E2 nuclear resonance effects in pionic and kaonic atoms

The attenuation due to the E2 nuclear resonance effect has been measured in hadronic atoms using pions with ¹¹¹Cd and ¹¹²Cd, and for kaons with ¹²²Sn. Energies of the relevant X-ray and γ-ray transitions and of the X-ray cascade intensities have also been measured so as to give a self-consistent set of information. The results are found to be in very good agreement with theoretical calculations.     

Impedance-optimized photo-acoustic spectroscopy

We have examined the basic assumptions leading to optimized performance of small photo-acoustic resonators. Previous attempts at miniaturizing photo-acoustic systems have found the loading of the microphone on the cavity to be insignificant. We have shown theoretically and tested experimentally the fact that the microphone loading can have a dramatic effect on the resonator behavior. Treatment of the pressure and volume velocity of the sound waves as analogs of voltage and current facilitates the use of standard electrical engineering techniques and leads to techniques that enable one to efficiently optimize the impedance match between the cavity and the microphone. PACS 43.35.Ud; 43.20.Ks; 43.20.Mv     

Doppler-shifted nuclear gamma rays following stopped K− capture in aluminium

The Doppler broadened ²⁶Mg^* decay gamma peak hasma peak has been observed in coincidence with stopped kaons in an Al target. The results are compared with predictions based on single-nucleon absorption of the kaon.     

Characterizing changes in MR images with color-coded Jacobians

Image registration is the process of establishing spatial correspondence between two images or between two image volumes. Registration can be achieved by rigid, elastic, or a combination of rigid and elastic transforms that attempt to bring the two images into coincidence. A rigid transform accounts for differences in positioning and an elastic transform describes deformations due to differences in tissue properties, temporal changes due to growth or atrophy, or differences between individuals. Deformation-based morphometry uses the resulting deformation fields from these transforms to evaluate differences between the images being registered. Three methods of registration were evaluated: rigid (affine) transformation, elastic optical flow transformation, and elastic spline transformation. All three methods produce vector deformation fields that map each point in one image to a point in the other image. A 12-color map of the transformation Jacobian was used to represent local volume changes. Using the three registration methods, color-mapped Jacobians were determined using a simulated three-dimensional block with known translation, rotation, expansion, contraction, and intensity modulations. Color-coded Jacobians were also generated for experimentally measured magnetic resonance image volumes of water-filled balloons and 7-year-old twin boys. Color-coded Jacobians overlaid on anatomical images provide a convenient method to identify regional tissue expansion and contraction.     

A comparative study of the dopant profiles in diffused planar optical waveguides by SIMS and guided wave probe

A technique has been developed for dopant concentration depth profiling using static Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), and an ex-situ ion milling facility to produce “tapers” through the region of interest of an optical waveguide sample. Results have been obtained for titanium-diffused optical waveguides in lithium niobate and for potassium and caesium ion-exchanged glass waveguides. The SIMS profiles have been compared with refractive index profiles in multimode structures. The refractive index profiles have been obtained from the waveguide mode spectra by a piecewise linear Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin (WKB) method. The two profiles are in close agreement. Use of the SIMS technique for single mode Ti∶LiNbO₃ waveguides has revealed significant changes in the forms of the profiles, compared with deeper structures, and we suggest a mechanism to account for these changes.     

Investigations into the chromatographic behavior of a doxorubicin-peptide conjugate

HPLC impurity profile method development for a doxorubicin-heptapeptide conjugate included significant changes of the separation profile with diluent, eluent and pH. These separation variables were also temperature-dependent with a shift in retention from 35 to 45 degrees C. There was also a direct relationship of temperature with LC retention, and a pH minimum at 5.9. Atypical dependence of the impurity profile on diluent at a k' of 18 led to further investigation. A large change in retention by several minutes was a function of both the organic eluent composition and temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C. Several Van't Hoff temperature studies from 5 to 65 degrees C on several column types resulted in non-linear plots. Analysis of the molecular subunits suggested that the peptide portion of the analyte influenced the non-linear retention behavior. The stationary phase type was not a significant factor causing non-linearity. Circular dichroism-temperature studies indicated a notable transition in ellipticity for the amine regions (198-202 nm) that occurred between 39 and 44 degrees C. This transition temperature range coincided with the results of the Van't Hoff analysis, between 35 and 44 degrees C, to indicate that these effects were not primarily stationary phase induced.