Role of Hydrodynamic Conditions in the Distribution of Anodic Dissolution Rates in Cavity Etching Regions during Electrochemical Micromachining of Partially Insulated Surfaces

Experimental study of the distribution of local rates of electrochemical micromachining in the presence of photoresist masks in various hydrodynamic conditions (macroscopically nonuniform rotating disk electrode, sprayer flow, an electrode placed into a cell with chaotic bulk electrolyte mixing) shows that the maximum etching localization is achieved at the control of the dissolution rate by the mass transport rate (at achieving the anodic limiting current). The localization enhancement as compared to the primary current distribution takes place in the case of a turbulent flow at hydrodynamic conditions where the removal of dissolution products from the undercutting region is hindered. These conditions (electrochemical reaction limited by the ion mass transport rate, high resistance to the mass transport in the undercutting region) are necessary for the localization enhancement using a pulsed anodic–cathodic treatment.     

Design, synthesis and biological characterization of novel inhibitors of CD38

Human CD38 is a novel multi-functional protein that acts not only as an antigen for B-lymphocyte activation, but also as an enzyme catalyzing the synthesis of a Ca(2+) messenger molecule, cyclic ADP-ribose, from NAD(+). It is well established that this novel Ca(2+) signaling enzyme is responsible for regulating a wide range of physiological functions. Based on the crystal structure of the CD38/NAD(+) complex, we synthesized a series of simplified N-substituted nicotinamide derivatives (Compound 1-14). A number of these compounds exhibited moderate inhibition of the NAD(+) utilizing activity of CD38, with Compound 4 showing the highest potency. The crystal structure of CD38/Compound 4 complex and computer simulation of Compound 7 docking to CD38 show a significant role of the nicotinamide moiety and the distal aromatic group of the compounds for substrate recognition by the active site of CD38. Biologically, we showed that both Compounds 4 and 7 effectively relaxed the agonist-induced contraction of muscle preparations from rats and guinea pigs. This study is a rational design of inhibitors for CD38 that exhibit important physiological effects, and can serve as a model for future drug development.     

High precision delta(17)O isotope measurements of oxygen from silicates and other oxides: method and applications

The use of infrared laser-assisted fluorination to release oxygen from milligram quantities of silicates or other oxide mineral grains is a well-established technique. However, relatively few studies have reported the optimisation of this procedure for oxygen-17 isotope measurements. We describe here details of an analytical system using infrared (10 μm) laser-assisted fluorination, in conjunction with a dual inlet mass spectrometer of high resolving power ( approximately 250) to provide (17)O and (18)O oxygen isotope measurements from 0.5-2 mg of silicates or other oxide mineral grains. Respective precisions (1) of typically 0.08 and 0.04 per thousand are obtained for the complete analytical procedure. Departures from the mass-dependent oxygen isotope fractionation line are quantified by Delta(17)O; our precision (1) of such measurements on individual samples is shown to be +/-0.024 per thousand. In turn, this permits the offset between parallel, mass-dependent fractionation lines to be characterised to substantially greater precision than has been possible hitherto. Application of this system to investigate the (17)O versus (18)O relationship for numerous terrestrial whole-rock and mineral samples, of diverse geological origins and age, indicates that the complete data set may be described by a single, mass-dependent fractionation line of slope 0.5244+/- 0.00038 (standard error). Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

泥沙输运模拟综述——现状及其发展趋势

随着流体力学中数值方法的飞速发展,计算模型已经成为研究流体运动,泥沙输运和不同环境(诸如河流,湖泊及沿海地区)中相应污染物归趋过程等方面非常有吸引力的工具,在过去的30多年里,发展了许多计算水动力学/泥沙输运模型.文章追溯当前具有代表性的(一维、二维、三维)模型的发展历程,描述他们各自的特点,优势及局限,力图作为对模型方面感兴趣读者的第一指南,同时也为大家讨论模型的局限性,未来的发展趋势和研究需求方面搭建一个平台.给出了模型的表达,时空特性,水动力学和沉积物的耦合方式,处理非恒定流,推移质和悬移质,泥沙交换过程,泥沙类型(粘性或非粘性)及非均匀泥沙输运的能力.总结了不同模型的应用实例,读者可以运用这些例子作为研究模型设置,模型率定及模型验证的参考.给出了选择泥沙输运模型应遵循的原则,模型输入及率定方面存在的问题及改进的途径.探讨了现有水动力学/泥沙输运模型在处理复杂湍流,泥沙携带,流动与输沙耦合,非均匀泥沙,离散和扩散系数,河岸来沙处理等方面的局限性及改进的方向.最后,对基于多相流思想的泥沙输运模型及其它一些交叉性问题作了评述与展望.     

Hierarchical and helical self-assembly of ADP-ribosyl cyclase into large-scale protein microtubes

Proteins are macromolecules with characteristic structures and biological functions. It is extremely challenging to obtain protein microtube structures through self-assembly as proteins are very complex and flexible. Here we present a strategy showing how a specific protein, ADP-ribosyl cyclase, helically self-assembles from monomers into hexagonal nanochains and further to highly ordered crystalline microtubes. The structures of protein nanochains and consequently self-assembled superlattice were determined by X-ray crystallography at 4.5 A resolution and imaged by scanning electron microscopy. The protein initially forms into dimers that have a fixed size of 5.6 nm, and then, helically self-assembles into 35.6 nm long hexagonal nanochains. One such nanochain consists of six dimers (12 monomers) that stack in order by a pseudo P6(1) screw axis. Seven nanochains produce a series of large-scale assemblies, nanorods, forming the building blocks for microrods. A proposed aging process of microrods results in the formation of hollow microstructures. Synthesis and characterization of large scale self-assembled protein microtubes may pave a new pathway, capable of not only understanding the self-assembly dynamics of biological materials, but also directing design and fabrication of multifunctional nanobuilding blocks with particular applications in biomedical engineering.     

Interpreting early land management through compound specific stable isotope analyses of archaeological soils

Compound specific stable isotope analyses of managed soils using isotope ratio mass spectrometry have been undertaken as a means of determining early land use practices. delta (15)N amino acid signals demonstrate differences between manured grassland, unmanured grassland and continuous cereal cultivation under long-term experimental land use control conditions, with delta (15)N in hydrophobic amino acids providing the most distinctive signals. Analysis of early modern/medieval and of Bronze age anthropogenic soils from Orkney demonstrates that such signals are retained in archaeological contexts. delta (13)C analyses of n- alkanoic acid components of the fossil, Bronze Age, anthropogenic soils suggest a major terrestrial input to these soils, with uniform composition of formation materials. Surficial soils demonstrate the assimilation of isotopically lighter carbon, providing a means of assessing the mobility of the n- alkanoic acids within soils and sediments. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

同步荧光光谱法测定石油中的晕苯

用苯做溶剂对原油样品进行逐级稀释,恒波长同步荧光法对原油样品中晕苯进行定性、定量分析。分别从溶剂选择、波长差、狭缝宽度等参数对其测定的光谱条件进行优化。实验结果表明：用苯为溶剂、Δλ=6nm,狭缝宽度为2.5nm,为原油样品中晕苯的最佳测试条件。所建立方法测定晕苯的线性范围为0.5—100μg/mL,校准曲线的相关系数r大于0.99,相对标准偏差小于3%（n=5）。该法分析快速、准确,对石化工厂中对原油样品中晕苯的快速检测具有一定的应用价值。     

Non-Volatile Threshold Adaptive Transistors with Embedded RRAM

We propose a novel nonvolatile threshold adaptive transistor （TAT） for neuromorphic circuits. The threshold adaptive transistor is achieved by embedding a resistive random-access memory （RRAM） material stack between the gate electrode and gate dielectric. During operation, the embedded RRAM device is kept at a high resistance state, which makes it act as a nonvolatile capacitor. The threshold could be nonlinearly adjusted by the voltage pulses applied on the gate of the transistor. We quantitatively estimate the range of the capacitance variation of the RRAM device. The threshold voltage of the TAT is simulated and shows expected variation. The simulated output of an inverter using a TAT shows a nonlinear adaptive behavior.     

Microcrystallography, high-pressure cryocooling and BioSAXS at MacCHESS

The Macromolecular Diffraction Facility at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (MacCHESS) is a national research resource supported by the National Center for Research Resources of the US National Institutes of Health. MacCHESS is pursuing several research initiatives designed to benefit both CHESS users and the wider structural biology community. Three initiatives are presented in further detail: microcrystallography, which aims to improve the collection of diffraction data from crystals a few micrometers across, or small well diffracting regions of inhomogeneous crystals, so as to obtain high-resolution structures; pressure cryocooling, which can stabilize transient structures and reduce lattice damage during the cooling process; and BioSAXS (small-angle X-ray scattering on biological solutions), which can extract molecular shape and other structural information from macromolecules in solution.     

Uniaxial exchange flows of two Bingham fluids in a cylindrical duct

Buoyancy driven flows of two Bingham fluids in an inclined ductare considered, providing a simplified model for many oilfieldcementing processes. The flows studied are near-uniaxial andstratified, with the heavy fluid moving down the incline, displacingthe lighter fluid upwards. Existence and uniqueness resultsare obtained for quite general flows and for those which satisfyan axial flow rate constraint. Parametric dependence of thesolutions on the axial pressure gradient is studied. Flows whichsatisfy a zero net axial flow constraint result from an axialpressure gradient which minimizes the viscous dissipation, butnot the plastic dissipation. A regularization method is usedto compute solutions to these problems for (more or less) arbitraryfluid-fluid interfaces and duct-cross sections. Examples relatedto a number of practical applications are presented.