Luminescence in Ca1−xYxF2+x

Some compounds with fluorite structures in the system CaF₂–YF₃ were prepared by precipitation followed by thermal annealing at 1000 °C. Photoluminescence spectra of Ce³⁺ and Eu²⁺ were studied. In this host, Ce³⁺ exhibits PL, which is totally different from that observed for the constituent fluorides. Eu²⁺ emission, on the other hand, is almost the same as that for CaF₂. The changes are explained in terms of the defect structure of Ca_1?xY_xF_2+x.     

Spinning cone water film power meter for high-power CO2 lasers

A laser power meter based on water as an absorbing medium has been developed to measure multi-kilowatt CO₂ laser power with high sensitivity and accuracy. Water absorbs CO₂ laser radiation readily within a very thin layer. Though water has large thermal capacity, due to short absorption length, it could vapourize at high laser powers. In order to circumvent this problem, this power meter has a centre cone and a rapidly spinning water film as the calorimetric medium. The unique feature in this development is the centre cone, which diverges the beam and reduces the power density thus reduces the possibility of vapourization. This minimizes the error in measurements. Due to the rapidly moving fluid film, it exhibits fast response at low as well as high power levels.     

Thermodynamic Parameters of the Gauche-Trans Equilibrium in Ethylene Glycol

The Raman spectrum of ethylene glycol was studied as a function of temperature in the neat liquid and at two concentrations in the solvent, DMSO. Relative intensities of the gauche C-C-O bending mode and the C-C stretch (coincident for both rotamers) were utilized to calculate δH and TδS for each of the mixtures. It was observed that dilution in the solvent stabilizes the trans conformer, whereas variation in the entropy difference appears to favor the gauche form.     

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the kidney in renal stone disease

Previous studies of renal stone disease (RSD) in Thailand indicated abnormal urinary aggregator and inhibitor composition among farmers with excessive sweat loss. Our aim was to compare the proton MR spectra obtained from the kidneys of 32 proven cases of RSD (aged 38 to 65 yrs) with nine age-matched normal control subjects. We used the STEAM sequence with TE = 15 ms and TR = 2000 ms. The spectra at 3.25, 3.6 and 3.9 ppm were analyzed. The results showed a correlation between the three peaks (p < 0.001), however, there was no significant difference between the RSD group and the normal control subjects. We therefore concluded that there was no overloading of these osmolytes among the renal stone patients.     

In vivo 31P-MRS assessment of muscle-pH, cytolsolic-[Mg2+] and phosphorylation potential after supplementing hypokaliuric renal stone patients with potassium and magnesium salts

Renal stone patients in rural northeast Thailand have a low potassium and magnesium status and low urinary excretion of citrate. We measured the changes of urinary citrate excretion and assessed in vivo skeletal muscle metabolism for intracellular-pH, cytosolic-[Mg(2+)] and phosphorylation potential (using the phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31)P-MRS) after oral supplementation to hypokaliuric renal stone patients with oral potassium and magnesium salts. The patients comprised four groups: Group 1 (n = 10) control, Group 2 (n = 3), Group 3 (n = 5) and Group 4 (n = 6) supplemented for a month with potassium citrate, potassium citrate plus amino acid chelated magnesium, and potassium-magnesium citrate, respectively. Though urinary citrate excretion was increased in all three supplemented groups, the increases in intracellular-pH, cytosolic-[Mg(2+)] and phosphocreatine (PCr)/beta-ATP were prominent only in Group 3. The increase in PCr/beta-ATP was also observed in Group 4.     

Rotational isomers of symmetrical difluoroacetone

Solid-state infrared spectra were obtained for symmetrical difluoroacetone that show different conformations present, depending on whether the solid state was obtained by cooling a liquid film or by deposition of the vapor onto a cooled plate. The spectra were used in conjunction with normal coordinate calculations that utilized a force field transferred from fluoroacetone to show that sym-difluoro-acetone exists in the gauche-gauche and cis-gauche conformations.     

Luminescence of Ce in Ca0.65La0.35F2.35 host

The title compound was prepared by precipitation followed by thermal annealing at 1000 °C. Photoluminescence of Ce³⁺ was studied. In this host, Ce³⁺ exhibits PL that is totally different from that observed for the constituent fluorides. For 5 mol% Ce, blue emission was observed with a maximum at 449 nm corresponding to near UV excitation. It is suggested that these characteristics can be useful for obtaining a low cost, blue phosphor for the solid state lighting using near UV LED.     

Vibrational spectra and rotational isomerism of fluoroacetone

Infrared spectra have been redetermined for fluoroacetone in the vapor, liquid, and solid states, and Raman spectra have been obtained for the liquid. There are two rotational isomers present in the liquid, but only the more polar form is present in the crystalline solid and only the less polar form is present in the vapor. Vibrational assignments were made for the two rotamers with the aid of normal coordinate calculations that utilized a twenty-five parameter valence force field.