Improved detection of echo signals from inside bone

The purpose of the study was to obtain useful information for diagnosing internal abnormalities of bones by ultrasound. We fabricated a transmitting and receiving system mainly targeting the bone and an image processing system using a computer, and studied the attenuation of ultrasound in animal bone (in vitro). The average value was about 37 dB. The examination was able to determine successfully the proper dynamic range for detection, and a B-mode image of the inside of the bone could be displayed. Here we describe a new transmitting and receiving system developed to improve the detection of echo signals from inside bones. In this method, two kinds of high sensitivity transducer were made as follows: (1) 5 HMz frequency, 6.5 mm diameter; (2) 10 HMz frequency, 13 mm diameter. By using this method, detectability of the echo signals can be increased more than with the former system. The results showed that the structure of the bones could be clearly seen in the B-mode images.     

Water content and its effect on ultrasound propagation in concrete--the possibility of NDE

It is known that water content or moisture affects the strength of concrete. The purpose of this study is to examine the possibility of the NDE of concrete from a knowledge of the relationship between water content and ultrasonic propagation in concrete. The results of measurements made on the ultrasound velocity and the frequency component on ultrasonic propagation as a function of the water content in concrete are reported. Test pieces of concrete made from common materials were made for the fundamental studies. The test piece dimensions were 10 cm in diameter and 20 cm in length. Test pieces were immersed in water for about 50 days to saturate them. To measure the effect of different water contents, test pieces were put in a drying chamber to change the amount of water between measurements. This procedure was repeated until the concrete was completely dried and the weight no longer changed. Water contents were defined as weight percentage to full dried state. Thus water content could be changed from 8% to 0%. Using the pulse transmission method, ultrasonic propagation in the frequency range 20 to 100 kHz was measured as a function of water content. The sound velocity varied gradually from 3000 m/s to 4500 m/s according to the water content. The frequency of maximum transmission also depended on the water content in this frequency range. It is considered that the ultrasonic NDE of concrete strength is feasible.     

A Porous Polyaromatic Solid for Vapor Adsorption of Xylene with High Efficiency,Selectivity, and Reusability

Development of porous materials capable of capturing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as benzene and its derivatives, with high efficiency, selectivity, and reusability is highly demanded. Here we report unusual vapor adsorption behavior toward VOCs by a new porous solid, composed of a polyaromatic capsule bearing a spherical nanocavity with subnano-sized windows. Without prior crystallization and high-temperature vacuum drying, the porous polyaromatic solid exhibits the following five features: vapor adsorption of benzene over cyclohexane with 90 % selectivity, high affinity toward o-xylene over benzene and toluene with >80 % selectivity, ortho-selective adsorption ability (>50 %) from mixed xylene isomers, tight VOCs storage even under high temperature and vacuum conditions, and at least 5 times reusability for xylene adsorption. The observed adsorption abilities are accomplished at ambient temperature and pressure within 1 h, which has not been demonstrated by organic/inorganic porous materials reported previously.     

Syntheses, structural characterization and photophysical properties of 4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazole rhenium(I) complexes

Novel chelators, i.e., 4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazole derivatives, were synthesized by means of Cu(I)-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition and used to prepare luminescent Re(I) complexes [ReCl(CO)(3)(Bn-pyta)], [ReCl(CO)(3)(AcGlc-pyta)] and [ReCl(CO)(3)(Glc-pyta)] (Bn-pyta = 1-benzyl-4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazole, AcGlc-pyta = 2-(4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)ethyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-d-glucopyranoside, Glc-pyta = 2-(4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)ethyl beta-d-glucopyranoside). X-Ray crystallography of Bn-pyta and Glc-pyta indicated an azocompound-like structure while the 1,2,4-triazole isomer has an azine character. [ReCl(CO)(3)(Bn-pyta)] crystallized in the monoclinic system with space group P2(1)/n. Bn-pyta ligand coordinates with the nitrogen atoms of the 2-pyridyl group and the 3-position of 1,2,3-triazole ring, which is a very similar coordinating fashion to that of the 2,2'-bipyridine derivative. The glucoconjugated Re(I) complexes [ReCl(CO)(3)(AcGlc-pyta)] and [ReCl(CO)(3)(Glc-pyta)] hardly crystallized, and were analyzed by applying extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis. The EXAFS analyses suggested that the glucoconjugation at the 1-position of the 1,2,3-triazole makes no influence to the coordinating fashion of 4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazole. [ReCl(CO)(3)(Bn-pyta)] showed a blue-shifted maximum absorption (333 nm, 3.97 x 10(3) M(-1) cm(-1)) compared with [ReCl(CO)(3)(bpy)] (371 nm, 3.35 x 10(3) M(-1) cm(-1)). These absorptions were clearly assigned to be the mixed metal-ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (MLLCT) on the basis of time-dependent density functional theory calculation. The luminescence spectrum of [ReCl(CO)(3)(Bn-pyta)] also showed this blue-shifted feature when compared with that of [ReCl(CO)(3)(bpy)]. The luminescence lifetime of [ReCl(CO)(3)(Bn-pyta)] was determined to be 8.90 mus in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran at 77 K, which is longer than that of [ReCl(CO)(3)(bpy)] (3.17 micros). The blue-shifted electronic absorption and elongated luminescence lifetime of [ReCl(CO)(3)(Bn-pyta)] suggested that 4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazole functions as an electron-rich bidentate chelator.     

Thermal properties and mixing state of diol-water mixtures studied by calorimetry, large-angle X-ray scattering, and NMR relaxation

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) has been performed on aqueous mixtures of three diols, which involve a linear carbon chain, HO-(CH 2) n -OH ( n = 3, 4, and 5), over the whole mole fraction range of diols. The DSC results have shown the alkyl chain parity for the freezing process of the aqueous mixtures: aqueous mixtures of 1,3-propanediol (PrD) and 1,5-pentanediol (PeD) are kept in the supercooled state or vitrified over a wide mole fraction range, while those of 1,4-butanediol (BuD) are easily crystallized. The structure of PrD-water mixtures has been elucidated by using the large-angle X-ray scattering (LAXS) technique. It has been suggested that the structural change of PrD-water mixtures occurs at PrD mole fractions of x PrD = 0.4 and 0.8: in the range of x PrD < or = 0.4 where the tetrahedral-like structure of water predominates, in the range of 0.4 < x PrD < 0.8 where both PrD and water structures coexist, and in the range of x PrD > or = 0.8 where the inherent structure of PrD is mainly formed. (17)O and (1)H NMR relaxation measurements have been made on aqueous mixtures of ethylene glycol (EG, n = 2), PrD, and BuD to clarify the dynamics of H 2 (17)O and diol molecules. The (17)O NMR relaxation rates have suggested that the rotational motion of water molecules is gradually retarded in the diol-water mixtures with increasing diol content and that the restriction of the motion is more remarkable in the order of EG < PrD < BuD. On the basis of all the results, together with comparison with those of methanol-water, ethanol-water, and 1-propanol-water mixtures previously reported, the mixing state of diol-water mixtures has been discussed at the molecular level.     

Electroreductive intramolecular coupling of 1-indolealkanones

The electroreduction of 1-indolealkanones in isopropanol gave five-, six-, and seven-membered trans-cyclized products stereospecifically. On the other hand, the electroreduction of 3-methoxycarbonyl-1-indolealkanones afforded mixtures of two diastereomers of the corresponding trans- and cis-cyclized products. The DFT calculations for the radical anions support that the reductive couplings of 1-indolealkanones and 3-methoxycarbonyl-1-indolealkanones proceed through different reaction mechanisms.     

Efficient short step synthesis of Corey's tamiflu intermediate

Corey's tamiflu intermediate was synthesized from a bicyclolactam adduct obtained by base-catalyzed Diels-Alder reaction of N-nosyl-3-hydroxy-2-pyridone with ethyl acrylate. A compound that has the same array of functional groups with the Corey's intermediate was obtained in four steps from the DA adduct in 47% overall yield. The intermediate itself was also prepared efficiently by simply changing the protective group.     

Thiocarbonyl induced heterocumulenic Pauson-Khand type reaction: expedient synthetic method for thieno[2,3-b]indol-2-ones

The first examples of C[double bond, length as m-dash]S induced Pauson-Khand type reactions are described; 2-alkynylphenyl isothiocyanates were converted to 3-substituted-2H-thieno[2,3-b]indol-2-ones in the presence of a stoichiometric amount of Mo(CO)(6) or Co(2)(CO)(8), or a catalytic amount of Rh catalyst under an atmospheric pressure of carbon monoxide.     

Design of nanostructured ceria-based solid electrolytes for development of IT-SOFC

A considerable interest has been shown in the application of doped ceria (CeO₂) compounds for “intermediate” (300–500 °C) temperature operation of solid oxide fuel cells. The microdomains with ordered structure of oxygen vacancy were observed in the microstructure of the M-doped CeO₂-sintered bodies (where M: Gd, Y, and Dy). We have previously shown that the conductivity of doped CeO₂-sintered bodies was lower when the sintered body contained large microdomains within grains. As a consequence of this observation, we have examined the grain size dependence and dopant content on conductivity in specimens where we adjust the microdomain size and a degree of oxygen vacancy ordering in the microdomains by controlling the microstructure. The microdomain size control in Dy-doped CeO₂ specimens was obtained by combining pulsed electric current sintering and conventional sintering. Using these techniques, we were able to improve the conductivity in Dy-doped CeO₂ specimens to a point where it became comparable to that of the more conventional Gd-doped CeO₂ specimens. It is concluded that by combining ultimate high-resolution analysis of these nanostructures with the adjusting processing route design, it is possible to further develop these materials in CeO₂-doped fuel cell application.