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- Ottosson, Niklas, 1981-
(författare)
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Aqueous Solutions as seen through an Electron Spectrometer : Surface Structure, Hydration Motifs and Ultrafast Charge Delocalization Dynamics
- 2011
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In spite of their high abundance and importance, aqueous systems are enigmatic on the microscopic scale. In order to obtain information about their geometrical and electronic structure, simple aqueous solutions have been studied experimentally by photo- and Auger electron spectroscopy using the novel liquid micro-jet technique in conjunction with synchrotron radiation. The thesis is thematically divided into three parts. In the first part we utilize the surface sensitivity of photoelectron spectroscopy to probe the distributions of solutes near the water surface. In agreement with recent theoretical predictions we find that large polarizable anions, such as I- and ClO4-, display enhanced surface propensities compared to smaller rigid ions. Surface effects arising from ion-ion interactions at higher electrolyte concentrations and as function of pH are investigated. Studies of linear mono-carboxylic acids and benzoic acid show that the neutral molecular forms of such weak acids are better stabilized at the water surface than their respective conjugate base forms. The second part examines what type of information core-electron spectra can yield about the chemical state and hydration structure of small organic molecules in water. We demonstrate that the method is sensitive to the protonation state of titratable functional groups and that core-level lineshapes are dependent on local water hydration configurations. Using a combination of photoelectron and X-ray absorption spectroscopy we also show that the electronic re-arrangement upon hydrolysis of aldehydes yields characteristic fingerprints in core-level spectra. In the last part of this thesis we study ultrafast charge delocalization dynamics in aqueous solutions using resonant and off-resonant Auger spectroscopy. Intermolecular Coulombic decay (ICD) is found to occur in a number of core-excited solutions where excess energy is transferred between the solvent and the solute. The rate of ultrafast electron delocalization between hydrogen bonded water molecules upon oxygen 1s resonant core-excitation is found to decrease upon solvation of inorganic ions. The presented work is illustrative of how core-level photoelectron spectroscopy can be valuable in the study of fundamental phenomena in aqueous solutions.
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| 2. |
- Schilcher, Jörg, 1978-
(författare)
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Epidemiology, Radiology and Histology of Atypical Femoral Fractures : Development of understanding
- 2013
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Ingår i: Acta Orthopaedica. - Linköping : Linköping University Electronic Press. - 1745-3674 .- 1745-3682. ; 84:S352, s. 1-26
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Bisphosphonates have been used successfully in the prevention of osteoporosis-related fractures for over two decades. Only recently an association between bisphosphonate use and femoral insufficiency fractures – atypical femoral fractures – has been found.Bone remodeling is necessary to maintain a healthy skeleton. With age this process can get out of balance and bone resorption can outweigh formation of new bone. This can lead to osteoporosis and fractures that occur after minor trauma. Almost half of all women 50 years of age or older will suffer an osteoporosis related fracture during their remaining life. Bisphosphonates inhibit bone resorption, and after some years of treatment an increase in bone mass can be noted. This increase in bone mass can reduce fracture risk by as much as half. However, bisphosphonate use seems associated with the development of femoral insufficiency fractures, so called atypical femoral fractures. This thesis aimed to estimate the risk of atypical femoral fractures in the population and its association with bisphosphonate use. It also describes the radiographic and histologic features of these fractures in order to improve our understanding of the pathophysiological background.Study 1) All women 55 years of age and older, who had sustained a femoral shaft fracture during 2008, were identified through the Swedish National Patient Register. Radiographs of 1234 women were reviewed, and 59 patients with atypical fractures and 263 control patients with common femoral shaft fractures were identified. Atypical femoral fractures were defined by their stress fracture-like appearance. In a cohort analysis, we estimated an age-adjusted relative risk of 47 for bisphosphonate users to suffer an atypical femoral fracture compared to non-users. A total of 78% of the patients with an atypical fracture and 10% of the controls had received bisphosphonates, corresponding to a multivariable-adjusted odds ratio of 33. The risk was independent of coexisting conditions and of concurrent use of other drugs with known effects on bone. These results indicate that bisphosphonate use is strongly associated with atypical femoral fractures. The absolute risk is low and benefits of treatment will outweigh the risks.Study 2) A transverse fracture line and a small but visible callus reaction are well established radiographic features of stress fractures. Radiographs from 59 atypical fracture patients and 218 control patients from Study 1 were re-reviewed to measure fracture angles and to detect callus reactions. The majority of the patients with a transverse fracture angle used bisphosphonates. Fracture angle and callus reaction had a high specificity to detect bisphosphonate treatment. When an oblique fracture line was chosen to define atypical femoral fractures in the cohort from Study 1, the association of atypical femoral fractures to bisphosphonate use became attenuated. Therefore, a correct case definition of atypical femoral fractures is necessary for adequate risk calculations.Study 3) Bone biopsies from 8 patients with atypical femoral fractures were obtained during surgical fixation. The histological analysis of the fracture site itself showed a thin fracture line running perpendicular to the long axis of the femur. Despite ongoing remodeling in the bone adjacent to the fracture gap, no healing occurred within the gap itself. Necrotic material in the gap suggests that strains within the gap might prohibit ingrowth of cells necessary for healing. This mechanism of inhibited healing might share similarities with that of stress fractures in athletes. Although it is highly likely that bisphosphonates play a causative role, the pathogenesis of these fractures is still unclear. It may involve a reduced capacity for targeted remodeling.
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| 3. |
- Zhang, Chaofan
(författare)
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Multicomponent Clusters/Nanoparticles : An Investigation of Electronic and Geometric Properties by Photoelectron Spectroscopy
- 2013
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Clusters/nanoparticles are aggregates of a “small” number of building blocks, atoms or molecules, ranging from two up to millions of atoms. Two main groups of clusters have been studied using photoelectron spectroscopy based on synchrotron radiation. They are dry/wet alkali-halide clusters, including pure water clusters, and metal-based nanoparticles.For the dry alkali halide clusters, analysis of the data and theoretical modeling has allowed us insights into the local electronic properties at nanoscale: a change of polarizability of ions in the alkali-halide clusters due to the varying environment has been suggested. The study of the wet salt clusters shows that the alkali-halides are already solvated at the nanoscale reached by water clusters doped with salt vapor.The photoelectron angular distribution of water cluster shows lower anisotropy parameters as compared to the separate monomers. A model based on intracluster scattering has been built to partly explain the reduction.In the last part of the thesis, metal-based multi-component nanoparticles have been produced by self-assembly processes using reactive magnetron sputtering. Depending on the specific metal element, oxidation processes have been applied before or after the aggregation. Clearly radial distributions such as core-shell and “sandwich-like” structures have unambiguously determined by photoelectron spectroscopy.
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