Formulation approach for nicorandil pulsatile release tablet

The purpose of this study was to obtain a nicorandil pulsatile release tablet that has a well-regulated release lag time. When nicorandil is used as an antiangina drug, administration time control is important. A pulsatile release tablet is one of the effective approaches to modified release to reduce daily administration frequency. In this study, a pulsatile release tablet of nicorandil was formulated by fumaric acid dry coating around the core tablet including nicorandil. The model tablets, which had different content ratios of excipients in the dry-coating layer, were characterized by a dissolution test. The results showed that the release lag time was generated with fast release profiles. Various lag time controls of tablets were achieved, from 60 to 310 min on average, by variation of outer layer composition. From an analysis of the relation between lag times and outer layer composition, the key ingredient for prolongation of lag time was found to be fumaric acid. To analyze the lag time generation mechanism, water penetration for tablet was measured. The results indicated that the penetration depth was proportionate to the square root of time and the lag time formation mechanism was simple water penetration through the matrix of fumaric acid to the tablet core. The results also showed that the Washburn equation could be used to design the lag time of the pulsatile release tablet in this study. In conclusion, novel release control technology using fumaric acid was appropriate to obtain a nicorandil pulsatile release tablet that has well regulated lag time.     

Real-time observation of the spin-state mixing process of a micellized radical pair in weak magnetic fields by nanosecond fast field switching

The singlet-triplet spin-state mixing process of a singlet-born radical pair confined in a sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelle was studied by observing the nanosecond switched external magnetic field (SEMF) effect on the transient absorption signals. A long-lived singlet radical pair is generated by the photoinduced bond cleavage reaction of tetraphenylhydrazine in an SDS micelle. Application of off-on type SEMF results in the increase of the free radical yield contrary to the decrease produced by an applied static magnetic field. The S-T mixing process in low magnetic field was observed by means of a delay-shift SEMF experiment. Observed incoherent mixing processes are explained in terms of the interplay between coherent hyperfine interaction and fast dephasing processes caused by the fluctuation of electron-spin interactions. Singlet-triplet and triplet-triplet dephasing rate constants are determined independently to be 2 x 10(8) and 0.2 x 10(8) s(-)1, respectively, by a simulation based on a modified single-site Liouville equation. This is the first direct observation of the incoherent spin-state mixing process at magnetic fields comparable to the hyperfine interactions of the radical pair.     

Anomalous decline of molecular ion mobility in cooled helium gas

We present a first successful theoretical account of the ion mobilities of and in helium gas at 4.3 K. Measured mobilities of various molecular ions at low effective temperatures reportedly tend to values smaller than their polarization limits, with the exception of N(2)(+). The present theoretical results obtained by the classical trajectory calculations agree with the experimental ones very well, and make it definitive that the anomalous decline of molecular ion mobility is caused by a Feshbach-like resonance due to the anisotropic interaction potential between a molecular ion and a helium atom. The mechanism thus revealed is supported by quantitative quantum mechanical calculations. The process appears very similar to that of laser cooling.     

Resonant absorption in LiNdP4O12 lasers

The resonant loss in LiNdP₄O₁₂ (LNP) lasers has been investigated. The effective resonant loss coefficient for the 1.047(7) μm laser emission was measured to be 0.042 cm^-1. This value can be explained by resonant absorption due to the ⁴I_{1$\text{1}\text{2}$}→⁴F_{$\text{3}\text{2}$} transition including the reabsorption effect of the fluorescence resulting from the ⁴I_{$\text{9}\text{2}$}→⁴F_{$\text{3}\text{2}$} transition.     

Azodye Gelatin Films for Polarization Holographic Recording

Mordant pure yellow azodye in a matrix of gelatin is proposed as a medium for stable polarization recording. Relatively high values of birefringence are measured (over #x0394;n = 0.02). Polarization diffraction gratings are recorded with two circularly polarized waves and diffraction efficiency of 67#x0025; is achieved at 633 nm. Protected from the humidity, the recording is stable. Long-term radiation by a 633 nm probe beam is harmless as well. Unusual behaviour is observed when acting on the recorded grating alternatively with one of the recording beams. The left circularly polarized beam erases the grating sharply, while the right circularly polarized beam, before erasure, initially increases the diffraction efficiency.This paper was originally presented at the 2001 International Conference (2nd Joint OSJ-SPIE Conference) on Optical Engineering for Sensing and Nanotechnology, ICOSN 2001 which was held June 6-8, 2001 at the Pacifico-Yokohama Conference Center, Yokohama, Japan.     

Flexible inverted polymer solar cells on polyethylene terephthalate substrate containing zinc oxide electron-collection-layer prepared by novel sol–gel method and low-temperature treatments

Flexible and air-stable polymer solar cells were fabricated on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. The cell structure was indium tin oxide (ITO) on PET/zinc oxide (ZnO)/[6,6]-phenyl C₆₁ butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM):regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/poly (3,4-ethylenedioxylenethiophene):poly(4-styrene sulfonic acid) (PEDOT:PSS)/Au, this being called the ZnO cell. Reproducible cell performances were obtained despite the ZnO cells being fabricated in air and at low temperature, using a novel ZnO precursor solution containing zinc(II) acetylacetonate as a metal source and acetylacetone as a Zn²⁺ complexing agent. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the flexible ZnO cells without sealing was 2.15% under irradiating AM1.5G simulated sunlight at 100 mW cm^?2. In addition, the performance of the non-sealed ZnO cells was almost constant in ambient atmosphere under continuous light irradiation for 100 h.     

On-line solid-phase extraction LC-MS/MS for the determination of Ac-SDKP peptide in human plasma from hemodialysis patients

We developed a high-throughput method based on on-line solid-phase extraction liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS/MS) to determine N-terminal thymosin-β fragment peptide (N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline, Ac-SDKP) in human plasma samples. Quantification of Ac-SDKP was performed using direct injection for on-line SPE based on C(18), reversed-phase LC separation and stable isotope dilution electrospray ionization-MS/MS in multiple reaction-monitoring (MRM) mode. The Ac-SDKP-(13)C(6), (15)N(2) (m/z 496 → 137) was synthesized for the internal standard. The MRM ion for Ac-SDKP was m/z 488 → 129 (quantitative ion)/226. The limit of detection and lower limit of quantitation were 0.05 and 0.1 ng/mL in standard solution, respectively. Recovery values were 98.3-100.4% with inter-day (relative standard deviation, RSD, 0.4-14.1%) and intra-day (RSD, 0.8-19.7%) assays. This method was applied to the measurement of Ac-SDKP levels in plasma from hemodialyzed subjects. Concentrations were 0.59 ± 0.23 ng/mL (pre-hemodialyzed subjects, n = 9) and 0.44 ± 0.19 ng/mL (post-hemodialyzed subjects, n = 9). All plasma Ac-SDKP levels were decreased by dialysis. Thus, plasma Ac-SDKP was decreased through dialysis in chronic kidney disease. The findings in this study will be useful for the treatment of anemia in chronic kidney disease with dialysis.     

Hexa‐ and Octagold Chains from Flexible Tetragold Molecular Units Supported by Linear Tetraphosphine Ligands

A flexible building block : Flexible tetragold(I) chain complexes supported by a new single methylene‐bridged tetraphosphine ligand were synthesized and further transformed into discrete linear octagold(I) {Au₈} and cyclic hexagold(I) {Au₆} structures by reaction with KI and NaAuCl₄, respectively (see picture, Au purple, Cl dark green, PF₆ light green, I pink). The tetragold complexes are also luminescent at room temperature.