Occupational prolonged organic solvent exposure in shoemakers: brain MR spectroscopy findings

Our purpose was to investigate, by magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy, the metabolite changes in the brains of subjects in the shoemaking industry who had been chronically exposed to organic solvents. A total of 49 male subjects and 30 age-matched healthy volunteers underwent detailed neurological and psychiatric examinations. All subjects had long-echo [repetition time (TR) 2000 ms, echo time (TE) 136 ms] single-voxel MR spectroscopy. Voxels (15 x 15 x 15 mm(3)) were placed in the parietal white matter, thalamus, and basal ganglia. N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) and choline (Cho)/Cr ratios were calculated. There was no significant difference between the study subjects and the control group in NAA/Cr ratios obtained from thalamus, basal ganglia, and parietal white matter. Cho/Cr ratios in thalamus, basal ganglia, and parietal white matter were found to be significantly increased compared to controls. There was a positive correlation between basal ganglia Cho/Cr ratio and duration of exposure (r = 0.63). MR spectroscopy should be performed to reveal metabolite changes and determine the degree of brain involvement in solvent-related industry workers.     

Renal-related perinephric fluid collections: MRI findings

We retrospectively reviewed MR studies on 10 patients with renal-related perinephric fluid collections who underwent MRI in three institutions between January 2001 and August 2004. All patients underwent MRI of the abdomen and T1-weighted, T2-weighted and serial contrast-enhanced images, including delayed-phase contrast-enhanced images 10-12 min after contrast injection, were obtained. Perinephric fluid collections in 5 patients revealed MRI findings of simple fluid content (i.e., hypointense on T1-weighted images and hyperintense on T2-weighted images). In another 5 patients, a complex perinephric fluid content (i.e., mixed hyper/hypointense on T1-weighted images and mixed hypo/hyperintense on T2-weighted images compatible with blood breakdown products and pus) was observed. In 5 patients, contrast extravasation on late-phase images that was compatible with urine leak was demonstrated. Our results suggest that MRI may determine the content of perinephric fluid collections on noncontrast T1-weighted and T2-weighted images and that contrast extravasation on late-phase images is associated with urine extravasation from renal collecting systems.     

All-optical transistor action with bistable switching in a photonic crystal cross-waveguide geometry

We demonstrate all-optical switching action in a nonlinear photonic crystal cross-waveguide geometry with instantaneous Kerr nonlinearity, in which the transmission of a signal can be reversibly switched on and off by a control input. Our geometry accomplishes both spatial and spectral separation between the signal and the control in the nonlinear regime. The device occupies a small footprint of a few micrometers squared and requires only a few milliwatts of power at a 10-Gbit/s switching rate by use of Kerr nonlinearity in AlGaAs below half the electronic bandgap. We also show that the switching dynamics, as revealed by both coupled-mode theory and finite-difference time domain simulations, exhibits collective behavior that can be exploited to generate high-contrast logic levels and all-optical memory.     

Simulation of spray combustion in a lean-direct injection combustor

Large-eddy simulation (LES) of a liquid-fueled lean-direct injection (LDI) combustor is carried out by resolving the entire inlet flow path through the swirl vanes and the combustor. A localized dynamic subgrid closure is combined with a subgrid mixing and combustion model so that no adjustable parameters are required for both non-reacting and reacting LES. Time-averaged velocity predictions compare well with the measured data. The unsteady flow features that play a major role in spray dispersion, fuel–air mixing and flame stabilization are identified from the simulation data. It is shown that the vortex breakdown bubble (VBB) is smaller with more intense reverse flow when there is heat release. The swirling shear layer plays a major role in spray dispersion and the VBB provides an efficient flameholding mechanism to stabilize the flame.     

Mixed-Spin Ising Model in an Oscillating Magnetic Field and Compensation Temperature

Godoy et al. (Phys. Rev. B 69, 054428, 2004) presented a study of the magnetic properties of a mixed spin (1/2,1), Ising ferrimagnetic model on a hexagonal lattice without an oscillating magnetic field. They employed dynamic mean-field calculations and Monte Carlo simulations to find the compensation point of the model and to present the phase diagrams. It has been found that the N-type compensation temperature appears only when the intrasublattice interaction between spins in the σ sublattice is ferromagnetic. Moreover, the system only undergoes a second-order phase transition. In this work, we extend the study a dynamic compensation temperature of a mixed spin-1/2 and spin-1 Ising ferrimagnetic system on a hexagonal lattice in the presence of oscillating magnetic field within the framework of dynamic mean-field calculations. We find that the system displays the N-type compensation temperature. We also calculate dynamic phase diagrams in which contain the paramagnetic, ferrimagnetic, nonmagnetic fundamental phases and two different mixed phases, depending on the interaction parameters and oscillating magnetic field. The system also exhibits tricritical and reentrant behaviors.     

Head-to-head bisbenzazole derivatives as antiproliferative agents: design,synthesis, in vitro activity,and SAR analysis

Molecular Diversity - In the present work, a series of bisbenzazole derivatives were designed and synthesized as antiproliferative agents. The antiproliferative activity of these compounds was...     

Cryogenic radiometer based absolute spectral power responsivity calibration of integrating sphere radiometer to be used in power measurements at optical fiber communication wavelengths

This paper covers the absolute spectral power responsivity calibration of spectralon-coated Integrating Sphere Radiometer (ISR) equipped with 3 mm diameter InGaAs photodiode to be used as a transfer standard in fiber optic power measurements against Electrical Substitution Cryogenic Radiometer (ESCR) in Optics Laboratory of National Metrology Institute (TUBITAK UME) of Turkey. The initial uncertainty arising from the use of the Electrically Calibrated Pyroelectric Radiometer (ECPR) as a transfer standard in radiometric scale is 0.5% (k=2), which particularly comes from irregularity in the surface homogeneity of ECPR. In order to eliminate the ECPR step as well as its initial uncertainty contribution in fiber optic power measurements, the calibration application herein was carried out. Moreover power stabilization measurements of DFB laser sources at both 1309.1 nm and 1549.0 nm, the beam size determinations, and spectral analyses of these laser sources as well as spatial and angular dependence of spectral responsivities of the ISR were presented in this paper. The total expanded uncertainties were calculated as 0.283% and 0.315% in the determination of absolute spectral power responsivities of the ISR for 1309.1 nm and 1549.0 nm wavelengths respectively (k=2).     

Investigation of 2-aminoethanethiol as corrosion inhibitor for steel using response surface methodology (RSM)

The inhibition efficiency of 2-aminoethanethiol (2-AEE) has been investigated against steel corrosion in 0.1 M HCl solution. The effect of temperature, pH, and concentration were studied with the help of potentiodynamic measurement, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic absorption spectroscopy techniques. The potential of zero charge (E_pzc) studies showed that the adsorption occurs via ?SH group; the metal surface is positively charged in corrosive test solution. The adsorptive interaction is evaluated, and best correlation was obtained with Langmuir isotherm. 2-AEE was shown to have significant inhibition efficiency against steel corrosion. The response surface methodology was employed to explain the relation between pH, inhibitor concentration, and the efficiency. The regression analysis was realized for development of an equation between independent variables and the output. The success of fitting model was tested with basic statistical arguments, residual and variance analysis, T and F tests, and R ² value. The statistical evaluations showed that the obtained polynomial equation can be successfully used for optimization of applications involving the use of 2-AEE as inhibitor.     

FT-IR,FT-Raman spectra and quantum mechanical study of piperidine-3-carboxylic acid and its tautomers,isomers

The mid-IR, far-IR, and Raman spectra of piperidine-3-carboxylic acid were measured and interpreted with support of the MP2 and B3LYP/6-311++G(d, p) calculated harmonic vibrational spectra. 10 stable piperidine-3-carboxylic acid tautomers/isomers were found after B3LYP, calculations. The experimental absorption bands of carboxylate (COO^?) group show that the free piperidine-3-carboxylic acid molecule exists in zwitterionic form and the most stable tautomer (NAT-1) can be stabilized by an intramolecular N-H...O hydrogen bond. All vibrational frequencies of NAT-1 assigned in detail with the help of total energy distribution (TED). The experimental vibrational wave numbers were compared with the calculated data.     

Light scattering by large Saharan dust particles: Comparison of modeling and experimental data for two samples

Light scattering by large mineral-dust particles with small-scale surface roughness is investigated by comparing model simulations with laboratory-measured scattering matrices of two distinct dust samples collected from the Sahara desert. The samples have been chosen on the basis of their large effective radii, and the simulations are based on their measured size distributions. Size parameters larger than about 30 are modeled using a modified ray-optics model RODS (Ray optics with diffuse and specular interactions), while smaller particles are simulated with a T-matrix model. RODS allows us to mimic the surface roughness of large dust particles by covering the particle surface by a thin layer of external scatterers with specific single-scattering properties. The Gaussian-random-sphere geometry is used for the shapes of large dust particles. Small particles are modeled as an axial-ratio distribution of spheroids with smooth surfaces. One of the samples consists wholly of large particles and its scattering matrix can be reproduced very well by the RODS model, except for the phase function. The incorporation of wavelength-scale roughness is, however, necessary for good fits. The other sample, consisting of both small and large particles, proves more challenging to match with simulations. The analysis indicates, however, that the difficulties arise at least partially from the small-particle contribution, while RODS results are consistent with the measurements. Further, the results imply that the agreement with measurements would improve if roughness could also be accounted for in the small-particle simulations. Overall, the RODS method seems promising for modeling the optical properties of mineral-dust particles much larger than the wavelength.