Sub‐Micron Polymeric Stomatocytes as Promising Templates for Confined Crystallization and Diffraction Experiments

The possibility of using sub‐micrometer polymeric stomatocytes is investigated to effectuate confined crystallization of inorganic compounds. These bowl‐shaped polymeric compartments facilitate confined crystallization while their glassy surfaces provide their crystalline cargos with convenient shielding from the electron beam's harsh effects during transmission electron microscopy experiments. Stomatocytes host the growth of a single nanocrystal per nanocavity, and the electron diffraction experiments reveal that their glassy membranes do not interfere with the diffraction patterns obtained from their crystalline cargos. Therefore, it is expected that the encapsulation and crystallization within these compartments can be considered as a promising template (nanovials) that hold and protect nanocrystals and protein clusters from the direct radiation damage before data acquisition, while they are examined by modern crystallography methodologies such as serial femtosecond crystallography.     

Drug self-assembly: A phenomenon at the nanometer scale with major impact in the structure–biological properties relationship and the treatment of disease

Under water-rich conditions, small amphiphilic and hydrophobic drug molecules self-assemble into supramolecular nanostructures. Thus, substantial modifications in their interaction with cellular structures and the ability to reach intracellular targets could happen. Additionally, drug aggregates could be more toxic than the non-aggregated counterparts, or vice versa. Moreover, since self-aggregation reduces the number of effective “monomeric” molecules that interact with the target, the drug potency could be underestimated. In other cases, the activity could be ascribed to the non-aggregated molecule while it stems from its aggregates. Thus, drug self-assembly could mislead from drug throughput screening assays to advanced preclinical and clinical trials. Finally, aggregates could serve as crystallization nuclei. The impact that this phenomenon has on the biological performance of active compounds, the inconsistent and often controversial nature of the published data and the need for recommendations/guidelines as preamble of more harmonized research protocols to characterize drug self-aggregation were main motivations for this review. First, the key molecular and environmental parameters governing drug self-aggregation, the main drug families for which this phenomenon and the methods used for its characterization are described. Then, promising nanotechnology platforms investigated to prevent/control it towards a more efficient drug development process are briefly discussed.     

焊后时效处理对6082-T6铝合金搅拌摩擦焊接头的影响

对6082-T6铝合金搅拌摩擦焊接头进行自然时效和人工时效处理,通过透射电子显微镜、扫描电子显微镜、拉伸实验机和显微硬度计对组织演变和力学性能进行研究。结果表明:人工时效处理后显微硬度比焊态和自然时效高10~25HV,提高焊核区和热机影响区硬度效果明显好于自然时效。经过焊后自然时效、人工时效的焊接接头力学性能得到一定程度的提升,人工时效析出相比自然时效析出相抗拉强度提高12%,延伸率降低9%,人工时效提高拉伸强度效果更明显。人工时效处理后,焊核区组织发生显著变化,NZ主要为GP区,经过人工时效后NZ强化效应随团簇和GP区尺寸增大及数量增多而加强。HAZ主要为粗大的β′,经过人工时效后变化不大,硬度基本保持不变。通过对微观组织进行研究发现析出物的形状由界面能和应变能决定。     

Interaction of {112¯2} twin variants in hexagonal close-packed titanium

As multiple {11$\overline{2}$ 2} twin variants are often formed during deformation in hexagonal close-packed (hcp) titanium, the twin-twin interaction structure has a profound influence on mechanical properties. In this paper, the twin-twin interaction structures of the {11$\overline{2}$2} contraction twin in cold-rolled commercial purity titanium were studied by using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Formation of the {11$\overline{2}$2} twin variants was found to deviate the rank of Schmid factor, and the non-Schmid behavior was explained by the high-angle grain boundary nucleation mechanism. All the observed twin-twin pairs manifested a quilted-looking structure, which consists of the incoming twins being arrested by the obstacle twins. Furthermore, the quilted-looking {11$\overline{2}$2} twin-twin boundary was revealed by TEM and high resolution TEM observations. De-twinning, lattice rotation and curved twin boundary were observed in the obstacle twin due to the twin-twin reaction with the impinging twin. A twin-twin interaction mechanism for the {11$\overline{2}$2} twin variants was proposed in terms of the dislocation dissociation, which will enrich the understanding for the propagation of twins and twinning-induced hardening in hcp metals and alloys.     

Royal Crown Shaped Polarization Insensitive Perfect Metamaterial Absorber for C-, X-, and Ku-Band Applications

This study proposed a new royal crown-shaped polarisation insensitive double negative triple band microwave range electromagnetic metamaterial absorber (MA). The primary purpose of this study is to utilise the exotic characteristics of this perfect metamaterial absorber (PMA) for microwave wireless communications. The fundamental unit cell of the proposed MA consists of two pentagonal-shaped resonators and two inverse C-shaped metallic components surrounded by a split ring resonator (SRR). The bottom thin copper deposit and upper metallic resonator surface are disjoined by an FR-4 dielectric substrate with 1.6 mm thickness. The CST MW studio, a high-frequency electromagnetic simulator has been deployed for numerical simulation of the unit cell in the frequency range of 4 to 14 GHz. In the TE mode, the offered MA structure demonstrated three different absorption peaks at 6.85 GHz (C-band), 8.87 GHz (X-band), and 12.03 GHz (Ku-band), with 96.82%, 99.24%, and 99.43% absorptivity, respectively. The electric field, magnetic field, and surface current distribution were analysed using Maxwell’s-Curl equations, whereas the angle sensitivity was investigated to comprehend the absorption mechanism of the proposed absorber. The numerical results were verified using the Ansys HFSS (high-frequency structure simulator) and ADS (advanced design system) for equivalent circuit models. Moreover, the proposed MA is polarisation and incident angle independent. Hence, the application of this MA can be extended to a great extent, including airborne radar applications, defence, and stealth-coating technology.     

瞬变电磁法在变电站地质物探中的应用

在电力系统地质探测方面,为了查明引发滑坡的地质形态特征,简要介绍了瞬变电磁法(TEM)的工作原理及其探测方法,并以滇东北区某变电站周边边坡进行探测为例,通过对视电阻率成像图进行分析,得到了视深断面图的地形特征,总结了地质形态的分布情况.与传统的电阻率法相比,瞬变电磁法能够高效、简便地运用在山地环境的地质物探中.     

Nanobeam electron diffraction and high resolution imaging analysis of InN films grown on sapphire

A JEOL JEM-3000F field emission, analytical, high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) was used to study InN films grown on sapphire substrates. It was found that, while the InN films maintained the hexagonal (wurtzite) structure, InN nanodomains with a cubic (zincblende) structure were also formed in the films. Nanobeam electron diffraction techniques were applied for identification of the cubic phase. The identification of the cubic InN was confirmed by HRTEM structural imaging. The cubic InN nanodomains are 3-10 nm in diameter, and are orientated in two different orientations with their [110](cubic) and [110](cubic) axes parallel to each other and their (111)(cubic) planes parallel to the (0001)(hex) plane of the hexagonal InN.     

Bias in bacteriophage morphological classification by transmission electron microscopy due to breakage or loss of tail structures

Virtually every study that has used transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to estimate viral diversity has acknowledged that loss of phage tails during sample preparation may have biased the results. However, the magnitude of this potential bias has yet to be constrained. To characterize biases in virus morphological diversity due to tail loss, six phage strains representing the order Caudovirales were inoculated into sterile sediments and soils. Phage particles were then extracted using standard methods. Morphologies of extracted phage particles were compared to those of unmanipulated control samples to determine the extent of tail breakage incurred by extraction procedures. Podoviruses exhibited the smallest frequency of tail loss during extraction (1.2-14%), myoviruses were moderately susceptible to tail breakage (15-40%), and siphoviruses were highly susceptible (32-76%). Thus, TEM assessments of viral diversity in soils or sediments by distribution of tail morphologies may be biased toward podoviruses and virions lacking tails, while simultaneously underestimating the abundance of siphoviruses. However, since the majority of viral capsids observed under TEM were intact, estimates of viral diversity based on the distribution of capsid diameters may provide a more reliable basis for morphological comparisons within and across ecosystems.     

Preparation of high-quality ultrathin transmission electron microscopy specimens of a nanocrystalline metallic powder

This article explores the achievable transmission electron microscopy specimen thickness and quality by using three different preparation methods in the case of a high-strength nanocrystalline Cu-Nb powder alloy. Low specimen thickness is essential for spatially resolved analyses of the grains in nanocrystalline materials. We have found that single-sided as well as double-sided low-angle Ar ion milling of the Cu-Nb powders embedded into epoxy resin produced wedge-shaped particles of very low thickness (<10 nm) near the edge. By means of a modified focused ion beam lift-out technique generating holes in the lamella interior large micrometer-sized electron-transparent regions were obtained. However, this lamella displayed a higher thickness at the rim of ≥30 nm. Limiting factors for the observed thicknesses are discussed including ion damage depths, backscattering, and surface roughness, which depend on ion type, energy, current density, and specimen motion. Finally, sections cut by ultramicrotomy at low stroke rate and low set thickness offered vast, several tens of square micrometers uniformly thin regions of ～10-nm minimum thickness. As major drawbacks, we have detected a thin coating on the sections consisting of epoxy deployed as the embedding material and considerable nanoscale thickness variations.     

汉英翻译质量提升的艺术手法新探——以近年TEM8真题为例

英语专业八级是检查英语专业教学大纲执行情况的最高水平测试,其翻译部分测试时间长,分值比重大,难度高,是影响考生成绩的重要部分。文章通过研究近年来专八汉译英真题和学生样卷,发现要切实有效地提高学生汉英翻译的质量,关键在于契合英语语言的特点,从遣词、造句,乃至谋篇三个层面切入。具体可以巧妙运用转义词汇,使译文措词灵活生动;可以充分发挥英语复合句、非人称主语句和多种句型的优势,使译文句法上由简入繁;可以加强使用英语的替代、省略和连接衔接手段,使译文的语篇组织的机理更加明晰。