Characterization of Alcaligenes faecalis strain AD15 indicating biocontrol activity against plant pathogens.

Bacterial strain possessing both bacteriostatic and fungistatic activity (biocontrol activity) against pathogens of cyclamen (Cyclamen sp.) was isolated from the soil in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and characterized with respect to its taxonomic and biocontrol properties. The sequence of its 16S rRNA gene, morphology, biochemistry, and fatty acid composition demonstrated that it is a strain most closely related to Alcaligenes faecalis subsp. faecalis LMG 1229(T). The isolate was named A. faecalis strain AD15. A. faecalis AD15 produced hydroxylamine at maximum yields of 33.3±1.7 mg/L after 16 h cultivation in LB medium and 19.0±0.44 mg/L after 19 h cultivation in synthetic medium. Moreover, minimum inhibitory concentrations of hydroxylamine against the cyclamen pathogens Pantoea agglomerans and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides were 4.20±0.98 and 16.5±0.67 mg/L. These results indicated that the biocontrol activity of strain AD15 might be attributed to hydroxylamine, a metabolite in the culture medium, and it had the potential for biopesticide application.

Preparation of a well-defined amino-terminated self-assembled monolayer and copper microlines on a polyimide substrate covered with an oxide nanoskin.

A well-ordered, uniform amino (NH(2))-terminated organosilane self-assembled monolayer (SAM) was prepared on a polyimide (PI) substrate, the surface of which had silica-like reactivity. First, through chemical vapor deposition of 1,3,5,7-tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane and subsequent photooxidation using 172 nm vacuum ultraviolet light, an extremely thin silicon dioxide (SiO(2)) layer about 1 nm thick, which we call an "oxide nanoskin" (ONS), was prepared on a PI substrate. Due to the presence of this ONS layer, the PI surface's properties became almost identical with those of Si covered with native oxide (SiO(2)/Si) without any marked change in surface morphology, as evidenced by zeta-potential measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Next, this ONS-covered PI (ONS/PI) surface was exposed to vapor of a 12.5 vol % solution of N-(6-aminohexyl)(3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (AHAPS) molecules diluted with absolute toluene. On the basis of contact angle analysis, the surface energy of this AHAPS/ONS/PI sample was mostly consistent with that of a SiO(2)/Si substrate covered with an AHAPS-SAM (AHAPS/SiO(2)/Si). On the other hand, the surface energy of an AHAPS-treated PI (AHAPS/PI) substrate was much smaller than that of the AHAPS/ONS/PI substrate due to insufficient surface coverage by the AHAPS molecules. This was also confirmed by lateral force microscopy using photolithographically micropatterned samples. Fabricated micropatterns composed of AHAPS- and SiO(2)-covered regions were clearly imaged on the AHAPS/ONS/PI substrate through their difference in friction, while the friction contrast of the micropatterned AHAPS/PI substrate was unclear. This marked difference in packing density of the AHAPS molecules had a direct influence on the adsorption behavior of palladium colloids and subsequent electroless plating of copper (Cu). As confirmed by AFM and XPS, metallization proceeded only on the AHAPS-covered regions, while the SiO(2)-covered regions remained free of deposits, resulting in the formation of 10-mum-wide Cu microlines on both samples. However, the plating rate achieved on the AHAPS/ONS/PI substrate was about 4.5 times faster than that on the AHAPS/PI substrate and the pattern resolution was considerably fine.

Photochemical fabrication of a well-defined diblock copolymer nanotemplate using 172-nm vacuum ultraviolet light.

Well-ordered nanopore arrays were successfully prepared from polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) diblock copolymer (DBC) film based on a photochemical approach using 172-nm vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light. Since the etching selectivity between the PS and PMMA domains against activated oxygen species generated by the VUV irradiation of atmospheric oxygen molecules was markedly different, PMMA was preferentially decomposed, resulting in the formation of PS nanopore arrays. Both the photoetching rate and final morphology depended greatly on the atmospheric pressure during VUV irradiation. Since at 10 Pa the PS domains degraded less due to the shortage of oxygen molecules in the atmosphere, the residual matrix kept its fine nanostructures up to 40 min of irradiation. The matrix could be eliminated completely when irradiation was extended to 60 min at this pressure. On the other hand, at 10(3) Pa the DBC film was removed completely from the substrate within 10 min of irradiation. However, at 10(3) Pa, not only the decomposition of the PMMA domains, but also the photoetching rate of the PS domains accelerated significantly resulting in marked distortion of the generated nanostructures. By selecting an appropriate atmospheric pressure and time for VUV irradiation, we were able to control both nanoarray formation and elimination without the use of any physical and/or chemical treatment.