Paul Scherrer Institute

About: Paul Scherrer Institute is a facility organization based out in Villigen, Switzerland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Neutron & Large Hadron Collider. The organization has 9248 authors who have published 23984 publications receiving 890129 citations. The organization is also known as: PSI.

Evidence for the role of organics in aerosol particle formation under atmospheric conditions.

Abstract: New particle formation in the atmosphere is an important parameter in governing the radiative forcing of atmospheric aerosols. However, detailed nucleation mechanisms remain ambiguous, as laboratory data have so far not been successful in explaining atmospheric nucleation. We investigated the formation of new particles in a smog chamber simulating the photochemical formation of H2SO4 and organic condensable species. Nucleation occurs at H2SO4 concentrations similar to those found in the ambient atmosphere during nucleation events. The measured particle formation rates are proportional to the product of the concentrations of H2SO4 and an organic molecule. This suggests that only one H2SO4 molecule and one organic molecule are involved in the rate-limiting step of the observed nucleation process. Parameterizing this process in a global aerosol model results in substantially better agreement with ambient observations compared to control runs.

Hedgehog spin texture and Berry's phase tuning in a magnetic topological insulator

Abstract: Understanding and control of spin degrees of freedom on the surfaces of topological materials are key to future applications as well as for realizing novel physics such as the axion electrodynamics associated with time-reversal (TR) symmetry breaking on the surface. We experimentally demonstrate magnetically induced spin reorientation phenomena simultaneous with a Dirac-metal to gapped-insulator transition on the surfaces of manganese-doped Bi2Se3 thin films. The resulting electronic groundstate exhibits unique hedgehog-like spin textures at low energies, which directly demonstrate the mechanics of TR symmetry breaking on the surface. We further show that an insulating gap induced by quantum tunnelling between surfaces exhibits spin texture modulation at low energies but respects TR invariance. These spin phenomena and the control of their Fermi surface geometrical phase first demonstrated in our experiments pave the way for the future realization of many predicted exotic magnetic phenomena of topological origin.

Protein complex expression by using multigene baculoviral vectors.

Abstract: Elucidation of the molecular basis of protein-interaction networks, in particular in higher eukaryotes, is hampered by insufficient quantities of endogenous multiprotein complexes. Present recombinant expression methods often require considerable investment in both labor and materials before multiprotein expression, and after expression and biochemical analysis these methods do not provide flexibility for expressing an altered multiprotein complex. To meet these demands, we have recently introduced MultiBac, a modular baculovirus-based system specifically designed for eukaryotic multiprotein expression 1 . Here we describe new transfer vectors and a combination of DNA recombination–based methods, which further facilitate the generation of multigene cassettes for protein coexpression (Fig. 1), thus providing a flexible platform for generation of protein expression vectors and their rapid regeneration for revised expression studies. Genes encoding components of a multiprotein complex are inserted into a suite of compatible transfer vectors by homologous recombination. These progenitor constructs are then rapidly joined in the desired combination by Cre-loxP–mediated in vitro plasmid fusion. Protocols for integration of the resulting multigene expression cassettes into the MultiBac baculoviral genome are provided that rely on Tn7 transposition and/or Cre-loxP reaction carried out in vivo in Escherichia coli cells tailored for this purpose. Detailed guidelines for multigene virus generation and amplification, cell culture maintenance and protein production are provided, together with data illustrating the simplicity and remarkable robustness of the present method for multiprotein expression using a composite MultiBac baculoviral vector.

Operating Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells Without External Humidification of the Reactant Gases Fundamental Aspects

Abstract: Operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) without external humidification of the reactant gases is advantageous for the PEMFC system, because it eliminates the need of a gas-humidification subsystem. The gas-humidification subsystem is a burden in the fuel cell system with respect to weight, complexity, cost, and parasitic power. A model for the operation of PEMFC with internal humidification of the gases is presented and the range of operating conditions for a PEMFC using dry H 2 /air was investigated. The model predicts that dry air, entering at the cathode, can be fully internally humidified by the water produced by the electrochemical reaction at temperatures up to 70°C. This model was experimentally verified for cell temperatures up to 60°C by long-term operation of a PEMFC with dry gases for up to 1800 h. The current densities, obtained at 0.6 V, were 20 to 40% lower than those measured when both gases were humidified. The water distribution in the cell, while operating with dry gases, was investigated by measuring the amount of product water on the anode and cathode sides. It was found that the back-diffusion of product water to the anode is the dominant process for water management in the cell over a wide range of operating conditions. The dominating water back-diffusion also allows internal humidification of the hydrogen reactant and prevents drying out of the anode.