CARS thermometry in a transversely heated graphite-tube atomizer used in atomic absorption spectrometry

An experimental setup for gas-temperature diagnostics using Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) in very small sample volumes with great spatial and temporal temperature variations is presented. Studies have been started of a newly designed transversely heated graphite-tube atomizer for atomic absorption spectrometry (Perkin-Elmer, 4100 ZL). For the investigations, high spatial resolution and precise time synchronization of the measurements and also automatic control of the time-dependent intensity of the anti-Stokes signal were realized. The graphite-tube atomizer also offers the possibility of high-temperature-gas spectroscopy. A high-temperature CARS spectrum of CO₂, recorded in the graphite tube at 2300 K, is shown for the first time. A number of hot-band transitions in the spectral region of the Fermi doublet at a Raman shift from 1230 to 1450cm^–1 was observed and assigned, making possible the use of CO₂ as spectroscopic thermometer gas, similar to N₂.     

Inclusive and exclusive measurements in the projectile breakup of 7Li

The inclusive and exclusive measurements were carried out for ⁷Li projectile breakup on ²⁷Al target at 48 MeV. In the inclusive data we have observed a broad peak around the beam velocity for alphas and tritons. The exclusive data for alpha-triton coincidences show good agreement with the post-form DWBA theory of breakup reactions.     

Effect of alpha-tocopherol on pulmonary antioxidant defence system and lipid peroxidation in cigarette smoke inhaling mice

Background  

Free radicals generated in biological systems by cigarette smoke (CS) inhalation can cause oxidative stress in tissues, resulting in lipid peroxidation (LPO). In view of the antioxidant properties of α-tocopherol (AT), in the present study, effects of AT on antioxidant defence system and LPO were investigated in mice inhaling CS for different time intervals.     

Animal carotenoids. 32. Carotenoids of Mytilus edulis (edible mussel)

Nineteen different carotenoids have been isolated from various harvests of Mytilus edulis (edible mussels). Besides beta,beta-carotene (occasional) these were ten acetylenic C40-carotenoids: crocoxanthin-like, anhydro-amarouciaxanthin B, 19'-hexanoyloxyisomytiloxanthin, isomytiloxanthin, alloxanthin, mytiloxanthin, amarouciaxanthin B-like, halocynthiaxanthin, pectenol-like and heteroxanthin; two acetylenic C37-carotenoids: pyrrhoxanthinol and hydrato-pyrrhoxanthinol; four C40-skeletal allenic carotenoids: 19'-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin, fucoxanthin, 19'-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthinol and fucoxanthinol; two C37-skeletal allenic carotenoids: peridinin and peridininol. Anhydro-amarouciaxanthin B, 19'-hexanoyloxyisomytiloxanthin (minor occasional) and hydrato-pyrrhoxanthinol constitute new carotenoids. The characterization comprised TLC and HPLC behaviour, VIS spectrophotometry, 1H NMR (including full assignment of three new carotenoid end groups), CD and mass spectra, as well as chemical derivatizations. Stereochemical considerations are discussed.     

Numerical modeling of microbubble backscatter to optimize ultrasound particle image velocimetry imaging: initial studies

We have developed a promising non-invasive ultrasound-based method for performing particle image velocimetry (PIV) in vivo. This method, termed echo PIV, provides multi-component blood velocity data with good (2 ms) temporal resolution. The method takes advantage of the non-linear ultrasound backscatter characteristics of small gas-filled microbubbles (ultrasound contrast) that are seeded into the blood stream. In this study, we use a numerical model to explore potential areas to focus future work in echo PIV.

Ultrasound backscatter from encapsulated microbubbles was modeled using a modified Rayleigh–Plesset equation (Church model, 1995), taking into account the protein/lipid shell layer as a thick, mass-conserving incompressible fluid surrounded by incompressible blood-like fluid. The equation of motion was solved numerically to characterize the fundamental and second harmonic components of the backscattered pressure. Results show a significant advantage in using the second harmonic component for echo PIV, especially for small bubble sizes less than 3 μm in diameter at 2.2 MHz frequency. The effect of the shell thickness ranging from 10 to 500 nm on the vibration amplitude of the bubble was examined and it is shown that the presence of the shell requires mechanical index (MI)>0.2 of incident pressure amplitude to improve bubble detectability. Analysis of the effect of pulse length shows a tradeoff between axial resolution (short pulse length) and bubble detectability (longer pulse length) will most likely be required. The effect of varying MI between 0.1 and 0.6 was also studied at a center frequency of 2.2 MHz and the results indicate that the resonance of the second harmonic is maximized for bubbles with diameter of approximately 2.75 μm. Bubble non-linearities at MI>0.2 induced a resonant frequency shift away from the integer multiple of the incident frequency in the second harmonic backscatter. For a given bubble size, there is a combination of optimal incident frequency and mechanical index range that maximizes the ratio of the second harmonic compared to the fundamental. This resonant frequency decreases with increasing bubble radius. Further, a narrow bandwidth pulse is shown to increase signal strength. Both of these effects may cause conflict with factors governing spatial resolution. Optimization of the incident frequency, microbubble size and mechanical index to enhance bubble detectability will depend on the particular clinical application. These theoretical predictions provide further understanding of the physics behind our echo PIV technique, and should be useful for guiding the design of echo PIV systems.     

Critical petermann K factor for intensity noise squeezing

We investigate the impact of the Petermann-excess-noise factor K>/=1 on the possibility of intensity noise squeezing of laser light below the standard quantum limit. Using an N-mode model, we show that squeezing is limited to a floor level of 2(K-1) times the shot noise limit. Thus, even a modest Petermann factor significantly impedes squeezing, which becomes impossible when K>/=1.5. This appears as a serious limitation for obtaining sub-shot-noise light from practical semiconductor lasers. We present experimental evidence for our theory.