Depth estimation of protoporphyrin IX objects in turbid media considering the fluorescence intensity ratio between two wavelengths of light for application in invasion diagnosis of gastric cancer

Optical Review - This paper demonstrates a method to estimate the depth of a fluorescence object in turbid media using dual-wavelength excited photodynamic diagnosis, to aid in the invasion depth...     

Discriminantal arrangement, 3 × 3 minors of Plücker matrix and hypersurfaces in Grassmannian Gr(3,n)

We show that points in specific degree-2 hypersurfaces in the Grassmannian $Gr(3,n)$ correspond to generic arrangements of n hyperplanes in ${\mathbb{C}}^3$ with associated discriminantal arrangement having intersections of multiplicity three in codimension two.     

Residual stresses and warp generated by one-sided quench of an epoxy-resin beam

This paper discusses the warp and accompanying residual stress in a rectangular epoxy beam produced by water cooling its lower surface. First, the theoretical values of this warp and residual stress are obtained by the linear-viscoelastic theory. The specimen is then subjected to quenching. The variations in the warp are observed. After quenching, the residual stress is measured by a layer-removal method. The experimental and theoretical results are then compared and discussed.     

A simplified optical method for measuring residual stress by rapid cooling in thermosetting resin strip

This paper presents a simplified optical method for measuring the residual stresses by rapid cooling in thermosetting resin strips. First, the fundamental equations for calculating the residual stress from the residual birefringence were obtained by the linear photoviscoelastic theory. The specimens were then subjected to rapid cooling. After rapid cooling, the residual stress was measured by two methods, the simplified optical method mentioned above and the well-known layer-removal method. The effectiveness of the simplified optical method was discussed by comparing results of the two methods.     

Theoretical analysis of correlation between ionization threshold fluence in IR‐MALDI and IR absorption spectrum of matrix molecules

To investigate the correlation between the wavelength dependence of ionization threshold fluence of target molecule in matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization by infrared (IR) laser and the IR absorption spectrum of matrix molecule, we have analyzed the IR absorption spectra of four matrix molecules using density functional theory and correlated ab initio molecular orbital method. The calculated IR absorption spectra of the isolated molecules showed more qualitative correlation with the wavelength dependence of ionization threshold fluence than those of the solid state structures. We can consider that a portion of matrix molecules lost the ordered crystal structure and that the transition to the diluted or isolated state occurred at the early process of IR laser irradiation. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Heterogeneous polycondensation for composition control of poly(p‐mercaptobenzoyl‐co‐p‐benzamide) by shearing

Composition control of aromatic poly(thioester‐amide) was examined by the reaction‐induced phase separation during polymerization of S‐acetyl‐4‐mercaptobenzoic acid (AMBA) and p‐acetylaminobenzoic acid (AABA) in aromatic solvent. The poly(thioester‐amide)s were obtained as precipitates and their yields became lower at the middle range of the content of AMBA in feed (χ_f). The contents of p‐mercaptobenzoyl (MB) moiety (χ_p) in the precipitates prepared without shearing were in good agreement with the χ_f values. In contrast to this, the χ_p values of the precipitates prepared at χ_f of 50–70 mol % under shearing were much lower than the χ_f values. The reaction rate of AMBA increased with shearing, whereas that of AABA was unchanged by shearing. This shearing effect on the reaction rates accelerated to form the homo‐oligomers. The solubility of MB oligomers enhanced by shearing, whereas that of p‐benzamide oligomers did not enhance owing to the strong interaction through hydrogen bonding. The MB oligomers were inhibited to be precipitated, resulting in the lower χ_p values than the χ_f values. The composition could be controlled by the application of the shearing to the heterogeneous polymerization. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 4301–4308     

Response of ocean bottom dwellers exposed to underwater shock waves

The paper reports results of experiments to estimate the mortality of ocean bottom dwellers, ostracoda, against underwater shock wave exposures. This study is motivated to verify the possible survival of ocean bottom dwellers, foraminifera, from the devastating underwater shock waves induced mass extinction of marine creatures which took place at giant asteroid impact events. Ocean bottom dwellers under study were ostracoda, the replacement of foraminifera, we readily sampled from ocean bottoms. An analogue experiment was performed on a laboratory scale to estimate the domain and boundary of over-pressures at which marine creatures’ mortality occurs. Ostracods were exposed to underwater shock waves generated by the explosion of 100mg PETN pellets in a chamber at shock over-pressures ranging up to 44MPa. Pressure histories were measured simultaneously on 113 samples. We found that bottom dwellers were distinctively killed against overpressures of 12MPa and this value is much higher than the usual shock over-pressure threshold value for marine-creatures having lungs and balloons.     

Biodegradable Polyurethanes from Plant Components

Abstract

Polyurethane (PU) sheets and foams having plant components in their network were prepared by using the following procedure. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was mixed with one of the following; molasses, lignin, woodmeal, or coffee grounds. The mixture obtained was reacted with diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) at room temperature, and precured PUs were prepared. The precured PUs were heat-pressed and PU sheets were obtained. In order to make PU foam, the above mixture was reacted with MDI after the addition of plasticizer, surfactant (silicone oil), catalyst (di-n-butyltin dilaurate), and droplets of water under vigorous stirring. The glass transition temperature, tensile and compression strengths, and Young's modulus of the PU sheets and foams increased with an increasing amount of plant components. This suggests that saccharide and lignin residues act as hard segments in PUs. It was found that the PUs obtained were biodegradable in soil. The rate of biodegradation of the PUs derived from molasses and coffee grounds was between that of cryptomeria (Cryptomeria japonica) and beech (Fagus sieboldi).     

Application of Dithlol-s-triazine Derivatives to PVC CrossUnking

The effects of crosslinking on PVC are well known in regard to the improvement of mechanical properties, creep behavior, and softening temperature. Little is known, however, on the application of the PVC-crosslinking reaction, because most of crosslinked PVC tends to color easily at elevated temperatures. In this paper, a novel PVC-crosslinking reaction with 2-R-4,6-dithiol-s-triazine (I) has been presented to obtain insoluble products which hardly color on ageing. The reaction rate and induction period of the crosslinking reaction with I are made controllable by selecting the basicity of the substituent R of I as well as that of an acid acceptor in the blends. The utility of I as stabilizer as well as a crosslinking agent is also emphasized.