Read-out of soft X-ray contact microscopy microradiographs by focused ion beam/scanning electron microscope

A novel focused ion beam-based technique is presented for the read-out of microradiographs of Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes generated by soft x-ray contact microscopy (SXCM). In previous studies, the read-out was performed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), but in our work SXCM microradiographs were imaged by scanning ion microscopy (SIM) in a focused ion beam/scanning electron microscope (FIB/SEM). It allows an ad libitum selection of a sample region for gross morphologic to nanometric investigations, with a sequence of imaging and cutting. The FIB/SEM is less sensitive to height variation of the relief, and sectioning makes it possible to analyse the sample further. The SXCM can be coupled to SIM in a more efficient and faster way than to AFM. Scanning ion microscopy is the method of choice for the read-out of microradiographs of small multicellular organisms.     

TectoRNA and 'kissing-loop' RNA: atomic force microscopy of self-assembling RNA structures

RNA molecules have been much less studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM) than have DNA molecules. In this paper, AFM imaging is presented for two different RNA molecules able to self‐assemble into complex supramolecular architectures. The first one is a molecular dimer of a 230‐nt RNA fragment coming from the RNA genome of a murine leukaemia virus. The monomeric RNA fragment, which appears by AFM as an elongated structure with a mean aspect ratio of 1.4, assembles into a dimer of elongated structures through the formation of a ‘kissing‐loop’ RNA interaction. The second one is a large supramolecular fibre formed of artificial self‐assembling RNA molecular units called tectoRNA. The fibre lengths by AFM suggest that there are 50–70 tectoRNA units per fibre. Some methods and limitations are presented for measuring molecular volumes from AFM images.     

Ultrastructure changes induced by dry film formation of a trisodium phosphate blend, antimicrobial solution

Trisodium phosphate (TSP) has been reported to have antimicrobial activity and is approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for use in food processing applications. A novel (U.S. Patent 6,184,198), antimicrobial solution containing a blend of TSP, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium carbonate (TSP blend) has demonstrated effective inhibition of microbial contamination in a broad spectrum of applications. This high-resolution cold field emission scanning electron microcopy (LVSEM) investigation details structural changes and dry film formation in various classes of microbes as a mechanism for antimicrobial activity of this solution. The results showed that this TSP blend solution completely inhibited the growth of pathogenic E. coli O157:H7, and Salmonella bacteria, the mold Cryptococcus, as well as a Norwalk virus surrogate-feline calicivirus. Results by LVSEM confirmed that the antimicrobial effect was induced when encapsulating the target microbes in a high lubricity film that is formed around these organisms as the solution dries. The thickness of the film was estimated to be approximately 60 nm.     

夹具设计中定位误差的微分计算研究

从分析夹具设计中定位误差的影响因素入手，建立了工序尺寸或角度与定位基准有关量的函数表达式，进而由函数的微分近似代替定位误差。     

电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱炬管积碳成因分析

讨论了电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱(ICP-AES)测试过程中形成积碳的原因。从泵速快慢、炬管位置高低、炬管第二层管位置不同、等离子体火焰两端样品浓度不同和溶剂体系等不同方面讨论炬管积碳形成的原因及改进措施。     

空气-乙炔火焰原子吸收光谱法快速测定纯镍中镁、锰、铁

提出了用空气-乙炔火焰原子吸收光谱法快速测定纯镍中镁、锰、铁含量，介绍了镁、锰、铁最佳测定条件及呈良好线性范围的浓度，在测定中对样品中的干扰因素进行了综合考虑。该方法具有很好的灵敏度和重现性，具有方法步骤简单、操作容易、干扰少等特点。测定样品中镁、锰、铁含量的相对标准偏差均小于1．0％。标准加入回收率均在97．0％～100．0％范围内。适用于纯镍中镁、锰、铁含量控制分析和样品系统分析。     

Immobilization of proteins on self-assembled monolayers

The immobilization of protein molecules on self-assembled monolayers (SAM) by physical interactions and chemical bonding has been studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The proteins used for our investigation are bovine serum albumin (BSA), lysozyme (LYZ), and normal rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG). The surfaces are methyl-, hydroxyl-, carboxylic acid- and aldehyde-terminated SAMs. We found that BSA and LYZ can be readily immobilized on SAMs at their isoelectric point (IEP). The detailed surface morphology of adsorbed proteins varies with the functionality of the SAMs. The strong hydrophobic interaction at the IEP is attributed to immobilization. If the solution pH is deviated from the IEP, proteins may be attached onto the surface via electrostatic interactions. Covalent binding between the aldehyde-terminated SAM and the H2N-groups in the protein results in immobilization of all three proteins. The individual proteins and their orientations on SAMs are clearly resolved from high-resolution AFM images. The stability and bioactivity of these immobilized proteins are also studied.     

X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy of Films Generated from Organosulfur Extreme-Pressure (EP) Oil Additives

This study examines the interaction of sulfur-based oil additives on steel. Sulfurized isobutylene, dialkyldithiocarbamate and sulfurized esters were the additives investigated in this report. For the first time, X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy has provided detailed insight into the chemistry of both the thermo-oxidative and tribochemical films generated from these additives. It was found that the chemical nature of these films was strongly dependent on the operating environment for the additives. The XANES revealed that thermally, all three S additives reacted very similarly with steel to form a film mainly comprised of iron sulfate at temperatures as low as 100 °C. The ample supply of diffused oxygen from the base oil along with oxide naturally present on the substrate allowed for the complete oxidation of the S from the decomposed additive to iron sulfate. Tribochemical films were comprised of different forms of sulfur than observed for the thermo-oxidative films. The moderate AW conditions yielded a mixture of both oxidized and reduced forms of sulfur, with pyrite, FeS₂, being the major constituent. Rubbing between the steel pin and the substrate partially depleted the oxide layer present, allowing the additive to interact intimately with the fresh substrate, yielding FeS₂. Under extreme-pressure conditions, complete removal of the oxide layer occurred with a drastic increase in the interfacial temperatures between the pin and v-block, allowing for the complete thermal decomposition of FeS₂ to FeS to occur. AFM imaging of the AW films revealed the presence of tiny smooth domains randomly oriented, which were completely different from the pad-like structures observed for AW films generated from a typical ashless thiophosphate additive. The inability of the sulfur-based additives to form large pad-like structures, which can ultimately support the load, resulted in poor AW protection to the metal.     

原子力显微镜测量双光子成型点的弹性模量

提出了一种飞秒激光双光子成型点弹性模量的测量及结果分析方法.借助于原子力显微镜,选用无针尖探针对成型点的力学性能进行了测试,建立了椭球-平面接触的弹性力学模型.考虑了成型点剩余部分形变对结果分析的影响,在标定微探针弹性系数和对粘附力进行分析的基础上,提取了力曲线中所包含的力学信息,推算出了成型点的弹性模量,得到了成型点的弹性模量低于宏观材料弹性模量的结论.     

氢化物发生原子荧光用于食品中微量元素形态分析

介绍了北京吉天仪器有限公司开发的SA-10形态分析仪在测定砷形态和硒形态上的分析性能，大部分砷、硒形态的最小检测浓度小于1ng／mL。着重介绍SA-10形态分析仪在分析动物型海产品和植物型海产品中的砷形态以及在分析富硒营养品和富硒茶中的硒形态中的应用。