulator subjected to in situ low-temperature annealing

X-ray triple-axis diffractometry (XRTD) was used to characterize heterostructure Si/SiGe/Si on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) subjected to in situ low-temperature annealing. Crystallographic tilt, lattice constant and relaxation percentage were examined, respectively. Two peaks have been observed in (0 0 4) reciprocal lattice mappings (RLMs) of Si layers. The (0 0 4) RLMs indicate that Si cladding is in tensile strain. We have also found two peaks with different k_∥ and k_⊥ in (1 1 3) asymmetric RLMs of Si layers. It is deduced from comprehensive analyses on (0 0 4) and (1 1 3) RLMs that Ge diffusion and in-plane tensile strain lead to 2θ shift of the Si layers underneath SiGe layer in (0 0 4) RLMs. And the diffusion concentration of Ge accurately determined by XRTD is mole fraction 0.84%.     

Comparison of media properties between hard/soft stacked composite and capping layer perpendicular recording media

The effect of soft layer thickness (t_Soft) of CoTaZr–SiO₂ and low Pt-containing CoCrPtO layers on media properties in hard/soft (H/S) stacked media is compared to media properties in conventional capping layer (CL) media. Coercivity and coercivity squareness in H/S stacked media continuously decrease with increasing t_Soft, while they increase in CL media. H/S stacked media with CoTaZr–SiO₂ layers having higher saturation magnetization and in-plane magnetic anisotropy constant exhibit stronger demagnetization effect. Compared to CL media, H/S stacked media with CoCrPtO soft layers improve signal-to-noise ratio and magnetic write width. However, the use of a relatively soft layer deteriorates adjacent track erasure and does not improve media writeability due to compensation effect between softer and harder layers to be used. These phenomena can be understood as undesirable side effects of a soft layer: higher demagnetization field and larger lattice mismatch.     

Spectral and concentration dependences of the optical properties of thin layers of oxidized amorphous copper and nickel nanoparticles in the infrared spectral region

Optics and Spectroscopy - The optical properties of thin layers of nanostructures based on oxidized amorphous copper and nickel granules are studied in the IR spectral region. The absorption...     

From Dark Energy &; Dark Matter to Dark Metric

We present a new approach to the mathematical objects of General Relativity in terms of which a generic f(R)-gravity theory gravitation is written in a first-order (à la Palatini) formalism, and introduce the concept of Dark Metric which could bypass the emergence of disturbing concepts as Dark Energy and Dark Matter. These issues are related to the fact that General Relativity could not be the definitive theory of Gravitation due to several shortcomings that come out both from theoretical and experimental viewpoints. At large scales, the attempts to match it with the recent observational data lead to invoke Dark Energy and Dark Matter as the bulk components of the cosmic fluid. Since no final evidence, at fundamental level, exists for such ingredients, it could be useful to reconsider the gravitational sector in order to see if suitable extensions of General Relativity could solve the shortcomings present at infrared scales.     

From monoscale to multiscale modeling of fatigue crack growth: Stress and energy density factor

The formalism of the earlier fatigue crack growth models is retained to account for multiscaling of the fatigue process that involves the creation of macrocracks from the accumulation of micro damage.The effects of at least two scales,say micro to macro,must be accounted for.The same data can thus be reinterpreted by the invariancy of the transitional stress intensity factors such that the microcracking and macrocracking data would lie on a straight line.The threshold associated with the sigmoid curve disappears.Scale segmentation is shown to be a necessity for addressing multiscale energy dissipative processes such as fatigue and creep.Path independency and energy release rate are monoscale criteria that can lead to unphysical results,violating the first principles.Application of monoscale failure or fracture criteria to nanomaterials is taking toll at the expense of manufacturing super strength and light materials and structural components.This brief view is offered in the spirit of much needed additional research for the reinforcement of materials by creating nanoscale interfaces with sustainable time in service.The step by step consideraton at the different scales may offer a better understanding of the test data and their limitations with reference to space and time.     

Evolution of the ring-like vortices and spike structure in transitional boundary layers

At the late stage of transitional boundary layers, the nonlinear evolution of the ring-like vortices and spike structures and their effects on the surrounding flow were studied by means of direct numerical simulation with high order accuracy. A spatial transition of the flat-plate boundary layers in the compressible flow was conducted. Detailed numerical results with high resolution clearly represented the typical vortex structures, such as ring-like vortices and so on, and induced ejection and sweep events...     

非均匀性对单层膜光学特性的影响

探讨了不同规律的非均匀性对单层膜的光谱特性的影响,与均匀单层膜对比发现：折射率正变引起透射率的极大值减小,折射率负变引起透射率的极大值变大,当非均匀性很小时,透射率的极小值基本不变.对实验制备的单层膜从实验和理论上进行了对比并给出了较好的拟合,发现在薄膜和基底的界面处存在一过渡层,过渡层可近似为线性,并从理论上给予了分析解释.