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At least 559 records · Page 31

Crystal Structure of a CRISPR RNA-guided Surveillance Complex Bound to a ssDNA Target

In prokaryotes, RNA derived from type I and type III CRISPR loci direct large ribonucleoprotein complexes to destroy invading bacteriophage and plasmids. In Escherichia coli, this 405-kilodalton complex is called Cascade. We report the crystal structure of Cascade bound to a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) target at a resolution of 3.03 angstroms. The structure reveals that the CRISPR RNA and target strands do not form a double helix but instead adopt an underwound ribbon-like structure. This noncanonical structure is facilitated by rotation of every sixth nucleotide out of the RNA-DNA hybrid and is stabilized by the highly interlocked organization of protein subunits. These studies provide insight into both the assembly and the activity of this complex and suggest a mechanism to enforce fidelity of target binding.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Dual-polarization Dirac cones in a simple 2D square lattice photonic crystal

We report on dual-polarization Dirac cones in a simple square lattice two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystal (PC) based on transmission at accidental degeneracies centered at the k = 0 symmetry ( Γ <#comment/> ) point. Finite difference time domain simulations are used to identify the material and geometric parameters for Dirac-like dispersion. A configuration that produces a Dirac-like point for both transverse electric and transverse magnetic polarizations at the same frequency is presented. The PC dispersion shows the expected threefold degenerate linear branch crossings at the Dirac-like point. Full-field electromagnetic wave simulations exhibit some common behaviors of devices based on Dirac-like dispersion, such as cloaking and waveguiding. The configuration works for a considerable range of the parameter space, and thus is experimentally realizable with a wide range of materials.

Rodríguez, J. A. (ORCID:0000000178926207)↗

Crystal Viscoplasticity Model of Molybdenum Including the Influence of Silicon in Solid Solution [Crystal Viscoplasticity Model of Mo Including the Influence of Si in Solid Solution]

Molybdenum (Mo)-based alloys offer higher temperature capability than nickel-based superalloys. The challenge of designing these alloys is tailoring the chemistry and microstructure to achieve high-temperature strength, creep and fatigue resistance, and oxidation resistance while maintaining lower-temperature ductility and damage tolerance. Structure-properties modeling tools can be used to identify optimum microstructures. However, one missing element in this tool set is a constitutive model for the more ductile α-Mo phase over the entire temperature range from room temperature to 1,400°C. A crystal viscoplasticity model is developed for α-Mo, including the influence of varying amounts of silicon (Si) in solid solution. As a result, the temperature, strain rate, and Si dependence of the deformation behavior needed to determine the model parameters are obtained from new compression experiments.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Synthesis, Crystal Structure, Polymorphism, and Magnetism of Eu(CN3H4)2 and First Evidence of EuC(NH)3

We report the first magnetically coupled guanidinate, α-Eu(CN3H4)2 (monoclinic, P21, a = 5.8494(3) Å, b = 14.0007(8) Å, c = 8.4887(4) Å, β = 91.075(6)°, V = 695.07(6) Å3, Z = 4). Its synthesis, polymorphism, crystal structure, and properties are complemented and supported by density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. The α-, β- and γ-polymorphs of Eu(CN3H4)2 differ in powder XRD, while the γ-phase transforms into the β-form over time. In α-Eu(CN3H4)2, Eu is octahedrally coordinated and sits in one-dimensional chains; the guanidinate anions show a hydrogen-bonding network. The different guanidinate anions are theoretically predicted to adopt syn-, anti- and all-trans-conformations. Magnetic measurements evidence ferromagnetic interactions, presumably along the Eu chains. Finally, EuC(NH)3 (isostructural to SrC(NH)3 and YbC(NH)3, hexagonal, P63/m, a = 5.1634(7) Å, c = 7.1993(9) Å, V = 166.23(4) Å3, Z = 2) is introduced as a possible ferromagnet.

Görne, Arno↗

Effect of crystal orientation on conductivity and electron mobility in single-crystal alumina

The electrical conductivity of high-purity, single-crystal alumina is determined parallel to and perpendicular to the c-axis. The mean conductivity of four samples of each orientation is a factor 3.3 higher parallel to the c-axis than perpendicular to it. The conductivity as a function of temperature is attributed to extrinsic electron conduction at temperatures from 400 to 900 C, and intrinsic semiconduction at temperatures from 900 to 1300 C. In the high-temperature regime, the slope on all eight specimens is 4.7 +/- 0.1 eV. Hence, the thermal bandgap at O K is 9.4 +/- 0.2 eV.

Will, Fritz G.↗

Method For Growth of Crystal Surfaces and Growth of Heteroepitaxial Single Crystal Films Thereon

A method of growing atomically-flat surfaces and high quality low-defect crystal films of semiconductor materials and fabricating improved devices thereon is discussed. The method is also suitable for growing films heteroepitaxially on substrates that are different than the film. The method is particularly suited for growth of elemental semiconductors (such as Si), compounds of Groups III and V elements of the Periodic Table (such as GaN), and compounds and alloys of Group IV elements of the Periodic Table (such as SiC).

Powell, J. Anthony↗

Control of crystal growth in water purification by directional freeze crystallization

A Directional Freeze Crystallization system employs an indirect contact heat exchanger to freeze a fraction of liquid to be purified. The unfrozen fraction is drained away and the purified frozen fraction is melted. The heat exchanger must be designed in accordance with a Growth Habit Index to achieve efficient separation of contaminants. If gases are dissolved in the liquid, the system must be pressurized.

Conlon, William M.↗

Liquid crystal devices especially for use in liquid crystal point diffraction interferometer systems

Liquid crystal point diffraction interferometer (LCPDI) systems that can provide real-time, phase-shifting interferograms that are useful in the characterization of static optical properties (wavefront aberrations, lensing, or wedge) in optical elements or dynamic, time-resolved events (temperature fluctuations and gradients, motion) in physical systems use improved LCPDI cells that employ a "structured" substrate or substrates in which the structural features are produced by thin film deposition or photo resist processing to provide a diffractive element that is an integral part of the cell substrate(s). The LC material used in the device may be doped with a "contrast-compensated" mixture of positive and negative dichroic dyes.

Marshall, Kenneth L.↗

Crystal orientation effects on helium ion depth distributions and adatom formation processes in plasma-facing tungsten

We present atomistic simulations that show the effect of surface orientation on helium depth distributions and surface feature formation as a result of low-energy helium plasma exposure. We find a pronounced effect of surface orientation on the initial depth of implanted helium ions, as well as a difference in reflection and helium retention across different surface orientations. Our results indicate that single helium interstitials are sufficient to induce the formation of adatom/substitutional helium pairs under certain highly corrugated tungsten surfaces, such as (1 1 1)-orientations, leading to the formation of a relatively concentrated layer of immobile helium immediately below the surface. The energies involved for helium-induced adatom formation on (1 1 1) and (2 1 1) surfaces are exoergic for even a single adatom very close to the surface, while (0 0 1) and (0 1 1) surfaces require two or even three helium atoms in a cluster before a substitutional helium cluster and adatom will form with reasonable probability. This phenomenon results in much higher initial helium retention during helium plasma exposure to (1 1 1) and (2 1 1) tungsten surfaces than is observed for (0 0 1) or (0 1 1) surfaces and is much higher than can be attributed to differences in the initial depth distributions alone. The layer thus formed may serve as nucleation sites for further bubble formation and growth or as a source of material embrittlement or fatigue, which may have implications for the formation of tungsten “fuzz” in plasma-facing divertors for magnetic-confinement nuclear fusion reactors and/or the lifetime of such divertors.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Single-Crystal X-Ray Spectropolarimetry using Cubic Crystals

Presentation to be given on a virtual conference, December 3, 2020, High-Temperature Plasma Diagnostics. Conference: http://www.cvent.com/events/2020-high-temperatures-conference/event-summary-316fe078c3894ef5ab725d6bbdf69334.aspx

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗