Characterization of preformed plasmas with an interferometer for ultra-short high-intensity laser-plasma interactions

The evolution of an Al preformed plasma produced by a prepulse was observed before and after the arrival of the main pulse by an interferometer using a femtosecond probe pulse. A central density depression due to the ponderomotive force of the main laser pulse in the preformed plasma with a 100 m scale length was clearly visible after the main pulse irradiation at an intensity of 5×10¹⁶ W/cm². The temporal profiles of the prepulse, characterized by a cross-correlation in conjunction with a precise density profile measurement by an interferometer, contribute to the better understanding of femtosecond laser-matter interactions. PACS 52.38.-r; 52.50.Jm; 52.70.-m     

Quantitative analysis of optical power budget of bismuth oxide-based erbium-doped fiber

We investigated optical power budget of Bi₂O₃-based erbium-doped fiber (BIEDF). Lateral spontaneous emissions and scattering laser powers in the BIEDF were measured quantitatively by using an integrating sphere. Compared with the power of amplified spontaneous emission and signal detected at the output fiber end, it was found that considerable powers were consumed by the laterally emitting lights. As an optically undetected loss limits power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the fiber amplifier, the effect of nonradiative decay from the termination level of pump excited state absorption (pump ESA) was estimated from decay rate analyses of the relevant levels. The nonradiative loss was comparable to amplified signal power in the BIEDF when pumped with a 980-nm LD. Nonradiative decay following cooperative upconversion (CUP) process is also discussed using rate equations analysis.     

Visualization of Magnetization Transfer Effect in Polyethylene Glycol Impregnated Waterlogged Wood

To visualize the condition of impregnation of polyethylene glycol (PEG) in waterlogged wood, we demonstrated magnetic transfer (MT) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) through a series of process of PEG impregnation. Three different samples were examined; reference wood, 10 cm cut wood, and 5 cm cut wood. During this study, the upper section sample was kept immersed in water, for the middle and lower sections the concentration of PEG solution was changed at 20 wt% intervals from 20 to 100 wt%. The impregnated periods of each PEG solution concentration were 14 days. Then, MR imaging were performed with/without MT pulse. The MTR value for both 10 cm- and 5 cm-samples were shown to decrease at 20 wt% PEG at peak concentration. When the sample volume was large, e.g., 10 cm-sample, the MTR value decreased to 100 wt% PEG concentration. In contrast, when a sample volume was small, e.g., 5 cm-sample, MTR value decreased to 60 wt% PEG concentration. In conclusion, MTR analysis makes it possible to nondestructively visualize and evaluate the inner condition concerning the PEG impregnation method for waterlogged wood.     

Studies on aldose reductase inhibitors from natural products. II. Active components of a Paraguayan crude drug "Para-parai mí," Phyllanthus niruri

Aldose reductase (AR) inhibitory activity-directed fractionation of the 70% ethanolic extract of Para-parai mí, Phyllanthus niruri, has led to the isolation of three active components, ellagic acid (1), brevifolin carboxylic acid (4) and ethyl brevifolin carboxylate (5). Among them, 1 showed the highest inhibitory activity, being about 6 times more potent than quercitrin, which is a known natural inhibitor of AR.     

Feasibility of using [18O2]11-dehydrothromboxane B2 as an internal standard of immunoaffinity purification followed by gas chromatography/selected ion monitoring

[1,1-18O2]11-Dehydrothromboxane B2 (11-dehydro-TXB2) was prepared by repetitive base-catalyzed hydrolysis of the lactone ring of its [1,1,11-18O3]-analogue, and evaluated for its suitability as an internal standard in gas chromatography/selected ion monitoring (GC/SIM) of 11-dehydro-TXB2. Use of the present [18O2]-analogue as an internal standard may make it a suitable candidate for specific immunoaffinity purification followed by GC/SIM.     

Relieving effect of saline on cephaloridine nephrotoxicity in rats

To elucidate the mechanism(s) of the relieving effect of saline on cephaloridine (CER) nephrotoxicity, rats were given CER in equal quantity (1 g/kg body weight; i.v.), but at two different concentrations (4 and 25%) in saline. Urinary excretion of glucose, which was investigated as an index for renal proximal tubular injury, revealed that the renal damage was less in the 4% CER 25 ml/kg group than in the 25% CER 4 ml/kg group. As to urinary excretions of CER, sodium, potassium and water, no significant differences were observed between the two groups in the first 2 h, but chloride in the 4% CER 25 ml/kg group showed higher values than in the 25% CER 4 ml/kg group. Plasma concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride and CER, did not show any definite distinctions between the two groups. At the time-point of 20 min after the CER administration, renal CER content was significantly lower in the 4% CER 25 ml/kg group than in the 25% CER 4 ml/kg group. These results suggest that the sodium ion which is needed for cellular trapping of CER is competitively expended for cellular entry of the chloride ion in the kidney, and that the relieving effect of the saline on CER nephrotoxicity is ascribable to the loaded quantity of chloride ion.     

Effects of temperature and endogenous factors in blood on concentrations of cyclosporin in plasma measured by high-performance liquid chromatography

The effects of temperature, hematocrit (Hct), lipid level in plasma and cyclosporin A (CyA) level in whole blood on the concentration of CyA in plasma measured by high-performance liquid chromatography were studied in vitro. With rise in blood storage temperature before cells were removed, the concentration of CyA in plasma was increased in the temperature range between 10 degrees C and 37 degrees C, but was decreased between 4 degrees C and 10 degrees C. With rise in Hct, the concentration of CyA in plasma was decreased, and it was more markedly decreased at the blood storage temperature of 4 degrees C than at 37 degrees C. A lipid supplementation study showed that the concentration of CyA in plasma was increased with rise in plasma triglyceride level and in plasma cholesterol level at the storage temperature of 4 degrees C but not at 37 degrees C. Studies of the effect of CyA concentration in blood on the CyA distribution in blood demonstrated that the cellular/plasma concentration (C/P) ratio at low levels (less than 200 micrograms/ml) of plasma CyA ranged from 4 to 10 and was about 2 times higher than that at higher concentrations at 4 degrees C, but the ratio was relatively constant at 37 degrees C. The saturation capacity of the cellular fraction for CyA showed considerable individual variations, but there was no difference between the capacities at 4 degrees C and 37 degrees C. The separation of plasma after equilibration at 37 degrees C made it possible to avoid the variations in the distribution of CyA in whole blood associated with changes in Hct, lipid level in plasma and CyA level in whole blood, and to obtain a measurement reflecting the physiologically significant concentration of CyA in plasma.     

NMR study of μc-Si:H

The behavior of hydrogen in glow-discharge (GD) μc-Si:H has been characterized by ¹H NMR. The ¹H spectra consist of two components with different linewidths. The linewidth (FWHM) of the narrow component is about 0.5 kHz at ν₀ = 90 MHz, being much narrower than has been observed in GD a-Si:H deposited under a conventional low RF-power condition. It has been demonstrated that the 0.5-kHz FWHM component originates from the hydrogens in motional narrowing state, and such fast-moving hydrogens are incorporated both in μc-Si:H and high-power deposited a-Si:H.     

Electron microscope study of intrinsic and extrinsic stacking faults,and twins in SOS at the early stage of epitaxial growth

Fine structures of the Si films on (1$\text{1}$02) sapphire have been studied by a lattice resolution TEM. The Si was deposited by the pyrolysis of silane in H₂ at 1000°C at a growth rate of 0.1μm/min. The samples for TEM were prepared by peeling off the Si films from the substrates after HF treatment. A film having a mean thickness of 500 Å was composed of (100) and {110} domains. The volume fraction of the {110} domains was more than 50% and about constant as a function of growth time. The {110} domains contained much higher density of microtwins than the (100) domains. These microtwins had various thicknesses including one atomic layer (intrinsic stacking faults) and two atomic layers (extrinsic stacking faults). The density of the intrinsic stacking faults was higher than those of extrinsic stacking faults and other twins. The {110} and (100) islands were nucleated independently and the microtwins were also present in the islands smaller than 500 Å in diameter.