Electromodulation spectroscopy of In0.53Ga0.47As/In0.53Ga0.23Al0.24As quantum wells

In_0.53Ga_0.47As/In_0.53Ga_0.23Al_0.24As quantum wells (QWs) of various widths have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy on the InP substrate and investigated by electromodulation spectroscopy, i.e. photoreflectance (PR) and contactless electroreflectance (CER). The optical transitions related to the QW barrier and the QW ground and excited states have been clearly observed in PR and CER spectra. The experimental QW transition energies have been compared with theoretical predictions based on an effective mass formalism model. A good agreement between experimental data and theoretical calculations has been observed when the conduction band offset for the In_0.53Ga_0.47As/In_0.53Ga_0.23Al_0.24As interface equals 60%. In addition, it has been concluded that the conduction band offset for the In_0.53Ga_0.23Al_0.24As/InP interface is close to zero. The obtained results show that InGa(Al)As alloys are very promising materials in the band gap engineering for structures grown on InP substrate.     

Modelling compression ignition engines by incorporation of the flamelet generated manifolds combustion closure

Tabulated chemistry models allow to include detailed chemistry effects at low cost in numerical simulations of reactive flows. Characteristics of the reactive fluid flows are described by a reduced set of parameters that are representative of the flame structure at small scales so-called flamelets. For a specific turbulent combustion configuration, flamelet combustion closure, with proper formulation of the flame structure can be applied. In this study, flamelet generated manifolds (FGM) combustion closure with progress variable approach were incorporated with OpenFOAM® source code to model combustion within compression ignition engines. For IC engine applications, multi-dimensional flamelet look-up tables for counter flow diffusive flame configuration were generated. Source terms of non-premixed combustion configuration in flamelet domain were tabulated based on pressure, temperature of unburned mixture, mixture fraction, and progress variable. A new frozen flamelet method was introduced to link one dimensional reaction diffusion space to multi-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) physical space to fulfill correct modelling of thermal state of the engine at expansion stroke when charge composition was changed after combustion and reaction rates were subsided. Predictability of the developed numerical framework were evaluated for Sandia Spray A (constant volume vessel), Spray B (light duty optical Diesel engine), and a heavy duty Diesel engine experiments under Reynolds averaged Navier Stokes turbulence formulation. Results showed that application of multi-dimensional FGM combustion closure can comprehensively predict key parameters such as: ignition delay, in-cylinder pressure, apparent heat release rate, flame lift-off , and flame structure in Diesel engines.     

Adsorption and decomposition of symdimethylhydrazine and hydrogen cyanide on Pt (111)

Adsorption and decomposition of sym-dimethylhydrazine on Pt (111) has been studied at ～ 290 K. Decomposition occurs by two pathways. One yields CH₄ and N₂ at room temperature; the second, analogous to decomposition of ethylene diamine, yields mainly dehydrogenation products. These include HCN, which it is suggested is initially adsorbed molecularly on this surface and β₂-C₂N₂.     

Die Beeinflussung des photochemischen Verhaltens von Farbstoffmolekeln in Lösung durch Fremdsubstanzen. Lösungen von Chinizarin in aliphatischen Kohlenwasserstoffen in Gegenwart aromatischer Verbindungen

The acceleration of the photolysis of several anthraquinone derivatives by admixture of various substances, notably of carbonyl compounds ans lead(IV) salts has been studied in a variety of solvents. The sensitization of the photolysis results from the production of radicals either directly from the irradiated lead salts or from the solvent upon hydrogen atom abstraction by the excited carbonyl compounds, probably in the triplet state. The reaction of these radicals with the dye results in the formation of several derivatives of its leuco form, whose absorption in the visible and ultraviolet closely resemble that of the unsubstituted leuco form. These reactions are observed in very dilute solutions, in which intermolecular energy transfer is not expected to occur.     

Enantioselective oxidation of secondary alcohols at a quinohaemoprotein alcohol dehydrogenase electrode

Quinohaemoprotein alcohol dehydrogenase fromComamonas testosteroni was co-immobilized with a redox polymer (a poly(vinylpyridine) complex functionalized with osmium bis(bipyridine) chloride) on an electrode. The enzyme electrode readily oxidizes primary alcohols and secondary alcohols with maximum current densities varying between 0.43 and 0.98 A m^-2 depending on the substrate and the operation temperature. The affinity of the enzyme for aliphatic alcohols increases with the chain length of the substrate (i.e., 1-pentano1 [K_m = 0.006 mM] is a much better substrate than ethanol [K_m= 2.2 mM]). The same property is observed for secondary alcohols in the series 2-propanol (K_m = 22 mM) to 2-octano1 (K_m = 0.05 mM). The enzyme electrode is enantioselective in the oxidation of secondary alcohols. A strong preference is observed for the S-2-alcohols; the enantioselectivity increases with increasing chain length. The enantiomeric ratio (E) increases from 13 for (R,S)-2-butanol to approximately 80 for (R,S)-2-heptanol and (R,S)-2-octanol. This makes the enzyme electrode, potentially, a powerful tool for the preparation of a large range of alkanones and/or for the (kinetic) resolution of racemic alcohols.     

Expression of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase reduces cell-wall polysaccharide concentration and increases xylose content in alfalfa stems

The primary cell-wall matrix of most higher plants is composed of large amounts of uronic acids, primarily d-galacturonic acid residues in the back-bone of pectic polysaccharides. Uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glucose dehydrogenase is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of uronic acids. We produced transgenic alfalfa (Medicago sativa) plants expressing a soybean UDP-glucose dehydrogenase cDNA under the control of two promoters active in alfalfa vascular tissues. In initial greenhouse experiments, enzyme activity in transgenic lines was up to seven-fold greater than in nontransformed control plants; however, field-grown transgenic plants had only a maximum of 1.9-fold more activity than the control. Cell-wall polysaccharide content was lower and Klason lignin content was higher in transgenics compared to the nontransformed control. No significant increase in pectin or uronic acids in the polysaccharide fraction was observed in any line. Xylose increased 15% in most transgenic lines and mannose concentration decreased slightly in all lines. Because of the complexity of pectic polysaccharides and sugar biosynthesis, it may be necessary to manipulate multiple steps in carbohydrate metabolism to alter the pectin content of alfalfa.     

DISTRIBUTION OF ENZYMES INVOLVED IN NUCLEOTIDE METABOLISM IN THE DISK AND OTHER ROD MEMBRANES

Abstract— Intact disks and inverted disks were prepared from bovine retinal rods and the distribution in the disk membrane of such enzymes as guanyl cyclase, cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase, GTP binding protein (GTPase), 5'-nucleotidase and rhodopsin kinase was investigated. Guanyl cyclase was not detected in the disk; the enzyme activity was high in a membranous fraction containing the cilium or axoneme and the rod outer segment plasma membrane. Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase, GTP binding protein (GTPase) and rhodopsin kinase were associated on the external surface of disk in the presence of 2 m M Mg²⁺. The enzymes dissociated from the membrane when Mg²⁺ was depleted. Thus, magnesium ion seems to regulate the state of these enzymes in the outer segment. 5'-Nucleotidase activity was low in intact disks but was significantly enhanced after inversion of the disk. The catalytic site of the enzyme, therefore, must be located on the internal (intradiscal) surface. Since the disks are known to be formed by invagination of the plasma membrane, 5'-nucleotidase, by inference, would have its catalytic site exposed on the external surface of the plasma membrane. Preliminary experiments showed that the capability of light-activated rhodopsin to activate cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase was inhibited by phosphorylation of the pigment. This supports the idea that rhodopsin kinase, cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase and GTPase exist as a functional complex on rod membranes.