Tensile Stress in Nanometre Thick MBE Grown CaF2 on (111) Si

CaF₂ epitaxial layers were prepared by MBE and investigated by RBS and ion channeling measurements. Films of about 30 nm thickness were found to be strained by tensile stress causing a rhombohedral symmetry of the layers. These results are interpreted in terms of the different thermal expansion coefficients of substrate and deposit, respectively.     

Preparation of Macroporous Epitaxial Quartz Films on Silicon by Chemical Solution Deposition

This work describes the detailed protocol for preparing piezoelectric macroporous epitaxial quartz films on silicon(100) substrates. This is a three-step process based on the preparation of a sol in a one-pot synthesis which is followed by the deposition of a gel film on Si(100) substrates by evaporation induced self-assembly using the dip-coating technique and ends with a thermal treatment of the material to induce the gel crystallization and the growth of the quartz film. The formation of a silica gel is based on the reaction of a tetraethyl orthosilicate and water, catalyzed by HCl, in ethanol. However, the solution contains two additional components that are essential for preparing mesoporous epitaxial quartz films from these silica gels dip-coated on Si. Alkaline earth ions, like Sr²⁺ act as glass melting agents that facilitate the crystallization of silica and in combination with cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) amphiphilic template form a phase separation responsible of the macroporosity of the films. The good matching between the quartz and silicon cell parameters is also essential in the stabilization of quartz over other SiO₂ polymorphs and is at the origin of the epitaxial growth.     

On the Effect of the Amorphous Silicon Microstructure on the Grain Size of Solid Phase Crystallized Polycrystalline Silicon

In this paper the effect of the microstructure of remote plasma‐deposited amorphous silicon films on the grain size development in polycrystalline silicon upon solid‐phase crystallization is reported. The hydrogenated amorphous silicon films are deposited at different microstructure parameter values R* (which represents the distribution of SiH_x bonds in amorphous silicon), at constant hydrogen content. Amorphous silicon films undergo a phase transformation during solid‐phase crystallization and the process results in fully (poly‐)crystallized films. An increase in amorphous film structural disorder (i.e., an increase in R*), leads to the development of larger grain sizes (in the range of 700–1100 nm). When the microstructure parameter is reduced, the grain size ranges between 100 and 450 nm. These results point to the microstructure parameter having a key role in controlling the grain size of the polycrystalline silicon films and thus the performance of polycrystalline silicon solar cells.     

Atomically Defined Templates for Epitaxial Growth of Complex Oxide Thin Films

Atomically defined substrate surfaces are prerequisite for the epitaxial growth of complex oxide thin films. In this protocol, two approaches to obtain such surfaces are described. The first approach is the preparation of single terminated perovskite SrTiO₃ (001) and DyScO₃ (110) substrates. Wet etching was used to selectively remove one of the two possible surface terminations, while an annealing step was used to increase the smoothness of the surface. The resulting single terminated surfaces allow for the heteroepitaxial growth of perovskite oxide thin films with high crystalline quality and well-defined interfaces between substrate and film. In the second approach, seed layers for epitaxial film growth on arbitrary substrates were created by Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) deposition of nanosheets. As model system Ca₂Nb₃O₁₀^- nanosheets were used, prepared by delamination of their layered parent compound HCa₂Nb₃O₁₀. A key advantage of creating seed layers with nanosheets is that relatively expensive and size-limited single crystalline substrates can be replaced by virtually any substrate material.     

Prospective Life Cycle Assessment of Epitaxial Graphene Production at Different Manufacturing Scales and Maturity

Epitaxial growth is a potential production process for the new material graphene, where it is grown on silicon carbide (SiC) wafers at high temperatures. We provide first estimates of the life cycle cumulative energy demand, climate change, terrestrial acidification, and eco‐toxicity of this production. For this purpose, we applied prospective life cycle assessment (LCA) for three production scenarios (lab, pilot, and an industrial scenario), which reflect different production scales and technological maturity. The functional unit was one square centimeter of graphene. Results show that the three scenarios have similar impacts, which goes against previous studies that have suggested a decrease with larger production scale and technological maturity. The reason for this result is the dominance of electricity use in the SiC wafer production for all impacts (>99% in the worst case, >76% in the best case). Only when assuming thinner SiC wafers in the industrial scenario is there a reduction in impacts by around a factor of 10. A surface‐area–based comparison to the life cycle energy use of graphene produced by chemical vapor deposition showed that epitaxial graphene was considerably more energy intensive—approximately a factor of 1,000. We recommend producers of epitaxial graphene to investigate the feasibility of thinner SiC wafers and use electricity based on wind, solar, or hydropower. The main methodological recommendation from the study is to achieve a temporal robustness of LCA studies of emerging technologies, which includes the consideration of different background systems and differences in production scale and technological maturity.     

Sputter Growth and Characterization of Metamagnetic B2-ordered FeRh Epilayers

Chemically ordered alloys are useful in a variety of magnetic nanotechnologies. They are most conveniently prepared at an industrial scale using sputtering techniques. Here we describe a method for preparing epitaxial thin films of B2-ordered FeRh by sputter deposition onto single crystal MgO substrates. Deposition at a slow rate onto a heated substrate allows time for the adatoms to both settle into a lattice with a well-defined epitaxial relationship with the substrate and also to find their proper places in the Fe and Rh sublattices of the B2 structure. The structure is conveniently characterized with X-ray reflectometry and diffraction and can be visualised directly using transmission electron micrograph cross-sections. B2-ordered FeRh exhibits an unusual metamagnetic phase transition: the ground state is antiferromagnetic but the alloy transforms into a ferromagnet on heating with a typical transition temperature of about 380 K. This is accompanied by a 1% volume expansion of the unit cell: isotropic in bulk, but laterally clamped in an epilayer. The presence of the antiferromagnetic ground state and the associated first order phase transition is very sensitive to the correct equiatomic stoichiometry and proper B2 ordering, and so is a convenient means to demonstrate the quality of the layers that can be deposited with this approach. We also give some examples of the various techniques by which the change in phase can be detected.     

硅对受土壤中镉污染的白菜生长和抗胁迫能力的影响

在土培盆栽条件下,硅可提高白菜的地上部鲜重和茎鲜重,但根鲜重下降,叶鲜重略有下降。硅可抑制白菜吸收镉,在0.3、0.6、1.2mg·kg~(-1)镉水平下,施硅可显著降低白菜地上部的镉含量,并在一定程度上提高叶中过氧化物酶(POD)活性,但降低超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性。0.5、1.0 g·kg~(-1)硅可提高白菜的叶绿素含量和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性,降低叶细胞膜透性,从而提高其对镉胁迫的耐受力。较高的硅浓度对植物有一定的毒性,叶绿素含量和CAT活性都下降,细胞膜透性也增加。     

外源硅对自毒作用下黄瓜幼苗生长及光合特性的影响

以‘绿博6号’黄瓜幼苗为试材,采用营养液培法研究不同浓度外源硅(0、0.5、1.0、1.5和2.0 mmol/L)对肉桂酸(cinnamic acid,CA)模拟自毒胁迫(3.0 mmol/L CA)下黄瓜幼苗生长、光合参数和叶绿素荧光参数的影响。结果表明：(1)自毒胁迫显著抑制了黄瓜幼苗的生长、根系形态建成和生物量的积累,显著降低了净光合速率(P_n)、蒸腾速率(T_r)、气孔导度(G_s)和叶绿素(Chl a、Chl b和Chl t)含量,并显著降低了叶片中PSⅡ的电子传递速率(ETR)、PSⅡ实际光化学效率［Y_(Ⅱ)］和光化学淬灭系数(qP)。(2)添加适宜浓度外源硅可有效缓解自毒胁迫对黄瓜幼苗生长的影响,并提高其P_n、G_s、T_r和叶绿素含量,在一定程度上维持叶片光合系统的稳定。(3)添加适宜浓度外源硅能使自毒胁迫下黄瓜叶片的F_v/F_m、ETR、Y_(Ⅱ)和qP显著升高,而非光化学淬灭系数(NPQ)则显著下降。研究发现,添加适宜浓度外源硅能提高自毒胁迫下黄瓜幼苗的叶绿素含量、F_v/F_m、ETR、Y_(Ⅱ)和qP,使光合机构趋于稳定,抑制P_n的下降,缓解自毒胁迫对光合系统的损伤,从而增强黄瓜幼苗对自毒胁迫的抗性,并以1.0 mmol/L外源硅处理的效果最佳。     

外源硅对干旱胁迫下烟草幼苗生长、叶片光合及生理指标的影响

采用营养液水培法,研究了施用不同浓度外源硅(0、0.5、1.0 mmol/L)对干旱胁迫(10%PEG、20%PEG)下烟草幼苗生长、叶片光合特性和生理指标的影响。结果表明:干旱胁迫严重抑制了烟草幼苗生长和光合作用,膜质稳定性降低和引起氧化应激反应;施用不同浓度外源硅有效改善了干旱胁迫下烟草幼苗生长,均表现为株高、叶面积、根系体积、根系干重和地上部干重等生长指标增加,提高叶绿素a、叶绿素b、叶绿素a+b和类胡萝卜素含量,显著提高净光合速率(Pn)、蒸腾速率(Tr)、气孔导度(Gs)并降低胞间CO2浓度(Ci),膜质过氧化产物MDA含量显著降低,提高叶片含水量、膜稳定性系数和渗透调节物质(脯氨酸、可溶性糖)含量,显著提高SOD、POD和CAT等抗氧化酶活性,而且1.0 mmol/L Si处理对干旱胁迫下烟草幼苗生长和生理特性的影响显著优于0.5 mmol/L Si处理。以上结果说明,施用外源硅能提高干旱胁迫下烟草幼苗光合作用、抗氧化和渗透调节能力,缓解干旱胁迫对烟草幼苗的伤害,促进其生长。     

Formation of CuInSe2 and CuGaSe2 Thin‐Films Deposited by Three‐Stage Thermal Co‐Evaporation: A Real‐Time X‐Ray Diffraction and Fluorescence Study

Thin film solar cells based on co‐evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ absorber films present the highest efficiencies among current polycrystalline thin‐film technologies. Thanks to the development of a novel experimental setup for in situ growth studies, it was possible to follow the formation of the crystalline phases during such deposition processes for the first time. This synchrotron‐based energy‐dispersive X‐ray diffraction and fluorescence setup is suited for real‐time studies of thin film vapor deposition processes. Focusing on the growth of CuInSe₂ and CuGaSe₂ fabricated by three‐stage processing, we find that the phase transitions in the Cu‐In‐Se system follow the reported pseudo‐binary In₂Se₃‐Cu₂Se phase diagram. This requires a transformation of the Se sublattice during the incorporation of Cu‐Se into the In₂Se₃ precursor film from the first process stage. In the Cu‐Ga‐Se system, besides an increase in the lattice spacings, we observe no transformation of the Se sublattice. Furthermore, the structural defects of the Ga‐Se precursor film are preserved until the CuGaSe₂ stoichiometry is reached. By means of model calculations of the fluorescence signals, we confirm in both systems the segregation of Cu₂Se at the surface near a concentration of 25 at.% Cu shortly after the recrystallization of the films. The modeling also reveals that Cu₂Se penetrates into the CuInSe₂ film, whereas it remains at the surface of the CuGaSe₂ film.     

具有NGF活性通过二硫键连接的 2个小分子多肽的制备及鉴定(英文)

神经生长因子 (NGF)作用广泛 ,β NGF是神经生长因子的活性部分 .由于 3对二硫键的影响 ,体外表达NGF很难形成正确折叠的肽链 .由于神经系统血脑屏障的存在 ,大分子肽链的给药途径是一个不可忽视的难题 .根据NGF的氨基酸序列及其晶体构象资料 ,选择CNBr在 9位Met处 ,胰蛋白酶在Arg或Lys处裂解 β NGF .经过SephadexG 5 0层析、DE 5 2纤维素离子交换层析和反相高压液相层析分离纯化后获得NGF活性片段 .氨基酸组成分析及氨基酸序列分析结果表明 ,此片段由 16肽GEFSVCDSVSVWVGDK与 14肽HWNSYCTTTHTFVK通过 1对二硫键连接而成 .8日龄鸡胚背根神经节生物活性分析表明 ,其最佳作用浓度为 0 0 0 1～ 0 1μg L .它的成功分离和鉴定为合成或表达高活性小分子神经营养物质奠定了关键而重要的基础 .     

微量量热法研究酸奶菌种的适宜生长温度及最佳生长温度

测定酸奶菌种保加利亚孔杆菌、嗜热链球菌及二者混合菌在乳中生长的热谱图曲线,确定了各菌种及混合菌的适宜生长温度范围,计算出了各菌种在不同温度下的生长速率常数。用计算机拟合k-T方程,求出各菌种的最佳生长温度。     

硅对秆锈菌侵染燕麦叶片病程相关蛋白活性及酚类物质代谢的影响北大核心CSCD

以易感秆锈病的燕麦品种‘坝莜1号’为试验材料,采用盆栽技术,分析施硅对侵染秆锈病菌后燕麦叶片的病程相关蛋白酶活性及酚类物质代谢的影响,以明确硅提高燕麦抗秆锈病的生理机制,为燕麦秆锈病新型病害防治措施提供理论依据。结果表明:(1)接种秆锈病菌后,施硅处理下燕麦秆锈病严重度显著降低,且叶片秆锈病菌孢子量明显减少。(2)在不接种秆锈病菌的情况下,施硅与否对燕麦叶片的病程相关蛋白酶活性无显著影响;在接种秆锈病菌后,施硅与不施硅处理的燕麦叶片几丁质酶活性均快速升高,并且分别在接种第1天和第3天达到峰值后开始降低;在接种情况下,施硅与不施硅处理叶片β-1,3葡聚糖酶活性均先升后降,并均在接种第3天达到峰值;施硅后可显著提高燕麦叶片几丁质酶和β-1,3葡聚糖酶活性。(3)在不接种秆锈病菌的情况下,施硅与否对燕麦叶片酚类物质代谢无显著影响;接种秆锈病菌能使燕麦叶片多酚氧化酶(PPO)活性、苯丙氨酸解氨酶(PAL)活性、总可溶性酚(TSP)含量及木质素含量快速上升,施硅处理和不施硅处理均在接种后第3天达到峰值后开始快速下降,且施硅能显著提高酚类物质中各组分的含量及相关酶活性。研究认为,施硅可通过诱导燕麦叶片中病程相关蛋白酶活性和酚类物质代谢能力的提升来增强燕麦对秆锈病的抗性。     

Chromatographic Resolution and Characterization of a Nerve Growth Factor-Dependent Kinase That Phosphorylates Microtubule-Associated Proteins 1 and 2 in PC12 Cells

When the supernatant fractions from extracts of control and nerve growth factor (NGF)- or dibutyryl cyclic AMP-treated PC12D cells were applied to DEAE-Sepharose columns and proteins were eluted with a gradient of NaCl, three separate peaks of kinase activity that phosphorylated microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) were recovered. Enhancement of the kinase activity in peak 1 was noted in the case of dibutyryl cyclic AMP-treated cells. In contrast, the kinase activity in the third peak was markedly elevated, in terms of the ability to phosphorylate MAP1 and MAP2, in the case of the extract from NGF-treated cells. This activity was designated previously as NGF-dependent MAP kinase. The apparent molecular mass of the active kinase was 45-50 kDa. The apparent Km value was 35 microM for ATP with either MAP1 or MAP2 as substrate. When the kinase activity in the fractions from the DEAE-Sepharose column was assayed in the presence of Mn2+ instead of Mg2+, another NGF-stimulated kinase activity was detected in the fractions eluted by a lower concentration of NaCl than that which eluted the Mg(2+)-activated kinase. Other growth factors, namely, epidermal growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor, also stimulated the activity of NGF-dependent MAP kinase. Possible involvement of the kinase in the outgrowth of neurites has been suggested. The NGF-induced activation of NGF-dependent MAP kinase was blocked by the presence of K-252a. In contrast, the activation of NGF-dependent MAP kinase by basic fibroblast growth factor and by epidermal growth factor was not blocked, but actually stimulated by K-252a, a result that correlates well with the analogous actions of the drug on the outgrowth of neurites that is induced by these growth factors. The latter observation strengthens the possibility of a close relationship between the outgrowth of neurites and the activation of NGF-dependent MAP kinase.     

Characterization of a Nerve Growth Factor-Stimulated Protein Kinase in PC12 Cells Which Phosphorylates Microtubule-Associated Protein 2 and pp250

Treatment of PC12 cells with nerve growth factor (NGF) resulted in the rapid, but transient, activation of a protein kinase which specifically phosphorylated an endogenous 250-kDa cytoskeletal protein (pp250). We report that the microtubule-associated protein, MAP2, is an alternative substrate for the NGF-activated kinase. NGF treatment maximally activated the kinase within 5 min; however, the activity declined with longer exposure to NGF. The enzyme was localized predominantly in microsomal and soluble fractions and phosphorylated MAP2 on serine and threonine residues. The soluble enzyme was fractionated by DEAE chromatography and gel filtration and had an apparent Mr of 45,000. The enzyme was purified to near homogeneity by chromatofocussing and had a pI of 4.9. Kinetic analysis revealed that NGF treatment caused a sevenfold increase in Vmax for MAP2. The Km with respect to the MAP2 substrate was approximately 50 nM and was not altered by NGF treatment. A novel feature of the NGF-stimulated enzyme was its sharp dependence on Mn2+ concentration. The active enzyme is likely to be phosphorylated, because inclusion of phosphatase inhibitors was required for recovery of optimal activity and the activity was lost on treatment of the enzyme with alkaline phosphatase. Histones, tubulin, casein, bovine serum albumin, and the ribosomal subunit protein S-6 were not phosphorylated by this enzyme. The NGF-stimulated kinase was distinct from A kinase, C kinase, or other NGF-stimulated kinases. The rapid and transient activation of the protein kinase upon NGF treatment suggests that the enzyme may play a role in signal transduction in PC12 cells.     

Microcapillary-like structures prompted by phospholipase A2 activation in endothelial cells and pericytes co-cultures on a polyhydroxymethylsiloxane thin film

A thin film of poly(hydroxymethylsiloxane) (PHMS) has been deposited on glass dishes and tested as artificial support material for vascularization from mixed cultures of endothelial cells (EC) and pericytes (PC). The EC/PC co-cultures adhered massively on PHMS, with the formation of net-like microcapillary structures. Such evidence was not found on control glass substrates in the same co-culture conditions neither on PHMS for EC and PC in monocultures. The physicochemical characterization of PHMS and control glass surface by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, water contact angle and atomic force microscopy, pointed to the main role of the polymer hydrophobilicy to explain the observed cellular behavior. Moreover, enhanced intercellular cross-talk was evidenced by the up-regulation and activation of cytoplasmic and Ca(2+)-independent phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2) and iPLA(2)) expression and cPLA(2) phosphorylation, leading to the cell proliferation and microcapillary formation on the PHMS surface, as evidenced by confocal microscopy analyses. Co-cultures, established with growth-arrested PCs by treatment with mitomycin C, showed an increase in EC proliferation on PHMS. AACOCF(3) or co-transfection with cPLA(2) and iPLA(2)siRNA reduced cell proliferation. The results highlight the major role played by EC/PC cross-talk as well as the hydrophobic character of the substrate surface, to promote microcapillary formation. Our findings suggest an attractive strategy for vascular tissue engineering and provide new details on the interplay of artificial substrates and capillary formation.     

Expression and Purification of Human Keratinocyte Growth Factor 2 by Fusion with SUMO

Small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) fusion system has been shown to be efficient for enhancing expression and preventing degradation of the target protein. We showed herein that SUMO fusion to human keratinocyte growth factor 2 (hKGF-2) gene was feasible and it significantly enhanced protein expression and its efficiency. The fusion DNA fragment composed of SUMO gene, which was fused to hexahistidine tag, and hKGF-2 gene was amplified by PCR and inserted into the expression vector pET28a to construct the recombinant plasmid, pET28a-SUMO-hKGF-2. The plasmid was then transformed into Escherichia coli Rosetta^TM2(DE3), and the recombinant fusion protein SUMO-hKGF-2 was expressed at 30°C for 6 h, with the induction of IPTG at the final concentration of 0.4 mM. The expression level of the fusion protein was up to 30% of the total cellular protein. The fusion protein was purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. After desalting by Sephadex G-25 size exclusion chromatography, the hexahistidine-SUMO-hKGF-2 was digested by SUMO proteases. The recombinant hKGF-2 was purified again with Ni-NTA column and the purity was about 95% with a total yield of 13.9 mg/l culture. The result of mitogenicity assay suggests that the recombinant hKGF-2 can significantly promote the proliferation of normal rat kidney epithelial (NRK-52E) cells. Xiaoping Wu, and Changjun Nie contributed equally to the work.     

Enhancement of Growth and Fruit Maturity in 2-year-old Grapevines cv. Delaware by 5-Aminolevulinic Acid

The influence of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) on the growth, photosynthesis, and fruit quality of gibberellin-induced seedless 2-year-old “Delaware“ grapevine was examined. The result of soil treatment (0.1–10 mg l⁻¹) and foliar spray treatment (30–300 mg l⁻¹) with ALA after flowering was significant growth improvement, up to 55% in the lateral shoot, and up to 38% in leaf area. Optimal doses were 1 mg l⁻¹ soil treatment and 100 mg l⁻¹ foliar treatment. The photosynthetic rate of plants treated with ALA increased by a significant 9.2%–22.5%. Relative to the control, based on measurements of the 5th leaf of each shoot in the ripening period, the optimum concentrations for growth and photosynthesis enhancement in grapevines were 100 mg l⁻¹ (foliar treatment) and 1 mg l⁻¹ (soil treatment). Total plant weight at harvest increased a significant 13% at the optimal treatment doses. In terms of fruit quality, the cluster fresh weight increased a significant 44.9%–53% and fruit colour showed a tendency to become darker in all plants treated with ALA. The °Brix value in the plant treated with 100 mg l⁻¹ ALA was a significant 2.7% higher than that of the control. We consider that leaf area and photosynthetic rates during cultivation are important for the acquisition of photoassimilates and that these are likely to be causally associated with improvement of total dry weight and advance of fruit quality. In addition, a possibility of advancing the harvest time of grapes by ALA treatment was shown.     

Ca2+对韭兰花粉萌发和花粉管生长的影响

采用离体花粉培养技术,研究不同浓度Ca²⁺对韭兰花粉萌发和花粉管生长的影响。结果表明,较低浓度(10^-3 mol/L)的Ca²⁺对花粉萌发具明显地促进作用,并促进花粉管较快伸长;而过高或过低浓度则起不到促进的作用。