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Mangrove areas are considered the most retention zone for heavy metal pollution as it work as an edge that aggregates land and sea sediments. This study aims to examine if the heavy metals' existence in the mangrove sediment is related to contamination or natural resources. In addition, it gives an interpretation of the origin of these metals along the Egyptian Red Sea coast. Twenty-two samples of mangrove sediments were collected and then, analyzed for metals (Mn, Ni, Cu, Fe, Cd, Ag, and Pb) using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Integration between the in-situ data, contamination indices, and remote sensing and geographical information science (GIS), and multivariate statistical analysis techniques (PCA) were analyzed to assess and clarify the spatial origin of heavy metals in sediment at a regional scale. The average concentration of heavy metals from mangrove sediments were shown to be substantially lower than the referenced value, ranging from moderate to significant except the levels of Ag were very high. The heavy metals concentrations were expected to be naturally origin rather than anthropogenic and that be confirmed by mapping of Red Sea alteration zones spots. These alteration zones are parallel to mangrove sites and rich by several mineralization types including heavy metals that are carried by flooding to the coastline. Remote sensing and GIS techniques successfully contributed to interpreting the pattern of the origin of heavy metals and discharging systems that control the heavy metals concentration along the Red Sea coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parameters of electron-impact (Stark) broadening and shift of spectral lines are of key importance in various studies of plasma spectroscopy and astrophysics. To overcome the lack of accurately known Stark parameters, we developed a machine learning approach for predicting Stark parameters of neutral atoms' lines. By implementing a data pre-processing routine and explicitly testing models' predictive ability and generalizability, we achieve a high level of accuracy in parameters prediction as well as physically meaningful temperature dependence. The applicability of the results is demonstrated by the case of low-temperature plasma diagnostics. The developed model is readily accessible for predicting desired Stark parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of temperature on the aspect-ratio etching of SiO2 in CF4/H2/Ar plasma using patterned samples of a 200 nm trench in a low-temperature reactive-ion etching system. Lower temperatures resulted in higher etch rates and aspect ratios for SiO2. However, the plasma property was constant with the chuck temperature, indicated by the line intensity ratio from optical emission spectroscopy monitoring of the plasma. The variables obtained from the characterization of the etched profile for the 200 nm trench after etching were analyzed as a function of temperature. A reduction in the necking ratio affected the etch rate and aspect ratio of SiO2. The etching mechanism of the aspect ratio etching of SiO2 was discussed based on the results of the surface composition at necking via energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy with temperature. The results suggested that the neutral species reaching the etch front of SiO2 had a low sticking coefficient. The bowing ratio decreased with lowering temperature, indicating the presence of directional ions during etching. Therefore, a lower temperature for the aspect ratio etching of SiO2 could achieve a faster etch rate and a higher aspect ratio of SiO2 via the reduction of necking than higher temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of measurement methodologies to detect and monitor nuclear-relevant materials remains a consistent and significant interest across the nuclear energy, nonproliferation, safeguards, and forensics communities. Optical spectroscopy of laser-produced plasmas is becoming an increasingly popular diagnostic technique to measure radiological and nuclear materials in the field without sample preparation, where current capabilities encompass the standoff, isotopically resolved and phase-identifiable (e.g., UO and UO 2) detection of elements across the periodic table. These methods rely on the process of laser ablation (LA), where a high-powered pulsed laser is used to excite a sample (solid, liquid, or gas) into a luminous microplasma that rapidly undergoes de-excitation through the emission of electromagnetic radiation, which serves as a spectroscopic fingerprint for that sample. This review focuses on LA plasmas and spectroscopy for nuclear applications, covering topics from the wide-area environmental sampling and atmospheric sensing of radionuclides to recent implementations of multivariate machine learning methods that work to enable the real-time analysis of spectrochemical measurements with an emphasis on fundamental research and development activities over the past two decades. Background on the physical breakdown mechanisms and interactions of matter with nanosecond and ultrafast laser pulses that lead to the generation of laser-produced microplasmas is provided, followed by a description of the transient spatiotemporal plasma conditions that control the behavior of spectroscopic signatures recorded by analytical methods in atomic and molecular spectroscopy. High-temperature chemical and thermodynamic processes governing reactive LA plasmas are also examined alongside investigations into the condensation pathways of the plasma, which are believed to serve as chemical surrogates for fallout particles formed in nuclear fireballs. Laser-supported absorption waves and laser-induced shockwaves that accompany LA plasmas are also discussed, which could provide insights into atmospheric ionization phenomena from strong shocks following nuclear detonations. Furthermore, the standoff detection of trace radioactive aerosols and fission gases is reviewed in the context of monitoring atmospheric radiation plumes and off-gas streams of molten salt reactors. Finally, concluding remarks will present future outlooks on the role of LA plasma spectroscopy in the nuclear community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 25 samples of beeswax (9 from the southern and 16 from the northern of Çankırı) were collected within the scope of this study. Heavy metal contents of these samples were analyzed by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). The mean iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), vanadium (V), cadmium (Cd), selenium (Se) levels in the samples were found to be 36.28 ppm, 1.69 ppm, 1.65 ppm, 1.14 ppm, 0.78 ppm, 0.68 ppm, 0.30 ppm, 0.13 ppm, 0.06 ppm, 0.01 ppm, respectively. Comparing the northern and southern regions, only Cd (1.10 ppm) was found to be higher in the southern region, whereas the other heavy metals were found to be higher in the northern region. No statistical difference was found between mean Fe, Pb, Zn, Al, Cr, V, and Se levels in the wax samples obtained from the northern and southern regions, whereas a statistically significant difference was found in Mn, Cu, and Cd concentrations. As a result, the heavy metal concentration in beeswax varied between the regions. Except for Cd element, all values were higher in the northern region of Çankırı and this region that is close to the highway with heavy traffic should be evaluated in terms of beekeeping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is indispensable to accurately and sensitively identify and analyze the elemental composition of human blood serum. In the current study, human blood serums were analyzed for elements utilizing orthogonal dual pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (DP-LIBS) setup in He gas environment. Experimentally, a fundamental pulse Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm, 7 ns) was irradiated just above the material target to induce a luminous gas plasma. A third harmonic pulse Nd:YAG laser (355 nm, 7 ns) was subsequently focused on the material surface to initiate a target plasma to ablate the atoms from the blood serum film to be sent to the gas plasma region. Double pulse LIBS technique has been successfully applied to increase the LIBS signal intensity up to 8 folds of major, minor, and trace components in human blood serum. Furthermore, a number of emission lines that were indistinctly detected by single pulse LIBS were accurately identified with the use of the DP-LIBS. A variety of components from the human blood serum have been analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Element concentrations measured in human blood are to be 8360 ppm, 219 ppm, 581 ppm, 785 ppm, 343 ppm, 293 ppm, and 12 ppm for C, Ca, K, Mg, P, Na, and Fe, respectively. The LIBS outcome results are in excellent agreement with the results acquired by applying the standard XRF technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotics that are efficacious for infectious pancreatitis are present in pancreatic exocrine secretion (PES) after intravenous administration and above minimal inhibitory concentrations. We measured concentrations of four antibiotics by tandem liquid chromatography–mass spectroscopy in plasma and PES after enteral administration to juvenile pigs with jugular catheters and re-entrant pancreatic-duodenal catheters. Nystatin, which is not absorbed by the intestine nor used for infectious pancreatitis (negative control), was not detected in plasma or PES. Concentrations of amoxicillin increased in plasma after administration (p = 0.035), but not in PES (p = 0.51). Metronidazole and enrofloxacin that are used for infectious pancreatitis increased in plasma after enteral administration and even more so in PES, with concentrations in PES averaging 3.1 (±0.5)- and 2.3 (±0.6)-fold higher than in plasma, respectively (p′s < 0.001). The increase in enrofloxacin in PES relative to plasma was lower after intramuscular administration (1.8 ± 0.5; p = 0.001). The present results demonstrate the presence of a selective and concentrative enteropancreatic pathway of secretion for some antibiotics. Unlike the regulated secretion of bile, the constitutive secretion of PES and intestinal reabsorption may provide a continuous exposure of pancreas tissue and the small intestine to recirculated antibiotics and potentially other therapeutic molecules. There is a need to better understand the enteropancreatic recirculation of antibiotics and the associated mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to define potentially toxic element (PTE) concentrations, their pollution levels, their ecological risks, and the human health risks of Çoruh River sediments in Bayburt (NE Turkey). The sediment samples were analyzed through inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). The concentrations (mg/kg) of Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Pb, Cr, and Hg varied within 243.6–1134.3, 23.7–178.6, 33.0–52.0, 8.5–38.8, 4.0–7.7, 1.27–7.17, and 0.02–0.10 in the sediments, respectively. According to various geochemical indices, such as the geo-accumulation index, pollution index, pollution load index, and enrichment factor, the sediments were unpolluted by Cr, Zn, Pb, and Hg, and these elements were not enriched in the sediments. By contrast, the sediments were generally moderately polluted—very strongly polluted by Cu, As, and Ni, and these elements were moderately enriched—extremely enriched in the sediments. The results of the ecological risk factor for Ni, As, Cu, and Hg ranged from a low to a high potential ecological risk (RI). The RI values revealed that the investigated area was in a high-risk condition because the corresponding RI value was greater than 150. The outcomes of the modified hazardous quotients demonstrated that Ni, As, and Cu would pose an important health risk if humans were exposed to the sediments and could be hazardous to aquatic animals in Çoruh River. The hazard quotient for ingestion and the hazard index of As for children more than a year old in the high-intensity residential area indicated that As would pose an important health risk if children were exposed to the sediments. Pearson's correlation matrix and principal component analyses showed that the accumulation of PTEs in Çoruh River's sediments was related to anthropogenic and geological sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of synthetic diagnostics for passive plasma spectroscopy systems of the T-15MD tokamak is started using the Cherab software library for modeling fusion plasma spectroscopy. The calculation of signals in the visible wavelength range is performed with the Raysect code using the ray tracing technique, taking into account the reflection of light from the surfaces of the first wall specified as a full CAD model. The results of measuring the characteristics of light reflection by samples of the T-15MD graphite first wall before and after plasma exposure are used. The parameters of the model functions of graphite reflectivity are chosen by fitting the measurements. The results of edge plasma modeling by the SOLPS code are used to calculate the intensity of the spectral line Hα and the fraction of reflected light in the observed intensity depending on the geometry of the line of sight. It is shown that, during radial observation of the scrape-off layer plasma, the reflected light fraction in the observed intensity does not exceed 50%, and after a long-term exposure of the wall to the plasma, it should decrease to 10–20%. For lines of sight of diagnostics that measure the effective plasma charge profile, the bremsstrahlung and photorecombination radiation spectra are calculated on the basis of the combined data of modeling by the ASTRA and SOLPS codes. It is shown that only the lines of sight observing the peripheral plasma are subject to a significant influence of reflected light, where the intensity of bremsstrahlung is minimal. As in the case of Hα radiation, a long-term exposure of the wall to the plasma is expected to reduce the reflected light fraction in the observed intensity by a factor of 3–4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing an alternative resource of rare earth elements (REEs) in coal by-products has been a topic of high interest for the past decade. Despite this, research that characterizes REEs in such materials produced in Australia is lacking. This paper focuses on the concentration and occurrence of REEs in power station coal ashes that represent a suite of major economic coal basins in Australia. The concentration of REEs in coal ash samples was determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Fly ash and bottom ash generated at power stations that utilize coals from the Collie Basin in Western Australia contained elevated REE concentrations. A REE-rich fly ash containing 0.21% total rare earth oxides (REO) was subject to further analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-rays (SEM-EDX) and TESCAN Integrated Mineral Analysis (TIMA). Fine (avg. <5 μm) monazite grains were observed in the fly ash which were typically bound to Al/Si-rich phases. A substantial increase in the aqua regia-extractable fraction of REEs occurred when fly ash samples were milled to an ultrafine particle size. The current investigation has demonstrated that Australian coal ash may represent a promising resource of REEs as the demand for these metals increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An improved prototype of the large-aperture, high-resolution spectrometer−polychromator (the so-called high-etendue spectrometer, HES) has been designed for spectroscopy diagnostics of plasma, in particular, for the Charge-eXchange Recombination Spectroscopy (CXRS) diagnostics at the ITER facility. Ion temperature profiles, poloidal and toroidal plasma rotation velocities, and low-Z impurity densities can be measured using the CXRS technique. The HES is equipped with novel, high-efficiency compact sCMOS cameras with low noise level, wide dynamic range, high quantum efficiency, and almost 100% working cycle. The HES is based on three transmission holographic gratings, which allow its simultaneous operation in three spectral bands: 468 ± 5, 529 ± 5, and 656 ± 6 nm. The main performance characteristics of the cameras, transmission gratings, and the spectrometer as a unit have been measured. It has been established that the characteristics of the developed HES satisfy the requirements for the spectroscopic equipment intended for measurements of the ITER CXRS diagnostic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports a possible functionalization mechanism of isocyanate (NCO) groups on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with low-temperature plasma. The mechanism was clarified according to the analysis with two plasmas generated with the gas mixture of (1) nitrogen and carbon dioxide and (2) nitrogen and oxygen. We analyzed the mechanism through optical emission spectroscopy from these plasmas and the NCO functionalization ratio measured with the fluorescent method after plasma exposure over CNTs. The optical emission gave us information on the quantitative analysis of the gas species of atomic nitrogen (N), atomic oxygen (O), and carbon monoxide (CO) and the qualitative analysis of carbon nitride (CN) species in the plasma. Compared with our results from the gas species in the plasma and the NCO functionalization ratio on CNTs, CO and CN species in the gas phase in plasma are less likely to contribute to forming NCO groups on CNTs. Rather, the equal densities of atomic nitrogen and oxygen species in the plasma could be effective in forming NCO groups on the CNT surface: the NCO groups should form by N, O, and carbon (C) species on the CNT surface. The groups likely build up gradually by N, O, and C individually reaching a CNT surface, or the NCO radicals form in the gas phase and then attach to the CNT surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediments absorb and accumulate toxic elements, which might be re-activated and easily released into the water body, which could be a serious ecological risk to the aquatic ecosystem. It is a vital environmental medium widely used for characterizing anthropogenic contaminants. This study assessed the extent of pollution and the ecological threat posed by potentially toxic elements in the bottom sediment of a stream in Oke-Ere, Kogi State, North Central Nigeria. A total of 72 samples were collected and analyzed with inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS), after acid digestion. The data obtained were subjected to simple descriptive and inferential statistics. Sediment pollution levels and ecological risk were evaluated based on models of sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), geo-accumulation index (Igeo), enrichment factor (EF), pollution load index (PLI), contamination factor (Cf), and potential ecological risk (Eir). Based on SQGs, average levels of Zn, Pb, Cr, and Cu exceeded the threshold effect concentrations (TEC), but no collective toxicity from the studied elements as the value of mPEC-Q was < 0.5. The pollution indices studies (Igeo, EF, PLI, and Cf) revealed that the bottom sediment samples were low to moderate contaminated with the investigated elements and ecological risk revealed that the bottom sediment samples were within the low to moderate class, and Mo contributed 56% of the total potential ecological risk. However, appropriate measures should be taken to avoid serious ecological risks to the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a digitally processed DC reactive sputtering (DPDRS) system that enables synthesis of arbitrarily designed atomically precise deposition of metal oxide compounds. Pulsed-DC sputtering employing a digital pulse pattern generator can perform the temporally alternating process of multiple metal sputtering and oxidation. High-speed switching of the pulsed-DC sputtering process driven by the digital signal processing was confirmed from time-resolved plasma emission spectroscopy. Metal sputtering, which was temporally separated from the oxidation process, resulted in a deposition rate higher than 1 μm/h. It was also found that the temporally separated radical oxidation at the deposited metal surface could control the oxidation process. The DPDRS was applied to layer-by-layer synthesis of (Er0.1Y0.9)2SiO5 (EYSO) films oriented to the ⟨100⟩ direction. The deposition rate for each metal target (Er and Y) was adjusted to 0.86 nm/cycle corresponding to a d-spacing of the (100) plane by changing independently the duty ratio of the base pulse for plasma generation. X-ray diffraction measurements indicated a formation of ⟨100⟩ highly oriented (Er0.1Y0.9)2SiO5 crystalline thin films. Photoluminescence spectra and the decay characteristics also showed synthesis of high crystalline quality EYSO films better than those obtained by pulsed laser deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enriched Zn82Se is a very promising material for the detection of the neutrionoless double beta decay. The 82Se isotope acts as the source of the decay, and ZnSe detects the scintillation and bolometric events. Due to the high cost in the preparation of the Zn82Se material, the optimization of its properties, especially those related to the scintillation process, is mandatory. It is well known that excellent scintillation efficiency in ZnSe is obtained when the material presents close donor–acceptor pairs, as, for example, the A-centers. In this work, neutron irradiation was used to study formation of point defects in enriched and non-enriched ZnSe samples. Applying instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, the enrichment of Zn82Se samples was determined to ∼95%, in addition, trace impurities such as Cu, I, and Na were quantified by INAA at the μg/g level. Based on electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and photo-EPR measurements, we show that irradiation with fast neutrons induced point defects such as the isolated zinc vacancy (VZn) and a new low-symmetric donor center called NC1, which we tentatively assign to Zn di-interstitials. Low-temperature photoluminescence measurements of the neutron-irradiated Zn82Se revealed three broad PL bands centered in the visible spectral range. Based on the INAA analysis shown in this work, we attribute the previously unidentified 540 nm PL band in the Zn82Se sample to recombination between shallow donors and deep copper acceptors. The formation of point defects by neutron irradiation and their stability are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the double-cone ignition scheme of inertial confinement fusion, the head-on collision of two compressed fuel jets from the cone-tips forms an isochoric plasma, which is then heated suddenly by a MeV relativistic electron beam produced by ultra-intense picosecond laser pulses. This fast-heating process was studied experimentally at the Shenguang II upgrade laser facility. By observing temporal-resolved X-ray emission and the spatial-resolved X-ray spectrum, the colliding process and heating process are carefully studied. The colliding plasma was imaged to have dimensions of approximately 86 μm in the implosion direction and approximately 120 μm in the heating direction. By comparing the simulated plasma X-ray spectrum with experimental data, the electron temperature of the heated plasma was found to rapidly increase to 600 ± 50 eV, almost doubling the temperature achieved before the heating laser incidence.

The proliferation of shallow mine pits and indiscriminate dumping of mine tailings in the environment due to artisanal Lead-Zinc mining activities within the study area puts the immediate environment at risk of lead toxicity. Considering the adverse effect of Lead toxicity on humans, it has become imperative to evaluate the availability of Lead within the environment and to ascertain the potential pathway through which the contaminant can enter the human body. For this reason, soil, plant, groundwater, surface water, and human blood samples were collected within and beyond the mine catchment area in order to determine the amount of Lead in the environment. Samples were chemically digested and thereafter subjected to spectroscopic analysis using the atomic absorption spectroscopy method for the plant, soil, and water samples, whereas inductive coupled plasma mass spectroscopy was employed for blood sample analysis. Analysis of the laboratory results revealed that the average lead concentration in the environment was 0.49 mg/kg, 0.03 mg/L, 0.04 mg/L, and 0.01 mg/L in soil, plant, surface water, and groundwater, respectively. The correlation coefficient of 0.9 between the lead concentration in plant and soil and an average bioconcentration factor of 0.20 was evidence of soil-to-plant transfer of lead. Total environment-human bioaccumulation of Lead was 3.95 of which 48%, 37%, and 15% of it were contributed by ingestion of surface water, plants, and groundwater, respectively. The average concentration of Pb2+ in the blood of the residents within the study area (0.36 mg/L) was above the normal permissible limit in human blood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on metal/polymer nanocomposite thin films made by atmospheric pressure Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition. The aerosol of isopropanol-dissolved tetrachloroauric acid (HAuCl4:3H2O gold salt) is injected in a dielectric barrier discharge to synthesize plasmonic nanocomposite thin films. Argon is used as carrier gas with or without 133 ppm addition of ammonia (NH3) to respectively get or not a Penning mixture. Results show that NH3 largely influences the salt reduction and thin film properties. According to the aerosol characterization, the size distribution at the plasma entrance supports that isopropanol mainly evaporates before injection in the plasma. The salt initially dissolved in each droplet precipitates during evaporation before injection as solid nanoparticles of about 30 nm diameter with eventual traces of solvent. Then, the nanocomposite thins film are studied. Optical properties, as plasmonic resonance, are characterized by UV–visible absorption spectroscopy. The chemical composition is analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy, complemented by X-ray diffraction analysis as well as chemical mapping obtained by Energy dispersive spectroscopy coupled to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) operating in Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy mode. Additionally, the morphology of the deposits is investigated by atomic force microscopy and SEM, highlighting the influence of NH3 gas on the film nature and therefore its role in the overall deposition process. Finally, optical emission spectroscopy of the plasma gives clue to better understand the effect of NH3. The overall results show that the salt nanoparticles are reduced in the plasma phase leading to non-aggregated metal Au NPs embedded in a carbon-based matrix formed by isopropanol polymerization. The presence of NH3 in the plasma unambiguously decreases the salt reduction and affects the thin film properties, consequently changing their plasmonic response related to the size, concentration, and composition of the embedded NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decade, the applications of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma technologies have been expanding, and one of the most exciting and rapidly growing applications is in biology and medicine. Most biomedical studies with DBD plasma systems are performed in vitro, which include cells grown on the surface of plastic well plates, or in vivo, which include animal research models (e.g. mice, pigs). Since many DBD systems use the biological target as the secondary electrode for direct plasma generation and treatment, they are sensitive to the surface properties of the target, and thus can be altered based on the in vitro or in vivo system used. This could consequently affect biological response from plasma treatment. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the DBD plasma behavior both in vitro (i.e. 96-well flat bottom plates, 96-well U-bottom plates, and 24-well flat bottom plates), and in vivo (i.e. mouse skin). Intensified charge coupled device (ICCD) imaging was performed and the plasma discharges were visually distinguishable between the different systems. The geometry of the wells did not affect DBD plasma generation for low application distances (≤ 2 mm), but differentially affected plasma uniformity on the bottom of the well at greater distances. Since DBD plasma treatment in vitro is rarely performed in dry wells for plasma medicine experiments, the effect of well wetness was also investigated. In all in vitro cases, the uniformity of the DBD plasma was affected when comparing wet versus dry wells, with the plasma in the wide-bottom wells appearing the most similar to plasma generated on mouse skin. Interestingly, based on quantification of ICCD images, the DBD plasma intensity per surface area demonstrated an exponential one-phase decay with increasing application distance, regardless of the in vitro or in vivo system. This trend is similar to that of the energy per pulse of plasma, which is used to determine the total plasma treatment energy for biological systems. Optical emission spectroscopy performed on the plasma revealed similar trends in radical species generation between the plastic well plates and mouse skin. Therefore, taken together, DBD plasma intensity per surface area may be a valuable parameter to be used as a simple method for in situ monitoring during biological treatment and active plasma treatment control, which can be applied for in vitro and in vivo systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxic elements released into the environment through natural and anthropogenic processes can expose vulnerable populations especially children to adverse health risks. This study aims to determine the concentrations and spatial distributions of Pb, As, Cd, and U in 182 soil samples collected from playgrounds, parks, daycares and other sites between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana. The elemental concentrations of soils were measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Soil pollution status was assessed using geo-accumulation and pollution indices. The concentrations of toxic elements showed mean (min–max) (mg/kg) of Pb: 71 (4.6–939), As: 6.4 (1.3–51), Cd: 0.69 (0.04–19), and U: 2.1 (0.38–72). About 2%, 3%, and 8% of the soils exceeded the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) soil cleaning level guideline (mg/kg) of 3.9, 400, and 12 for Cd, Pb, and As, respectively. The mean geo-accumulation indices for toxic elements were below zero, suggesting no significant contamination. Pollution indices (PI) of U and As showed no pollution (PI < 1), and PI for Pb and Cd were 1.7 and 2.0, respectively indicating moderately polluted soils. This study shows the current contamination status of the studied elements in soils of southern Louisiana and identifies hotspots for Pb, As, Cd and U, which can pose adverse health effects especially to children upon chronic exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dissolution of supercritical carbon dioxide (ScCO2) in water forms a ScCO2–H2O system, which exerts a transformative influence on the physicochemical characteristics of coal and significantly impacts the CO2-driven enhanced coalbed methane (CO2-ECBM) recovery process. Herein, the effect of ScCO2–H2O treatment on the physicochemical properties of coal was simulated in a high-pressure reactor. The migration of major elements, change in the pore structure, and change in the CH4 adsorption capacity of coal after the ScCO2–H2O treatment were detected using plasma emission spectroscopy, the low-temperature liquid nitrogen adsorption method, and the CH4 adsorption method, respectively. The results show that (1) the ScCO2–H2O treatment led to mineral reactions causing a significant migration of constant elements in the coal. The migration of Ca ions was the most significant, with an increase in their concentration in treated water from 0 to 16–970 mg·L−1, followed by Na, Mg, and K. Al migrated the least, from 0 to 0.004–2.555 mg·L−1. (2) The ScCO2–H2O treatment increased the pore volume and pore-specific surface area (SSA) of the coal via the dissolution and precipitation of minerals in the coal pores. The total pore volume increased from 0.000795–0.011543 to 0.001274–0.014644 cm3·g−1, and the total pore SSA increased from 0.084–3.332 to 0.400–6.061 m2·g−1. (3) Changes in the CH4 adsorption capacity were affected by the combined effects of a mineral reaction and pore structure change. The dissolved precipitates of the minerals in the coal pores after the ScCO2–H2O treatment caused elemental migration, which not only decreased the mineral content in the coal pores but also increased the total pore volume and total pore SSA, thus improving the CH4 adsorption capacity of the coal. This study provides theoretical support for CO2 sequestration and ECBM recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescence lifetime measurements of blood or plasma offer valuable insights into the microenvironment and molecular interactions of fluorophores, particularly concerning albumin. Neutrophil- and hypoxia-induced oxidative stress in COVID-19 pneumonia patients leads to hyperinflammation, various oxidative modifications of blood proteins, and potential alterations in the fluorescence lifetime of tryptophan-containing proteins, especially albumin. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy of blood and plasma as a prompt diagnostic tool for the early diagnosis and severity assessment of COVID-19-associated pneumonia. This study examined a cohort of sixty COVID-19 patients with respiratory symptoms. To investigate whether oxidative stress is the underlying cause of the change in fluorescence lifetime, human serum albumin was treated with chloramine T. The time-resolved spectrometer Life Spec II (Edinburgh Instruments Ltd., Livingston, UK), equipped with a sub-nanosecond pulsed 280 nm diode, was used to measure the fluorescence lifetime of blood and plasma. The findings revealed a significant reduction in the fluorescence lifetime of blood (diluted 200 times) and plasma (diluted 20 times) at 360 nm in COVID-19 pneumonia patients compared with their respective values recorded six months post-infection and those of healthy individuals. Significant negative correlations were observed between the mean fluorescence lifetime of blood and plasma at 360 nm and several severity biomarkers and advanced oxidation protein products, while a positive correlation was found with albumin and the albumin–globulin ratio. The time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy method demonstrates the potential to be used as a preliminary screening technique for identifying patients who are at risk of developing severe complications. Furthermore, the small amount of blood required for the measurements has the potential to enable a rapid fingerstick blood test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the uncertainty and improve the long-term reproducibility of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) quantitative analysis, an acoustic correction (AC) method is proposed for LIBS detection. A simultaneous acquisition system for laser-induced plasma spectroscopy and the acoustic signal was used to analyse Cr, Mo, Ni, and V elements in alloy steels, and the improvement of the AC method on the spectral uncertainty, calibration model, and long-term reproducibility was investigated. The results show that, compared to calibration curves with the original spectral intensity, the average relative standard deviation (ARSD) of the spectral intensities of the four elements decreased by 26.7%, the average coefficient of determination (R2) of the calibration curves was improved from 0.978 to 0.992, the average relative error (ARE) for the long-term in 48 hours decreased by 38.6%, and the ARSD of the spectra in eight days was significantly reduced by 43.1%. Thus, the use of the AC method can significantly reduce the uncertainty of the spectral signal, improve the robustness of the calibration model, and effectively improve the long-term reproducibility of the quantitative analysis of LIBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present review is dedicated to the problem of an array of transitions between highly-excited atomic levels. Hydrogen atoms and hydrogen-like ions in plasmas are considered here. The presented methods focus on calculation of spectral line shapes. Fast and simple methods of universal ionic profile calculation for the H n α ( Δ n = 1 ) and H n β ( Δ n = 2 ) spectral lines are demonstrated. The universal dipole matrix elements formulas for the H n α and H n β transitions are presented. A fast method for spectral line shape calculations in the presence of an external magnetic field using the formulas for universal dipole matrix elements is proposed. This approach accounts for the Doppler and Stark–Zeeman broadening mechanisms. Ion dynamics effects are treated via the frequency fluctuation model. The accuracy of the presented model is discussed. A comparison of this approach with experimental data and the results of molecular dynamics simulation is demonstrated. The kinetics equation for the populations of highly-excited ionic states is solved in the parabolic representation. The population source associated with dielectronic recombination is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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To increase the n-type conductivity of single-crystal substrates, the Sn element was purposefully inserted into β-Ga2O3 crystals as n-type dopants. However, it was found that the color of the β-Ga2O3 crystal changed significantly after high-temperature remelting in the edge-defined film-fed growth (EFG) method. According to Hall and optical transmission spectroscopy, the carrier concentration in the colorless region is significantly lower than that in the blue region, resulting in a decrease in electrical conductivity after high-temperature remelting of Sn-doped β-Ga2O3. This is a challenge for the application of β-Ga2O3 as an electronic power device. Therefore, we focused on the impact of the two color boundary areas on the structure, electronic, optical properties, and (100) surface defects after high-temperature remelting, and discussed the reason for this color change. Inductive coupled plasma emission spectroscopy (ICP) was used to detect the content of Sn. According to the results of high-resolution X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy, compared with the low crystal in the colorless area, the single crystal in the blue area showed higher crystal quality. The PL results indicate that the colorless area has more defects caused by oxygen vacancies than the blue area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents the use of transfer-learning-based algorithms as data reduction strategies for the classification of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using the optical emission spectroscopy of plasmas. The plasma used is generated with a home-made microplasma generation device (MGD) ignited in the mixtures of Ar and VOCs. The spectra are acquired from ten MGDs. The VOCs tested are methanol, ethanol, and isopropanol. VOCs are classified using a convolutional neural network. In addition, gradient-weighted class activation mapping is used as the explainable artificial intelligent technique. It ensures the model classification is based upon rational plasma physics by considering appropriate wavelengths. The VOC concentrations are then quantified using linear regression and an artificial neural network (ANN). The transfer learning-based algorithms tested are parameter transfer, REPTILE, and self-training. Spectral data from ten MGDs are grouped into source and target datasets. Ten MGDs are tested individually using a model that was trained on the other nine MGDs. The three MGDs with the lowest accuracy are chosen as the target dataset, while the other seven MGDs make up the source dataset. The original target dataset has 22 500 spectra and is further reduced to 12 600, 9000, 1800, 225, and 22 spectra to test the behavior of each algorithm. With 225 spectra used for training, the model trained with the random initial model shows an accuracy of 0.82. The models trained with parameter transfer and REPTILE have accuracies of 0.98 and 0.95, respectively. Finally, an ANN model is used to quantify the VOC concentration with an R 2 value of 0.9996. The results demonstrate the potential using transfer-learning-based algorithms as the data reduction strategies for classification of spectroscopic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is known that the saturation ratio of transferrin (Tf) with iron in human blood is an important clinical parameter. Specific antibodies can be used to analyze subtle changes in the relative abundance of different forms of transferrin potentially associated with a pathological process. Recently, the authors of this study were able to obtain and characterize highly specific single-domain antibodies (nanobodies) that predominantly recognize the iron-saturated (holo-Tf) or iron-unsaturated (apo-Tf) form of transferrin. In this work, under conditions closer to physiological than in the previous experiments, we further demonstrated that these unique nanobodies have extremely high differential binding specificity for different forms of Tf in different human biological fluids. Using these nanobodies, we were able to analyze for the first time relative abundance of the transferrin forms in urine samples from the patients with bladder cancer (BC). We have shown that increase in the concentration of total Tf in the urine samples normalized for creatinine is associated with the degree of progress and growth of malignancy of BC. In the samples of healthy donors and in the early stages of BC (G1), Tf is detected in much smaller amounts (compared to the later stages) and only with additional concentration of the studied samples. For most of the studied urine samples from the BC patients, it is expected (as previously shown in the case of Tf in the blood of terminal ovarian cancer patients) that the concentration of apo-Tf is clearly higher than holo-Tf, especially in the case of the most advanced muscle-invasive BC. It was a surprise for us that approximately equal amounts of apo-Tf and holo-Tf were found in the urine samples of some patients with BC. We hypothesized that the holo-Tf fraction in this case could be largely represented by the "secondary complexes" formed by apo-Tf in combination with ions other than Fe3+, which accumulate in the urine of some cancer patients and are able to bind to apo-Tf, changing its conformation towards holo-Tf. By using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS), we obtained first results confirming our hypothesis. Preparation of the holo-Tf in these urine samples was found to be highly enriched in zinc and nickel. Also, relative enrichment in cadmium has been observed in this preparation, but at much lower concentrations. The obtained data indicate that the used nanobody, while recognizing predominantly the iron-saturated form of transferrin (holo-Tf), is also capable of binding transferrin in association with other metal ions that are different from iron. This ability could potentially open up new possibilities for investigation of relative abundance of various metal ions in association with transferrin in human biological fluids in normal and pathological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electric field driven acceleration of plasma ions is an intrinsic effect in laser-induced plasma plumes and is responsible for the generation of high-energy ions. At high laser fluences (≥ 2 J/cm2), multiply charged ions are formed and affect the plume expansion dynamics. In this paper, we used kinetic energy-resolved mass spectrometry to investigate the relative abundance and kinetic energy distributions of singly- and doubly-charged ions produced by KrF-laser ablation of nine different oxide targets. The doubly charged metal ions with a lower mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio show narrow energy distributions at high average kinetic energies coinciding with the cutoff energies for the singly-charged ion distributions. The observation suggests that the recombination of higher charged ions plays a prominent role in the formation of the high-energy tail for singly-charged ions. The results are discussed in terms of component volatility and a dynamic double layer, where ions with different m/z values experience different accelerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results are presented of research aimed at creating a compact source of soft X-ray and vacuum ultraviolet radiation through the collision of a powerful plasma flow with a gas jet. In experiments that were carried out, a pulsed electrodynamic accelerator generated a hydrogen plasma flow with an energy constant of ≈50 kJ and duration of 10–15 μs. The flow, with a density of ≈6 × 1015 cm–3, moved at a velocity of (2‒4) × 107 cm/s in a longitudinal magnetic field with an induction of up to 2 T and interacted with a flat supersonic gas jet. The maximum molecular density of the gas, nitrogen or neon, in the jet reached 1017 cm–3. The formation of a compact emitting plasma layer with a thickness of 3–5 cm, moving along the path of the hydrogen plasma flow at a speed of approximately 3 × 106 cm/s was demonstrated. In several experiments, a tungsten plate was used as an obstacle to confine the motion of the emitting plasma along the magnetic field, localizing the interaction region between the plasma flow and the gas jet within the diagnostic control zone. Soft X-ray obscurography and spectroscopy were used to obtain data regarding the radiation generation from the interaction zone of the hydrogen plasma flow and the gas jet. The results of measuring the radiation energy from the formed plasma are presented: ≈2 kJ in the case of a nitrogen jet and ≈ 3 kJ in the case of a neon jet. Numerical modeling of the line radiation from multi-charged ions and subsequent comparison of calculated and experimental data allowed estimating the electron temperature of the nitrogen and neon plasmas formed during the interaction of the hydrogen plasma flow with the gas jet at a level of ≥40 eV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to ensure the authenticity and reliability of the 3rd National Soil Survey data, the standard detection methods need to be repeatedly verified to optimize the method suitable for nationwide promotion. At present, the sensitivity of NY/T 1121.8--2006 methylimine-H spectrophotometric to test available boron in soil is low, and factors such as color rendering temperature and light are easy to interfere with the test results. In view of this, this paper analyzed the key factors such as leaching time, leaching method and color rendering conditions in the process of detection of soil available boron by boiling water bath leaching-methylenimine-H spectrophotometric, and explored the optimal conditions for the detection of the method. The results showed that with the conditions of leaching time 12 min leaching time, capping leaching and 23 °C dark environment in color rendering process, it could better reduce the error in the detection of available boron and obtained more accurate results. At the same time, the detection of soil available boron by inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP-OES) was verified. The detection limits of spectrophotometric and ICP-OES were 0. 012 mg/kg and 0. 009 mg/kg, respectively, which met the requirements of analysis and testing. The accuracy and precision verification results showed that both methods could be used for the detection of soil available boron, and there was no significant difference in the test results of actual samples. Among them, the spectrophotometric method was suitable for the determination of high content (>0. 5 mg/kg) samples, and the ICP-OES method was suitable for the detection of medium and low content samples. Based on the experience of the 3rd National Soil Survey pilot work, it is suggested that ICP-OES should be the first choice for the effective boron determination, which provides reference for The 3rd National Soil Survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plants represent an important class of traditional medicines. This research was conducted to assess the levels of selected heavy metals in some medicinal plants from Obuasi, a mining area in Ghana. Twenty different medicinal crops were sampled for this study. The levels of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) after wet digestion. The concentrations (mg/kg) of As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Mn, Ni, and Pb were 1.092 − 0.206, 1.341 − 0.253, 6.603 − 2.005, 0.045 − 0.001, 282.798 − 20.583, 4.967 − 1.676, and 26.410 − 0.629, respectively. Some concentrations of Cr, Cd, As, Mn, and Pb analyzed in all 20 medicinal plant samples exceeded WHO permissible limits for medicinal food while concentrations of Ni, As, and Hg for all the samples were below the WHO permissible limit. The estimated dietary intake (EDI) was compared to the tolerable daily intake recommended by WHO/FAO. Results obtained from hazard indices such as the hazard quotient and carcinogenic risk show that the medicinal plants are not likely to cause cancer if they are consumed over a prolonged period of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The aquatic ecosystem as the final recipient of waste produced by anthropogenic and natural processes is a growing pollution problem on our planet and currently the presence of heavy metals, they present is an alarming index. This research is important because the Ite district uses river water as an elemental liquid for its daily activities and consumption. The Locumba River sub-basin is located within the Ite district and is characterized by mining and agricultural activities. Objective. Determine the quality of the river sediments through the concentrations of heavy metals (As, B, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Pb) in the upper area of the Locumba river. Materials and methods. In the months of January and March, sampling was carried out in an altitudinal range between 350 and 800 meters above sea level, in the dry and rainy season. The guide for sediment sampling (LSASDPROC- 200-R4), USEPA quality standards, was used. The analyzes were performed by ICPOES Plasma Spectroscopy. Results. The concentration levels show us that heavy metals are present as; Arsenic exceeded standards of 58 ppm on average, Boron with 8.2 ppm, Copper with 372 ppm and Lead with 121 ppm. Conclusions. The sediment quality of the Locumba River due to the presence of heavy metals is not adequate and brings with it environmental risks, affecting the biota and ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, the effect of electrode material on the parameters of the produced DBD plasma was investigated. First, a non-thermal plasma was created by applying a 15 kV AC voltage between two electrodes and using a glass plate as a dielectric barrier in the design Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma system. The obtained plasma spectrum was analyzed using optical emission spectroscopy to calculate plasma parameters by the Boltzmann plot method. Electrodes made of copper, aluminium, and stainless steel were employed in this research. Electron temperature (Te) for copper, aluminium, and stainless steel was found to be (1.398 eV), (1.093 eV) and (1.009 eV), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning, a subfield of artificial intelligence, is being increasingly used in physics and other scientific domains for data analysis and predictions. This trend to use machine learning concerns now several plasma physics topics like those related to magnetic fusion. With the ongoing or planned buildings of larger tokamaks like ITER, magnetic fusion is a research field where artificial intelligence techniques can be of a great help. In this short communication, I will discuss in particular the use of machine learning in connection with plasma spectroscopy for the hydrogen isotopic ratio determination. In addition to some preliminary results, I will discuss some ideas and open questions related to predictions of isotopic ratio determination for HD and DT fusion plasmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cajálbana constitutes the lateritic nickel and cobalt deposit of greatest significance and least degree of geological study in western Cuba. This research aims to reevaluate lateritic resources and clarify the paths of technological processing of minerals containing nickel, cobalt, and other metals of economic interest. Previous investigations of the Cajálbana deposit were systematized and integrated and different mineralogical wells were sampled; The research samples underwent granulometric classification, analytical determinations by X-ray spectrometry, differential thermal analysis, electron microscopy, and mass spectroscopy with plasma inductively coupled to the special mineralogical samples. The existence and distribution of rare earth elements was confirmed, with anomalous concentrations of scandium and samarium in the upper part of the lateritic profile. The Micromine computer program was used for the reevaluation of lateritic resources by technological types of ore and the technology to be used for comprehensive use was assessed. Lateritic nickel resources amounting to 51 million tons were reported in the inferred category. It is concluded that the lateritic resources of the Cajálbana deposit have geological and mineralogical characteristics conducive to being processed by hydrometallurgical means to obtain nickel, cobalt, and scandium products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Industria Textila is the property of Institutul National de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Textile si Pielarie and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This work is devoted to the plasma diagnostics of an underwater electric spark discharge, specially developed for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles by electro erosion of metal granules immersed into water. To improve the process of metal nanoparticle generation, the main plasma parameters for different modes of discharges between molybdenum and, separately, iron granules were investigated. The optical emission spectroscopy as a non-perturbing method was used. Namely, the Boltzmann plots on the basis of metal atomic lines' (in particular Fe I and Mo I) intensities are used to determine the electron temperatures in plasma. Profile of Hα spectral line, exposed to the Stark mechanism of spectral lines' broadening, is used to determine the electron density in such plasma. The black-body radiation is found in the spectrum of the discharge between molybdenum granules. It was found that the background emission in the spectral regions with densely spaced spectral lines can be caused by the overlapping of spectral lines' contours for the underwater discharge between metal granules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy techniques have been used extensively for metabolite profiling. Although combining these two analytical modalities has the potential of enhancing metabolite coverage, such studies are sparse. In this study we test the hypothesis that combining the metabolic information obtained using liquid chromatography (LC) MS and 1H NMR spectroscopy improves the discrimination of metabolic disease development. We induced metabolic syndrome in male mice using a high-fat diet (HFD) exposure and performed LC-MS and NMR spectroscopy on plasma samples collected after 1 and 8 weeks of dietary intervention. In an orthogonal projection to latent structures (OPLS) analysis, we observed that combining MS and NMR was stronger than each analytical method alone at determining effects of both HFD feeding and time-on-diet. We then tested our metabolomics approach on plasma from 56 individuals from the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study (MDCS) cohort. All metabolic pathways impacted by HFD feeding in mice were confirmed to be affected by diabetes in the MDCS cohort, and most prominent HFD-induced metabolite concentration changes in mice were also associated with metabolic syndrome parameters in humans. The main drivers of metabolic disease discrimination emanating from the present study included plasma levels of xanthine, hippurate, 2-hydroxyisovalerate, S-adenosylhomocysteine and dimethylguanidino valeric acid. In conclusion, our combined NMR-MS approach provided a snapshot of metabolic imbalances in humans and a mouse model, which was improved over employment of each analytical method alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a simple and pure data-driven method to find new energy levels of quantum many-body systems only from observed line wavelengths. In our method, all the possible combinations are computed from known energy levels and wavelengths of unidentified lines. As each excited state exhibits many transition lines to different lower levels, the true levels should be reconstructed coincidentally from many level-line combinations, while the wrong combinations distribute randomly. Such a coincidence can be easily detected statistically. We demonstrate this statistical method by finding new levels for various atomic and nuclear systems from unidentified line lists available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Essential metals may be crucial in obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2DM); diabesity pathogenesis and consequences. This study aimed to determine the metal levels in obese and non-obese patients with and without T2DM and their relationships with fetuin-A(Fet-A) levels, insulin sensitivity, and insulin resistance. Methods: A total of 314 participants were enrolled, with 160 newly diagnosed T2DM patients and 154 non-T2DM subjects categorized into diabetic obese (n = 57), diabetic non-obese (n = 103), non-diabetic obese (n = 48), and non-diabetic non-obese (n = 106) subgroups. Fet-A, insulin sensitivity (QUCKI)/resistance (HOMA-IR), fasting glucose, and body mass index (BMI) were assessed. The essential metals were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Results: Fet-A levels were 3-fold higher (1391.4 ± 839.8 ng/ml) in T2DM patients than in non-T2DM (2165.6 ± 651.9 vs. 424.3 ± 219.1 ng/ml, p < 0.0001). Fet-A levels were 2.3-fold higher in the diabetic obese group than in the diabetic non-obese group (p < 0.0001). Fet-A levels were 2.0-fold higher in the diabetic non-obese group than in the non-diabetic obese group (p < 0.0001). Fet-A levels were positively correlated with insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (r = 0.34, p < 0.0001) and negatively correlated with insulin sensitivity (QUIKI) (r = −0.41, p < 0.0001). Cu, Se, Zn, and Fe levels were significantly lower in diabetic patients than in non-diabetic patients (p < 0.05). Se and Zn were significantly correlated with Fet-A (r = −0.41, p = 0.049 and r = −0.42, p = 0.001, respectively). Se and Zn were also correlated with insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (r = −0.45, p = 0.049 and r = −0.36, p = 0.012, respectively) and insulin sensitivity (QUIKI) (r = 0.49, p = 0.042 and r = 0.30, p = 0.003, respectively). Similarly, Fe was negatively correlated with insulin levels (r = −0.33, p = 0.04) and insulin sensitivity (r = −0.34, p = 0.30). However, Mn was significantly correlated with Fet-A (r = 0.37, p = 0.001) and insulin resistance/sensitivity (r = 0.24, p = 0.026 and r = −0.24, p = 0.041) respectively in the diabetic obese group. Mg was an independent predictor of diabesity. Conclusions: Mg play a significant role in obesity-related T2DM pathogenesis and complications via Fet-A, insulin sensitivity, and resistance modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental study of the plasma gas phase in low pressure radiofrequency discharges of oxygen is presented. The plasma phase has been studied by means of mass spectroscopy of the neutral and of the charged species, directly sampling the plasma gas phase. We also measured the ion energy distributions. We have studied the influence of the operating conditions on the plasma gas-phase composition. Ion density and energy have been measured as a function of discharge parameters. In particular, we have identified operating conditions in low pressure discharges allowing the extraction of ions from the plasma state with energies exceeding 50 eV. This makes plasma processing with energetic oxygen ions feasible in our device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molten salt mixtures containing LiCl–KCl and NaCl–MgCl2 have been infused with UCl3 via reaction of U metal and FeCl2. The process starts with base salt (LiCl–KCl or NaCl–MgCl2) drying/purification using hydrochlorination via bubbling anhydrous HCl. An auto-titrator running in pH-stat mode was used to determine the point at which there is no net reaction with the salt. U metal is contained in a porous stainless steel basket as it is submerged in the molten salt. The byproduct Fe metal forms dendrites on the basket walls, allowing for simple separation from the molten salt. Based on analysis of salt samples using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, UCl3 yield of 90% was attained in both NaCl-MgCl2 at 550 °C and in LiCl–KCl at 450 °C. Open circuit potential difference between a W rod working electrode and a Ag/AgCl reference electrode indicated a UCl4 to UCl3 activity ratio of 1 × 10−5. The iron dendrites were comprised of linked cubic structures with length scale of about 50 µm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports a synthesized natural Moroccan hydroxyapatite (NHAP) phosphors doped by rare-earth elements using ion exchange technique. The objective of this technique lies in the generation of luminescence after UV excitation of the synthetized phosphors. Effects of doping and co-doping on the NHAP physicochemical properties were investigated using multiple characterization methods such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The XRD results show that Tb3+/La3+ incorporated into NHAP does not change its structure. Under near-ultraviolet excitation at 405 nm, NHAP: xTb3+, yLa3+ samples show the advantage to obtain a single emission peak, which corresponds to the green colour characteristic of terbium. Moreover, the chromaticity coordinates of NHAP: 0.5%Tb, 1.5%La indicate the excellent cool green-emitting phosphors with a low correlated colour temperature. Overall, the obtained results suggest that NHAP (0.5%Tb: 1.5%La) could be used as multifunctional bio-imaging materials or solid-state lighting for LEDs with high lighting efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serpentine soils containing high levels of nickel and other metals are particularly preferred by some plants that accumulate nickel in their bodies. In this study, the Ni, Co, and Cr accumulation capacities of A. murale grown in Guleman's serpentine soils were measured. In this respect, 12 A. murale and their soils were collected from the mining site and surroundings. Afterwards, the collected samples were measured in order to evaluate the translocation and accumulation amounts of Ni, Cr, and Co. For that, soil and plant samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). The mean Ni concentrations in the soil, roots, and shoots of A. murale were measured as 2475, 7384, and 7694 mg/kg, respectively. The mean Cr concentrations in the soil, roots, and shoots of A. murale were measured as 742, 33, and 8.4 mg/kg while the mean Co concentrations of A. murale in the soil, roots, and shoots were 166, 10.2, and 23.5 mg/kg, respectively. Then, ECR and ECS values were calculated for Ni, Co, and Cr. The results indicated that A. murale grown in Guleman's serpentine soils may be helpful for the rehabilitation studies of mining soils contaminated by Ni and can be utilized for phytoextraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water is an essential input in agricultural production, which is why it plays an important role in food security. According to the World Bank, water irrigated agriculture represents about 20% of the total cultivated land and 40% of the total food produced globally. This makes water a direct and indirect route of radiation exposure to humans via contact, ingestion and consumption of agricultural products. Radiological assessment of irrigation water around Rustenburg, one of the mining and industrial cities in South Africa, is investigated in this study. The activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K in irrigation water samples were determined using the total mass elemental concentrations of uranium, thorium and potassium, measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. The activity concentrations of 238U and 40K range from 1.24 × 10−04 to 1.09 × 10−02 Bq/l, and 7.07 × 1000 to 1.32 × 10+01 Bq/l, with mean activity concentrations of 2.78 × 10−03 and 1.16 × 10+01 Bq/l, respectively. The activity concentration of 232Th was found below the detection level in all sampled irrigation water. Estimated annual effective dose because of ingestion because of 238U and 40K was also found to be below 120 μSv/y for 238U and 232Th, 170 μSv/y for 40K and a total of 290 μSv/y by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. The estimated radiation dose and lifetime cancer risk indices indicate insignificant radiological risk, making the irrigation water safe for domestic and agriculture purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lead-free halide perovskite Cs3Bi2Br9 is a promising semiconductor material for room-temperature X-ray detection due to its excellent properties. However, material purity and crystal quality still limit the use of Cs3Bi2Br9 crystals as detectors. In this work, we present a highly efficient purification method using continuous vacuum extraction to sublimate BiBr3 precursors for Cs3Bi2Br9. Impurity analysis via inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy showed that the purification method successfully removed most of the impurities in BiBr3 precursors and improved the purity by at least one order of magnitude. Centimeter-sized Cs3Bi2Br9 single crystals were grown by the vertical Bridgman method. The improved properties after purification were confirmed by UV-Vis-NIR spectra, infrared transmittance, and current–voltage (I–V) measurements. The results showed that the average transmittance of Cs3Bi2Br9 crystals significantly increased from 62% to 75% in the 0.5–20 μm spectral range. Additionally, the resistivity increased by nearly three orders of magnitude from 5.0 × 109 Ω·cm to 2.2 × 1012 Ω·cm, meaning the material will have low leakage currents and be suitable for developing applications for room temperature radiation detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]