Studies on vocal fold injection and changes in pitch associated with alcohol intake

The current study was carried out with particular emphasis on the association between phonetic function tests and alterations in the appearance of the hypopharyngeal and laryngeal mucosa, such as capillary dilatation, edema, and vocal fold injection after alcohol intake. The results demonstrated the occurrence of previously unrecognized pathophysiological changes associated with synchronous phonetic functions in the vocal pathway after alcohol intake. Serum ethanol and aldehyde concentration levels were evaluated hourly for 2.5 h after ingestion of alcohol. When an electronystagmogram showed the typical pattern of alcohol intake, the study was initiated. Occasionally, rhinography was performed on subjects complaining of a stuffy nose after alcohol intake.     

Tissue gadolinium deposition in renally impaired rats exposed to different gadolinium-based MRI contrast agents: Evaluation with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)

ObjectivesTo quantify tissue gadolinium (Gd) deposition in renally impaired rats exposed to Gd-EOB-DTPA and other Gd-based MRI contrast agents by means of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and to compare the differences in distribution among major organs as possible triggers for nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF).MethodsA total of 15 renally impaired rats were injected with Gd-EOB-DTPA, Gd-DTPA-BMA and Gd-HP-DO3A. Gd contents of skin, liver, kidney, lung, heart, spleen, diaphragm and femoral muscle were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Histological assessment was also conducted.ResultsTissue Gd deposition in all organs was significantly higher (P = 0.005 ~ 0.009) in the Gd-DTPA-BMA group than in the Gd-HP-DO3A and Gd-EOB-DTPA groups. In the Gd-DTPA-BMA group, Gd was predominantly deposited in kidney (1306 ± 605.7 μg/g), followed by skin, liver, lung, spleen, femoral muscle, diaphragm and heart. Comparing Gd-HP-DO3A and Gd-EOB-DTPA groups, Gd depositions in the kidney, liver and lung were significantly lower (P = 0.009 ~ 0.011) in the Gd-EOB-DTPA group than in the Gd-HP-DO3A group although no significant differences were seen for any other organs.ConclusionsGd-EOB-DTPA is a stable and safe Gd-based contrast agent (GBCA) showing lower Gd deposition in major organs in renally impaired rats, compared with other GBCAs. This fact suggests that the risk of NSF onset would be low in the use of Gd-EOB-DTPA.     

Second-harmonic-generation microscope using eight-segment polarization-mode converter to observe three-dimensional molecular orientation

We developed a compact polarization-mode converter for microscopy to control three-dimensional polarization at the focus. The converter consisted of two homogeneously aligned liquid-crystal spatial light modulators with eight independently controllable electrodes (segments), and a quarter-waveplate. The converter converted a linearly polarized beam to three polarization modes: two orthogonal linear polarizations and a pseudo-radial polarization. We applied the converter to second-harmonic-generation microscopy and demonstrated the detection of three-dimensional molecular orientation.     

Crystal growth of cyclodextrin‐based metal‐organic framework with inclusion of ferulic acid

The crystallization of γ‐cyclodextrin‐based metal‐organic framework (CD‐MOF) with inclusion of ferulic acid (FA) was carried out through vapor diffusion of methanol to the aqueous solution of γ‐cyclodextrin (γ‐CD), KOH and FA. Although the crystallization of pure CD was limited in highly basic solution of KOH (pH>13.0), the CD‐MOF with inclusion of FA (FA/CD‐MOF) was able to be formed at pH 6.8 after the neutralization of KOH by FA. The inclusion behavior of FA in CD‐MOF was studied by using differential scanning calorimetry. The data indicate the formation of the stable association between FA and γ‐CD in FA/CD‐MOF.     

Parallel Implementation of Successive Convex Relaxation Methods for Quadratic Optimization Problems

As computing resources continue to improve, global solutions for larger size quadrically constrained optimization problems become more achievable. In this paper, we focus on larger size problems and get accurate bounds for optimal values of such problems with the successive use of SDP relaxations on a parallel computing system called Ninf (Network-based Information Library for high performance computing).     

M?ssbauer spectroscopic study on valence-detrapping and trapping of mixed-valence trinuclear iron(III, III, II) fluorine-substituted benzoate complexes

Magnetorheological (MR) fluids are new iron-based materials, whose applications include brakes, dampers, clutches, shock absorbers systems and polishing of optical surfaces (lens and mirrors). They are dependent on the size and shape of particles as the magnetic properties. Interested in the possibility of using iron-rich powders, commonly used in nondestructive testing, ranging in size from a few μm to about 200?μm and lower cost than those commercially used for MR fluids, a study of the structural and magnetic properties of iron-rich metallic particles by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and M?ssbauer spectroscopy (MS) at room temperature has been done. Powders, as received, were separated into particle sizes smaller than 20?μm (sample A) and in the range of 20–38?μm (sample B) because these are the sizes generally required for applications in MR fluids. The particles whose sizes exceed the above values were ground in a high energy planetary mill for 3?h, using different values of rotational speed/time: 200?rpm for one hour, a pause of 10?s, 140?rpm for one hour, pause 10?s and then 175?rpm during the last hour. These powders were sieved to obtain particles smaller than 20?μm (sample C). According XRD results, in all samples, only α-Fe (lattice parameter a = 2,867(2) ?) and Fe₂O₃ (lattice parameter a = 5,037(1) ? and c = 13,755(8) ?) were present. The M?ssbauer spectra were fitted with two sextets. The hyperfine parameters values allowed us to assign the highest relative area spectrum (sextet) corresponding to α-Fe and the second one to Fe₂O₃ in accord to the XRD results. Thus, the preparation method using mechanical milling for diminishing the size of the metallic particles allowed us to get particles with size and magnetic properties that could lead to potentially MR fluids applications.     

Application of Protonic Acid-Doped Silica Gels to Electric Double-Layer Capacitors

Silica gels doped with several protonic acids such as HClO₄, H₂SO₄ and H₃PO₄ have been prepared by the sol-gel method and totally solid electric double-layer capacitors have been successfully fabricated using the highly proton-conductive silica gels as an electrolyte and activated carbon powder (ACP) hybridized with the silica gels as a polarizable electrode. It was found that the addition of HClO₄, which had the highest value of acid dissociation constant among these three acids, most effectively increased the proton conductivity of the resultant acid-doped silica gels. Tablets of the HClO₄-doped silica gels exhibited conductivities as high as 10^–5–10^–2 S cm^–1 at room temperature in dry N₂ atmosphere. One of the capacitors fabricated using the protonic acid-doped silica gels had a capacitance of 44 F/(gram of total ACP in the capacitor), which was comparable to those of conventional capacitors using liquid electrolytes.     

Formation of cyclic organosilicon compounds via organopolysilyl anions starting from methoxymethyldisilanes. A mechanistic study

In the presence of a catalytic amount of sodium methoxide, sym-dimethoxytetramethyldisilane was converted into α,ω-dimethoxypermethylpolysilanes, MeO(SiMe₂)_nOMe where n ? 3, at room temperature. On the other hand, similar treatment of the disilane in THF solution gave cyclic polysilanes, (Me₂Si)_n where n = 5–7. Decomposition of the disilane in the presence of diphenylacetylene afforded a trisilacyclopentene derivative under similar conditions. This compound was obtained also by the reaction between α,ω-dimethoxypermethylpolysilanes and diphenylacetylene in the presence of sodium methoxide. These cyclic products most likely were formed via permethyl polysilyl anion intermediates derived from α,ω-dimethoxypermethylpolysilanes. Also, the formation of α,ω-dimethoxypermethylpolysilanes could be elucidated in terms of the mechanism involving the base-assisted, concerted nucleophilic substitution or stepwise substitution by silyl anions, rather than the successive dimethylsilylene (Me₂Si:) insertion reaction.     

Ring transformation of 6H-cyclopropa[e]pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine. IV (1). Reduction and reaction of 5a-acetyl-6a-ethoxycarbonyl-5a,6a-dihydro-6H-cyclopropa[e]pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carbonitriles with primary amines

The reaction of 5a-acetyl-6-ethoxycarbonyl-5a,6a-dihydro-6H-cyclopropa[e]pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carbonitrile ( 1a ) with benzylamine gave ethyl l-benzyl-5-cyano-8a,9-dihydro-2-methyl-1H-pyrrolo[3,4-e]-pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-8a-carboxylate ( 2a ), in addition to 5-acetyl-3-benzylamino-1-(4-cyanopyrazol-3-yl)- 2-pyridone ( 3 ). Reaction of 1a with aniline gave ethyl 6-acetyl-8-anilino-3-cyano-7,8-dihydro-4H-pyrazolo-[1,5-a][1,3]diazepine-8-carboxylate ( 4 ), in addition to ethyl 3-cyano-7-methyl-6-pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-acrylate ( 5 ). On the other hand, the same reactions of 1b with benzylamine or aniline gave 2b or 8b , respectively. Though catalytic hydrogenation of 1a over 5% palladium-carbon proceeded by ring fission of cyclopropane ring to give 9 , 1a (or 1b ) afforded 4,5-dihydro derivatives ( 13 or 15 ) by catalytic hydrogenation over platinum oxide. The reactivity of 5-methoxy-4,5,5a,6a-tetrahydro-6H-cyclopropa[e]pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine ( 16 ), which are related analogs of 1a,b , is also described.