Reversible electrochromic effect accompanying domain-inversion in LiNbO3 : Ru : Fe crystals

A reversible electrochromic effect during the electrical poling process in LiNbO3:Ru:Fe crystals at room temperature is observed. In electrode area, both electrochromism and domain-inversion occur mutually and electrochromism is reversible during back-switch poling, which are experimentally verified, and a microstructure model to explain the mechanism is proposed. In addition, different from the undoped LiNbO3 crystals, the breakdown field (> 25.0 kV/mm) is higher than the coercive (21.0 kV/mm) measured in LiNbO3:Ru:Fe, which proves a possible new technique to realize domain-inversion by constant electric field rather than pulsed one. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.

355 nm脉冲激光诱导等离子体开关削波

利用激光诱导等离子体开关技术,对355 nm脉冲激光自削波进行了实验和理论研究。分别采用5种不同焦距的透镜,集中讨论了透镜焦距及激光器输出单脉冲能量对脉宽压缩的影响,发现采用焦距为200 mm的透镜能够获得最佳的脉冲压缩效果。在聚焦透镜焦距200 mm,单脉冲能量160 mJ时,获得最短脉宽3.47 ns；在激光电离Cu小孔内壁表面及空气击穿共同作用下,获得了脉宽最短达2.11 ns的脉冲激光输出。此外,根据实验结果得到了355 nm激光空气击穿阈值,并与理论估算值进行比较,两者结果较为一致。

Influence of negative ion element impurities on laser induced damage threshold of HfO2 thin film

Negative ion element impurities breakdown model in HfO2 thin film was reported in this paper. The content of negative ion elements were detected by glow discharge mass spectrum analysis (GDMS); HfO2 thin films were deposited by the electron-beam evaporation method. The weak absorption and laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) of HfO2 thin films were measured to testify the negative ion element impurity breakdown model. It was found that the LIDT would decrease and the absorption would increase with increasing the content of negative ion element. These results indicated that negative ion elements were harmful impurities and would speed up the damage of thin film. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 thin films deposited by electron beam evaporation: Structural, morphological characterization and laser induced damage threshold

Four kinds of Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) thin films with different Y2O3 content have been prepared on BK7 substrates by electron-beam evaporation method. Structural properties and surface morphology of thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra and scanning probe microscope. Laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) was determined. It was found that crystalline phase and microstructure of YSZ thin films was dependent on Y2O3 molar content. YSZ thin films changed from monoclinic phase to high temperature phase (tetragonal and cubic) with the increase of Y2O3 content. The LIDT of stabilized thin film is more than that of unstabilized thin films. The reason is that ZrO2 material undergoes phase transition during the course of e-beam evaporation resulting in more numbers of defects compared to that of YSZ thin films. These defects act as absorptive center and the original breakdown points. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

负离子元素杂质破坏模型

探讨了HfO2薄膜中负离子元素杂质破坏模型，并得出薄膜中的杂质主要来源于镀膜材料。用电子束蒸发方法沉积两种不同Cl元素古量的HfO2薄膜，测定薄膜弱吸收和损伤阈值来验证负离子元素破坏模型。结果表明，随着Cl元素含量的增加薄膜的弱吸收增加损伤阈值减小。这主要是因为负离子元素在蒸发过程中形成挥发性的气源中心而产生缺陷，缺陷在激光辐照过程中又形成吸收中心．因此负离子元素的存在将加速薄膜的破坏。

北京东灵山暖温带典型植被类型物种构成及物种多样性对氮素转化过程的影响

通过调查东灵山地区7个典型植被类型的物种多样性，并测定各林型中植物叶片养分特征，凋落物品质，土壤理化特性，豆科植物的生物固氮作用以及土壤有机质的净N矿化与硝化作用，研究了不同林型及其物种多样性对氮素转化过程的可能影响。结果表明： 1) 各林型乔灌草三层13个物种多样性指数之间都不同程度存在差异，且都表现基本一致的大小顺序，各样地乔灌草三层3个丰富度指数和5个多样性指数之间大都表现草本层>灌木层>乔木层的大小顺序。 2) 林型对植物叶片养分特征、叶片凋落物品质指标、土壤的大多数理化特性都有显著影响，其中，落叶阔叶林与针叶林之间的差异最为明显，优势种不同的针叶林之间也不同程度地存在差异。各林型物种多样性对植物叶片养分特征，凋落物品质和土壤理化特性也都不同程度存在显著影响，且乔灌草三层的物种多样性的影响不同。我们的结果支持物种多样性对生态系统过程存在显著影响的观点。 3) 胡枝子(Lespedeza bicolor)％FNDA值较低，在0～53.3％之间，与国外学者对某些木本豆科固氮植物的研究结果接近，但低于三叶草、野豌豆等草本豆科固氮植物。胡枝子生物固氮具有明显的季节差异，不同样地生境对胡枝子％FNDA值也存在显著影响，大都都表现铁塔辽东栎样地>重力点样地>站下灌丛样地>垭口样地的趋势。除胡枝子之外的其他豆科植物的％FNDA都高于胡枝子，且存在种间差异，以三籽两型豆(Amphicarpaea capillipes)最高(100％)，歪头菜(Vicia unijuga)最低(平均66.4％)，这些结果与国外相关研究接近。不同林型之间和同一林型不同样地之间也影响豆科植物的％FNDA。东灵山地区有相当数量的植物种具有和固氮植物相近的δ15N值和全N含量，具有潜在的生物固氮能力。6个林型中所有豆科植物的％FNDA平均值主要受乔木层和草本层物种多样性的影响，乔木层和草本层物种多样性提高，豆科植物的％FNDA将随之显著降低。 4) 气温、土壤温度和降水量显著影响各林型净氮硝化速率的季节动态，都表现为温度升高，降水量增加，净氮硝化速率也随之增大。 5) 在不同取样时间，不同林型在土壤NH4+、N03-含量，矿化、硝化速率以及年度总净矿化、硝化量之间均不同程度存在显著差异，其中，以辽东栎落叶阔叶林与针叶林之间，常绿针叶林与落叶针叶林之间，纯林与混交林之间的差异最为明显。 6) 土壤初始N0_3含量与年度总净硝化量，年度总净矿化量及其占TKN的百分比呈显著正相关关系;植物叶片全N浓度与净氮矿化、硝化作用呈显著负相关：植物叶片凋落物的品质指标与净氮矿化、硝化作用没有显著相关。 7) 胡枝子固氮作用(％FNDA值)越强，土壤有机氮的净硝化量就越大，胡枝子在从大气中获取大量N，的同时，很可能会增加氮素的淋溶损失量。胡枝子固氮作用(％FNDA值)与净氮矿化量不存在显著相关关系。 8) 只有乔木层和草本层部分种多样性指数对净氮矿化、硝化量存在显著影响。乔木层均匀度提高，土壤净氮碳化量将随之增大;而草本层物种多样性提高，均匀度提高，净氮矿化、硝化作用将随之降低，草本层植物对土壤氮素矿化作用具有显著抑制作用。 9) 落叶阔叶林与针叶林的供氮能力和维持无机氮素的能力之间存在比较明显的差异，而不同针叶林的矿化／硝化作用也有所差别。其中，辽东栎落叶阔叶林的供氮能力和维持氮素能力均高于针叶林和山杏灌丛;油松林的供氮能力与防止氮素损失的能力显然要强于落叶松林和山杏灌丛。 10) 尽管箭叶锦鸡儿灌丛植物叶片与凋落物中全N、全P浓度在大多数取样点上都低于硕桦(高于草甸)，但表层土中全N浓度高于硕桦和草甸，且其土壤有机质的供氮能力以及维持氮素能力都高于硕桦林和草甸，表明，锦鸡儿灌丛为侵入草甸和硕桦入侵提供了良好的养分条件，在该演替序列的发展过程中起了一定的推动作用。

Reprogramming following somatic cell nuclear transfer in primates is dependent upon nuclear remodeling

BACKGROUND: Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) requires cytoplast-mediated reprogramming of the donor nucleus. Cytoplast factors such as maturation promoting factor are implicated based on their involvement in nuclear envelope breakdown (NEBD) and prema

CORRELATION OF ZONA-BINDING WITH OOCYTE MATURATION AND SPERM MOTILITY IN RHESUS-MONKEYS BY HEMIZONA ASSAY

The hemizona assay (HZA) in Rhesus monkeys was employed to study the correlation of zona-binding ability with sperm motility or with naturally developing oocytes at various maturational stages. Oocytes from unstimulated ovaries were retrieved within 2 hr from monkeys sacrificed for vaccine production (in reproductive season, but with their menstrual cycles not determined). Oocytes were divided into four groups based on their morphological maturation: 1) Oocytes surrounded by more than one cumulus layer (MC); 2) Oocytes retaining intact germinal vesicle nuclei (GV); 3) Oocytes with germinal vesicle breakdown showing distinct perivitelline space (PVS); and 4) Oocytes extruding the first polar body (PB1). The mean numbers of sperm bound to hemizona for PBI, PVS, GV, and MC groups were 132.9 +/- 12.0, 71.5 +/- 10.1, 36.1 +/- 4.0, and 20.1 +/- 2.9 (Mean +/- SE), respectively. The four groups showed significant differences from each other in sperm/egg binding ability (P < 0.01). The number of bound sperm significantly increased with oocyte maturation. The present study also showed that zona-binding ability was also affected by sperm motility. For sperm with 67.7% motility and sperm with 31.2% motility, the average numbers of bound sperm were 43.5 +/- 2.2 and 25.3 +/- 2.9 (Mean +/- SE), respectively. There was significantly higher binding ability for sperm with higher motility (P < 0.01). The results suggest that: 1)The rhesus monkey model can serve as a very sensitive model for studying sperm/egg interaction by HZA; 2) Sperm motility positively correlated with sperm/egg binding; and 3) Sperm/egg binding ability increases with oocyte maturation. The binding ability is highest when oocytes matured to the PB1 stage, which is also the best opportunity for fertilization. This is strong evidence for the ''zona maturation'' hypothesis. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Changes in the patterns of inorganic nitrogen and TN/TP ratio and the associated mechanism of biological regulation in the shallow lakes of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River

The changes of NH3-N, NO3-N, NO2-N and TN/TP were studied during growth and non-growth season in 33 subtropical shallow lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. There were significant positive correlations among all nutrient concentrations, and the correlations were better in growth season than in non-growth season. When TP > 0.1 mgL(-1), NH3-N increased sharply in non-growth season with increasing TP, and NO3-N increased in growth season but decreased in non-growth season with TP. These might be attributed to lower dissolved oxygen and low temperature in non-growth season of the hypereutrophic lakes, since nitrification is more sensitive to dissolved oxygen and temperature than anti nitrification. When 0.1 mgL(-1)> TP > 0.035 mgL(-1), TN and all kinds of inorganic nitrogen were lower in growth season than in non-growth season, and phytoplankton might be the vital regulating factor. When TP < 0.035 mgL(-1), inorganic nitrogen concentrations were relatively low and NH3-N, NO2-N had significant correlations with phytoplankton, indicating that NH3-N and NO2-N might be limiting factors to phytoplankton. In addition, TN/TP went down with decline in TIP concentration, and TN and inorganic nitrogen concentrations were obviously lower in growth season than in non-growth season, suggesting that decreasing nitrogen (especially NH3-N and NO3-N) was an important reason for the decreasing TN/TP in growth season. The ranges of TN/TP were closely related to trophic level in both growth and non-growth seasons, and it is apparent that in the eutrophic and hypertrophic state the TN/TP ratio was obviously lower in growth season than in non-growth season. The changes of the TN/TP ratio were closely correlated with trophic levels, and both declines of TN in the water column and TP release from the sediment were important factors for the decline of the TN/TP ratio in growth season.

Induction of apoptosis in a carp leucocyte cell line infected with turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.) rhabdovirus

A rhabdovirus was observed from the diseased turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.) with lethal syndrome. In this study, a carp leucocyte (CLC) cell line was used to investigate the infection process and cell death mechanism occurring during the virus infection. Strong cytopathogenic effect (CPE) and the morphological changes, such as extreme chromatin condensation, nucleus fragmentation, and apoptotic body formation, were observed under fluorescence microscopy after DAPI staining in the infected CLC cells. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed cell shrinkage, plasma membrane blebbing, cytoplasm vacuolization, chromatin condensation, nuclear breakdown and formation of discrete apoptotic bodies. The bullet-shaped nucleocapsids were measured and ranged in size from 110 to 150 nm in length and 40 to 60 nm in diameter. And therefore the virus is called Scophthalmus maximus rhabdovirus (SMRV). Agarose gel electrophoresis analysis of the DNA extracted from infected cells showed typical DNA ladder in the course of SMRV infection. Flow cytometry analysis of SMRV infected CLC cells detected apoptotic peak in the virus infected CLC cells. Virus titre analysis and electron microscopic observation revealed that the virus replication fastigium was earlier than that of the apoptosis occurrence. No apoptosis was observed in the CLC infected with UV-inactivated SMRV. All these supported that SMRV infected CLC cells undergo apoptosis and the virus replication is necessary for apoptosis induction of CLC cells. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Temporal and spatial variations in kinetics of alkaline phosphatase in sediments of a shallow Chinese eutrophic lake (Lake Donghu)

Monthly sediment and interstitial water samples were collected in a shallow Chinese freshwater lake (Lake Donghu) from three areas to determine if alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) plays an important role in phosphorus cycling in sediment. The seasonal variability in the kinetics of APA and other relevant parameters were investigated from 1995-1996. The phosphatase hydrolyzable phosphorus (PHP) fluctuated seasonally in interstitial water, peaking in the spring. A synchronous pattern was observed in chlorophyll a contents in surface water in general. The orthophosphate (o-P) concentrations in the interstitial water increased during the spring. An expected negative relationship between PHP and V-max of APA is not evident in interstitial water. The most striking feature of the two variables is their co-occurring, which can be explained in terms of an induction mechanism. It is argued that phosphatase activity mainly contributes to the driving force of o-P regeneration from PHP in interstitial water, supporting the development of phytoplankton biomass in spring. The V-max values in sediment increased during the summer, in Conjunction with lower K-m values in interstitial water that suggest a higher affinity for the substrate. The accumulation of organic matter in the sediment could be traced back to the breakdown of the algal spring bloom, which may stimulate APA with higher kinetic efficiency, by a combination of the higher V-max in sediments plus lower K-m values in interstitial water, in Summer. In summary, a focus On phosphatase and its substrate in annual scale may provide a useful framework for the development of novel P cycling, possible explanations for the absence of a clear relationship between PHP and APA were PHP released from the sediment which induced APA, and the presence of kinetically higher APA both in sediment and interstitial water which permitted summer mineralization of organic matter derived from the spring bloom to occur. The study highlighted the need for distinguishing functionally distinct extracellular enzymes between the sediment and interstitial water of lakes. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gut contents of bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) and the processing and digestion of algal cells in the alimentary canal

Bighead carp is one of the most important freshwater filter-feeding fish of Chinese aquaculture. In recent decades, there have been a number of contradictory conclusions on the digestibility of algae by bighead carp based on the results from gut contents and digestive enzyme analysis or radiolabelled isotope techniques. Phytoplankton in the gut contents of bighead carp (cultured in a large net cage in Lake Donghu) were studied during March-May. In biomass, the dominant phytoplankters in the fore-gut contents were the centric diatom Cyclotella (average 54.5%, range 33.8-74.3%) and the dinoflagellate Cryptomonas (average 22.8%, range 6.8-55.8%). Phytoplankton in water samples were generally present in proportionate amounts in samples from the fore-guts of bighead carp. The size of most phytoplankton present in the intestine of bighead carp was between 8 and 20 mum in length. Bighead carp was also able to collect particles (as small as 5-6 mum) much smaller than their filtering net meshes, suggesting the importance of mucus in collecting small particles, Examination of the change in the integrity of Cyclotella on passage through the esophagus of bighead carp indicated that disruption of the algal cell walls is principally by the pharyngeal teeth, explaining the previous contradictory conclusions. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Gut contents of silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, and the disruption of a centric diatom, Cyclotella, on passage through the esophagus and intestine

The digestibility of algae by stomachless filter-feeding fish has been debated for decades. Results from gut contents and digestive enzyme analysis suggest poor utilization, while the measurement of food assimilation using radiolabeled isotope techniques indicate reasonable assimilation efficiency. Phytoplankton in the gut contents of the planktivorous filter-feeding silver carp were studied during March-May. The fish were cultured in a large net cage in a shallow, hypertrophic subtropical Chinese lake, Lake Donghu. In terms of biomass, the dominant phytoplankton in the fore-gut contents were Cyclotella (average 77.8%, range 69.7-93.5%) and Cryptomonas (average 9.57%, range 0-20.4%). The Ivlev's electivity index E of silver carp was much higher for Cyclotella (1.54) than for Cryptomonas (0.56). The majority of the phytoplankton found in the intestines of silver carp were 8-20 mu m, but they were also able to collect particles as small as 4.5-10 mu m, smaller than their filtering net meshes, suggesting that the secretion of mucus may play an important role in collecting such small particles. We conclude that disruption of cell walls is principally by the pharyngeal teeth, explaining previous contradictory conclusions. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of high-k gate dielectric materials

The traditional gate dielectric material Of SiO2 can not satisfy the need of the continuous downscaling of CMOS dimensions. High-K gate dielectric materials have attracted extensive research efforts recently and obtained great progress. In this paper, the developments of high-K gate materials were reviewed. Based on the author's background and research work in the area, the latest achievements of high-K gate dielectric materials on the recrystalization temperature, the low-K interface layer, and the dielectric breakdown and metal gate electrode were introduced in detail.