Quorum sensing detected by atomic force microscopy imaging of corrals surrounding multicellular arrangement of bacteria

Connectivity of the glycocalyx covering of small communities of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans bacteria deposited on hydrophilic mica plates was imaged by atomic force microscopy. When part of the coverage was removed by water rinsing, an insoluble structure formed by corrals surrounding each individual bacterium was observed. A collective ring structure with clustered bacteria (>or=3) was observed, which indicates that the bacteria perceived the neighborhood in order to grow a protective structure that results in smaller production of exopolysaccharides material. The most surprising aspect of these collective corral structures was that they occur at a low bacterial cell density. The deposited layers were also analyzed by confocal Raman microscopy and shown to contain polysaccharides, protein, and glucoronic acid.     

Friction reduction in low-load hydrodynamic lubrication with a hydrophobic surface

A novel tribometer capable of measuring low friction forces and low loads at high speeds has been employed to measure the friction coefficient in a pure sliding, ball-on-flat contact in hydrodynamic lubrication conditions. The tribometer was custom-built for measuring friction at low loads, to allow the authors to investigate the feasibility of using the liquid-slip phenomenon for the lubrication of high-sliding MEMS. The theory behind lubrication with liquid slip and its effect on friction is briefly discussed. Contacting surfaces were treated to create hydrophobic/hydrophilic or hydrophilic/hydrophilic pairs. Hydrophobic surfaces were made by coating mica with a self-assembled silane monolayer while the hydrophilic surfaces used were freshly cleaved mica and plasma-cleaned steel. Experiments were conducted at sliding speeds of up to 2 m/s and loads below 0.2 N. An aqueous glycerol solution was used as lubricant. Results obtained with hydrophilic/hydrophilic surfaces were in accord with hydrodynamic lubrication theory. Tests with hydrophobic/hydrophilic surfaces revealed a reduction in friction, which may be attributed to lubricant slip against the hydrophobic surface.     

The effect of water on friction of MEMS

Water plays a significant role in the performance of micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS). A special apparatus was employed to investigate the adhesive friction attributed to water at low coverages, i.e., in the nanometer range, where friction and adhesion are a function of the water layer thickness. In addition, the history of the sample surface also plays a significant role. The friction forces associated with hydrophobic samples are negligibly affected by humidity changes, whereas those of hydrophilic samples show a strong dependence. Sample coverage and the friction force are also influenced by the sample temperature. High forces were measured for high humidities at low sample temperatures, for hydrophilic silicon. In contrast, hydrophobic samples show an increase of the friction force with increasing temperature. Experiments performed under high vacuum demonstrated that decreasing the water layer thickness by desorption decreases the friction force with several sub‐minima and sub‐maxima. The friction signal is accompanied by sudden fluctuations. For submonolayer coverage the friction force starts to increase. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Scanning force microscopy studies of the colonization and growth of A. ferrooxidans on the surface of pyrite minerals

We have used the technique of scanning force microscopy (SFM) for studying the interaction of the bacteria A. ferrooxidans with the surface of the mineral pyrite. These bacteria are important to study with regard to acidification of streams and the environmental impact of such acidification. A. ferrooxidans cells readily colonize the pyrite surface, forming a tight mineral seal between the cell and the pyrite substrate. These bacteria subsequently may grow under pH neutral conditions, biooxidizing the underlying pyrite; this process creates etch pits in the pyrite. On average, these etch pits are 1.2 microns in lateral dimension and approximately 220 nm deep.     

Reversed Micelle Structures in PFPE Lubricant Thin Films on Magnetic Disk Surface Observed by Non-Contact AFM

PFPE lubricants (Fomblin Z-dol) for hard disk surface lubrication have two hydroxyl groups, one at each end of the molecules, and form stable insoluble monolayers at the water surface. In this study, molecular weight-fractionated PFPE lubricant monolayers were transferred from the water surface to solid substrates such as a hydrophilized silicon wafer, gold-sputtered mica, and a hard disk after adjusting the two-dimensional density of the lubricant molecules. The molecular structures of the PFPE lubricant molecules at the solid surfaces were observed by the cryogenic non-contact AFM under ultra-high vacuum. At the hydrophilic silicon wafer surface we could observe a single lubricant molecule in a random coil sphere shape. However, at the non-polar gold surface we confirmed the formation of reversed micelle structures. At the hard disk surface we detected various sizes of reversed micelles of PFPE lubricant in a flat oval shape.     

Chemical and thermal denaturation of crystalline bacterial S-layer proteins: an atomic force microscopy study

Crystalline monomolecular cell surface layers, S-layers, are one of the most common outermost cell envelope components of the prokaryotic organisms (bacteria and archaeda) that protects them from competitive habitats. Since isolated S-protein subunits are able to re-assemble into crystalline arrays on lipid films and solid supports making biomimetic surfaces, S-layer technology is currently used in nanobiotechnology. An important aspect of the biomimetic surfaces built with S-layers is their stability under extreme solvent conditions or temperature. Chemical (pH, alcohol) and physical (thermal) denaturant conditions were employed to test the stability of S-layers. Recrystallized bacterial surface layers from Bacillus sphaericus (SbpA) on hydrophilic silicon wafers loses the crystalline structure at 80% ethanol/water mixtures, the change in structure being reversible after treating the surface with buffer solution. SbpA on silicon supports denatures at pH 3 and at 70 degrees C, and the process is irreversible. Cross-linking of SbpA enhances the stability for high ethanol and acidic conditions, but it does not improve thermal stability. Recrystallized SbpA on secondary cell wall polymer (SCWP), a natural environment for the protein layer, is more resistant to ethanol and pH exposure than recrystallized SbpA on hydrophilic silicon supports. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to monitor the loss of stability and the changes in protein layer conformation.     

Nanofriction of silicon oxide surfaces covered with thin water films

A thin water film present on surfaces plays a central role in defining the micro- and nanotribological properties of a system. This paper presents a quantitative examination of the nanotribological effects of thin water films in ultra high vacuum (UHV) on OH-terminated (hydrophilic) and bare (no OH terminations, hydrophobic in vacuum) silicon oxide surfaces. Water film thickness was controlled by varying the water partial pressure in UHV. Friction was measured by scanning force microscopy (SFM) as a function of an external applied load. The surface energy and the shear stress of the nanotribological contact was then approximated by fitting the friction-load curves using the Derjaguin-Muller-Toporov (DMT) model. The surface energy as well as the adhesion force of the OH-terminated hydrophilic sample first decrease and later increase significantly at higher water partial pressures. No such dependence could be deduced from the friction-load curves at varying water pressures for the bare hydrophobic silicon oxide surface. However, at relatively high normal loads (pressures) and water partial pressures the bare hydrophobic silicon oxide is transformed to an OH-terminated surface. This transformation appears to occur only in the area of contact leading to the conclusion that it is friction-induced. This work shows that the chemical composition of the topmost surface layer defines the frictional behavior of the tribosystem.     

基于ARM的汽车电动助力转向系统

在阐述了电动助力转向系统（EPS）及其控制器（ECU）结构和工作原理的基础上,设计了基于ARM S3C44B0X单片机电动助力转向系统。通过方向控制电路、H桥电机驱动电路和PWM脉宽调制技术实现对电机的控制。研制的硬件控制器通过了有关的电气性能测试,对所设计的硬件系统进行了台架试验,试验结果证明了硬件系统设计的正确性。     

电动助力转向系统与汽车转向盘力特性的仿真研究

将EPS系统模型与多自由度汽车动力学仿真软件相结合,讨论了EPS系统对汽车转向盘力特性的影响,提出并验证了将EPS系统比例控制系数设计成随车速和侧向加速度递减的函数来改善转向盘力特性的方法。     

电动助力转向机电磁兼容测试研究

深入研究了各主流电子电器EMC测试规范差异,结合EPS的ECU和MOTOR控制特点,深入分析了EPS的EMC测试技术难点,提出了解决方案。以某EPS为研究对象,提出了可行的测试方案,结合实际设备进行了RE测试,为EPS系统中ECU、MOTOR、传感器的优化集成提供了测试方法和数据,为EPS的EMC系统测试打下坚实基础。     

汽车电动助力转向系统的匹配分析及优化设计

在对汽车电动助力转向系统(EPS)的结构及其动力学特性分析的基础上,建立了线性三自由度汽车模型与EPS系统的集成数学模型。采用单参数自适应模糊PD控制策略,通过时域和频域的仿真计算,研究了EPS与整车动态性能的匹配关系及EPS主要参数的设计原则,并给出了EPS系统主要参数所必须满足的稳定性准则。在此基础上,建立了汽车系统和电动助力转向系统的综合系统多目标优化设计模型,并采用遗传算法对EPS主要参数进行优化设计。最后,通过试验验证了所设计的硬件参数和控制算法的有效性。     

电动助力转向系统模糊控制算法研究

针对电动助力转向系统(EPS)对控制系统的实时性、稳定性的要求,提出了一种应用于EPS的模糊控制算法,并将其应用在EPS控制器上组成模糊控制器。兼顾转向的轻便性和平稳性,在EPS实验平台上测试所设计的模糊控制器,并在线调整模糊控制参数,使EPS转向手感达到最佳。实验结果表明,所提出的模糊控制算法具有良好的跟踪性能,能满足EPS快速、频繁启停以及转向轻便、稳定的要求。     

人-车闭环中电动助力转向系统的基本特性分析

建立详细的四自由度电动助力转向(EPS)系统机械电气模型,考虑Fiala轮胎模型和二自由度整车模型,引入以转向盘输入角为反馈信号的驾驶员模型,构建装备EPS系统的人-车非线性闭环系统模型。采用模糊控制器确定目标电流并通过PID控制和脉冲宽度调制(PWM)实现其跟踪控制,构建电流闭环控制,并采用基于非线性控制设计(NCD)的单纯形自寻优法对参数进行优化。通过仿真计算,以转向盘输入转矩以及整车的横摆角速度、侧向加速度为指标,研究分析了EPS系统在人-车非线性闭环系统中的基本特性。     

电动叉车的电动助力转向(EPS)应用

为解决国产电动叉车转向功能普遍采用液压助力转向系统而带来易漏油、结构复杂等问题,将电动助力转向(EPS)技术引入电动叉车转向系统设计中。通过EPS典型系统组成部分的分析,研究了EPS三种控制方式的原理,提出了在叉车上如何应用EPS的方法,并进行了样机试制试验。试验结果表明采用该EPS系统的电叉运行平稳,可靠性好,转向性能佳,可替代传统液压转向系统。     

基于线性光耦的蓄电池电压隔离测量技术

介绍一种基于线性光耦的电压测试方法,在发动机控制特别是混合动力的蓄电池管理中具有实用价值。     

EPS快速转向性能对ESC性能影响的分析

目前,ESC系统基本成为汽车的标准配置,ECE R140规定了ESC的性能要求。测试方法中的过度转向干涉正弦延迟测试对方向盘的转速要求较高,EPS在方向盘高转速下的性能对ESC性能测试的影响较大,而在EPS设计时对此和ESC性能的考虑较少。基于此,详细分析ESC的测试性能要求和EPS性能的相关性,对ESC和EPS系统的联合开发及测试提供参考。     

Comparison of the indentation and elasticity of E. coli and its spheroplasts by AFM

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) provides a unique opportunity to study live individual bacteria at the nanometer scale. In addition to providing accurate morphological information, AFM can be exploited to investigate membrane protein localization and molecular interactions on the surface of living cells. A prerequisite for these studies is the development of robust procedures for sample preparation. While such procedures are established for intact bacteria, they are only beginning to emerge for bacterial spheroplasts. Spheroplasts are useful research models for studying mechanosensitive ion channels, membrane transport, lipopolysaccharide translocation, solute uptake, and the effects of antimicrobial agents on membranes. Furthermore, given the similarities between spheroplasts and cell wall-deficient (CWD) forms of pathogenic bacteria, spheroplast research could be relevant in biomedical research. In this paper, a new technique for immobilizing spheroplasts on mica pretreated with aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and glutaraldehyde is described. Using this mounting technique, the indentation and cell elasticity of glutaraldehyde-fixed and untreated spheroplasts of E. coli in liquid were measured. These values are compared to those of intact E. coli. Untreated spheroplasts were found to be much softer than the intact cells and the silicon nitride cantilevers used in this study.     

基于EPS电流采样模块的容差分析与研究

基于EPS电流采样模块容差分析,利用了PSPICE软件对EPS采样电路误差进行了仿真和分析,讨论了元器件参数的温漂变化、精度以及环境温度对采样电路的影响,并对灵敏度以及最坏情况的结果进行了计算和探讨.结果表明:在EPS中,最坏情况分析法是目前应用范围最广泛、操作最简便的方法,该方法确保了所有零件组合的容差在最大范围或最...     

EPS助力特性对汽车转向回正的影响分析

文中运用虚拟样机技术,利用ADAMS/Car软件建立了某轿车模型,根据汽车电动助力转向的不同助力特性,按照国家标准进行了操纵稳定性评价中的转向回正仿真实验,对比分析了不同助力特性的参数对汽车转向回正的影响,并得出了相关结论。     

电动助力转向系统仿真测试台设计与实现

为了在实验室环境下对所开发的EPS的控制策略和控制性能进行测试,以电动助力转向系统为研究对象,设计出一种试验仿真测试台,该仿真测试台通过数学模型和相应的设备向EPS提供一个与实际汽车行驶时相似的物理运行环境,实验结果表明,该仿真测试台能很好的模拟实际的汽车工作环境,对EPS系统的开发具有很好的助益。