Spectrometric study of condensed phase species of thorium and palladium-based modifiers in a complex matrix for electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

The chemical and morphological transformations of condensed phase species of a thorium-based modifier were studied over the temperature range 200–2500 °C, without and with the presence of aluminium and silicon as matrix components, and in some instances, arsenic as an analyte element. A similar study was also conducted with palladium as the modifier, for comparison. Results were derived using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive (ED) X-ray spectrometry, Raman microanalysis and attenuated total reflectance (ATR) Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectrometry. Comparable results were found using pyrolytic and non-pyrolytic graphite platforms, with processes occurring at slightly higher temperatures on the pyrolytic graphite platform. With thorium as the modifier, metal oxides were the predominant species on the platform surface at relatively low temperatures (<1500 °C), whereas metal phases became prevalent at high temperatures, when thorium and aluminium tended to behave independently from one other. Some spatial variations in the composition of the salt residues on different regions of the platform were observed (from the region closest to the slot in the tube, to the region furthest from the slot). Nonetheless, thorium metal remained on the graphite platform to higher temperatures than did aluminium metal. In the presence of arsenic, the existence of mixtures of thorium and arsenic oxides, just before the appearance temperature of gas phase arsenic atoms, was confirmed by SEM studies, ED X-ray spectra and Raman microanalysis. This suggests that any modifying effect of thorium on arsenic occurs while the modifier is in the oxide phase rather than in the metal phase. The presence of silicon added as silica, did not influence significantly the thermochemical behaviour of mixtures of thorium and aluminium. However, coexistence of silicon and arsenic oxides at the appearance temperature of the atomic absorption signal of arsenic was obtained, confirming that silicon can act as an internal modifier for arsenic. In the presence of palladium, aluminium exhibited greater interaction with the modifier; consequently, aluminium metal was retained on the platform surface to higher temperatures than thorium, which could explain how interference effects of aluminium on e.g. arsenic are avoided or reduced. Similarly, there was evidence for interaction of palladium and arsenic in the reduced state. However, when aluminium and silicon were present, the transformation of the palladium oxide to the metallic state was affected, which could diminish the modifying benefits of palladium for arsenic in the presence of aluminium

Diagonalization of multicomponent wave equations with a Born-Oppenheimer example

A general method to decouple multicomponent linear wave equations is presented. First, the Weyl calculus is used to transform operator relations into relations between c-number valued matrices. Then it is shown that the symbol representing the wave operator can be diagonalized systematically up to arbitrary order in an appropriate expansion parameter. After transforming the symbols back to operators, the original problem is reduced to solving a set of linear uncoupled scalar wave equations. The procedure is exemplified for a particle with a Born-Oppenheimer-type Hamiltonian valid through second order in h. The resulting effective scalar Hamiltonians are seen to contain an additional velocity-dependent potential. This contribution has not been reported in recent studies investigating the adiabatic motion of a neutral particle moving in an inhomogeneous magnetic field. Finally, the relation of the general method to standard quantum-mechanical perturbation theory is discussed

Assessment of the Repeated Speech Performance as a Pedagogical Tool: A Pilot Study

Realizing the ongoing need to develop pedagogy in public speaking, these researchers investigated the learning achieved by asking students to repeat one of their speech assignments. They assessed the value of this practice from the students\u27 viewpoint as well as the statistical change in performance outcomes. Across the eight competencies evaluated, students\u27 average scores increased significantly on the repeated speech. Students who scored in the lower quartile on the first speech benefited most from the second opportunity. The researchers conclude that allowing students to repeat a speech appears to have pedagogical and practical merit

Theories of Human Communication -9/E.

This edition continues the framework developed in the previous edition. We have organized communication theory around two intersecting elements context and theoretical traditions and have shown, across the chapters of the book, how various theoretical traditions have added to our knowledge of eight communication contexts. We believed that this framework accurately portrays the diversity and complexity of the communication discipline. We hope this framework provides a useful organizing scheme for professors around which they can develop the course and for students seeking to understand connections, trajectories and relationships among the theories. We have added a feature that we think students will appreciate boxed quotations from various theorists reflecting what they would like students to know about their work

Kinematic Orbits and the Structure of the Internal Space for Systems of Five or More Bodies

The internal space for a molecule, atom, or other n-body system can be conveniently parameterised by 3n-9 kinematic angles and three kinematic invariants. For a fixed set of kinematic invariants, the kinematic angles parameterise a subspace, called a kinematic orbit, of the n-body internal space. Building on an earlier analysis of the three- and four-body problems, we derive the form of these kinematic orbits (that is, their topology) for the general n-body problem. The case n=5 is studied in detail, along with the previously studied cases n=3,4.Comment: 38 pages, submitted to J. Phys.

Semiclassical Time Evolution and Trace Formula for Relativistic Spin-1/2 Particles

We investigate the Dirac equation in the semiclassical limit \hbar --> 0. A semiclassical propagator and a trace formula are derived and are shown to be determined by the classical orbits of a relativistic point particle. In addition, two phase factors enter, one of which can be calculated from the Thomas precession of a classical spin transported along the particle orbits. For the second factor we provide an interpretation in terms of dynamical and geometric phases.Comment: 8 pages, no figure

Characterization of bortezomib-adapted I-45 mesothelioma cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bortezomib, a proteasome-specific inhibitor, has emerged as a promising cancer therapeutic agent. However, development of resistance to bortezomib may pose a challenge to effective anticancer therapy. Therefore, characterization of cellular mechanisms involved in bortezomib resistance and development of effective strategies to overcome this resistance represent important steps in the advancement of bortezomib-mediated cancer therapy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The present study reports the development of I-45-BTZ-R, a bortezomib-resistant cell line, from the bortezomib-sensitive mesothelioma cell line I-45. I-45-BTZ-R cells showed no cross-resistance to the chemotherapeutic drugs cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and doxorubicin. Moreover, the bortezomib-adapted I-45-BTZ-R cells had decreased growth kinemics and did not over express proteasome subunit β5 (PSMB5) as compared to parental I-45 cells. I-45-BTZ-R cells and parental I-45 cells showed similar inhibition of proteasome activity, but I-45-BTZ-R cells exhibited much less accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins following exposure to 40 nm bortezomib. Further studies revealed that relatively low doses of bortezomib did not induce an unfolded protein response (UPR) in the bortezomib-adapted cells, while higher doses induced UPR with concomitant cell death, as evidenced by higher expression of the mitochondrial chaperone protein Bip and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related pro-apoptotic protein CHOP. In addition, bortezomib exposure did not induce the accumulation of the pro-apoptotic proteins p53, Mcl-1S, and noxa in the bortezomib-adapted cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results suggest that UPR evasion, together with reduced pro-apoptotic gene induction, accounts for bortezomib resistance in the bortezomib-adapted mesothelioma cell line I-45-BTZ-R.</p