Interparticle potential up to next-to-leading order for gravitational,electrical, and dilatonic forces

Long-range forces up to next-to-leading order are computed in the framework of the Einstein–Maxwell-dilaton system by means of a semiclassical approach to gravity. As has been recently shown, this approach is effective if one of the masses under consideration is significantly greater than all the energies involved in the system. Further, we obtain the condition for the equilibrium of charged masses in the system.     

Preparation of L-Alanine Crystals Containing Gold Nanoparticles

Amino acids provide useful foods, medicines, health foods, and nutritional supplements. We studied the morphology control of alanine, an amino acid. We also studied the effects of amino acid addition on the dispersion stability of gold nanoparticles. We then studied hybridization between alanine crystals and arginine-capped gold nanoparticles. Alanine crystal growth in a supersaturated alanine solution was found to increase linearly over time, and alanine crystal growth stopped as supersaturation decreased. Alanine crystals with arginine grew toward the c-axis because arginine was adsorbed onto the face (120) of alanine crystals. Absorption wavelengths of colloidal solutions changed for gold nanoparticles with arginine, suggesting that arginine was adsorbed onto gold nanoparticles. The change in alanine crystal morphology was the same for alanine crystals with arginine-capped gold nanoparticles in that it grew toward the c-axis. Alanine crystals contained arginine-capped gold nanoparticles toward the c-axis.     

Measurement of krypton-85 in the atmosphere with a portable apparatus

A portable apparatus was developed for the rapid collection, separation and counting of krypton-85 in the environmental air samples. The apparatus consists of a molecular sieve trap for the elimination of H₂O and CO₂, a charcoal trap for the collection of krypton, a chromatographic column for the isolation of krypton in the air sample and a vial for the dissolution of krypton in the scintillation solution. With this apparatus, krypton can be collected from half a cubic meter of air with 94% recovery in about 3 hrs. The measurements of krypton-85 have been done several times in Fukuoka area between the periods Jan. 30, 1981 and Dec. 9, 1981. And then, the krypton-85 concentration was found to be approximately 21 pCi/m³ air. The results were compared with those obtained by foregin investigators.     

Quantum 401-1401-1401-1algebras and Macdonald polynomials

We derive a quantum deformation of theW _N algebra and its quantum Miura transformation, whose singular vectors realize the Macdonald polynomials.     

Assembly of amphiphilic poly[2‐(methacryloyloxy)ethyl phosphorylcholine] with cholesteryl moieties as terminal groups

Poly[2‐(methacryloyloxy)ethyl phosphorylcholine]s (PMPCs) with one pendant cholesteryl moiety at the polymer end (PMPC‐Chol‐I and PMPC‐Chol‐II) and two pendant cholesteryl moieties at both polymer ends as terminal groups (PMPC‐2Chol‐I and PMPC‐2Chol‐II) were prepared by the radical polymerization of 2‐(methacryloyloxy)ethyl phosphorylcholine initiated with 4,4′‐azobis[(3‐cholesteryl)‐4‐cyanopentanoate] in the presence of 2‐mercaptoethanol or thiocholesterol as chain‐transfer reagents, respectively. The self‐organization of PMPC‐Chol and PMPC‐2Chol was analyzed with fluorescence and ¹H NMR measurements. The critical micelle concentrations of PMPC‐Chol‐I with a degree of polymerization (P_n) of 91 and of PMPC‐2Chol‐I with a P_n value of 165 were 250 and 27 mg L^?1, respectively. The blood compatibility of PMPC‐2Chol was evaluated from the Michaelis constant (K_m) for the enzymatic reaction of thrombin and a synthetic substrate, S‐2238, in the presence of PMPC‐2Chol. K_m was 0.07, 0.05, and 0.56 for PMPC‐2Chol‐I with P_n = 165, PMPC‐2Chol‐II with P_n = 38, and PMPC (an intrinsic viscosity of 0.54 dL g^?1) initiated with 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronnitrile in the absence of chain transfer agent, respectively. A mixture of PMPC‐2Chol‐II and cholesterol as a drug model formed a lamellar type of complex with an interplanar spacing of d = 35.2 Å. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1992–2000, 2003     

Errata: A coset-type construction for the deformed Virasoro algebra,Lett. Math. Phys. 43(2) (1998), 173–185.

Letters in Mathematical Physics -     

LC/MS studies on characterization and determination of N,N'-ethylenebisdithiocarbamate fungicides in environmental water samples.

Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) has been applied to analyze N,N'-ethylenebisdithiocarbamate fungicides (EBDCs: manzeb, maneb and zineb) in environmental water samples. The EBDCs that are zinc and/or manganese salts are transformed into readily water-soluble sodium salts by adding an alkaline EDTA solution. The N,N'-ethylenebisdithiocarbamate anion is extracted into chloroform-hexane (3:1) as an ion pair with tetrabutylammonium, and then S-alkylated with methyl iodide. The extraction and derivatization are carried out at room temperature. The derivatized ethylenebisdithiocarbamic acid dimethyl ester is introduced into an LC/MS equipped with a negative ion electrospray ionization interface. Identification of the compound is performed with the specific quasi-molecular ion, and the quantitative analyses are carried out using the peak areas. The average recoveries and coefficients of variation of EBDCs at sub-ppb level are 79.1% and 29.3% (n = 6), respectively. The limit of detection based on standard deviation of 0.043 microg/L for manzeb is achieved.     

Dietary intakes of eighteen elements and <Superscript>40</Superscript>K in eighteen food categories by Japanese subjects

Summary Dietary intakes of eighteen elements and ⁴⁰K were estimated by Japanese subjects using a market basket study. High concentrations of most nuclides were found in 4 categories among 18 categories (nuts and seeds, bean products, seaweeds, and fishes and shellfishes). The main contributors were rice, bean products, and fishes and shellfishes. Daily intakes were estimated (in mg) as follows: sodium 3.91 ^. 10³; potassium: 2.49 ^. 10³; phosphorus: 1.09 ^. 10³; calcium: 551; magnesium: 273; iron: 9.82; zinc: 9.41; manganese: 3.54; strontium: 2.52; rubidium: 2.34; copper: 1.61; barium: 0.543; chromium: 0.283; nickel: 0.172; lithium: 0.060; cadmium: 0.022; cesium: 0.0091; cobalt: 0.0095; and ⁴⁰K: 89 Bq.     

A hemicyanine-conjugated copolymer as a highly sensitive fluorescent thermometer

A simple-structured copolymer, poly(NIPAM-co-HC), consisting of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and 4-(4-dimethylaminostyryl)pyridine (hemicyanine, HC) units as thermoresponsive and fluorescent signaling parts, respectively, has been synthesized. This copolymer dissolved in water shows very weak fluorescence at <25 degrees C, while showing fluorescence enhancement at >25 degrees C. The fluorescence intensity increases with a rise in temperature and saturates at >40 degrees C, enabling temperature detection at 25-40 degrees C. The fluorescence enhancement is driven by a heat-induced phase transition of the polymer from coil to globule state. The HC units within the coil state polymer exist as the nonfluorescent benzenoid form; however, the less polar domain formed inside the globule state polymer leads to transformation of the HC unit to the fluorescent quinoid form, resulting in heat-induced fluorescence enhancement. The fluorescence intensity measured at 40 degrees C is >20-fold higher than the intensity at <25 degrees C, which is the highest enhancement value among the fluorescent thermometers proposed so far. The polymer shows reversible fluorescence enhancement/quenching, regardless of the heating/cooling process. In addition, the polymer shows high reusability with a simple recovery process.