Effect of implantation temperature on the blistering behavior of hydrogen implanted GaN

GaN epitaxial layers were implanted by 100 keV H⁺ ions at different implantation temperatures (LN₂, RT and 300 °C) with a fluence of 2.5×10¹⁷ cm^?2. The implanted samples were characterized using Nomarski optical microscopy, AFM, XRD, and TEM. Topographical investigations of the implanted surface revealed the formation of surface blistering in the as-implanted samples at 300 °C and after annealing at higher temperature for the implantation at LN₂ and RT. The physical dimensions of the surface blisters/craters were dependent on the implantation temperature. XRD showed the dependence of damage-induced stress on the implantation temperature with higher stress for the implantation at 300 °C. TEM investigations revealed the formation of a damage band in all the cases. The damage band was filled with large area microcracks for the implantation at 300 °C, which were responsible for the as-implanted surface blistering.     

Hinge peptide combinatorial libraries for inhilbitors of botulinum neurotoxins and saxitoxin: Deconvolution strategy

Combinatorial library screening offers a rapid process for identifying potential therapies to toxins. Hinge peptide libraries, which rely on conformational diversity rather than traditional molecular diversity, reduce the need for huge numbers of syntheses and screening steps and greatly expedite the discovery process of active molecules. Hinge peptide libraries having the structures: Acetyl-X₁–X₂–hinge–X₃–X₄–NH₂ (capped) and X₁–hinge–X₂–X₃ (uncapped), where X₁ through X₄ are near-equimolar mixtures of twelve L-amino acids and hinge = 4-aminobutyric acid, were screened for inhibitory activity in bioassays for botulinum neurotoxins A and B (BoNT/A, BoNT/B) and saxitoxin. The zinc protease activity of the reduced light chains of BoNT/A and /B was assayed by measuring the cleavage of synthetic substrates. Saxitoxin activity was measured by the restoration of the viability of neuroblastoma cells treated with ouabain and veratridine. Deconvolution of libraries was accomplished by fixing one position at a time beginning with the C-terminus. Primary library subsets in which position 4 was fixed showed moderate levels of inhibition for BoNT/A. Secondary library subsets showed stronger inhibition in the bioassays. In each of the bioassays, inhibitory potency was stronger when the second position to be fixed was on the opposite side of the hinge, rather than on the same side with respect to the C-terminus, suggesting that the hinge facilitates the interaction of side chains. Inhibitors for all three of the toxins studied were discovered within library subsets, although not necessarily in primary subsets. These studies demonstrate that (1) the best strategy for deconvoluting hinge peptide libraries is by fixing residues alternately on each side of the hinge moiety, and (2) it is essential to investigate secondary subsets even when primary subsets are inactive. The present findings support the concept that the increased flexibility imposed by the inclusion of a central hinge residue in small peptides increases the opportunity for side chain interactions, providing a distinct advantage for hinge peptide libraries over conventional peptide libraries. Hinge peptide libraries are a rich source of novel ligands for modulation of biomechanisms. The library subsets uncovered in this study may possess peptides that will lead to effective therapies to neurotoxin poisoning.     

Analysis of Low-energy α-4He Elastic Scattering Process in Direct Channel Regge-Pole Formalism

The elastic scattering of low-energy α-particles by a ⁴He target has been analysed within the frame-work of a modified Regge-Pole model which reproduces the partial wave phaseshifts in an elegant and simple way and describes all other relevant features of the scattering phenomena.     

Hydrogenation of Pd-capped Mg thin films prepared by DC magnetron sputtering

Structural and optical properties of pure Mg thin film coated with Pd have been investigated. Pd-capped Mg thin films had been prepared by DC magnetron sputtering. This work presents an ex situ study on hydrogenation and dehydrogenation kinetics of Pd/Mg films at different conditions using XRD, AFM and optical spectrophotometer. We have succeeded to load thin films of Mg to MgH₂ at normal temperature and normal pressure of hydrogen gas. In hydrogenation, α-MgH₂ phase of magnesium hydride was observed in hydrogenated films at 200 °C and γ-MgH₂ at 250 °C respectively. The desorption kinetics in vacuum also revealed the phase transformation α-MgH₂ to γ-MgH₂. A reflectance change was observed in hydrogenated films in comparison of as deposited thin film. Hydrogenated (H loaded) samples were observed partially transparent in comparison of as deposited.     

Self and N2 collisional broadening of far-infrared methane lines measured at the SOLEIL synchrotron

Following our recent study devoted to measurements of intensities of pure rotation lines of methane, room temperature far infrared spectra of methane diluted in nitrogen at five total pressures between 100 and 800 hPa have been recorded at the AILES beamline of the SOLEIL synchrotron. One hundred and five N₂ broadening coefficients of methane pure rotation lines have been measured in the 83–261 cm^?1 spectral range using multi-spectrum non-linear least squares fitting of Voigt profiles. Pressure-induced line shifts were not needed to fit the spectra to the noise level and line mixing effects were neglected. One hundred and seventy-six self broadening coefficients have also been measured in the 59–288 cm^?1 spectral range using the pure methane spectra recorded in our previous work. The measured N₂ broadening coefficients were compared to semi-classical calculations.     

Prestomal teeth of some flies of medical importance

Comparison of prestomal teeth of adult Chrysomya megacephala, Chrysomya rufifacies, Chrysomya nigripes, Lucilia cuprina, Parasarcophaga dux and Musca domestica was accomplished by use of scanning electron microscopy. The prestomal teeth of C. megacephala, C. rufifacies, L. cuprina and P. dux are all similar in appearance in having various degrees of bifurcation at their tips. In contrast, the tips of the prestomal teeth in C. nigripes are very shallowly serrated, but are comparatively more deeply serrated in M. domestica. These features may help account for the roles these flies may play in matters of medical or veterinary importance, such as causing physical irritation or acting as vectors of disease agents.     

Larval ultrastructure of Parasarcophaga dux (Thomson) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

Ultrastructure of all larval instars of Parasarcophaga dux (Thomson), a common flesh fly species in Thailand, is presented using scanning electron microscopy. Special attention is given to the structure of anterior and posterior spiracles since these are important features used to differentiate between other sarcophagids. Each anterior spiracle in second and third instars has a single row of papillae varying in number from 14 to 17. The posterior spiracular discs have incomplete peritremes, with a prominent inner arc. Three long, narrow spiracular slits are oriented more or less vertically in each spiracular disc of third instar. Posterior spiracular hairs lack extensive branching and emanate approximately midway down the length of each slit. Microscopic morphology of the mouthhooks markedly differs between the first and second instars. The structure of these mouthhooks supports this fly species as being necrophagous or capable of producing myiasis.     

Exhaustive checking of sparse algebras

We checked the 107-dimensional alternative algebra constructed by E. Kleinfeld (On centers of alternative algebras, Comm. Algebra8(3) 1980, 289–297) and verified that it was alternative. To straightforwardly check the alternative law for the basis elements proved to be too time consuming for the computer. We developed a new algorithm which is much faster for sparse multiplication tables and which requires much less memory. Instead of testing the identities for all possible choices of basis elements, our algorithm is based on “factoring” the basis elements in all possible ways. The factorization algorithm took 5 minutes of C.P.U. time; it is estimated direct substitution with no consideration for sparseness would take 600 hours. Even when the substitution technique was improved to account for sparseness it is estimated it would take 12 hours of C.P.U. time. Substitution also requires 100 times as much memory space as factorization.