X射线透射成像技术原位追踪混凝土吸水过程

为了表征二维混凝土的传输过程,制备厚度为1 mm的混凝土薄片. 采用X射线透射成像（TXR）技术,联合扫描电镜、背散射和能谱分析技术（SEM/BSE/EDS）原位追踪水在2维混凝土薄片中的毛细自吸过程. 测试不同质量分数CsCl溶液对X射线透射图像的增强效果. 结果表明,CsCl能够提高吸水过程中混凝土薄片的TXR图像对比度,使得水在混凝土中的渗流路径更清晰、可辨. 水泥浆体在吸收CsCl后,扫描电子背散射图像的对比度显著增强. 不同位置铯原子的EDS能谱结果验证了TXR技术确定吸水前锋位置的准确性.     

X射线衍射-拉伸法测薄膜应力

薄膜应力的测量一直是一个困难的问题。本文尝试用一种新的方法——X射线衍射-拉伸法,对薄膜的应力进行检测,与侧倾法实验结果相比较,X射线衍射-拉伸法更为准确与可靠。     

Activation of hydrogen storage materials in the Li–Mg–N–H system: Effect on storage properties

We investigate the thermodynamics, kinetics, and capacity of the hydrogen storage reaction: Li₂Mg(NH)₂ + 2H₂  Mg(NH₂)₂ + 2LiH. Starting with LiNH₂ and MgH₂, two distinct procedures have been previously proposed for activating samples to induce the reversible storage reaction. We clarify here the impact of these two activation procedures on the resulting capacity for the Li–Mg–N–H reaction. Additionally, we measure the temperature-dependent kinetic absorption data for this hydrogen storage system. Finally, our experiments confirm the previously reported formation enthalpy (ΔH), hydrogen capacity, and pressure–composition–isotherm (PCI) data, and suggest that this system represents a kinetically (but not thermodynamically) limited system for vehicular on-board storage applications.     

STRUCTURAL DETERMINATION OF TITANIUM-OXIDE NANOPARTICLES BY X-RAY ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY

As a potential application of titanium-oxide nanoparticles, it is extremely important to investigate a detailed picture of the surface and interior structural properties of nanocrystalline materials, such as rutile and anatase with diameters 7.0 and 4.5nm, respectively. X-ray absorption spectroscopy has been used to identify the local Ti environment and related electronic structure. We combine the experimental results at the Ti edge in both bulk and nano-crystals to determine the lattice distortion in terms of differently characteristic preedge features and the variation in the multiple-scattering region of X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra. The relationship between the transition peaks and the surface-to volume ratio is also discussed.     

基于自动选取最佳阈值的X光图像快速分割方法*

为实现对数字X光图像进行快速分割,提出一种针对直方图的包络特征进行处理的新方法.该方法采用分水岭算法对数字X光图像的直方图一维信号进行处理.首先计算出图像的直方图,然后对直方图进行形态学滤波,提取出直方图的包络.在此基础上对直方图的包络采用分水岭算法自动提取出最佳阈值.用提取出的阈值进行基于阈值的初步分割,然后进一步采用基于标记的分水岭算法对初步分割的二值图像作进一步分割.通过实验表明,采用该方法可以有效地分割大幅X光图像.     

X-ray Fluorescence Uptake Measurement of Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles in Tumor Cell Microsamples

Quantitative cellular in vitro nanoparticle uptake measurements are possible with a large number of different techniques, however, all have their respective restrictions. Here, we demonstrate the application of synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence imaging (XFI) on prostate tumor cells, which have internalized differently functionalized gold nanoparticles. Total nanoparticle uptake on the order of a few hundred picograms could be conveniently observed with microsamples consisting of only a few hundreds of cells. A comparison with mass spectroscopy quantification is provided, experimental results are both supported and sensitivity limits of this XFI approach extrapolated by Monte-Carlo simulations, yielding a minimum detectable nanoparticle mass of just 5 pg. This study demonstrates the high sensitivity level of XFI, allowing non-destructive uptake measurements with very small microsamples within just seconds of irradiation time.     

The Importance of Free Fatty Chain Length on the Lipid Organization in the Long Periodicity Phase

The skin’s barrier ability is an essential function for terrestrial survival, which is controlled by intercellular lipids within the stratum corneum (SC) layer. In this barrier, free fatty acids (FFAs) are an important lipid class. As seen in inflammatory skin diseases, when the lipid chain length is reduced, a reduction in the barrier’s performance is observed. In this study, we have investigated the contributing effects of various FFA chain lengths on the lamellar phase, lateral packing. The repeat distance of the lamellar phase increased with FFA chain length (C20–C28), while shorter FFAs (C16 to C18) had the opposite behaviour. While the lateral packing was affected, the orthorhombic to hexagonal to fluid phase transitions were not affected by the FFA chain length. Porcine SC lipid composition mimicking model was then used to investigate the proportional effect of shorter FFA C16, up to 50% content of the total FFA mixture. At this level, no difference in the overall lamellar phases and lateral packing was observed, while a significant increase in the water permeability was detected. Our results demonstrate a FFA C16 threshold that must be exceeded before the structure and barrier function of the long periodicity phase (LPP) is affected. These results are important to understand the lipid behaviour in this unique LPP structure as well as for the understanding, treatment, and development of inflammatory skin conditions.     

PGRP-LB: An Inside View into the Mechanism of the Amidase Reaction

Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) are ubiquitous among animals and play pivotal functions in insect immunity. Non-catalytic PGRPs are involved in the activation of immune pathways by binding to the peptidoglycan (PGN), whereas amidase PGRPs are capable of cleaving the PGN into non-immunogenic compounds. Drosophila PGRP-LB belongs to the amidase PGRPs and downregulates the immune deficiency (IMD) pathway by cleaving meso-2,6-diaminopimelic (meso-DAP or DAP)-type PGN. While the recognition process is well analyzed for the non-catalytic PGRPs, little is known about the enzymatic mechanism for the amidase PGRPs, despite their essential function in immune homeostasis. Here, we analyzed the specific activity of different isoforms of Drosophila PGRP-LB towards various PGN substrates to understand their specificity and role in Drosophila immunity. We show that these isoforms have similar activity towards the different compounds. To analyze the mechanism of the amidase activity, we performed site directed mutagenesis and solved the X-ray structures of wild-type Drosophila PGRP-LB and its mutants, with one of these structures presenting a protein complexed with the tracheal cytotoxin (TCT), a muropeptide derived from the PGN. Only the Y78F mutation abolished the PGN cleavage while other mutations reduced the activity solely. Together, our findings suggest the dynamic role of the residue Y78 in the amidase mechanism by nucleophilic attack through a water molecule to the carbonyl group of the amide function destabilized by Zn²⁺.     

Influence of molybdenum on passivation of polarised stainless steels in a chloride environment

Polarised specimens of AISI 304L and 316L stainless steels (SS) were studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in conjunction with Ar⁺-ion sputtering. A 5% NaCl test solution was used at room temperature. The polarised passive films formed consist mainly of chromium oxide and hydroxide and a small proportion of iron oxides. The composition of the films depend strongly on the potential. Chloride and molybdenum ions appear when the AISI 316L SS alloy is polarised at a potential close to pitting potential.