Producing and studying oxide coatings containing manganese and nickel compounds on titanium from electrolyte suspensions

Regular effects of anion-active surfactants added to silicate electrolyte suspensions containing dispersed MnO₂ and NiO particles on the composition, properties, and catalytic activity of the oxide compositions produced on titanium by plasma-electrolytic oxidation are studied. In both cases, introducing surfactants is shown to result in similar changes in the surface relief, namely, an increase in the surface domains and height drops between crests and hollows, as well as a simultaneous decrease in the size and concentration of pores. At the same time, the elemental and phase compositions of the coatings, as well as their catalytic activity with respect to the CO oxidation, are determined by the nature of both the solid particles and surfactant used.     

Mechanism of terahertz photoconductivity in semimetallic HgTe/CdHgTe quantum wells

Terahertz photoconductivity in magnetic fields in semimetallic HgTe/CdHgTe quantum wells has been studied. The main contribution to photoconductivity comes from a signal that appears as a result of electron-gas heating. It is shown that, with the cyclotron resonance conditions satisfied, the photoconductivity signal is composed of cyclotron-resonance and bolometric components. However, in this case too, the bolometric contribution predominates.     

Thermally Stimulated Evolution of the Surface of Ni- and Cu-Containing Plasma-Electrolytic Oxide Coatings on Titanium

Protection of Metals and Physical Chemistry of Surfaces - The effect of the temperature of annealing in air on the surface architecture and composition of oxide layers has been studied....     

Oxidation processes in a silicon-boron-zirconium boride composite in the temperature range 1000–1300°C

Silicon, boron, and zirconium boride coatings on graphite have been obtained by thermal treatment of the initial components in air. During the course of the chemical reactions, a glass melt encapsulating (wrapping) the initial particles is formed, which makes it possible to create an air barrier preventing the diffusion of oxygen into the sample. The interactions between the components of the Si-B-ZrB₂ system with oxygen and the glass-forming melt have been investigated.     

Preschool children's mathematical knowledge: The effect of teacher "math talk."

This study examined the relation between the amount of mathematical input in the speech of preschool or day-care teachers and the growth of children's conventional mathematical knowledge over the school year. Three main findings emerged. First, there were marked individual differences in children's conventional mathematical knowledge by 4 years of age that were associated with socioeconomic status. Second, there were dramatic differences in the amount of math-related talk teachers provided. Third, and most important, the amount of teachers' math-related talk was significantly related to the growth of preschoolers' conventional mathematical knowledge over the school year but was unrelated to their math knowledge at the start of the school year. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of the active region thickness on characteristics of semiconductor lasers based on asymmetric AlGaAs/GaAs/InGaAs heterostructures with broadened waveguide

The effect of the active region thickness on the basic characteristics of high-power semiconductor lasers based on AlGaAs/GaAs/InGaAs asymmetric separate-confinement heterostructures grown by MOCVD epitaxy has been studied. It is shown that the threshold current, temperature sensitivity of the threshold current density, internal quantum efficiency of stimulated emission, and differential quantum efficiency are improved as the active region thickness increases. It is demonstrated that the maximum attainable optical emission power of a semiconductor laser and the internal quantum efficiency of photoluminescence are the most sensitive to defect formation in the heterostructure and become lower as the critical thickness of the strained In_xGa_1–x As layer in the active region is exceeded.     

Site-directed mutagenesis of the yeast V-ATPase A subunit

To investigate the function of residues at the catalytic nucleotide binding site of the V-ATPase, we have carried out site-directed mutagenesis of the VMA1 gene encoding the A subunit of the V-ATPase in yeast. Of the three cysteine residues that are conserved in all A subunits sequenced thus far, two (Cys284 and Cys539) appear essential for correct folding or stability of the A subunit. Mutation of the third cysteine (Cys261), located in the glycine-rich loop, to valine, generated an enzyme that was fully active but resistant to inhibition by N-ethylmalemide, 7-chloro-4-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazole, and oxidation. To test the role of disulfide bond formation in regulation of vacuolar acidification in vivo, we have also determined the effect of the C261V mutant on targeting and processing of the soluble vacuolar protein carboxypeptidase Y. No difference in carboxypeptidase Y targeting or processing is observed between the wild type and C261V mutant, suggesting that disulfide bond formation in the V-ATPase A subunit is not essential for controlling vacuolar acidification in the Golgi. In addition, fluid phase endocytosis of Lucifer Yellow, quinacrine staining of acidic intracellular compartments and cell growth are indistinguishable in the C261V and wild type cells. Mutation of G250D in the glycine-rich loop also resulted in destabilization of the A subunit, whereas mutation of the lysine residue in this region (K263Q) gave a V-ATPase complex which showed normal levels of A subunit on the vacuolar membrane but was unstable to detergent solubilization and isolation and was totally lacking in V-ATPase activity. By contrast, mutation of the acidic residue, which has been postulated to play a direct catalytic role in the homologous F-ATPases (E286Q), had no effect on stability or assembly of the V-ATPase complex, but also led to complete loss of V-ATPase activity. The E286Q mutant showed labeling by 2-azido-[32P]ATP that was approximately 60% of that observed for wild type, suggesting that mutation of this glutamic acid residue affected primarily ATP hydrolysis rather than nucleotide binding.     

The Effect of Mechanical Vibration on Optical Properties of Infrared Fibers of AgCl–AgBr Composition

Technical Physics Letters - The effect of mechanical vibration on the optical transmission of the infrared fibers of the AgCl0.25Br0.75 and AgCl0.5Br0.5 compositions for 30 h has been studied. It...     

Terahertz emission from CdHgTe/HgTe quantum wells with an inverted band structure

The terahertz electroluminescence from Cd_0.7Hg_0.3Te/HgTe quantum wells with an inverted band structure in lateral electric fields is experimentally detected and studied. The emission-spectrum maximum for wells 6.5 and 7 nm wide is near 6 meV which corresponds to interband optical transitions. The emission is explained by state depletion in the valence band and conduction band filling due to Zener tunneling, which is confirmed by power-law current–voltage characteristics.