Study of the Fe−Ni interface by conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy

Nickel-gamma iron interfaces obtained by growing films of Fe on Ni substrates are studied using CEMS. We have found that a) intermixing is confined to two atomic layers, b) Fe atoms deposited on structural defects of the Ni (111) surfaces are magnetically polarized, c) Fe epitaxially grown on Ni is highly susceptible at room temperature. Moreover the Ni−Fe interface shows Neel-type magnetic anisotropy.     

SKIN OPTICS AND PHOTOTHERAPY OF JAUNDICE

Abstract The Kubelka–Munk theory of radiation transfer is applied to determine the influence of skin optical losses on the efficiency of phototherapy of jaundice. Using a multi-layer model of the skin the photon absorption rate of bilirubin molecules is calculated for spectrally Gaussian light sources and fluorescent lamps used in phototherapy. Light absorption and scattering processes in the skin layers shift the optimum value of the peak excitation wavelength from λ= 453 nm (absorption maximum of bilirubin in vitro ) to λ= 480 nm. This suggests the clinical investigation of narrow-spectrum lamps emitting in the blue-green region of the spectrum.     

Mössbauer spectroscopy of (1 1 1) γ-Fe single layers grown on Ni

Hyperfine Interactions - The magnetic profile of Ni(111)/γ-Fe/Ni with different thickness is studied by CEMS Mössbauer spectroscopy. It depends both from the thickness of the Fe layer and...     

Comparative effects of polymide and PECVD silicon nitride as passivating layers on GaAs power MESFET characteristics

Two different dielectric materials (polymide and PECVD silicon nitride) have been used in this work as passivation coatings for GaAs power MESFETs. We submitted the devices to accelerated life tests with the purpose of characterizing the behaviour of the insulating layers during the periods of storage. This characterization has been made by measuring the most important electrical (DC and RF) parameters of the devices and controlling their time evolution. The most significant result of the experiments is that the Si₃N₄ passivated devices show a greater stability of their parameters at the end of the two following tests: a storage without bias (HTS) and in operating conditions (HTOT). The third test, performed under reverse gate bias at high temperature (HTRB), did not reveal any noticeable difference between the devices with both types of coatings.     

Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and total fats in human milk

A sensitive and reliable analytical method was developed for the simultaneous extraction of PAHs and total fats and their determination in the human milk. The method involved a liquid-liquid extraction of PAHs and fats, followed by the gravimetric determination of the latter. PAHs were separated from lipids by size exclusion chromatography eluting with methylene chloride and analysed by gaschromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The recovery of analytes was in the range of 42-101% and agreed well with their boiling temperatures (R2=0.779). Precision of the method was found between 7.6 and 19%. Quantification and detection limits for individual PAHs ranged from 0.011 to 0.032 and from 0.006 to 0.022 microg/Kg milk (wet weight), respectively. Quantification limit for the total fat determination was 0.26 g/Kg milk (wet weight). This procedure, applied to milk samples of ten healthy, non-smoking, Italian primiparae, living in rural or low-traffic zones, allowed for the identification and quantitative determination of naphthalene, acenaphthylene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene and benzo(k)fluoranthene in the mean concentration range 0.114-6.95 microg/Kg milk (wet weight). The most volatile compounds, which were not investigated elsewhere, were found at much higher concentrations than those observed for the others. No relation was found between PAH and total fat concentrations.     

Structural relaxation effects on the hyperfine parameters in Fe80B20 amorphous alloys

We have studied the influence of the relaxation effects on the different kinds of short range order structures which can be distinguished inFe ₈₀ B ₂₀ amorphous alloys by Mössbauer spectroscopy. The analysis of the distribution function of the hyperfine fields gives results on the variations of the chemical and topological short-range orders in good agreement with those known in literature. Attempt to give quantitative results is made.     

Quantification of plasma carnitine and acylcarnitines by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry using online solid-phase extraction

Carnitine is an amino acid derivative that plays a key role in energy metabolism. Endogenous carnitine is found in its free form or esterified with acyl groups of several chain lengths. Quantification of carnitine and acylcarnitines is of particular interest for screening for research and metabolic disorders. We developed a method with online solid-phase extraction coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry to quantify carnitine and three acylcarnitines with different polarity (acetylcarnitine, octanoylcarnitine, and palmitoylcarnitine). Plasma samples were deproteinized with methanol, loaded on a cation exchange trapping column and separated on a reversed-phase C8 column using heptafluorobutyric acid as an ion-pairing reagent. Considering the endogenous nature of the analytes, we quantified with the standard addition method and with external deuterated standards. Solid-phase extraction and separation were achieved within 8 min. Recoveries of carnitine and acylcarnitines were between 98 and 105 %. Both quantification methods were equally accurate (all values within 84 to 116 % of target concentrations) and precise (day-to-day variation of less than 18 %) for all carnitine species and concentrations analyzed. The method was used successfully for determination of carnitine and acylcarnitines in different human samples. In conclusion, we present a method for simultaneous quantification of carnitine and acylcarnitines with a rapid sample work-up. This approach requires small sample volumes and a short analysis time, and it can be applied for the determination of other acylcarnitines than the acylcarnitines tested. The method is useful for applications in research and clinical routine.

Titanium(IV) complexes of disulfide-linked Schiff bases

With the goal of preparing Ti(IV) complexes bearing a sulfur-based redox function of possible use in electrocatalytic oxidations of alcohols at electrode surfaces, a series of seven 2,2'-dithiodianiline Schiff-base derivatives, including two new variations, were tested in reactions with Ti(OR)(4) (R = (i)Pr, (t)Bu). Instead of the expected dimetallic products of general formula [LTi(OR)(2)](2), mononuclear species LTi(OR)(2) were obtained, confirmed by crystallographic determinations to have an unprecedented, symmetrical, and macrocyclic arrangement with four-point binding to the metal center and with the disulfide moieties remaining uncoordinated. Cyclic voltammetry performed in CH(2)Cl(2) displayed oxidations at potentials useful for fuel cells (+1.1-1.5 V vs Ag/AgCl), but despite the uncoordinated disulfide moieties, the complexes were reticent to engage in reduction processes.