Photoluminescence of porous silicon layers formed in ion-implanted silicon wafers

Implantation of the B⁺ and N⁺ ions or a B⁺ + N⁺ combination into silicon substrates affects the photoluminescence properties of porous silicon (por-Si) layers prepared on the ion-modified wafers. The postimplantation anneals lead to significant changes in the por-Si emission bands. Models explaining the observed phenomena are suggested.     

Long-term monitoring of live cell proliferation in presence of PVP-Hypericin: a new strategy using ms pulses of LED and the fluorescent dye CFSE

During fluorescent live cell imaging it is critical to keep excitation light dose as low as possible, especially in the presence of photosensitizer drugs, which generate free radicals upon photobleaching. During fluorescent imaging, stress by excitation and free radicals induces serious cell damages that may arrest the cell cycle. This limits the usefulness of the technique for drug discovery, when prolonged live cell imaging is necessary. This paper presents a strategy to provide gentle experimental conditions for dynamic monitoring of the proliferation of human lung epithelial carcinoma cells (A549) in the presence of the photosensitizer Polyvinylpyrrolidone-Hypericin. The distinctive strategy of this paper is based on the stringent environmental control and optimizing the excitation light dose by (i) using a low-power pulsed blue light-emitting diode with short pulse duration of 1.29 ms and (ii) adding a nontoxic fluorescent dye called carboxyfluorescein-diacetate-succinimidyl-ester (CFSE) to improve the fluorescence signals. To demonstrate the usefulness of the strategy, fluorescence signals and proliferation of dual-marked cells, during 5-h fluorescence imaging under pulsed excitation, were compared with those kept under continuous excitation and nonmarked reference cells. The results demonstrated 3% cell division and 2% apoptosis due to pulsed excitation compared to no division and 85% apoptosis under the continuous irradiation. Therefore, our strategy allows live cell imaging to be performed over longer time scales than with conventional continuous excitation.     

High-Performance Photodetector and Angular-Dependent Random Lasing from Long-Chain Organic Diammonium Sandwiched 2D Hybrid Perovskite Non-Linear Optical Single Crystal

3D organic-inorganic metal halide perovskites are excellent materials for optoelectronic applications due to their exceptional properties, solution processability, and cost-effectiveness. However, the lack of environmental stability highly restricts them from practical applications. Herein, a stable centimeter-long 2D hybrid perovskite (N-MPDA)[PbBr₄] single crystal using divalent N1-methylpropane-1,3-diammonium (N-MPDA) cation as an organic spacer, is reported. The as-grown single crystal exhibits stable optoelectronic performance, low threshold random lasing, and multi-photon luminescence/multi-harmonic generation. A photoconductive device fabricated using (N-MPDA)[PbBr₄] single crystal exhibits an excellent photoresponsivity (≈124 AW⁻¹ at 405 nm) that is ≈4 orders of magnitudes higher than that of monovalent organic spacer-assisted 2D perovskites, such as (BA)₂PbBr₄ and (PEA)₂PbBr₄, and large specific detectivity (≈10¹² Jones). As an optical gain media, the (N-MPDA)[PbBr₄] single crystal exhibits a low threshold random lasing (≈6.5 µJ cm⁻²) with angular dependent narrow linewidth (≈0.1 nm) and high-quality factor (Q ≈ 2673). Based on these results, the outstanding optoelectronic merits of (N-MPDA)[PbBr₄] single crystal will offer a high-performance device and act as a dynamic material to construct stable future electronics and optoelectronic-based applications.     

Flame guncreting for restoring and protecting the linings of copper-nickel production equipment

Refractories and Industrial Ceramics -     

Pericellular pH affects distribution and secretion of cathepsin B in malignant cells

Redistribution of lysosomes to the cell surface and secretion of lysosomal proteases appear to be general phenomena in cells that participate in local proteolysis. In the present study, we have determined whether malignant progression affects the intracellular distribution and secretion of the lysosomal protease cathepsin B in three model systems, each of which consists of cell pairs that differ in their degree of malignancy. The intracellular distribution of vesicles staining for cathepsin B was evaluated by immunofluorescent microscopy and the secretion of cathepsin B was evaluated by two complementary techniques: stopped assays of activity secreted into culture media; and continuous assays of activity secreted from viable (> or = 95%) cells growing on coverslips. We observed that the intracellular distribution of cathepsin B+ vesicles was more peripheral in the cells of higher malignancy in all three model systems and that active cathepsin B was secreted constitutively from these cells. Because an acidic pericellular pH has been shown to induce translocation of lysosomes in macrophages and fibroblasts, we evaluated the intracellular distribution of cathepsin B+ vesicles and secretion of cathepsin B in cell pairs incubated at slightly acidic pH. Acidic pericellular pH induced a redistribution of cathepsin B+ vesicles toward the cell periphery. In the more malignant cells, this resulted with time in reduced intracellular staining for cathepsin B and enhanced secretion of active cathepsin B. Translocation and secretion of cathepsin B were dependent on a functional microtubular system. Both the redistribution of cathepsin B+ vesicles toward the cell surface induced by acidic pH and the constitutive and acidic pH-induced secretion of active cathepsin B could be inhibited by microtubule poisons and stabilizers. We suggest that the redistribution of active cathepsin B to the surface of malignant cells and its secretion may facilitate invasion of these cells.     

Plane-parallel nonisothermal filtration of a gas: the role of heat transfer

The influence of the parameters of a mathematical model and of the type of boundary conditions on the dynamics of pressure and temperature fields in nonisothermal gas filtration has been investigated in a computational experiment. To describe the process, the nonlinear system of partial differential equations obtained from the mass and energy conservation laws and Darcy law were used, with the physical and caloric equations of state employed as closing relations. The boundary conditions correspond to gas injection at a given mass flow rate of different intensities.     

Controlling the temperature regime of the soil mass in the foundation of a building

Using the methods of mathematical simulation, the problem of controlling the temperature of the permafrost mass in the foundation of a building is investigated. The influence of the thermal insulation embedded in the foundation, as well as of the lowering of the water table in grounds and of blowing along the day surface with cold air on the formation of the temperature field and cold accumulation in the soil mass has been studied.     

Silicon solar cells with antireflection diamond-like carbon and silicon carbide films

Optical properties of diamond-like carbon and silicon carbide (SiC) films in dependence on deposition conditions were investigated. It was established that the films having refractive index from 1.6 to 2.3 may be obtained. The film optical bandgap and hardness may be changed from 1.5 to 4 eV and from 1 to 20 GPa, correspondingly. The films were deposited onto the front side of silicon solar cells (SCs). It has been shown that deposition of single- or two-layer diamond-like carbon antireflection (AR) coatings enables the SCs efficiency to be improved 1.35–1.5 times. The improvement is connected with decreasing of reflection losses and passivation of recombination active centers. SiC AR coatings improve the solar cell efficiency up to 1.3 times.