Propagation characteristics of a segmented cladding fiber

We propose a novel optical fiber design that consists of a uniform core and a segmented cladding formed by alternate regions of high and low refractive indices in the azimuthal direction. The structure is analyzed by use of the radial effective-index method, and the propagation characteristics of the structure are studied. The fiber has a highly dispersive cladding and shows characteristics similar to those of photonic-crystal fibers and holey fibers. The novel fiber offers the possibility of single-mode operation over a wide range of wavelengths with a large core diameter.     

Preparation of Zirconia Nanocrystals from Concentrated Zirconium Aqueous Solutions

A high concentration (0.8 M) zirconium solution turned into a stable aqueous colloid of about 60 nm in size upon low temperature (96^°C) incubation. Changing the acid concentration did not affect the colloidal growth rate nor the final colloid size much. However, the induction time before the rapid growth of colloidal particle could be altered. By limiting the incubation to just before the rapid growth of colloidal zirconia, and the addition of organic acids as surface modifiers, non-agglomerated primary crystallites (10 nm) of m-ZrO₂ could be recovered. These modified primary crystallites could then be repeatedly flocculated and redispersed in water by adjusting the pH.     

Multiple nano-TiO2 layers to prevent dye/nano-TiO2 from photodegradation under a UV-exposure environment

A device of multiple nano-TiO₂ layers was proposed and fabricated to prevent a dye/nano-TiO₂ region from serious photo-degradation. In this device, the top of the dye/TiO₂ region was designed to be coated using sol-gel nano-TiO₂ thin films to shield UV irradiation from the photo-degradation effect. The sol-gel TiO₂ was prepared in a low temperature (75 °C) and verified as nano-sized particles and an anatase crystalline structure. Different devices of the multi-layer samples fabricated using different compositions of nano-TiO₂ were produced and exposed for UV irradiation tests. Results show that the presence of the sol-gel TiO₂ films coated on top of the dye/TiO₂ region can significantly alleviate the dye photo-degradation under UV irradiation. This multi-layer device can effectively improve the photo-stability of the dye/TiO₂ region in a UV-exposure environment.     

Rank procedures for testing subhypotheses in linear regression

Summary In the linear regression modelX _i=α+βc_i+Z_i, we consider the problem of testing the subhypothesis that some (but not all) components of β are equal to 0. A class of asymptotically distribution-free tests based on a quadratic form in aligned rank statistic is studied and the asymptotic relative efficiencies of the proposed tests with respect to the general likelihood ratio test and the test based on least-squares estimates of regression parameters are derived. Asymptotic optimality (à la Wald) is also discussed. Work done under the National Science Foundation Grant MCS 8301409 and NATO Grant 1465.     

Constituents of Antrodia Cinnamomea

We describe identification of seven components from Antrodia cinnamomea. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectral analysis and comparison with authentic samples. These compounds include two steroids (1, 2) (β-sitosterol and eburicol), two new steroids (3, 4) [methyl-4α-methylergost-8,24(28)-dien-3,7,11-trion-26-oate and methyl-4α-methylergost-8,24(28)-dien-3,11-dion-26-oate], two lignans (5, 6) [(+)-sesamin and 4-hydroxysesamin], and one long chain methyl ester (7) (methyl oleate). Among them, compounds 3 and 4 are first isolated from nature.     

Adsorptive stripping voltammetry of some trace elements in biological samples,II: Nickel,arsenic, aluminium and selenium

A study of the adsorptive stripping voltammetry of nickel, aluminium, selenium and arsenic is reported in which 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (DMTD) has been used as a chelating agent. By a suitable choice of deposition potential, deposition time, reagent reaction time and other operating conditions, the determination of the four elements could be achieved.By the use of benzyltrimethyl ammonium methoxide as a digesting solvent, it was possible to apply the procedure to the direct determination of the four elements in biological samples.     

Diselenophosphate‐Induced Conversion of an Achiral [Cu20H11{S2P(OiPr)2}9] into a Chiral [Cu20H11{Se2P(OiPr)2}9] Polyhydrido Nanocluster

A polyhydrido copper nanocluster, [Cu₂₀H₁₁{Se₂P(OiPr)₂}₉] ( 2_H ), which exhibits an intrinsically chiral inorganic core of C₃ symmetry, was synthesized from achiral [Cu₂₀H₁₁{S₂P(OiPr)₂}₉] ( 1_H ) of C_3h symmetry by a ligand‐exchange method. The structure has a distorted cuboctahedral Cu₁₃ core, two triangular faces of which are capped along the C₃ axis, one by a Cu₆ cupola and the other by a single Cu atom. The Cu₂₀ framework is further stabilized by 9 diselenophosphate and 11 hydride ligands. The number of hydride, phosphorus, and selenium resonances and their splitting patterns in multinuclear NMR spectra of 2_H indicate that the chiral Cu₂₀H₁₁ core retains its C₃ symmetry in solution. The 11 hydride ligands were located by neutron diffraction experiments and shown to be capping μ₃‐H and interstitial μ₅‐H ligands (in square‐pyramidal and trigonal‐bipyramidal cavities), as supported by DFT calculations on [Cu₂₀H₁₁(Se₂PH₂)₉] ( 2_H′ ) as a simplified model.     

Effective Synthesis of N‐Arylformamide from α‐Halo‐N‐arylacetamides

A convenient synthetic method for N‐arylformamide derivatives was successfully developed by reacting α‐iodo‐N‐arylacetamides with formamide. This method was applicable to α‐iodo‐N‐arylacetamide substrates bearing electron‐donating or electron‐withdrawing groups, N‐(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol‐5‐yl)‐2‐iodoacetamide, 2‐iodo‐N‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)acetamide, and 2‐iodo‐N‐(naphthalen‐4‐yl)acetamide to give the corresponding N‐arylformamides in moderate to excellent yields (65–94%). A plausible mechanism was proposed to account for the new transformation.     

catena‐Poly­[[tetra­aqua­iron(II)]‐μ‐succinato‐κ2O:O′]

The title complex, {[Fe(C₄H₄O₄)(H₂O)₄]}_n, is an infinite poly­meric compound bridged by the succinate dianion. Two carboxyl­ate groups coordinate in a monodentate manner to the Fe^II atom, in a trans fashion, with an O—Fe—O bond angle of 175.72 (6)° and Fe—O distances of 2.0886 (14) and 2.1008 (15) Å. One of the uncoordinated carboxyl­ate O atom forms an intramolecular hydrogen bond with a coordinated water mol­ecule. Extensive hydrogen bonding between parallel poly­meric complex chains results in a three‐dimensional supramolecular structure.