Transmission-type high-resolution laser scanning microscope

Optical Review - To visualize the microscopic internal structure of cells, some conventional methods exist in the literature, such as irradiating fluorescent substances with light that maintains...     

Hydration properties and compressive strength development of Low Heat Cement

For Low Heat Cement (LHC), its hydration reaction properties and compressive strength development were studied by quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) and compressive strength test. In the QENS experiments, the amount of hydration products was estimated and the hydration behavior of LHC was revealed in the early hydration times of 7 days. Simultaneously, we compared the compressive strength of a mortar specimen made from LHC with the amount of hydration products. It was found that the compressive strength is strictly proportional to the amount of hydration products in the range from 15 h to 7 days of hydration.     

Solvent effect on radical polymerization of butyl acrylate

The propagation and termination rate constants k_p and k_t for the radical polymerization of butyl acrylate initiated by biacetyl have been measured by using the rotating-sector method, in various solvents at 30°C. The value of k_p and initiation rate R_i varied with solvents, while the value of k_t did not change with solvents except for benzonitrile. The variation of k_p with aromatic solvents has a trend against Hammett σ_p of the solvent substituents similar to that for methyl methacrylate or phenyl methacrylate except for the value in benzonitrile, when it is larger than the variation for methyl methacrylate or phenyl methacrylate. The larger variation of k_p for butyl acrylate is compatible with the view that the origin of the solvent effect lies in complex formation between the propagating radical and aromatic solvent molecules. The exceptional decrease in k_p and k_t in benzonitrile is explained by a contraction of the poly(butyl acrylate) chain in the poor solvent.     

Wax components of larval cocoon silk of the hornet Vespa analis Fabricius

Wax, 85% of which consists of orthorhombic crystals, has been found in the cocoon of the hornet Vespa analis Fabricius by means of high-resolution ¹³C solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). GC–MS analysis revealed the major components of the wax in the cocoon were linear alkenes and alkanes with a total of 23 or 34 carbon atoms. At 40.7 °C a DSC absorption peak and a ¹³C NMR chemical shift change were observed and interpreted as the result of a crystal transition from the orthorhombic to rotator phase of the wax molecules. At 55.5 °C melting of the wax was observed. The amount of crystalline wax deposition varied with the part of the cocoon—crystalline wax was concentrated in the silk sleeve lining the inner wall of each comb cell but there was very little in the silk cap projecting from the end of each cell. Because the wax components of the larval cocoon were almost identical to those of the larval cuticle, despite a slight difference in the profiles, they might have come from the larval cuticle via direct body contact with the cocoon. Figure Cocoon of the hornet Vespa analis Fabricius     

Combination of two fat saturation pulses improves detectability of glucose signals in carbon-13 MR spectroscopy

In order to improve the fat suppression performance of in vivo (13)C-MRS operating at 3.0 Tesla, a phantom model study was conducted using a combination of two fat suppression techniques; a set of pulses for frequency (chemical shift) selective suppression (CHESS), and spatial saturation (SAT). By optimizing the slab thickness for SAT and the irradiation bandwidth for CHESS, the signals of the -(13)CH(3) peak at 49 ppm and the -(13)CH(2)- peak at 26 ppm simulating fat components were suppressed to 5% and 19%, respectively. Combination of these two fat suppression pulses achieved a 53% increase of the height ratio of the glucose C1β peak compared with the sum of all other peaks, indicating better sensitivity for glucose signal detection. This method will be applicable for in vivo (13)C-MRS by additional adjustment with the in vivo relaxation times of the metabolites.     

The effect of task block arrangement on the detectability of activation in fMRI

The effect of task block arrangements on the detection of brain activation was investigated. Sessions of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) including the same number of two different task conditions but with different arrangements were compared. The two task conditions were, A) Ellipse-shaped black and white checkerboard flicker stimulation at 4.2 Hz covering the bilateral visual field, and B) the same flicker stimuli covering only the left visual field. In the rest blocks (0), the subjects looked at a fixation point. Four different task block arrangements were compared, 1) A0 (0A0A0A0) and B0 (0B0B0B0), 2) A0B0 (0A0B0A0B0A0B0), 3) AB0 (0AB0AB0AB0) and 4) AB (0ABABAB). Bilateral V1, V2, V3 and the left V5 were activated by condition A, and the right V1 and V2 by B. The activation in the left visual field by A0 was larger than in the other three conditions. In a differential analysis between conditions A and B, activation in the left V3 and V5 was declined by AB0 or AB. When rest blocks were located in the post-stimulus undershoot phase, the % signal change of the BOLD signal was emphasized, which caused augmented significance in the detection of the activity. It was indicated that the outcome of the activation map was influenced by the arrangement of task blocks, even though the same number of task blocks were repeated within the sessions. In fMRI studies, task conditions should be carefully compared within or across sessions considering the characteristics of hemodynamic response functions.