Integrated Mach-Zehnder micro-interferometer on LiNbO3

This work presents a scanning micro-interferometer, without moving parts, based on the well-known Mach-Zehnder geometry. The micro-system was obtained by using non-standard processes of planar technology on lithium niobate crystals, in particular the waveguide fabrication was obtained by using high energy ion implantation of medium light mass elements. The scanning effect without moving parts has been obtained by changing the refractive index of the optical waveguides by using electric field. The whole device is 60 mm long with a 0.5×1 mm² cross section, weights only few grams and its power consumption lies in the milliwatt range. The performances were preliminary tested in the spectral window ranging from 0.4 to 1.0 μm. By using standard radiation sources, this micro-system demonstrated a spectral resolution suitable for detecting the characteristic spectral lines of a Xe-arc lamp on a 400 nm wide spectral window. In a further experiment we tested the performances of the microinterferometer for gas trace detection by using a calibrated NO₂ optical gas cell. A sensitivity of about 10 ppb for NO₂ detection, when suitable optical paths are used, was evaluated.     

TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE OF INDUCTION OF CYCLOBUTANE-TYPE PYRIMIDINE PHOTODIMERS IN HUMAN FIBROBLASTS BY 313 nm LIGHT

The rate of cyclobutane-type pyrimidine photodimerization with 313 nm light was determined in confluent cultures of xeroderma pigmentosum cells of group A. A new method was developed for the determination of sodium borohydride reduced thymine-thymine (TT) and cytosine-thymine (CT) dirners by high pressure liquid chromatography. It was found that the yield of dimerization andtheratioof CT/TT depended on the irradiation temperature in the physiological fluence range of 2.25 to 15 kJ m⁻². Both were significantly higher at 37 than at 0°C.     

Preconcentration and determination of tellurium in garlic samples by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry

A procedure for the determination of traces of total tellurium (Te) in garlic (Allium sativa) is described that combines hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry with preconcentration of the analyte by coprecipitation. The samples, each spiked with lanthanum nitrate (20 mg/L), are introduced into an Amberlite XAD-4 resin and mixed with ammonium buffer (pH 9.1). Te is preconcentrated by coprecipitation with the generated lanthanum hydroxide precipitate. The precipitate is quantitatively collected in the resin, eluted with hydrochloric acid, and then transferred into the atomizer device. Considering a sample consumption of 25 mL, an enrichment factor of 10 was obtained. The detection limit (3sigma) was 0.03 microg/L, and the precision (relative standard deviation) was 3.5% (n = 10) at the 10 microg/L level. The calibration graph using the preconcentration system for Te was linear with a correlation coefficient of 0.9993. Satisfactory results were obtained for the analysis of Te in garlic samples.     

Determination of metal content in valerian root phytopharmaceutical derivatives by atomic spectrometry

Phytopharmaceuticals containing Valerian are used as mild sleep-inducing agents. The elemental composition of 3 different marks of Valeriana officinalis roots commercially available in the Argentinian market, their teas, and a commercial tincture have been studied. The content of Al, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn was determined in phytopharmaceuticals by flame atomic emission/absorption spectrometry, electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry, and ultrasonic nebulization coupled to inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. Prior to analyses of the samples, a digestion procedure was optimized. The analytical results obtained for Fe, Al, Ca, and V in the solid sample study were within the range 100-1000 mg/kg, and for Mn, Zn, and Pb within the range 10-100 mg/kg. Cadmium was found at levels up to 0.0125 mg/kg.     

Retention of fission xenon in air by activated carbon at 2 °C

Xenon retention in air by activated carbon for two sizes of grain and two flows of gas is described. ¹³³Xe obtained from the residual gases existent in the decay tanks of the ⁹⁹Mo Production Plant of Ezeiza Atomic Center, was mixed with natural xenon as carrier and air as the major component. The gas stream was passed through a drier, two columns filled with activated carbon at 2 °C and one filled with small wires of porous copper at -196 °C. On the basis of the results obtained, the conditions of an equipment could be extrapolated with the conditions of operation to the routine treatment of fission gases. Recommendations with respect to the movement of gases in a hot cell are also formulated.     

Search for an enhanced production of low energy pions in C(p, π+)X,Cu(p, π+)X,and Cu(p, π∘)X reactions for 300 MeV≦Tp≦400 MeV

The observation of an enhancement in the production of low energy pions in the Cu(p, ⁺)X reaction is confirmed. The width of the bump is about 5 MeV around 350 MeV. A similar enhancement appears at 330 MeV for C(p, ⁺)X but the width has not been measured. An attempt to observe this behaviour in Cu(p, )X is described. From the data one cannot conclude about the existence of a structure around 350 MeV proton energy. The lack of resolution in the spectrometer may have washed out the small effect expected from ⁺ measurements.     

Isobaric yields and radiochemistry of near-target residues in the interaction of 12C and 16O with 103Rh at an incident energy of 400 MeV

Production cross sections of residues with mass near to that of the target were measured in ¹²C and ¹⁶O induced reactions on Rh at an incident energy of 400 MeV. An ion-exchange method has been developed for the separation of Rh, Pd and Ag nuclides from all other produced activities. Rh and Ag nuclides were separated from elements such as Pd, Ru, and Tc, amongst others, on an AG1-X8 anion exchange resin in 6M HCl. The Ag nuclides were then removed from the effluent using a precipitation technique so that only Rh remained in the final solution. The Pd was afterwards separated from Ru and Tc by eluting it from the resin with 5% ammonia solution. This procedure made it possible to accurately measure production cross sections for ^103mRh and ¹⁰³Pd. Cross sections for the production of various other observed residues are also presented. The results are consistent with an enhanced isobaric yield in the near-target mass region. The radiochemical separation technique is also suitable for the routine production of Pd and Rh nuclides, e.g., ¹⁰³Pd and ^101mRh, in proton-induced reactions on Rh targets     

BDNF as a Putative Target for Standardized Extract of Ginkgo biloba-Induced Persistence of Object Recognition Memory

Despite considerable progress on the study of the effect of standardized extract of Gingko biloba (EGb) on memory processes, our understanding of its role in the persistence of long-term memory (LTM) and the molecular mechanism underlying its effect, particularly episodic-like memory, is limited. We here investigated the effects of EGb on the long-term retention of recognition memory and its persistence and BDNF expression levels in the dorsal hippocampal formation (DHF). Adult male Wistar rats (n = 10/group) were handled for 10 min/5 day. On day 6, the animals were treated with vehicle or 0.4 mg/kg diazepam (control groups) or with EGb (250, 500 or 100 mg/kg) 30 min before the training session (TR1), in which the animals were exposed to two sample objects. On day 7, all rats underwent a second training session (TR2) as described in the TR1 but without drug treatment. Object recognition memory (ORM) was evaluated on day 8 (retention test, T1) and day 9 (persistence test, T2). At the end of T1or T2, animals were decapitated, and DHF samples were frozen at −80 °C for analyses of the differential expression of BDNF by Western blotting. EGb-treated groups spent more time exploring the novel object in T2 and showed the highest recognition index (RI) values during the T1 and T2, which was associated with upregulation of BDNF expression in the DHF in a dose-and session-dependent manner. Our data reveal, for the first time, that EGb treatment before acquisition of ORM promotes persistence of LTM by BDNF differential expression.