Ultraweak emission imagery of mitosing soybeans

In the single-photon counting mode, we have obtained images of germinating soybeans and other plant tissues using only the ultraweak light emitted by the specimen. The emission described here is to be distinguished from bioluminescence and is not induced by previous exposure to light, chemical agents or other means, but is a naturally occurring emission associated with normal biochemical processes. The images of germinating soybeans show that emission is strongest in areas of active mitosis, demonstrating that the technique of singlephoton counting imaging can provide useful morphological information.     

SPECTRAL ANALYSES OF LOW LEVEL CHEMILUMINESCENCE OF A SHORT LIFETIME USING A HIGHLY SENSITIVE POLYCHROMATIC SPECTROMETER INCORPORATING A TWO DIMENSIONAL PHOTON-COUNTING TYPE DETECTOR

Abstract— Spectral analyses of low level chemiluminescence were carried out by using a newly developed polychromatic spectrometer in which a diffracted photon emission was detected simultaneously using a two dimensional photon-counting device. The spectrometer was sensitive in the 400–800 nm wavelength range. Low level chemiluminescence generated in a 1 nM luminol solution could be detected as a spectrum, showing a peak at 430 nm. Short lifetime photon emission from singlet oxygen showed only two peaks at around 630 and 700 nm in this highly time-resolved spectroscopy. Lipid peroxidation of linoleic acid by the lipoxygenase emitted a low intensity peak centered at 440 nm, but singlet oxygen emission arising from the decomposition of lipid peroxide was not observed. An injured cotyledon of a soybean seedling gave a broad emission centered at 725 nm in the absence of hydrogen peroxide, while in its presence a different emission peak appeared at a shorter wavelength (515 nm). Oxygenated, fluorescent components in the soybean seedling may be the emitting species. Singlet oxygen and triplet carbonyl groups were shown to be unlikely sources of the emission.     

Antiferroelectric–ferroelectric phase transition in lead zinc niobate modified lead zirconate ceramics: crystal studies, microstructure, thermal and electrical properties

The combination of antiferroelectric PbZrO₃ (PZ) and relaxor ferroelectric Pb(Zn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃ was prepared via the columbite precursor method. The basic characterizations were performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), linear thermal expansion, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques, dielectric spectroscopy, and hysteresis measurement. The XRD result indicated that the solid solubility limit of the (1−x)PZ–xPZN system was about x=0.40. The crystal structure of (1−x)PZ–xPZN transformed from orthorhombic to rhombohedral symmetry when the concentration of PZN was increased. A ferroelectric intermediate phase began to appear between the paraelectric and antiferroelectric phases of pure PZ, with increasing PZN content. In addition, the temperature range of the ferroelectric phase increased with increasing PZN concentration. The morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) in this system was located close to the composition, x=0.20.     

Laser computed tomography of opaque industrial products measured by coherent detection imaging method

The coherent detection imaging method with a low-power He–Ne laser as the source is used to obtain transillumination laser computed tomographic and two-dimensional (2D) images of opaque industrial products such as fluorescent lamps and electric light bulbs. This method is principally based on the optical heterodyne detection technique that has the highest sensitivity along with excellent selectivity in terms of coherence, polarization and high directionality. Structures of the filament and electrode enclosed in the opaque glass were clearly identified with submillimeter resolution.