Sample records for zo strany eu

  1. Cingulin Contains Globular and Coiled-Coil Domains and Interacts with Zo-1, Zo-2, Zo-3, and Myosin

    PubMed Central

    Cordenonsi, Michelangelo; D'Atri, Fabio; Hammar, Eva; Parry, David A.D.; Kendrick-Jones, John; Shore, David; Citi, Sandra

    1999-01-01

    We characterized the sequence and protein interactions of cingulin, an M r 140–160-kD phosphoprotein localized on the cytoplasmic surface of epithelial tight junctions (TJ). The derived amino acid sequence of a full-length Xenopus laevis cingulin cDNA shows globular head (residues 1–439) and tail (1,326–1,368) domains and a central α-helical rod domain (440–1,325). Sequence analysis, electron microscopy, and pull-down assays indicate that the cingulin rod is responsible for the formation of coiled-coil parallel dimers, which can further aggregate through intermolecular interactions. Pull-down assays from epithelial, insect cell, and reticulocyte lysates show that an NH2-terminal fragment of cingulin (1–378) interacts in vitro with ZO-1 (K d ∼5 nM), ZO-2, ZO-3, myosin, and AF-6, but not with symplekin, and a COOH-terminal fragment (377–1,368) interacts with myosin and ZO-3. ZO-1 and ZO-2 immunoprecipitates contain cingulin, suggesting in vivo interactions. Full-length cingulin, but not NH2-terminal and COOH-terminal fragments, colocalizes with endogenous cingulin in transfected MDCK cells, indicating that sequences within both head and rod domains are required for TJ localization. We propose that cingulin is a functionally important component of TJ, linking the submembrane plaque domain of TJ to the actomyosin cytoskeleton. PMID:10613913

  2. Understanding the links between composition, polyhedral distortion, and luminescence properties in green-emitting β-Si 6–zAl zO zN 8–z:Eu 2+ phosphors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cozzan, Clayton; Laurita, Geneva; Gaultois, Michael W.

    Inorganic phosphor materials play a crucial role in the creation of white light from blue and near-UV solid-state light-emitting diodes. Understanding the intricacies of the phosphor structure is key for setting the stage for improved, more efficient functionality. Average structure and coordination environment analysis of the robust and efficient green-emitting phosphor, β-SiAlON:Eu 2+ (β-Si 6–zAl zO zN 8–zEu 0.009), is combined here with a range of property measurements to elucidate the role of Al content ( z) in luminescence properties, including the red shift of emission and the thermal quenching of luminescence as a function of increasing Al content z.more » Average structure techniques reveal changes in polyhedral distortion with increasing z for the 9-coordinate Eu site in β-SiAlON:Eu 2+. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) is used to confirm that the majority of the activator Eu is in the Eu 2+ state, exhibiting the symmetry-allowed and efficient 4f 75d 0 → 4f 65d 1 transitions. As a result, room temperature and temperature-dependent luminescence indicate a curious increase in thermal stability with increasing z over a small range due to an increasing barrier for thermal ionization, which is correlated to an increase in the quantum yield of the phosphor.« less

  3. Understanding the links between composition, polyhedral distortion, and luminescence properties in green-emitting β-Si 6–zAl zO zN 8–z:Eu 2+ phosphors

    DOE PAGES

    Cozzan, Clayton; Laurita, Geneva; Gaultois, Michael W.; ...

    2017-09-21

    Inorganic phosphor materials play a crucial role in the creation of white light from blue and near-UV solid-state light-emitting diodes. Understanding the intricacies of the phosphor structure is key for setting the stage for improved, more efficient functionality. Average structure and coordination environment analysis of the robust and efficient green-emitting phosphor, β-SiAlON:Eu 2+ (β-Si 6–zAl zO zN 8–zEu 0.009), is combined here with a range of property measurements to elucidate the role of Al content ( z) in luminescence properties, including the red shift of emission and the thermal quenching of luminescence as a function of increasing Al content z.more » Average structure techniques reveal changes in polyhedral distortion with increasing z for the 9-coordinate Eu site in β-SiAlON:Eu 2+. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) is used to confirm that the majority of the activator Eu is in the Eu 2+ state, exhibiting the symmetry-allowed and efficient 4f 75d 0 → 4f 65d 1 transitions. As a result, room temperature and temperature-dependent luminescence indicate a curious increase in thermal stability with increasing z over a small range due to an increasing barrier for thermal ionization, which is correlated to an increase in the quantum yield of the phosphor.« less

  4. ZO proteins redundantly regulate the transcription factor DbpA/ZONAB.

    PubMed

    Spadaro, Domenica; Tapia, Rocio; Jond, Lionel; Sudol, Marius; Fanning, Alan S; Citi, Sandra

    2014-08-08

    The localization and activities of DbpA/ZONAB and YAP transcription factors are in part regulated by the density-dependent assembly of epithelial junctions. DbpA activity and cell proliferation are inhibited by exogenous overexpression of the tight junction (TJ) protein ZO-1, leading to a model whereby ZO-1 acts by sequestering DbpA at the TJ. However, mammary epithelial cells and mouse tissues knock-out for ZO-1 do not show increased proliferation, as predicted by this model. To address this discrepancy, we examined the localization and activity of DbpA and YAP in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells depleted either of ZO-1, or one of the related proteins ZO-2 and ZO-3 (ZO proteins), or all three together. Depletion of only one ZO protein had no effect on DbpA localization and activity, whereas depletion of ZO-1 and ZO-2, which is associated with reduced ZO-3 expression, resulted in increased DbpA localization in the cytoplasm. Only depletion of ZO-2 reduced the nuclear import of YAP. Mammary epithelial (Eph4) cells KO for ZO-1 showed junctional DbpA, demonstrating that ZO-1 is not required to sequester DbpA at junctions. However, further depletion of ZO-2 in Eph4 ZO-1KO cells, which do not express ZO-3, caused decreased junctional localization and expression of DbpA, which were rescued by the proteasome inhibitor MG132. In vitro binding assays showed that full-length ZO-1 does not interact with DbpA. These results show that ZO-2 is implicated in regulating the nuclear shuttling of YAP, whereas ZO proteins redundantly control the junctional retention and stability of DbpA, without affecting its shuttling to the nucleus. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  5. Roles of ZO-1 and ZO-2 in establishment of the belt-like adherens and tight junctions with paracellular permselective barrier function.

    PubMed

    Tsukita, Sachiko; Katsuno, Tatsuya; Yamazaki, Yuji; Umeda, Kazuaki; Tamura, Atsushi; Tsukita, Shoichiro

    2009-05-01

    Tight junctions (TJs) create the primary permselective barrier to diffusion of solutes and ions through the paracellular pathway. The molecular architecture of TJs has gradually been unraveled in recent years, providing the basis for "barriology" (defined by Shoichiro Tsukita as the science of the barrier in multicellular organisms). Claudins are now considered to be the essential basic components of TJ strands, with which other integral membrane proteins, such as occludin, tricellulin, JAMs, and CAR, are associated. Peripherally associated scaffolding proteins are required for the organization of the integral membrane proteins. Among these, ZO-1, -2, and -3 have attracted a great deal of attention as TJ organizers, since ZO-1 (and in some cases, also ZO-2/3) was reported to be directly associated with claudins, occludin, and JAMs, as well as with AF-6/afadin and alpha-catenin. Here we summarize recent studies on ZO-1/2/3-deficiency in mice and cells, which have provided clear and important information regarding the functions of ZO-1/2/3 in vivo. In addition to the respective suppression of ZO-1/2/3 expression, simultaneous suppression of all three proteins has revealed the essential and nonessential in vivo roles of ZO-1/2 and ZO-3, respectively. ZO-3 shows an epithelial-specific TJ localization in a ZO-1/2-dependent fashion. ZO-1 and ZO-2 play pivotal roles in the final establishment of the belt-like adherens junctions (zonula adherens), followed by the formation of the belt-like TJs (zonula occludens) with paracellular barrier function, thereby providing the general basis for selective paracellular permeability in epithelial and endothelial cells.

  6. Altered Expression of ZO-1 and ZO-2 in Sertoli Cells and Loss of Blood-Testis Barrier Integrity in Testicular Carcinoma In Situ1

    PubMed Central

    Fink, Cornelia; Weigel, Roswitha; Hembes, Tanja; Lauke-Wettwer, Heidrun; Kliesch, Sabine; Bergmann, Martin; Brehm, Ralph H

    2006-01-01

    Abstract Carcinoma in situ (CIS) is the noninvasive precursor of most human testicular germ cell tumors. In normal seminiferous epithelium, specialized tight junctions between Sertoli cells constitute the major component of the blood-testis barrier. Sertoli cells associated with CIS exhibit impaired maturation status, but their functional significance remains unknown. The aim was to determine whether the blood-testis barrier is morphologically and/or functionally altered. We investigated the expression and distribution pattern of the tight junction proteins zonula occludens (ZO) 1 and 2 in normal seminiferous tubules compared to tubules showing CIS. In normal tubules, ZO-1 and ZO-2 immunostaining was observed at the blood-testis barrier region of adjacent Sertoli cells. Within CIS tubules, ZO-1 and ZO-2 immunoreactivity was reduced at the blood-testis barrier region, but spread to stain the Sertoli cell cytoplasm. Western blot analysis confirmed ZO-1 and ZO-2, and their respective mRNA were shown by RT-PCR. Additionally, we assessed the functional integrity of the blood-testis barrier by lanthanum tracer study. Lanthanum permeated tight junctions in CIS tubules, indicating disruption of the blood-testis barrier. In conclusion, Sertoli cells associated with CIS show an altered distribution of ZO-1 and ZO-2 and lose their blood-testis barrier function. PMID:17217619

  7. Neuronal connexin36 association with zonula occludens-1 protein (ZO-1) in mouse brain and interaction with the first PDZ domain of ZO-1

    PubMed Central

    Li, Xinbo; Olson, Carl; Lu, Shijun; Kamasawa, Naomi; Yasumura, Thomas; Rash, John E.; Nagy, James I.

    2007-01-01

    Among the 20 members in the connexin family of gap junction proteins, only connexin36 (Cx36) is firmly established to be expressed in neurons and to form electrical synapses at widely distributed interneuronal gap junctions in mammalian brain. Several connexins have recently been reported to interact with the PDZ domain-containing protein zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), which was originally considered to be associated only with tight junctions, but has recently been reported to associate with other structures including gap junctions in various cell types. Based on the presence of sequence corresponding to a putative PDZ binding motif in Cx36, we investigated anatomical relationships and molecular association of Cx36 with ZO-1. By immunofluorescence, punctate Cx36/ZO-1 colocalization was observed throughout the central nervous system of wild-type mice, whereas labelling for Cx36 was absent in Cx36 knockout mice, confirming the specificity of the anti-Cx36 antibodies employed. By freeze-fracture replica immunogold labelling, Cx36 and ZO-1 in brain were found colocalized within individual ultrastructurally identified gap junction plaques, although some plaques contained only Cx36 whereas others contained only ZO-1. Cx36 from mouse brain and Cx36-transfected HeLa cells was found to coimmunoprecipitate with ZO-1. Unlike other connexins that bind the second of the three PDZ domains in ZO-1, glutathione S-transferase-PDZ pull-down and mutational analyses indicated Cx36 interaction with the first PDZ domain of ZO-1, which required at most the presence of the four c-terminus amino acids of Cx36. These results demonstrating a Cx36/ZO-1 association suggest a regulatory and/or scaffolding role of ZO-1 at gap junctions that form electrical synapses between neurons in mammalian brain. PMID:15090040

  8. Zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) is involved in morula to blastocyst transformation in the mouse

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Hehai; Ding, Tianbing; Brown, Naoko; Yamamoto, Yasutoshi; Prince, Lawrence S.; Reese, Jeff; Paria, B. C.

    2008-01-01

    It is unknown whether or not tight junction formation plays any role in morula to blastocyst transformation that is associated with development of polarized trophoblast cells and fluid accumulation. Tight junctions are a hallmark of polarized epithelial cells and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) is a known key regulator of tight junction formation. Here we show that ZO-1 protein is first expressed during compaction of 8-cell embryos. This stage-specific appearance of ZO-1 suggests its participation in morula to blastocyst transition. Consistent with this idea, we demonstrate that ZO-1 siRNA delivery inside the blastomeres of zona-weakened embryos using electroporation not only knocks down ZO-1 gene and protein expressions, but also inhibits morula to blastocyst transformation in a concentration dependent manner. In addition, ZO-1 inactivation reduced the expression of Cdx2 and Oct-4, but not ZO-2 and F-actin. These results provide the first evidence that ZO-1 is involved in blastocyst formation from the morula by regulating accumulation of fluid and differentiation of nonpolar blastomeres to polar trophoblast cells. PMID:18423437

  9. The tight junction protein ZO-2 and Janus kinase 1 mediate intercellular communications in vascular smooth muscle cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tkachuk, Natalia; Tkachuk, Sergey; Patecki, Margret

    2011-07-08

    Highlights: {yields} The tight junction protein ZO-2 associates with Jak1 in vascular smooth muscle cells via ZO-2 N-terminal fragment. {yields} Jak1 mediates ZO-2 tyrosine phosphorylation and ZO-2 localization to the sites of homotypic intercellular contacts. {yields} The urokinase receptor uPAR regulates ZO-2/Jak1 functional association. {yields} The ZO-2/Jak1/uPAR signaling complex is required for vascular smooth muscle cells functional network formation. -- Abstract: Recent evidence points to a multifunctional role of ZO-2, the tight junction protein of the MAGUK (membrane-associated guanylate kinase-like) family. Though ZO-2 has been found in cell types lacking tight junction structures, such as vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC),more » little is known about ZO-2 function in these cells. We provide evidence that ZO-2 mediates specific homotypic cell-to-cell contacts between VSMC. Using mass spectrometry we found that ZO-2 is associated with the non-receptor tyrosine kinase Jak1. By generating specific ZO-2 constructs we further found that the N-terminal fragment of ZO-2 molecule is responsible for this interaction. Adenovirus-based expression of Jak1 inactive mutant demonstrated that Jak1 mediates ZO-2 tyrosine phosphorylation. By means of RNA silencing, expression of Jak1 mutant form and fluorescently labeled ZO-2 fusion protein we further specified that active Jak1, but not Jak1 inactive mutant, mediates ZO-2 localization to the sites of intercellular contacts. We identified the urokinase receptor uPAR as a pre-requisite for these cellular events. Functional requirement of the revealed signaling complex for VSMC network formation was confirmed in experiments using Matrigel and in contraction assay. Our findings imply involvement of the ZO-2 tight junction independent signaling complex containing Jak1 and uPAR in VSMC intercellular communications. This mechanism may contribute to vascular remodeling in occlusive cardiovascular diseases and in

  10. Estrogen decreases tight junction protein ZO-1 expression in human primary gut tissues.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Zejun; Zhang, Lumin; Ding, Miao; Luo, Zhenwu; Yuan, Shao; Bansal, Meena B; Gilkeson, Gary; Lang, Ren; Jiang, Wei

    2017-10-01

    Females have a higher prevalence of most autoimmune diseases; however, the mechanism is unknown. In this study, we examined the expression of tight junction protein zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1) and estrogen receptor (ER)-α/β in human primary gut tissues by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and qPCR. The expression of ZO-1 and ER-β but not ER-α was present in both male and female gut tissues. There was no sex difference in ER-β expression, but ZO-1 expression was decreased in females compared to males. In vitro, estrogen treatment decreased ZO-1 mRNA and protein expression, ZO-1 promoter activity, IL-6 production, and NF-κB activation in human primary gut tissues or the Caco-2 cells, but increased the ER-β expression in Caco-2 cells. Consistently, plasma IL-6 levels in females were reduced relative to males in vivo. Our finding indicates that estrogen may play a role in gut tight junction expression and permeability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Crystal and electronic structures, luminescence properties of Eu 2+-doped Si 6-zAl zO zN 8-z and M ySi 6-zAl z-yO z+yN 8-z-y ( M=2Li, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Y. Q.; Hirosaki, N.; Xie, R. J.; Takeda, T.; Mitomo, M.

    2008-12-01

    The crystal structure, electronic structure, and photoluminescence properties of Eu xSi 6-zAl z-xO z+xN 8-z-x ( x=0-0.1, 0< z<1) and Eu xM ySi 6-zAl z-x-yO z+x+yN 8-z-x-y ( M=2Li, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) have been studied. Single-phase Eu xSi 6-zAl z-xO z+xN 8-z-x can be obtained in very narrow ranges of x⩽0.06 ( z=0.15) and z<0.5 ( x=0.3), indicating that limited Eu 2+ ions can be incorporated into nitrogen-rich Si 6-zAl zO zN 8-z. The Eu 2+ ion is found to occupy the 2 b site in a hexagonal unit cell ( P6 3/ m) and directly connected by six adjacent nitrogen/oxygen atoms ranging 2.4850-2.5089 Å. The calculated host band gaps by the relativistic DV-X α method are about 5.55 and 5.45 eV (without Eu 2+ 4 f5 d levels) for x=0 and 0.013 in Eu xSi 6-zAl z-xO z+xN 8-z-x ( z=0.15), in which the top of the 5 d orbitals overlap with the Si-3 s3 p and N-2 p orbitals within the bottom of the conduction band of the host. Eu xSi 6-zAl z-xO z+xN 8-z-x shows a strong green emission with a broad Eu 2+ band centered at about 530 nm under UV to near-UV excitation range. The excitation and emission spectra are hardly modified by Eu concentration and dual-doping ions of Li and other alkaline-earth ions with Eu. Higher Eu concentrations can significantly quench the luminescence of Eu 2+ and decrease the thermal quenching temperature. In addition, the emission spectrum can only be slightly tuned to the longer wavelengths (˜529-545 nm) by increasing z within the solid solution range of z<0.5. Furthermore, the luminescence intensity of Eu xSi 6-zAl z-xO z+xN 8-z-x can be improved by increasing z and the dual-doping of Li and Ba.

  12. Hepatic immunohistochemical localization of the tight junction protein ZO-1 in rat models of cholestasis.

    PubMed Central

    Anderson, J. M.; Glade, J. L.; Stevenson, B. R.; Boyer, J. L.; Mooseker, M. S.

    1989-01-01

    Structural alterations in hepatocyte tight junctions accompanying cholestasis were investigated using immunolocalization of ZO-1, the first known protein component of the tight junction. Disruption in the paracellular barrier function of the tight junction has been proposed to allow reflux of bile into the blood. Cholestasis was induced in 210 to 235 g male Sprague-Dawley rats either by five consecutive daily subcutaneous injections of 17-alpha-ethinyl estradiol (0.5 mg/kg/d in propylene glycol) or ligation of the common bile duct for 72 hours. The structural organization of the tight junction was assessed in each model by indirect immunofluorescent and immunoperoxidase staining for ZO-1 on frozen sections of liver and compared with controls. In control, sham-operated, and estradiol-injected animals, ZO-1 localizes in a uniform continuous manner along the margins of the canaliculi. In contrast, bile duct ligation results in the appearance of numerous discontinuities in ZO-1 staining accompanied by dilation or collapse of the lumenal space. Tissue content of the ZO-1 protein, as determined by quantitative immunoblotting, was unaffected in either cholestatic model compared with controls. These findings indicate that the molecular organization of the tight junction can be assessed from immunostaining patterns of ZO-1 in frozen sections of cholestatic livers. Under these experimental conditions, the organization of the tight junction at the level of the ZO-1 protein is altered by bile duct obstruction but not by ethinyl estradiol. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 PMID:2719075

  13. The ZO-1–associated Y-box factor ZONAB regulates epithelial cell proliferation and cell density

    PubMed Central

    Balda, Maria S.; Garrett, Michelle D.; Matter, Karl

    2003-01-01

    Epithelial tight junctions regulate paracellular permeability, restrict apical/basolateral intramembrane diffusion of lipids, and have been proposed to participate in the control of epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation. Previously, we have identified ZO-1–associated nucleic acid binding proteins (ZONAB), a Y-box transcription factor whose nuclear localization and transcriptional activity is regulated by the tight junction–associated candidate tumor suppressor ZO-1. Now, we found that reduction of ZONAB expression using an antisense approach or by RNA interference strongly reduced proliferation of MDCK cells. Transfection of wild-type or ZONAB-binding fragments of ZO-1 reduced proliferation as well as nuclear ZONAB pools, indicating that promotion of proliferation by ZONAB requires its nuclear accumulation. Overexpression of ZONAB resulted in increased cell density in mature monolayers, and depletion of ZONAB or overexpression of ZO-1 reduced cell density. ZONAB was found to associate with cell division kinase (CDK) 4, and reduction of nuclear ZONAB levels resulted in reduced nuclear CDK4. Thus, our data indicate that tight junctions can regulate epithelial cell proliferation and cell density via a ZONAB/ZO-1–based pathway. Although this regulatory process may also involve regulation of transcription by ZONAB, our data suggest that one mechanism by which ZONAB and ZO-1 influence proliferation is by regulating the nuclear accumulation of CDK4. PMID:12566432

  14. ZO-1 expression is suppressed by GM-CSF via miR-96/ERG in brain microvascular endothelial cells.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Hu; Zhang, Shuhong; Zhang, Jilin; Liu, Dongxin; Wei, Jiayi; Fang, Wengang; Zhao, Weidong; Chen, Yuhua; Shang, Deshu

    2018-05-01

    The level of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) increases in some disorders such as vascular dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis. We previously reported that in Alzheimer's disease patients, a high level of GM-CSF in the brain parenchyma downregulated expression of ZO-1, a blood-brain barrier tight junction protein, and facilitated the infiltration of peripheral monocytes across the blood-brain barrier. However, the molecular mechanism underlying regulation of ZO-1 expression by GM-CSF is unclear. Herein, we found that the erythroblast transformation-specific (ETS) transcription factor ERG cooperated with the proto-oncogene protein c-MYC in regulation of ZO-1 transcription in brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs). The ERG expression was suppressed by miR-96 which was increased by GM-CSF through the phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway. Inhibition of miR-96 prevented ZO-1 down-regulation induced by GM-CSF both in vitro and in vivo. Our results revealed the mechanism of ZO-1 expression reduced by GM-CSF, and provided a potential target, miR-96, which could block ZO-1 down-regulation caused by GM-CSF in BMECs.

  15. The tight junction protein ZO-1 and an interacting transcription factor regulate ErbB-2 expression

    PubMed Central

    Balda, Maria S.; Matter, Karl

    2000-01-01

    Epithelial tight junctions regulate paracellular diffusion and restrict the intermixing of apical and basolateral plasma membrane components. We now identify a Y-box transcription factor, ZONAB (ZO-1-associated nucleic acid-binding protein), that binds to the SH3 domain of ZO-1, a submembrane protein of tight junctions. ZONAB localizes to the nucleus and at tight junctions, and binds to sequences of specific promoters containing an inverted CCAAT box. In reporter assays, ZONAB and ZO-1 functionally interact in the regulation of the ErbB-2 promoter in a cell density-dependent manner. In stably transfected overexpressing cells, ZO-1 and ZONAB control expression of endogenous ErbB-2 and function in the regulation of paracellular permeability. These data indicate that tight junctions directly participate in the control of gene expression and suggest that they function in the regulation of epithelial cell differentiation. PMID:10790369

  16. Involvement of the interaction of afadin with ZO-1 in the formation of tight junctions in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells.

    PubMed

    Ooshio, Takako; Kobayashi, Reiko; Ikeda, Wataru; Miyata, Muneaki; Fukumoto, Yuri; Matsuzawa, Naomi; Ogita, Hisakazu; Takai, Yoshimi

    2010-02-12

    Tight junctions (TJs) and adherens junctions (AJs) are major junctional apparatuses in epithelial cells. Claudins and junctional adhesion molecules (JAMs) are major cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) at TJs, whereas cadherins and nectins are major CAMs at AJs. Claudins and JAMs are associated with ZO proteins, whereas cadherins are associated with beta- and alpha-catenins, and nectins are associated with afadin. We previously showed that nectins first form cell-cell adhesions where the cadherin-catenin complex is recruited to form AJs, followed by the recruitment of the JAM-ZO and claudin-ZO complexes to the apical side of AJs to form TJs. It is not fully understood how TJ components are recruited to the apical side of AJs. We studied the roles of afadin and ZO-1 in the formation of TJs in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. Before the formation of TJs, ZO-1 interacted with afadin through the two proline-rich regions of afadin and the SH3 domain of ZO-1. During and after the formation of TJs, ZO-1 dissociated from afadin and associated with JAM-A. Knockdown of afadin impaired the formation of both AJs and TJs in MDCK cells, whereas knockdown of ZO-1 impaired the formation of TJs, but not AJs. Re-expression of full-length afadin restored the formation of both AJs and TJs in afadin-knockdown MDCK cells, whereas re-expression of afadin-DeltaPR1-2, which is incapable of binding to ZO-1, restored the formation of AJs, but not TJs. These results indicate that the transient interaction of afadin with ZO-1 is necessary for the formation of TJs in MDCK cells.

  17. Involvement of the Interaction of Afadin with ZO-1 in the Formation of Tight Junctions in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney Cells*

    PubMed Central

    Ooshio, Takako; Kobayashi, Reiko; Ikeda, Wataru; Miyata, Muneaki; Fukumoto, Yuri; Matsuzawa, Naomi; Ogita, Hisakazu; Takai, Yoshimi

    2010-01-01

    Tight junctions (TJs) and adherens junctions (AJs) are major junctional apparatuses in epithelial cells. Claudins and junctional adhesion molecules (JAMs) are major cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) at TJs, whereas cadherins and nectins are major CAMs at AJs. Claudins and JAMs are associated with ZO proteins, whereas cadherins are associated with β- and α-catenins, and nectins are associated with afadin. We previously showed that nectins first form cell-cell adhesions where the cadherin-catenin complex is recruited to form AJs, followed by the recruitment of the JAM-ZO and claudin-ZO complexes to the apical side of AJs to form TJs. It is not fully understood how TJ components are recruited to the apical side of AJs. We studied the roles of afadin and ZO-1 in the formation of TJs in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. Before the formation of TJs, ZO-1 interacted with afadin through the two proline-rich regions of afadin and the SH3 domain of ZO-1. During and after the formation of TJs, ZO-1 dissociated from afadin and associated with JAM-A. Knockdown of afadin impaired the formation of both AJs and TJs in MDCK cells, whereas knockdown of ZO-1 impaired the formation of TJs, but not AJs. Re-expression of full-length afadin restored the formation of both AJs and TJs in afadin-knockdown MDCK cells, whereas re-expression of afadin-ΔPR1–2, which is incapable of binding to ZO-1, restored the formation of AJs, but not TJs. These results indicate that the transient interaction of afadin with ZO-1 is necessary for the formation of TJs in MDCK cells. PMID:20008323

  18. The heat-shock protein Apg-2 binds to the tight junction protein ZO-1 and regulates transcriptional activity of ZONAB.

    PubMed

    Tsapara, Anna; Matter, Karl; Balda, Maria S

    2006-03-01

    The tight junction adaptor protein ZO-1 regulates intracellular signaling and cell proliferation. Its Src homology 3 (SH3) domain is required for the regulation of proliferation and binds to the Y-box transcription factor ZO-1-associated nucleic acid binding protein (ZONAB). Binding of ZO-1 to ZONAB results in cytoplasmic sequestration and hence inhibition of ZONAB's transcriptional activity. Here, we identify a new binding partner of the SH3 domain that modulates ZO-1-ZONAB signaling. Expression screening of a cDNA library with a fusion protein containing the SH3 domain yielded a cDNA coding for Apg-2, a member of the heat-shock protein 110 (Hsp 110) subfamily of Hsp70 heat-shock proteins, which is overexpressed in carcinomas. Regulated depletion of Apg-2 in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells inhibits G(1)/S phase progression. Apg-2 coimmunoprecipitates with ZO-1 and partially localizes to intercellular junctions. Junctional recruitment and coimmunoprecipitation with ZO-1 are stimulated by heat shock. Apg-2 competes with ZONAB for binding to the SH3 domain in vitro and regulates ZONAB's transcriptional activity in reporter gene assays. Our data hence support a model in which Apg-2 regulates ZONAB function by competing for binding to the SH3 domain of ZO-1 and suggest that Apg-2 functions as a regulator of ZO-1-ZONAB signaling in epithelial cells in response to cellular stress.

  19. The Heat-Shock Protein Apg-2 Binds to the Tight Junction Protein ZO-1 and Regulates Transcriptional Activity of ZONAB

    PubMed Central

    Tsapara, Anna; Matter, Karl; Balda, Maria S.

    2006-01-01

    The tight junction adaptor protein ZO-1 regulates intracellular signaling and cell proliferation. Its Src homology 3 (SH3) domain is required for the regulation of proliferation and binds to the Y-box transcription factor ZO-1-associated nucleic acid binding protein (ZONAB). Binding of ZO-1 to ZONAB results in cytoplasmic sequestration and hence inhibition of ZONAB's transcriptional activity. Here, we identify a new binding partner of the SH3 domain that modulates ZO-1–ZONAB signaling. Expression screening of a cDNA library with a fusion protein containing the SH3 domain yielded a cDNA coding for Apg-2, a member of the heat-shock protein 110 (Hsp 110) subfamily of Hsp70 heat-shock proteins, which is overexpressed in carcinomas. Regulated depletion of Apg-2 in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells inhibits G1/S phase progression. Apg-2 coimmunoprecipitates with ZO-1 and partially localizes to intercellular junctions. Junctional recruitment and coimmunoprecipitation with ZO-1 are stimulated by heat shock. Apg-2 competes with ZONAB for binding to the SH3 domain in vitro and regulates ZONAB's transcriptional activity in reporter gene assays. Our data hence support a model in which Apg-2 regulates ZONAB function by competing for binding to the SH3 domain of ZO-1 and suggest that Apg-2 functions as a regulator of ZO-1–ZONAB signaling in epithelial cells in response to cellular stress. PMID:16407410

  20. MiR-144 Increases Intestinal Permeability in IBS-D Rats by Targeting OCLN and ZO1.

    PubMed

    Hou, Qiuke; Huang, Yongquan; Zhu, Shuilian; Li, Peiwu; Chen, Xinlin; Hou, Zhengkun; Liu, Fengbin

    2017-01-01

    Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea (IBS-D) is a chronic, functional bowel disorder characterized by abdominal pain or diarrhoea and altered bowel habits, which correlate with intestinal hyperpermeability. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in regulating intestinal permeability in IBS-D. However, the role of miRNAs in regulating intestinal permeability and protecting the epithelial barrier remains unclear. Our goals were to (i) identify differential expression of miRNAs and their targets in the distal colon of IBS-D rats; (ii) verify in vitro whether occludin (OCLN) and zonula occludens 1 (ZO1/TJP1) were direct targets of miR-144 and were down-regulated in IBS-D rats; and (iii) determine whether down-regulation of miR-144 in vitro could reverse the pathological hallmarks of intestinal hyperpermeability via targeting OCLN and ZO1. The IBS-D rat model was established using 4% acetic acid and evaluated by haematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The distal colon was obtained in order to perform miRNA microarray analysis and to isolate and culture colonic epithelial cells. When differential expression of miRNA was found, the results were verified by qRT-PCR, and the target genes were further explored by bioinformatics analysis. Correlation analyses were carried out to compare the expression of miRNA and target genes. Then, mutants, miRNA mimics and inhibitors of the target genes were constructed and transfected to colonic epithelial cells. qRT-PCR, western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and dual-luciferase assays were used to investigate the expression of miR-144 and OCLN, ZO1 in IBS-D rats. There were 8 up-regulated and 18 down-regulated miRNAs identified in the IBS-D rat model. Of these, miR-144 was markedly up-regulated and resulted in the down-regulation of OCLN and ZO1 expression. Overexpression of miR-144 by transfection of miR-144 precursor markedly inhibited the expression of OCLN and ZO1. Further studies confirmed that OCLN and ZO1 were direct

  1. Astrocytes increase barrier properties and ZO-1 expression in retinal vascular endothelial cells.

    PubMed

    Gardner, T W; Lieth, E; Khin, S A; Barber, A J; Bonsall, D J; Lesher, T; Rice, K; Brennan, W A

    1997-10-01

    Diabetic retinopathy and other diseases associated with retinal edema are characterized by increased microvascular leakage. Astrocytes have been proposed to maintain endothelial function in the brain, suggesting that glial impairment may underlie the development of retinal edema. The purpose of this study was to test the effects of astrocytes on barrier properties in retinal microvascular endothelial cells. Bovine retinal microvascular endothelial cells were exposed to conditioned media from rat brain astrocytes. Transendothelial electrical resistance (TER) was determined on 24-mm Transwell (Cambridge, MA) polycarbonate filters with the End-Ohm device (World Precision Instruments, Sarasota, FL). ZO-1 protein content was quantified by microtiter enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Astrocyte-conditioned medium (ACM) significantly increased TER (P < 0.0001) and ZO-1 content (P < 0.01). Both serum-containing and serum-free N1B defined ACM increased ZO-1 expression, but heating abolished the effect. Serum-free ACM decreased cell proliferation by 16%. Astrocytes release soluble, heat-labile factors that increase barrier properties and tight junction protein content. These results suggest that astrocytes enhance blood-retinal barrier properties, at least in part by increasing tight junction protein expression. Our findings suggest that glial malfunction plays an important role in the pathogenesis of vasogenic retinal edema.

  2. PARP-1 may be involved in hydroquinone-induced apoptosis by poly ADP-ribosylation of ZO-2

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Jiaxian; Yuan, Qian; Ling, Xiaoxuan; Tan, Qiang; Liang, Hairong; Chen, Jialong; Lin, Lianzai; Xiao, Yongmei; Chen, Wen; Liu, Linhua; Tang, Huanwen

    2017-01-01

    Hydroquinone (HQ), a major reactive metabolite of benzene, contributes to benzene-induced leukemia. The molecular mechanisms that underlie this activity remain to be elucidated. Poly ADP-ribosylation (PARylation) is a type of reversible posttranslational modification that is performed by enzymes in the PAR polymerase (PARP) family and mediates different biological processes, including apoptosis. Zona occludens 2 (ZO-2) is a tight junction scaffold protein, which is involved in cell proliferation and apoptosis. The present study investigated the activity and mechanisms regulated by PARP-1 during HQ-induced apoptosis using TK6 lymphoblastoid cells and PARP-1-silenced TK6 cells. The results revealed that exposure to 10 µM HQ for 72 h induced apoptosis in TK6 cells and that apoptosis was attenuated in PARP-1-silenced TK6 cells. In cells treated with HQ, inhibition of PARP-1 increased the expression of B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), increased ATP production and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production relative to the levels observed in cells treated with HQ alone. Co-localization of ZO-2 and PAR (or PARP-1 protein) was determined using immunofluorescence confocal microscopy. The findings of the present study revealed that ZO-2 was PARylated via an interaction with PARP-1, which was consistent with an analysis of protein expression that was performed using western blot analysis, which determined that ZO-2 protein expression was upregulated in HQ-treated control cells and downregulated in HQ-treated PARP-1-silenced TK6 cells. These findings indicated that prolonged exposure to a low dose of HQ induced TK6 cells to undergo apoptosis, whereas inhibiting PARP-1 attenuates cellular apoptosis by activating Bcl-2 and energy-saving processes and reducing ROS. The present study determined that PARP-1 was involved in HQ-induced apoptosis by PARylation of ZO-2. PMID:28983606

  3. Synthetic gelatinases inhibitor attenuates electromagnetic pulse-induced blood-brain barrier disruption by inhibiting gelatinases-mediated ZO-1 degradation in rats.

    PubMed

    Qiu, Lian-Bo; Zhou, Yan; Wang, Qi; Yang, Long-Long; Liu, Hai-Qiang; Xu, Sheng-Long; Qi, Yu-Hong; Ding, Gui-Rong; Guo, Guo-Zhen

    2011-07-11

    Previously we found that exposure to electromagnetic pulse (EMP) induced an increase in blood-brain-barrier (BBB) permeability and the degradation of tight junction protein ZO-1 in rats. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), in particular gelatinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9), play a key role in degradation of tight junction proteins, are known mediators of BBB compromise. We hypothesized that the degradation of ZO-1 by gelatinases contributed to EMP-induced BBB opening. To test this hypothesis, the mRNA level of ZO-1, protein levels of MMP-2, MMP-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2) were detected in rat cerebral cortex after exposing rats to EMP at 200 kV/m for 200 pulses. It was found that the mRNA level of ZO-1 was unaltered at different time points after EMP exposure. The protein levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 significantly increased at 3 h and 0.5 h, respectively. However, TIMP-1 (inhibitor of MMP-9) and TIMP-2 (inhibitor of MMP-2) only moderately increased after EMP exposure. In addition, in situ zymography results showed that the gelatinase activity increased in cerebral microvessels at 3 h after EMP exposure. When rats were treated with gelatinases inhibitor (SB-3CT) before EMP exposure, the EMP-induced BBB opening was attenuated and the ZO-1 degradation was reversed. Our results suggested that EMP-induced BBB opening was related to gelatinase mediated ZO-1 degradation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Recombinant Human Sonic Hedgehog Protein Regulates the Expression of ZO-1 and Occludin by Activating Angiopoietin-1 in Stroke Damage

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Sheng-cai; Huang, Ming; Wang, Yong; Gao, Yuan; Huang, Yan; Wang, Meng-die; Mao, Ling; Hu, Bo

    2013-01-01

    This study examines the regulating effect of Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) on the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in cerebral ischemia. By employing permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) model, we find that Shh significantly decreases brain edema and preserves BBB permeability. Moreover, Shh increases zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), occludin and angiopiotetin-1 (Ang-1) expression in the ischemic penumbra. Blockage of Shh with cyclopamine abolishes the effects of Shh on brain edema, BBB permeability and ZO-1, occludin, Ang-1 expression. Primary brain microvessel endothelial cells (BMECs) and astrocytes were pre-treated with Shh, cyclopamine, Ang-1-neutralizing antibody, and subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). Results show that the Ang-1 protein level in the culture medium of Shh-treated astrocytes is significantly higher. Shh also increased ZO-1, occludin and Ang-1 expression in BMECs, while cyclopamine and Ang-1-neutralizing antibody inhibited the effects of Shh on the ZO-1 and occludin expression, respectively. This study suggests that, under ischemic insults, Shh triggers Ang-1 production predominantly in astrocytes, and the secreted Ang-1 acts on BMECs, thereby upregulating ZO-1 and occludin to repair the tight junction and ameliorate the brain edema and BBB leakage. PMID:23894369

  5. NHS-A isoform of the NHS gene is a novel interactor of ZO-1.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Shiwani; Koh, Katrina S Y; Collin, Caitlin; Dave, Alpana; McMellon, Amy; Sugiyama, Yuki; McAvoy, John W; Voss, Anne K; Gécz, Jozef; Craig, Jamie E

    2009-08-15

    Mutations in the NHS (Nance-Horan Syndrome) gene lead to severe congenital cataracts, dental defects and sometimes mental retardation. NHS encodes two protein isoforms, NHS-A and -1A that display cell-type dependent differential expression and localization. Here we demonstrate that of these two isoforms, the NHS-A isoform associates with the cell membrane in the presence of intercellular contacts and it immunoprecipitates with the tight junction protein ZO-1 in MDCK (Madin Darby Canine Kidney) epithelial cells and in neonatal rat lens. The NHS-1A isoform however is a cytoplasmic protein. Both Nhs isoforms are expressed during mouse development. Immunolabelling of developing mouse with the anti-NHS antibody that detects both isoforms revealed the protein in the developing head including the eye and brain. It was primarily expressed in epithelium including neural epithelium and certain vascular endothelium but only weakly expressed in mesenchymal cells. In the epithelium and vascular endothelium the protein associated with the cell membrane and co-localized with ZO-1, which indirectly indicates expression of the Nhs-A isoform in these structures. Membrane localization of the protein in the lens vesicle similarly supports Nhs-A expression. In conclusion, the NHS-A isoform of NHS is a novel interactor of ZO-1 and may have a role at tight junctions. This isoform is important in mammalian development especially of the organs in the head.

  6. The N and C Termini of ZO-1 Are Surrounded by Distinct Proteins and Functional Protein Networks*

    PubMed Central

    Van Itallie, Christina M.; Aponte, Angel; Tietgens, Amber Jean; Gucek, Marjan; Fredriksson, Karin; Anderson, James Melvin

    2013-01-01

    The proteins and functional protein networks of the tight junction remain incompletely defined. Among the currently known proteins are barrier-forming proteins like occludin and the claudin family; scaffolding proteins like ZO-1; and some cytoskeletal, signaling, and cell polarity proteins. To define a more complete list of proteins and infer their functional implications, we identified the proteins that are within molecular dimensions of ZO-1 by fusing biotin ligase to either its N or C terminus, expressing these fusion proteins in Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial cells, and purifying and identifying the resulting biotinylated proteins by mass spectrometry. Of a predicted proteome of ∼9000, we identified more than 400 proteins tagged by biotin ligase fused to ZO-1, with both identical and distinct proteins near the N- and C-terminal ends. Those proximal to the N terminus were enriched in transmembrane tight junction proteins, and those proximal to the C terminus were enriched in cytoskeletal proteins. We also identified many unexpected but easily rationalized proteins and verified partial colocalization of three of these proteins with ZO-1 as examples. In addition, functional networks of interacting proteins were tagged, such as the basolateral but not apical polarity network. These results provide a rich inventory of proteins and potential novel insights into functions and protein networks that should catalyze further understanding of tight junction biology. Unexpectedly, the technique demonstrates high spatial resolution, which could be generally applied to defining other subcellular protein compartmentalization. PMID:23553632

  7. Baicalin Protects against TNF-α-Induced Injury by Down-Regulating miR-191a That Targets the Tight Junction Protein ZO-1 in IEC-6 Cells.

    PubMed

    Wang, Li; Zhang, Ren; Chen, Jian; Wu, Qihui; Kuang, Zaoyuan

    2017-04-01

    Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) plays an important role in the developing process of inflammatory bowel disease. Tight junction protein zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), one of epithelial junctional proteins, maintains the permeability of intestinal barrier. The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanism of the protective effect of baicalin on TNF-α-induced injury and ZO-1 expression in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). We found that baicalin pretreatment significantly improved cell viability and cell migration following TNF-α stimulation. miR-191a inhibitor increased the protective effect of baicalin on cell motility injured by TNF-α. In addition, miR-191a down-regulated the mRNA and protein level of its target gene ZO-1. TNF-α stimulation increased miR-191a expression, leading to the decline of ZO-1 mRNA and protein. Moreover, pretreatment with baicalin reversed TNF-α induced decrease of ZO-1 and increase of miR-191a, miR-191a inhibitor significantly enhanced ZO-1 protein expression restored by baicalin. These results indicate that baicalin exerts a protective effect on IEC-6 (rat small intestinal epithelial cells) cells against TNF-α-induced injury, which is at least partly via inhibiting the expression of miR-191a, thus increasing ZO-1 mRNA and protein levels.

  8. Up-regulation of the tight-junction protein ZO-1 by substance P and IGF-1 in A431 cells.

    PubMed

    Ko, Ji-Ae; Murata, Shizuka; Nishida, Teruo

    2009-08-01

    The formation of a barrier by tight junctions is important in epithelia of various tissues. Substance P (SP) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 synergistically promote barrier function in the corneal epithelium. We have now examined the effects of SP and IGF-1 on expression of the tight-junction protein zonula occludens (ZO)-1 in A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunoblot analyses revealed that SP and IGF-1 increased the amounts of ZO-1 mRNA and protein in these cells in a concentration-dependent manner, with neither SP nor IGF-1 alone having such an effect. The SP- and IGF-1-induced up-regulation of ZO-1 was accompanied by phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and both of these effects were blocked by PD98059, an inhibitor of ERK activation. SP and IGF-1 also increased the transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) (an indicator of barrier function) of an A431 cell monolayer in a manner sensitive to PD98059. Our results thus suggest that the synergistic induction of ZO-1 expression by SP and IGF-1 may promote barrier function in skin epithelial cells. (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. [Effects of N-butylphthalide on the expressions of ZO-1 and claudin-5 in blood-brain barrier of rats with acute carbon monoxide poisoning].

    PubMed

    Wang, Li; Ding, Xiaoyu; Bi, Mingjun; Wang, Jinglin; Zou, Yong; Tang, Jiyou; Li, Qin

    2018-05-01

    To explore the effects of N-butylphthalide on the expressions of ZO-1 and claudin-5 in blood-brain barrier (BBB) in rats with acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. A total of 144 adult healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into normal control group, CO poisoning group, and NBP treatment group, with 48 rats in each group. The acute CO poisoning model was reproduced in hyperbaric oxygen chamber, and all model rats were given hyperbaric oxygen therapy once daily. The rats in the normal control group were free to breathe fresh air. The rats in NBP treatment group were administered orally NBP 60 mg/kg twice a day at 2 hours after poisoning until death. The rats in normal control group and CO poisoning group were treated with equal amount of pure olive oil. Four rats were sacrificed from each group at 1, 3, 7, 14 days after model reproducing, respectively. The changes in ultrastructure of BBB were observed under transmission electron microscope. The expressions of ZO-1 and claudin-5 proteins were determined by immunofluorescence staining and Western Blot. The localization of the two target proteins was observed by immunofluorescence double staining. The correlation between the two proteins was analyzed by linear regression. The ultrastructure of BBB was normal in normal control group, some ZO-1 and a large number of claudin-5 positive cells were observed. The ultrastructure of BBB was seriously injured, ZO-1 and claudin-5 positive cells in brain tissue were significantly decreased, and the expressions of ZO-1 and claudin-5 proteins in brain tissue at 1 day after poisoning in CO poisoning group were significantly lower than those of normal control group (ZO-1 protein: 3.38±0.30 vs. 24.50±5.62, claudin-5 protein: 11.38±0.93 vs. 46.35±6.88, both P < 0.05), and although gradually restored, they were maintained at relatively lower levels until 14 days as compared with those in normal control group (ZO-1 protein: 10.35±0.80 vs. 24.63±3.57, claudin-5

  10. Angelica archengelica extract induced perturbation of rat skin and tight junctional protein (ZO-1) of HaCaT cells

    PubMed Central

    Kaushal, N.; Naz, S.; Tiwary, AK.

    2011-01-01

    Background and purpose of the study Herbal enhancers compared to the synthetic ones have shown less toxis effects. Coumarins have been shown at concentrations inhibiting phospoliphase C-Y (Phc-Y) are able to enhance tight junction (TJ) permeability due to hyperpoalation of Zonolous Occludense-1 (ZO-1) proteins. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of ethanolic extract of Angelica archengelica (AA-E) which contain coumarin on permeation of repaglinide across rat epidermis and on the tight junction plaque protein ZO-1 in HaCaT cells. Methods Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) from the rat skin treated with different concentrations of AA-E was assessed by Tewameter. Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) on were performed on AA-E treated rat skin portions. The possibility of AA-E influence on the architecture of tight junctions by adverse effect on the cytoplasmic ZO-1 in HaCaT cells was investigated. Finally, the systemic delivery of repaglinide from the optimized transdermal formulation was investigated in rats. Results The permeation of repaglinide across excised rat epidermis was 7-fold higher in the presence of AA-E (5% w/v) as compared to propylene glycol:ethanol (7:3) mixture. The extract was found to perturb the lipid microconstituents in both excised and viable rat skin, although, the effect was less intense in the later. The enhanced permeation of repaglinide across rat epidermis excised after treatment with AA-E (5% w/v) for different periods was in concordance with the high TEWL values of similarly treated viable rat skin. Further, the observed increase in intercellular space, disordering of lipid structure and corneocyte detachment indicated considerable effect on the ultrastructure of rat epidermis. Treatment of HaCaT cell line with AA-E (0.16% w/v) for 6 hrs influenced ZO-1 as evidenced by reduced immunofluorescence of anti-TJP1 (ZO-1) antibody in Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy studies (CLSM) studies. The plasma

  11. Bradykinin increases blood-tumor barrier permeability by down-regulating the expression levels of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-5 and rearranging actin cytoskeleton.

    PubMed

    Liu, Li-Bo; Xue, Yi-Xue; Liu, Yun-Hui; Wang, Yi-Bao

    2008-04-01

    Bradykinin (BK) has been shown to open blood-tumor barrier (BTB) selectively and to increase permeability of the BTB transiently, but the mechanism is unclear. This study was performed to determine whether BK opens the BTB by affecting the tight junction (TJ)-associated proteins zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1), occludin, and caludin-5 and cytoskeleton protein filamentous actin (F-actin). In rat brain glioma model and BTB model in vitro, we find that the protein expression levels of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-5 are attenuated by BK induction. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence assays show that the attenuated expression of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-5 and F-actin is most obvious in the smaller tumor capillaries (<20 microm) after BK infusion, and there is no change in the larger tumor capillaries (>20 microm). The redistribution of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-5 and rearrangement of F-actin in brain microvascular endothelial cells are observed at the same time. Meanwhile, Evans blue assay shows that the permeability of BTB increases after BK infusion. Transmission electron microscopy indicates that TJ is opened and that pinocytotic vesicular density is increased. Transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) and horseradish peroxidase flux assays also reveal that TJ is opened by BK induction. In addition, radioimmunity and Western blot assay reveal a significant decrease in expression levels of cAMP and catalytic subunit of protien kinase A (PKAcs) of tumor tissue. This study demonstrates that the increase of BK-mediated BTB permeability is associated with the down-regulation of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-5 and the rearrangement of F-actin and that cAMP/PKA signal transduction system might be involved in the modulating process.

  12. 40 CFR 721.1750 - 1H-Benzotriazole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)- and 1H-ben-zo-tri-a-zole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)-, sodium and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 1H-ben-zo-tri-a-zole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)-, sodium and potassium salts. 721.1750 Section 721.1750... 1H-Benzotriazole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)- and 1H-ben-zo-tri-a-zole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)-, sodium and potassium...-tyl-oxy)-, sodium salt (PMN P-92-35), and 1H-benzotriazole, 5-(pentyloxy)- , potassium salt (PMN P-92...

  13. 40 CFR 721.1750 - 1H-Benzotriazole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)- and 1H-ben-zo-tri-a-zole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)-, sodium and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 1H-ben-zo-tri-a-zole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)-, sodium and potassium salts. 721.1750 Section 721.1750... 1H-Benzotriazole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)- and 1H-ben-zo-tri-a-zole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)-, sodium and potassium...-tyl-oxy)-, sodium salt (PMN P-92-35), and 1H-benzotriazole, 5-(pentyloxy)- , potassium salt (PMN P-92...

  14. 40 CFR 721.1750 - 1H-Benzotriazole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)- and 1H-ben-zo-tri-a-zole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)-, sodium and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 1H-ben-zo-tri-a-zole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)-, sodium and potassium salts. 721.1750 Section 721.1750... 1H-Benzotriazole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)- and 1H-ben-zo-tri-a-zole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)-, sodium and potassium...-tyl-oxy)-, sodium salt (PMN P-92-35), and 1H-benzotriazole, 5-(pentyloxy)- , potassium salt (PMN P-92...

  15. 40 CFR 721.1750 - 1H-Benzotriazole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)- and 1H-ben-zo-tri-a-zole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)-, sodium and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 1H-ben-zo-tri-a-zole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)-, sodium and potassium salts. 721.1750 Section 721.1750... 1H-Benzotriazole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)- and 1H-ben-zo-tri-a-zole, 5-(pen-tyl-oxy)-, sodium and potassium...-tyl-oxy)-, sodium salt (PMN P-92-35), and 1H-benzotriazole, 5-(pentyloxy)- , potassium salt (PMN P-92...

  16. ZO-2 silencing induces renal hypertrophy through a cell cycle mechanism and the activation of YAP and the mTOR pathway

    PubMed Central

    Domínguez-Calderón, Alaide; Ávila-Flores, Antonia; Ponce, Arturo; López-Bayghen, Esther; Calderón-Salinas, José-Víctor; Luis Reyes, José; Chávez-Munguía, Bibiana; Segovia, José; Angulo, Carla; Ramírez, Leticia; Gallego-Gutiérrez, Helios; Alarcón, Lourdes; Martín-Tapia, Dolores; Bautista-García, Pablo; González-Mariscal, Lorenza

    2016-01-01

    Renal compensatory hypertrophy (RCH) restores normal kidney function after disease or loss of kidney tissue and is characterized by an increase in organ size due to cell enlargement and not to cell proliferation. In MDCK renal epithelial cells, silencing of the tight junction protein zona occludens 2 (ZO-2 KD) induces cell hypertrophy by two mechanisms: prolonging the time that cells spend at the G1 phase of the cell cycle due to an increase in cyclin D1 level, and augmenting the rate of protein synthesis. The latter is triggered by the nuclear accumulation and increased transcriptional activity of Yes-associated protein (YAP), the main target of the Hippo pathway, which results in decreased expression of phosphatase and tensin homologue. This in turn increased the level of phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-triphosphate, which transactivates the Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway, leading to activation of the kinase S6K1 and increased synthesis of proteins and cell size. In agreement, in a rat model of uninephrectomy, RCH is accompanied by decreased expression of ZO-2 and nuclear expression of YAP. Our results reveal a novel role of ZO-2 as a modulator of cell size. PMID:27009203

  17. Emergence of an Out-of-Plane Optical Phonon (ZO) Kohn Anomaly in Quasifreestanding Epitaxial Graphene.

    PubMed

    Politano, Antonio; de Juan, Fernando; Chiarello, Gennaro; Fertig, Herbert A

    2015-08-14

    In neutral graphene, two prominent cusps known as Kohn anomalies are found in the phonon dispersion of the highest optical phonon at q=Γ (LO branch) and q=K (TO branch), reflecting a significant electron-phonon coupling (EPC) to undoped Dirac electrons. In this work, high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy is used to measure the phonon dispersion around the Γ point in quasifreestanding graphene epitaxially grown on Pt(111). The Kohn anomaly for the LO phonon is observed at finite momentum q~2k_{F} from Γ, with a shape in excellent agreement with the theory and consistent with known values of the EPC and the Fermi level. More strikingly, we also observe a Kohn anomaly at the same momentum for the out-of-plane optical phonon (ZO) branch. This observation is the first direct evidence of the coupling of the ZO mode with Dirac electrons, which is forbidden for freestanding graphene but becomes allowed in the presence of a substrate. Moreover, we estimate the EPC to be even greater than that of the LO mode, making graphene on Pt(111) an optimal system to explore the effects of this new coupling in the electronic properties.

  18. 40 CFR 721.1735 - Alkylbisoxyalkyl (sub-sti-tut-ed-1,1-dimethylethylphenyl) ben-zo-tria-zole (generic name).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT SIGNIFICANT NEW USES OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.1735 Alkylbisoxyalkyl (sub-sti-tut-ed-1,1-dimethylethylphenyl) ben-zo-tria-zole (generic name). (a) Chemical substance and significant new...

  19. MiR-18a increased the permeability of BTB via RUNX1 mediated down-regulation of ZO-1, occludin and claudin-5.

    PubMed

    Miao, Yin-Sha; Zhao, Ying-Yu; Zhao, Li-Ni; Wang, Ping; Liu, Yun-Hui; Ma, Jun; Xue, Yi-Xue

    2015-01-01

    The purposes of this study were to investigate the possible molecular mechanisms of miR-18a regulating the permeability of blood-tumor barrier (BTB) via down-regulated expression and distribution of runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1). An in vitro BTB model was established with hCMEC/D3 cells and U87MG cells to obtain glioma vascular endothelial cells (GECs). The endogenous expressions of miR-18a and RUNX1 were converse in GECs. The overexpression of miR-18a significantly impaired the integrity and increased the permeability of BTB, which respectively were detected by TEER and HRP flux assays, accompanied by down-regulated mRNA and protein expressions and distributions of ZO-1, occludin and claudin-5 in GECs. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was carried out and revealed RUNX1 is a target gene of miR-18a. Meanwhile, mRNA and protein expressions and distribution of RUNX1 were downregulated by miR-18a. Most important, miR-18a and RUNX1 could reversely regulate the permeability of BTB as well as the expressions and distributions of ZO-1, occludin and claudin-5. Finally, chromatin immunoprecipitation verified that RUNX1 interacted with "TGGGGT" DNA sequence in promoter region of ZO-1, occludin and claudin-5 respectively. Taken together, our present study indicated that miR-18a increased the permeability of BTB via RUNX1 mediated down-regulation of tight junction related proteins ZO-1, occludin and claudin-5, which would attract more attention to miR-18a and RUNX1 as potential targets of drug delivery across BTB and provide novel strategies for glioma treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Expression of ZO-1 and claudin-1 in a 3D epidermal equivalent using canine progenitor epidermal keratinocytes.

    PubMed

    Teramoto, Keiji; Asahina, Ryota; Nishida, Hidetaka; Kamishina, Hiroaki; Maeda, Sadatoshi

    2018-05-21

    Previous studies indicate that tight junctions are involved in the pathogenesis of canine atopic dermatitis (cAD). An in vitro skin model is needed to elucidate the specific role of tight junctions in cAD. A 3D epidermal equivalent model using canine progenitor epidermal keratinocytes (CPEK) has been established; the expression of tight junctions within this model is uncharacterized. To investigate the expression of tight junctions in the 3D epidermal equivalent. Two normal laboratory beagle dogs served as donors of full-thickness skin biopsy samples for comparison to the in vitro model. Immunohistochemical techniques were employed to investigate the expression of tight junctions including zonula occludens (ZO)-1 and claudin-1 in normal canine skin, and in the CPEK 3D epidermal equivalent. Results demonstrated the expression of ZO-1 and claudin-1 in the CPEK 3D epidermal equivalent, with staining patterns that were similar to those in normal canine skin. The CPEK 3D epidermal equivalent has the potential to be a suitable in vitro research tool for clarifying the specific role of tight junctions in cAD. © 2018 ESVD and ACVD.

  1. Strong Eu2+ light emission in Eu silicate through Eu3+ reduction in Eu2O3/Si multilayer deposited on Si substrates

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Eu2O3/Si multilayer nanostructured films are deposited on Si substrates by magnetron sputtering. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements demonstrate that multicrystalline Eu silicate is homogeneously distributed in the film after high-temperature treatment in N2. The Eu2+ silicate is formed by the reaction of Eu2O3 and Si layers, showing an intense and broad room-temperature photoluminescence peak centered at 610 nm. It is found that the Si layer thickness in nanostructures has great influence on Eu ion optical behavior by forming different Eu silicate crystalline phases. These findings open a promising way to prepare efficient Eu2+ materials for photonic application. PMID:23618344

  2. [Effect of eicosapentaenoic acid on mRNA expression of tight junction protein ZO-1 in intestinal epithelial cells after Escherichia coli LF82 infection].

    PubMed

    Hao, Li-Jun; Lin, Yan; Zhang, Wei; Tian, Jiao; Wang, Ya; Chen, Peng-De; Hu, Chong-Kang; Zeng, Ling-Chao; Yang, Jie; Wang, Bao-Xi; Jiang, Xun

    2017-06-01

    To investigate the change in the expression of tight junction protein ZO-1 in intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2 cells) and the protective effect of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) after adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (E.coli) LF82 infection. The Caco-2 cell line was used to establish an in vitro model of tight junction of intestinal epithelial cells. Caco-2 cells were divided into EPA treatment groups (0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 μmol/L EPA) and EPA (0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 μmol/L EPA)+E.coli LF82 treatment (0, 6, and 12 hours) groups. A microscope was used to observe the morphological characteristics of the cells. MTT assay was used to determine the cell growth curve. The activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) at both sides of the cell membrane was compared to evaluate the Caco-2 cell model. MTT assay and flow cytometry were used to investigate the effects of different concentrations of EPA on the survival rate and apoptosis rate of Caco-2 cells. RT-qPCR was used to measure the mRNA expression of ZO-1 in Caco-2 cells after EPA and/or E.coli LF82 treatment. ELISA was used to measure the change in the level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in culture supernatant. After EPA treatment (25 and 50 μmol/L), the proliferation of Caco-2 cells was induced in a dose-dependent manner. The survival rates of the cells were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The EPA treatment (100 and 200 μmol/L) groups had a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of Caco-2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The survival rates of the cells were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The EPA treatment (100 and 200 μmol/L) groups had a significant increase in cell apoptosis rate compared with the control group (P<0.05). The 6- and 12-hour E.coli LF82 treatment groups had decreasing mRNA expression of ZO-1 in Caco-2 cells over the time of treatment and had significantly lower mRNA expression of ZO-1 than the untreated group

  3. Can the ZoMBieS method be used to characterise scintillator non-linearity?

    PubMed

    Bignell, L J

    2014-05-01

    Measurements of the detection efficiency as a function of deposited electron energy in a liquid scintillation cocktail between 4 keV and 49 keV are obtained using the ZoMBieS method. Comparison is made between the measured data and the Poisson-Birks detection efficiency model. Measurements of the Birks non-linearity parameter, kB, and the linearised scintillation response of each photomultiplier, ω(i), were made using these data. However, the value of kB that best linearises the scintillator response is found to vary depending upon which photomultiplier is used in its determination, and the measured kB and ω(i) vary depending on the external source geometry. The cause of this behaviour is unknown. The triple-coincident detection efficiency appears to be unaffected by any systematic errors. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  4. Toll-like receptor 2 enhances ZO-1-associated intestinal epithelial barrier integrity via protein kinase C.

    PubMed

    Cario, Elke; Gerken, Guido; Podolsky, Daniel K

    2004-07-01

    Protein kinase C (PKC) has been implicated in regulation of intestinal epithelial integrity in response to lumenal bacteria. Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) constitutively express Toll-like receptor (TLR)2, which contains multiple potential PKC binding sites. The aim of this study was to determine whether TLR2 may activate PKC in response to specific ligands, thus potentially modulating barrier function in IECs. TLR2 agonist (synthetic bacterial lipopeptide Pam(3)CysSK4, peptidoglycan)-induced activation of PKC-related signaling cascades were assessed by immunoprecipitation, Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and kinase assays-combined with functional transfection studies in the human model IEC lines HT-29 and Caco-2. Transepithelial electrical resistance characterized intestinal epithelial barrier function. Stimulation with TLR2 ligands led to activation (phosphorylation, enzymatic activity, translocation) of specific PKC isoforms (PKCalpha and PKCdelta). Phosphorylation of PKC by TLR2 ligands was blocked specifically by transfection with a TLR2 deletion mutant. Ligand-induced activation of TLR2 greatly enhanced transepithelial resistance in IECs, which was prevented by pretreatment with PKC-selective antagonists. This effect correlated with apical tightening and sealing of tight junction (TJ)-associated ZO-1, which was mediated via PKC in response to TLR2 ligands, whereas morphologic changes of occludin, claudin-1, or actin cytoskeleton were not evident. Downstream the endogenous PKC substrate myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS), but not transcriptional factor activator protein-1 (AP-1), was activated significantly on stimulation. The present study provides evidence that PKC is an essential component of the TLR2 signaling pathway with the physiologic consequence of directly enhancing intestinal epithelial integrity through translocation of ZO-1 on activation.

  5. Fano Resonance of Eu2+ and Eu3+ in (Eu,Gd)Te MBE Layers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Orlowski, B. A.; Kowalski, B. J.; Dziawa, P.; Pietrzyk, M.; Mickievicius, S.; Osinniy, V.; Taliashvili, B.; Kowalik, I. A.; Story, T.; Johnson, R. L.

    2006-11-01

    Resonant photoemission spectroscopy, with application of synchrotron radiation, was used to study the valence band electronic structure of clean surface of (EuGd)Te layers. Fano-type resonant photoemission spectra corresponding to the Eu 4d-4f transition were measured to determine the contribution of 4f electrons of Eu2+ and Eu3+ ions to the valence band. The resonant and antiresonant photon energies of Eu2+ ions were found as equal to 141 V and 132 eV, respectively and for Eu3+ ions were found as equal to 146 eV and 132 eV, respectively. Contribution of Eu2+4f electrons was found at the valence band edge while for Eu3+ it was located in the region between 3.5 eV and 8.5 eV below the valence band edge.

  6. Eu 2+ –Eu 3+ valence transition in double, Eu-, and Na-doped PbSe from transport, magnetic, and electronic structure studies

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wiendlocha, Bartlomiej; Kim, SunPhil; Lee, Yeseul

    The Eu atoms in Pb 1-xEu xSe have long been assumed to be divalent. We show that p-type doping of this magnetic semiconductor alloy with Na can modify the effective Eu valence: a mixed, Eu 2+–Eu 3+ state appears in Pb 1-x-yEu xNa ySe at particular values of y. Magnetization, carrier concentration, resistivity, and thermopower of Pb 1-x-yEu xNa ySe are reported for a number of samples with different x and y. A pronounced increase in thermopower at a given carrier concentration was identified and attributed to the presence of enhanced ionized impurity scattering. A strong decrease in the holemore » concentration is observed in Pb1-yNaySe when Eu is added to the system, which we attribute to a Eu 2+–Eu 3+ self-ionization process. This is evidenced by magnetization measurements, which reveal a significant reduction of the magnetic moment of Pb 1-xEu xSe upon alloying with Na. Further, a deviation of magnetization from a purely paramagnetic state, described by a Brillouin function, identifies antiferromagnetic interactions between the nearest-neighbor Eu atoms: a value of J ex/k B = -0.35 K was found for the exchange coupling parameter. The conclusion of a Eu 2+–Eu 3+ self-ionization process being in effect is supported further by the electronic structure calculations, which show that an instability of the 4f 7 configuration of the Eu 2+ ion appears with Na doping. In conclusion, schematically, it was found that the Eu 4f levels form states near enough to the Fermi energy that hole doping can lower the Fermi energy and trigger a reconfiguration of a 4f electronic shell.« less

  7. Eu 2+ –Eu 3+ valence transition in double, Eu-, and Na-doped PbSe from transport, magnetic, and electronic structure studies

    DOE PAGES

    Wiendlocha, Bartlomiej; Kim, SunPhil; Lee, Yeseul; ...

    2017-03-27

    The Eu atoms in Pb 1-xEu xSe have long been assumed to be divalent. We show that p-type doping of this magnetic semiconductor alloy with Na can modify the effective Eu valence: a mixed, Eu 2+–Eu 3+ state appears in Pb 1-x-yEu xNa ySe at particular values of y. Magnetization, carrier concentration, resistivity, and thermopower of Pb 1-x-yEu xNa ySe are reported for a number of samples with different x and y. A pronounced increase in thermopower at a given carrier concentration was identified and attributed to the presence of enhanced ionized impurity scattering. A strong decrease in the holemore » concentration is observed in Pb1-yNaySe when Eu is added to the system, which we attribute to a Eu 2+–Eu 3+ self-ionization process. This is evidenced by magnetization measurements, which reveal a significant reduction of the magnetic moment of Pb 1-xEu xSe upon alloying with Na. Further, a deviation of magnetization from a purely paramagnetic state, described by a Brillouin function, identifies antiferromagnetic interactions between the nearest-neighbor Eu atoms: a value of J ex/k B = -0.35 K was found for the exchange coupling parameter. The conclusion of a Eu 2+–Eu 3+ self-ionization process being in effect is supported further by the electronic structure calculations, which show that an instability of the 4f 7 configuration of the Eu 2+ ion appears with Na doping. In conclusion, schematically, it was found that the Eu 4f levels form states near enough to the Fermi energy that hole doping can lower the Fermi energy and trigger a reconfiguration of a 4f electronic shell.« less

  8. Study of Eu{sup 3+} → Eu{sup 2+} reduction in BaAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}:Eu prepared in different gas atmospheres

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rezende, Marcos V. dos S., E-mail: mvsrezende@gmail.com; Valerio, Mário E.G.; Jackson, Robert A.

    2015-01-15

    Highlights: • The effect of different gas atmospheres on the Eu reduction process was studied. • The Eu reduction was monitored analyzing XANES region at the Eu L{sub III}-edge. • Hydrogen reducing agent are the most appropriate gas for Eu{sup 2+} stabilization. • Only a part of the Eu ions can be stabilized in the divalent state. • A model of Eu reduction process is proposed. - Abstract: The effect of different gas atmospheres such as H{sub 2}(g), synthetic air, carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen (N{sub 2}) on the Eu{sup 3+} → Eu{sup 2+} reduction process during the synthesis ofmore » Eu-doped BaAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} was studied using synchrotron radiation. The Eu{sup 3+} → Eu{sup 2+} reduction was monitored analyzing XANES region when the sample are excited at the Eu L{sub III}-edge. The results show that the hydrogen reducing agent are the most appropriate gas for Eu{sup 2+} stabilization in BaAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} and that only a part of the Eu ions can be stabilized in the divalent state. A model of Eu reduction process, based on the incorporation of charge compensation defects, is proposed.« less

  9. Hyaluronan 35kDa treatment protects mice from Citrobacter rodentium infection and induces epithelial tight junction protein ZO-1 in vivo.

    PubMed

    Kim, Yeojung; Kessler, Sean P; Obery, Dana R; Homer, Craig R; McDonald, Christine; de la Motte, Carol A

    2017-10-01

    Maintaining a healthy intestinal barrier, the primary physical barrier between intestinal microbiota and the underlying lamina propria, is critical for optimal health. Epithelial integrity is essential for the prevention of the entrance of luminal contents, such as bacteria and their products, through the large intestinal barrier. In this study, we investigated the protective functions of biosynthetic, specific sized, hyaluronan around 35kDa (HA35) on intestinal epithelium in healthy mice, as well as mice infected Citrobacter rodentium, an established model that mimics infection with a serious human pathogen, enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC). Our results reveal that treatment with HA35 protects mice from Citrobacter infection and enhances the epithelial barrier function. In particular, we have found that HA35 induces the expression of tight junction protein zonula occludens (ZO)-1 in both healthy and Citrobacter infected mice, as demonstrated by immunoflurorescence and Western blot analyses. Furthermore, we determined that HA35 treatment enhances ZO-1 expression and reduces intestinal permeability at the early stages of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Together, our data demonstrate that the expression and functionality of tight junctions, are increased by HA35 treatment, suggesting a novel mechanism for the protection from Citrobacter infection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Control of Eu Luminescence Centers by Codoping of Mg and Si into Eu-Doped GaN

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Dong-gun; Wakamatsu, Ryuta; Koizumi, Atsushi; Terai, Yoshikazu; Fujiwara, Yasufumi

    2013-08-01

    The effects of Mg and Si codoping on Eu luminescence properties have been investigated in Eu-doped GaN (GaN:Eu). The Mg codoping into GaN:Eu produced novel luminescence centers consisting of Eu and Mg, and increased photoluminescence (PL) intensity in Eu,Mg-codoped GaN (GaN:Eu,Mg). However, this increased PL intensity was quenched by thermal annealing in N2 ambient, which is due to activation of Mg acceptors. In GaN:Eu,Mg codoped additionally with Si (GaN:Eu,Mg,Si), on the other hand, the Eu-Mg centers disappeared, while an additional luminescence center appeared. Furthermore, the additional luminescence center showed no quenching under N2 annealing because Si donors compensated for the Mg acceptors in GaN. Thermal quenching of the luminescence center was also approximately half of that in GaN:Eu. These results indicate that the codoping with additional impurities in GaN:Eu is a powerful technique to control Eu luminescence centers for realization of improved device performance in red light-emitting diodes using GaN:Eu.

  11. Russian Foreign Policy. Sources and Implications

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-01-01

    Press, 2007b; Mikhail Demurin, “Rossiia i Strany Sng : Tsivilizatsionnyi’ Vyzov [Russia and the Countries of the CIS: A Civilizational Calling...Sovermennik, No. 9, September 2007, pp. 163–180. Demurin, Mikhail, “Rossiia i Strany Sng : Tsivilizatsionnyi’ Vyzov [Russia and the Countries of the CIS

  12. Ferromagnetic behavior in mixed valence europium (Eu2+/Eu3+) oxide EuTi1-xMxO3 (M = Al3+ and Ga3+)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Akahoshi, Daisuke; Horie, Hiroki; Sakai, Shingo; Saito, Toshiaki

    2013-10-01

    We have investigated the Ti-site substitution effect on the magnetic properties of antiferromagnetic insulator EuTiO3 with a Néel temperature of ˜5 K. Partial substitution of Ti4+ with heterovalent Al3+ or Ga3+ turns the corresponding amount of magnetic Eu2+ into non-magnetic Eu3+. Both EuTi1-xAlxO3 (0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.10) and EuTi1-xGaxO3 (0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.10) exhibit ferromagnetic (FM) insulating behavior below ˜4 K. The Eu2+/Eu3+ mixed valence state probably contributes to the emergence of the FM behavior. Fine control of the magneto-electric (ME) phases of EuTi1-xAlxO3 and EuTi1-xGaxO3 would lead to intriguing ME phenomena such as giant ME effect.

  13. Education of EU Migrant Children in EU Member States. Research Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harte, Emma; Herrera, Facundo; Stepanek, Martin

    2016-01-01

    This policy brief looks at the education of EU migrant children in the context of intra-EU mobility. It examines some of the literature and data on the topic in order to identify key differences between EU migrant children and non-migrant children. There are disparities in educational performance between migrants and non-migrants. The brief…

  14. Induced spin-polarization of EuS at room temperature in Ni/EuS multilayers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Poulopoulos, P., E-mail: poulop@upatras.gr; Materials Science Department, University of Patras, 26504 Patras; Goschew, A.

    2014-03-17

    Ni/EuS multilayers with excellent multilayer sequencing are deposited via e-beam evaporation on the native oxide of Si(100) wafers at 4 × 10{sup −9} millibars. The samples have very small surface and interface roughness and show sharp interfaces. Ni layers are nanocrystalline 4–8 nm thick and EuS layers are 2–4 nm thick and are either amorphous or nanocrystalline. Unlike for Co/EuS multilayers, all Eu ions are in divalent (ferromagnetic) state. We show a direct antiferromagnetic coupling between EuS and Ni layers. At room temperature, the EuS layers are spin-polarized due to the proximity of Ni. Therefore, Ni/EuS is a candidate for room-temperature spintronics applications.

  15. Controlled synthesis and novel photoluminescence properties of BaTiO{sub 3}:Eu{sup 3+}/Eu{sup 2+} nanocrystals

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Feng, Li; Li, Ying; Wang, Guofeng, E-mail: wanggf75@gmail.com

    2015-01-15

    Highlights: • Tetragonal phase BaTiO{sub 3}:Eu nanocrystals were successfully synthesized using a hydrothermal method. • Under 398 nm excitation, the emissions from Eu{sup 2+} and Eu{sup 3+} ions were observed. • The emission band of Eu{sup 2+} from BaTiO{sub 3}:Eu was observed to broaden with increasing Eu concentration. - Abstract: Tetragonal phase BaTiO{sub 3}:Eu nanocrystals were successfully synthesized using a hydrothermal method and a subsequent calcination treatment. The structures and morphologies of nanocrystals were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The photoluminescence properties of BaTiO{sub 3}:Eu were investigated in detail. Under 398 nmmore » excitation, the emissions from Eu{sup 2+} and Eu{sup 3+} ions were observed, indicating that Eu{sup 2+} and Eu{sup 3+} ions coexisted in BaTiO{sub 3}:Eu nanocrystals. Especially, the emission band of Eu{sup 2+} from BaTiO{sub 3}:Eu was observed to broaden with increasing Eu concentration. When the Eu concentration was 0.5 mol%, the {sup 5}D{sub 0} → {sup 7}F{sub 0} and {sup 5}D{sub 1} → {sup 7}F{sub 0} emissions were observed. In addition, under 537 nm excitation, the emission intensity increased with increasing Eu concentration.« less

  16. High-Precision Measurement of Eu/Eu* in Geological Glasses via LA-ICP-MS Analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tang, Ming; McDonough, William F.; Arevalo, Ricardo, Jr.

    2014-01-01

    Elemental fractionation during laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analysis has been historically documented between refractory and volatile elements. In this work, however, we observed fractionation between light rare earth elements (LREEs) and heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) when using ablation strategies involving large spot sizes (greater than 100 millimeters) and line scanning mode. In addition: (1) ion yields decrease when using spot sizes above 100 millimeters; (2) (Eu/Eu*)(sub raw) (i.e. Europium anomaly) positively correlates with carrier gas (He) flow rate, which provides control over the particle size distribution of the aerosol reaching the ICP; (3) (Eu/Eu*)(sub raw) shows a positive correlation with spot size, and (4) the changes in REE signal intensity, induced by the He flow rate change, roughly correlate with REE condensation temperatures. The REE fractionation is likely driven by the slight but significant difference in their condensation temperatures. Large particles may not be completely dissociated in the ICP and result in preferential evaporation of the less refractory LREEs and thus non-stoichiometric particle-ion conversion. This mechanism may also be responsible for Sm-Eu-Gd fractionation as Eu is less refractory than Sm and Gd. The extent of fractionation depends upon the particle size distribution of the aerosol, which in turn is influenced by the laser parameters and matrix. Ablation pits and lines defined by low aspect ratios produce a higher proportion of large particles than high aspect ratio ablation, as confirmed by measurements of particle size distribution in the laser induced aerosol. Therefore, low aspect ratio ablation introduces particles that cannot be decomposed and/or atomized by the ICP and thus results in exacerbated elemental fractionation. Accurate quantification of REE concentrations and Eu/Eu* requires reduction of large particle production during laser ablation. For the reference

  17. Antiferromagnetism in EuCu 2As 2 and EuCu 1.82Sb 2 single crystals

    DOE PAGES

    Anand, V. K.; Johnston, D. C.

    2015-05-07

    Single crystals of EuCu 2As 2 and EuCu 2Sb 2 were grown from CuAs and CuSb self-flux, respectively. The crystallographic, magnetic, thermal, and electronic transport properties of the single crystals were investigated by room-temperature x-ray diffraction (XRD), magnetic susceptibility χ versus temperature T, isothermal magnetization M versus magnetic field H, specific heat C p(T), and electrical resistivity ρ(T) measurements. EuCu 2As 2 crystallizes in the body-centered tetragonal ThCr 2Si 2-type structure (space group I4/mmm), whereas EuCu 2Sb 2 crystallizes in the related primitive tetragonal CaBe 2Ge 2-type structure (space group P4/nmm). The energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and XRD data for themore » EuCu 2Sb 2 crystals showed the presence of vacancies on the Cu sites, yielding the actual composition EuCu 1.82Sb 2. The ρ(T) and C p(T) data reveal metallic character for both EuCu 2As 2 and EuCu 1.82Sb 2. Antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering is indicated from the χ(T),C p(T), and ρ(T) data for both EuCu 2As 2 (T N = 17.5 K) and EuCu 1.82Sb 2 (T N = 5.1 K). In EuCu 1.82Sb 2, the ordered-state χ(T) and M(H) data suggest either a collinear A-type AFM ordering of Eu +2 spins S = 7/2 or a planar noncollinear AFM structure, with the ordered moments oriented in the tetragonal ab plane in either case. This ordered-moment orientation for the A-type AFM is consistent with calculations with magnetic dipole interactions. As a result, the anisotropic χ(T) and isothermal M(H) data for EuCu 2As 2, also containing Eu +2 spins S = 7/2, strongly deviate from the predictions of molecular field theory for collinear AFM ordering and the AFM structure appears to be both noncollinear and noncoplanar.« less

  18. Luminescence variations in hydroxyapatites doped with Eu2+ and Eu3+ ions.

    PubMed

    Graeve, Olivia A; Kanakala, Raghunath; Madadi, Abhiram; Williams, Brandon C; Glass, Katelyn C

    2010-05-01

    We present a detailed analysis of the luminescence behavior of europium-doped hydroxyapatite (HAp) and calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (Ca-D HAp) nanopowders. The results show that, while both powders are similar in crystallite size, particle size, and morphology, the luminescence behavior differs significantly. For the HAp:Eu powders, the emission is clearly from Eu(3+) ions and corresponds to typical (5)D(0) --> (7)F(J) emissions, whereas for the Ca-D HAp:Eu powders, we also see a broad emission with two peaks at 420 and 445 nm, corresponding to the 4f(6)5d(1) --> 4f(7) ((8)S(7/2)) transition of Eu(2+). The powders are weakly luminescent in the as-synthesized state, as expected for combustion-synthesized materials and have higher emission intensities as the heat treatment temperature is increased. Luminescence spectra obtained using an excitation wavelength of 254 nm are weak for all samples. Excitation wavelengths of 305, 337, and 359 nm, are better at promoting the Eu(3+) and Eu(2+) emissions in hydroxyapatites. We propose that fluorescence measurements are an excellent way of qualitatively determining the phase composition of europium-doped hydroxyapatite powders, since powders that exhibit a blue emission contain substantial amounts of Ca-D HAp, allowing the determination of the presence of this phase in mixed-phase hydroxyapatites. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Low-lying electronic structure of EuH, EuOH, and EuO neutrals and anions determined by anion photoelectron spectroscopy and DFT calculations

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kafader, Jared O.; Ray, Manisha; Jarrold, Caroline Chick, E-mail: cjarrold@indiana.edu

    2015-07-21

    The anion photoelectron (PE) spectra of EuH{sup −} and the PE spectrum of overlapping EuOH{sup −} and EuO{sup −} anions are presented and analyzed with supporting results from density functional theory calculations on the various anions and neutrals. Results point to ionically bound, high-spin species. EuH and EuOH anions and neutrals exhibit analogous electronic structures: Transitions from {sup 8}Σ{sup −} anion ground states arising from the 4f{sup 7}σ{sub 6s}{sup 2} superconfiguration to the close-lying neutral {sup 9}Σ{sup −} and {sup 7}Σ{sup −} states arising from the 4f{sup 7}σ{sub 6s} superconfiguration are observed spaced by an energy interval similar to themore » free Eu{sup +} [4f{sup 7}6s] {sup 9}S - {sup 7}S splitting. The electron affinities (EAs) of EuH and EuOH are determined to be 0.771 ± 0.009 eV and 0.700 ± 0.011 eV, respectively. Analysis of spectroscopic features attributed to EuO{sup −} photodetachment is complicated by the likely presence of two energetically competitive electronic states of EuO{sup −} populating the ion beam. However, based on the calculated relative energies of the close-lying anion states arising from the 4f{sup 7}σ{sub 6s} and 4f{sup 6}σ{sub 6s}{sup 2} configurations and the relative energies of the one-electron accessible 4f{sup 7} and 4f{sup 6}σ{sub 6s} neutral states based on ligand-field theory [M. Dulick, E. Murad, and R. F. Barrow, J. Chem. Phys. 85, 385 (1986)], the remaining features are consistent with the 4f{sup 6}σ{sub 6s}{sup 2}  {sup 7}Σ{sup −} and 4f{sup 7}σ{sub 6s}{sup 7}Σ{sup −} anion states lying very close in energy (the former was calculated to be 0.15 eV lower in energy than the latter), though the true anion ground state and neutral EA could not be established unambiguously. Calculations on the various EuO anion and neutral states suggest 4f-orbital overlap with 2p orbitals in species with 4f{sup 6} occupancy.« less

  20. Controlled synthesis of Eu 2+ and Eu 3+ doped ZnS quantum dots and their photovoltaic and magnetic properties

    DOE PAGES

    Horoz, Sabit; Yakami, Baichhabi; Poudyal, Uma; ...

    2016-04-27

    Eu-doped ZnS quantum dots (QDs) have been synthesized by wet-chemical method and found to form in zinc blende (cubic) structure. Both Eu 2+ and Eu 3+ doped ZnS can be controllably synthesized. The Eu 2+ doped ZnS QDs show broad photoluminescence emission peak around 512 nm, which is from the Eu2+ intra-ion transition of 4f 6d1 – 4f 7, while the Eu 3+ doped samples exhibit narrow emission lines characteristic of transitions between the 4f levels. The investigation of the magnetic properties shows that the Eu 3+ doped samples exhibit signs of ferromagnetism, on the other hand, Eu 2+ dopedmore » samples are paramagnetic of Curie-Weiss type. The incident photon to electron conversion efficiency is increased with the Eu doping, which suggests the QD solar cell efficiency can be enhanced by Eu doping due to widened absorption windows. This is an attractive approach to utilize benign and environmentally friendly wide band gap ZnS QDs in solar cell technology.« less

  1. Multichannel Luminescence Properties of Mixed-Valent Eu2+/Eu3+ Coactivated SrAl3BO7 Nanocrystalline Phosphors for Near-UV LEDs.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xiaoming; Xie, Weijie; Lü, Ying; Feng, Jingchun; Tang, Xinghua; Lin, Jun; Dai, Yuhua; Xie, Yu; Yan, Liushui

    2017-11-20

    Up to now, orchestrating the coexistence of Eu 2+ and Eu 3+ activators in a single host lattice has been an extremely difficult task, especially for the appearance of the characteristic emission of Eu 2+ and Eu 3+ in order to generate white light. Nevertheless, here we demonstrate a new Eu 2+ /Eu 3+ coactivated SrAl 3 BO 7 nanocrystalline phosphor with abundant and excellent multichannel luminescence properties. A series of Eu 2+ /Eu 3+ coactivated SrAl 3 BO 7 nanocrystalline phosphors were prepared through a Pechini-type sol-gel method followed by a reduction process. With excitation of UV/NUV light, the prepared SrAl 3 BO 7 :Eu 2+ ,Eu 3+ phosphors show not only the characteristic f-f transitions of Eu 3+ ion ( 5 D J → 7 F J,J' , J, J' = 0-3), but also the 5d → 4f transitions of Eu 2+ ion with comparable intensity from 400 to 700 nm in the whole visible spectral region. The luminescence color of the SrAl 3 BO 7 :Eu 2+ ,Eu 3+ phosphor can be tuned from blue, blue-green, white, and orange to orange-red by changing the excitation wavelength, the overall doping concentration of europium ions (Eu 2+ , Eu 3+ ), and the relative ratio of Eu 2+ to Eu 3+ ions to some extent. A single-phase white-light emission has been realized in SrAl 3 BO 7 :Eu 2+ ,Eu 3+ phosphor. The obtained SrAl 3 BO 7 :Eu 2+ ,Eu 3+ phosphor has potential application in the area of NUV white-light-emitting diodes.

  2. Europium gallium garnet (Eu3Ga5O12) and Eu3GaO6: Synthesis and material properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sawada, Kenji; Nakamura, Toshihiro; Adachi, Sadao

    2016-10-01

    Eu-Ga-O ternary compounds were synthesized from a mixture of cubic (c-) Eu2O3 and monoclinic Ga2O3 (β-Ga2O3) raw powders using the solid-state reaction method by calcination at Tc = 1200 °C. The structural and optical properties of the Eu-Ga-O ternary compounds were investigated using X-ray diffraction analysis, photoluminescence (PL) analysis, PL excitation (PLE) spectroscopy, and Raman scattering measurements. Stoichiometric compounds such as cubic Eu3Ga5O12 (EGG) and orthorhombic Eu3GaO6 were synthesized using molar ratios of x = 0.375 and 0.75 [x≡Eu2O3/(Eu2O3 + Ga2O3)], respectively, together with the end-point binary compounds β-Ga2O3 (x = 0) and monoclinic (m-) Eu2O3 (x = 1.0). The structural change from "cubic" to "monoclinic" in Eu2O3 is due to the structural phase transition occurring at Tc ≥ 1050 °C. In principle, the perovskite-type EuGaO3 and monoclinic Eu4Ga2O9 can also be synthesized at x = 0.5 and 0.667, respectively; however, such stoichiometric compounds could not be synthesized in this study. The PL and PLE properties of EGG and Eu3GaO6 were studied in detail. The temperature dependence of the PL spectra was observed through measurements carried out between T = 20 and 300 K and explained using a newly developed model. Raman scattering measurements were also performed on the Eu-Ga-O ternary systems over the entire composition range from x = 0 (β-Ga2O3) to 1.0 (m-Eu2O3).

  3. Varying Eu2+ magnetic order by chemical pressure in EuFe2(As1-xPx)2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zapf, S.; Wu, D.; Bogani, L.; Jeevan, H. S.; Gegenwart, P.; Dressel, M.

    2011-10-01

    Based on low-field magnetization measurements on a series of single crystals, we present a scheme of the Eu2+ spin alignment in EuFe2(As1-xPx)2. We explain observations of the Eu2+ ordering previously reported, reconciling different existing phase diagrams. The magnetic moments of the Eu2+ ions are slightly canted, yielding a ferromagnetic contribution along the c direction that becomes stronger with pressure, until superconductivity sets in. The spin-density wave as well as the superconducting phase coexist with an antiferromagnetic interlayer coupling of the canted spins. Reducing the interlayer distance finally leads to a ferromagnetic Eu2+ interlayer coupling and to the suppression of superconductivity.

  4. Evolution of Eu valence and superconductivity in layered Eu0.5La0.5FBiS2 -xSex system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mizuguchi, Y.; Paris, E.; Wakita, T.; Jinno, G.; Puri, A.; Terashima, K.; Joseph, B.; Miura, O.; Yokoya, T.; Saini, N. L.

    2017-02-01

    We have studied the effect of Se substitution on Eu valence in a layered Eu0.5La0.5FBiS2 -xSex superconductor using a combined analysis of x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. Eu L3-edge XANES spectra reveal that Eu is in the mixed valence state with coexisting Eu2 + and Eu3 +. The average Eu valence decreases sharply from ˜2.3 for x =0.0 to ˜2.1 for x =0.4 . Consistently, Eu 3 d XPS shows a clear decrease in the average valence by Se substitution. Bi 4 f XPS indicates that effective charge carriers in the BiCh2 (Ch = S, Se) layers are slightly increased by Se substitution. On the basis of the present results it has been discussed that the metallic character induced by Se substitution in Eu0.5La0.5FBiS2 -xSex is likely to be due to increased in-plane orbital overlap driven by reduced in-plane disorder that affects the carrier mobility.

  5. A Strategy to enhance Eu3+ emission from LiYF4:Eu nanophosphors and green-to-orange multicolor tunable, transparent nanophosphor-polymer composites

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Su Yeon; Won, Yu-Ho; Jang, Ho Seong

    2015-01-01

    LiYF4:Eu nanophosphors with a single tetragonal phase are synthesized, and various strategies to enhance the Eu3+ emission from the nanophosphors are investigated. The optimized Eu3+ concentration is 35 mol%, and the red emission peaks due to the 5D0 →7FJ (J = 1 and 2) transitions of Eu3+ ions are further enhanced by energy transfer from a sensitizer pair of Ce3+ and Tb3+. The triple doping of Ce, Tb, and Eu into the LiYF4 host more effectively enhances the Eu3+ emission than the core/shell strategies of LiYF4:Eu(35%)/LiYF4:Ce(15%), Tb(15%) and LiYF4:Ce(15%), Tb(15%)/LiYF4:Eu(35%) architectures. Efficient energy transfer from Ce3+ to Eu3+ through Tb3+ results in three times higher Eu3+ emission intensity from LiYF4:Ce(15%), Tb(15%), Eu(1%) nanophosphors compared with LiYF4:Eu(35%), which contains the optimized Eu3+ concentration. Owing to the energy transfer of Ce3+ → Tb3+ and Ce3+ → Tb3+ → Eu3+, intense green and red emission peaks are observed from LiYF4:Ce(13%), Tb(14%), Eu(1-5%) (LiYF4:Ce, Tb, Eu) nanophosphors, and the intensity ratio of green to red emission is controlled by adjusting the Eu3+ concentration. With increasing Eu3+ concentration, the LiYF4:Ce, Tb, Eu nanophosphors exhibit multicolor emission from green to orange. In addition, the successful incorporation of LiYF4:Ce, Tb, Eu nanophosphors into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) facilitates the preparation of highly transparent nanophosphor-PDMS composites that present excellent multicolor tunability. PMID:25597900

  6. Effects of X-ray irradiation on the Eu3+ → Eu2+ conversion in CaAl2O4 phosphors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gomes, Manassés A.; Carvalho, Jéssica C.; Andrade, Adriano B.; Rezende, Marcos V.; Macedo, Zélia S.; Valerio, Mário E. G.

    2018-01-01

    This paper reports structural and luminescence properties of Eu-doped CaAl2O4 produced by an alternative sol-gel method using coconut water. Results of differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) allowed us to identify the best synthesis conditions for sample preparation. Simultaneous measurements of X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL) were also performed in the X-ray energy range of the Eu LIII edge. Results from photoluminescence (PL) showed only the characteristic Eu3+ emission. However, radioluminescence emission spectra from Eu-doped CaAl2O4 shows a process of conversion of Eu3+ to Eu2+, which is induced by X-ray irradiation and is dependent on the radiation dose energy. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) measurements corroborate Eu reduction due to irradiation, showing that only the Eu3+ ion is present in stable form in the CaAl2O4.

  7. Controlled synthesis of Eu{sup 2+} and Eu{sup 3+} doped ZnS quantum dots and their photovoltaic and magnetic properties

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Horoz, Sabit; Poudyal, Uma; Wang, Wenyong

    2016-04-15

    Eu-doped ZnS quantum dots (QDs) have been synthesized by wet-chemical method and found to form in zinc blende (cubic) structure. Both Eu{sup 2+} and Eu{sup 3+} doped ZnS can be controllably synthesized. The Eu{sup 2+} doped ZnS QDs show broad photoluminescence emission peak around 512 nm, which is from the Eu{sup 2+} intra-ion transition of 4f{sup 6}d{sup 1} – 4f{sup 7}, while the Eu{sup 3+} doped samples exhibit narrow emission lines characteristic of transitions between the 4f levels. The investigation of the magnetic properties shows that the Eu{sup 3+} doped samples exhibit signs of ferromagnetism, on the other hand, Eu{supmore » 2+} doped samples are paramagnetic of Curie-Weiss type. The incident photon to electron conversion efficiency is increased with the Eu doping, which suggests the QD solar cell efficiency can be enhanced by Eu doping due to widened absorption windows. This is an attractive approach to utilize benign and environmentally friendly wide band gap ZnS QDs in solar cell technology.« less

  8. Unique Pressure versus Temperature Phase Diagram for Antiferromagnets Eu2Ni3Ge5 and EuRhSi3

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nakashima, Miho; Amako, Yasushi; Matsubayashi, Kazuyuki; Uwatoko, Yoshiya; Nada, Masato; Sugiyama, Kiyohiro; Hagiwara, Masayuki; Haga, Yoshinori; Takeuchi, Tetsuya; Nakamura, Ai; Akamine, Hiromu; Tomori, Keisuke; Yara, Tomoyuki; Ashitomi, Yosuke; Hedo, Masato; Nakama, Takao; Ōnuki, Yoshichika

    2017-03-01

    We studied the magnetic properties of the antiferromagnets Eu2Ni3Ge5 and EuRhSi3 by measuring their electrical resistivity, specific heat, magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, and thermoelectric power, together with the electrical resistivities at high pressures of up to 15 GPa. These compounds have almost divalent Eu ions at ambient pressure and order antiferromagnetically with a successive change in the antiferromagnetic structure at TN = 19 K and T'N = 17 K in Eu2Ni3Ge5, and at TN = 49 K and T'N = 45 K in EuRhSi3. Magnetic field versus temperature (H-T) phase diagrams were constructed for both compounds from the magnetization measurements. The Néel temperature in Eu2Ni3Ge5 was found to increase up to 7 GPa but to decrease continuously with further increasing pressure, without the so-called valence transition. Under a high pressure of 15 GPa, Kondo-like behavior of the electrical resistivity was observed, suggesting the existence of the heavy-fermion state at low temperatures. A similar trend is likely to occur in EuRhSi3. The present P-T phase diagrams for both compounds are the first cases that are reminiscent of the phase diagram of EuCu2(SixGe1-x)2.

  9. Thermal decomposition of europium sulfates Eu2(SO4)3·8H2O and EuSO4

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Denisenko, Yu. G.; Khritokhin, N. A.; Andreev, O. V.; Basova, S. A.; Sal'nikova, E. I.; Polkovnikov, A. A.

    2017-11-01

    Reactions of europium sulfates Eu2(SO4)3·8H2O and EuSO4 complete decomposition were studied by Simultaneous Thermal Analysis. It was revealed that one-step dehydratation of Eu2(SO4)3·8H2O crystallohydrate is accompanied by the formation of amorphous anhydrous europium sulfate Eu2(SO4)3. Crystallization of amorphous europium (III) sulfate occurs at 381.1 °C (in argon) and 391.3 °C (in air). The average enthalpy values for dehydratation reaction of Eu2(SO4)3·8H2O (ΔH° = 141.1 kJ/mol), decomposition reactions of Eu2(SO4)3 (ΔH = 463.1 kJ/mol), Eu2O2SO4 (ΔH = 378.4 kJ/mol) and EuSO4 (ΔH = 124.1 kJ/mol) were determined. The step process mechanisms of thermal decomposition of europium (III) sulfate in air and europium (II) sulfate in inert atmosphere were established and justified. The kinetic parameters of complete thermal decomposition of europium (III) sulfate octahydrate were calculated by Kissinger model. The standard enthalpies of compound formation were calculated using thermal effects and formation enthalpy data for binary compounds.

  10. Enhancing the luminescence of Eu3+ /Eu2+ ion-doped hydroxyapatite by fluoridation and thermal annealing.

    PubMed

    Van, Hoang Nhu; Tam, Phuong Dinh; Kien, Nguyen Duc Trung; Huy, Pham Thanh; Pham, Vuong-Hung

    2017-08-01

    This paper reports a novel way for the synthesis of a europium (Eu)-doped fluor-hydroxyapatite (FHA) nanostructure to control the luminescence of hydroxyapatite nanophosphor, particularly, by applying optimum fluorine concentrations, annealed temperatures and pH value. The Eu-doped FHA was made using the co-precipitation method followed by thermal annealing in air and reducing in a H 2 atmosphere to control the visible light emission center of the nanophosphors. The intensities of the OH - group decreased with the increasing fluorine concentrations. For the specimens annealed in air, the light emission center of the nanophosphor was 615 nm, which was emission from the Eu 3 + ion. However, when they were annealed in reduced gas (Ar + 5% H 2 ), a 448 nm light emission center from the Eu 2 + ion of FHA was observed. The presence of fluorine in Eu-doped FHA resulted in a significant enhancement of nanophosphor luminescence, which has potential application in light emission and nanomedicine. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Emerging food safety issues: An EU perspective.

    PubMed

    McEvoy, John D G

    2016-05-01

    Safe food is the right of every citizen of the European Union (EU). A comprehensive and dynamic framework of food and feed safety legislation has been put in place and the EU's executive arm - the European Commission - is responsible for ensuring that the EU member states apply food law consistently. Similarly, the Commission plays an important role in ensuring that imported food meets the EU's stringent food safety standards. Consumer perceptions of unsafe food tend to focus on acute outbreaks of bacterial or viral origin. In recent years there have been a number of diverse food crises associated with fraudulent activity which may (e.g. melamine in dairy products in China) or may not (e.g. the horse meat scandal in the EU) represent a genuine food safety risk. Well publicized incidents of chronic exposure to chemical contamination in the EU (e.g. dioxins in meat and mycotoxins in nuts) have required robust coordinated policy responses from the Commission. Despite the decreasing incidence of non-compliant residues of veterinary medicinal products and banned substances in animal products, EU consumers are increasingly concerned about the use of such products in food-producing animals, including in the context of the build-up of antimicrobial resistance in animals and transfer to humans. The Commission plays a key role in coordination of the EU member states' responses to such incidents, in risk management, and in preparation for emerging issues. This paper focuses on how the EU as a whole has dealt with a number of food crises, and what can be learned from past incidents. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. New localized/delocalized emitting state of Eu 2+ in orange-emitting hexagonal EuAl 2O 4

    DOE PAGES

    Liu, Feng; Meltzer, Richard S.; Li, Xufan; ...

    2014-11-18

    Eu 2+-activated phosphors are being widely used in illuminations and displays. Some of these phosphors feature an extremely broad and red-shifted Eu 2+ emission band; however, convincing explanation of this phenomenon is lacking. Here we report a new localized/delocalized emitting state of Eu 2+ ions in a new hexagonal EuAl 2O 4 phosphor whose Eu 2+ luminescence exhibits a very large bandwidth and an extremely large Stokes shift. At 77 K, two luminescent sites responsible for 550 nm and 645 nm broadband emissions are recognized, while at room temperature only the 645 nm emission band emits. The 645 nm emissionmore » exhibits a typical radiative lifetime of 1.27 μs and an unusually large Stokes shift of 0.92 eV. We identify the 645 nm emission as originating from a new type of emitting state whose composition is predominantly that of localized 4f 65d character but which also contains a complementary component with delocalized conduction-band-like character. This investigation gives new insights into a unique type of Eu 2+ luminescence in solids whose emission exhibits both a very large bandwidth and an extremely large Stokes shift.« less

  13. Effect of Eu magnetism on the electronic properties of the candidate Dirac material EuMnBi2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    May, Andrew F.; McGuire, Michael A.; Sales, Brian C.

    2014-08-01

    The crystal structure and physical properties of the layered material EuMnBi2 have been characterized by measurements on single crystals. EuMnBi2 is isostructural with the Dirac material SrMnBi2 based on single-crystal x-ray diffraction, crystallizing in the I4/mmm space group (No. 139). Magnetic susceptibility measurements suggest antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering of moments on divalent Eu ions near TN=22 K. For low fields, the ordered Eu moments are aligned along the c axis, and a spin flop is observed near 5.4 T at 5 K. The moment is not saturated in an applied field of 13 T at 5 K, which is uncommon for compounds containing Eu2+. The magnetic behavior suggests an anisotropy enhancement via interaction between Eu and the Mn moments that appear to be ordered antiferromagnetically below ≈310 K. A large increase in the magnetoresistance is observed across the spin flop, with absolute magnetoresistance reaching ≈650% at 5 K and 12 T. Hall effect measurements reveal a decrease in the carrier density below TN, which implies a manipulation of the Fermi surface by magnetism on the sites surrounding the Bi square nets that lead to Dirac cones in this family of materials.

  14. Adsorption of Eu(III) onto roots of water hyacinth

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kelley, C.; Mielke, R.E.; Dimaquibo, D.

    1999-05-01

    The water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) has drawn attention as a plant capable of removing pollutants, including toxic metals, from water. The authors are interested in the capacity of the water hyacinth to remediate aquatic environments that have been contaminated with the lanthanide metal, europium Eu(III). Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) they have been able to determine that Eu(III) is adsorbed onto the surface of the roots from water and that the highest concentration of Eu(III) is on the root hairs. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) techniques were used to speciate the Eu(III) adsorbed onto the surface of the roots. The XASmore » data for Eu-contaminated water hyacinth roots provides evidence of a Eu-oxygen environment and establishes that Eu(III) is coordinated to 10--11 oxygen atoms at a distance of 2.44 {angstrom}. This likely involves binding of Eu(III) to the root via carboxylate groups and hydration of Eu(III) at the root surface.« less

  15. Blue emission in photoluminescence spectra of the red phosphor CaAlSiN3:Eu2+ at low Eu2+ concentration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suda, Yoriko; Kamigaki, Yoshiaki; Yamamoto, Hajime

    2018-04-01

    In red phosphor CaAlSiN3:Eu2+, unintentional blue emission occurs with increasing intensity at low Eu2+ concentrations and also at low measurement temperatures. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements were used to confirm the decrease in red emission and increase in blue emission with the decreasing Eu2+ concentration. The peak timing of blue emission occurred faster than that of red emission, and long lasting luminescence of red emission was observed as well as that of blue emission. The Eu2+ concentration dependences of the red and blue emissions were similar to those of the g values 4.75 (Eu2+) and 2.0025 (nitrogen vacancies), respectively, which were observed from electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements. The origin of the blue emission is proposed to be nitrogen vacancy defects, which had about the same ESR signal intensity as that of Eu2+ ions in CaAlSiN3:Eu2+ containing 0.01 at. % Eu2+. The possibility of red emission also arising from excited electron tunneling or thermal pathways via nitrogen vacancies is discussed. Long lasting red emission was observed, which is proposed to involve trapped electrons remaining at nitrogen vacancies, yielding blue emission and inducing red emission from Eu2+ ions.

  16. From the ternary Eu(Au/In) 2 and EuAu 4(Au/In) 2 with remarkable Au/In distributions to a new structure type: The gold-rich Eu 5Au 16(Au/In) 6 structure

    DOE PAGES

    Steinberg, Simon; Card, Nathan; Mudring, Anja -Verena

    2015-08-13

    The ternary Eu(Au/In) 2 (EuAu 0.46In 1.54 (2)) (I), EuAu 4(Au/In) 2 (EuAu 4+xIn 2–x with x = 0.75(2) (II), 0.93(2), and 1.03(2)), and Eu 5Au 16(Au/In) 6 (Eu 5Au 17.29In 4.71(3)) (III) have been synthesized, and their structures were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. I and II crystallize with the CeCu 2-type (Pearson Symbol oI12; Imma; Z = 4; a = 4.9018(4) Å; b = 7.8237(5) Å; c = 8.4457(5) Å) and the YbAl 4Mo 2-type (tI14; I4/ mmm; Z = 2; a = 7.1612(7) Å; c = 5.5268(7) Å) and exhibit significant Au/In disorder. I is composed ofmore » an Au/In-mixed diamond-related host lattice encapsulating Eu atoms, while the structure of II features ribbons of distorted, squared Au 8 prisms enclosing Eu, Au, and In atoms. Combination of these structural motifs leads to a new structure type as observed for Eu 5Au 16(Au/In) 6 (Eu 5Au 17.29In 4.71(3)) (oS108; Cmcm; Z = 4; a = 7.2283(4) Å; b = 9.0499(6) Å; c = 34.619(2) Å), which formally represents a one-dimensional intergrowth of the series EuAu 2–“EuAu 4In 2”. The site preferences of the disordered Au/In positions in II were investigated for different hypothetical “EuAu 4(Au/In) 2” models using the projector-augmented wave method and indicate that these structures attempt to optimize the frequencies of the heteroatomic Au–In contacts. Furthermore, a chemical bonding analysis on two “EuAu 5In” and “EuAu 4In 2” models employed the TB-LMTO-ASA method and reveals that the subtle interplay between the local atomic environments and the bond energies determines the structural and site preferences for these systems.« less

  17. From the ternary Eu(Au/In) 2 and EuAu 4(Au/In) 2 with remarkable Au/In distributions to a new structure type: The gold-rich Eu 5Au 16(Au/In) 6 structure

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Steinberg, Simon; Card, Nathan; Mudring, Anja -Verena

    The ternary Eu(Au/In) 2 (EuAu 0.46In 1.54 (2)) (I), EuAu 4(Au/In) 2 (EuAu 4+xIn 2–x with x = 0.75(2) (II), 0.93(2), and 1.03(2)), and Eu 5Au 16(Au/In) 6 (Eu 5Au 17.29In 4.71(3)) (III) have been synthesized, and their structures were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. I and II crystallize with the CeCu 2-type (Pearson Symbol oI12; Imma; Z = 4; a = 4.9018(4) Å; b = 7.8237(5) Å; c = 8.4457(5) Å) and the YbAl 4Mo 2-type (tI14; I4/ mmm; Z = 2; a = 7.1612(7) Å; c = 5.5268(7) Å) and exhibit significant Au/In disorder. I is composed ofmore » an Au/In-mixed diamond-related host lattice encapsulating Eu atoms, while the structure of II features ribbons of distorted, squared Au 8 prisms enclosing Eu, Au, and In atoms. Combination of these structural motifs leads to a new structure type as observed for Eu 5Au 16(Au/In) 6 (Eu 5Au 17.29In 4.71(3)) (oS108; Cmcm; Z = 4; a = 7.2283(4) Å; b = 9.0499(6) Å; c = 34.619(2) Å), which formally represents a one-dimensional intergrowth of the series EuAu 2–“EuAu 4In 2”. The site preferences of the disordered Au/In positions in II were investigated for different hypothetical “EuAu 4(Au/In) 2” models using the projector-augmented wave method and indicate that these structures attempt to optimize the frequencies of the heteroatomic Au–In contacts. Furthermore, a chemical bonding analysis on two “EuAu 5In” and “EuAu 4In 2” models employed the TB-LMTO-ASA method and reveals that the subtle interplay between the local atomic environments and the bond energies determines the structural and site preferences for these systems.« less

  18. The Loyalty—New Hebrides Arc collision: Effects on the Loyalty Ridge and basin system, Southwest Pacific (first results of the ZoNéCo programme)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lafoy, Yves; Missegue, Francois; Cluzel, Dominique; Le Suave, Raymond

    1996-06-01

    The ZoNéCo 1 and 2 cruises of Ifremer's Research Vessel L'Atalante, collected new swath bathymetry and geophysical data over the southern and northern segments of the basins and ridges forming the Loyalty system. Between the two surveyed areas, previous studies found evidence for the resistance of the Loyalty Ridge to subduction beneath the New Hebrides trench near 22°S 169°E. On the subducted plate, except for seismicity related to the downbending of the Australian plate, recorded shallow seismicity is sparse within the Loyalty system (Ridge and Basin) where reliable focal mechanism solutions are almost absent. Swath bathymetry, seismic reflection and magnetic data acquired during the ZoNéCo 1 and 2 cruises revealed a transverse asymmetric morphology in the Loyalty system, and an along-strike horst and graben structure on the discontinuous Loyalty Ridge. South of 23°50'S and at 20°S, the two WSW-ENE-trending fault systems, respectively, sinistral and dextral, that crosscut the southern and northern segments of the Loyalty system, are interpreted as due to the early effects of collision with the New Hebrides Arc. A NNW-SSE trend, evident along the whole Loyalty system and on the island of New Caledonia, is interpreted as an inherited structural trend that may have been reactivated through flexure of the Australian lithospheric plate at the subduction zone. Overall then, the morphology, structure and evolution of the southern and northern segments of the Loyalty system probably result from the combined effects of the Australian plate lithospheric bulge, the active Loyalty-New Hebrides collision and the overthrust of the New Caledonian ophiolite.

  19. Eu oxidation state in fluorozirconate-based glass ceramics

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Henke, B.; Passlick, C.; Keil, P.

    2009-12-01

    The influence of InF{sub 3} doping and remelting on Eu-doped fluorozirconate-based glass ceramics was investigated using near-edge x-ray absorption and optical spectroscopy. It was found that the addition of InF{sub 3} to the melt decreases the Eu{sup 2+}/Eu{sup 3+} mole ratio, while remelting leads to a significant change in the Eu{sup 2+}/Eu{sup 3+} ratio in favor of Eu{sup 2+}. Photoluminescence spectroscopy shows that additional annealing steps lead to the formation of BaCl{sub 2} nanoparticles in the glass. In as-made glass ceramics containing InF{sub 3}, a phase transition of the nanoparticles from hexagonal to orthorhombic structure is observed. This phase transitionmore » is not observed in the remelted glasses studied here.« less

  20. The magnetic structure of EuCu 2Sb 2

    DOE PAGES

    Ryan, D. H.; Cadogan, J. M.; Anand, V. K.; ...

    2015-05-06

    Antiferromagnetic ordering of EuCu 2Sb 2 which forms in the tetragonal CaBe 2Ge 2-type structure (space group P4/nmm #129) has been studied using neutron powder diffraction and 151Eu Mössbauer spectroscopy. The room temperature 151Eu isomer shift of –12.8(1) mm/s shows the Eu to be divalent, while the 151Eu hyperfine magnetic field (B hf) reaches 28.7(2) T at 2.1 K, indicating a full Eu 2+ magnetic moment. B hf(T) follows a smoothmore » $$S=\\frac{7}{2}$$ Brillouin function and yields an ordering temperature of 5.1(1) K. Refinement of the neutron diffraction data reveals a collinear A-type antiferromagnetic arrangement with the Eu moments perpendicular to the tetragonal c-axis. As a result, the refined Eu magnetic moment at 0.4 K is 7.08(15) μ B which is the full free-ion moment expected for the Eu 2+ ion with $$S=\\frac{7}{2}$$ and a spectroscopic splitting factor of g = 2.« less

  1. Effect of Eu substitution on superconductivity in Ba{sub 8−x}Eu{sub x}Al{sub 6}Si{sub 40} clathrates

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liu, Lihua; Bi, Shanli; Peng, Bailu

    2015-05-07

    The silicon clathrate superconductor is uncommon as its structure is dominated by strong Si-Si covalent bonds, rather than the metallic bond, that are more typical of traditional superconductors. To understand the influence of large magnetic moment of Eu on superconductivity for type-I clathrates, a series of samples with the chemical formula Ba{sub 8−x}Eu{sub x}Al{sub 6}Si{sub 40} (x = 0, 0.5, 1, and 2) were synthesised in which Eu occupied Ba sites in cage center. With the increase of Eu content, the cubic lattice parameter decreases monotonically signifying continuous shrinkage of the constituting (Ba/Eu)@Si{sub 20} and (Ba/Eu)@Si{sub 24} cages. The temperature dependence ofmore » magnetization at low temperature revealed that Ba{sub 8}Al{sub 6}Si{sub 40} is superconductive with transition temperature at T{sub C} = 5.6 K. The substitution of Eu for Ba results in a strong superconductivity suppression; Eu-doping largely decreases the superconducting volume and transition temperature T{sub C}. Eu atoms enter the clathrate lattice and their magnetic moments break paired electrons. The Curie-Weiss temperatures were observed at 3.9, 6.6, and 10.9 K, respectively, for samples with x = 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0. Such ferromagnetic interaction of Eu can destroy superconductivity.« less

  2. New high performing scintillators: RbSr2Br5:Eu and RbSr2I5:Eu

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stand, L.; Zhuravleva, M.; Johnson, J.; Koschan, M.; Lukosi, E.; Melcher, C. L.

    2017-11-01

    We report the crystal growth and scintillation properties of two new ternary metal halide scintillators, RbSr2Br5 and RbSr2I5, activated with divalent europium. Transparent 7 mm diameter single crystals with 2.5% Eu2+ were grown in evacuated quartz ampoules via the Bridgman technique. RbSr2Br5 and RbSr2I5 have monoclinic crystal structures with densities of 4.18 g/cm3 and 4.55 g/cm3 respectively. These materials are hygroscopic and have some intrinsic radioactivity due to the presence of 87Rb. Luminescence properties typical of the 5d-4f radiative transition in Eu2+ were observed. The X-ray excited emissions consisted of singular peaks centered at 429 nm for RbSr2Br5:Eu 2.5% and 445 nm for RbSr2I4:Eu 2.5%. RbSr2Br5:Eu 2.5% had a light yield of 64,700 photons/MeV, with an energy resolution of 4.0%, and RbSr2I5:Eu 2.5% had a light yield of 90,400 ph/MeV with an energy resolution of 3.0% at 662 keV. Both crystals have an excellent proportional response over a wide range of gamma-ray energies.

  3. Multiple magnetic transitions in EuNiSi3

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Patil, Sujata M.; Paulose, P. L.

    2018-04-01

    EuNiSi3 undergoes multiple magnetic transitions below 50K. We have studied this system using low field ac susceptibility and 151Eu Mössbauer spectroscopy to understand the nature of multiple magnetic transitions. The estimated hyperfine field (hf) at Eu site at 5K is 45 Tesla which is unusually large compared to the normal observed hf of 33T in most of the Eu intermetallics.

  4. Luminescence of Eu:Y3Al5O12, Eu:Lu3Al5O12, and Eu:GdAlO3 Nanocrystals Synthesized by Solution Combustion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vilejshikova, E. V.; Khort, A. A.; Podbolotov, K. B.; Loiko, P. A.; Shimanski, V. I.; Shashkov, S. N.; Yumashev, K. V.

    2017-11-01

    Nanocrystals of rare-earth garnets Y3Al5O12 and Lu3Al5O12 and perovskite GdAlO3 highly doped (10-20 at%) with Eu3+ are synthesized by the solution combustion technique and subsequent annealing in air at 800 and 1300oC. Their structure, morphology, and phase composition are studied. These materials exhibit intense red luminescence under UV excitation. Eu:GdAlO3 luminescence has CIE 1931 color coordinates (0.632, 0.368); dominant wavelength, 599.6 nm; and color purity, >99%. Judd-Ofelt parameters, luminescence branching ratios, and lifetimes of the Eu3+ 5D0 state are determined. The luminescence quantum yield for Eu:GdAlO3 (10 at%) reaches 74% with a lifetime of 1.4 ms for the 5D0 state. The synthesized materials are promising for red ceramic phosphors.

  5. 25 years of European Union (EU) quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs across EU Member States.

    PubMed

    Albuquerque, Tânia G; Oliveira, M Beatriz Pp; Costa, Helena S

    2018-05-01

    Consumers are increasingly turning their attention to the quality and origin of products that they consume. European Union (EU) quality schemes are associated with a label, which was introduced to allow consumers to perform an informed choice and to protect producers from unfair practices. This present study provides an overview of the last 25 years of EU quality schemes [Protected Designations of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) and Traditional Specialities Guaranteed (TSG)] on agricultural products and foodstuffs across the 28 EU Member States. According to the results, it was possible to conclude that Southern European countries have the highest number of registered products. The most used EU quality scheme is PGI, followed by PDO. Concerning the analysis of the evolution in the last 25 years, the number of registered products among EU Member States has increased significantly. The fruit, vegetables and cereals (fresh or processed) category is the one that accounts for the highest percentage (26.8%) of registered products, followed by cheeses and meat products (cooked, salted, smoked) categories, with 17.2% and 13.5%, respectively. Further investigations should address consumer preferences, knowledge and attitudes, especially Northern European countries with a lower number of registered products. Moreover, the investigation and registration of products should be encouraged among all EU Member States to allow the maintenance of important elements of the history, culture and heritage of the local areas, regions and countries. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  6. New ternary phosphides and arsenides. Syntheses, crystal structures, physical properties of Eu{sub 2}ZnP{sub 2}, Eu{sub 2}Zn{sub 2}P{sub 3} and Eu{sub 2}Cd{sub 2}As{sub 3}

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, Jian; Xia, Sheng-Qing, E-mail: shqxia@sdu.edu.cn; Tao, Xu-Tang

    2013-09-15

    Three new europium pnictides Eu{sub 2}ZnP{sub 2}, Eu{sub 2}Zn{sub 2}P{sub 3} and Eu{sub 2}Cd{sub 2}As{sub 3} have been synthesized and their structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Eu{sub 2}ZnP{sub 2} is isotypic with Yb{sub 2}CdSb{sub 2} (Cmc2{sub 1} (No. 36); cell parameters a=4.1777(7) Å, b=15.925(3) Å, c=7.3008(12) Å), while the latter two compounds crystallize with the Ba{sub 2}Cd{sub 2}Sb{sub 3} structure type (C2/m (No. 12); cell parameters a=15.653(5)/16.402(1) Å, b=4.127(1)/4.445(4) Å, c=11.552(4)/12.311(1) Å and β=126.647(4)/126.515(7)° for Eu{sub 2}Zn{sub 2}P{sub 3} and Eu{sub 2}Cd{sub 2}As{sub 3}, respectively). Magnetic susceptibility measurements in the interval 5–300 K confirm paramagnetic behavior and effectivemore » magnetic moments characteristic of Eu{sup 2+} ([Xe] 4f{sup 7}) ground states. Temperature-dependent electrical conductivity measurements also prove that Eu{sub 2}Cd{sub 2}As{sub 3} is a semiconducting compound with a narrow band gap of 0.059 eV below 100 K. According to TG/DSC analyses, Eu{sub 2}Cd{sub 2}As{sub 3} starts to decompose at about 950 K. - Graphical abstract: A polyhedral view of the crystal structure of new pnictides Eu{sub 2}T{sub 2}Pn{sub 3} (T=Zn or Cd; Pn=P or As). Display Omitted - Highlights: • Three new ternary pnictide Zintl compounds, Eu{sub 2}ZnP{sub 2}, Eu{sub 2}Zn{sub 2}P{sub 3} and Eu{sub 2}Cd{sub 2}As{sub 3}, have been synthesized and characterized. • The europium cations are divalent and ferromagnetically coupled in both Eu{sub 2}Zn{sub 2}P{sub 3} and Eu{sub 2}Cd{sub 2}As{sub 3}. • Eu{sub 2}Cd{sub 2}As{sub 3} has a very small band gap of 0.06 eV and starts to decompose over 950 K.« less

  7. Single crystals of the fluorite nonstoichiometric phase Eu{0.916/2+}Eu{0.084/3+}F2.084 (conductivity, transmission, and hardness)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sobolev, B. P.; Turkina, T. M.; Sorokin, N. I.; Karimov, D. N.; Komar'kova, O. N.; Sulyanova, E. A.

    2010-07-01

    The nonstoichiometric phase EuF2+ x has been obtained via the partial reduction of EuF3 by elementary Si at 900-1100°C. Eu{0.916/2+}Eu{0.084/3+}F2.084 (EuF2.084) single crystals have been grown from melt by the Bridgman method in a fluorinating atmosphere. These crystals belong to the CaF2 structure type (sp. gr. Fm bar 3 m) with the cubic lattice parameter a = 5.8287(2) Å, are transparent in the spectral range of 0.5-11.3 μm, and have microhardness H μ = 3.12 ± 0.13 GPa and ionic conductivity σ = 1.4 × 10-5 S/cm at 400°C with the ion transport activation energy E a = 1.10 ± 0.05 eV. The physicochemical characteristics of the fluorite phases in the EuF2 - EuF3 systems are similar to those of the phases in the SrF2 - EuF3 and SrF2 - GdF3 systems due to the similar lattice parameters of the EuF2 and SrF2 components. Europium difluoride supplements the list of fluorite components MF2 ( M = Ca, Sr, Ba, Cd, Pb), which are crystal matrices for nonstoichiometric (nanostructured) fluoride materials M 1 - x R x F2 + x ( R are rare earth elements).

  8. Enhanced luminescence in Eu-doped ZnO nanocrystalline films

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Suzuki, Keigo, E-mail: ksuzuki@murata.com; Murayama, Koji; Tanaka, Nobuhiko

    We found an enhancement of Eu{sup 3+} emissions in Eu-doped ZnO nanocrystalline films fabricated by microemulsion method. The Eu{sup 3+} emission intensities were increased by reducing annealing temperatures from 633 K to 533 K. One possible explanation for this phenomenon is that the size reduction enhances the energy transfer from ZnO nanoparticles to Eu{sup 3+} ions. Also, the shift of the charge-transfer band into the low-energy side of the absorption edge is found to be crucial, which seems to expedite the energy transfer from O atoms to Eu{sup 3+} ions. These findings will be useful for the material design of Eu-doped ZnOmore » phosphors.« less

  9. Pesticide authorization in the EU-environment unprotected?

    PubMed

    Stehle, Sebastian; Schulz, Ralf

    2015-12-01

    Pesticides constitute an integral part of high-intensity European agriculture. Prior to their authorization, a highly elaborated environmental risk assessment is mandatory according to EU pesticide legislation, i.e., Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009. However, no field data-based evaluation of the risk assessment outcome, i.e., the regulatory acceptable concentrations (RACs), and therefore of the overall protectiveness of EU pesticide regulations exists. We conducted here a comprehensive meta-analysis using peer-reviewed literature on agricultural insecticide concentrations in EU surface waters and evaluated associated risks using the RACs derived from official European pesticide registration documents. As a result, 44.7 % of the 1566 cases of measured insecticide concentrations (MICs) in EU surface waters exceeded their respective RACs. It follows that current EU pesticide regulations do not protect the aquatic environment and that insecticides threaten aquatic biodiversity. RAC exceedances were significantly higher for insecticides authorized using conservative tier-I RACs and for more recently developed insecticide classes, i.e., pyrethroids. In addition, we identified higher risks, e.g., for smaller surface waters that are specifically considered in the regulatory risk assessment schemes. We illustrate the shortcomings of the EU regulatory risk assessment using two case studies that contextualize the respective risk assessment outcomes to field exposure. Overall, our meta-analysis challenges the field relevance and protectiveness of the regulatory environmental risk assessment conducted for pesticide authorization in the EU and indicates that critical revisions of related pesticide regulations and effective mitigation measures are urgently needed to substantially reduce the environmental risks arising from agricultural insecticide use.

  10. EU-US ABWG AgENCODE Workshop

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    As considerable progress has been made on producing draft quality genomic sequence for many food animal species, the next goal for genomics research is a greater understanding of gene regulation and expression. The EU-US Animal Biotechnology Working Group (ABWG), established by the EU-US Biotechnolo...

  11. Pyrolytic synthesis and luminescence of porous lanthanide Eu-MOF.

    PubMed

    Jin, Guangya; Liu, Zhijian; Sun, Hongfa; Tian, Zhiyong

    2016-02-01

    A lanthanide metal coordination polymer [Eu2(BDC)3(DMSO)(H2O)] was synthesized by the reaction of europium oxide with benzene-1,3-dicarboxylic acid (H2BDC) in a mixed solution of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and water under hydrothermal conditions. The crystal structure of Eu2(BDC)3(DMSO)(H2O) was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Thermo-gravimetric analysis of Eu2(BDC)3(DMSO)(H2O) indicated that coordinated DMSO and H2O molecules could be removed to create Eu2(BDC)3(DMSO)(H2O)-py with permanent microporosity, which was also verified by powder XRD (PXRD) and elemental analysis. Both Eu2(BDC)3(DMSO)(H2O) and Eu2(BDC)3(DMSO)(H2O)-py showed mainly Eu-based luminescence and had characteristic emissions in the range 550-700 nm. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Metal Flux Growth, Structural Relations, and Physical Properties of EuCu2Ge2 and Eu3T2In9 (T = Cu and Ag).

    PubMed

    Subbarao, Udumula; Roy, Soumyabrata; Sarma, Saurav Ch; Sarkar, Sumanta; Mishra, Vidyanshu; Khulbe, Yatish; Peter, Sebastian C

    2016-10-17

    Single crystals (SCs) of the compounds Eu 3 Ag 2 In 9 and EuCu 2 Ge 2 were synthesized through the reactions run in liquid indium. Eu 3 Ag 2 In 9 crystallizes in the La 3 Al 11 structure type [orthorhombic space group (SG) Immm] with the lattice parameters: a = 4.8370(1) Å, b = 10.6078(3) Å, and c = 13.9195(4) Å. EuCu 2 Ge 2 crystallizes in the tetragonal ThCr 2 Si 2 structure type (SG I4/mmm) with the lattice parameters: a = b = 4.2218(1) Å, and c = 10.3394(5) Å. The crystal structure of Eu 3 Ag 2 In 9 is comprised of edge-shared hexagonal rings consisting of indium. The one-dimensional chains of In 6 rings are shared through the edges, which are further interconnected with other six-membered rings forming a three-dimensional (3D) stable crystal structure along the bc plane. The crystal structure of EuCu 2 Ge 2 can be explained as the complex [CuGe] (2+δ)- polyanionic network embedded with Eu ions. These polyanionic networks present in the crystal structure of EuCu 2 Ge 2 are shared through the edges of the 011 plane containing Cu and Ge atoms, resulting in a 3D network. The structural relationship between Eu 3 T 2 In 9 and EuCu 2 Ge 2 has been discussed in detail, and we conclude that Eu 3 T 2 In 9 is the metal deficient variant of EuCu 2 Ge 2 . The magnetic susceptibilities of Eu 3 T 2 In 9 (T = Cu and Ag) and EuCu 2 Ge 2 were measured between 2 and 300 K. In all cases, magnetic susceptibility data followed Curie-Weiss law above 150 K. Magnetic moment values obtained from the measurements indicate the probable mixed/intermediate valent behavior of the europium atoms, which was further confirmed by X-ray absorption studies and bond distances around the Eu atoms. Electrical resistivity measurements suggest that Eu 3 T 2 In 9 and EuCu 2 Ge 2 are metallic in nature.

  13. Structural and Magnetic Properties of {Eu}(3+) Eu 3 + -Doped {CdNb}_{2} {O}_{6} CdNb 2 O 6 Powders

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Topkaya, Ramazan; Boyraz, Cihat; Ekmekçi, Mete Kaan

    2018-03-01

    Europium-doped CdNb2O6 powders with the molar concentration of Eu^{3+} (0.5, 3 and 6 mol%) were successfully prepared at 900°C by using molten salt synthesis method. The effect of europium (Eu) molar concentration on the structural and temperature-dependent magnetic properties of CdNb2O6 powders has been investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) techniques in the temperature range of 10-300 K. XRD results confirm that all the powders have orthorhombic crystal structure. It has been confirmed from VSM and FMR measurements that Eu^{3+}-doped CdNb2O6 powders have ferromagnetic behaviour for each Eu^{3+} molar concentration between 10 and 300 K. XRD and EDX analyses indicate that there is no magnetic impurity in Eu^{3+}-doped CdNb_2O_6 powders, supporting that the ferromagnetic behaviour of the powders arises from Eu^{3+} ions. The observed ferromagnetism was elucidated with the intrinsic exchange interactions between the magnetic moments associated with the unpaired 4 f electrons in Eu^{3+} ions. The saturation magnetization decreases with increasing Eu^{3+} molar concentration. The temperature-dependent magnetization behaviour was observed not to agree with Curie-Weiss law because europium obeys Van Vleck paramagnetism. Broad FMR spectra and a g-value higher than 2 were observed from FMR measurements, indicating the ferromagnetic behaviour of the powders. It was found that while the resonance field of FMR spectra decreases, the linewidth increases as a function of Eu^{3+} molar concentration.

  14. Comparative adsorption of Eu(III) and Am(III) on TPD.

    PubMed

    Fan, Q H; Zhao, X L; Ma, X X; Yang, Y B; Wu, W S; Zheng, G D; Wang, D L

    2015-09-01

    Comparative adsorption behaviors of Eu(III) and Am(III) on thorium phosphate diphosphate (TPD), i.e., Th4(PO4)4P2O7, have been studied using a batch approach and surface complexation model (SCM) in this study. The results showed that Eu(III) and Am(III) adsorption increased to a large extent with the increase in TPD dose. Strong pH-dependence was observed in both Eu(III) and Am(III) adsorption processes, suggesting that inner-sphere complexes (ISCs) were possibly responsible for the adsorption of Eu(III) and Am(III). Meanwhile, the adsorption of Eu(III) and Am(III) decreased to a different extent with the increase in ion strength, which was possibly related to outer-sphere complexes and/or ion exchange. In the presence of fulvic acid (FA), the adsorption of Eu(III) and Am(III) showed high enhancement mainly due to the ternary surface complexes of TPD-FA-Eu(3+) and TPD-FA-Am(3+). The SCM showed that one ion exchange (≡S3Am/Eu) and two ISCs (≡(XO)2Am/EuNO3 and ≡(YO)2Am/EuNO3) seemed more reasonable to quantitatively describe the adsorption edges of both Eu(III) and Am(III). Our findings obviously showed that Eu(III) could be a good analogue to study actinide behaviors in practical terms. However, it should be kept in mind that there are still obvious differences between the characteristics of Eu(III) and Am(III) in some special cases, for instance, the complex ability with organic matter and adsorption affinity to a solid surface.

  15. The EU Dimension to Soil Science in Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Sue

    2012-01-01

    The EU as a context for science lessons may be given scant attention but EU decision-making is a vital factor in everyday life. Lessons on the emergence of soil science with Charles Darwin's simple scientific experiments can be linked with competence through action, inclusion and argumentations in science lessons. Decisions about an EU Soil…

  16. The new Zintl phases Eu{sub 21}Cd{sub 4}Sb{sub 18} and Eu{sub 21}Mn{sub 4}Sb{sub 18}

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, Yi; Darone, Gregory M.; Bobev, Svilen, E-mail: bobev@udel.edu

    Crystals of two new Zintl compounds, Eu{sub 21}Mn{sub 4}Sb{sub 18} and Eu{sub 21}Cd{sub 4}Sb{sub 18} have been synthesized using the molten metal flux method, and their structures have been established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Both compounds are isotypic and crystallize in the monoclinic space group C2/m (No. 12, Z=4). The structures are based on edge- and corner-shared MnSb{sub 4} or CdSb{sub 4} tetrahedra, which make octameric [Mn{sub 8}Sb{sub 22}] or [Cd{sub 8}Sb{sub 22}] polyanions. Homoatomic Sb–Sb bonds are present in both structures. The Eu atoms take the role of Eu{sup 2+}cations with seven unpaired 4f electrons, as suggested by themore » temperature-dependent magnetization measurements. The magnetic susceptibilities of Eu{sub 21}Mn{sub 4}Sb{sub 18} and Eu{sub 21}Cd{sub 4}Sb{sub 18} indicate that both phases order anti-ferromagnetically with Néel temperatures of ca. 7 K and ca. 10 K, respectively. The unpaired 3d electrons of the Mn atoms in Eu{sub 21}Mn{sub 4}Sb{sub 18} do contribute to the magnetic response, however, the bulk magnetization measurements do not provide evidence for long-range ordering of the Mn spins down to 5 K. Electrical resistivity measurements suggest that both compounds are narrow band gap semiconductors. - Graphical abstract: Eu{sub 21}Mn{sub 4}Sb{sub 18} and Eu{sub 21}Cd{sub 4}Sb{sub 18} have complex monoclinic structures, based on MnSb{sub 4} and CdSb{sub 4} tetrahedra, both edge- and corner-shared. A perspective of the crystal structure is shown, as viewed along the b axis. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Eu{sub 21}Mn{sub 4}Sb{sub 18} and Eu{sub 21}Cd{sub 4}Sb{sub 18} are novel compounds in the respective ternary phase diagrams. • For both structures, the Zintl-Klemm rules are followed, and both are small gap semiconductors. • Eu{sub 21}Mn{sub 4}Sb{sub 18} and Eu{sub 21}Cd{sub 4}Sb{sub 18} are air-stable Zintl phases and could be new thermoelectric materials.« less

  17. Definition of an intramolecular Eu-to-Eu energy transfer within a discrete [Eu2L] complex in solution.

    PubMed

    Nonat, Aline; Regueiro-Figueroa, Martín; Esteban-Gómez, David; de Blas, Andrés; Rodríguez-Blas, Teresa; Platas-Iglesias, Carlos; Charbonnière, Loïc J

    2012-06-25

    Ligand L, based on two do3a moieties linked by the methylene groups of 6,6'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine, was synthesized and characterized. The addition of Ln salts to an aqueous solution of L (0.01 M Tris-HCl, pH 7.4) led to the successive formation of [LnL] and [Ln(2)L] complexes, as evidenced by UV/Vis and fluorescence titration experiments. Homodinuclear [Ln(2)L] complexes (Ln = Eu, Gd, Tb, Yb, and Lu) were prepared and characterized. The (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra of the Lu and Yb complexes in D(2)O solution (pD = 7.0) showed C(1) symmetry of these species in solution, pointing to two different chemical environments for the two lanthanide cations. The analysis of the chemical shifts of the Yb complex indicated that the two coordination sites present square antiprismatic (SAP) coordination environments around the metal ions. The spectroscopic properties of the [Tb(2)L] complex upon ligand excitation revealed conventional behavior with τ(H2O) = 2.05(1) ms and ϕ(H2O) = 51%, except for the calculation of the hydration number obtained from the luminescent lifetimes in H(2)O and D(2)O, which pointed to a non-integer value of 0.6 water molecules per Tb(III) ion. In contrast, the Eu complex revealed surprising features such as: 1) the presence of two and up to five components in the (5)D(0)→(7)F(0) and (5)D(0)→(7)F(1) emission bands, respectively; 2) marked differences between the normalized spectra obtained in H(2)O and D(2)O solutions; and 3) unconventional temporal evolution of the luminescence intensity at certain wavelengths, the intensity profile first displaying a rising step before the occurrence of the expected decay. Additional spectroscopic experiments performed on [Gd(2-x)Eu(x)L] complexes (x = 0.1 and 1.9) confirmed the presence of two distinct Eu sites with hydration numbers of 0 (site I) and 2 (site II), and showed that the unconventional temporal evolution of the emission intensity is the result of an unprecedented intramolecular Eu-to-Eu

  18. Dividing the common pond: regionalizing EU ocean governance.

    PubMed

    Maier, Nina; Markus, Till

    2013-02-15

    EU ocean policies increasingly incorporate regional measures. Under the long standing Common Fisheries Policy, such measures aim at improving and reforming existing policy, either by taking into account region specific social or ecologic requirements or by establishing procedures and institutions to achieve a regional fit. By contrast, the EU's emerging integrated Marine Environmental Policy was designed to draw heavily on regional procedural and institutional mechanisms from the outset. The developing regional measures raise the question whether they contribute to improving institutional structures governing the use and conservation of EU waters. This article analyzes the existing and future regional measures of the two policies and their varying purposes and scopes. It develops a typology for categorizing the regional aspects and examines the effects of regional measures on EU institutions and the theoretical EU integration debate. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Low-temperature solvothermal synthesis of EuS hollow microspheres

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Peng, Yong; Wang, Hong; Li, Peng

    2014-09-15

    Graphical abstract: Synthesis of EuS hollow microspheres at low-temperature via solvothermal method for the first time. - Highlights: • We adopt an improved method to synthesise the (Phen)Eu(Et{sub 2}CNS{sub 2}){sub 3} in deionized water. • We have successfully synthesised the EuS hollow microsphere at 230 °C in acetonitrile. • The price of acetonitrile is more inexpensive, so the price of preparation was reduced. - Abstract: EuS crystals are synthesized by low-temperature solvothermal decomposition of the single source precursor complex (Phen)Eu(Et{sub 2}CNS{sub 2}){sub 3} in acetonitrile. X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, granulocyte diameter statistical analysis, surface energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis,more » and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy are used to characterize the structure and properties of the obtained EuS crystals. The results show that the formed EuS crystals are uniform hollow microspheres with a typical cubic phase structure of rock salt and the average particle size of 2.01 μm. The mechanisms for the thermal decomposition of the precursor complex and the formation of the EuS hollow microspheres are postulated based on the experimental observations and previous reports.« less

  20. EU accession: A policy window opportunity for nursing?

    PubMed

    De Raeve, Paul; Rafferty, Anne-Marie; Bariball, Louise; Young, Ruth; Boiko, Olga

    2017-03-01

    European enlargement has been studied in a wide range of policy areas within and beyond health. Yet the impact of EU enlargement upon one of the largest health professions, nursing, has been largely neglected. This paper aims to explore nurse leadership using a comparative case study method in two former Communist countries, Romania and Croatia. Specifically, it considers the extent to which engagement in the EU accession policy-making process provided a policy window for the leaders to formulate and implement a professional agenda while negotiating EU accession. Findings of qualitative interviews and documentary analysis indicate that the mechanisms used to facilitate the accession process were not successful in achieving compliance with the education standards in the Community Acquis, as highlighted in the criteria on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications set out in Directive 2005/36/EC. EU accession capacity building and accession funds were not deployed efficiently to upgrade Romanian and Croatian nursing education towards meeting EU standards. Conflicting views on accession held by the various nursing stakeholders (nursing regulator, nursing union, governmental chief nurse and the professional association) inhibited the setting of a common policy agenda to achieve compliance with EU standards. The study findings suggest a need to critically review EU accession mechanisms and better align leadership at all governance levels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator EU2 Anomaly Investigation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lewandowski, Edward J.; Dobbs, Michael W.; Oriti, Salvatore M.

    2016-01-01

    The Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) Engineering Unit 2 (EU2) is the highest fidelity electrically-heated Stirling radioisotope generator built to date. NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) completed the assembly of the ASRG EU2 in September, 2014 using hardware from the now cancelled ASRG flight development project. The ASRG EU2 integrated the first pair of Sunpower's ASC-E3 Stirling convertors (ASC-E3 #1 and #2) in an aluminum generator housing with Lockheed Martin's Engineering Development Unit (EDU) 4 controller. After just 179 hours of EU2 generator operation, the first power fluctuation occurred on ASC-E3 #1. The first power fluctuation occurred 175 hours later on ASC-E3 #2. Over time, the power fluctuations became more frequent on both convertors and larger in magnitude. Eventually the EU2 was shut down in January, 2015. An anomaly investigation was chartered to determine root cause of the power fluctuations and other anomalous observations. A team with members from GRC, Sunpower, and Lockheed Martin conducted a thorough investigation of the EU2 anomalies. Findings from the EU2 disassembly identified proximate causes of the anomalous observations. Discussion of the team's assessment of the primary possible failure theories, root cause, and conclusions is provided. Recommendations are made for future Stirling generator development to address the findings from the anomaly investigation. Additional findings from the investigation are also discussed.

  2. The Enhanced Red Emission and Improved Thermal Stability of CaAlSiN3:Eu2+ Phosphors by Using Nano-EuB6 as Raw Material

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Wen-Quan; Wu, Dan; Chang, Hugejile; Duan, Ru-Xia; Wu, Wen-Jie; Amu, Guleng; Bao, Fu-Quan; Tegus, Ojiyed

    2018-01-01

    Synthesizing phosphors with high performance is still a necessary work for phosphor-converted white light-emitting diodes (W-LEDs). In this paper, three series of CaAlSiN3:Eu2+ (denoted as CASN:Eu2+) phosphors using Eu2O3, EuN and EuB6 as raw materials respectively are fabricated by under the alloy precursor normal pressure nitridation synthesis condition. We demonstrate that CASN:Eu2+ using nano-EuB6 as raw material shows higher emission intensity than others, which is ascribed to the increment of Eu2+ ionic content entering into the crystal lattice. An improved thermal stability can also be obtained by using nano-EuB6 due to the structurally stable status, which is assigned to the partial substitution of Eu–O (Eu–N) bonds by more covalent Eu–B ones that leads to a higher structural rigidity. In addition, the W-LEDs lamp was fabricated to explore its possible application in W-LEDs based on blue LEDs. Our results indicate that using EuB6 as raw materials can provide an effective way of enhancing the red emission and improving the thermal stability of the CASN:Eu2+ red phosphor. PMID:29370148

  3. Antiferromagnetic Interlayer Exchange Coupling in All-Semiconducting EuS/PbS/EuS Trilayers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smits, C. J. P.; Filip, A. T.; Swagten, H. J. M.; Koopmans, B.; deJonge, W. J. M.; Chernyshova, M.; Kowalczyk, L.; Grasza, K.; Szczerbakow, A.; Story, T.

    2003-01-01

    A comprehensive experimental study on the antiferromagnetic interlayer exchange coupling in high quality epitaxial all-semiconducting EuSPbSEuS trilayers is reported. The influence of substrates, the thickness of the non-magnetic PbS spacer layer, and of temperature, was investigated by means of SQUID magnetometry. In trilayers with a PbS thickness between 4 and 12 deg A the low temperature hysteresis loops showed the signature of antiferromagnetic coupling. The value of the interlayer exchange coupling energy was determined by simulating the data with a modified Stoner model, including Zeeman, anisotropy, and exchange coupling energies. An important observation was of a strong dependence of the interlayer exchange coupling energy on temperature, consistent with a power law dependence of the exchange coupling constant on the saturation magnetization of the EuS layers. While no theoretical description is readily available, we conjecture that the observed behavior is due to a dependence of the interlayer exchange coupling energy on the exchange splitting of the EuS conduction band.

  4. P-glycoprotein regulates blood–testis barrier dynamics via its effects on the occludin/zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1) protein complex mediated by focal adhesion kinase (FAK)

    PubMed Central

    Su, Linlin; Mruk, Dolores D.; Lui, Wing-Yee; Lee, Will M.; Cheng, C. Yan

    2011-01-01

    The blood–testis barrier (BTB), one of the tightest blood–tissue barriers in the mammalian body, creates an immune-privileged site for postmeiotic spermatid development to avoid the production of antibodies against spermatid-specific antigens, many of which express transiently during spermiogenesis and spermiation. However, the BTB undergoes extensive restructuring at stage VIII of the epithelial cycle to facilitate the transit of preleptotene spermatocytes and to prepare for meiosis. This action thus prompted us to investigate whether this stage can be a physiological window for the delivery of therapeutic and/or contraceptive drugs across the BTB to exert their effects at the immune-privileged site. Herein, we report findings that P-glycoprotein, an ATP-dependent efflux drug transporter and an integrated component of the occludin/zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1) adhesion complex at the BTB, structurally interacted with focal adhesion kinase (FAK), creating the occludin/ZO-1/FAK/P-glycoprotein regulatory complex. Interestingly, a knockdown of P-glycoprotein by RNAi was found to impede Sertoli cell BTB function, making the tight junction (TJ) barrier “leaky.” This effect was mediated by changes in the protein phosphorylation status of occludin via the action of FAK, thereby affecting the endocytic vesicle-mediated protein trafficking events that destabilized the TJ barrier. However, the silencing of P-glycoprotein, although capable of impeding drug transport across the BTB and TJ permeability barrier function, was not able to induce the BTB to be “freely” permeable to adjudin. These findings indicate that P-glycoprotein is involved in BTB restructuring during spermatogenesis but that P-glycoprotein–mediated restructuring does not “open up” the BTB to make it freely permeable to drugs. PMID:22106313

  5. Mössbauer effect of 151Eu in europium oxalate and fluorides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wynter, C. I.; Oliver, F. W.; Davis, Alfred; Spijkerman, J. J.; Stadelmaier, H.; Wolfe, E. A.

    1993-04-01

    In a short communication [C.I. Wynter et al., Radiochimica Acta 55 (1991) 111.] we reported "relative broadening factors" of europium fluoride (EuF 3), europium oxide (Eu 2O 3), europium oxalate decahydrate (Eu 2(C 2O 4) 3.10H 2O and europium benzoate tetrahydrate Eu(C 6H 5COO) 3.4H 2O. Indications of the "relative broadening factor" of the oxalate compared to the fluoride suggested that the oxalate may indeed be a better host for the 21.6-keV gamma ray transition than the fluoride. In a continuing search for a better host matrix for this Mössbauer transition, we have prepared additionally a systematic series of fluorides, namely. EuF 3, NaEuF 4, Na 3EuF 6, and K 3EuF 6 to measure the linewidths and compute the "true" broadening factor using the natural linewidth of 151Eu as 1.31 {mm}/{s}.

  6. Pressure-induced valence change and moderate heavy fermion state in Eu-compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Honda, Fuminori; Okauchi, Keigo; Sato, Yoshiki; Nakamura, Ai; Akamine, Hiromu; Ashitomi, Yosuke; Hedo, Masato; Nakama, Takao; Takeuchi, Tetsuya; Valenta, Jaroslav; Prchal, Jiri; Sechovský, Vladimir; Aoki, Dai; Ōnuki, Yoshichika

    2018-05-01

    A pressure-induced valence transition has attracted much attention in Eu-compounds. Among them, EuRh2Si2, EuNi2Ge2, and EuCo2Ge2 reveal the valence transition around 1, 2, and 3 GPa, respectively. We have succeeded in growing single crystals of EuT2X2 (T: transition metal, X: Si, Ge) and studied electronic properties under pressure. EuRh2Si2 indicates a first-order valence transition between 1 and 2 GPa, with a large and prominent hysteresis in the electrical resistivity. At higher pressures, the first-order valence transition changes to a cross-over regime with an intermediate valence state. Tuning of the valence state with pressure is reflected in a drastic change of the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity in EuRh2Si2 single crystals. Effect of pressure on the valence states on EuRh2Si2, EuIr2Si2, EuNi2Ge2, and EuCo2Ge2, as well as an isostructural related compound EuGa4, are reviewed.

  7. Immobilization of folic acid on Eu3+-doped nanoporous silica spheres.

    PubMed

    Tagaya, Motohiro; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Yoshioka, Tomohiko; Xu, Zhefeng; Tanaka, Junzo

    2011-08-07

    Folic acid (FA) was immobilized on Eu(3+)-doped nanoporous silica spheres (Eu:NPSs) through mediation of the 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane adlayer. The ordered nanopores of Eu:NPS were preserved by the immobilization. The FA-immobilized Eu:NPSs showed the characteristic photoluminescence peak due to interactions between the FA molecules and Eu(3+) ions, and highly dispersed stability in phosphate buffered saline.

  8. Preferential Eu Site Occupation and Its Consequences in the Ternary Luminescent Halides AB 2 I 5 : Eu 2 + ( A = Li – Cs ; B = Sr , Ba)

    DOE PAGES

    Fang, C.  M.; Biswas, Koushik

    2015-07-22

    Several rare-earth-doped, heavy-metal halides have recently been identified as potential next-generation luminescent materials with high efficiency at low cost. AB 2I 5:Eu 2+ (A=Li–Cs; B=Sr, Ba) is one such family of halides. Its members, such as CsBa 2I 5:Eu 2+ and KSr 2I 5:Eu 2+, are currently being investigated as high-performance scintillators with improved sensitivity, light yield, and energy resolution less than 3% at 662 keV. Within the AB 2I 5 family, our first-principles-based calculations reveal two remarkably different trends in Eu site occupation. The substitutional Eu ions occupy both eightfold-coordinated B1(VIII) and the sevenfold-coordinated B2(VII) sites in the Sr-containingmore » compounds. However, in the Ba-containing crystals, Eu ions strongly prefer the B2(VII)sites. This random versus preferential distribution of Eu affects their electronic properties. The calculations also suggest that in the Ba-containing compounds one can expect the formation of Eu-rich domains. These results provide atomistic insight into recent experimental observations about the concentration and temperature effects in Eu-doped CsBa 2I 5. We discuss the implications of our results with respect to luminescent properties and applications. We also hypothesize Sr, Ba-mixed quaternary iodides ABa VIIISr VIII 5:Eu as scintillators having enhanced homogeneity and electronic properties.« less

  9. Tunable Yellow-Red Photoluminescence and Persistent Afterglow in Phosphors Ca4LaO(BO3)3:Eu3+ and Ca4EuO(BO3)3.

    PubMed

    Chen, Zhen; Pan, Yuexiao; Xi, Luqing; Pang, Ran; Huang, Shaoming; Liu, Guokui

    2016-11-07

    In most Eu 3+ activated phosphors, only red luminescence from the 5 D 0 is obtainable, and efficiency is limited by concentration quenching. Herein we report a new phosphor of Ca 4 LaO(BO 3 ) 3 :Eu 3+ (CLBO:Eu) with advanced photoluminescence properties. The yellow luminescence emitted from the 5 D 1,2 states is not thermally quenched at room temperature. The relative intensities of the yellow and red emission bands depend strongly on the Eu 3+ doping concentration. More importantly, concentration quenching of Eu 3+ photoluminescence is absent in this phosphor, and the stoichiometric compound of Ca 4 EuO(BO 3 ) 3 emits stronger luminescence than the Eu 3+ doped compounds of CLBO:Eu; it is three times stronger than that of a commercial red phosphor of Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ . Another beneficial phenomenon is that ligand-to-metal charge transfer (CT) transitions occur in the long UV region with the lowest charge transfer band (CTB) stretched down to about 3.67 eV (∼330 nm). The CT transitions significantly enhance Eu 3+ excitation, and thus result in stronger photoluminescence and promote trapping of excitons for persistent afterglow emission. Along with structure characterization, optical spectra and luminescence dynamics measured under various conditions as a function of Eu 3+ doping, temperature, and excitation wavelength are analyzed for a fundamental understanding of electronic interactions and for potential applications.

  10. Accelerators for society: succession of European infrastructural projects: CARE, EuCARD, TIARA, EuCARD2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Romaniuk, Ryszard S.

    2013-10-01

    Accelerator science and technology is one of a key enablers of the developments in the particle physic, photon physics and also applications in medicine and industry. The paper presents a digest of the research results in the domain of accelerator science and technology in Europe, shown during the realization of CARE (Coordinated Accelerator R&D), EuCARD (European Coordination of Accelerator R&D) and during the national annual review meeting of the TIARA - Test Infrastructure of European Research Area in Accelerator R&D. The European projects on accelerator technology started in 2003 with CARE. TIARA is an European Collaboration of Accelerator Technology, which by running research projects, technical, networks and infrastructural has a duty to integrate the research and technical communities and infrastructures in the global scale of Europe. The Collaboration gathers all research centers with large accelerator infrastructures. Other ones, like universities, are affiliated as associate members. TIARA-PP (preparatory phase) is an European infrastructural project run by this Consortium and realized inside EU-FP7. The paper presents a general overview of CARE, EuCARD and especially TIARA activities, with an introduction containing a portrait of contemporary accelerator technology and a digest of its applications in modern society. CARE, EuCARD and TIARA activities integrated the European accelerator community in a very effective way. These projects are expected very much to be continued.

  11. Interactions between Eu{sup 3+} ions in inorganic-organic hybrid materials

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pelle, Fabienne, E-mail: fabienne-pelle@chimie-paristech.f; Aschehoug, Patrick; Surble, Suzy

    2010-04-15

    The optical properties of two-dimensional lanthanide dicarboxylates EuBDC or Eu{sub 2}(H{sub 2}O){sub 2}(O{sub 2}C-C{sub 6}H{sub 4}-CO{sub 2}){sub 3} and EuCDC (denoted also MIL94) or Eu{sub 2}(H{sub 2}O){sub 4}(O{sub 2}C-C{sub 6}H{sub 10}-CO{sub 2}){sub 3}.2H{sub 2}O are reported. The structures are built up from dimers of corner-sharing polyhedra and 1,3-benzenedicarboxylate (BDC) for EuBDC and from dimers of edge-sharing polyhedra and 1,3-benzenedicarboxylate (CDC) for EuCDC. The high Eu{sup 3+} concentration and the weak luminescence quenching allow the study of Eu{sup 3+} interactions. Anti-Stokes spectra from {sup 5}D{sub 1} are observed with excitation in {sup 5}D{sub 0}. These results are very unusual for Eu{supmore » 3+} ions and reflect strong interactions between ions within a dimer. Excitation spectrum of the Eu{sup 3+} luminescence strongly differs in both compounds in the UV range. In case of EuBDC, an efficient sensitization of the luminescence due to the ligand is observed between 250 and 350 nm while only 4f-4f transitions are recorded on the Eu{sup 3+} excitation spectrum in EuCDC. The efficiency of the sensitization of the rare earth by the host is discussed by taking into account the geometrical arrangement and the electronic delocalization of the ligands. - Graphical abstract: Excitation spectra monitoring the {sup 5}D{sub 0}->{sup 7}F{sub 2} transition with a dimer structure.« less

  12. The EU sustainable energy policy indicators framework.

    PubMed

    Streimikiene, Dalia; Sivickas, Gintautas

    2008-11-01

    The article deals with indicators framework to monitor implementation of the main EU (European Union) directives and other policy documents targeting sustainable energy development. The main EU directives which have impact on sustainable energy development are directives promoting energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources, directives implementing greenhouse gas mitigation and atmospheric pollution reduction policies and other policy documents and strategies targeting energy sector. Promotion of use of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency improvements are among priorities of EU energy policy because the use of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency improvements has positive impact on energy security and climate change mitigation. The framework of indicators can be developed to establish the main targets set by EU energy and environmental policies allowing to connect indicators via chain of mutual impacts and to define policies and measures necessary to achieve established targets based on assessment of their impact on the targeted indicators representing sustainable energy development aims. The article discusses the application of indicators framework for EU sustainable energy policy analysis and presents the case study of this policy tool application for Baltic States. The article also discusses the use of biomass in Baltic States and future considerations in this field.

  13. Integration of the ferromagnetic insulator EuO onto graphene.

    PubMed

    Swartz, Adrian G; Odenthal, Patrick M; Hao, Yufeng; Ruoff, Rodney S; Kawakami, Roland K

    2012-11-27

    We have demonstrated the deposition of EuO films on graphene by reactive molecular beam epitaxy in a special adsorption-controlled and oxygen-limited regime, which is a critical advance toward the realization of the exchange proximity interaction (EPI). It has been predicted that when the ferromagnetic insulator (FMI) EuO is brought into contact with graphene, an overlap of electronic wave functions at the FMI/graphene interface can induce a large spin splitting inside the graphene. Experimental realization of this effect could lead to new routes for spin manipulation, which is a necessary requirement for a functional spin transistor. Furthermore, EPI could lead to novel spintronic behavior such as controllable magnetoresistance, gate tunable exchange bias, and quantized anomalous Hall effect. However, experimentally, EuO has not yet been integrated onto graphene. Here we report the successful growth of high-quality crystalline EuO on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite and single-layer graphene. The epitaxial EuO layers have (001) orientation and do not induce an observable D peak (defect) in the Raman spectra. Magneto-optic measurements indicate ferromagnetism with a Curie temperature of 69 K, which is the value for bulk EuO. Transport measurements on exfoliated graphene before and after EuO deposition indicate only a slight decrease in mobility.

  14. Controllable site occupation of Eu in intricate superstructure of perovskite Sr3Al2O6: Eu, Dy, Li to produce red luminescence

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Mei; Tian, Yunfei; Chen, Jie; Fei, Mi; He, Liangrui; Chen, Lei; Peng, Fang; Zhang, Qingli; Chan, Ting-Shan

    An oxide red phosphor, with outstanding superiority in manufacturing cost, is particular desired for white light-emitting diodes (LEDs). In this work, a strategy to controllable site occupation of Eu in Sr3Al2O6 to give red light emission was employed with a three-step route: the combustion of sol-gel to prepare superfine precursor, the solid-sate reaction of precursor to incorporate Eu into small voids, and a second reduction in 25%H2+75%N2 atmosphere. Accordingly, a new red phosphor of Sr3Al2O6:Eu,Dy,Li was developed. The results shows the red luminescence of Sr3Al2O6:Eu could be improved by doping Dy3+ and be further improved by co-doping Li+. The red luminescence involves the 4f-5d transition of Eu2+ and the auto-ionization of electron from Eu2+ to conduction band. Dy3+ acts as a trap center of the thermally released electrons then with electrons returned to the 4f ground state of Eu2+, red light was emitted. The co-substitution of Sr2+-Sr2+ by Dy3+-Li+ is helpful to balance defects and improve crystallization.

  15. Luminescent Properties of Eu(III) Chelates on Metal Nanorods

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Jian; Fu, Yi; Ray, Krishanu; Wang, Yuan; Lakowicz, Joseph. R.

    2013-01-01

    In this article, we report the change of optical properties for europium chelates on silver nanorods by near-field interactions. The silver rods were fabricated in a seed-growth method followed by depositing thin layers of silica on the surfaces. The europium chelates were physically absorbed in the silica layers on the silver rods. The silver rods were observed to exhibit two plasmon absorption bands from longitudinal and transverse directions, respectively, centered at 394 and 675 nm, close to absorption and emission bands from the Eu(III) chelates. As a result, the immobilized Eu(III) chelates on the silver rods should have strong interactions with the silver nanorods and lead to greatly improved optical properties. The Eu–Ag rod complexes were observed to have enhanced emission intensity up to 240-fold in comparison with the Eu(III) chelates in the metal-free silica templates. This enhancement is much larger than the value for the Eu(III) chelates on the gold rods or silver spheres indicating the presence of stronger interactions for the Eu(III) chelates with the silver rods. The interactions of Eu(III) chelates with the silver rods were also proven by extremely reduced lifetime. Moreover, the Eu–Ag rod complexes exhibited a polarized emission, which was also due to strong interactions of the Eu(III) chelates with the silver rods. All of these features may promise that the Eu(III)–Ag rod complexes have great potential for use as fluorescence imaging agents in biological assays. PMID:24363816

  16. Monitoring of hydroxyapatite conversion by luminescence intensity of Eu3+ ions during mineralization of Eu3+-doped β-Ca2SiO4

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Yin; Chen, Jie; Li, Yadong; Seo, Hyo Jin

    2014-11-01

    β-Dicalcium silicate (β-Ca2SiO4) doped with Eu3+ was synthesized by sol-gel method. The luminescence intensity of the mineralization products formed during the hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, HA) conversion of Eu3+-doped β-Ca2SiO4, in 0.25 M K2HPO4 solution, were detected using luminescence spectroscopy. The results indicated that the luminescence intensity of Eu3+ ion gradually depressed with prolonged mineralization time, and it could hardly be detected with the complete transformation from β-Ca2SiO4:Eu3+ to hydroxyapatite. The change of Eu3+ ionic concentrations in the mineralization products and the final solutions after conversion reaction, were further examined using energy-dispersive X-ray and inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry, respectively. This suggested that the process of mineralization can be monitored with the luminescence intensity of Eu3+ ions in the mineralization products. The current study will open up a new and simple in vivo avenue for in situ monitoring hydroxyapatite conversion with a fiber luminescence spectrometer.

  17. Technology and optical characterization of luminophore coordination compounds Eu(o-MBA)3Phen and NC PEPC/Eu(o-MBA)3Phen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bordian, Olga; Verlan, Victor; Culeac, Ion; Iovu, Mihail; Zubareva, Vera

    2016-12-01

    Were obtained a new nanocomposite (NC) based on poly N-epoxy prolyl carbazol (PEPC) and the coordination compound luminophore Eu(o-MBA)3Phen, where o-MBA is o- methylbenzoic acid and Phen - phenanthroline. Nanocrystals of Eu(o-MBA)3Phen with the dimensions 50 nm were uniformly incorporated into the PEPC polymer matrix with various concentrations. The absorption spectra of coordination compounds and thin layers of NC PEPC/Eu(o-MBA)3Phen revealed 1 intensive absorption bands at 2.02 eV. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra showed an intense red luminescence at 578 - 699 nm, which is assigned to the transitions 4D0->7Fi (i= 0,1,2 3 4) in the 4f-shell of the Eu3+ ion.

  18. Magnetic Studies on Eu3MO7 (M = Nb, Ta, Ir) with Fluorite-related Structure by 151Eu Mössbauer Spectroscopy and Magnetic Susceptibility Measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hinatsu, Yukio; Doi, Yoshihiro; Wakeshima, Makoto

    2018-06-01

    Magnetic properties of europium-containing compounds Eu3MO7 (M = Nb, Ta, Ir) with fluorite-related structure have been investigated. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show that all these compounds are paramagnetic and have no magnetic ordering down to 1.8 K. At very low temperatures (T<50 K), the susceptibilities of each compound attain constant values, which is characteristic of the ground state for Eu3+ ions. The results of 151Eu Mössbauer spectroscopic measurements show that the asymmetric parameter for Eu(2) in seven-coordination is much larger than that for Eu(1) in cubic environment, which in accordance with the crystallographic result.

  19. Comparing motor-vehicle crash risk of EU and US vehicles.

    PubMed

    Flannagan, Carol A C; Bálint, András; Klinich, Kathleen D; Sander, Ulrich; Manary, Miriam A; Cuny, Sophie; McCarthy, Michael; Phan, Vuthy; Wallbank, Caroline; Green, Paul E; Sui, Bo; Forsman, Åsa; Fagerlind, Helen

    2018-08-01

    This study examined the hypotheses that passenger vehicles meeting European Union (EU) safety standards have similar crashworthiness to United States (US) -regulated vehicles in the US driving environment, and vice versa. The first step involved identifying appropriate databases of US and EU crashes that include in-depth crash information, such as estimation of crash severity using Delta-V and injury outcome based on medical records. The next step was to harmonize variable definitions and sampling criteria so that the EU data could be combined and compared to the US data using the same or equivalent parameters. Logistic regression models of the risk of a Maximum injury according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale of 3 or greater, or fatality (MAIS3+F) in EU-regulated and US-regulated vehicles were constructed. The injury risk predictions of the EU model and the US model were each applied to both the US and EU standard crash populations. Frontal, near-side, and far-side crashes were analyzed together (termed "front/side crashes") and a separate model was developed for rollover crashes. For the front/side model applied to the US standard population, the mean estimated risk for the US-vehicle model is 0.035 (sd = 0.012), and the mean estimated risk for the EU-vehicle model is 0.023 (sd = 0.016). When applied to the EU front/side population, the US model predicted a 0.065 risk (sd = 0.027), and the EU model predicted a 0.052 risk (sd = 0.025). For the rollover model applied to the US standard population, the US model predicted a risk of 0.071 (sd = 0.024), and the EU model predicted 0.128 risk (sd = 0.057). When applied to the EU rollover standard population, the US model predicted a 0.067 risk (sd = 0.024), and the EU model predicted 0.103 risk (sd = 0.040). The results based on these methods indicate that EU vehicles most likely have a lower risk of MAIS3+F injury in front/side impacts, while US vehicles most likely have a lower risk of

  20. EuCliD--a medical registry.

    PubMed

    Steil, H; Amato, C; Carioni, C; Kirchgessner, J; Marcelli, D; Mitteregger, A; Moscardo, V; Orlandini, G; Gatti, E

    2004-01-01

    The European Clinical Database EuCliD small star, filled has been developed as a tool for supervising selected quality indicators of about 200 European dialysis centers. Major efforts had to be made to comply with local and European laws regarding data security. EuCliD is a Lotus Notes based flat-file database currently containing medical data of more than 14,000 dialysis patients from 10 European countries. Another 15,000 patients from 150 centers in 4 South-American countries will be added soon. Data are entered either manually or by means of interfaces to existing local data managing systems. This information is transferred to a central Lotus Notes Server. Data evaluation was performed with statistical tools like SPSS. EuCliD is used as a part of the CQI (Continuous Quality Improvement) management system of Fresenius Medical Care (FMC) dialysis units. Each participating dialysis center receives (currently every half year) benchmarking reports at a regular interval. The benchmark for all quality parameters is the weighted mean of the corresponding data of all centers. An obvious impact of data sampling and data evaluation on the quality of the treatments could be observed within the first one and a half years of working with EuCliD. This also concerns important outcome predictors like Kt/V and hemoglobin concentration as the outcome itself expressed in hospitalization days and survival rates. With the help of EuCliD the user is able to sample clinical data, identify problems, search for solutions with the aim of improving the dialysis treatment quality and guarantee a high-class treatment quality for all patients.

  1. Eu2+ -induced enhancement of defect luminescence of ZnS.

    PubMed

    Xiao-Bo, Zhang; Fu-Xiang, Wei

    2016-12-01

    The Eu 2 + -induced enhancement of defect luminescence of ZnS was studied in this work. While photoluminescence (PL) spectra exhibited 460 nm and 520 nm emissions in both ZnS and ZnS:Eu nanophosphors, different excitation characteristics were shown in their photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectra. In ZnS nanophosphors, there was no excitation signal in the PLE spectra at the excitation wavelength λ ex  > 337 nm (the bandgap energy 3.68 eV of ZnS); while in ZnS:Eu nanophosphors, two excitation bands appeared that were centered at 365 nm and 410 nm. Compared with ZnS nanophosphors, the 520 nm emission in the PL spectra was relatively enhanced in ZnS:Eu nanophosphors and, furthermore, in ZnS:Eu nanophosphors the 460 nm and 520 nm emissions increased more than 10 times in intensity. The reasons for these differences were analyzed. It is believed that the absorption of Eu 2 + intra-ion transition and subsequent energy transfer to sulfur vacancy, led to the relative enhancement of the 520 nm emission in ZnS:Eu nanophosphors. In addition, more importantly, Eu 2 + acceptor-bound excitons are formed in ZnS:Eu nanophosphors and their excited levels serve as the intermediate state of electronic relaxation, which decreases non-radiative electronic relaxation and thus increases the intensity of the 460 nm and 520 nm emission dramatically. In summary, the results in this work indicate a new mechanism for the enhancement of defect luminescence of ZnS in Eu 2 + -doped ZnS nanophosphors. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. NO-assisted molecular-beam epitaxial growth of nitrogen substituted EuO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wicks, R.; Altendorf, S. G.; Caspers, C.; Kierspel, H.; Sutarto, R.; Tjeng, L. H.; Damascelli, A.

    2012-04-01

    We have investigated a method for substituting oxygen with nitrogen in EuO thin films, which is based on molecular beam epitaxy distillation with NO gas as the oxidizer. By varying the NO gas pressure, we produce crystalline, epitaxial EuO1 -xNx films with good control over the films' nitrogen concentration. In situ x-ray photoemission spectroscopy reveals that nitrogen substitution is connected to the formation Eu3+4f6 and a corresponding decrease in the number of Eu2+4f7, indicating that nitrogen is being incorporated in its 3- oxidation state. While small amounts of Eu3+ in over-oxidized Eu1-δO thin films lead to a drastic suppression of the ferromagnetism, the formation of Eu3+ in EuO1-xNx still allows the ferromagnetic phase to exist with an unaffected Tc, thus providing an ideal model system to study the interplay between the magnetic f7 (J = 7/2) and the non-magnetic f6 (J = 0) states close to the Fermi level.

  3. India-EU relations in health services: prospects and challenges

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background India and the EU are currently negotiating a Trade and Investment Agreement which also covers services. This paper examines the opportunities for and constraints to India-EU relations in health services in the context of this agreement, focusing on the EU as a market for India's health services exports and collaboration. The paper provides an overview of key features of health services in the EU and India and their bearing on bilateral relations in this sector. Methods Twenty six semi-structured, in-person, and telephonic interviews were conducted in 2007-2008 in four Indian cities. The respondents included management and practitioners in a variety of healthcare establishments, health sector representatives in Indian industry associations, health sector officials in the Indian government, and official representatives of selected EU countries and the European Commission based in New Delhi. Secondary sources were used to supplement and corroborate these findings. Results The interviews revealed that India-EU relations in health services are currently very limited. However, several opportunity segments exist, namely: (i) Telemedicine; (ii) Clinical trials and research in India for EU-based pharmaceutical companies; (iii) Medical transcriptions and back office support; (iv) Medical value travel; and (v) Collaborative ventures in medical education, research, training, staff deployment, and product development. However, various factors constrain India's exports to the EU. These include data protection regulations; recognition requirements; insurance portability restrictions; discriminatory conditions; and cultural, social, and perception-related barriers. The interviews also revealed several constraints in the Indian health care sector, including disparity in domestic standards and training, absence of clear guidelines and procedures, and inadequate infrastructure. Conclusions The paper concludes that although there are several promising areas for India-EU

  4. Ternary complex formation of Eu(III) with o-phthalate in aqueous solutions.

    PubMed

    Park, K K; Jung, E C; Cho, H-R; Kim, W H

    2009-08-15

    Ternary hydroxo complex formation of Eu(III) with o-phthalate was investigated by potentiometry and fluorescence spectrophotometry. Curves of the equilibrium pH versus the amount of NaOH added showed that the pH value starting to form a Eu(III) precipitate was decreased due to the formation of a ternary hydroxo complex, EuOHL(s) (L = phthalate). The formation of EuOHL(s) was qualitatively confirmed by the enhancement of the fluorescence intensity of Eu(III) in the precipitate with the light absorbed by phthalate, and was quantitatively confirmed by the measurement of the amounts of Eu(III), OH(-) and phthalate included in the precipitate. The solubility product of EuOHL(s) was determined as pK(sp)(0) = 15.6+/-0.4. Characteristic features in the fluorescence spectra and the solubility product of the Eu(III)-phthalate complex were compared with those of the Eu(III)-PDA (PDA = pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate) complex. The fluorescence intensity of the EuL(+) complex of L = PDA was about 11 times stronger than that of L = phthalate. The origin of the difference in the fluorescence intensity is discussed based on the intramolecular energy transfer effect from the lowest triplet energy level of the ligand to the resonance energy level of Eu(III).

  5. Luminomagnetic Eu3+- and Dy3+-doped hydroxyapatite for multimodal imaging.

    PubMed

    Tesch, Annemarie; Wenisch, Christoph; Herrmann, Karl-Heinz; Reichenbach, Jürgen R; Warncke, Paul; Fischer, Dagmar; Müller, Frank A

    2017-12-01

    Multimodal imaging has recently attracted much attention due to the advantageous combination of different imaging modalities, like photoluminescence (PL) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In the present study, luminescent and magnetic hydroxyapatites (HAp) were prepared via doping with europium (Eu 3+ ) and dysprosium (Dy 3+ ), respectively. Co-doping of Eu 3+ and Dy 3+ was used to combine the desired physical properties. Both lanthanide ions were successfully incorporated in the HAp crystal lattice, where they preferentially occupied calcium(I) sites. While Eu-doped HAp (Eu:HAp) exhibits dopant concentration dependent persistent PL properties, Dy-doped HAp (Dy:HAp) shows paramagnetic behavior due to the high magnetic moment of Dy 3+ . Co-doped HAp (Eu:Dy:HAp) nanoparticles combine both properties in one single crystal. Remarkably, multimodal co-doped HAp features enhanced PL properties due to an energy transfer from Dy 3+ sensitizer to Eu 3+ activator ions. Eu:Dy:HAp exhibits strong transverse relaxation effects with a maximum transverse relaxivity of 83.3L/(mmol·s). Due to their tunable PL, magnetic properties and cytocompatibility Eu:-, Dy:- and Eu:Dy:HAp represent promising biocompatible ceramic materials for luminescence imaging that simultaneously may serve as a contrast agent for MRI in permanent implants or functional coatings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. The effect of Eu{sup 2+} doping concentration on luminescence properties of Sr{sub 3}B{sub 2}O{sub 6}:Eu{sup 2+} yellow phosphor

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Song, Yue; Liu, Quansheng, E-mail: liuqs@cust.edu.cn; School of Physics, JiLin University, No. 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012

    2013-10-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The concentration quenching mechanism of Sr{sub 3}B{sub 2}O{sub 6}:Eu{sup 2+}can be interpreted by the dipole–dipole (d–d) interaction of Eu{sup 2+} ions. • The average electronegativity of O{sup 2−} ions located around Eu{sup 2+} ion is 1.9991 eV. • The optimum concentration of Eu{sup 2+} ions in Sr{sub 3}B{sub 2}O{sub 6} is 7 mol%. • Sr{sub 3}B{sub 2}O{sub 6}:Eu{sup 2+} is a hexagonal crystal structure. - Abstract: The Sr{sub 3}B{sub 2}O{sub 6}:Eu{sup 2+} yellow phosphors were synthesized by high-temperature solid state reaction method. The crystal structure and optical properties of the Sr{sub 3}B{sub 2}O{sub 6}:Eu{sup 2+}more » phosphor was studied. Results indicate that Sr{sub 3}B{sub 2}O{sub 6}:Eu{sup 2+} has a hexagonal crystal structure. The excitation spectrum indicates that this phosphor can be effectively excited by ultraviolet light of near 390 nm and blue light of 460 nm. The emission spectrum shows a intense broad band spectrum peaking at 566 nm, which corresponds to the 4f{sup 6}({sup 7}F)5d ({sup 2}e{sub g})→{sup 8}S{sub 7/2} (4f{sup 7})transition of Eu{sup 2+} ion. The excitation spectrum is a broad asymmetric excitation band extending from 300 nm to 500 nm and the main excitation peak is at 468 nm. The average electronegativity of O{sup 2−} ions located around Eu{sup 2+} ion is 1.9991 eV. The optimum concentration of Eu{sup 2+} is 7 mol%. The concentration quenching mechanism can be interpreted by the dipole–dipole (d–d) interaction of Eu{sup 2+} ions.« less

  7. Eu(III) complexes as Anion-responsive Luminescent Sensors and PARACEST Agents

    PubMed Central

    Hammell, Jacob; Buttarazzi, Leandro; Huang, Ching-Hui; Morrow, Janet R.

    2011-01-01

    The Eu(III) complex of (1S,4S,7S,10S)-1,4,7,10-tetrakis(2-hydroxypropyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (S-THP) is studied as a sensor for biologically relevant anions. Anion interactions produce changes in the luminescence emission spectrum of the Eu(III) complex, in the 1H NMR spectrum, and correspondingly, in the PARACEST spectrum of the complex (PARACEST = paramagnetic chemical exchange saturation transfer). Direct excitation spectroscopy and luminescence lifetime studies of Eu(S-THP) give information about the speciation and nature of anion interactions including carbonate, acetate, lactate, citrate, phosphate and methylphosphate at pH 7.2. Data is consistent with the formation of both innersphere and outersphere complexes of Eu(S-THP) with acetate, lactate and carbonate. These anions have weak dissociation constants that range from 19–38 mM. Citrate binding to Eu(S-THP) is predominantly innersphere with a dissociation constant of 17 μM. Luminescence emission peak changes upon addition of anion to Eu(S-THP) show that there are two distinct binding events for phosphate and methylphosphate with dissociation constants of 0.3 mM and 3.0 mM for phosphate and 0.6 mM and 9.8 mM for methyl phosphate. Eu(THPC) contains an appended carbostyril derivative as an antenna to sensitize Eu(III) luminescence. Eu(THPC) binds phosphate and citrate with dissociation constants that are 10-fold less than that of the Eu(S-THP) parent, suggesting that functionalization through a pendent group disrupts the anion binding site. Eu(S-THP) functions as an anion responsive PARACEST agent through exchange of the alcohol protons with bulk water. The alcohol proton resonances of Eu(S-THP) shift downfield in the presence of acetate, lactate, citrate and methylphosphate, giving rise to distinct PARACEST peaks. In contrast, phosphate binds to Eu(S-THP) to suppress the PARACEST alcohol OH peak and carbonate does not markedly change the alcohol peak at 5 mM Eu(S-THP), 15 mM carbonate at pH 6

  8. Blue emission of Eu 2+-doped translucent alumina

    DOE PAGES

    Yang, Yan; Zhang, Lihua; Kisslinger, Kim; ...

    2015-08-21

    Inorganic scintillators are very important in medical and industrial measuring systems in the detection and measurement of ionizing radiation. In addition to Ce 3+, a widely used dopant ion in oxide scintillators, divalent Europium (Eu 2+) has shown promise as a high-luminescence, fast-response luminescence center useful in the detection of ionizing radiation. In this research, aluminum oxide (Al 2O 3) was studied as a host material for the divalent europium ion. Polycrystalline samples of Eu 2+-doped translucent Al 2O 3 were fabricated, and room temperature luminescence behavior was observed. Al 2O 3 ceramics doped with 0.1 at% Eu 2+ weremore » fabricated with a relative density of 99.75% theoretical density and in-line transmittance of 22% at a wavelength of 800 nm. The ceramics were processed by a gel-casting method, followed by sintering under high vacuum. The gelling agent, a copolymer of isobutylene and maleic anhydride, is marketed under the commercial name ISOBAM, and has the advantage of simultaneously acting as both a gelling agent and as a dispersant. The microstructure and composition of the vacuum-sintered Eu 2+:Al 2O 3 were characterized by Scanning Electric Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The phase composition was determined by X-ray diffraction measurements (XRD) combined with Rietveld analysis. The photoluminescence behavior of the Eu 2+:Al 2O 3 was characterized using UV light as the excitation source, which emitted blue emission at 440 nm. The radio-luminescence of Eu 2+:Al 2O 3 was investigated by illumination with X-ray radiation, showing three emission bands at 376 nm, 575 nm and 698 nm. Furthermore, multiple level traps at different depths were detected in the Eu 2+:Al 2O 3 by employing thermoluminescence measurements.« less

  9. Bright Eu2+-activated polycrystalline ceramic neutron scintillators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, C. L.; Paranthaman, M. P.; Riedel, R. A.; Hodges, J. P.; Karlic, J. J.; Veatch, R. A.; Li, L.; Bridges, C. A.

    2018-03-01

    Scintillation properties of Eu2+-doped CaF2-AlF3-6LiF (Eu:CALF) polycrystalline ceramic thermal-neutron scintillators as a function of AlF3 concentration have been studied. The emission band peaked at a wavelength of 425-431 nm is due to the presence of Eu:CaF2 micro-crystallites. The highest light output from these samples is approximately 20,000 photons per thermal neutron, which is 3 times that of a GS20 6Li-glass scintillator. The pulse-decay lifetime and light output vs. AlF3 concentration may be understood using a radiation trapping model and the formation of a Li3AlF6 phase. At lower AlF3 concentration, Al3+ ions in Eu:CaF2 passivate the hole-trapping defects and enhance the light output; whereas at higher AlF3 concentration, Al3+ ions lead to the formation of electron trapping centers in Eu:CaF2 and the Li3AlF6 phase is formed, which reduces the light output. A neutron-gamma-discrimination (NGD) ratio of 9 × 108 was obtained from Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of digital waveforms, while Fisher Linear Discriminant Analysis (FLDA) can completely separate the thermal neutrons from 60Co gamma rays within the limit of gamma event statistics used in this work. Our results suggest that Eu:CALF scintillators can potentially replace the GS20 scintillator used for thermal and cold neutron detection systems.

  10. Photoluminescence and thermoluminescence properties of Eu2+ doped and Eu2+ ,Dy3+ co-doped Ba2 MgSi2 O7 phosphors.

    PubMed

    Sao, Sanjay Kumar; Brahme, Nameeta; Bisen, D P; Tiwari, Geetanjali

    2016-11-01

    In this work, we report the preparation, characterization, comparison and luminescence mechanisms of Eu 2 + -doped and Eu 2 + ,Dy 3 + -co-doped Ba 2 MgSi 2 O 7 (BMSO) phosphors. Prepared phosphors were synthesized via a high temperature solid-state reaction method. All prepared phosphors appeared white. The phase structure, particle size, and elemental analysis were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The luminescence properties of the phosphors were investigated by thermoluminescence (TL) and photoluminescence (PL). The PL excitation and emission spectra of Ba 2 MgSi 2 O 7 :Eu 2 + showed the peak to be around 381 nm and 490 nm respectively. The PL excitation spectrum of Ba 2 MgSi 2 O 7 :Eu 2 + Dy 3 + showed the peak to be around 341 nm and 388 nm, and the emission spectrum had a broad band around 488 nm. These emissions originated from the 4f 6 5d 1 to 4f 7 transition of Eu 2 + . TL analysis revealed that the maximum TL intensity was found at 5 mol% of Eu 2 + doping in Ba 2 MgSi 2 O 7 phosphors after 15 min of ultraviolet (UV) light exposure. TL intensity was increased when Dy 3 + ions were co-doped in Ba 2 MgSi 2 O 7 :Eu 2 + and maximum TL intensity was observed for 2 mol% of Dy 3 + . TL emission spectra of Ba 1.95 MgSi 2 O 7 :0.05Eu 2 + and Ba 1.93 MgSi 2 O 7 :0.05Eu 2 + ,0.02Dy 3 + phosphors were found at 500 nm. TL intensity increased with UV exposure time up to 15 min, then decreased for the higher UV radiation dose for both Eu doping and Eu,Dy co-doping. The trap depths were calculated to be 0.54 eV for Ba 1.95 MgSi 2 O 7 :0.05Eu 2 + and 0.54 eV and 0.75 eV for Ba 1.93 MgSi 2 O 7 :0.05Eu 2 + ,0.02Dy 3 + phosphors. It was observed that co-doping with small amounts of Dy 3 + enhanced the thermoluminescence properties of Ba 2 MgSi 2 O 7 phosphor. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [Correction added on 5 April 2016, after first online publication: The

  11. Red Luminescent Eu(III) Coordination Bricks Excited on Blue LED Chip.

    PubMed

    Koizuka, Toru; Yanagisawa, Kei; Hirai, Yuichi; Kitagawa, Yuichi; Nakanishi, Takayuki; Fushimi, Koji; Hasegawa, Yasuchika

    2018-06-18

    Three types of red luminescent Eu(III) complexes with Schiff base and hfa ligands (hfa: hexafluoroacetylacetonate), mononuclear [Eu(hfa) 2 (OAc)(salen) 2 ] (OAc: acetate anion, salen: N,N'-bis(salicylidene)ethylenediamine), brick-type [Eu 2 (hfa) 4 (OAc) 2 (salbn) 2 ] (salbn: N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-1,4-butanediamine), and polynuclear [Eu(hfa) 2 (OAc)(salhen)] n (salhen: N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-1,6-hexanediamine) are reported for white light-emitting diode (LED) devices. Among these complexes, brick-type [Eu 2 (hfa) 4 (OAc) 2 (salbn) 2 ] excited by blue light (460 nm) exhibits the photosensitized quantum yield (Φ π-π* = 47%) and remarkably high efficiency of sensitization (η sens = 96%). The efficiency of sensitization is caused by the excited state based on ligand-ligand interaction between the Schiff base and hfa ligands in Eu(III) complexes. To fabricate LED devices, the red luminescent [Eu 2 (hfa) 4 (OAc) 2 (salbn) 2 ] was mounted on an InGaN blue LED chip.

  12. Dy:Eu doped CaBAl glasses for white light applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lodi, T. A.; Sandrini, M.; Medina, A. N.; Barboza, M. J.; Pedrochi, F.; Steimacher, A.

    2018-02-01

    The combination of Eu3+ and Dy3+ in co-doped glassy materials provides interesting applicability for white light emission devices. In this work, Dy:Eu doped Calcium Boroaluminate (CaBAl) glasses were prepared by conventional melting quenching, with 3 wt% of Dy2O3 and Eu2O3 content varying from 0 to 3 wt%, and results of absorption spectra, photoluminescence and photoluminescence lifetime are discussed in terms of Eu2O3 content. The photoluminescence of the samples was studied under excitation of 365 and 405 nm light source. The 365 nm excitation shows favor to the Dy3+ ion emission. The results of photoluminescence lifetime at 575 nm (Dy3+) shows a decrease due to Eu2O3 addition, which suggests an energy transfer from Dy3+ (donor) to the Eu3+ (acceptor). On the other hand, under excitation of 405 nm, the photoluminescence lifetime at 575 nm (Dy3+) shows no significant changes due to Eu2O3 amount, which indicates that the energy transfer from Dy3+ to Eu3+ (under λexc = 405 nm) is negligible. However, the results of photoluminescence under 405 nm excitation present a white yellowish emission in the CIE diagram, which shifts to red with Eu2O3 addition. The combination of a Blue LED (BL) emission with the emission of the samples was also studied in the CIE diagram, in order to improve light emission and to obtain ideal White Light (WL). The results show that by modifying the emission intensity of BL, it is possible to achieve a route for smart lighting, close to the circadian light cycle.

  13. Effect of structural evolution of ZnO/HfO2 nanocrystals on Eu2+/Eu3+ emission in glass-ceramic waveguides for photonic applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghosh, Subhabrata; N, Shivakiran Bhaktha B.

    2018-06-01

    Eu-doped 70SiO2–23HfO2–7ZnO (mol%) glass-ceramic waveguides have been fabricated by sol-gel method as a function of heat-treatment temperatures for on-chip blue-light emitting source applications. Structural evolution of spherical ZnO and spherical as well as rod-like HfO2 nanocrystalline structures have been observed with heat-treatments at different temperatures. Initially, in the as-prepared samples at 900 ◦C, both, Eu2+ as well as Eu3+ ions are found to be present in the ternary matrix. With controlled heat-treatments of up to 1000 ◦C for 2 h, local environment of Eu-ions become more crystalline in nature and the reduction of Eu3+ to Eu2+ takes place in such ZnO/HfO2 crystalline environments. In these ternary glass-ceramic waveguides, heat-treated at higher temperatures, the blue-light emission characteristic, which is the signature of 4f 65d \\to 4f 7 energy level transition of Eu2+ ions is found to be greatly enhanced. The as-prepared glass-ceramic waveguides exhibit a propagation loss of 0.4 ± 0.2 dB cm‑1 at 632.8 nm. Though the propagation losses increase with the growth of nanocrystals, the added functionalities achieved in the optimally heat-treated Eu-doped 70SiO2–23HfO2–7ZnO (mol%) waveguides, make them a viable functional optical material for the fabrication of on-chip blue-light emitting sources for integrated optic applications.

  14. Effect of structural evolution of ZnO/HfO2 nanocrystals on Eu2+/Eu3+ emission in glass-ceramic waveguides for photonic applications.

    PubMed

    Ghosh, Subhabrata; Bhaktha B N, Shivakiran

    2018-06-01

    Eu-doped 70SiO 2 -23HfO 2 -7ZnO (mol%) glass-ceramic waveguides have been fabricated by sol-gel method as a function of heat-treatment temperatures for on-chip blue-light emitting source applications. Structural evolution of spherical ZnO and spherical as well as rod-like HfO 2 nanocrystalline structures have been observed with heat-treatments at different temperatures. Initially, in the as-prepared samples at 900 ◦ C, both, Eu 2+ as well as Eu 3+ ions are found to be present in the ternary matrix. With controlled heat-treatments of up to 1000 ◦ C for 2 h, local environment of Eu-ions become more crystalline in nature and the reduction of Eu 3+ to Eu 2+ takes place in such ZnO/HfO 2 crystalline environments. In these ternary glass-ceramic waveguides, heat-treated at higher temperatures, the blue-light emission characteristic, which is the signature of 4f 6 5d [Formula: see text] 4f 7 energy level transition of Eu 2+ ions is found to be greatly enhanced. The as-prepared glass-ceramic waveguides exhibit a propagation loss of 0.4 ± 0.2 dB cm -1 at 632.8 nm. Though the propagation losses increase with the growth of nanocrystals, the added functionalities achieved in the optimally heat-treated Eu-doped 70SiO 2 -23HfO 2 -7ZnO (mol%) waveguides, make them a viable functional optical material for the fabrication of on-chip blue-light emitting sources for integrated optic applications.

  15. Defects Induced Enhancement of Eu3+ Emission in Yttria ( Y2O3:Eu3+)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jagannathan, R.; Kutty, T.; Kottaisamy, M.; Jeyagopal, P.

    1994-11-01

    Bixbyite type Y2O3:Eu3+ apart from being the efficient red phosphor extensively used in trichromatic fluorescent lamps, it is a typical system one can apply Jørgensen's refined electron spin pairing theory. This can be used to explain the enhancement in Eu3+ emission intensity observed with the aliovalent substitution in the yttria host matrix. Results based on these are explained qualitatively by considering a simple configurational coordinate model. Futhermore, an insight into the different types of defects induced with the aliovalent substitution in the yttria lattice has become possible with EPR probe.

  16. Exploring growth conditions and Eu2+ concentration effects for KSr2I5:Eu scintillator crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stand, L.; Zhuravleva, M.; Camarda, G.; Lindsey, A.; Johnson, J.; Hobbs, C.; Melcher, C. L.

    2016-04-01

    Our current research is focused on understanding dopant optimization, growth rate, homogeneity and their impact on the overall performance of KSr2I5:Eu2+ single crystal scintillators. In this work we have investigated the effects of Eu2+ concentration in the potassium strontium iodide matrix, and we found that the concentration needed to maximize the light yield was 4 mol%. In order to assess the effects of the pulling rate, we grew single crystals at 12, 24 and 120 mm/day via the vertical Bridgman technique. For the sample sizes measured (5×5×5 mm3), we found that the crystal grown at the fastest rate of 120 mm/day showed a light yield within ~7% of the more slowly grown boules, and no significant change was observed in the energy resolution. Therefore, light yields from 88,000 to 96,000 ph/MeV and energy resolutions from 2.4 to 3.0% (at 662 keV) were measured for KSr2I5:Eu 4% over a relatively wide range of growth conditions. In order to assess the homogeneity of KSr2I5:Eu 4%, a newly developed micro-resolution X-ray technique was used to map the light yield as a function of excitation position. In the crystals that we studied, we did not observe any significant inhomogeneity other than a smooth gradient due to light collection and self absorption effects.

  17. Characterization of Luminescent Materials with 151Eu Mössbauer Spectroscopy

    PubMed Central

    Johnson, Charles E.; Schweizer, Stefan

    2018-01-01

    The application of Mössbauer spectroscopy to luminescent materials is described. Many solids doped with europium are luminescent, i.e., when irradiated with light they emit light of a longer wavelength. These materials therefore have practical applications in tuning the light output of devices like light emitting diodes. The optical properties are very different for the two possible valence states Eu2+ and Eu3+, the former producing ultraviolet/visible light that shifts from violet to red depending on the host and the latter red light, so it is important to have a knowledge of their behavior in a sample environment. Photoluminescence spectra cannot give a quantitative analysis of Eu2+ and Eu3+ ions. Mössbauer spectroscopy, however, is more powerful and gives a separate spectrum for each oxidation state enabling the relative amount present to be estimated. The oxidation state can be identified from its isomer shift which is between −12 and −15 mm/s for Eu2+ compared to around 0 mm/s for Eu3+. Furthermore, within each oxidation state, there are changes depending on the ligands attached to the europium: the shift is more positive for increased covalency of the bonding ligand X, or Eu concentration, and decreases for increasing Eu–X bond length. PMID:29772832

  18. EU-China Environment Research: Enhancing collaboration through SPRING

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bray, Michaela; Han, Dawei

    2013-04-01

    There are huge challenges in both known and potential environmental problems in China and EU. Local geographical and climate conditions vary significantly across the two regions. For example the distribution of water resources is spatially and temporally uneven and often leads to water shortages in some areas, and flooding in others. In addition there is a sharp drop in mineral, oil and gas resources, as well as an increase in the living standard, which is a challenge for sustainable development. China's economy is still growing fast, placing an increased burden on the environment. The EU's economy is more developed with a rich experience in dealing with environmental problems in a fast growing economy. Therefore, it is mutually beneficial for the two sides to collaborate in environmental research. The FP7 funded SPRING project is intended to facilitate better EU-China environmental research cooperation and to create a long-term environment vision with clearly identifiable pathways for the two partners to work together. The project team is composed of five EU partners and five Chinese partners with expertise in water, soil, air, climate change and biodiversity. The project runs from March 2010-Feburary 2013. SPRING has taken a multi-level approach to achieving this, developing foresight and road-mapping studies to manage long term aims and facilitate increased cooperation and exchange for researchers, policy and decision makers and funding bodies. The outcomes of the project include detailed technology survey, success scenario analysis and EU-Horizon research road map with a focus on the research needs between EU and China in the next twenty years.

  19. Unraveling the distinct luminescence thermal quenching behaviours of A/B-site Eu3+ ions in double perovskite Sr2CaMoO6:Eu3+

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Chunhao; Ye, Shi; Zhang, Qinyuan

    2018-01-01

    Eu3+-doped Sr2CaMoO6 phosphors have a broad excitation band at around 350-425 nm, which meets the demand of Near-ultraviolet (NUV, 365-410 nm) absorption when applied in NUV-excitable phosphor-converted white light emitting diodes (WLEDs). The luminescence thermal quenching effects of Eu3+ ions at A/B sites (612 nm/593 nm) in Sr2CaMoO6 might be distinct with resultant emission colour variation, which is less studied but of significance for a scientific perspective. This research investigates on the temperature-dependent luminescence and decay curves of the nominal Sr1.9Li0.05Eu0.05CaMoO6 and Sr2Ca0.9Li0.05Eu0.05MoO6 phosphors. Results indicate that the luminescence of B-site Eu3+ ions is quenched more easily than that of A-site Eu3+ ions, directly evidenced by the fast and slow decay components in the decay curves. A distortion of B-site octahedron with elevating temperature and strong coupling with phonons may be partially responsible for the relatively poor thermal quenching behaviors of B-site Eu3+ ions. The research gives perspective on the thermal quenching of emissive lanthanide ions at different sites in phosphors.

  20. Supporting health systems in Europe: added value of EU actions?

    PubMed

    Clemens, Timo; Michelsen, Kai; Brand, Helmut

    2014-01-01

    Since the start of the economic crisis, the European Union's (EU's) predominant discourse has been austerity and fiscal consolidation. The detrimental effects on Europe's health systems and the health status of its citizens are well described. However, little is known about the emerging EU-level initiatives to support national health systems handle the challenges of efficient care provision and system reorganisation aimed to meet their future needs. This review analyses the manner, conditions and prospects of such EU support. First, health system objectives are increasingly entering the EU health policy agenda. Second, professional and patient mobility provisions may support member states (MS) in copying with crisis related health challenges but can potentially acerbate them at the same time. Third, in recent initiatives health system goals are more closely tied to the EU's economic growth narrative. And fourth, health system issues are taken up in existing EU-level structures for debate and exchange between MS. In addition, the design of some policies may have the potential to intensify socioeconomic and health inequalities rather than ameliorate them.

  1. EU Space Awareness: Initial implemenation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Russo, Pedro

    2015-08-01

    EU Space Awareness uses the excitement of space to attract young people into science and technology and stimulate European and global citizenship. The project will show children and teenagers the opportunities offered by space science and engineering and inspire primary-school children when their curiosity is high and their value systems are being formed. EU Space Awareness, a 3-year project, has started in March 2015 with 10 partner organisations and 15 network nodes in 17 European countries and the IAU Office of Astronomy for Development. During this talk we will give a update about the intial implementation of the project and its relevant for astronomy for development.

  2. Selective separation of Eu{sup 3+} using polymer-enhanced ultrafiltration

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Norton, M.V.

    1994-03-01

    A process to selectively remove {sup 241}Am from liquid radioactive waste was investigated as an actinide separation method applicable to Hanford and other waste sites. The experimental procedures involved removal of Eu, a nonradioactive surrogate for Am, from aqueous solutions at pH 5 using organic polymers in conjunction with ultrafiltration. Commercially available polyacrylic acid (60,000 MW) and Pacific Northwest Laboratory`s (PNL) synthesized E3 copolymer ({approximately}10,000 MW) were tested. Test solutions containing 10 {mu}g/mL of Eu were dosed vath each polymer at various concentrations in order to bind Eu (i.e., by complexation and/or cation exchange) for subsequent rejection by an ultrafiltrationmore » coupon. Test solutions were filtered with and without polymer to determine if enhanced Eu separation could be achieved from polymer treatment. Both polymers significantly increased Eu removal. Optimum concentrations were 20 {mu}g/mL of polyacrylic acid and 100 {mu}g/mL of E3 for 100% Eu rejection by the Amicon PM10 membrane at 55 psi. In addition to enhancement of removal, the polymers selectively bound Eu over Na, suggesting that selective separation of Eu was possible. This suggests that polymer-enhanced ultrafiltration is a potential process for separation of {sup 241}Am from Hanford tank waste, further investigation of binding agents and membranes effective under very alkaline and high ionic strength is warranted. This process also has potential applications for selective separation of toxic metals from industrial process streams.« less

  3. [The EU Portal: Implementation, importance, and features].

    PubMed

    von Aschen, Harald; Krafft, Hartmut

    2017-08-01

    The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is developing a web-based EU portal with a database "at Union level as a single entry point for the submission of data and information relating to clinical trials in accordance with" the new EU regulation No. 536/2014. The specifications are mostly published, but some documents are still missing. Because the project is integrated and has dependencies on other projects, this could result in other specification upgrades. The IT solution is under ongoing development until project completion in quarter III of 2019. The EU Portal and the database will be audited. If the audit is successful, the new regulation will come into force in October 2018. The use of the EU Portal will then be mandatory with some transition rules. The software development of the portal is restricted to the regulation and the derived requirements. It is not possible to implement any national requirements. We describe in this paper the current key functionalities of the portal and try to derive requirements for a national IT system.On 16.06.2017 the EMA Management Board announced that the development of the new portal has been delayed and it is foreseen that the new regulation can come into effect in 2019 at the earliest. The press release can be found here: http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages/news_and_events/news/2017/06/news_detail_002764.jsp%26mid=WC0b01ac058004d5c1 (accessed: 12.07.2017).

  4. Competition between magnetism and superconductivity in Eu-based intermetallic compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stavinoha, Macy; Green, Lance; Chan, Julia; Morosan, Emilia

    Eu-based intermetallic compounds present a path to discover new correlated electronic behavior in quantum materials. Reports of superconductivity, intermediate valence behavior, and heavy fermions indicate that Eu-based compounds are promising routes to study the relationship between crystallography and electronic properties. The present work is focused on EuGa4, an antiferromagnet with TN = 16 K isostructural with the tetragonal RT2M2 (R = rare earth, T = transition metal, M = metal or metalloid) family that exhibits heavy fermion behavior and unconventional superconductivity. Single crystals of the doped series (Eu1-xLax)Ga4, (Eu1-xCax)Ga4, and Eu(Ga1-xAlx)4 have been grown using the self-flux method and tested for change in unit cell volume and magnetic susceptibility. Results show that doping with Ca (isoelectronic doping) and La (hole doping) reduce TN to 12.4 K and 2.3 K, respectively, for Ca doping up to x = 0.11 and La doping up to x = 0.74 without an associated change in unit cell volume. The series Eu(Ga1-xAlx)4 has shown incommensurate-to-commensurate magnetic transitions. Future studies will aim to further decrease TN and the unit cell volume using physical pressure and chemical pressure through doping. ICAM, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

  5. Formation of nanostructures in Eu3+ doped glass-ceramics: an XAS study.

    PubMed

    Pellicer-Porres, J; Segura, A; Martínez-Criado, G; Rodríguez-Mendoza, U R; Lavín, V

    2013-01-16

    We describe the results of x-ray absorption experiments carried out to deduce structural and chemical information in Eu(3+) doped, transparent, oxyfluoride glass and nanostructured glass-ceramic samples. The spectra were measured at the Pb and Eu-L(III) edges. The Eu environment in the glass samples is observed to be similar to that of EuF(3). Complementary x-ray diffraction experiments show that thermal annealing creates β-PbF(2) type nanocrystals. X-ray absorption indicates that Eu ions act as seeds in the nanocrystal formation. There is evidence of interstitial fluorine atoms around Eu ions as well as Eu dimers. X-ray absorption at the Pb-L(III) edge shows that after the thermal treatment most lead atoms form a PbO amorphous phase and that only 10% of the lead atoms remain available to form β-PbF(2) type nanocrystals. Both x-ray diffraction and absorption point to a high Eu content in the nanocrystals. Our study suggests new approaches to the oxyfluoride glass-ceramic synthesis in order to further improve their properties.

  6. Molecular aspects of the Eu3+/Eu2+ redox reaction at the interface between a molten salt and a metallic electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pounds, Michael A.; Salanne, Mathieu; Madden, Paul A.

    2015-09-01

    We perform molecular dynamics simulations of a system consisting of Eu3+ and Eu2+ species dissolved in a high-temperature KCl electrolyte between two metallic electrodes. The interaction potential includes ion polarisation effects, and a constant electric potential is maintained within the electrodes by allowing the atomic charges to fluctuate in response to the environment. This setup allows us to study the electrochemical Eu3+/Eu2+ reaction in the framework of Marcus theory. Numerous studies have pointed to the highly structured nature of ionic liquids and molten salts close to solid surfaces which is not accounted for in the conventional mean-field description of this interface that underpins the theories of electrochemical reaction rates. Here we examine the influence on the kinetics of the charge-transfer event of the electrical potential across the electrode-electrolyte interface and on the effect of the presence of charged surface on the coordination structure and energetics of the ions in the region important for the charge-transfer event.

  7. Could EU herbal monographs contribute to Malta's treatment armamentarium?

    PubMed

    Micallef, B; Attard, E; Serracino-Inglott, A; Borg, J J

    2015-03-15

    Ten years have passed since Directive 2004/24/EC regulating herbal medicinal products across the EU were published. The directive created the Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products within the European Medicines Agency whose remit includes the creation and publishing of official EU monographs on herbal medicinal products. These monographs include the official uses of the products and their evidence for efficacy and safety. To this effect, we are interested in analysing the potential impact herbal product EU monographs could have on the therapeutic treatment options available for prescribers in Malta. Therefore our aim was two-fold. First, to rationalise the spread of indications of the herbal substances listed in the community herbal monograph inventory and subsequently determine if these herbal substances could potentially contribute to the treatment options available in our local scenario (Malta). 128 EU monographs were analysed resulting in a total of 230 indications which subsequently codified into 42 unique ATC codes. The Malta Medicines List contains 1456 unique ATC codes. Comparative analysis of the Malta Medicines List revealed that the 21 therapeutic areas had 4 or less pharmaceutically used substances (5th level ATC codes) registered and therefore in our opinion are areas with limited therapeutic choice. The following 4 therapeutic areas, A05 bile and liver therapy, A13 tonics, A15 appetite stimulants and D03 preparations for treatment of wounds and ulcers, could potentially benefit from the registration of herbal medicinal products according to the EU herbal monographs. If such registration is effected the aforementioned areas would no longer be considered limited because more than 4 therapeutic choices would be available to prescribers. This study is the first study across the EU to analyse the potential impact of published EU herbal monographs on therapeutic coverage in an EU member state and confirms the notion that herbal products could potentially

  8. Physics of Efficiency Droop in GaN:Eu Light-Emitting Diodes.

    PubMed

    Fragkos, Ioannis E; Dierolf, Volkmar; Fujiwara, Yasufumi; Tansu, Nelson

    2017-12-01

    The internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of an electrically-driven GaN:Eu based device for red light emission is analyzed in the framework of a current injection efficiency model (CIE). The excitation path of the Eu +3 ion is decomposed in a multiple level system, which includes the carrier transport phenomena across the GaN/GaN:Eu/GaN active region of the device, and the interactions among traps, Eu +3 ions and the GaN host. The identification and analysis of the limiting factors of the IQE are accomplished through the CIE model. The CIE model provides a guidance for high IQE in the electrically-driven GaN:Eu based red light emitters.

  9. Reddish-orange, neutral and warm white emissions in Eu3+, Dy3+ and Dy3+/Eu3+ doped CdO-GeO2-TeO2 glasses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rodríguez-Carvajal, David A.; Meza-Rocha, A. N.; Caldiño, U.; Lozada-Morales, R.; Álvarez, E.; Zayas, Ma. E.

    2016-11-01

    Eu3+, Dy3+ and Dy3+/Eu3+ doped CdO-GeO2-TeO2 glasses were prepared using the melt-quenching process and analyzed by X-diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, excitation and emission spectra, and emission decay time profiles. The lack of X ray diffraction peaks revealed that all samples are amorphous. Vibrational modes associated with Tesbnd Osbnd Te and Gesbnd Osbnd Ge related bonds and molecular oxygen were detected by Raman spectroscopy. The luminescence characteristics were studied upon excitations that correspond with the emission of InGaN (370-420 nm) based LEDs. The Eu3+ singly doped glass displayed reddish-orange global emission, with x = 0.601 and y = 0.349 CIE1931 chromaticity coordinates, upon 393 nm excitation. Neutral emission with x = 0.373 and y = 0.412 CIE1931 chromaticity coordinates and correlated color temperature (CCT) of 4400 K, was achieved in the Dy3+ singly doped glass excited at 388 nm. The Dy3+/Eu3+ co-doped glass exhibited warm, neutral and soft warm white emissions with CCT values of 3435, 4153 and 2740 K, under excitations at 382, 388 and 393 nm, respectively, depending mainly on the Dy3+ and Eu3+ relative excitation. The Dy3+ excitation bands observed in the Dy3+/Eu3+ glass by monitoring the 611 nm Eu3+ emission, suggest that Dy3+ → Eu3+ energy transfer takes place, despite the fact that the Dy3+ emission decays in the Dy3+ and Dy3+/Eu3+ doped glass, remain without changes. The shortening of Eu3+ decay in presence of Dy3+ was attributed to an Eu3+ → Dy3+ non-radiative energy transfer process, which according with the Inokuti-Hirayama model might be dominated through an electric quadrupole-quadrupole interaction, with efficiency and probability of 5.5% and 51.6 s-1, respectively.

  10. Fabrication of Far Red Emission Phosphors Y3Al5O12:Eu(YAG:Eu) by Co-precipitation Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thu, L. D.; Trung, D. Q.; Lam, T. D.; Anh, T. X.

    2016-05-01

    Phosphors YAG:Eu (with seven molar percent of Eu to YAG) was synthesized by the co-precipitation method using NH3 solution as a precipitating agent. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns show that the samples are single phase, and the crystallinity starts forming at a sintering temperature of 1000°C. The crystallinity increases with the increasing sintered temperature. XRD studies followed by Rietveld refinement confirmed the body center cubic structure of the host lattice. The crystalline YAG:Eu showed four emission bands of europium ion with the force dipole transition ascribed to 5D0-7F4 located at 710 nm as the most dominating group (far-red emission—FR). The ratio of FR/OR (far-red/orange—red) is about 1.24 in all samples.

  11. Bridgman-Stockbarger growth of SrI2:Eu2+ single crystal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Raja, A.; Daniel, D. Joseph; Ramasamy, P.; Singh, S. G.; Sen, S.; Gadkari, S. C.

    2018-05-01

    Strontium Iodide (SrI2): Europium Iodide (EuI2) was purified by Zone-refinement process. Europium doped strontium iodide (SrI2:Eu2+) single crystal was grown by modified vertical Bridgman - Stockbarger technique. Photoluminescence (PL) excitation and emission (PLE) spectra were measured for Eu2+ doped SrI2 crystal. The sharp emission was recorded at 432 nm. Scintillation properties of the SrI2:Eu2+ crystal were checked by the gamma ray spectrometer using 137Cs gamma source.

  12. National Dam Inspection Program. Perch Pond Dam (NDI ID Number PA-00135, DER ID Number 64-23), Delaware River Basin, Branch of Shehawken Creek, Wayne County, Pennsylvania. Phase I Inspection Report

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-08-01

    40L . 3 00 0. CLL LU W Ali CD 4* 41 z mc Ic -f-Q) EU; 14.) *U C jj o CA oU EPU 0 . to0 4 .) zO c06 -eN - 0 Cjuj c z *I.) M K L CUOLJ 4.) z4.) L U5 Z...a rusiword. miti.ogn to #livekommoem, not proved. SCatskill Formationl~kc/k 1 i.E Ifa brosominsh shalom End send- S ines: "nl,les mie. End vr .is

  13. Exploring growth conditions and Eu2+ concentration effects for KSr2I5:Eu scintillator crystals II: Ø 25 mm crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stand, L.; Zhuravleva, M.; Johnson, J.; Koschan, M.; Wu, Y.; Donnald, S.; Vaigneur, K.; Lukosi, E.; Melcher, C. L.

    2018-02-01

    Europium doped potassium strontium iodide is a very promising scintillator for national security applications due to its ease of growth and excellent scintillation properties. For this work the fast crystal growth and scintillation properties of 1-inch diameter single crystals of KSr2I5:Eu2+ (KSI:Eu) were investigated. We focused our efforts on optimizing the growth parameters required to produce one-inch diameter crystals without decreasing the previously reported fast pulling rate of 5 mm/h. Cracking was minimized by replacing the quartz ampoules with carbon coated quartz ampoules; thus, several crack free single crystals of KSI with varying Eu2+ concentrations were grown, including a Ø 1″ by 6″ long boule with 2.5% Eu. The maximum achievable performance of each crystal was measured using small 0.012 cm3 specimens. The volumetric dependencies of the light yield, energy resolution and decay time were evaluated using KSI:Eu 2% specimens with volumes ranging from 0.012 cm3 to 18 cm3. For large volumes (≥ 9 cm3), the performance was comparable to other high performing scintillators, with light yields up to 78,200 ph/MeV and energy resolutions as good as 3.2% at 662 keV. The initial version of a hermetic package has been developed, and the stability of the sealed crystal is promising.

  14. Drug Transporters and Na+/H+ Exchange Regulatory Factor PSD-95/Drosophila Discs Large/ZO-1 Proteins

    PubMed Central

    Walsh, Dustin R.; Nolin, Thomas D.

    2015-01-01

    Drug transporters govern the absorption, distribution, and elimination of pharmacologically active compounds. Members of the solute carrier and ATP binding-cassette drug transporter family mediate cellular drug uptake and efflux processes, thereby coordinating the vectorial movement of drugs across epithelial barriers. To exert their physiologic and pharmacological function in polarized epithelia, drug transporters must be targeted and stabilized to appropriate regions of the cell membrane (i.e., apical versus basolateral). Despite the critical importance of drug transporter membrane targeting, the mechanisms that underlie these processes are largely unknown. Several clinically significant drug transporters possess a recognition sequence that binds to PSD-95/Drosophila discs large/ZO-1 (PDZ) proteins. PDZ proteins, such as the Na+/H+ exchanger regulatory factor (NHERF) family, act to stabilize and organize membrane targeting of multiple transmembrane proteins, including many clinically relevant drug transporters. These PDZ proteins are normally abundant at apical membranes, where they tether membrane-delimited transporters. NHERF expression is particularly high at the apical membrane in polarized tissue such as intestinal, hepatic, and renal epithelia, tissues important to drug disposition. Several recent studies have highlighted NHERF proteins as determinants of drug transporter function secondary to their role in controlling membrane abundance and localization. Mounting evidence strongly suggests that NHERF proteins may have clinically significant roles in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of several pharmacologically active compounds and may affect drug action in cancer and chronic kidney disease. For these reasons, NHERF proteins represent a novel class of post-translational mediators of drug transport and novel targets for new drug development. PMID:26092975

  15. Observation of unusual critical region behavior in the magnetic susceptibility of EuSe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bykovetz, N.; Klein, J.; Lin, C. L.

    2018-05-01

    The Europium Chalcogenides (EuCh: EuO, EuS, EuSe, and EuTe) have been regarded as model examples of simple, cubic, Heisenberg exchange coupled magnetic systems, with a ferromagnetic nearest-neighbor exchange constant J1 and an antiferromagnetic next-nearest-neighbor constant J2. Unlike the other EuCh, EuSe exhibits a range of complex magnetic behaviors, the latter being attributed to EuSe being near the point where J2=-J1, where its magnetism appears to consist of nearly de-coupled 2D ferromagnetic sheets. Analysis of precision SQUID measurements of the magnetic susceptibility χ in EuSe showed that in the region from ˜Tc to ˜2Tc, a fit of the data to the critical equation χ = χ2Tc(T/Tc-1)-γ gives γ=2.0, an exponent not predicted by any current theory. Additionally, this fit predicts that Tc should be ˜0K. We tentatively interpret this by saying that in the paramagnetic region the system "thinks" EuSe should not order above T=0. Tc=0K is predicted by the Mermin-Wagner theorem (MW) for Heisenberg-coupled 2D magnetic systems, and we can show that when J2=-J1, MW can also be applied to the J1, J2 exchange model of the EuCh to give a rigorous Tc=0 prediction. Under 10 kbar applied pressure EuSe exhibits a different γ and fitted Tc. An additional, and rather strange, critical-region effect was discovered. The EuSe sample was found to exhibit a relaxation effect in a small range of temperatures, just above and just below the actual Tc of 4.7K, with time constants of up to 5 minutes. We cannot yet fully explain this observed macroscopic effect.

  16. A System of Systems Approach to the EU Energy System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jess, Tom; Madani, Kaveh; Mahlooji, Maral; Ristic, Bora

    2016-04-01

    Around the world, measures to prevent dangerous climate change are being adopted and may change energy systems fundamentally. The European Union (EU) is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emission by 20% by 2020 and by 80-95% by 2050. In order to achieve this, EU member states aim to increase the share of renewables in the energy mix to 20% by 2020. This commitment comes as part of a series of other aims, principles, and policies to reform the EU's energy system. Cost-efficiency in the emissions reductions measures as well as strategic goals under the Resource Efficient Europe flagship initiative which would include a more prudent approach to other natural resources such as water and land. Using the "System of Systems Approach", as from Hadian and Madani (2015), energy sources' Relative Aggregate Footprints (RAF) in the EU are evaluated. RAF aggregates across four criteria: carbon footprint, water footprint, land footprint, and economic cost. The four criteria are weighted by resource availability across the EU and for each Member State. This provides an evaluation of the overall resource use efficiency of the EU's energy portfolio and gives insight into the differences in the desirability of energy sources across Member States. Broadly, nuclear, onshore wind, and geothermal are most desirable under equal criteria weights and EU average weighting introduces only small changes in the relative performance of only few technologies. The member state specific weightings show that most countries have similar energy technology preferences. However, the UK deviates most strongly from the average, with an even stronger preference for nuclear and coal. Sweden, Malta and Finland also deviate from the typical preferences indicating the complexity in play in reforming the EU energy system. Reference Hadian S, Madani K (2015) A System of Systems Approach to Energy Sustainability Assessment: Are All Renewables Really Green? Ecological Indicators, 52, 194-206.

  17. The EU as a Norm Entrepreneur: The Case of Lifelong Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kleibrink, Alexander

    2011-01-01

    The EU has become one of the most prominent promoters of lifelong learning policies. Inside the European single market, EU member states have strong incentives to adopt similar approaches to lifelong learning and recognition of educational attainments in order to foster labour mobility. More surprisingly, countries neighbouring the EU also develop…

  18. The valence of Ru, Ce and Eu ions in the magneto-superconductor Eu 1.5Ce 0.5RuSr 2Cu 2O 10

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Felner, I.; Asaf, U.; Godart, C.; Alleno, E.

    1999-01-01

    The superconducting (T c∼32 K) Eu 1.5Ce 0.5RuSr 2Cu 2O 10 (Ru-2122) material is also magnetically ordered (T M∼122 K) with TM≫ Tc. Superconductivity (SC) is confined to the CuO 2 planes, whereas magnetism is due to the Ru sublattice. Mossbauer spectroscopy performed at 90 and 300 K on 151Eu shows a single narrow line with an isomer shift=0.69(2) and a quadrupole splitting of 1.84 mm/s, indicating that the Eu ions are trivalent with a nonmagnetic J=0 ground state. This is in agreement with X-ray-absorption spectroscopy (XAS) taken at L III edges of Eu, Ce which shows that Eu is trivalent and Ce is tetravalent. XAS experiments at the K edge of Ru indicate that Ru is pentavalent. This indicates, that in the M-2122 system, SC exists only for pentavalent M ions such as Ta, Nb and Ru.

  19. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy investigation of CaTiO{sub 3}:Eu for luminescence property: effect of Eu{sup 3+} ion

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, Kaichen; Zhao, Baijun; Gao, Lu, E-mail: gaolu@jlu.edu.cn

    2016-06-15

    Graphical abstract: The influence on the photoluminescent performance due to the electronic structure change in Eu-doped CaTiO{sub 3} of the specific core-level and valence band spectrum via X-ray photoemission spectroscopy were characterized. - Highlights: • Single phase CaTiO{sub 3} and CaTiO{sub 3}: Eu crystals were prepared under mild hydrothermal method. • Crystal structure, doping level and the relations to their luminescent property were discussed. • Charge compensation mechanism was discussed via valance band spectrum by XPS. - Abstract: Charge compensation of on-site Eu 4f–5d transition that determines the luminescent performance was confirmed with valance band spectrum. Influence of photoelectrons frommore » CaTiO{sub 3}: Eu to the corresponding luminescent performance was discussed based on the crystal structure, doping level and the relations to their luminescent property. This paper is important to further optimize the luminescent performance for improving the efficiency and reducing the cost in light emitting diode industry.« less

  20. Luminescence and Site Occupancy of Eu2+ in Ba2 Ca(BO3)2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Pan-Lai; Wang, Zhi-Jun; Yang, Zhi-Ping; Guo, Qing-Lin

    2011-01-01

    A green phosphor Ba2Ca(BO3)2:Eu2+ was synthesized by a high temperature solid-state reaction method under a reductive atmosphere. The luminescence and site occupancy of Eu2+ in Ba2Ca(BO3)2 are investigated. Ba2Ca(BO3)2:Eu2+ shows one green band (537 nm) under 400 nm near ultraviolet excitation which is suitable for UV LED. Ca2+ and Ba2+ ions in Ba2Ca(BO3)2 are replaced by Eu2+ ions, the Ba2Ca(BO3)2:Eu2+ shows a dissymmetrical emission band. The influence of Eu2+ doping concentrations on the emission intensity of Ba2Ca(BO3)2:Eu2+ is studied. It is found that the emission intensity is influenced by the Eu2+ concentration and reaches the maximum value at 2% Eu2+. According to the Dexter theory, the concentration quenching mechanisms of Eu2+ in Ba2Ca(BO3)2 are the d-dinteraction.

  1. Studying CaSO4:Eu as an OSL phosphor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guckan, Veysi; Altunal, Volkan; Nur, Necmettin; Depci, Tolga; Ozdemir, Adnan; Kurt, Kasim; Yu, Yan; Yegingil, Ihami; Yegingil, Zehra

    2017-09-01

    This study was carried out to investigate the properties of the OSL signal from Eu-doped calcium sulfate (CaSO4:Eu) phosphor and study on its thermal behavior as a function of temperature under a series of luminescence experiments. The suitability of its usage as an optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimeter was also checked. CaSO4:Eu was synthesized using the precipitation method and prepared in pellet form. The dopant concentration value was performed as 0.1 mol%. The synthesized CaSO4:Eu was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) method to confirm the product. To have an idea about the crystallography and microstructure morphology of the material, scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis were carried out. It was found that the OSL signal is a resultant signal having three components and exhibits thermal quenching above 150 °C. The excitation spectrum of CaSO4:Eu showed different peaks in the region 220-360 nm with the highest one at 269 nm. Thermoluminescence (TL) signals of CaSO4:Eu pellets were obtained and compared with the TL signals obtained after OSL measurements of the same pellets by blue light stimulation. The low temperature peak near 180 °C did not show any significant change in TL after OSL measurement whereas the high temperature peak at 240 °C was bleached with the blue light illumination and might be responsible for the observed OSL signal. The dosimetric properties such as dose response, minimum detectable dose, energy response, reusability, fading properties, thermal stability and effect of reading temperatures on OSL signals were examined. OSL signals of CaSO4:Eu pellets were decreased by approximately 8% at the end of the 24 h and by about 7% at the end of 28 days when compared with the first readout. The thermal stability of the ∼240 °C TL peak and OSL signal using isothermal decay measurements were used to determine the trap parameters. The CaSO4:Eu OSL dosimeter in accordance with the presented study allows a high

  2. EU Rural Development Policy in the New Member States: Promoting Multifunctionality?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramniceanu, Irina; Ackrill, Robert

    2007-01-01

    European Union (EU) enlargement has seen 10 new member states (NMS) adopt the full range of EU policies. Within this, the rural development arm of the Common Agricultural Policy offers particular points of interest. Member states chose from an extensive list of policy measures developed within the EU15 and intended, in particular, to…

  3. Sorption of Eu(III) on attapulgite studied by batch, XPS, and EXAFS techniques.

    PubMed

    Fan, Q H; Tan, X L; Li, J X; Wang, X K; Wu, W S; Montavon, G

    2009-08-01

    The effects of pH, ionic strength, and temperature on sorption of Eu(III) on attapulgite were investigated in the presence and absence of fulvic acid (FA) and humic acid (HA). The results indicated that the sorption of Eu(III) on attapulgite was strongly dependent on pH and ionic strength, and independent of temperature. In the presence of FA/HA, Eu(III) sorption was enhanced at pH < 4, decreased at pH range of 4-6, and then increased again at pH > 7. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis suggested that the sorption of Eu(III) might be expressed as is identical to X3Eu0, is identical to S(w)OHEu3+, and is identical to SOEu-OOC-/HA in the ternary Eu/HN/attapulgite system. The extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis of Eu-HA complexes indicated that the distances of d(Eu-O) decreased from 2.415 to 2.360 angstroms with increasing pH from 1.76 to 9.50, whereas the coordination number (N) decreased from approximately 9.94 to approximately 8.56. Different complexation species were also found for the different addition sequences of HA and Eu(III) to attapulgite suspension. The results are important to understand the influence of humic substances on Eu(III) behavior in the natural environment.

  4. Creating Undocumented EU Migrants through Welfare: A Conceptualization of Undeserving and Precarious Citizenship

    PubMed Central

    Mescoli, Elsa

    2018-01-01

    Following the financial and economic crisis, welfare policies across the EU are increasingly becoming instruments for limiting the mobility of certain EU migrants. In this article, we focus on EU citizens who see their freedom of movement in the EU being restricted after they have applied for social assistance or unemployment benefits in their country of residence. Doing so, we conceptualize undocumented EU migration by means of the concepts of ‘non-deportability’, ‘deservingness’ and ‘precariousness’. Overall, this article – based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted with Italian migrants in Belgium – expands our understanding of undocumented migration by demonstrating how arbitrary and intimidating bureaucratic processes undermine the exercise of EU citizenship. PMID:29899582

  5. Inorganic scintillation detectors based on Eu-activated phosphors for 192Ir brachytherapy

    PubMed Central

    Kertzscher, Gustavo; Beddar, Sam

    2017-01-01

    The availability of real-time treatment verification during high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy is currently limited. Therefore, we studied the luminescence properties of the widely commercially available scintillators using the inorganic materials Eu-activated phosphors Y2O3:Eu, YVO4:Eu, Y2O2S:Eu, and Gd2O2S:Eu to determine whether they could be used to accurately and precisely verify HDR brachytherapy doses in real time. The suitability for HDR brachytherapy of inorganic scintillation detectors (ISDs) based on the 4 Eu-activated phosphors in powder form was determined based on experiments with a 192Ir HDR brachytherapy source. The scintillation intensities of the phosphors were 16 to 134 times greater than that of the commonly used organic plastic scintillator BCF-12. High signal intensities were achieved with an optimized packing density of the phosphor mixture and with a shortened fiber-optic cable. The influence of contaminating Cerenkov and fluorescence light induced in the fiber-optic cable (stem signal) was adequately suppressed by inserting between the fiber-optic cable and the photodetector a 25-nm band-pass filter centered at the emission peak. The spurious photoluminescence signal induced by the stem signal was suppressed by placing a long-pass filter between the scintillation detector volume and the fiber-optic cable. The time-dependent luminescence properties of the phosphors were quantified by measuring the non-constant scintillation during irradiation and the afterglow after the brachytherapy source had retracted. We demonstrated that a mixture of Y2O3:Eu and YVO4:Eu suppressed the time-dependence of the ISDs and that the time-dependence of Y2O2S:Eu and Gd2O2S:Eu introduced large measurement inaccuracies. We conclude that ISDs based on a mixture of Y2O3:Eu and YVO4:Eu are promising candidates for accurate and precise real-time verification technology for HDR BT that is cost effective and straightforward to manufacture. Widespread dissemination of

  6. Inorganic scintillation detectors based on Eu-activated phosphors for 192Ir brachytherapy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kertzscher, Gustavo; Beddar, Sam

    2017-06-01

    The availability of real-time treatment verification during high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy is currently limited. Therefore, we studied the luminescence properties of the widely commercially available scintillators using the inorganic materials Eu-activated phosphors Y2O3:Eu, YVO4:Eu, Y2O2S:Eu, and Gd2O2S:Eu to determine whether they could be used to accurately and precisely verify HDR brachytherapy doses in real time. The suitability for HDR brachytherapy of inorganic scintillation detectors (ISDs) based on the 4 Eu-activated phosphors in powder form was determined based on experiments with a 192Ir HDR brachytherapy source. The scintillation intensities of the phosphors were 16-134 times greater than that of the commonly used organic plastic scintillator BCF-12. High signal intensities were achieved with an optimized packing density of the phosphor mixture and with a shortened fiber-optic cable. The influence of contaminating Cerenkov and fluorescence light induced in the fiber-optic cable (stem signal) was adequately suppressed by inserting between the fiber-optic cable and the photodetector a 25 nm band-pass filter centered at the emission peak. The spurious photoluminescence signal induced by the stem signal was suppressed by placing a long-pass filter between the scintillation detector volume and the fiber-optic cable. The time-dependent luminescence properties of the phosphors were quantified by measuring the non-constant scintillation during irradiation and the afterglow after the brachytherapy source had retracted. We demonstrated that a mixture of Y2O3:Eu and YVO4:Eu suppressed the time-dependence of the ISDs and that the time-dependence of Y2O2S:Eu and Gd2O2S:Eu introduced large measurement inaccuracies. We conclude that ISDs based on a mixture of Y2O3:Eu and YVO4:Eu are promising candidates for accurate and precise real-time verification technology for HDR BT that is cost effective and straightforward to manufacture. Widespread dissemination of this

  7. Reduction emissions from transport sector - EU action against climate change

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-08-01

    This paper explores and discusses the initiation and development of the EU's policies and strategies against climate change and the share experiences in the EU transport sector to reduce CO2 emission.

  8. HR4EU--A Web-Portal for E-Learning of Croatian

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Filko, Matea; Farkaš, Daša; Hriberski, Diana

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, we present the HR4EU--a web portal for e-learning of Croatian. HR4EU is the first portal that offers Croatian language courses which are free-of-charge and developed by language professionals. Moreover, HR4EU also integrates bidirectional interaction with some of the previously developed language resources for Croatian. The HR4EU…

  9. Energy transfer from Tb{sup 3+} to Eu{sup 2+} in Ga{sub 2}S{sub 3}:(Eu{sup 2+}, Tb{sup 3+}) crystals

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tagiev, O. B., E-mail: Oktay58@mail.ru; Ganbarova, Kh. B.

    2015-04-15

    The photoluminescence of Ga{sub 2}S{sub 3} crystals activated with Eu{sup 2+} and Tb{sup 3+} ions separately and with ions of both types is studied in the temperature range 77–300 K. It is established that, in the range 77–300 K, the observed broadband photoluminescence in (Ga{sub 2}S{sub 3}){sub 0.95}:(Eu{sub 2}O{sub 3}){sub 0.05} crystals with a peak at 545 nm is defined by 4f{sup 6}5d-4f{sup 7}({sup 8}S{sub 7/2}) intracenter transitions in Eu{sup 2+} ions and the photoluminescence with peaks at 492, 544, 584, 625, and 680 nm in (Ga{sub 2}S{sub 3}){sub 0.99}(Tb{sub 2}O{sub 3}){sub 0.01} crystals is due to the 5d →more » {sup 2}F{sub j} (j = 6−2) intracenter transitions in Tb{sup 3+} ions. It is shown that the photoluminescence bands of Tb{sup 3+} ions in the (Ga{sub 2}S{sub 3}){sub 0.94}(Eu{sub 2}O{sub 3}){sub 0.05}(Tb{sub 2}O{sub 3}){sub 0.01} crystals disappears because of excitation energy transfer from Tb{sup 3+} ions to Eu{sup 2+} ions; i.e., the Tb{sup 3+} ion is a sensitizer of the photoluminescence of the Eu{sup 2+} ion.« less

  10. Preparation, characterization and application of EVA film containing Eu3+ complex with 1-tridecanecarboxylic acid ligand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dong, Jin; Lin, Baoping

    2017-11-01

    In this study, on the basis of complex Eu(DBM)3Phen which was widely applied in polymer matrices, quaternary complex Eu(DBM)2Phen(TA) was synthesized by the introduction of 1-tridecanecarboxylic acid (TA). XRD analyses show that Eu(DBM)2Phen(TA) inclines to amorphization compared with Eu(DBM)3Phen which is crystal. Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) film doped with Eu(DBM)2Phen(TA) was prepared by casting method. SEM and AFM analyses show that the compatibility of Eu(DBM)2Phen(TA) with EVA is better than that of Eu(DBM)3Phen with EVA. Under the same addition amount of Eu3+ complexes, visible light transmittance of Eu(DBM)2Phen(TA)/EVA film is obviously greater than that of Eu(DBM)3Phen/EVA film, and the fluorescence intensity of Eu(DBM)2Phen(TA)/EVA film is only slightly lower than that of Eu(DBM)3Phen/EVA film. With the optimum addition amount of Eu3+ complexes, the energy conversion efficiency of the polycrystalline silicon solar cell coated with Eu(DBM)2Phen(TA)/EVA film is improved to 12.14%, and in comparison, that of the solar cell coated with Eu(DBM)3Phen/EVA film is only 11.98%. Hence Eu(DBM)2Phen(TA)/EVA film has a potential prospect as luminescent down-shifting material.

  11. NMR studies of the helical antiferromagnetic compound EuCo2P2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Higa, N.; Ding, Q.-P.; Kubota, F.; Uehara, H.; Yogi, M.; Furukawa, Y.; Sangeetha, N. S.; Johnston, D. C.; Nakamura, A.; Hedo, M.; Nakama, T.; Ōnuki, Y.

    2018-05-01

    In EuCo2P2, 4f electron spins of Eu2+ ions order antiferromagnetically below a Néel temperature TN = 66.5 K . The magnetic structure below TN was reported to be helical with the helix axis along the c-axis from the neutron diffraction study. We report the results of 153Eu, 59Co and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements on EuCo2P2 using a single crystal and a powdered sample. In the antiferromagnetic (AFM) state, we succeeded in observing 153Eu, 59Co and 31P NMR spectra in zero magnetic field. The sharp 153Eu zero field NMR (ZF NMR) lines indicate homogeneous Eu ordered moment. The 59Co and 31P ZF NMR spectra showed an asymmetric spectral shape, indicating a distribution of the internal magnetic induction at each nuclear position. The AFM propagation vector k characterizing the helical AFM state can be determined from the internal magnetic induction at Co site. We have determined the model-independent value of the AFM propagation vector k distributed from (0, 0, 0.86)2π/c to (0, 0, 0.73)2π/c, where c is the lattice parameter.

  12. Intermediate-valence state of the Sm and Eu in SmB6 and EuCu2Si2: neutron spectroscopy data and analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Savchenkov, P. S.; Alekseev, P. A.; Podlesnyak, A.; Kolesnikov, A. I.; Nemkovski, K. S.

    2018-02-01

    Magnetic neutron scattering data for Sm (SmB6, Sm(Y)S) and Eu (EuCu2Si2-x Ge x ) intermediate-valence compounds have been analysed in terms of a generalized model of the intermediate-radius exciton. Special attention is paid to the correlation between the average ion’s valence and parameters of the low-energy excitation in the neutron spectra, such as the resonance mode, including its magnetic form factor. Along with specific features of the formation of the intermediate-valence state for Sm and Eu ions, common physical mechanisms have been revealed for systems based on these elements from the middle of the rare-earth series. A consistent description of the existing experimental data has been obtained by using the concept of a loosely bound hole for the Eu f-electron shell in the intermediate-valence state, in analogy with the previously established loosely bound electron model for the Sm ion.

  13. Intermediate-valence state of the Sm and Eu in SmB 6 and EuCu 2 Si 2 : neutron spectroscopy data and analysis

    DOE PAGES

    Savchenkov, P. S.; Alekseev, P. A.; Podlesnyak, A.; ...

    2018-01-11

    For this study, magnetic neutron scattering data for Sm (SmB 6, Sm(Y)S) and Eu (EuCu 2Si 2- x Ge x ) intermediate-valence compounds have been analysed in terms of a generalized model of the intermediate-radius exciton. Special attention is paid to the correlation between the average ion's valence and parameters of the low-energy excitation in the neutron spectra, such as the resonance mode, including its magnetic form factor. Along with specific features of the formation of the intermediate-valence state for Sm and Eu ions, common physical mechanisms have been revealed for systems based on these elements from the middle ofmore » the rare-earth series. A consistent description of the existing experimental data has been obtained by using the concept of a loosely bound hole for the Eu f-electron shell in the intermediate-valence state, in analogy with the previously established loosely bound electron model for the Sm ion.« less

  14. Intermediate-valence state of the Sm and Eu in SmB 6 and EuCu 2 Si 2 : neutron spectroscopy data and analysis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Savchenkov, P. S.; Alekseev, P. A.; Podlesnyak, A.

    For this study, magnetic neutron scattering data for Sm (SmB 6, Sm(Y)S) and Eu (EuCu 2Si 2- x Ge x ) intermediate-valence compounds have been analysed in terms of a generalized model of the intermediate-radius exciton. Special attention is paid to the correlation between the average ion's valence and parameters of the low-energy excitation in the neutron spectra, such as the resonance mode, including its magnetic form factor. Along with specific features of the formation of the intermediate-valence state for Sm and Eu ions, common physical mechanisms have been revealed for systems based on these elements from the middle ofmore » the rare-earth series. A consistent description of the existing experimental data has been obtained by using the concept of a loosely bound hole for the Eu f-electron shell in the intermediate-valence state, in analogy with the previously established loosely bound electron model for the Sm ion.« less

  15. The effect of X-ray exposure on Ba2SiO4:Eu3+

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Volhard, Max-Fabian; Jüstel, Thomas

    2018-03-01

    The ortho-silicates Ba2SiO4:Eu3+ and Ba2SiO4:Eu2+ are well-established materials for fluorescent light sources, e.g., phosphor converted LEDs. Samples containing Eu2+or Eu3+were synthesised by the solid-state-method, and the phase purity was determined by X-ray powder diffractometry. The photoluminescence of both phosphors was examined as a function of the pre-treatment. Upon irradiation of Ba2SiO4:Eu3+ with X-rays (tungsten target source), the reduction of Eu3+ towards Eu2+ was observed. This reduction behaviour was thoroughly recorded, and the linearity of the process was determined. Furthermore, the relationship between the acceleration voltage and the reduction process is discussed.

  16. Synthesis, structure and temperature dependent luminescence of Eu3+ doped hydroxyapatite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luo, Xiaobing; Luo, Xiaoxia; Wang, Hongwei; Deng, Yue; Yang, Peixin; Tian, Yili

    2018-01-01

    A series of Eu3+ substituted hydroxyapatite (HA) were prepared by co-precipitation reactions. The phase, fluorescence and temperature dependent luminescence of the phosphors were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL). It is found that the doped Eu3+ ions have entered the hexagonal lattice with no obvious secondary phase were detected by XRD. The 5D0 → 7F0 transition was clearly split into two even at room temperature. The predominate 573 nm peak illustrates Eu3+ ions occupy more Ca(II) sites. The temperature dependent luminescent results show HA:xEu might be applied as one potential optical thermometry material.

  17. Regulatory aspects of nanotechnology in the agri/feed/food sector in EU and non-EU countries.

    PubMed

    Amenta, Valeria; Aschberger, Karin; Arena, Maria; Bouwmeester, Hans; Botelho Moniz, Filipa; Brandhoff, Puck; Gottardo, Stefania; Marvin, Hans J P; Mech, Agnieszka; Quiros Pesudo, Laia; Rauscher, Hubert; Schoonjans, Reinhilde; Vettori, Maria Vittoria; Weigel, Stefan; Peters, Ruud J

    2015-10-01

    Nanotechnology has the potential to innovate the agricultural, feed and food sectors (hereinafter referred to as agri/feed/food). Applications that are marketed already include nano-encapsulated agrochemicals or nutrients, antimicrobial nanoparticles and active and intelligent food packaging. Many nano-enabled products are currently under research and development, and may enter the market in the near future. As for any other regulated product, applicants applying for market approval have to demonstrate the safe use of such new products without posing undue safety risks to the consumer and the environment. Several countries all over the world have been active in examining the appropriateness of their regulatory frameworks for dealing with nanotechnologies. As a consequence of this, different approaches have been taken in regulating nano-based products in agri/feed/food. The EU, along with Switzerland, were identified to be the only world region where nano-specific provisions have been incorporated in existing legislation, while in other regions nanomaterials are regulated more implicitly by mainly building on guidance for industry. This paper presents an overview and discusses the state of the art of different regulatory measures for nanomaterials in agri/feed/food, including legislation and guidance for safety assessment in EU and non-EU countries. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Tuning the luminescence of ZnO:Eu nanoparticles for applications in biology and medicine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaszewski, Jarosław; Kiełbik, Paula; Wolska, Ewelina; Witkowski, Bartłomiej; Wachnicki, Łukasz; Gajewski, Zdzisław; Godlewski, Marek; Godlewski, Michał M.

    2018-06-01

    Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized with microwave hydrothermal technique and tested as luminescent contrast for biological imaging. Luminescence was activated by Eu3+ ions embedded in the nanoparticle matrix in the increasing concentrations of 1, 5 and 10 %mol. It was found that europium did not create a separate crystalline phase up to the concentration as high as 5 %mol. However, Eu3+ ions did not substitute Zn2+ in the host lattice, but allocated in the low symmetry environment. It was proposed that europium was locating in the inter-grain space or on the surface of nanoparticles. The luminescence intensity in ZnO:Eu, as well as the size of particles, increased with the Eu ion concentration. Moreover, in 10 %mol Eu sample, the separate phase of Eu-hydroxide was identified with crystals of micrometre length. Interestingly, in vivo study revealed, that contrary to the in silico experiments, following gastric gavage, the brightest nanoparticle-related luminescence signal was observed at 1 %mol. concentration of Eu. Since the alimentary uptake of nanoparticles was related to their size, we concluded that the increase in luminescence at 5 and 10 %mol. Eu concentrations was associated with the largest ZnO:Eu and Eu-hydroxide particles that did not cross the gastrointestinal barrier.

  19. Sorption of Eu(III) on granite: EPMA, LA-ICP-MS, batch and modeling studies.

    PubMed

    Fukushi, Keisuke; Hasegawa, Yusuke; Maeda, Koushi; Aoi, Yusuke; Tamura, Akihiro; Arai, Shoji; Yamamoto, Yuhei; Aosai, Daisuke; Mizuno, Takashi

    2013-11-19

    Eu(III) sorption on granite was assessed using combined microscopic and macroscopic approaches in neutral to acidic conditions where the mobility of Eu(III) is generally considered to be high. Polished thin sections of the granite were reacted with solutions containing 10 μM of Eu(III) and were analyzed using EPMA and LA-ICP-MS. On most of the biotite grains, Eu enrichment up to 6 wt % was observed. The Eu-enriched parts of biotite commonly lose K, which is the interlayer cation of biotite, indicating that the sorption mode of Eu(III) by the biotite is cation exchange in the interlayer. The distributions of Eu appeared along the original cracks of the biotite. Those occurrences indicate that the prior water-rock interaction along the cracks engendered modification of biotite to possess affinity to the Eu(III). Batch Eu(III) sorption experiments on granite and biotite powders were conducted as functions of pH, Eu(III) loading, and ionic strength. The macroscopic sorption behavior of biotite was consistent with that of granite. At pH > 4, there was little pH dependence but strong ionic strength dependence of Eu(III) sorption. At pH < 4, the sorption of Eu(III) abruptly decreased with decreased pH. The sorption behavior at pH > 4 was reproducible reasonably by the modeling considering single-site cation exchange reactions. The decrease of Eu(III) sorption at pH < 4 was explained by the occupation of exchangeable sites by dissolved cationic species such as Al and Fe from granite and biotite in low-pH conditions. Granites are complex mineral assemblages. However, the combined microscopic and macroscopic approaches revealed that elementary reactions by a single mineral phase can be representative of the bulk sorption reaction in complex mineral assemblages.

  20. A Eu/Tb-mixed MOF for luminescent high-temperature sensing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Huizhen; Zhao, Dian; Cui, Yuangjing; Yang, Yu; Qian, Guodong

    2017-02-01

    Temperature measurements and thermal mapping using luminescent MOF operating in the high-temperature range are of great interest in the micro-electronic diagnosis. In this paper, we report a thermostable Eu/Tb-mixed MOF Eu0.37Tb0.63-BTC-a exhibiting strong luminescence at elevated temperature, which can serve as a ratiometric luminescent thermometer for high-temperature range. The high-temperature operating range (313-473 K), high relative sensitivity and accurate temperature resolution, make such a Eu/Tb-mixed MOF useful for micro-electronic diagnosis.

  1. X-ray induced luminescence properties of (Y,Eu)AlO3 single crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuro, Tomoaki; Nakauchi, Daisuke; Okada, Go; Kawaguchi, Noriaki; Yanagida, Takayuki

    2017-02-01

    We investigated photoluminescence, scintillation and dosimeter properties of (Y1-x Eux)AlO3 (x = 0.001, 0.5 and 1) single crystals (hereafter denoted as Eu:YAP for x = 0.001, EYAP for x = 0.5 and EAP for x = 1). The samples were prepared by the Floating Zone method. In photoluminescence (PL), we observed a broad emission around 300-400 nm due to host under excitation of 280 nm, and emissions due to the 4f state transitions of Eu3+ appeared around 590 nm and 615 nm. Scintillation spectra also show emission peaks around 590 and 615 nm due to the 4f state transitions of Eu3+ in all the samples. In addition, emissions around 300-400 nm due to YAP host and around 550-700 nm due to 5d-4f transitions of Eu2+ appeared in Eu:YAP. The PL and scintillation decay time profiles consisted of several exponential decay components. The fast (ns) component group was possibly due to host emission, and especially Eu:YAP demonstrated a very fast PL decay time of 16 ns. The intermediate (μs) component group was due to the 5d-4f transitions of Eu2+. The slow (ms) component group was ascribed to the 4f state transitions of Eu3+ ion. The Eu:YAP sample showed intense thermally-stimulated luminescence (TSL) with peaks at 46, 155, 255 and 443 °C. The intensity was much higher than those of EAP and EYAP. In particular, the peak at 254 °C, which showed the highest intensity, was due to doping with Eu. The TSL dose response function showed a good linearity (R2 > 0.99) over a wide dose range from 0.1 mGy to 100 mGy for Eu:YAP, which showed the highest sensitivity among the present samples.

  2. Key features of an EU health information system: a concept mapping study.

    PubMed

    Rosenkötter, Nicole; Achterberg, Peter W; van Bon-Martens, Marja J H; Michelsen, Kai; van Oers, Hans A M; Brand, Helmut

    2016-02-01

    Despite the acknowledged value of an EU health information system (EU-HISys) and the many achievements in this field, the landscape is still heavily fragmented and incomplete. Through a systematic analysis of the opinions and valuations of public health stakeholders, this study aims to conceptualize key features of an EU-HISys. Public health professionals and policymakers were invited to participate in a concept mapping procedure. First, participants (N = 34) formulated statements that reflected their vision of an EU-HISys. Second, participants (N = 28) rated the relative importance of each statement and grouped conceptually similar ones. Principal Component and cluster analyses were used to condense these results to EU-HISys key features in a concept map. The number of key features and the labelling of the concept map were determined by expert consensus. The concept map contains 10 key features that summarize 93 statements. The map consists of a horizontal axis that represents the relevance of an 'organizational strategy', which deals with the 'efforts' to design and develop an EU-HISys and the 'achievements' gained by a functioning EU-HISys. The vertical axis represents the 'professional orientation' of the EU-HISys, ranging from the 'scientific' through to the 'policy' perspective. The top ranking statement expressed the need to establish a system that is permanent and sustainable. The top ranking key feature focuses on data and information quality. This study provides insights into key features of an EU-HISys. The results can be used to guide future planning and to support the development of a health information system for Europe. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

  3. Characterization of the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator EU2

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lewandowski, Edward J.; Oriti, Salvatore M.; Schifer, Nicholas A.

    2015-01-01

    Significant progress was made developing the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG), a 140-watt radioisotope power system. While the ASRG flight development project has ended, the hardware that was designed and built under the project is continuing to be tested to support future Stirling-based power system development. NASA GRC recently completed the assembly of the ASRG Engineering Unit 2 (EU2). The ASRG EU2 consists of the first pair of Sunpower's ASC-E3 Stirling convertors mounted in an aluminum housing, and Lockheed Martin's Engineering Development Unit (EDU) 4 controller (a fourth generation controller). The ASC-E3 convertors and Generator Housing Assembly (GHA) closely match the intended ASRG Qualification Unit flight design. A series of tests were conducted to characterize the EU2, its controller, and the convertors in the flight-like GHA. The GHA contained an argon cover gas for these tests. The tests included: measurement of convertor, controller, and generator performance and efficiency, quantification of control authority of the controller, disturbance force measurement with varying piston phase and piston amplitude, and measurement of the effect of spacecraft DC bus voltage on EU2 performance. The results of these tests are discussed and summarized, providing a basic understanding of EU2 characteristics and the performance and capability of the EDU 4 controller.

  4. Synthesis and characterization of Eu{sup 3+}-doped CaZrO{sub 3}-based perovskite-type phosphors. Part I: Determination of the Eu{sup 3+} occupied site using the ALCHEMI technique

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sakaida, Satoshi; Shimokawa, Yohei; Asaka, Toru

    2015-07-15

    Highlights: • Eu{sup 3+}-doped CaZrO{sub 3}-based compounds were synthesized by the solid state reaction. • PL emission intensity at 614 nm was changed by the second dopant cations. • The site substituted by Eu{sup 3+} cations was investigated by using XRD and ALCHEMI technique. • The dominant Eu{sup 3+} substitution site was found as the B site (Zr{sup 4+}) in the CaZrO{sub {sup 3}}. • The dominant Eu{sup 3+} substitution site could be strongly influenced by the co-dopants. - Abstract: Eu{sup 3+}-doped CaZrO{sub 3}, SrZrO{sub 3}, and Mg{sup 2+}- or Sr{sup 2+}-co-doped CaZrO{sub 3} were synthesized by conventional solid statemore » reaction and their photoluminescence (PL) properties were characterized. The Eu{sup 3+}-doped CaZrO{sub 3}-based compounds exhibited characteristic emissions of Eu{sup 3+} (f–f transition). The intensity of the main PL emission peak at 614 nm increased with Mg{sup 2+} co-doping, while it decreased with the amount of co-doped Sr{sup 2+}. The site substituted by Eu{sup 3+} cations in the CaZrO{sub 3}-based compounds was investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis based on the electron channeling effects in transmission electron microscopy. The Eu{sup 3+} cations were determined to occupy mainly the B site (Zr{sup 4+}) in CaZrO{sub 3}. The dominant Eu{sup 3+} substitution site was also strongly influenced by the co-dopant, and the ionic radius of the co-dopant was identified as an important factor that determines the dominant Eu{sup 3+} substitution site.« less

  5. A project to establish a skills competency matrix for EU nurses.

    PubMed

    Cowan, David T; Norman, Ian J; Coopamah, Vinoda P

    Enhanced nurse workforce mobility in the European Union (EU) is seen as a remedy to shortages of nurses in some EU countries and a surplus in others. However, knowledge of differences in competence, culture, skill levels and working practices of nursing staff throughout EU countries is not fully documented because currently no tangible method exists to enable comparison. The European Healthcare Training and Accreditation Network (EHTAN) project intends to address this problem by establishing an assessment and evaluation methodology through the compilation of a skills competency matrix. To this end, subsequent to a review of documentation and literature on nursing competence definition and assessment, two versions of a nursing competence self-assessment questionnaire tool have been developed. The final competence matrix will be translated and disseminated for transnational use and it is hoped that this will inform EU and national policies on the training requirements of nurses and nursing mobility and facilitate the promotion of EU-wide recognition of nursing qualifications.

  6. Theoretical and empirical investigations of KCl:Eu2+ for nearly water-equivalent radiotherapy dosimetry

    PubMed Central

    Zheng, Yuanshui; Han, Zhaohui; Driewer, Joseph P.; Low, Daniel A.; Li, H. Harold

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The low effective atomic number, reusability, and other computed radiography-related advantages make europium doped potassium chloride (KCl:Eu2+) a promising dosimetry material. The purpose of this study is to model KCl:Eu2+ point dosimeters with a Monte Carlo (MC) method and, using this model, to investigate the dose responses of two-dimensional (2D) KCl:Eu2+ storage phosphor films (SPFs). Methods: KCl:Eu2+ point dosimeters were irradiated using a 6 MV beam at four depths (5–20 cm) for each of five square field sizes (5×5–25×25 cm2). The dose measured by KCl:Eu2+ was compared to that measured by an ionization chamber to obtain the magnitude of energy dependent dose measurement artifact. The measurements were simulated using DOSXYZnrc with phase space files generated by BEAMnrcMP. Simulations were also performed for KCl:Eu2+ films with thicknesses ranging from 1 μm to 1 mm. The work function of the prototype KCl:Eu2+ material was determined by comparing the sensitivity of a 150 μm thick KCl:Eu2+ film to a commercial BaFBr0.85I0.15:Eu2+-based SPF with a known work function. The work function was then used to estimate the sensitivity of a 1 μm thick KCl:Eu2+ film. Results: The simulated dose responses of prototype KCl:Eu2+ point dosimeters agree well with measurement data acquired by irradiating the dosimeters in the 6 MV beam with varying field size and depth. Furthermore, simulations with films demonstrate that an ultrathin KCl:Eu2+ film with thickness of the order of 1 μm would have nearly water-equivalent dose response. The simulation results can be understood using classic cavity theories. Finally, preliminary experiments and theoretical calculations show that ultrathin KCl:Eu2+ film could provide excellent signal in a 1 cGy dose-to-water irradiation. Conclusions: In conclusion, the authors demonstrate that KCl:Eu2+-based dosimeters can be accurately modeled by a MC method and that 2D KCl:Eu2+ films of the order of 1 μm thick would have

  7. NMR studies of the helical antiferromagnetic compound EuCo 2P 2

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Higa, N.; Ding, Q. -P.; Johnston, D. C.

    In EuCo 2P 2, 4 f electron spins of Eu 2+ ions order antiferromagnetically below a Neel temperature T N = 66.5K. The magnetic structure below T N was reported to be helical with the helix axis along the c-axis from the neutron diffraction study. We report the results of 153Eu, 59Co and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements on EuCo 2P 2 using a single crystal and a powdered sample. In the antiferromagnetic (AFM) state, we succeeded in observing 153Eu, 59Co and 31P NMR spectra in zero magnetic field. The sharp 153Eu zero field NMR (ZF NMR) lines indicatemore » homogeneous Eu ordered moment. The 59Co and 31P ZF NMR spectra showed an asymmetric spectral shape, indicating a distribution of the internal magnetic induction at each nuclear position. The AFM propagation vector k characterizing the helical AFM state can be determined from the internal magnetic induction at Co site. In conclusion, we have determined the model-independent value of the AFM propagation vector k distributed from (0, 0, 0.86)2π/c to (0, 0, 0.73)2π/c, where c is the lattice parameter.« less

  8. NMR studies of the helical antiferromagnetic compound EuCo 2P 2

    DOE PAGES

    Higa, N.; Ding, Q. -P.; Johnston, D. C.; ...

    2017-09-18

    In EuCo 2P 2, 4 f electron spins of Eu 2+ ions order antiferromagnetically below a Neel temperature T N = 66.5K. The magnetic structure below T N was reported to be helical with the helix axis along the c-axis from the neutron diffraction study. We report the results of 153Eu, 59Co and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements on EuCo 2P 2 using a single crystal and a powdered sample. In the antiferromagnetic (AFM) state, we succeeded in observing 153Eu, 59Co and 31P NMR spectra in zero magnetic field. The sharp 153Eu zero field NMR (ZF NMR) lines indicatemore » homogeneous Eu ordered moment. The 59Co and 31P ZF NMR spectra showed an asymmetric spectral shape, indicating a distribution of the internal magnetic induction at each nuclear position. The AFM propagation vector k characterizing the helical AFM state can be determined from the internal magnetic induction at Co site. In conclusion, we have determined the model-independent value of the AFM propagation vector k distributed from (0, 0, 0.86)2π/c to (0, 0, 0.73)2π/c, where c is the lattice parameter.« less

  9. Photoluminescence and doping mechanism of theranostic Eu3+/Fe3+ dual-doped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Chen, Min-Hua; Yoshioka, Tomohiko; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Hanagata, Nobutaka; Lin, Feng-Huei; Tanaka, Junzo

    2014-10-01

    Theranostic nanoparticles currently have been regarded as an emerging concept of 'personalized medicine' with diagnostic and therapeutic dual-functions. Eu 3+ doped hydroxyapatite (HAp) has been regarded as a promising fluorescent probe for in vivo imaging applications. Additionally, substitution of Ca 2+ with Fe 3+ in HAp crystal may endow the capability of producing heat upon exposure to a magnetic field. Here we report a preliminary study of doping mechanism and photoluminescence of Eu 3+ and Fe 3+ doped HAp nanoparticles (Eu/Fe:HAp). HAp with varied concentration of Eu 3+ and Fe 3+ doping are presented as Eu(10 mol%):HAp, Eu(7 mol%)-Fe(3 mol%):HAp, Eu(5 mol%)-Fe(5 mol%):HAp, Eu(3 mol%)-Fe(7 mol%):HAp, and Fe(10 mol%):HAp in the study. The results showed that the HAp particles, in nano-size with rod-like morphology, were successfully doped with Eu 3+ and Fe 3+ , and the particles can be well suspended in cell culture medium. Photoluminescence analysis revealed that particles have prominent emissions at 536 nm, 590 nm, 615 nm, 650 nm and 695 nm upon excitation at a wavelength of 397 nm. Moreover, these Eu/Fe:HAp nanoparticles belonged to B-type carbonated HAp, which has been considered an effective biodegradable and biocompatible drug/gene carrier in biological applications.

  10. Photoluminescence and doping mechanism of theranostic Eu3+/Fe3+ dual-doped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Min-Hua; Yoshioka, Tomohiko; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Hanagata, Nobutaka; Lin, Feng-Huei; Tanaka, Junzo

    2014-10-01

    Theranostic nanoparticles currently have been regarded as an emerging concept of ‘personalized medicine’ with diagnostic and therapeutic dual-functions. Eu3+ doped hydroxyapatite (HAp) has been regarded as a promising fluorescent probe for in vivo imaging applications. Additionally, substitution of Ca2+ with Fe3+ in HAp crystal may endow the capability of producing heat upon exposure to a magnetic field. Here we report a preliminary study of doping mechanism and photoluminescence of Eu3+ and Fe3+ doped HAp nanoparticles (Eu/Fe:HAp). HAp with varied concentration of Eu3+ and Fe3+ doping are presented as Eu(10 mol%):HAp, Eu(7 mol%)-Fe(3 mol%):HAp, Eu(5 mol%)-Fe(5 mol%):HAp, Eu(3 mol%)-Fe(7 mol%):HAp, and Fe(10 mol%):HAp in the study. The results showed that the HAp particles, in nano-size with rod-like morphology, were successfully doped with Eu3+ and Fe3+, and the particles can be well suspended in cell culture medium. Photoluminescence analysis revealed that particles have prominent emissions at 536 nm, 590 nm, 615 nm, 650 nm and 695 nm upon excitation at a wavelength of 397 nm. Moreover, these Eu/Fe:HAp nanoparticles belonged to B-type carbonated HAp, which has been considered an effective biodegradable and biocompatible drug/gene carrier in biological applications.

  11. Anisotropic Optical-Response of Eu-doped Yttrium Orthosilicate

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liu, Huimin; Santiago, Miguel; Jia, Weiyi; Zhang, Shoudu

    1998-01-01

    Eu-doped yttrium orthosilicate (Eu(3+) : Y2SiO5) had been a subject being investigated for coherent time-domain optical memory and information processing applications since its ultraslow optical dephasing was discovered several years ago. In this crystal the weakly allowed (7)F0 - (5)D0 transition of europium ions exhibits a sufficient long dephasing time and no spectral difli.usion on a time scale of several hours at low temperature, thus an information pattern or data can be stored as a population grating in the ground state hyperfine levels. On the other hand, the study on photon-echo relaxation shows that the dephasing time T2 of Eu (3+) and other rare-earth ions doped YAG, YAlO3 strongly depends on the intensity of the excitation pulses. In Eu (3+) :YAlO3, an exponential decay of photon-echo with T2 = 53 microseconds if the excitation pulses are weak (5 vJ/pulse) was observed. However, when the excitation pulses are strong (80 pJ/pulse) they observed a much shortened T2 with a highly nonexponential decay pattern. The conclusion they derived is that the intensity-dependent dephasing rate effects are quite general, and it depends on how much the excitation intensity varies. In this paper we use transient grating formation technique showing that a temporal lattice distortion may only occur along crystal c axis, caused by EU (3+) excitation. At high excitation level the produced exciton in conduction band may also couple to the dynamical lattice relaxation process, giving rise to an apparently much shortened dephasing time.

  12. Transposition and implementation of EU rare disease policy in Eastern Europe.

    PubMed

    Pejcic, Ana V; Iskrov, Georgi; Raycheva, Ralitsa; Stefanov, Rumen; Jakovljevic, Mihajlo Michael

    2017-12-01

    А series of European Union (EU) political decisions have made rare diseases one of the cornerstones of the common European health policy. Adopted in 2009, Council Recommendation on an action in the field of rare diseases aimed to serve as a policy-making guideline. However, the implementation report, which followed it, neither performed detailed cross-country comparison, nor assessed the impact of the policies. Areas covered: A 10-indicator set was elaborated to structure the review and to describe rare disease activities in 14 Eastern European countries. Expert commentary: Taking into account all indicators, EU member states outperform candidate and potential candidate countries in terms of rare disease policy planning and implementation. Hungary is the top performer, followed by Bulgaria and Czech Republic. Non-EU countries form the bottom tier, with Serbia being the best ranked among them. While EU adhesion is a major facilitator for planning and adopting rare disease policies, local stakeholders are the triggering factor for their successful implementation. European reference networks are likely to be the future of rare disease activities in the EU. They need to synchronize and closely collaborate with all important EU projects in the field of rare diseases if they are to achieve their objectives.

  13. Preparation and characterization of the magnetic superconductor EuSr2RuCu2O8-δ (RuEu-1212) by partial melting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yamaki, K.; Kitagawa, N.; Funahashi, S.; Bamba, Y.; Irie, A.

    2018-07-01

    In this study, fine single crystals of the magnetic superconductor EuSr2RuCu2O8-δ (RuEu-1212) were successfully prepared using the partial melting technique. The obtained single crystals had a cubic shape, which coincides with the results of previous studies of RuGd-1212 single crystals. The single crystals had a typical length of 20-30 μm and the diffraction pattern observed from a sample prepared by partial melting was consistent with patterns of previously reported polycrystalline RuEu-1212 samples. A sample subjected to prolonged sintering, which consisted of a large number of combined micro single crystals prepared by partial melting, exhibited a superconducting transition with Tc-onset of 30.9 K and Tc-zero of 10.5 K.

  14. EuCo 2P 2: A Model Molecular-Field Helical Heisenberg Antiferromagnet

    DOE PAGES

    Sangeetha, N. S.; Cuervo-Reyes, Eduardo; Pandey, Abhishek; ...

    2016-07-19

    The metallic compound EuCo 2P 2 with the body-centered tetragonal ThCr 2Si 2 structure containing Eu spins-7/2 was previously shown from single-crystal neutron diffraction measurements to exhibit a helical antiferromagnetic (AFM) structure below T N=66.5 K with the helix axis along the c axis and with the ordered moments aligned within the ab plane. Here we report crystallography, electrical resistivity, heat capacity, magnetization, and magnetic susceptibility measurements on single crystals of this compound. We demonstrate that EuCo 2P 2 is a model molecular-field helical Heisenberg antiferromagnet from comparisons of the anisotropic magnetic susceptibility χ, high-field magnetization, and magnetic heat capacitymore » of EuCo 2P 2 single crystals at temperature T≤TN with the predictions of our recent formulation of molecular-field theory. Values of the Heisenberg exchange interactions between the Eu spins are derived from the data. The low-T magnetic heat capacity ~T 3 arising from spin-wave excitations with no anisotropy gap is calculated and found to be comparable to the lattice heat capacity. The density of states at the Fermi energy of EuCo 2P 2 and the related compound BaCo 2P 2 are found from the heat capacity data to be large, 10 and 16 states/eV per formula unit for EuCo 2P 2 and BaCo 2P 2, respectively. These values are enhanced by a factor of ~2.5 above those found from DFT electronic structure calculations for the two compounds. Additionally, the calculations also find ferromagnetic Eu–Eu exchange interactions within the ab plane and AFM interactions between Eu spins in nearest- and next-nearest planes, in agreement with the MFT analysis of χ ab(T≤TN).« less

  15. EuCo 2P 2: A Model Molecular-Field Helical Heisenberg Antiferromagnet

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sangeetha, N. S.; Cuervo-Reyes, Eduardo; Pandey, Abhishek

    The metallic compound EuCo 2P 2 with the body-centered tetragonal ThCr 2Si 2 structure containing Eu spins-7/2 was previously shown from single-crystal neutron diffraction measurements to exhibit a helical antiferromagnetic (AFM) structure below T N=66.5 K with the helix axis along the c axis and with the ordered moments aligned within the ab plane. Here we report crystallography, electrical resistivity, heat capacity, magnetization, and magnetic susceptibility measurements on single crystals of this compound. We demonstrate that EuCo 2P 2 is a model molecular-field helical Heisenberg antiferromagnet from comparisons of the anisotropic magnetic susceptibility χ, high-field magnetization, and magnetic heat capacitymore » of EuCo 2P 2 single crystals at temperature T≤TN with the predictions of our recent formulation of molecular-field theory. Values of the Heisenberg exchange interactions between the Eu spins are derived from the data. The low-T magnetic heat capacity ~T 3 arising from spin-wave excitations with no anisotropy gap is calculated and found to be comparable to the lattice heat capacity. The density of states at the Fermi energy of EuCo 2P 2 and the related compound BaCo 2P 2 are found from the heat capacity data to be large, 10 and 16 states/eV per formula unit for EuCo 2P 2 and BaCo 2P 2, respectively. These values are enhanced by a factor of ~2.5 above those found from DFT electronic structure calculations for the two compounds. Additionally, the calculations also find ferromagnetic Eu–Eu exchange interactions within the ab plane and AFM interactions between Eu spins in nearest- and next-nearest planes, in agreement with the MFT analysis of χ ab(T≤TN).« less

  16. Effects of Eu3+ concentration on structural, optical and vibrational properties of multifunctional Ce(1-x)Eu(x)O2-delta) nanoparticles synthesized by thermolysis of 2,4-pentanedione complexes.

    PubMed

    Kremenovic, A; Bozanic, D K; Welsch, A M; Jancar, B; Nikolic, A S; Boskovic, M; Colomban, Ph; Fabian, Martin; Antic, B

    2012-12-01

    The 5-10 nm Ce(1-x)Eu(x)O(2-delta) (0 < or = x < or = 0.30) nanoparticles with fluorite structure were synthesized by thermal decomposition of Eu- and Ce-2,4-pentanedione complexes mixtures. X-ray line broadening analysis of mixed samples Ce(1-x)Eu(x)O(2-delta) (0.05 < or = x < or = 0.30) showed that the crystallite size was lower and root mean square strain higher than in pure ceria. However, within mixed samples Ce(1-x)Eu(x)O(2-delta) (0.05 < or = x < or = 0.30) crystallite size and root mean square strain were independent of Eu3+ concentration. Raman spectroscopy results indicated that europium ions yield disorder by breaking the phonon propagation and therefore making the non-centre Brillouin zone modes Raman active. The absorption bands in the spectra of mixed oxides were blue-shifted in comparison to pure CeO(2-delta) nanopowder. The samples show red emission typical for Eu ions. The biggest photoluminescent intensity was observed for the highest Eu3+ concentration (x = 0.30) and further enhanced with the increase in crystallinity.

  17. Observation of energy transfer phenomenon via up and down conversion in Eu3+ ions for BaMoO4:Er3+-Eu3+ nanophosphor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Soni, Abhishek Kumar; Ningthoujam, Raghumani Singh

    2018-04-01

    The Er3+-Eu3+ codoped BaMoO4 nanophosphor has been synthesized by using urea hydrolysis in ethylene glycol medium. The tetragonal phase formation of the codoped nanophosphor has been confirmed by the X-ray diffraction analysis. The up and down conversion emission spectra have been recorded via 980 and 270 nm excitation, respectively. The Eu3+ emission arising in the prepared Er3+-Eu3+ codoped BaMoO4 nanophosphor is basically due to the efficient energy transfer process. The energy level diagram has been sketched to show the energy transfer phenomenon in the Eu3+ ion from charge transfer band (host lattice absorption) and excited level of the Er3+ ion (multiphoton absorption). The values of colour co-ordinates suggest that materials can produce the red to yellow. The developed nanophosphor could be useful as an effective up and down converting optical material and lighting device applications.

  18. Influence of Annealing Temperature and Gd and Eu Concentrations on Structure and Luminescence Properties of (Y,Gd)BO3:Eu3+ Phosphors Prepared by Sol-Gel Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lien, N. T. K.; Thang, N. V.; Hung, N. D.; Cuong, N. D.; Kien, N. D. T.; Thang, C. X.; Vuong, P. H.; Viet, D. X.; Khoi, N. T.; Huy, P. T.

    2017-06-01

    Red-emitting Eu3+-doped (Y,Gd)BO3 phosphors have been synthesized by a sol-gel process using metal oxides and boric acid as starting materials and citric acid as chelating agent. The main factors affecting the structure and luminescence properties of the product, such as sintering temperature, chemical composition, and Eu3+ doping concentration, were investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that the phosphors begin to crystallize at sintering temperature of 700°C and become phase pure at 900°C. The average size of the phosphor particles after sintering at 1000°C was determined to be about 30 nm to 50 nm. The (Y,Gd)BO3:Eu3+ phosphors were found to exhibit strong red emission at 611 nm and 625 nm corresponding to the 5D0-7F2 transitions of Eu3+ in the host lattice. The photoluminescence intensity was enhanced by posttreatment at 900°C and remained unchanged at 1000°C. It was also found that the optimal concentration of Gd3+ ions for Eu3+ emission was 35%, and no concentration quenching of the photoluminescence was observed even at Eu3+ doping concentration up to 30%.

  19. Eu/Tb codoped spindle-shaped fluorinated hydroxyapatite nanoparticles for dual-color cell imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Baojin; Zhang, Shan; Qiu, Jichuan; Li, Jianhua; Sang, Yuanhua; Xia, Haibing; Jiang, Huaidong; Claverie, Jerome; Liu, Hong

    2016-06-01

    Lanthanide doped fluorinated hydroxyapatite (FAp) nanoparticles are promising cell imaging nanomaterials but they are excited at wavelengths which do not match the light sources usually found in a commercial confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). In this work, we have successfully prepared spindle-shaped Eu/Tb codoped FAp nanoparticles by a hydrothermal method. Compared with single Eu doped FAp, Eu/Tb codoped FAp can be excited by a 488 nm laser, and exhibit both green and red light emission. By changing the amounts of Eu and Tb peaks, the emission in the green region (500-580 nm) can be decreased to the benefit of the emission in the red region (580-720 nm), thus reaching a balanced dual color emission. Using MC3T3-E1 cells co-cultured with Eu/Tb codoped FAp nanoparticles, it is observed that the nanoparticles are cytocompatible even at a concentration as high as 800 μg ml-1. The Eu/Tb codoped FAp nanoparticles are located in the cytoplasm and can be monitored by dual color--green and red imaging with a single excitation light at 488 nm. At a concentration of 200 μg ml-1, the cytoplasm is saturated in 8 hours, and Eu/Tb codoped FAp nanoparticles retain their fluorescence for at least 3 days. The cytocompatible Eu/Tb codoped FAp nanoparticles with unique dual color emission will be of great use for cell and tissue imaging.Lanthanide doped fluorinated hydroxyapatite (FAp) nanoparticles are promising cell imaging nanomaterials but they are excited at wavelengths which do not match the light sources usually found in a commercial confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). In this work, we have successfully prepared spindle-shaped Eu/Tb codoped FAp nanoparticles by a hydrothermal method. Compared with single Eu doped FAp, Eu/Tb codoped FAp can be excited by a 488 nm laser, and exhibit both green and red light emission. By changing the amounts of Eu and Tb peaks, the emission in the green region (500-580 nm) can be decreased to the benefit of the emission in the

  20. EU to review implications of tax

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Scott, A.

    1997-05-21

    The European Council of Ministers has postponed discussion of the European Commission`s proposed energy tax and has authorized a study to reevaluate the technical and legal implications and the costs and benefits of the tax. The reevaluation comes as a ray of hope to European chemical industry officials, who are concerned about the effects of the tax on the industry`s international competitiveness. The commission`s proposal would tax natural gas, electricity, and coal in the European Union (EU) for the first time. It would raise taxes throughout the EU to one level. In its current form the energy tax would devastatemore » the European industry`s competitiveness outside the region, says European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) counsel Claude Culem. We`re willing to improve emissions to achieve environmental goals - we don`t need energy taxes, Culem tells CW. The whole project is dangerous, not necessarily in the short term, but certainly in the long term. European Parliament ministers are scheduled to debate the issue with the Dutch government, which holds the EU presidency, and hope to wrap up proceedings over the summer. The tax may only be adopted when ministers agree on it unanimously. If it is approved, it would be implemented in two stages, in 2000 and 2002.« less

  1. Magnetic and Fermi Surface Properties of EuGa4

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nakamura, Ai; Hiranaka, Yuichi; Hedo, Masato; Nakama, Takao; Miura, Yasunao; Tsutsumi, Hiroki; Mori, Akinobu; Ishida, Kazuhiro; Mitamura, Katsuya; Hirose, Yusuke; Sugiyama, Kiyohiro; Honda, Fuminori; Settai, Rikio; Takeuchi, Tetsuya; Hagiwara, Masayuki; Matsuda, Tatsuma D.; Yamamoto, Etsuji; Haga, Yoshinori; Matsubayashi, Kazuyuki; Uwatoko, Yoshiya; Harima, Hisatomo; Ōnuki, Yoshichika

    2013-10-01

    We grew a high-quality single crystal EuGa4 with the tetragonal structure by the Ga self-flux method, and measured the electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, high-field magnetization, specific heat, thermoelectric power and de Haas--van Alphen (dHvA) effect, together with the electrical resistivity and thermoelectric power under pressure. EuGa4 is found to be a Eu-divalent compound without anisotropy of the magnetic susceptibility in the paramagnetic state and to reveal the same magnetization curve between H \\parallel [100] and [001] in the antiferromagnetic state, where the antiferromagnetic easy-axis is oriented along the [100] direction below a Néel temperature TN=16.5 K. The magnetization curve is discussed on the basis of a simple two-sublattice model. The Fermi surface in the paramagnetic state was clarified from the results of a dHvA experiment for EuGa4 and an energy band calculation for a non-4f reference compound SrGa4, which consists of a small ellipsoidal hole--Fermi surface and a compensated cube-like electron--Fermi surface with vacant space in center. We observed an anomaly in the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity and thermoelectric power at TCDW=150 K under 2 GPa. This might correspond to an emergence of the charge density wave (CDW). The similar phenomenon was also observed in EuAl4 at ambient pressure. We discussed the CDW phenomenon on the basis of the present peculiar Fermi surfaces.

  2. Effects of Eu doping and O vacancy on the magnetic and optical properties of ZnO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ling-Feng, Qu; Qing-Yu, Hou; Xiao-Fang, Jia; Zhen-Chao, Xu; Chun-Wang, Zhao

    2018-02-01

    We calculated the electronic structure and optical properties of Eu mono-doped ZnO systems with or without O vacancy. We also determined the relative energy of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic orders of Eu-double-doped ZnO systems. The double-doped systems possess high Curie temperature and achieve room temperature ferromagnetism. The magnetism in the Eu mono-doped system without O vacancy is caused by the -Eu3+-O2--Eu3+- bound magnetopolaron (BMP) model. The magnetism of Eu mono-doped ZnO systems with O vacancy is more stable than that without O vacancy, and such magnetism is attributed to the -Eu3+-VO++-Eu3+- BMP model. The absorption spectrum for mono-doped systems is red shifted, and this finding confirms that Eu-mono-doped ZnO is a candidate photocatalyst for various applications. Therefore, Eu-double-doped ZnO can be practically used as an unambiguous diluted magnetic semiconductor.

  3. Activation cross section and isomeric cross-section ratio for the 151Eu(n,2n)150m,gEu process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luo, Junhua; Li, Suyuan; Jiang, Li

    2018-07-01

    The cross sections of 151Eu(n,2n)150m,gEu reactions and their isomeric cross section ratios σm/σt have been measured experimentally. Cross sections are measured, relative to a reference 93Nb(n,2n)92mNb reaction cross section, by means of the activation technique at three neutron energies 13.5, 14.1, and 14.8 MeV. Monoenergetic neutron beams were formed via the 3H(d,n)4He reaction and both Eu2O3 samples and Nb monitor foils were activated together to determine the reaction cross section and the incident neutron flux. The activities induced in the reaction products were measured using high-resolution gamma ray spectroscopy. Cross sections were also evaluated theoretically using the numerical nuclear model code, TALYS-1.8 with different level density options at neutron energies varying from the reaction threshold to 20 MeV. Results are discussed and compared with the corresponding literature.

  4. DNA sensing by a Eu-binding peptide containing a proflavine unit.

    PubMed

    Ancel, Laetitia; Gateau, Christelle; Lebrun, Colette; Delangle, Pascale

    2013-01-18

    Synthesis of a lanthanide-binding peptide (LBP) for the detection of double-stranded DNA is presented. A proflavine moiety was introduced into a high affinity LBP involving two unnatural chelating amino acids in the Ln ion coordination. The Eu(3+)-LBP complex is demonstrated to bind to ct-DNA and to sensitize Eu luminescence. The DNA binding process is effectively detected via the Eu-centered luminescence thanks to the intimate coupling between the LBP scaffold and DNA intercalating unit.

  5. Enhanced moments of Eu in single crystals of the metallic helical antiferromagnet EuCo2 -yAs2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sangeetha, N. S.; Anand, V. K.; Cuervo-Reyes, Eduardo; Smetana, V.; Mudring, A.-V.; Johnston, D. C.

    2018-04-01

    The compound EuCo2 -yAs2 with the tetragonal ThCr2Si2 structure is known to contain Eu+2 ions with spin S =7/2 that order below a temperature TN≈47 K into an antiferromagnetic (AFM) proper helical structure with the ordered moments aligned in the tetragonal a b plane, perpendicular to the helix axis along the c axis, with no contribution from the Co atoms. Here we carry out a detailed investigation of the properties of single crystals. We consistently find about 5% vacancies on the Co site from energy-dispersive x-ray analysis and x-ray diffraction refinements. Enhanced ordered and effective moments of the Eu spins are found in most of our crystals. Electronic structure calculations indicate that the enhanced moments arise from polarization of the d bands, as occurs in ferromagnetic Gd metal. Electrical resistivity measurements indicate metallic behavior. The low-field in-plane magnetic susceptibilities χa b(T Eu-Eu exchange interactions Ji j are extracted from the fits. High-field magnetization M data for magnetic fields H ∥a b reveal what appears to be a first-order spin-flop transition followed at higher field by a second-order metamagnetic transition of unknown origin, and then by another second-order transition to the paramagnetic (PM) state. For H ∥c , the magnetization shows only a second-order transition from the canted AFM to the PM state, as expected. The critical fields for the AFM to PM transition are in approximate agreement with the predictions of MFT. Heat capacity Cp measurements in zero and high H are reported. Phase diagrams for H ∥c and H ∥a b versus T are constructed from the high-field M (H ,T ) and Cp(H ,T ) measurements. The magnetic part Cmag(T ,H =0 ) of Cp(T ,H =0 ) is extracted and is fitted rather well below TN by MFT, although dynamic short-range AFM order is apparent in Cmag(T ) up to about 70 K, where the molar

  6. Synthesis, Characterization, and Handling of Eu(II)-Containing Complexes for Molecular Imaging Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Basal, Lina A.; Allen, Matthew J.

    2018-03-01

    Considerable research effort has focused on the in vivo use of responsive imaging probes that change imaging properties upon reacting with oxygen because hypoxia is relevant to diagnosing, treating, and monitoring diseases. One promising class of compounds for oxygen-responsive imaging is Eu(II)-containing complexes because the Eu(II/III) redox couple enables imaging with multiple modalities including magnetic resonance and photoacoustic imaging. The use of Eu(II) requires care in handling to avoid unintended oxidation during synthesis and characterization. This review describes recent advances in the field of imaging agents based on discrete Eu(II)-containing complexes with specific focus on the synthesis, characterization, and handling of aqueous Eu(II)-containing complexes.

  7. Photoluminescent properties of spider silk coated with Eu-doped nanoceria

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dmitrović, Svetlana; Nikolić, Marko G.; Jelenković, Branislav; Prekajski, Marija; Rabasović, Mihailo; Zarubica, Aleksandra; Branković, Goran; Matović, Branko

    2017-02-01

    Spider dragline silk was coated with pure as well as Eu-doped ceria nanopowders at the room temperature. The treatment was done by immersion of the spider silk mesh into aqueous solutions of cerium nitrate (Ce(NO3)3) and ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH). Depending on the relationship between Ce3+ ion and ammonium hydroxide concentration, coated fibers exhibited a different thickness. Obtained materials were studied by means of FESEM. It was found that ceria nanoparticles of average size of 3 nm were coated along spider thread. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) confirmed crystal nature of nanoparticle coating of spider silk. By using Williamson-Hall plots, crystallite size and strain were estimated. EDS measurement confirmed the presence of Eu in spider-Eu-doped ceria composite, and according to FTIR analysis, the interaction between CeO2 and spider silk was proposed. The morphology of obtained composite was observed by TEM. The photoluminescence emission spectra of spider silk coated with Eu-doped ceria were measured with two different excitations of 385 and 466 nm. The two-photon excited auto-fluorescence of spider silk coated with Eu-doped ceria was detected using a nonlinear laser scanning microscope. Obtained composite has a potential as a fluorescent labeling material in diverse applications.

  8. Optical studies of CaS:Eu,Sm infrared stimulable phosphors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tamura, Yasuaki; Shibukawa, Atsushi

    1993-07-01

    The photoluminescence (PL) and infrared stimulated luminescence (ISL) spectra of CaS:Eu,Sm infrared stimulable phosphors (ISPs) are studied. In addition, the concentration dependence of ISL intensity is examined. Sm(3+) and Eu(2+) related structures are found in both the PL excitation and emission spectra. Two types of Sm(3+) are found, one of which exhibits strong emission at around 650 nm and the other weak emission compared to the other emissions at around 565 nm and 605 nm. These are assigned to an asymmetric and a symmetric site, respectively. ISL excitation spectra coincide with the Eu(2+) 4f(sup 7) to 4f(sup 6)5d(sup 1) and 4f(sup 6)6s(sup 1) transitions and range from 220 to 650 nm. ISL emission spectra coincide with the Eu(2+) 4f(sup 6)5d(sup 1) to 4f(sup 7) transition and range from 550 to 750 nm. ISL stimulation spectra range from 0.8 micron to 1.7 micron and are thought to indicate the Sm(2+) ion transition from 4f(sup 6) to 4f(sup 5)5d(sup 1). The maximum ISL intensity is obtained from a sample with Eu and Sm concentrations of 500 and 130 ppm, respectively.

  9. Optical Studies of CaS:Eu, Sm Infrared Stimulable Phosphors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tamura, Yasuaki; Shibukawa, Atsushi

    1993-07-01

    The photoluminescence (PL) and infrared stimulated luminescence (ISL) spectra of CaS:Eu,Sm infrared stimulable phosphors (ISPs) are studied. In addition, the concentration dependence of ISL intensity is examined. Sm3+- and Eu2+-related structures are found in both the PL excitation and emission spectra. Two types of Sm3+ are found, one of which exhibits strong emission at around 650 nm and the other, weak emission compared to the other emissions at around 565 nm and 605 nm. These are assigned to an asymmetric and a symmetric site, respectively. ISL excitation spectra coincide with the Eu2+ 4f7 to 4f65d1 and 4f66s1 transitions and range from 220 to 650 nm. ISL emission spectra coincide with the Eu2+ 4f65d1 to 4f7 transition and range from 550 to 750 nm. ISL stimulation spectra range from 0.8 μm to 1.7 μm and are thought to indicate the Sm2+ ion transition from 4f6 to 4f55d1. The maximum ISL intensity is obtained from a sample with Eu and Sm concentrations of 500 and 130 ppm, respectively.

  10. Magnetism of the 35 K superconductor CsEuFe4As4

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Albedah, Mohammed A.; Nejadsattari, Farshad; Stadnik, Zbigniew M.; Liu, Yi; Cao, Guang-Han

    2018-04-01

    The results of ab initio hyperfine-interaction parameters calculations, and of x-ray diffraction and 57Fe and 151Eu Mössbauer spectroscopy study of the new 35 K superconductor CsEuFe4As4 are reported. The superconductor crystallizes in the tetragonal space group P4/mmm with the lattice parameters a = 3.8956(1) Å and c = 13.6628(5) Å. It is demonstrated unequivocally that there is no magnetic order of the Fe magnetic moments down to 2.1 K and that the ferromagnetic order is associated with the Eu magnetic moments. The Curie temperature TC = 15.97(8) K determined from the temperature dependence of the hyperfine magnetic field at 151Eu nuclei is shown to be compatible with the temperature dependence of the transferred hyperfine magnetic field at 57Fe nuclei that is induced by the ferromagnetically ordered Eu sublattice. The Eu magnetic moments are shown to be perpendicular to the crystallographic c-axis. The temperature dependence of the principal component of the electric field gradient tensor, both at Fe and Eu sites, is well described by a T 3/2 power-law relation. Good agreement between the calculated and measured hyperfine-interaction parameters is observed. The Debye temperature of CsEuFe4As4 is found to be 295(3) K.

  11. Synthesis of Gd2O3:Eu nanoplatelets for MRI and fluorescence imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maalej, Nabil M.; Qurashi, Ahsanulhaq; Assadi, Achraf Amir; Maalej, Ramzi; Shaikh, Mohammed Nasiruzzaman; Ilyas, Muhammad; Gondal, Mohammad A.

    2015-05-01

    We synthesized Gd2O3 and Gd2O3 doped by europium (Eu) (2% to 10%) nanoplatelets using the polyol chemical method. The synthesized nanoplatelets were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), FESEM, TEM, and EDX techniques. The optical properties of the synthesized nanoplatelets were investigated by photoluminescence spectroscopy. We also studied the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast enhancement of T1 relaxivity using 3 T MRI. The XRD for Gd2O3 revealed a cubic crystalline structure. The XRD of Gd2O3:Eu3+ nanoplatelets were highly consistent with Gd2O3 indicating the total incorporation of the Eu3+ ions in the Gd2O3 matrix. The Eu doping of Gd2O3 produced red luminescence around 612 nm corresponding to the radiative transitions from the Eu-excited state 5D0 to the 7F2. The photoluminescence was maximal at 5% Eu doping concentration. The stimulated CIE chromaticity coordinates were also calculated. Judd-Ofelt analysis was used to obtain the radiative properties of the sample from the emission spectra. The MRI contrast enhancement due to Gd2O3 was compared to DOTAREM commercial contrast agent at similar concentration of gadolinium oxide and provided similar contrast enhancement. The incorporation of Eu, however, decreased the MRI contrast due to replacement of gadolinium by Eu.

  12. Synthesis of Gd2O3:Eu nanoplatelets for MRI and fluorescence imaging.

    PubMed

    Maalej, Nabil M; Qurashi, Ahsanulhaq; Assadi, Achraf Amir; Maalej, Ramzi; Shaikh, Mohammed Nasiruzzaman; Ilyas, Muhammad; Gondal, Mohammad A

    2015-01-01

    We synthesized Gd2O3 and Gd2O3 doped by europium (Eu) (2% to 10%) nanoplatelets using the polyol chemical method. The synthesized nanoplatelets were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), FESEM, TEM, and EDX techniques. The optical properties of the synthesized nanoplatelets were investigated by photoluminescence spectroscopy. We also studied the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast enhancement of T1 relaxivity using 3 T MRI. The XRD for Gd2O3 revealed a cubic crystalline structure. The XRD of Gd2O3:Eu(3+) nanoplatelets were highly consistent with Gd2O3 indicating the total incorporation of the Eu(3+) ions in the Gd2O3 matrix. The Eu doping of Gd2O3 produced red luminescence around 612 nm corresponding to the radiative transitions from the Eu-excited state (5)D0 to the (7)F2. The photoluminescence was maximal at 5% Eu doping concentration. The stimulated CIE chromaticity coordinates were also calculated. Judd-Ofelt analysis was used to obtain the radiative properties of the sample from the emission spectra. The MRI contrast enhancement due to Gd2O3 was compared to DOTAREM commercial contrast agent at similar concentration of gadolinium oxide and provided similar contrast enhancement. The incorporation of Eu, however, decreased the MRI contrast due to replacement of gadolinium by Eu.

  13. A project-based system for including farmers in the EU ETS.

    PubMed

    Brandt, Urs Steiner; Svendsen, Gert Tinggaard

    2011-04-01

    Farmers in the EU do not trade greenhouse gases under the Kyoto agreement. This is an empirical puzzle because agriculture is a significant contributor of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the EU and may harvest private net gains from trade. Furthermore, the US has strongly advocated land-use practices as 'the missing link' in past climate negotiations. We argue that farmers have relatively low marginal reduction costs and that consequences in terms of the effect on permit price and technology are overall positive in the EU Emission Trading System (ETS). Thus, we propose a project-based system for including the farming practices in the EU ETS that reduces the uncertainty from measuring emission reduction in this sector. The system encourages GHG reduction either by introducing a new and less polluting practice or by reducing the polluting activity. When doing so, farmers will receive GHG permits corresponding to the amount of reduction which can be stored for later use or sold in the EU ETS. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Support for international trade law: The US and the EU compared.

    PubMed

    Eckhardt, Jappe; Elsig, Manfred

    2015-10-01

    In this article we compare US and EU support for bilateral and multilateral international trade law. We assess the support for international law of both trading blocs by focusing on the following four dimensions: leadership, consent, compliance and internalization. Although we find strong support for international trade law from both the US and the EU in general, we also witness some variation, most notably in relation to the design of preferential trade agreements (PTAs) and compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) law. Turning to explaining these (moderate) differences, we argue that outcomes in US trade policy can best be explained by a domestic political factor, namely the direct influence of interest groups. Although the involvement of societal interests also goes a long way in explaining EU behavior, it does not tell the entire story. We posit that, in EU trade policy, institutions are a particular conditioning factor that needs to be stressed. Moreover, we suggest that foreign policy considerations in managing trade relations have characterized EU's support for international trade law.

  15. Comparative study of nondoped and Eu-doped SrI2 scintillator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yanagida, Takayuki; Koshimizu, Masanori; Okada, Go; Kojima, Takahiro; Osada, Junya; Kawaguchi, Noriaki

    2016-11-01

    Optical and scintillation properties of nondoped and Eu 3% doped SrI2 crystals grown by the Vertical Bridgman method were investigated. Eu-doped crystal showed an intense single band emission at 430 nm due to the Eu2+ 5d-4f transitions in both photoluminescence and scintillation while the nondoped crystal had a complex spectral shape. The latter emission consists of mainly four bands: 360 nm, 540 nm, 410 nm and 430 nm. The origins of 360 nm and 540 nm were self-trapped exciton and unexpected impurity, respectively. The origins of 410 and 430 nm lines were ascribed to F center in different I sites. Under 137Cs γ-ray irradiations, both crystals showed a clear photoabsorption peak. The scintillation light yields of the nondoped and Eu-doped SrI2 resulted 33,000 ph/MeV and 82,000 ph/MeV, respectively. The energy resolution at 662 keV of Eu-doped was 4% while that of the non-doped SrI2 was 8%.

  16. UV light induced red emission in Eu3+-doped zincborophosphate glasses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hima Bindu, S.; Siva Raju, D.; Vinay Krishna, V.; Rajavardhana Rao, T.; Veerabrahmam, K.; Linga Raju, Ch.

    2016-12-01

    This paper reports the preparation of transparent zincborophosphate (ZBP) glasses doped with Eu3+ ions by the conventional melt quenching technique. The prepared glasses were characterized using powder XRD, FTIR, optical absorption, photoluminescence and decay curves. Judd-Ofelt (JO) intensity parameters calculated under various constraints using absorption and emission spectra. These JO intensity parameters have been used to predict the radiative properties such as radiative life time, branching ratios and stimulated emission cross section of the 5D0→7FJ (J = 0-4) transitions. Decay curves for the 5D0 level of Eu3+ ions shows single exponential for all concentrations. Luminescence properties of 5D0→7F2 transitions of Eu3+ions have revealed that the present ZBP:Eu3+ glasses have significant in optical applications at around 613 nm. An intense red luminescence has been observed due to 5D0→7F2 transition of Eu3+ ion in these glasses. From the CIE color coordinate diagram, it is observed that the present glass system is prominent material for red emission.

  17. Ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity in Eu X ( X = O, S): pressure effects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Djermouni, Mostefa; Zaoui, Ali; Kacimi, Salima; Benayad, Nawel; Boukortt, Abdelkader

    2018-02-01

    Ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity in Eu monochalcogenides have been investigated by ab initio density functional theory in the DFT+ U approach. Exchange interaction parameters and Curie temperatures under pressure are studied and discussed using Heisenberg Hamiltonian with first and second-nearest-neighbor interactions. The calculations showed that the hydrostatic pressure perfectly improves the Curie temperature (EuO: T C = 175 K; EuS: T C = 33.8 K) and in the other hand it cannot induce the spontaneous polarization ( P s ). The effect of uniaxial and biaxial pressure is also studied. Although the uniaxial strains slightly increases the Curie temperature, it ensures the ferrolectricity in these systems by producing a spontaneous polarization of the order of P s (EuO) = 57.50 μC/cm2 and P s (EuS) = 42.86 μC/cm2 with pressures of 5% and 4%, respectively. The search for new model systems is a necessity to better understand the physics related to multiferroïc materials and to consider possible applications.

  18. Eu(2+)-Activated Alkaline-Earth Halophosphates, M5(PO4)3X:Eu(2+) (M = Ca, Sr, Ba; X = F, Cl, Br) for NUV-LEDs: Site-Selective Crystal Field Effect.

    PubMed

    Kim, Donghyeon; Kim, Sung-Chul; Bae, Jong-Seong; Kim, Sungyun; Kim, Seung-Joo; Park, Jung-Chul

    2016-09-06

    Eu(2+)-activated M5(PO4)3X (M = Ca, Sr, Ba; X = F, Cl, Br) compounds providing different alkaline-earth metal and halide ions were successfully synthesized and characterized. The emission peak maxima of the M5(PO4)3Cl:Eu(2+) (M = Ca, Sr, Ba) compounds were blue-shifted from Ca to Ba (454 nm for Ca, 444 nm for Sr, and 434 nm for Ba), and those of the Sr5(PO4)3X:Eu(2+) (X = F, Cl, Br) compounds were red-shifted along the series of halides, F → Cl → Br (437 nm for F, 444 nm for Cl, and 448 nm for Br). The site selectivity and occupancy of the activator ions (Eu(2+)) in the M5(PO4)3X:Eu(2+) (M = Ca, Sr, Ba; X = F, Cl, Br) crystal lattices were estimated based on theoretical calculation of the 5d → 4f transition energies of Eu(2+) using LCAO. In combination with the photoluminescence measurements and theoretical calculation, it was elucidated that the Eu(2+) ions preferably enter the fully oxygen-coordinated sites in the M5(PO4)3X:Eu(2+) (M = Ca, Sr, Ba; X = F, Cl, Br) compounds. This trend can be well explained by "Pauling's rules". These compounds may provide a platform for modeling a new phosphor and application in the solid-state lighting field.

  19. Optical spectroscopy and magnetic behaviour of Sm3+ and Eu3+ cations in Li6Eu1-xSmx(BO3)3 solid solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Belhoucif, Rekia; Velázquez, Matias; Plantevin, Olivier; Aschehoug, Patrick; Goldner, Philippe; Christian, George

    2017-11-01

    A new borate solid solution series of powders, Li6Eu1-xSmx(BO3)3 (LSEBx, x = 0.35, 0.5, 0.6, 1), were synthesized by solid-state reaction, characterized and their luminescent properties were investigated. The absorption spectra indicate that absorption takes place mainly from the Sm3+6H5/2 ground state, with a strong band at 405 nm. The photoluminescence spectra reveal that the Eu3+ red emission intensity strongly depends on the Sm3+ content x. Judd-Ofelt theory was applied to experimental data for the quantitative determination of phenomenological parameters Ωi (i = 2, 4, 6) Judd Ofelt parameters, radiative transition rates and emission quantum efficiency. Owing to the energy transfer from Sm3+ to Eu3+ the intense red light detected at 613 nm at room temperature under UV or blue light excitation, was improved by ∼35% as compared with Sm3+-free samples. This energy transfer was confirmed by faster decay times of Sm3+ as energy donors. Moreover, the energy transfer between Sm3+ and Eu3+ is unidirectional and irreversible, implying that the energy transfer wastage between Sm3+ and Eu3+ is very low. Magnetic susceptibility (χ) measurements of LSEBx were carried out in the temperature range 2-320 K and are used to compare calculated and experimental energy levels.

  20. Why study EU foreign policy at all? A response to Keuleers, Fonck and Keukeleire

    PubMed Central

    Dijkstra, Hylke; Vanhoonacker, Sophie

    2016-01-01

    In an important article on the state of European Union (EU) foreign policy research, Keuleers, Fonck and Keukeleire show that academics excessively focus on the study of the EU foreign policy system and EU implementation rather than the consequences of EU foreign policy for recipient countries. While the article is empirical, based on a dataset of 451 published articles on EU foreign policy, the normative message is that it is time to stop ‘navel-gazing’ and pay more attention to those on the receiving end of EU foreign policy. We welcome this contribution, but wonder why certain research questions have been privileged over others. We argue that this has primarily to do with the predominant puzzles of the time. We also invite Keuleers, Fonck and Keukeleire to make a theoretical case for a research agenda with more attention to outside-in approaches. We conclude by briefly reflecting on future research agendas in EU foreign policy. PMID:28546641

  1. Red/blue-shift dual-directional regulation of α-(Ca, Sr)2SiO4:Eu(2+) phosphors resulting from the incorporation content of Eu(2+)/Sr(2+) ions.

    PubMed

    Lu, Zhijuan; Mao, Zhiyong; Chen, Jingjing; Wang, Dajian

    2015-09-21

    In this work, tunable emission from green to red and the inverse tuning from red to green in α-(Ca, Sr)2SiO4:Eu(2+) phosphors were demonstrated magically by varying the incorporation content of Eu(2+) and Sr(2+) ions, respectively. The tunable emission properties and the tuning mechanism of red-shift resulting from the Eu(2+) content as well as that of blue-shift induced by the Sr(2+) content were investigated in detail. As a result of fine-controlling the incorporation content of Eu(2+), the emission peak red-shifts from 541 nm to 640 nm. On the other hand, the emission peak inversely blue-shifts from 640 nm to 546 nm through fine-adjusting the incorporation content of Sr(2+). The excellent tuning characteristics for α-(Ca, Sr)2SiO4:Eu(2+) phosphors presented in this work exhibited their various application prospects in solid-state lighting combining with a blue chip or a near-UV chip.

  2. Eu(III) uptake on rectorite in the presence of humic acid: a macroscopic and spectroscopic study.

    PubMed

    Chen, Changlun; Yang, Xin; Wei, Juan; Tan, Xiaoli; Wang, Xiangke

    2013-03-01

    This work contributed to the comprehension of humic acid (HA) effect on Eu(III) uptake to Na-rectorite by batch sorption experiments, model fitting, scanning electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. At low pH, the presence of HA enhanced Eu(III) sorption on Na-rectorite, while reduced Eu(III) sorption at high pH. The experimental data of Eu(III) sorption in the absence and presence of HA were simulated by the diffuse-layer model well with the aid of FITEQL 3.2 software. The basal spacing of rectorite became large after Eu(III) and HA sorption on Na-rectorite. Some of Eu(III) ions and HA might be intercalated into the interlayer space of Na-rectorite. EXAFS analysis showed that the R(Eu-O) (the bond distance of Eu and O in the first shell of Eu) and N values (coordination number) of Eu(III)-HA-rectorite system were smaller than those of Eu(III)-rectorite system. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Measurement and analysis of electronic energy transfer between Tb 3+ and Eu 3+ ions in Cs 2NaY 1-x-y Tb xEu yCl 6

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moran, Diane M.; May, P. Stanley; Richardson, F. S.

    1994-08-01

    Electronic energy-transfer processes between Tb 3+5D 4) and Eu 3+ ( 7F 0, 7F 1) ions in crystalline Cs 2NaY 1-x-yTb xEu yCl 6 compounds are examined over a wide range of relative Tb 3+ and Eu 3+ concentrations (at sample temperature of 77 and 295 K). In these systems, the Tb 3+ and Eu 3+ ions are located at centrosymmetric (O h) sites surrounded by six Cl - ions, and the minimum distance between these sites is ≈ 7.6 Å. The host lattice has a cubic structure (space group O h5-Fm3m), and the phonon spectrum of this lattice has a cut-off frequency of ≈ 300 cm -1. The optical spectra of Tb 3+ and Eu 3+ in Cs 2NaYCl 6 exhibit relatively sparse line structures, consisting almost entirely of magnetic-dipole origin lines and one-phonon-assisted electric-dipole vibronic lines that reflect O h selection rules and have relatively low oscillator strenghts. Overlap between Tb 3+ ( 5D 4) emission and Eu 3+ ( 7F 0, 7F 1) absorption spectra occurs only within the Tb 3+ ( 5D 4 → 7 F 4 and Eu 3+ ( 7F 0, 7F 1 → 5D 0 transition regions, and resonances between individual lines in these regions are used to identify possible pathways for Tb 3+ ( 5D 4)-to-Eu 3+ ( 7F 0, 7F 1) energy transfer. Rates of energy transfer are determined from time-resolved Tb 3+ ( 5D 4) luminescence intersity measurements, analyzed in terms of two different models for representing donor (Tb 3+)-acceptor (Eu 3+) site distributions in Cs 2NaY 1-x-yTb xEu yCl 6 systems. In one model, donor-accepator site distances are represented by a continuous radial distribution function, whereas in the second model, these distances are represented by a discrete distribution function. Both models are used to analyze donor luminescence decay data in terms of rate parameters that reflect specific mechanistic contributions to electronic energy transfer. Both electron-exchange and multipole-multipole mechanisms are considered in the analyses. Results from these analyses, combined with spectral overlap considerations and

  4. Persistent Luminescence in Non-Eu2+-Doped Compounds: A Review

    PubMed Central

    Van den Eeckhout, Koen; Poelman, Dirk; Smet, Philippe F.

    2013-01-01

    During the past few decades, the research on persistent luminescent materials has focused mainly on Eu2+-doped compounds. However, the yearly number of publications on non-Eu2+-based materials has also increased steadily. By now, the number of known persistent phosphors has increased to over 200, of which over 80% are not based on Eu2+, but rather, on intrinsic host defects, transition metals (manganese, chromium, copper, etc.) or trivalent rare earths (cerium, terbium, dysprosium, etc.). In this review, we present an overview of these non-Eu2+-based persistent luminescent materials and their afterglow properties. We also take a closer look at some remaining challenges, such as the excitability with visible light and the possibility of energy transfer between multiple luminescent centers. Finally, we summarize the necessary elements for a complete description of a persistent luminescent material, in order to allow a more objective comparison of these phosphors. PMID:28811409

  5. Suppression of Red Luminescence in Wire Explosion Derived Eu:ZnO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pallavi, Bandi; Sathyan, Sneha; Yoshimura, Takuya; Kumar, Praveen; Anbalagan, Kousika; Talluri, Bhusankar; Ramanujam, Sarathi; Ranjan, Prem; Thomas, Tiju

    2018-03-01

    Europium oxide (Eu2O3) is coated on zinc (Zn) wire using the electrophoretic deposition process. The coated Zn wire is subjected to the wire explosion process (WEP) which is rapid (< 15 min), and chimie douce (soft chemical, low temperature), in nature; this results in the formation of Eu doped ZnO. The explosion chamber contains oxygen (99.9%) at atmospheric pressure. Electron micrographs indicate that the particle sizes are ˜ 80 nm. Diffractogram-based analysis suggests that the crystallite size is 18-20 nm in the as-prepared doped ZnO nanoparticles. Electron paramagnetic resonance shows the presence of Zn vacancies and the cryo-photoluminescence spectrum indicates that Eu exists in the + 3 state. A combined Williamson-Hall plot and Kisielowski's model based analysis indicates that Eu is a substitutional dopant in WEP derived Eu:ZnO particles. It is estimated that this material has ˜ 0.24 at.% doping. This analysis also shows that, unlike another popular material GaN, in the case of ZnO, Eu3+ strictly substitutes for Zn2+ (i.e., dopant replacing a cation-anion pair does not seem possible). It may be noted that Eu3+ in a suitable host is oftentimes reported to be an efficient luminophore. The IR spectra show a band shift from 486 cm-1 to 493 cm-1; with peak shifts from 436 cm-1 to 430 cm-1 in Raman spectra. These too indicate the presence of Eu in the samples. However, at room temperature, only green luminescence (centered at 534 nm) is observed from the sample indicating (1) high concentrations of OZn anti-site defects and Zn vacancies, and (2) concomitant quenching of the luminescence at room temperature. Our results suggest that WEP is viable for synthesizing rare earth doped ceramic materials. However, obtaining efficient phosphors using this approach will likely require, (1) reduction of defect densities, and (2) appropriate passivation using post-processing.

  6. A Eu(II)-Containing Cryptate as a Redox Sensor in Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Living Tissue.

    PubMed

    Ekanger, Levi A; Polin, Lisa A; Shen, Yimin; Haacke, E Mark; Martin, Philip D; Allen, Matthew J

    2015-11-23

    The Eu(II) ion rivals Gd(III) in its ability to enhance contrast in magnetic resonance imaging. However, all reported Eu(II)-based complexes have been studied in vitro largely because the tendency of Eu(II) to oxidize to Eu(III) has been viewed as a major obstacle to in vivo imaging. Herein, we present solid- and solution-phase characterization of a Eu(II)-containing cryptate and the first in vivo use of Eu(II) to provide contrast enhancement. The results indicate that between one and two water molecules are coordinated to the Eu(II) core upon dissolution. We also demonstrate that Eu(II)-based contrast enhancement can be observed for hours in a mouse. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Role of Eu{sup 2+} on the blue‐green photoluminescence of In{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu{sup 2+} nanocrystals

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Devi, Konsam Reenabati, E-mail: reena.kay14@manipuruniv.ac.in; Meetei, Sanoujam Dhiren, E-mail: sdmdhiren@gmail.com; Department of Physics, North Eastern Regional Institute of Science & Technology, Nirjuli, Itanagar 791109, Arunachal Pradesh

    Blue‐green light emitting undoped and europium doped indium oxide nanocrystal were synthesized by simple precipitation method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern confirmed the cubic phase of undoped and europium doped samples. Further, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) , energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX), Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR), photoluminescence (PL), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies were performed to characterise the samples. PL analysis of the samples is the core of the present research. It includes excitation, emission and CIE (Commission Internationale de l’e´ clairage) studies of the samples. On doping europium to In{sub 2}O{sub 3} lattice, ln{sup 3+}more » site is substituted by Eu{sup 2+} thereby increasing the concentration of singly ionized oxygen vacancy and hence blue–green emission from the host is found to increase. Further, this increase in blue–green emission after doping may also be attributed to 4f → 5d transitions of Eu{sup 2+}. However, the blue–green PL emission is found to decrease after an optimum dopant concentration (Eu{sup 2+} = 4%) due to luminescence and size quenching. CIE co-ordinates of the samples are calculated to know colour of light emitted from the samples. It suggests that this blue–green light emitting In{sub 2}O{sub 3}: Eu{sup 2+} nanocrystals may find application in lighting such as in generation of white light. - Highlight: • XRD and TEM study confirms the synthesis of cubic doped and europium doped nanocrystals. • EPR study reveals the doped europium is in + 2 oxidation state. • Enhance PL emission intensity of host material due to increase in singly ionized oxygen vacancy and 4f–5d transitions of Eu{sup 2+} • CIE co-ordinates suggest the blue–green colour of the samples.« less

  8. Study of energy transfer mechanism from ZnO nanocrystals to Eu(3+) ions.

    PubMed

    Mangalam, Vivek; Pita, Kantisara; Couteau, Christophe

    2016-12-01

    In this work, we investigate the efficient energy transfer occurring between ZnO nanocrystals (ZnO-nc) and europium (Eu(3+)) ions embedded in a SiO2 matrix prepared using the sol-gel technique. We show that a strong red emission was observed at 614 nm when the ZnO-nc were excited using a continuous optical excitation at 325 nm. This emission is due to the radiative (5)D0 → (7)F2 de-excitation of the Eu(3+) ions and has been conclusively shown to be due to the energy transfer from the excited ZnO-nc to the Eu(3+) ions. The photoluminescence excitation spectra are also examined in this work to confirm the energy transfer from ZnO-nc to the Eu(3+) ions. Furthermore, we study various de-excitation processes from the excited ZnO-nc and their contribution to the energy transfer to Eu(3+) ions. We also report the optimum fabrication process for maximum red emission at 614 nm from the samples where we show a strong dependence on the annealing temperature and the Eu(3+) concentration in the sample. The maximum red emission is observed with 12 mol% Eu(3+) annealed at 450 °C. This work provides a better understanding of the energy transfer mechanism from ZnO-nc to Eu(3+) ions and is important for applications in photonics, especially for light emitting devices.

  9. VizieR Online Data Catalog: Eu III oscillator strengths (Masonkina+, 2002)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Masonkina, L. I.; Ryabtsev, A. N.; Ryabchikova, T. A.

    2002-04-01

    The calculations of the spectrum and oscillator strengths for the 4f7-(4f65d+4f66s) Eu III transitions. The calculations were performed with Cowan's RCN-RCG-RCE codes in the single-configuration approximation. The new oscillator strengths were tested by analyzing the Europium abundances using Eu II and Eu III lines in the spectra of hot peculiar stars (α2 CVn is a typical representative) and a cool peculiar stars (β CrB is a typical representative). (3 data files).

  10. Preparation, photoluminescent properties and luminescent dynamics of BaAlF{sub 5}:Eu{sup 2+} nanophosphors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhang, Wei; College of Life Science, Dalian Nationalities University, Dalian, Liaoning 116600; Hua, Ruinian, E-mail: rnhua@dlnu.edu.cn

    2014-12-15

    Graphical abstract: Rice-shaped BaAlF{sub 5}:Eu{sup 2+} nanophosphors were synthesized via one-pot hydrothermal process. The as-prepared BaAlF{sub 5}:Eu{sup 2+} are composed of many particles with an average diameter of 40 nm. When excited at 260 nm, the sharp line emission located at 361 nm of Eu{sup 2+} was observed. The optimum doping concentration of Eu{sup 2+} was confirmed to be 5 mol%. The strong ultraviolet emission of Eu{sup 2+} ions in BaAlF{sub 5}:Eu{sup 2+} nanoparticles suggests that these nanoparticles may have potential applications for sensing, solid-state lasers and spectrometer calibration. - Highlights: • BaAlF{sub 5}:Eu{sup 2+} nanophosphors were synthesized via amore » mild hydrothermal process. • The Van and Huang models were used to research the mechanism of concentration quenching. • The optimum doping concentration of Eu2+ was confirmed to be 5 mol%. - Abstract: Eu{sup 2+}-doped BaAlF{sub 5} nanophosphors were synthesized via a facile one-pot hydrothermal method. The final products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. XRD results showed that the prepared samples are single-phase. The FE-SEM and TEM images indicated that the prepared BaAlF{sub 5}:Eu{sup 2+} nanophosphors are composed of many rice-shaped particles with an average diameter of 40 nm. When excited at 260 nm, BaAlF{sub 5}:Eu{sup 2+} nanophosphors exhibit the sharp line emissions of Eu{sup 2+} at room temperature. The optimum doping concentration of Eu{sup 2+} was confirmed to be 5 mol%. The Van and Huang models were used to study the mechanism of concentration quenching and the electric dipole–dipole interaction between Eu{sup 2+} can be deduced to be a dominant for quenching fluorescence in BaAlF{sub 5}:Eu{sup 2+} nanophosphors. The strong ultraviolet emission of Eu{sup 2+} in BaAlF{sub 5}:Eu{sup 2+} nanophosphors suggests

  11. Financial effects of pharmaceutical price regulation on R&D spending by EU versus US firms.

    PubMed

    Golec, Joseph; Vernon, John A

    2010-01-01

    EU countries closely regulate pharmaceutical prices, whereas the US does not. This paper shows how price constraints affect the profitability, stock returns and R&D spending of EU and US firms. Compared with EU firms, US firms are more profitable, earn higher stock returns and spend more on R&D. We tested the relationship between price regulation and R&D spending, and estimated the costs of tight EU price regulation. Although results show that EU consumers enjoyed much lower pharmaceutical price inflation, we estimated that price controls cost EU firms 46 fewer new medicines and 1680 fewer research jobs during our 19-year sample period. Had the US used controls similar to those used in the EU, we estimate it would have led to 117 fewer new medicines and 4368 fewer research jobs in the US.

  12. Nitrate-assisted photocatalytic efficiency of defective Eu-doped Pr(OH)3 nanostructures.

    PubMed

    Aškrabić, S; Araújo, V D; Passacantando, M; Bernardi, M I B; Tomić, N; Dojčinović, B; Manojlović, D; Čalija, B; Miletić, M; Dohčević-Mitrović, Z D

    2017-12-06

    Pr(OH) 3 one-dimensional nanostructures are a less studied member of lanthanide hydroxide nanostructures, which recently demonstrated an excellent adsorption capacity for organic pollutant removal from wastewater. In this study, Pr 1-x Eu x (OH) 3 (x = 0, 0.01, 0.03, and 0.05) defective nanostructures were synthesized by a facile and scalable microwave-assisted hydrothermal method using KOH as an alkaline metal precursor. The phase and surface composition, morphology, vibrational, electronic and optical properties of the as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Raman, infrared (IR), photoluminescence (PL), and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). It was deduced that the incorporation of Eu 3+ ions promoted the formation of oxygen vacancies in the already defective Pr(OH) 3 , subsequently changing the Pr(OH) 3 nanorod morphology. The presence of KNO 3 phase was registered in the Eu-doped samples. The oxygen-deficient Eu-doped Pr(OH) 3 nanostructures displayed an improved photocatalytic activity in the removal of reactive orange (RO16) dye under UV-vis light irradiation. An enhanced photocatalytic activity of the Eu-doped Pr(OH) 3 nanostructures was caused by the synergetic effect of oxygen vacancies and Eu 3+ (NO 3 - ) ions present on the Pr(OH) 3 surface, the charge separation efficiency and the formation of the reactive radicals. In addition, the 3% Eu-doped sample exhibited very good adsorptive properties due to different morphology and higher electrostatic attraction with the anionic dye. Pr 1-x Eu x (OH) 3 nanostructures with the possibility of tuning their adsorption/photocatalytic properties present a great potential for wastewater treatment.

  13. Energy transfer driven tunable emission of Tb/Eu co-doped lanthanum molybdate nanophosphors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thomas, Kukku; Alexander, Dinu; Sisira, S.; Gopi, Subash; Biju, P. R.; Unnikrishnan, N. V.; Joseph, Cyriac

    2018-06-01

    Tb3+/Eu3+ co-doped lanthanum molybdate nanophosphors were synthesized by conventional co-precipitation method. The Powder X-ray diffractogram revealed the formation of highly crystalline tetragonal nanocrystals with space group I41/a and the detailed analysis of the small variation of lattice parameters with Tb/Eu co-doping on the host lattice were carried out based on the ionic radii of the dopants. The FTIR spectra is employed to identify the fundamental vibrational modes in La2-x-y (MoO4)3:xTb, yEu nanocrystals. The formation of nanocrystals by oriented attachment was recognized from the HR TEM images and the d-spacing calculated was in accordance with that corresponding to highest intensity diffraction peak in the XRD patterns. The constituent elements present in the samples were identified with the aid of EDAX and elemental mapping analysis. The broad Mo6+- O2- CTB and the sharp excitation peaks of Tb and Eu identified from the UV-Vis absorption spectra facilitates the suitability of exciting the phosphors effectively over NUV and visible region of the spectra. The possibility of energy transfer from host to Tb3+/Eu3+ ions and from Tb3+ to Eu3+ ions were confirmed from the PL excitation spectra monitoring 5D0→7F2 transition of Eu3+ ions around 615 nm. The correlated analysis of PL emission spectra, life time measurements and CIE diagram, upon different excitation channels elucidate the excellent luminescent properties of La2-x-y (MoO4)3:xTb, yEu nanophosphors with tunable emission colours in a wide range varying from yellow green region to reddish orange region and the efficient energy transfer from Tb3+ to Eu3+ ions in lanthanum molybdate host lattice. The Tb→Eu energy transfer efficiency and probability were calculated from the decay measurements and the values were found to be satisfactory for exploiting the prepared nanophosphors for the development of multifunctional luminescent nanophosphors.

  14. Concentration quenching of Eu{sup 2+} doped Ca{sub 2}BO{sub 3}Cl

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Seed Ahmed, H.A.A.; Department of Physics, University of Khartoum, Khartoum; Swart, H.C.

    2016-03-15

    Highlights: • Ca{sub 2}BO{sub 3}Cl doped with Eu{sup 2+} prepared by solid state reaction. • Concentration quenching studied by intensity and lifetime measurements. • Accurate determination of the critical transfer distance. • Interaction mechanism verified to be dipole–dipole interactions. - Abstract: With the aim of determining the concentration quenching mechanism of Eu{sup 2+} doped Ca{sub 2}BO{sub 3}Cl, a series of phosphors with a varied Eu{sup 2+} concentration (Ca{sub 2−x}BO{sub 3}Cl:xEu{sup 2+}) was synthesized by the solid state reaction method. The phase structure was determined by X-ray diffraction. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements showed broad excitation and emission signatures of the allowed f–dmore » transition of Eu{sup 2+} ions. The PL emission intensity was found to be increased by increasing the concentration of Eu{sup 2+} ions up to x = 0.03 and then decreased as a result of the concentration quenching effect. The lifetime of the emission from the Eu{sup 2+} ions was measured and the decrease in the lifetime with increasing Eu{sup 2+} concentration confirmed that non-radiative energy transfer occurred between Eu{sup 2+} ions. From the luminescence data, the value of the critical transfer distance was calculated as 1.5 nm and the corresponding concentration quenching mechanism was verified to be a dipole–dipole interaction.« less

  15. Data Resource Profile: The European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC).

    PubMed

    Arora, Vishal S; Karanikolos, Marina; Clair, Amy; Reeves, Aaron; Stuckler, David; McKee, Martin

    2015-04-01

    Social and economic policies are inextricably linked with population health outcomes in Europe, yet few datasets are able to fully explore and compare this relationship across European countries. The European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) survey aims to address this gap using microdata on income, living conditions and health. EU-SILC contains both cross-sectional and longitudinal elements, with nationally representative samples of individuals 16 years and older in 28 European Union member states as well as Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. Data collection began in 2003 in Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Greece, Luxembourg and Austria, with subsequent expansion across Europe. By 2011, all 28 EU member states, plus three others, were included in the dataset. Although EU-SILC is administered by Eurostat, the data are output-harmonized so that countries are required to collect specified data items but are free to determine sampling strategies for data collection purposes. EU-SILC covers approximately 500,000 European residents for its cross-sectional survey annually. Whereas aggregated data from EU-SILC are publicly available [http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/income-and-living-conditions/data/main-tables], microdata are only available to research organizations subject to approval by Eurostat. Please refer to [http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/microdata/eu_silc] for further information regarding microdata access. © The Author 2015; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

  16. Enhanced output power from triboelectric nanogenerators based on electrospun Eu-doped polyvinylidene fluoride nanofibers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Hong-Seok; Park, Il-Kyu

    2018-06-01

    In this study, Eu-doped polyvinylidene fluoride nanofibers (PVDF NFs) were fabricated by an electrospinning method and applied as an active layer in triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). Structural and optical investigations showed that Eu3+ was successfully doped in the PVDF NFs and it induced discrete emissions corresponding to the electronic transitions. As the Eu content increased, the phase transformation was enhanced from the α-phase to the β-phase in the PVDF NFs, and their diameter decreased. These changes enhanced the electrical output power of the TENGs. However, the further addition of Eu resulted in precipitation of the NO3--related complex on the surface of the PVDF NFs, which was detrimental to performance of the TENGs. Due to these conflicting effects, the output power increased from 13 to 26 μW/cm2 as the Eu contents increased from 0 to 2.7 wt%, whereas it decreased drastically to 4.9 μW/cm2 when the Eu content increased further to 5.3 wt%. Therefore, the optimum amount of Eu doping has advantageous effects.

  17. Luminescence properties of Eu3+ doped CdF2 single crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boubekri, H.; Diaf, M.; Guerbous, L.; Jouart, J. P.

    2018-04-01

    This paper reports the photoluminescence properties of Eu3+ doped CdF2 single crystals. The pulled crystals were prepared by use of the Bridgman technique from a vacuum furnace in fluoride atmosphere. Absorption, excitation and emission spectra of the crystal doped with three Eu3+ concentrations (0.02%, 0.1% and 0.6% mol.) were recorded at room temperature. The emission spectra exhibit a strong yellow and red emissions in the spectral range 550-720 nm which are assigned to 5D0 → 7FJ (J = 1, 2, 4) transitions and a weak infrared emission around 816 nm corresponding to 5D0 → 7F6 transition. The magnetic dipole emission (5D0 → 7F1) is the most intense for each Eu3+ concentration. The Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters Ω2, Ω4, Ω6 for 4f-4f transitions of Eu3+ ions were computed from the emission spectra using the 5D0 → 7FJ (J = 1, 2, 4, 6) transitions. Via these phenomenological intensity parameters, the spontaneous emission probabilities, branching ratios, radiative lifetimes, quantum efficiencies and emission cross-sections for the main Eu3+ emitting levels are evaluated.

  18. Luminescence properties and molecular mechanics calculation of bis-β-diketonate Eu3+ complex/polymer hybrid fibers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bai, Jinyuan; Gu, Huiquan; Hou, Yanjun; Wang, Shuhong

    2018-05-01

    Two series of bis-β-diketonate Eu3+ complex/polymer hybrid fibers, namely, Eu2(BTP)3(H2O)4/PMMA (Eu/PMMA) and Eu2(BTP)3(H2O)4/PVP (Eu/PVP) have been prepared by electrospinning technology (BTP = 1,3-bis(4,4,4-trifluoro-1,3-dioxobutyl)phenyl, PVP = poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) and PMMA = poly (methyl methacrylate)). The effect of complex Eu2(BTP)3(H2O)4 on the luminescence, thermal stability and morphology of composite fibers were studied by characterization techniques. The Judd-Ofelt theory was applied to this study for explaining the effect of the distribution of Eu2(BTP)3(H2O)4 and the mutual effect of the Eu2(BTP)3(H2O)4 coordination compound and neighboring chain segments of PMMA and PVP polymer matrix.

  19. Luminescence properties of Ca{sub 14}Mg{sub 2}(SiO{sub 4}){sub 8}:Eu{sup 2+} from various Eu{sup 2+} sites for white-light-emitting diodes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhang, Jia, E-mail: zhangjia@hytc.edu.cn; Jiang, Cheng

    2014-12-15

    Ca{sub 14}Mg{sub 2}(SiO{sub 4}){sub 8}:Eu{sup 2+} phosphors were synthesized by solid-state reaction method, and their luminescence properties were investigated. In the emission spectra, several overlapping emission bands originating from various Eu{sup 2+} sites were found. Eu{sup 2+} in Ca{sub 14}Mg{sub 2}(SiO{sub 4}){sub 8} exhibits green emission around 506 nm, and the sample doped with 0.1 mol% Eu{sup 2+} shows the strongest brightness under 365 nm excitation with the quantum efficiency of 63.6%. In the excitation spectra, strong and broad excitation bands from 250 to 450 nm were observed, which could well match with the emission wavelength of the light-emitting diodemore » chip. The fabrication test on the InGaN chip indicates the Ca{sub 14}Mg{sub 2}(SiO{sub 4}){sub 8}:Eu{sup 2+} phosphor could be promising candidate for white light-emitting diodes.« less

  20. μSR study of Eu{sub 0.8}Ce{sub 0.2}Mn{sub 2}O{sub 5} and EuMn{sub 2}O{sub 5} multiferroics

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Vorob’ev, S. I., E-mail: vsiloa@pnpi.spb.ru; Andrievskii, D. S.; Barsov, S. G.

    2016-12-15

    A comparative μSR study of ceramic samples of the EuMn{sub 2}O{sub 5} and Eu{sub 0.8}Ce{sub 0.2}Mn{sub 2}O{sub 5} multiferroics is performed in the temperature range from 15 to 300 K. It is found that the Ce doping of the EuMn{sub 2}O{sub 5} sample slightly reduces the temperature of the magnetic phase transition from T{sub N} = 45 K for the EuMn{sub 2}O{sub 5} sample to T{sub N} = 42.5 K for the Eu{sub 0.8}Ce{sub 0.2}Mn{sub 2}O{sub 5} sample. Below the temperature T{sub N} for both samples, there are two types of localization of a thermalized muon with different temperature dependencesmore » of the precession frequency of the magnetic moment of the muon in an internal magnetic field. The higher frequency in both samples refers to the initial antiferromagnetic matrix. The behavior of this frequency in Eu{sub 0.8}Ce{sub 0.2}Mn{sub 2}O{sub 5} follows the Curie–Weiss law with the exponent β = 0.29 ± 0.02, which differs from the value β = 0.39 standard for 3D Heisenberg magnetics and is observed in EuMn{sub 2}O{sub 5}, because of the strong frustration of the doped sample. The temperature-independent low frequency is due to the presence of Mn{sup 3+}–Mn{sup 4+} ferromagnetic pairs located along the b axis of the antiferromagnetic matrix and in the regions of phase separation, which contain such ion pairs and e{sub g} electrons recharging them. In both samples, polarization losses are the same (about 20%) and are associated with the formation of Mn{sup 4+}–Mn{sup 4+} + Mu complexes near Mn{sup 3+}–Mn{sup 4+} ferromagnetic pairs. In the temperature interval from 25 to 45 K, the separation of the Eu{sub 0.8}Ce{sub 0.2}Mn{sub 2}O{sub 5} structure into two fractions where the relaxation rates of polarization of muons differ by an order of magnitude is revealed. This effect is due to a change in the state of regions of phase separation (1D superlattices) at the indicated temperatures. Such effect in EuMn{sub 2}O{sub 5} is significantly weaker.« less

  1. Large negative magnetoresistance of a nearly Dirac material: Layered antimonide EuMnS b2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yi, Changjiang; Yang, Shuai; Yang, Meng; Wang, Le; Matsushita, Yoshitaka; Miao, Shanshan; Jiao, Yuanyuan; Cheng, Jinguang; Li, Yongqing; Yamaura, Kazunari; Shi, Youguo; Luo, Jianlin

    2017-11-01

    Single crystals of EuMnS b2 were successfully grown and their structural and electronic properties were investigated systematically. The material crystallizes in an orthorhombic-layered structure (space group: Pnma, No. 62) comprising a periodic sequence of -MnSb/Eu/Sb/Eu/- layers (˜1 nm in thickness), and massless fermions are expected to emerge in the Sb layer, by analogy of the candidate Dirac materials EuMnB i2 and A Mn P n2 (A =Ca or Sr or Ba, P n =Sb or Bi). The magnetic and specific heat measurements of EuMnS b2 suggest an antiferromagnetic ordering of Eu moments near 20 K. A characteristic hump appears in the temperature-dependent electrical resistivity curve at ˜25 K . A spin-flop transition of Eu moments with an onset magnetic field of ˜15 kOe (at 2 K) was observed. Interestingly, EuMnS b2 shows a negative magnetoresistance (up to -95 % ) in contrast to the positive magnetoresistances observed for EuMnB i2 and A Mn P n2 (A =Ca or Sr or Ba, P n =Sb or Bi), providing a unique opportunity to study the correlation between electronic and magnetic properties in this class of materials.

  2. Eu(III) complexes as anion-responsive luminescent sensors and paramagnetic chemical exchange saturation transfer agents.

    PubMed

    Hammell, Jacob; Buttarazzi, Leandro; Huang, Ching-Hui; Morrow, Janet R

    2011-06-06

    The Eu(III) complex of (1S,4S,7S,10S)-1,4,7,10-tetrakis(2-hydroxypropyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (S-THP) is studied as a sensor for biologically relevant anions. Anion interactions produce changes in the luminescence emission spectrum of the Eu(III) complex, in the (1)H NMR spectrum, and correspondingly, in the PARACEST spectrum of the complex (PARACEST = paramagnetic chemical exchange saturation transfer). Direct excitation spectroscopy and luminescence lifetime studies of Eu(S-THP) give information about the speciation and nature of anion interactions including carbonate, acetate, lactate, citrate, phosphate, and methylphosphate at pH 7.2. Data is consistent with the formation of both innersphere and outersphere complexes of Eu(S-THP) with acetate, lactate, and carbonate. These anions have weak dissociation constants that range from 19 to 38 mM. Citrate binding to Eu(S-THP) is predominantly innersphere with a dissociation constant of 17 μM. Luminescence emission peak changes upon addition of anion to Eu(S-THP) show that there are two distinct binding events for phosphate and methylphosphate with dissociation constants of 0.3 mM and 3.0 mM for phosphate and 0.6 mM and 9.8 mM for methyl phosphate. Eu(THPC) contains an appended carbostyril derivative as an antenna to sensitize Eu(III) luminescence. Eu(THPC) binds phosphate and citrate with dissociation constants that are 10-fold less than that of the Eu(S-THP) parent, suggesting that functionalization through a pendent group disrupts the anion binding site. Eu(S-THP) functions as an anion responsive PARACEST agent through exchange of the alcohol protons with bulk water. The alcohol proton resonances of Eu(S-THP) shift downfield in the presence of acetate, lactate, citrate, and methylphosphate, giving rise to distinct PARACEST peaks. In contrast, phosphate binds to Eu(S-THP) to suppress the PARACEST alcohol OH peak and carbonate does not markedly change the alcohol peak at 5 mM Eu(S-THP), 15 mM carbonate at p

  3. EuCARD2: enhanced accelerator research and development in Europe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Romaniuk, Ryszard S.

    2013-10-01

    Accelerator science and technology is one of a key enablers of the developments in the particle physic, photon physics and also applications in medicine and industry. EuCARD2 is an European research project which will be realized during 2013-2017 inside the EC FP7 framework. The project concerns the development and coordination of European Accelerator Research and Development. The project is particularly important, to a number of domestic laboratories, due to some plans to build large accelerator infrastructure in Poland. Large accelerator infrastructure of fundamental and applied research character stimulates around it the development and industrial applications as well as biomedical of advanced accelerators, material research and engineering, cryo-technology, mechatronics, robotics, and in particular electronics - like networked measurement and control systems, sensors, computer systems, automation and control systems. The paper presents a digest of the European project EuCARD2 which is Enhanced European Coordination for Accelerator Research and Development. The paper presents a digest of the research results and assumptions in the domain of accelerator science and technology in Europe, shown during the final fourth annual meeting of the EuCARD - European Coordination of Accelerator R&D, and the kick-off meeting of the EuCARD2. There are debated a few basic groups of accelerator systems components like: measurement - control networks of large geometrical extent, multichannel systems for large amounts of metrological data acquisition, precision photonic networks of reference time, frequency and phase distribution, high field magnets, superconducting cavities, novel beam collimators, etc. The paper bases on the following materials: Internet and Intranet documents combined with EuCARD2, Description of Work FP7 EuCARD-2 DoW-312453, 2013-02-13, and discussions and preparatory materials worked on by Eucard-2 initiators.

  4. Bulletin on Women and Employment in the EU. 1994-1996.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bulletin on Women and Employment in the EU, 1996

    1996-01-01

    These six bulletins examine various aspects of women's employment in the European Union (EU). In the first bulletin, the different positions of women in the labor markets of the individual EU member countries are demonstrated to mirror the roles of women in each country's family and welfare system. The problems of unemployment and underemployment…

  5. Dilute stuffing in the pyrochlore iridate Eu2Ir2O7

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Telang, Prachi; Mishra, Kshiti; Sood, A. K.; Singh, Surjeet

    2018-06-01

    The pyrochlore Eu2Ir2O7 has recently attracted significant attention as a candidate Weyl semimetal. The previous reports on this compound unanimously show a thermally induced metal-to-insulator (MI) transition, concomitant with antiferromagnetic long-range ordering of the Ir moments below TN˜120 K. However, there are contradictory reports concerning the slope d ρ /d T of the resistivity plots (ρ ) in the "metallic" state above the MI transition, and the value of ρ in the insulating state, both of which show significant sample dependence. Here, we explore this issue by investigating six different Eu2Ir2O7 samples with slightly varying Eu:Ir ratio. High-resolution synchrotron powder diffraction is done to probe minor variations in the cell parameters of the various Eu2Ir2O7 samples investigated here. Specific heat (Cp) and magnetic susceptibility of all the samples showed long-range antiferromagnetic ordering upon cooling below TN˜120 K. The transitions are, however, found to be smeared out for the off-stoichiometric samples. We show that the sign of d ρ /d T above the MI transition is highly sensitive to the unit-cell length, which, in turn, depends on the level of Eu stuffing at the Ir site. Samples with composition close to the ideal stoichiometry (Eu:Ir =1 ) showed a change of sign of d ρ /d T from negative to positive upon cooling below a certain temperature T*>TMI . With increasing Eu stuffing, T* decreased until a negative d ρ /d T persisted without any sign change down to TMI.

  6. Rights of dental patients in the EU - a legal assessment.

    PubMed

    Van den Bossche, Anne-Marie; Ploscar, Paula

    2012-11-30

    This contribution presents the legal framework for intra-European mobility of dental patients. After presenting the EU competences in respect of healthcare and a brief look into the various routes of patient mobility, the article sets out the rules for access to dental care, treatment abroad and reimbursement through social security. In addition, we focus on the impact of European Union (EU) law upon national systems in respect of professional insurance, complaints procedures and information mechanisms. In conclusion, we reflect on the development in EU law of an independent set of rights to cross-border dental care and its consequences for financing and reimbursement of care, as well as for national practices in respect of professional liability and insurance.

  7. Spectroscopy Study on the Location and Distribution of Eu3+ Ions in TiO2 Nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsuboi, Taiju; Setiawati, Elly; Kawano, Katsuyasu

    2008-09-01

    Eu3+- and non-doped TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by the sol-gel method at sintering temperatures of 500 or 900 °C. The photoluminescence spectra of these nanoparticles have been investigated at various temperatures between 290 and 12 K. Two kinds of Eu3+ photoluminescence spectra were observed. One spectrum consists of sharp lines; the other consists of broad bands. The former was obtained by indirect excitation into Eu3+ with light of wavelengths shorter than 330 nm, while the latter was obtained by direct excitation into Eu3+ with light of wavelengths longer than 380 nm which correspond to the Eu3+ absorption bands. In the latter case, different spectra were obtained depending on the excitation wavelength even in the same absorption band. It is suggested that the sharp line spectrum is caused by Eu3+ ions substituted for Ti4+ but with some distortion around the Eu3+ ions in the matrix of TiO2 due to the large difference in ionic radius between the Ti4+ and Eu3+ ions, which are mainly present in the interior region of the nanoparticle. The broad band spectrum is caused by the disordered Eu3+ ions with Eu-O-Ti bonds which are predominantly present in the near surface region.

  8. An Assessment of EU 2020 Strategy: Too Far to Reach?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colak, Mehmet Selman; Ege, Aylin

    2013-01-01

    In 2010, EU adopted a new growth strategy which includes three growth priorities and five headline targets to be reached by 2020. The aim of this paper is to investigate the current performance of the EU member and candidate states in achieving these growth priorities and the overall strategy target by allocating the headline targets into the…

  9. Analysis of Energy Intensive Enterprises under EU Emission Trading System in Latvia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zahare, Dace; Rosa, Marika

    2011-01-01

    Climate change and global warming has become one of the main topics worldwide. The European Union Emission Trading System (EU ETS) was established to limit climate change, providing regulations which encourage companies to invest in cleaner production and more energy efficient production. Latvian energy intensive enterprises are operating under the EU ETS from the year 2005. The main goal of this paper is to provide an analysis of energy intensive installations in terms of their energy efficiency. Additionally, an analysis of EU ETS phase III which will start to operate in 2013 under new, more stringent rules has been conducted by modelling three Latvian energy intensive enterprise operations under this phase and estimating the barriers to meet the goal of the EU ETS phase III.

  10. EU Failing FAO Challenge to Improve Global Food Security.

    PubMed

    Smyth, Stuart J; Phillips, Peter W B; Kerr, William A

    2016-07-01

    The announcement that the European Union (EU) had reached an agreement allowing Member States (MS) to ban genetically modified (GM) crops confirms that the EU has chosen to ignore the food security challenge issued to the world by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2009. The FAO suggests that agricultural biotechnology has a central role in meeting the food security challenge. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Nanophosphor CaSO4:Eu2+ for photoluminescence liquid crystal display (PLLCD)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Patle, Anita; Patil, R. R.; Moharil, S. V.

    2018-05-01

    In this work PL enhancement of CaSO4:Eu2+ nanophosphor which was synthesized with 0.01M molarity by co-precipitation method is presented. Synthesized phosphor was characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM and PL measurements. Average particle size is found to be in the range 80-100nm with Hexagonal morphology and PL studies showed emission peaks at 380nm, when samples were excited by 254nm. The observed PL emission is characteristic emission of Eu2+ similar to that observed in bulk CaSO4:Eu2. However under identical condition it is observed that intensity of emission get enhanced for 0.01M size which is doubled to that of 0.1M with similar emission at 380nm. A phosphor with narrow emission band around 390 nm is desirable, since at this wavelength the transmission of standard glass, polarizing plastic, other coating and LCD material is at acceptable level. Strong Eu2+ emission is observed in CaSO4:Eu nanophosphor which finds applications for PLLCD (photoluminescent liquid crystal display).

  12. The luminescence of nanoscale Y2Si2O7:Eu3+ materials.

    PubMed

    Lu, Shaozhe; Zhang, Jishen; Zhang, Jiahua

    2010-03-01

    The Y2Si2O7:Eu3+ sample was prepared with the sol-gel method. The Y2O3:EU3 was dispersed in SiO2, and the complex Y2Si2O7:Eu3+ particles were synthesized at high annealing temperature. The sample consisted of nearly spherical particles with an average size about 60 nm. The ultraviolet excitation spectra and emission spectra were measured. The sample excited by short ultraviolet light showed strongly red luminescence and fine monochromaticity. The luminescence was strongest from the 5D0 --> 7F2 electric dipole transition located at 611 nm. The excitation spectra of Y2Si2O7:Eu3+ excited with ultraviolet lights showed that the peak of the Eu(3+)-O2- charge transition band located at about 240 nm. During monitoring of different emission peaks of 5D0 --> 7F2, the charge transition band in the excitation spectra shifted, and the relative intensity of emission spectra changed obviously under the excitation of different ultraviolet wavelengths. These results confirmed that the Eu3+ could be excited with ultraviolet radiation of different wavelengths. At low temperature, using Eu3+ ions as fluorescence probes, we monitored the emission peaks of 5D0 --> 7F1 and 5D0 --> 7F2 transitions and measured the excitation spectra of 7F0 --> 5D0, 5D0 --> 7F1, and 5D0 --> 7F2 site-selective excitation spectra. These results indicated that Eu3+ ions are located in different local environments in the Y2Si2O7 host.

  13. Controlled synthesis and luminescence properties of CaMoO4:Eu3+ microcrystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xie, Ying; Ma, Siming; Wang, Yu; Xu, Mai; Lu, Chengxi; Xiao, Linjiu; Deng, Shuguang

    2018-03-01

    Pure tetragonal-phased Ca0.9MoO4:0.1Eu3+ (CaMoO4:Eu3+) microcrystals with varying particle sizes were prepared via a co-deposition in water/oil (w/o) phase method. The particle sizes of as-prepared samples were controlled by calcination temperature and calcination time, and the crystallinity of the samples enhances with increasing particle size. The luminescence properties of CaMoO4:Eu3+ microcrystals were studied with varying particle size. The results reveal that the intensity of emission spectra of the CaMoO4:Eu3+ samples increases with increasing particle size, and they have closely correlation with each other. It is the same with the luminescence lifetime. The luminescence lifetime of the CaMoO4:Eu3+ samples decreases from 0.637 ms to 0.447 ms with increasing particle size from 0.12 μm to 1.79 μm, respectively. This study not only provides information for size-dependent luminescence properties of CaMoO4:Eu3+ but also gives a reference for potential applications in high voltage electric porcelain material.

  14. Synthesis and White-Light Emission of ZnO/HfO2: Eu Nanocables

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    ZnO/HfO2:Eu nanocables were prepared by radio frequency sputtering with electrospun ZnO nanofibers as cores. The well-crystallized ZnO/HfO2:Eu nanocables showed a uniform intact core–shell structure, which consisted of a hexagonal ZnO core and a monoclinic HfO2 shell. The photoluminescence properties of the samples were characterized. A white-light band emission consisted of blue, green, and red emissions was observed in the nanocables. The blue and green emissions can be attributed to the zinc vacancy and oxygen vacancy defects in ZnO/HfO2:Eu nanocables, and the yellow–red emissions are derived from the inner 4f-shell transitions of corresponding Eu3+ ions in HfO2:Eu shells. Enhanced white-light emission was observed in the nanocables. The enhancement of the emission is ascribed to the structural changes after coaxial synthesis. PMID:20730130

  15. Fabrication of Eu doped CdO [Al/Eu-nCdO/p-Si/Al] photodiodes by perfume atomizer based spray technique for opto-electronic applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ravikumar, M.; Ganesh, V.; Shkir, Mohd; Chandramohan, R.; Arun Kumar, K. Deva; Valanarasu, S.; Kathalingam, A.; AlFaify, S.

    2018-05-01

    In this study, thin films of cadmium oxide (CdO) with different concentrations (0, 1, 3, and 5 wt%) of Eu doping were deposited onto Si and glass substrates by a novel and facile spray technique using simple perfume atomizer for the first time. Prepared films were characterized for structural, morphological, optical properties and the photo diode studies, using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, UV-Vis spectrophotometer, Isbnd V characteristics, and fundamental parameters are reported. All the prepared Eu:CdO films exhibit cubic structure. The preferential orientation is along (200) plane. Scanning electron microscopy study indicates the growth of smooth and pin-hole free films with clusters of homogeneous grains. The values of band gap energy are found to be varying from 2.42 to 2.33 eV for various Eu doping concentration from 0 to 5 wt%. EDAX studies revealed the presence of Eu, Cd and O elements without any other impurities. FTIR spectra showed a peak at 575 cm-1 confirming the stretching mode of Cdsbnd O. The resistivity (ρ), high carrier concentration (n) and carrier mobility (μ) for 3 wt% CdO thin film are found to be 0.452 × 10-3(Ω.cm), 17.82 × 1020 cm-3 and 7.757 cm2/V, respectively. Current-voltage measurements on the fabricated nanostructured Al/Eu-nCdO/p-Si/Al heterojunction device showed a non-linear electric characteristics indicating diode like behaviour.

  16. The luminescence properties of nanocrystalline phosphors Mg2SiO4:Eu3+

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kolomytsev, A. Y.; Mamonova, D. V.; Manshina, A. A.; Kolesnikov, I. E.

    2017-11-01

    Nanocrystalline Eu3+-doped Mg2SiO4 powders were prepared with combined Pechini-solid phase synthesis. The structural properties were investigated with XRD, SEM and Raman spectroscopy. XRD pattern indicated that Mg2SiO4:Eu3+ were obtained with formation of other phase: MgO. Raman spectrum revealed good homogeneity and crystallinity of synthesized nanopowders. The luminescence properties were studied with measurement of excitation and emission spectra and decay curves. The effect of Eu3+ concentration on 5D0 level lifetime was studied. Most probably, the observed shortening of 5D0 level lifetime with Eu3+ concentration is caused by increase of nonradiative process probability.

  17. Patterns of clinical mentorship in undergraduate nurse education: A comparative case analysis of eleven EU and non-EU countries.

    PubMed

    Dobrowolska, Beata; McGonagle, Ian; Kane, Roslyn; Jackson, Christine S; Kegl, Barbara; Bergin, Michael; Cabrera, Esther; Cooney-Miner, Dianne; Di Cara, Veronika; Dimoski, Zvonko; Kekus, Divna; Pajnkihar, Majda; Prlić, Nada; Sigurdardottir, Arun K; Wells, John; Palese, Alvisa

    2016-01-01

    In spite of the number of studies available in the field and policy documents developed both at the national and the international levels, there is no reliable data available regarding the variation of roles occupied by clinical mentors (CMs) across countries. To describe and compare the CM's role; responsibilities; qualifications; employment requirements and experience in undergraduate nurse education as enacted in 11 European Union (EU) and non- EU countries. A case study design. A panel of expert nurse educators from 11 countries within and outside of the EU (Croatia, Czech Republic, England, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, and the USA). A questionnaire containing both quantitative and qualitative questions was developed and agreed by the panel using a Nominal Group Technique (NGT); four cycles of data collection and analysis were conducted involving key experts in nursing education in each country. In all countries, there are at least two types of clinical mentorship dedicated to undergraduate nursing students: the first is offered by higher education institutions, and the second is offered by health care providers. Variation was noted in terms of profile, responsibilities and professional requirements to act as a CM; however, the CM role is mainly carried out by registered nurses, and in most countries there are no special requirements in terms of education and experience. Those who act as CMs at the bedside continue to manage their usual caseload, thus the role adds to their work burden. Whilst it is imperative to have respect for the different national traditions in undergraduate nurse education, the globalisation of the nursing workforce and greater opportunities for student mobility during the course of their undergraduate education suggests that in areas such as clinical mentorship, jurisdictions, particularly within the EU, should work towards greater system harmonisation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Remarkable high efficiency of red emitters using Eu(iii) ternary complexes.

    PubMed

    Kalyakina, Alena S; Utochnikova, Valentina V; Zimmer, Manuel; Dietrich, Fabian; Kaczmarek, Anna M; Van Deun, Rik; Vashchenko, Andrey A; Goloveshkin, Alexander S; Nieger, Martin; Gerhards, Markus; Schepers, Ute; Bräse, Stefan

    2018-05-17

    We have synthesized Eu(iii) ternary complexes possessing record photoluminescence yields up to 90%. This high luminescence performance resulted from the absence of quenching moieties in the Eu coordination environment and an efficient energy transfer between ligands, combined with a particular symmetry of the coordination environment.

  19. Regulatory landscape for cell therapy--EU view.

    PubMed

    McBlane, James W

    2015-09-01

    This article addresses regulation of cell therapies in the European Union (EU), covering cell sourcing and applications for clinical trials and marketing authorisation applications. Regulatory oversight of cell sourcing and review of applications for clinical trials with cell therapies are handled at national level, that is, separately with each country making its own decisions. For clinical trials, this can lead to different decisions in different countries for the same trial. A regulation is soon to come into force that will address this and introduce a more efficient clinical trial application process. However, at the marketing authorisation stage, the process is pan-national: the Committee for Human Medicinal Products (CHMP) is responsible for giving the final scientific opinion on all EU marketing authorisation applications for cell therapies: favourable scientific opinions are passed to the European Commission (EC) for further consultation and, if successful, grant of a marketing authorisation valid in all 28 EU countries. In its review of applications for marketing authorisations (MAAs) for cell therapies, the CHMP is obliged to consult the Committee for Advanced Therapies (CAT), who conduct detailed scientific assessments of these applications, with assessment by staff from national regulatory authorities and specialist advisors to the regulators. Copyright © 2015.

  20. Biodiversity funds and conservation needs in the EU under climate change

    PubMed Central

    Lung, Tobias; Meller, Laura; van Teeffelen, Astrid J.A.; Thuiller, Wilfried; Cabeza, Mar

    2014-01-01

    Despite ambitious biodiversity policy goals, less than a fifth of the European Union’s (EU) legally protected species and habitats show a favorable conservation status. The recent EU biodiversity strategy recognizes that climate change adds to the challenge of halting biodiversity loss, and that an optimal distribution of financial resources is needed. Here, we analyze recent EU biodiversity funding from a climate change perspective. We compare the allocation of funds to the distribution of both current conservation priorities (within and beyond Natura 2000) and future conservation needs at the level of NUTS-2 regions, using modelled bird distributions as indicators of conservation value. We find that funding is reasonably well aligned with current conservation efforts but poorly fit with future needs under climate change, indicating obstacles for implementing adaptation measures. We suggest revising EU biodiversity funding instruments for the 2014-2020 budget period to better account for potential climate change impacts on biodiversity. PMID:25264456

  1. Biodiversity funds and conservation needs in the EU under climate change.

    PubMed

    Lung, Tobias; Meller, Laura; van Teeffelen, Astrid J A; Thuiller, Wilfried; Cabeza, Mar

    2014-07-01

    Despite ambitious biodiversity policy goals, less than a fifth of the European Union's (EU) legally protected species and habitats show a favorable conservation status. The recent EU biodiversity strategy recognizes that climate change adds to the challenge of halting biodiversity loss, and that an optimal distribution of financial resources is needed. Here, we analyze recent EU biodiversity funding from a climate change perspective. We compare the allocation of funds to the distribution of both current conservation priorities (within and beyond Natura 2000) and future conservation needs at the level of NUTS-2 regions, using modelled bird distributions as indicators of conservation value. We find that funding is reasonably well aligned with current conservation efforts but poorly fit with future needs under climate change, indicating obstacles for implementing adaptation measures. We suggest revising EU biodiversity funding instruments for the 2014-2020 budget period to better account for potential climate change impacts on biodiversity.

  2. Eu-doped ZnO nanoparticles: Sonochemical synthesis, characterization, and sonocatalytic application.

    PubMed

    Khataee, Alireza; Karimi, Atefeh; Zarei, Mahmoud; Joo, Sang Woo

    2015-03-30

    Undoped and europium (III)-doped ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by a sonochemical method. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The crystalline sizes of undoped and 3% Eu-doped ZnO were found to be 16.04 and 8.22nm, respectively. The particle size of Eu-doped ZnO nanoparticles was much smaller than that of pure ZnO. The synthesized nanocatalysts were used for the sonocatalytic degradation of Acid Red 17. Among the Eu-doped ZnO catalysts, 3% Eu-doped ZnO nanoparticles showed the highest sonocatalytic activity. The effects of various parameters such as catalyst loading, initial dye concentration, pH, ultrasonic power, the effect of oxidizing agents, and the presence of anions were investigated. The produced intermediates of the sonocatalytic process were monitored by GC-Mass (GC-MS) spectrometry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Optically stimulated luminescence in an imaging plate using BaFi:Eu.

    PubMed

    Nanto, H; Araki, T; Daimon, M; Kusano, E; Kinbara, A; Kawabata, K; Nakano, Y

    2002-01-01

    BaFI:Eu phosphors are fabricated using a new method of synthesis: liquid phase synthesis, in which the phosphor particles are formed through the association of Ba2+ ions, F-ions and Eu2+ ions in solution. An intense optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) peak at about 410 nm is observed by stimulating X ray irradiated BaFI:Eu phosphor with about 550-750 nm light. It is found that the peak wavelength of the optically stimulation spectrum is about 690 nm. This result suggests that the semiconductor laser can be used as the stimulating light source. It is also found that the OSL intensity is increased with increasing the X ray dose. The BaFI:Eu phosphor as a photostimulable material for the imaging plate of a computed radiography system provides the following advantages; (1) high X ray absorption coefficient, (2) high monodispersion in size which would contribute to sharp images, (3) high OSL and thus low luminescence mottle and (4) high DQE (detective quantum efficiency).

  4. Lost water and nitrogen resources due to EU consumer food waste

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vanham, D.; Bouraoui, F.; Leip, A.; Grizzetti, B.; Bidoglio, G.

    2015-08-01

    The European Parliament recently called for urgent measures to halve food waste in the EU, where consumers are responsible for a major part of total waste along the food supply chain. Due to a lack of data on national food waste statistics, uncertainty in (consumer) waste quantities (and the resulting associated quantities of natural resources) is very high, but has never been previously assessed in studies for the EU. Here we quantify: (1) EU consumer food waste, and (2) associated natural resources required for its production, in term of water and nitrogen, as well as estimating the uncertainty of these values. Total EU consumer food waste averages 123 (min 55-max 190) kg/capita annually (kg/cap/yr), i.e. 16% (min 7-max 24%) of all food reaching consumers. Almost 80%, i.e. 97 (min 45-max 153) kg/cap/yr is avoidable food waste, which is edible food not consumed. We have calculated the water and nitrogen (N) resources associated with avoidable food waste. The associated blue water footprint (WF) (the consumption of surface and groundwater resources) averages 27 litre per capita per day (min 13-max 40 l/cap/d), which slightly exceeds the total blue consumptive EU municipal water use. The associated green WF (consumptive rainwater use) is 294 (min 127-max 449) l/cap/d, equivalent to the total green consumptive water use for crop production in Spain. The nitrogen (N) contained in avoidable food waste averages 0.68 (min 0.29-max 1.08) kg/cap/yr. The food production N footprint (any remaining N used in the food production process) averages 2.74 (min 1.02-max 4.65) kg/cap/yr, equivalent to the use of mineral fertiliser by the UK and Germany combined. Among all the food product groups wasted, meat accounts for the highest amounts of water and N resources, followed by wasted cereals. The results of this study provide essential insights and information on sustainable consumption and resource efficiency for both EU policies and EU consumers.

  5. Revealing the magnetic proximity effect in EuS/Al bilayers through superconducting tunneling spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Strambini, E.; Golovach, V. N.; De Simoni, G.; Moodera, J. S.; Bergeret, F. S.; Giazotto, F.

    2017-10-01

    A ferromagnetic insulator in contact with a superconductor is known to induce an exchange splitting of the singularity in the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) density of states (DoS). The magnitude of the splitting is proportional to the exchange field that penetrates into the superconductor to a depth comparable with the superconducting coherence length and which ranges in magnitude from a few to a few tens of tesla. We study this magnetic proximity effect in EuS/Al bilayers and show that the domain structure of the EuS affects the positions and the line shapes of the exchange-split BCS peaks. Remarkably, a clear exchange splitting is observed even in the unmagnetized state of the EuS layer, suggesting that the domain size of the EuS is comparable with the superconducting coherence length. Upon magnetizing the EuS layer, the splitting increases while the peaks change shape. Conductance measurements as a function of bias voltage at the lowest temperatures allowed us to relate the line shape of the split BCS DoS to the characteristic domain structure in the ultrathin EuS layer. These results pave the way to engineering triplet superconducting correlations at domain walls in EuS/Al bilayers. Furthermore, the hard gap and large splitting observed in our tunneling spectroscopy measurements make EuS/Al an excellent candidate for substituting strong magnetic fields in experiments studying Majorana bound states.

  6. On the application of CaF2:Eu and SrF2:Eu phosphors in LED based phototherapy lamp

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Belsare, P. D.; Moharil, S. V.; Joshi, C. P.; Omanwar, S. K.

    2013-06-01

    In the last few years the interest of scientific community has been increased towards solid state lighting based on LEDs because of their superior advantages over the conventional fluorescent lamps. As the GaN based LEDs are easily available efforts of the researchers are now on making the new phosphors which are excitable in the near UV region (360-400nm) for solid state lighting. This paper reports the photoluminescence characteristics of CaF2:Eu and SrF2:Eu phosphor prepared by wet chemical method. The violet emission of these phosphors with near UV excitation can be useful in making a phototherapy lamp based on LEDs for treating various skin diseases like acne vulgaris and hyperbilirubinemia.

  7. Sonochemical synthesis of highly luminescent Ln 2O 3:Eu 3+ (Y, La, Gd) nanocrystals

    DOE PAGES

    Alammar, Tarek; Cybinska, Joanna; Campbell, Paul S.; ...

    2015-05-12

    In this study, sonication of Ln(CH 3COO) 3·H 2O, Eu(CH 3COO) 3·H 2O and NaOH dissolved in the ionic liquid-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonylamide lead to Ln(OH) 3:Eu (Ln: Gd, La, Y) nanoparticles. Subsequent calcination at 800 °C for 3 h allowed to obtain Ln 2O 3:Eu nanopowders. Gd 2O 3 and Y 2O 3 were obtained in the C-type lanthanide sequioxide structure, whereas La 2O 3 crystallized in the A-type. Structure, morphology, and luminescent properties of the nano-oxides were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dispersive X-ray (EDX), and photoluminescence (PL). SEM studies revealed that the synthesized Gdmore » 2O 3:Eu, La 2O 3:Eu, and Y 2O 3:Eu formed nano-spindle, -sheets, and -rods in shape, respectively. The nanoscale materials show very efficient red emission due to the intraconfigurational f–f transitions of Eu 3+. The quantum yields for Ln 2O 3:Eu (5%) were determined to be 4.2% for Ln=Gd, 13.8% for Ln=Y and 5.2% for Ln=La. The asymmetric ratio I 02/I 01 of Eu 3+ varies from 5.3 for Gd 2O 3, to 5.6 for Y 2O 3 to 6.5 for La 2O 3, which increased the color chromaticity.« less

  8. Irradiation effect on luminescence properties of fluoroperovskite single crystal (LiBaF3:Eu2+)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Daniel, D. Joseph; Madhusoodanan, U.; Nithya, R.; Ramasamy, P.

    2014-03-01

    Single crystals of pure and Eu2+ doped LiBaF3 have been grown from melt by using a vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger method. Effects induced by irradiation on europium doped LiBaF3 (lithium barium fluoride) single crystals were monitored by optical absorption, photoluminescence and thermoluminescence studies. The absorption bands of Eu2+ ions with peaks at 240, 290 and 320 nm were observed in the LiBaF3:Eu2+ crystal. Drastic increase in absorption was noted below 600 nm after gamma irradiation, which was dependent on the radiation dose. The additional absorption peak at around 570 nm was observed in irradiated crystal due to the ionization process Eu2+(-)e-→Eu3+. Photoluminescence of Eu2+ doped LiBaF3 single crystal shows sharp line peaked at ~359 nm and a broad band extending between 370 and 450 nm which shows a considerable reduction in Eu2+ PL intensity after gamma irradiation. Irradiated LiBaF3:Eu2+ sample has revealed three intense TL glow peaks at 128 °C (peak-1), 281 °C (peak-2) and 407 °C (peak-3). Activation energy (E) and frequency factor (s) of the latter two peaks were determined by various heating rate (VHR) method and graphical method.

  9. Eu(III) sorption to TiO2 (anatase and rutile): batch, XPS, and EXAFS studies.

    PubMed

    Tan, Xiaoli; Fan, Qiaohui; Wang, Xiangke; Grambow, Bernd

    2009-05-01

    The sorption of Eu(III) on anatase and rutile was studied as a function of ionic strength, humic acid (HA, 7.5 mg/L), and electrolyte anions over a large range of pH (2-12). The presence of HA significantly affected Eu(III) sorption to anatase and rutile. The sorption of Eu(III) on anatase and rutile was independent of ionic strength. Results of an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed that Eu(III) was chemically present within the near-surface of TiO2 due to the formation of triple bond SOEu and triple bond SOHAEu complexes. An extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) technique was applied to characterize the local structural environment of the adsorbed Eu(III), and the results indicated that Eu(III) was bound to about seven or eight O atoms at a distance of about 2.40 A. The functional groups of surface-bound HA were expected to be involved in the sorption process. The measured Eu-Ti distance confirmed the formation of inner-sphere sorption complexes on a TiO2 surface.

  10. Ultrafast Light Switching of Ferromagnetism in EuSe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Henriques, A. B.; Gratens, X.; Usachev, P. A.; Chitta, V. A.; Springholz, G.

    2018-05-01

    We demonstrate that light resonant with the band gap forces the antiferromagnetic semiconductor EuSe to enter ferromagnetic alignment in the picosecond timescale. A photon generates an electron-hole pair, whose electron forms a supergiant spin polaron of magnetic moment of nearly 6000 Bohr magnetons. By increasing the light intensity, the whole of the illuminated region can be fully magnetized. The key to the novel large photoinduced magnetization mechanism is the huge enhancement of the magnetic susceptibility when both antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic interactions are present in the material and are of nearly equal magnitude, as is the case in EuSe.

  11. Surprising luminescent properties of the polyphosphates Ln(PO3)3:Eu (Ln = Y, Gd, Lu).

    PubMed

    Höppe, Henning A; Kazmierczak, Karolina; Kacprzak, Sylwia; Schellenberg, Inga; Pöttgen, Rainer

    2011-10-21

    The optical emission properties of the lanthanoid catena-polyphosphates Ln(PO(3))(3) (Ln = Y, Gd, Lu) doped with europium were investigated. Incommensurately modulated β-Y(PO(3))(3):Eu (super space group Cc (0|0.364|0)0) and Gd(PO(3))(3):Eu (space group I2/a) show the usual emission characteristics of Eu(3+), while in Lu(PO(3))(3):Eu (space group Cc) the europium is unprecedentedly partially reduced to the divalent state, as proven by both a broad emission band at 406 nm excited at 279 nm and an EPR spectroscopic investigation. (151)Eu-Mössbauer spectroscopy showed that only a very small part of the europium is reduced in Lu(PO(3))(3):Eu. An explanation for this unusual behaviour is given. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

  12. Facile synthesis and luminescence characteristics of high-quality CdS: Eu/ZnS core/shell nanocrystals with biocompatibility.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Kexin; Zhang, Rui; Yu, Yaxin; Sun, Shuqing

    2012-04-01

    In this paper, we report a facile method to synthesize high quality CdS: Eu nanocrystals (NCs) and CdS: Eu/ZnS NCs with strong photoluminescence (PL). The influence of various experimental variables including the concentration of Eu3+ ions, the reaction time and the reaction temperature were investigated systematically. In addition, the PL properties of CdS: Eu NCs exhibited pH sensitive. Under the acid condition, pH value of the CdS: Eu NCs solution played an important role in determining PL emission intensity. However, under the alkaline condition, the obtained CdS: Eu NCs exhibited a tunable PL emission wavelength (from 490 nm to 610 nm) when pH value was adjusted from pH 7 to 10. After coating with ZnS shell, the CdS: Eu/ZnS NCs showed enhanced PL intensity compare with one of the CdS: Eu NCs. The CdS: Eu NCs and CdS: Eu/ZnS NCs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). In addition, the biocompatibility of these NCs was measured by hemolytic test, which indicated that CdS: Eu/ZnS NCs were more biocompatible than CdS: Eu NCs at the same conditions. It can be expected that CdS: Eu/ZnS NCs are promising biolabeling materials.

  13. Abnormal Eu behavior at formation of H2O- and Cl-bearing fluids during degassing of granite magmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lukanin, Oleg

    2010-05-01

    One of the important features of REE behavior in the process of decompression degassing of granite melts is the presence of europium anomalies in REE spectrum of forming fluid phase. Negative Eu anomaly in REE spectrum of fluids enriched by chlorine that were formed under high pressures at early stages of degassing relative to REE spectrum of granite melts may take place. Negative Eu anomaly in fluid is replaced by positive one with pressure decrease and decline of Cl concentration in fluid [1, 2]. Observable unique features of europium redistribution between fluid and melt find an explanation in such a fact that Eu in contrast to the other REE under oxidation-reduction conditions, being typical for magmatic process, is present in acidic silica-alumina melts in two valency forms Eu3+ and Eu2+ whereas the dominant form for the other REE in such a melts is (REE)3+ [3, 4]. From the analysis of melt-fluid exchange reactions with participation of two valency forms of europium Eu3+ and Eu2+ follows that the total distribution coefficient of Eu between fluid and melt D(Eu)f-m is equal as a first approximation to [5, 6]: D(Eu)f-m = a1α [C(Cl)f]3 + a2 (1 - α)[C(Cl)f]2, where C(Cl)f - the concentration of Cl in fluid, α = Eu3+/(Eu3+ + Eu2+), i.e. fraction of Eu3+ from the general amount of europium in the melt, and, a1anda2- constants that can be approximately estimated from empirical data upon Eu fluid/melt distribution. The equation given allows to estimate the influence of oxidizing condition of europium on sign and size of Eu anomaly, which is expressed by Eu/Eu# ratio, where Eu is real concentration of europium in fluid being in equilibrium with melt with constant Eu3+/(Eu3+ + Eu2+) ratio, and Eu# is possible "virtual" concentration of europium that could be in the same fluid provided that all europium as other REE as well were exclusively present in trivalent form. The sign and size of Eu anomaly in fluid depends upon Cl concentration in fluid and Eu3+/Eu2+ ratio in

  14. EuPathDB: the eukaryotic pathogen genomics database resource

    PubMed Central

    Aurrecoechea, Cristina; Barreto, Ana; Basenko, Evelina Y.; Brestelli, John; Brunk, Brian P.; Cade, Shon; Crouch, Kathryn; Doherty, Ryan; Falke, Dave; Fischer, Steve; Gajria, Bindu; Harb, Omar S.; Heiges, Mark; Hertz-Fowler, Christiane; Hu, Sufen; Iodice, John; Kissinger, Jessica C.; Lawrence, Cris; Li, Wei; Pinney, Deborah F.; Pulman, Jane A.; Roos, David S.; Shanmugasundram, Achchuthan; Silva-Franco, Fatima; Steinbiss, Sascha; Stoeckert, Christian J.; Spruill, Drew; Wang, Haiming; Warrenfeltz, Susanne; Zheng, Jie

    2017-01-01

    The Eukaryotic Pathogen Genomics Database Resource (EuPathDB, http://eupathdb.org) is a collection of databases covering 170+ eukaryotic pathogens (protists & fungi), along with relevant free-living and non-pathogenic species, and select pathogen hosts. To facilitate the discovery of meaningful biological relationships, the databases couple preconfigured searches with visualization and analysis tools for comprehensive data mining via intuitive graphical interfaces and APIs. All data are analyzed with the same workflows, including creation of gene orthology profiles, so data are easily compared across data sets, data types and organisms. EuPathDB is updated with numerous new analysis tools, features, data sets and data types. New tools include GO, metabolic pathway and word enrichment analyses plus an online workspace for analysis of personal, non-public, large-scale data. Expanded data content is mostly genomic and functional genomic data while new data types include protein microarray, metabolic pathways, compounds, quantitative proteomics, copy number variation, and polysomal transcriptomics. New features include consistent categorization of searches, data sets and genome browser tracks; redesigned gene pages; effective integration of alternative transcripts; and a EuPathDB Galaxy instance for private analyses of a user's data. Forthcoming upgrades include user workspaces for private integration of data with existing EuPathDB data and improved integration and presentation of host–pathogen interactions. PMID:27903906

  15. First-principles studies of Ce and Eu doped inorganic scintillator gamma ray detectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Canning, Andrew; Chaudhry, Anurag; Boutchko, Rostyslav; Derenzo, Stephen

    2011-03-01

    We have performed DFT based band structure calculations for new Ce and Eu doped wide band gap inorganic materials to determine their potential as candidates for gamma ray scintillator detectors. These calculations are based on determining the 4f ground state level of the Ce and Eu relative to the valence band of the host as well as the position of the Ce and Eu 5d excited state relative to the conduction band of the host. Host hole and electron traps as well as STEs (self trapped excitons) can also limit the transfer of energy from the host to the Ce or Eu site and therefore limit the light output. We also present calculations for host hole traps and STEs to compare the energies to the Ce and Eu excited states. The work was supported by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and carried out at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory under U.S. Department of Energy Contract No. DE-AC02- 05CH11231.

  16. Lanthanide luminescent displacement assays: the sensing of phosphate anions using Eu(III)-cyclen-conjugated gold nanoparticles in aqueous solution.

    PubMed

    Massue, Julien; Quinn, Susan J; Gunnlaugsson, Thorfinnur

    2008-06-04

    1.Eu, a cyclen based Eu(III)-thiol conjugate, was incorporated onto the surface of water-soluble gold nanoparticles to give AuNP-1.Eu. The self-assembly between AuNP-1.Eu and the antenna 2 resulted in the formation of the highly luminescent lanthanide system, AuNP-1.Eu-2, at pH 7.4. The sensing of flavin monophosphate 3 is demonstrated, whereby 3 displaced the antenna 2 in AuNP-1.Eu-2, resulting in the formation of AuNP-1.Eu-3 and quenching of the Eu(III) emission.

  17. Quantitative study of energy-transfer mechanism in Eu,O-codoped GaN by time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Inaba, Tomohiro; Kojima, Takanori; Yamashita, Genki; Matsubara, Eiichi; Mitchell, Brandon; Miyagawa, Reina; Eryu, Osamu; Tatebayashi, Jun; Ashida, Masaaki; Fujiwara, Yasufumi

    2018-04-01

    In order to investigate the excitation processes in Eu,O-codoped GaN (GaN:Eu,O), the time-resolved photoluminescence signal including the rising part is analyzed. A rate equation is developed based upon a model for the excitation processes in GaN:Eu to fit the experimental data. The non-radiative recombination rate of the trap state in the GaN host, the energy transfer rate between the Eu3+ ions and the GaN host, the radiative transition probability of Eu3+ ion, as well as the ratio of the number of luminescent sites (OMVPE 4α and OMVPE 4β), are simultaneously determined. It is revealed and quantified that radiative transition probability of the Eu ion is the bottleneck for the enhancement of light output from GaN:Eu. We also evaluate the effect of the growth conditions on the luminescent efficiency of GaN:Eu quantitatively, and find the correlation between emission intensity of GaN:Eu and the fitting parameters introduced in our model.

  18. Overview of Botanical Status in EU, USA, and Thailand

    PubMed Central

    Mahady, Gail B.

    2013-01-01

    The botanical status in EU, USA, and Thailand is different owing to the regulatory status, the progress of science, and the influence of culture and society. In the EU, botanicals are positioned as herbal medicinal products and food supplements, in the US they are regulated as dietary supplements but often used as traditional medicines, and in Thailand, they are regulated and used as traditional medicines. Information for some of the most popular botanicals from each country is included in this review. PMID:24228061

  19. Migrant's access to preventive health services in five EU countries.

    PubMed

    Rosano, Aldo; Dauvrin, Marie; Buttigieg, Sandra C; Ronda, Elena; Tafforeau, Jean; Dias, Sonia

    2017-08-23

    Preventive health services (PHSs) form part of primary healthcare with the aim of screening to prevent disease. Migrants show significant differences in lifestyle, health beliefs and risk factors compared with the native populations. This can have a significant impact on migrants' access to health systems and participation in prevention programmes. Even in countries with widely accessible healthcare systems, migrants' access to PHSs may be difficult. The aim of the study was to compare access to preventive health services between migrants and native populations in five European Union (EU) countries. Information from Health Interview Surveys of Belgium, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain were used to analyse access to mammography, Pap smear tests, colorectal cancer screening and flu vaccination among migrants. The comparative risk of not accessing PHSs was calculated using a mixed-effects multilevel model, adjusting for potential confounding factors (sex, education and the presence of disability). Migrant status was defined according to citizenship, with a distinction made between EU and non-EU countries. Migrants, in particular those from non-EU countries, were found to have poorer access to PHSs. The overall risk of not reporting a screening test or a flu vaccination ranged from a minimum of 1.8 times (colorectal cancer screening), to a high of 4.4 times (flu vaccination) for migrants. The comparison among the five EU countries included in the study showed similarities, with particularly limited access recorded in Italy and in Belgium for non-EU migrants. The findings of this study are in accordance with evidence from the scientific literature. Poor organization of health services, in Italy, and lack of targeted health policies in Belgium may explain these findings. PHSs should be responsive to patient diversity, probably more so than other health services. There is a need for diversity-oriented, migrant-sensitive prevention. Policies oriented to removing

  20. Intra-EU agricultural trade, virtual water flows and policy implications.

    PubMed

    Antonelli, M; Tamea, S; Yang, H

    2017-06-01

    The development of approaches to tackle the European Union (EU) water-related challenges and shift towards sustainable water management and use is one of the main objectives of Horizon 2020, the EU strategy to lead a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The EU is an increasingly water challenged area and is a major agricultural trader. As agricultural trade entails an exchange of water embodied in goods as a factor of production, this study investigates the region's water-food-trade nexus by analysing intra-regional virtual water trade (VWT) in agricultural products. The analysed period (1993-2011) comprises the enactment of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in the year 2000. Aspects of the VWT that are relevant for the WFD are explored. The EU is a net importer of virtual water (VW) from the rest of the world, but intra-regional VWT represents 46% of total imports and 75% of total exports. Five countries account for 60% of total VW imports (Germany, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Belgium) and 65% of total VW exports (The Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium and Spain). Intra-EU VWT more than doubled over the period considered, while trade with extra-EU countries did not show such a marked trend. In the same period, blue VWT increased significantly within the region and net import from the rest of the world slightly decreased. Water scarce countries, such as Spain and Italy, are major exporters of blue water in the region. The traded volumes of VW have been increasing almost monotonically over the years, and with a substantial increase after 2000. The overall trend in changes in VWT does not seem to be in accordance with the WFD goals. This study demonstrated that VWT analyses can help evaluate intertwining effects of water, agriculture and trade policies which are often made separately in respective sectors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Performance evaluation of newly developed SrI2(Eu) scintillator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takabe, M.; Kishimoto, A.; Kataoka, J.; Sakuragi, S.; Yamasaki, Y.

    2016-09-01

    The development of europium-doped strontium iodide (SrI2(Eu)) has attracted considerable attention, because of its excellent material properties as regards gamma-ray scintillator applications. These include its excellent energy resolution, high light output (> 80 , 000 ph / MeV), and high effective atomic number (Z=49). Here we report on the performance of ϕ 1 in×1 in SrI2(Eu) cylindrical crystals newly fabricated by Union Materials Inc. In this study, we measured the energy resolution and light output at 10 °C temperature intervals between -40 and 40 °C, using an optically coupled 2-in photomultiplier tube (PMT) (Super Bialkali, Hamamatsu). The SrI2(Eu) light output increased by 0.12%/°C as the temperature decreased. At -40 °C, we obtained the optimal energy resolution recording 2.91±0.02% full width at half maximum (FWHM) for 662 keV gamma rays measured with 137Cs. For comparison, we also measured the same crystal using both a large-area (19×19 mm2) avalanche photodiode detector (APD) and 8×8 multi-pixel photon counter (MPPC) arrays of 3×3 mm2 pixels. The energy resolutions of 2.94±0.02%, 3.14±0.06% and 3.99±0.01% were obtained using PMT, APD, and MPPC, respectively, as measured at -20 °C. We also measured the inherent background of SrI2(Eu) in a cave composed of Cu-Pb blocks with their thickness of 5-10 cm confirming that SrI2(Eu) has an extremely low inherent background radiation. In this study, we have shown that SrI2(Eu) is a promising scintillator that can be utilized for radiation measurements incorporating low-energy X-rays to high-energy gamma rays, and can thus be applied in various medical, industrial, and environmental treatment fields in the near future.

  2. Synthesis and Optical Spectroscopy of YPO4:Eu3+ Orange-Red Phosphors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yahiaoui, Z.; Hassairi, M. A.; Dammak, M.

    2017-08-01

    YPO4: x mol.% Eu3+ phosphors with different dopant concentrations ( x = 3, 5, 8, 11, 13) have been synthesized via high-temperature solid-state reaction. X-ray diffraction analysis and Raman and infrared (IR) spectroscopy were applied for detailed structural characterization. Under excitation at wavelength of 395 nm, the photoluminescence spectra displayed the 5D0 → 7F J ( J = 1, 2, 3, 4) intra-4 f shell transitions related to Eu3+ ion. The radiative lifetime was estimated using the Ω 2 and Ω 4 Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters. The highest luminescence intensity was achieved for an optimal europium concentration of 11 mol.%. The critical energy-transfer distance for Eu3+ ions was evaluated to be 10.74 Å. We also studied the temperature-dependent photoluminescence and Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage chromaticity diagram. It was found that Eu3+-doped YPO4 exhibited good thermal stability and its emission intensity decreased slightly above room temperature. In addition, the color purity of this phosphor was as high as 91% for the YPO4:13% Eu3+ sample, making it a potential orange-red phosphor for application in ultraviolet-pumped white light-emitting diodes.

  3. Crystal structure and thermal expansion of CsCaI3:Eu and CsSrBr3:Eu scintillators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Loyd, Matthew; Lindsey, Adam; Patel, Maulik; Koschan, Merry; Melcher, Charles L.; Zhuravleva, Mariya

    2018-01-01

    The distorted-perovskite scintillator materials CsCaI3:Eu and CsSrBr3:Eu prepared as single crystals have shown promising potential for use in radiation detection applications requiring a high light yield and excellent energy resolution. We present a study using high temperature powder X-ray diffraction experiments to examine a deleterious high temperature phase transition. High temperature phases were identified through sequential diffraction pattern Rietveld refinement in GSAS II. We report the linear coefficients of thermal expansion for both high and low temperature phases of each compound. Thermal expansion for both compositions is greatest in the [0 0 1] direction. As a result, Bridgman growth utilizing a seed oriented with the [0 0 1] along the growth direction should be used to mitigate thermal stress.

  4. Conjunctive Cohesion in English Language EU Documents--A Corpus-Based Analysis and Its Implications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trebits, Anna

    2009-01-01

    This paper reports the findings of a study which forms part of a larger-scale research project investigating the use of English in the documents of the European Union (EU). The documents of the EU show various features of texts written for legal, business and other specific purposes. Moreover, the translation services of the EU institutions often…

  5. Vaccination policies of immigrants in the EU/EEA Member States-the measles immunization example.

    PubMed

    Bica, Mihai A; Clemens, Ralf

    2018-06-01

    In 2015-16, the European Union/European Economic Area Member States (EU/EEA MSs) experienced an unprecedented volume and rate of migration, posing serious challenges to existing national immunization systems and strategies and raising the questions of where, when and who to vaccinate. We assessed existing strategies for vaccinating immigrant populations in the EU/EEA using measles as an example of the most important vaccine-preventable diseases. In this cross-sectional study, conducted from March to May 2016, an electronic questionnaire was sent to the Heads of National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs) or equivalent policy-making bodies in each of the 31 EU/EEA Member States. Responses were entered into a structured database and validated by survey responders for final analysis. Validated responses from all 31 EU/EEA NITAGs or equivalents showed that there is no common measles immunization policy for European immigrants. Policies vary widely from no policy at all (9 of 31, 29%) to vaccination of all comers (2 of 31, 6%), or vaccination of selected cohorts based on vaccination history (17 of 31, 55%) or serum antibody analysis (2 of 31, 6%). Further, the operational responsibilities for immigrant vaccination and documentation methods are not unified within the EU/EEA region. With some notable exceptions immunization policies to contain spread of infectious diseases through migration are either non-existent or vary widely between countries in the EU/EEA. With freedom of movement within the EU/EEA there ought to be harmonization and a common EU/EEA vaccination strategy to replace national policies for immigrant populations.

  6. Photostimulated luminescence properties of Eu2+ -doped barium aluminate phosphor.

    PubMed

    He, Quanlong; Qiu, Guangyu; Xu, Xuhui; Qiu, Jianbei; Yu, Xue

    2015-03-01

    An intense green photostimulated luminescence in BaAl2 O4 :Eu(2+) phosphor was prepared. The thermoluminescence results indicate that there are at least three types of traps (T1 , T2 , T3 ) with different trap depths in BaAl2 O4 :Eu(2+) phosphor according to the bands located at 327, 361 and 555 K, respectively, which are closely associated with the phosphor's long persistent luminescence and photostimulated luminescence properties. In addition, as a novel optical read-out form, a photostimulated persistent luminescence signal can be repeatedly obtained in BaAl2 O4 :Eu(2+) phosphor. This shows that re-trapping of the electron released from a deep trap plays an important role in photostimulated persistent luminescence. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. Basic and clinical proteomics from the EU Health Research perspective.

    PubMed

    Dyląg, Tomasz; Jehenson, Philippe; van de Loo, Jan-Willem; Sanne, Jean-Luc

    2010-12-01

    The European Union (EU) is one of the main public funders of research in Europe and its major instrument for funding is the Seventh Framework Programme for research and technological development (FP7). The bulk of funding in FP7 goes to collaborative research, with the objective of establishing excellent research projects and networks. Understanding the functions of proteins is essential for the rational development of disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment, therefore the EU has largely invested in proteomics, in particular for technology development, data standardisation and sharing efforts, and the application of proteomics in the clinic. The scientific community, including both academia and industry, is encouraged to apply for FP7 funding so that the EU can even more efficiently support innovative health research and ultimately, bring better healthcare to patients.

  8. Luminescence in Sr2MgAl22O36:Eu2+ phosphor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tawalare, P. K.; Bhatkar, V. B.; Talewar, R. A.; Joshi, C. P.; Moharil, S. V.

    2018-05-01

    New results on luminescence of Eu2+ are reported in Sr2MgAl22O36 host prepared by combustion synthesis. Different emission and excitation spectra are observed for Eu2+ ions occupying two crystallographically non-equivalent sites.

  9. Comparative Photoluminescence Properties and Judd-Ofelt Analysis of Eu3+ Ion-Activated Metal Molybdate Phosphors A2MoO6:Eu3+ (A = La, Y, Gd and Bi)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Han, Bing; Liu, Bingkun; Zhang, Jie; Li, Pengju; Shi, Hengzhen

    2017-07-01

    A class of red-emitting Eu3+ ion-activated metal molybdate A2MoO6:Eu3+ (A = La, Y, Gd and Bi) phosphors were synthesized by a conventional high-temperature solid-state reaction method. The x-ray diffraction patterns, scanning electron microscope images, Fourier transform infrared spectra, ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflection spectra as well as photoluminescence properties were measured to characterize the as-prepared samples. The photoluminescence properties including excitation/emission spectra, decay curves, Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage chromaticity coordinates and quantum efficiency were comparatively investigated in detail. The Judd-Ofelt theory was also applied to understand the radiative properties of f-f transitions of Eu3+ ions in this system for the first time. The as-prepared phosphors can be effectively excited with near-ultraviolet and/or blue light, and exhibit red emission belonging to the prevailing 5D0 → 7F2 transitions of Eu3+ with short decay time (millisecond level). The results demonstrated that A2MoO6:Eu3+ (A = La, Y, Gd and Bi) phosphors could have potential application as red-emitting phosphors in white light-emitting diodes based on near-ultraviolet and/or blue light-emitting diode chips.

  10. Effect of annealing on structural and luminescence properties of Eu3+ doped NaYF4 phosphor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pathak, Trilok K.; Kumar, Ashwini; Swart, H. C.; Kroon, R. E.

    2018-04-01

    Eu3+ doped NaYF4 phosphors have been synthesized by the combustion method. The effect of annealing on the structural, morphological and luminescence properties has been investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the Eu3+ doped NaYF4 phosphors consisted of mixed phases: α-phase and β-phase which were affected by the annealing of the phosphor. The surface morphology showed a significant change with annealing in the Eu3+ doped NaYF4 phosphors. The elemental mapping and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy spectra proved the formation of the desired materials. The photoluminescence spectra illustrated the optical properties of Eu3+ in the as-prepared and annealed Eu3+ doped NaYF4 phosphors. The intensity of the peaks 5D0 → 7F2 and 5D0 → 7F1 varied in as-prepared and annealed samples. The lifetime of the Eu3+ luminescence at 615 nm was also weakly affected by the Eu3+ doping and annealing temperature.

  11. Effect of silver ions and clusters on the luminescence properties of Eu-doped borate glasses

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jiao, Qing, E-mail: jiaoqing@nbu.edu.cn; Wang, Xi; Qiu, Jianbei

    2015-12-15

    Highlights: • Ag{sup +} and Ag clusters are investigated in the borate glasses via ion exchange method. • The aggregation of silver ions to the clusters was controlled by the ion exchange concentration. • Eu{sup 3+}/Eu{sup 2+} ions emission was enhanced with the sensitization of the silver species. • Energy transfer process from Ag ions and Ag clusters to Eu ions is identified by the lifetime measurements. - Abstract: Silver ions and clusters were applied to Eu{sup 3+}-doped borate glasses via the Ag{sup +}–Na{sup +} ion exchange method. Eu{sup 3+}/Eu{sup 2+} ion luminescence enhancement was achieved after silver ion exchange.more » Absorption spectra showed no band at 420 nm, which indicates that silver nanoparticles can be excluded as a silver state in the glass. Silver ion aggregation into clusters during the ion exchange process may be inferred. The effect of silver ions and clusters on rare earth emissions was investigated using spectral information and lifetime measurements. Significant luminescence enhancements were observed from the energy transfer of Ag{sup +} ions and clusters to Eu{sup 3+}/Eu{sup 2+} ions, companied with the silver ions aggregated into the clusters state. The results of this research may extend the current understanding of interactions between rare-earth ions and Ag species.« less

  12. A neutron scintillator based on transparent nanocrystalline CaF{sub 2}:Eu glass ceramic

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Struebing, Christian; Kang, Zhitao, E-mail: zhitao.kang@gtri.gatech.edu; School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332

    2016-04-11

    There are no efficient Eu{sup 2+} doped glass neutron scintillators reported due to low doping concentrations of Eu{sup 2+} and the amorphous nature of the glass matrix. In this work, an efficient CaF{sub 2}:Eu glass ceramic neutron scintillator was prepared by forming CaF{sub 2}:Eu nanocrystals in a {sup 6}Li-containing glass matrix. Through appropriate thermal treatments, the scintillation light yield of the transparent glass ceramic was increased by a factor of at least 46 compared to the as-cast amorphous glass. This improvement was attributed to more efficient energy transfer from the CaF{sub 2} crystals to the Eu{sup 2+} emitting centers. Furthermore » light yield improvement is expected if the refractive index of the glass matrix can be matched to the CaF{sub 2} crystal.« less

  13. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopic Study on Eu 2+ and Sr 2+ Using Liquid Metal Cathodes in Molten Chlorides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matsumiya, Masahiko; Takagi, Ryuzo

    2000-08-01

    For the pyrochemical reprocessing of spent metallic nuclear fuels in molten salt baths it is important to investigate the behavior of the electrochemically negative elements Eu and Sr, which are significant fission products. Voltammetric and chronopotentiometric studies have shown that the reduction of Eu 2+ and Sr 2+ on liquid Pb cathodes in molten chloride baths at 1073 K follows the alloy formation reaction: Eu 2+ + 2e- + 3Pb → EuPb 3 and Sr 2+ + 2e- + 3Pb → SrPb 3 . In the present work these alloy formation reactions were studiedby electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Analysis of the spectra showed that the electronic exchange of Eu 2+ /Eu and Sr 2+ /Sr is quasi-re-versible. Moreover, the experimental results allowed the determination of the kinetic parameters of EU 2+ /EU and Sr 2+ /Sr, the diffusion coefficients of these species in molten chloride baths, and also the diffusion layer thickness.

  14. Thermoluminescence properties of Eu-doped and Eu/Dy-codoped Sr2 Al2 SiO7 phosphors.

    PubMed

    Jadhaw, Akhilesh; Sonwane, Vivek D; Gour, Anubha S; Jha, Piyush

    2017-11-01

    We report the thermoluminescence properties of Sr 1.96 Al 2 SiO 7 :Eu 0.04 and Sr 1.92 Al 2 SiO 7 :Eu 0.04 Dy 0.04 phosphors. These phosphors were prepared by a high-temperature solid-state reaction method. The prepared phosphors were characterized by X-ray diffraction. A 254 nm source was used for ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and a 60 Co source was used for γ-irradiation. The effect of heating rate and UV-exposure were examined. The thermoluminescence temperature shifts to higher values with increasing heating rate and thermoluminescence intensity increases with increasing UV exposure time. The trapping parameters such as activation energy (E), order of kinetics and frequency factor (s) were calculated by peak shape method. The effect of γ- and UV-irradiation on thermoluminescence studies was also examined. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. EU landfill waste acceptance criteria and EU Hazardous Waste Directive compliance testing of incinerated sewage sludge ash.

    PubMed

    Donatello, S; Tyrer, M; Cheeseman, C R

    2010-01-01

    A hazardous waste assessment has been completed on ash samples obtained from seven sewage sludge incinerators operating in the UK, using the methods recommended in the EU Hazardous Waste Directive. Using these methods, the assumed speciation of zinc (Zn) ultimately determines if the samples are hazardous due to ecotoxicity hazard. Leaching test results showed that two of the seven sewage sludge ash samples would require disposal in a hazardous waste landfill because they exceed EU landfill waste acceptance criteria for stabilised non-reactive hazardous waste cells for soluble selenium (Se). Because Zn cannot be proven to exist predominantly as a phosphate or oxide in the ashes, it is recommended they be considered as non-hazardous waste. However leaching test results demonstrate that these ashes cannot be considered as inert waste, and this has significant implications for the management, disposal and re-use of sewage sludge ash.

  16. Investigations on optical properties of Eu3+ ion doped magnesium telluroborate glasses for red laser applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arunkumar, S.; Annapoorani, K.; Marimuthu, K.

    2018-04-01

    Eu3+ doped Magnesium telluroborate glasses were prepared with the chemical composition (40-x)H3BO3+35 TeO2+15MgCO3+10MgF2+xEu2O3 (where x = 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 in wt%) following the melt quenching technique and labeled as MTB0.1Eu, MTB0.5Eu, MTB1.0Eu and MTB2.0Eu respectively. The absorption spectra exhibit seven peaks in the visible and NIR region. Five emission peaks corresponding to the 5D0→7FJ (J=0, 1, 2, 3, 4) transitions were observed while exciting at 465 nm. The luminescence intensity ratio (R) and Ω2 parameter values were found to be higher for the MTB0.5Eu glass thus indicates the higher asymmetry around the Eu3+ ions site compared to other prepared glasses. The CIE color chromaticity coordinates of the present glasses are found to lie in the prominent red region in the chromaticity diagram. The stimulated emission cross-section value of the MTB0.5Eu glass was found to be higher pertaining to the 5D0 → 7F2 transition compared to the other prepared glasses and reported literature thus suggests its suitability for red laser applications.

  17. A Worldwide Web-portal for Aquatic Mesocosm Facilities: WWW.MESOCOSM.EU

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berger, S. A.; Nejstgaard, J. C.

    2016-02-01

    Experimental mesocosms are valuable tools to fill the gap between highly controlled/replicated lab experiments and uncontrolled/non-replicated natural environments such as rivers, lakes and oceans. WWW.MESOCOSM.EU is an open web-portal for leading aquatic mesocosm facilities around the world. It was created within the FP7 EU-project MESOAQUA (A network of leading MESOcosm facilities to advance the studies of future AQUAtic ecosystems from the Arctic to the Mediterranean). The goal of the portal is to increase international knowledge about existing mesocosm facilities, including information on locations, environment, equipment, contacts, research opportunities and mesocosm-based publications. MESOCOSM.EU specifically aims to be a tool to enhance the quality of research by facilitating international cooperative network building, announcement of new research initiatives, transfer of best practice, and dissemination of knowledge, public information and press releases. As an open platform for all aquatic ecosystem scale science (marine and freshwater), MESOCOSM.EU aims to fill the lack of a centralized, coordinating virtual infrastructure for international aquatic mesocosm research, from the mountains to the ocean and from polar to tropical regions.

  18. The affects of doping Eu 3+ on structures and morphology of ZrO 2 nanocrystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Lixin; Liu, Hai; Nogami, Masayuki

    2010-07-01

    The ZrO 2 and ZrO 2:Eu 3+ nanocrystals (NCs) were prepared by a hydrothermal method. The samples were sintered at different temperatures (500, 800 and 1100 °C). The results indicate that the Eu 3+ ions affect not only the structures of hosts (ZrO 2), but also the morphology of hosts. The shape of ZrO 2:Eu 3+ NCs heated at 1100 °C is the one-dimensional nanorod, while is the zero-dimensional nanoparticle for pure ZrO 2 samples sintered at the same temperature. The excitation and emission spectra of ZrO 2:Eu 3+ NCs were studied. In excitation spectra, the charge transfer band of Eu 3+ in ZrO 2 NCs heated at 1100 °C evidently blue-shifts in comparison with the NCs calcined at 500 and 800 °C. The relative intensity of 5D-7F transitions of Eu 3+ ions and color chromaticity for nanorods are increased in comparison with the nanoparticles.

  19. Effects of Mn-doping on the giant magnetocaloric effect of EuTiO3 compound

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mo, Zhao-Jun; Sun, Qi-Lei; Han, Sheng; Zhao, Yun; Chen, Xing; Li, Lan; Liu, Guo-Dong; Meng, Fan-Bin; Shen, Jun

    2018-06-01

    The magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect of EuTi1-xMnxO3 (x = 0-0.1) compounds are investigated. When the Ti4+ was substituted by Mn2+, the lattice constants were changed, the Eu3+ state and the oxygen vacancy generated. The exchange mechanisms were more complex among the Mn2+ 3d, the Eu 5d and Eu2+ 4f. The FM phase was dominant between AFM and FM as Mn substitute for Ti, which improve the MCE under low magnetic field. The values of -ΔSMmax are evaluated to 11.7 and 11.1 J/kg K for EuTi0.975Mn0.025O3 and EuTi0.95Mn0.05O3 compounds, under a magnetic field change of 1 T. And, the values of RC were obviously enhanced under the magnetic field changes of 1 and 2 T. Therefore, the giant reversible MCE makes these compounds promising candidates for magnetic refrigeration.

  20. Potential for Introduction of Bat-Borne Zoonotic Viruses into the EU: A Review

    PubMed Central

    Simons, Robin R. L.; Gale, Paul; Horigan, Verity; Snary, Emma L.; Breed, Andrew C.

    2014-01-01

    Bat-borne viruses can pose a serious threat to human health, with examples including Nipah virus (NiV) in Bangladesh and Malaysia, and Marburg virus (MARV) in Africa. To date, significant human outbreaks of such viruses have not been reported in the European Union (EU). However, EU countries have strong historical links with many of the countries where NiV and MARV are present and a corresponding high volume of commercial trade and human travel, which poses a potential risk of introduction of these viruses into the EU. In assessing the risks of introduction of these bat-borne zoonotic viruses to the EU, it is important to consider the location and range of bat species known to be susceptible to infection, together with the virus prevalence, seasonality of viral pulses, duration of infection and titre of virus in different bat tissues. In this paper, we review the current scientific knowledge of all these factors, in relation to the introduction of NiV and MARV into the EU. PMID:24841385

  1. Photoluminescence varied by selective excitation in BiGdWO6:Eu3+ phosphor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pavani, K.; Graça, M. P. F.; Kumar, J. Suresh; Neves, A. J.

    2017-12-01

    Eu3+ doped bismuth gadolinium tungstate (BGW), a simplest member of Aurivillius family of layered perovskites, was synthesized by solid-state reaction method. Structural characterisation has been performed by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Band gap of the host matrix has been calculated using reflectance and absorption spectra. Three different mechanisms were found to explain the excitation of Eu3+ ions and are described in detail. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the BGW phosphor doped with Eu3+ ions consist of major emission lines associated with 5D0 → 7FJ (J = 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4) of Eu3+ ion. Site selective PL excitation and emission indicates that Eu3+ ions doped in BiGdWO6 are sensitive to the excitation wavelength without change in the structure. Change in emission spectra were observed when the excitation wavelength was changed. Judd-Ofelt (J-O) parameters were determined from the indirect method to interpret the interactions between the host and dopant ions along with detailed analysis of lifetime measurements.

  2. The prevalence and costs of obesity in the EU.

    PubMed

    Fry, James; Finley, Willa

    2005-08-01

    The present paper reports on results obtained as part of the economics module of the LIPGENE project. It reviews recent trends in obesity in the fifteen member states of the EU (the member states before enlargement in 2004) and concludes that in 2002 for both adult men and women at least half the fifteen member states of the EU had obesity levels of >20%. In the same year the total direct and indirect annual costs of obesity in the fifteen member states of the EU were 32,800 euro x 10(6). The provision of 'healthy' foods with an adapted lipid profile provides one means of mitigating the impact of obesity. However, there are extra costs associated with the supply of such foods, via additional costs of food ingredients, identity preservation costs for premium-value food products and the penalties caused by the inability to exploit economies of scale. The limited scale of the markets for healthy foods is caused by their high selling prices. Also presented is an analysis of the costs of subsidising, throughout the EU, ingredients that improve the fatty acid profile of beef, eggs, poultry meat and low-fat spreads, so that healthier versions of these products sell at the same price as traditional alternatives. The total costs of such subsidies for these four food products would have been 10 euro x 10(9)/year in 2002, which was 30% of the direct and indirect costs of obesity.

  3. Evaluation of Large Volume SrI2(Eu) Scintillator Detectors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sturm, B W; Cherepy, N J; Drury, O B

    2010-11-18

    There is an ever increasing demand for gamma-ray detectors which can achieve good energy resolution, high detection efficiency, and room-temperature operation. We are working to address each of these requirements through the development of large volume SrI{sub 2}(Eu) scintillator detectors. In this work, we have evaluated a variety of SrI{sub 2} crystals with volumes >10 cm{sup 3}. The goal of this research was to examine the causes of energy resolution degradation for larger detectors and to determine what can be done to mitigate these effects. Testing both packaged and unpackaged detectors, we have consistently achieved better resolution with the packagedmore » detectors. Using a collimated gamma-ray source, it was determined that better energy resolution for the packaged detectors is correlated with better light collection uniformity. A number of packaged detectors were fabricated and tested and the best spectroscopic performance was achieved for a 3% Eu doped crystal with an energy resolution of 2.93% FWHM at 662keV. Simulations of SrI{sub 2}(Eu) crystals were also performed to better understand the light transport physics in scintillators and are reported. This study has important implications for the development of SrI{sub 2}(Eu) detectors for national security purposes.« less

  4. European Paediatric Formulation Initiative (EuPFI)-Formulating Ideas for Better Medicines for Children.

    PubMed

    Salunke, Smita; Liu, Fang; Batchelor, Hannah; Walsh, Jenny; Turner, Roy; Ju, Tzuchi Rob; Tuleu, Catherine

    2017-02-01

    The European Paediatric Formulation Initiative (EuPFI), founded in 2007, aims to promote and facilitate the preparation of better and safe medicines for children through linking research and information dissemination. It brings together the capabilities of the industry, academics, hospitals, and regulators within a common platform in order to scope the solid understanding of the major issues, which will underpin the progress towards the future of paediatric medicines we want.The EuPFI was formed in parallel to the adoption of regulations within the EU and USA and has served as a community that drives research and dissemination through publications and the organisation of annual conferences. The membership and reach of this group have grown since its inception in 2007 and continue to develop and evolve to meet the continuing needs and ambitions of research into and development of age appropriate medicines. Five diverse workstreams (age-appropriate medicines, Biopharmaceutics, Administration Devices, Excipients and Taste Assessment & Taste Masking (TATM)) direct specific workpackages on behalf of the EuPFI. Furthermore, EuPFI interacts with multiple diverse professional groups across the globe to ensure efficient working in the area of paediatric medicines. Strong commitment and active involvement of all EuPFI stakeholders have proved to be vital to effectively address knowledge gaps related to paediatric medicines, discuss potential areas for further research and identify issues that need more attention and analysis in the future.

  5. Extraction chromatographic separation of Am(III) and Eu(III) by TPEN-immobilized gel

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Takeshita, K.; Ogata, T.; Oaki, H.

    2013-07-01

    A TPEN derivative with 4 vinyl groups, N,N,N',N' -tetrakis-(4-propenyloxy-2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine (TPPEN) was synthesized for the separation of trivalent minor actinides (Am(III)) and lanthanides (Eu(III)). A co-polymer gel with TPPEN and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA) showed a high separation factor of Am(III) over Eu(III) (SF[Am/Eu]), which was evaluated to be 26 at pH=5. Thin film of NIPA-TPPEN gel (average thickness: 2-40 nm) was immobilized on the pore surface in porous silica particles (particle diameter : 50 μm, average pore diameter : 50 and 300 nm) and a chromatographic column (diameter: 6 mm, height: 11 mm) packed with the gel-coated particles was prepared. A smallmore » amount of weakly acidic solution (pH=4) containing Am(III) and Eu(III) was supplied in the column and the elution tests of Am(III) and Eu(III) were carried out. Eu(III) was recovered separately by a weakly acidic eluent (pH=4) at 313 K and Am(III) by a highly acidic eluent (pH=2) at 298 K. These results suggest that the contentious separation of minor actinides and lanthanides is attainable by a new extraction chromatographic process with two columns adjusted to 298 K and 313 K. (authors)« less

  6. On-line nuclear orientation of the deformed neutron-deficient Eu, Sm and Pm isotopes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singleton, B. D. D.; Walker, P. M.; Bhagwat, A.; Al-Ghamdi, S. S.; Barham, C. G.; Grant, I. S.; Griffiths, A. G.; Rikovska, J.; Stone, N. J.

    1992-11-01

    Low-temperature nuclear orientation measurements made on-line at the SERC Daresbury Laboratory on142 m Eu,141 m Sm, and141Pm, with known magnetic dipole moments, have yielded the magnitude of the hyperfine fields of these isotopes in an iron host lattice. Thus measurements for the isotopes139, 138Eu,139 m Sm, and138Pm yielded values for the respective magnetic moments. Limits on the thermal relaxation times of Eu and Sm isotopes in Fe were also deduced. The results for138Eu appear to contradict the earlier πh11/2⊗νh11/2 ground-state configuration assignment.

  7. Magnetic and luminescent properties of multifunctional GdF3:Eu3+ nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wong, Hon-Tung; Chan, H. L. W.; Hao, J. H.

    2009-07-01

    Multifunctional GdF3:Eu3+ nanoparticles were synthesized using a hydrothermal method. Photoluminescent excitation and emission spectra, and lifetime were measured. The average lifetime of the nanoparticles is about 11 ms. The nanoparticle exhibits paramagnetism at both 293 and 77 K, ascribing to noninteracting localized nature of the magnetic moment in the compound. The magnetic properties of GdF3:Eu3+ is intrinsic to the Gd3+ ions, which is unaffected by the doping concentration of the Eu3+ luminescent centers. A measured magnetization of approximately 2 emu/g is close to reported values of other nanoparticles for bioseparation.

  8. Tuning of "antenna effect" of Eu(III) in ternary systems in aqueous medium through binding with protein.

    PubMed

    Ghorai, Shyamal Kr; Samanta, Swarna Kamal; Mukherjee, Manini; Saha Sardar, Pinki; Ghosh, Sanjib

    2013-02-04

    A simple ternary system containing a protein [human serum albumin (HSA)/bovine serum albumin (BSA)], tetracycline hydrochloride (TC), and Eu(III) in suitable aqueous buffer medium at physiological pH (= 7.2) has been shown to exhibit highly efficient "antenna effect" compared to the binary complex of TC with Eu(III) (Eu(3)TC). The ternary system containing E. coli alkaline phosphatase (AP), TC, and Eu(III), however, shows a slight enhancement of Eu(III) emission, although the binding constant of AP with TC is 2 orders of magnitude greater than with BSA/HSA. The enhanced emission of bound TC in the binary systems containing proteins and TC gets quenched in the ternary systems containing HSA/BSA, showing the efficient energy transfer (ET) from TC to Eu(III). Steady state and time-resolved emission studies of each component in all the ternary systems in H(2)O and in D(2)O medium reveal that Eu(III) is very well protected from the O-H oscillator in the ternary system containing HSA/BSA compared to that containing AP. The docking studies locating the binding site of TC in the proteins suggest that TC binds near the surface of AP. In the case of HSA/BSA, TC resides in the interior of the protein resulting in a large shielding effect of Eu(III). The rotational correlation time (θ(c)) determined from the anisotropy decay of bound TC in the complexes and the accessible surface area (ASA) of the ligand in the complexes obtained from the docking studies also support the contention that Eu(3)TC is more exposed to solvent in the case of the ternary system consisting of AP, TC, and Eu(III). The calculated radiative lifetime and the sensitization efficiency ratio of Eu(III) in all the systems clearly demonstrate the protein mediated tuning of "antenna effect" in Eu(III).

  9. Wide disparity of clinical genetics services and EU rare disease research funding across Europe.

    PubMed

    Lynch, Sally Ann; Borg, Isabella

    2016-04-01

    The origins of clinical genetics services vary throughout Europe with some emerging from paediatric medicine and others from an academic laboratory setting. In 2011, the cross-border patients' rights directive recommended the creation of European Research Networks (ERNs) to improve patient care throughout EU. In 2013, the EU recommendation on the care for rare diseases came into place. The process of designating EU centres of expertise in rare diseases is being implemented to allow centres to enter ERNs. Hence, this is an opportune time to reflect on the current status of genetic services and research funding throughout Europe as 80 % of rare diseases have a genetic origin. Our aims were to determine (a) whether EU countries are prepared in terms of appropriate clinical genetic staffing to fulfil the European Union Committee of Experts on Rare Diseases (EUCERD) criteria that will allow national centres to be designated as centres of expertise, (b) which EU countries are successful in grant submissions to EU rare disease research funding and (c) country of origin of researchers from the EU presenting their research work as a spoken presentation at the European Society of Human Genetics annual conference. Our results show there is wide disparity of staffing levels per head of population in clinical genetics units throughout Europe. EU rare disease research funding is not being distributed equitably and the opportunity to present research is skewed with many countries not achieving spoken presentations despite abstract submissions. Inequity in the care of patients with rare diseases exists in Europe. Many countries will struggle to designate centres of expertise as their staffing mix and levels will not meet the EUCERD criteria which may prevent them from entering ERNs. The establishment of a small number of centres of expertise centrally, which is welcome, should not occur at the expense of an overall improvement in EU rare disease patient care. Caution should be

  10. Effect of the PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) concentration on the optical properties of Eu-doped YAG phosphors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hora, Daniela A.; Andrade, Adriano B.; Ferreira, Nilson S.; Teixeira, Verônica C.; dos S. Rezende, Marcos V.

    2016-10-01

    The influence of the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) concentration on the synthesis and structural, morphological and optical properties of Y3Al5O13: Eu (Eu-doped YAG) was systematically investigated in this work. The final concentration of PVA in the preparation step influenced the crystallite size and also the degree of particle agglomeration in Eu-doped YAG phosphors. X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL) emission spectra results indicated typical Eu3+ emission lines and an abnormally intense 5D0 → 7F4. The intensity parameters Ω2 and Ω4 were calculated and indicated the PVA concentration affects the ratio Ω2:Ω4. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) results showed Eu valence did not change and the symmetry around the Eu3+ is influenced by the PVA concentration. XEOL-XAS showed the luminescence increases as a function of energy.

  11. Temperature dependent luminescence and energy transfer properties of Na2SrMg(PO4)2:Eu2+, Mn2+ phosphors.

    PubMed

    Geng, Dongling; Shang, Mengmeng; Zhang, Yang; Lian, Hongzhou; Lin, Jun

    2013-11-21

    Eu(2+) singly and Eu(2+)/Mn(2+) co-doped Na2SrMg(PO4)2 (NSMP) phosphors have been prepared via a high-temperature solid-state reaction process. Upon UV excitation of 260-360 nm, the NSMP:xEu(2+) phosphors exhibit a violet band located at 399 nm and a blue band centered at 445 nm, which originate from Eu(2+) ions occupying two different crystallographic sites: Eu(2+)(I) and Eu(2+)(II), respectively. Excitation wavelengths longer than 380 nm can selectively excite Eu(2+)(II) to emit blue light. Energy transfer processes in the Eu(2+)(I)-Eu(2+)(II) and Eu(2+)-Mn(2+) pairs have been observed and investigated by luminescence spectra and decay curves. The emission color of as-prepared samples can be tuned by changing the relative concentrations of Eu(2+) and Mn(2+) ions and adjusting the excitation wavelength. Under UV excitation of 323 nm, the absolute quantum yield of NSMP:0.005Eu(2+) is 91%, which is higher than most of the other Eu(2+)-doped phosphors reported previously. The temperature dependent luminescence properties and decay curves (4.3-450 K) of NSMP:Eu(2+) and NSMP:Eu(2+), Mn(2+) phosphors have been studied in detail. Thermal quenching of Eu(2+) has been observed while the emission band of Mn(2+) shows a blue-shift and an abnormal increase of intensity with increasing temperature. The unusual thermal quenching behavior indicates that the NSMP compound can serve as a good lattice host for Mn(2+) ions which can be used as a red-emitting phosphor. Additionally, the lifetimes for Eu(2+)(I) and Eu(2+)(II) increase with increasing temperatures.

  12. Luminescence properties of rare earth doped metal oxide nanostructures: A case of Eu-ZnO

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sahu, D.; Acharya, B. S.; Panda, N. R., E-mail: nihar@iitbbs.ac.in

    2016-05-06

    The present study reports the growth and luminescence properties of Eu doped ZnO nanostructures. The experiment has been carried out by synthesizing the materials by simple wet-chemical method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies show expansion of ZnO lattice with the incorporation of Eu ions which has been confirmed from the appearance of Eu{sub 2}O{sub 3} as a minor phase in the XRD pattern. The estimation of crystallite size from XRD results matches closely with the results obtained from transmission electron microscopy. Further, these results show the formation of nanosized Eu-ZnO particles of average size around 60 nm stacked on each other. FTIRmore » studies show the presence of both Zn-O and Eu-O modes in the spectra supporting the results obtained from XRD. The interesting results obtained from photoluminescence (PL) measurements show the presence of both band edge emission in UV region and the defect emissions in violet, blue and green region. The appearance of {sup 5}D{sub 0}→{sup 7}F{sub J} transitions of Eu{sup 3+} ions in red region clearly suggests the possible occurrence of energy transfer between the energy states of ZnO host and Eu{sup 3+} ions.« less

  13. Fabrication and luminescent properties of La2O2S:Eu3+ translucent ceramic by pressureless reaction sintering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lian, Jingbao; Wang, Bingxin; Liang, Ping; Liu, Feng; Wang, Xuejiao

    2014-04-01

    La2O2S:Eu3+ translucent ceramic (LOS:Eu) was fabricated by pressureless reaction sintering method. It is found that the (La, Eu)2(OH)4SO4ṡ2H2O precursor is synthesized by co-precipitation using commercially available La(NO3)3, Eu(NO3)3, (NH4)2SO4 and NH3ṡH2O as the starting materials. And this precursor can be converted into pure La2O2SO4:Eu3+ phosphor by calcination at 800 °C for 1 h in air, which is composed of a few small needle agglomerated particles. Then the La2O2SO4:Eu3+ phosphor compact can be sintered into the LOS:Eu at 1500 °C for 2 h in the hybrid atmosphere of flowing hydrogen and argon. Under 387 nm UV light excitation, the LOS:Eu reveals a red light emission at 628 nm as the most prominent peak, which corresponds to the 5D0 → 7F2 transition of Eu3+ ions.

  14. Fabrication of MPEG-b-PMAA capped YVO4:Eu nanoparticles with biocompatibility for cell imaging.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yue; Li, Xiao-Shuang; Hu, Jia; Guo, Miao; Liu, Wei-Jun; Feng, Yi-Mei; Xie, Jing-Ran; Du, Gui-Xiang

    2015-12-01

    A novel nanoparticle with multilayer core-shell architecture for cell imaging is designed and synthesized by coating a fluorescent YVO4:Eu core with a diblock copolymer, MPEG-b-PMAA. The synthesis of YVO4:Eu core, which further makes MPEG-b-PMAA-YVO4:Eu NPs adapt for cell imaging, is guided by the model determined upon the evaluation of pH and CEu%. The PMAA block attached tightly on the YVO4:Eu core forms the inner shell and the MPEG block forms the biocompatible outermost shell. Factors including reaction time, reaction temperature, CEu% and pH are optimized for the preparation of the YVO4:Eu NPs. A precise defined model is established according to analyzing the coefficients of pH and CEu% during the synthesis. The MPEG-b-PMAA-YVO4:Eu NPs, with an average diameter of 24 nm, have a tetragonal structure and demonstrate luminescence in the red region, which lies in a biological window (optical imaging). Significant enhancement in luminescence intensity by MPEG-b-PMAA-YVO4:Eu NPs formation is observed. The capping copolymer MPEG-b-PMAA improves the dispersibility of hydrophobic YVO4:Eu NPs in water, making the NPs stable under different conditions. In addition, the biocompatibility MPEG layer reduces the cytotoxicity of the nanoparticles effectively. 95% cell viability can be achieved at the NPs concentration of 800 mgL(-1) after 24h of culture. Cellular uptake of the MPEG-b-PMAA-YVO4:Eu NPs is evaluated by cell imaging assay, indicating that the NPs can be taken up rapidly and largely by cancerous or non-cancerous cells through an endocytosis mechanism. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Mixed valent stannide EuRuSn 3 - Structure, magnetic properties, and Mössbauer spectroscopic investigation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harmening, Thomas; Hermes, Wilfried; Eul, Matthias; Pöttgen, Rainer

    2010-02-01

    The stannide EuRuSn 3 was synthesized by induction melting of the elements in a sealed tantalum tube in a water-cooled quartz glass sample chamber. The structure was refined on the basis of single crystal X-ray diffractometer data (LaRuSn 3 type, Pm3¯n, a = 976.0(1) pm, wR2 = 0.0399, 317 F2 values, and 13 variables). EuRuSn 3 shows modified Curie-Weiss behaviour in the temperature range 50-305 K with an experimental magnetic moment of 7.34(1) μB per formula unit. Thus, the europium atoms are not in a purely divalent state. Low field susceptibility measurement indicates a ferro- or ferrimagnetic ordering at TC = 11.2(2) K and magnetization measurements indicate EuRuSn 3 as a non-collinear ferro- or ferrimagnet. 151Eu Mössbauer spectroscopic measurements suggested one europium site to be static mixed valent with a Eu 2+/Eu 3+ ratio close to one and the other site purely divalent. This was supported by substituting the Eu 3+ atoms with Y 3+ in a sample with a composition of Eu 0.7Y 0.3RuSn 3 ( a = 971.24(8) pm, wR2 = 0.0485, 313 F2 values, 14 variables). The 119Sn Mössbauer spectra show a pronounced Gol'danskii-Karyagin effect in the paramagnetic range and a magnetic hyperfine field distribution at 4.2 K, due to the complex magnetic structure. The influence of the valence electron concentration on the europium valence was tested via Ru/Pd substitution. A EuRu 0.8Pd 0.2Sn 3 sample shows almost purely divalent europium.

  16. Synthesis, characterization and photocatalysis enhancement of Eu2O3-ZnO mixed oxide nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohamed, W. S.; Abu-Dief, Ahmed M.

    2018-05-01

    Pure ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and mixed Eu2O3 and ZnO NPs with different Eu2O3 ratios (5%, 10%, and 15%) were synthesized by a precipitation method under optimum conditions. The synthesized samples were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The as-synthesized ZnO NPs exhibit high phase purity and a highly crystalline wurtzite ZnO structure. The mixed Eu2O3 and ZnO NPs exhibit a Eu2O3 zinc blend phase in addition to the wurtzite phase of pure ZnO, confirming the high purity and good crystallinity of the as-synthesized samples. The high-purity formation of ZnO and Eu2O3 phases was confirmed by FTIR and Raman spectra. Microstructural analysis by SEM and TEM confirmed the sphere-like morphology with different particle sizes (29-40 nm) of the as-synthesized samples. The photocatalytic activities of pure ZnO NPs and mixed Eu2O3 and ZnO NPs for the degradation of methylene blue were evaluated under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. The results show that Eu2O3 plays an important role in the enhancement of the photocatalytic properties of ZnO NPs. We found that mixed 5% Eu2O3 and ZnO NPs exhibit the highest photocatalytic activity (degradation efficiency of 96.5% after 180 min of UV irradiation) as compared with pure ZnO NPs (degradation efficiency of 80.3% after 180 min of UV irradiation). The increased photocatalytic activity of the optimum mixed Eu2O3 and ZnO NPs is due to the high crystallinity, high surface area with small particle size, and narrow energy gap.

  17. Luminescence of delafossite-type CuAlO2 fibers with Eu substitution for Al cations

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Yin; Gong, Yuxuan; Mellott, Nathan P.; Wang, Bu; Ye, Haitao; Wu, Yiquan

    2016-01-01

    Abstract CuAlO2 has been examined as a potential luminescent material by substituting Eu for Al cations in the delafossite structure. CuAlO2:Eu3+ nanofibers have been prepared via electrospinning for the ease of mitigating synthesis requirements and for future optoelectronics and emerging applications. Single-phase CuAlO2 fibers could be obtained at a temperature of 1100 °C in air. The Eu was successfully doped in the delafossite structure and two strong emission bands at ~405 and 610 nm were observed in the photoluminescence spectra. These bands are due to the intrinsic near-band-edge transition of CuAlO2 and the f-f transition of the Eu3+ activator, respectively. Further electrical characterization indicated that these fibers exhibit semiconducting behavior and the introduction of Eu could act as band-edge modifiers, thus changing the thermal activation energies. In light of this study, CuAlO2:Eu3+ fibers with both strong photoluminescence and p-type conductivity could be produced by tailoring the rare earth doping concentrations. PMID:27877870

  18. Luminescence of delafossite-type CuAlO2 fibers with Eu substitution for Al cations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Yin; Gong, Yuxuan; Mellott, Nathan P.; Wang, Bu; Ye, Haitao; Wu, Yiquan

    2016-01-01

    CuAlO2 has been examined as a potential luminescent material by substituting Eu for Al cations in the delafossite structure. CuAlO2:Eu3+ nanofibers have been prepared via electrospinning for the ease of mitigating synthesis requirements and for future optoelectronics and emerging applications. Single-phase CuAlO2 fibers could be obtained at a temperature of 1100 °C in air. The Eu was successfully doped in the delafossite structure and two strong emission bands at 405 and 610 nm were observed in the photoluminescence spectra. These bands are due to the intrinsic near-band-edge transition of CuAlO2 and the f-f transition of the Eu3+ activator, respectively. Further electrical characterization indicated that these fibers exhibit semiconducting behavior and the introduction of Eu could act as band-edge modifiers, thus changing the thermal activation energies. In light of this study, CuAlO2:Eu3+ fibers with both strong photoluminescence and p-type conductivity could be produced by tailoring the rare earth doping concentrations.

  19. Luminescence of delafossite-type CuAlO2 fibers with Eu substitution for Al cations.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yin; Gong, Yuxuan; Mellott, Nathan P; Wang, Bu; Ye, Haitao; Wu, Yiquan

    2016-01-01

    CuAlO 2 has been examined as a potential luminescent material by substituting Eu for Al cations in the delafossite structure. CuAlO 2 :Eu 3+ nanofibers have been prepared via electrospinning for the ease of mitigating synthesis requirements and for future optoelectronics and emerging applications. Single-phase CuAlO 2 fibers could be obtained at a temperature of 1100 °C in air. The Eu was successfully doped in the delafossite structure and two strong emission bands at ~405 and 610 nm were observed in the photoluminescence spectra. These bands are due to the intrinsic near-band-edge transition of CuAlO 2 and the f-f transition of the Eu 3+ activator, respectively. Further electrical characterization indicated that these fibers exhibit semiconducting behavior and the introduction of Eu could act as band-edge modifiers, thus changing the thermal activation energies. In light of this study, CuAlO 2 :Eu 3+ fibers with both strong photoluminescence and p-type conductivity could be produced by tailoring the rare earth doping concentrations.

  20. Metallic behavior induced by potassium doping of the trigonal antiferromagnetic insulator EuMn 2 As 2

    DOE PAGES

    Anand, V. K.; Johnston, D. C.

    2016-07-22

    Here, we report magnetic susceptibility χ, isothermal magnetization M, heat capacity C p, and electrical resistivity ρ measurements on undoped EuMn 2As 2 and K-doped Eu 0.96K 0.04Mn 2As 2 and Eu 0.93K 0.07Mn 2As 2 single crystals with the trigonal CaAl 2Si 2-type structure as a function of temperature T and magnetic field H. EuMn 2As 2 has an insulating ground state with an activation energy of 52 meV and exhibits antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering of the Eu +2 spins S=7/2 at T N1=15 K from C p(T) and χ(T) data with a likely spin-reorientation transition at T N2=5.0 K.more » The Mn +2 3d 5 spins-5/2 exhibit AFM ordering at T N=142 K from all three types of measurements. The M(H) isotherm and χ(T) data indicate that the Eu AFM structure is both noncollinear and noncoplanar. The AFM structure of the Mn spins is also unclear. A 4% substitution of K for Eu in Eu 0.96K 0.04Mn 2As 2 is sufficient to induce a metallic ground state. We found evidence for a difference in the AFM structure of the Eu moments in the metallic crystals from that of undoped EuMn 2As 2 versus both T and H. For metallic Eu 0.96K 0.04Mn 2As 2 and Eu 0.93K 0.07Mn 2As 2, an anomalous S-shape T dependence of ρ related to the Mn magnetism is found. Upon cooling from 200 K, ρ exhibits a strong negative curvature, reaches maximum positive slope at the Mn T N≈150 K, and then continues to decrease but more slowly below T N. Finally, this suggests that dynamic short-range AFM order of the Mn spins above the Mn T N strongly suppresses the resistivity, contrary to the conventional decrease of ρ that is only observed upon cooling below T N of an antiferromagnet.« less

  1. Growth of 1.5-In Eu : SrI2 Single Crystal and Scintillation Properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yokota, Yuui; Ito, Tomoki; Yasuhiro, Shoji; Kurosawa, Shunsuke; Ohashi, Yuji; Kamada, Kei; Yoshikawa, Akira

    2016-04-01

    We grew 1.5-in Eu doped SrI2 (Eu : SrI2) bulk single crystal by a modified vertical Bridgman (VB) method using a removable chamber and high-frequency induction heating. Asgrown 1.5-in Eu : SrI2 bulk single crystal had no visible crack and inclusion in the crystal. In the transmittance and α-ray radioluminescence spectra, large absorption below 433 nm and emission peak at 433 nm were observed, respectively. Each polished Eu : SrI2 specimen indicated 56 000 62 000 ph/MeV light yield and 3.3 3.9% energy resolution. The decay times of the specimens were 0.61 0.67 μs.

  2. Implementing SDG 15.3 on Land Degradation Neutrality in the EU and EU Member States

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wunder, Stephanie; Starke, Sue Martina; Frelih-Larsen, Ana; Kaphengst, Timo

    2017-04-01

    The continuing degradation of land and soils is a severe threat to the provision of ecosystem services and economic development. Sustainable use of land and soils are therefore an integral part of the "Agenda 2030" with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets adopted by the UNGeneral Assembly in September 2015. The SDGs provide new opportunities for an ambitious and integrated environmental policy worldwide and in the EU. Among the many relevant targets that directly or indirectly address soils (such as goals on zero hunger, well being, clean energy, climate change, water and sustainable cities), target 15.3 that aims to achieve "a land degradation-neutral world" by 2030 is the most relevant. The concept of "Land Degradation Neutrality" (LDN) is not only about halting the loss of healthy and fertile land, but also actively reversing degradation by restoring land in order to counterbal-ance losses that cannot be avoided. It is a very ambitious target but due to a lack of balancing mechanisms for degradation and restoration in most countries also a new concept. Land Degra-dation Neutrality therefore both needs a scientific conceptual framework as well as a political debate about its implementation and development of instruments. In the EU and its Member States, this debate can also serve as a catalyst to revive the discussion on a common soil policy in Europe after the withdrawal of the proposal for a soil framework directive in 2014. To analyze options for the implementation of target 15.3 in Germany and Europe the research project "Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals on Soils in Germany" (http://ecologic.eu/12876) is currently carried out by the Ecologic Institute on behalf of the Ger-man Environment Agency (UBA) and the German Federal Environment Ministry (BMUB). The project will run until spring 2017 and the session "European Environmental Policies and Sustainability" at the EGU will be an ideal opportunity to present the final

  3. Eu 3+-doped wide band gap Zn 2SnO 4 semiconductor nanoparticles: Structure and luminescence

    DOE PAGES

    Dimitrievska, Mirjana; Ivetić, Tamara B.; Litvinchuk, Alexander P.; ...

    2016-08-03

    Nanocrystalline Zn 2SnO 4 powders doped with Eu 3+ ions were synthesized via a mechanochemical solid-state reaction method followed by postannealing in air at 1200 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies provide convincing evidence for the incorporation of Eu 3+ ions into the host matrix on noncentrosymmetric sites of the cubic inverse spinel lattice. Microstructural analysis shows that the crystalline grain size decreases with the addition of Eu 3+. Formation of a nanocrystalline Eu 2Sn 2O 7 secondary phase is also observed. Luminescence spectra of Eu 3+-doped samples show several emissions, including narrow-bandmore » magnetic dipole emission at 595 nm and electric dipole emission at 615 nm of the Eu 3+ ions. Excitation spectra and lifetime measurements suggest that Eu 3+ ions are incorporated at only one symmetry site. According to the crystal field theory, it is assumed that Eu 3+ ions participate at octahedral sites of Zn 2+ or Sn 4+ under a weak crystal field, rather than at the tetrahedral sites of Zn2+, because of the high octahedral stabilization energy for Eu 3+. Activation of symmetry forbidden (IR-active and silent) modes is observed in the Raman scattering spectra of both pure and doped samples, indicating a disorder of the cation sublattice of Zn 2SnO 4 nanocrystallites. These results were further supported by the first principle lattice dynamics calculations. The spinel-type Zn 2SnO 4 shows effectiveness in hosting Eu 3+ ions, which could be used as a prospective green/red emitter. As a result, this work also illustrates how sustainable and simple preparation methods could be used for effective engineering of material properties.« less

  4. Teaching Citizenship: What if the EU Is Part of the Solution and Not the Problem?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lödén, Hans; McCallion, Malin Stegmann; Wall, Peter

    2014-01-01

    We propose that the European Union (EU) should be used in citizenship education as a possible vehicle for citizens' influence on issues outside the reach of the nation-state. Citizenship education thus ought to include the EU as an arena for political action and relevant "EU knowledge" ought to be part of the curriculum. Concepts from…

  5. Luminescent properties of YVO4:Eu/SiO2 core-shell composite particles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bao, Amurisana; Lai, Hua; Yang, Yuming; Liu, Zhilong; Tao, Chunyan; Yang, Hua

    2010-02-01

    We report an efficient process for preparing monodisperse SiO2@Y0.95Eu0.05VO4 core-shell phosphors using a simple citrate sol-gel method and without the use of surface-coupling silane agents or large stabilizers. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and photoluminescence (PL) spectra were used to characterize the resulting SiO2@Y0.95Eu0.05VO4 core-shell phosphors. The XRD results demonstrate that the Y0.95Eu0.05VO4 particles crystallization on the surface of SiO2 annealing at 800 °C is perfectly and the crystallinity increases with raising the annealing temperature. The obtained core-shell phosphors have a near perfect spherical shape with narrow size distribution (average size ca. 500 nm and an average thickness of 50 nm), are not agglomerated, and have a smooth surface. The thickness of the YVO4:Eu3+ shells on the SiO2 cores could be easily tailored by changing the mass ratio of shell to core ( W = [YVO4]/[SiO2]) ( 50 nm for W = 30%). The Eu3+ shows a strong PL luminescence (dominated by 5D0 - 7F2 red emission at 618 nm) under the excitation of 320 nm UV light. The PL intensity of Eu3+ increases with increasing the annealing temperature and the values of W.

  6. Phase stabilization in transparent Lu2O3:Eu ceramics by lattice expansion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seeley, Z. M.; Dai, Z. R.; Kuntz, J. D.; Cherepy, N. J.; Payne, S. A.

    2012-11-01

    Gadolinium lutetium oxide transparent ceramics doped with europium (Gd,Lu)2O3:Eu were fabricated via vacuum sintering and hot isostatic pressing (HIP). Nano-scale starting powder with the composition GdxLu1.9-xEu0.1O3 (x = 0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.0, and 1.1) were uniaxially pressed and sintered under high vacuum at 1625 °C to obtain ˜97% dense structures with closed porosity. Sintered compacts were then subjected to 200 MPa argon gas at temperatures between 1750 and 1900 °C to reach full density. It was observed that a small portion of the Eu3+ ions were exsolved from the Lu2O3 cubic crystal lattice and concentrated at the grain boundaries, where they precipitated into a secondary monoclinic phase creating optical scattering defects. Addition of Gd3+ ions into the Lu2O3 cubic lattice formed the solid solution (Gd,Lu)2O3:Eu and stretched the lattice parameter allowing the larger Eu3+ ions to stay in solid solution, reducing the secondary phase and improving the transparency of the ceramics. Excess gadolinium, however, resulted in a complete phase transformation to monoclinic at pressures and temperatures sufficient for densification. Light yield performance was measured and all samples show equal amounts of the characteristic Eu3+ luminescence, indicating gadolinium addition had no adverse effect. This material has potential to improve the performance of high energy radiography devices.

  7. Management of waste electrical and electronic equipment in two EU countries: A comparison

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Torretta, Vincenzo, E-mail: vincenzo.torretta@uninsubria.it; Ragazzi, Marco; Istrate, Irina Aura

    2013-01-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Review on data regarding WEEE management in Italy and in Romania. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Problems that countries that will enter in the EU will have to solve facing with the WEEE management. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Pilot experiences useful for the awareness campaign of the population. - Abstract: The paper presents some data regarding waste electrical and electronic (WEEE) management in one of the founding countries of the EU, Italy, and in a recent entry into the EU, Romania. The aim of this research was to analyze some problems that countries entering the EU will have to solve with respect to WEEE management.more » The experiences of Italy and Romania could provide an interesting reference point. The strengths and weaknesses that the two EU countries have encountered can be used in order to give a more rational plan for other countries. In Italy the increase of WEEE collection was achieved in parallel with the increase of the efficiency of selective Municipal Solid Waste collection. In Romania, pilot experiences were useful to increase the awareness of the population. The different interests of the two populations towards recyclable waste led to a different scenario: in Romania all types of WEEE have been collected since its entrance into the EU; in Italy the 'interest' in recycling is typically related to large household appliances, with a secondary role of lighting equipment.« less

  8. Luminescence study of Eu3+ doped GdVO4 nanoparticles: Concentration, particle size, and core/shell effects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, N. Shanta; Ningthoujam, R. S.; Devi, L. Romila; Yaiphaba, N.; Sudarsan, V.; Singh, S. Dorendrajit; Vatsa, R. K.; Tewari, R.

    2008-11-01

    Nanoparticles of GdVO4 doped with Eu3+ and core/shell of GdVO4:Eu3+/GdVO4 are prepared by urea hydrolysis method using ethylene glycol as capping agent as well as reaction medium at 130 °C. Unit cell volume increases when GdVO4 is doped with Eu3+ indicating the substitution of Gd3+ lattice sites by Eu3+. From luminescence study, it is confirmed that there is no particle size effect on emission positions of Eu3+. Optimum luminescence intensity is found to be in 5-10 at. % Eu3+. Above these concentrations, luminescence intensity decreases due to concentration quenching effect. There is an enhancement in luminescence intensity of core/shell nanoparticles. This has been attributed to the reduction in surface inhomogenities of Eu3+ surroundings by bonding to GdVO4 shell. The lifetime for D50 level increases with annealing and core/shell formation.

  9. Enhancing Photovoltaic Performance Using Broadband Luminescent Down-Shifting by Combining Multiple Species of Eu-Doped Silicate Phosphors

    PubMed Central

    Shen, Yu-Tang; Liu, Jheng-Jie; You, Bang-Jin; Ho, Chun-Hung

    2017-01-01

    This paper demonstrates the application of a broadband luminescent downshifting (LDS) layer with multiple species of europium (Eu)-doped silicate phosphors using spin-on film technique to enhance the photovoltaic efficiency of crystalline silicon solar cells. The surface morphology of the deposited layer was examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The chemical composition of the Eu-doped silicate phosphors was analyzed using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The fluorescence emission of the Eu-doped silicate phosphors was characterized using photoluminescence (PL) measurements at room temperature. We also compared the optical reflectance and external quantum efficiency (EQE) response of cells with combinations of various Eu-doped phosphors species. The cell coated with two species of Eu-doped phosphors achieved a conversion efficiency enhancement (∆η) of 19.39%, far exceeding the ∆η = 15.08% of the cell with one species of Eu-doped phosphors and the ∆η = 8.51% of the reference cell with the same silicate layer without Eu-doped phosphors. PMID:29065487

  10. Enhancing Photovoltaic Performance Using Broadband Luminescent Down-Shifting by Combining Multiple Species of Eu-Doped Silicate Phosphors.

    PubMed

    Ho, Wen-Jeng; Shen, Yu-Tang; Liu, Jheng-Jie; You, Bang-Jin; Ho, Chun-Hung

    2017-10-21

    This paper demonstrates the application of a broadband luminescent downshifting (LDS) layer with multiple species of europium (Eu)-doped silicate phosphors using spin-on film technique to enhance the photovoltaic efficiency of crystalline silicon solar cells. The surface morphology of the deposited layer was examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The chemical composition of the Eu-doped silicate phosphors was analyzed using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The fluorescence emission of the Eu-doped silicate phosphors was characterized using photoluminescence (PL) measurements at room temperature. We also compared the optical reflectance and external quantum efficiency (EQE) response of cells with combinations of various Eu-doped phosphors species. The cell coated with two species of Eu-doped phosphors achieved a conversion efficiency enhancement (∆ η ) of 19.39%, far exceeding the ∆ η = 15.08% of the cell with one species of Eu-doped phosphors and the ∆ η = 8.51% of the reference cell with the same silicate layer without Eu-doped phosphors.

  11. Quantitative megavoltage radiation therapy dosimetry using the storage phosphor KCl:Eu2+

    PubMed Central

    Han, Zhaohui; Driewer, Joseph P.; Zheng, Yuanshui; Low, Daniel A.; Li, H. Harold

    2009-01-01

    This work, for the first time, reports the use of europium doped potassium chloride (KCl:Eu2+) storage phosphor for quantitative megavoltage radiation therapy dosimetry. In principle, KCl:Eu2+ functions using the same photostimulatated luminescence (PSL) mechanism as commercially available BaFBr0.85I0.15:Eu2+ material that is used for computed radiography (CR) but features a significantly smaller effective atomic number—18 versus 49—making it a potentially useful material for nearly tissue-equivalent radiation dosimetry. Cylindrical KCl:Eu2+ dosimeters, 7 mm in diameter and 1 mm thick, were fabricated in-house. Dosimetric properties, including radiation hardness, response linearity, signal fading, dose rate sensitivity, and energy dependence, were studied with a laboratory optical reader after irradiation by a linear accelerator. The overall experimental uncertainty was estimated to be within ±2.5%. The findings were (1) KCl:Eu2+ showed satisfactory radiation hardness. There was no significant change in the stimulation spectra after irradiation up to 200 Gy when compared to a fresh dosimeter, indicating that this material could be reused at least 100 times if 2 Gy per use was assumed, e.g., for patient-specific IMRT QA. (2) KCl:Eu2+ exhibited supralinear response to dose after irradiation from 0 to 800 cGy. (3) After x ray irradiation, the PSL signal faded with time and eventually reached a fading rate of about 0.1%∕h after 12 h. (4) The sensitivity of the dosimeter was independent of the dose rate ranging from 15 to 1000 cGy∕min. (5) The sensitivity showed no beam energy dependence for either open x ray or megavoltage electron fields. (6) Over-response to low-energy scattered photons was comparable to radiographic film, e.g., Kodak EDR2 film. By sandwiching dosimeters between low-energy photon filters (0.3 mm thick lead foils) during irradiation, the over-response was reduced. The authors have demonstrated that KCl:Eu2+ dosimeters have many desirable

  12. Synthesis, characterization, photoluminescence and cytotoxic properties of novel luminescent Eu(III)complexes based on chromone Schiff base

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saif, M.; El-Shafiy, Hoda F.; Mashaly, Mahmoud M.; Eid, Mohamed F.; Nabeel, A. I.; Fouad, R.

    2018-06-01

    Three novel Eu(III) phosphor complexes, [Eu(HL)(OH2)2(C2H5OH)](NO3)2 (1), [Eu(HL)(Bpy)(NO3)2(EtOH)] (2) and [Eu(HL)(Phen)(NO3)2(H2O)] (3) (HL = (11E)-2-hydroxy-N/-((4-oxo-4H-chromen-3-yl)methylene)benzohydrazide; Bpy = 2,2/-bibyridyl and Phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) were prepared. Elemental, thermal, FT-IR and XRD methods were used to characterize their structural configuration. The HL behaves as a monoanionic tridentate ligand. The XRD analysis shows that the ligand and its Eu3+complexes are in nano domain. From fluorescence spectroscopy, all the prepared complexes are highly luminescent, having an impressive visual emission under UV excitation. The H2L and its Eu3+nano-complexes (1-3) were tested for their in vitro cytotoxicity against Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma cell line (EAC). The Eu(III) nano-complexes (1-3) effectively inhibited EAC growth with IC50 value of 25 μM. The high antitumor activity of the Eu(III) nano-complexes (1-3) were attributed to its chemical structure, and nano size properties.

  13. Understanding the photoluminescence characteristics of Eu{sup 3+}-doped double-perovskite by electronic structure calculation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ghosh, Binita; Halder, Saswata; Sinha, T. P.

    2016-05-23

    Europium-doped luminescent barium samarium tantalum oxide Ba{sub 2}SmTaO{sub 6} (BST) has been investigated by first-principles calculation, and the crystal structure, electronic structure, and optical properties of pure BST and Eu-doped BST have been examined and compared. Based on the calculated results, the luminescence properties and mechanism of Eu-doped BST has been discussed. In the case of Eu-doped BST, there is an impurity energy band at the Fermi level, which is formed by seven spin up energy levels of Eu and act as the luminescent centre, which is evident from the band structure calculations.

  14. Triple energy transfer and color tuning in Tb3+ and Eu3+-coactivated apatite-type gadolinium-containing phosphors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Ning; Liang, Qimeng; Li, Shuo; Ouyang, Ruizhuo; Lü, Wei

    2017-11-01

    A family of apatite-type fluorophosphate phosphors with general formula Sr3Gd(1-m-n)Na(PO4)3F:mTb3+,nEu3+ (SGN:mTb3+,nEu3+) have been synthesized via the high-temperature solid-state reaction method. Triple energy transfer processes from Gd3+ in the host to both Tb3+ and Eu3+, as well as from Tb3+ to Eu3+ have been verified by the photoluminescence spectra. Under the excitation of UV light, both green line from the transitions of Tb3+ and red line origin from the transitions of Eu3+ have been simultaneously observed in a single phase phosphor, which makes a promise for tunable color emissions from yellowish-green through yellow and ultimately to reddish-orange by simply adjusting the Eu3+ content (n) in SGN:0.20Tb3+,nEu3+ phosphors. Additionally, the energy transfer from the Tb3+ to the Eu3+ ions has been demonstrated to be a resonant type via a quadrupole-quadrupole mechanism based on the Dexter's theoretical model, and the energy transfer efficiency increases with an increase in Eu3+ concentration.

  15. Structure and physical properties of EuTa{sub 2}O{sub 6} tungsten bronze polymorph

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kolodiazhnyi, T., E-mail: kolodiazhnyi.taras@nims.go.jp; Sakurai, H.; Vasylkiv, O.

    A tetragonal tungsten bronze (TTB) polymorph of EuTa{sub 2}O{sub 6} was prepared and analyzed. EuTa{sub 2}O{sub 6} crystallizes in the centrosymmetric Pnam space group (with unit cell: a = 12.3693, b = 12.4254, and c = 7.7228 Å) isomorphous with orthorhombic β-SrTa{sub 2}O{sub 6}. In contrast to early reports, we see no evidence of deviation from paramagnetic Curie-Weiss behavior among the Eu{sup 2+} 4f{sup 7}spins in EuTa{sub 2}O{sub 6} down to 2 K. Dielectric constant shows a broad peak at ca. 50 K with dielectric dispersion resembling diffuse phase transition. The relaxation time, however, follows a simple (non-freezing) thermally activated process with an activation energy of 92 meV and anmore » attempt frequency of f{sub 0} = 5.79 × 10{sup 12 }Hz. A thermal conductivity of EuTa{sub 2}O{sub 6} shows a low-temperature (T ≈ 30 K) “plateau” region reminiscent of a glass-like behaviour in Nb-based TTB compounds. This behaviour can be attributed to the loosely bound Eu{sup 2+} ions occupying large tricapped trigonal prismatic sites in the EuTa{sub 2}O{sub 6} structure.« less

  16. EU pharmaceutical expenditure forecast.

    PubMed

    Urbinati, Duccio; Rémuzat, Cécile; Kornfeld, Åsa; Vataire, Anne-Lise; Cetinsoy, Laurent; Aballéa, Samuel; Mzoughi, Olfa; Toumi, Mondher

    2014-01-01

    With constant incentives for healthcare payers to contain their pharmaceutical budgets, forecasting has become critically important. Some countries have, for instance, developed pharmaceutical horizon scanning units. The objective of this project was to build a model to assess the net effect of the entrance of new patented medicinal products versus medicinal products going off-patent, with a defined forecast horizon, on selected European Union (EU) Member States' pharmaceutical budgets. This model took into account population ageing, as well as current and future country-specific pricing, reimbursement, and market access policies (the project was performed for the European Commission; see http://ec.europa.eu/health/healthcare/key_documents/index_en.htm). In order to have a representative heterogeneity of EU Member States, the following countries were selected for the analysis: France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. A forecasting period of 5 years (2012-2016) was chosen to assess the net pharmaceutical budget impact. A model for generics and biosimilars was developed for each country. The model estimated a separate and combined effect of the direct and indirect impacts of the patent cliff. A second model, estimating the sales development and the risk of development failure, was developed for new drugs. New drugs were reviewed individually to assess their clinical potential and translate it into commercial potential. The forecast was carried out according to three perspectives (healthcare public payer, society, and manufacturer), and several types of distribution chains (retail, hospital, and combined retail and hospital). Probabilistic and deterministic sensitivity analyses were carried out. According to the model, all countries experienced drug budget reductions except Poland (+€41 million). Savings were expected to be the highest in the United Kingdom (-€9,367 million), France (-€5,589 million), and, far behind them

  17. EU pharmaceutical expenditure forecast

    PubMed Central

    Urbinati, Duccio; Rémuzat, Cécile; Kornfeld, Åsa; Vataire, Anne-Lise; Cetinsoy, Laurent; Aballéa, Samuel; Mzoughi, Olfa; Toumi, Mondher

    2014-01-01

    Background and Objectives With constant incentives for healthcare payers to contain their pharmaceutical budgets, forecasting has become critically important. Some countries have, for instance, developed pharmaceutical horizon scanning units. The objective of this project was to build a model to assess the net effect of the entrance of new patented medicinal products versus medicinal products going off-patent, with a defined forecast horizon, on selected European Union (EU) Member States’ pharmaceutical budgets. This model took into account population ageing, as well as current and future country-specific pricing, reimbursement, and market access policies (the project was performed for the European Commission; see http://ec.europa.eu/health/healthcare/key_documents/index_en.htm). Method In order to have a representative heterogeneity of EU Member States, the following countries were selected for the analysis: France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. A forecasting period of 5 years (2012–2016) was chosen to assess the net pharmaceutical budget impact. A model for generics and biosimilars was developed for each country. The model estimated a separate and combined effect of the direct and indirect impacts of the patent cliff. A second model, estimating the sales development and the risk of development failure, was developed for new drugs. New drugs were reviewed individually to assess their clinical potential and translate it into commercial potential. The forecast was carried out according to three perspectives (healthcare public payer, society, and manufacturer), and several types of distribution chains (retail, hospital, and combined retail and hospital). Probabilistic and deterministic sensitivity analyses were carried out. Results According to the model, all countries experienced drug budget reductions except Poland (+€41 million). Savings were expected to be the highest in the United Kingdom (−€9,367 million), France

  18. EU Strategies to Encourage Youth Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Higher Education in Greece

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karanassios, Nikolaos; Pazarskis, Michail; Mitsopoulos, Konstantinos; Christodoulou, Petros

    2006-01-01

    The authors present and discuss significant aspects of youth entrepreneurship in the European Union (EU) and, especially, in higher education institutions in Greece. The structure of this paper is as follows. First, the study introduces a conceptual basis for entrepreneurship as defined in the EU and looks at entrepreneurship in the context of…

  19. High Temperature Electronic and Thermal Transport Properties of EuGa2- x In x Sb2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chanakian, Sevan; Weber, Rochelle; Aydemir, Umut; Ormeci, Alim; Fleurial, Jean-Pierre; Bux, Sabah; Snyder, G. Jeffrey

    2017-08-01

    The Zintl phase EuGa2Sb2 was synthesized via ball milling followed by hot pressing. The crystal structure of EuGa2Sb2 is comprised of a 3-D network of polyanionic [Ga2Sb2]2- tunnels filled with Eu cations that provide charge balance (Eu2+[Ga2Sb2]2-). Here we report the temperature-dependent resistivity, Hall Effect, Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity for EuGa2- x In x Sb2 ( x = 0, 0.05, 0.1) from 300 K to 775 K. Experimental results demonstrate that the material is a p-type semiconductor. However, a small band gap (˜0.1 eV) prevents EuGa2Sb2 from having high zT at higher temperatures. Isoelectronic substitution of In on the Ga site leads to point defect scattering of holes and phonons, thus reducing thermal conductivity and resulting in a slight improvement in zT.

  20. All EU hands to the EU pumps: the Science Academies of Europe (EASAC) recommend strong support of research to tackle antibacterial resistance.

    PubMed

    Gyssens, I C

    2008-10-01

    Despite many European Union (EU) conferences on fighting microbial resistance, rates of resistance in Europe continue to increase. Although research is catching up with discovery, the development of new antimicrobials is threatened by economic factors, in particular the need for a return of investment via high-volume sales. The EU should invest in independent research into the economic and business aspects of antibiotic development. Multidisciplinary input from the fields of finance, law, marketing, sociology and psychology will inform a broad agenda for change at the regulatory, academic and commercial levels and identify new options for novel anti-infective research and development, as recently recommended by the Science Academies of Europe (EASAC).

  1. Evaluation of Eu(II) -based positive contrast enhancement after intravenous, intraperitoneal, and subcutaneous injections.

    PubMed

    Ekanger, Levi A; Polin, Lisa A; Shen, Yimin; Haacke, E Mark; Allen, Matthew J

    2016-07-01

    Eu(II) -based contrast agents offer physiologically relevant, metal-based redox sensing that is unachievable with Gd(III) -based contrast agents. To evaluate the in vivo contrast enhancement of Eu(II) as a function of injection type, we performed intravenous, intraperitoneal, and subcutaneous injections in mice. Our data reveal a correlation between reported oxygen content and expected rates of diffusion with the persistence of Eu(II) -based contrast enhancement. Biodistribution studies revealed europium clearance through the liver and kidneys for intravenous and intraperitoneal injections, but no contrast enhancement was observed in organs associated with clearance. These data represent a step toward understanding the behavior of Eu(II) -based complexes in vivo. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. An ab-initio study of mechanical, dynamical and electronic properties of MgEu intermetallic

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumar, S. Ramesh; Jaiganesh, G.; Jayalakshmi, V.

    2018-04-01

    The theoretical investigation on the mechanical, dynamical and electronic properties of MgEu in CsCl-type structure has been carried out through the ab-initio calculations within the framework of the density functional theory and the density functional perturbation theory. For the purpose, Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package and Phonopy packages were used. Our calculated ground-state properties of MgEu are in good agreement with other available results. Our computed elastic constants and phonon spectrum results suggest that MgEu is mechanically and dynamically stable up to 5 GPa. The thermodynamic quantities as a function of temperatures are also reported and discussed. The band structure, density of states and charge density also calculated to understand the electronic properties of MgEu.

  3. Structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of EuMnO3 perovskite manganite: A comprehensive MCE study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Phebe Kokila, I.; Kanagaraj, M.; Sathish Kumar, P.; Peter, Sebastian C.; Sekar, C.; Annal Therese, Helen

    2018-02-01

    Pervoskite manganite EuMnO3 synthesized by solid-state route was studied for their structural and magnetocaloric properties. EuMnO3 formed a single phase compound in orthorhombic crystal structure with a space group of Pbnm. The zero field cooling and field cooling magnetic responses exhibit an optimal Neel temperature (TN) of 57 K. A stronger magnetic coupling between the EuMnO3 particles are observed by a delay in reaching TN. The magnetocaloric effect analyzed extensively from the negative entropy (-ΔSm) change of 15.23 JKg-1K-1 for EuMnO3, exhibited a Relative Cooling Power (RCP) of ˜211 JKg-1 at 1.2 T proposing EuMnO3 as a potential magnetic refrigerant.

  4. Tailoring the structure and thermoelectric properties of BaTiO3via Eu2+ substitution.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Xingxing; Widenmeyer, Marc; Xie, Wenjie; Zou, Tianhua; Yoon, Songhak; Scavini, Marco; Checchia, Stefano; Zhong, Zhicheng; Hansmann, Philipp; Kilper, Stefan; Kovalevsky, Andrei; Weidenkaff, Anke

    2017-05-31

    A series of Ba 1-x Eu x TiO 3-δ (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.9) phases with ∼40 nm particle size were synthesized via a Pechini method followed by annealing and sintering under a reducing atmosphere. The effects of Eu 2+ substitution on the BaTiO 3 crystal structure and the thermoelectric transport properties were systematically investigated. According to synchrotron X-ray diffraction data only cubic perovskite structures were observed. On the local scale below about 20 Å (equal to ∼5 unit cells) deviations from the cubic structure model (Pm3[combining macron]m) were detected by evaluation of the pair distribution function (PDF). These deviations cannot be explained by a simple symmetry breaking model like in EuTiO 3-δ . The best fit was achieved in the space group Amm2 allowing for a movement of Ti and Ba/Eu along 〈110〉 of the parent unit cell as observed for BaTiO 3 . Density functional calculations delivered an insight into the electronic structure of Ba 1-x Eu x TiO 3-δ . From the obtained density of states a significant reduction of the band gap by the presence of filled Eu 2+ 4f states at the top of the valence band was observed. The physical property measurements revealed that barium-europium titanates exhibit n-type semiconducting behavior and at high temperature the electrical conductivity strongly depended on the Eu 2+ content. Activation energies calculated from the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient data indicate that at high temperatures (800 K < T < 1123 K) the conduction mechanism of Ba 1-x Eu x TiO 3-δ (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.9) is a polaron hopping when 0 < x ≤ 0.6 and is a thermally activated process when 0.6 < x < 1. Besides, the thermal conductivity increases with increasing Eu 2+ concentration. Due to a remarkable improvement of the power factor, Ba 0.1 Eu 0.9 TiO 3-δ showed a ZT value of 0.24 at 1123 K.

  5. Efficiencies of Eu{sup 3+} ions and hydrogen atoms as donors in ZnO thin films

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Akazawa, Housei, E-mail: akazawa.housei@lab.ntt.co.jp

    2016-09-15

    The donor efficiencies of Eu{sup 3+} ions and hydrogen atoms in ZnO crystalline films were investigated with reference to that of Ga{sup 3+} ions. It was found that Eu{sup 3+} ions acted as extrinsic donors in ZnO:Eu films, yielding a resistivity of 1.8 × 10{sup −3} Ω cm at a doping level of 1 at. %. This value is comparable to one for intrinsic donors in undoped ZnO films. The conductivity was maintained as the deposition temperature was increased to 200 °C, and this is evidence for the contribution of extrinsic donors. Deposition of Ga-doped and Eu-doped ZnO films in an H{sub 2}O gasmore » flow produced oxyhydrogenated ZnO:(Ga, H) and ZnO:(Eu, H) films in which the Ga{sup 3+} and Eu{sup 3+} donors were deactivated by oxidization. Nevertheless, hydrogen donors contributed to electrical conduction yielding a resistivity of 1 × 10{sup −2} Ω cm. Postannealing in an H{sub 2} gas ambient alleviated the excessive oxidization of the films and thereby reactivated the donor action of Ga{sup 3+} and Eu{sup 3+} ions, causing the resistivity to recover to 10{sup −3} Ω cm for ZnO:(Ga, H) and 10{sup −2} Ω cm for ZnO:(Eu, H). In contrast, vacuum annealing of ZnO:(Ga, H) and ZnO:(Eu, H) films increased resistivity through removal of hydrogen donors while not affecting the oxidized condition of the samples.« less

  6. The structure of the EU mediasphere.

    PubMed

    Flaounas, Ilias; Turchi, Marco; Ali, Omar; Fyson, Nick; De Bie, Tijl; Mosdell, Nick; Lewis, Justin; Cristianini, Nello

    2010-12-08

    A trend towards automation of scientific research has recently resulted in what has been termed "data-driven inquiry" in various disciplines, including physics and biology. The automation of many tasks has been identified as a possible future also for the humanities and the social sciences, particularly in those disciplines concerned with the analysis of text, due to the recent availability of millions of books and news articles in digital format. In the social sciences, the analysis of news media is done largely by hand and in a hypothesis-driven fashion: the scholar needs to formulate a very specific assumption about the patterns that might be in the data, and then set out to verify if they are present or not. In this study, we report what we think is the first large scale content-analysis of cross-linguistic text in the social sciences, by using various artificial intelligence techniques. We analyse 1.3 M news articles in 22 languages detecting a clear structure in the choice of stories covered by the various outlets. This is significantly affected by objective national, geographic, economic and cultural relations among outlets and countries, e.g., outlets from countries sharing strong economic ties are more likely to cover the same stories. We also show that the deviation from average content is significantly correlated with membership to the eurozone, as well as with the year of accession to the EU. While independently making a multitude of small editorial decisions, the leading media of the 27 EU countries, over a period of six months, shaped the contents of the EU mediasphere in a way that reflects its deep geographic, economic and cultural relations. Detecting these subtle signals in a statistically rigorous way would be out of the reach of traditional methods. This analysis demonstrates the power of the available methods for significant automation of media content analysis.

  7. European Master's Program in Gerontology (EuMaG): Goals, Curriculum, and Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aartsen, Marja

    2011-01-01

    The European Master's Program in Gerontology (EuMaG) started in September 2003 with support from the European Commission. The EuMaG is a modular, 2-year, part-time international training program about the aging process and its societal implications. The multidisciplinary curriculum comprises four domains of gerontology (i.e., social gerontology,…

  8. High-pressure x-ray diffraction study of YBO{sub 3}/Eu{sup 3+}, GdBO{sub 3}, and EuBO{sub 3}: Pressure-induced amorphization in GdBO{sub 3}

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, Pei; Xu, Chao; Ren, Xiangting

    2014-01-28

    Angle-dispersive synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements were performed on vaterite-type YBO{sub 3}/Eu{sup 3+}, GdBO{sub 3}, and EuBO{sub 3}, respectively, up to 41 GPa at room temperature using a diamond-anvil cell. Pressure-induced amorphization was observed in hexagonal GdBO{sub 3} with a significant compression along the c-axis. Compared to the ions of the distorted GdBO{sub 3} phase, its anions may lose their long-range order prior to the cations at high pressures. Based on the experimental pressure-volume data, the obtained bulk moduli of YBO{sub 3}/Eu{sup 3+} and GdBO{sub 3} are 329 and 321 GPa, respectively, which are more than 90% larger than that of EuBO{sub 3}more » (167 GPa) and are presumably attributed to Gd{sup 3+} and Y{sup 3+} with a high density of d valence electrons.« less

  9. Enhancing the Photovoltaic Performance of Perovskite Solar Cells with a Down-Conversion Eu-Complex.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Ling; Chen, Wangchao; Zheng, Jiawei; Zhu, Liangzheng; Mo, Li'e; Li, Zhaoqian; Hu, Linhua; Hayat, Tasawar; Alsaedi, Ahmed; Zhang, Changneng; Dai, Songyuan

    2017-08-16

    Organometal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have shown high photovoltaic performance but poor utilization of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Lanthanide complexes have a wide absorption range in the UV region and they can down-convert the absorbed UV light into visible light, which provides a possibility for PSCs to utilize UV light for higher photocurrent, efficiency, and stability. In this study, we use a transparent luminescent down-converting layer (LDL) of Eu-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Eu-complex) to improve the light utilization efficiency of PSCs. Compared with the uncoated PSC, the PSC coated with Eu-complex LDL on the reverse of the fluorine-doped tin oxide glass displayed an enhancement of 11.8% in short-circuit current density (J sc ) and 15.3% in efficiency due to the Eu-complex LDL re-emitting UV light (300-380 nm) in the visible range. It is indicated that the Eu-complex LDL plays the role of enhancing the power conversion efficiency as well as reducing UV degradation for PSCs.

  10. Interplay between magnetism and relativistic fermions in Eu doped (Sr/Ba)MnSb2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Jinyu; Hu, Jin; Zhu, Yanglin; Chuang, Alyssa; Graf, David; Jaime, Marcelo; Balakirev, Fedor; Weickert, Franziska; Zhang, Qiang; Ditusa, John; Wu, Yan; Cao, Huibo; Mao, Zhiqiang

    Layered compounds AMnBi2 (A =Ca, Sr, Ba, Eu, and Yb) have been established as Dirac materials with fascinating properties. In our previous work, we have demonstrated that Sr1-y Mn1-z Sb2 (y, z <0.1), isostructural to AMnBi2, not only host relativistic fermions, but also exhibit ferromagnetic properties, with its ferromagnetism being coupled to the relativistic fermions' transport. To gain further insight into the relativistic fermion-magnetism coupling, we have synthesized a series of Eu doped (Sr/Ba)MnSb2 single crystals and found Eu moments order antiferromagnetically. Through neutron scattering experiments, we determined the magnetic structures for Sr1-xEuxMnSb2 with x = 0.2, 0.5, and 0.8. From magnetotransport measurements, we find the Eu antiferromagnetism is also coupled to relativistic fermion transport. More importantly, we observed a novel quantum phase with saturated magnetoresistivity near the quantum limit for the 10% Eu doped BaMnSb2 sample. We will discuss possible mechanisms for this novel phase.

  11. Synthesis and photoluminescence study in Eu3+:Y2WO6 phosphors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sonali, Mondal, Manisha; Rai, Vineet Kumar

    2018-05-01

    Eu3+ doped Y2WO6 phosphors were synthesized by solid state reaction method. The photoluminescence properties of the Eu3+:Y2WO6 phosphors were studied for different concentration of Eu3+ ions. The luminescence intensity is found maximum at 0.3 mol% of Eu3+ ions. The excitation spectra monitored at ˜617 nm lies in the 220 - 350 nm region occurs due to charge transfer state (CTS) band of the europium-oxygen interactions, which is caused by an electron transfer from oxygen 2p orbital to an empty 4f shell of europium ions. The phosphors effectively excited by ˜393 nm near-ultraviolet (NUV) light gives efficient red emission band (˜ 617 nm) corresponding to 5D0 → 7F2 transition. The concentration dependence photoluminescence study and the mechanisms behind the photoluminescence properties have been explored with the help of suitable energy level diagram. Moreover, the CIE colour coordinate lie in the near white region so the prepared phosphors can be suitably use in making visible downconverter and in making visible light display devices.

  12. Dual-Emitting UiO-66(Zr&Eu) Metal-Organic Framework Films for Ratiometric Temperature Sensing.

    PubMed

    Feng, Ji-Fei; Liu, Tian-Fu; Shi, Jianlin; Gao, Shui-Ying; Cao, Rong

    2018-06-20

    A novel dual-emitting metal-organic framework based on Zr and Eu, named as UiO-66(Zr&Eu), was built using a clever strategy based on secondary building units. With the use of polymers, the obtained UiO-66(Zr&Eu) was subsequently deposited as thin films that can be utilized as smart thermometers. The UiO-66(Zr&Eu) polymer films can be used for the detection of temperature changes in the range of 237-337 K due to the energy transfer between the lanthanide ions (Eu in clusters) and the luminescent ligands, and the relative sensitivity reaches 4.26% K -1 at 337 K. Moreover, the sensitivity can be improved to 19.67% K -1 by changing the film thickness. In addition, the temperature-sensing performance of the films is superior to that of the powders, and the sensor can be reused 3 times without loss of performance.

  13. Scintillation properties of Eu 2+-doped KBa 2I 5 and K 2BaI 4

    DOE PAGES

    Stand, L.; Zhuravleva, M.; Chakoumakos, Bryan C.; ...

    2015-09-25

    We report two new ternary metal halide scintillators, KBa 2I 5 and K 2BaI 4, activated with divalent europium. Single crystal X-ray diffraction measurements confirmed that KBa 2I 5 has a monoclinic structure (P2 1/c) and that K 2BaI 4 has a rhombohedral structure (R3c). Differential scanning calorimetry showed singular melting and crystallization points, making these compounds viable candidates for melt growth. We grew 13 mm diameter single crystals of KBa 2I 5:Eu 2+ and K 2BaI 4:Eu2+ in evacuated quartz ampoules via the vertical Bridgman technique. The optimal Eu 2+ concentration was 4% for KBa 2I 5 and 7%more » for K 2BaI 4. The X-ray excited emissions at 444 nm for KBa 2I 5:Eu 4% and 448 nm for K 2BaI 4:Eu 7% arise from the 5d-4f radiative transition in Eu 2+. KBa 2I 5:Eu 4% has a light yield of 90,000 photons/MeV, with an energy resolution of 2.4% and K 2BaI 4:Eu 7% has a light yield of 63,000 ph/MeV, with an energy resolution of 2.9% at 662 keV. Both crystals have an excellent proportional response to a wide range of gamma-ray energies.« less

  14. Thermophysical characteristics of EuF2.136 crystal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Popov, P. A.; Moiseev, N. V.; Karimov, D. N.; Sorokin, N. I.; Sulyanova, E. A.; Sobolev, B. P.

    2015-09-01

    Single crystals of EuF2.136 solid solution with a f luorite-type structure (sp. gr. , a = 5.82171(5) Å) have been grown by the Bridgeman method from a melt. Their thermal conductivity k( T) in the temperature range of 50-300 K and heat capacity С Р ( T) at 63-300 K have been studied experimentally for the first time. At T = 300 K the thermophysical characteristics are as follows: thermal conductivity k = 2.13 W/(m K), heat capacity С Р = 73 J/(mol K), and phonon mean free path l ≈ 11 Å. The temperature dependences of entropy S( T), enthalpy H( T), and phonon mean free path l( T) in EuF2.136 crystal are determined.

  15. Juridification, medicalisation, and the impact of EU Law: patient mobility and the allocation of scarce NHS resources.

    PubMed

    Veitch, Kenneth

    2012-01-01

    This article explores the relationship between EU Law and the allocation of scarce NHS resources in the context of the EU's objective of facilitating access to health care for patients within the EU. Focusing on the Watts case and the recently adopted EU Patients' Rights Directive, the article addresses the political and economic aspects of the implications of EU Law for, inter alia, domestic law, medicine, and the NHS. It does so through developing an analytical framework comprising the notions of juridification and medicalisation. Those notions, which are drawn here from the work of Jürgen Habermas, Ivan Illich, and Sheila McLean, are not only helpful as means of thinking through the nature of the specific EU laws considered in the article; by virtue of their broader focus on, and critique of, the welfare state, they offer an opportunity to reflect more generally on the implications of these laws for the role of the welfare state and medical and legal professionals in the development of the EU's internal market in health care services. Having undertaken this analysis, the article argues that, in order to capture the developments and implications of EU Law on patient mobility, it is necessary to update and partially reformulate the notions of medicalisation and juridification.

  16. Deposition of GdVO4:Eu3+ nanoparticles on silica nanospheres by a simple sol gel method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Guixia; Hong, Guangyan; Wang, Jinxian; Dong, Xiangting

    2006-07-01

    The deposition and coating of GdVO4:Eu3+ nanoparticles on spherical silica was carried out using a simple sol-gel method at low temperature. The GdVO4:Eu3+-coated silica composites obtained were characterized by differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform IR spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), photoluminescence spectra, and kinetic decay. It is found that the ~5 nm GdVO4:Eu3+ nanoparticles coating the silica spheres are crystal in the as-prepared samples and the crystallinity increases with increasing annealing temperature. The composites obtained are spherical in shape with an average size of 100 nm. The GdVO4:Eu3+ nanoparticles are linked with silica cores by a chemical bond. The photoluminescence spectra of the obtained GdVO4:Eu3+-coated silica composites are similar to those of the bulk GdVO4:Eu3+ phosphors. The strongest peak is near 617 nm, which indicates that Eu3+ is located in the low symmetry site with non-inversion centre.

  17. Eu(III) Complexes of Octadentate 1-Hydroxy-2-pyridinones: Stability and Improved Photophysical Performance[].

    PubMed

    Moore, Evan G; D'Aléo, Anthony; Xu, Jide; Raymond, Kenneth N

    2009-10-13

    The luminescence properties of lanthanoid ions can be dramatically enhanced by coupling them to antenna ligands that absorb light in the UV/visible and then efficiently transfer the energy to the lanthanoid center. The synthesis and the complexation of Ln(III) cations (Ln=Eu; Gd) for a ligand based on four 1-hydroxy-2-pyridinone (1,2-HOPO) chelators appended to a ligand backbone derived by linking two L-lysine units (3LI-bis-LYS) is described. This octadentate Eu(III) complex ([Eu(3LI-bis-LYS-1,2-HOPO)](-)) has been evaluated in terms of its thermodynamic stability, UV/visible absorption and luminescence properties. For this complex the conditional stability constant (pM) is 19.9, which is an order of magnitude higher than diethylenetriaminepentacetic acid (DTPA) at pH= 7.4. This Eu(III) complex also shows an almost two-fold increase in its luminescence quantum yield in aqueous solution (pH= 7.4) when compared to other octadentate ligands. Hence, despite a slight decrease of the molar absorption coefficient, a much higher brightness is obtained for [Eu(3LI-bis-LYS-1,2-HOPO)](-). This overall improvement was achieved by saturating the coordination sphere of the Eu(III) cation, yielding an increased metal centered efficiency by excluding solvent water molecules from the metal's inner sphere.

  18. Directionally solidified Eu doped CaF2/Li3AlF6 eutectic scintillator for neutron detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kamada, Kei; Hishinuma, Kousuke; Kurosawa, Shunsuke; Shoji, Yasuhiro; Pejchal, Jan; Ohashi, Yuji; Yokota, Yuui; Yoshikawa, Akira

    2015-12-01

    Eu doped CaF2/Li3AlF6 eutectics were grown by μ-PD method. The directionally solidified eutectic with well-aligned 600 nm diameter Eu:CaF2 scintillator fibers surrounded with Li3AlF6 was prepared. The grown eutectics showed an emission peak at 422 nm ascribed to Eu2+ 4f-5d transition from Eu:CaF2 scintillation fiber. Li concentration in the Eu:CaF2-Li3AlF6 eutectic is around 0.038 mol/cm3,which is two times higher than that of LiCaAlF6 single crystal (0.016 mol/cm3). The light yield of Eu:CaF2-Li3AlF6 eutectic was around 7000 ph/neutron. The decay time was about 550 ns (89%) and 1450 ns (11%).

  19. RbEu (Fe1-xNix) 4As4 : From a ferromagnetic superconductor to a superconducting ferromagnet

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Yi; Liu, Ya-Bin; Yu, Ya-Long; Tao, Qian; Feng, Chun-Mu; Cao, Guang-Han

    2017-12-01

    The intrinsically hole-doped RbEuFe4As4 exhibits bulk superconductivity at Tsc=36.5 K and ferromagnetic ordering in the Eu sublattice at Tm=15 K. Here we present a hole-compensation study by introducing extra itinerant electrons via a Ni substitution in the ferromagnetic superconductor RbEuFe4As4 with Tsc>Tm . With the Ni doping, Tsc decreases rapidly, and the Eu-spin ferromagnetism and its Tm remain unchanged. Consequently, the system RbEu (Fe1-xNix) 4As4 transforms into a superconducting ferromagnet with Tm>Tsc for 0.07 ≤x ≤0.08 . The occurrence of superconducting ferromagnets is attributed to the decoupling between Eu2 + spins and superconducting Cooper pairs. The superconducting and magnetic phase diagram is established, which additionally includes a recovered yet suppressed spin-density-wave state.

  20. Explaining the present GM business strategy on the EU food market: the gatekeepers' perspective.

    PubMed

    Inghelbrecht, Linde; Dessein, Joost; Van Huylenbroeck, Guido

    2015-01-25

    The use of genetically modified (GM) crops and their applications is partially suppressed in European Union (EU) agriculture, even if one would expect otherwise given their complementarity with the neoliberal and industrialised EU agricultural regime in place. By applying a qualitative content analysis, this paper analyses how food manufacturers and retailers (referred to as gatekeepers in the food industry) explain and defend the exclusion of GM-labelled food products on the EU market. The study design places emphasis on the role of perceptions in the strategic behaviour of gatekeepers and on the role of interaction in this regard, as we assume that the way in which gatekeepers perceive the 'rules of the game' for commercialising GM crop applications on the EU food market will be influenced by their interaction with other agribusiness actors. In a first stage, the analysis determines thematic congruence in the (types of) perceptions that explain an agribusiness actor's overall interpretation of the EU business environment for GM crop applications. This perceived 'structuring arena' (SA) for GM crop applications - as conceptualised within our framework - contains areas of either internal and external tensions, that have a compelling or non-committal influence on the agribusiness actor's interpretation. In a second stage, the analysis particularly defines how gatekeepers in the food industry perceive and experience the SA for GM crop applications on the EU market, and how these perceptual tensions subsequently influence their strategic behaviour for GM-labelled products on the EU market. Finally, we highlight how these perceptions and actions (or inaction) suppress the main changes in practice that are necessary to manage this wicked problem. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Ping Pong: Competing Leadership for Reform in EU Higher Education 1998-2006

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Corbett, Anne

    2011-01-01

    How effective is EU cooperation in higher education? This article treats the issue as one of effectiveness in policy-making. What are the policy ideas which the EU wishes to feed into a policy domain where it has to operate largely through political cooperation and a modest degree of incentive funding? What outcomes are possible? The question is…

  2. Imaging the Oxygen-Rich Disk Toward the Silicate Carbon Star EU Andromedae

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-12-01

    star EU Andromedae K. Ohnaka1 and D. A. Boboltz2 1 Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, 53121 Bonn, Germany e-mail: kohnaka...Imaging the Oxygen-Rich Disk Toward the Silicate Carbon Star EU Andromedae 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR

  3. Surface Complexation Modeling of Eu(III) and U(VI) Interactions with Graphene Oxide.

    PubMed

    Xie, Yu; Helvenston, Edward M; Shuller-Nickles, Lindsay C; Powell, Brian A

    2016-02-16

    Graphene oxide (GO) has great potential for actinide removal due to its extremely high sorption capacity, but the mechanism of sorption remains unclear. In this study, the carboxylic functional group and an unexpected sulfonate functional group on GO were characterized as the reactive surface sites and quantified via diffuse layer modeling of the GO acid/base titrations. The presence of sulfonate functional group on GO was confirmed using elemental analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Batch experiments of Eu(III) and U(VI) sorption to GO as the function of pH (1-8) and as the function of analyte concentration (10-100, 000 ppb) at a constant pH ≈ 5 were conducted; the batch sorption results were modeled simultaneously using surface complexation modeling (SCM). The SCM indicated that Eu(III) and U(VI) complexation to carboxylate functional group is the main mechanism for their sorption to GO; their complexation to the sulfonate site occurred at the lower pH range and the complexation of Eu(III) to sulfonate site are more significant than that of U(VI). Eu(III) and U(VI) facilitated GO aggregation was observed with high Eu(III) and U(VI) concentration and may be caused by surface charge neutralization of GO after sorption.

  4. Comparison of aerodynamically and model-derived roughness lengths (zo) over diverse surfaces, central Mojave Desert, California, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    MacKinnon, D.J.; Clow, G.D.; Tigges, R.K.; Reynolds, R.L.; Chavez, P.S.

    2004-01-01

    The vulnerability of dryland surfaces to wind erosion depends importantly on the absence or the presence and character of surface roughness elements, such as plants, clasts, and topographic irregularities that diminish wind speed near the surface. A model for the friction velocity ratio has been developed to account for wind sheltering by many different types of co-existing roughness elements. Such conditions typify a monitored area in the central Mojave Desert, California, that experiences frequent sand movement and dust emission. Two additional models are used to convert the friction velocity ratio to the surface roughness length (zo) for momentum. To calculate roughness lengths from these models, measurements were made at 11 sites within the monitored area to characterize the surface roughness element. Measurements included (1) the number of roughness species (e.g., plants, small-scale topography, clasts), and their associated heights and widths, (2) spacing among species, and (3) vegetation porosity (a measurement of the spatial distribution of woody elements of a plant). Documented or estimated values of drag coefficients for different species were included in the modeling. At these sites, wind-speed profiles were measured during periods of neutral atmospheric stability using three 9-m towers with three or four calibrated anemometers on each. Modeled roughness lengths show a close correspondence (correlation coefficient, 0.84-0.86) to the aerodynamically determined values at the field sites. The geometric properties of the roughness elements in the model are amenable to measurement at much higher temporal and spatial resolutions using remote-sensing techniques than can be accomplished through laborious ground-based methods. A remote-sensing approach to acquire values of the modeled roughness length is particularly important for the development of linked surface/atmosphere wind-erosion models sensitive to climate variability and land-use changes in areas such

  5. Synthesis, energy transfer and tunable emission properties of SrSb2O6:Eu3 +, Bi3 + phosphor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cao, Renping; Fu, Ting; Peng, Dedong; Cao, Chunyan; Ruan, Wen; Yu, Xiaoguang

    2016-12-01

    Host SrSb2O6, SrSb2O6:Bi3 +, SrSb2O6:Eu3 +, and SrSb2O6:Eu3 +, Bi3 + phosphors are synthesized by solid state reaction method in air. Host SrSb2O6 with excitation 254 nm shows weak green-yellow emission in the range of 320-780 nm due to Sb5 + → O2- transition. SrSb2O6:Bi3 + phosphor with excitation 365 nm emits green light within the range 400-650 nm owing to the 3P1 → 1S0 transition of Bi3 + ion. SrSb2O6:Eu3 + phosphor with excitation 254 nm exhibits a systematically varied hue from green to orange-red light by increasing Eu3 + concentration from 0 to 7 mol%, and that with excitation 394 nm only shows orange-red light. The optimal Eu3 + concentration is 4 mol% in SrSb2O6:Eu3 + phosphor. SrSb2O6:Eu3 +, Bi3 + phosphor with excitation 254 and 394 nm emits orange-red light. Emission intensity of SrSb2O6:Eu3 + phosphor may be enhanced > 2 times by co-doping Bi3 + ion because of the fluxing agent and energy transfer roles of Bi3 + ion in SrSb2O6:Eu3 +, Bi3 + phosphor. The luminous mechanism of SrSb2O6:Eu3 +, Bi3 + phosphor is analyzed and explained by the simplified energy level diagrams of Sb2O62 - group, Bi3 + and Eu3 + ions, and energy transfer processes between them.

  6. Two euAGAMOUS Genes Control C-Function in Medicago truncatula

    PubMed Central

    Gómez-Mena, Concepción; Constantin, Gabriela D.; Wen, Jiangqi; Mysore, Kirankumar S.; Lund, Ole S.; Johansen, Elisabeth; Beltrán, José Pío; Cañas, Luis A.

    2014-01-01

    C-function MADS-box transcription factors belong to the AGAMOUS (AG) lineage and specify both stamen and carpel identity and floral meristem determinacy. In core eudicots, the AG lineage is further divided into two branches, the euAG and PLE lineages. Functional analyses across flowering plants strongly support the idea that duplicated AG lineage genes have different degrees of subfunctionalization of the C-function. The legume Medicago truncatula contains three C-lineage genes in its genome: two euAG genes (MtAGa and MtAGb) and one PLENA-like gene (MtSHP). This species is therefore a good experimental system to study the effects of gene duplication within the AG subfamily. We have studied the respective functions of each euAG genes in M. truncatula employing expression analyses and reverse genetic approaches. Our results show that the M. truncatula euAG- and PLENA-like genes are an example of subfunctionalization as a result of a change in expression pattern. MtAGa and MtAGb are the only genes showing a full C-function activity, concomitant with their ancestral expression profile, early in the floral meristem, and in the third and fourth floral whorls during floral development. In contrast, MtSHP expression appears late during floral development suggesting it does not contribute significantly to the C-function. Furthermore, the redundant MtAGa and MtAGb paralogs have been retained which provides the overall dosage required to specify the C-function in M. truncatula. PMID:25105497

  7. Cultural circumcision in EU public hospitals--an ethical discussion.

    PubMed

    Brusa, Margherita; Barilan, Y Michael

    2009-10-01

    The paper explores the ethical aspects of introducing cultural circumcision of children into the EU public health system. We reject commonplace arguments against circumcision: considerations of good medical practice, justice, bodily integrity, autonomy and the analogy from female genital mutilation. From the unique structure of patient-medicine interaction, we argue that the incorporation of cultural circumcision into EU public health services is a kind of medicalization, which does not fit the ethos of universal healthcare. However, we support a utilitarian argument that finds hospital based circumcision safer than non-medicalized alternatives. The argument concerning medicalization and the utilitarian argument both rely on preliminary empirical data, which depend on future validation

  8. Migration from new-accession countries and duration expectancy in the EU-15: 2002–2008

    PubMed Central

    DeWaard, Jack; Ha, Jasmine Trang; Raymer, James; Wiśniowski, Arkadiusz

    2016-01-01

    European Union (EU) enlargements in 2004 and 2007 were accompanied by increased migration from new-accession to established-member (EU-15) countries. The impacts of these flows depend, in part, on the amount of time that persons from the former countries live in the latter over the life course. In this paper, we develop period estimates of duration expectancy in EU-15 countries among persons from new-accession countries. Using a newly developed set of harmonised Bayesian estimates of migration flows each year from 2002 to 2008 from the Integrated Modelling of European Migration (IMEM) Project, we exploit period age patterns of country-to-country migration and mortality to summarize the average number of years that persons from new-accession countries could be expected to live in EU-15 countries over the life course. In general, the results show that the amount of time that persons from new-accession countries could be expected to live in the EU-15 nearly doubled after 2004. PMID:28286353

  9. Influence of Gd3+ concentration on luminescence properties of Eu3+ ions in sol-gel materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Szpikowska-Sroka, Barbara; Pawlik, Natalia; Pisarski, Wojciech A.

    2016-12-01

    The sol-gel powders doubly-doped with Gd3+/Eu3+ ions with different concentration of Gd3+ have been successfully obtained. The spectroscopic characterization of prepared samples was conducted based on excitation and emission spectra as well as luminescence decay analysis. Upon direct excitation of Eu3+ active ions, the characteristic 5D0 → 7F1 (orange) and 5D0 → 7F2 (red) emission bands were observed. The energy transfer from Gd3+ to Eu3+ ions was registered upon λexc = 273 nm excitation. An efficient conversion of ultraviolet radiation (UV) into visible luminescence was successfully observed. The energy transfer process from Gd3+ to Eu3+ led to longer luminescence decay from the 5D0 state in comparison to that obtained under direct excitation of Eu3+ ions (λexc = 393 nm). Generally, obtained results clearly indicated the beneficial influence of increasing concentration of Gd3+ ions on luminescence properties of Eu3+ in studied silica sol-gel phosphors.

  10. Fuel switching in the electricity sector under the EU ETS: Review and prospective

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Delarue, E.; Voorspools, K.; D'haeseleer, W.

    2008-06-15

    The European Union has implemented the European Union emission trading scheme (EU ETS) as an instrument to facilitate greenhouse gas (GHG) emission abatement stipulated in the Kyoto protocol. Empirical data show that in the early stages of the EU ETS, the value of a ton of CO{sub 2} has already led to emission abatement through switching from coal to gas in the European electric power sector. In the second part of this paper, an electricity generation simulation model is used to perform simulations on the switching behavior in both the first and the second trading periods of the EU ETS.more » In 2005, the reduction in GHG emissions in the electric power sector due to EU ETS is estimated close to 88 Mton. For the second trading period, a European Union allowance (EUA) price dependent GHG reduction curve has been determined. The obtained switching potential turns out to be significant, up to 300 Mton/year, at sufficiently high EUA prices.« less

  11. Search for Spin Filtering By Electron Tunneling Through Ferromagnetic EuS Barriers in Pbs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Figielski, T.; Morawski, A.; Wosinski, T.; Wrotek, S.; Makosa, A.; Lusakowska, E.; Story, T.; Sipatov, A. Yu.; Szczerbakow, A.; Grasza, K.; hide

    2002-01-01

    Perpendicular transport through single- and double-barrier heterostructures consisting of ferromagnetic EuS layers embedded into PbS matrix was investigated. Manifestations of both resonant tunneling and spin filtering through EuS barrier have been observed.

  12. Bio-inspired synthesis of Y2O3: Eu3+ red nanophosphor for eco-friendly photocatalysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prasanna kumar, J. B.; Ramgopal, G.; Vidya, Y. S.; Anantharaju, K. S.; Daruka Prasad, B.; Sharma, S. C.; Prashantha, S. C.; Premkumar, H. B.; Nagabhushana, H.

    2015-04-01

    We report the synthesis of Y2O3: Eu3+ (1-11 mol%) nanoparticles (NPs) with different morphologies via eco-friendly, inexpensive and simple low temperature solution combustion method using Aloe Vera gel as fuel. The formation of different morphologies of Y2O3: Eu3+ NPs were characterized by PXRD, SEM, TEM, HRTEM, UV-Visible and PL techniques. The PXRD data and Rietveld analysis confirms the formation of single phase Y2O3 with cubic crystal structure. The influence of Eu3+ ion concentration on the morphology, UV-Visible absorption, PL emission and photocatalytic activity of Y2O3: Eu3+ nanostructures were investigated. Y2O3: Eu3+ NPs exhibit intense red emission with CIE chromaticity coordinates (0.50, 0.47) and correlated color temperature values at different excitation ranges from 1868 to 2600 K. The control of Eu3+ ion on Y2O3 matrix influences the photocatalytic decolorization of methylene blue (MB) as a model compound was evaluated under UVA light. Enhanced photocatalytic activity of conical shaped Y2O3: Eu3+ (1 mol%) was attributed to dopant concentration, crystallite size, textural properties and capability of reducing the electron-hole pair recombination. The trend of inhibitory effect in the presence of different radical scavengers followed the order SO42- > Cl- > C2H5OH > HCO3- > CO32-. These findings show great promise of Y2O3: Eu3+ NPs as a red phosphor in warm white LEDs as well as eco-friendly heterogeneous photocatalysis.

  13. A novel fluorescent probe (dtpa-bis(cytosine)) for detection of Eu(III) in rare earth metal ions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Fan; Ren, Peipei; Liu, Guanhong; Song, Youtao; Bu, Naishun; Wang, Jun

    2018-03-01

    In this paper, a novel fluorescent probe, dtpa-bis(cytosine), was designed and synthesized for detecting europium (Eu3 +) ion. Upon addition of Eu3 + ions into the dtpa-bis(cytosine) solution, the fluorescence intensity can strongly be enhanced. Conversely, adding other rare earth metal ions, such as Y3 +, Ce3 +, Pr3 +, Nd3 +, Sm3 +, Gd3 +, Tb3 +, Dy3 +, Ho3 +, Er3 +, Yb3 + and Lu3 +, into dtpa-bis(cytosine) solution, the fluorescence intensity is decreased slightly. Some parameters affecting the fluorescence intensity of dtpa-bis(cytosine) solution in the presence of Eu3 + ions were investigated, including solution pH value, Eu3 + ion concentration and interfering substances. The detection mechanism of Eu3 + ion using dtpa-bis(cytosine) as fluorescent probe was proposed. Under optimum conditions, the fluorescence emission intensities of EuIII-dtpa-bis(cytosine) at 375 nm in the concentration range of 0.50 × 10- 5 mol • L- 1-5.00 × 10- 5 mol • L- 1 of Eu3 + ion display a better linear relationship. The limit of detection (LOD) was determined as 8.65 × 10- 7 mol • L- 1 and the corresponding correlation coefficient (R2) of the linear equation is 0.9807. It is wished that the proposed method could be applied for sensitively and selectively detecting Eu3 + ion.

  14. Mitigation of CO2 emissions from the EU-15 building stock: beyond the EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings.

    PubMed

    Petersdorff, Carsten; Boermans, Thomas; Harnisch, Jochen

    2006-09-01

    GOAL SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: The European Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings which came into force 16 December 2002 will be implemented in the legislation of Member States by 4 January 2006. In addition to the aim of improving the overall energy efficiency of new buildings, large existing buildings will become a target for improvement, as soon as they undergo significant renovation. The building sector is responsible for about 40% of Europe's total end energy consumption and hence this Directive is an important step for the European Union in order that it should reach the level of saving required by the Kyoto Agreement. In this the EU is committed to reduce CO2 emissions relative to the base year of 1990 by 8 per cent, by 2010. But what will be the impact of the new Directive, how large could be the impacts of extending the obligation for energy efficiency retrofitting towards smaller buildings? Can improvement of the insulation offset or reduce the growing energy consumption from the increasing installation of cooling installations? EURIMA, the European Insulation Manufacturers Association and EuroACE, the European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in Buildings, asked Ecofys to address these questions. The effect of the EPB Directive on the emissions associated with the heating energy consumption of the total EU 15 building stock has been examined in a model calculation, using the Built Environment Analysis Model (BEAM), which was developed by Ecofys to investigate energy saving measures in the building stock. The great complexity of the EU-15 building stock had to be simplified by examining five standard buildings with eight insulation standards, which are assigned to building age and renovation status. Furthermore, three climatic regions (cold, moderate, warm) were distinguished for the calculation of the heating energy demand. This gave a basic 210 building types for which the heating energy demand and CO2 emissions from heating were

  15. Synthesis and luminescent properties of CaCO3:Eu3+@SiO2 phosphors with core-shell structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Min; Kang, Ming; Chen, Kexu; Mou, Yongren; Sun, Rong

    2018-03-01

    Integrating the processes of preparation of CaCO3:Eu3+ and its surface-coating, core-shell structured CaCO3:Eu3+@SiO2 phosphors with red emission were synthesized by the carbonation method and surface precipitation procedure using sodium silicate as silica source. The phase structure, thermal stability, morphology and luminescent property of the as-synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrum, thermal analysis, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscope and photoluminescence spectra. The experimental results show that Eu3+ ions as the luminescence center are divided into two types: one is at the surface of the CaCO3 and the other inhabits the site of Ca2+. For CaCO3:Eu3+@SiO2 phosphors, the SiO2 layers are continuously coated on the surface of CaCO3:Eu3+ and show a typical core-shell structure. After coated with SiO2 layer, the luminous intensity and the compatibility with the rubber matrix increase greatly. Additionally, the luminous intensity increases with the increasing of Eu3+ ions concentration in CaCO3 core and concentration quenching occurs when Eu3+ ions concentration exceeds 7.0 mol%, while it is 5.0 mol% for CaCO3:Eu3+ phosphors. Therefore, preparation of CaCO3:Eu3+@SiO2 phosphors can not only simplify the experimental process through integrating the preparation of CaCO3:Eu3+ and SiO2 layer, but also effectively increase the luminous intensities of CaCO3:Eu3+ phosphors. The as-obtained phosphors may have potential applications in the fields of optical materials and functional polymer composite materials, such as plastics and rubbers.

  16. Spectroscopic studies on interaction of BSA and Eu(III) complexes with H5ph-dtpa and H5dtpa ligands

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kong, Deyong; Qin, Cui; Fan, Ping; Li, Bing; Wang, Jun

    2015-04-01

    An novel aromatic aminopolycarboxylic acid ligand, N-(2-N,N-Dicarboxymethylaminophenyl) ethylenediamine-N,N‧,N‧-triacetic acid (H5ph-dtpa), was synthesized by improving experimental method and its corresponding Eu(III) complex, Na2[EuIII(ph-dtpa)(H2O)]·6H2O, was successfully prepared through heat-refluxing method. As a comparison, the Eu(III) complex with diethylenetriamine-N,N,N‧,N‧,N″-pentaacetic acid (H5dtpa) ligand, Na2[EuIII(dtpa)(H2O)]·6H2O, was also prepared by the same method. And then, the interaction between prepared Eu(III) complexes ([EuIII(dtpa)(H2O)]2- and [EuIII(ph-dtpa)(H2O)]2-) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) in aqueous solution were studied by the combination of ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis), fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopies. In addition, the binding sites of Eu(III) complexes ([EuIII(dtpa)(H2O)]2- and [EuIII(ph-dtpa)(H2O)]2-) to BSA molecules were also estimated by synchronous fluorescence. Moreover, the theoretical and experimental results show that the Van der Waals, hydrogen bond and π-π stacking interactions are the mainly impulse to the reaction. The binding distances (r) between Eu(III) complexes ([EuIII(dtpa)(H2O)]2- and [EuIII(ph-dtpa)(H2O)]2-) and BSA were obtained according to Förster's non-radiative energy transfer theory. Also, the determined UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, synchronous fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectra showed that the conformation of BSA could be changed in the presence of Eu(III) complexes. The obtained results can help understand the action mode between rare earth metal complexes of aminopolycarboxylic acid ligands with BSA and they are also expected to provide important information of designs of new inspired drugs.

  17. Photocatalytic properties and selective antimicrobial activity of TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Michal, Robert; Dworniczek, Ewa; Caplovicova, Maria; Monfort, Olivier; Lianos, Panagiotis; Caplovic, Lubomir; Plesch, Gustav

    2016-05-01

    TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposites were prepared by precipitation method. The anatase nanocrystallites with a size of 26 nm exhibited well crystallized and characteristical dipyramidal morphology and {1 0 1} and {0 0 1} faceting. Transmission electron microscopy photographs with atomic resolution showed that the Eu(III) dopants were bounded on surface of titania. In the composites, the CuO nanocrystals exhibiting a monoclinic tenorite structure with a size in the range from 2 to 5 nm were grafted to the surface of titania. The influence of copper(II) oxide led to distinct selectivity in the photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties of the investigated TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposites. While the presence of CuO nanocrystals strongly increased the photocatalytic production of hydrogen by ethanol reforming, it decreased the activity in photoinduced total mineralization of phenol comparing with non-modified TiO2(Eu). In investigated TiO2(Eu)/CuO powders, the photoinduced antimicrobial activity against membranes of Enterococcus species was influenced by the selective binding of CuO to the surface of the microorganism leading to distinct selectivity in their action. The activity against Enterococcus faecalis was higher than against Enterococcus faecium.

  18. Modelling forest carbon stock changes as affected by harvest and natural disturbances. II. EU-level analysis.

    PubMed

    Pilli, Roberto; Grassi, Giacomo; Kurz, Werner A; Moris, Jose V; Viñas, Raúl Abad

    2016-12-01

    Forests and the forest sector may play an important role in mitigating climate change. The Paris Agreement and the recent legislative proposal to include the land use sector in the EU 2030 climate targets reflect this expectation. However, greater confidence on estimates from national greenhouse gas inventories (GHGI) and more comprehensive analyses of mitigation options are needed to seize this mitigation potential. The aim of this paper is to provide a tool at EU level for verifying the EU GHGI and for simulating specific policy and forest management scenarios. Therefore, the Carbon Budget Model (CBM) was applied for an integrated assessment of the EU forest carbon (C) balance from 2000 to 2012, including: (i) estimates of the C stock and net CO 2 emissions for forest management (FM), afforestation/reforestation (AR) and deforestation (D), covering carbon in both the forest and the harvest wood product (HWP) pools; (ii) an overall analysis of the C dynamics associated with harvest and natural disturbances (mainly storms and fires); (iii) a comparison of our estimates with the data reported in the EU GHGI. Overall, the average annual FM sink (-365 Mt CO 2 year -1 ) estimated by the CBM in the period 2000-2012 corresponds to about 7 % of total GHG emissions at the EU level for the same period (excluding land use, land-use change and forestry). The HWP pool sink (-44 Mt CO 2 year -1 ) contributes an additional 1 %. Emissions from D (about 33 Mt CO 2 year -1 ) are more than compensated by the sink in AR (about 43 Mt CO 2 year -1 over the period). For FM, the estimates from the CBM were about 8 % lower than the EU GHGI, a value well within the typical uncertainty range of the EU forest sink estimates. For AR and D the match with the EU GHGI was nearly perfect (difference <±2 % in the period 2008-2012). Our analysis on harvest and natural disturbances shows that: (i) the impact of harvest is much greater than natural disturbances but, because of salvage logging

  19. Modeling the Impacts of EU Bioenergy Demand on the Forest Sector of the Southeast U.S.

    Treesearch

    Rafal Chudy; Robert C. Abt; Frederick W. Cubbage; Ragnar Jonsson; Jeffrey P. Prestemon

    2013-01-01

    The wood-pellet trade between the U.S. (United States) and the EU (European Union) has increased substantially recently. This research analyzes the effects of EU biomass imports from the Southeast U.S. on Southeast U.S. timber prices, inventories and production and on EU imports of feedstock. The SRTS (sub-regional timber supply model) was used to simulate market...

  20. Pressure-induced amorphization of YVO₄:Eu³⁺ nanoboxes.

    PubMed

    Ruiz-Fuertes, J; Gomis, O; León-Luis, S F; Schrodt, N; Manjón, F J; Ray, S; Santamaría-Pérez, D; Sans, J A; Ortiz, H M; Errandonea, D; Ferrer-Roca, C; Segura, A; Martínez-García, D; Lavín, V; Rodríguez-Mendoza, U R; Muñoz, A

    2016-01-15

    A structural transformation from the zircon-type structure to an amorphous phase has been found in YVO4:Eu(3+) nanoboxes at high pressures above 12.7 GPa by means of x-ray diffraction measurements. However, the pair distribution function of the high-pressure phase shows that the local structure of the amorphous phase is similar to the scheelite-type YVO4. These results are confirmed both by Raman spectroscopy and Eu(3+) photoluminescence which detect the phase transition to a scheelite-type structure at 10.1 and 9.1 GPa, respectively. The irreversibility of the phase transition is observed with the three techniques after a maximum pressure in the upstroke of around 20 GPa. The existence of two (5)D0-->(7)F0 photoluminescence peaks confirms the existence of two local environments for Eu(3+), at least for the low-pressure phase. One environment is the expected for substituting Y(3+) and the other is likely a disordered environment possibly found at the surface of the nanoboxes.

  1. Adsorption of Eu(III) onto TiO2: effect of pH, concentration, ionic strength and soil fulvic acid.

    PubMed

    Tan, Xiaoli; Fang, Ming; Li, Jiaxing; Lu, Yi; Wang, Xiangke

    2009-08-30

    The effects of pH, initial Eu(III) concentration, ionic strength and fulvic acid (FA) on the adsorption of Eu(III) on TiO(2) are investigated by using batch techniques. The results indicate that the presence of FA strongly enhances the adsorption of Eu(III) on TiO(2) at low pH values. Besides, the adsorption of Eu(III) on TiO(2) is significantly dependent on pH values and independent of ionic strength. The adsorption of Eu(III) on TiO(2) is attributed to inner-sphere surface complexation. The diffuse layer model (DLM) is applied to simulate the adsorption data, and fits the experimental data well with the aid of FITEQL 3.2. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is performed to study the species of Eu(III) adsorbed on the surfaces of TiO(2)/FA-TiO(2) hybrids at a molecular level, which suggest that FA act as "bridge" between Eu(III) and TiO(2) particles to enhance the ability to adsorb Eu(III) in solution.

  2. The photoluminescence, drug delivery and imaging properties of multifunctional Eu3+/Gd3+ dual-doped hydroxyapatite nanorods.

    PubMed

    Chen, Feng; Huang, Peng; Zhu, Ying-Jie; Wu, Jin; Zhang, Chun-Lei; Cui, Da-Xiang

    2011-12-01

    The design and synthesis of multifunctional systems with high biocompatibility are very significant for the future of clinical applications. Herein, we report a microwave-assisted rapid synthesis of multifunctional Eu(3+)/Gd(3+) dual-doped hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanorods, and the photoluminescence (PL), drug delivery and in vivo imaging of as-prepared Eu(3+)/Gd(3+) doped HAp nanorods. The photoluminescent and magnetic multifunctions of HAp nanorods are realized by the dual-doping with Eu(3+) and Gd(3+). The PL intensity of doped HAp nanorods can be adjusted by varying Eu(3+) and Gd(3+) concentrations. The magnetization of doped HAp nanorods increases with the concentration of doped Gd(3+). The as-prepared Eu(3+)/Gd(3+)-doped HAp nanorods exhibit inappreciable toxicity to the cells in vitro. More importantly, the Eu(3+)/Gd(3+)-doped HAp nanorods show a high drug adsorption capacity and sustained drug release using ibuprofen as a model drug, and the drug release is governed by a diffusion process. Furthermore, the noninvasive visualization of nude mice with subcutaneous injection indicates that the Eu(3+)/Gd(3+)-doped HAp nanorods with the photoluminescent function are suitable for in vivo imaging. In vitro and in vivo imaging tests indicate that Eu(3+)/Gd(3+)-doped HAp nanorods have a potential in applications such as a multiple-model imaging agent for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, photoluminescence imaging and computed tomography (CT) imaging. The Eu(3+)/Gd(3+) dual-doped HAp nanorods are promising for applications in the biomedical fields such as multifunctional drug delivery systems with imaging guidance. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Performance of KCl:Eu2+ storage phosphor dosimeters for low dose measurements

    PubMed Central

    Li, H. Harold; Hansel, Rachael; Knutson, Nels; Yang, Deshan

    2013-01-01

    Recent research has demonstrated that europium doped potassium chloride (KCl:Eu2+) storage phosphor material has the potential to become the physical foundation of a novel and reusable dosimetry system using either film-like devices or devices similar to thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) chips. The purposes of this work are to quantify the performance of KCl:Eu2+ prototype dosimeters for low dose measurements and to demonstrate how it can be incorporated into clinical application for in vivo peripheral dose measurements. Pellet-style KCl:Eu2+ dosimeters, 6 mm in diameter, and 1 mm thick, were fabricated in-house for this study. The dosimeters were read using a laboratory photostimulated luminescence detection system. KCl:Eu2+ prototype storage phosphor dosimeter was capable of measuring a dose-to-water as low as 0.01 cGy from a 6 MV photon beam with a signal-to-noise ratio greater than 6. A pre-readout thermal annealing procedure enabled the dosimeter to be read within an hour post irradiation. After receiving large accumulated doses (~10 kGy), the dosimeters retained linear response in the low dose region with only a 20 percent loss of sensitivity comparing to a fresh sample (zero Gy history). The energy-dependence encountered during low dose peripheral measurements could be accounted for via a single point outside-field calibration per each beam quality. With further development the KCl:Eu2+− based dosimeter could become a versatile and durable dosimetry tool with large dynamic range (sub-cGy to 100 Gy). PMID:23735856

  4. Synthesis and characterization of Mg2SiO4:Tb3+, Eu3+ phosphors for white light generation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cho, Shinho

    2016-09-01

    The effect of Eu3+ codoping on the structural, morphological, and optical properties of Mg2SiO4:Tb3+ was investigated. The phosphor powders were synthesized by changing the molar concentration of Eu3+ at a fixed Tb3+ content of 5 mol% by using a conventional solid-state reaction. The X-ray diffraction patterns revealed that the crystal structure of all the phosphors, irrespective of the Eu3+ and the Tb3+ contents, showed an orthorhombic structure, and the surface morphology exhibited pebble-like crystalline grains. The emission spectra of Eu3+ and Tb3+-codoped Mg2SiO4 phosphors under an ultraviolet excitation of 252 nm consisted of one intense red band at 619 nm and five weak bands at 448, 488, 598, 658, and 707 nm originating from the transitions of Eu3+, in addition to the several emission bands located at 492, 552, 592, and 628 nm arising from the transitions of Tb3+. As the Eu3+ content was increased, the intensity of the main green emission band at 552 nm decreased markedly and disappeared at 10 mol% Eu3+, when complete energy transfer from Tb3+ to Eu3+ was observed. The results suggest that the emission wavelength and the luminescent intensity of the phosphors can be tuned by modulating the Eu3+ and the Tb3+ contents incorporated into the host matrix.

  5. Bio-inspired synthesis of Y2O3: Eu(3+) red nanophosphor for eco-friendly photocatalysis.

    PubMed

    Prasanna kumar, J B; Ramgopal, G; Vidya, Y S; Anantharaju, K S; Daruka Prasad, B; Sharma, S C; Prashantha, S C; Premkumar, H B; Nagabhushana, H

    2015-04-15

    We report the synthesis of Y2O3: Eu(3+) (1-11 mol%) nanoparticles (NPs) with different morphologies via eco-friendly, inexpensive and simple low temperature solution combustion method using Aloe Vera gel as fuel. The formation of different morphologies of Y2O3: Eu(3+) NPs were characterized by PXRD, SEM, TEM, HRTEM, UV-Visible and PL techniques. The PXRD data and Rietveld analysis confirms the formation of single phase Y2O3 with cubic crystal structure. The influence of Eu(3+) ion concentration on the morphology, UV-Visible absorption, PL emission and photocatalytic activity of Y2O3: Eu(3+) nanostructures were investigated. Y2O3: Eu(3+) NPs exhibit intense red emission with CIE chromaticity coordinates (0.50, 0.47) and correlated color temperature values at different excitation ranges from 1868 to 2600 K. The control of Eu(3+) ion on Y2O3 matrix influences the photocatalytic decolorization of methylene blue (MB) as a model compound was evaluated under UVA light. Enhanced photocatalytic activity of conical shaped Y2O3: Eu(3+) (1 mol%) was attributed to dopant concentration, crystallite size, textural properties and capability of reducing the electron-hole pair recombination. The trend of inhibitory effect in the presence of different radical scavengers followed the order SO4(2-)>Cl(-)>C2H5OH>HCO3(-)>CO3(2-). These findings show great promise of Y2O3: Eu(3+) NPs as a red phosphor in warm white LEDs as well as eco-friendly heterogeneous photocatalysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. A novel fluorescent probe (dtpa-bis(cytosine)) for detection of Eu(III) in rare earth metal ions.

    PubMed

    Yang, Fan; Ren, Peipei; Liu, Guanhong; Song, Youtao; Bu, Naishun; Wang, Jun

    2018-03-15

    In this paper, a novel fluorescent probe, dtpa-bis(cytosine), was designed and synthesized for detecting europium (Eu 3+ ) ion. Upon addition of Eu 3+ ions into the dtpa-bis(cytosine) solution, the fluorescence intensity can strongly be enhanced. Conversely, adding other rare earth metal ions, such as Y 3+ , Ce 3+ , Pr 3+ , Nd 3+ , Sm 3+ , Gd 3+ , Tb 3+ , Dy 3+ , Ho 3+ , Er 3+ , Yb 3+ and Lu 3+ , into dtpa-bis(cytosine) solution, the fluorescence intensity is decreased slightly. Some parameters affecting the fluorescence intensity of dtpa-bis(cytosine) solution in the presence of Eu 3+ ions were investigated, including solution pH value, Eu 3+ ion concentration and interfering substances. The detection mechanism of Eu 3+ ion using dtpa-bis(cytosine) as fluorescent probe was proposed. Under optimum conditions, the fluorescence emission intensities of Eu III -dtpa-bis(cytosine) at 375nm in the concentration range of 0.50×10 -5 mol∙L -1 -5.00×10 -5 mol∙L -1 of Eu 3+ ion display a better linear relationship. The limit of detection (LOD) was determined as 8.65×10 -7 mol∙L -1 and the corresponding correlation coefficient (R 2 ) of the linear equation is 0.9807. It is wished that the proposed method could be applied for sensitively and selectively detecting Eu 3+ ion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. EuCAP, a Eukaryotic Community Annotation Package, and its application to the rice genome

    PubMed Central

    Thibaud-Nissen, Françoise; Campbell, Matthew; Hamilton, John P; Zhu, Wei; Buell, C Robin

    2007-01-01

    Background Despite the improvements of tools for automated annotation of genome sequences, manual curation at the structural and functional level can provide an increased level of refinement to genome annotation. The Institute for Genomic Research Rice Genome Annotation (hereafter named the Osa1 Genome Annotation) is the product of an automated pipeline and, for this reason, will benefit from the input of biologists with expertise in rice and/or particular gene families. Leveraging knowledge from a dispersed community of scientists is a demonstrated way of improving a genome annotation. This requires tools that facilitate 1) the submission of gene annotation to an annotation project, 2) the review of the submitted models by project annotators, and 3) the incorporation of the submitted models in the ongoing annotation effort. Results We have developed the Eukaryotic Community Annotation Package (EuCAP), an annotation tool, and have applied it to the rice genome. The primary level of curation by community annotators (CA) has been the annotation of gene families. Annotation can be submitted by email or through the EuCAP Web Tool. The CA models are aligned to the rice pseudomolecules and the coordinates of these alignments, along with functional annotation, are stored in the MySQL EuCAP Gene Model database. Web pages displaying the alignments of the CA models to the Osa1 Genome models are automatically generated from the EuCAP Gene Model database. The alignments are reviewed by the project annotators (PAs) in the context of experimental evidence. Upon approval by the PAs, the CA models, along with the corresponding functional annotations, are integrated into the Osa1 Genome Annotation. The CA annotations, grouped by family, are displayed on the Community Annotation pages of the project website , as well as in the Community Annotation track of the Genome Browser. Conclusion We have applied EuCAP to rice. As of July 2007, the structural and/or functional annotation of 1

  8. Synthesis of high-silica EU-1 zeolite in the presence of hexamethonium ions: a seeded approach for inhibiting ZSM-48.

    PubMed

    Xu, Qinghu; Gong, Yanjun; Xu, Wenjing; Xu, Jun; Deng, Feng; Dou, Tao

    2011-06-01

    A seeded approach was developed to synthesize high-silica EU-1 zeolite via inhibiting the co-crystallization of ZSM-48 in the presence of hexamethonium (HM) ions. A systematic study was carried out to determine factors such as seed content and SiO(2)/Al(2)O(3) ratio, which influenced the crystallization of high-silica EU-1 and transformation of EU-1 into ZSM-48. Using EU-1 seeds, not only well-crystallized pure EU-1 zeolites with SiO(2)/Al(2)O(3) ratios more than 500 were synthesized, but also the co-crystalline of ZSM-48/EU-1 or pure ZSM-48 was obtained in control from silica-rich mixture gels. Furthermore, the kinetic features of the seeded synthesis of EU-1 zeolites with SiO(2)/Al(2)O(3) ratios of 55, 190, and 500 were examined. It was found that seeds played crucial roles in the decrease of apparent activation energy of EU-1 nucleation and inhibiting the transformation of EU-1 into ZSM-48. The HM and Al species performed synergistic roles to inhibit the formation ZSM-48 during high-silica EU-1 nucleation and crystal growth. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. [Effect of Eu(Pr) substitution at Ba sites on microstructure and superconductivity in EuBa2Cu3O7-delta ceramics].

    PubMed

    Peng, Zhen-sheng; Wang, Zhi-he

    2004-04-01

    Ceramics of Eu1+xBa2-xCu3O7-delta with x = 0.0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and EuBa2-xPrxCu3O7-delta with x=0.0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 have been synthesized and investigated by X-ray diffraction, resistivity, and Raman spectroscopy. The results show that the transition of crystal structure from orthorhombic to tetragonal occurs and the criticaltemperature decreases withthe increase in doping concentration x. The Raman spectra show that the frequency of the Cu(1)-O(4) stretching mode andthe Cu(2)-(2, 3) out-of-phase mode shifts to higher wave number with increasing doping concentration x.

  10. Intrinsic radioactivity of KSr2I5:Eu2+

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rust, M.; Melcher, C.; Lukosi, E.

    2016-10-01

    A current need in nuclear security is an economical, yet high energy resolution (near 2%), scintillation detector suitable for gamma-ray spectroscopy. For current scintillators on the market, there is an inverse relationship between scintillator energy resolution and cost of production. A new promising scintillator, KSr2I5:Eu2+, under development at the University of Tennessee, has achieved an energy resolution of 2.4% at 662 keV at room temperature, with potential growth rates exceeding several millimeters per hour. However, the internal background due to the 40K content could present a hurdle for effective source detection/identification in nuclear security applications. As a first step in addressing this question, this paper reports on a computational investigation of the intrinsic differential pulse height spectrum (DPHS) generated by 40K within the KSr2I5:Eu2+ scintillator as a function of crystal geometry. It was found that the DPHS remains relatively equal to a constant multiplicative factor of the negatron emission spectrum with a direct increase of the 1.46 MeV photopeak relative height to the negatron spectrum with volume. Further, peak pileup does not readily manifest itself for practical KSr2I5:Eu2+ volumes.

  11. The Politics of Global Value Chains: Import-dependent Firms and EU-Asia Trade Agreements.

    PubMed

    Eckhardt, Jappe; Poletti, Arlo

    2016-01-01

    In 2006, the European Commission released its Global Europe Communication, in which it announced a shift from a multilateral to a bilateral trade strategy. One of the key pillars of this new strategy was to strengthen the bilateral trade relations with key Asian countries. In contrast to existing analyses that focus on European Union (EU) decision makers' agency, we propose an explanation for this notable shift in the EU's trade policy that stresses the political role of import-dependent firms. In light of the increasing integration of such firms into global value chains, the article argues that a plausible case can be made, both theoretically and empirically, that import-dependent firms had a clear stake in the signing of preferential trade agreements between the EU and Asian countries and that their lobbying efforts significantly affected the EU's decision to start negotiations with South Korea, India and Vietnam.

  12. Influence of Tl+ activator ions on the luminescence characteristics of KCl0.5Br0.5:Eu2+ powder phosphors.

    PubMed

    Nagarajan, S; Sudarkodi, R

    2009-01-01

    Photoluminescence (PL) of thallium co-doped with KCl0.5Br0.5:Eu2+ powder phosphors display emission bands at 320 and 370 nm attributable to centres involving Tl+ ions in addition to characteristic Eu2+ emission around 420 nm. Additional PL excitation and emission bandS observed around 260 and 380 nm, respectively, were observed in the double-doped KCl0.5Br0.5:Eu2+, Tl+ powder phosphors and are attributed to complex centres involving Tl+ and Eu2+ ions. The enhancement observed in the intensity of Eu2+ emission around 420 nm with the addition of TlBr in KCl0.5Br0.5:Eu2+ powder phosphors is attributed to the energy transfer from Tl+ --> Eu2+ ions. Photostimulated luminescence (PSL) studies of gamma-irradiated KCl0.5Br0.5:Eu2+, Tl+ mixed phosphors are reported and a tentative PSL mechanism in the phosphors has been suggested.

  13. Spectroscopic studies on interaction of BSA and Eu(III) complexes with H5ph-dtpa and H5dtpa ligands.

    PubMed

    Kong, Deyong; Qin, Cui; Fan, Ping; Li, Bing; Wang, Jun

    2015-04-05

    An novel aromatic aminopolycarboxylic acid ligand, N-(2-N,N-Dicarboxymethylaminophenyl) ethylenediamine-N,N',N'-triacetic acid (H5ph-dtpa), was synthesized by improving experimental method and its corresponding Eu(III) complex, Na2[EuIII(ph-dtpa)(H2O)]·6H2O, was successfully prepared through heat-refluxing method. As a comparison, the Eu(III) complex with diethylenetriamine-N,N,N',N',N″-pentaacetic acid (H5dtpa) ligand, Na2[Eu(III)(dtpa)(H2O)]·6H2O, was also prepared by the same method. And then, the interaction between prepared Eu(III) complexes ([EuIII(dtpa)(H2O)]2- and [EuIII(ph-dtpa)(H2O)]2-) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) in aqueous solution were studied by the combination of ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis), fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopies. In addition, the binding sites of Eu(III) complexes ([EuIII(dtpa)(H2O)]2- and [EuIII(ph-dtpa)(H2O)]2-) to BSA molecules were also estimated by synchronous fluorescence. Moreover, the theoretical and experimental results show that the Van der Waals, hydrogen bond and π-π stacking interactions are the mainly impulse to the reaction. The binding distances (r) between Eu(III) complexes ([EuIII(dtpa)(H2O)]2- and [EuIII(ph-dtpa)(H2O)]2-) and BSA were obtained according to Förster's non-radiative energy transfer theory. Also, the determined UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, synchronous fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectra showed that the conformation of BSA could be changed in the presence of Eu(III) complexes. The obtained results can help understand the action mode between rare earth metal complexes of aminopolycarboxylic acid ligands with BSA and they are also expected to provide important information of designs of new inspired drugs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. An integrated and sustainable EU health information system: national public health institutes' needs and possible benefits.

    PubMed

    Bogaert, Petronille; Van Oyen, Herman

    2017-01-01

    Although sound data and health information are at the basis of evidence-based policy-making and research, still no single, integrated and sustainable EU-wide public health monitoring system or health information system exists. BRIDGE Health is working towards an EU health information and data generation network covering major EU health policy areas. A stakeholder consultation with national public health institutes was organised to identify the needs to strengthen the current EU health information system and to identify its possible benefits. Five key issues for improvement were identified: (1) coherence, coordination and sustainability; (2) data harmonization, collection, processing and reporting; (3) comparison and benchmarking; (4) knowledge sharing and capacity building; and (5) transferability of health information into evidence-based policy making. The vision of an improved EU health information system was formulated and the possible benefits in relation to six target groups. Through this consultation, BRIDGE Health has identified the continuous need to strengthen the EU health information system. A better system is about sustainability, better coordination, governance and collaboration among national health information systems and stakeholders to jointly improve, harmonise, standardise and analyse health information. More and better sharing of this comparable health data allows for more and better comparative health research, international benchmarking, national and EU-wide public health monitoring. This should be developed with the view to provide the tools to fight both common and individual challenges faced by the Members States and their politicians.

  15. Energy transfer between Eu-Mn and photoluminescence properties of Ba0.75Al11O17.25-BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+,Mn2+ solid solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Jun; Wang, Yuhua; Liu, Bitao; Li, Feng

    2010-08-01

    In order to evaluate the energy transfer between Eu-Mn in Ba0.75Al11O17.25-BaMgAl10O17 solid solution, Ba0.75Al11O17.25-BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+,Mn2+ phosphors were prepared by flux method. The crystal structure and the morphology of the solid solution were demonstrated by x-ray dirrfactometer and scanning electron microscopy. The photoluminescence mechanisms were explained by the energy transfer of Eu2+ to Mn2+ and the Dexter theory. A redshift of green emission peak and a decrease in decay time with the increase in Mn2+ concentration were observed. These phenomena are attributed to the formation of Mn2+ paired centers after analysis by a method of Pade approximations.

  16. Concentration-independent pH detection with a luminescent dimetallic Eu(III)-based probe.

    PubMed

    Moore, Jeremiah D; Lord, Richard L; Cisneros, G Andrés; Allen, Matthew J

    2012-10-24

    A pH-responsive, luminescent, dimetallic Eu(III)-containing complex has been synthesized and exhibits a unique mechanism of response. The luminescence-decay rate of the complex is slow, due to a lack of water molecules coordinated to the Eu(III) ions. However, the luminescence-decay rate decreases with increasing pH over a biologically relevant range of 4-8. Physical characterization and computational analysis suggest that the pH response is due to protonation of a bridging alkoxide at lower pH values. Modulation of the luminescence-decay rate is independent from the concentration of Eu(III), which we expect to be useful in the non-invasive imaging of in vivo pH.

  17. International law on ship recycling and its interface with EU law.

    PubMed

    Argüello Moncayo, Gabriela

    2016-08-15

    The regulation on ship recycling at international and European Union (EU) level has transitioned from the realm of transboundary movement of wastes to a specialized regime, i.e., the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (2009) (Hong Kong Convention). Although this convention is not in force yet, the principal features of it have been incorporated in EU Regulation 1257/2013 on ship recycling. This paper examines the rationale behind developing a ship recycling regime, its disassociation from wastes, and the departure from the main principles of transboundary movement of wastes, such as the proximity principle, reduction of transboundary movement of wastes, and the prior informed consent procedure. While acknowledging some of the positive features of the emerging ship recycling, it is submitted that the Hong Kong Convention and EU Regulation 1257/2013 on ship recycling represent a step back in the regulation of ship recycling. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Spin transistor based on pure nonlocal Andreev reflection in EuO-graphene/superconductor/EuO-graphene nanostructure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ang, Yee Sin; Ang, Lay Kee; Zhang, Chao; Ma, Zhongshui

    In graphene-magnetic-insulator hybrid structure such as graphene-Europium-oxide, proximity induced exchange interaction opens up a spin-dependent bandgap and spin splitting in the Dirac band. We show that such band topology allows pure crossed Andreev reflection to be generated exclusively without the parasitic local Andreev reflection and elastic cotunnelling over a wide range of bias and Fermi levels. We model the charge transport in an EuO-graphene/superconductor/EuO-graphene three-terminal device and found that the pure non-local conductance exhibits rapid on/off switching characteristic with a minimal subthreshold swing of ~ 20 mV. Non-local conductance oscillation is observed when the Fermi levels in the superconducting lead is varied. The oscillatory behavior is directly related to the quasiparticle propagation in the superconducting lead and hence can be used as a tool to probe the subgap quasiparticle mode in superconducting graphene. The non-local current is 100% spin-polarized and is highly tunable in our proposed device. This opens up the possibility of highly tunable graphene-based spin transistor that operates purely in the non-local transport regime.

  19. The Structure of the EU Mediasphere

    PubMed Central

    Flaounas, Ilias; Turchi, Marco; Ali, Omar; Fyson, Nick; De Bie, Tijl; Mosdell, Nick; Lewis, Justin; Cristianini, Nello

    2010-01-01

    Background A trend towards automation of scientific research has recently resulted in what has been termed “data-driven inquiry” in various disciplines, including physics and biology. The automation of many tasks has been identified as a possible future also for the humanities and the social sciences, particularly in those disciplines concerned with the analysis of text, due to the recent availability of millions of books and news articles in digital format. In the social sciences, the analysis of news media is done largely by hand and in a hypothesis-driven fashion: the scholar needs to formulate a very specific assumption about the patterns that might be in the data, and then set out to verify if they are present or not. Methodology/Principal Findings In this study, we report what we think is the first large scale content-analysis of cross-linguistic text in the social sciences, by using various artificial intelligence techniques. We analyse 1.3 M news articles in 22 languages detecting a clear structure in the choice of stories covered by the various outlets. This is significantly affected by objective national, geographic, economic and cultural relations among outlets and countries, e.g., outlets from countries sharing strong economic ties are more likely to cover the same stories. We also show that the deviation from average content is significantly correlated with membership to the eurozone, as well as with the year of accession to the EU. Conclusions/Significance While independently making a multitude of small editorial decisions, the leading media of the 27 EU countries, over a period of six months, shaped the contents of the EU mediasphere in a way that reflects its deep geographic, economic and cultural relations. Detecting these subtle signals in a statistically rigorous way would be out of the reach of traditional methods. This analysis demonstrates the power of the available methods for significant automation of media content analysis. PMID

  20. X-ray diffraction and spectroscopy study of nano-Eu 2O 3 structural transformation under high pressure

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yu, Zhenhai; Wang, Qinglin; Ma, Yanzhang

    Nanoscale materials exhibit properties that are quite distinct from those of bulk materials because of their size restricted nature. Here, we investigated the high-pressure structural stability of cubic (C-type) nano-Eu2O3 using in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and luminescence spectroscopy, and impedance spectra techniques. Our high-pressure XRD experimental results revealed a pressure-induced structural phase transition in nano-Eu2O3 from the C-type phase (space group: Ia-3) to a hexagonal phase (A-type, space group: P-3m1). Our reported transition pressure (9.3 GPa) in nano-Eu2O3 is higher than that of the corresponding bulk-Eu2O3 (5.0 GPa), which is contrary to the preceding reported experimental result.more » After pressure release, the A-type phase of Eu2O3 transforms into a new monoclinic phase (B-type, space group: C2/m). Compared with bulk-Eu2O3, C-type and A-type nano-Eu2O3 exhibits a larger bulk modulus. Our Raman and luminescence findings and XRD data provide consistent evidence of a pressure-induced structural phase transition in nano-Eu2O3. To our knowledge, we have performed the first high-pressure impedance spectra investigation on nano-Eu2O3 to examine the effect of the structural phase transition on its transport properties. We propose that the resistance inflection exhibited at ~12 GPa results from the phase boundary between the C-type and A-type phases. Besides, we summarized and discussed the structural evolution process by the phase diagram of lanthanide sesquioxides (Ln2O3) under high pressure.« less

  1. Temperature dependence of fluorescence for EuCl3 in LiCl-KCl eutectic melt.

    PubMed

    Im, Hee-Jung; Kim, Tack-Jin; Song, Kyuseok

    2010-08-15

    The fluorescence of EuCl(3) in LiCl-KCl eutectic melt according to temperature changes was investigated, and the spontaneous partial reduction of Eu(3+) to Eu(2+) at high temperature was confirmed by the fluorescence results. The fluorescence decreases when the temperature increases, and this was examined in detail. The studies of fluorescence provided information regarding the chemical and physical behavior of europium ions in the molten salt according to the temperature changes. It is applicable for monitoring species and concentrations and estimating the approximate chemical structure of the ions in molten salts. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. From stable divalent to valence-fluctuating behaviour in Eu(Rh1-xIrx)2Si2 single crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seiro, Silvia; Geibel, Christoph

    2011-09-01

    We have succeeded in growing high-quality single crystals of the valence-fluctuating system EuIr2Si2, the divalent Eu system EuRh2Si2 and the substitutional alloy Eu(Rh1-xIrx)2Si2 across the range 0 < x < 1, which we characterized by means of x-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, specific heat, magnetization and resistivity measurements. On increasing x, the divalent Eu ground state subsists up to x = 0.25 with a slight increase in Néel temperature, while for 0.3≤x < 0.7 a sharp hysteretic change in susceptibility and resistivity marks the first-order valence transition. For x≳0.7 the broad feature observed in the physical properties is characteristic of the continuous valence evolution beyond the critical end point of the valence transition line, and the resistivity is reminiscent of Kondo-like behaviour while the Sommerfeld coefficient indicates a mass renormalization of at least a factor of 8. The resulting phase diagram is similar to those reported for polycrystalline Eu(Pd1-xAux)2Si2 and EuNi2(Si1-xGex)2, confirming its generic character for Eu systems, and markedly different to those of homologue Ce and Yb systems, which present a continuous suppression of the antiferromagnetism accompanied by a very smooth evolution of the valence. We discuss these differences and suggest them to be related to the large polarization energy of the Eu half-filled 4f shell. We further argue that the changes in the rare earth valence between RRh2Si2 and RIr2Si2 (R = Ce, Eu, Yb) are governed by a purely electronic effect and not by a volume effect.

  3. Optical properties of Dy3+ and Eu3+ -Codoped SrWO4 phosphors for white light-emitting diodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cho, Shinho

    2018-01-01

    Dy3+ - and Eu3+ -codoped SrWO4 phosphor powders were prepared using a solid-state reaction technique by changing the molar concentration of Eu3+ within the range of 0 to 15 mol% at a fixed Dy3+ concentration of 5 mol%. The effects of Dy3+ and Eu3+ doping on the structural, morphological, and optical properties of SrWO4:Dy3+, Eu3+ phosphors were investigated via Xray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and photoluminescence spectrophotometry, respectively. Irrespective of the concentrations of Dy3+ and Eu3+ ions, the crystal structures of all the phosphors were tetragonal, and the grains exhibited a tendency to agglomerate. The emission spectra of Sr0.925WO4:5 mol% Dy3+ contained an intense yellow band at 573 nm arising from the 4 F 9/2 → 6 H 13/2 electric dipole transition of Dy3+, as well as three weak emission lines. When the Eu3+ ions were incorporated into the SrWO4:Dy3+ phosphors, a strong red emission peak at 615 nm originating from the 5D0 → 7F2 transition of Eu3+ appeared in addition to the four emission bands centered at 481, 573, 662, and 750 nm, which result from the 4 f-4 f transitions of Dy3+. The emission intensity decreased as the Eu3+ concentration increased up to 15 mol% due to concentration quenching, which resulted from dipole-dipole interactions. The results suggest that the color emissions and intensities of SrWO4:Dy3+, Eu3+ phosphors can be tuned from yellow to white to red by varying the types of ions used and the ratio of Dy3+ to Eu3+ ions.

  4. Crystal structure and properties of tetragonal EuAg{sub 4}In{sub 8} grown by metal flux technique

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Subbarao, Udumula; Sarkar, Sumanta; Peter, Sebastian C., E-mail: sebastiancp@jncasr.ac.in

    The compound EuAg{sub 4}In{sub 8} has been obtained as single crystals in high yield from reactions run in liquid indium. X-ray diffraction on single crystals suggests that EuAg{sub 4}In{sub 8} crystallizes in the CeMn{sub 4}Al{sub 8} structure type, tetragonal space group I4/mmm with lattice constants a=b=9.7937(2) Å and c=5.7492(2) Å. Crystal structure of EuAg{sub 4}In{sub 8} is composed of pseudo Frank–Kasper cages occupied by one europium atom in each ring, which are shared through the corner along the ab plane resulting in a three dimensional network. The magnetic susceptibility of EuAg{sub 4}In{sub 8} was measured in the temperature range 2–300more » K, which obeyed Curie–Weiss law above 50 K. Magnetic moment value calculated from the fitting indicates the presence of divalent europium, which was confirmed by X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy. Electrical resistivity measurements suggest that EuAg{sub 4}In{sub 8} is metallic in nature with a probable Fermi liquid behavior at low temperature. - Graphical abstract: The tetragonal EuAg{sub 4}In{sub 8} has been grown as single crystals from reactions run in liquid indium. Magnetic and XANES measurements suggest divalent nature of Eu and resistivity measurements suggest metallic nature. - Highlights: • EuAg{sub 4}In{sub 8} phase having tetragonal phase is grown by metal flux technique. • Magnetic and XANES measurements exhibit divalent nature of Eu in EuAg{sub 4}In{sub 8}. • Resistivity measurement suggests metallic nature and probable Fermi liquid behavior.« less

  5. Structural investigations of sol-gel derived silicate gels using Eu 3+ ion-probe luminescence

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Secu, C. E.; Predoi, D.; Secu, M.; Cernea, M.; Aldica, G.

    2009-09-01

    Undoped and Eu 3+-doped CaF 2-SiO 2 gels were prepared by the sol-gel method and their optical properties have been studied. The UV-VIS-NIR absorption and photoluminescence spectra have shown the bands typical for the Eu 3+ ions transitions. When the Eu-doped gel is annealed at temperatures up to 800 °C (i.e. above the CaF 2 crystallisation peak at ˜460 °C) the photoluminescence spectra intensity increase, the 590 nm (5D→7F) and 620 nm (5D→7F) luminescence bands become comparable and a structuring of the 620 nm band is observed. The phonon sidebands peaks associated with the 5F→7D transition of the Eu 3+ ion were observed at around 1000 and 620 cm -1 and have been assigned to the Si-O and Ca-O bonds, respectively. A phonon sideband signal in the range of 300-400 cm -1 was attributed to Ca-F bonds in the precipitated CaF 2 phase. From the optical absorption, photoluminescence and phonon sidebands spectra we have concluded that in the gels annealed at 800 °C, the Eu 3+ ions are incorporated into the silica network and in the precipitated CaF 2 phase.

  6. Photoluminescence properties of Eu3+ doped HfO2 coatings formed by plasma electrolytic oxidation of hafnium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stojadinović, Stevan; Tadić, Nenad; Ćirić, Aleksandar; Vasilić, Rastko

    2018-03-01

    Plasma electrolytic oxidation was used for synthesis of Eu3+ doped monoclinic HfO2 coatings on hafnium substrate. Results of photoluminescence (PL) measurements show the existence of two distinct regions: one that is related to the blue emission originating from oxygen vacancy defects in HfO2 and the other one characterized with a series of sharp orange-red emission peaks related to f-f transitions of Eu3+ from excited level 5D0 to lower levels 7FJ (J = 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4). PL peaks appearing in excitation spectra of obtained coatings are attributed either to charge transfer state of Eu3+ or to direct excitation of the Eu3+ ground state 7F0 into higher levels of the 4f-manifold. PL of formed coatings increases with PEO time due to an increase of oxygen vacancy defects and the content of Eu3+. Acquired experimental data suggest that hypersensitive electrical dipole transition is much more intense than the magnetic dipole transition, indicating that Eu3+ ions occupy a non-inversion symmetry sites.

  7. Freedom of movement across the EU: legal and ethical issues for children with chronic disease.

    PubMed

    Mercieca, Cecilia; Aquilina, Kevin; Pullicino, Richard; Borg, Andrew A

    2012-11-01

    While freedom of movement has been one of the most highly respected human right across the EU, there are various aspects which come into play which still need to be resolved for this to be achieved in practice. One of these key issues is cross border health care. Indeed, there is an increasing awareness of standardisation of health service provision and cross border collaboration in the EU. However, certain groups particularly children may be at risk of suboptimal treatment as a result. We present the case of a child patient which highlights the complexity of this matter spanning family law, health law, social security law as well as ethical issues. EU legislation needs to ensure that children patients have access to high quality care across the EU borders.

  8. Local structure and structural rigidity of the green phosphor β -SiAlON:Eu 2+

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brgoch, J.; Gaultois, M. W.; Balasubramanian, M.

    Eu2+ inserted in beta-Si3-xAlxOxN4-x is a material that shows exceptional promise as a green-emitting phosphor. Synchrotron X-ray and neutron scattering, in conjunction with first-principles calculations and Eu L-3 X-ray absorption measurements, yield a consistent picture of the composition, and the favorable position for Eu2+ substitution in the crystal structure. The Debye temperature Theta(D), which is a proxy for structural rigidity relating to effectiveness as a phosphor, is very high for the starting beta-Si3N4 framework and is determined to decrease only slightly for the small amounts of Al3+ and O2- co-substitution that are required for charge balance associated with Eu2+ insertion.more » (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.« less

  9. Mechano-luminescence studies of nano ZnMgAl10O17:Eu phosphor under UV irradiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Verma, Akshkumar; Verma, Ashish; Panda, Maheswar

    2018-05-01

    ZnMgAl10O17:Eu nano phosphors were prepared successfully, using the combustion route by employing urea as a fuel. The structural, and Morphological, properties were measured using x-ray diffraction (XRD) Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) transition electron microscopy. The BET surface area of sample were found to be of ˜13.92 m2/g. The ML (Mechano-luminescence) were measured to the home made instrument. The phosphor showed more strong and high ML intensity to the without UV irradiated material. Therefore ZnMgAl10O17:Eu2+ phosphor may use as a damage sensor and dosimetry material. The ML emission spectra of the Zn0.99MgAl10O17:Eu0.01 phosphor showed the characteristic Eu2+ emission peaks ˜453nm (blue) originating from the transitions 4f65d1→4f7, Therefore ZnMgAl10O17:Eu2+ phosphor may use as a blue phosphor material.

  10. Determination of adenosine disodium triphosphate (ATP) using oxytetracycline-Eu 3+ as a fluorescence probe by spectrofluorimetry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hou, Faju; Miao, Yanhong; Jiang, Chongqiu

    2005-10-01

    A new spectrofluorimetric method was developed for determination of adenosine disodium triphosphate (ATP). We studied the interactions between oxytetracycline (OTC)-Eu 3+ complex and adenosine disodium triphosphate (ATP) by using UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectra. Using oxytetracycline (OTC)-Eu 3+ as a fluorescence probe, under the optimum conditions, ATP can remarkably enhance the fluorescence intensity of the OTC-Eu 3+ complex at λ = 612 nm and the enhanced fluorescence intensity of Eu 3+ ion is in proportion to the concentration of ATP. Optimum conditions for the determination of ATP were also investigated. The linear ranges for ATP are 8.00 × 10 -8-1.50 × 10 -6 mol L -1 with detection limits of 2.67 × 10 -9 mol L -1. This method is simple, practical and relatively free interference from coexisting substances and can be successfully applied to determination of ATP in samples. The mechanism of fluorescence enhancement between oxytetracycline (OTC)-Eu 3+ complex and ATP was also studied.

  11. Magnetic properties and effect of pressure on the electronic state of EuCo2Ge2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ashitomi, Y.; Kakihana, M.; Honda, F.; Nakamura, A.; Aoki, D.; Uwatoko, Y.; Nakashima, M.; Amako, Y.; Takeuchi, T.; Kida, T.; Tahara, T.; Hagiwara, M.; Haga, Y.; Hedo, M.; Nakama, T.; Ōnuki, Y.

    2018-05-01

    EuCo2Ge2 with the tetragonal structure is a Eu-divalent antiferromagnet with the Néel temperature TN = 23 K. The magnetic easy-axis corresponds to the [100] direction (a-axis), while the [001] direction (c-axis) is a hard-axis. The magnetization for H∥ [ 100 ] indicates a metamagnetic transition at 25 kOe and saturates above 75 kOe. On the other hand, the hard-axis magnetization increases approximately linearly and saturates above 110 kOe. The magnetic phase diagram was constructed. A characteristic feature in EuCo2Ge2 is known as a valence transition under pressure, from Eu 2+δ to Eu 3 - δ ‧(δ, δ ‧ < 1). We also clarified the valence transition by measuring the electrical resistivity under pressure. The valence transition occurs at 3 GPa, with a hysteresis, and terminates at about 4.5 GPa. Further increasing pressure, the electronic state is changed into a moderate heavy fermion state and approaches the nearly trivalent electronic state.

  12. Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements on the 35.5 K superconductor Rb1 -δEuFe4As4

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Albedah, Mohammed A.; Nejadsattari, Farshad; Stadnik, Zbigniew M.; Liu, Yi; Cao, Guang-Han

    2018-04-01

    The results of x-ray diffraction and 57Fe and 151Eu Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements, supplemented with ab initio hyperfine-interaction parameter calculations, on the new 35.5 K superconductor Rb1 -δEuFe4As4 are presented. The superconductor crystallizes in the tetragonal space group P 4 /m m m with the lattice parameters a =3.8849 (1 ) Å and c =13.3370 (3 ) Å. It is shown that there is no magnetic order of the Fe magnetic moments down to 2.1 K and that the ferromagnetic order is associated solely with the Eu magnetic moments. The Curie temperature TC=16.54 (8 ) K is determined from the temperature dependence of both the hyperfine magnetic field at 151Eu nuclei and the transferred hyperfine magnetic field at 57Fe nuclei that is induced by the ferromagnetically ordered Eu sublattice. The Eu magnetic moments are demonstrated to be perpendicular to the crystallographic c axis. The temperature dependence of the principal component of the electric field gradient tensor, at both Fe and Eu sites, is well described by a T3 /2 power-law relation. Good agreement between the calculated and measured hyperfine-interaction parameters is observed. The Debye temperature of Rb1 -δEuFe4As4 is found to be 391(8) K.

  13. Effect of Eu-doping on optical, structural and morphological properties of BaI2·nH2O powders

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salamakha, T.; Buryi, M.; Tratsiak, Y.

    2018-04-01

    The two-step approach to the Eu2+ doped BaI2·nH2O powders synthesis in Ar atmosphere from precursors containing different concentration of Eu3+ ions is reported. According to X-ray diffraction analysis the powders mainly consist of BaI2·2H2O phase. Their morphological, structural and luminescent properties depend on the Eu-ions concentration. The luminescence spectra are composed of broad and strong emission band peaking at 420 nm, which was related to the Eu2+ 5d-4f transition. Its intensity reaches maximum in the 2 at. % Eu2+ doped sample. Detailed analysis of the measured electron paramagnetic resonance spectra in the samples with different doping level confirms them belong to the Eu2+ ions substituting for the regular Ba2+ site in the BaI2 lattice. A sample exposed to the 330 nm UV irradiation exhibited an increase of the Eu2+ spectral intensity occurred exclusively due to the Eu3+ to Eu2+ transformation. No other signals either prior to or after the irradiation which might be attributed to the ions resided in e.g., interstitial positions or in any secondary phases were observed. Possible mechanisms of the Eu3+ stabilization in the host lattice with only divalent cation sites during the synthesis without additional treatment in reducing atmosphere are discussed as well.

  14. EuNi 5 InH 1.5-x (x = 0–1.5): hydrogen induced structural and magnetic transitions

    DOE PAGES

    Bigun, Inna; Smetana, Volodymyr; Mudryk, Yaroslav; ...

    2017-01-01

    The new quaternary hydride EuNi 5InH 1.5 has been obtained by hydrogenation of the intermetallic parent EuNi5In under extremely mild conditions, hence, at room temperature and low hydrogen pressure. Hydrogenation at slightly elevated temperatures and pressures allows for the growth of large crystals, which is a rare observation for intermetallic hydrides. EuNi 5InH 1.5 crystallizes in its own structure type ( hP17, P6¯m2, a = 4.9437(6), c = 10.643(1) Å) with a unique arrangement of the intermetallic host. The hydrogen atoms prefer Ni-surrounded positions, occupying {EuNi 3} and {Eu 2Ni 2} tetrahedral voids in the structure. Upon hydrogenation of EuNimore » 5In an anisotropic volume expansion accompanied with a decrease of symmetry is observed. Magnetic measurements reveal antiferromagnetic ordering in the hydride below 4 K and indicate an intermediate +II/+III oxidation state for Eu both in the intermetallic phase and the hydride. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy confirms the existence of the two different oxidation states of Eu. The hydrogenation does not affect the oxidation state of Eu and the type of magnetic ordering, but exerts a strong influence on the transition temperature, crystal structure, mechanical and electrical properties. Crystallographic analysis suggests that Eu(II) and Eu(III) do not order but rather mix homogeneously on crystallographic sites. Electronic structure calculations reveal the metallic character of the hydride with several different types of chemical bonding interactions being present in the compound ranging from the formally ionic Eu–H to covalent Ni–H and delocalized metal–metal. As a result, geometry optimization confirm the thermodynamic instability of the intermetallic host lattice for the hydride and supports a transformation into the parental structure as observed experimentally.« less

  15. Structural and optical properties of ZnSe:Eu/ZnS quantum dots depending on interfacial residual europium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park, Ji Young; Lee, Chan Gi; Seo, Han Wook; Jeong, Da-Woon; Kim, Min Young; Kim, Woo-Byoung; Kim, Bum Sung

    2018-01-01

    A multimodal emitter comprising of ZnSe:Eu/ZnS (core/shell) quantum dots (QDs) by adding a ZnS precursor in situ during synthesis. ZnSe/Eu2+/Eu3+/ZnS actives both core and core/shell. QDs prepared with the ZnS precursor displayed a luminescence intensity three times that of ZnSe QDs due to the passivation effect of the Shell. While the core QDs display the 450-550 nm emission of Eu2+ (4F65D1 → 4F7), the core/shell system showed no Eu2+ emission but only the sharp peaks in the red at 579, 592, 615, 651, and 700 nm due to the electronic transitions of 5D0 → 7Fn (n = 0-4) depending on leisurely decreased with increased reaction time. These results are in agreement with Eu 3d spectra of XPS analysis results. Microscopic analyses show that the core and core/shell QDs both have a zinc blende structure, and their respective sizes were about 3.19 and 3.44 nm. The lattice constant in the central portion of the core/shell QDs are around d111 = 3.13 Å, which is between the outside and inside ring patterns (d111 = 3.27 and 3.07 Å, respectively). This shows the effective over-capping of shell onto the core QDs. The core/shell structure may contain Eu2O3 bonding the over-coated ZnS surface on the Eu3+-doped ZnSe core.

  16. NMR determination of an incommensurate helical antiferromagnetic structure in EuCo 2 As 2

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ding, Q. -P.; Higa, N.; Sangeetha, N. S.

    In this paper, we report 153Eu, 75As, and 59Co nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) results on EuCo 2As 2 single crystal. Observations of 153Eu and 75As NMR spectra in zero magnetic field at 4.3 K below an antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering temperature T N = 45 K and its external magnetic field dependence clearly evidence an incommensurate helical AFM structure in EuCo 2As 2. Furthermore, based on 59Co NMR data in both the paramagnetic and the incommensurate AFM states, we have determined the model-independent value of the AFM propagation vector k = (0,0,0.73 ± 0.07)2π/c, where c is the c lattice parameter.more » Finally, the incommensurate helical AFM state was characterized by only NMR data with model-independent analyses, showing NMR to be a unique tool for determination of the spin structure in incommensurate helical AFMs.« less

  17. NMR determination of an incommensurate helical antiferromagnetic structure in EuCo 2 As 2

    DOE PAGES

    Ding, Q. -P.; Higa, N.; Sangeetha, N. S.; ...

    2017-05-05

    In this paper, we report 153Eu, 75As, and 59Co nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) results on EuCo 2As 2 single crystal. Observations of 153Eu and 75As NMR spectra in zero magnetic field at 4.3 K below an antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering temperature T N = 45 K and its external magnetic field dependence clearly evidence an incommensurate helical AFM structure in EuCo 2As 2. Furthermore, based on 59Co NMR data in both the paramagnetic and the incommensurate AFM states, we have determined the model-independent value of the AFM propagation vector k = (0,0,0.73 ± 0.07)2π/c, where c is the c lattice parameter.more » Finally, the incommensurate helical AFM state was characterized by only NMR data with model-independent analyses, showing NMR to be a unique tool for determination of the spin structure in incommensurate helical AFMs.« less

  18. Ferrimagnetism in EuFe4Sb12 due to the interplay of f-electron moments and a nearly ferromagnetic host

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Krishnamurthy, Vemuru; Lang, J. C.; Haskel, D.

    2007-03-01

    We combine x-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy at Fe L-2,L-3 edges, at Eu M-4,M-5 edges, x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) investigation of Eu valence, and local spin density calculations, to show that the filled skutterudite Eu0.95Fe4Sb12 is a ferrimagnet in which the Fe 3d moment and the Eu2+ 4f moment are magnetically ordered with dominant antiferromagnetic coupling. From Eu L-3 edge XAS, we find that about 13% of the Eu have a formal valence of 3+. We ascribe the origin of ferrimagnetism at a relatively high transition temperature T-C of 85 K in Eu0.95Fe4Sb12 to f-electron interaction with the nearly ferromagneticmore » [Fe4Sb12](2.2-) host lattice.« less

  19. Diffusion of Eu(III) in compacted bentonite-effect of pH, solution concentration and humic acid.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiangke; Chen, Yixue; Wu, Yican

    2004-06-01

    The effect of pH, Eu(III) solution concentration and humic acid on the diffusion of Eu(III) in compacted bentonite (rho(b) = 1000 +/- 30 kg/m(3)) was studied with "in-diffusion" method at an ionic strength of 0.1M NaClO(4). The results (K(d) values from the first slice and theoretical calculation, apparent and effective diffusion coefficients) derived from the new capillary method are in good agreement with the literature data under similar conditions, and fit the Fick's second law very well. The results suggest that the diffusion of Eu(III) is dependent on pH values and independent on solution concentration in our experimental conditions. Humic acid forms precipitation/complexation with Eu(III) at the surface of compacted bentonite and thus deduces the diffusion/transport of Eu(III) in compacted bentonite. The K(d) values in compacted bentonite are in most cases lower than those in powdered bentonite obtained from batch experiments. The difference between the K(d) values from powdered and compacted bentonite is a strong function of the bulk density of the bentonite. The results suggest that the content of interlaminary space plays a very important role to the diffusion, sorption and migration of Eu(III) in compacted bentonite.

  20. THE POLITICS OF RISK AND EU GOVERNANCE OF HUMAN MATERIAL

    PubMed Central

    Farrel, Anne-Maree

    2012-01-01

    This paper examines the politics of EU risk governance in relation to human material. It is argued that the political context has informed the way in which risks in relation to various types of human material have come to be defined as policy problems at EU level. In turn, this has influenced the design and/or persistence of institutional arrangements to manage such problems. It is further argued that this political context has resulted in a significant level of disconnection in risk governance in the area. This has happened in two ways. First, there has been a growing level of disconnection between institutional and stakeholder demands for a more expansive approach to risk governance in the area and the narrowly-circumscribed competence under Article 152(4)(a) EC, which permits the adoption of risk regulation regimes that set minimum standards of quality and safety in relation to blood, tissue/cells and organs. Second, it has led to the development of institutional arrangements that promote a bifurcated approach to risk governance, specifically in relation to blood and tissues/cells. Although a hybrid of traditional and new governance mechanisms have been employed to address this problem of disconnection, this has nevertheless added a further layer to already complex institutional arrangements for risk governance in the area. It is suggested that a more integrated approach to EU risk governance in relation to human material is needed. Implementing such an approach would contribute to greater clarity, transparency and accountability in decision-making processes, and this could enhance public trust in what is a politically-sensitive area of governance at EU level. PMID:23326180

  1. An overview of EU and USA intestinal transplant current activity.

    PubMed

    Lauro, A; Panaro, F; Iyer, K R

    2017-04-01

    To report the current activity of intestinal transplantation in Europe (EU) and Unites States of America (USA), underlining outcomes in the last 5 years and discussing possible trends. Data review of results was performed through analysis of ITR and UNOS registries, Eurotransplant and newsletter transplant reports, congress abstracts, international published literature, personal communications and hospital web sites. The absence in Europe of a sole organization collecting donors and the presence of many low-volume centers (less than 5 cases/year) makes the difference with USA: in the last 5 years (2010-2014), 222 intestinal/multivisceral transplants have been performed in EU countries (most of them in the UK), while in USA, the number of transplants achieved 634 procedures in the same period of time. Waiting list mortality remains unacceptable in both continents. Improved short-term results, with over 80% survival at 1 year, have been achieved in the busiest transplant centers likely due to immune-induction agents, more recently to innovative cross match strategies and optimizing organ allocation, but long term outcomes are still inferior to other organ transplants. Most long-term survivors were reintegrated to society with self-sustained socioeconomic status. The economic burden for the society is high and related costs are different between USA and EU (and inside Europe between member state's health-care systems), but cost-effectiveness for intestinal transplantation still needs to be proved. Overall intestinal transplantation continues to develop in EU and USA together with surgical and medical rehabilitation of patients affected by short gut syndrome. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  2. Advances in the development of common noise assessment methods in Europe: The CNOSSOS-EU framework for strategic environmental noise mapping.

    PubMed

    Kephalopoulos, Stylianos; Paviotti, Marco; Anfosso-Lédée, Fabienne; Van Maercke, Dirk; Shilton, Simon; Jones, Nigel

    2014-06-01

    The Environmental Noise Directive (2002/49/EC) requires EU Member States to determine the exposure to environmental noise through strategic noise mapping and to elaborate action plans in order to reduce noise pollution, where necessary. A common framework for noise assessment methods (CNOSSOS-EU) has been developed by the European Commission in co-operation with the EU Member States to be applied for strategic noise mapping as required by the Environment Noise Directive (2002/49/EC). CNOSSOS-EU represents a harmonised and coherent approach to assess noise levels from the main sources of noise (road traffic, railway traffic, aircraft and industrial) across Europe. This paper outlines the process behind the development of CNOSSOS-EU and the parts of the CNOSSOS-EU core methodological framework which were developed during phase A of the CNOSSOS-EU process (2010-2012), whilst focusing on the main scientific and technical issues that were addressed, and the implementation challenges that are being faced before it can become fully operational in the EU MS. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. Defect Engineering in SrI 2:Eu 2+ Single Crystal Scintillators

    DOE PAGES

    Wu, Yuntao; Boatner, Lynn A.; Lindsey, Adam C.; ...

    2015-06-23

    Eu 2+-activated strontium iodide is an excellent single crystal scintillator used for gamma-ray detection and significant effort is currently focused on the development of large-scale crystal growth techniques. A new approach of molten-salt pumping or so-called melt aging was recently applied to optimize the crystal quality and scintillation performance. Nevertheless, a detailed understanding of the underlying mechanism of this technique is still lacking. The main purpose of this paper is to conduct an in-depth study of the interplay between microstructure, trap centers and scintillation efficiency after melt aging treatment. Three SrI 2:2 mol% Eu2+ single crystals with 16 mm diametermore » were grown using the Bridgman method under identical growth conditions with the exception of the melt aging time (e.g. 0, 24 and 72 hours). Using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, it is found that the matrix composition of the finished crystal after melt aging treatment approaches the stoichiometric composition. The mechanism responsible for the formation of secondary phase inclusions in melt-aged SrI 2:Eu 2+ is discussed. Simultaneous improvement in light yield, energy resolution, scintillation decay-time and afterglow is achieved in melt-aged SrI 2:Eu 2+. The correlation between performance improvement and defect structure is addressed. The results of this paper lead to a better understanding of the effects of defect engineering in control and optimization of metal halide scintillators using the melt aging technique.« less

  4. Eu-doped ZnO-HfO2 hybrid nanocrystal-embedded low-loss glass-ceramic waveguides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghosh, Subhabrata; N, Shivakiran Bhaktha B.

    2016-03-01

    We report on the sol-gel fabrication, using a dip-coating technique, of low-loss Eu-doped 70SiO2 -(30-x) HfO2-xZnO (x = 2, 5, 7 and 10 mol%) ternary glass-ceramic planar waveguides. Transmission electron microscopy and grazing incident x-ray diffraction experiments confirm the controlled growth of hybrid nanocrystals with an average size of 3 nm-25 nm, composed of ZnO encapsulated by a thin layer of nanocrystalline HfO2, with an increase of ZnO concentration from x = 2 mol% to 10 mol% in the SiO2-HfO2 composite matrix. The effect of crystallization on the local environment of Eu ions, doped in the ZnO-HfO2 hybrid nanocrystal-embedded glass-ceramic matrix, is studied using photoluminescence spectra, wherein an intense mixed-valence state (divalent as well as trivalent) emission of Eu ions is observed. The existence of Eu2+ and Eu3+ in the SiO2-HfO2-ZnO ternary matrix is confirmed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Importantly, the Eu{}2+,3+-doped ternary waveguides exhibit low propagation losses (0.3 ± 0.2 dB cm-1 at 632.8 nm) and optical transparency in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum, which makes ZnO-HfO2 nanocrystal-embedded SiO2-HfO2-ZnO waveguides a viable candidate for the development of on-chip, active, integrated optical devices.

  5. Structure, thermal and luminescence properties of Eu/Tb(BA)3phen/PAN fibers fabricated by electrospinning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Shiwei; Xie, Guangbo; Zhang, Jingjing; Zhang, Sen; Li, Tingju

    2018-04-01

    Novel high luminescence fibers often exhibit potential applications in the fields of color displays and sensor systems. In this study, Eu(BA)3phen and Tb(BA)3phen powders was successfully synthesized by solvothermal reactions, firstly. Then, three kinds of novel flexible Eu(BA)3phen/PAN, Tb(BA)3phen/PAN and Eu/Tb(BA)3phen/PAN (BA = benzoic acid, phen = phenanthroline, PAN = Polyacrylonitrile) fibers had been successfully prepared by electrospinning technology. The characterizations of the final products have been investigated in detail. It was found that the diameter of the as-prepared fibers were almost uniform with the fabricated complexes doping into PAN successfully. Thermogravimetric analysis indicates that the thermal stability of the pure PAN fiber could be improved by the incorporation of the complex, although only 1 wt % was added. Furthermore, in Eu/Tb(BA)3phen complex, the fluorescence intensity of Eu3+ ions was remarkably increased by adding Tb3+ ions. This is primarily due to an energy transfer from the 5D4 level of Tb (III) to the 5D0 level of Eu (III) ions, where Tb3+ acted as sensitizer. The corresponding luminescent fibers displayed the same regularity as the complexes. Moreover, with the increasing of the incorporation of complexes into PAN, the fluorescence intensities were significantly enhanced and reached its maximum value at 2.5 wt % for Eu(BA)3phen/PAN fibers and 2.0 wt% for Tb(BA)3phen/PAN fibers. The further intensity decreased with the increasing content of the complexes because of typical emission concentration quenching.

  6. Diffusion of Na(I), Cs(I), Sr(II) and Eu(III) in smectite rich natural clay.

    PubMed

    Kasar, Sharayu; Kumar, Sumit; Bajpai, R K; Tomar, B S

    2016-01-01

    Diffusion of Na(I), Cs(I), Sr(II) and Eu(III) in smectite rich natural clay, proposed as a backfill material in the Indian geological repository, was studied using the out-diffusion method. Radiotracers (22)Na, (137)Cs, (85)Sr and (154)Eu were used; the first three are carrier-free enabling experimental work at sub-micromolar metal ion concentration, and Eu(III) tracer (154)Eu was used at sub millimolar concentration. An out-diffusion methodology, wherein a thin planar source of radioactivity placed between two clay columns diffuses out, was used to obtain the apparent diffusion coefficient (Da) values. This methodology enabled determination of diffusion coefficient even for strongly sorbing (154)Eu. Da values for (22)Na, (137)Cs, (85)Sr and (154)Eu were 2.35 (±0.14) × 10(-11), 2.65 (±0.09) × 10(-12), 3.32 (±0.15) × 10(-11) and 1.23 (±0.15) × 10(-13) m(2) s(-1), respectively. Da values were found to be in fair agreement with literature data reported for similar mineralogical sediments. Sorption of radionuclides on the clay was also determined in the present study and differences in Da values were rationalized on the basis of sorption data. Distribution ratios (Kd) for Cs(I) and Eu(III) were higher than that for Sr(II), which in turn was higher than that for Na(I). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Inorganic arsenic levels in rice milk exceed EU and US drinking water standards.

    PubMed

    Meharg, Andrew A; Deacon, Claire; Campbell, Robert C J; Carey, Anne-Marie; Williams, Paul N; Feldmann, Joerg; Raab, Andrea

    2008-04-01

    Under EU legislation, total arsenic levels in drinking water should not exceed 10 microg l(-1), while in the US this figure is set at 10 microg l(-1) inorganic arsenic. All rice milk samples analysed in a supermarket survey (n = 19) would fail the EU limit with up to 3 times this concentration recorded, while out of the subset that had arsenic species determined (n = 15), 80% had inorganic arsenic levels above 10 microg l(-1), with the remaining 3 samples approaching this value. It is a point for discussion whether rice milk is seen as a water substitute or as a food, there are no EU or US food standards highlighting the disparity between water and food regulations in this respect.

  8. Synthesis and effect of Ce and Mn co-doping on photoluminescence characteristics of Ca6AlP5O20:Eu novel phosphors.

    PubMed

    Shinde, K N; Dhoble, S J

    2013-01-01

    A series of Ca6AlP5O20 doped with rare earths (Eu and Ce) and co-doped (Eu, Ce and Eu,Mn) were prepared by combustion synthesis. Under Hg-free excitation, Ca6AlP5O20:Eu exhibited Eu(2+) (486 nm) emission in the blue region of the spectrum and under near Hg excitation (245 nm), Ca6AlP5O20:Ce phosphor exhibited Ce(3+) emission (357 nm) in the UV range. Photoluminescence (PL) peak intensity increased in Ca6AlP5O20:Eu,Ce and Ca6AlP5O20:Eu, Mn phosphors due to co-activators of Ce(3+) and Mn(2+) ions. As a result, these ions played an important role in PL emission in the present matrix. Ca6AlP5O20:Eu, Ce and Ca6AlP5O20:Eu, Mn phosphors provided energy transfer mechanisms via Ce(3+) → Eu(2+) and Eu(2+) → Mn(2+), respectively. Eu ions acted as activators and Ce ions acted as sensitizers. Ce emission energy was well matched with Eu excitation energy in the case of Ca6AlP5O20:Eu, Ce and Eu ions acted as activators and Mn ions acted as sensitizers in Ca6AlP5O20:Eu, Mn. This study included synthesis of new and efficient phosphate phosphors. The impact of doping and co-doping on photoluminescence properties and energy transfer mechanisms were investigated and we propose a feasible interpretation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. The structuring of GMO release and evaluation in EU law.

    PubMed

    von Kries, Caroline; Winter, Gerd

    2012-04-01

    Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their behavior in the environment are complex and can only be assessed if the different components are distinguished. This article examines, how by EU law the real causation processes from the GMO release to various endpoints are dissected, individually analysed and then again viewed in their entirety. In addition, the articles includes, how the intellectual process of assessment is divided into the steps of tiered generation, shared submission and structured evaluation of relevant knowledge. The framework proposed for such an examination allows to identify strengths and weaknesses of GMO risk assessment in the EU. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Charge compensation mechanisms in favor of the incorporation of the Eu3+ ion into the ZnO host lattice

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baira, M.; Bekhti-Siad, A.; Hebali, K.; Bouhani-Benziane, H.; Sahnoun, M.

    2018-05-01

    Eu3+ doped phosphors with charge compensation are potential candidates of red emitting phosphors for lamp applications. Charge compensation improves the luminescence performance of the material. The charge compensation can most probably be achieved by three possible mechanisms: (a) two Zn2+ ions are replaced by one Eu3+ ions and one monovalent cation, 2Zn2+ →Eu3++ Li+, where Li+ is acting as a charge compensator; (b) the charge compensation is provided by a zinc vacancy (VZn) defects, 3Zn2+ → 2Eu3++ VZn, the subscript Zn denotes an ion in a normal zinc site in the lattice; (c) two Zn2+ ions are replaced by one Eu3+ ions with the presence of interstitial oxygen (Oi), 2Zn2+ → 2Eu3++ Oi. Electronic structures of the crystals corresponding to the three models are evaluated by the first-principles quantum mechanical calculations based on the density functional theory. It is found that the charge compensator defects make Eu3+ doping in ZnO energetically more favorable. They break the local symmetry around the Eu3+ ion and lead to deep states below the empty upper band, the conduction band that could facilitate intra-4f shell transitions, which can obviously improve the emission intensity of Eu3+-doped ZnO. Therefore, the effect of these defects on the host crystals electronic band states relative to the Eu3+ states is reported, since both electron transfer and electronically energy transfer processes enhance the performance of optoelectronic devices based on this material. These theoretical insights are helpful for designing rare-earth doped oxide materials with high photoluminescence (PL) performance.

  11. [Accidents and injuries in the EU. Results of the EuroSafe Reports].

    PubMed

    Bauer, R; Steiner, M; Kisser, R; Macey, S M; Thayer, D

    2014-06-01

    Accidents and injuries are a relevant although largely preventable public health problem. Information on the causes of accidents is the basis for accident prevention and product safety. The current report "Injuries in the European Union", edited by EuroSafe, the European Association for Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion, is a summary of key statistics on accidents and injuries at the EU level. In addition to international data on cause of death, the data of the European Injury Data Base (IDB) in particular are presented. The IDB is a unique data source for the EU based on an internationally standardized dataset of external causes and circumstances of injuries, which is collected in the emergency department of hospitals. Thus, the IDB covers the entire spectrum of accidents and injuries in sufficient detail as is necessary for the derivation of preventive measures and the knowledge of involved products. The currently available IDB data are collected by the participating Member States (2012: Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, and Sweden) in self-interest (i.e., without legal obligation) with the support of the EU health programs. The central database for the IDB is run by the European Commission and provides public access to the aggregated data of the participating countries. Currently, over 100 IDB hospitals in the EU upload around 300,000 cases per year into the EU database. The IDB contains information on all accident sectors (transport, workplace, school etc.) with a focus on leisure and sports accidents. Depending on the accident sector, up to 25 variables (activities, products involved, means of transport etc.) and often also short narratives are recorded for each case. The report shows that 40 million people are treated in a hospital annually in the EU after accidents and violence, and that about 233,000 people die as a consequence of injury. There are large differences between countries

  12. Uptake Mechanisms of Eu(III) on Hydroxyapatite: A Potential Permeable Reactive Barrier Backfill Material for Trapping Trivalent Minor Actinides.

    PubMed

    Xu, Lin; Zheng, Tao; Yang, Shitong; Zhang, Linjuan; Wang, Jianqiang; Liu, Wei; Chen, Lanhua; Diwu, Juan; Chai, Zhifang; Wang, Shuao

    2016-04-05

    The permeable reactive barrier (PRB) technique has attracted an increasing level of attention for the in situ remediation of contaminated groundwater. In this study, the macroscopic uptake behaviors and microscopic speciation of Eu(III) on hydroxyapatite (HAP) were investigated by a combination of theoretical modeling, batch experiments, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) fitting, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The underlying removal mechanisms were identified to further assess the application potential of HAP as an effective PRB backfill material. The macroscopic analysis revealed that nearly all dissolved Eu(III) in solution was removed at pH 6.5 within an extremely short reaction time of 5 min. In addition, the thermodynamic calculations, desorption experiments, and PXRD and XAS analyses definitely confirmed the formation of the EuPO4·H2O(s) phase during the process of uptake of dissolved Eu(III) by HAP via the dissolution-precipitation mechanism. A detailed comparison of the present experimental findings and related HAP-metal systems suggests that the relative contribution of precipitation to the total Eu(III) removal increases as the P:Eu ratio decreases. The dosage of HAP-based PRB for the remediation of groundwater polluted by Eu(III) and analogous trivalent actinides [e.g., Am(III) and Cm(III)] should be strictly controlled depending on the dissolved Eu(III) concentration to obtain an optimal P:M (M represents Eu, Am, or Cm) ratio and treatment efficiency.

  13. Tunable Luminescence in Sr2MgSi2O7:Tb3+, Eu3+Phosphors Based on Energy Transfer

    PubMed Central

    Li, Minhong; Wang, Lili; Ran, Weiguang; Deng, Zhihan; Shi, Jinsheng; Ren, Chunyan

    2017-01-01

    A series of Tb3+, Eu3+-doped Sr2MgSi2O7 (SMSO) phosphors were synthesized by high temperature solid-state reaction. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, Rietveld refinement, photoluminescence spectra (PL), and luminescence decay curves were utilized to characterize each sample’s properties. Intense green emission due to Tb3+ 5D4→7F5 transition was observed in the Tb3+ single-doped SMSO sample, and the corresponding concentration quenching mechanism was demonstrated to be a diople-diople interaction. A wide overlap between Tb3+ emission and Eu3+ excitationspectraresults in energy transfer from Tb3+ to Eu3+. This has been demonstrated by the emission spectra and decay curves of Tb3+ in SMSO:Tb3+, Eu3+ phosphors. Energy transfer mechanism was determined to be a quadrupole-quadrupole interaction. And critical distance of energy transfer from Tb3+ to Eu3+ ions is calculated to be 6.7 Å on the basis of concentration quenching method. Moreover, white light emission was generated via adjusting concentration ratio of Tb3+ and Eu3+ in SMSO:Tb3+, Eu3+ phosphors. All the results indicate that SMSO:Tb3+, Eu3+ is a promising single-component white light emitting phosphor. PMID:28772587

  14. Luminescence study on Eu3+ doped Y2O3 nanoparticles: particle size, concentration and core-shell formation effects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Robindro Singh, L.; Ningthoujam, R. S.; Sudarsan, V.; Srivastava, Iti; Dorendrajit Singh, S.; Dey, G. K.; Kulshreshtha, S. K.

    2008-02-01

    Nanoparticles of Eu3+ doped Y2O3 (core) and Eu3+ doped Y2O3 covered with Y2O3 shell (core-shell) are prepared by urea hydrolysis for 3 h in ethylene glycol medium at a relatively low temperature of 140 °C, followed by heating at 500 and 900 °C. Particle sizes determined from x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopic studies are 11 and 18 nm for 500 and 900 °C heated samples respectively. Based on the luminescence studies of 500 and 900 °C heated samples, it is confirmed that there is no particle size effect on the peak positions of Eu3+ emission, and optimum luminescence intensity is observed from the nanoparticles with a Eu3+ concentration of 4-5 at.%. A luminescence study establishes that the Eu3+ environment in amorphous Y (OH)3 is different from that in crystalline Y2O3. For a fixed concentration of Eu3+ doping, there is a reduction in Eu3+ emission intensity for core-shell nanoparticles compared to that of core nanoparticles, and this has been attributed to the concentration dilution effect. Energy transfer from the host to Eu3+ increases with increase of crystallinity.

  15. Dopant concentration dependent optical and X-Ray induced photoluminescence in Eu3+ doped La2Zr2O7

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pokhrel, Madhab; Brik, Mikhail; Mao, Yuanbing

    2015-03-01

    Herein, we will be presenting the dopant (Eu) concentration dependent high density La2Zr2O7 nanoparticles for optical and X-ray scintillation applications by use of X - ray diffraction, Raman, FTIR, scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), optically and X-ray excited photoluminescence (PL). Several theoretical methods have been used in order to investigate the structural, electronic, optical, elastic, dynamic properties of Eu doped La2Zr2O7. It is observed that Eu: La2Zr2O7 shows an intense red luminescence under 258, 322, 394 and 465 nm excitation. The optical intensity of Eu: La2Zr2O7 depends on the dopant concentration of Eu3+. Following high energy excitation with X-rays, Eu: La2Zr2O7 shows an atypical Eu PL response (scintillation) with a red emission. The intense color emission of Eu obtained under 258 nm excitation, the X-ray induced luminescence property along with reportedly high density of La2Zr2O7, makes these nanomaterials attractive for optical and X-ray applications. The authors thank the support from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) of the U.S. Department of Defense (Award #HDTRA1-10-1-0114).

  16. Eu-doped BaTiO₃powder and film from sol-gel process with polyvinylpyrrolidone additive.

    PubMed

    García-Hernández, Margarita; García-Murillo, Antonieta; de J Carrillo-Romo, Felipe; Jaramillo-Vigueras, David; Chadeyron, Geneviève; De la Rosa, Elder; Boyer, Damien

    2009-09-17

    Transparent BaTiO(3):Eu(3+) films were prepared via a sol-gel method and dip-coating technique, using barium acetate, titanium butoxide, and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as modifier viscosity. BaTiO(3):Eu(3+) films ~500 nm thick, crystallized after thermal treatment at 700 masculineC. The powders revealed spherical and rod shape morphology. The optical quality of films showed a predominant band at 615 nm under 250 nm excitation. A preliminary luminescent test provided the properties of the Eu(3+) doped BaTiO(3).

  17. Effects of Eu and Sm on Methylobacterium sp.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hibi, Yoshihisa; Okuda, Masayo; Sakuma, Ryusuke; Iwama, Tomonori; Kawai, Keiichi

    Eu and Sm have been widely used in high technology products. In this study the authors isolated a soil bacterium, identified as Methylobacterium sp. MAFF211642, which exhibited colonies on 1/100 nutrient agar, supplemented by 30µM Eu and Sm; the soil bacterium was found to exhibit larger colonies than those in the absence of these elements. However, when 0.5% methanol was added to the nutrient agar, only Sm was found to stimulate the growth. Other rare earth and metal elements did not affect or inhibit, regardless of the presence of methanol. Addition of both Sm and methanol to the nutrient broth increased the growth of this strain 10-fold in colony forming unit larger than when both were absent. When both methanol and Sm were added to the nutrient broth, specific activity of methanol dehydrogenase in a crude extract of the bacterium increased approximately 5.4-fold.

  18. Heterocellular interaction enhances recruitment of {alpha} and {beta}-catenins and ZO-2 into functional gap-junction complexes and induces gap junction-dependant differentiation of mammary epithelial cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Talhouk, Rabih S.; Mroue, Rana; Mokalled, Mayssa

    2008-11-01

    Gap junctions (GJ) are required for mammary epithelial differentiation. Using epithelial (SCp2) and myoepithelial-like (SCg6) mouse-derived mammary cells, the role of heterocellular interaction in assembly of GJ complexes and functional differentiation ({beta}-casein expression) was evaluated. Heterocellular interaction is critical for {beta}-casein expression, independent of exogenous basement membrane or cell anchoring substrata. Functional differentiation of SCp2, co-cultured with SCg6, is more sensitive to GJ inhibition relative to homocellular SCp2 cultures differentiated by exogenous basement membrane. Connexin (Cx)32 and Cx43 levels were not regulated across culture conditions; however, GJ functionality was enhanced under differentiation-permissive conditions. Immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated association of junctional complexmore » components ({alpha}-catenin, {beta}-catenin and ZO-2) with Cx32 and Cx43, in differentiation conditions, and additionally with Cx30 in heterocellular cultures. Although {beta}-catenin did not shuttle between cadherin and GJ complexes, increased association between connexins and {beta}-catenin in heterocellular cultures was observed. This was concomitant with reduced nuclear {beta}-catenin, suggesting that differentiation in heterocellular cultures involves sequestration of {beta}-catenin in GJ complexes.« less

  19. Sensitizing Tb(III) and Eu(III) emission with triarylboron functionalized 1,3-diketonato ligands.

    PubMed

    Smith, Larissa F; Blight, Barry A; Park, Hee-Jun; Wang, Suning

    2014-08-04

    Four BMes2Ar (Mes = mesityl, Ar = phenyl or duryl) functionalized 1,3-diketonato ligands have been investigated for use in selective sensitization of Tb(III) and Eu(III) emission. These ligands have the general formula of [R1C(O)CR2C(O)R3](-) (R1 = Ph, R2 = H, R3 = p-Ph-BMes2, L1; R1 = R3 = p-Ph-BMes2, R2 = H, L2; R1 = R3 = Me, R2 = p-Ph-BMes2, L3; R1 = R3 = Me, R2 = p-duryl-BMes2, L4) and belong to class I (L1 and L2) and class II (L3 and L4), respectively. In class I, the boron unit is conjugated with the phenyl linker and the diketone backbone, while in class II, the boron unit, the linker unit, and the diketone unit are nonconjugated with a mutually orthogonal arrangement. To understand the impact of the location of the BMes2Ar unit on the electronic properties of the 1,3-diketone molecules and their ability in activating lanthanide emission, the difluoroboron chelate compounds (1-BF2 to 4-BF2) of ligands L1-L4 were synthesized and examined. The class I ligands were effective in activating Eu(III) emission, while the class II ligands were effective in activating Tb(III) emission. Four Ln(III) complexes, 1Eu, 2Eu, 3Tb, and 4Tb, based on the L1-L4 ligands, respectively, were prepared and examined. The emission quantum efficiency of 1Eu and 2Eu is low (Φ(Eu) ≤ 0.01 in THF, 0.07-0.13 in the solid state), but can be greatly enhanced by the addition of fluoride ions. In contrast, the complex 4Tb has a moderate emission efficiency (Φ(Tb) = 0.14 in THF, 0.47 in the solid state) and experiences a distinct emission quenching upon the addition of fluoride. The selective sensitization of Eu(III) and Tb(III) by L1-L4 and the distinct luminescent response of their Ln(III) complexes toward fluoride ions are caused by the distinct intraligand charge transfer transitions of the two different classes of ligands involving the BMes2 unit.

  20. A new BaB{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 8}:Eu{sup 2+}/Eu{sup 3+}, Tb{sup 3+} phosphor - Synthesis and photoluminescence properties

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Saradhi, M.P.; Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Yeddumailaram, Hyderabad - 502205; Laboratoire de Cristallographie et Sciences des Materiaux, ENSICAEN, Universite de Caen, CNRS, 6 Bd Marechal Juin, F-14050 Caen

    2010-10-15

    In the present work, we have synthesized maleevite mineral phase BaB{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 8} for the first time, which is isostructural with the pekovite mineral SrB{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 8}. In these europium doped host lattices, we observed the partial reduction of Eu{sup 3+} to Eu{sup 2+} at high temperature during the synthesis in air. Tb{sup 3+} co-doping in MB{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 8}:0.01(Eu{sup 3+}/Eu{sup 2+}) [M=Sr, Ba] improves the emission properties towards white light. The emission color varies from bluish white to greenish white under UV lamp excitation when the host cation changes from Sr to Ba. - Graphical abstract: Themore » figure shows structure refinement of both MB{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 8} [M=Sr, Ba]. The structure refinement of newly synthesized phase BaB{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 8} was carried out by taking SrB{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 8} as starting structure model. Inset in the figure shows the structure projection of BaB{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 8}. The Sr{sup 2+}/Ba{sup 2+} are embedded in polyanionic network formed by corner sharing BO{sub 4}{sup 5-} and SiO{sub 4}{sup 4-} tetrahedral that intern form interconnected layers of 4 and 8 membered rings perpendicular to b-axis.« less

  1. Photoluminescence and electrical properties of Eu-doped (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3 ferroelectric single crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Haiwu; Zhao, Xiangyong; Deng, Hao; Chen, Chao; Lin, Di; Li, Xiaobing; Yan, Jun; Luo, Haosu

    2014-02-01

    Eu3+-doped Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 (Eu:NBT) single crystals were grown by a top-seeded solution growth method. Photoluminescence emission and excitation spectra of Eu:NBT were investigated. The two transitions in 7F0 → 5D0 excitation spectra reveal that Eu3+ ions were incorporated into two adjacent crystallographic sites in NBT, i.e., Bi3+ and Na+ sites. The former has a symmetrical surrounding, while the later has a disordered environment, which was confirmed by decay curve measurements. The dielectric dispersion behavior was depressed and the piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties were improved after Eu doping.

  2. Stress- and Rho-activated ZO-1–associated nucleic acid binding protein binding to p21 mRNA mediates stabilization, translation, and cell survival

    PubMed Central

    Nie, Mei; Balda, Maria S.; Matter, Karl

    2012-01-01

    A central component of the cellular stress response is p21WAF1/CIP1, which regulates cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation. Inflammation and cell stress often up-regulate p21 posttranscriptionally by regulatory mechanisms that are poorly understood. ZO-1–associated nucleic acid binding protein (ZONAB)/DbpA is a Y-box transcription factor that is regulated by components of intercellular junctions that are affected by cytokines and tissue damage. We therefore asked whether ZONAB activation is part of the cellular stress response. Here, we demonstrate that ZONAB promotes cell survival in response to proinflammatory, hyperosmotic, and cytotoxic stress and that stress-induced ZONAB activation involves the Rho regulator GEF-H1. Unexpectedly, stress-induced ZONAB activation does not stimulate ZONAB’s activity as a transcription factor but leads to the posttranscriptional up-regulation of p21 protein and mRNA. Up-regulation is mediated by ZONAB binding to specific sites in the 3′-untranslated region of the p21 mRNA, resulting in mRNA stabilization and enhanced translation. Binding of ZONAB to mRNA is activated by GEF-H1 via Rho stimulation and also mediates Ras-induced p21 expression. We thus identify a unique type of stress and Rho signaling activated pathway that drives mRNA stabilization and translation and links the cellular stress response to p21 expression and cell survival. PMID:22711822

  3. The synthesis and luminescence properties of a novel red-emitting phosphor: Eu3+-doped Ca9La(PO4)7

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liang, Zehui; Mu, Zhongfei; Wang, Qiang; Zhu, Daoyun; Wu, Fugen

    2017-10-01

    A series of novel red-emitting phosphors Ca9La1- x (PO4)7: xEu3+ were synthesized by high-temperature solid state reactions. The photoluminescence excitation and photoluminescence spectra of these phosphors were investigated in detail. O2--Eu3+ charge transfer band peaking at about 261 nm is dominant in the PLE spectra of Eu3+-doped Ca9La(PO4)7, indicating that the phosphors are suitable for tricolor fluorescent lamps. The phosphors also show a good absorption in near ultraviolet (around 395 nm) and blue (around 465 nm) spectral region, which indicates that it can be pumped with NUV and blue chips for white light-emitting diodes. The transition of 5D0 → 7F2 of Eu3+ in this lattice can emit bright red light. Ca9La(PO4)7 could accommodate a large amount of Eu3+ with an optimal concentration of 60 mol%. The dipole-dipole interaction between Eu3+ is the dominant mechanism for concentration quenching of Eu3+. The calculated color coordinates lie in red region ( x = 0.64, y = 0.36), which is close to Y2O3: 0.05Eu3+ ( x = 0.65, y = 0.34). The integral emission intensity of Ca9La0.4(PO4)7: 0.6Eu3+ is 1.9 times stronger than that of widely used commercial red phosphor Y2O3: 0.05Eu3+. All these results indicate that Eu3+-doped Ca9La(PO4)7 is a promising red-emitting phosphor which can be used in tricolor fluorescent lamps and white light-emitting diodes.

  4. Eu3 + amidst ionic copper in glass: Enhancement through energy transfer from Cu+, or quenching by Cu2 +?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiménez, José A.

    2017-02-01

    A barium-phosphate glass system doped with europium(III) and containing a high concentration of copper(I) together with a copper(II) remnant has been studied spectroscopically. The main object is to elucidate whether the orange-red emission of Eu3 + ions succeeds through sensitization via luminescent Cu+ ions or else is preferentially quenched by non-radiative transfer to Cu2 +. A characterization of the melt-quenched glass was first performed by UV/Vis optical absorption, 31P nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared absorption spectroscopy. A photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and emission decay dynamics assessment was subsequently performed. Despite the concentration of Cu+ being estimated to be much higher than that of Cu2 +, the data shows that quenching of Eu3 + PL by Cu2 + dominates. The lifetime analysis of emitting centers Cu+ and Eu3 + points to the origin of the manifestation being that the Eu3 + → Cu2 + non-radiative transfer rate responsible for the quenching is almost two times higher than that for the Cu+ → Eu3 + transfer accountable for the enhancement. Finally, an effort was made for the determination of Cu2 + in the glass containing Cu+, Cu2 + and Eu3 + ions based on the Eu3 + (5D0) emission decay rates. It was found to be in excellent agreement with the UV/Vis spectrophotometric approach, thus supporting the utility of Eu3 + ions for optical sensing of copper(II) in the solid state.

  5. The agricultural water footprint of EU river basins

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vanham, Davy

    2014-05-01

    This work analyses the agricultural water footprint (WF) of production (WFprod,agr) and consumption (WFcons,agr) as well as the resulting net virtual water import (netVWi,agr) for 365 EU river basins with an area larger than 1000 km2. Apart from total amounts, also a differentiation between the green, blue and grey components is made. River basins where the WFcons,agr,tot exceeds WFprod,agr,tot values substantially (resulting in positive netVWi,agr,tot values), are found along the London-Milan axis. River basins where the WFprod,agr,totexceeds WFcons,agr,totare found in Western France, the Iberian Peninsula and the Baltic region. The effect of a healthy (HEALTHY) and vegetarian (VEG) diet on the WFcons,agr is assessed, as well as resulting changes in netVWi,agr. For HEALTHY, the WFcons,agr,tot of most river basins decreases (max 32%), although in the east some basins show an increase. For VEG, in all but one river basins a reduction (max 46%) in WFcons,agr,tot is observed. The effect of diets on the WFcons,agrof a river basin has not been carried out so far. River basins and not administrative borders are the key geographical entity for water management. Such a comprehensive analysis on the river basin scale is the first in its kind. Reduced river basin WFcons,agrcan contribute to sustainable water management both within the EU and outside its borders. They could help to reduce the dependency of EU consumption on domestic and foreign water resources.

  6. Syntheses of Eu-Activated Alkaline Earth Fluoride MF2 (M=Ca, Sr) Nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hong, Byung-Chul; Kawano, Katsuyasu

    2007-09-01

    The Eu2+ ion-activated CaF2 and SrF2 nanoparticles were prepared by the sol-gel technique assisted with the trifluoro-acetic acid (TFA), and were evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL), photoluminescence excitation (PLE) measurements and atomic force microscopy (AFM) observation. A modified reducing method based on the thermal-carbon reducing atmosphere (TCRA) treatment using activated carbon was proposed to realize the effective reduction from Eu3+ to Eu2+ ions, in which the nanoparticles showed a strong and broad luminescence due to the parity allowed 4f7-4f65d1 transition. From the XRD results, it was found that the average particle size proportionally increased in the range of 15 to 120 nm and 10 to 100 nm for CaF2 and SrF2, respectively, with increasing sintering temperatures 300-700 °C. The surface images of nanoparticles obtained by the AFM revealed that the grains with high uniformity grew with increasing TCRA temperatures. It was confirmed that the reduced Eu2+ ions were homogeneously dispersed with the critical distance 16-17 Å in the fluoride nanoparticles from the concentration quenching results.

  7. Red photoluminescent property and modification of WO3:Eu3+ inverse opal for blue light converted LEDs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ruan, Jiufeng; Yang, Zhengwen; Huang, Anjun; Chai, Zhuangzhuang; Qiu, Jianbei; Song, Zhiguo

    2018-01-01

    Blue light converted light-emitting diodes is of great significance as a candidate for next generation lighting. In this work, the WO3:Eu3+ inverse opal photonic crystals were prepared and their luminescence properties were studied. The results demonstrated that the main excitation peak of WO3:Eu3+ inverse opals were located at 465 nm. The red luminescence peak at the 613 nm was observed in the WO3:Eu3+ inverse opal upon 465 nm excitation, exhibiting better red color purity. The influence of photonic band gap on the photoluminescence of WO3:Eu3+ inverse opal was obtained. When the red luminescence peak is in the regions of the photonic band gap and the edge of the band-gap, the red luminescence suppression and enhancement was observed respectively. The WO3:Eu3+ inverse opals may be a promising candidate for the blue light converted LEDs.

  8. 1D structure of Y2O3:Eu nanorods: controllable synthesis, growth mechanisms and luminescence properties.

    PubMed

    Wang, Qin; Guo, Jing; Jia, Wenjing; Liul, Baocang; Liu, Yongxin; Xu, Guangran; Liu, Yang; Hu, Wenting; Zhang, Jun

    2014-05-01

    Y2O3O:Eu nanorods were successfully synthesized by a facile and effective hydrothermal method in the presence of P123 (EO106PO70EO106) as the surfactant followed by a subsequent heat treatment process. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images indicate that the as-prepared samples consist of nanorods with diameters ranging from 80 nm to 100 nm and grow along the (100) direction. The growth mechanism of the as-obtained Y2O3:Eu nanorods was proposed on the basis of pH-dependent experiments. It is found that the pH is a crucial factor in determining the phase, morphology and luminescence properties of Y2O3:Eu nanorods. The luminescent spectra of Y2O3:Eu nanorods show the strong characteristic dominant emission of the Eu3+ ions at 613 nm.

  9. Near-infrared luminescence from Y2O3:Eu3+, Yb3+ prepared by sol-gel method.

    PubMed

    Xie, Ying; Xiao, Lin J; Yan, Feng Q; Chen, Yong J; Li, Wen Z; Geng, Xiu J

    2014-06-01

    Eu3+ and Yb3+ codoped Y2O3 phosphors were synthesized by the sol-gel method. The phosphors possess absorption in the region of 300-550 nm, exhibiting an intense NIR emission of Yb3+ around 1000 nm, which is suitable for matching the maximum spectral response of c-Si solar cells. The optimum composition of Eu3+ and Yb3+ codoped Y2O3 was (Y1.94Yb0.04Eu0.02)2O3. It is observed that two-step energy transfer occurs from the 5D2 level of Eu3+ situated around (466 nm) exciting two neighboring Yb3+ ions to the 2F5/2 level (1000 nm). The down-conversion material based on Eu(3+)- Yb3+ couple may have great potential applications in c-Si solar cells to enhance their photovoltaic conversion efficiency via spectral modification.

  10. Synthesis and Luminescence Properties of Orange-Red Phosphors Na Y (WO4)2: Eu3+, Sm3+

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Hong; Chen, Shanyong; Chen, Jinlei

    2017-12-01

    Orange-red phosphors NaY(WO4)2:Eu3+, Sm3+ were successfully synthesised by hydrothermal synthesis method. The photoluminescence (PL) properties were investigated. The PL emission spectrum of Na Y (WO4)2: Eu3+ shows good luminous properties under 398 nm, which mainly located at 596 and 615 nm, with the additional of Sm3+ could broaden and increase emission intensity of Eu3+, which could be suitable for the excitation of UV light emitting diodes (LEDs) (∼400 nm). The PL results indicated that Na Y (WO4)2: Eu3+, Sm3+ may be a promising red phosphor candidate for use in white LEDs.

  11. First-principles calculation on electronic structure and optical property of BaSi{sub 2}O{sub 2}N{sub 2}:Eu{sup 2+} phosphor

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tong, Zhi-Fang, E-mail: tongzhifang1998@126.com; Wei, Zhan-Long; Xiao, Cheng

    The crystal structure, electronic structure and optical properties of BaSi{sub 2}O{sub 2}N{sub 2}:Eu{sup 2+} with varying Eu doping concentrations are computed by the density functional theory (DFT) and compared with experimental results. The results show that the lattice parameters of primitive cells of Ba{sub 1−x}Si{sub 2}O{sub 2}N{sub 2}:Eu{sub x} become smaller and Eu–N bond length shortens as Eu concentration increases. The band structure of Ba{sub 1−x}Si{sub 2}O{sub 2}N{sub 2}:Eu{sub x} exhibits a direct optical band gap and it's propitious to luminescence. The energy differences from the lowest Eu 5d state to the lowest Eu 4f state decrease with increasing Eumore » concentrations. The analysis of simulative absorption spectra indicates that the electron transition from Eu 4f states to 5d states of both Eu and Ba atoms contributes to the absorption of Ba{sub 1−x}Si{sub 2}O{sub 2}N{sub 2}:Eu{sub x}. Under the coupling effect between Eu and Ba, Ba in BaSi{sub 2}O{sub 2}N{sub 2} exhibits longer wavelength absorption and increases absorption efficiency. The emission wavelength is deduced by measuring energy differences from the lowest Eu 5d state to the lowest Eu 4f state, and the result is in good agreement with experimental value within experimental Eu{sup 2+} doping range. - Graphical abstract: The structure and optical property of BaSi{sub 2}O{sub 2}N{sub 2}:Eu{sup 2+} are computed by DFT and its absorption mechanism is analysed. Results show that absorption peak α is from the host lattice absorption. The absorption peaks β, γ and δ are from Eu 4f to Eu 5d and Ba 6s 5d states. The absorption is attributed to the coupling effect of Eu and Ba atom. - Highlights: • The crystal, electronic structure and optical properties of BaSi{sub 2}O{sub 2}N{sub 2}:Eu{sup 2+} are computed by DFT. • The lattice parameters of primitive cells reduces and Eu–N bond length shortens as Eu{sup 2+} increases. • The energy gap from Eu 5d state to Eu 4f state

  12. Dual functions of YF3:Eu3+ for improving photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Jihuai; Wang, Jiangli; Lin, Jianming; Xiao, Yaoming; Yue, Gentian; Huang, Miaoliang; Lan, Zhang; Huang, Yunfang; Fan, Leqing; Yin, Shu; Sato, Tsugio

    2013-01-01

    In order to enhance the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), a novel design is demonstrated by introducing rare-earth compound europium ion doped yttrium fluoride (YF3:Eu3+) in TiO2 film in the DSSC. As a conversion luminescence medium, YF3:Eu3+ transfers ultraviolet light to visible light via down-conversion, and increases incident harvest and photocurrent of DSSC. As a p-type dopant, Eu3+ elevates the Fermi level of TiO2 film and thus heightens photovoltage of the DSSC. The conversion luminescence and p-type doping effect are demonstrated by photoluminescence spectra and Mott-Schottky plots. When the ratio of YF3:Eu3+/TiO2 in the doping layer is optimized as 5 wt.%, the light-to-electric energy conversion efficiency of the DSSC reaches 7.74%, which is increased by 32% compared to that of the DSSC without YF3:Eu3+ doping. Double functions of doped rare-earth compound provide a new route for enhancing the photovoltaic performance of solar cells. PMID:23792787

  13. CTAB-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of YVO 4:Eu 3+ powders in a wide pH range

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Juan; Hojamberdiev, Mirabbos; Xu, Yunhua

    2012-01-01

    Rhombus-, rod-, soya bean- and aggregated soya bean-like YVO 4:Eu 3+ micro- and nanostructures were synthesized by a cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-assisted hydrothermal method at 180 °C for 24 h in a wide pH range. The as-synthesized powders were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The XRD results confirmed the formation of phase-pure YVO 4:Eu 3+ powders with tetragonal structure under hydrothermal process in a wide pH range. Electron microscopic observations evidenced the morphological transformation of YVO 4:Eu 3+ powders from rhombus-like microstructure to rod-, soya bean, and aggregated soya bean-like nanostructures with an increase in the pH of the synthesis solution. The results from the PL measurements revealed that the intensities of PL emission peaks were significantly affected by the morphologies and crystallinity of samples due to the absence of an inversion symmetry at the Eu 3+ lattice site, and the highest luminescence intensity was observed for rod-like YVO 4:Eu 3+ powders.

  14. Fabrication and properties of Eu:Lu2O3 transparent ceramics for X-ray radiation detectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xie, Weifeng; Wang, Jing; Cao, Maoqing; Hu, Zewang; Feng, Yagang; Chen, Xiaopu; Jiang, Nan; Dai, Jiawei; Shi, Yun; Babin, Vladimir; Mihóková, Eva; Nikl, Martin; Li, Jiang

    2018-06-01

    Europium-doped lutetium oxide (Eu:Lu2O3) nano-powders were synthesized by a co-precipitation method from europium and lutetium nitrates using ammonium hydrogen carbonate (AHC) as the precipitant. Fine and low-agglomerated powders with average particle size of 68 nm were obtained by calcining the precursor at 1100 °C for 4 h. Using this powder as starting material, Eu:Lu2O3 transparent ceramics with the average grain size of ∼46 μm were fabricated by vacuum sintering at 1650 °C for 30 h, whose in-line transmittance reaches 66.3% at 611 nm. The influences of air annealing on optical transmittance, decay time, spectroscopic properties, light output and thermally stimulated luminescence of Eu:Lu2O3 ceramics were investigated in detail. Based on radioluminescence spectra, the light output of the annealed Eu:Lu2O3 ceramics is 10 times higher than that of the commercially available BGO single crystal, and it indicates that transparent Eu:Lu2O3 scintillation ceramics is a promising candidate for X-ray radiation detectors.

  15. Synthesis and luminescence properties of Eu3+-doped KLa(MoO4)2 red-emitting phosphor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zuo, Haoqiang; Liu, Yun; Li, Jinyang; Shi, Xiaolei; Gao, Weiping

    2015-09-01

    Eu3+-doped KLa(MoO4)2 phosphors were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis demonstrated that the as-prepared products were pure monoclinic phase of KLa(MoO4)2. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images indicated that the morphology of the prepared phosphors evolved from uniform spherical-like to irregular elliposid-like with increase of the concentration. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra displayed that the phosphors show strong red light around 618 nm, attributed to 5D0 → 7F2 transition of Eu3+ ion under 465 nm excitation, and the optimal Eu3+ doping concentration was about 15 mol.% based on the concentration dependent emission spectra. According to Dexter's theory the electric dipole-dipole interaction (D-D) is the main mechanism for energy transfer between Eu3+ and Eu3+ ions. The CIE chromaticity (x, y) of the phosphors were about (0.65, 0.35) and it is close to the standard red chromaticity of NTSC. Therefore, the phosphors could be used as red phosphors for white light-emitting diodes.

  16. Hydrothermal epitaxy and resultant properties of EuTiO3 films on SrTiO3(001) substrate

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    We report a novel epitaxial growth of EuTiO3 films on SrTiO3(001) substrate by hydrothermal method. The morphological, structural, chemical, and magnetic properties of these epitaxial EuTiO3 films were examined by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution X-ray diffractometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry, respectively. As-grown EuTiO3 films with a perovskite structure were found to show an out-of-plane lattice shrinkage and room-temperature ferromagnetism, possibly resulting from an existence of Eu3+. Postannealing at 1,000°C could reduce the amount of Eu3+, relax the out-of-plane lattice shrinkage, and impact the magnetic properties of the films. PACS 81.10.Aj; 81.15.-z; 61.05.-a PMID:24948889

  17. Two-dimensional magneto-optical light modulation in EuTiO3

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bussmann-Holder, Annette; Roleder, Krystian; Stuhlhofer, Benjamin; Logvenov, Gennady; Simon, Arndt; KöHler, Jürgen

    EuTiO3 is antiferromagnetic at low temperature, namely below TN = 5.7K. In the high temperature paramagnetic phase the strongly nonlinear coupling between the lattice and the nomnially silent Eu 4f7 spins induces magnetic correlations which become apparent in muon spin rotation experiments and more recently in birefringence measurments in an external magnetic field. It is shown here, that high quality films of insulating EuTiO3 deposited on a thin SrTiO3 substrate are versatile tools for light modulation. The operating temperature is close to room temperature and admits multiple device engineering. By using small magnetic fields the birefringence of the samples can be switched off and on. Similarly, rotation of the sample in the field can modify its birefringence Δn. In addition, Δn can be increased by a factor of 4 in very modest fields with simultaneously enhancing the operating temperature by almost 100K. The results can be understood in terms of paramagnon phonon interaction where spin activity is achieved via the local spin-phonon double-well potential.

  18. Support for international trade law: The US and the EU compared

    PubMed Central

    Eckhardt, Jappe; Elsig, Manfred

    2015-01-01

    In this article we compare United States and European Union support for bilateral and multilateral international trade law. We assess the support for international law of both trading blocs by focusing on the following four dimensions: leadership, consent, compliance and internalization. Although we find strong support for international trade law from both the US and the EU in general, we also witness some variation, most notably in relation to the design of preferential trade agreements (PTAs) and compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) law. Turning to explaining these (moderate) differences, we argue that outcomes in US trade policy can best be explained by a domestic political factor, namely the direct influence of interest groups. Although the involvement of societal interests also goes a long way in explaining EU behavior, it does not tell the entire story. We posit that, in EU trade policy, institutions are a particular conditioning factor that needs to be stressed. Moreover, we suggest that foreign policy considerations in managing trade relations have characterized EU’s support for international trade law. PMID:27867316

  19. Luminescence properties of long-lasting phosphor SrMg2(PO4)2:Eu2+, Ho3+, Zr4+

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tang, Wei; Wang, Mingwen; Lin, Wei; Ye, Yaping; Wu, Xue

    2016-12-01

    Novel long lasting phosphors SrMg2(PO4)2:Eu2+, SrMg2(PO4)2:Eu2+, Zr4+, SrMg2(PO4)2:Eu2+, Ho3+ and SrMg2(PO4)2:Eu2+, Ho3+, Zr4+ were synthesized by conventional solid-state reaction method. The luminescent properties were systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction, photoluminescent excitation and emission spectra, as well as thermoluminescence spectrum and decay curves. The XRD patterns indicated that the samples belonged to monoclinic phase and co-doping Eu2+, Ho3+ and Zr4+ ions had no effect on the basic crystal structure. These phosphors emitting purplish blue light is related to the characteristic emission of Eu2+. The afterglow time of Eu2+ activated SrMg2(PO4)2 can be greatly enhanced by the co-doping of Ho3+, Zr4+. After the 365 nm UV light excitation source switching off, the Sr0.92Mg1.95(PO4)2:Eu2+0.01, Zr4+0.05, Ho3+0.07 phosphorescence can be observed for more than 1013 s in the limit of light perception of dark-adapted human eyes (0.32 mcd/m2). Different kinds of TL peaks at 423, 448 and 473 K have appeared, and traps densities have increased compared with the Eu2+ single doped SrMg2(PO4)2 phosphor. By analyzing the TL curve the depths of traps were calculated to be 0.846, 0.896 and 0.946 eV, respectively, which suggested that the co-doping of Ho3+, Zr4+ improved the electron storage ability of material. Besides, the mechanism was discussed in this report.

  20. Strong enhancement effect of silver nanowires on fluorescent property of Eu3+-ligand complexes and desired fluorescent iPP composite materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Yu; Wang, Xinzhi; Tang, Jianguo; Wang, Wei; Wang, Jinping; Belfiore, Laurence A.

    2017-04-01

    In this contribution, we obtained the strong enhancement effect of silver nanowires(AgNWs) on fluorescent property of Eu3+-antenna complexes through the function of the surface plasmon resonance(SPR) effect. The key structural characteristics are: (1) AgNWs are covered by the Eu3+-ligand complex and spaced by SiO2 nano-layer between AgNWs and Eu3+-ligand complex (this structure is marked as AgNWs@SiO2@EuTP), and (2) AgNWs as nano-material with large ratio of length to diameter show their good dispersion and processability in isotactic polypropylene (iPP). We obtained the important data about the optimal spacer thickness of SiO2 is 15 nm that was not found in previous publications. The enhanced intensity of fluorescence of EuTP by AgNWs in AgNWs@SiO2@EuTP is 9 times compared with that of EuTP. All of these outstanding properties and fine structures were characterized by TEM, FT-IR, XRD, and fluorescence spectrophotometer. On the other hand, the desired fluorescent iPP composite material was obtained through blending AgNWs@SiO2@EuTP into iPP host. Very importantly, the enhancement effect of AgNWs on EuTP fluorescence in AgNWs@SiO2@EuTP is refrained from the quenching caused by host polymer of iPP.

  1. The impact of the EU general data protection regulation on scientific research.

    PubMed

    Chassang, Gauthier

    2017-01-01

    The use of personal data is critical to ensure quality and reliability in scientific research. The new Regulation [European Union (EU)] 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data [general data protection regulation (GDPR)], repealing Directive 95/46/EC, strengthens and harmonises the rules for protecting individuals' privacy rights and freedoms within and, under certain conditions, outside the EU territory. This new and historic legal milestone both prolongs and updates the EU acquis of the previous Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC. The GDPR fixes both general rules applying to any kind of personal data processing and specific rules applying to the processing of special categories of personal data such as health data taking place in the context of scientific research, this including clinical and translational research areas. This article aims to provide an overview of the new rules to consider where scientific projects include the processing of personal health data, genetic data or biometric data and other kinds of sensitive information whose use is strictly regulated by the GDPR in order to give the main key facts to researchers to adapt their practices and ensure compliance to the EU law to be enforced in May 2018.

  2. The impact of the EU general data protection regulation on scientific research

    PubMed Central

    Chassang, Gauthier

    2017-01-01

    The use of personal data is critical to ensure quality and reliability in scientific research. The new Regulation [European Union (EU)] 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data [general data protection regulation (GDPR)], repealing Directive 95/46/EC, strengthens and harmonises the rules for protecting individuals’ privacy rights and freedoms within and, under certain conditions, outside the EU territory. This new and historic legal milestone both prolongs and updates the EU acquis of the previous Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC. The GDPR fixes both general rules applying to any kind of personal data processing and specific rules applying to the processing of special categories of personal data such as health data taking place in the context of scientific research, this including clinical and translational research areas. This article aims to provide an overview of the new rules to consider where scientific projects include the processing of personal health data, genetic data or biometric data and other kinds of sensitive information whose use is strictly regulated by the GDPR in order to give the main key facts to researchers to adapt their practices and ensure compliance to the EU law to be enforced in May 2018. PMID:28144283

  3. Synthesis of novel Eu(III) luminescent probe based on 9- acridinecarboxylic acid skelton for sensing of ds-DNA.

    PubMed

    Azab, Hassan A; Hussein, Belal H M; El-Falouji, Abdullah I

    2012-03-01

    Eu(III)-9-acridinecarboxylate (9-ACA) complex was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, conductivity measurement, IR spectroscopy, thermal analysis, mass spectroscopy, (1)H-NMR, fluorescence and ultraviolet spectra. The results indicated that the composition of this complex is [Eu(III)-(9-ACA)(2)(NCS)(C(2)H(5)OH)(2)] 2.5 H(2)O and the oxygen of the carbonyl group coordinated to Eu(III). The interaction between the complex with nucleotides guanosine 5'- monophosphate (5'-GMP), adenosine 5'-diphosphates (5'-ADP), inosine (5'-IMP) and CT-DNA was studied by fluorescence spectroscopy. The fluorescence intensity of Eu(III)-9-acridinecarboxylate complex was enhanced with the addition of CT-DNA. The effect of pH values on the fluorescence intensity of Eu(III) complex was investigated. Under experimental conditions, the linear range was 9-50 ng mL(-1) for calf thymus DNA (CT- DNA) and the corresponding detection limit was 5 ng mL(-1). The results showed that Eu(III)-(9-ACA)(2) complex binds to CT-DNA with stability constant of 2.41 × 10(4) M.

  4. XPS and 31P NMR inquiry of Eu3+-induced structural modification in SnO-containing phosphate glass

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiménez, José A.; Fachini, Esteban Rosim; Zhao, Chunqing

    2018-07-01

    The influence of Eu3+ doping on the structural properties of SnO-containing phosphate glass has been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Oxygen 1s XPS data indicates that the Eu3+ doping results in a higher concentration of non-bridging oxygens in the glass matrix, whereas 31P NMR shows an increase in the terminal phosphate chain tetrahedral units, i.e. the amount of Q1 sites with only one bridging oxygen. Accordingly, both techniques agree with a depolymerization effect induced by the Eu3+ ions. Further, XPS reveals that together with the Eu3+ doping, the presence of Sn4+ is supported while the presence of Eu2+ is also indicated. The structural changes are then indicated to be a consequence of redox chemistry between Sn2+ and Eu3+ promoting a transition of tin from Sn2+ with a role as network former to Sn4+ acting as network modifier in the glass system.

  5. The doping sites in Eu2+-doped AIBIIPO4 phosphors and their consequence on the photoluminescence excitation spectra

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Amer, M.; Boutinaud, P.

    2018-02-01

    The energy corresponding to the excitation edge in Eu2+-doped phosphate phosphors of the type AIBIIPO4 (AI = monovalent cation, BII = divalent cation) is calculated from the knowledge of two crystal-structure-related factors he(X(i)) and Fc(X(i)) which are connected respectively to the crystal field splitting (CFS) and the centroid energy (Ec) of the excited 4f65d1 electron configuration of Eu2+. The calculation is carried out for each cation site X(i) available for Eu2+ in 25 different compositions of AIBIIPO4 including NaZnPO4-Eu2+ for which the luminescence is firstly reported. Our results indicate (1) that is it possible to identify the nature of the cation site that contributes to the excitation edge of Eu2+ in AIBIIPO4 within an accuracy of±1000 cm-1 and (2) that the method can be used as a tool for the predictive design of AIBIIPO4 - Eu2+ phosphors applicable in solid state LED-based lighting.

  6. EU FP7 project 'CAMbrella' to build European research network for complementary and alternative medicine.

    PubMed

    Weidenhammer, Wolfgang; Lewith, George; Falkenberg, Torkel; Fønnebø, Vinjar; Johannessen, Helle; Reiter, Bettina; Uehleke, Bernhard; von Ammon, Klaus; Baumhöfener, Franziska; Brinkhaus, Benno

    2011-01-01

    The status of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) within the EU needs clarification. The definition and terminology of CAM is heterogeneous. The therapies, legal status, regulations and approaches used vary from country to country but there is widespread use by EU citizens. A coordination project funded by the EU has been launched to improve the knowledge about CAM in Europe. The project aims to evaluate the conditions surrounding CAM use and provision in Europe and to develop a roadmap for European CAM research. Specific objectives are to establish an EU network involving centres of research excellence for collaborative projects, to develop consensus-based terminology to describe CAM interventions, to create a knowledge base that facilitates the understanding of patient demand for CAM and its prevalence, to review the current legal status and policies governing CAM provision, and to explore the needs and attitudes of EU citizens with respect to CAM. Based on this information a roadmap will be created that will enable sustainable and prioritised future European research in CAM. CAMbrella encompasses 16 academic research groups from 12 European countries and will run for 36 months starting from January 2010. The project will be delivered in 9 work packages coordinated by a Management Board and directed by a Scientific Steering Committee with support of an Advisory Board. The outcomes generated will be disseminated through the project's website, peer review open access publications and a final conference, with emphasis on current and future EU policies, addressing different target audiences. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  7. Synthesis and spectroscopic behavior of highly luminescent Eu 3+-dibenzoylmethanate (DBM) complexes with sulfoxide ligands

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Niyama, E.; Brito, H. F.; Cremona, M.; Teotonio, E. E. S.; Reyes, R.; Brito, G. E. S.; Felinto, M. C. F. C.

    2005-09-01

    In this paper the synthesis, characterization and photoluminescent behavior of the [RE(DBM) 3L 2] complexes (RE = Gd and Eu) with a variety of sulfoxide ligands; L = benzyl sulfoxide (DBSO), methyl sulfoxide (DMSO), phenyl sulfoxide (DPSO) and p-tolyl sulfoxide (PTSO) have been investigated in solid state. The emission spectra of the Eu 3+-β-diketonate complexes show characteristics narrow bands arising from the 5D 0 → 7F J ( J = 0-4) transitions, which are split according to the selection rule for C n, C nv or C s site symmetries. The experimental Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters ( Ω2 and Ω4), radiative ( Arad) and non-radiative ( Anrad) decay rates, and R02 for the europium complexes have been determined and compared. The highest value of Ω2 (61.9 × 10 -20 cm 2) was obtained to the complex with PTSO ligand, indicating that Eu 3+ ion is in the highly polarizable chemical environment. The higher values of the experimental quantum yield ( q) and emission quantum efficiency of the emitter 5D 0 level ( η) for the Eu-complexes with DMSO, DBSO and PTSO sulfoxides suggest that these complexes are promising Light Conversion Molecular Devices (LCMDs). The lower value of quantum yield ( q = 1%), for the hydrated complex [Eu(DBM) 3(H 2O)], indicates that the luminescence quenching occurs via multiphonon relaxation by coupling with the OH-oscillators from water molecule coordinated to rare earth ion. The pure red emission of the Eu-complexes has been confirmed by ( x, y) color coordinates.

  8. EuPaGDT: a web tool tailored to design CRISPR guide RNAs for eukaryotic pathogens.

    PubMed

    Peng, Duo; Tarleton, Rick

    2015-10-01

    Recent development of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing has enabled highly efficient and versatile manipulation of a variety of organisms and adaptation of the CRISPR-Cas9 system to eukaryotic pathogens has opened new avenues for studying these otherwise hard to manipulate organisms. Here we describe a webtool, Eukaryotic Pathogen gRNA Design Tool (EuPaGDT; available at http://grna.ctegd.uga.edu), which identifies guide RNA (gRNA) in input gene(s) to guide users in arriving at well-informed and appropriate gRNA design for many eukaryotic pathogens. Flexibility in gRNA design, accommodating unique eukaryotic pathogen (gene and genome) attributes and high-throughput gRNA design are the main features that distinguish EuPaGDT from other gRNA design tools. In addition to employing an array of known principles to score and rank gRNAs, EuPaGDT implements an effective on-target search algorithm to identify gRNA targeting multi-gene families, which are highly represented in these pathogens and play important roles in host-pathogen interactions. EuPaGDT also identifies and scores microhomology sequences flanking each gRNA targeted cut-site; these sites are often essential for the microhomology-mediated end joining process used for double-stranded break repair in these organisms. EuPaGDT also assists users in designing single-stranded oligonucleotides for homology directed repair. In batch processing mode, EuPaGDT is able to process genome-scale sequences, enabling preparation of gRNA libraries for large-scale screening projects.

  9. Social Studies Pre-Service Teachers' Views on the EU Membership Process: A Multidimensional Evaluation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gençtürk, Ebru

    2015-01-01

    One of the general purposes of Social Studies is to integrate individuals with the social life by providing accurate knowledge and skills about their environment and society. As well as the role of Social Studies in raising consciousness on EU relations, Social Studies teachers' views about EU membership and the sources of these views are…

  10. X-ray excitation fluorescence spectra of the Eu2+-stabilized VK center in alkaline-earth fluoride mixed-crystal systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kawano, K.; Ohya, T.; Tsurumi, T.; Katoh, K.; Nakata, R.

    1999-11-01

    X-ray excitation fluorescence spectra were investigated for MF2:Eu (M=Ca, Sr, and Ba) and their mixed-crystal systems, Ca1-xSrxF2 and Sr1-xBaxF2 with the same fluorite structure. The UV recombination fluorescence band of the VK center associated with blue emission due to the f-d transition of Eu2+ ions was observed with changing mixture ratios x at room temperature. Two sets of weak spectra due to f-f transitions of Eu3+ ions also appeared in the 500-600-nm wavelength region. The peak wavelengths and the integrated intensities of the observed fluorescence were investigated as a function of the Eu concentration as well as the mixture ratio. For the blue emission of Eu2+, pulsed x-ray excitation resulted in shorter lifetimes (500-800 ns) than optical excitation, suggesting energy transfers between the excited states of VK centers and Eu2+. A kinematical fluorescence mechanism was proposed, taking into account the formation of a close pair of a hopping VK center and an immobile Eu2+ ion followed by an energy transfer from the former to the latter. Based on the calculated fluorescence decay curves best fitted to the response curves by x-ray pulse excitation, the energy transfer rates from VK centers to Eu2+ were estimated.

  11. Cyclosporine A administered during reperfusion fails to restore cardioprotection in prediabetic Zucker obese rats in vivo.

    PubMed

    Huhn, R; Heinen, A; Hollmann, M W; Schlack, W; Preckel, B; Weber, N C

    2010-12-01

    Hyperglycaemia blocks sevoflurane-induced postconditioning, and cardioprotection in hyperglycaemic myocardium can be restored by inhibition of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP). We investigated whether sevoflurane-induced postconditioning is also blocked in the prediabetic heart and if so, whether cardioprotection could be restored by inhibiting mPTP. Zucker lean (ZL) and Zucker obese (ZO) rats were assigned to one of seven groups. Animals underwent 25 min of ischaemia and 120 min of reperfusion. Control (ZL-/ZO Con) animals were not further treated. postconditioning groups (ZL-/ZO Sevo-post) received sevoflurane for 5 min starting 1min prior to the onset of reperfusion. The mPTP inhibitor cyclosporine A (CsA) was administered intravenously in a concentration of 5 (ZO CsA and ZO CsA+Sevo-post) or 10 mg/kg (ZO CsA10+Sevo-post) 5 min before the onset of reperfusion. At the end of reperfusion, infarct sizes were measured by TTC staining. Blood samples were collected to measure plasma levels of insulin, cholesterol and triglycerides. Sevoflurane postconditioning reduced infarct size in ZL rats to 35±12% (p<0.05 vs. ZL Con: 60±6%). In ZO rats sevoflurane postconditioning was abolished (ZO Sevo-post: 59±12%, n.s. vs. ZO Con: 58±6%). 5 mg and 10 mg CsA could not restore cardioprotection (ZO CsA+Sevo-post: 59±7%, ZO CsA10+Sevo-post: 57±14%; n.s. vs. ZO Con). In ZO rats insulin, cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significant higher than in ZL rats (all p<0.05). Inhibition of mPTP with CsA failed to restore cardioprotection in the prediabetic but normoglycaemic heart of Zucker obese rats in vivo. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Dynamic Coordination of Eu-Iminodiacetate to Control Fluorochromic Response of Polymer Hydrogels to Multistimuli.

    PubMed

    Weng, Gengsheng; Thanneeru, Srinivas; He, Jie

    2018-03-01

    New fluorochromic materials that reversibly change their emission properties in response to their environment are of interest for the development of sensors and light-emitting materials. A new design of Eu-containing polymer hydrogels showing fast self-healing and tunable fluorochromic properties in response to five different stimuli, including pH, temperature, metal ions, sonication, and force, is reported. The polymer hydrogels are fabricated using Eu-iminodiacetate (IDA) coordination in a hydrophilic poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) matrix. Dynamic metal-ligand coordination allows reversible formation and disruption of hydrogel networks under various stimuli which makes hydrogels self-healable and injectable. Such hydrogels show interesting switchable ON/OFF luminescence along with the sol-gel transition through the reversible formation and dissociation of Eu-IDA complexes upon various stimuli. It is demonstrated that Eu-containing hydrogels display fast and reversible mechanochromic response as well in hydrogels having interpenetrating polymer network. Those multistimuli responsive fluorochromic hydrogels illustrate a new pathway to make smart optical materials, particularly for biological sensors where multistimuli response is required. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Photoluminescence, optically stimulated luminescence, and thermoluminescence study of RbMgF3:Eu2+

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dotzler, C.; Williams, G. V. M.; Rieser, U.; Robinson, J.

    2009-01-01

    Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and thermoluminescence are observed in polycrystalline RbMgF3:Eu2+ after x-ray, γ-ray, or β irradiation. The main electron traps are F-centers but there are other unidentified traps. The main hole traps at room temperature are probably Eu3+ and thermal or optical stimulation leads to electron-hole recombination at the Eu3+ site and Eu2+ emissions arising from P6J to S87/2 and 4f5d(Eg) to S87/2 transitions. We find that some of the electron traps can be emptied by infrared stimulation and all of the electron traps can be emptied by white light stimulation. The OSL dark decay is long and exceeds 5 days for traps that are emptied by white light stimulation after initial infrared bleaching. Our results show that this compound can be used as a radiation dosimeter for intermediate dose levels where the R87b self-dose does not significantly affect the dose reading.

  14. Tb3+ and Eu3+ doped zinc phosphate glasses for solid state lighting applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jha, Kaushal; Vishwakarma, Amit K.; Jayasimhadri, M.; Haranath, D.; Jang, Kiwan

    2018-04-01

    Tb3+ and Eu3+ doped zinc phosphate (ZP) glasses were prepared by conventional melt-quenching technique and their photoluminescence properties were investigated in detail. For, Tb3+ doped glasses the intense emission was at 545 nm corresponding to 5D4→7F5 transition under 377 nm n-UV excitation. The optimized concentration for Tb3+ doped zinc phosphate glass was 3 mol% and above this concentration quenching takes place. The Eu3+ doped zinc phosphate glass revealed intense emission at 613 nm attributed to the 5D0→7F2 transition under intense 392 nm n-UV excitation. The concentration quenching phenomenon was not observed in the Eu3+ doped ZP glasses. The CIE chromaticity coordinates for 3 mol% Tb3+ and 5 mol% Eu3+ doped ZP glasses were found to (0.283, 0.615) and (0.652, 0.331) lying in the green and red regions, respectively. The above mentioned results indicate that the prepared glass are suitable for application in the field of lighting and display devices.

  15. EuCliD (European Clinical Database): a database comparing different realities.

    PubMed

    Marcelli, D; Kirchgessner, J; Amato, C; Steil, H; Mitteregger, A; Moscardò, V; Carioni, C; Orlandini, G; Gatti, E

    2001-01-01

    Quality and variability of dialysis practice are generally gaining more and more importance. Fresenius Medical Care (FMC), as provider of dialysis, has the duty to continuously monitor and guarantee the quality of care delivered to patients treated in its European dialysis units. Accordingly, a new clinical database called EuCliD has been developed. It is a multilingual and fully codified database, using as far as possible international standard coding tables. EuCliD collects and handles sensitive medical patient data, fully assuring confidentiality. The Infrastructure: a Domino server is installed in each country connected to EuCliD. All the centres belonging to a country are connected via modem to the country server. All the Domino Servers are connected via Wide Area Network to the Head Quarter Server in Bad Homburg (Germany). Inside each country server only anonymous data related to that particular country are available. The only place where all the anonymous data are available is the Head Quarter Server. The data collection is strongly supported in each country by "key-persons" with solid relationships to their respective national dialysis units. The quality of the data in EuCliD is ensured at different levels. At the end of January 2001, more than 11,000 patients treated in 135 centres located in 7 countries are already included in the system. FMC has put the patient care at the centre of its activities for many years and now is able to provide transparency to the community (Authorities, Nephrologists, Patients.....) thus demonstrating the quality of the service.

  16. TL and PL studies on cubic fluoroperovskite single crystal (KMgF3: Eu2+, Ce3+)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Daniel, D. Joseph; Madhusoodanan, U.; Annalakshmi, O.; Ramasamy, P.

    2014-04-01

    The perovskite-like KMgF3 polycrystalline compounds were synthesized by standard solid state reaction technique. Phase purity of the synthesized compounds was analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction technique. Single crystals of (0.2 mol% of EuF3 and CeF3) Co-doped KMgF3 have been grown from melt by using a vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger method. Thermoluminescence (TL) characteristics of KMgF3 samples doped with Eu2+ and Ce3+ have been studied after β-ray irradiation. At ambient conditions the photoluminescence spectra consisted of sharp line peaked of Eu2+ at 360 nm attributed to the f → f transition (6P7/2→8S7/2) could only be observed due to the energy transfer from Ce3+ to Eu2+.

  17. Temporal Trends (1999-2015) in the Impact Factor of Biomedical Journals Published by US and EU Scientific Societies.

    PubMed

    Falagas, Matthew E; Kyriakidou, Margarita; Spais, George; Argiti, Efstathia; Vardakas, Konstantinos Z

    2018-04-19

    The impact factor has emerged as the most popular index of scientific journals' resonance. In this study we aimed to examine the impact factor trends of journals published by scientific bodies in the United States of America (USA) and Europe (EU). We randomly chose 11 categories of Journal of Citation Reports and created three research classes: clinical medicine, laboratory medicine, and basic science. The impact factor values for the years 1999-2015 were abstracted, and the impact factor of US and EU journals was studied through the years. A total of 265 journals were included in the final analysis. The impact factor of US journals was higher than that of EU journals throughout the study period. In addition, for both US and EU journals the median impact factor increased throughout the study period. The rate of annual change in the impact factor throughout the study period was lower for US than EU journals (1.85% versus 3.55%, P=0.019). A higher median annual increase was seen in the impact factor during the period 1999-2008 compared to the period 2009-2015 for both US (P<0.001) and EU (P=0.001) journals. In fact, during the second period the US median impact factor value did not show significant changes (P=0.31), while the EU median impact factor continued to increase (P<0.001). The impact factor of EU journals increased at a significantly higher rate than and approached that of the US journals during the last 16 years.

  18. Measurement of Eu and Yb in aqueous solutions by underwater laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

    DOE PAGES

    Bhatt, Chet R.; Jain, Jinesh C.; Goueguel, Christian L.; ...

    2017-09-13

    In this paper, we report the use of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to detect dissolved Eu and Yb in bulk aqueous solutions. Ten strong emission lines of Eu and one strong emission line of Yb were identified in the underwater LIBS spectra obtained by using Czerny–Turner spectrometer within the wavelength range of 375–515 nm. Temporal evolution of plasma and the effect of laser pulse energy on the spectral emission were studied. Finally, calibration curves using the concentration range from 500 to 10,000 ppm were developed and limits of detection for Eu and Yb were estimated to be 209 andmore » 156 ppm, respectively.« less

  19. Measurement of Eu and Yb in aqueous solutions by underwater laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bhatt, Chet R.; Jain, Jinesh C.; Goueguel, Christian L.

    In this paper, we report the use of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to detect dissolved Eu and Yb in bulk aqueous solutions. Ten strong emission lines of Eu and one strong emission line of Yb were identified in the underwater LIBS spectra obtained by using Czerny–Turner spectrometer within the wavelength range of 375–515 nm. Temporal evolution of plasma and the effect of laser pulse energy on the spectral emission were studied. Finally, calibration curves using the concentration range from 500 to 10,000 ppm were developed and limits of detection for Eu and Yb were estimated to be 209 andmore » 156 ppm, respectively.« less

  20. Synthesis, Structure, White-Light Emission, and Temperature Recognition Properties of Eu/Tb Mixed Coordination Polymers.

    PubMed

    An, Ran; Zhao, Hui; Hu, Huai-Ming; Wang, Xiaofang; Yang, Meng-Lin; Xue, Ganglin

    2016-01-19

    Two series of Eu(III)/Tb(III) coordination polymers, [LnL(glu)]n·2nH2O (Ln = Eu (1), Tb (2)) and [LnL(glu)(H2O)]n (Ln = Eu (3), Tb (4)) [HL = (2-(2-sulfophenyl)imidazo(4,5-f)(1,10)-phenanthroline, H2glu = glutaric acid] have been hydrothermally synthesized by controlling the pH values and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectra, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Isomorphic compounds 1 and 2 exhibit 6-connected 3D network with the pcu topological net, containing left- and right-handed helical chains. Isomorphic compounds 3 and 4 show 3,4-connected 2D new topology with the point symbol of (4(2)·6(3)·8)(4(2)·6). Multicolor luminescence can be tailored from red to green regions by singly varying the mixing molar ratio of Eu(III)/Tb(III) cations. The mixing component of 1Eu/2Tb = 4:6 not only achieves white-light emission with the CIE coordinate of (0.323, 0.339) upon excitation at 405 nm but also presents a temperature recognition property with the significantly high sensitivity of 0.68% per K in the 50-225 K temperature range upon excitation at 370 nm.

  1. Rethinking Sensitized Luminescence in Lanthanide Coordination Polymers and MOFs: Band Sensitization and Water Enhanced Eu Luminescence in [Ln(C15H9O5)3(H2O)3]n (Ln = Eu, Tb).

    PubMed

    Einkauf, Jeffrey D; Kelley, Tanya T; Chan, Benny C; de Lill, Daniel T

    2016-08-15

    A coordination polymer [Ln(C15H9O9)3(H2O)3]n (1-Ln = Eu(III), Tb(III)) assembled from benzophenonedicarboxylate was synthesized and characterized. The organic component is shown to sensitize lanthanide-based emission in both compounds, with quantum yields of 36% (Eu) and 6% (Tb). Luminescence of lanthanide coordination polymers is currently described from a molecular approach. This methodology fails to explain the luminescence of this system. It was found that the band structure of the organic component rather than the molecular triplet state was able to explain the observed luminescence. Deuterated (Ln(C15H9O9)3(D2O)3) and dehydrated (Ln(C15H9O9)3) analogues were also studied. When bound H2O was replaced by D2O, lifetime and emission increased as expected. Upon dehydration, lifetimes increased again, but emission of 1-Eu unexpectedly decreased. This reduction is reasoned through an unprecedented enhancement effect of the compound's luminescence by the OH/OD oscillators in the organic-to-Eu(III) energy transfer process.

  2. A Smart Social Inclusion Policy for the EU: The Role of Education and Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nicaise, Ides

    2012-01-01

    Whereas in 2000 the EU had heralded the knowledge-based society with as its motto "with more and better jobs and stronger social cohesion", the past decade has led to greater inequality and (at best) a status-quo in poverty. EU2020 seems to acknowledge this failure and aims to reconnect social inclusion with the knowledge-based strategy.…

  3. Voltage color tunable OLED with (Sm,Eu)-β-diketonate complex blend

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reyes, R.; Cremona, M.; Teotonio, E. E. S.; Brito, H. F.; Malta, O. L.

    2004-09-01

    Light emission from organic electroluminescent diodes (OLEDs) in which mixed samarium and europium β-diketonate complexes, [Sm 0.7Eu 0.3(TTA) 3(TPPO) 2], was used as the emitting layer is described. The electroluminescence spectra exhibit narrow peaks arising from 4f-intraconfigurational transitions of the Sm 3+ and Eu 3+ ions and a broad emission band attributed to the electrophosphorescence of the TTA ligand. The intensity ratio of the peaks determined by the bias voltage applied to the OLED, together with the ligand electrophosphorescence, allows to obtain a voltage-tunable color light source.

  4. The impact of Septoria tritici Blotch disease on wheat: An EU perspective.

    PubMed

    Fones, Helen; Gurr, Sarah

    2015-06-01

    Zymoseptoria tritici is the causal agent of one of the European Union's most devastating foliar diseases of wheat: Septoria tritici Blotch (STB). It is also a notable pathogen of wheat grown in temperate climates throughout the world. In this commentary, we highlight the importance of STB on wheat in the EU. To better understand STB, it is necessary to consider the host crop, the fungal pathogen and their shared environment. Here, we consider the fungus per se and its interaction with its host and then focus on a more agricultural overview of the impact STB on wheat. We consider the climatic and weather factors which influence its spread and severity, allude to the agricultural practices which may mitigate or enhance its impact on crop yields, and evaluate the economic importance of wheat as a food and animal feed crop in the UK and EU. Finally, we estimate the cost of STB disease to EU agriculture. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  5. Ramifications of codoping SrI2:Eu with isovalent and aliovalent impurities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feng, Qingguo; Biswas, Koushik

    2016-12-01

    Eu2+ doped SrI2 is an important scintillator having applications in the field of radiation detection. Codoping techniques are often useful to improve the electronic response of such insulators. Using first-principles based approach, we report on the properties of SrI2:Eu and the influence of codoping with aliovalent (Na, Cs) and isovalent (Mg, Ca, Ba, and Sn) impurities. These codopants do not preferably bind with Eu and are expected to remain as isolated impurities in the SrI2 host. As isolated defects they display amphoteric behavior having, in most cases, significant ionization energies of the donor and acceptor levels. Furthermore, the acceptor states of Na, Cs, and Mg can bind with I-vacancy forming charge compensated donor-acceptor pairs. Such pairs may also bind additional holes or electrons similar to the isolated defects. Lack of deep-to-shallow behavior upon codoping and its ramifications will be discussed.

  6. The impact of Septoria tritici Blotch disease on wheat: An EU perspective

    PubMed Central

    Fones, Helen; Gurr, Sarah

    2015-01-01

    Zymoseptoria tritici is the causal agent of one of the European Union’s most devastating foliar diseases of wheat: Septoria tritici Blotch (STB). It is also a notable pathogen of wheat grown in temperate climates throughout the world. In this commentary, we highlight the importance of STB on wheat in the EU. To better understand STB, it is necessary to consider the host crop, the fungal pathogen and their shared environment. Here, we consider the fungus per se and its interaction with its host and then focus on a more agricultural overview of the impact STB on wheat. We consider the climatic and weather factors which influence its spread and severity, allude to the agricultural practices which may mitigate or enhance its impact on crop yields, and evaluate the economic importance of wheat as a food and animal feed crop in the UK and EU. Finally, we estimate the cost of STB disease to EU agriculture. PMID:26092782

  7. Determining the structure of tetragonal Y 2WO 6 and the site occupation of Eu 3+ dopant

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Jinping; Xu, Jun; Li, Hexing; Luo, Hongshan; Yu, Xibin; Li, Yikang

    2011-04-01

    The compound Y 2WO 6 is prepared by solid state reaction at 750 °C using sodium chloride as mineralizer. Its structure is solved by ab-initio methods from X-ray powder diffraction data. This low temperature phase of yttrium tungstate crystallizes in tetragonal space group P4/ nmm (No. 129), Z=2, a=5.2596(2) Å, c=8.4158(4) Å. The tungsten atoms in the structure adopt an unusual [WO 6] distorted cubes coordination, connecting [YO 6] distorted cubes with oxygen vacancies at the O 2 layers while other yttrium ions Y 2 form [YO 8] cube coordination. Y 3+ ions occupy two crystallographic sites of 2 c ( C4v symmetry) and 2 a ( D2d symmetry) in the Y 2WO 6 host lattice. With Eu 3+ ions doped, the high resolution emission spectrum of Y 2WO 6:Eu 3+ suggests that Eu 3+ partly substituted for Y 3+ in these two sites. The result of the Rietveld structure refinement shows that the Eu 3+ dopants preferentially enter the 2 a site. The uniform cube coordination environment of Eu 3+ ions with the identical eight Eu-O bond lengths is proposed to be responsible for the intense excitation of long wavelength ultraviolet at 466-535 nm.

  8. Comparative study on Climate Change Policies in the EU and China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bray, M.; Han, D.

    2012-04-01

    Both the EU and China are among the largest CO2 emitters in the world; their climate actions and policies have profound impacts on global climate change and may influence the activities in other countries. Evidence of climate change has been observed across Europe and China. Despite the many differences between the two regions, the European Commission and Chinese government support climate change actions. The EU has three priority areas in climate change: 1) understanding, monitoring and predicting climate change and its impact; 2) providing tools to analyse the effectiveness, cost and benefits of different policy options for mitigating climate change and adapting to its impacts; 3) improving, demonstrating and deploying existing climate friendly technologies and developing the technologies of the future. China is very vulnerable to climate change, because of its vast population, fast economic development, and fragile ecological environment. The priority policies in China are: 1) Carbon Trading Policy; 2) Financing Loan Policy (Special Funds for Renewable Energy Development); 3) Energy Efficiency Labelling Policy; 4) Subsidy Policy. In addition, China has formulated the "Energy Conservation Law", "Renewable Energy Law", "Cleaner Production Promotion Law" and "Circular Economy Promotion Law". Under the present EU Framework Programme FP7 there is a large number of funded research activities linked to climate change research. Current climate change research projects concentrate on the carbon cycle, water quality and availability, climate change predictors, predicting future climate and understanding past climates. Climate change-related scientific and technological projects in China are mostly carried out through national scientific and technological research programs. Areas under investigation include projections and impact of global climate change, the future trends of living environment change in China, countermeasures and supporting technologies of global

  9. Luminescence Spectroscopy and Crystal Field Simulations of Europium Propylenediphosphonate EuH[O 3P(CH 2) 3PO 3] and Europium Glutarate [Eu(H 2O)] 2[O 2C(CH 2) 3CO 2] 3·4H 2O

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Serpaggi, F.; Férey, G.; Antic-Fidancev, E.

    1999-12-01

    The results of investigations on the photoluminescence of two europium hybrid compounds, EuH[O3P(CH2)3PO3] (Eu[diph]) and [Eu(H2O)]2[O2C(CH2)3CO2]3·4H2O (Eu[glut]), are presented. In both compounds one local environment is found for the rare earth (Re) ion and the symmetry of the Re polyhedron is low (Cs) as evidenced by the Eu3+ luminescence studies. The electrostatic crystal field (cf) parameters of the 7F multiplet are obtained by the application of the phenomenological cf theory. The simulations using C2v symmetry for the rare earth ion give good agreement between the calculated and the experimental 7F0-4 energy level schemes. The observed optical data are discussed in relation to the crystal structure of the compounds.

  10. EuCARD 2010: European coordination of accelerator research and development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Romaniuk, Ryszard S.

    2010-09-01

    Accelerators are basic tools of the experimental physics of elementary particles, nuclear physics, light sources of the fourth generation. They are also used in myriad other applications in research, industry and medicine. For example, there are intensely developed transmutation techniques for nuclear waste from nuclear power and atomic industries. The European Union invests in the development of accelerator infrastructures inside the framework programs to build the European Research Area. The aim is to build new accelerator research infrastructures, develop the existing ones, and generally make the infrastructures more available to competent users. The paper summarizes the first year of activities of the EU FP7 Project Capacities EuCARD -European Coordination of Accelerator R&D. EuCARD is a common venture of 37 European Accelerator Laboratories, Institutes, Universities and Industrial Partners involved in accelerator sciences and technologies. The project, initiated by ESGARD, is an Integrating Activity co-funded by the European Commission under Framework Program 7 - Capacities for a duration of four years, starting April 1st, 2009. Several teams from this country participate actively in this project. The contribution from Polish research teams concerns: photonic and electronic measurement - control systems, RF-gun co-design, thin-film superconducting technology, superconducting transport infrastructures, photon and particle beam measurements and control.

  11. Synthesis and Photoluminescent Properties of Nanorod Bundle Ln4O(OH)9NO3:Eu(Ln = Y, Lu) Prepared by Hydrothermal Method.

    PubMed

    Li, Ling; Noh, Hyeon Mi; Liu, Xiaoguang; Moon, Byung Kee; Choi, Byung Chun; Jeong, Jung Hyun

    2015-07-01

    Well-crystallized nanorod bundles Ln4O(OH)9NO3:1%Eu(Ln = Y, Lu) have been successfully prepared by hydrothermal method. The crystalline phase, size and optical properties were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), infrared (IR) spectrograph and photoluminescent (PL) spectra. Site occupations of Eu3+ in crystals Ln4O(OH)9NO3:Eu(Ln = Y, Lu) were discussed based on excitation spectra and the empirical relationship formula between the charge transfer (CT) energy and the environmental factor. The emission spectra exhibited that the strongest emission peaks with an excitation wavelength of 395 nm were at 617 and 626 nm in crystal Lu4O(OH)9NO3:1%Eu and Y4O(OH)9NO3:1%Eu, respectively, both of which come from 5D0-7F2 transition of the Eu3+ ions. The broad excitation peaks at about 254 and 255 nm were found when monitored at 617 and 628 nm in crystal Lu4O(OH)9NO3:1%Eu and Y4O(OH)9NO3:1%Eu, respectively, which were due to O-Eu CT transition. Based on the dielectric theory of complex crystal, the CT bands at about 254 and 255 nm in Ln4O(OH)9NO3:1%Eu(Ln = Y, Lu) were assigned to the transition of O-Eu at Ln3(Ln = Y, Lu) site, from which we can conclude that Eu3+ ions occupied the site of Ln3(Ln = Y, Lu) in crystal Ln4O(OH)9NO3:1%Eu(Ln = Y, Lu). It put forward a new route to investigate site occupation of luminescent center ions in rare earth doped complex inorganic luminescence materials.

  12. Photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence properties of Eu{sup 3+} ions activated AMoO{sub 4} (A = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) phosphors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Du, Peng; Yu, Jae Su, E-mail: jsyu@khu.ac.kr

    2015-10-15

    Highlights: • Under 393 nm excitation, strong red emission located at 615 nm was observed in all the samples. • The Eu{sup 3+}-activated CaMoO{sub 4} phosphor exhibited the strongest PL properties. • The CIE chromaticity coordinate of Eu{sup 3+}-activated CaMoO{sub 4} phosphor was (0.647,0.352). • The color purity of Eu{sup 3+}-activated CaMoO{sub 4} phosphor was 92.8%. • Strong CL properties were observed in the Eu{sup 3+}-activated CaMoO{sub 4} phosphor. - Abstract: Eu{sup 3+}-activated AMoO{sub 4} (A = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) phosphors were synthesized by a solid-state reaction method. Photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra as well as X-ray diffraction patternsmore » were measured to characterize the fabricated samples. Under 393 nm excitation, strong red emissions located at ∼615 nm corresponding to the {sup 5}D{sub 0} → {sup 7}F{sub 2} transition of Eu{sup 3+} ions were observed in all the samples. Compared with other Eu{sup 3+} ions activated AMoO{sub 4} (A = Mg, Sr, Ba) phosphors, Eu{sup 3+}-activated CaMoO{sub 4} phosphor exhibited the strongest red emission intensity with better Commission Internationale de L’Eclairage chromaticity coordinate and higher color purity. Furthermore, the CL results indicated that the Eu{sup 3+}-activated CaMoO{sub 4} phosphor had excellent luminescence properties.« less

  13. INTRAW, the EU Observatory for raw materials: fostering international cooperation and developing new opportunities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Correia, Victor; Allington, Ruth; Keane, Christopher

    2016-04-01

    A secure supply of raw materials is a European priority that extends beyond country borders and national policies. Recent European initiatives have pioneered the development of an EU strategy on raw materials emphasizing the concept of the "added value chain", which continues to pursue the three pillar strategy to: (1) ensure the fair and sustainable supply of raw materials from international markets, promoting international cooperation with developed and developing countries; (2) foster sustainable supply of raw materials from European sources, and (3) reduce consumption of primary raw materials by increasing resource efficiency and promoting recycling. This contribution presents the Horizon 2020 funded project INTRAW, the objective of which is to establish the European Union's International Observatory for Raw Materials. The creation and maintenance of the European Union's International Observatory for Raw Materials is designed to have a strong impact in two dimensions: 1. To narrow the existing gap in aspects of the raw materials knowledge infrastructure in the EU by providing a link with the same knowledge infrastructure in technologically advanced reference countries. This should contribute to the harmonization of mineral policies all over the EU, by providing data that enables evidence-based policies and appropriate, cost-effective management, planning and adaptation decisions by the public sector. This will benefit businesses, industry and society. The Observatory will also provide to policy makers in the EU and its Member States the data they need to facilitate discussion in multilateral forums. 2. To enable a better alignment of the R&I activities among the individual EU members and international cooperation countries AND between the European Union and international cooperation countries by boosting synergies with international research and innovation programmes. This way the EU's role and scientific capabilities in the raw materials area will be

  14. Proposed re-evaluation of the 154Eu thermal ( n, γ) capture cross-section based on spent fuel benchmarking studies

    DOE PAGES

    Skutnik, Steven E.

    2016-09-22

    154Eu is a nuclide of considerable importance to both non-destructive measurements of used nuclear fuel assembly burnup as well as for calculating the radiation source term for used fuel storage and transportation. But, recent evidence from code validation studies of spent fuel benchmarks have revealed evidence of a systemic bias in predicted 154Eu inventories when using ENDF/B-VII.0 and ENDF/B-VII.1 nuclear data libraries, wherein Eu-154 is consistently over-predicted on the order of 10% or more. Further, this bias is found to correlate with sample burnup, resulting in a larger departure from experimental measurements for higher sample burnups. Here, the bias in Eu-154 is characterized across eleven spent fuel destructive assay benchmarks from five different assemblies. Based on these studies, possible amendments to the ENDF/B-VII.0 and VII.1 evaluations of the 154Eu (n,γ) 155Eu are explored. By amending the location of the first resolved resonance for the 154Eu radiative capture cross-section (centered at 0.195 eV in ENDF/B-VII.0 and VII.1) to 0.188 eV and adjusting the neutron capture width proportional tomore » $$\\sqrt1/E$$, the amended cross-section evaluation was found to reduce the bias in predicted 154Eu inventories by approximately 5–7%. And while the amended capture cross-section still results in a residual over-prediction of 154Eu (ranging from 2% to 9%), the effect is substantially attenuated compared with the nominal ENDF/B-VII.0 and VII.1 evaluations.« less

  15. Proposed re-evaluation of the 154Eu thermal ( n, γ) capture cross-section based on spent fuel benchmarking studies

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Skutnik, Steven E.

    154Eu is a nuclide of considerable importance to both non-destructive measurements of used nuclear fuel assembly burnup as well as for calculating the radiation source term for used fuel storage and transportation. But, recent evidence from code validation studies of spent fuel benchmarks have revealed evidence of a systemic bias in predicted 154Eu inventories when using ENDF/B-VII.0 and ENDF/B-VII.1 nuclear data libraries, wherein Eu-154 is consistently over-predicted on the order of 10% or more. Further, this bias is found to correlate with sample burnup, resulting in a larger departure from experimental measurements for higher sample burnups. Here, the bias in Eu-154 is characterized across eleven spent fuel destructive assay benchmarks from five different assemblies. Based on these studies, possible amendments to the ENDF/B-VII.0 and VII.1 evaluations of the 154Eu (n,γ) 155Eu are explored. By amending the location of the first resolved resonance for the 154Eu radiative capture cross-section (centered at 0.195 eV in ENDF/B-VII.0 and VII.1) to 0.188 eV and adjusting the neutron capture width proportional tomore » $$\\sqrt1/E$$, the amended cross-section evaluation was found to reduce the bias in predicted 154Eu inventories by approximately 5–7%. And while the amended capture cross-section still results in a residual over-prediction of 154Eu (ranging from 2% to 9%), the effect is substantially attenuated compared with the nominal ENDF/B-VII.0 and VII.1 evaluations.« less

  16. Phosphorylation of zona occludens-2 by protein kinase C epsilon regulates its nuclear exportation.

    PubMed

    Chamorro, David; Alarcón, Lourdes; Ponce, Arturo; Tapia, Rocio; González-Aguilar, Héctor; Robles-Flores, Martha; Mejía-Castillo, Teresa; Segovia, José; Bandala, Yamir; Juaristi, Eusebio; González-Mariscal, Lorenza

    2009-09-01

    Here, we have analyzed the subcellular destiny of newly synthesized tight junction protein zona occludens (ZO)-2. After transfection in sparse cells, 74% of cells exhibit ZO-2 at the nucleus, and after 18 h the value decreases to 17%. The mutation S369A located within the nuclear exportation signal 1 of ZO-2 impairs the nuclear export of the protein. Because Ser369 represents a putative protein kinase C (PKC) phosphorylation site, we tested the effect of PKC inhibition and stimulation on the nuclear export of ZO-2. Our results strongly suggest that the departure of ZO-2 from the nucleus is regulated by phosphorylation at Ser369 by novel PKCepsilon. To test the route taken by ZO-2 from synthesis to the plasma membrane, we devised a novel nuclear microinjection assay in which the nucleus served as a reservoir for anti-ZO-2 antibody. Through this assay, we demonstrate that a significant amount of newly synthesized ZO-2 goes into the nucleus and is later relocated to the plasma membrane. These results constitute novel information for understanding the mechanisms that regulate the intracellular fate of ZO-2.

  17. Synthesis, Structure, and Complex Magnetism of MIr 2In 8 (M = Eu, Sr)

    DOE PAGES

    Calta, Nicholas P.; L. Bud’ko, Sergey; Rodriguez, Alexandra P.; ...

    2016-03-07

    In this paper, we report the synthesis, crystal structure, and physical properties of two new polar intermetallic compounds, EuIr 2In 8 and SrIr 2In 8. Both were synthesized in good yield using In metal as a reactive flux medium, enabling the growth of large crystals for physical property measurements. They crystallize in the orthorhombic space group Pbam with the CeFe 2Al 8 structure type, which is sometimes also referred to as the CaCo 2Al 8 structure type. The two analogues have unit cell parameters of a = 13.847(3) Å, b = 16.118(3) Å, and c = 4.3885(9) Å for Mmore » = Eu and a = 13.847(3) Å, b = 16.113(3) Å, and c = 4.3962(9) Å for M = Sr at room temperature. SrIr 2In 8 is a diamagnetic metal with no local magnetic moments on either the Sr or Ir sites, and the diamagnetic contribution from core electrons overwhelms the expected Pauli paramagnetism normally seen in intermetallic compounds. Magnetism in EuIr 2In 8 is dominated by the local Eu moments, which order antiferromagnetically at 5 K in low applied fields. Increasing the field strength depresses the magnetic ordering temperature and also induces a spin reorientation at lower temperature, indicating complex competing magnetic interactions. Finally, low-temperature heat capacity measurements show a significant enhancement of the Sommerfeld coefficient in EuIr 2In 8 relative to that in SrIr 2In 8, with estimated values of γ = 118(3) and 18.0(2) mJ mol –1 K –2, respectively.« less

  18. Copper tolerance in Frankia sp. strain EuI1c involves surface binding and copper transport.

    PubMed

    Rehan, Medhat; Furnholm, Teal; Finethy, Ryan H; Chu, Feixia; El-Fadly, Gomaah; Tisa, Louis S

    2014-09-01

    Several Frankia strains have been shown to be copper-tolerant. The mechanism of their copper tolerance was investigated for Frankia sp. strain EuI1c. Copper binding was shown by binding studies. Unusual globular structures were observed on the surface of the bacterium. These globular structures were composed of aggregates containing many relatively smaller "leaf-like" structures. Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDAX) analysis of these structures indicated elevated copper and phosphate levels compared to the control cells. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis indicated an increase in extracellular phosphate on the cell surface of copper-stressed cells. Bioinformatics' analysis of the Frankia sp. strain EuI1c genome revealed five potential cop genes: copA, copZ, copC, copCD, and copD. Experiments with Frankia sp. strain EuI1c using qRT-PCR indicated an increase in messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of the five cop genes upon Cu(2+) stress. After 5 days of Cu(2+) stress, the copA, copZ, copC, copCD, and copD mRNA levels increased 25-, 8-, 18-, 18-, and 25-fold, respectively. The protein profile of Cu(2+)-stressed Frankia sp. strain EuI1c cells revealed the upregulation of a 36.7 kDa protein that was identified as FraEuI1c_1092 (sulfate-binding periplasmic transport protein). Homologues of this gene were only present in the genomes of the Cu(2+)-resistant Frankia strains (EuI1c, DC12, and CN3). These data indicate that copper tolerance by Frankia sp. strain EuI1c involved the binding of copper to the cell surface and transport proteins.

  19. New luminescent bioprobes Eu(lll)-phloroglucinol derivatives and their spectrofluorimetric, electrochemical interactions with nucleotides and DNA.

    PubMed

    Azab, Hassan Ahmed; Anwar, Zeinab M; Abdel-Salam, Enas T; el-Sayed-Sebak, Mahmoud

    2012-01-01

    Two new ligands derived from phloroglucinol 2-{[(4-methoxy benzoyl)oxy]} methyl benzoic acid[L1] and 2-{[(4-methyl benzoyl)oxy] methyl} benzoic acid[L2] were synthesized. The solid complex Eu(III)-L2 has been synthesised and characterized by elemental analysis, UV and IR spectra. The reaction of Eu(III) with the two synthesized ligands has been investigated in I = 0.1 mol dm(-3) p-toluene sulfonate by cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry. The reaction of Eu (III)-L1 and Eu (III)-L2 binary complexes with nucleotide 5'-AMP, 5'-ADP, 5'-ATP, 5'- GMP, 5'-IMP, and 5'-CMP has been investigated using UV, fluorescence and electrochemical methods. The experimental conditions were selected such that self-association of the nucleotides and their complexes was negligibly small, that is, the monomeric complexes were studied. The interaction of the Eu(III)-L1 or L2 solid complexes with calf-thymus DNA has been investigated by fluorescence and electrochemical methods including cyclic voltammetery(CV), differential pulse polarography (DPP) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) on a glassy carbon electrode. The fluorescence intensity of Eu(III)-L2 complex was enhanced with the addition of DNA. Under optimal conditions in phosphate buffer pH 7.0 at 25 °C the linear range is 3-20 μM for calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) and the corresponding determination limit is 1.8 μM.

  20. The EU pledge for responsible marketing of food and beverages to children: implementation in food companies.

    PubMed

    Jensen, J D; Ronit, K

    2015-08-01

    Increasing political pressure on the food industry's marketing activities stimulated the formation of the collective EU Pledge for responsible marketing of foods and beverages to children. The objective of the study is to evaluate the commitments made by companies in joining the pledge for the purpose of assessing its effectiveness in regulating signatory companies' marketing activities. Data on company commitments in relation to the EU Pledge were collected, analyzed and recalculated in order to enable comparison across companies and with general nutritional recommendations. Data on companies' product portfolio and market orientation were collected from their most recent available annual reports. Data on the companies' product profiles were generated via review of the companies' main websites. Similar data were generated for a reference group of companies outside the EU Pledge. Compared with a reference group of large food and beverage companies, EU Pledge signatory companies have a public image strongly based on products with appeal to children. The EU Pledge sets common standards for regulating signatory companies' marketing behaviour towards children. Further scrutiny of the companies' stated commitments revealed considerable variation in their actual content and in their de facto bindingness on the companies' marketing behavior--for example, in the definition of target audience for advertising or in nutritional characteristics making products eligible for advertising to children. In order for voluntary self-regulation schemes such as the EU Pledge to be a credible alternative to public regulation of marketing behaviour, more transparency and stringency are needed.