I12-JEEP: Joint Engineering, Environmental and Processing
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[25682]
Open Access
Abstract: The crystallographic texture development during processing of dual-phase Ti alloys like Ti-6Al-4 V is of fundamental technological importance. However, measuring texture in both phases in these materials is a significant challenge because of the spatial inhomogeneity of the texture and low volume fraction of the minority β-phase at room temperature. Here we demonstrate how synchrotron X-ray diffraction can be used to overcome these difficulties and measure texture and texture variation in hot-rolled samples in a reproducible manner. The texture in hot-rolled Ti-64 was calculated from 2D synchrotron diffraction patterns obtained along different directions. The data was analysed using MAUD, which is based on Rietveld refinement of the diffracted intensities, and using a Fourier series based analysis method, that extracts intensities directly from the 2D diffraction patterns, and then uses the open-source software MTEX to fit an orientation distribution function (ODF). By comparing the results with faithful EBSD measurements, we show that the Fourier series method produces much more accurate texture measurements, especially for the minority β-phase. We also show that a minimum of 2, and preferably 3, different measurement orientations are needed to fully represent the texture. This implies that measurements of texture which rely on diffraction data from a single sample orientation, like in fast in-situ studies or spatially resolved measurements, can only provide qualitative information and must be interpreted with care.
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Mar 2023
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I22-Small angle scattering & Diffraction
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[25037]
Open Access
Abstract: The use of synthetic extracellular matrices (ECMs) in fundamental in vitro cell culture studies has been instrumental for investigating the interplay between cells and matrix components. To provide cells with a more native environment in vitro, it is desirable to design matrices that are biomimetic and emulate compositional and structural features of natural ECMs. Here, the supramolecular fabrication of peptide-hyaluronan (HA) hydrogels is presented as promising ECM surrogates, combining HA and rationally designed cationic amphipatic peptides [(KI)nK, lysine (K), isoleucine (I), n = 2–6] whose mechanical properties and microstructure are tunable by the peptide sequence. (KI)nK peptides adopt β-sheet configuration and self-assemble into filamentous nanostructures triggered by pH or ionic strength. The self-assembly propensity of (KI)nK peptides increases with the sequence length, forming single phase hydrogels (shorter peptides) or with phase separation (longer peptides) in presence of the anionic polyelectrolyte HA through electrostatic complexations. The gel phase formed in (KI)nK-HA complexes exhibits viscoelastic behavior and triggers the formation of human mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) spheroids which disassemble over the time. It is anticipated that these (KI)nK-HA hydrogels with tunable physical and biochemical properties offer a promising platform for in vitro applications and in stem cell therapy.
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Mar 2023
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B23-Circular Dichroism
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[30755, 31552]
Open Access
Abstract: An achiral compound, DIO, known to exhibit three nematic phases namely N, NX and NF, is studied by polarizing microscopy and electro-optics for different surface conditions in confinement. The high temperature N phase assigned initially as a conventional nematic phase, shows two additional unusual features: the optical activity and the linear electro-optic response related to the polar nature of this phase. An appearance of chiral domains is explained by the spontaneous symmetry breaking arising from the saddle-splay elasticity and followed by the formation of helical domains of the opposite chirality. This is the first example of helical segregation observed in calamitic non-chiral molecules in the nematic phase. As reported previously, the ferronematic NF shows strong polar azimuthal surface interaction energy which stabilizes a homogeneous structure in planar aligned LC cells rubbed parallel and exhibits a twisted structure in cells with antiparallel buffing. The transmission spectra are simulated using Berreman's 4 × 4 matrix method. The observed agreement between the experimental and the simulated spectra quantitatively confirms the presence of twisted structures in antiparallel rubbed cells.
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Mar 2023
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B21-High Throughput SAXS
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Beatriz
Trastoy
,
Jonathan J.
Du
,
Javier O.
Cifuente
,
Lorena
Rudolph
,
Mikel
Garcia-Alija
,
Erik H.
Klontz
,
Daniel
Deredge
,
Nazneen
Sultana
,
Chau G.
Huynh
,
Maria W.
Flowers
,
Chao
Li
,
Diego E.
Sastre
,
Lai-Xi
Wang
,
Francisco
Corzana
,
Alvaro
Mallagaray
,
Eric J.
Sundberg
,
Marcelo E.
Guerin
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[1534, 28360]
Open Access
Abstract: Bacterial pathogens have evolved intricate mechanisms to evade the human immune system, including the production of immunomodulatory enzymes. Streptococcus pyogenes serotypes secrete two multi-modular endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidases, EndoS and EndoS2, that specifically deglycosylate the conserved N-glycan at Asn297 on IgG Fc, disabling antibody-mediated effector functions. Amongst thousands of known carbohydrate-active enzymes, EndoS and EndoS2 represent just a handful of enzymes that are specific to the protein portion of the glycoprotein substrate, not just the glycan component. Here, we present the cryoEM structure of EndoS in complex with the IgG1 Fc fragment. In combination with small-angle X-ray scattering, alanine scanning mutagenesis, hydrolytic activity measurements, enzyme kinetics, nuclear magnetic resonance and molecular dynamics analyses, we establish the mechanisms of recognition and specific deglycosylation of IgG antibodies by EndoS and EndoS2. Our results provide a rational basis from which to engineer novel enzymes with antibody and glycan selectivity for clinical and biotechnological applications.
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Mar 2023
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I12-JEEP: Joint Engineering, Environmental and Processing
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[20096]
Open Access
Abstract: Laser additive manufacturing is transforming several industrial sectors, especially the directed energy deposition process. A key challenge in the widespread uptake of this emerging technology is the formation of undesirable microstructural features such as pores, cracks, and large epitaxial grains. The trial and error approach to establish the relationship between process parameters and material properties is problematic due to the transient nature of the process and the number of parameters involved. In this work, the relationship between process parameters, melt pool geometry and quality of build measures, using directed energy deposition additive manufacturing for IN718, is quantified using neural networks as generalised regressors in a statistically robust manner. The data was acquired using in-situ synchrotron x-ray imaging providing unique and accurate measurements for our analysis. An analysis of the variations across repeated measurements show heteroscedastic error characteristics that are accounted for using a principled nonlinear data transformation method. The results of the analysis show that surface roughness correlates with melt pool geometry while the track height directly correlates with process parameters indicating a potential to directly control efficiency and layer thickness while independently minimising surface roughness.
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Mar 2023
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I03-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Anastasia
Gkeka
,
Francisco
Aresta-Branco
,
Gianna
Triller
,
Evi P.
Vlachou
,
Monique
Van Straaten
,
Mirjana
Lilic
,
Paul Dominic B.
Olinares
,
Kathryn
Perez
,
Brian T.
Chait
,
Renata
Blatnik
,
Thomas
Ruppert
,
Joseph P.
Verdi
,
C. Erec
Stebbins
,
F. Nina
Papavasiliou
Open Access
Abstract: The African trypanosome survives the immune response of its mammalian host by antigenic variation of its major surface antigen (the variant surface glycoprotein or VSG). Here we describe the antibody repertoires elicited by different VSGs. We show that the repertoires are highly restricted and are directed predominantly to distinct epitopes on the surface of the VSGs. They are also highly discriminatory; minor alterations within these exposed epitopes confer antigenically distinct properties to these VSGs and elicit different repertoires. We propose that the patterned and repetitive nature of the VSG coat focuses host immunity to a restricted set of immunodominant epitopes per VSG, eliciting a highly stereotyped response, minimizing cross-reactivity between different VSGs and facilitating prolonged immune evasion through epitope variation.
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Mar 2023
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I18-Microfocus Spectroscopy
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[15475, 15215, 12700]
Open Access
Abstract: The agricultural soils of West Limerick, Ireland, contain very localised, extremely high natural Se concentrations that reach levels that are very toxic to grazing livestock. The Carboniferous shales that formed in anoxic deep-water marine environments are the source of the selenium, which, along with the other redox-sensitive elements of molybdenum, uranium, arsenic and vanadium, were mobilised and reprecipitated in post-glacial anoxic marshes. The result has been a history of selenosis and molybdenosis in livestock in this important dairy province. Soils collected at 10–20 cm from five different agricultural sites were analysed, and all yielded concentrations greatly in excess of the safe Se limits of 3–10 mg kg−1; the highest value recorded was 1265.8 mg kg−1 Se. The highest recorded value for Mo in these soils was 1627.5 mg kg−1, and for U, 658.8 mg kg−1. There was a positive correlation between Se, Mo U and organic matter in the soils. Analysis of non-accumulator pasture grasses (Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass), Festuca arundinacea (tall fescue), Dactylis glomerata (cocksfoot) and Phleum pretense (timothy grass)) revealed the shoot/leaf to contain up to 78.05 mg kg−1 Se while Trifolium repens (white clover) leaves contained 296.15 mg kg−1 Se. An in situ growing experiment using the Se accumulator species Brassica oleracea revealed 971.2 mg kg−1 Se in the leaves of premier kale, which also contained 1000.4 mg kg−1 Mo. Translocation factors (TFs) were generally higher for Mo than Se across all plant species. Combined X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) with micro-X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) showed the Se was present in the soil predominantly as the reduced immobile phase, elemental Se (Se0), but also as bioavailable organoselenium species, mainly selenomethionine (SeMet). SeMet was also the main species identified within both the Se non-accumulator and Se accumulator plants. The Se soil–plant system in West Limerick is dominated by SeMet, and uptake into the cattle pasture results in selenosis in the grazing dairy herds. The hyperaccumulating Brassica oleracea species could be used to extract both the Se and Mo to reduce the toxicity of the blighted fields.
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Mar 2023
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B21-High Throughput SAXS
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Markus
Meier
,
Monika
Gupta
,
Serife
Akgül
,
Matthew
Mcdougall
,
Thomas
Imhof
,
Denise
Nikodemus
,
Raphael
Reuten
,
Aniel
Moya-Torres
,
Vu
To
,
Fraser
Ferens
,
Fabian
Heide
,
Gay P.
Padilla-Meier
,
Philipp
Kukura
,
Wenming
Huang
,
Birgit
Gerisch
,
Matthias
Mörgelin
,
Kate
Poole
,
Adam
Antebi
,
Manuel
Koch
,
Jörg
Stetefeld
Open Access
Abstract: Netrin-1 is a bifunctional chemotropic guidance cue that plays key roles in diverse cellular processes including axon pathfinding, cell migration, adhesion, differentiation, and survival. Here, we present a molecular understanding of netrin-1 mediated interactions with glycosaminoglycan chains of diverse heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) and short heparin oligosaccharides. Whereas interactions with HSPGs act as platform to co-localise netrin-1 close to the cell surface, heparin oligosaccharides have a significant impact on the highly dynamic behaviour of netrin-1. Remarkably, the monomer-dimer equilibrium of netrin-1 in solution is abolished in the presence of heparin oligosaccharides and replaced with highly hierarchical and distinct super assemblies leading to unique, yet unknown netrin-1 filament formation. In our integrated approach we provide a molecular mechanism for the filament assembly which opens fresh paths towards a molecular understanding of netrin-1 functions.
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Mar 2023
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I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[18565]
Open Access
Abstract: Myo-inositol tris/tetrakisphosphate kinases (ITPKs) catalyze diverse phosphotransfer reactions with myo-inositol phosphate and myo-inositol pyrophosphate substrates. However, the lack of structures of nucleotide-coordinated plant ITPKs thwarts a rational understanding of phosphotransfer reactions of the family. Arabidopsis possesses a family of four ITPKs of which two isoforms, ITPK1 and ITPK4, control inositol hexakisphosphate and inositol pyrophosphate levels directly or by provision of precursors. Here, we describe the specificity of Arabidopsis ITPK4 to pairs of enantiomers of diverse inositol polyphosphates and show how substrate specificity differs from Arabidopsis ITPK1. Moreover, we provide a description of the crystal structure of ATP-coordinated AtITPK4 at 2.11 Å resolution that along with description of the enantiospecificity of the enzyme affords a molecular explanation for the diverse phosphotransferase activity of this enzyme. That Arabidopsis ITPK4 has a Km for ATP in the tens of micromolar range, potentially explains how, despite the large-scale abolition of InsP6, InsP7 and InsP8 synthesis in Atitpk4 mutants, Atitpk4 lacks the phosphate starvation responses of Atitpk1 mutants. We further demonstrate that Arabidopsis ITPK4 and its homologs in other plants possess an N-terminal haloacid dehalogenase-like fold not previously described. The structural and enzymological information revealed will guide elucidation of ITPK4 function in diverse physiological contexts, including InsP8-dependent aspects of plant biology.
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Mar 2023
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I21-Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering (RIXS)
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Abstract: Spinel oxides are well-known functional materials but rarely show superconductivity. Recently, emergent superconductivity was discovered in
MgTi
2
O
4
, which is attributed to the increase of electron doping and the suppression of orbital order. Here, we utilized Ti
L
-edge resonant inelastic x-ray scattering to study the orbital excitations in superconducting (SC) and insulating
MgTi
2
O
4
films. We find that the spectral weight of orbital excitations is enhanced and the energy of
t
2
g
intraband excitation is softened in the SC film compared to the insulating one, suggesting higher electron doping and a suppressed orbital order gap in the SC sample. These observations were further supported by our multiplet calculations using the minimal two-site model. Our results provide spectroscopic evidence for the competition between orbital order and superconductivity in
MgTi
2
O
4
and shed light on searching for novel superconductors in spinel oxides.
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Mar 2023
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