Interlacing of zeros of shifted sequences of one-parameter orthogonal polynomials

We study the interlacing property of zeros of Laguerre polynomials of adjacent degree, where the free parameters differ by an integer, and of the same degree, where the free parameter is shifted continuously. Similar interlacing results are proven for the positive zeros of Gegenbauer polynomials. Research by Kathy Driver is supported by the National Research Foundation of South Africa under grant number 2053730. Research by Kerstin Jordaan is partially supported by the National Research Foundation of South Africa under grant number 2054423.     

Combinatorial synthesis of thin mixed oxide films and automated study of their piezoelectric properties

The development of an automated production of thin films and the characterization of their piezoelectric properties in high-throughput are described. A library of 50 undoped as well as doped lead zirconate titanate Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ (PZT) coatings was produced by sol deposition. Afterwards, the piezoelectric properties of the library films were analyzed by automated atomic force microscopy employing the ultrasonic piezo-mode.     

Konische Tropfgl?ser

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Effective absorption coefficient measurements in PMMA and PTFE by clean ablation process with a coherent VUV source at 125 nm

First measurements of effective absorption coefficient and penetration depth are given here from the ablation of poly-methylmethacrylate (PMMA) and poly-tetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) samples at 125 nm (≈10 eV). The coherent VUV source used which provides smooth, efficient and clean etched areas, is briefly described. Experimental curves of etch depth as a function of the number of laser shots and etch rate as a function of energy density are obtained and compared with previous works performed at 157 nm (F₂ laser) and 193 nm (ArF laser). Experimental results are described with a Beer–Lambert absorption law and discussed. Received: 2 March 1999 / Accepted: 8 March 1999 / Published online: 11 August 1999     

Filtrirtrichter

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Peptide‐binding specificity of the prosurfactant protein C Brichos domain analyzed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The C‐terminal domain of lung surfactant protein C (CTC) precursor (proSP‐C) is involved in folding of the transmembrane segment of proSP‐C. CTC includes a Brichos domain with homologs in cancer‐ and dementia‐associated proteins. Mutations in the Brichos domain cause misfolding of proSP‐C and hence amyloid fibril formation in interstitial lung disease. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) with collision‐induced dissociation (CID) experiments was applied to study non‐covalent interactions between human recombinant CTC or its Brichos domain, and SP‐C analogs, homotripeptides and peptides designed to model amyloid fibril formation. The results show that the Brichos domain contains the peptide‐binding function of CTC. In titration experiments, apparent dissociation constants (K_D) were in the micromolar range where triple‐valine showed the lowest K_D and triple‐tyrosine the highest. Non‐hydrophobic peptides failed to form complexes with Brichos. CID revealed that complexes with aromatic peptide ligands are more stable in the gas phase than complexes with non‐aromatic ligands. The Brichos domain was also shown to bind fibril‐forming peptides containing aromatic/hydrophobic residues. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.