http://www.hindawi.com The latest articles from Hindawi Publishing Corporation © 2013 , Hindawi Publishing Corporation . All rights reserved. Wed, 15 May 2013 09:06:19 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/217268/ Oxides RBa2Cu3O6+δ (R=Y, Nd) subjected to mechanical activation in AGO-2 mill have been studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermal analysis, and magnetometry. It has been shown that mechanoactivation accelerates chemical degradation under the impact of H2O and CO2 in YBa2Cu3O6+δ samples. Degradation occurs in the standard way. Investigation of mechanically activated NdBa2Cu3O6+δ has revealed other results. It has been suggested that CO2 can diffuse into its structure more freely than in YBa2Cu3O6+δ; as a result, carbonization may proceed directly in the volume of NdBa2Cu3O6+δ and independently of the hydrolysis process. In addition, the mechanism of interaction between the oxide and water is not active and not “traditional” for the homologous series REBa2Cu3O6+δ (where RE = rare earth and Y)—the characteristic “color” phase (Nd2BaCuO5) is not formed during hydrolysis. It is known that high-temperature treatment of NdBa2Cu3O6+δ oxide results in partial substitution of cations Ba by Nd; which is accompanied by decrease in the superconducting transition temperature and formation of the impurity phase Ba2Cu3O5+y. According to our data, mechanical activation of the resulting solid solution Nd1+xBa2−xCu3O6+δ unexpectedly has led to the reverse redistribution of cations, which has been manifested in the complete disappearance of the impurity phase and increase in . A. V. Fetisov, G. A. Kozhina, S. Kh. Estemirova, V. B. Fetisov, V. Ya. Mitrofanov, S. A. Uporov, and L. B. Vedmid' Copyright © 2013 A. V. Fetisov et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 02 May 2013 14:31:56 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/841409/ The inclusion complexes of selected sunscreen agents, namely, oxybenzone (Oxy), octocrylene (Oct), and ethylhexyl-methoxycinnamate (Cin) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) were studied by UV-Vis spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), 13C NMR techniques, and molecular mechanics (MM) calculations and modeling. Molecular modeling (MM) study of the entire process of the formation of 1 : 1 stoichiometry sunscreen agent/β-cyclodextrin structures has been used to contribute to the understanding and rationalization of the experimental results. Molecular mechanics calculations, together with 13C NMR measurements, for the complex with β-CD have been used to describe details of the structural, energetic, and dynamic features of host-guest complex. Accurate structures of CD inclusion complexes have been derived from molecular mechanics (MM) calculations and modeling. The photodegradation reaction of the sunscreen agents' molecules in lotion was explored using UV-Vis spectroscopy. It has been demonstrated that the photostability of these selected sunscreen agents has been enhanced upon forming inclusion complexes with β-CD in lotion. The results of this study demonstrate that β-CD can be utilized as photostabilizer additive for enhancing the photostability of the selected sunscreen agents' molecules. Nathir A. F. Al-Rawashdeh, Khaled S. Al-Sadeh, and Mohammad Bassam Al-Bitar Copyright © 2013 Nathir A. F. Al-Rawashdeh et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 02 May 2013 11:30:48 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/272069/ Triglycine sulfate crystals (TGS) are an important class of ferroelectric materials. TGS have attracted many researches because of thier room temperature ferroelectric nature. TGS found wide applications in electronic and optical fields. In present work, pure and ADP-, KDP- (0.2 mol) doped TGSP crystals are grown from solution growth method. Grown crystals are subjected to UV-Vis, IR, and Raman spectral studies. Crystal structure of grown crystals is obtained from powder XRD pattern. Ferroelectric nature of grown crystals is tested using homemade Sawyer-Tower circuit. Electrical conductivity measurements are carried out for pure and doped TGSP crystals. N. Kartheeswari and K. Viswanathan Copyright © 2013 N. Kartheeswari and K. Viswanathan. All rights reserved. Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:45:29 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/796984/ Five simple, accurate, and sensitive spectrophotometric methods (A–E) have been described for the indirect assay of pipazethate HCl (PZT) either in pure form or in pharmaceutical preparations. The proposed methods are based on the bromination of pipazethate HCl with a solution of excess bromate-bromide mixture in hydrochloric acid medium and subsequent estimation of the residual bromine by different reaction schemes. In the first three methods (A–C), the determination of the residual bromine is based on its ability to bleach the color of methyl orange, indigo carmine, or thymol blue dyes and measuring the absorbance at 520, 610, and 550 nm for methods A, B, and C, respectively. Methods D and E involves treating the unreacted bromine with a measured excess of iron(II), and the remaining iron(II) is complexed with 1,10-phenanthroline, and the increase in absorbance is measured at 510 nm for method D and the resulting iron(III) is complexed with thiocyanate and the absorbance is measured at 480 nm for method E. The different experimental parameters affecting the development and stability of the color are carefully studied and optimized. Regression analysis of the Beer-Lambert plots showed good correlation in the concentration ranges of 0.5–8.0 μg . The apparent molar absorptivity, Sandell's sensitivity, detection and quantitation limits were evaluated. The proposed methods have been applied and validated successfully for the analysis of the drug in its pure form and pharmaceutical formulations with mean recoveries of 99.94%–100.15% and relative standard deviation ≤1.53. No interference was observed from a common pharmaceutical adjuvant. Statistical comparison of the results with the reference method shows excellent agreement and indicates no significant difference in accuracy and precision. Ayman A. Gouda Copyright © 2013 Ayman A. Gouda. All rights reserved. Sat, 30 Mar 2013 15:44:49 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/428216/ In the present study, the synthesis of template free zeolite P under hydrothermal condition was investigated. The effects of parameters such as Si/Al ratios (3–45), crystallization temperatures (80–160°C), and cry (40–60 h) on the synthesis of zeolite P were studied. The phase transformation of zeolite P to two types of high crystallinity Y and analcime zeolites due to change of temperature was observed. The effect of temperature on the achievement of two different zeolite types (Y and analcime) with a constant initial synthetic composition under organic free synthesis of zeolite P was studied. The zeolitic products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and IR spectroscopy techniques. Seyed Naser Azizi, Akram Alavi Daghigh, and Maryam Abrishamkar Copyright © 2013 Seyed Naser Azizi et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:20:04 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/139347/ Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and chemometric methods were applied to internal quality control of a Chinese green tea, Longjing, with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). A total of 2745 authentic Longjing tea samples of three different grades were analyzed by NIR spectroscopy. To remove the influence of abnormal samples, The Stahel-Donoho estimate (SDE) of outlyingness was used for outlier analysis. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) was then used to classify the grades of tea based on NIR spectra. Different data preprocessing methods, including smoothing, taking second-order derivative (D2) spectra, and standard normal variate (SNV) transformation, were performed to reduce unwanted spectral variations in samples of the same grade before classification models were developed. The results demonstrate that smoothing, taking D2 spectra, and SNV can improve the performance of PLSDA models. With SNV spectra, the model sensitivity was 1.000, 0.955, and 0.924, and the model specificity was 0.979, 0.952, and 0.996 for samples of three grades, respectively. FT-NIR spectrometry and chemometrics can provide a robust and effective tool for rapid internal quality control of Longjing green tea. Xian-Shu Fu, Lu Xu, Xiao-Ping Yu, Zi-Hong Ye, and Hai-Feng Cui Copyright © 2013 Xian-Shu Fu et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:53:14 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/181485/ This paper reports a study on photo-cross-linkable polymer containing pendant chalcone moiety exhibiting liquid crystalline as well as fluorescence lifetime properties in detail. The photoresponsive polymers were prepared, and their structure has been characterized by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and UV-Visible spectroscopy. The photo-cross-linking behavior of polymers has been studied by UV-Visible and fluorescence spectroscopy. UV spectral studies revealed that the polymers follow cyclo addition reactions when they undergo photo-cross-linking under the influence of UV-light. Number and weight average molecular weight of the polymers were determined by Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) and polydispersity index value near to 1.5. The thermal and thermooxidative stability of the polymers were determined by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). Thermal transitions were studied by DSC, and presence of mesophases was identified at 147 and by hot stage polarized light optical microscopy (HPOM). Fluorescence lifetime measurements using the time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) method reveal that the average lifetime values decrease from 5.94 ns to 5.32 ns on UV-irradiation were discussed in detail. G. Kumar, K. Subramanian, and S. Ganesan Copyright © 2013 G. Kumar et al. All rights reserved. Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:14:30 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/631510/ The influence of pump radiation parameters such as the polarization and the spectral width of infrared radiation on the conversion of broadband radiation in lithium niobate crystals was investigated. The spectra of converted radiation were calculated for two types of phase matching in the negative uniaxial crystal by taking into account the convergence of the light beam in the crystal. Experimental spectra were obtained and compared with the calculated spectra. Man Nen Litvinova, Victor Krishtop, Evgeniy Tolstov, Vladimir Troilin, Larisa Alekseeva, and Veronika Litvinova Copyright © 2013 Man Nen Litvinova et al. All rights reserved. Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:35:03 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/741020/ Electronic configuration (4f76s26p + 4f75d6s6p + 4f75d26p) mixing studies in the high even-parity energy levels of Gd I spectrum have been carried out on the basis of isotope shift (IS) data recorded in 49 spectral lines partially in the visible wavelength region on Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) and the relevant spectral line IS data available in the literature. We employed “Sharing rule” to the experimentally observed level isotope shifts (LIS) of the even-parity levels for finding the percentage composition of each configuration being mixed. An FTS spectrum of Gd I in the region of 365–495 nm acquired employing the highly enriched Gd isotopes in liquid nitrogen cooled hollow cathode lamp (HCL) as a light source and photomultiplier tube as the detector. The studies of altogether 48 even-levels have revealed that amongst the 20 high even parity levels assigned previously to >95% 4f75d6s6p configuration, 10 levels have agreed very well whereas 7 have exhibited large contribution of 4f75d6s6p configuration compared to 4f75d26p configuration and 3 levels have equal contribution of 4f75d6s6p and 4f75d26p configurations. Out of 8 unassigned levels, 6 have dominant 4f75d6s6p configuration compared to 4f75d26p configuration and the remaining two have dominancy in 4f75d26p configuration. B. K. Ankush and M. N. Deo Copyright © 2013 B. K. Ankush and M. N. Deo. All rights reserved. Thu, 28 Feb 2013 08:22:17 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/459032/ We demonstrate the results of a strain (stress) evaluation obtained from Raman spectroscopy measurements with the super-resolution method (the so-called super-resolution Raman spectroscopy) for a Si substrate with a patterned SiN film (serving as a strained Si sample). To improve the spatial resolution of Raman spectroscopy, we used the super-resolution method and a high-numerical-aperture immersion lens. Additionally, we estimated the spatial resolution by an edge force model (EFM) calculation. One- and two-dimensional stress distributions in the Si substrate with the patterned SiN film were obtained by super-resolution Raman spectroscopy. The results from both super-resolution Raman spectroscopy and the EFM calculation were compared and were found to correlate well. The best spatial resolution, 70 nm, was achieved by super-resolution Raman measurements with an oil immersion lens. We conclude that super-resolution Raman spectroscopy is a useful method for evaluating stress in miniaturized state-of-the-art transistors, and we believe that the super-resolution method will soon be a requisite technique. Motohiro Tomita, Hiroki Hashiguchi, Takuya Yamaguchi, Munehisa Takei, Daisuke Kosemura, and Atsushi Ogura Copyright © 2013 Motohiro Tomita et al. All rights reserved. Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:40:03 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/312519/ CaF2 coatings on the surface of BaMgAl10O17:Eu (BAM) were prepared by a sol-gel process, and the optical properties and antithermal degradation properties were analyzed by photoluminescence spectra recorded under 254 nm and 147 nm excitation. The results indicate that BAM particles were successfully coated with CaF2 and CaF2 coatings show an interesting property to enhance the blue emission intensity of BAM. The optimum antithermal degradation properties were obtained at the weight ratio 0.4 wt% under 254 nm excitation and 0.3 wt% under 147 nm excitation, respectively. Feng Li, Ying Yang, Yang Song, Wubao Wang, Wei Yang, and Bingya Yang Copyright © 2013 Feng Li et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:59:23 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/198420/ Distortion of laser-induced fluorescence profiles attributable to optical absorption and saturation broadening was corrected in combination with laser absorption spectroscopy in argon plasma flow. At high probe-laser intensity, saturated absorption profiles were measured to correct probe-laser absorption. At low laser intensity, nonsaturated absorption profiles were measured to correct fluorescence reabsorption. Saturation broadening at the measurement point was corrected using a ratio of saturated to non-saturated broadening. Observed LIF broadening and corresponding translational temperature without correction were, respectively,  GHz and  K and corrected broadening and temperature were, respectively,  GHz and  K. Although this correction is applicable only at the center of symmetry, the deduced temperature agreed well with that obtained by LAS with Abel inversion. S. Nomura, T. Kaneko, G. Ito, K. Komurasaki, and Y. Arakawa Copyright © 2013 S. Nomura et al. All rights reserved. Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:46:24 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/486192/ Nitrogen concentration was measured via 2.52 MeV nitrogen gamma ray from melamine, caffeine, urea, and disperse orange bulk samples using a newly designed D-D portable neutron generator-based prompt gamma ray setup. Inspite of low flux of thermal neutrons produced by D-D reaction-based portable neutron generator and interference of 2.52 MeV gamma rays from nitrogen in bulk samples with 2.50 MeV gamma ray from bismuth in BGO detector material, an excellent agreement between the experimental and calculated yields of nitrogen gamma rays indicates satisfactory performance of the setup for detection of nitrogen in bulk samples. A. A. Naqvi, Faris A. Al-Matouq, F. Z. Khiari, M. A. Gondal, A. A. Isab, Khateeb-ur-Rehman, M. A. Raashid, and M. Dastageer Copyright © 2013 A. A. Naqvi et al. All rights reserved. Sun, 20 Jan 2013 13:30:25 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/214270/ Two Simple, accurate, precise, and rapid spectrophotometric and conductometric methods were developed for the estimation of erythromycin thiocyanate (I), clarithromycin (II), and azithromycin dihydrate (III) in both pure and pharmaceutical dosage forms. The spectrophotometric procedure depends on the reaction of rose bengal and copper with the cited drugs to form stable ternary complexes which are extractable with methylene chloride, and the absorbances were measured at 558, 557, and 560 nm for (I), (II), and (III), respectively. The conductometric method depends on the formation of an ion-pair complex between the studied drug and rose bengal. For the spectrophotometric method, Beer's law was obeyed. The correlation coefficient () for the studied drugs was found to be 0.9999. The molar absorptivity (), Sandell’s sensitivity, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ) were also calculated. The proposed methods were successfully applied for the determination of certain pharmaceutical dosage forms containing the studied drugs Rania A. Sayed, Wafaa S. Hassan, Magda Y. El-Mammli, and Abadalla Shalaby Copyright © 2013 Rania A. Sayed et al. All rights reserved. Wed, 02 Jan 2013 09:40:50 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/824817/ Arsenic, lead, and cadmium were determined in tap and bottled water samples consumed in the west part of Turkey at trace levels. Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) was used in all detections. All of the system parameters for each element were optimized to increase sensitivity. Pd-Mg mixture was selected as the best matrix modifier for As, while the highest signals were obtained for Pb and Cd in the case of Ni used as matrix modifier. Detection limits for As, Cd, and Pb were found to be 2.0, 0.036, and 0.25 ng/mL, respectively. 78 tap water and 17 different brands of bottled water samples were analyzed for their As, Cd, and Pb contents under the optimized conditions. In all water samples, concentration of cadmium was found to be lower than detection limits. Lead concentration in the samples analyzed varied between N.D. and 12.66 ± 0.68 ng/mL. The highest concentration of arsenic was determined as 11.54 ± 2.79 ng/mL. Accuracy of the methods was verified by using a certified reference material, namely, Trace Element in Water, 1643e. Results found for As, Cd, and Pb in reference materials were in satisfactory agreement with the certified values. Sezgin Bakırdere, Tolga Yaroğlu, Nihan Tırık, Mehmet Demiröz, A. Kemal Fidan, Onur Maruldalı, and Abdullah Karaca Copyright © 2013 Sezgin Bakırdere et al. All rights reserved. Mon, 31 Dec 2012 20:51:18 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/820635/ This paper presents new refined results from the theoretical treatment of electron collision with the Fe-peak element Co3+. We have investigated the relevance of relativistic effects on the accurate representation of the target electron wave functions within the Breit-Pauli R-matrix approach. The calculated values for fine-structure levels are compared with the available experimental data in Atomic Structure Database of the National Institute for Standards and Technology. The agreement between the calculated and the experimental data is reasonably good, the energy difference average percentage of the low-lying levels usually agreeing to within 3.6% of each other. For completeness, we summarize herein the existing theoretical R-matrix treatments intended specifically to explore the role of including configuration interaction wave functions both in the target-state expansion, and in the ()-electron quadratically integrable function expansion. To the best of our knowledge, the work reported herein describes for the first time a detailed calculation for this atomic system, and the results are relevant to the laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. V. Stancalie Copyright © 2013 V. Stancalie. All rights reserved. Mon, 31 Dec 2012 20:30:55 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/197475/ Eighteen new N-(E)-stilbenyloxyalkylcarbonyl-substituted hydrazones of ortho- (meta- and para-) chloro- (nitro-) benzaldehydes 1–18 and two analogous hydrazones of acetone 19-20 were prepared. The stereochemical behavior of 1–18 in dimethyl-d6 sulfoxide solution has been studied by NMR and NMR techniques, using spectral data of 19 and 20 as supporting material. The E-geometrical isomers and cis-/trans-amide conformers have been found for these hydrazones. Energy barriers of isomers are reported. Przemysław Patorski, Elżbieta Wyrzykiewicz, and Grażyna Bartkowiak Copyright © 2013 Przemysław Patorski et al. All rights reserved. Sun, 30 Dec 2012 17:18:56 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/957456/ The Evangelic Church in Bistriţa city is one of the important gothic monuments in Romania. Inside the church there have been preserved a series of furniture pieces from different centuries, and the stall that has been analysed in this study is one of them. The study presents the investigations that were made on the occasion of restoring the stall. The nature and the status of the wooden supports and also the composition of the painting layer which covers the front side of the stall were investigated by several methods: Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses. The back side of the stall was made of spruce fir wood and its status was also investigated. The nature of the component elements and the heritage value of the ensemble were also established. C. Marutoiu, S. P. Grapini, A. Baciu, M. Miclaus, V. C. Marutoiu, S. Dreve, I. Kacso, and I. Bratu Copyright © 2013 C. Marutoiu et al. All rights reserved. Tue, 25 Dec 2012 09:05:40 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/789159/ Table grapes were irradiated with laser pulses at two different wavelengths: one selected at 302.1 nm, that is, resonant with the transresveratrol biphoton absorption band, and another selected at 300 nm, that is a nonresonant wavelength where trans-resveratrol two-photon absorption is negligible. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopic analyses of the irradiated grapes' skin showed an enhancement of polyphenols' content when the resonant wavelength was employed. Furthermore, microbiological analysis performed with nontreated (control), nonresonant, and resonantly irradiated grapes demonstrated how the last samples developed a significantly lower number of colony forming units. Since the only difference between the two (resonant and nonresonant) irradiation conditions was just a couple of nanometres in the employed UV-B laser wavelengths, the germicidal effect should be considered very similar. As a result, the observed difference in the table grape resistance to microbial infection was attributed to a wavelength-dependent-induced photochemistry. Finally, the potentiality of this method to enhance the postharvest health status of table grapes is remarked. Alicia G. Gonzálvez, Jorge B. Jiménez, and Ángel González Ureña Copyright © 2013 Alicia G. Gonzálvez et al. All rights reserved. Tue, 25 Dec 2012 08:31:41 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/405210/ Double divisor-ratio spectra derivative method based on the spectrophotometric data was developed for the simultaneous analysis of a ternary mixture containing paracetamol, aspirin, and caffeine, without prior separation. This method is based on the use of the derivative of the ratio spectrum obtained by dividing the absorption spectrum of the ternary mixture by a standard spectrum of a mixture of two of the three compounds in the title mixture. The concentrations of three compounds in their mixture are determined by using their respective calibration graphs which are obtained by measuring the amplitude at either the maximum or minimum wavelengths selected. The selected wavelengths for determination of aspirin, caffeine, and paracetamol are 241.5, 256, and 258.5 nm, respectively. All of the solutions adjusted to pH 11 before recording the spectra in the range of 220 to 320 nm. Also, the mathematical explanation of the procedure is illustrated. The method was applied for the assay of Excedrin containing paracetamol, aspirin, and caffeine. Reza Hajian and Ahmad Soltaninezhad Copyright © 2013 Reza Hajian and Ahmad Soltaninezhad. All rights reserved. Sun, 23 Dec 2012 09:48:24 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/305604/ Currently, the authentication of virgin walnut oil (VWO) has become very important due to the possible adulteration of VWO with cheaper plant oils such as soybean oil (SO), puer tea seed oil (PO), and sunflower oil (SFO). Methods involving Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy combined with chemometric techniques (partial least square) were developed for quantification of SO, PO, and SFO in VWO. IR spectra of oil samples were recorded at frequency regions of 4000–650 cm−1 on horizontal attenuated total reflectance (HATR) attachment of FT-IR. PLS model correlates the actual and FT-IR estimated values of oil adulterants (SO, PO, and SFO) with coefficients of determination () of 0.9958, 0.9925, and 0.9952, respectively. The obtained RMSEC values of SO, PO, and SFO in VWO are 1.35%, 1.85%, and 1.43% (v/v), respectively. The method, therefore, has potential as a rapid method for quantification of product adulteration. Pengjuan Liang, Hao Wang, Chaoyin Chen, Feng Ge, Diqiu Liu, Shiqi Li, Benyong Han, Xianfeng Xiong, and Shenglan Zhao Copyright © 2013 Pengjuan Liang et al. All rights reserved. Tue, 18 Dec 2012 09:48:08 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/210671/ FT-Raman spectroscopy was used to study the human and bovine dentin and their interactions with adhesive systems. Ten human (H) molars and ten bovine (B) teeth were prepared exposing the dentin and then each specimen was divided into two parts. The resulted forty dentin segments were treated either with the total-etch one bottle adhesive (Prime & Bond 2.1, PB) or with the single-step self-etching adhesive (Xeno III, X) and divided into four groups: HPB (control), HX, BPB, and BX. Each group was analyzed by FT-Raman spectroscopy before and after the adhesive treatment. Six regions of the Raman spectrum were analyzed and the integrated areas of organic and inorganic peaks were calculated. Bovine untreated specimens showed higher peak area of   content than in human specimens. Human untreated specimens had higher peak areas of and   contents than in bovine specimens. The peak areas of amide III, , and amide I contents were higher in human than in bovine specimens (before treatments). Treated dentin showed no significant statistical differences between the adhesives for both inorganic and organic contents considering the same substrate. However, the differences found between human and bovine specimens after adhesives application show a reduced accuracy of these substrates as a substitute to the human specimens. L. E. S. Soares, A. D. F. Campos, and A. A. Martin Copyright © 2013 L. E. S. Soares et al. All rights reserved. Mon, 10 Dec 2012 17:41:26 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/903450/ Reactive oxygen species generated in dermal cells of human skin is related to skin disorders or diseases. In this study, Raman analysis effectively clarified the identities of three types of human skin models after the models were stimulated with hydrogen peroxide. With the Caucasian skin model, the major Raman bands underwent large intensity changes within 4-5 days of stimulation. With the Black skin model, the Raman bands remained almost unchanged. The changes in the Asian skin model were unique compared to those in the above two. Eumelanin and pheomelanin are probably the main compounds that differentiate dermal cells in terms of their sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide. Shin-ichi Morita, Sota Takanezawa, Akira Date, Shin Watanabe, and Yasushi Sako Copyright © 2013 Shin-ichi Morita et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 06 Dec 2012 15:48:52 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/616159/ In this study novel organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposites were synthesized from modified cellulose acetate propionate (MCAP) via sol-gel reaction at ambient temperature. The inorganic phase was introduced in situ by hydrolysis-condensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) in different concentrations, under acid catalysis, in the presence of organic polymer dissolved in acetone. The chemical modification of CAP was monitored by infrared spectroscopy (IR). The nanocomposites structure was characterized by IR analysis and solid state 29Si NMR studies. The spectral data revealed that organic and inorganic phases are linked through covalent bound. Surface morphology of the samples and the degree of dispersion of inorganic phase in the polymer matrix were investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The actual incorporation of the inorganic component into the hybrid nanocomposites was deducted from the residual weight according to thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Patrycja Wojciechowska, Zenon Foltynowicz, and Marek Nowicki Copyright © 2013 Patrycja Wojciechowska et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 06 Dec 2012 09:19:02 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/540417/ Effects of solar UV radiation on the biosphere are well known and a lot of studies are going on to reduce its dangerous effects on human beings. Atmospheric ozone layer is not uniform over the globe, so that less ozone over tropics makes it receive more UV insolation, than high latitude places. People in the tropics are continuously exposed to high UV dosage, leading to skin reddening and the dangerous “sun stroke.” In southern India people use some vegetable oils to protect the skin from sun heat. Studies of “sun stroke” show that people having skin of moderate colour are the main victims. In some parts of Southern Kerala like Kottayam, Ernakulam, and Alappuzha traditional people were using oil extracted from chicken, called “chicken oil,” for the treatment of “heat burns” and other types of burns. This motivated us to study the UV absorption characteristics of chicken oil, and compare them with that of other commonly used vegetable oils. It is found that the chicken oil shows maximum absorption of UV radiation of about 85%, and neem oil shows absorption of about 60%. Other oils show comparatively very low absorption of UV radiation. So this property of chicken oil may be the reason for using it as remedy for heat burns. K. Anil Kumar and K. Viswanathan Copyright © 2013 K. Anil Kumar and K. Viswanathan. All rights reserved. Tue, 04 Dec 2012 14:45:18 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/927962/ Transthyretin (TTR) aggregation has been characterized to be responsible for several amyloid diseases. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, fluorescence, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are used to investigate secondary structure changes in transthyretin, induced upon thermal denaturation and interaction with pentobarbital. Spectral analysis revealed a strong static quenching of the intrinsic fluorescence of TTR by pentobarbital with a binding constant (K) estimated at . Fourier self-deconvolution (FSD) technique is used to evaluates intensity changes in the spectra of the component bands in the amide I and amide II regions due to the changes in pentobarbital concentration in the protein complex. The increases of the relative intensities of the peaks at 1614 cm−1 and 1507 cm−1 are due to the increase of pentobarbital concentrations which is linked to the formation of oligomers in the protein. Saqer M. Darwish, Jafar Ghithan, Musa M. Abuteir, Mariam Faroun, and Mahmoud M. Abu-hadid Copyright © 2013 Saqer M. Darwish et al. All rights reserved. Tue, 04 Dec 2012 10:49:32 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/272704/ Electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements at room temperature and X-band microwave frequency were performed on highly crystalline FePt system thin films. Fairly high DC static magnetic field absorption of about 300 mT was observed in these films. We attribute the high field absorption to ferromagnetic resonance (FMR). Upon increasing iron content in FePt system, no detectable spin waves modes were identified already at room temperature. This signifies a homogeneous distribution of the magnetization across the films. We qualitatively attributed such homogeneity distribution in the films to self-assembly of these Fe–Pt system nanoparticles. The results revealed that the FePt system contains hyperfine coupling with sextet exhibiting a phase reversal behaviour compared to FMR line. Both iron content and crystallite size increased the FMR intensity making the films good candidates for large data storage mediums and spintronics. S. S. Nkosi, H. M. Gavi, D. E. Motaung, J. Keartland, E. Sideras-Haddad, A. Forbes, and B. W. Mwakikunga Copyright © 2013 S. S. Nkosi et al. All rights reserved. Mon, 03 Dec 2012 13:58:01 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/538686/ Fimbriae are an important pathogenic factor of Escherichia coli during development of urinary tract infections. Here, we describe a new method for identification of Escherichia coli from strains using the attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared Spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR). We applied artificial neural networks to the analysis of the ATR FT-IR results. These methods allowed to discriminate E. coli from strains with accuracy of 99%. Łukasz Lechowicz, Wioletta Adamus-Białek, and Wiesław Kaca Copyright © 2013 Łukasz Lechowicz et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 29 Nov 2012 16:02:59 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/702310/ The photochemical properties of the complexes cis,fac- (I), cis-[Ru(phen)2(pz)2]2+ (II), and fac-Mn(CO)3(pz)2Br (III) where phen is phenanthroline and pz is pyrazine in acetonitrile solution are reported. The three complexes were characterized using 1H NMR, UV-vis and FTIR spectroscopy and electrochemical (cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemical) techniques. The complexes show intense absorption in the visible region assigned to the population of MLCT excited states. The absorption spectrum of I is the sum of the spectra of the mononuclear species II and III, and the two oxidation potentials at +1.10 and +1.56 V versus Ag/AGCl observed in I are ascribed to the different coordination environments of metal centers. The photolysis in the acetonitrile solution resulted in the pz dissociation to give the monoacetonitrile complexes for I, II, and III, respectively. Inara de Aguiar, Simone D. Inglez, Antonio Claudio Tedesco, and Rose Maria Carlos Copyright © 2013 Inara de Aguiar et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 29 Nov 2012 08:37:27 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/spectroscopy/2013/231843/ Hydration of cement with and without fly ash is studied with Mössbauer spectroscopy, XRD, and thermal analysis. Iron in cement is present as Fe3+-ions and occupies two octahedral positions, with close isomer shifts and quadrupole splittings. Iron in fly ash is present as Fe2+ and Fe3+, and the Mössbauer spectra display three doublets—two for Fe3+ in octahedral coordination and one for Fe2+. A third doublet was registered in the hydrating plain cement pastes after the 5th day, due to Fe3+ in tetrahedral coordination in the structure of the newly formed monosulphate aluminate. In cement pastes with fly ash, the doublet of tetrahedral iron is formed earlier because the quantity of ettringite and portlandite is low and more monosulphate crystallizes. No Fe(OH)3 phase forms during hydration of C4AF. The fly ash displays pozzolanic properties, which lead to lowering of the portlandite quantity in the cement mixtures and increasing of the high temperature products. Vili Lilkov, Ognyan Petrov, Yana Tzvetanova, Plamen Savov, and Milen Kadiyski Copyright © 2013 Vili Lilkov et al. All rights reserved.