A useful procedure for diiodination of carbazoles and subsequent efficient transformation to novel 3,6-bis(triethoxysilyl)carbazoles giving mesoporous materials

Bis(pyridine)iodonium tetrafluoroborate (IPy₂BF₄) was successfully used as a diiodination reagent for carbazole and its derivatives to give 3,6-diiodocarbazoles in excellent yield. Subsequent rhodium-catalyzed disilylation of 3,6-diiodocarbazoles with triethoxysilane gave the corresponding 3,6-bis(triethoxysilyl)carbazoles, which are precursors for sol-gel polymerization, in good yield.     

Visual observation of contact-induced intercrystalline migration of aromatic species adsorbed in zeolites by fluorescence microscopy.

Intercrystalline migration and a migration-assisted chemical reaction of adsorbed aromatic species between zeolite particles in physical contact were visualized by fluorescence microscopy coupled with a particle manipulation technique. The luminescence color characteristics of particular zeolite particles originating from the specific photochemistry of adsorbed species was exploited to follow the migration of the molecules. Two examples are shown that are relevant to the visualization of the time-dependent migration process: A one guest-two sets of zeolite crystals system: chrysene (Chry)-loaded zeolite Na+ -X (the sodium form of zeolite X) crystals were placed in contact with unloaded Tl+ -X (thallium-exchanged X) crystals and allowed to stand at room temperature. Initially, the blue fluorescence of Chry was detected only from the Na+ -X particles, but later, the development of green phosphorescence emission was discernible from the Tl+ -X which suggests that Chry migrated from the Na+ -X to the Tl+ -X crystals. A two guest-species systems: Electron-donating Chry-loaded Na+ -X crystals were placed in contact with electron-accepting 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene (TCNB)-loaded Na+ -X or Na+ -Y crystals. With time, the former system (Chry/Na+ -X and TCNB/Na+ -X) gave rise to the emission of Chry-TCNB charge-transfer complexes resulting mainly from the migration of Chry while the latter system (Chry/Na+ -X and TCNB/Na+ -Y) afforded the same emission resulting largely from the migration of TCNB. The present investigation reveals that there is a certain direction for guest migration depending on the zeolite host and the nature of host-guest or guest-guest interaction.     

Adsorption and separation behavior of strontium and yttrium using a silica-based bis(2-ethylhexyl) hydrogen phosphate adsorbent

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - (HDEHP?+?Hexa)/SiO2-P, a silica-based adsorbent, was prepared and used to separate Y(III) from a mixed solution of Sr(II) and Y(III)....     

Design of a widely tunable laser with a chirped ladder filter

We theoretically investigated a digitally tunable laser with a chirped ladder filter and a ring resonator to obtain a wide wavelength tuning range covering the whole C- or L- band. The clear relation between the tuning range and laser structure, especially the ladder filter, is described analytically. The introduction of a chirped structure into a ladder filter is effective in achieving both wide tunability and a stable lasing mode. A numerical simulation based on multimode rate equations shows that a tuning range of over 40 nm and a mode suppression ratio over 40 dB can be achieved by introducing a chirped ladder filter.     

Pulsed EPR Analysis of the Photo-Induced Triplet Radical Pair in the BLUF Protein SyPixD: Determination of the Protein–Protein Distance and Orientation in the Oligomeric Protein

A photo-induced radical pair of FADH^· and Y8^· and in BLUF protein SyPixD was studied by pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Blue light illumination at 150 K for 30 min followed by cooling to 50 K during illumination induced the stable radical pair. The EPR signal has been characterized by a Pake doublet signal with complete S = 1 spin state. The radical pair was utilized as a probe to analyze the oligomer of SyPixD. The relative arrangement of PixD proteins in the complex was investigated by pulsed electron–electron double resonance (PELDOR) with the orientation selection. Based on the decameric structure in the crystal, the possible structure for the PELDOR results was discussed.     

Phase-locked laser system for a metastable states qubit in 40 Ca+

We describe the development of a phase-locked laser system tailored to an ion-trap-based quantum information processor with (40)Ca(+). Laser outputs from an extended cavity diode laser and a Ti:sapphire laser with output laser wavelengths of approximately 850 and 854 nm, respectively, were phase locked and used to excite a Raman transition between the D(3/2) and D(5/2) metastable states qubit. Development and the performance of the laser system are described. We also compare the characteristics and the benefits of the developed qubit coupling with those in the conventional approaches.     

Corrosion and passivation behavior of Mg-Zn-Y-Al alloys prepared by cooling rate-controlled solidification

Highly corrosion-resistant nanocrystalline Mg-Zn-Y-Al multi-phase alloys have been prepared by consolidation of rapidly solidified (RS) ribbons. The relation between corrosion behavior and microstructure evolution of Mg-Zn-Y-Al alloys with a long period stacking ordered phase has been investigated. In order to clarify the influence of rapid solidification on the occurrence of localized corrosion such as filiform corrosion, several Mg_96.75Zn_0.75Y₂Al_0.5 (at.%) alloys with different cooling rates are fabricated by the gravity casting, copper mould injection casting and melt-spinning techniques and their corrosion behavior and microstructures are examined by the salt water immersion test, electrochemical measurements, GDOES, XRD, SEM and TEM. To clarify the effect of aluminium addition on the improvement in corrosion resistance of the alloys, several Mg_97.25−xZn_0.75Y₂Al_x alloys with different aluminium contents are fabricated by consolidating RS ribbons and the formation of corroded films on the Mg-Zn-Y-Al alloys have been investigated. Rapid solidification brings about the grain refinement and an increase in the solid solubility of zinc, yttrium and aluminium into the magnesium matrix, enhancing microstructural and electrochemical homogeneity, which in turn enhanced corrosion resistance. The addition of aluminium to magnesium can modify the structure and chemical composition of surface films and improves the resistance to local breakdown of the films.     

Apparent diffusion coefficient of line scan diffusion image in normal prostate and prostate cancer—comparison with single-shot echo planner image

Purpose

This retrospective study was designed to evaluate the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of line scan diffusion images (LSDI) in normal prostate and prostate cancer. Single-shot echo planner images (SS-EPI) were used for comparison.

Materials and Methods

Twenty prostate tumors were examined by conventional MRI in 14 patients prior to radical prostatectomy. All patients were examined with a 1.5-T MR imager (Signa CV/i ver. 9.1 GE Medical System Milwaukee, WI, USA). Diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI) using LSDI was performed with a pelvic phased-array coil, with b values of 5 and 800 s/mm². DWI using SS-EPI was performed with a body coil, with b values of 0 and 800 s/mm². The ADCs of each sequence for 14 normal prostate and 20 prostate cancers were histopathologically assessed. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on DWI was estimated and compared for each sequence.

Results

The mean ADCs (±S.D.) of normal peripheral zones (PZ), transition zones (TZ) and cancer (in 10⁻³ mm²/s) that used LSDI were 1.42±0.12, 1.23±0.10 and 0.79±0.19, respectively. Those that used SS-EPI were 1.76±0.26, 1.38±0.20 and 1.05±0.27, respectively. Using unpaired t test (P<.05), we found a significant difference in each sequence between normal tissue (both PZ and TZ) and the cancer. Paired t test (P<.05) also registered a significant difference between LSDI and SS-EPI. Mean SNR for DWI using LSDI was 16.49±5.03, while the DWI using SS-EPI was 18.85±9.26. The difference between the SNR of each sequence was not statistically significant by paired t test.

Conclusion

We found that ADCs using LSDI and SS-EPI showed similar tendencies in the same patients. However, in all regions, LSDI ADCs had smaller standard deviations than SS-EPI ADCs.     

Direct Monitoring of Thickness and Refractive Index of Optical Thin Film Deposited on Fiber End-face

We propose a system for depositing thin films on waveguides which enables low-temperature deposition and precise control of the refractive index and film thickness. It is composed of a conventional ion-beam sputtering (IBS) system and a new system for directly monitoring film characteristics during deposition. We controlled refractive indices over a wide range from 1.52 to 1.97 by moving the sputtering targets (SiO₂ and Si₃N₄) in the IBS system. The refractive index or film thickness was in-situ monitored by observing the optical power reflected from the end-face of a monitoring fiber set in the deposition chamber. Antireflection coating films were successfully deposited on a fiber end-face and a laser diode chip facet with low reflectivity from 0.05 to 0.07%. This deposition system is attractive for constructing highly functional optical devices for future photonic networks.