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Diode-pumped 100-W green Nd:YAG rod laser.

We developed a diode-pumped high-average-power Nd:YAG green laser. By use of a monolithic diffusive reflector having three slits and a rod with low doping concentration, uniform distribution of excited Nd ions could be achieved. Uniform distribution in the rod reduced thermal birefringence. We employed a Z-shaped cavity to have a constant beam size at the frequency-doubling crystal independent of thermal lensing in the rod. The pulse width and green power dependence on the pump power were analyzed. A maximum green power of 101 W was obtained when the total pump power was 398 W. The optical-to-optical conversion efficiency was as high as 25.4%.

Journal Article↗

[Passive personal sampler for exposure to low concentration of volatile organic compounds].

A passive personal sampler has been developed for monitoring volatile organic compounds(VOCs) in ambient air and nonoccupational exposure. The sampler collecting target VOCs is based upon the mechanism of molecular diffusion and absorption onto a single layer of active carbon fibre (ACF) absorbent. After exposure, the ACF is transferred from the sampler into stainless steel tubes for thermal desorption. The desorbed target VOCs is analyzed by capillary GC. Under the condition of facing velocity of 10-260 cm/s, relative humidity of 30%-80%, and temperature of 10-30 C, the sampling rate for benzene, toluene, tetrachloroethylene, p-xylene and styrene is 25.74, 25.16, 25.85, 8.16 and 6.47 ml/min respectively. The analysis on the new passive sampler demonstrated that its relative overall uncertainty for target VOCs was in the range of +/- 25% compared with the active ACF tube sampling method.

Air Pollutants↗

A novel design of thermal anomaly for mammary gland tumor phantom for microwave radiometer.

Microwave radiometry is the spectral measurement technique of resolving electromagnetic radiation of all matters which temperature is above absolute zero. This technique utilizes the electromagnetic noise field generated by a thermal volume similar to a mechanism existing in biological tissues. One particular application of microwave radiometry is for analyzing temperature differentials of inside of human body to detect and diagnose some crucial pathological conditions. For the general evaluation of a microwave radiometer, we propose a new type of phantom containing a mammary gland tumor imitator by considering biological heat diffusion effects propagated by a real tumor. Theoretical researches of human tumor revealed the fact that temperature distribution of tissues around a tumor formed a Gaussian statistics. To comply with the physiological property of the real tumor, we built a mammary gland tumor imitator composed of two parts (pseudotumor and thermal anomaly) and observed its temperature distribution when it was placed inside a phantom. Our results showed that the thermal properties of tumor imitator well agreed with heat-transfer properties of a real tumor and the proportional linear relationship existed between the location of tumor imitator and the intensity of radiometer measurements. From this relationship, we could also estimate several parameters related with our phantom, such as the minimum detectable size and maximum detectable depth of a tumor imitator.

Hot Temperature↗

Stepped light-induced transient measurements of photocurrent and voltage in dye-sensitized solar cells: application for highly viscous electrolyte systems.

To measure electron diffusion coefficients (D) and electron lifetimes (tau) of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSC), we introduced stepped light-induced transient measurements of photocurrent and voltage (SLIM-PCV), which can simplify the optical setup and reduce measurement time in comparison to conventional time-of-flight and frequency-modulated measurements. The method was applied to investigate the influence of the viscosity of a thermally stable high-boiling-point solvent on the energy conversion efficiency of DSCs. By systematic study of the influence of the viscosity, the species of cations as the counter charge of I(-)/I(3)(-), and the concentrations of electrolytes, we concluded that a lower dye cation reduction rate due to slower iodine diffusion is a limiting factor for a highly viscous electrolyte system. On the other hand, comparable values of D and increased values of tau were observed in a highly viscous electrolyte. By employing 0.5 M TBAI and 0.05 M I(2) in propylene carbonate, the efficiency of the DSC became comparable to that of a DSC using conventional electrolytes consisting of LiI, imidazolium iodide, and 4-tert-butylpyridine in methoxyacetonitrile. The simultaneous evaluation of D and tau through the appropriately simple measurement realizes fast optimization of the efficient and reliable DSC composed of thermally stable but often viscous electrolytes.

Coloring Agents↗

Parametrization of the magnetic behavior of the triangular spin ladder chains organically templated: (C2N2H10)[M(HPO3)F3] (M(III) = Fe, Cr, and V). Crystal structure and thermal and spectroscopic properties of the iron(III) phase.

A new iron(III) phosphite templated by ethylenediamine has been synthesized using solvothermal conditions under autogenous pressure. The (C2N2H10)[Fe(HPO3)F3] compound has been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction data and spectroscopic and magnetic techniques. The crystal structure is formed by chains extended along the c axis and surrounded by ethylenediammonium cations. A study by diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy has been performed, and the calculated Dq, B, and C parameters for the Fe(III) cations are 1030, 720, and 3080 cm(-1), respectively. The Mössbauer spectrum at room temperature is characteristic of Fe(III) ions. The electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra carried out at different temperatures show isotropic signals with a g value of 2.00(1). The thermal evolution of the intensity of the ESR signals indicates the existence of antiferromagnetic interactions for the Fe(III) phase. The magnetic susceptibility data of the Cr(III) and V(III) compounds show antiferromagnetic couplings. The J-exchange parameters of the Fe(III) and Cr(III) compounds have been calculated by using a model for a triangular spin ladder chain. The values are J1 = -1.63(1) K and J2 = -0.87(2) K with g = 2.02 for the Fe(III) phase and J(1) = -0.56(2) K and J2 = -0.40(2) K with g = 1.99 for the Cr(III) compound. In the case of the V(III) phase, the fit has been performed considering a linear chain with the magnetic parameters D = 2.5 cm(-1) and J = -1.15(1) K.

Journal Article↗

The use of ultrasound as an enhancer for transcutaneous drug delivery: phonophoresis.

Phonophoresis is the use of ultrasound (US) to enhance the delivery of topically applied drugs. The purposes of this article are (1) to review the basic principles of transcutaneous drug delivery, (2) to summarize the functional anatomy of the skin pertinent to phonophoresis, (3) to outline the physiological principles of US as an enhancer of topically applied drugs, (4) to review the literature on the efficacy of phonophoresis, (5) to discuss the relevance of US as an enhancer of topical drugs in the practice of physical therapy, and (6) to outline areas of needed research. Seventy-five percent of the studies reviewed reported positive effects of US on local subcutaneous drug diffusion, but some systemic effects were reported. This research review indicates that to maximize the clinical effectiveness of phonophoresis: (1) the topical drug (both the drug and the carrying agent) should transmit US; (2) the skin should be pretreated with US, heating, moistening, or shaving; (3) the patient needs to be positioned to maximize circulation during treatment; (4) a dressing that seals the area and prevents the escape of moisture should be applied after treatment; (5) an intensity of 1.5 W/cm2 should be used to capture both the thermal and nonthermal effects of the US; and (6) low-intensity US (0.5 W/cm2) should be used when treating open wounds or acute injuries. Research is needed to clarify what parameters of US will most efficiently facilitate topical drug diffusion, how often and for what duration US should be used to maximize local absorption of drugs, and which topical drugs can most effectively be used for phonophoresis.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

[Value of combining the thermal test with laser Doppler measurement of skin hemodynamics. Study of vascular acrosyndromes].

Different exploratory investigations of vascular acrosyndromes have failed to define their physiopathology. Capillaroscopy studies the specific morphologic aspects of certain connective tissue diseases, hemodynamic tests usually determine a global parameter, and those tests investigating cutaneous physiology alone come up against difficulties limiting their diffusion. The laser Doppler flowmeter (LDF) measures global skin flow in a reproducible, continuous simple manner, and was combined with standardized provocation tests during a prospective study to assess its value in angiology. The protocol involved a prospective study of 100 subjects during the winter 1984-1985: 21 healthy volunteers, 11 cases of acrocyanosis, 9 of acrorhigosis, 48 of Raynaud's phenomenon (22 primary and 26 secondary), 11 of connective tissue disease without Raynaud's phenomenon (table I). The LDD test measures skin microcirculation flow continuously in parallel with skin thermometry. Provocation tests included a standardized thermal test (fig. 1); the temperature is automatically reduced to 0 degree C in 15 minutes and then increased to 25 degrees C in 10 minutes in a jar into which the hand and forearm of the patients and any measuring captor are introduced. Respiratory provocation and additional pharmacologic tests were also completed. Interpretation of results involved calculation of the mean skin flow, Dm, pulsatile skin flow, Dp (fig. 2 and 3), at the basal state and then during temperature variations. The reference value of Dm is 2.741 +/- 0.378 V and is decreased in acrorhigosis, acrocyanosis and severe Raynaud's phenomenon. At 0 degrees C the decrease in Dm is 33 +/- 13% in healthy subjects. Specific values for different acrosyndromes and particularly the various types of Raynaud's phenomenon do not exist.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Triplet excitation transfer in glassy systems: spatial and spectral diffusion.

Triplet excitation transfer among benzophenone molecules dissolved in glassy 2-methyltetrahydrofuran is studied by recording the emission and the optical depolarization as a function of wavelength and time. The transport mechanism is based upon exchange interaction and subject to the random character of both jump distances and site energies. Optical anisotropy data are used to gauge the probability of an excitation to remain on its original site. The anisotropy is observed to decrease by a factor of 2 from high to low energies within the inhomogeneously broadened emission band, clearly indicating hopping-mediated thermalization within the density of states. Within their excited-state lifetime the excitons do not reach the steady-state energies, but solvation allows the observation of that energy level. Unexpectedly, we find that the transfers at very short times do not contribute as much to spectral diffusion as the subsequent transport. Because the short-time hops target sites as close as approximately 1 nm, this observation suggests spatially correlated site energies for these short distances.

Benzophenones↗

Relationship of thermal quenching of protein fluorescence to intramolecular structural mobility.

Temperature dependence (over the range from 5 to 75 degrees C) of the fluorescence quantum yield--the parameter sensitive to the rapid (ns) mobility--has been investigated. For native proteins containing 1--2 fluorescing chromophores this dependence in the non-denaturing temperature range can be described by the equation 1/q = a + b . T/eta (a and b are temperature-independent constants, T is the temperature (K), eta is the viscosity of water, (cP). The linearity of the plot of 1/q vs. T/eta probably indicates that the internal mobility of different parts of the protein globule is limited by the diffusion of the molecules of the solvent. The peculiarity of individual protein structures is reflected by various absolute values of the constants of quenching rates. The results of the studies indicate that an analysis of the temperature dependence of the protein fluorescence quantum yield (thermal quenching curves) might be a new experimental approach to the study of the mobility of protein structures. The thermal quenching curves of proteins could be used as a measure of the temperature dependence of the rapid reverse structural mobility.

Models, Biological↗

A pilot study of ICG laser therapy of acne vulgaris: photodynamic and photothermolysis treatment.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The near-infrared (NIR) laser radiation due to its high penetration depth is widely used in phototherapy. In application to skin appendages, a high selectivity of laser treatment is needed to prevent light action on surrounding tissues. Indocyanine green (ICG) dye may provide a high selectivity of treatment due to effective ICG uploading by a target and its narrow band of considerable absorption just at the wavelength of the NIR diode laser. The goal of this study is to demonstrate the efficacy of the NIR diode laser phototherapy in combination with topical application of ICG suggested for soft and thermal treatment of acne vulgaris. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two volunteers with facile or back-located acne were enrolled. Skin sites of subjects were stained by ICG and irradiated by NIR laser-diode light (803 or 809 nm). One mg/ml solution of ICG was applied for 5 or 15 minutes to the cleaned skin site. Untreated, only stained and only light irradiated skin areas served as controls. For soft acne treatment, the low-intensity (803 nm, 10-50 mW/cm(2), 5-10 minutes) or the medium-intensity (809 nm, 150-190 mW/cm(2), 15 minutes) protocols were used. The single and multiple (up to 8-9) treatments were provided. The individual acne lesions were photothermally treated at 18 W/cm(2) (803 nm, 0.5 seconds) without skin surface cooling or at 200 W/cm(2) (809 nm, 0.5 seconds) with cooling. RESULTS: The observations during 1-2 months showed that soft acne treatment decreased the number of active elements, reduced erythema and inflammation, and considerably improved the skin state without any side effects. At high power densities (up to 200 W/cm(2)), ICG stained acne inflammatory elements were destroyed for light exposures of 0.5 seconds. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the concept that hair follicle, especially sebaceous gland, can be intensively and selectively stained by ICG due to dye diffusion through pilosebaceous canal and its fast uptake by living microorganisms, by vital keratinocytes of epithelium of the canal and sebaceous duct, and by rapidly proliferating sebocytes, new technologies of soft and thermal acne lesions treatment that could be used in clinical treatment of acne were proposed.

Acne Vulgaris↗

Radiofrequency cartilage reshaping: efficacy, biophysical measurements, and tissue viability.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility of reshaping cartilage using radiofrequency (RF) heating, and to examine the effects of this process on tissue biophysical properties (optical and thermal) and cellular viability. METHODS: Mechanically deformed porcine septal cartilage was reshaped using 2 RF-generating devices. We performed dynamic measurements of tissue thermal and optical properties while heating cartilage with one of these devices. Cellular viability was assessed immediately and 7 days after treatment. RESULTS: A characteristic change in the diffuse transmittance of light through the cartilage occurred during heating. Change in transmittance has been shown to accompany the onset of stress relaxation in cartilage. Peak radiometric surface temperature during heating was 88.6 degrees C. Specimens retained their user-specified curved shape for the observed period of 14 days. Chondrocyte viability in RF-heated tissue was 19% and 14% of that in untreated control specimens at days 0 and 7 after treatment, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Radiofrequency heating has been shown to effectively reshape cartilage while maintaining cellular viability, illustrating a novel application for a widely used technology.

Animals↗

Mechanisms for nucleosome mobilization.

Nucleosomes are the ubiquitous and fundamental packaging for eukaryotic genomes, and are the substrate for many processes in the nucleus. Nucleosomes are not static entities but can readily be moved by thermal energy and ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes in a process known as sliding or shifting. We summarize from a mechanical perspective the twist defect and bulge diffusion mechanisms proposed as the most likely pathway for nucleosome mobilization. We then consider the elastic properties of DNA and how this affects the potential for each mechanism, concentrating on kinetic aspects of twist diffusion and possible planar bulge sizes and summarize the experimental evidence reflecting on each. Either, or both, mechanisms could occur, and careful experimentation focusing on their uniquely distinguishing features will be required to determine their relative contributions to chromatin dynamics.

DNA↗

Hollow microspheres for use as a floating controlled drug delivery system in the stomach.

Hollow microspheres (microballoons), loaded with drug in their outer polymer shells, were prepared by a novel emulsion-solvent diffusion method. The ethanol:dichloromethane solution of drug (tranilast or ibuprofen) and an enteric acrylic polymer were poured into an agitated aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol that was thermally controlled at 40 degrees C. The gas phase generated in the dispersed polymer droplet by the evaporation of dichloromethane formed an internal cavity in the microsphere of the polymer with the drug. The drugs incorporated in the solidified shell of the polymer were found to be partially or completely amorphous. The flowability and packability of the resultant microballoons were much improved compared with the raw crystals of drug. The microballoons floated continuously over the surface of acidic dissolution media containing surfactant for greater than 12 h in vitro. The drug release behavior of the microballoons was characterized as an enteric property, and drug release rates were drastically reduced depending on the polymer concentration at pH 6.8.

Acrylic Resins↗

Future perspectives in intraoperative imaging.

Of all the advances in imaging science in the past twenty years, none has had a greater impact than Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Since its introduction as a diagnostic tool in the mid-1980's, MRI has evolved into the premier neuroimaging modality, and with the addition of higher field magnets, we are able to achieve spatial resolution of such superb quality that even the most exquisite details of the brain anatomy can be visualized. With the implementation of intraoperative, neurosurgical MRI, we can not only monitor brain shifts and deformations; we can achieve intraoperative navigation using intraoperative image updates. In the future, intraoperative MRI can be used not only to localize, target, and resect brain tumors and other lesions but also to fully comprehend the surrounding cortical and white matter functional anatomy. In addition to the inclusion of new imaging methods such as diffusion tensor imaging, new therapeutic methods will be applied. Especially encouraging are the promising results in MRI-guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery, in which the non-invasive thermal ablation of tumors is monitored and controlled by MRI. With the clinical introduction of these advances, intraoperative MRI is changing the face of Neurosurgery today.

Echoencephalography↗

The effect of histone H1 on the compaction of oligonucleosomes. A quasielastic light scattering study.

The structural properties of H1-depleted oligonucleosomes are investigated by the use of quasielastic laser light scattering, thermal denaturation and circular dichroism and compared to those of H1-containing oligomers. To obtain information on the role of histone H1 in compaction of nucleosomes, translational diffusion coefficients (D) are determined for mono-to octanucleosomes over a range of ionic strength. The linear dependences of D on the number of nucleosomes show that the conformation of stripped oligomers is very extended and does not change drastically with increasing the ionic strength while the rigidness of the chain decreases due to the folding of linker DNA. The results prove that the salt-induced condensation is much smaller for H1-depleted than for H1-containing oligomers and that histone H1 is necessary for the formation of a supercoiled structure of oligonucleosomes, already present at low ionic strength.

Animals↗

Fourier transform infrared study of low-temperature CO adsorption on CuMgAl-hydrotalcite.

Single-phase CuMgAl ternary hydrotalcite with (Cu+Mg)/Al atomic ratio of 3.0 and Cu/Mg atomic ratio of 1.0 was synthesized by coprecipitation. Thermoanalytical studies of this sample showed transformations in three stages in the temperature range up to ca. 900 K yielding mainly CuO phase. In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopic measurements showed the presence of carbonates even after calcination of the sample at 973 K. The genesis of Cu+ sites during thermal treatment in vacuo at different temperatures for this sample was followed by IR spectroscopy of CO adsorbed at low temperature. Essentially no Cu+ sites are present on a sample calcined at 723 K, consistent with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) data. However, sample subjected to activation (1 h of O2 treatment at 723 K followed by 1 h of evacuation at the same temperature) upon CO adsorption at 85 K unambiguously showed the presence of Cu+ sites. 12CO-13CO coadsorption studies confirmed the presence of dicarbonyls, which are converted to linear Cu+-CO species during evacuation at 85 K. Concentration of the accessible Cu+ sites increased with the increase in activation temperature up to 873 K and decreased with a further temperature rise. The copper sites on the sample are heterogeneously distributed and their distribution depends on the activation temperature. Two routes of reduction of Cu2+ to Cu+ are proposed: (i) autoreduction during evacuation and (ii) reduction by CO.

Journal Article↗

Relationship between macroscopic and microscopic models of surfactant adsorption dynamics at fluid interfaces.

In a companion preceding paper, we presented an experimental investigation into the adsorption dynamics of a diblock copolymer surfactant to a polymer/polymer interface and found them to be well-described by a microscopic model of diffusion in a potential generated using self-consistent field theory. We compare the predictions of the microscopic approach with a macroscopic (adsorption-diffusion) model and demonstrate the equivalence of the two models when the free-energy well underlying surfactant adsorption is flanked by barriers that are significantly larger than thermal energy (kT). However, when the energy barriers are nonexistent, as is the case for the experimental system of interest, a finite interfacial width must be introduced into the classical model to obtain physically meaningful results (i.e., nonnegative desorption rates). Surprisingly, we find that the predictions of the macroscopic finite interfacial width model with no adjustable parameters are in excellent agreement with experimental data presented in the companion paper even though the latter was obtained with molecular resolution. This agreement provides insight into aspects of the free-energy landscape that determine surfactant transport.

Adsorption↗

Carbon molecules in space: from astrochemistry to astrobiology.

How complex carbonaceous molecules in space are, what their abundance is and on what timescales they form are crucial questions within cosmochemistry. Despite the large heterogeneity of galactic and interstellar regions the organic chemistry in the universe seems to follow common pathways. The largest fraction of carbon in the universe is incorporated into aromatic molecules (gaseous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon as well as solid macromolecular aromatic structures). Macromolecular carbon constitutes more than half of the interstellar carbon, approximately 80% of the carbon in meteorites, and is likely to be present in comets. Molecules of high astrobiological relevance such as N-heterocycles, amino acids and pre-sugars have all been identified in trace quantities (ppb) in extracts of carbonaceous meteorites. Their presence in inter- and circumstellar regions is either unknown or contentious. In any event such fragile species are easily destroyed by UV radiation, shocks and thermal processing and are unlikely to survive incorporation into Solar System material without some degradation. The more refractory material, in particular macromolecular carbon may retain an interstellar heritage more faithfully. We present laboratory measurements on the photostability of organic compounds and discuss their survival in regions with elevated UV radiation. We also show recent observations of diffuse interstellar bands indicating the presence of fullerenes. We investigate the link between the carbon chemistry in interstellar space and in the Solar System by analyzing the carbonaceous fraction of meteorites and by reviewing stable isotopic data. It also seems evident that both volatile and refractory material from carbonaceous meteoritic has been substantially altered owing to thermal and aqueous processing within the Solar System.

Carbon↗