Mapping and control of atomic force on Si(1 1 1)square root(3) x square root(3)-Ag surface using noncontact atomic force microscope

We demonstrated the possibility of measuring the three-dimensional force-related map with true atomic resolution between an Si tip and Si(1 1 1)square root(3) x square root(3)-Ag sample surface by measuring the tip-sample distance dependence of noncontact atomic force microscope (NC-AFM) image, i.e. atomically resolved atomic force spectroscopy. Furthermore, we demonstrated the possibility of controlling the interaction force between the atom on the tip apex and a sample atom of Si(1 1 1)square root(3) x square root(3)-Ag surface on an atomic scale by placing an Ag atom on the Si tip apex instead of Si atom.     

Age effects on social cognition: Faces tell a different story.

The authors administered social cognition tasks to younger and older adults to investigate age-related differences in social and emotional processing. Although slower, older adults were as accurate as younger adults in identifying the emotional valence (i.e., positive, negative, or neutral) of facial expressions. However, the age difference in reaction time was largest for negative faces. Older adults were significantly less accurate at identifying specific facial expressions of fear and sadness. No age differences specific to social function were found on tasks of self-reference, identifying emotional words, or theory of mind. Performance on the social tasks in older adults was independent of performance on general cognitive tasks (e.g., working memory) but was related to personality traits and emotional awareness. Older adults also showed more intercorrelations among the social tasks than did the younger adults. These findings suggest that age differences in social cognition are limited to the processing of facial emotion. Nevertheless, with age there appears to be increasing reliance on a common resource to perform social tasks, but one that is not shared with other cognitive domains. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of scatter and attenuation correction on quantitative assessment of regional cerebral blood flow with SPECT

The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) plays a key role in the anaerobic mitochondrial metabolism of the parasitic nematode Ascaris suum. A cDNA coding for an A. suum pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (APDK) has been cloned and sequenced from poly(A)+ RNA isolated from adult A. suum muscle.2 APDK exhibited significant sequence identity to mammalian PDKs. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the APDK cDNA revealed a 22-nucleotide spliced leader, characteristic of many nematode mRNAs, a 5'-UTR of 6 nucleotides, an open reading frame of 1197 nucleotides, and a 3'-UTR of 101 nucleotides that included a putative polyadenylation signal. The open reading frame predicted a protein of 399 amino acids with a molecular weight of 45,402 that included a putative 18-aminoacid leader peptide. Recombinant APDK (rAPDK) was functionally expressed in Escherichia coli with a his tag at its N-terminus and purified to apparent homogeneity on Ni-NTA-agarose. Recombinant APDK was a dimer and was not autophosphorylated and its activity was stimulated in the presence of APDK-deficient adult A. suum muscle PDC presumably by the binding of APDK to the dihydrolipoyl transacetylase (E2) core of the complex. After binding to the core, rAPDK activity was stimulated by elevated NADH/NAD+ and acetyl CoA/CoA ratios within the same ranges as observed for the native APDK. Immunoblotting suggested that native APDK focused as a series of 43-kDa spots (pI 6.1-6.8) on two-dimensional gels of the purified adult A. suum muscle PDC.     

Nucleotide sequencing analysis of the 146-kilobase segment around the IkBL and MICA genes at the centromeric end of the HLA class I region

The biomechanics of medialization laryngoplasty are not well understood. An excised canine larynx model was used to test the effects of various sized silicon implants. The vocal fold length, position, and tension were measured. Medialization laryngoplasty did not affect vocal fold length. At the mid-membranous vocal fold, larger shims resulted in greater medialization and tension. Medialization laryngoplasty neither medialized nor stiffened the vocal process to resist lateralizing forces. We conclude that medialization laryngoplasty provides bulk and support for defects of the membranous region of the vocal fold, but does not appear to close a posterior glottal gap. The selection of a surgical procedure to treat glottal incompetence should take into account the unique biomechanical properties of the anterior (membranous vocal folds) and posterior (cartilaginous portion) glottis.     

Crystallization of β-FeSi2 droplets on silicon substrates by room-temperature pulsed laser deposition

This paper reports the fabrication process of β-FeSi₂ droplets on silicon substrates at room temperature by ArF excimer pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The chemical treatment of substrate could compensate the thermal treatment of the deposited droplets. Observations with the transmission electron microscopy revealed that the crystallization of droplet began from the surface of droplet rather than from the interface between the melt and the substrate.     

A novel spacer‐free panel structure and glass for FEDs

Abstract— A new design for an FED envelope, composed of box‐shaped front glass, sheet‐like rear glass, and metal members, has been devised. This design structure is effective in reducing tensile stress induced by vacuum at the sealing points. Also, a new glass composition, a new physical tempering method, and a lead‐free hermetic sealing material have been developed. As a result, a novel lightweight spacer‐free panel structure for FEDs has been developed by integrating these new technologies. It will assist in maximizing the essential advantages of FED such as high image quality, high reliability, and low cost.     

Biomimetic ion-channel sensors based on host-guest molecular recognition in Langmuir-Blodgett membrane assemblies

Biomimetic “ion-channel sensors” based on host-guest molecular recognition were constructed by incorporating several kinds of receptor molecules in Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) molecular assemblies deposited directly on glassy carbon electrodes. The receptors used were valinomycin, bis(crown ether)s, macrocyclic polyamine and cyclodextrin polyamine. The binding of charged stimulants (metal ions, inorganic and organic anions) to these receptors induced a marked increase (or decrease) in the ion permeability of the membranes, as detected by cyclic voltammetry using [Fe(CN)₆]^4- or [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ as marker ion. Such a mode of response, corresponding to model “channel opening (or closing)”, can be explained on the basis of the charge-charge interaction involving the stimulant, marker ion and lipid.     

Heat extraction characteristics by coaxial heat exchanger

This study was performed to investigate the heat extraction characteristics from shallow geothermal resources using a coaxial heat exchanger. First, a computer simulation program for a coaxial heat exchanger was checked and verified by laboratory experiments. After inspecting the effectiveness of the computer program described herein, a numerical simulation for a real scale model was conducted under the condition that the heat transfer mechanism in the stratum was heat conduction. Unsteady heat extraction characteristics are presented herein, and the effects of the tube material, inner diameter, and circular modes on the heat extraction rate are discussed. From the computer results it was found that the heat extraction performance using a coaxial heat exchanger greatly depended on the factors mentioned above in the range of the parameters covered in this study. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res, 34(7): 496–513, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/htj.20083