Structural and compositional changes in ion-bombarded Ta2O5

A detailed study of the effect of heavy-ion bombardment on Ta₂O₅ has been undertaken using a combination of radioactive tracer techniques, electron microscopy, and Rutherford backscattering. Crystalline Ta₂O₅ is amorphized at ~6 × 10¹³ ions cm^?2, while at a dose of ~5 × 10¹⁶ ions cm^?2 the electron microscopy reveals the development of random grains of a new crystalline phase. By ~1 × 10¹⁷ ions cm^?2 the grains are not yet overlapping but still yield a diffraction pattern consistent with either δ-Ta-O (not to be confused with TaO) or Ta_1?xO₂, thus indicating that Ta₂O₅, like most other transition-metal oxides, is subject to preferential sputtering. Preferential sputtering was confirmed by backscattering analysis of specimens bombarded to high doses, where the average surface composition was found to be Ta_1.8±0.2O₂ or, equivalently, Ta₂O_2.2±0.2. The surface alteration had an average composition independent of the mass and energy of the incident ions.     

13C nmr spectroscopy of tetracarbocyclic diterpenes and related substances1

A caarbon shift analysis of hibaene, phyllocladene, cafestol, cafamarine, mascaroside and hilbane-like substances is presented.     

Preparation of porous biodegradable PLLA with tunable pore size through simple variation of PEG/PLLA-blend crystallization conditions

In this study, porous poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) films are prepared via a facile and low-cost approach using poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and solution casting. In contrast to most studies, the PEG/PLLA samples are further processed under different crystallization conditions (i.e., different PLLA crystallization temperatures) before PEG removal. As the PEG is extracted via solvent at higher PLLA crystallization temperatures, the resultant PLLA samples have larger pores. Interconnected fibrillar-shaped pores are found in all systems, and the fibrillar-porous structure width is ~150 nm–1.2 μm, as observed via scanning electron microscopy. These pore sizes can be tuned by adjusting the blend composition and crystallization temperature. In addition, PEG/PLLA blends are subjected to hydrolytic degradation analysis according to their crystallization conditions. Higher PLLA crystallization temperature yields higher PLLA crystallinity and larger pores, as well as reduced surface interaction with water. Therefore, the PLLA degradation rate is decreased. The developed PLLA films have potential applications in drug delivery and tissue engineering.     

Using Bidimensional Multiscale Entropy Analysis of Ultrasound Images to Assess the Effect of Various Walking Intensities on Plantar Soft Tissues

Walking performance is usually assessed by linear analysis of walking outcome measures. However, human movements consist of both linear and nonlinear complexity components. The purpose of this study was to use bidimensional multiscale entropy analysis of ultrasound images to evaluate the effects of various walking intensities on plantar soft tissues. Twelve participants were recruited to perform six walking protocols, consisting of three speeds (slow at 1.8 mph, moderate at 3.6 mph, and fast at 5.4 mph) for two durations (10 and 20 min). A B-mode ultrasound was used to assess plantar soft tissues before and after six walking protocols. Bidimensional multiscale entropy (MSE_2D) and the Complexity Index (CI) were used to quantify the changes in irregularity of the ultrasound images of the plantar soft tissues. The results showed that the CI of ultrasound images after 20 min walking increased when compared to before walking (CI₄: 0.39 vs. 0.35; CI₅: 0.48 vs. 0.43, p < 0.05). When comparing 20 and 10 min walking protocols at 3.6 mph, the CI was higher after 20 min walking than after 10 min walking (CI₄: 0.39 vs. 0.36, p < 0.05; and CI₅: 0.48 vs. 0.44, p < 0.05). This is the first study to use bidimensional multiscale entropy analysis of ultrasound images to assess plantar soft tissues after various walking intensities.     

Photosensitized growth of TiO2 nanoparticles improved the charge transfer dynamics of a bichromophoric dye

Nanostructured TiO₂ particles utilized in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) provide a large surface area, which facilitates the adsorption of sensitizing dye and charge recombination due to the high density of surface traps. In this article, a modified surface of TiO₂ nanoparticles was successfully synthesized in the presence of (1-hydroxycyclohexyl)(phenyl)methanone (HCPM) as a sensitizer to control formation in a toluene/ethanol medium via a photolytic process. A particle-size analysis showed that the oxides which had fully oxidized to TiO₂ were 20～35 nm in diameter. The structure of the TiO₂ particles being of an amorphous nature and the nearly defect-free distributions of Ti⁴⁺ and O^2- energy levels imply that the grain boundaries and surface trap sites were effectively suppressed. TiO₂ particles were subsequently blended with the bichromophoric dye, AMIP, to study fluorescence decay dynamics between AMIP/TiO₂ interfaces. Fluorescence lifetime measurements gave the rate constant for the charge-transfer process from the excited singlet of AMIP to the conduction band of TiO₂ as 1.2×10⁹ s^?l. When PL quenching measured as the TiO₂ contents of these composites reached a 2.5 wt% level, the maximum enhanced charge-transfer dynamics occurred. Structural properties and photophysical behaviors of composites of AMIP bound to TiO₂ were extensively demonstrated.     

Classifying Human Haptoglobin Phenotypes on Native‐PAGE Using a Modified Coomassie Brilliant Blue R 250 Staining

There are three types of human Haptoglobin, Hp 1‐1, Hp 2‐1, and Hp 2‐2, each characterized by a distinct combination of the two α chains of the holoprotein. A modified Coomassie Brilliant Blue R 250 (mCBB‐R250) staining method for detecting the phenotypes of human blood haptoglobin molecules is presented. Addition of excess hemoglobin to the sample allowed specific formation of different haptoglobin‐hemoglobin complexes, which, in turn can be separated into distinctive migration pattern on native‐PAGE and stained by CBB‐R250. The typing results are consistent with that using Western blotting. In comparison to the existing methods for haptoglobin typing, our method is comparable in accuracy, and is easier to carry out. The results on typing of 29 plasma samples from Taipei Blood Center were also presented.     

Determination of loads applied perpendicularly to the outer boundary of a ring using coefficients of influence

A procedure is explained to determined the amount of several pairs of diametrical loads applied to the outside boundary of a ring when stresses at selected points of the inside or outside boundaries are known. Coefficients of influence are used, following an approach similar to the one presented in a previous paper. Examples of application are given and the possible increase in precision is shown when the number of points of measurements is larger than the number of loads to be determined.     

广义单调集值混合变分不等式的一类新算法

首先证明了广义单调集值混合变分不等式等价于一个新的不动点问题，在此基础上提出了解广义集值混合变分不等式及其相关优化问题的迭代算法，并给出了这类新算法的收敛性分析，我们的结果推广和综合了该领域的一些最新结论．     

Detection of Chitinolytic Enzymes in Ipomoea Batatas Leaf Extract by Activity Staining after Gel Electrophoresis

A non‐denatured SDS‐PAGE followed by in‐gel activity staining using embedded glycol chitin as a substrate was used to identify the proteins with chitinolyitc activities from sweet potato leaf extract. At least two chitinase activity zones can be clearly identified on the gel at positions with estimated molecular weights of 54.1～55.6 kDa and 39.6 kDa. Furthermore, our data also indicate that the activity of the larger one can withstand the standard SDS‐PAGE sample preparation. Both of these chitinases, however, are different from that of the previously identified chitinase in sweet potato leaves, which has a molecular weight of 16 kDa. By using an embedded substrate, our method has superior sensitivity in detecting chitinases with higher molecular weights. It is a simple, affordable way and may aid in the future discovery of new chitinases.     

Near-diffraction-limited diode laser arrays by wavelength beam combining

We demonstrate 35 W output peak power with M2 approximately 1.35 in both dimensions from a 100 element, 100 microm pitch slab-coupled optical waveguide laser diode array using wavelength beam combining.