Response of thermoluminescent detectors to charged particles and to neutrons

Thermoluminescent detectors (TLDs) are widely used for the dosimetry of photons and electrons. They are less used for the radiation with higher linear energy transfer (LET). One of the reasons for that is that their TL relative efficiency η decreases for the most of them with increasing LET.

The paper presents first a review of author's experimental results in which η was established for charged particles having LET of the order from 1 to 100 keV/μm in tissue. Among TLDs studied were known materials like LiF:Mn; Ti; Al–P glass; CaSO₄:Dy; Al₂O₃:Na; and Al₂O₃:C. It was found that the dependence of their η on LET is not the same for all TLDs studied.

The response of the same materials to neutrons was also studied. It was found that both η as the relative response (RR) defined in terms of absorbed dose in tissue are different, they depend critically also on the composition. When a TLD contains nuclei like ⁶Li and ¹⁰B, their RR would be rather high. As far as η is concerned, the same tendencies were observed as for charged particles, i.e. when average LET of secondary particles formed in a TLD increases, their η generally decreases.     

Risks of damage to electronics with reference to charged clothing

Risks of damage to electronic devices with reference to charged clothing have been identified and quantified. The key parameters to control, in order to minimise the device failures due to electrostatic discharge (ESD), are peak ESD current and charge transfer in a direct discharge and device charging by induction and rubbing. An extensive experimental program was carried out to gain experience on threshold levels of these parameters. Use of ESD protective garments over normal clothes of operators is highly recommended in order to minimise ESD failures of devices. The ESD protective garments must be properly used and designed, otherwise they themselves form an ESD risk to electronics.     

Coupling of earphones to human ears and to standard coupler

A standardized acoustical coupler should enable the calibration of audiometric earphones which ensures that the hearing thresholds determined in the audiometric measurement are independent of the earphone type. This requires that the coupler approximates the average human ear closely. Nevertheless, the differences among earphones as well as between human ears and the coupler affect the results of the audiometric measurements inducing uncertainty. As the mentioned differences are related to the coupling of different earphones to human ears and to a standardized coupler, the effects of this coupling are investigated by measuring the transfer functions from input voltage of the earphone terminals to the pressure at the ear canal entrance in two situations: open and blocked canals. Since the "ear canal entrance" is not well-defined for the coupler, transfer function measurements in the coupler were carried out in a similar way but at different depths. In order to describe and compare the earphone couplings, the pressure divisions at the entrance of the ear canal are calculated from the measured transfer functions. The results indicate that significant difference appears among sound pressures generated in different individuals' ears. Also, the earphone couplings to human ears and to the coupler differ considerably.     

How to couple Landau theory to an equation of state

We show how to construct a Landau-type free energy based on a primary order parameter coupled to finite strain with an elastic energy derived from an arbitrary equation of state V = V(P). The resulting class of models provides an excellent and efficient framework for the systematic study of phase transformations for a wide range of materials up to ultrahigh pressures.     

Ratios of magnetic charge to charge and of magnetic mass to mass

It is shown that, unlike the case of (vacuum) solutions describing isolated bodies, conformal Killing fields are not excluded by the structure of vacuum gravitational magnetic monopoles at null infinity. The resulting dilation must be constant. This brings support to the viewpoint that such solutions might have a role to play in the understanding of gravitational entropy and time's arrow. If, in addition, a Maxwellian magnetic monopole (Dirac string singularity) is available, the ratio of the total magnetic charge (magnetic mass) over the total electric charge (mass) can be identified. This common feature between the gravitational and the electromagnetic interaction finds its origin in the space-time topology.     

Infrared investigation of benzene to 30 GPa transformation to a polymer

Abstract

After a pressure cycle to 30 GPa, benzene transforms to a white solid which can be recovered at ambient. Results obtained from infrared spectroscopy and other physico-chemical methods show that the recovered solid is a highly cross-linked polymer. The molecular structure of benzene is very likely completely altered by the transformation.     

Symmetries inT ij related to nonuniqueness of solutions to Einstein's equations

A symmetry principle is proposed which in the case whenT _ij enjoys sufficient symmetry helps to pick out the physically relevant solution to Einstein's equations.     

Proposal to improve the behaviour of self-energy contributions to the S-matrix

A simple modification of the definition of the S-matrix is proposed. It is expected that the divergences related to nonzero self-energies are considerably milder with the modified definition than with the usual one. This conjecture is verified in a few examples using perturbation theory. The proposed formula is written in terms of the total Hamiltonian operator and a free Hamiltonian operator and is therefore applicable in any case when these Hamiltonian operators are known.     

Fluctuation approach to the problem of thermodynamics’ applicability to nanoparticles

The root-mean square fluctuations of the temperature and energetic surface tension of metallic and molecular nanoparticles have been estimated. It is revealed that the relative value of mentioned fluctuations is not higher than several percents even for the particles of 0.5 nm in size. We thus conclude that it is possible to apply the thermodynamic approach to nanoparticles with fluctuating properties, and the fluctuations do not lead to nanoparticle instability and decay.     

Use of Euler series to fit spectra with application to water

Power series expansions of water eigenstate energies in J and K converge poorly and show alternating signs of the coefficients of the power series. Euler series can be used effectively to change an alternating series into one where all the coefficients have the same sign and where the radius of convergence is increased. This paper extends the Euler series to a two-dimensional series in K² and [J (J + 1) − K²]. Application of this Euler series to the rotational energies of the ground state and the first 4 excited vibrational states of water allows a fit to experimental accuracy to J = 22 and K = 22. This fit has good convergence and also has predictive capability. It is much easier to fit the perturbed states because the Euler series allows the zero-order energy the perturbed states to be predicted with more confidence.     

Transparency of the Sun to Gamma Rays due to axionlike particles

It is shown that the Sun can become partially transparent to high energy photons in the presence of a pseudoscalar. In particular, if the axion interpretation of the PVLAS result were true, then up to 2% of GeV energy gamma rays might pass through the Sun, while an even stronger effect is expected for some axion parameters. We discuss the possibilities of observing this effect. Present data are limited to the observation of the solar occultation of 3C 279 by the Energetic Gamma-Ray Experiment Telescope in 1991; 98% C.L. detection of a nonzero flux of gamma rays passing through the Sun is not yet conclusive. Since the same occultation happens every October, future experiments, e.g., the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, are expected to have better sensitivity.     

Application of EPR spectroscopy to examination of gentamicin and kanamycin binding to DOPA-melanin

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy was applied to measure the influence of two aminoglycoside antibiotics: gentamicin and kanamycin on free radical propertis of DOPA-melanin. DOPA-melanin was formed by oxidative polymerization of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine. Different concentrations of gentamicin and kanamycin (from 1·10⁻⁴ to 1·10⁻² M) were used. o-Semiquinone free radicals with ag factor of 2.0043 were found in all studied melanin samples. Their concentrations in the DOPA-melanin-drug complexes were higher than in DOPA-melanin, and increased with the increase of gentamicin and kanamycin concentration. A single EPR line of the analyzed samples (ΔB _pp, 0.48-0.52 mT) indicates that aminoglycoside antibiotics do not create a new type of free radicals in DOPA-melanin. Microwave saturation behavior of the experimental lines indicates the homogeneous broadening of resonance absorption curves for DOPA-melanin and its complexes with aminoglycosides. The EPR lines saturate at low microwave powers. Slow spin-lattice relaxation processes were characteristic for all studied melanin samples.     

Response of nevus of Ota to Q-switched alexandrite laser according to treatment interval

In order to determine the appropriate treatment interval, 267 patients who underwent 3 sessions of treatment with Q-switched alexandrite laser were divided into 4 groups according to treatment interval, and their clinical responses were compared. Among them, 187 were asked about the process of pigment fading. Moreover, light and transmission electron microscopy were performed. It was noted that the clinical response of the 5 - 6 month interval group was significantly better than that of the 3 - 4 month group, but showed no significant difference from that of the 7 - 8 or ≥ 9 month group. 80.21% of investigated patients stated that marked pigment fading could no longer be observed 7 months after irradiation. 4 months after irradiation, the degenerated melanosomes and cell debris were still scattered among collagen fibers, scavenged gradually by macrophage. In conclusion, an appropriate treatment interval is 5 - 6 months.     

How to get access to long range states of highly excited molecules

Due to competition between ionic and covalent dissociation, the excited potential curves of the alkali dimers display long range structures, leading in some cases to secondary wells. We discuss the possibility of populating the well (with a depth of 1614.8 cm^-1, located at R _e = 30.5a ₀ ) that is present in the Na₂ potential curve and propose detection schemes. Received: 28 May 1998 / Revised: 5 August 1998 / Accepted: 24 September 1998