Method of reconstructing wavefront aberrations by use of Zernike polynomials in radial shearing interferometers

A novel method of reconstructing wavefront aberrations by use of Zernike polynomials for radial shearing interferometers is discussed. This method uses matrix formalism to calculate the Zernike coefficients of a wavefront under test and shows the validity of reconstructing an arbitrary wavefront aberration from an interferogram taken by a radial shearing interferometer. We also propose a new interferometer setup to determine the shape and the direction (concave or convex) of wavefront aberration in a single measurement.     

Quantitative analysis of surface amine groups on plasma-polymerized ethylenediamine films using UV-visible spectroscopy compared to chemical derivatization with FT-IR spectroscopy, XPS and TOF-SIMS

A quantitative analysis of the surface density of amine groups on a plasma-polymerized ethylenediamine thin film deposited on a platinum surface using inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition method is described. UV-visible spectroscopy together with a chemical derivatization technique using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was used to obtain the quantitative information. Chemical tags of pentafluorobenzaldehyde were hybridized with the surface amine groups and were easily detected due to the characteristic absorption bands of C-F stretching, aromatic ring and CN stretching vibrations in the reflection-absorption FT-IR spectra. The surface amine density was reproducibly controlled as a function of deposition plasma power and quantified using UV-visible spectroscopy. A good linear correlation was observed between the FT-IR intensities of the characteristic absorption bands and the surface amine densities, suggesting the possibility of using this chemical derivatization technique to quantify the surface densities of specific functional groups on an organic surface. Chemical derivatization was also used with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy on the same samples, and the results were compared with those obtained from FT-IR and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. Although each analysis technique has different probing depths from the surface, the three different data sets obtained from the chemical tags correlated well with each other since each analysis technique measured the chemical tags on the sample surface.     

Vision improvement by correcting higher-order aberrations with customized soft contact lenses in keratoconic eyes

Higher-order aberration correction in abnormal eyes can result in significant vision improvement, especially in eyes with abnormal corneas. Customized optics such as phase plates and customized contact lenses are one of the most practical, nonsurgical ways to correct these ocular higher-order aberrations. We demonstrate the feasibility of correcting higher-order aberrations and improving visual performance with customized soft contact lenses in keratoconic eyes while compensating for the static decentration and rotation of the lens. A reduction of higher-order aberrations by a factor of 3 on average was obtained in these eyes. The higher-order aberration correction resulted in an average improvement of 2.1 lines in visual acuity over the conventional correction of defocus and astigmatism alone.     

Semi-automated disk-type solid-phase extraction method for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in aqueous samples and its application to natural water

A disk-type solid-phase extraction (SPE) method was used for the extraction of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in natural water and tap water. Since this SPE system comprised airtight glass covers with a decompression pump, it enabled continuous extraction with semi-automation. The disk-type SPE method was validated by comparing its recovery rates of spiked internal standards with those of the liquid-liquid extraction (LLE). The recovery ranges of both methods were similar in terms of (13)C-labeled internal standards: 64.3-99.2% for the LLE and 52.4-93.6% for the SPE. For the native spike of 1,3,6,8-tetrachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and octachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD), the recoveries in the SPE were in the normal range of 77.9-101.1%. However, in the LLE, the recoveries of 1,3,6,8-TCDD decreased significantly. One of the reasons for the low recovery is that the solubility of this congener is high. The semi-automated SPE method was applied to the analysis of different types of water: river water, snow, sea water, raw water for drinking purposes, and tap water. PCDD/F congeners were found in some sea water and snow samples, while their concentrations in the other samples were below the limits of detection (LODs). This SPE system is appropriate for the routine analysis of water samples below 50L.     

Fabrication of monodisperse asymmetric colloidal clusters by using contact area lithography (CAL)

We report a new fabrication method of asymmetric colloidal clusters by using contact area lithography with site-selective growth. Nanometric surface patterns (approximately 44, 60, and 81 nm in diameter) were prepared by coating surfaces with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs; octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) in this study) except the contact area either between colloidal particles or between colloids and substrate. Nanoscale site-specific heterogeneous nucleation and growth of oxide materials of titanium were studied using the patterns of OTS-SAMs onto the either flat or curved surfaces of SiO2. Experimental results suggest that a combination of the large difference in the surface energy between the growing and surrounding surfaces and the diffusion-controlled growth leads to complete nanoscale site specificity. We also fabricated superstructrures of silica spheres with hemispheres of titania (<20 nm in dimension) on their surfaces and discussed the optical properties of colloidal films consisting of the monodisperse asymmetric colloidal clusters in terms of photonic band gap.     

Porous metal-organic frameworks based on metal-organic polyhedra with nanosized cavities as supramolecular building blocks: two-fold interpenetrating primitive cubic networks of [Cu6L8]12+ nanocages

Discrete metal-organic polyhedra (MOP) with nanosized cavities and/or clusters of MOP could be prepared when C3-symmetric facial ligands and a potential hexatopic Cu(II) ion are combined in the presence of perchlorate as a weak linker, while similar reaction conditions in the presence of a nitrate linker led to extended metal-organic frameworks made of MOP as supramolecular building blocks.     

Allosteric deprogramming of a trinuclear heterometallic helicate

Two multidentate ditopic ligands L1 and L2 which contain both N-donor and crown ether units have been synthesised. The potentially octadentate ligand L1 forms a trinuclear heterometallic double helicate with Cu(I) and Zn(II) ([Zn2Cu(L1)2](5+)), whereas L2 forms a tetranuclear heterometallic double helicate with the same metal ions ([Zn2Cu2(L2)2](6+)). Both species have been characterised by (1)H NMR, ESI-MS and single crystal X-ray crystallography. Reaction of [Zn2Cu2(L2)2](6+) with Ba(2+) results in the coordination of the crown ether units giving the simple barium coordinated species [Zn2Cu2(L2)2Ba2](10+). However, reaction of [Zn2Cu(L1)2](5+) with Ba(2+) deprograms the ligand and results in the formation of a mixture of species.     

Simultaneous determination of psychotropic phenylalkylamine derivatives in human hair by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

A gas chromatography/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) method was developed and validated for the determination of thirteen psychotropic phenylalkylamine derivatives (amphetamine; AP, phentermine; PT, methamphamine; MA, cathinone; Khat, methcathinone; MCAT, fenfluramine; FFA, desmethylselegiline; DSEL, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; MDA, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine; MDMA, 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine; MDEA, norketamine; NKT, mescaline; MES, 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine; 2CB) in human hair. Hair samples (20 mg) were washed with distilled water and acetone, cut into small fragments (<1 mm), and incubated in 0.25 M methanolic HCl under ultrasonication at 50 degrees C for 1 h. The resulting solutions were evaporated to dryness, derivatized using trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA) at 70 degrees C for 30 min, and analyzed by GC/MS. The linear ranges were 0.02-25.0 ng/mg for AP, PT, Khat, FFA, DSEL, MDMA, and 2CB; 0.05-25.0 ng/mg for MA, MCAT, and MES; 0.05-12.5 ng/mg for MDA; and 0.1-25.0 ng/mg for MDEA and NKT, with good correlation coefficients (r(2) > 0.9985). The intra-day, inter-day, and inter-person precisions were within 12.7%, 14.8%, and 16.8%, respectively. The intra-day, inter-day, and inter-person accuracies were between -10.7 and 13.4%, -12.7 and 11.6%, and -15.3 and 11.9%, respectively. The limits of quantifications (LOQs) for each compound were lower than 0.08 ng/mg. The recoveries were in the range of 76.7-95.6%. The method proved to be suitable for the simultaneous qualification and quantification of phenylalkylamine derivatives in hair specimens.