Bit-rate Flexible Picosecond Pulse Width Conversion with All-optical Mono-stable Multivibrator Laser Diode

An optical mono-stable multivibrator laser diode (MM-LD) is realized by using a multi-electrode distributed feedback laser diode. All-optical pulse-width conversion of ultra-short pulses to non-return-to-zero (NRZ) is achieved using an MM-LD. The MM-LD is adopted for a wide range of bit-rates between 2-10 Gbit/s by tuning the DC bias. Data format transformation from 10-Gbit/s return-to-zero optical signals to NRZ optical-signals is achieved with error free operation. Converted optical signals, which have a narrower spectral bandwidth and lower peak power than when input, are transmitted using a 1.3-μm zero dispersion fiber (1.3Aλ₀-SMF).     

Destruction of butyraldehyde isomers using silver catalyzed electrochemical oxidation

The destruction of butyraldehyde isomers has been studied using a silver catalyzed electrochemical oxidation technique. The destruction rates of nand iso-butyraldehydes were measured as a function of the concentrations of butyraldehyde isomers, silver and nitric acid in aqueous solutions, anode potential and temperature. More than 99% of n-butyraldehyde in 3M nitric acid was destroyed within 50 minutes by electrochemical oxidation at the anode potential of 1.6V versus a reference saturated calomel electrode (SCE). The process was found to be applicable to the destruction of butyraldehyde isomers in nitric acid solutions.     

Termination of (many) 4-dimensional log flips

We prove that any sequence of 4-dimensional log flips that begins with a klt pair (X,D) such that -(K _X +D) is numerically equivalent to an effective divisor, terminates. This implies termination of flips that begin with a log Fano pair and termination of flips in a relative birational setting. We also prove termination of directed flips with big K _X +D. As a consequence, we prove existence of minimal models of 4-dimensional dlt pairs of general type, existence of 5-dimensional log flips, and rationality of Kodaira energy in dimension 4.     

Spatial resolution improvement of scanning microscopy based on thermal lens spectroscopy with a total-internal-reflection arrangement.

In scanning microscopy by total internal reflection with thermal lens spectroscopy, its spatial resolution depends on the distance between the sample and a converging lens, which corresponds to the objective lens in an ordinary optical microscope. It was found that the resolution was best when the signal induced by the thermal lens effect was maximum. The distance was precisely adjusted by monitoring the signal intensity, and the resolution became twice better than that previously reported. Using a shorter focal-length lens, a resolution of 1.9 microm was attained.     

Highly Chemoselective and Versatile Method for Direct Conversion of Carboxylic Acids to Ketones Utilizing Zinc Ate Complexes

Various carboxylic acids were directly transformed into the corresponding ketones by utilizing organozinc ate complexes, which provide high chemoselectivity without any overreaction to the undesired tertiary carbinol, owing to formation of a stable tetrahedral zincioketal intermediate. This method offers good overall atom/step/pot economy and operational simplicity.     

Experimental investigation of the buckling of shallow spherical shells

In the present paper, the buckling behavior of clamped thin shallow spherical shells under external pressure is studied. Seventy-nine plastic shells formed by thermovacuum process were tested. The distributions of initial geometrical imperfections and vertical displacements were minutely measured with a differential transformer. It was possible to control the symmetrical initial geometrical imperfection of each specimen.Results indicate that the buckling phenomena of shallow spherical shells vary greatly with the symmetrical initial imperfection parameter η. In the case of the geometrical parameter λ larger than 5.5, the amplitude of the asymmetrical displacement component with the bifurcation buckling wave calculated by Huang becomes large immediately before buckling. The validity of Huang's theory for an initially perfect shell is experimentally demonstrated.     

Derivative spectrum chromatographic method for the determination of trimethoprim in honey samples using an on-line solid-phase extraction technique

A simple, selective and rapid analytical method for determination of trimethoprim (TMP) in honey samples was developed and validated. This method is based on a SPE technique followed by HPLC with photodiode array detection. After dilution and filtration, aliquots of 500 μL honey samples were directly injected to an on-line SPE HPLC system. TMP was extracted on an RP SPE column, and separated on a hydrophilic interaction chromatography column during HPLC analysis. At the first detection step, the noise level of the photodiode array data was reduced with two-dimensional equalizer filtering, and then the smoothed data were subjected to derivative spectrum chromatography. On the second-derivative chromatogram at 254 nm, the limit of detection and the limit of quantification of TMP in a honey sample were 5 and 10 ng/g, respectively. The proposed method showed high accuracy (60-103%) with adequate sensitivity for TMP monitoring in honey samples.