Plasma beam alignment of liquid crystal with improved alignment stability [LCD manufacture]
A method of plasma beam treatment providing liquid crystal (LC) aligning substrates of improved alignment stability is described. In this method the aligning substrates are obliquely treated with a plasma flux containing alignment and passivation agents simultaneously. This method is applicable for the substrates of organic and inorganic origin. During this treating process, good pretilt angle stability and alignment quality are much promised.
Planar and tilted uniform alignment of liquid crystals by plasma-treated substrates
We describe a new aligning technique that yields uniform planar or tilted orientation of a nematic liquid crystal at different organic and inorganic substrates. The method is based on the oblique irradiation of an aligning substrate with a partially collimated flux of accelerated plasma. The sheet-like plasma flux is produced by an anode layer thruster with a race track geometry of the discharge channel. For liquid crystals with a positive dielectric anisotropy the technique produces two modes of uniform alignment: (1) with the easy axis in the incident plane of the plasma beam; (2) with the easy axis perpendicular to the plane of incidence. Mode 1 transforms into mode 2 as the irradiation dose increases. In mode 1, the pretilt angle can be controlled by changing the parameters of irradiation such as incidence angle, current density and particle energy. In mode 2, the pretilt angle is zero (planar alignment). The azimuthal anchoring coefficient is relatively weak (W a∼10−6 J m−2) for the first type of alignment and strong (W a≥10−4 J m−2, comparable to rubbed polymer substrates) for the second type. The two-mode alignment feature can be used to control alignment properties and to create alignment patterns. The method is free from the usual shortcomings of the traditional rubbing technique. We discuss possible mechanisms of the two-mode alignment and show that plasma-induced modifications of the substrate topography might be an important factor in liquid crystal alignment.
Genotypic diversity in field isolates of Babesia bovis from cattle with babesiosis after vaccination.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether particular genotypes of Babesia bovis were common to field isolates obtained from cattle properties in Queensland where the B bovis vaccine had apparently failed.


DESIGN
A comparative study of polymerase chain reaction genotypes in different populations of B bovis.


PROCEDURE
Two polymerase chain reaction assays were applied to analyse DNA extracts of B bovis vaccine (K, T and Dixie strains) and 27 field isolates from 24 properties where disease outbreaks had occurred despite the use of the vaccine. To evaluate the stability of the genotypes identified, 11 of the field isolates were inoculated into experimental cattle that had either been previously vaccinated with T strain or not vaccinated.


RESULTS
No particular genotype of B bovis was responsible for the problems observed in previously vaccinated herds. None of the isolates had genotypes identical to the vaccine strains used. No geographic trends among the genotypes were observed. Isolates that originated from the same property also had different genotypes. Blood passage of the 11 field isolates in either previously vaccinated or nonvaccinated cattle did not alter the original genotype.


CONCLUSION
No particular genotypes identified by the Bv80 and BvVA1 polymerase chain reaction assays could be associated with vaccine failures.