Migration of excimers in pyrene crystals

Emission decay times of the new excimer were measured for undoped and perylene doped pyrene crystals. From the decay times obtained, the temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficient of the excimers was deduced by assuming a model in which two electronic states of the new excimer are involved in the energy transfer process. Within this model, it was found that in the upper excimer state the excimers migrated by a hopping process, while in the lower excimer state they migrated as free excimer excitons while undergoing phonon scattering.     

Structure in the emission from pyrene evaporated films

Emission spectra and decay times of fluorescence of pyrene thin films prepared by evaporation onto substrates at liquid nitrogen temperature were measured. Structure in the emission from films warmed slowly up to higher temperature is found to the higher energy side of the excimer emission band. The decay time is about 410 ns at temperatures between 110 K and 210 K. But the emission from the film warmed up to a temperature above 210 K shows only the excimer emission. These results are discussed in relation to an amorphous structure in the pyrene evaporated thin film.     

Evaluating the equivalence of verbal scales and question stems to be used in English and Japanese noise annoyance questions

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the equivalence of noise annoyance scales and questions recommended by Team 6 (Community Response to Noise) of ICBEN for English and Japanese, two strikingly different languages. The first experiment was conducted with bilingual subjects in order to test a key assumption of the method established by ICBEN Team 6 for the development of equivalent noise annoyance scales: subjects who speak different languages interpret the concept of “highest degree” of annoyance similarly. The results indicate that English- and Japanese-speaking subjects do interpret the “highest degree” similarly. The second experiment tested for effects of wording differences. English- and Japanese-speaking subjects were presented with noise annoyance questions of one of three format types. The first type was similar to the question format recommended by ICBEN Team 6. It focused on the degree to which a given noise would “bother, disturb, or annoy” the subject. The second asked subjects to evaluate the “bothersome, annoying, or disturbing” quality of the noise. The third asked how much the noise would “worry, irritate, or concern” the subject. No significant difference was found in responses to the three formats when subjects evaluated noise in laboratory conditions.     

Effect of Comatic Aberration on the Propagation Characteristics of Laguerre--Gaussian Beams

Seidel comatic aberration is an important cause of deformation for a Laguerre--Gaussian (LG) beam. In addition, mono-axial comatic aberration, whose phase modulation depends only on one transverse coordinate, is also an important cause of beam deformation. Deformation of an LG beam by such aberrations is analyzed through numerical simulation based on the angular spectrum method. It is also shown that for holographically generated LG beams quadratic spatial variation of grating pitch can produce seidel and mono-axial comatic aberrations. An example of an experimentally generated LG beam with mono-axial comatic aberration is reported.     

Validity of retinal oxygen saturation analysis: Hyperspectral imaging in visible wavelength with fundus camera and liquid crystal wavelength tunable filter

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the feasibility of a newly developed hyperspectral fundus imaging camera with a liquid crystal tunable filter. The intensities of different wavelengths of light transmitted through an artery, vein, and the area surrounding these vessels and reflected out were measured, and the differential spectral absorptions were analyzed. Measurements were made from 16 normal eyes and from two artificial capillaries. The ratios of absorption (ROA) of arteries to veins from 500 to 580 nm (range 1) and from 600 to 720 nm (range 2) were calculated. For all eyes, the ROA_range1 was larger than ROA_range2. The ROA obtained from the artificial capillary filled with blood saturated with oxygen or nitrogen was similar to that of simulated data of oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin extinction rate. Most ROAs of human eyes were lower than those of the simulated data and the artificial capillaries. Oxygen saturation analysis by hyperspectral fundus imaging of retinal vessels were qualitatively in agreement with thein vitro analysis or simulated values. However, further improvements are necessary to evaluate the oxygen saturation quantitatively in the retinal blood vessels.     

Evaluation of left ventricular function with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging using Fourier fitting

The aims of this study were to investigate the applicability of Fourier fitting in the magnetic resonance (MR) evaluation of left ventricular (LV) function and to determine the optimal number of harmonics for fitting. Cine cardiac MR imaging was performed in 10 subjects, and an LV time–volume curve was generated. Fourier fitting was applied to the original curve using 1–10 harmonics, and the qualities of the time–volume curve and first-derivative curve were evaluated. LV functional parameters were calculated from curves generated with and without fitting. The quality of the original time–volume curve was good, and Fourier fitting had no substantial effect on functional parameters obtained directly from the time–volume curve such as ejection fraction. The first-derivative curve generated without fitting showed substantial artificial fluctuation. The application of Fourier fitting depressed the fluctuation and tended to decrease estimates of peak ejection rate and peak filling rate. Five or six harmonics appeared to be appropriate for obtaining a high-quality first-derivative curve. In conclusion, Fourier fitting was indicated to aid in reducing the artificial fluctuation of the first-derivative curve generated from cine cardiac MR imaging and to contribute to the evaluation of functional parameters derived from the first-derivative curve.     

Resolving Discrepancy between Theoretical and Experimental Optical Trapping Forces Using Effects of Beam Waist and Trapping Position Displacement due to Gravity

Optical trapping forces of polystyrene microspheres are analyzed both theoretically and experimentally, and comparisons are made between the two. Discrepancies are mainly caused by straight-ray approximation for axial trapping, and by trapping-position vertical displacement due to gravity for transverse trapping.     

Mapping of the habenulo-interpeduncular pathway in living mice using manganese-enhanced 3D MRI

This magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study describes mapping of the habenulo-interpeduncular pathway in living mice based on manganese-induced contrast. Six hours after intracerebroventricular microinjection of MnCl2, T1-weighted 3D MRI (2.35 T) at 117 mum isotropic resolution revealed a continuous pattern of anterograde labeling from the habenula via the fasciculus retroflexus to the interpeduncular nucleus. Alternatively, the less invasive systemic administration of MnCl2 allowed for monitoring of the dynamic uptake pattern of respective neural components with even higher reproducibility across animals. Time courses covered the range from 42 min to 24 h after injection. In conclusion, manganese-enhanced MRI may open new ways for functional assessments of the habenulo-interpeduncular system in animal models with cognitive impairment.     

Lidar measurement of constituents of microparticles in air by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy using femtosecond terawatt laser pulses

We experimentally demonstrated remote sensing of the constituents of microparticles in air by combining laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and lidar, using femtosecond terawatt laser pulses. Laser pulses of 70 fs duration and 130 mJ energy generated filaments when focused at a focal length of 20 m and the pulses irradiated artificial saltwater aerosols in air at a 10 Hz pulse repetition rate. Na fluorescence was observed remotely at a distance of 16 m using a 318 mm diameter Newtonian telescope, a spectrometer, and an intensified CCD camera. These results show the possibility of remote measurement of the constituents of atmospheric particles, such as aerosols, clouds, and toxic materials, by LIBS-lidar using femtosecond terawatt laser pulses.     

Silicon-Based Integrated Optic Pressure Sensor Using Intermodal Interference between TM-Like and TE-Like Modes

In this paper, a silicon-based integrated optic pressure sensor using an intermodal interference between the fundamental TM-like and TE-like modes is described. The sensor consists of a micromachined rectangular diaphragm and a straight polystyrene optical waveguide passing over the diaphragm. Its sensitivity is theoretically known to be strongly dependent on the position of the waveguide over the diaphragm. To experimentally investigate such dependence, we fabricated a sensor with a 1.2 mm ×10 mm ×20 μm diaphragm, over which waveguides were placed at 50 μm intervals. The measured phase sensitivity was 98 mrad/kPa for the waveguide nearest to the diaphragm edge. The measurement was also carried out for the other waveguides. As theoretically expected, the largest sensitivity was obtained for the waveguide nearest to the edge.