Microfluidic effects of transporting signaling components in cell coculture chips

A theoretical model has been developed to investigate the microfluidic transport of the signaling chemicals in the cell coculture chips. Using an epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like growth factor as the sample chemical, the effects of velocities and channel geometry were studied for the continuous-flow microchannel bioreactors. It is found that different perfusion velocities must be applied in the parallel channels to facilitate the communication, i.e., transport of the signaling component, between the coculture channels. Such communication occurs in a unidirectional way because the signaling chemicals can only flow from the high velocity area to the low velocity area. Moreover, the effect of the transport of the signaling component between the coculture channels on the growth of the monolayer cells and the multicellular tumor spheroid (MTS) in the continuous-flow coculture environment were simulated using 3D models. The numerical results demonstrated that the concentration gradients will induce the heterogeneous growth of the cells and the MTSs, which should be taken into account in designing the continuous-flow perfusion bioreactor for the cell coculture research.

Layer uniformity of glancing angle deposition

Some results of an investigation on the layer thickness uniformity of glancing angle deposition are presented. A zirconia monolayer has been deposited by glancing angle deposition to analyze the layer thickness uniformity. The experimental results indicate that the thickness variation over the substrate is less than 0. 1%, which is considered as good uniformity. It is found that the non-uniformity of experimental results is larger than that of the theoretical results. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

脉冲激光辐照光学薄膜的缺陷损伤模型

建立了缺陷吸收升温致薄膜激光损伤模型，该模型从热传导方程出发，考虑了缺陷内部的温度分布以及向薄膜的传导过程，通过引入散射系数简化了Mie散射理论得出的吸收截面．对电子束蒸发沉积的ZrO2：Y2O3单层膜进行了激光破坏实验，薄膜样品的损伤是缺陷引起的，通过辉光放电质谱法对薄膜制备材料的纯度分析发现材料中的主要杂质元素为铂，其含量为0．9％．利用缺陷损伤模型对损伤过程进行了模拟，理论模型和实验结果取得了较好的一致性．

Effect of process parameters on laser damage threshold of TiO2 coatings

We investigate the laser damage behaviour of an electron-beam-deposited TiO2 monolayer at different process parameters. The optical properties, chemical composition, surface defects, absorption and laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of Elms are measured. It is found that TiO2 Elms with the minimum absorption and the highest LIDT can be fabricated using a TiO2 starting material after annealing. LIDT is mainly related to absorption and is influenced by the non-stoichiometric defects for TiO2 films. Surface defects show no evident effects on LIDT in this experiment.

Investigation of damage threshold to TiO2 coatings at different laser wavelength and pulse duration

Laser-induced damages to TiO2 single layers and TiO2/SiO2 high reflectors at laser wavelength of 1064 nm, 800 run, 532 urn, and pulse width of 12 ns, 220 ps, 50 fs, 8 ns are investigated. All films are prepared by electron beam evaporation. The relations among microstructure, chemical composition, optical properties and laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT), have been researched. The dependence of damage mechanism on laser wavelength and pulse width is discussed. It is found that from 1064 nm to 532 nm, LIDT is mainly absorption related, which is determined by film's extinction coefficient and stoichiometric defects. The rapid decrease of LIDT at 800 nm is due to the pulse width factor. TiO2 coatings are mainly thermally by damaged at long pulse (tau >= 220 ps). The damage shows ablation feature at 50 fs. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

磷脂对光系统II光合放氧的影响及其作用机理的研究

以类囊体膜中唯一的阴离子型磷脂一磷脂酰甘油(PG)为研究对象，应用放氧测定和富立叶红外光谱等实验方法和技术手段，对PG与光系统II (PSII)之间的相互作用进行了研究。 研究表明，PG对PSII的放氧活性产生显著影响，具有明显的浓度效应。在低浓度(2～22 mg PG／mg Chl)时对PSII的放氧活性有明显的促进作用，而在高浓度(24～40 mg PG／mg Chl)下则表现出显著的抑制作用。 PG对PSII放氧活性的影响与其引起蛋白结构的改变密切相关。结果显示，PG的作用导致PSII颗粒中蛋白质二级结构的改变，主要表现为α-螺旋、β-折叠的增加和无规卷曲的减少。 不仅如此，红外光谱的分析还表明，PG还使蛋白酪氨酸残基中的酚基构象及其周围的微极性发生改变，即在红外光谱的1620—1500 cm-1，之间芳香环骨架的伸缩振动带向高频方向变化，其吸收强度也相应增加;在3500～3100 cm. -1间出现新的氢键吸收峰。 PG除能促进PSII的放氧活性以外，还对PSII表现出新的作用，即PG可以使PSII颗粒因缺钙而受抑制的放氧活性得到恢复;外加Ca2+可使PG表现出对缺钙PSII颗粒(dc。PSII)放氧活性的更大促进作用，且随Ca2+浓度的增加，促进作用也越显著。 PG的作用也使dc。PSII蛋白的结构发生了改变，导致蛋白二级结构中a-螺旋、p_折叠结构的增加和转角、无规卷曲成分的减少，即可使PSII颗粒因缺钙而改变的蛋白结构基本得到恢复。PG还能与Ca2+形成离子对似的配合物，而这种配合物的形成可以优化缺钙PSII颗粒的功能如放氧活性等。

蓝藻磷脂磷酸酶基因的缺失对光合作用的影响

磷脂酰甘油(phosphatidylglycerol, PG)是类囊体膜(也叫光合膜)中唯一的一种磷脂。在蓝藻中，PG的合成途径为：磷脂酸(phosphatidic acid, PA)胞嘧啶双磷酸-二酰基甘油 (cytidine diphosphate diacylglycerol, CDP-DAG) 磷酸磷脂酰甘油 (phosphatidylglycerol phosphate, PGP)PG。其中最后一步反应是由PGP去磷酸化而生成PG，催化该反应的是PGP磷酸酶。然而迄今为止，PGP磷酸酶还没有在蓝藻和高等植物中得到克隆和鉴定。本工作在鱼腥藻Anabaena sp. PCC7120中通过将一个可能编码PGP磷酸酶的基因(alr1715)进行突变，获得缺失PG的突变体。与野生型相比，该突变体PG的含量降低了30%左右。突变后的蓝藻藻丝发黄、生长缓慢，叶绿素含量降低。整体细胞的光合作用活性、光系统II(photosystem II，PSII)的放氧活性以及PSII反应中心的光能转化效率显著下降，传递给PSII的激发能减少。

RNAi沉默光合膜磷脂合成酶基因的研究

磷脂是动物和植物非光合组织细胞膜系统的主要组成成分，在细胞生命过程中扮演着重要角色。尽管绿色植物光合膜的的甘油脂主要是糖脂，但是它仍然含有大约10％的磷脂，说明磷脂在光合膜的结构和功能中起重要作用。构成生物膜的磷脂有多种，但是，光合膜只含有磷脂酰甘油（PG）一种磷脂。光合膜中的PG有其特殊性，即：在PG的sn-2位上总连着一个棕榈酸（16:0）或者反式十六碳烯酸（16:1trans），说明了这种具有特殊结构的甘油脂在维持类囊体膜的结构和功能方面具有重要的作用。 叶绿体中有两个重要酶参与了PG的生物合成，它们分别是胞嘧啶二脂酰甘油合成酶（CDS）和磷脂酰甘油合成酶（PGS）。本实验以烟草和马铃薯为材料，利用RNAi技术，对CDS和PGS基因的表达进行抑制，通过PG缺失突变体，研究其功能。 对转含有PGS片段的沉默结构的转基因烟草叶片膜脂进行了分析，结果表明，与野生型烟草相比较，其PG含量下降了约20%，同时，SQDG和PC的含量增加。PG含量的降低没有引起MGDG和DGDG含量的变化。另外，我们还对转基因植株目的基因片段的RNA表达水平进行了RT-PCR分析，发现其表达量大幅度降低。这些结果表明，在转基因株系中，PGS基因的表达受到了抑制，说明我们获得了PG部分缺失的烟草PGS突变体。 对烟草PG缺失体的PG脂肪酸组成进行分析，表明其特征性脂肪酸反式十六碳烯酸含量明显下降，比野生型降低了44%，C18:0、C18:1和C18:2的相对含量增加，整个变化与总脂脂肪酸变化基本一致。 为了研究PG缺失对光合作用的影响，我们分析了多种光合指标。对叶绿素含量的分析表明，PG含量的降低影响了光合色素的组成。PG部分缺失的转基因烟草中的叶绿素总的含量下降，其中叶绿素b含量下降更为明显，结果，叶绿素a与叶绿素b的比值较野生型高。转基因植株净光合速率下降，二氧化碳利用率降低;PSII的最大光化学效率（Fv/Fm）和实际光化学效率（фPSII）降低，光化学猝灭下降，非光化学猝灭增加，尤其老叶的变化更为明显。这些结果说明了PG的部分缺失影响了植株的光合能力，捕光色素蛋白复合体的结构受到了影响，PSII功能遭受损伤。 同时，我们根据已经报道的马铃薯CDS基因，克隆了一个片段，构建沉默结构，并对沉默结构进行了转化。通过抗性基因的筛选以及RT-PCR检测，证明了沉默结构转化成功，目的基因的表达受到抑制，获得了马铃薯CDS转基因植株。 对马铃薯野生型和CDS转基因植株进行膜脂和脂肪酸分析表明，转基因植株叶片的PE、PG和PC等磷脂含量降低，SQDG和DGDG含量增加;C16:1（3t）、C16:2、C16:3、C18:1和C18:2含量下降，C16:0和C18:3含量增加，而C16:1和C18:0变化不明显。马铃薯CDS转基因植株的叶绿素荧光分析表明，PSII最大光化学效率降低，从野生型的0.82下降到0.77。

Characteristics of the microbial communities in the integrated vertical-flow constructed wetlands

Microorganisms play an important role in removing pollutants from constructed wetlands. We investigated the microbial characteristics in a novel integrated vertical-flow constructed wetland (IVCW), which has been in operation in Wuhan, China since 1998. We used phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) and amoA gene to analyze the structure and diversity of the microbial community within the IVCW. PLFA results suggested that the amount of bacterial PLFA was significantly higher than that of fungal PLFA, but the total microbial biomass represented by PLFA index was low in the system. Microbial spatial distribution showed significantly higher bacterial (both G(+) and G(-)) and fungal biomass in the surface than in the subsurface layers. The ratios of monounsaturated to branched PLFA demonstrated that an anaerobic layer sandwiched by two aerobic layers existed in the IVCW, consistent with the redox potential results. Analysis of the amoA revealed the presence of Nitrosomonas-like sequences in the surface substrate of the downflow chamber and apparent diversities of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in the system. These results suggest that microorganisms, despite their relatively low biomass, have inhabited the IVCW, and the results will offer some valuable information on microbe to system designers and managers.

Infection and propagation of lymphocystis virus isolated from the cultured flounder Paralichthys olivaceus in grass carp cell lines

The causative agent of lymphocystis disease that frequently occurs in cultured flounder Paralichthys olivaceus in China is lymphocystis virus (LV). In this study, 13 fish cell lines were tested for their susceptibility to LV. Of these, 2 cell lines derived from the freshwater grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idellus proved susceptible to the LV, and 1 cell line, GCO (grass carp ovary), was therefore used to replicate and propagate the virus. An obvious cytopathic effect (CPE) was first observed in cell monolayers at 1 d post-inoculation, and at 3 d this had extended to about 75% of the cell monolayer. However, no further CPE extension was observed after 4 d. Cytopathic characteristics induced by the LV were detected by Giemsa staining and fluorescence microscopic observation with Hoechst 33258 staining. The propagated virus particles were also observed by electron microscopy. Ultrastructure analysis revealed several distinct cellular changes, such as chromatin compaction and margination, vesicle formation, cell-surface convolution, nuclear fragmentation and the occurrence of characteristic 'blebs' and cell fusion. This study provides a detailed report of LV infection and propagation in a freshwater fish cell line, and presents direct electron microscopy evidence for propagation of the virus in infected cells. A possible process by which the CPEs are controlled is suggested.

Cell responses of Dunaliella salina FACHB 435 (green alga) to microgravitational stimulation by clinorotation

Clinorotation experiments were established to simulate microgravity on ground. It was found that there were obvious changes of Dunaliella salina FACHB435 cells and their metabolic characteristics during clinorotation. The changes included the increases of glycerol content, the rate of H+ secretion and PM H+-ATPase activity, and the decrease of ratio of the plasma membrane (PM) phospholipid to PM protein. These results indicated that microgravity was a stress environment to Dunaliella salina. It is deduced that it would be possible to attribute the effect of microgravity on algal cells to the secondary activation of water stress.

Temperature dependence of hole spin relaxation in ultrathin InAs monolayers

The temperature dependence of hole spin relaxation time in both neutral and n-doped ultrathin InAs monolayers has been investigated. It has been suggested that D'yakonov-Perel (DP) mechanism dominates the spin relaxation process at both low and high temperature regimes. The appearance of a peak in temperature dependent spin relaxation time reveals the important contribution of Coulomb scatterings between carriers to the spin kinetics at low temperature, though electron-phonon scattering becomes dominant at higher temperatures. Increased electron screening effect in the n-doped sample has been suggested to account for the shortened spin relaxation time compared with the undoped one. The results suggest that hole spins are also promising for building solid-state qubits.

Theory of huge tunneling magnetoresistance in graphene

We investigate theoretically the spin-independent tunneling magnetoresistance effect in a graphene monolayer modulated by two parallel ferromagnets deposited on a dielectric layer. For the parallel magnetization configuration, Klein tunneling can be observed in the transmission spectrum but at specific oblique incident angles. For the antiparallel magnetization configuration, the transmission can be blocked by the magneticelectric barrier provided by the ferromagnets. Such a transmission discrepancy results in a tremendous magnetoresistance ratio and can be tuned by the inclusion of an electric barrier.

High-density and narrow size-distribution InAs quantum dots formed by a modified two-step growth

We develop a modified two-step method of growing high-density and narrow size-distribution InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) by molecular beam epitaxy. In the first step, high-density small InAs QDs are formed by optimizing the continuous deposition amount. In the second step, deposition is carried out with a long growth interruption for every 0.1 InAs monolayer. Atomic force microscope images show that the high-density (similar to 5.9x 10(10) CM-2) good size-uniformity InAs QDs are achieved. The strong intensity and narrow linewidth (27.7 meV) of the photoluminescence spectrum show that the QDs grown in this two-step method have a good optical quality.

Growth and characterization of AlGaN/GaN heterostructure using unintentionally doped AlN/GaN superlattices as barrier layer

AlGaN/GaN heterostructure using unintentionally doped AlN/GaN superlattices (SLs) as barrier layer is grown on C-plane sapphire by metal organic vapor deposition (MOCVD). Compared with the conventional Si-doped structure, electrical property is improved. An average sheet resistance of 287.1 Omega/square and high resistance uniformity of 0.82% are obtained across the 2-inch epilayer wafer with an equivalent Al composition of 38%. Hall measurement shows that the mobility of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) is 1852 cm(2)/V s with a sheet carrier density of 1.2 x 10(13) cm(-2) at room temperature. The root mean square roughness (RMS) value is 0.159 nm with 5 x 5 mu m(2) scan area and the monolayer steps are clearly observed. The reason for the property improvement is discussed. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.