Widely tunable asymmetric long-period fiber grating with high sensitivity using optical polymer on laser-ablated cladding

We demonstrate high-efficiency, wideband-tunable, laser-ablated long-period fiber gratings that use an optical polymer overlay. Portions of the fiber cladding are periodically removed by CO(2) laser pulses to induce periodic index changes for coupling the core mode into cladding modes. An optical polymer with a high thermo-optic coefficient with a dispersion distinct from that of silica is used on a deep-ablated cladding structure so that the effective indices of cladding modes become dispersive and the resonant wavelengths can be efficiently tuned. The tuning efficiency can be as high as 15.8 nm/ degrees C, and the tuning range can be wider than 105 nm (1545-1650 nm).     

Cell migration rate on poly(epsilon-caprolactone)/poly(ethylene glycol) diblock copolymers and correlation with the material sliding angle

The nanostructure of a biomaterial surface has strong influence on cell behavior. The migration of cells on nanostructured surfaces, however, has not been investigated so far. In this study, we used PCL/PEG diblock copolymers as model surfaces to examine the effect of nanoislands on migration of different cells, including fibroblasts and endothelial cells. The water sliding angle of the substrates was measured. The cell migration rate was examined under a real-time optical microscope. It was found that a greater cell migration rate correlated with the smaller sliding angle of the substrate.     

A Simple Extraction Method for Determination of High Molecular Weight Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

A simplified extraction method was developed for extracting high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from river sediments. The samples were extracted 3 times with 5 mL of solvent (toluene:methanol, 9 : 1, v/v) at 100 °C, 10 minutes for each extraction. After clean‐up and concentration, extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometer (GC‐MS). The extraction efficiency and accuracy was evaluated by the standard reference material (SRM‐1941b). Comparing to certified values, the average recoveries of high molecular weight PAHs with 3, 4, 5 and 6 fused benzene rings were 72.9∼113.2 % (R.S.D. 2.3∼6.3 %) except those of dibenz[a,h]anthracene (206.2±4.6 %). The average recoveries for PAHs spiked sediment samples were comparable with accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and Soxhlet methods. The simple extraction method consumes less solvent, fewer amount of sample than those of conventional methods. The lowest quantitation limit of PAHs is 1.1 μg/kg.     

Extraction of Intercalated O2 from Aligned Carbon Nanotubes: The Breaking of Intertube Paths and Exponential Changes in Resistance

In carbon nanotube films, the alignment of carbon nanotubes creates Lennard–Jones potentials at intertube junctions and trapped O₂ appears to oscillate at elevated temperatures. Electrical measurements reveal a low hopping barrier along the transverse direction and an underlying mechanism that involves intercalated molecules acting as charge carriers between tubes. Ab initio calculations support dynamic intercalation and charge transfer through O₂ bouncing between tubes.     

Modeling of a free-burning,high-intensity arc at elevated pressures

A previously established model has been applied to a free-burning high-intensity argon arc at elevated pressures for simulating the situations experienced, for example, in plasma processing or in underwater welding. With the calculated thermodyanmic and transport properties and appropriate boundary conditions, solutions of the entire arc are obtained with exception of the electrode sheath regions. The results show that the arc contracts as the pressure increases. As a consequence of this contraction, the current density, the enthalpy flux, and the voltage drop increase also while the velocity of the induced cathode jet decreases.     

Chemistry of o-Benzoquinones and Masked o-Benzoquinones. VI. Cycloaddition of 6, 9 Dipropyl-1, 4-Dioxaspiro[4.5] Deca-6, 8-Dien-2, 10-Dione with Cycloheptatriene

Cycloaddition of masked o-benzoquinone, 6,9-dipropyl-1, 4-dioxaspiro[4.5]deca-6, 8-dien-2,10-dione, with cycloheptatriene afforded mainly [4π+2π] adducts which was transformed into 1, 4-dipropyl-5H-benzocycloheptene by hydrolysis, photolysis and dehydrogenation consecutively. These reaction sequences represent a novel method for the synthesis of 5H-benzocycloheptene from catechol via masked o-benzoquinone.     

Mössbauer Spectroscopic Studies of Bromostannate(II) Complexes in Frozen Aqueous Solutions

Mössbauer spectra of KSnBr₃·2H₂O were very broad and could not fit Lorentz equation, suggesting unresolvable quadrupole doublets. Its quadrupole splitting was estimated to be about 0.25 mm/s from the separate experiments on frozen aqueous solutions of Sn(II)-Br^? systems. Stability constants of bromostannate(II) complexes were determined at μ = 3.5 from the Δ-c_L curve by the approximation method, which were in agreement with the literature values.     

Liquid Chromatography of Aspirin,Salicylic Acid and Acetic Acid on Cation Exchange Resin

A 8% cross-linked sulfonated polystyrene cation exchanger in the hydrogen or sodium form was used as stationary phase for the chromatography of aspirin, salicylic acid and acetic acid. The eluent is 0.02 M mineral acids or their sodium salts in aqueous ethanol. Phosphoric acid, nitric acid or sulfuric acid added in aqueous ethanol eluent made successful separation of aspirin, salicylic acid and acetic acid on hydrogen form cation exchanger.     

Dynamic kinetic asymmetric synthesis of five contiguous stereogenic centers by sequential organocatalytic stetter and Michael-aldol reaction: enantioselective synthesis of fully substituted cyclopentanols bearing a quaternary stereocenter

A synthesis of fully substituted cyclopentanes bearing a quaternary carbon center and five contiguous stereogenic centers has been achieved by sequential organocatalyzed Stetter and Michael-Aldol reactions of heteroaromatic aldehydes, nitroalkenes, and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes via the [1 + 2 + 2] annulation strategy with dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation and excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99% ee).     

Considerations of single-machine scheduling with deteriorating jobs

This paper considers some scheduling problems with deteriorating jobs. The objectives are to minimize the makespan, the total completion time, the total absolute deviation of completion time, the earliness, tardiness, and due date penalty, the sum of earliness penalties subject to no tardy jobs, respectively. We also explore two resource constrained scheduling problems: how to minimize the resource consumption with makespan constraints and how to minimize the makespan with the total resource consumption constraints. Several polynomial time algorithms are proposed to optimally solve the problems with the above objective functions.