Optimization of spectral sensitivities of mosaic five-band camera for estimating chromophore densities from skin images including shading and surface reflections

Optical Review - In this paper, the spectral sensitivities of a mosaic five-band camera were optimized using a numerical skin phantom to perform the separation of chromophore densities, shading and...     

Liquid chromatographic determination of emamectin, milbemectin, ivermectin and abamectin in crops and confirmation by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Emamectin, milbemectin, ivermectin and abamectin are similar macrocyclic lactone chemicals used as an acaricides or parasiticides. We developed a simultaneous analytical method for determining the residual amounts of these compounds and emamectin metabolites in crops. A sample extracted with acetone was cleaned up with Bond Elut C18 and NH2. The sample was then fluorescence-derivatized with trifluoroacetic anhydride and 1-methylimidazole in acetonitrile. The analyte was measured by HPLC with fluorescence detection using an octadecylsilyl column with 3 microm particle size and gradient elution. In most crops, their recoveries by the developed method were ca. 80-110%. The detection limits of the analytes in vegetables were 0.1-0.3 ppt. Using the developed method, we surveyed the residues of these compounds in 20 commercial crops in Osaka, Japan. The result of the surveillance was that emamectin benzoate of 0.2-6.7 ppb was detected in nine cases and milbemectin of 16.7-279.3 ppb was detected in four cases. The detected samples were confirmed by LC-electrospray ionization (ESI) MS. The limit of detection by LC-ESI-MS was similar to the fluorescence detection level of 0.1-0.3 ppt in vegetables except for milbemectin.     

Superoxide generator using polyaniline catalyst

A superoxide generator using a polyaniline catalyst was prepared. This apparatus was able to generate superoxide as 2.5 ppm of hydrogen peroxide concentration at an applied reduction current of −0.2 mA and at −0.25 V versus the saturated calomel electrode. Sterilizing of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa was confirmed by a cultivation test after 30 min of superoxide generation.     

Effect of defect size on fracture strength of dental low fusion porcelain

Various grinding defects were produced on the surface of specimen dental low fusion porcelain in an attempt to establish the relationship between defect size and fracture strength. In addition, the applicability of the process zone size-fracture criterion in assessing the material properties of dental low fusion porcelain was examined. Super porcelain AAA E3 (Noritake Co., Japan) was used as dental low fusion porcelain. The bending strength and fracture toughness value were estimated by the three-point bending test. After glazing, grinding flaws were introduced by grinding the specimen with abrasive papers of various mesh sizes. In order to calculate the fracture toughness value of dental low fusion porcelain, we introduced a surface crack using a Vickers indenter. The results were discussed based on the process zone size-fracture criterion. The size of cracks caused by grinding was estimated with the process zone size-fracture criterion and Newman-Raju formula. As the defect size decreased, the fracture stress approached the strength for smooth specimen without defect. The K(c) value showed a tendency to approach the K(lc) value when the defect size increased. The relationship between the fracture stress, sigma(F), and the equivalent crack length, a(e), was in good agreement with the theoretical relations deduced from the criterion in dental low fusion porcelain.     

Nanosize effect on high-rate Li-ion intercalation in LiCoO2 electrode

Recently, battery technology has come to require a higher rate capability. The main difficulty in high-rate charge-discharge experiments is kinetic problems due to the slow diffusion of Li-ions in electrodes. Nanosizing is a popular way to achieve a higher surface area and shorter Li-ion diffusion length for fast diffusion. However, while various nanoelectrodes that provide excellent high-rate capability have been synthesized, a size-controlled synthesis and a systematic study of nanocrystalline LiCoO2 have not been carried out because of the difficulty in controlling the size. We have established the size-controlled synthesis of nanocrystalline LiCoO2 through a hydrothermal reaction and, for the first time, clarified the structural and electrochemical properties of this intercalation cathode material. Lattice expansion in nanocrystalline LiCoO2 was found from powder X-ray diffraction measurements and Raman spectroscopy. Electrochemical measurements and theoretical analyses on nanocrystalline LiCoO2 revealed that extreme size reduction below 15 nm was not favorable for most applications. An excellent high-rate capability (65% of the 1 C rate capability at 100 C) was observed in nanocrystalline LiCoO2 with an appropriate particle size of 17 nm.     

Calyciphyllines H-M, new Daphniphyllum alkaloids from Daphniphyllum calycinum

Six new Daphniphyllum alkaloids, calyciphyllines H-M (1-6), were isolated from the leaves and stems of Daphniphyllum calycinum (Daphniphyllaceae). The structures and relative stereochemistry of 1-6 were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data, and the absolute stereochemistry of 3 was assigned by PGME method.     

Influence of synthetic perfumes on stability of O/W emulsion in sodium dodecyl sulfate–n-dodecane–water ternary systems

Influence of synthetic perfumes having diverse chemical structures such as eugenol, linalool, benzyl acetate, α-ionone, α-hexylcinnamaldehyde, and d-limonene on stability of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion composed of sodium dodecyl sulfate, n-dodecane, and water is investigated. Turbidity measurements of the O/W emulsion indicate that the emulsion is stabilized by adding the synthetic perfume, except for d-limonene, and that this tendency is remarkable in adding eugenol. The addition of the perfume, especially eugenol, shrinks oil droplets in the O/W emulsion, which inhibits coagulation and/or creaming of oil droplets. When adding eugenol, moreover, ζ-potential of oil droplets increases negatively, and viscosity of the external water phase of the emulsion rises drastically. The increment in ζ-potential and viscosity by the addition of eugenol also prevents oil droplets from coagulation and/or creaming and makes the O/W emulsion still more stable.     

On multiple series of Eisenstein type

The aim of this paper is to study certain multiple series which can be regarded as multiple analogues of Eisenstein series. As part of a prior research, the second-named author considered double analogues of Eisenstein series and expressed them as polynomials in terms of ordinary Eisenstein series. This fact was derived from the analytic observation of infinite series involving hyperbolic functions which were based on the study of Cauchy, and also Ramanujan. In this paper, we prove an explicit relation formula among these series. This gives an alternative proof of this fact by using the technique of partial fraction decompositions of multiple series which was introduced by Gangl, Kaneko and Zagier. By the same method, we further show a certain multiple analogue of this fact and give some examples of explicit formulas. Finally we give several remarks about the relation between the results of the present and the previous works for infinite series involving hyperbolic functions.