Development of high-speed video cameras for Dynamic PIV

The most promising next generation Image Velocimtry (IV) is the high-speed Dynamic PIV. It requires the development of innovative high-speed video camera sensors. We started by specifying the required performance of these new sensors, for measurements in air and water flows. These criteria founded on the most recent developments in PIV algorithms and incorporate results from a large questionnaire survey of users of high-speed video cameras in Japan. The results suggest that the followings are required: (1) frame rate of 1,000,000 fps, (2) pixel count of 1,000,000 pixels, (3) frame storage capacity of 100–200 frames for tracing a single event and 10,000 frames for turbulent measurements, (4) gray levels of 4–8 bits for PTV; 12 bits for observation. Finally, we reviewed the state of the art of high-speed video-image sensors. Currently the standard parallel-readout sensors can operate at 1 Kfps with a pixel count of approximately 1 Kpixels. The In-situ Storage Image Sensor (ISIS) developed by the authors has recently achieved frame rates of 1 Mfps.     

Development of measuring magnetic Compton profiles by grazing incidence geometry

A novel technique of measuring a magnetic Compton profile using the grazing angle geometry against a sample surface (Grazing Incidence Magnetic Compton Profile) has been successively developed. Measurements of a magnetic moment and a magnetic Compton profile are possible for a Fe 200 nm film on a thick glass substrate. The estimated thinnest limit for measurements is 100 nm for a Fe film.     

Vibrational energies for the X1A1, A1B1, and B1A1 states of SiH2/SiD2 and related transition probabilities based on global potential energy surfaces

Transition probabilities were evaluated for the X(1)A(1)-A(1)B(1) and A(1)B(1)-B(1)A(1) systems of SiH(2) and SiD(2) to analyze the X-->A-->B photoexcitation. The Franck-Condon factors (FCFs) and Einstein's B coefficients were computed by quantum vibrational calculations using the three-dimensional potential energy surfaces (PESs) of the SiH(2)(X(1)A(1),A(1)B(1),B(1)A(1)) electronic states and the electronic transition moments for the X-A, X-B, and A-B system. The global PESs were determined by the multireference configuration interaction calculations with the Davidson correction and the interpolant moving least-squares method combined with the Shepard interpolation. The obtained FCFs for the X-A and A-B systems exhibit that the bending mode is strongly enhanced in the excitation since the equilibrium bond angle greatly varies with the three states; the barrier to linearity is evaluated to be 21,900 cm(-1) for the X state, 6400 cm(-1) for the A state, and 230-240 cm(-1) for the B state. The theoretical lifetimes for the pure bending levels of the A and B states were calculated from the fluorescence decay rates for the A-X, B-A, and B-X emissions.     

Staphylionosides A-K: megastigmane glucosides from the leaves of Staphylea bumalda DC

Chemical investigation of leaves of Staphylea bumalda DC., collected in the suburbs of Hiroshima City, afforded 11 new megastigmane glucosides, named staphylionosides A-K (3-13), along with two known megastigmane glucosides (1, 2). The relative structures were elucidated from spectroscopic evidence, and the absolute structures of the aglycones were determined by means of the combination of beta-D-glucosylation-induced shift-trends and the modified Mosher's method.     

Novel Host Compounds, 1,1′-Binaphthyl-2,2′-Dihydroxy-5,5′- and 6,6′-Dicarboxylic Acid, which Trap Guest Molecules Tightly in their Inclusion Crystals

The host compounds 1,1’-binaphthyl-2,2′-dihydroxy-5,5′-dicarboxylic acid (1) and 1,1′-binaphthyl-2,2′-dihydroxy-6,6′-dicarboxylic acid (2) have been synthesized, and their inclusion properties have been studied. Inclusion complexes formed by 1 and 2 with volatile guests such as acetone and methanol release the guests only at much higher temperatures than their boiling points. The crystal structures of the inclusion complexes have been determined from single crystal X-ray diffraction data and show different host lattices.     

Detection of environmental chemicals by SPR assay using branched cyclodextrin as sensor ligand

We obtained the association constants Ka of estrogen (E2) and environmental chemicals by the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay using the immobilized mono-6-O-α-maltosyl-β-CD (G₂βCD) compared with the immobilized β-CD and the immobilized estrogen receptor (ER). The association behavior of G₂βCD was shown as a ER model compound. The calibration curve was determined by the initial rate of association depending on the various concentrations, and the minimum detectable concentrations in the order of parts per billion were calculated. The SPR assay has advantages that the pre-treatment of the sample is not necessary and the immobilized ligand is stable and useful for the repeated measurement.     

Evaluation of thyroid scintigraphy in small animals

Thyroid scintigraphy in rats and mice with 99mTc and 123I was attempted to examine whether this modality might be used in small animals and to describe the possibilities of its application in examining experimentally produced thyroid diseases. A human gamma camera with a pinhole collimator improved for small animals was used for imaging. Thyroid images with 99mTc were obtained 20 minutes after injection and those with 123I were 24 hours after administration. All the scintigrams, although those obtained from mice with 99mTc displayed overlapped salivary gland images, demonstrated sufficiently clear images in size and shape, which showed that thyroid scintigraphy in small animals should be applicable in examining experimentally produced thyroid diseases.