Luminescence of Agrellite Specimen from the Kipawa River Locality

Using steady-state luminescence measurements, the luminescence spectra of Ce3+, Pr3+, Nd3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Dy3+, Er3+ and Yb3+ for the agrellite sample from the Kipawa River region have been measured. The emission spectra of Eu3+ and Dy3+ next to those of Sm3+ and Pr3+ have been measured for characteristic excitation conditions. The most efficient luminescence activator in the studied sample was Ce3+. This ion was also a sensitizer of Pr3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, and Dy3+ luminescence

Photoluminescence of Ce3+ and Eu2+ in low-P ternesite from the Negev Desert, Israel

For the first time, the photoluminescence of ions of Ce3+ and Eu2+ in natural low-P ternesite has been measured. The emission bands of Ce3+ ions at 405, 426, and 440 nm and the corresponding excitation wavelengths suggest the presence of Ce3+ ions in three different cationic sites. In the photoluminescence spectra of Eu2+, emission bands at 530 and 620 nm can be seen that originate from two different cationic sites. In addition, it is demonstrated that an energy transfer occurs between Ce3+ and Eu2+ ions situated in those cationic sites where the force of the crystallic field is weakest. The photoluminescence spectra were obtained for a thin section sample with low contents of these two elements (41.2 ppm Ce, 2.11 ppm Eu)

Jakość życia pacjentów z dyskopatią odcinka lędźwiowo-krzyżowego kręgosłupa

Background. The lumbar-sacral discopathy is a growing problem in developed countries. Low back pain affects the efficiency of functional impairment, and thus reduces the quality of life.Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life for patients with lumbar-sacral discopathy.Material and methods. We studied 40 patients hospitalised in the Departament of Neurosurgery and Neurotraumatology University Hospital in Cracow. To collect the data visual analogue scale (VAS), the Oswestry Questionnaire, the Roland and Morris Questionnaire and a questionnaire were used, required for characterization of thetarget group.Results. The study group was dominated by pain at the level of medium (82%) and very strong (15%). Highly significant correlation was found between age of respondents and the degree of pain. Over half of respondents had a moderate degree of disability, 27% – serious degree of disability. Quality of life is examined as moderately reduced (45%), large (37%) and very high (12%). It was found a correlation between the degree of disability and quality of life.Conclusions. Patients suffering from lumbar-sacral discopathy have reduced quality of life and functional impairment. Pain and disability reduced their quality of life. Age significantly affects the degree of pain. (PNN2012;1(3):92-96)Wprowadzenie. Dyskopatia w odcinku lędźwiowo-krzyżowym stanowi bardzo poważny problem zdrowotny w krajach rozwiniętych. Dolegliwości bólowe towarzyszące dyskopatii wpływają na upośledzenie sprawności funkcjonalnej, a co za tym idzie, na obniżenie jakości życia.Cel. Celem badań była ocena jakości życia pacjentów z dyskopatią lędźwiowo-krzyżową kręgosłupa przed zabiegiem operacyjnym.Materiał i metody. Badaniami objęto 40 pacjentów hospitalizowanych w Klinice Neurochirurgii i Neurotraumatologii Szpitala Uniwersyteckiego w Krakowie. Zastosowano skalę wizualno-analogową do oceny bólu (VAS), kwestionariusz Oswestry, kwestionariusz Rolanda i Morrisa oraz kwestionariusz ankiety umożliwiający zebranie danych socjodemograficznych i scharakteryzowanie badanej grupy.Wyniki. W badanej grupie najczęściej występował ból o średnim natężeniu (82%), rzadziej ból określany był jako bardzo silny (15%). Stwierdzono wysoce istotną korelację między wiekiem badanych a stopniem natężenia odczuwanego bólu. Najwięcej badanych miało mierny stopień niepełnosprawności (52,5%), a 27% – stopień poważny. Jakość życia badanych była obniżona w stopniu średnim, dużym i bardzo dużym – odpowiednio 45%, 37% i 12%. Stwierdzono korelację pomiędzy stopniem niepełnosprawności a jakością życia.Wnioski. Pacjenci z dyskopatią w odcinku lędźwiowo-krzyżowym kręgosłupa mają obniżoną jakość życia oraz poziom sprawności. Na jakość życia wpływa natężenie bólu i stopień niepełnosprawności. Na subiektywną ocenę dolegliwości bólowych istotnie wpływa wiek pacjentów. (PNN 2012;1(3):92-96

Luminescencja jonów chromu w naturalnych krzemianach

This work presented here results of electron absorption and luminescence investigations of 14 natural silicates, which have contained chromium Cr3 + ion. The contents of it was from 0,02% and less (kunzite) to 11,2% (uvarovite). Many of minerals had also manganese, vanadium and iron admixture. Luminescence measurement as well as decay time were taken at room temperature and 77 K—4 K. The luminescence dependence on ligand crystal-field was analysed. Examples of strong and weak ligand crystal fields were demonstrated. Kammererite, pyrope, Cr-grossular, tsavorite, tanzanite, spodumene, emerald, Cr-idocrase, kotchubeite and two crystal sites in kyanite were include to the first group. Weak crystal-field was found for uwarowite, one crystal site in kyanite, fuchsite diopsyde and Cr-amphibole. The dependence of the 2E level splitting on ligand crystal field symmetry was mentioned. The smallest splitting (65 cm"1) was found for trigonal crystal field C3j in grossulars and emerald. For comparison in Cr-doped corundum the R-lines splitting is 29 cm"1. For tetragonal C4v crystal field in idocrase the splitting is 132 cm1 and the biggest are for triclinic and monoclinic symmetry in tanzanite and kyanite up to 335 cm *. The influence of the first and next-neighbour coordination on crystal field parameters was discussed for fuchsite and kotchubeite, diopside and spodumene and grossular and idocrase. The influence of other transition elements on chromium luminescence was found, too. In kyanite the chromium ions were presented in different crystal sites and among them the energy transfer was very probable. Vanadium ions were presented in tsavorite and tanzanite and the energy from chromium ions was passed on to them. It was the cause of unexpected short decay time. Because of manganese ions in spodumene the several different chromium sites were created and their decay time were short, either. For pyrope and Cr-amphibole the chromium luminescence were completely quenched for reason of iron high content. For two chromium chlorites-kammererite and kotchubeite — the clusters and Cr-Cr pairs were found. It was because of low luminescence intensity and short decay time of them. The influence of other transition ions presented in studied crystals and the high chromium content on luminescence properties was detected only qualitatively. Author had not enough examples of each kind of minerals with different contents of doped ions to discusse this problem quantitatively. The electronic and vibronic energy levels — strong and weak — were discussed. In this work for the first time the luminescence of Cr3 + ions in Cr-grossular, tsavorite, uvarovite, tanzanite, idocrase, diopside, fuchsite, kotchubeite and kammererite were presented and discussed. For the first time for chromium ions in minerals the energies of excited levels and crystal-field parameters were calculated for Cr-grossular, kyanite, tanzanite and idocrase

The absorption- and luminescence spectra of Mn3+ in beryl and vesuvianite

This research project was supported by the Polish National Science Centre (Grant DEC-2011/03/B/ ST10/06320) and by statutory funding from the Faculty of Earth Sciences at the University of Silesia. Dr. Padhraig S. Kennan (University College Dublin, Ireland) is thanked for help with language.The electron absorption-, photoluminescence- and electron paramagnetic-resonance spectra of Mn3+ in red beryl from Wah Wah Mountains (Utah USA) and of pink- and purple vesuvianite from Jeffrey Mine (Asbestos, Canada) were measured at room- and low temperatures. The crystal field stabilization energies are equal to 130.9 kJ/mol for the red beryl, and 151.5–158.0 and 168.0 kJ/mol for for the pink- and the purple vesuvianite, respectively. The red photoluminescence of Mn3+ was not intensive either at room- or at low temperatures. The high Mn content in the crystals caused the emergence of an additional emission band and short photoluminescence-decay lifetimes. The latter are only 183 μs for beryl and 17 μs for vesuvianite.Narodowe Centrum Nauk

The Use of Synchronous Fluorescence Technique in Environmental Investigations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Airborne Particulate Matter from an Industrial Region in Poland

The applicability of the fluorescence techniques to identify the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in environmental samples is presented. The technique of synchronous fluorescence enabled the identification of the PAHs series containing 2–6 condensed rings in urban airborne particulate matter from Upper Silesia industrial region in Poland. The results obtained by synchronous and conventional fluorescence measurements have been confirmed by those from gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. As the air sample was taken in summer season, the main source of pollution by PAHs component seems to be transport – the exhaust gases from motor vehicles

Luminescence and other spectroscopic properties of purple and green Cr-clinochlore

For the first time ever, the luminescence spectra of Cr3+ centers in two chlorite crystals are presented. Chromium ions occupy the strong crystal-field site M4 in the brucite sheet and the intermediate crystal-field site in the inner octahedral sheet for purple and green chlorite, respectively. We discuss the influence of an effective positive charge on the Cr3+ ion and an effective negative charge of ligands on the differences in the values of the Dq and B parameters. It is concluded that the presence of Fe2+ ions and other point defects, as well as concentration quenching, causes the very short luminescence lifetimes of chromium ions

The impact of antiandrogen flutamide on the hypoxia inducible factor 1a and vascular endothelial growth factor A gene and protein expression in the pig placenta during late pregnancy

Introduction. In contrast to estradiol action, little is known about androgen signaling in placental development. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of diminished androgen action on hypoxia inducible factor 1a (HIF-1a) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) protein expression as well as their mRNAs in the structures of fetal and maternal parts of porcine placenta during late pregnancy. Material and methods. Pregnant pigs were injected daily with antiandrogen flutamide, at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight at different stages of pregnancy: between gestational days 83–89 (90 dpc) and 101–107 (108 dpc). Control groups (90 dpc or 108 dpc) were treated with vehicle (corn oil). One day after the last injection animals were sacrificed and tissues were collected. Tissue samples were frozen for mRNA isolation or fixed for immu­nohistochemistry (IHC). The expression of HIF-1a and VEGFA were investigated by real-time PCR and IHC. Results. Flutamide treatment caused changes in both HIF-1a and VEGFA mRNA levels only in the placentas of the 90 dpc group. Relative optical density analysis showed decreased HIF-1a and increased VEGFA protein expression in the placentas obtained from flutamide-treated 108 dpc group while no differences were observed in the 90 dpc group. Conclusions. Experimentally induced androgen deficiency in pigs deregulates the expression of some genes important for placental blood circulation. We suggest that androgens are involved in the control of expression of HIF-1a and VEGFA in porcine placenta during late pregnancy