Structure of Complex Concentrated Alloys Derived from Iron Aluminide FeAl.

The phase structure and composition of a series of four alloys based on FeAl was investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The materials were composed of Fe and Al with a fixed ratio of 3:1 alloyed with V, Cr and Ni at 8, 12, 15 and 20 at. % each (composition formula: Fe AlVCrNi).

CePtAl: Structural and Bulk Properties.

This work is focused on the structural and physical properties of CePtAl, an intermetallic compound. At room temperature, the modulated orthorhombic structure (00)000, with = (0.481, 0, 0) has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction supplemented by dependence of lattice parameters above room temperature for which the X-ray powder diffraction was used.

Growth of a TiNb adhesion interlayer for bioactive coatings.

Surface bioactivity has been under intensive study with reference to its use in medical implants. Our study is focused on coatings prepared from an electroactive material which can support bone cell adhesion. Until now, hydroxyapatite films have usually been utilized as a chemically-active surface agent.

Microstructure, Optical and Photocatalytic Properties of TiO₂ Thin Films Prepared by Chelating-Agent Assisted Sol-Gel Method.

Single and multilayer TiO₂ thin films coated on two types of soda-lime glass substrates (microscope slides and cylinders) were prepared by a chelating agent-assisted sol-gel method, using ethyl acetoacetate as a chelating agent, dip-coating and calcination at 500 °C for 2 h in air. Phase composition, microstructural, morphological and optical properties of thin films were comprehensively investigated by using XRF, advanced XRD analysis, Raman and UV-vis spectroscopy and AFM. It was found out that the thickness of thin films increases linearly with increasing number of deposited layers, indicating a good adhesion of the titania solution to a glass substrate as well as to a previously calcined layer.

Outcomes of an Immersion Proiect in the Dominican Republic Bateyes.

Faculty and nursing students from a southeastern college participated in a service-learning immersion in an intra-professional collaboration to treat migrant workers living in the bateyes (the name given to those communities that reside inside sugar plantations in the Dominican Republic that are comprised mainly of Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent) in the targeted Dominican Republic agricultural plantations. The mission team included physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and nursing students These team members provided health assessment, screenings, and preventive health education to men, women, and children, and their families. The students were provided an in-depth orientation and briefed about what to expect during their visit to a foreign culture.

The misfit dislocation density profile in graded SiGe/Si(001) layers prepared at different temperatures.

We present a generalization of the Dodson-Tsao kinematic model of misfit dislocation for graded SixGe1-x/Si(001) layers. The layers were prepared under different growing conditions (temperature). The misfit dislocation distribution has been determined by means of high-resolution x-ray scattering.

Hydrogen induced changes in the crystal structure and magnetic properties of UCoGe.

Hydrogen pressure of 0.5-140 bar has been applied to synthesize hydrides of UCoGe. Besides an α hydride crystallizing in the structure type of the parent compound, which loses the weak ferromagnetism found in pure UCoGe, two distinctly different β hydrides were identified.

Pressure effect on the crystal lattice of unconventional superconductor UCoGe.

High-pressure techniques were used to determine the structural behaviour of the superconducting ferromagnet UCoGe up to 30 GPa enabling us to determine the link between the effect of pressure on the material magnetic properties and crystal structure. The TiNiSi type structure of UCoGe was preserved up to the highest pressure. The a direction, equivalent to the shortest U-U links, was identified as the critical soft direction.

Complex organization of the Streptomyces avermitilis genes encoding the avermectin polyketide synthase.

The avermectin (Av) polyketide synthase (PKS) and erythromycin (Er) PKS are encoded by modular repeats of DNA, but the genetic organization of the modules encoding Av PKS is more complex than Er PKS. Sequencing of several related DNA fragments from Streptomyces avermitilis that are part of the Av biosynthetic gene cluster, revealed that they encode parts of large multifunctional PKS proteins. The Av PKS proteins show strong similarity to each other, as well as similarity to Er PKS proteins [Donadio et al.