Calculations of the current-voltage characteristics of electroformed MIM structures,assuming a normal distribution of filamentary radii

Voltage-controlled differential negative resistance (VCNR) is known to occur in many electroformed metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structures. Current-voltage characteristics obtained from electroformed MIM devices can be derived using a model in which conduction is assumed to take place through an array of filaments spanning the two electrodes. The model assumes that conduction through the filaments is ohmic but deviates from this as filaments rupture due to Joule heating. Previous results based on filamentary models have been obtained by assuming that the filament resistances are distributed normally or according to some alternative distribution. Here we consider a filamentary model in which the radii of filaments are taken to be normally distributed. The corresponding current-voltage characteristics are derived and found to be typical of those obtained experimentally.     

High resolution potentiometry of planar electroformed MIM structures

Many attempts have been made to detect the current carrying filaments in electroformed metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structures (Pagnia and Sotnik 1988, Pagnia 1990). Transmission and scanning electron microscopes have been used without real success. Even experiments with the scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) could not definitely detect the filaments. We have mapped the potential distribution on an electroformed planar MIM diode (gold on quartz glass) with an STM and found usually only one (sometimes a few) sharp potential drop(s) in the microslit.     

Particle‐Free Emulsions for 3D Printing Elastomers

3D printing is a rapidly growing field that requires the development of yield‐stress fluids that can be used in postprinting transformation processes. There is a limited number of yield‐stress fluids currently available with the desired rheological properties for building structures with small filaments (≤l00 µm) with high shape‐retention. A printing‐centric approach for 3D printing particle‐free silicone oil‐in‐water emulsions with a polymer additive, poly(ethylene oxide) is presented. This particular material structure and formulation is used to build 3D structure and to pattern at filament diameters below that of any other known material in this class. Increasing the molecular weight of poly(ethylene oxide) drastically increases the extensibility of the material without significantly affecting shear flow properties (shear yield stress and linear viscoelastic moduli). Higher extensibility of the emulsion correlates to the ability of filaments to span relatively large gaps (greater than 6 mm) when extruded at large tip diameters (330 µm) and the ability to extrude filaments at high print rates (20 mm s^?1). 3D printed structures with these extensible particle‐free emulsions undergo postprinting transformation, which converts them into elastomers. These elastomers can buckle and recover from extreme compressive strain with no permanent deformation, a characteristic not native to the emulsion.     

Visualization and identification of cytoskeletal filaments in embryonic chick heart by the quick-freeze deep-etch method combined with immunocytochemistry

Cytoskeletal filaments in myocardial cells of chick embryo (stage 18-20, day 3) were studied by immunocytochemical and rapid-freeze deep-etch methods. A three-dimensional network of cytoplasmic filaments surrounding nascent myofibrils was visualized in saponin-treated myocardial cells. The major part of the network was composed of 12 to 14 nm filaments in platinum replicas. To identify the filaments, the myocardial cells were permeabilized with Triton X-100 and treated with myosin subfragment-1 (S1) for actin or immunogold-labeled antibody for desmin. A large number of filaments in myofibrils and a few cytoplasmic filaments were decorated with S1. A loose network surrounding the myofibrils was not decorated with S1 but with gold particles. This finding means that the majority of filaments occupying the interfibrillar space were desmin-containing filaments.     

“Nano‐Fishnet” Structure Making Silk Fibers Tougher

Based on the combined technologies of atomic force microscopy, X‐ray diffraction/scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectra analysis, etc., it is demonstrated that the nano‐fishnet‐like networks, one of the most flexible but toughest structures, turn out to be the basic structure of silk filaments. The force patterns of pulling individual fibrils allow the identification of the pathways of unfolding protein segments in stacking β‐crystallites, which reveal the fishnet‐like topology. The calculation shows that the β‐crystallites in silk nanofibrils are the cross‐linking points of the nano‐fishnets, which may enhance the toughness of silk filaments up to 1000 times, compared with amyloid‐like and unlinked string structures. It follows that the strong β‐sheet–β‐sheet interaction, a high degree of ordering, and a high density of β‐crystallites in silk fibers toughen the fishnet structure, then strengthen silk filaments, in consistency with the experiments for both spider and silkworm silks. The knowledge on the fishnet structure of silk fibers sheds light on the design and synthesis of either protein or synthetic fibers of ultraperformance in a more generic way.     

Electrical properties of carbon and carbon-compounds compared with electroformed MIM characteristics

MIM diodes consisting of a vacuum gap between glassy carbon tips show the same electroforming behaviour as MIM diodes with arbitrary types of metals and insulators. It is shown that the current conducting filaments consist of carbon, as assumed for electroformed MIM structures (Pagnia and Sotnik 1988).     

Ultrastructural verification of anchoring role of lamina fibroreticularis of dental basement membrane in odontogenesis

In a previous study of the developing tooth a characteristic fibrillar layer associated with the basement membrane of the inner enamel epithelium was found to be a highly specialized lamina fibroreticularis of the basement membrane which is unusually rich in basotubules, 10 nm wide microfibril-like structures. In this study this layer was further examined in detail in the hope of ultrastructurally elucidating its role in odontogenesis. Tooth germs of the monkey (Macaca fuscata) were processed for thin section observations. Dental papilla cell processes were inserted into the lamina fibroreticularis and their surface was closely associated with numerous parallel basotubules. With high-resolution observations the space between the surface and nearest basotubules as well as the spaces between neighbouring basotubules were bridged by 1.5-3 nm wide filaments running perpendicular to the axis of basotubules. These results indicate that the processes of dental papilla cells are linked to groups of basotubules by means of 1.5-3 nm wide filaments. Immunoperoxidase staining showed the presence of fibronectin along basotubules as well as within the space between the process and basotubule. This result, together with the comparison of these filaments with microfibril-associated 1.2-3 nm wide fibronectin filaments and the reported abundance of fibronectin in the basement membrane area during odontogenesis, indicates that these 1.5-3 nm wide filaments are composed of fibronectin. After immunostaining for amyloid P component, done with the rat tissue because of the nature of an available antiserum, basotubules in the lamina fibroreticularis were positively stained, as has been shown in basotubules/microfibrils in other locations. Microfibrils function as anchoring rods by interlinking connective tissue components to one another and to the cells. Basotubules, thought to be basement membrane-incorporated microfibrils, in the lamina fibroreticularis in this study are also likely to function as an anchoring device to immobilize dental papilla cells along the basement membrane. Such an arrangement of mesenchymal cells is known to be crucial for the successful differentiation of odontoblasts in the developing tooth.     

二种固定方法对扫描电镜用植物细胞冷冻割断样品的影响

本文用冷冻割断法在扫描电镜下观察了大蒜(Allium sativum L.)根尖分生组织细胞内部的三维结构。样品制备采用了两种固定方法:冷冻割断前只用1％的锇酸固定的材料易在细胞质和细胞核之间断开;而先用Bouin‘s液固定,再用1％锇酸固定的材料易使细胞核被断开。据此认为前一固定法适于研究细胞质的内部结构(如细胞骨架纤维、线粒体、内质网等)及其三维分布关系;后一种固定法适于核内结构(染色质、核仁、核基质纤维)的三维图象的研究,特别是核仁纤维中心染色质的三维结构。     

Electron microscopic visualization of actin filaments in the early embryo of Drosophila melanogaster: the use of phalloidin and tropomyosin

Various specimen preparations for thin-section electron microscopy were tested to better preserve and visualize actin filaments in the cortex of the early embryos of Drosophila melanogaster. When embryos were treated with phalloidin prior to fixation, many actin filaments were observed in their cortex comparable to the staining with fluorescently labeled phalloidin in light microscopy. Then we used various fixatives containing phalloidin. As far as we examined, actin filaments were best preserved in the specimen fixed with 2.5% glutaraldehyde, 2% paraformaldehyde in 0.1 M sodium phosphate buffer or in 0.1 M PIPES buffer (1 mM EGTA and 1 mM MgCl2) containing 10 microM phalloidin and 0.1% saponin. When embryos were glycerinated and then treated with tropomyosin before fixation, actin filaments were well visualized as thicker, uniform-sized filaments, though the number of filaments decreased probably owing to glycerination. This suggests that, like heavy meromyosin and its subfragment-1, this protein may protect actin filaments from being disrupted by chemical fixation. Using these improved fixation procedures, we successfully examined the distribution of actin filaments in the Drosophila embryo cortex during cellularization. These methods may be applicable to stabilize labile actin filaments in other types of cells.     

Resistive switching characteristic of electrolyte-oxide-semiconductor structures

The resistive switching characteristic of SiO₂ thin film in electrolyte-oxide-semiconductor (EOS) structures under certain bias voltage is reported. To analyze the mechanism of the resistive switching characteristic, a batch of EOS structures were fabricated under various conditions and their electrical properties were measured with a set of three-electrode systems. A theoretical model based on the formation and rupture of conductive filaments in the oxide layer is proposed to reveal the mechanism of the resistive switching characteristic, followed by an experimental investigation of Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) to verify the proposed theoretical model. It is found that different threshold voltage, reverse leakage current and slope value features of the switching I-V characteristic can be observed in different EOS structures with different electrolyte solutions as well as different SiO₂ layers made by different fabrication processes or in different thicknesses. With a simple fabrication process and significant resistive switching characteristic, the EOS structures show great potential for chemical/biochemical applications.     

Quick-freeze, deep-etch visualization of the nuclear pore complex

We have visualized the nuclear pore complex (NPCx) three-dimensionally by quick-freeze, deep etching and suggest that NPCx is composed of four rings and associated filaments. The rings were located at the cytoplasmic side, at the nucleoplasmic side, and at the pore waist as well. Some of the filaments emanated toward the cytoplasm, some sprawled over the cytoplasmic face of the nuclear membrane, and some intervened the rings. The emanating filaments were considered to be vimentin filaments judging from the replica and thin-sectioned image.     

环六亚甲基双乙酰胺诱导人肝癌SMMC-7721细胞分化过程中核基质-中间纤维系统的构型变化

目的:研究环六亚甲基双乙酰胺(HMBA)诱导人肝癌SMMC-7721细胞分化过程中细胞核基质-中间纤维系统的构型变化.方法:应用选择性抽提整装光镜与电镜技术观察SMMC-7721细胞诱导前后其核基质-中间纤维系统的构型特征.结果:对照组SMMC-7721细胞中,核基质纤维与中间纤维具有数量较少、单丝纤维较少、分布不均匀、排列无序、核纤层较厚、与两类纤维联系不紧密等特点,其核区域内可见一至数个由少量纤维维系着的残余核仁;而在经HMBA诱导处理后的分化细胞中,两类纤维不仅数量增多、层次丰富、分布更为均匀、单丝成份增多,而且核纤层更加致密,呈现薄层均一结构并与两类纤维发生更为紧密的联系,形成较为规则的纤维网架体系,其残余核仁由更加丰富且呈放射状排列的纤维所维系.结论:HMBA诱导体外培养人肝癌SMMC-7721细胞分化过程中的核基质-中间纤维系统的构型发生了明显的变化,这种变化是癌细胞恶性表型逆转的重要形态和功能表现.     

Detection and evaluation of current filaments in MIS sandwich systems by applying mirror electron microscopy (MEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

Conducting channels form at weak points of an insulating layer by applying a voltage to MIS sandwich systems produced by vacuum evaporation. Local variations of the surface potential caused by the current filaments can be detected by applying MEM and SEM. An evaluation of the filament current is possible by a quantitative contrast interpretation of the corresponding image structures observed in the MEM     

Latrunculin B处理后青杄花粉管微丝骨架和细胞超微结构的观察

本文应用荧光探针标记技术和透射电子显微镜研究微丝抑制刺(latrunculin b,LATB)处理青杄花粉管后,对其微丝骨架和超微结构的影响.结果表明:LATB剂量依赖性地抑制青杄花粉萌发和花粉管生长;应用荧光探针FTTC-鬼笔环肽标记花粉管中的微丝,发现用正常培养基培养的花粉管中,束状的F-actin以与花粉管长轴平行的方向排列,从花粉管基部一直延伸到花粉管亚顶端,而LATB处理导致微丝的解聚.通过透射电镜观察发现,LATB处理使花粉管顶端的透明区消失,顶端区域被一些空泡、脂粒等占据,线粒体膜破裂,高尔基体片层断裂成泡状结构以至解体.上述研究结果表明:微丝抑制荆LATB通过破坏花粉管微丝的组装和超微结构影响青秆花粉萌发及花粉管生长,因此微丝在青秆花粉萌发、花粉管极性生长模式的建立和维持过程中起重要作用.     

Three-dimensional studies of cytoskeletal organizations in cultured thyroid cells by quick-freezing and deep-etching method

Isolated porcine thyroid cells were cultured on collagen gels (control group, TSH-stimulated group, and double-layered culture). They were split or cut to remove cytoplasmic soluble proteins for replica preparations. Some specimens were immunostained with anti-actin antibody or decorated with S1 myosin fragments to identify actin filaments. The basal cell membranes of thyroid cells of monolayer culture were in contact with collagen gels and the apical cell membranes faced the culture medium. Networks of actin filaments were attached to the cytoplasmic sides of the apical cell membranes, while intermediate filaments were localized along the basal ones. The thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) treatment induced the formation of microvilli only on the apical cell membranes and the accumulation of actin filaments under the apical cell membranes, indicating the apical-basal polarity of the cells. In double-layered culture, the primitive follicular lumens with microvilli appeared between two adjacent cells. The interaction of cell membranes with collagen gels is a determinant factor in the orientation of apical-basal polarity. Moreover, the TSH treatment and cell-cell contact further intensify the polarization through reorganizing the cytoskeletons.     

激光等离子体丝阵列对10 GHz微波传输特性的影响

为了研究飞秒激光等离子体丝阵列对10 GHz微波传输特性的影响,利用COMSOL软件构建了飞秒激光等离子体丝阵列与微波相互作用的数值仿真模型,研究了等离子体丝阵列参数、等离子体特征参数、阵列层数对微波反射率和透射率的影响。数值结果表明:当微波的电场方向垂直于等离子体丝轴向时,无论微波相对于丝阵列的入射角如何变化,丝阵列对微波完全没有影响。增加丝的直径或者电子数密度、减少阵列间距或者电子温度都可以使反射率增加,透射率减小。光丝直径为500m,阵列间距为1 mm的等离子体丝阵列对10 GHz微波反射率最大可达到0.88,此时等离子体的特征参数为ne=11023 m-3,Te=0.3 eV。当增加丝阵列的层数时,透射率减小,最终趋近于0,而反射率则保持不变。该研究结果对飞秒激光等离子体丝阵列屏蔽干扰微波具有重要意义。     

Ultrastructure and behavior of actin cytoskeleton during cell wall formation in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Fluorescence microscopy has shown that F-actin of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe forms patch, cable and ring structures. To study the relationship between cell wall formation and the actin cytoskeleton, the process of cell wall regeneration from the protoplast was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) and three-dimensional reconstruction analysis. During cell wall regeneration from the protoplast, localization of F-actin patches was similar to that of the newly synthesized cell wall materials, as shown by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). In serial sectioned TEM images, filasomes were spherical, 100-300 nm in diameter and consisted of a single microvesicle (35-70 nm diameter) surrounded by fine filaments. Filasomes were adjacent to the newly formed glucan fibrils in single, cluster or rosary forms. By IEM analysis, we found that colloidal gold particles indicating actin molecules were present in the filamentous area of filasomes. Three-dimensional reconstruction images of serial sections clarified that the distribution of filasomes corresponded to the distribution of F-actin patches revealed by CLSM. Thus, a filasome is one of the F-actin patch structures appearing in the cytoplasm at the site of the initial formation of the cell wall and it may play an important role in this action.     

多晶硅还原炉倒棒原因探讨

多晶硅生产过程中的倒棒现象将给多晶硅生产企业带来巨大的经济损失和安全风险.通过对多晶硅生产中还原炉倒棒现象的总结分析,发现还原炉系统设备自身问题、硅芯质量及安装缺陷和硅棒生长中的工艺控制不当是造成还原炉发生倒棒的主要原因,通过优化还原系统设备、提高安装操作水平等措施控制和预防还原炉的倒棒问题.     

Determining data independence on a digitized membrane in threedimensions

A method for determining whether structures distributed along a cell's membrane represent a random spatial distribution is presented in this paper. Two three-dimensional (3-D) images are acquired from one cell by wide-field digital imaging of cells which have been labeled with two different fluorescent antibodies. Prior to spatial analysis, a constrained regularized least squares restoration of the images is performed. This is followed by registration via fiducial markers (dual-labeled beads). A deformable model is then used to map data near the surface to the surface. Finally, each resulting data set is analyzed to determine whether it is spatially random. To do this, the authors generalize the test for complete spatial randomness of points in a plane, to test voxels distributed along a voxelized membrane in three dimensions. The authors also test whether the distribution of one protein is independent of the distribution of a second protein. The method is applied to compare the distribution of the protein kinase C to that of vinculin. Vinculin is a protein which anchors intracellular filaments to the cell's plasma membrane. It is also used as a (sparse) membrane marker for the deformable model. Protein kinase C facilitates molecular motors inside the cell. These may be associated with actin and myosin filaments     

Submicron nickel filaments made by electroplating carbon filaments as a new filler material for electromagnetic interference shielding

Short nickel filaments of diam 0.4 μm and containing 94 vol% Ni and 6 vol% C were fabricated by electroplating with nickel 0.1 μm diam catalytically grown carbon filaments. The use of these filaments in polyether sulfone in amounts of 3, 7,13, and 19 vol% gave composites with electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness at 1–2 GHz of 42,87,84, and 92 dB, respectively, compared to a value of 90 dB for solid copper. Less shielding was attained when 0.1 μm diam carbon filaments or 2 or 20 μm diam nickel fibers were used instead.