Application of the 19F NMR technique to observe binding of the general anesthetic halothane to human serum albumin.

19F NMR techniques were employed to characterize the binding property of the widely used general anesthetic halothane with human serum albumin (HSA). It was found that 19F(1H) NOE and 2D 1H-19F HOESY experiments detected intermolecular NOEs between halothane 19F and HSA protons. Measurements of the diffusion coefficients for halothane were also carried out by 1H and 19F NMR, indicating the interaction of halothane with HSA. The present results indicate that these techniques are very suitable to identify a fluorine-containing ligand binding with a protein receptor in the drug-discovery process.     

Enhancement of the backscattered intensity from fractal aggregates

Comparative measurements were conducted for the backscattered intensities of light from uniform random and fractal aggregated media. Different features are found for the backscattered intensity peak shapes. A crossover between the θ^1-D and θ^-2 dependences of the backscattered intensity occurs in the case of fractal aggregated medium, where D indicates the fractal dimension.     

Improved holographic particle sizing by using absolute values of the wavelet transform

A new method for sizing particle from in-line particle holograms by using absolute values of the wavelet transform is proposed in order to improve accuracy in measurements. The proposed method provides direct calculation of the particle size by using spatial frequency information of a chirp signal at minima position of an envelope function. Simulation and experimental results are presented.     

Unsaturated bond existing in tetrafluoroethylene-propylene-vinylidene fluoride terpolymer

Infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies have been applied for quantitative comparison on unsaturated bonds in tetrafluoroethylene (TFE)-propylene (P)-vinylidene fluoride (VdF) terpolymers. These spectroscopies have led to consistent results while they are based on completely different principles. It is shown that the absolute concentration can be evaluated from NMR measurements. The behavior of unsaturation has been discussed in terms of after-treatment such as wet and dry treatments. The result obtained here can give the important information to improve the performance of fluoroelastomer based on TFE-P-VdF terpolymers.     

Arithmetic Hodge Structure and Nonvanishing of the Cycle Class of 0-Cycles

We construct 0-cycles on a self-product of a curve whose cycle classes are linearly independent in the extension group of arithmetic Hodge structure. This is an extended version of Theorem 4.5 of Asakura's contribution to CMR Lecture Notes Ser. 24 ((2000), pp. 133–154).     

Spacetime correlation functions of dynamic speckles produced by a series of moving phase screens

Spacetime correlation functions of the time-varying speckle intensity have been evaluated for the case where speckle patterns are produced in the Fresnel diffraction region by light propagating through a series of moving random-phase screens. The correlation functions are given by a set of recursion formulae which are useful for numerical computations. Three statistical quantities relating to the motion of speckle patterns are derived to examine the relationship between the velocity distribution of the phase screens and the temporal behaviour of resultant speckle patterns. It is found that the velocity differences between the phase screens have a strong effect on both the decorrelation of speckle patterns and the fluctuating speed of the speckle intensity.     

Development and features of hydro-membrane gas chromatography.

Hydro-membrane gas chromatography (HMGC) is achieved by the annular condensation of water in a capillary column at less than 70 degrees C. The annular membrane of water is formed as a result of the wettability of the stationary phase, which is induced at a water contact angle ranging from 75 degrees to 79 degrees, as derived from a solubility parameter (delta) range of 15.7 +/- 0.3 MPa(1/2) of the coated resin. The range of the liquid to gas volume ratio (beta) required to support the annular membrane should be kept between 0.00005 and 0.0003. In the case of a 0.25-mm i.d. column, the ratio can be set by the combination of a 0.1 to 0.2 microl min(-1) water supply rate and helium gas flow rate. Separation by HMGC develops not only a gas-solid partition but also a focusing effect on the water membrane. One feature of HMGC is that it gives a non-adsorption chromatogram based on the blocking effect of pre-adsorbed water; furthermore, despite the presence of a relatively large quantity of water, the electron impact ionization efficiency is kept the same as in the usual GC/MS condition. The detection limit with the injection of 1 microl of aquatic solution was estimated to be less than 0.1 ppb of low-molecular-weight fatty acids with s/n = 5 on a mass chromatogram at m/z 45. The HMGC/EI-MS system can be applied to the trace analysis of C1 to C3 volatile acids, volatile inorganic acids, and halogenated organic acids in water.     

Specular reflectance of cold-rolled aluminum surfaces

The specular reflectance of cold-rolled aluminum surface is studied using a fiber optic system. An approximation for the determination of surface roughness is presented.     

The interface of the Ising model and the Brownian sheet

We study the limit theorem related to the interface of the three-dimensional Ising model. Dobrushin proved that the interface does not fluctuate and becomes rigid for sufficiently large. We define the random fieldX ^L (t, s), 0t, s1, on the interface, and prove that X^L(t, s) converges to the Brownian sheet as L for sufficiently large, whereL denotes the size of the system. This result does not mean that the interface itself converges to the Brownian sheet.