High magnification microscopic system focusing on transparent liquid/liquid interface formed in thin-layer two-phase microcell.

A thin-layer two-phase microcell was fabricated without an adhesive, which showed no fluorescence and resisted acids. The lower hollow of the microcell was thin (0.18 mm), which was in the range of the working distance of the used objective of high magnification (60x) and high numerical aperture (1.2). A reflection method using probe light was newly employed for focusing the objective on a transparent dodecane/water interface strictly with an inverted microscope. The system was applied to in situ fluorescence microscopic measurements of the dynamics of single DNA molecules (165600 base pairs) at the dodecane/water interface.     

A combinatorial sample-preparation robot system using the volumetric-weighing method

We have developed a new automatic sample-preparation robot system with use of the volumetric-weighing method. In this system, slurries, aqueous solutions, and other wet reagents are employed as starting materials and 64 (8×8) samples at the maximum are prepared on a library plate of 35 mm × 35 mm size. Volumetric-weighing and mixing of the starting materials and distributing reaction mixtures to the library plate are automatically performed by computer-controlled mechanisms with an easy-to-use programming software interface. While this robot is designed in terms of space saving and portability, it is able to equip with an atmosphere-controlled furnace to sinter the samples on the library plate. Typical preparation time for a library plate of 36 (6×6) samples is less than 40 min. This robot system is promising in enhancing throughput of wet-chemically synthesized materials researches.     

Precise measurement of positronium hyperfine splitting using the Zeeman effect

Positronium is an ideal system for the research of the quantum electrodynamics (QED) in bound state. The hyperfine splitting (HFS) of positronium, Δ_HFS, gives a good test of the bound state calculations and probes new physics beyond the Standard Model. A new method of QED calculations has revealed the discrepancy by 15 ppm (3.9σ) of Δ_HFS between the QED prediction and the experimental average. There would be possibility of new physics or common systematic uncertainties in the previous all experiments. We describe a new experiment to reduce possible systematic uncertainties and will provide an independent check of the discrepancy. We are now taking data and the current result of Δ_HFS?=?203.395 1 ±0.002 4 (stat., 12 ppm) ±0.001 9 (sys., 9.5 ppm) GHz has been obtained so far. A measurement with a precision of O(ppm) is expected within a year.     

Relationship between acetabular labrum evaluation by using radial magnetic resonance imaging and progressive joint space narrowing in mild hip dysplasia

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between abnormal acetabular labrum depicted by radial magnetic resonance and progressive joint space narrowing (JSN) of hip dysplasia. METHODS: Subjects were 23 joints [21 patients; mean age: 35.1 years (16-53 years)] that had acetabular dysplasia with lateral center-edge angle of Wiberg (CE angle) greater than 5 degrees and smaller than 25 degrees (mean, 16.4 degrees ), which did not show any arthrotic changes on plain radiograms and were followed up for 3 years or longer. Radial images of acetabular labrum were classified into three stages. RESULTS: Progression of JSN was not significantly related to CE angle but to progression of MRI stage (P=.006). In multivariate analysis, one rank progression of MRI stage was significantly associated with progression of JSN (adjusted OR=11.41, 95% CI: 1.51-86.24, P=.018). CONCLUSION: Our findings showed that in patients whose acetabular dysplasia has 5-25 degrees CE angle, MRI staging based on radial MRI is a better factor for prediction of progression of JSN than CE angle.     

First observation of o-Ps to p-Ps transition and first direct measurement of positronium hyperfine splitting with sub-THz light

Positronium is an ideal system for the research of the bound state QED. The hyperfine splitting of positronium (Ps-HFS, about 203 GHz) is an important observable but all previous measurements of Ps-HFS had been measured indirectly using Zeeman splitting. There might be the unknown systematic errors on the uniformity of magnetic field. We are trying to measure Ps-HFS directly using sub-THz radiation. We developed an optical system to accumulate high power (about 10 kW) radiation in a Fabry-Pérot resonant cavity and observed the positronium hyperfine transition for the first time.     

In situ measurements of the dynamics of single giant DNA molecules at the toluene-trioctylamine/water interface by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy

The dynamics of single giant deoxyribonucleic acid (T4GT7DNA, 165 600 base pairs) molecules was examined near and at the toluene/water, toluene-trioctylamine mixtures/water, and trioctylamine/water interfaces by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. The results were considerably affected by the trioctylamine content. With pure toluene or mixtures of lower trioctylamine volume contents (%VA), the randomly coiled DNA molecules diffused to near the interfaces. With mixtures of higher %VA (9 and 50%), the DNA molecules were stretched and adsorbed at the interfaces. There are a large number of anionic phosphate groups ((-O)2PO2-) in the DNA molecule that have an electrostatic affinity to protonated trioctylamine existing at the interface. In the case of pure trioctylamine, globular DNA molecules were adsorbed at the interface and also existed in the aqueous phase.     

Ab initio calculation of chain structures in chalcohalide glasses

Local structure of Te₃X₂ (X = Cl, Br) chalcohalide glasses were studied using ab initio molecular orbital (MO) theory. The calculation results were compared with Mössbauer spectroscopic parameters in terms of electric-field gradient and electron density at each Te site. In addition, the existence of terminal bond –Te–X was examined. The MO analysis of Te-chain and Te-chain with Cl atoms within a picture of the frontier orbital theory elucidated that the localized orbital at –TeCl₂– site is important to form tellurium halide glass.     

Structure and C-13 signal assignments of new methylsterols from nervilia purpurea by two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy

The structures of cyclonervilasterol (1a) and its analogs (2a, 3a, and 4a), isolated from Nervilia purpurea, were confirmed by application-of 2-D NMR spectroscopy including INADEQUATE and also their ¹³C NMR signals were assigned.