Acute toxicity of beta gamma-CAT, a naturally existing non-lens beta gamma-crystallin and trefoil factor complex from frog Bombina maxima skin secretions

In vertebrates, non-lens beta gamma-crystallins are widely expressed in various tissues, but their functions are unknown. The molecular mechanisms of trefoil factors, initiators of mucosal healing and being greatly involved in tumorigenesis, have remained

Efficient synthesis and utilization of phenyl-substituted heteroaromatic carboxylic acids as aryl diketo acid isosteres in the design of novel HIV-1 integrase inhibitors

Three new types of aryl diketo acid (ADK) isosteres were designed by conversion of the biologically labile 1,3-diketo unit into heteroaromatic motif such as isoxazole, isothiazole, or 1H-pyrazole to improve the physicochemical property of ADK-based HIV-1

HSPC117 deficiency in cloned embryos causes placental abnormality and fetal death

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) has been successfully used in many species to produce live cloned offspring, albeit with low efficiency. The low frequency of successful development has usually been ascribed to incomplete or inappropriate reprogramming of the transferred nuclear genome. Elucidating the genetic differences between normal fertilized and cloned embryos is key to understand the low efficiency of SCNT. Here, we show that expression of HSPC117, which encodes a hypothetical protein of unknown function, was absent or very low in cloned mouse blastocysts. To investigate the role of HSPC117 in embryo development, we knocked-down this gene in normal fertilized embryos using RNA interference. We assessed the post-implantation survival of HSPC117 knock-down embryos at 3 stages: E9 (prior to placenta formation); E12 (after the placenta was fully functional) and E19 (post-natal). Our results show that, although siRNA-treated in vivo fertilized/produced (IVP) embryos could develop to the blastocyst stage and implanted without any difference from control embryos, the knock-down embryos showed substantial fetal death, accompanied by placental blood clotting, at E12. Furthermore, comparison of HSPC117 expression in placentas of nuclear transfer (NT), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and IVP embryos confirmed that HSPC117 deficiency correlates well with failures in embryo development: all NT embryos with a fetus, as well as IVP and ICSI embryos, had normal placental HSPC117 expression while those NT embryos showing reduced or no expression of HSPC117 failed to form a fetus. In conclusion, we show that HSPC117 is an important gene for post-implantation development of embryos, and that HSPC117 deficiency leads to fetal abnormalities after implantation, especially following placental formation. We suggest that defects in HSPC117 expression may be an important contributing factor to loss of cloned NT embryos in vivo. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relativistic Distorted-Wave Collision Strengths of Ni-, Cu- and Zn-like Au Ions

Excitation energies and electron impact excitation strengths from the ground states of Ni-, Cu- and Zn-like Au ions are calculated. The collision strengths are computed by a 213-levels expansion for the Ni- like Au ion, 405-levels expansion for the Cu-like Au ion and 229-levels expansion for the Zn-like Au ion. Configuration interactions are taken into account for all levels included. The target state wavefunctions are calculated by using the Grasp92 code. The continuum orbits are computed in the distorted-wave approximation, in which the direct and exchange potentials among all the electrons are included. Excellent agreement is found when the results are compared with previous calculations and recent measurements.

Differential and Integral Cross Sections for Electron Impact Excitation of Lithium

The differential and integral cross sections for electron impact excitation of lithium from the ground state 1s(2)2s to excited states 1s(2)2p, 1s(2)3l (l = s,p,d) and 1s(2)4l (l = s,p,d,f) at incident energies ranging from 5 eV to 25 eV are calculated by using a full relativistic distorted wave method. The target state wavefunctions are calculated by using the Grasp92 code. The continuum orbitals are computed in the distorted-wave approximation, in which the direct and exchange potentials among all the electrons are included. A part of the cross sections are compared with the available experimental data and with the previous theoretical values. It is found that, for the integral cross sections, the present calculations are in good agreement with the time-independent distorted wave method calculation, for differential cross sections, our results agree with the experimental data very well.

Preparation and luminescent properties of cubic Eu3+ : Y2O3 nanocrystals and comparison to bulk Eu3+ : Y2O3

Y2O3:Eu3+ nanocrystals were prepared by combustion synthesis. The particle size estimated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) was about 10 nm. A blue-shift of the charge-transfer (CT) band in excitation spectra was observed in Y2O3:Eu3+ nanocrystals compared with bulk Y2O3:Eu3+. The electronic structure Of Y2O3 is calculated by density functional method and exchange and correlation have been treated by the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) within the scheme due to Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE). The calculated results show that the energy centroid of 5d orbital in nanocrystal has increasing trend compared with that in the bulk material. The bond length and bond covalency are calculated by chemical bond theory. The bond lengths of Y2O3:Eu3+ nanocrystal are shorter than those of the bulk counterpart and the bond covalency of Y2O3:Eu3+ nanocrystal also has an increasing trend. By combining centroid shift and crystal-field splitting, the blue-shift of the CT band is interpreted.

Effect of cerium on microstructure and electrochemical performance of Ti-V-Cr-Ni electrode alloy

Effect of cerium on the microstructure and electrochemical performance of the Ti0.25V0.35-xCexCr0.1Ni0.3 (x = 0, 0.005) electrode alloy was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (FESEM-EDS), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. On the basis of XRD and FESEM-EDS analysis, the alloy was mainly composed of V-based solid solution with body-centered-cubic structure and TiNi-based secondary phase. Ce did not exist in two phases, instead, it existed as Ce-rich small white particles, with irregular edges, distributed near the grain boundaries of the V-based solid solution phase. Discharge capacity, cycle stability, and high-rate discharge ability of the alloy electrode were effectively improved with the addition of Ce at 293 K. It was very surprising that the charge retention was abnormal with larger discharge capacity after standing at the open circuit for 24 h. EIS indicated that addition of Ce improved the dynamic performance, which caused the charge transfer resistance (R-T) to decrease and exchange current density (I-0) to increase markedly. The exchange current density of the electrochemical reaction on the alloy surface with Ce addition was about 2.07 and 3.10 times larger than that of the alloy without Ce at 303 and 343 K, respectively.

Impact of laser-accelerated micron-size projectile on dense plasma

The impact of a laser-accelerated micron-size projectile on a dense plasma target is studied using two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The projectile is first accelerated by an ultraintense laser. It then impinges on the dense plasma target and merges with the latter. Part of the kinetic energy of the laser-accelerated ions in the projectile is deposited in the fused target, and an extremely high concentration of plasma ions with a mean kinetic energy needed for fusion reaction is induced. The interaction is thus useful for laser-driven impact fusion and as a compact neutron source.

基于同步移相技术的1/4波片快轴方位角的实时测量

提出了一种基于同步移相技术的1/4波片快轴方位角的实时测量方法。由正交光栅、光阑、检偏器组和四象限探测器实现同步移相功能。检偏器组由4个不同方位角的检偏器组成。通过检偏器组的四束光束的光强由四象限探测器同时测量。1/4波片的快轴方位角由这四光束的光强得到。由于该方法不需旋转偏振器件，从而实现的1/4波片的快轴方位角的实时测量。

基于同步移相技术的1/4波片相位延迟量的快速测量

提出了一种基于同步移相技术的1/4波片相位延迟量的快速测量方法。由正交光栅、光阑、检偏器组和四象限探测器实现同步移相功能。检偏器组由4个不同方位角的检偏器组成。通过检偏器组的四束光束的光强由四象限探测器同时测量。1/4波片的相位延迟量由这四光束的光强得到。该方法中波片的快轴不需被事先确定。另外光源光强的波动对测量结果没有影响。通过实验验证了该方法的有效性。

Even aberration measurement of lithographic projection system based on optimized phase-shifting marks

In the present paper, we propose a novel method for measuring the even aberrations of lithographic projection optics by use of optimized phase-shifting marks on the test mask. The line/space ratio of the phase-shifting marks is optimized to obtain the maximum sensitivities of Zernike coefficients corresponding to even aberrations. Spherical aberration and astigmatism can be calculated from the focus shifts of phase-shifting gratings oriented at 0 degrees, 45 degrees, 90 degrees and 135 degrees at multiple illumination settings. The PROLITH simulation results show that, the measurement accuracy of spherical aberration and astigmatism obviously increase, after the optimization of the measurement mark. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A novel optical subdivision method for dual-frequency interferometer

The theory of optical subdivision techniques of dual-frequency laser interferometers is stated. And a novel optical subdivision technique is proposed originally to enhance resolution of a commercial interferometer by adding some corner-cubes. Then the performance of the interferometer is tested. The interferometer resolution of 1.24 nm and the average error of below 2 nm are achieved by using the technique. The most novel of the optical subdivision technique is without lambda/4 plates. It is less sensitive to environmental changes, it has prodigious potential to improve resolution farther and it can reduce polarization mixing error. (C) 2007 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Photoluminescence from heterogeneous SiGe/Si nanostructures prepared via a two-step approach strategy

A two-step approach of preparation for SiGe/Si heterogeneous nanostructures, which combined with ultra-high vacuum chemical deposition and electrochemical anodization techniques, is demonstrated. Uniformly distributed nanostructures with a quite uniform distribution of size and morphology are obtained. A strong room-temperature photoluminescence from the nanostructures was observed with a narrow full-width at half-maximum of around 110 meV. The possible origins of the two main peaks at around 1.6 and 1.8 eV have been discussed in detail. The two-step approach is proved to be a promising method to fabricate new Si-based optoelectronic materials. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strain-induced anodization of SiGe/Si multiple layers to form high density SiGe/Si heterogeneous nanorods

Nation Natural Science Foundation of China 50672079 60676027 60837001 60776007; National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) 2007CB613404; China-MOST International Sci & Tech Cooperation and Exchange 2008DFA51230