Intra-abdominal fat area is a predictor for new onset of individual components of metabolic syndrome: MEtabolic syndRome and abdominaL ObesiTy (MERLOT study)

Objective: To investigate the significance of intra-abdominal fat area (IAFA) on new onset of individual components of the metabolic syndrome: high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, or hyperglycemia. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study using checkup data of a hospital from 1994 to 2010. Of 25,255 subjects, we examined 1,380 Japanese, who underwent computed tomography to measure IAFA and had no metabolic syndrome components at baseline. Results: During 3.6 years of the mean follow-up period, one of metabolic syndrome components occurred in 752 subjects. Of three components, high blood pressure was more prevalent. The multiple Cox regression analysis disclosed that IAFA is significantly associated with onset of metabolic syndrome components (HR: 1.05 per 10 cm², 95%CI: 1.03–1.07). This finding was independent of BMI, and significant even in non-obese individuals with body mass index <25 kg/m². Conclusions: MERLOT study demonstrates that IAFA is an independent predictor for new onset of individual components of the metabolic syndrome, even in non-obese healthy Japanese.     

Proton acceleration to 40 MeV using a high intensity, high contrast optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification/Ti:sapphire hybrid laser system

Using a high-contrast (10(10):1) and high-intensity (10(21) W/cm(2)) laser pulse with the duration of 40 fs from an optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification/Ti:sapphire laser, a 40 MeV proton bunch is obtained, which is a record for laser pulse with energy less than 10 J. The efficiency for generation of protons with kinetic energy above 15 MeV is 0.1%.     

紫外线预照射对TiO2上三氯乙烯气相光催化氧化反应的影响

 用紫外线照射法对TiO2光催化剂进行了预处理,并利用热重分析比较了预照射法和高温加热法对TiO2上三氯乙烯气相光催化氧化反应的影响. 结果表明,紫外线预照射可加快三氯乙烯的气相光催化反应. 这可能是紫外线预照射使TiO2 的表面状态和表面结构发生了变化,使催化剂表面活性基团羟基自由基的量增加所致.     

Second-Harmonic Generation in Domain-Inverted Grating Induced by Focused Ion Beam

The fabrication of a periodic domain inversion in LiTaO₃ and LiNbO₃ using direct ion-beam writing is presented. The polarization of these materials can be reversed at room temperature by irradiating Si²⁺ ions into +c faces. A first-order periodic domain inversion with a 50% duty cycle, a depth of 300μ, and an interaction length of 1 mm was realized in LiTaO₃. Using this structure, 300μW of blue light was generated for a conversion efficiency of 0.25%/W.     

Thin films of peroxopolytungstic acids: applications to optical waveguide components

Thin films of peroxohetero(carbon)polytungstic acid (CW-HPA) and carbon-free isopolytungstic acid (W-IPA) were prepared, and examined in terms of optical and etching properties. Thermal decomposition was found to give good results in removing excess hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) during the preparation of CW-HPA and W-IPA. It was shown for the first time that thin films of CW-HPA and W-IPA have very high refractive indices (larger than 2.0) when sufficiently dried. Optical waveguide (OWG) characteristics of these films were examined using a slab-type OWG structure and ARROW (Antiresonance Reflection Optical Waveguide)-type structures. An embossing technique was applied to make diffractional grating couplers.     

过氧聚钨酸薄膜上光栅的制备

用过氧聚钨酸（PPTA）水溶液，通过离心涂膜法在显微镜载玻片上制备了具有光滑表面且厚度为100nm的PPTA薄膜，利用PPTA薄膜在紫外光照下可研制光栅以及其它光学元件的薄膜材料，具有很高的利用价值。     

Cidep study of radical-ion pair systems: Photooxidation reactions of carbazoles by maleic anhydride in alcohol solution

Photooxidation (charge transfer) reactions of carbazole derivatives by maleic anhydride (MA) in alcoholic media are studied by a time-resolved cw-ESR (TRESR) and Fourier transform ESR (FTESR) techniques. The CIDEP spectra observed in the systems (methyl-, ethyl-, and phenyl-substituted carbazoles with MA) remarkably depend on the MA concentration. Under the high concentration conditions, an emissive TM (triplet mechanism) polarization with a slight A/E (absorption/emission) pattern of the RPM (radical pair mechanism) is observed. In the low concentration of MA, a TM-like absorptive polarization is superimposed on the A/E pattern of the RPM. Since this reaction takes place exclusively through the triplet state, this spectral phase reveals that the singlet state of the radical-ion pair (RIP) has an energy higher than that of the triplet state, in other words, the sign of the apparent exchange interaction of the present RIP systems is positive. The total absorptive polarization observed in the low concentration of MA is tentatively explained by the polarization transfer from the excited triplet state of carbazoles in thermal equilibrium.     

Spectral properties of the Cu-hyperaccumulating moss Scopelophilacataractae

To determine the characteristics of a Cu-hyperaccumulating moss Scopelophilacataractae and the influence of Cu on its structure and on chlorophyll (Chl), we measured reflectance and fluorescence (FL) spectra of S.cataractae samples with different Cu concentrations before and after wetting and the absorption spectra of Chl extracted from these samples. We found relationships between the spectral properties and Cu concentration. These relationships can be explained as follows. The higher the Cu concentration is, the lower is the plasticity of the cell wall, and the smaller is the increase in illuminated area due to the opening of the leaves after wetting. This results in a smaller increase in absorption and smaller decrease in reabsorption of the FL by Chl itself, and accordingly, a smaller increase in the FL band of Chl after wetting. Moreover, we found that the Chl concentration in S.cataractae is much higher than that in other common mosses and is correlated with an increase in the FL band of Chl after wetting. The remarkable increase in FL seen in S.cataractae and the slight increase in FL observed in other common mosses after wetting can be explained based on these findings.     

Factors affecting physicochemical properties of liposomes prepared with hydrogenated purified egg yolk lecithins by the microencapsulation vesicle method

We examined hydrogenated purified egg yolk lecithins, having practical advantages over non-hydrogenated ones, as liposomal membrane materials. Liposomes were prepared by the microencapsulation vesicle (MCV) method in which liposomes are formed through two-step emulsification and dispersion. Three types of purified egg yolk lecithins with different iodine values were examined after being dissolved in one of three lipid solvents. The liposome size increased as the temperature during the second emulsification increased, being closer to the boiling temperature of the solvent. The preparation temperature in relation to the transition temperature of each lecithin was also a factor affecting liposome sizes. As for the encapsulation efficiencies of the model compound calcein in liposomes, they differed mainly depending on the solubility of each lecithin in a lipid solvent and it was more obvious in hydrogenated lecithins. A high preparation temperature resulted in lower encapsulation efficiencies, suggesting that leakage of encapsulated calcein was facilitated at high temperature in the MCV methods. There was a significant correlation between liposome sizes and encapsulation efficiencies in non-hydrogenated purified egg yolk lecithin but not in hydrogenated ones. When using hydrogenated purified egg yolk lecithins as liposomal membrane materials, it was suggested that a lipid solvent should be chosen so that a lecithin completely dissolves under the preparation condition in order to achieve a higher encapsulation efficiency. Smaller liposome particles were obtained when the second emulsification was performed at a lower temperature compared with the boiling point of the lipid solvent. These findings can be applied to control encapsulation efficiencies and particle sizes in each particular liposome preparation enclosing therapeutic agents.     

Esr studies on the γ-irradiated acetone-CCl3F system

γ-irradiated acetone in polycrystalline CCl₃F at 77 K has been studied by ESR to reveal that the acetone molecules tend to be oriented in CCl₃F Matrix upon freezing the solution in ESR tubings. At higher concentrations both monomer and dimer radical cations of acetone are produced. The dimer cation is responsible for the optical absorption with λ_max ≈ 740 nm.