Simulations of the mobile phase of polyethylene

Results are presented from atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of the mobile pseudo-hexagonal phase of polyethylene, which occurs under conditions of elevated pressure and temperature. Three different types of model are considered, all of which employ periodic boundary conditions. The first model consists of n-alkane sequences (48×-C₂₄H₄₈-) that are bonded across the simulation box boundaries to produce chains that are effectively infinite in extent. On heating, at high pressure, this system displays a rotator phase, in which the chains retain an all-trans conformation, and rotate as semi-rigid units. A second model, consisting of finite n-alkanes (48×C₂₄H₅₀) displays the same behaviour at low temperatures, but at high temperature and pressure forms a conformationally disordered rotator phase, characterised by a large proportion of gauche defects and a significant lattice expansion. The final model considered contains long n-alkanes (24×C₁₀₂H₂₀₆) which contain jog defects and each pass twice through the simulation box. This model forms a conformationally disordered rotator phase at high temperature and ambient pressure. The behaviour of the three models, in terms of the variations in chain conformation and rotational and translational dynamics, are compared. The conformationally disordered phases provide useful representations of the experimentally observed mobile phase.     

Effects of manufacturing defects on the mechanical properties of carbon fibre reinforced polyethersulphone laminates

The effects of defects on the mechanical properties of carbon fibre reinforced polyethersulphone laminates have been measured. The defects studied were cut fibre plies, omission of polymer films and local delamination produced by the inclusion of foreign matter. Of these it was found that only cut plies had a significant detrimental effect on the strength of a laminate. For specimens with two cut plies, the failure stress, tensile, flexural and compressive in the remaining continuous plies was the same as in the defect-free material, provided that the cut plies were widely separated. However the failure stresses were 15–18% lower in the continuous plies in the specimens containing two cut plies which were more closely spaced and in specimens containing four cut plies.     

To Be or Not to Be Electronic Money, That's the Question

The European Electronic Money Directive contains a definition of electronic money. However, determining which systems involving the use of electronic value fall under its scope can be more complicated than one might think. This issue is explored in this article through consideration of the question of whether prepaid mobile phone credits qualify as electronic money—a question that is currently being debated by telecommunications operators and regulators.     

Transconductance and mobility of Si:B delta MOSFETs

Delta-doped MOSFETs have been fabricated in MBE-grown silicon using for the first time boron as the dopant within the delta layer. Current-voltage characteristics have been measured, and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is used to confirm the location of the delta layer and the extent of layer broadening by diffusion during processing. Precise threshold voltages of the devices are difficult to determine since the devices (which all operate in depletion mode) take several volts to switch off. Transconductances of the devices have been measured, and it is shown how analysis of these results can yield estimates of the carrier mobility for transport along the delta layers despite the uncertainty in the threshold voltage. A clear transition is observed in the results which is attributed to the formation of a parasitic surface-channel field-effect transistor, providing conclusive evidence that the devices are conducting along a delta channel for part of the measured range of applied gate biases     

The absolute number of trans-rearrangements between the TCRG and TCRB loci is predictive of lymphoma risk: a severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) murine model

Pilot studies in human populations have demonstrated a correlation between the level of antigen receptor trans-rearrangements and risk (at the population level) of lymphoid malignancy. Irradiation of newborn severe combined immune deficiency mice results in an increased risk of subsequent development of thymic lymphoma (100% of mice so irradiated are dead of thymic lymphoma by 20 weeks of age). We, therefore, assayed the occurrence of trans-rearrangements in this well-controlled mouse mutant system and found a 50-100-fold increase in the absolute number of TCRGV-TCRBJ trans-rearrangements compared to unirradiated littermates (and a comparable fold increase over age-matched BALB/c mice) at 2 weeks following irradiation. We also found a marked disproportion in generating trans-rearrangements versus intralocus rearrangements in the severe combined immune deficiency system compared to BALB/c, independent of irradiation. The trans-rearrangements noted were polyclonal in nature. These data, again, suggest that the absolute level of antigen receptor trans-rearrangements may serve as a biomarker of lymphoma risk.     

Antigenic variants of Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi AS and the effects of mosquito transmission

Previous results, using a passive transfer assay, have shown that recrudescences of Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi AS strain are antigenically different from the infecting parental population and also that the recrudescence appears to be a mix of antigenic types. This present study examines further these recrudescent populations using an indirect fluorescent antibody test on live, schizont-infected red blood cells. This analysis shows that ten clones derived from a recrudescence are all antigenically different from the parent population and that some are different from each other. The use of this method to examine the antigenic types of recrudescent clones after transmission through mosquitoes also demonstrates a resulting change in antigenicity. Such results showing a link between mosquito transmission and varying antigenicity may have important implications in terms of immunity and vaccine development.