Dynamical theory of X-ray diffraction by crystals with different surface relief profiles.

A dynamical theory is developed of X-ray diffraction on a crystal with surface relief for the case of high-resolution triple-crystal X-ray diffractometry. Crystals with trapezoidal, sinusoidal and parabolic bar profile models are investigated in detail. Numerical simulations of the X-ray diffraction problem for concrete experimental conditions are performed. A simple new method to resolve the crystal relief reconstruction problem is proposed.

Honeysuckle extract (Lonicera pallasii L.) exerts antioxidant properties and extends the lifespan and healthspan of Drosophila melanogaster.

Honeysuckle Lonicera pallasii (Lonicera caerulea L.) is an excellent source of anthocyanins which have a number of health-promoting properties mainly associated with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) is one of the most common anthocyanins naturally found in honeysuckle. The goal of the present study was to investigate antioxidant and anti-aging properties of Lonicera pallasii (Lonicera caerulea L.) extract (LE) and C3G using red blood cells (RBC) and Drosophila melanogaster models. LE and C3G treatment at a concentration of 100 µM induced enhancement of median and maximum lifespan up to 8%. LE and C3G supplementation at a concentration of 100 µM increased stress resistance up to 10%. The locomotor activity decreased during LE and C3G treatment in 4 and 6 weeks up to 52% in females. The integrity of the intestinal barrier was increased by 4% after LE treatment. These effects were accompanied by increased expression of Hif1 (pro-longevity gene) in response to C3G treatment and decreased expression of Keap1 (anti-longevity gene) after C3G and LE supplementation. RNA interference-mediated knockdown of Sirt6 completely abolished the positive effect obtained of LE and C3G supplementation in males which indicates that lifespan-extending effect is associated with Sirt6 activation. The experiments on the various in-vitro models (including radical scavenging activity and oxidative hemolysis of RBC demonstrated antioxidant and membrane-protective activities of LE and C3G. The present study indicates that Lonicera extract can prolong the lifespan and improve the healthspan of Drosophila model through biological and antioxidant activities.

X-ray Laue diffraction by sectioned multilayers. I. Pendellösung effect and rocking curves.

Using the Takagi-Taupin equations, X-ray Laue dynamical diffraction in flat and wedge multilayers is theoretically considered. Recurrence relations are obtained that describe Laue diffraction in structures that are inhomogeneous in depth. The influence of sectioned depth, imperfections and non-uniform distribution of the multilayer period on the Pendellösung effect and rocking curves is studied. Numerical simulation of Laue diffraction in multilayer structures W/Si and Mo/Si is carried out. It is shown that the determination of sectioned depths based on the period of the interference fringes of the experimental rocking curves of synchrotron radiation is not always correct.

X-ray microbeam diffraction in a crystal.

Using the formalism of dynamical scattering of spatially restricted X-ray fields, the diffraction of a microbeam in a crystal with boundary functions for the incident and reflected amplitudes was studied in the case of geometrical optics and the Fresnel approximation (FA). It is shown that, for a wide front of the X-ray field, the angular distributions of the scattered intensity in the geometrical optics approximation (GOA) and the FA are approximately the same. On the other hand, it is established that, for a narrow exit slit in the diffraction scheme, it is always necessary to take into account the X-ray diffraction at the slit edges. Reciprocal-space maps and the distribution of the diffraction intensity of the microbeam inside the crystal were calculated.

Deterministic Bragg Coherent Diffraction Imaging.

A deterministic variant of Bragg Coherent Diffraction Imaging is introduced in its kinematical approximation, for X-ray scattering from an imperfect crystal whose imperfections span no more than half of the volume of the crystal. This approach provides a unique analytical reconstruction of the object's structure factor and displacement fields from the 3D diffracted intensity distribution centred around any particular reciprocal lattice vector. The simple closed-form reconstruction algorithm, which requires only one multiplication and one Fourier transformation, is not restricted by assumptions of smallness of the displacement field. The algorithm performs well in simulations incorporating a variety of conditions, including both realistic levels of noise and departures from ideality in the reference (i.e. imperfection-free) part of the crystal.

Darwin's approach to X-ray diffraction on lateral crystalline structures.

Darwin's dynamical theory of X-ray diffraction is extended to the case of lateral (i.e., having a finite length in the lateral direction) crystalline structures. This approach allows one to calculate rocking curves as well as reciprocal-space maps for lateral crystalline structures having a rectangular cross section. Numerical modelling is performed for these structures with different lateral sizes. It is shown that the kinematical approximation is valid for thick crystalline structures having a small length in the lateral direction.