The effect of crystallinity on chain mobility and free volume in the amorphous regions of a miscible polycarbonate/polyester blend

Homopolymers and blends of polycarbonate/ThermX have been investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, density measurements, and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. The study focuses on the chain mobility and free volume in the amorphous miscible regions of the blends and how this mobility and free volume are affected by increasing crystallinity. It is proposed that judicious annealing, which results in increasing crystallinity (while avoiding ageing or transesterification), induces a constraint on the amorphous region leading to an increase in T_g and coalescence of free volume sites. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Spectrophotometric study of holmium complexation in KOH solutions at 25°C

The complexation of Ho³⁺ in HoCl₃ and KOH solutions at 25°C and saturated vapor pressure was studied by an indicator spectrophotometric technique, and the pH values of the investigated solutions were determined. The stability constants of the hydroxo complexes of Ho³⁺ were measured over a range of pH 9.25–10.10 and at μ≤ 4 × 10^?4 and extrapolated to zero ionic strength.     

Band structures in73Se

Excited states of⁷³Se have been investigated up to spin, 21/2 using techniques of in-beamγ-ray spectroscopy in connection with the⁷⁰Ge(α, n) reaction. Mean lifetimes of 12 levels have been determined applying Doppler-shift andγ-RF-methods. Five different bands have been identified that reflect a variety of different excitation modes. The decoupled 9/2⁺ band is likely to correspond to an oblate deformation while the 5/2⁺ band is interpreted as a strongly coupled prolate band built on the Nilsson configuration [422] 5/2⁺. The 3/2^? band is a strongly coupled band built on the [301] 3/2^} configuration.Nuclear reactions:⁷⁰Ge(α,n),E=14, 16, 18, 19, 20MeV; measuredE _γ,I _γ,σ(E _γ,θ),γγ-coin, linear polarization, DSA,γ(t).⁷⁵Se deduced levels,I, π, τ, δ(E2/M1), B(σλ). Enriched targets, Ge detectors.     

Serial magnetic resonance imaging in patients following acute myocardial infarction.

The detection of serial changes in magnetic resonance (MR) signal intensity of the heart following acute myocardial infarction may provide a useful method of characterizing tissue healing. Fourteen patients with acute Q-wave infarction underwent T2-weighted, spin-echo cardiac imaging during hospitalization, followed by one or more additional MR studies (total 31) over a 6- to 27-wk period (mean: 3 mo). Visual assessment of the images demonstrated a gradual reduction in signal intensity and localization of the bright signal to the subendocardium of the infarction region over the three-mo study period. A quantitative measurement of signal intensity (infarction/normal myocardium) fell from 1.81 +/- 0.42 on the initial study to 1.34 +/- 0.37 (p less than 0.05) at a mean of 14 wk. Two patients had an increase in signal intensity on the follow-up study and both patients had been readmitted with acute coronary syndromes. In summary, characterization of changes in signal intensity may provide a useful method of assessing myocardial healing following acute myocardial infarction. Further studies are indicated to determine the prognostic significance of these parameters.     

Validation of a solid-phase extraction high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for doxazosin.

The determination of doxazosin by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection is described. Propanolol was used as the internal standard. Plasma samples were treated with methanol to precipitate the proteins. Doxazosin was isolated with C18 reversed-phase extraction columns. The determination limit is 1 ng/ml of plasma, while the extraction columns can be reused frequently. The method is applied to clinical trial samples.     

Direct quantitative digital autoradiography-thin-layer chromatography of 3 alpha,3 beta- and 5 alpha-reduced and 17 beta-dehydrogenated androgens derived from testosterone metabolism.

A digital autoradiographic-thin-layer chromatographic method involving simple steps is described for thorough separation of eight major androgens (testosterone, androstenedione, dihydrotestosterone, androsterone, epiandrosterone, androstanedione, 3 alpha-androstanediol and 3 beta-androstanediol) derived from testosterone metabolism. Their direct quantification is performed by radioscanning, which avoids tedious plate-scraping and liquid scintillation counting. Satisfactory accuracy is obtained by both external standardization of plates by calibrated amounts of radiolabelled standard steroids and internal standardization of bioassays by radiolabelled squalane. Coefficients of variation are below 8.5% in the range 100-500 dpm. Some analytical criteria related to chromatographic conditions and quantification parameters depending on position-sensitive proportional counter are discussed.     

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and pathophysiology of the rat kidney in streptozotocin-induced diabetes.

Proton magnetic resonance imaging was performed on rats before induction of diabetes with streptozotocin (STZ) and at 2 and 12 days postinduction. Images revealed an increase in maximal longitudinal and axial dimensions of the kidneys at 2 days and a further increase at 12 days. Similarly, an increase in the size of the remaining kidney was seen in a rat which underwent uninephrectomy as a positive control. Two major differences were observed between the kidney undergoing compensatory hypertrophy and those developing diabetic nephropathy: (i) Expansion of the renal vasculature was seen only in images of the diabetic rat; (ii) A loss in conspicuity of the normal corticomedullary junction was seen in the T2-weighted images of the diabetic rat but not in the uninephrectomized rat. Histologic examination revealed that the medulla increased to a size greater than the cortex during diabetic nephropathy whereas the medullary volume was less than that of the cortex during compensatory hypertrophy. In vitro T1 relaxation times in cortex, outer medulla and inner medulla of kidneys from control rats were measured and compared with the same respective regions in diabetic rats. When these values were correlated with tissue water content, a linear increase in relaxation rate versus percent water content from cortex to inner medulla was found in the control kidneys, but this correlation was absent in diabetic nephropathy. These studies demonstrate that MRI is an effective noninvasive tool for studying the course of renal hypertrophy and hydration changes in the development of renal disease in STZ-induced diabetes in the rat.