Three-dimensional vector holograms in photoreactive polymer dissolved liquid crystal composite

A detailed analysis of three-dimensional vector holograms is presented which were recorded in a photoreactive polymer dissolved liquid crystal. The diffraction properties of resultant periodic anisotropic structures were investigated. Experimental observations confirmed that the diffraction efficiencies of the structures varied with slight changes of the grating pitch, and also that they strongly depended on the incident angle of the probe beam. These diffraction properties were explained by the finite-difference time-domain optical simulations.     

Pilot-Scale Experiment for Simultaneous Dioxin and NO<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> Removal from Garbage Incinerator Emissions Using the Pulse Corona Induced Plasma Chemical Process

A pilot-scale pulse corona induced plasma chemical process (PPCP) reactor for controlling gas-phase dioxins and NO _x simultaneously is installed in a garbage incineration plant. The flow rate of the sampled flue gas is 5,000 Nm³/h (N: standard state) in maximum at the PPCP reactor, which consists of 22 wire-cylinder electrodes and is energized by a 50 kW nanosecond pulse high voltage generator. With an applied plasma energy density of 2.9–6.1 Wh/Nm³, the decomposition efficiency for dioxins is 75–84% based on TEQ (toxic equivalents); the conversion efficiency of NO to NO₂ is ~93% at maximum. The flue gas treated by the PPCP reactor is introduced at a rate of 50 Nm³/h to a wet-type chemical reactor, which uses an aqueous solution of sodium sulfite (Na₂SO₃). More than 90% of NO _x is reduced to nitrogen, with negligible byproducts such as NO₂ ⁻ or NO₃ ⁻ ions left in the solution.     

Large molecules in high-intensity laser fields

New research fields have opened up that are related to the interactions between molecules and high-intensity optical fields where the laser intensity ranges from 10¹²–10¹⁷ W cm⁻². A broad outline of this area will be described from the perspective of products and new techniques for beam generation. Studies of large molecules have begun and some examples are introduced herein. Parent ions with little fragmentation are found to form in the intensity region below 10¹⁶ W cm⁻². The formation of intact ions can be used in femtosecond laser mass spectrometry. In the intensity region above 10¹⁶ W cm⁻², electrons are stripped from the molecules by optical field ionization and the highly charged ions can undergo a Coulomb explosion. Coulomb explosions of benzene and C₆₀ have been demonstrated, and the mechanism can be analyzed by means of molecular dynamics simulations. A high intensity femtosecond laser beam can be converted to radiation sources of coherent VUV light, X-rays etc. and some possibilities for new chemical applications will be discussed.     

Quantitative analysis of amyloid beta peptides in cerebrospinal fluid of Alzheimer's disease patients by immunoaffinity purification and stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography/negative electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

The 40 and 42 amino-acid residue forms of amyloid beta (Abeta(1-40) and Abeta(1-42)) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have been proposed as potential biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Quantitative analyses of Abeta peptides in CSF have relied almost exclusively on the use of immunoassay-based assays such as the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) procedure. However, due to the ability of the Abeta peptides to readily self-aggregate or bind to other proteins and glassware, such analyses are extremely challenging. Analyses are further complicated by the potential of the peptides to undergo post-translational modifications and the possibilities for cross-reaction in the ELISA assays with endogenous components of the CSF. An approach based on liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) has now been developed which overcomes these methodological issues. The key steps in implementing this new approach involved immunoaffinity purification coupled with the use of [15N]-labeled Abeta peptides as internal standards, a basic LC mobile phase, negative ion electrospray ionization, and a basic solvent for dissolving the peptides and washing the injection needle to prevent carryover of analytes during multiple injections on the LC/MS system. The validated method had limits of quantitation of 44 fmol/mL (200 pg/mL) for Abeta(1-42) and 92 fmol/mL (400 pg/mL) for Abeta(1-40). An excellent correlation was found between the LC/MS/MS assay and an ELISA assay for Abeta(1-42) in human CSF (r2 = 0.915), although less correlation was observed for Abeta(1-40) (r2 = 0.644). Mean CSF Abeta(1-42) concentrations for samples collected 2 weeks apart from a limited number of AD patients provided additional confidence in the reproducibility of the LC/MS/MS assay. Concentrations for duplicate samples from AD patients were slightly higher than most previously reported values (mean 1.06 +/- 0.25 ng/mL; n = 7). Abeta(1-40) concentrations in duplicate samples obtained from AD patients were also reproducible but were found to be slightly lower than most previously reported values (mean 6.36 +/- 3.07 ng/mL; n = 7). Consistent with literature reports, mean Abeta(1-42) concentrations were found to be lower in AD patients compared with the normal subjects (mean 1.49 +/- 0.59 ng/mL; n = 7), whereas there was no difference in Abeta(1-40) concentrations between AD patients and normal subjects (mean 5.88 +/- 3.03 ng/mL; n = 7). The accuracy and precision of the LC/MS assay mean that it will be a useful complement to existing ELISA assays for monitoring therapeutic interventions designed to modulate CSF Abeta(1-42) concentrations in individual AD patients. Moreover, the introduction of stable isotope labeled internal standards offers the potential to achieve a more rigorous account of the influence of methodological effects related to sample collection and processing.     

A facile access to spiro furanone skeleton based on Pd(II)-mediated cyclization-carbonylation of propargylic esters

The oxidative cyclization-carbonylation of propargylic esters mediated by Pd(II) afforded cyclic orthoesters, which were hydrolyzed into γ-acetoxy-β-ketoesters. Based on the NMR experiments, it was presumed that the cyclization reaction was initiated by a nucleophilic attack of carbonyl oxygen to the alkyne carbon coordinated to palladium(II). When the γ-acetoxy-β-ketoesters were treated with a basic condition, Knoevenagel-Claisen type condensation took place, and spiro furanone derivatives were obtained in good yields. We applied these reactions to steroid derivatives, and steroid derivatives having a spiro furanone fragment were synthesized. Among them, the spiro furanone 4j had vasorelaxant and bradycardiac activities. Compounds 2i-4k had inhibitory effect on CYP3A.     

Ultra-slim laminated capillary array for high-speed DNA separation

We developed a new kind of capillary array for electrophoresis by using the numerical-control (NC) wiring technique conventionally used to produce printed-circuit boards. Laminating two polyimide sheets after laying cylindrical capillaries between them according to designed geometries, we fabricated a 16-lane laminated capillary array (LCA) 9.9 cm long, 7.2 cm wide, and 0.5 mm thick in which the effective length of all capillaries was only 10.9 cm. This compact LCA thus had separation columns as short as those in capillary array electrophoresis chips fabricated by lithography techniques. Like conventional capillary arrays, it also enabled pipetting-less direct injection of analytes from sample preparation plates. Using the LCA with LIF detection and a replaceable fluid sieving matrix, we demonstrated high-speed ssDNA fragment separations. At an electric field strength of 316 V/cm, 15 fragments ranging from 50 to 500 bases were completely separated within 5.8 min in all lanes. The lane-to-lane CV of migration time was only 0.38%, and the fragment size for which the resolution per base was 0.59 was 258 +/- 15 bases (average +/-SD).     

Thawing of frozen vegetables observed by a small dedicated MRI for food research

The thawing process for boiled and frozen edible vegetables was traced by a dedicated MRI for food research. The MRI system is small, with a 1.0-T static magnetic field, and can be placed in an ordinary research room with a light air conditioner. Images of green soybeans, broad beans, okra, asparagus and taro were measured by the spin-echo method (echo time=7 ms) with 0.1 or 0.2 s and 1 s repetition times. The images appeared along with the thawing time, and signals uniformly covered the sliced plane of the samples in the thawed condition. Information about the thawing process and tissue structures of the materials was obtained during transit thawing conditions. The thawing kinetics were examined with increased signal intensity, which were divided into two types. The signal increased linearly and saturated for okra and asparagus but exhibited convex curves for soybeans, broad beans and taro. The small MRI was stable, its handling was simple, and the internal structures of food materials could be accurately identified, although the grey-scale of the images was insufficient for determining precise textural fluctuations of tissue organization. We conclude that the devised MRI is useful for examining the quality of frozen foods and for developmental research into frozen foods.     

Focal length measurement of a varifocal liquid lens with capacitance detection

This paper reports on a detailed deformation model of varifocal liquid lenses fabricated by Parylene-on-liquid-deposition (POLD), which can be applied to measure and adjust the focal length of such lenses without using extra sensors or sensing mechanisms. The lens was fabricated by encapsulating a liquid between a transparent electrode and a polymer film that was covered with a metal electrode. When voltage is applied to the two electrodes, the lens deforms due to the electrostatic force, and its focal length and the capacitance between the two electrodes change simultaneously. This characteristic enables the focal length of the lens to be adjusted and detected by measuring the capacitance change. The focal length of the fabricated varifocal liquid lens changed from 153.6 to 82.6 mm by applying 150-V. The focal length change of the liquid lens was calculated from the change in its capacitance. Finally, to confirm the efficiency of this varifocal liquid lens, we fabricated a confocal distance sensor using the lens for laser scanning and demonstrated that this system can be used to measure distances of 94–140 mm with an average error of 0.83 mm and a standard deviation of 0.77 mm.     

Temporal formation of optical anisotropy and surface relief during polarization holographic recording in polymethylmethacrylate with azobenzene side groups

The formation of polarization holographic gratings with both optical anisotropy and surface relief (SR) deformation was studied for polymethylmethacrylate with azobenzene side groups. Temporal contributions of isotropic and anisotropic phase gratings were simultaneously determined by observing transitional intensity and polarization states of the diffraction beams and characterizing by means of Jones calculus. To clarify the mechanism of SR deformation, cross sections of SR were characterized based on the optical gradient force model; experimental observations were in good agreement with the theoretical expectation. We clarified that the anisotropic phase change originating in the reorientation of the azobenzene side groups was induced immediately at the beginning of the holographic recording, while the response time of the isotropic phase change originating in the molecular migration due to the optical gradient force was relatively slow.