Multiple ionization of atom clusters by intense soft X-rays from a free-electron laser

Intense radiation from lasers has opened up many new areas of research in physics and chemistry, and has revolutionized optical technology. So far, most work in the field of nonlinear processes has been restricted to infrared, visible and ultraviolet light, although progress in the development of X-ray lasers has been made recently. With the advent of a free-electron laser in the soft-X-ray regime below 100 nm wavelength, a new light source is now available for experiments with intense, short-wavelength radiation that could be used to obtain deeper insights into the structure of matter. Other free-electron sources with even shorter wavelengths are planned for the future. Here we present initial results from a study of the interaction of soft X-ray radiation, generated by a free-electron laser, with Xe atoms and clusters. We find that, whereas Xe atoms become only singly ionized by the absorption of single photons, absorption in clusters is strongly enhanced. On average, each atom in large clusters absorbs up to 400 eV, corresponding to 30 photons. We suggest that the clusters are heated up and electrons are emitted after acquiring sufficient energy. The clusters finally disintegrate completely by Coulomb explosion.     

Numerous potentially functional but non-genic conserved sequences on human chromosome 21

The use of comparative genomics to infer genome function relies on the understanding of how different components of the genome change over evolutionary time. The aim of such comparative analysis is to identify conserved, functionally transcribed sequences such as protein-coding genes and non-coding RNA genes, and other functional sequences such as regulatory regions, as well as other genomic features. Here, we have compared the entire human chromosome 21 with syntenic regions of the mouse genome, and have identified a large number of conserved blocks of unknown function. Although previous studies have made similar observations, it is unknown whether these conserved sequences are genes or not. Here we present an extensive experimental and computational analysis of human chromosome 21 in an effort to assign function to sequences conserved between human chromosome 21 (ref. 8) and the syntenic mouse regions. Our data support the presence of a large number of potentially functional non-genic sequences, probably regulatory and structural. The integration of the properties of the conserved components of human chromosome 21 to the rapidly accumulating functional data for this chromosome will improve considerably our understanding of the role of sequence conservation in mammalian genomes.     

Application of microfluidic chip to realize controllable pH gradient

A kind of PH gradient microfluidic chips through soft-lithography microfabrication for isoelectric focusing (IEF) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is introduced here. These pH gradient chips have the advantages such as easy fabrication, controllable pH range and precision, isoelectric focusing and separation at the same time, low voltage for isoelectric focusing, and time stable pH gradient. This method has potential application to sample preparation, separation and analysis of microfluidic chips.     

半导体热电材料Bi1-xSbx薄膜的电化学制备

B I1-XSBX半导体合金是性能优异的热电和磁电功能材料,为制备固态电制冷器件、温差发电器件和磁电器件的重要材料。电化学沉积薄膜技术工艺设备简单成本低,在半导体薄膜制备方面有很好的应用前景。系统研究了高浓度盐酸(2.4 MOL/L)的B I和SB盐酸溶液,成份从纯铋逐步变化到纯锑的B I1-XSBX合金半导体薄膜电化学沉积特性。测试了沉积过程I-V循环曲线和和沉积电荷效率等电化学参数。结果表明在所有成份范围内都可以得到典型的B I1-XSBX固溶体结构的高质量薄膜。薄膜生长为典型的溶液扩散控制过程,具有高的沉积电荷效率。薄膜沉积和溶解之间的电位差随溶液中SB(Ⅲ)离子浓度增加而增大,生长的薄膜越来越稳定。在30%SB浓度附近,电化学过程、薄膜结构和性能发生明显的突变。应用X射线衍射和电子显微镜研究薄膜结构,发现薄膜具有明显的(012)择优取向,薄膜晶粒尺寸也随SB浓度的增加而变化。     

Microbial starch-binding domains are superior to granule-bound starch synthase I for anchoring luciferase to potato starch granules

Microbial starch-binding domains (SBD) and granule-bound starch synthase I (GBSSI) are proteins which are accumulated in potato starch granules. The efficiency of SBD and GBSSI for targeting active luciferase reporter proteins to granules during starch biosynthesis was compared. GBSSI or SBD sequences were fused to the N- or C-terminus of the luciferase (LUC) gene, via an artificial Pro-Thr encoding linker sequence. The genes were introduced into an amylose-free (amf) potato mutant. It appeared that SBD was superior to GBSSI as a targeting sequence, mainly because the luciferase retained higher activity in the SBD-containing fusion proteins than in the GBSSI-containing ones.     

宏观面内剪切作用下多尺度裂纹模型的耦合闭合解

裂纹在面内剪切荷载作用下,宏观应力场呈反对称分布,微观应力场将不再具有反对称性,可能是面内拉伸与面内剪切的混合型分布.另外,考虑微观裂纹前还有一个刃型位错区,据此建立起一个多尺度嵌套的裂纹模型,可以描述从原子尺度下的刃型位错区过渡到Ⅰ、Ⅱ复合型微观裂纹,再过渡到Ⅱ型宏观裂纹.材料不同尺度下的损伤,通过约束过渡区相连接,引入尺度变换因子的概念,并利用位移连续性条件与应力场匹配条件,求解出多尺度耦合问题的闭合形式的解.通过数值计算,讨论了材料宏观力学性能对不同尺度下各影响因素的的敏感性.研究结果表明,材料破坏机理非常复杂,与作用荷载、不同尺度下缺陷的几何形状、尺寸及材料性能等因素相关.