Failure of the Quasiparticle Picture of X-ray Absorption?

The Golden rule expression for x-ray absorption spectra (XAS) is typically calculated within a one-particle (quasiparticle) approximation and generally leads to good agreement between theory and experiment. The fact that a quasiparticle approximation works fairly well is surprising, since it neglects satellite excitations and intrinsic losses due to a suddenly created core-hole. The resolution of this paradox requires physics beyond the independent particle approximation. This is discussed here using an effective Green's function formulation based on a quasi-boson model that takes interference between inelastic losses into account. This approach shows that inelastic excitations such as multi-electron excitations tend to be suppressed, and that the XAS is given by a broadened quasiparticle particle approximation, together with weak satellite structure and edge singularity effects.     

Experimental Evaluation of Strain Shielding in Distal Femur in Revision TKA

Theoretical concerns about the use of cemented and press-fit stems in revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) include stress shielding with adverse effects on prosthesis fixation. Radiological studies have showed distal femoral bone resorption after revision TKA. The revision with use of stems can place abnormal stresses. These stresses can promote the effect of bone stress shielding and may contribute to bone loss. Experimental quantification of strain shielding in the distal synthetic femur following TKA is the main purpose of the present study. Three different constructs of TKA were assessed. The first construct included a stemless femoral component. The other two included a press-fit and a cemented femoral stem. Cortical bone strains were measured experimentally with tri-axial strain gauges in synthetic femurs before and after in-vitro knee surgery. The difference between principal strains of implanted and intact femur was calculated for each strain gauge position. This study indicates that the use of stems in distal femur changes the distribution and magnitude of bone strains. The press-fit stem provoked relevant bone area (stem length) subjected to strain shielding and also originated the highest reduction of strains in the distal region, which can potentially induce bone resorption. The stemless implanted femur produced minor bone strain changes relatively to the intact femur. The use of distal femur stems increases initial stability in the bone, but the observed reduction of strains in this region, relative to the intact femur, provokes strain shielding that can induce bone resorption and may compromise the long term implant stability.     

Modification of multiwalled carbon nanotubes by carboxy groups and determination of the degree of functionalization

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes were modified by carboxy groups. Four independent methods for the determination of the degree of functionalization of the surface were proposed: ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, titrimetry, and fluorimetry. The first two methods show the total content of carboxy groups in the sample, and the latter two methods give information about the content of the surface groups only. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 291–295, February, 2008.     

Application of the Volterra filter in experimental diffraction data processing

The effective signal in x-ray diffraction analysis of material properties often contains high frequency (noise) and low frequency (trend) components as additive parts. It is necessary to extract the effective signal from the noise to ensure high quality of signal processing. Digital filters of Volterra type are proposed for filtering purposes and a comparison of Volterra filtration implemented on x-ray diffraction data versus results from a set of other digital filters is given.     

Fluorescence Study of Excited-State Relaxation Processes of 2-Pyridyl-5-Aryloxazoles

Anomalously high fluorescence spectrum Stokes' shifts of 2(4-pyridyl)-5-(4-methylphenyl)oxazole, 2(4-pyridyl)-5-(4-methoxyphenyl)oxazole, 2(4-pyridyl)-5-(4-N,N-dimethylaminophenyl)oxazole have been found. The fluorescence spectra of the compounds studied are shifted to longer wavelengths as the solvent dielectric constant increases. The dipole moments of these compounds increase by 3–4 times upon excitation. The fluorescence spectra of the compounds investigated are shifted to shorter wavelengths, and the fluorescence quantum yields increase as the temperature decreases. The fluorescence rate constant of 2(4-pyridyl)-5-(4-N,N-dimethylaminophenyl)oxazole changes slightly as the temperature decreases from 293 K (relaxed state) to 114 K (mainly nonrelaxed state). It was concluded that the anomalously high fluorescence Stokes' shift of 2-pyridyl-5-aryloxazole derivatives is caused by solvent orientation relaxation.     

Dielectric properties of europium-indium oxide solid solution films prepared on Si (100) substrates

Thin Eu-In solid solution oxide films (SS) were grown on Si (P) substrates to form MOS devices. The samples were characterised by X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction techniques. The ac-conductance and capacitance of the devices were studied as a function of frequency in the range 500 Hz to 100 kHz, temperature in the range 293-400 K and gate voltage. The investigation established that: (1) the prepared SS exhibit a sudden reversible structural change at about 370 K, (2) the frequency dependence for f>10 kHz of the ac-conductivity and capacitance of the insulator at room temperature is controlled by the ‘corrected barrier hopping’ CBH model, (3) the temperature dependence of the ac-conductance which shows a small activation energy characterises the hopping process of current carriers between equilibrium sites, and (4) the prepared transparent SS have a sufficiently high relative permittivity ?, around 30, which suggests they are promising candidates for high-? dielectric applications.     

软x射线近贴显微技术

软x射线近贴显微技术不但可使活的生物样品成象,分辨率高于光学显微镜,而且人为的样品准备程序在该技术中都可避免。本文描述了用高功率激光打靶产生的等离子体作为软x射线源而进行的近贴显微研究,并得到了分辨率好于1μm的结果。     

Measuring calcium uptake and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-induced calcium release in cerebellum microsomes using Fluo-3

A simple fluorimetric method is presented for measuring calcium uptake and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP₃)-induced calcium release in microsomes using Fluo-3. This method is used to investigate the amplitude of calcium release (quantal release) induced by InsP₃ from rat cerebellum microsomes.     

闪光Ⅰ号应用于X射线爆轰照相——研究金属射流的穿甲效应

闪光X射线照相技术是研究动载荷及其效应的重要测试手段,特别适用于研究物质在爆炸作用下的瞬变过程,本文介绍了闪光Ⅰ号加速器应用于X射线爆轰照相的基本状况,以及用于观察金属射流穿过高密度物质钨靶的实验技术。     

激光等离子实验中的低能X射线时间谱解谱方法

利用快速Fourier变换(FFT)算法和反卷积原理对Dante谱议测量波形进行了回推获得了激光等离子体源区低能X射线辐射时间波形。解谱方法采用了W.N.Mcelroy等人提出的SANDⅡ解谱方法并与文献[6]中介绍的限幅迭代和周期性光滑技术相配合计算出了能谱时间关系的16分区结果,给出了1989年6月LF-12强激光装置实验的双束靶、漏靶诊断口,入射口的X射线时间谱以及辐射温度时间关系T_R(i)。