• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.312-312
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• 2012

Magnesium oxide has become focus for research activities due to its use in magnetic tunnel junctions and for understanding of do ferromagnetism. Theoretical investigations on such type of system indicate that the presence of defects greater than a threshold value is responsible for the magnetic behaviour. It has also been shown experimentally that by decreasing the film thickness and size of nanoparticles, enhancement/increase in magnetization can be achieved. Apart from the change in dimension, swift heavy ions (SHI) are well known for creating defects and modifying the properties of the materials. In the present work, we have studied the irradiation induced effects in magnesium oxide thin film deposited on quartz substrate via X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Magnesium oxide thin films of thickness 50nm were deposited on quartz substrate by using e-beam evaporation method. These films were irradiated by 200 MeV Ag15+ ion beam at fluence of $1{\times}10^{11}$, $5{\times}10^{11}$, $1{\times}10^{12}$, $3{\times}10^{12}$ and $5{\times}10^{12}ions/cm^2$ at Nuclear Science Centre, IUAC, New Delhi (India). The grain size was observed (as studied by AFM) to be decreased from 37 nm (pristine film) to 23 nm ($1{\times}10^{12}ions/cm^2$) and thereafter it increases upto a fluence of $5{\times}10^{12}ions/cm^2$. The electronic structure of the system has been investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements performed at the high energy spherical grating monochromator 20A1 XAS (HSGM) beamline in the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC), Taiwan. Oxides of light elements like MgO/ZnO possess many unique physical properties with potentials for novel application in various fields. These irradiated thin films are also studied with different polarization (left and right circularly polarized) of incident x-ray beam at 05B3 EPU- Soft x-ray scattering beamline of NSRRC. The detailed analysis of observed results in the wake of existing theories is discussed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.1031-1031
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• 2001

The mammary gland is made up of remarkably sensitive tissue, which has the capability of producing a large volume of secretion, milk, under normal or healthy conditions. When bacteria enter the gland and establish an infection (mastitis), inflammation is initiated accompanied by an influx of white cells from the blood stream, by altered secretory function, and changes in the volume and composition of secretion. Cell numbers in milk are closely associated with inflammation and udder health. These somatic cell counts (SCC) are accepted as the international standard measurement of milk quality in dairy and for mastitis diagnosis. NIR Spectra of unhomogenized composite milk samples from 14 cows (healthy and mastitic), 7days after parturition and during the next 30 days of lactation were measured. Different multivariate analysis techniques were used to diagnose the disease at very early stage and determine how the spectral properties of milk vary with its composition and animal health. PLS model for prediction of somatic cell count (SCC) based on NIR milk spectra was made. The best accuracy of determination for the 1100-2500nm range was found using smoothed absorbance data and 10 PLS factors. The standard error of prediction for independent validation set of samples was 0.382, correlation coefficient 0.854 and the variation coefficient 7.63%. It has been found that SCC determination by NIR milk spectra was indirect and based on the related changes in milk composition. From the spectral changes, we learned that when mastitis occurred, the most significant factors that simultaneously influenced milk spectra were alteration of milk proteins and changes in ionic concentration of milk. It was consistent with the results we obtained further when applied 2DCOS. Two-dimensional correlation analysis of NIR milk spectra was done to assess the changes in milk composition, which occur when somatic cell count (SCC) levels vary. The synchronous correlation map revealed that when SCC increases, protein levels increase while water and lactose levels decrease. Results from the analysis of the asynchronous plot indicated that changes in water and fat absorptions occur before other milk components. In addition, the technique was used to assess the changes in milk during a period when SCC levels do not vary appreciably. Results indicated that milk components are in equilibrium and no appreciable change in a given component was seen with respect to another. This was found in both healthy and mastitic animals. However, milk components were found to vary with SCC content regardless of the range considered. This important finding demonstrates that 2-D correlation analysis may be used to track even subtle changes in milk composition in individual cows. To find out the right threshold for SCC when used for mastitis diagnosis at cow level, classification of milk samples was performed using soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA) and different spectral data pretreatment. Two levels of SCC - 200 000 cells/$m\ell$ and 300 000 cells/$m\ell$, respectively, were set up and compared as thresholds to discriminate between healthy and mastitic cows. The best detection accuracy was found with 200 000 cells/$m\ell$ as threshold for mastitis and smoothed absorbance data: - 98% of the milk samples in the calibration set and 87% of the samples in the independent test set were correctly classified. When the spectral information was studied it was found that the successful mastitis diagnosis was based on reviling the spectral changes related to the corresponding changes in milk composition. NIRS combined with different ways of spectral data ruining can provide faster and nondestructive alternative to current methods for mastitis diagnosis and a new inside into disease understanding at molecular level.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.177-185
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• 2007

Iatrogenic injury following dental treatments and the use of local anesthetics may cause taste disorders. The aims of this study were to investigate quantitative and qualitative changes of taste due to unilateral inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia and further to evaluate potential effects on taste function related to anesthesia or hypoesthesia of inferior alveolar nerve, possibly occurring after dental procedure. 30 healthy volunteers in their twenties participated in this study (male to female = 1:1, mean age of $24.0{\pm}1.8$ years). Each subject received inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia on his or her right side with 2% lidocaine HCl containing 1:100,000 epinephrine. Before and after anesthesia, electrogustometric test and chemical localized test for salty, sweet, sour and bitter tastes were performed on the eight sites in the oral cavity; right and left anterior and lateral tongue and circumvallate papilla of the tongue and soft palate. Unilateral inferior alveolar nerve anesthesia produced elevation of electrical taste threshold and reduction of intensity ratings for all 4 tastes (salty, sweet, sour and bitter) over anterior and lateral tongue and circumvallate papilla on the ipsilateral side (p<0.05). Contralateral sides exhibited decreased intensity ratings for salty and sweet taste (p<0.05) on anterior and lateral tongue while there was no significant difference in electrogustometric testing. Based on the results of this study, it is assumed that unilateral local anesthesia on inferior alveolar nerve can affect chorda tympani and glossopharyngeal nerves on the same side, leading to taste deficits. Taste intensity on the contralateral side may, in part, be deteriorated as well.