Coarsening model of cavity nucleation and thin film delamination from single-crystal BaTiO3 with proton implantation

The layer splitting mechanism of a proton implanted single crystal ferroelectric BaTiO3 thin film layer from its bulk BaTiO3 substrate has been investigated. The single crystal BaTiO3 thin film layer splits as the hydrogen gas diffuses and the internal cavity pressure increases. Ripening mechanism driven by the pressurized hydrogen in the implantation-induced damage zone makes coarsening of the cavities and causes the delamination of the thin layer during the annealing. A unique criterion relation of blister nucleation and evolution has been derived and a simplified debonding criterion is proposed in terms of dimensionless parameters based on the force equilibrium condition. A numerical simulation of two-bubble evolution and delamination of thin film is performed using a finite element method

FCNC and CP Violation Observables in a SU(3)-flavoured MSSM

A non-Abelian flavour symmetry in a minimal supersymmetric standard model can explain the flavour structures in the Yukawa couplings and simultaneously solve the SUSY flavour problem. Similarly the SUSY CP problem can be solved if CP is spontaneously broken in the flavour sector. In this work, we present an explicit example of these statements with a SU(3) flavour symmetry and spontaneous CP violation. In addition, we show that it is still possible to find some significant deviation from the SM expectations as far as FCNC and CP violation are concerned. We find that large contributions can be expected in lepton flavour violating decays, as $\mu \to e \gamma$ and $\tau \to \mu \gamma$, electric dipole moments, $d_e$ and $d_n$ and kaon CP violating processes as $\epsilon_K$. Thus, these flavoured MSSM realizations are phenomenologically sensitive to the experimental searches in the realm of flavor and CP vioation physics.Comment: 56 pages, 12 figures; included new NLO contributions to nEDM from charged Higgs, relevant figures updated, and analysis of O(1) coefficients; added appendices and reference

Roles of dark energy perturbations in the dynamical dark energy models: Can we ignore them?

We show the importance of properly including the perturbations of the dark energy component in the dynamical dark energy models based on a scalar field and modified gravity theories in order to meet with present and future observational precisions. Based on a simple scaling scalar field dark energy model, we show that observationally distinguishable substantial differences appear by ignoring the dark energy perturbation. By ignoring it the perturbed system of equations becomes inconsistent and deviations in (gauge-invariant) power spectra depend on the gauge choice.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Influence of oxygen vacancy on the electronic structure of HfO2_2 film

We investigated the unoccupied part of the electronic structure of the oxygen-deficient hafnium oxide (HfO$_{\sim1.8}$) using soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy at O $K$ and Hf $N_3$ edges. Band-tail states beneath the unoccupied Hf 5$d$ band are observed in the O $K$-edge spectra; combined with ultraviolet photoemission spectrum, this indicates the non-negligible occupation of Hf 5$d$ state. However, Hf $N_3$-edge magnetic circular dichroism spectrum reveals the absence of a long-range ferromagnetic spin order in the oxide. Thus the small amount of $d$ electron gained by the vacancy formation does not show inter-site correlation, contrary to a recent report [M. Venkatesan {\it et al.}, Nature {\bf 430}, 630 (2004)].Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Elucidating Comminution Steps to Enhance the Value of Surimi from Tropical Fish

Biochemical and rheological properties of surimi were examined based on: 1) salting time (from 18 to 3 min) while maintaining 21 min for total chopping time; 2) total chopping time (from 6 to 21 min) while salting during the final 3 min. Extending salting time significantly increased breaking force and penetration distance while chopping time extension with fixed salting time did not. Salt soluble proteins decreased when salting time decreased; however, this trend performed contrarily against chopping time. A relationship between gel texture and salt soluble proteins was not found. Oxidation of sulfhydryl groups could occur during the chopping process when chopping without salt was extended. A degree of protein unfolding, as noted by surface hydrophobicity, behaved differently against chopping and salting time. Dynamic rheology demonstrated that total chopping time affected denaturation of the myosin tail region more than salting time.Keywords: Protein solubility, Salting, Chopping, Threadfin bream surimi, Textur

Salmon blood plasma: Effective inhibitor of protease-laden Pacific whiting surimi and salmon mince

The effect of salmon plasma (SP) from Chinook salmon on proteolytic inhibition was investigated. SP was found to inhibit both cysteine and serine proteases as well as protease extracted from Pacific whiting muscle. SP was found to contain a 55 kDa cysteine protease inhibitor through SDS-PAGE inhibitor staining. Freeze dried salmon plasma (FSP) and salmon plasma concentrated by ultrafiltration (CSP) were tested for their ability to inhibit autolysis in Pacific whiting surimi and salmon mince at concentrations of 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2%. Pacific whiting surimi autolysis was inhibited by an average of 89% regardless of concentration while inhibition of salmon mince autolysis increased with concentration (P<0.05). CSP performed slightly better than FSP at inhibiting salmon mince autolysis (P<0.05). Serine protease inhibition decreased when SP heated above 40°C but was stable across a broad NaCl and pH range. Cysteine protease inhibitors exhibited good temperature, NaCl, and pH stability.Keywords: Protease inhibitor, Salmon plasma, Autolysis, Pacific whiting, SurimiKeywords: Protease inhibitor, Salmon plasma, Autolysis, Pacific whiting, Surim

Effects of Micron Fish Bone with Different Particle Size on the Properties of Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix)

Qualities of silver carp surimi (SCS) gels incorporated with micron fish bone of different particle size (22 to 0.12 μm) were evaluated. Textural values, whiteness, and water holding capacity of the SCS gels with setting significantly increased (P<0.05) as the micron fish bone particle size decreased. As the particle size decreased, more calcium ion was apparently released from the fish bone (P<0.05). Consequently the released calcium ion increased the activity of endogenous transglutaminase (TGase) and resulted in the formation of more myosin heavy chain (MHC) cross-links in the SCS gel with setting. Fish bone with particle size below 0.48 μm was steadily trapped in the three-dimensional SCS gel network without disrupting the matrices. Results indicated that size reduction of the incorporated micron fish bone improved qualities of the SCS gel with setting by the means of releasing more calcium ion and maintaining better gel matrices

Effect of salmon plasma protein on Pacific whiting surimi gelation under various ohmic heating conditions

The effect of salmon blood plasma (SPP) on the gelation of Pacific whiting surimi under different ohmic heating conditions was investigated. SPP was found to significantly increase gel strength in gels heated ohmically to and held at 60° for 30 min followed by heating ohmically to 90°C. SPP at a level of 1 g/100 g was also found to increase gel strength in gels held at 25°C for 2 h prior to ohmic heating. This increase was not seen in gels where EDTA was added to inhibit the activity of endogenous transglutaminase (ETG). SPP also created a more pronounced setting effect as measured by dynamic rheology and SDS-PAGE. SPP was found to effectively inhibit protease activity through TCA-soluble peptide analysis. Scanning electron microcopy revealed a loosely arranged gel network caused by protease enzymes. It was reversed by the addition of SPP as well as setting at 25°C due to ETG.Keywords: Ohmic heating, Protease, Salmon plasma, Transglutaminase, Surimi gelationKeywords: Ohmic heating, Protease, Salmon plasma, Transglutaminase, Surimi gelatio