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The use of scanning near-field photolithography (SNP) to fabricate DNA nanostructures is described. Two different strategies were employed to generate nanoscale features in oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) terminated alkylthiolate self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold. At long exposure times, complete photooxidation of the SAM molecules enabled their displacement by amino-terminated thiol molecules, which were subsequently used to attach ss-DNA molecules; while short exposure times resulted in partial photochemical conversion of the terminal OEG group of the adsorbate to an aldehyde group facilitating the direct attachment of amino-DNA molecules. Arrays of DNA functionalized metal-nanoparticles were then assembled onto the ss-DNA patches through specific DNA hybridization. This methodology provides a facile approach for the assembly of bio-functionalised nanoparticles onto nanofeatures embedded in an inert background and will prove useful in biosensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  A wild tetraploid oat Avena maroccana Gdgr. was collected from the 11 populations in the periphery of Rommani and Casablanca geographic groups of Morocco. Genetic diversity of the species was investigated using six allozyme systems. Allelic frequencies were scored representing eight polymorphic and five monomorphic loci. Coefficient of gene differentiation (Gst) was 0.3019, which indicated great genetic differentiation. The number of alleles per locus was 2.6154, the percentage of polymorphic loci was 61.54, and the expected heterozygosity was 0.2462 in all populations. Genetic diversity in A. maroccana was high in comparison to self-pollinated species. In total, nine heterozygotes resulting from outcrossing were found in the progeny from M1, M3, M4, M22 and M26. The population of M7 had peculiar alleles Pgd–2SS and Pgd-1SS in high frequency. M9 had the lowest level of diversity out of the 11 populations. Geographic and genetic distances between all the populations were not significantly correlated with each other (r = 0.0996). Cluster analysis showed that two groups, (M1, M22, M2 and M4) and (M3, M23, M8, M5 and M26) were apparently differentiated. Two populations of the Casablanca group, M7 and M9 were independent from each other, and were separated distinctly from the other populations. Genetic diversity of the Rommani and Casablanca groups was almost the same in all the parameters. This was due to the similar man-made habitat such as roadside or rich fertile soil and brown clay soils. The population size of A. maroccana was small and restricted to the narrow central Morocco with great genetic differentiation so that genetic diversity may be reflected from the results of genetic drift and outcrossing heterozygote segregation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiols have been patterned on micrometre and nanometre length scales by exposure to light from a frequency doubled argon ion laser. Friction force microscopy shows that the patterning speed depends on the nature of the terminal group and is in the order COOH> CH3, the reverse of the order reported previously using a mercury arc lamp, indicating that a different photo-oxidation mechanism is responsible. It is suggested that this involves the creation of hot electrons at the gold surface that initiate oxidation of the adsorbate. Nanostructures have been fabricated using scanning near-field photolithography (SNP), in which the UV laser is coupled to a near-field scanning optical microscope. During SNP, the rates of writing required for complete oxidation correlate closely with oxidation rates measured during micropatterning, suggesting that the mechanism is essentially the same. SAMs on silver have been patterned, yielding linewidths smaller than 50 nm. The selective alkylation of hydrogen passivated Si has been demonstrated, yielding structures that may be used as resists for etching and demonstrating a powerful new capability—fluid-phase nanophotolithography. Patterned SAMs prepared using SNP have been used to selectively attach polymer nanoparticles, demonstrating their utility for the creation of functional molecular nanostructures. Nanopatterns generated by SNP have also been used as resists, enabling the etching of nanostructures into gold and the fabrication of three-dimensional nanostructures in silicon using a two-stage wet etch process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new wild tetraploid oat Avena agadiriana Baum et Fedak was collected from the five populations along the Atlantic coast in Morocco. Variations in six enzyme systems were surveyed and allele frequency, percentage of polymorphic loci, number of alleles per locus, observed and expected heterozygosities, and unbiased genetic distance were calculated. Phenotypic frequencies were scored representing 11 polymorphic loci. The mean percentage of polymorphic loci was 46.25, the mean number of alleles per locus was 1.502, and the mean expected heterozygosity was 0.1526. Two heterozygotes resulting from outcrosses were found in the progeny from M60 and M71. The population of M71 had peculiar alleles Est-4A not present in the other populations. Most of the genetic diversity of this species was between populations with little existing within populations. Geographic and genetic distances between populations were positively correlated with each other and the correlation coefficient was 0.7031. Cluster analysis showed two strongly differentiated groups were apparent, M71 and M74, and the remainder. The former group appears to be adapted to man-made habitat, such as road side or eucalyptus plantation, and the latter to a distinct dry, sandy habitat. To make wide intra-specific variation in this species, the modified mating system would be indispensable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contact mode scanning force microscopy was employed to produce permanent deformation in polystyrene films of molecular weight ranging from 5 to 483 kg mol-1. Operating in a regime of small loads and a low number of scan cycles, a variety of wear types was observed, including the formation of grooves and bundles. These differences could be explained in terms of the entanglement density at the film surface. For completely disentangled films, long parallel grooves formed at the lateral edges of the scanned area as a consequence of molecular displacement. In the central region, wide bundles formed after only a few passages. For fully entangled films, discontinuous ridges were immediately generated with a much reduced spacing. A transition in wear behaviour occurred when, for molecular weight between 13 and 64 kg mol-1, entanglement was not fully developed. In this regime, the entanglement degree could be evaluated via measuring the threshold load at which fragments of material were torn off from the surface. Nanowear induced in such a controlled fashion on unknown polymeric surfaces can yield important insights into surface molecular organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adsorption kinetics of human serum albumin (HSA) on CH3- and COOH-terminated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) has been investigated using radioassays and atomic force microscopy (AFM). On both surfaces, the amount of HSA adsorbed reached a plateau after 30 min. The plateau level was higher on the CH3 compared to the COOH surface. The adhesion force (Fadh), measured using Si3N4 AFM tips in water, decreased with time of contact with the HSA solution on the CH3 surface. This time-dependent change in the adhesiveness of the adsorbed protein is best explained by a change in the conformation or orientation. In contrast, Fadh was independent of the time of contact with the HSA solution on the COOH surface, indicating that once adsorbed, the HSA molecules do not undergo further conformation or orientation changes. The perturbation induced by scanning with the AFM in water on the adsorbed HSA layers was greater on CH3 surfaces than on COOH surfaces, suggesting a weaker protein–substratum interaction on the CH3-terminated SAMs. This was further confirmed by a stronger desorption of HSA following sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) treatment on the CH3 surface compared to the COOH surface. Taken together, these data suggest that for COOH SAMs, (1) there is a strong interaction between HSA and the substratum; (2) there is an absence of reorientation with time; and (3) there is a smaller amount of adsorbed protein at 24 h, possibly due to increased but rapid spreading/denaturation of the protein. On the CH3 surface, less deformation of HSA occurs and the molecules maintain a higher mobility at short adsorption times. AFM measurements performed after aging of an adsorbed HSA layer in buffer suggests the role played by HSA in solution in determining the time-dependent conformation and/or orientation changes. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 67A: 548–558, 2003 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I present a brief review of the Landau Fermi-liquid theory of the normal and superfluid phases of liquid , with emphasis on its philosophy, its successes and its limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]