Control of the microstructure of polymer network and effects of the microstructures on light scattering properties of UV‐cured polymer‐dispersed liquid crystal films

Polymer‐dispersed liquid crystals (PDLC) films were prepared from ultraviolet (UV) irradiation‐induced polymerization of the photopolymerizable monomers in photopolymerizable monomers/nematic liquid crystal (LC) mixtures. The effects of the composition of the mixtures, the curing temperature, and the UV light intensity on the microstructure of the polymer network in the PDLC films were investigated. Furthermore, the effects of the microstructures on the light scattering properties of the PDLC films in the wavelength region of 300–2500 nm were studied experimentally and theoretically based on the combination of three kinds of classical light scattering theories: the Rayleigh‐Gans (RG) approach, the anomalous diffraction (AD) approach, and the geometrical optics (GO) approach. It was found that the sizes of LC domain in PDLC films increased with the increase of the LC content as well as the decrease of the UV curing intensity, while increased at first and then decreased with the increase of the curing temperature. Moreover, smaller LC domain sizes could exhibit strong scattering properties in a smaller VIS wavelength region and the transmittance in NIR region (especially in the wavelength range of 1300–2500 nm) obviously decreased with the increasing sizes of LC domain. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 2090–2099, 2008     

Effects of the structures of polymerizable monomers on the electro‐optical properties of UV cured polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

Polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films were prepared by photopolymerization of liquid crystal (LC)/polymerizable monomers/photoinitiator composites. The effects of the structures of the polymerizable monomers on the electro‐optical properties of PDLC films were investigated. It was found that the length of the molecular chain and the rigidity and flexibility of molecules influenced the structure of the polymer network in the PDLC films somewhat, and then affected the electro‐optical properties of the composites accordingly. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 1369–1375, 2008     

Molecular distortion effect on ff-emission in a Pr(III) complex with 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline.

The electronic and structural behaviour of a Pr(III) complex with 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline, [Pr(bathophen)(2)(NO(3))(3)], is investigated with respect to the effect of configuration changes on the Pr(III) centre. [Pr(bathophen)(2)(NO(3))(3)] luminesces from the excited states of the ligand and the metal ion. The fluorescence, ff-emission ((1)D(2)-->(3)H(4)), and phosphorescence bands appear at 394, 608.2 and 482 nm, respectively, in the solid state. In acetonitrile, the complex also shows multiple emissions. From the time-resolved emission and the lifetime measurements, the excitation energy-transfer in [Pr(bathophen)(2)(NO(3))(3)] is clarified, that is, the upper excited triplet level of the ligand acts as an energy donor, while the (1)D(2) levels of Pr(III) is the acceptor. Additionally, the emission phenomena of the complex can be modified by molecular distortion, particularly by rotation of the phenyl groups in the ligand.     

Effects of Physical Agents on Muscle Healing with a Focus on Animal Model Research

Skeletal muscle injury is caused by a variety of events, such as muscle laceration, contusions, or strain. Muscle fibers respond to minor damage with immediate repair mechanisms that reseal the cell membrane. On the other hand, repair of irreversibly damaged fibers is achieved by activation of muscle precursor cells. Muscle repair is not always perfect, especially after severe damage, and can lead to excessive fibroblast proliferation that results in the formation of scar tissue within muscle fibers. Remaining scar tissue can impair joint movement, reduce muscular strength, and inhibit exercise ability; therefore, to restore muscle function, minimizing the extent of injury and promoting muscle regeneration are necessary. Various physical agents, such as cold, thermal, electrical stimulation, and low-intensity pulsed ultrasound therapy, have been reported as treatments for muscle healing. Although approaches based on the muscle regeneration process have been under development, the most efficacious physiological treatment for muscle injury remains unclear. In this review, the influence of these physical agents on muscle injury is described with a focus on research using animal models.     

Higher order solutions of Lieb-Liniger integral equation

We study higher order solutions of Lieb-Liniger integral equation for a one-dimensional δ-function Bose gas. By use of the power series expansion method, the integral equation is solved and the correction terms which improve the Bogoliubov theory are calculated analytically in the weak coupling regime. Physical quantities such as the ground state energy and the chemical potential are represented by a dimensionless parameter γ=c/ρ, where c is the interaction strength and ρ is the number density of particles while the quasi-momentum distribution function is expressed in terms of a dimensionless parameter λ=c/K, where K is the cut-off momentum.     

A case of Budd-Chiari syndrome: Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MR findings

Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is a rare disorder caused by the obstruction of hepatic venous outflow, leading to sinusoidal congestion, ischemic injury to liver cells and portal hypertension. Long-term survival largely depends on whether hepatocellular carcinoma occurs. A recently available liver-specific contrast medium, gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine penta-acetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA), reportedly has high diagnostic capability for detection of malignant liver tumors. However, there has been no report of the sue of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for BCS. We present a case of chronic BCS who underwent both gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) and Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI. Hepatic congestion and edema were seen as slightly hypointense areas on Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced hepatobiliary-phase images, although these areas were observed as slightly hyperintense on previously obtained Gd-DTPA-enhanced delayed-phase image. Reduced uptake of Gd-EOB-DTPA by hepatocytes in the region of congestion or edema may account for this difference, which should be recognized in image interpretations.     

An epsilon-based measure of efficiency in DEA – A third pole of technical efficiency

In DEA, we have two measures of technical efficiency with different characteristics: radial and non-radial. In this paper we compile them into a composite model called “epsilon-based measure (EBM).” For this purpose we introduce two parameters which connect radial and non-radial models. These two parameters are obtained from the newly defined affinity index between inputs or outputs along with principal component analysis on the affinity matrix. Thus, EBM takes into account diversity of input/output data and their relative importance for measuring technical efficiency.     

Syntheses and characterizations of 4-(3,17beta-dihydroxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-6alpha- and 6beta-yl)amino-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazoles as fluorescent probes.

4-(3,17Beta-dihydroxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-6alpha- and 6beta-yl)amino-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazoles have been synthesized and characterized as fluorescent probes for use in a receptor assay and/or a homogeneous immunoassay for estradiol. The fluorescence intensities are strongly dependent upon the solvent polarity used. The intensities in water were reduced to less than 1% of those in ethyl acetate, and a blue shift was also observed in polar solvents. The quenched fluorescence in aqueous solution was recovered by adding bovine serum albumin or an anti-estradiol antibody. Adding intact estradiol inhibited the fluorescence recovered by the antibody.     

Electrical characteristics of Mg-doped GaN activated with Ni catalysts

Electrical characteristics of Mg-doped p-GaN activated with Ni catalytic layers have been investigated by means of temperature-dependent Hall effect measurements. It has been revealed that the Ni layer on GaN enhances activation of the acceptor in the whole annealing temperature range. This enhancement is remarkable especially at temperatures below 500 °C and can be attributed to the catalytic effect for the hydrogen desorption. We have found that the donor concentrations in the samples activated with the Ni catalysts are also higher than those activated without Ni. This is probably due to the catalytic effect of Ni for the nitrogen desorption. In addition, it has been found that the ionization energies of the Mg acceptors in GaN activated with the Ni layer are decreased from 170 to 118 meV as the acceptor concentration increases.