Thickness Dependent Growth of Epitaxial Iron Silicide Nanoobjects on Si (001)

Strain-induced, self-assembled iron silicide nanostructures were grown on Si(001) substrate by conventional Fe evaporation and subsequent annealing. The initial Fe thickness was in the 0.1-6.0 nm range and the annealing temperature was 850 °C. The formed phases and structures were characterized by reflection high energy electron diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. The electrical characteristics were investigated by I-V and C-V measurements, and by DLTS. The samples show silicide nanostructure formation in the whole thickness range. The shape of the nanostructures varied from rod like to triangular and quadratic depending on the initial Fe thickness. The size distribution of the formed iron silicide nanoobjects was not homogeneous, but they were oriented in square directions on Si(001). Higher thickness resulted in increased particles size. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/3518

Type 1 and 2 sets for series of translates of functions

Suppose Lambda is a discrete infinite set of nonnegative real numbers. We say that Lambda is type 1 if the series s(x)=Sigma lambda is an element of Lambda f(x+lambda) satisfies a zero-one law. This means that for any non-negative measurable f:R ->[0,+infinity) either the convergence set C(f,Lambda)={x:s(x)<+infinity}=R modulo sets of Lebesgue zero, or its complement the divergence set D(f,Lambda)={x:s(x)=+infinity}=R modulo sets of measure zero. If Lambda is not type 1 we say that Lambda is type 2.The exact characterization of type 1 and type 2 sets is not known. In this paper we continue our study of the properties of type 1 and 2 sets. We discuss sub and supersets of type 1 and 2 sets and give a complete and simple characterization of a subclass of dyadic type 1 sets. We discuss the existence of type 1 sets containing infinitely many elements independent over the rationals. Finally, we consider unions and Minkowski sums of type 1 and 2 sets

A Three Dimensional Analysis of Au-Silica Core-Shell Nanoparticles Using Medium Energy Ion Scattering

The medium energy ion scattering (MEIS) facility at the IIAA Huddersfield has been used for the analysis of a monolayer of Au-silica core-shell nanoparticles deposited on Si substrate. Both spherical and rod shape particles were investigated and the spectra produced by 100 keV He+ ions scattered through angles of 90º and 125º were compared with the results of RBS-MAST [1] simulations performed on artificial 3D model cells containing the nanoparticles. The thickness of the silica shell, the diameter of the Au spheres, and the diameter and length of the Au nano-rods were determined from best fits of the measured set of MEIS spectra. In addition, the effect of ion irradiation on the silica shell and gold core was monitored by MEIS measurements in conjunction with RBS-MAST simulations. Ion bombardment was performed under largely different conditions, i.e., by 30 keV Ar+, 150 keV Fe+, or 2.8 MeV N+ ions in the dose range of 2×1015 - 2×1016 cm-2. Significant changes in the particle geometry can be observed due to ion beam-induced sputtering and recoil effects, the significance of which was estimated from full-cascade SRIM simulations. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) techniques have been applied as complementary characterization tools to monitor the amount of gold and surface morphology on the un-irradiated and irradiated sample areas. We show that MEIS can yield spatial information on the geometrical changes of particulate systems at the nanometre scale

Bioinspired artificial photonic nanoarchitecture using the elytron of the beetle Trigonophorus rothschildi varians as a 'blueprint'

An unusual, intercalated photonic nanoarchitecture was discovered in the elytra of Taiwanese Trigonophorus rothschildi varians beetles. It consists of a multilayer structure intercalated with a random distribution of cylindrical holes normal to the plane of the multilayer. The nanoarchitectures were characterized structurally by scanning electron microscopy and optically by normal incidence, integrated and goniometric reflectance measurements. They exhibit an unsaturated specular and saturated non-specular component of the reflected light. Bioinspired, artificial nanoarchitectures of similar structure and with similar properties were realized by drilling holes of submicron size in a multilayer structure, showing that such photonic nanoarchitectures of biological origin may constitute valuable blueprints for artificial photonic materials

Engineered Biosynthesis of Regioselectively Modified Aromatic Polyketides Using Bimodular Polyketide Synthases

Bacterial aromatic polyketides such as tetracycline and doxorubicin are a medicinally important class of natural products produced as secondary metabolites by actinomyces bacteria. Their backbones are derived from malonyl-CoA units by polyketide synthases (PKSs). The nascent polyketide chain is synthesized by the minimal PKS, a module consisting of four dissociated enzymes. Although the biosynthesis of most aromatic polyketide backbones is initiated through decarboxylation of a malonyl building block (which results in an acetate group), some polyketides, such as the estrogen receptor antagonist R1128, are derived from nonacetate primers. Understanding the mechanism of nonacetate priming can lead to biosynthesis of novel polyketides that have improved pharmacological properties. Recent biochemical analysis has shown that nonacetate priming is the result of stepwise activity of two dissociated PKS modules with orthogonal molecular recognition features. In these PKSs, an initiation module that synthesizes a starter unit is present in addition to the minimal PKS module. Here we describe a general method for the engineered biosynthesis of regioselectively modified aromatic polyketides. When coexpressed with the R1128 initiation module, the actinorhodin minimal PKS produced novel hexaketides with propionyl and isobutyryl primer units. Analogous octaketides could be synthesized by combining the tetracenomycin minimal PKS with the R1128 initiation module. Tailoring enzymes such as ketoreductases and cyclases were able to process the unnatural polyketides efficiently. Based upon these findings, hybrid PKSs were engineered to synthesize new anthraquinone antibiotics with predictable functional group modifications. Our results demonstrate that (i) bimodular aromatic PKSs present a general mechanism for priming aromatic polyketide backbones with nonacetate precursors; (ii) the minimal PKS controls polyketide chain length by counting the number of atoms incorporated into the backbone rather than the number of elongation cycles; and (iii) in contrast, auxiliary PKS enzymes such as ketoreductases, aromatases, and cyclases recognize specific functional groups in the backbone rather than overall chain length. Among the anthracyclines engineered in this study were compounds with (i) more superior activity than R1128 against the breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and (ii) inhibitory activity against glucose-6-phosphate translocase, an attractive target for the treatment of Type II diabetes

Saccharothrix sp. PAL54, a new chloramphenicol-producing strain isolated from a Saharan soil

An actinomycete strain designated PAL54, producing an antibacterial substance, was isolated from a Saharan soil in Ghardaïa, Algeria. Morphological and chemical studies indicated that this strain belonged to the genus Saccharothrix. Analysis of the 16S rDNA sequence showed a similarity level ranging between 96.9 and 99.2% within Saccharothrix species, with S. longispora DSM 43749T, the most closely related. DNA–DNA hybridization confirmed that strain PAL54 belonged to Saccharothrix longispora. It showed very strong activity against pathogenic Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria responsible for nosocomial infections and resistant to multiple antibiotics. Strain PAL54 secreted the antibiotic optimally during mid-stationary and decline phases of growth. One antibacterial compound was isolated from the culture broth and purified by HPLC. The active compound was elucidated by uv-visible and NMR spectroscopy and by mass spectrometry. The results showed that this compound was a D(-)-threo chloramphenicol. This is the first report of chloramphenicol production by a Saccharothrix species

Innovation in Innovation Indicators? The use of sensitivity analysis to analyse the coherence of composite indices and dominant policy discourses

Composite Indicators are ever more diffused tools that not only measure phenomena such as innovation, but also shape discussions, policy design and implementation. The synthesis that emerges from the debate about their strengths and weaknesses recognized their intrinsic normative nature, and underlines the need for exercising conceptual and statistical clarity and transparency, and responsible use. In this paper, we consider composite indicator rankings as “fingerprints” of the values, ideas and priorities shared by the stakeholders involved in their development. Thus, we expect composite innovation indicators not only to reflect policy priorities through the underlying indicators that are the most important drivers of rankings, but also to be able to observe policy priority changes reflected in changes in the key drivers of ranks. We identify 3 key innovation policy priorities over the past two decades. By applying sensitivity analysis, we identify the statistically most important component indicators of two of the most widely used composite indices, the Summary Innovation Index and the Global Innovation Index. Examining these indicators, we find that neither of the two indices followed shifts in the innovation policy discourse from a focus on R&D to a focus on job creation. This discrepancy calls for both a better measurement of Schumpeterian Mark I entrepreneurship and firm scale-up activity at the country level, and the need for better communicating non-correlating measures of innovation