Frequency dependence of acoustic properties of aqueous glucose solutions in the VHF/UHF range

The bioultrasonic spectroscopy system was employed for measurements of velocity and attenuation coefficient of glucose solutions in the VHF/UHF range. The relation between the slope of the square of velocity and the relaxation parameters, and the relation between the frequency exponent on attenuation coefficient and the relaxation parameters are investigated. In order to carry out numerical calculations, a model for a single relaxation process is employed, wherein the attenuation coefficient is expressed as (A/( 1 + (f/falpha)2) + B)f2 where falpha is the attenuation relaxation frequency, and A and B are constants. The numerical calculations show that the slope of the square of the velocity is determined uniquely by the velocity relaxation frequency fv and v(infinity)2 - v(0)2 where v0 is the zero-frequency velocity and v(infinity) is the infinite-frequency velocity, and that the frequency exponent on the attenuation coefficient is determined uniquely by falpha and A/B. For experimental considerations, the velocities and the attenuation coefficients of 5, 15, and 25% concentration aqueous solutions of glucose were measured in the frequency range 20 to 700 MHz. The data for the 5 and 15% aqueous solutions can be explained using the single relaxation model. However, the data for the 25% aqueous solution suggest the existence of multirelaxation processes.     

Ignition enhancement by addition of NO and NO2 from a N2/O2 plasma torch in a supersonic flow

The effects of NO and NO₂ produced by using a plasma jet (PJ) of a N₂/O₂ mixture on ignition of hydrogen, methane, and ethylene in a supersonic airflow were experimentally and numerically investigated. Numerical analysis of ignition delay time showed that the addition of a small amount of NO or NO₂ drastically reduced ignition delay times of hydrogen and hydrocarbon fuels at a relatively low initial temperature. In particular, NO and NO₂ were more effective than O radicals for ignition of a CH₄/air mixture at 1200 K or lower. These ignition enhancement effects were examined by including the low temperature chemistry. Ignition tests by a N₂/O₂ PJ in a supersonic flow (M = 1.7) for using hydrogen, methane, and ethylene injected downstream of the PJ were conducted. The results showed that the ignitability of the N₂/O₂ PJ is affected by the composition of the feedstock and that pure O₂ is not the optimum condition for downstream fuel injection. This result of ignition tests with downstream fuel injection demonstrated a significant difference in ignition characteristics of the PJ from the ignition tests with upstream fuel injection.     

Validity of retinal oxygen saturation analysis: Hyperspectral imaging in visible wavelength with fundus camera and liquid crystal wavelength tunable filter

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the feasibility of a newly developed hyperspectral fundus imaging camera with a liquid crystal tunable filter. The intensities of different wavelengths of light transmitted through an artery, vein, and the area surrounding these vessels and reflected out were measured, and the differential spectral absorptions were analyzed. Measurements were made from 16 normal eyes and from two artificial capillaries. The ratios of absorption (ROA) of arteries to veins from 500 to 580 nm (range 1) and from 600 to 720 nm (range 2) were calculated. For all eyes, the ROA_range1 was larger than ROA_range2. The ROA obtained from the artificial capillary filled with blood saturated with oxygen or nitrogen was similar to that of simulated data of oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin extinction rate. Most ROAs of human eyes were lower than those of the simulated data and the artificial capillaries. Oxygen saturation analysis by hyperspectral fundus imaging of retinal vessels were qualitatively in agreement with thein vitro analysis or simulated values. However, further improvements are necessary to evaluate the oxygen saturation quantitatively in the retinal blood vessels.     

Functionalized pyrolytic highly oriented graphite polymer film for surface‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry in environmental analysis

The pyrolytic highly oriented graphite polymer film (PGS) was first employed to analyze low‐mass analytes in environmental analysis by surface‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (SALDI‐MS). PGS is a synthetic uniform and highly oriented graphite polymer film with high thermal anisotropic conductivity. We have found that negative ion mode SALDI‐MS using oxidized PGS (PGS‐SALDI‐MS) can be used to detect [M–H]^? ions from perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and other perfluoroalkylcarboxylic acids when the PGS surface is modified with the cationic polymer polyethyleneimine (PEI). The signal intensity of PFOA when employing the PEI modification showed a ten‐fold increase over that obtained from desorption/ionization on porous silicon (DIOS). PFOA was quantified using PGS‐SALDI‐MS and the calibration curve showed a wide linear dynamic range of response (20–1000 ppb). The combination of atmospheric pressure ionization and PGS (AP‐PGS‐SALDI) showed greater signal intensity than vacuum PGS‐SALDI for deprotonated PFOA. Several other environmentally important chemicals, including perfluoroalkylsulfonic acid, pentachlorophenol, bisphenol A, 4‐hydroxy‐2‐chlorobiphenyl, and benzo[a]pyrene, were also successfully used to evaluate PGS‐SALDI‐MS. In addition, we found that nonafluoro‐1‐butanesulfonic acid was able to produce protonated peptides in positive ion PGS‐SALDI‐MS, but that perfluoropentanoic acid and trifluoroacetic acid were not. It is suggested that perfluoroalkylsulfonic acids are better protonating agents than perfluoroalkylcarboxylic acids in SALDI‐MS. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Surface structures and osteoblast response of hydrothermally produced CaTiO3 thin film on Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy

This study investigated the surface characteristics and in vitro biocompatibility of a titanium (Ti) oxide layer incorporating calcium ions (Ca) obtained by hydrothermal treatment with or without post heat-treatment in the Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy. The surface characteristics were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, thin-film X-ray diffractometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and contact angle measurements. In vitro biocompatibility of the Ca-containing surfaces was assessed in comparison with untreated surfaces using a pre-osteoblast cell line. Hydrothermal treatment produced a crystalline CaTiO₃ layer. Post heat-treatment at 400 °C for 2 h in air significantly decreased water contact angles in the CaTiO₃ layer (p < 0.001). The Ca-incorporated alloy surfaces displayed markedly increased cell viability and ALP activity compared with untreated surfaces (p < 0.001), and also an upregulated expression of various integrin genes (α1, α2, α5, αv, β1 and β3) at an early incubation time-point. Post heat-treatment further increased attachment and ALP activity in cells grown on Ca-incorporated Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy surfaces. The results indicate that the Ca-incorporated oxide layer produced by hydrothermal treatment and a simple post heat-treatment may be effective in improving bone healing in Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy implants by enhancing the viability and differentiation of osteoblastic cells.     

Equiaffine immersions of general codimension and its transversal volume element map

With an equiaffine immersion of codimension 1 into the affine space with the natural equiaffine structure, the conormal map is associated. In this paper, for an equiaffine immersion of general codimension into the space, we shall define the map corresponding to the conormal map, which is called the transversal volume element map. And we shall investigate if, an equiaffine immersion of general codimension into the space is determined by its affine fundamental form and its transversal volume element map.     

Automated phosphoproteome analysis for cultured cancer cells by two-dimensional nanoLC-MS using a calcined titania/C18 biphasic column.

We have developed an on-line automated system for phosphoproteome analysis using titania-based phosphopeptide enrichment followed by nanoLC-MS/MS. Titania beads were prepared by calcination of commercial chromatographic titania beads at 800 degrees C to convert the crystalline structure. The obtained rutile-form titania exhibited higher selectivity in phosphopeptide enrichment than commercial titania, even in the absence of a competitive chelating reagent for non-phosphopeptides. For phosphoproteome analysis of human cervical cancer HeLa cells, tryptic digests of the cell extracts were directly injected into this on-line system, and 696 non-redundant phosphopeptides with 671 unambiguously determined phosphorylation sites, derived from 512 phosphoproteins, were successfully identified. This is the first successful application of an on-line automated phosphoproteome analysis system to complex biological samples.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of descurainin via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of a carbonyl ylide using Rh2(R-TCPTTL)4

A catalytic asymmetric synthesis of descurainin has been achieved by incorporating an enantioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition, a stereoselective alkene hydrogenation, an oxidation with Fremy’s salt and a regioselective demethylation with NbCl₅ as the key step. The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of a carbonyl ylide derived from tert-butyl 2-diazo-5-formyl-3-oxopetanoate with 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylacetylene in the presence of dirhodium(II) tetrakis[N-tetrachlorophthaloyl-(R)-tert-leucinate], Rh₂(R-TCPTTL)₄, provided an 8-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane skeleton in 95% ee.