Laser deposition of iron on graphite substrates

Pulsed laser deposition of iron atoms on graphite substrates was performed to produce iron carbide films. Mössbauer spectra of the sample revealed that iron carbide was produced on the substrate surface and that an α-Fe layer was produced above the iron carbide layer. When the substrate temperature was maintained at 300 K, the iron carbide layer had a hyperfine magnetic distribution because it contained high density of defects. Laser deposition of Fe at 570 K produced cementite Fe₃C with fewer defects due to enhancement of thermal reactions or annealing of the films. The orientation of hyperfine field of the Fe₃C film was parallel to the substrate surface.     

New mu-opioid receptor agonists with phenoxyacetic acid moiety

New muq-opioid receptor (MOR) agonists containing 4-hydroxypiperidine, piperidine and piperazine moieties were synthesized and evaluated to find a peripheral opioid analgesic. Among the synthesized compounds, 12-[1-[3-(N,N-dimethylcarbamoyl)-3,3-diphenylpropyl]-4-hydroxypiperidin-4-yl]phenoxy]acetic acid (8: SS620) having phenoxyacetic acid and 4-hydroxypiperidine moieties showed the highest agonist potency on the MOR in an isolated guinea-pig ileum preparation, and it also had selectivity to the human MOR expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 cells compared with the same types of delta- and kappa-opioid receptors (DOR and KOR). In addition, compound 8 showed a 10 times more potent MOR agonist activity than loperamide. Furthermore, compound 8 showed a peripheral analgesic activity in vivo screening on rat.     

Quantum-limited noise performance of a mode-locked laser diode

Low-noise operation of a 9-GHz hybridly mode-locked laser diode is demonstrated. The integrated timing jitter was 47 fs (10 Hz to 10 MHz) and 86 fs (10 Hz to 4.5 GHz), with a pulse width of 6.7 ps. The noise performance as a function of filter bandwidth and oscillator noise is also addressed.     

Stereoselective photocycloaddition of alkenes to naphthalene rings assisted by hydrogen bonding

Introduction of a hydrogen-bonding substituent to 1-cyanonaphthalene and alkene resulted in the selective formations of endo-photocycloadducs. Furthermore, the yield and selectivity were improved as the reaction temperature was lowered.     

Effect of Immobilization on Insoluble Collagen Concentration and Type I and Type III Collagen Isoforms of Rat Soleus Muscle

Immobilization is often associated with decreased muscle elasticity. This condition is known as muscle contracture; however, the mechanism remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to clarify the mechanism governing muscle contracture in rat soleus muscle by identifying changes in ankle joint mobility, insoluble collagen concentration and type I and type III collagen isoforms following 1- and 3-week immobilizations. Following a 1-week immobilization, range of motion (ROM) of dorsiflexion declined to 90% of the control value; additionally, ROM dropped to 67.5% of the control value after a 3-week immobilization. This finding suggested that ankle joint mobility decreases in conjunction with extended periods of immobilization. Insoluble collagen concentration in soleus muscles, which was unchanged after 1 week of immobilization, increased 3 weeks after immobilization. These results may be indicative of collagen fibers with strong intermolecular cross-links contained in the muscle was made increased relatively by 3 weeks of immobilization. Therefore, the change in intermolecular cross-links may be significant in terms of progress of muscle contracture with longer periods of immobilization. On the other hand, the ratio of type III to type I collagen isoforms in muscular tissue increased following a 1-week immobilization; moreover, this ratio remained constant after 3 weeks of immobilization. These data suggested that muscle immobilization may induce type III collagen isoform expression. The increase in the ratio of type III to type I collagen isoforms do not change in parallel with the increase in the limitation in ROM; however, this phenomenon probably is not closely related to the progress of muscle contracture. The change of collagen isoform in immobilized muscle may be involved in the mechanism governing the progression of muscle fibrosis.     

Integrability of superharmonic functions, uniform domains, and Hölder domains

Let denote the space of all positive superharmonic functions on a domain . Lindqvist showed that is a bounded subset of . Using this, we give a characterization of finitely connected -dimensional uniform domains and remarks on Hölder domains.