Grain boundary segregation diagrams of α-iron

Based on thermodynamic analysis of interfacial segregation, the segregation enthalpy H ^o of a solute I in a given matrix was found to depend linearly on two mutually independent terms reflecting the type of interface and the solid solubility limit X _infI ^sup* at temperature T and can be written as In this equation, the structural dependence of interfacial segregation is contained in H ^*() which corresponds to the extrapolated segregation enthalpy of a solute with unlimited solubility in the matrix. The product [Tln(X _infI ^sup* )] is essentially constant with temperature, and can therefore be obtained from data for maximum solid solubility, [Tln(X _infI ^sup* )]_max. The parameter v>0 represents the relationship between the activity a _infI ^sup* of a solute at the bulk solid solubility limit in a given matrix and X _infI ^sup* , a _infI ^sup* =(X _infI ^sup* ) ^v , and is characteristic for the matrix. Using recent experimental data for silicon, phosphorus, and carbon segregation at well-characterized grain boundaries in oriented bicrystals of -iron, the averaged value was determined. Values of H ^*() range from -8 kJ/mol (general grain boundaries) up to +8 kJ/mol (special grain boundaries). These values are discussed and used for a more precise and generalized construction of grain boundary segregation diagrams of -iron.     

Spectral properties of random Schrödinger operators with unbounded potentials

We investigate spectral properties of random Schrödinger operators H = - + _n()(1 + |n|) acting onl ²(Z ^d), where _n are independent random variables uniformly distributed on [0, 1].Research partially supported by a Sloan Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship and NSERC under grant OGP-0007901Research partially supported by NSF grant DMS-9101716     

Comparison of three techniques for cryopreservation and reestablishment of long-term Gentiana tibetica suspension culture

Cryogenic storage of cell suspensions allows long-term maintenance of cultures. The main purpose of the study was to develop a successful cryogenic protocol for 10-year-old embryogenic cell suspensions of G. tibetica. We examined three techniques of freezing: (I) controlled-rate cooling with various cryoprotectants (0.1-0.5 M DMSO, 0.5-1.0 M sucrose, 0.5-1.0 M glycerol, 0.25-1.0 M proline) or preculture with 0.4 M sorbitol and cryoprotectants (0.065-0.1 M DMSO, 0.2-0.8 M proline), (II) vitrification (PVS2) and (III) encapsulation. Cell viability was assessed by the TTC test and biomass increase. After controlled-rate cooling the majority of cells were lethally damaged, with only 3% viability observed. Vitrification and encapsulation approaches were more effective, assuring high levels of post-thaw viability ca. 85% and 7%, respectively. The encapsulation procedure gave faster recovery of the culture suspension than did vitrification, and ensured culture homogeneity and embryogenic competence.     

Structure of amyloid aggregates of lysozyme from small-angle X-ray scattering data

The structure of filament amyloid aggregates of hen egg white lysozyme in water has been investigated by the small-angle X-ray scattering method. The experimental data are described by different cylindrical models, among which the best agreement is reached with the long helix model. A comparison of the results with the small-angle neutron scattering data reveals the influence of the heavy component of the solvent (a H₂O/D₂O mixture) on the structure of the filaments.     

Photoinduced decarboxylation of 9‐oxo‐6,9‐dihydro[1,2,5]selenadiazolo[3,4‐f]quinoline‐8‐carboxylic acid

Photoinduced reactions of 9‐oxo‐6,9‐dihydro[1,2,5]selenadiazolo[3,4‐f]quinoline‐8‐carboxylic acid (SeQCA) were investigated in alkaline media (aqueous NaOH solutions) by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, following the in situ formation of paramagnetic species. According to UV–Vis and nuclear magnetic resonance investigations, protonation (pH ≈ 11) and deprotonation (pH ≈ 13) of the imino hydrogen of the 4‐pyridone moiety has to be considered, reflected also in the different EPR spectra observed upon irradiation. Photoinduced generation of radicals was found only for carboxylate substituted SeQCA; other studied selenadiazoloquinolone derivatives, together with those substituted at the C(8) position (R = H, COOCH₂CH₃, COOCH₃, COCH₃ or CN), did not generate paramagnetic species during exposure. Consequently, photodecarboxylation was suggested as the decisive step, accompanied by the decomposition of the selenadiazole ring, resulting in the formation of ortho‐hydroxylate anions. EPR parameters elucidated from experimental EPR spectra obtained at pH ≈ 11 and pH ≈ 13 indicate the formation of oxygen‐centered radicals at the decarboxylated 4‐pyridone ring. EPR spin trapping experiments with nitromethane confirmed a very effective photoinduced electron transfer from all the selenadiazoloquinolones investigated. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

New Coherent States for the BDS-Hamiltonian

In the paper we construct a new set of coherent states for a deformed Hamiltonian of the harmonic oscillator, previously introduced by Beckers, Debergh, and Szafraniec, which we have called the BDS-Hamiltonian. This Hamiltonian depends on the new creation operator a ⁺, i.e. the usual creation operator displaced with the real quantity . In order to construct the coherent states, we use a new measure in the Hilbert space of the Hamiltonian eigenstates, in fact we change the inner product. This ansatz assures that the set of eigenstates be orthonormalized and complete. In the new inner product space the BDS-Hamiltonian is self-adjoint. Using these coherent states, we construct the corresponding density operator and we find the P-distribution function of the unnormalized density operator of the BDS-Hamiltonian. Also, we calculate some thermal averages related to the BDS-oscillators system which obey the quantum canonical distribution conditions.     

Partie 1: La nouvelle enceinte destinée à Ia production de I'or colloidal radioactif 198 Au

Une nouvelle enceinte destinée à la production de l,or colloïdal radioactif¹⁹⁸Au à usage thérapeutique et diagnostique est construite dans le Laboratoire de Chimie de Haute Activité à l'Institut des Sciences Nucléaires ?Boris Kidri?”. L'enceinte comporte deux appareils pour la préparation des colloïdes de l'or radioactif, permettant une production permanente méme au cas où l'un des appareils est accidenté. C'est grâce à une conception originale de la protection en plomb que l'accès aus appareils et aux stocks des effluents est rendu facile et ainsi que les systèmes de commande des processus des processus chimiques et la manipulation dans l,enceinte sont bien simplifiés     

Gold coatings on polyethyleneterephthalate nano-patterned by F2 laser irradiation

In this work we present periodic surface structures generated by linearly polarized F₂ laser light (157 nm) on polyethyleneterephthalate (PET). Atomic force microscopy was used to study the topological changes induced by the laser irradiation. The laser irradiation induces the formation of periodic ripple structures with a width of ca 130 nm and a height of about 15 nm in the fluence range 3.80-4.70 mJ/cm² and the roughness of the polymer surface increases due to the presence of these periodic structures. Subsequently, the laser modified PET foils were coated with a 50 nm thick gold layer by sputtering. After Au deposition on the PET foils with ripple structure, the roughness of surface decreases in comparison to PET with ripples without Au coating. For 50 nm thick Au layers, the ripple structure is not directly transferred to the gold coating, but it has an obvious effect on the grain size of the coating. With considerably thinner Au layers, the ripple structures are smoothened but preserved.