191 research outputs found
New Approach to Silver Halide Photography Using Radical Cation Chemistry
A new mechanism for spectral sensitization of silver halide is described, which can potentially double the sensitivity of photographic emulsions. The photooxidized sensitizing dye is trapped using an organic donor molecule, which fragments to form a cation and a reducing radical, which injects an electron into the conduction band of the silver halide. In this way, two conduction-band electrons can be produced for each absorbed photon
A New Approach toward Transition State Spectroscopy
Chirped-Pulse millimetre-Wave (CPmmW) rotational spectroscopy provides a new
class of information about photolysis transition state(s). Measured intensities
in rotational spectra determine species-isomer-vibrational populations,
provided that rotational populations can be thermalized. The formation and
detection of S0 vinylidene is discussed in the limits of low and high initial
rotational excitation. CPmmW spectra of 193 nm photolysis of Vinyl Cyanide
(Acrylonitrile) contain J=0-1 transitions in more than 20 vibrational levels of
HCN, HNC, but no transitions in vinylidene or highly excited local-bender
vibrational levels of acetylene. Reasons for the non-observation of the
vinylidene co-product of HCN are discussed.Comment: Accepted by Faraday Discussion
Direct detection of RydbergâRydberg millimeter-wave transitions in a buffer gas cooled molecular beam
Millimeter-wave transitions between molecular Rydberg states (n ⌠35) of barium monofluoride are directly detected via Free Induction Decay (FID). Two powerful technologies are used in combination: Chirped-Pulse millimeter-Wave (CPmmW) spectroscopy and a buffer gas cooled molecular beam photoablation source. Hundreds of RydbergâRydberg transitions are recorded in 1 h with >10:1 signal:noise ratio and âŒ150 kHz resolution. This high resolution, high spectral velocity experiment promises new strategies for rapid measurements of structural and dynamical information, such as the electric structure (multipole moments and polarizabilities) of the molecular ion-core and the strengths and mechanisms of resonances between Rydberg electron and ion-core motions. Direct measurements of RydbergâRydberg transitions with kilo-Debye dipole moments support efficient and definitive spectral analysis techniques, such as the Stark demolition and polarization diagnostics, which enable semi-automatic assignments of core-nonpenetrating Rydberg states. In addition, extremely strong radiation-mediated collective effects (superradiance) in a dense Rydberg gas of barium atoms are observed.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant No. CHE-1361865)United States. Department of Defense (National Defence Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG) Program
Molecular fluorine chemistry in the early Universe
Some models of Big Bang nucleosynthesis suggest that very high baryon density
regions were formed in the early Universe, and generated the production of
heavy elements other than lithium such as fluorine F. We present a
comprehensive chemistry of fluorine in the post-recombination epoch.
Calculation of F, F- and HF abundances, as a function of redshift z, are
carried out. The main result is that the chemical conditions in the early
Universe can lead to the formation of HF. The final abundance of the diatomic
molecule HF is predicted to be close to 3.75 10(-17) when the initial abundance
of neutral fluorine F is 10(-15). These results indicate that molecules of
fluorine HF were already present during the dark age. This could have
implications on the evolution of proto-objects and on the anisotropies of
cosmic microwave background radiation. Hydride of fluorine HF may affect
enhancement of the emission line intensity from the proto-objects and could
produce spectral-spatial fluctuations.Comment: Accepted in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 7 pages, 2 figure
Illicit and Counterfeit Drug Analysis by Morphologically Directed Raman Spectroscopy
Morphologically directed Raman spectroscopy (MDRS) is a novel tool for the forensic analysis of illicit and counterfeit drug samples. MDRS combines Raman microspectroscopy with automated particle imaging so that physical and chemical information about the components of a mixture sample can be obtained. Results of automated particle imaging are used to determine samples for Raman analysis. The use of MDRS for these types of samples can be employed for both forensic investigations and adjudications of cases. The method provides insight about the physical and chemical composition of the sample, as well as about manufacturing and sample history. Here, MDRS was used in four different illicit and counterfeit drug analyses: (1) examination of a multicomponent drug mixture where the results could be used for comparative source attribution, (2) the detection of low (or trace) concentration particles in a drug sample, (3) the analysis of synthetic cathinone samples (i.e., bath salts), and (4) a study of counterfeit pharmaceutical products
Adsorption of CO on a Platinum (111) surface - a study within a four-component relativistic density functional approach
We report on results of a theoretical study of the adsorption process of a
single carbon oxide molecule on a Platinum (111) surface. A four-component
relativistic density functional method was applied to account for a proper
description of the strong relativistic effects. A limited number of atoms in
the framework of a cluster approach is used to describe the surface. Different
adsorption sites are investigated. We found that CO is preferably adsorbed at
the top position.Comment: 23 Pages with 4 figure
Accurate laboratory rest frequencies of vibrationally excited CO up to and up to 2 THz
Astronomical observations of (sub)millimeter wavelength pure rotational
emission lines of the second most abundant molecule in the Universe, CO, hold
the promise of probing regions of high temperature and density in the innermost
parts of circumstellar envelopes. The rotational spectrum of vibrationally
excited CO up to \varv = 3 has been measured in the laboratory between 220
and 1940 GHz with relative accuracies up to , corresponding
to kHz near 1 THz. The rotational constant and the quartic
distortion parameter have been determined with high accuracy and even the
sextic distortion term was determined quite well for \varv = 1 while
reasonable estimates of were obtained for \varv = 2 and 3. The present
data set allows for the prediction of accurate rest frequencies of
vibrationally excited CO well beyond 2 THz.Comment: Astron. Astrophys, accepted; 5 pages, 2 Figures, 2 Table
Randomized phase II â study evaluating EGFR targeting therapy with Cetuximab in combination with radiotherapy and chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer â PARC: study protocol [ISRCTN56652283]
BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer is the fourth commonest cause of death from cancer in men and women. Advantages in surgical techniques, radiation therapy techniques, chemotherapeutic regimes, and different combined-modality approaches have yielded only a modest impact on the prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer. Thus there is clearly a need for additional strategies. One approach involves using the identification of a number of molecular targets that may be responsible for the resistance of cancer cells to radiation or to other cytotoxic agents. As such, these molecular determinants may serve as targets for augmentation of the radiotherapy or chemotherapy response. Of these, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been a molecular target of considerable interest and investigation, and there has been a tremendous surge of interest in pursuing targeted therapy of cancers via inhibition of the EGFR. METHODS/DESIGN: The PARC study is designed as an open, controlled, prospective, randomized phase II trial. Patients in study arm A will be treated with chemoradiation using intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) combined with gemcitabine and simultaneous cetuximab infusions. After chemoradiation the patients receive gemcitabine infusions weekly over 4 weeks. Patients in study arm B will be treated with chemoradiation using intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) combined with gemcitabine and simultaneous cetuximab infusions. After chemoradiation the patients receive gemcitabine weekly over 4 weeks and cetuximab infusions over 12 weeks. A total of 66 patients with locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the pancreas will be enrolled. An interim analysis for patient safety reasons will be done one year after start of recruitment. Evaluation of the primary endpoint will be performed two years after the last patient's enrolment. DISCUSSION: The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and the toxicity profile of trimodal therapy in pancreatic adenocarcinoma with chemoradiation therapy with gemcitabine and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and EGFR-targeted therapy using cetuximab and to compare between two different methods of cetuximab treatment schedules (concomitant versus concomitant and sequential cetuximab treatment). Secondary objectives are to determine the role and the mechanism of cetuximab in patient's chemoradiation regimen, the response rate, the potential of this combined modality treatment to concert locally advanced lesions to potentially resectable lesions, the time to progression interval and the quality of life
Identification of wearing-off manifestations (reduction of levodopa effect) in Parkinson's disease using specific questionnaire and comparison of the results with routine ambulatory evaluations
The dipolar endofullerene HF@C60
The cavity inside fullerenes provides a unique environment for the study of isolated atoms and molecules. We report encapsulation of hydrogen fluoride inside C60 using molecular surgery to give the endohedral fullerene HF@C60. The key synthetic step is the closure of the open fullerene cage while minimizing escape of HF. The encapsulated HF molecule moves freely inside the cage and exhibits quantization of its translational and rotational degrees of freedom, as revealed by inelastic neutron scattering and infrared spectroscopy. The rotational and vibrational constants of the encapsulated HF molecules were found to be redshifted relative to free HF. The NMR spectra display a large 1H-19F J coupling typical of an isolated species. The dipole moment of HF@C60 was estimated from the temperature-dependence of the dielectric constant at cryogenic temperatures and showed that the cage shields around 75% of the HF dipole
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