High-resolution luminescence and absorption spectroscopy of Cs2GeF6:Os4+.

The luminescence spectrum of the Os4+ dopant ion occupying O(h) sites of the Cs2GeF6 host shows three sets of resolved transitions in the near-infrared at approximately 12000, 9000, and 6700 cm(-1), corresponding to intraconfigurational transitions between the 1T2g lowest excited electronic state and the Gamma1, Gamma4, and Gamma5/Gamma3 spinor levels of the 3T1g ground state, respectively. The octahedral OsF6(2-) chromophore does not emit from higher excited states, in contrast to related chloride and bromide host lattices, where several excited states show luminescence. The highly resolved single-crystal luminescence and absorption spectra are rationalized with ligand field parameters 10 Dq = 24570 cm(-1), B = 500 cm(-1), C = 2380 cm(-1), zeta = 3000 cm(-1). Transition intensities reveal an intermediate coupling situation for OsF6(2-): Whereas they generally follow the selection rules derived in the L-S coupling scheme, additional information can be gained from the j-j coupling limit. The resolved vibronic structure allows the identification of the most efficient ungerade parity enabling modes (vibronic origins) and shows that progressions along the a1g, e(g), and t2g modes occur for some transitions.

Crystal structure and optical spectroscopy of Er2[Pt(CN)4]3.21H2O and Er2[Pt(CN)4]2.SO4.11.5H2O.

We have synthesized two forms of erbium tetracyanoplatinates, Er2[Pt(CN)4]3.21H2O (red form) and Er2[Pt(CN)4]2.SO4.11.5H2O (yellow form), and determined their crystal structures by X-ray diffraction. While the red form crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbcn, with a = 15.4848(3) A, b = 13.8186(2) A, c = 19.07820(10) A, alpha = beta = gamma = 90 degrees, and Z = 4, the yellow form precipitates in the tetragonal space group I4cm, with a = b = 14.321(2) A, c = 13.338(3) A, alpha = beta = gamma = 90 degrees, and Z = 4. Both forms show [Pt(CN)4]2- chains but differ markedly in color and morphology. This is due to the incorporation of sulfate ions in the latter modification, leading to an increased Pt-Pt distance. The observed optical absorption and emission behavior of the title compounds is correlated with the Pt-Pt distances.

Database of adverse events occurring in clinical studies--useful and necessary?

Due to an amendment of the German Drug Act ethic committees must be informed of all serious or unexpected adverse events occurring during a clinical study. This means that ethic committees may have to reevaluate their recommendations. A database is presented in order to help an ethic committee in decision making. Preliminary results indicate that this database may be helpful in future and-additionally-may be the beginning of pharmacovigilance.

Life-threatening plant poisoning.

Each year over 100,000 exposures to toxic plants are reported to poison control centers around the country. This article focuses on the more toxic plant exposures which may result in critical care admissions. The various plants are identified and described. Their mechanism of toxicity, clinical presentation of exposure and a management strategy for the critical care physician are discussed. Resources for further information are also listed.

Crotalid snake envenomation.

Over 5000 Americans suffer from snake bites annually, and of these, nearly one quarter are from poisonous species. Although these cases are undeniably reported, death appears to occur in only a few cases each year, and often reflects delay in obtaining medical care. Two families of venomous snake indigenous to the United States account for most envenomations: Crotalidae (pit vipers or new world vipers) and Elapidae. This article focuses on the snakes of the Crotalidae family.

Somatic cell cloning in polyester stacks.

Single somatic cells, including fibroblasts, myelomas, and hybridomas, proliferate normally when trapped between a plastic dish and a disc of polyester cloth. Contact between the overlay and the plastic for 8-16 days results in identical colony patterns on the cloth and the plate. When several cloth discs are simultaneously stacked over Chinese hamster ovary cells, three or four-high resolution colony copies can be generated from a single master dish. The colonies on the cloth can be analyzed by radiochemical methods [Esko, J. D. & Raetz, C. R. H. (1978) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 75, 1190-1193] or by "replica plating" to a new disc. The use of polyester cloth, singly or in stacks, has several major advantages over previous techniques for somatic cell replica plating, including: (i) broad applicability to diverse cell lines such as fragile membrane mutants of Chinese hamster ovary cells and relatively nonadherent myelomas or hybridomas; (ii) the possibility of generating multiple copies of the same colony population, allowing simultaneous analysis for several enzymes or cellular components; and (iii) superior resolution and transfer efficiency in copying colony patterns from one surface to another. The remarkable capacity of animal cell colonies to proliferate upward through "polyester stacks" may reflect chemotropic movement of individual cells and opens new approaches to somatic cell genetics.