Measurement of Cu K-shell and Ag L-shell ionization cross sections by low-energy positron impact

Inner shell ionization cross sections by low-energy positron impact have been measured. Development of an x-ray detector with thin Si(Li) crystals has enabled the first measurements of the absolute cross sections for the positron impacts in the energy range below 30 keV. Threshold behavior of the measured cross sections for the Cu K shell and Ag L shell are compared with the theoretical results of Gryzinski and Kowalski [Phys. Lett. A 183, 196 (1993)]] and Khare and Wadehra [Can. J. Phys. 74, 376 (1996)]]. Good agreement has been found for the Cu K shell, while the experimental values for the Ag L shell were found to be smaller than the corresponding theoretical results.     

Dynamic nuclear polarization studies of nitroxyl spin probes in agarose gel using Overhauser‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging

Agarose is a tissue‐equivalent material and its imaging characteristics similar to those of real tissues. Hence, the dynamic nuclear polarization studies of 3‐carboxy‐2,2,5,5‐tetramethyl‐pyrrolidine‐1‐oxyl (carboxy‐PROXYL) in agarose gel were carried out. The dynamic nuclear polarization parameters such as spin lattice relaxation time, longitudinal relaxivity, leakage factor, saturation parameter and coupling parameter were estimated for 2 mM carboxy‐PROXYL in phosphate‐buffered saline solution and water/agarose mixture (99 : 1). From these results, the spin probe concentration was optimized as 2 mM, and the reduction in enhancement was observed for carboxy‐PROXYL in water/agarose mixture (99 : 1) compared with phosphate‐buffered saline solution. Phantom imaging was also performed with 2 mM concentration of carboxy‐PROXYL in various concentrations of agarose gel at various radio frequency power levels. The results from the dynamic nuclear polarization measurements agree well with the phantom imaging results. These results pave the way for designing model system for human tissues suited to the biological applications of electron spin resonance/Overhauser‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.     

Optical time-domain analog pattern correlator for high-speed real-time image recognition

The speed of image processing is limited by image acquisition circuitry. While optical pattern recognition techniques can reduce the computational burden on digital image processing, their image correlation rates are typically low due to the use of spatial optical elements. Here we report a method that overcomes this limitation and enables fast real-time analog image recognition at a record correlation rate of 36.7 MHz--1000 times higher rates than conventional methods. This technique seamlessly performs image acquisition, correlation, and signal integration all optically in the time domain before analog-to-digital conversion by virtue of optical space-to-time mapping.     

Free radical copolymerization of sulfur dioxide with phenylacetylene

Free radical copolymerization of sulfur dioxide with phenylacetylene (PA) in o-dichlorobenzene was studied in a range of temperatures from 30 to 80^oC as a function of total monomer concentration ([SO₂] + [PA]). PA content in the copolymers increases with decreasing total monomer concentration and increasing temperature. M _w/M _n becomes sharper with decreasing the total monomer concentration, but does not depend upon feed compositions which are changed keeping total monomer concentration constant at 2, 4, and 6 mol/L, respectively. These results strongly indicate the existence of depropagation. Thermal decomposition of the copolymers happens more easily than PA homopolymer and the carbon-centered free radicals are detected during the decomposition. Reactivity of ～ CH??(Ph) free radical (～ PA · ) is also discussed.     

An Efficient Halogen‐Free Electrolyte for Use in Rechargeable Magnesium Batteries

Unlocking the full potential of rechargeable magnesium batteries has been partially hindered by the reliance on chloride‐based complex systems. Despite the high anodic stability of these electrolytes, they are corrosive toward metallic battery components, which reduce their practical electrochemical window. Following on our new design concept involving boron cluster anions, monocarborane CB₁₁H₁₂^? produced the first halogen‐free, simple‐type Mg salt that is compatible with Mg metal and displays an oxidative stability surpassing that of ether solvents. Owing to its inertness and non‐corrosive nature, the Mg(CB₁₁H₁₂)₂/tetraglyme (MMC/G4) electrolyte system permits standardized methods of high‐voltage cathode testing that uses a typical coin cell. This achievement is a turning point in the research and development of Mg electrolytes that has deep implications on realizing practical rechargeable Mg batteries.     

Experimental study on interfacial area transport of a vertical downward bubbly flow

In relation to the development of the interfacial area transport equation, local flow measurements of vertical downward air–water flows in a pipe with an inner diameter of 50.8 mm were performed at three axial locations of z/D=6.50, 34.0, and 66.5 as well as ten radial locations from r/R=0 to r/R=0.9 using a multi-sensor probe. In the experiment, the superficial liquid velocity and the void fraction ranged from –0.620 m/s to –2.49 m/s and from 0.21% to 8.4%, respectively. The dependence of the interfacial area transport on the liquid velocity, void fraction, and bubble size is discussed in detail.     

Chiral analyses of dextromethorphan/levomethorphan and their metabolites in rat and human samples using LC-MS/MS

In order to develop an analytical method for the discrimination of dextromethorphan (an antitussive medicine) from its enantiomer, levomethorphan (a narcotic) in biological samples, chiral analyses of these drugs and their O-demethyl and/or N-demethyl metabolites in rat plasma, urine, and hair were carried out using LC-MS/MS. After the i.p. administration of dextromethorphan or levomethorphan to pigmented hairy male DA rats (5 mg/kg/day, 10 days), the parent compounds and their three metabolites in plasma, urine and hair were determined using LC-MS/MS. Complete chiral separation was achieved in 12 min on a Chiral CD-Ph column in 0.1% formic acid–acetonitrile by a linear gradient program. Most of the metabolites were detected as being the corresponding O-demethyl and N, O-didemethyl metabolites in the rat plasma and urine after the hydrolysis of O-glucuronides, although obvious differences in the amounts of these metabolites were found between the dextro and levo forms. No racemation was observed through O- and/or N-demethylation. In the rat hair samples collected 4 weeks after the first administration, those differences were more clearly detected and the concentrations of the parent compounds, their O-demethyl, N-demethyl, and N, O-didemethyl metabolites were 63.4, 2.7, 25.1, and 0.7 ng/mg for the dextro forms and 24.5, 24.6, 2.6, and 0.5 ng/mg for the levo forms, respectively. In order to fully investigate the differences of their metabolic properties between dextromethorphan and levomethorphan, DA rat and human liver microsomes were studied. The results suggested that there might be an enantioselective metabolism of levomethorphan, especially with regard to the O-demethylation, not only in DA rat but human liver microsomes as well. The proposed chiral analyses might be applied to human samples and could be useful for discriminating dextromethorphan use from levomethorphan use in the field of forensic toxicology, although further studies should be carried out using authentic human samples.     

Abelian quotients of monoids of homology cylinders

A homology cylinder over a surface consists of a homology cobordism between two copies of the surface and markings of its boundary. The set of isomorphism classes of homology cylinders over a fixed surface has a natural monoid structure and it is known that this monoid can be seen as an enlargement of the mapping class group of the surface. We now focus on abelian quotients of this monoid. We show that both the monoid of all homology cylinders and that of irreducible homology cylinders are not finitely generated and moreover they have big abelian quotients. These properties contrast with the fact that the mapping class group is perfect in general. The proof is given by applying sutured Floer homology theory to homologically fibered knots studied in a previous paper.     

Minitwistor spaces,Severi varieties,and Einstein–Weyl structure

In this article, we show that the space of nodal rational curves, which is so called a Severi variety (of rational curves), on any non-singular projective surface is always equipped with a natural Einstein–Weyl structure, if the space is 3-dimensional. This is a generalization of the Einstein–Weyl structure on the space of smooth rational curves on a complex surface, given by Hitchin. As geometric objects naturally associated to Einstein–Weyl structure, we investigate null surfaces and geodesics on the Severi varieties. Also, we see that if the projective surface has an appropriate real structure, then the real locus of the Severi variety becomes a positive definite Einstein–Weyl manifold. Moreover, we construct various explicit examples of rational surfaces having 3-dimensional Severi varieties of rational curves.     

Design of chemical shift-switching 19F magnetic resonance imaging probe for specific detection of human monoamine oxidase A

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) A is a flavoenzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of biologically important monoamines and is thought to be associated with psychiatric disorders. Here, we report a strategy for rationally designing a (19)F magnetic resonance imaging probe for the specific detection of human MAO-A (hMAO-A) activity. Our designed (19)F probe was oxidized expeditiously by hMAO-A to produce 2-fluoro-4-nitrophenol via a spontaneous β-elimination mechanism. Concomitant with the structural change of the probe to the product, the (19)F chemical shift changed by 4.2 ppm, which was enough to visualize the probe and enzymatic product separately. Importantly, our probe achieved excellent discrimination of hMAO-A from its isoform hMAO-B.