Carbon-13 NMR spectra of some tetra- and pentacyclic triterpene methyl ethers

The carbon-13 NMR spectra have been recorded for representatives of three previously unexamined classes of pentacyclic triterpenes—lupanes, fernanes and arboranes. In addition to the spectra of lupeol methyl ether, cylindrin and arundoin, the spectra of a number of other triterpene methyl ethers are also recorded. The effect of methyl ether formation on the shilding values for carbons in the 3β-hydroxy-4,4-dimethyl- ring A system is defined.     

Luminescence excitation spectra of toluene and mesitylene in rare-gas matrices

Total luminescence yield of toluene and mesitylene, isolated in rare-gas matrices, has been measured as a function of excitation energy in the energy range covering the absorption region of both host and guest. Energy transfer from the host to the dopant is apparent. An increase in the luminescence yield is observed at the host exciton state. Luminescence excitation spectrum of pure mesitylene is presented.     

The diterpenes of dacrydium colensoi—III

An oxidoditerpene, isolated from the heartwood of Dacrydium colensoi, has been shown to be 18-hydroxy-2-ketomanoyl oxide (V).     

Photoemission of solid argon

Photoemission yield spectra of solid argon using synchrotron radiation for excitation in the photon energy range 11.7–16 eV show peaks closely following the known excitonic transitions, further peaks at 11.96 and 13.1 eV and also give an indication for band-gap photoconductivity.     

Radiation-driven hydrodynamics of high- hohlraums on the national ignition facility

The first hohlraum experiments on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) using the initial four laser beams tested radiation temperature limits imposed by plasma filling. For a variety of hohlraum sizes and pulse lengths, the measured x-ray flux shows signatures of filling that coincide with hard x-ray emission from plasma streaming out of the hohlraum. These observations agree with hydrodynamic simulations and with an analytical model that includes hydrodynamic and coronal radiative losses. The modeling predicts radiation temperature limits with full NIF (1.8 MJ), greater, and of longer duration than required for ignition hohlraums.     

Optically sectioned fluorescence lifetime imaging using a Nipkow disk microscope and a tunable ultrafast continuum excitation source

We demonstrate an optically sectioned fluorescence lifetime imaging microscope with a wide-field detector, using a convenient, continuously tunable (435-1150 nm) ultrafast source for fluorescence imaging applications that is derived from a visible supercontinuum generated in a microstructured fiber.     

High-speed wide-field time-gated endoscopic fluorescence-lifetime imaging

We report the development of a high-speed wide-field fluorescence-lifetime imaging (FLIM) system that provides fluorescence-lifetime images at rates of as many as 29 frames/s. A FLIM multiwell plate reader and a potentially portable FLIM endoscopic system operating at 355-nm excitation have been demonstrated.     

The effect of speech presentation level on measurement of auditory acclimatization to amplified speech

A systematic improvement in auditory performance over time, following a change in the acoustic information available to the listener (that cannot be attributed to task, procedural or training effects) is known as auditory acclimatization. However, there is conflicting evidence concerning the existence of auditory acclimatization; some studies show an improvement in performance over time while other studies show no change. In an attempt to resolve this conflict, speech recognition abilities of 16 subjects with bilateral sensorineural hearing impairments were measured over a 12-week period following provision of a monaural hearing instrument for the first time. The not-fitted ear was used as the control. Three presentation levels were used representing quiet, normal, and raised speech. The results confirm the presence of acclimatization. In addition, the results show that acclimatization is evident at the higher presentation levels but not at the lowest.     

Quantum teleportation of optical quantum gates

We show that a universal set of gates for quantum computation with optics can be quantum teleported through the use of EPR entangled states, homodyne detection, and linear optics and squeezing operations conditioned on measurement outcomes. This scheme may be used for fault-tolerant quantum computation in any optical scheme (qubit or continuous-variable). The teleportation of nondeterministic nonlinear gates employed in linear optics quantum computation is discussed.     

Long-term retention of ice-nucleating active Pseudomonas fluorescens by overwintering colorado potato beetles

Ice nucleating-active Pseudomonas fluorescens F264C was fed to Colorado potato beetles to determine bacterial retentioin in the beetle gut and its effect on the cold hardiness of this insect pest. The bacrterium was present in beetles recovered after overwintering in the field, seven months after their exposure to P. fluorescens. Retention was evident not only in the detection of the P. fluorescens ice nucleating gene, inaW, in bacterial cultures from beetle guts but also in the elevated supercooling points of some treated beetles.