First observation of the fourth neutral polarization point in the atmosphere

In the clear sky there are three commonly known loci, the Arago, Babinet, and Brewster neutral points, where the skylight is unpolarized. These peculiar celestial points, bearing the names of their discoverers, have been the subject of many ground-based investigations, because their positions are sensitive indicators of the amount and type of atmospheric turbidity. According to theoretical considerations and computer simulations, there should exist an additional neutral point approximately opposite to the Babinet point, which can be observed only at higher altitudes in the air or space. Until now, this anonymous "fourth" neutral point has not been observed during air- or space-borne polarimetric experiments and has been forgotten, in spite of the fact that the neutral points were a basic tool in atmospheric research for a century. Here, we report on the first observation of this fourth neutral point from a hot air balloon. Using 180 degrees-field-of-view imaging polarimetry, we could observe the fourth neutral point at 450, 550, and 650 nm from different altitudes between 900 and 3500 m during and after sunrise at approximately 22 degrees - 40 degrees below the anti-solar point along the anti-solar meridian, depending on the wavelength and solar elevation. We show that the fourth neutral point exists at the expected location and has characteristics similar to those of the Arago, Babinet, and Brewster points. We discuss why the fourth neutral point has not been observed in previous air- or space-borne polarimetric experiments.     

Modeling study of migration-driven lateral instability in autocatalytic systems

The lateral stability of reaction fronts in simple autocatalytic models with the components carrying various charges is investigated when the system is exposed to an inhomogeneous electric field parallel to the direction of propagation. The enhanced migrational flux of the reactant destabilizes the planar front giving rise to a cellular structure because the electric field strength is greater on the reactant side of the reaction front. The onset of instability depends not only on the charge difference between the reactant and the autocatalyst but also on the variation of specific conductance in the course of the reaction, which results in a difference in electric field strength on the opposite sides of the reaction front.     

Full theory of speckle displacement and decorrelation in the image field by wave and geometrical descriptions and its application in mechanics

Abstract

The paper describes the possibility of using the speckle pattern decorrelation for determination of small deformation tensor components of an elementary object surface area in an optical image field. The relationship between the small-deformation tensor and the speckle field displacement is analysed in detail. The studied problem is presented from the approximation viewpoint of both wave and geometrical optics.     

Supercritical antisolvent versus coevaporation: preparation and characterization of solid dispersions

The objective of this work was to improve the dissolution rate and aqueous solubility of oxeglitazar. Solid dispersions of oxeglitazar in PVP K17 (polyvinilpyrrolidone) and poloxamer 407 (polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene block copolymer) were prepared by supercritical antisolvent (SAS) and coevaporation (CoE) methods. Drug-carrier formulations were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, gas chromatography, UV/VIS spectroscopy and in vitro dissolution tests. The highest dissolution rate (nearly 3-fold higher than raw drug) was achieved by preparation of drug/PVP K17 coevaporate. Oxeglitazar/PVP K17 solid dispersions were stabilized by hydrogen bonding but contained higher amount of residual dichloromethane (DCM) than poloxamer 407 formulations regardless of the method of preparation. SAS prepared oxeglitazar/poloxamer 407 dissolved more than two times faster than raw drug. However, unlike PVP K17, poloxamer 407 did not form a single phase amorphous solid solution with oxeglitazar which has been manifested in higher degrees of crystallinity, too. Among the two techniques, evaluated in this work, conventional coevaporation resulted in higher amorphous content but SAS reduced residual solvent content more efficiently.     

Theory for electrostatic interaction chromatography of proteins.

A simple theoretical framework for the effect of the eluting salt concentration on the retention factor of proteins in ion-exchange chromatography under conditions of linear elution is described. It is based on the solution of the linearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation for two oppositely charged planar surfaces in contact with a salt solution. The theory predicts a linear relation between the logarithmic retention factor and the reciprocal square root of the ionic strength of the eluent in the salt concentration range used in linear elution chromatography. A large body of retention data obtained in ion-exchange chromatography of proteins over a wide range of experimental conditions was plotted as ln k' vs 1/square root of I, where k' and I are the retention factor and ionic strength, respectively. The plots are linear or nearly so, as predicted for a moderate salt concentration range by the theory. From the slope of such plots the characteristic charges of the proteins were estimated by using only fundamental physicochemical constants. The chromatographically measured protein charges compare well to those obtained from titrimetric experiments at the same pH, although certain deviations are noted. The theoretical approach presented here offers a more realistic treatment of the ion-exchange chromatography of proteins than the stoichiometric displacement model and can serve as a convenient framework for the analysis of retention data.     

Incorporation of single-wall carbon nanotubes into an organic polymer monolithic stationary phase for mu-HPLC and capillary electrochromatography

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) were incorporated into an organic polymer monolith containing vinylbenzyl chloride (VBC) and ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA) to form a novel monolithic stationary phase for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and capillary electrochromatography (CEC). The retention behavior of neutral compounds on this poly(VBC-EDMA-SWNT) monolith was examined by separating a mixture of small organic molecules using micro-HPLC. The result indicated that incorporation of SWNT enhanced chromatographic retention of small neutral molecules in reversed-phase HPLC presumably because of their strongly hydrophobic characteristics. The stationary phase was formed inside a fused-silica capillary whose lumen was coated with covalently bound polyethyleneimine (PEI). The annular electroosmotic flow (EOF) generated by the PEI coating allowed peptide separation by CEC in the counterdirectional mode. Comparison of peptide separations on poly(VBC-EDMA-SWNT) and on poly(VBC-EDMA) with annular EOF generation revealed that the incorporation of SWNT into the monolithic stationary phase improved peak efficiency and influenced chromatographic retention. The structures of pretreated SWNT and poly(VBC-EDMA-SWNT) monolith were examined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and multipoint BET nitrogen adsorption/desorption.     

Estimation of impurity profiles of drugs and related materials: part 19: theme with variations. Identification of impurities in 3-oxosteroids

Due to the varied reactions leading to the 3-oxo group in steroids and the reactivity of its environment, a large number of impurities related to this group are formed during the reaction steps and the degradation studies. In this paper the experiences from the authors laboratory with the 3-oxo-related impurities in 19-nor-4-ene-3-oxosteroids (norgestrel, norethisterone, nandrolone, its esters and Nestorone) as well as corticosteroids (prednisolone, mazipredone, etc) are presented. The impurities include saturated 3-ones, 1-ene-3-ones, 5(10)-ene-3-ones, 3-deoxo and 3-ethinyl-3,5-diene derivatives, 6-ene, 8(14)-ene, 6,8(14)-diene, 6-hydroxy (alpha and beta), 10beta-hydroxy and 6-one derivatives in 4-ene-3-oxosteroids and 8(9)-ene, 9(11)-ene, 11alpha-hydroxy, 11-oxo and 4-ene-3-one derivatives in 11beta-hydroxy-1,4-diene-3-oxosteroids. The chromatographic, spectroscopic and hyphenated techniques used in this study include TLC, GC, HPLC with diode array UV detector, GC-MS, LC-MS and NMR methods.     

Evaluation of hemodynamic parameters in patients with right ventricular infarction during rehabilitation

Hemodynamic data in 43 patients with right and left ventricular infarction and 39 with left ventricular infarction were compared. Right atrial pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, mean pulmonary artery pressure, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure before and after ventricular angiogram, cardiac index, left ventricular stroke volume index, right ventricular stroke work index were evaluated, as well as ratios of right atrial and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, right and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, right ventricular end-diastolic and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, left ventricular ejection fraction calculated from left ventricular angiogram, Berentey's score, and cardiac volume index. Using ONEWAY analysis there was no significant difference between the two groups in period of rehabilitation. In 15 patients with right ventricular infarction regression of ECG changes was observed in lead V3R also without significant influence on hemodynamic data.     

Exchange rates at the lipid-protein interface of the myelin proteolipid protein determined by saturation transfer electron spin resonance and continuous wave saturation studies

The microwave saturation properties of various spin-labeled lipids in reconstituted complexes of the myelin proteolipid protein with dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine have been studied both by conventional and saturation transfer electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. In the fluid phase, the conventional ESR spectra consist of a fluid and a motionally restricted (i.e., protein-associated) component, whose relative proportions can be determined by spectral subtractions and depend on the selectivity of the particular spin-labeled lipid for the protein. At 4 degrees C when the bulk lipid is in the gel phase, the integrated intensity of the saturation transfer ESR spectra displays a linear dependence on the fraction of motionally restricted lipid that is deduced from the conventional ESR spectra in the fluid phase, indicating the presence of distinct populations of free and protein-interacting lipid with no exchange between them on the saturation transfer ESR time scale in the gel phase. At 30 degrees C when the bulk lipid is in the fluid phase, the saturation transfer integral displays a nonlinear dependence on the fraction of motionally restricted lipid, consistent with exchange between the two lipid populations on the saturation transfer ESR time scale in the fluid phase. For lipid spin labels with different selectivities for the protein in complexes of fixed lipid/protein ratio, the data in the fluid phase are consistent with a constant (diffusion-controlled) on-rate for exchange at the lipid-protein interface. Values ranging between 1 and 9 x 10(6) s-1 are estimated for the intrinsic off-rates for exchange of spin-labeled stearic acid and phosphatidylcholine, respectively, at 30 degrees C. Conventional continuous wave saturation experiments lead to similar conclusions regarding the lipid exchange rates in the fluid and gel phases of the lipid/protein recombinants. The ESR saturation studies therefore demonstrate exchange on the time scale of the nitroxide spin-lattice relaxation at the lipid-protein interface of myelin proteolipid/dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine complexes in the fluid phase but not in the gel phase.     

Implementation of QA and QC standards in radiology in Slovakia

The Slovak government organizes the radiation protection policy through its regulatory authorities within the Ministry of Health, on a central level. The health protection regulations are compatible with international standards and recommendations of the ICRP and the EC. The general requirements on quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) (acceptance, constancy and routine tests), the guidance levels for various types of radiological examinations and the instructions for optimisation procedures are supported by Slovak technical standards, compatible with European standards. But the QA/QC process, as well as the training of the staff, needs improvement. The Slovak Medical University participates in the QA implementation through organising and managing national audits for control of the QA programme. In this paper, we present results of patient dose measurement studies carried out in the Slovak Republic, in the framework of activities of the Slovak Commission of QA established by the Slovak Ministry of Health.