Low affinity interaction of human or rat T cell adhesion molecule CD2 with its ligand aligns adhering membranes to achieve high physiological affinity

The mechanism by which low affinity adhesion molecules function to produce stable cell-cell adhesion is unknown. In solution, the interaction of human CD2 with its ligand CD58 is of low affinity (500 mM-1) and the interaction of rat CD2 with its ligand CD48 is of still lower affinity (40 mM-1). At the molecular level, however, the two systems are likely to be topologically identical. Fluorescently labeled glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored CD48 and CD58 were prepared and incorporated into supported phospholipid bilayers, in which the ligands were capable of free lateral diffusion. Quantitative fluorescence imaging was used to study the binding of cell surface human and rat CD2 molecules to the fluorescent ligands in contact areas between Jurkat cells and the bilayers. These studies provide two major conclusions. First, CD2/ligand interactions cooperate to align membranes with nanometer precision leading to a physiologically effective two-dimensional affinity. This process does not require the intact cytoplasmic tail of CD2. Second, the degree of membrane alignment that can be achieved by topologically similar receptors deteriorates with decreasing affinity. This suggests an affinity limit for the ability of this mode of cooperativity to achieve stable cell-cell adhesion at approximately 10 mM-1.     

Microstructure of GaN deposited by lateral confined epitaxy on patterned Si (111)

Lateral confined epitaxy (LCE) is an epitaxial growth method on substrates patterned to form uniform mesas separated by trenches for laterally restricting growth area. In this work, plan view and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used in order to characterize the microstructure of GaN films grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition on patterned Si (111) using the LCE method. Two kinds of propagation modes of the dislocations were observed. The dislocations in the center of the mesa mainly propagate vertically to the surface. On the other hand, dislocations close (1–2 μm) to the mesa edges tend to bend laterally, allowing dislocation reactions that result in a lower dislocation density. This suggests that the overall material quality improves with decreasing mesa size, which is consistent with the observed increase in photoluminescence band edge peak intensity.     

Thermal healing of the sub-surface damage layer in sapphire

The sub-surface damage layer formed by mechanical polishing of sapphire is known to reduce the mechanical strength of the processed sapphire and to degrade the performance of sapphire based components. Thermal annealing is one of the methods to eliminate the sub-surface damage layer. This study focuses on the mechanism of thermal healing by studying its effect on surface topography of a- and c-plane surfaces, on the residual stresses in surface layers and on the thickness of the sub-surface damage layer. An atomically flat surface was developed on thermally annealed c-plane surfaces while a faceted roof-top topography was formed on a-plane surfaces. The annealing resulted in an improved crystallographic perfection close to the sample surface as was indicated by a noticeable decrease in X-ray rocking curve peak width. Etching experiments and surface roughness measurements using white light interferometry with sub-nanometer resolution on specimens annealed to different extents indicate that the sub-surface damage layer of the optically polished sapphire is less than 3 μm thick and it is totally healed after thermal treatment at 1450 °C for 72 h.     

Investigation of thin solid ZnO films prepared by sputtering

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have attracted great attention in recent years due to their unique piezoelectric and piezooptic properties, making them suitable for various microelectronics and optoelectronics applications, such as surface acoustic wave devices, optical fibers, solar cells etc. ZnO is a semiconductor with a band gap of 3.3 eV and a large exciton binding energy of 60 meV. Undoped ZnO exhibits intrinsic n-type conductivity and it enables achieving high electron concentration. However, it may be doped to obtain low resistivity p-type thin films. Among group V of the periodic table, nitrogen is used as a popular p-type dopant due to its small atomic size. However, it is difficult to achieve p-type conduction in ZnO films due to the low solubility of nitrogen and its high intensity in self compensating process upon doping.Sputtering techniques enable us to form dense and homogeneous films due to the relatively high energy of the sputtered atoms. Thus we can grow high quality ZnO films with c-axis orientation, low growth temperature, high deposition rate, large area deposition, and availability in various growths ambient. In this work, the zinc oxide films were prepared using various DC sputtering methods in an atmosphere of pure argon and an atmosphere of mixed argon with nitrogen. Optical and electrical properties of the films were investigated.     

Studying of quantum-size effects origination in semiconducting lead sulfide nanocrystals

Lead sulfide (PbS) crystals with sizes from 20 to 500 nm were deposited in chemical bath from an alkaline solution (CBD method). The morphology of specimens was studied using high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM). Influence of crystallite sizes on the electronic structure was studied with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and high resolution electrons energy losses spectroscopy (HREELS). The work function was measured with a Kelvin probe microscopy in air.     

Daily stress interacts with trait dissociation to predict sleep-related experiences in young adults.

Building on the previously documented effects of stress and dissociation on sleep and dreaming, we examined their interactive role in general sleep-related experiences (GSEs; e.g., nightmares, falling dreams, hypnagogic hallucinations; see Watson, 2001). Stress, sleep quality, and GSEs were assessed daily for 14 days among young adults. Baseline assessment included life stress, sleep quality, psychopathology, dissociation, and related dimensions. Multilevel analyses indicated that daily stress brings about GSEs among highly dissociative young adults. Additionally, baseline trait dissociation predicted within-subject elevation in GSEs when daily stress was high. Flawed sleep–wake transitions, previously linked to dissociation and sleep-related experiences, might account for this effect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Investigation of the electrical transport mechanism in VOx thin films

Vanadium oxide VO₂ is a material that transforms from semiconductor to a metal state at a temperature of 67 °C. This phase transformation is accompanied by a dramatic change in its electrical and optical properties. Therefore, vanadium oxide thin films are most attractive for switching applications. Non-stoichiometric thin films of VO_x, including VO₂, also present such thermal response.This paper presents the optical and electrical properties of vanadium oxide thin films deposited by vacuum thermal evaporation of a metal vanadium with follows oxidation. We have studied the electro-physical behavior of these films during their phase transition. It was shown that the electrical transport mechanism of the obtained vanadium oxide films differ in low and high electrical fields. In low electrical fields, conductivity is obtained by the Schottky transport mechanism, whereas in high electrical fields, conductivity ranges from Ohmic, for medium fields, to Poole-Frenkel for higher fields. Also, FTIR and near IR reflectance characteristics of the obtained films are presented.     

Molecular Dynamics of Methylamine Following C?H and N?H Vibrational Excitation and Promotion to the à State

The molecular dynamics of methylamine, CH₃NH₂, was investigated via vibrationally mediated photodissociation. It was found that the ∼243.1 nm photolysis of initially excited N–H and C–H fundamental stretches and combinations and overtones of methyl deformation yields H photofragments. Surprisingly, the deformations promote the H atom release more effectively, implying mode-dependent enhancement of photodissociation in a relatively large molecule with a torsional degree of freedom. The H Doppler profiles correspond to low translational energies, supporting the dominant non-adiabatic N–H dissociation channel.     

Cognate peptide-induced destruction of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes is due to fratricide

In the absence of other cells, cloned CTL in culture can undergo massive destruction upon the addition of a peptide that is recognized, in association with the CTL's class I MHC proteins, by the CTL's Ag-specific TCR. To determine whether the destruction is a result of the individual CTL's recognition via its own TCR of peptide-MHC-I complexes on its own surface ("suicide"), or to cytolytic attack by some CTL on others in the same culture ("fratricide"), we compared the rate of peptide-induced cell death in conventional cultures, where CTL are free to establish cell-cell contacts, with other cultures in which individual CTL were prevented from forming cell-cell contacts by encasing them individually in agarose gel microdrops. The differences were dramatic: in the presence of high concentrations of peptide (10 millionfold greater than is necessary to support 50% lysis of conventional target cells by these CTL) cell death was linear over 0 to 8 h in conventional cultures, at a rate of about 10% per hour, whereas in the presence of the same high concentration of peptide over the same time course, no death was detected among the cells encased in agarose gel microdroplets. The results demonstrate an absolute requirement for cell-cell contact in the destruction of cloned CTL in culture with their cognate peptides at high concentration. Using an increase of intracellular calcium ion concentration ([Ca2+]i) as a measure of T-cell activation, we also found that peptide-dependent activation of CTL likewise depends upon cell-cell contact.     

Sustainability and migration: experiments from the Senegalese peanut basin

Many experts have concluded that migration and regional diversification are necessary steps to combat soil degradation and income erosion in the Sahel. Through observation and experiments conducted with two Senegalese village Social Accounting Matrices, the socioeconomic and environmental impact of migration and diversification out of agriculture is examined. Economically, it is found that migration can result in substantial increases in village income. These increases are accompanied by a shift in inter-compound income distribution and a shift in intra-compound access to agricultural income. Socially, the cost to the family of increased migration could be high due to the emergence of single parent households. Environmentally, the impact of migration and diversification out of agriculture need not be positive. Stress on the environment might be reduced through curtailing peanut production, but reductions in the agricultural labor force could actually reduce the possibility for labor intensive soil conservation, increase the possibility for millet mono-cropping, and increase the incidence of extensive but sparsely cultivated land because of land-tenure insecurity due to current usufruct laws.The data used for this study was collected as part of a project on land tenure and agricultural productivity in Africa which was funded by USAID and the Land Tenure Center at the University of Wisconsin. I would like to thank these institutions for their support. I would also like to thank Mordechai Shechter, Irma Adelman, Amos Golan, and an anonymous referee for comments and helpful suggestions.