Partially reversible adsorption of annexin A1 on POPC/POPS bilayers investigated by QCM measurements, SFM, and DMC simulations

The kinetics of annexin A1 binding to solid-supported lipid bilayers consisting of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC)/1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoserine (POPS; 4:1) has been investigated as a function of the calcium ion concentration in the bulk phase. Quartz crystal microbalance measurements in conjunction with scanning force microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and computer simulations indicate that at a given Ca2+ concentration annexin A1 adsorbs irreversibly on membrane domains enriched in POPS. By contrast, annexin A1 adsorbs reversibly on the POPC-enriched phase, which is composed of single POPS molecules embedded within a POPC matrix. The overall area occupied by the POPS-enriched phase is controlled by the CaCl2 concentration. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that the area of the POPS-enriched phase increases by a factor of 7 when the Ca2+ concentration is changed from 0.01 to 1 mM.     

Component allocation and job sequencing for two series-connected SMD placement machines

The problem of component allocation and sequencing PCB assembly jobs for two series-connected SMD placement machines is addressed. With the allocation of components, a balancing of the workload per PCB for the two machines should be achieved. Furthermore, when switching from one type of PCB to another, setup times must be considered. Two heuristic procedures are developed and tested in extensive numeric analyses of a number of realistic case models. The problem examined and the database used represent a concrete case of an industrial application in which very diversified small jobs are to be processed.     

Bonsai Trees, or How to Delegate a Lattice Basis

We introduce a new lattice-based cryptographic structure called a bonsai tree, and use it to resolve some important open problems in the area. Applications of bonsai trees include an efficient, stateless ‘hash-and-sign’ signature scheme in the standard model (i.e., no random oracles), and the first hierarchical identity-based encryption (HIBE) scheme (also in the standard model) that does not rely on bilinear pairings. Interestingly, the abstract properties of bonsai trees seem to have no known realization in conventional number-theoretic cryptography.     

Remote plasma enhanced chemical deposition of non-crystalline GeO2 on Ge and Si substrates

Non-crystalline GeO2 films remote were plasma deposited at 300 degrees C onto Ge substrates after a final rinse in NH4OH. The reactant precursors gas were: (i) down-stream injected 2% GeH4 in He as the Ge precursor, and (ii) up-stream, plasma excited O2-He mixtures as the O precursor. Films annealed at 400 degrees C displayed no evidence for loss of O resulting in Ge sub-oxide formation, and for a 5-6 eV mid-gap absorption associated with formation of GeOx suboxide bonding, x < 2. These films were stable in normal laboratory ambients with no evidence for reaction with atmospheric water. Films deposited on Ge and annealed at 600 degrees C and 700 degrees C display spectra indicative of loss of O-atoms, accompanied with a 5.5 eV absorption. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and many-electron theory are combined to describe symmetries and degeneracies for O-vacancy bonding defects. These include comparisons with remote plasma-deposited non-crystalline SiO2 on Si substrates with SiON interfacial layers. Three different properties of remote plasma GeO2 films are addressed comparisons between (i) conduction band and band edge states of GeO2 and SiO2, and (ii) electronic structure of O-atom vacancy defects in GeO2 and SiO2, and differences between (iii) annealing of GeO2 films on Ge substrates, and Si substrates passivated with SiON interfacial transition regions important for device applications.     

Biomineralization in diatoms: the role of silacidins

Diatoms are eukaryotic, unicellular algae encased within siliceous cell walls (frustules), which are precisely reproduced generation by generation. The production of this nanostructured silica is under genetic control and the isolation of specific gene products (the proteins silaffins, silacidins) guiding the biomineralization processes, and which are necessary to produce the frustules, has already been described. Under silicon starvation, the amount of silacidins present in the cell walls of Thalassiosira pseudonana increases relative to other proteins. Natsilacidins, the native and highly phosphorylated silacidins are enormously effective in silica precipitation whereas silacidin A', the nonphosphorylated form, is not. This indicates an important role for natsilacidins in the survival of diatoms under silicic acid depleted conditions.     

A Comparison of ZnO Nanowires and Nanorods Grown Using MOCVD and Hydrothermal Processes

A comparison of ZnO nanowires (NWs) and nanorods (NRs) grown using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and hydrothermal synthesis, respectively, on p-Si (100), GaN/sapphire, and SiO₂ substrates is reported. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images reveal that ZnO NWs grown using MOCVD had diameters varying from 20 nm to 150 nm and approximate lengths ranging from 0.7 μm to 2 μm. The NWs exhibited clean termination/tips in the absence of any secondary nucleation. The NRs grown using the hydrothermal method had diameters varying between 200 nm and 350 nm with approximate lengths between 0.7 μm and 1 μm. However, the NRs grown on p-Si overlapped with each other and showed secondary nucleation. x-Ray diffraction (XRD) of (0002)-oriented ZnO NWs grown on GaN using MOCVD demonstrated a full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 0.0498 (θ) compared with 0.052 (θ) for ZnO NRs grown on similar substrates using hydrothermal synthesis, showing better crystal quality. Similar crystal quality was observed for NWs grown on p-Si and SiO₂ substrates. Photoluminescence (PL) of the NWs grown on p-Si and SiO₂ showed a single absorption peak attributed to exciton–exciton recombination. ZnO NWs grown on GaN/sapphire had defects associated with oxygen interstitials and oxygen vacancies.