Instrumental correction of time dependent counting losses in high rate gamma-ray spectrometry

A CAMAC system was installed for pulse height analysis and correction of counting losses due to the dead-time of a multichannel analyzer and the pulse pile-up. A computer program was developed to control the whole system, and to collect and store data in both conventional and cyclic measurement modes.     

Synthesis of 2-amino-4-imino-4,5-dihydrothiazoles from N-sulfonyl-α-chloroamidines and thiourea

A number of new and interesting 2-amino-4-(N-substituted)imino-4,5-dihydrothiazoles were synthesized by reacting thiourea (or thiourea hydrochloride) with N-alkyl- or N,N-dialkyl-N′-p-toluenesulfonyl-α-chloroacetamidines, where the N,N-alkyl groups were ethyl, cyclohexyl, benzyl, β-phenethyl, (3,5-dimethyl-1-adamantyl)-methyl, as well as N,N-dimethyl- and N,N-pentamethylene. Reactions of N-alkyl-N-p-toluenesulfonyl-2-chloroacetamidines (substituents being N-ethyl, N-benzyl and N,N-dimethyl) with thiourea hydrochloride in hot 2-propanol furnished 2-amino-4-(p-toluenesulfonyl)imino-4,5-dihydrothiazole (in 51, 60 and 65% yields, respectively) and the corresponding amine hydrochloride. In hot acetone or butanone, the reactions of these N-sulfonyl-2-chloroacetamidines with excess thiourea provided 2-amino-4-N-(alkyl or N,N-dialkyl)imminium-4,5-dihydrothiazole chlorides in 25–80% yield. The by-product from these reactions was p-toluenesulfonamide. The structures of the products were established by chemical transformations and spectral methods (nmr and mass spectra).     

Characteristics of Size-Fractionated Urban Aerosols and Trace Gases in Budapest

An air pollution study was conducted at two urban residential sites in Budapest from 9 April to 17 May 1996. Size-fractionated aerosol samples were simultaneously collected on a daily basis, and meteorological conditions were recorded at both sampling sites. Stacked filter units (SFUs) with an upper size inlet cutoff were used as sampling devices separating the urban aerosol into coarse [about 2- to 10-μm equivalent aerodynamic diameter (EAD)] and fine (<2 μm EAD) size fractions. In addition, atmospheric concentrations of some criteria pollutants, i.e., NO, NO₂, SO₂, CO, and total mass of the suspended particulate matter (TSP) were measured every half-hour at one of the sampling sites with commercial equipment. The SFU filters were weighed and analyzed by a light reflectance technique, particle-induced X-ray emission analysis, and instrumental neutron activation analysis. Atmospheric concentrations for 31 aerosol species have been obtained so far. The analytical results were used to characterize the levels and the multielemental composition of the urban aerosol at both sampling sites and for both size fractions, to investigate the atmospheric concentrations and diurnal variation of the criteria pollutants, and to compare the time trends of aerosols and trace gases. The present paper reports on the status of the air pollution study and gives a discussion of the results.     

Enhancement of the chemiluminescence of penicillamine and ephedrine after derivatization with aldehydes using tris(bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) peroxydisulfate system and its analytical application

A novel sequential injection (SI) method was developed for the determination of penicillamine (PA) and ephedrine (EP) based on the reaction of these drugs with tris(bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)₃²⁺) and peroxydisulfate (S₂O₈²⁻) in the presence of light. Derivatization of PA and EP with aldehydes has resulted in a significant enhancement of the chemiluminescence emission signal by at least 25 times for PA and 12 times for EP, leading to better sensitivities and lower detection limits for both drugs. The instrumental setup utilized a syringe pump and a multiposition valve to aspirate the reagents, (Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ and S₂O₈²⁻), and a peristaltic pump to propel the sample. The experimental conditions affecting the derivatization reaction and the chemiluminescence reaction were systematically optimized using the univariate approach. Under the optimum conditions linear calibration curves between 0.2–24 μg mL⁻¹ for PA and 0.2–20 μg mL⁻¹ for EP were obtained. The detection limits were 0.1 μg mL⁻¹ for PA and 0.03 μg mL⁻¹ for EP. The procedure was applied to the analysis of PA and EP in pharmaceutical products and was found to be free from interferences from concomitants usually present in these preparations.     

A study of the effect of some pollutant gases on cathodes used in membrane-covered amperometric oxygen detectors

The effects of various gaseous pollutants on the electrochemical activity of materials used as cathodes for membrane-covered amperometric oxygen detectors are described. It is shown that gold and platinum cathodes are not unduly affected by concentrations of sulphur dioxide and chlorine many times greater than those likely to be encountered in test solutions, and that a gold cathode is also unaffected by hydrogen sulphide. A platinum cathode is rapidly and significantly poisoned on contact with hydrogen sulphide; an analysis of the fall in the rate of oxygen reduction as a function of time indicates that the poisoning occurs by the blocking of surface sites by sulphide. The effect of hydrogen sulphide on silver, nickel and nickel sulphide electrodes is also reported. Of these materials, only nickel sulphide is an effective electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction in the presence of sulphide.     

Fast neutron activation analysis using short-lived radionuclides

Fast neutron activation analysis experiments were performed to investigate the analytical possibilities and prospective utilization of short-lived activation products. A rapid pneumatic transfer system for use with neutron generators has been installed and applied for detecting radionuclides with a half-life from 300 ms to 20 s. The transport time for samples of total mass of 1–4 g is between 130 and 160 ms for pressurized air of 0.1–0.4 MPa. The reproducibility of transport times is less than 2%. The employed method of correcting time-dependent counting losses is based on the virtual pulse generator principle. The measuring equipment consists of CAMAC modules and a special gating circuit. Typical time distributions of counting losses are presented. The same 14 elements were studied by the conventional activation method (single irradiation and single counting) by both a typical pneumatic transport system (run time 3 s) and the fast pneumatic transport facility. Furthermore, the influence of the cyclic activation technique on the elemental sensitivities was investigated.     

Positive polynomials on projective limits of real algebraic varieties

We reveal some important geometric aspects related to non-convex optimization of sparse polynomials. The main result, a Positivstellensatz on the fibre product of real algebraic affine varieties, is iterated to a comprehensive class of projective limits of such varieties. This framework includes as necessary ingredients recent works on the multivariate moment problem, disintegration and projective limits of probability measures and basic techniques of the theory of locally convex vector spaces. A variety of applications illustrate the versatility of this novel geometric approach to polynomial optimization.     

A family of $$ 2^{\aleph _1 } $$ logarithmic functions of distinct growth rates

We construct a totally ordered set Γ of positive infinite germs (i.e. germs of positive real-valued functions that tend to +∞), with order type being the lexicographic product ℵ₁ × ℤ². We show that Γ admits $ 2^{\aleph _1 } $ 2^{\aleph _1 } order preserving automorphisms of pairwise distinct growth rates.     

Liquid crystalline G phase of self assembled donor-acceptor molecules by intermolecular hydrogen bonding

The interaction with donor p-n-alkylbenzoic acid and acceptor nonyl-p-hydroxy benzoate molecules was studied. The likely association of these molecules to complexes is studied by intermolecular hydrogen bonding. The textures are observed by polarizing optical microscope with corresponding transitions confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry. The molecular complexes exhibited enantiotropic crystal G phases in both heating and cooling cycles. The relevant functional groups C═O, C-O and OH in formation of molecular complexes are attributed with spectral shifts in infrared spectra and further with absorption studies. The proton NMR studies convinced the structural aspects of hydrogen bonded structure. Crystal parameters were studied with powdered X-ray diffraction. The results show that constituent molecules self organize through intermolecular hydrogen bonding in the formation of crystal G phase.     

Acousto-optical coherence tomography with a digital holographic detection scheme

Acousto-optical coherence tomography (AOCT) consists in using random phase jumps on ultrasound and light to achieve a millimeter resolution when imaging thick scattering media. We combined this technique with heterodyne off-axis digital holography. Two-dimensional images of absorbing objects embedded in scattering phantoms are obtained with a good signal-to-noise ratio. We study the impact of the phase modulation characteristics on the amplitude of the acousto-optic signal and on the contrast and apparent size of the absorbing inclusion.