IP router using optical address recognition with second-harmonic generator

A novel optical header address recognition using a second-harmonic generator cascaded with optical correlator is proposed as a cost-effective way of realising routing in optical networks. The second-harmonic generator is used for minimising optical loss due to wavelength mismatch, while the optical correlator performs address recognition.     

Stabilization of oils by microencapsulation with heated protein-glucose syrup mixtures

The use of proteins [whey protein isolate (WPI) or soy protein isolate (SPI) in combination with dried glucose syrup (DGS) for stabilization of microencapsulated spray-dried emulsions containing tuna oil, palm stearin, or a tuna oil-palm stearin blend was investigated. Pre-emulsions containing heated (100°C/30 min) protein-DGS mixtures and oils at oil/protein ratios of 0.75∶1 to 4.5∶1 were homogenized at two passes (35+10 or 18+8 MPa) and spray-dried to produce 20–60% oil powders. Microencapsulation efficiency decreased at lower homogenization pressure and as the oil load in the powder was increased beyond 50% but was independent of the type of oil encapsulated and the total solids (TS) content of the emulsions (24–33% TS) prior to drying. Oxidative stabilities of the powders, as indicated by headspace propanal values and PV after 4 wk of storage at 23°C, generally decreased with increasing oil content and homogenization pressure but increased with increasing TS of the emulsion prior to drying. Powder containing palm stearin was more stable to oxidation than powders containing a 1∶1 ratio of palm stearin and tuna oil or only tuna oil. Heated WPI-DGS formulations were superior to corresponding formulations stabilized by heated SPI-DGS, producing spray-dried powders with higher microencapsulation efficiency and superior oxidative stability.     

Spectral renormalization for multi-component fourier transform infrared absorbance data: importance to multivariate calibration and quantitative exploratory chemometrics studies

Although infrared spectroscopy is a very common analytical tool in the chemical sciences, quantitative infrared spectroscopic studies of multi-component solutions (particularly on-line or in-line studies) have been hampered by the lack of a concise and robust numerical approach. Using an inert chemical species as internal standard, the usual absorbance ratio analysis is generalized into a mathematical form that converts typical absorbance measurement A into its renormalized absorbance A(renorm), with the latter directly relating to the absolute moles rather than the concentration of the constituents. The renormalized absorbance has a number of very important properties, including (1) insensitivity to path length changes due to variations in temperature or pressure of the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) cell and (2) insensitivity to solution volume changes arising from reaction, chemical transport, or thermodynamic conditions. The methodology is first applied to a simple model test system to demonstrate its utility for multivariate calibration, and then re-applied to a real problem: the calibration of the rhodium carbonyl hydride HRh(CO)4, a long-sought species in organometallic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis (Angewandte Chemie Int. Ed., vol. 41, 3786 (2002)). The utility of the developed methodology for multivariate calibration and exploratory chemometric studies is demonstrated. Emphasis is placed on providing a numerical recipe for the practicing analytical chemist.     

Detection performance of wavelet-based joint transform correlation

The detection performance of a wavelet-based joint transform correlator (JTC) is studied by use of two types of images with different spatial-frequency contents and contrast. The simulation results show that, in comparison with an amplitude-modulated JTC, the performance for intraclass pattern recognition can be optimized by using a single wavelet filter.     

2‐Aminothiazoles with Improved Pharmacotherapeutic Properties for Treatment of Prion Disease

Recently, we described the aminothiazole lead (4‐biphenyl‐4‐ylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐(6‐methylpyridin‐2‐yl)‐amine ( 1 ), which exhibits many desirable properties, including excellent stability in liver microsomes, oral bioavailability of ～40 %, and high exposure in the brains of mice. Despite its good pharmacokinetic properties, compound 1 exhibited only modest potency in mouse neuroblastoma cells overexpressing the disease‐causing prion protein PrP^Sc. Accordingly, we sought to identify analogues of 1 with improved antiprion potency in ScN2a‐cl3 cells while retaining similar or superior properties. Herein we report the discovery of improved lead compounds such as (6‐methylpyridin‐2‐yl)‐[4‐(4‐pyridin‐3‐yl‐phenyl)thiazol‐2‐yl]amine and cyclopropanecarboxylic acid (4‐biphenylthiazol‐2‐yl)amide, which exhibit brain exposure/EC₅₀ ratios at least tenfold greater than that of compound 1 .