Stilbene derivatives with antifungal and radical scavenging properties from the stem bark of Artocarpus nobilis

Antifungal activity-guided fractionation of the n-butanol extract from the methanol extract of the stem bark of Artocarpus nobilis furnished two stilbene derivatives (E)-4-isopentenyl-3,5,2',4'-tetrahydroxystilbene and (E)-4-(3-methyl-E-but-1-enyl)-3,5,2',4'-tetrahydroxystilbene. Both compounds showed strong antifungal activity against Cladosporium cladosporioides and high radical scavenging activity towards the DPPH radical in TLC bio-autography method.     

Efficient synthesis of poly(phenylazomethine) dendrons allowing access to higher generation dendrimers

We have developed a novel synthetic method of phenylazomethine dendrons that uses 4,4'-methylenedianiline instead of 4,4'-diaminobenzophenone to synthesize the precursor of the phenylazomethine dendron and then oxidized the precursor to the next-generation dendron. For this method, the productivity of the dendrons has been significantly increased. Furthermore, as the synthesis of high-generation dendrons becomes easier, synthesis of DPA G5 was achieved. [structure--see text]     

Local plasticity of Al thin films as revealed by x-ray microdiffraction

Grain-to-grain interactions dominate the plasticity of Al thin films and establish effective length scales smaller than the grain size. We have measured large strain distributions and their changes under plastic strain in 1.5-microm-thick Al 0.5% Cu films using a 0.8-microm-diameter white x-ray probe at the Advanced Light Source. Strain distributions arise not only from the distribution of grain sizes and orientation, but also from the differences in grain shape and from stress environment. Multiple active glide plane domains have been found within single grains. Large grains behave like multiple smaller grains even before a dislocation substructure can evolve.     

Generation of 90-nJ pulses with a 4-MHz repetition-rate Kerr-lens mode-locked Ti:Al(2)O(3) laser operating with net positive and negative intracavity dispersion

We demonstrate the generation of high-energy pulses by using a low-repetition-rate Kerr-lens mode-locked laser. Repetition rates as low as 4 MHz were achieved with a long, multiple-pass cavity and a semiconductor saturable Bragg reflector. The laser generated pulses of 55-fs duration with a pulse energy of 48 nJ when it was mode locked in the net negative dispersion regime. Mode locking in the positive dispersion regime reduces instabilities and enables pulses to have durations of 80 fs and energies as high as 90 nJ. This is, to our knowledge, the highest pulse energy and the lowest repetition rate ever generated directly from a femtosecond laser resonator without cavity dumping.     

Ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography using continuum generation in an air-silica microstructure optical fiber

We demonstrate ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) using continuum generation in an air-silica microstructure fiber as a low-coherence light source. A broadband OCT system was developed and imaging was performed with a bandwidth of 370 nm at a 1.3-mu;m center wavelength. Longitudinal resolutions of 2.5 microm in air and ~2 microm in tissue were achieved. Ultrahigh-resolution imaging in biological tissue in vivo was demonstrated.     

Rapid large-scale magnetic-field dissipation in a collisionless current sheet via coupling between Kelvin-Helmholtz and lower-hybrid drift instabilities

Rapid large-scale magnetic-field dissipation is observed in a full kinetic simulation of cross-field current instabilities in a current sheet even when the thickness of the current sheet is at ion scale. The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability caused by the velocity shear between the current-carrying ions and the cold background ions excites the lower-hybrid drift instability at the edges of the undulated current sheet. We show that the nonlinear coupling between these two instabilities is responsible for the observed rapid dissipation. The simulation result presents a new route for magnetic-field dissipation in an ion-scale current sheet and demonstrates the general significance of nonlinear cross-scale coupling in collisionless plasmas.     

Ta2O5 thin-films deposited by off-axis and on-axis pulsed laser deposition techniques

The crystalline properties of Ta₂O₅ thin films deposited by an off-axis aperture-installation-type pulsed laser deposition technique are investigated and the results are compared with the results for films deposited by the conventional on-axis technique. No significant difference in the substrate temperature dependence is seen between films deposited on-axis or off-axis at a pulse repetition frequency of 30 Hz. When the repetition frequency is lowered, the degree of c-axis orientation is increased in both films. This tendency is more pronounced in the off-axis films. Therefore it is found that the off-axis aperture-installation-type pulsed laser deposition technique is effective not only for decreasing the density of droplets, but also for obtaining more highly c-axis-oriented crystalline films.     

Refractive index detection in microbore column liquid chromatography

Summary An existing commercial refractive index detector was modified for use with microbore column LC systems. The detector utilizes the Fresnel method. The effect of band dispersion and dilution at the detector side is of extreme importance in connection with the miniaturized LC system. In the modified model the original heat-exchanger tube was removed and a stainless steel capillary was used for heat-exchanging. Gaskets having different cell volumes were also examined with respect to band broadening and sensitivity. The detection limit was 10ng for di-n-pentyl phthalate. The examples include the detection of phthalates, alcohols, n-paraffins, and kerosine.