Studying high-spin ferric heme proteins by pulsed EPR spectroscopy: Analysis of the ferric form of the E7Q mutant of human neuroglobin

In this work, the high-spin ferric form of the E7Q mutant of human neuroglobin (E7Q-NGB) is studied by X-band continuous-wave electron paramagnetic resonance (CW EPR) and hyperfine sublevel correlation (HYSCORE) spectroscopy. It is shown that the use of matched pulses in the HYSCORE experiment is essential to observe the nitrogen spectral contributions. The validity of approximating the high-spin Fe(III) system (S=5/2) as an effectiveS=1/2 system is tested and the consequences for the HYSCORE simulations are highlighted. Comparative HYSCORE experiments combined with deuterium exchange experiments for aquometmyoglobin and ferric E7Q-NGB clearly show that the heme iron of the latter protein is pentacoordinated, lacking the distal water. Furthermore, CW EPR experiments show that, at high pH, the E10K residue is coordinating to the heme iron in this globin. These observations are corroborated by resonance Raman experiments and could also be reproduced for other E7 mutants of human and mouse neuroglobin. Finally, the proton and nitrogen hyperfine and nuclear quadrupole parameters obtained for ferric E7Q-NGB are discussed in detail.     

Asymptotics in the Baum—Katz formula for random fields

In 1996, D. Deng established an analog of the Baum—Katz theorem on the convergence rate in the law of large numbers for multi-indexed random variables. The series describing the convergence rate depends, in a natural way, on the parameter characterizing the excess of the normalized sums over some level. In this paper, we find the precise asymptotics of the sum of this series with respect to the above-mentioned parameter. Thus, a generalization of a recent result due to A. Gut and A. Spataru is obtained.     

Production of Ωscb baryons in photon-photon collisions

Methods for calculating the total and differential cross sections for the production of Ω_scb baryons in photon-photon collisions and the results of respective calculations are described.     

Influence of the prehistory of NaNbO3-Gd1/3NbO3 ceramics and single crystals on their dielectric properties

The dielectric properties of a ceramic and a single crystal of the same composition 0.9NaNbO₃-0.1Gd_1/3NbO₃ (NNG10) with different prehistories of the material are investigated in the low-and infralow-frequency ranges. It is revealed that the dielectric aging of the material based on the NaNbO₃ antiferroelectric with a smeared phase transition differs in character from similar phenomena observed in relaxor ferroelectrics.     

Influence of the defect structure on the electrical conductivity of Pb5Ge3O11 single crystals at high temperatures

The impedance spectra of Pb₅Ge₃O₁₁ single crystals are measured in the frequency range from 5 Hz to 13 MHz at temperatures of 600 to 800 K in dry air and in a dry or wet nitrogen gas. It is found that the temperature and the gas composition significantly affect the electrical properties of the compound. The data obtained are used to discuss the origin of crystal lattice defects and their influence on charge transfer. It is concluded that the conduction is mixed in character (p-type electronic and ionic due to oxygen ions). The proton conduction is shown experimentally to be feasible. The possible mechanisms of proton transport in Pb₅Ge₃O₁₁ are discussed.     

Structural phase transitions of the B1–B2 type in small-sized ionic crystals

The features of structural phase transitions that occur under high pressure are studied. The density functional theory is used to calculate the B1–B2 phase transition pressure as a function of the crystal size for small-sized alkali halide crystals. A size effect (an increase in the phase transition pressure as the crystal grain radius decreases) is revealed for the B1–B2 transitions in all halogen compounds except for lithium fluoride, for which the dependence is inverse.     

On the magneto-optics of orthoferrites with spin reorientation

The results of magneto-optical investigations into the Γ₂–Γ₄ spin reorientation in an Sm_0.6Tb_0.2Tm_0.2FeO₃ orthoferrite single crystal are reported. The magneto-optical parameters are determined taking into account the dichroism. The orientation of the antiferromagnetic vector in the canted phase is investigated as a function of the magnetic field and temperature. The magnetic anisotropy field strengths are determined by the processing of the results. The orientation contribution to the birefringence is estimated.     

Design of the cold atom PHARAO space clock and initial test results

In this paper we describe the cold atom clock PHARAO, designed for microgravity operation. All elements of the PHARAO engineering model have been manufactured and delivered to CNES, the French space agency. We present the clock design, its main characteristics, and initial science operation. PHARAO is one of the main components of the Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space payload that is scheduled to fly on board the International Space Station in 2010. PACS 07.87.+v; 06.30.Ft; 95.55.Sh; 32.80.Pj     

Comparison of detection efficiencies of negatively charged gold-alkanethiolate-, gold-sulfur- and gold-clusters in ToF-SIMS

In order to improve quantification of high mass ions, the influence of cluster composition on detection efficiencies has been studied using a TOF-SIMS IV with the extended capability of postaccelerating ions up to 20 keV. In this experimental study, we focus on the comparison of detection efficiencies for three types of negatively charged secondary cluster ions: gold-alkanethiolate-clusters (Au_xM_y), gold-sulfur-clusters (Au_xS_y) and gold-clusters (Au_x). The clusters were sputtered from self-assembled monolayers of hexadecanethiols on gold substrates using 10 keV Ar⁺ primary ions. The detection efficiencies were derived on the basis of a function for the secondary electron yield and a fourth-order approximated Poisson probability distribution for electron propagation and amplification within the microchannel plate.In addition to the well-known dependence of detection efficiencies on ion mass and energy, which has already been studied for positively charged ions, we were able to show a similar behaviour for the investigated negatively charged secondary ions. We have observed major variations among the three types of clusters at similar mass and energy as predicted in a theoretical approach. The observed differences are due to the different composition of the investigated clusters which has a major influence on the kinetic ion induced electron emission within the microchannel plate. For the first time it was possible to experimentally verify these predictions for detection efficiencies.     

Thickness influence on surface morphology and ozone sensing properties of nanostructured ZnO transparent thin films grown by PLD

Transparent zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films with a thickness from 10 to 200 nm were prepared by the PLD technique onto silicon and Corning glass substrates at 350 °C, using an Excimer Laser XeCl (308 nm). Surface investigations carried out by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed a strong influence of thickness on film surface topography. Film roughness (RMS), grain shape and dimensions correlate with film thickness. For the 200 nm thick film, the RMS shows a maximum (13.9 nm) due to the presence of hexagonal shaped nanorods on the surface. XRD measurements proved that the films grown by PLD are c-axis textured. It was demonstrated that the gas sensing characteristics of ZnO films are strongly influenced and may be enhanced significantly by the control of film deposition parameters and surface characteristics, i.e. thickness and RMS, grain shape and dimension.