First detection of bromine and antimony in hot stars

Bromine (atomic number Z=35) and antimony (Z=51) are extremely difficult to detect in stars. In very few instances, weak and mostly uncertain identifications of Br I, Br II, and Sb II in relatively cool, chemically peculiar stars were successful. Adopted solar abundance values rely on meteoritic determinations. Here, we announce the first identification of these species in far-ultraviolet spectra of hot stars (with effective temperatures of 49,500-70,000 K), namely in helium-rich (spectral type DO) white dwarfs. We identify the Br VI resonance line at 945.96 A. A previous claim of Br detection based on this line is incorrect because its wavelength position is inaccurate by about 7 A in atomic databases. Taking advantage of precise laboratory measurements, we identify this line as well as two other, subordinate Br VI lines. Antimony is detected by the Sb V resonance doublet at 1104.23/1225.98 A, as well as two subordinate Sb VI lines. A model-atmosphere analysis reveals strongly oversolar Br and Sb abundances that are caused by radiative-levitation dominated atomic diffusion.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&

Stellar laboratories. IX. New Se V, Sr IV - VII, Te VI, and I VI oscillator strengths and the Se, Sr, Te, and I abundances in the hot white dwarfs G191-B2B and RE 0503-289

To analyze spectra of hot stars, advanced non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) model-atmosphere techniques are mandatory. Reliable atomic data is for the calculation of such model atmospheres. We aim to calculate new Sr IV - VII oscillator strengths to identify for the first time Sr spectral lines in hot white dwarf (WD) stars and to determine the photospheric Sr abundances. o measure the abundances of Se, Te, and I in hot WDs, we aim to compute new Se V, Te VI, and I VI oscillator strengths. To consider radiative and collisional bound-bound transitions of Se V, Sr IV - VII, Te VI, and I VI in our NLTE atmosphere models, we calculated oscillator strengths for these ions. We newly identified four Se V, 23 Sr V, 1 Te VI, and three I VI lines in the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum of RE0503-289. We measured a photospheric Sr abundance of 6.5 +3.8/-2.4 x 10**-4 (mass fraction, 9500 - 23800 times solar). We determined the abundances of Se (1.6 +0.9/-0.6 x 10**-3, 8000 - 20000), Te (2.5 +1.5/-0.9 x 10**-4, 11000 - 28000), and I (1.4 +0.8/-0.5 x 10**-5, 2700 - 6700). No Se, Sr, Te, and I line was found in the UV spectra of G191-B2B and we could determine only upper abundance limits of approximately 100 times solar. All identified Se V, Sr V, Te VI, and I VI lines in the UV spectrum of RE0503-289 were simultaneously well reproduced with our newly calculated oscillator strengths.Comment: 26 pages, 5 figure

Current Mobile Wireless Services and Technology: Trend

The purpose of this panel is to invite academicians and practitioners who have “expertise” in the area of wireless and mobile themes and to deliver current mobile and wireless issues and trend. These themes include mobile commerce and services, wireless information systems, cellular and DMB phone services, consolidation and M & A of cellular service providers, among others. While e-business continues to impact the global business environment, the focus has been directed towards wireless mobile computing. Telecommunication is perhaps the key to all interconnection, information systems, and mobile devices. While countries such as Japan, Korea, and many European nationals are moving quickly and successfully in developing and establishing mobile business markets in the telecommunications industry, the United States has found itself somewhat behind in the race to establish a functional and supportive infrastructure for m-business. The purpose of this special session is to present “mobile wireless services and technology.” Invited panelists will deliver various topics

Continuous combined microwave and hot air treatment of apples for fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni and B. jarvisi) disinfestation

Apples at 24 ± 2 °C were heated in a pilot scale hot air assisted (40 °C) continuous pentagonal microwave system, to evaluate the effectiveness of this treatment on insect mortality (variety Mutsu) and fruit quality (variety Granny Smith). An average temperature of 53.4 ± 1.3 °C at core, bottom and flesh of the apple was recorded at the end of the treatment. One hundred percent mortality of the most tolerant stage of Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni, Froggatt) and Jarvis's fruit fly (Bactrocera jarvisi, Tryon), were observed when the Mortality value (M52, equivalent time of isothermal treatment at 52 °C) at the slowest heating point applicable for each experiment was ≥ 50 min and ≥ 37 min, respectively. Results showed that microwave heat treatment is effective for insect disinfestation without any adverse impact on total soluble solids, flesh or peel firmness of the treated apples. The treated apples recorded a significantly higher pH and lower ion leakage than the untreated apples after 3 or 4 weeks. Therefore, the microwave heat treatment has the potential to be developed as an alternative chemical free quarantine treatment against economically significant insect pests. Industrial relevance Hot air assisted microwave heating of fruits and vegetables, is more cost effective compared to vapour heat treatment and ionising radiation for disinfestation of insects. Microwave treatment is environmentally friendly compared to fumigation and chemical treatments. Hot air assisted microwave disinfestation can be performed at farms or centralised pack houses since the capital cost would be comparatively lower than vapour heat or ionising radiation treatments

Continuous combined microwave and hot air treatment of apples for fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni and B. jarvisi) disinfestation

Apples at 24 ± 2 °C were heated in a pilot scale hot air assisted (40 °C) continuous pentagonal microwave system, to evaluate the effectiveness of this treatment on insect mortality (variety Mutsu) and fruit quality (variety Granny Smith). An average temperature of 53.4 ± 1.3 °C at core, bottom and flesh of the apple was recorded at the end of the treatment. One hundred percent mortality of the most tolerant stage of Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni, Froggatt) and Jarvis's fruit fly (Bactrocera jarvisi, Tryon), were observed when the Mortality value (M52, equivalent time of isothermal treatment at 52 °C) at the slowest heating point applicable for each experiment was ≥ 50 min and ≥ 37 min, respectively. Results showed that microwave heat treatment is effective for insect disinfestation without any adverse impact on total soluble solids, flesh or peel firmness of the treated apples. The treated apples recorded a significantly higher pH and lower ion leakage than the untreated apples after 3 or 4 weeks. Therefore, the microwave heat treatment has the potential to be developed as an alternative chemical free quarantine treatment against economically significant insect pests. Industrial relevance Hot air assisted microwave heating of fruits and vegetables, is more cost effective compared to vapour heat treatment and ionising radiation for disinfestation of insects. Microwave treatment is environmentally friendly compared to fumigation and chemical treatments. Hot air assisted microwave disinfestation can be performed at farms or centralised pack houses since the capital cost would be comparatively lower than vapour heat or ionising radiation treatments

An automated optofluidic biosensor platform combining interferometric sensors and injection moulded microfluidics

A primary limitation preventing practical implementation of photonic biosensors within point-of-care platforms is their integration with fluidic automation subsystems. For most diagnostic applications, photonic biosensors require complex fluid handling protocols; this is especially prominent in the case of competitive immunoassays, commonly used for detection of low-concentration, low-molecular weight biomarkers. For this reason, complex automated microfluidic systems are needed to realise the full point-of-care potential of photonic biosensors. To fulfil this requirement, we propose an on-chip valve-based microfluidic automation module, capable of automating such complex fluid handling. This module is realised through application of a PDMS injection moulding fabrication technique, recently described in our previous work, which enables practical fabrication of normally closed pneumatically actuated elastomeric valves. In this work, these valves are configured to achieve multiplexed reagent addressing for an on-chip diaphragm pump, providing the sample and reagent processing capabilities required for automation of cyclic competitive immunoassays. Application of this technique simplifies fabrication and introduces the potential for mass production, bringing point-of-care integration of complex automated microfluidics into the realm of practicality. This module is integrated with a highly sensitive, label-free bimodal waveguide photonic biosensor, and is demonstrated in the context of a proof-of-concept biosensing assay, detecting the low-molecular weight antibiotic tetracycline

Case report: response to the ERK1/2 inhibitor ulixertinib in BRAF D594G cutaneous melanoma.

Melanoma is characterized by oncogenic mutations in pathways regulating cell growth, proliferation, and metabolism. Greater than 80% of primary melanoma cases harbor aberrant activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (MEK/ERK) pathway, with oncogenic mutations in BRAF, most notably BRAF V600E, being the most common. Significant progress has been made in BRAF-mutant melanoma using BRAF and MEK inhibitors; however, non-V600 BRAF mutations remain a challenge with limited treatment options. We report the case of an individual diagnosed with stage III BRAF D594G-mutant melanoma who experienced an extraordinary response to the ERK1/2 inhibitor ulixertinib as fourth-line therapy. Ulixertinib was obtained via an intermediate expanded access protocol with unique flexibility to permit both single-agent and combination treatments, dose adjustments, breaks in treatment to undergo surgery, and long-term preventive treatment following surgical resection offering this patient the potential for curative treatment

Modern microwave methods in solid state inorganic materials chemistry: from fundamentals to manufacturing

No abstract available