Flash Lamps as Ignition and Initiation Sources of the VS-2 Pyrotechnic Composition

In the present work it is found that the pyrotechnic composition VS-2 can be initiated with flash lamps IFC-500 and EVIS. VS-2 pyrotechnic composition contains 90% of mercury（Ⅱ） 5-hydrazinotetrazolate perchlorate and 10% of optically transparent copolymer of 2-methyl-5-vinyltetrazole and methacrylic acid （PVMT）. We have found that the flash lamps make it possible to initiate combustion of VS-2 composition with its transition to detonation both in cylindrical charges placed in brass caps of 5 mm diameter and 2 mm high， and film charges with 10 mm×80 mm in size and surface weights of 60 mg·cm^-2 and 90 mg·cm^-2， showing ignition delay times 10 μs and 3 μs， respectively. We also measured detonation velocities for VS-2 composition film charges， which were 4375-4505 m·s^-1 （of the charge being surface mass 60 mg·cm^-2） and 4221-4281 m·s^-1 （of the charge being surface mass 90 mg·cm^-2） and their blasting action on the aluminum plate. The depths of the normal shock wave imprints at the charge-barrier interface were 0.6-0.7 mm （for surface mass of the film charges 60 mg·cm^-2） and 1.2-1.3 mm （for surface mass of the film charges 90 mg·cm^-2）.     

Effect of the addition of rare earths on the activity of alumina supported copper cobaltite in CO oxidation,CH4 oxidationand NO decomposition

The effect of the addition of small amounts of rare earths(Ln=La, Ce, Nd and Gd) to alumina supported copper-cobalt spinel oxide on the catalysts efficiency in CO and CH4 oxidation and in NO decomposition was investigated. Samples of Ln/Cu Co/Al catalyst were prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS), atomic absorption spectroscopy(AAS), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy(SEM-EDS), H2-temperature-programmed reduction(H2-TPR), electron paramagnetic resonance(EPR) spectroscopy and low temperature nitrogen adsorption. The results showed that the addition of rare earths changed the surface state of the alumina supported copper-cobalt spinel catalyst. As a result, partial reduction of copper species was observed as well as migration of these species between the surface and the bulk. The Ln/Cu Co/Al catalysts behaved differently in oxidation and reduction processes. In oxidation processes where oxide structure was important, Ce/Cu Co/Al and Nd/Cu Co/Al were the most active catalysts. The catalyst Ce/Cu Co/Al was the most active in the oxidation reactions because of the availability and favorable surface distribution of the redox couples Cu+/Cu2+ and Ce3+/Ce4+. In NO decompostion, Ln-modified catalysts significantly improved the selectivity of the process to N2.     

Modeling mechanical behaviors of composites with various ratios of matrixeinclusion properties using movable cellular automaton method

Two classes of composite materials are considered: classical metaleceramic composites with reinforcing hard inclusions as well as hard ceramics matrix with soft gel inclusions. Movable cellular automaton method is used for modeling the mechanical behaviors of such different heterogeneous materials. The method is based on particle approach and may be considered as a kind of discrete element method. The main feature of the method is the use of many-body forces of inter-element interaction within the formalism of simply deformable element approximation. It was shown that the strength of reinforcing particles and the width of particle-binder interphase boundaries had determining influence on the service characteristics of metaleceramic composite. In particular, the increasing of strength of carbide inclusions may lead to significant increase in the strength and ultimate strain of composite material. On the example of porous zirconia ceramics it was shown that the change in the mechanical properties of pore surface leads to the corresponding change in effective elastic modulus and strength limit of the ceramic sample. The less is the pore size, the more is this effect. The increase in the elastic properties of pore surface of ceramics may reduce its fracture energy.     

ZrCuAlNi系大块金属玻璃的非晶形成能力、热学和力学性能（英文）

分析ZrCuAlNi系大块金属玻璃的非晶形成能力、热学和力学性能。运用密实堆积和动态脆性指数模型从理论上确定合金的成分。采用铜模吸铸法在氩气保护下制备圆柱形和圆锥形铸锭。用X射线衍射表征圆锥形铸锭以便确定非晶结构。结果表明:两种合金的临界非晶直径为3 mm。用差示扫描量热法(DSC)分析其热行为,加热速率分别为0.5、0.67和0.83 K/s。γ参数、过冷液相区ΔT_x和约化玻璃转变温度T_(rg)等这些实验所得的参数均表明其具有高的非晶形成能力。非晶成分显示其脆性指数为40。合金的压缩试验采用的应变速率为0.016 s~(-1),得到弹性模量约为83 GPa,总应变约为5%,屈服强度为1.6 GPa,硬度为4 GPa。运用密实堆积和动态脆性指数模拟可以预测ZrCuAlNi系合金的非晶形成成分。     

Pulsed laser reshaping and fragmentation of upconversion nanoparticles-from hexagonal prisms to ID nanorods through“Medusa”-like structures

One dimensional(1D)nanostructures attract considerable attention,enabling a broad application owing to their unique properties.However,the precise mechanism of 1D morphology attainment remains a matter of debate.In this study,ultrafast picosecond(ps)laser-induced treatment on upconversion nanoparticles(UCNPs)is offered as a tool for 1 D-nanostructures formation.Fragmentation,reshaping through recrystallization process and bioadaptation of initially hydrophobic(β-Na_1.5Y_{1.5_}F₆:Yb³⁺,Tm³⁺/β-Na_1.5Y_{1.5_}F₆)core/shell nanoparticles by means of one-step laser treatment in water are demonstrated.“True”1D nanostructures through"Medusa^-like structures can be obtained,maintaining anti-Stokes luminescence functionalities.A matter of the one-dimensional UCNPs based on direction of energy migration processes is debated.The proposed laser treatment approach is suitable for fast UCNP surface modification and nano-to-nano transformation,that open unique opportunities to expand UCNP applications in industry and biomedicine.     

Peak assignments of ELNES and XANES using overlap population diagrams

The usefulness of overlap population (OP) diagrams for peak assignments of an electron energy loss near-edge structure (ELNES) and an X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) is demonstrated. Mg-K, L(2,3), and O-K edges of MgO are taken as examples. Theoretical calculations are performed using a first-principles orthogonalized linear combination of atomic orbitals (OLCAO) method. A core-hole is included explicitly, and a large supercell is used to minimize artificial interactions among the core-holes in adjacent cells. All experimental spectra are quantitatively reproduced by the calculations. The OP diagrams for a selected pair of atomic orbitals are computed in order to provide proper assignments for each peak in ELNES and XANES. They are interpreted in terms of interactions among Mg-Mg and Mg-O bonds. Results are found to be consistent to our previous conclusion, which was obtained using a cluster method [T. Mizoguchi, et al., Phys. Rev. B 61 (2000) 2180]. The powerful combination of the OP diagram and a high-energy resolution ELNES to obtain fine electronic structures is also demonstrated.     

Compact multiphoton/single photon laser scanning microscope for spectral imaging and fluorescence lifetime imaging

An inverted fluorescence microscope was upgraded into a compact three-dimensional laser scanning microscope (LSM) of 65 x 62 x 48 cm dimensions by means of a fast kHz galvoscanner unit, a piezodriven z-stage, and a picosecond (ps) 50 MHz laser diode at 405 nm. In addition, compact turn-key near infrared femtosecond lasers have been employed to perform multiphoton fluorescence and second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy. To expand the features of the compact LSM, a time-correlated single photon counting unit as well as a Sagnac interferometer have been added to realize fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) and spectral imaging. Using this unique five-dimensional microscope, TauMap, single-photon excited (SPE), and two-photon excited (TPE) cellular fluorescence as well as intratissue autofluorescence of water plant leaves have been investigated with submicron spatial resolution, <270 ps temporal resolution, and 10 nm spectral resolution.     

The isotopic distribution conundrum

Although access to high-resolution mass spectrometry (MS), especially in the field of biomolecular MS, is becoming readily available due to recent advances in MS technology, the accompanied information on isotopic distribution in high-resolution spectra is not used at its full potential, mainly because of lack of knowledge and/or awareness. In this review, we give an insight into the practical problems related to calculating the isotopic distribution for large biomolecules, and present an overview of methods for the calculation of the isotopic distribution. We discuss the key events that triggered the development of various algorithms and explain the rationale of how and why the various isotopic-distribution calculations were performed. The review is focused around the developmental stages as briefly outlined below, starting with the first observation of an isotopic distribution. The observations of Beynon in the field of organic MS that chlorine appeared in a mass spectrum as two variants with odds 3:1 lie at the basis of the first wave of algorithms for the calculation of the isotopic distribution, based on the atomic composition of a molecule. From here on, we explain why more complex biomolecules such as peptides exhibit a highly complex isotope pattern when assayed by MS, and we discuss how combinatorial difficulties complicate the calculation of the isotopic distribution on computers. For this purpose, we highlight three methods, which were introduced in the 1980s. These are the stepwise procedure introduced by Kubinyi, the polynomial expansion from Brownawell and Fillippo, and the multinomial expansion from Yergey. The next development was instigated by Rockwood, who suggested to decompose the isotopic distribution in terms of their nucleon count instead of the exact mass. In this respect, we could claim that the term "aggregated" isotopic distribution is more appropriate. Due to the simplification of the isotopic distribution to its aggregated counterpart, Rockwood was able to use the convolution for the calculation of the "aggregated" isotopic distribution. Convolution methods are computationally efficient and economic in their memory usage. We spend a section on the work introduced by Rockwood during the 1990s. Due to recent breakthroughs in mass spectrometric technology and the widespread high-resolution instruments (e.g., FTICR-MS, FTOrbitrap-MS, and TOF-MS) that provide high-resolution, isotope-resolved, accurate mass data, there is an emerging need for algorithms that can calculate isotopic distributions for large biomolecules. The number of recent publications on this topic does witness this trend. The new methods are mostly based on complex mathematical developments such as, for example, cellular automata (Meija and Caruso [2004]. J Am Soc Mass Spectrom, 15(5):654-658), dynamic programming (Snider [2007]. J Am Soc Mass Spectrom, 18:1511-1515), and hierarchical models (Li et al. [2008] J Am Soc Mass Spectrom, 19:1867-1874). We also comment on the ideas to use Punnet squares and Pascal's triangle to introduce the concept of the isotopic distribution for educational and didactic purposes.     

Cryogenic EBSD on ice: preserving a stable surface in a low pressure SEM

Naturally deformed ice contains subgrains with characteristic geometries that have recently been identified in etched surfaces using high-resolution light microscopy (LM). The probable slip systems responsible for these subgrain boundary types can be determined using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), providing the etch features imaged with reflected LM can be retained during EBSD data acquisition in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Retention of the etch features requires that the ice surface is stable. Depending on the pressure and temperature, sublimation of ice can occur. The equilibrium temperature for a low pressure SEM operating at 1 × 10(-6) hPa is about -112°C and operating at higher temperatures causes sublimation. Although charging of uncoated ice samples is reduced by sublimation, important information contained in the etch features are removed as the surface sublimes. We developed a method for collecting EBSD data on stable ice surfaces in a low pressure SEM. We found that operating at temperatures of <-112°C reduced sublimation so that the original etch surface features were retained. Charging, which occurred at low pressures (<1.5 × 10(-6) to 2.8 × 10(-5) hPa) was reduced by defocusing the beam. At very low pressures (<1.5 × 10(-6) hPa) the spatial resolution with a defocused beam at 10 kV was about 3 μm in the x-direction at -150°C and 0.5 μm at -120°C, because at higher temperature charging was less and only a small defocus was needed to compensate it. Angular resolution was better than 0.7° after orientation averaging. Excellent agreement was obtained between LM etch features and EBSD mapped microstructures. First results are shown, which indicate subgrain boundary types comprised of basal (tilt and twist) and nonbasal dislocations (tilt boundaries).     

Going green: plants' alternative way to position the Ran gradient

Ran is a multi-functional small GTPase of the Ras super-family involved in nucleocytoplasmic transport, mitotic spindle assembly, cell cycle control and nuclear envelope (NE) formation. Its roles are accomplished by the asymmetric distribution of its GTP- and GDP-bound forms, enabled by the specific localization of Ran accessory proteins, the Ran GTPase-activating protein RanGAP and the nucleotide exchange factor RCC1. Mammalian RanGAP1 is targeted to the NE during interphase and to the spindle and kinetochores during mitosis via a SUMOylated C-terminal domain and interaction with the nucleoporin Nup358/RanBP2. Arabidopsis RanGAP1 (AtRanGAP1) lacks the SUMOylated C-terminal domain of vertebrate RanGAP, but contains a plant-specific N-terminal domain (WPP domain), which is necessary and sufficient for its targeting to the NE in interphase. AtRanGAP1 has a mitotic trafficking pattern uniquely different from that of vertebrate RanGAP, which includes targeting to the outward-growing rim of the cell plate. The WPP domain is necessary and sufficient for this targeting. Now, a novel family of plant-specific, nuclear pore-associated proteins has been identified in Arabidopsis, which is essential for anchoring RanGAP to the Arabidopsis nuclear envelope at the root meristem. This suggests that RanGAP anchoring to the nuclear pore has been solved in two fundamentally different ways in animals and plants. These findings support a separate evolution of RanGAP targeting mechanisms in different kingdoms, possibly related to different functional geometries of the Ran gradient in animal and higher plant cell division.