Determination of erythromycin A in rat plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with chemiluminescence detection using Tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II)

A simple and sensitive method was developed for the determination of erythromycin A (EA), decladinosyl erythromycin A (dClEA) and erythromycin B (EB) in rat plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrogenerated chemiluminescence detection using Tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II). The recovery rates of EA, dClEA and EB were 97, 94 and 85% from rat plasma and 89, 83 and 93% from rat urine, respectively. The calibration curves were linear over the concentration ranges 0.05-5 microg/mL for plasma and 0.5-50 microg/mL for urine. The precision and accuracy for all analytes in rat plasma were < or =9.0 and -6.3-7.2%, and those in urine were < or =9.4% and -6.1-7.6%, respectively. This method proved to be a powerful tool for determination of EA, dClEA and EB concentrations in samples from rats.     

Modified Vonk's Method to Determine Crystallinity and Crystal Distortion in Polymers

Using a modified method developed from Vonk's method, detailed values of crystallinity and crystal disorder were obtained by wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). In Vonk's method, the crystallinity (w) is determined by extrapolation of the WAXD experimental curve back to zero scattering angle, while the distortion factor (k) is determined by the inclination of the experimental curve at zero scattering angle. In our new method, both w and k are determined at the same time by using the least squares method. In order to show the efficiency of our method, the new fitting procedure was applied to the experimental values of polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate as measured by Vonk, and the values of w and k determined by our new method were compared with those found by Vonk's method. The new fitting method has the advantage that it uses the whole experimental curve. Moreover, our modified Vonk's method enables us to discuss crystal distortions as arising from first-kind (thermal) disorder and second-kind (paracrystalline) disorder.     

Laser induced threshold photoemission magnetic circular dichroism and its application to photoelectron microscope

This work enlightens the threshold photoemission magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) and its adaption on photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) using lasers. MCD is a simple and efficient way to investigate magnetic properties since it does not need any spin analyzers with low efficiency, and thus the MCD related techniques have developed to observe magnetic domains. Usually, MCD in a total yield measurement in the valence band with weak spin–orbit coupling (SOC) excited by low photon energy (hν≤ 6 eV) does not compete with the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) with strong SOC. XMCD PEEM observation of magnetic domains has been successfully established while MCD PEEM derived from valence bands has not been. However, using angle and energy resolved photoelectron, valence band MCD provides large asymmetry similar to that by XMCD. Threshold measurement of photoelectron in a total electron yield procedure can take advantage of the measurement of photoelectrons with a limited angle and energy mode. This restriction of the photoelectron makes the threshold MCD technique an efficient way to get magnetic information and gives more than 10% asymmetry for Ni/Cu(0 0 1), which is comparable to that obtained by angle resolved photoemission. Thus the threshold MCD technique is a suitable method to observe magnetic domains by PEEM. For threshold MCD, incident angle dependence and high sensitivity to out-of-plane magnetized films compared with in-plane ones are discussed. Ultrashort pulse lasers make it feasible to measure two photon photoemission MCD combined with PEEM, where resonant excitation has a possibility to enhance dichroic asymmetry. Recent results for valence band magnetic dichroism PEEM are presented.     

Photophysical properties and photostability of novel unsymmetric polycyclicphenazine-type D-π-A fluorescent dyes and the dye-doped films

Structural isomers of unsymmetric polycyclicphenazine-type D-π-A fluorescent dyes have been newly synthesized and characterized in both solution and polymer films. The dyes exhibited two strong absorption bands at around 328-401 nm and 516-532 nm, and an intense fluorescence band at around 595-629 nm (Φ = 0.32-0.84) in 1,4-dioxane. The dye-doped polymer films showed good ability of wavelength conversion; the films can efficiently convert ultraviolet and green-yellow lights into red light (Φ = 0.43-0.86). Moreover, the photostability of the dyes-doped PS, PMMA, and PLA films has been investigated.     

Tension–compression asymmetry of phosphor bronze for electronic parts and its effect on bending behavior

In-plane tension and compression experiments on copper alloy sheets (phosphor bronze) and 6000 series aluminum alloy sheets (AA6016-T4) were conducted using a specially designed testing apparatus. The apparatus is equipped with comb-type dies so that stress–strain curves of a sheet specimen subjected to tension followed by compression, and vice versa, can be measured without buckling of the specimen, as well as those for monotonic tension and compression. A difference was observed in the flow stresses between tension and compression for the as-received copper alloy, but not for the aluminum alloy. Moreover, stress reversal tests, such as tension followed by compression and compression followed by tension, were carried out in order to measure the Bauschinger effect. In the second part of the experiment, bending moment–curvature diagrams were measured for the as-received and pre-stretched specimens. The bending moment–curvature diagrams were compared with those calculated using the stress–strain curves obtained from the tension–compression tests, and were in good agreement with those calculated with the tension–compression asymmetry and the Bauschinger effect correctly reproduced.     

Optical Devices for Optical Access Networks Recent Progress in Semiconductor Optical Devices and Optical Modules

Cost-effectiveness is essential in developing optical access network systems. To reduce system costs, both improved system and component technologies are required. Reducing the costs of optical devices and modules in an optical network unit is especially necessary. In this paper, the requirements for optical devices in optical access networks and modules are clarified. Moreover, we also review the recent progress in technologies for semiconductor optical devices and hybrid integration for low-cost optical modules in access networks.     

Horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase-catalyzed enantioselective reduction of cyclic ketones: The effect of the hydrophobic side chain of the substrate on the stereoselectivity of the reaction

Horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (HLADH)-catalyzed enantioselective reductions of alkyl 3-oxocyclopentanecarboxylates, endo-5-acyloxybicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-ones and exo-5-acyloxybicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-ones gave the corresponding homochiral alcohols and ketones and the interaction between the hydrophobic side chain of the substrate and the hydrophobic zone in the active site played an important role in the specificity of the reduction. The stereoselectivities of the reactions were interpreted on the basis of the cubic space section model and a new rule, which contributes to development of a specificity analysis on the basis of the model, is introduced.     

Finite Element Analysis Of Thermal Characteristics in Continuous Wave Long Wavelength Surface Emitting Lasers (I): Dielectric Cavity Structures

We numerically analyzed the thermal characteristic in continuous wave (cw) GalnAsP/InP surface emitting lasers with dielectric multilayer mirrors by using finite element method. From the simulation of temperature distribution in cw devices, we found that MgO/Si multilayer mirror which has a high thermal conductivity is effective for heat sinking; the thermal resistance of device using MgO/Si mirror is nearly half of that using SiO₂/Si one, almost independently of their thicknesses. It was also indicated that the optimum design for other structural parameters, especially the thickness of active region, is important to effectively suppress the temperature increase. The minimum threshold current was estimated to be 3 mA under cw condition for the active region diameter of 4 μm and thickness of 0.5 μm.     

Thermal decomposition of propyne and allene in shock waves

Propyne (p-C₃H₄) or allene (a-C₃H₄) mixtures, highly diluted with Ar, were heated to the temperature range 1200–1570 K at pressures of 1.7–2.6 atm behind reflected shock waves. The thermal decompositions of propyne and allene were studied by both measuring the profiles of the IR emission at 3.48 μm or 5.18 μm and analyzing the concentrations of reacted gas mixtures. The mechanism and the rate constant expressions were discussed from both the profiles and the concentrations of reactant and products obtained. The rate constant expressions for reactions, (1) p-C₃H₄ → a-C₃H₄, (?1) a-C₃H₄ → p-C₃H₄, and (5) p-C₃H₄ + H → CH₃ + C₂H₂ were evaluated.     

A remark on totally vicious space-time

If a space-time is vicious at a some point, then it is totally vicious.