Inclusion complex formation between polyaniline with emeraldine base and β-cyclodextrin has been studied by the frequency-domain electric birefringence (FEB) spectroscopy in a solution of N-methyl-2pyrrolidone (NMP) and by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The FEB results show that polyaniline in the solution with cyclodextrin changes its conformation from coil to rod at low temperature (below 275 K), and some rodlike images are observed on a substrate by STM. These results suggest that cyclodextrins are threaded onto polyaniline and confine the conformation of the polymer chain to a rodlike one. Furthermore, it is found that the threaded cyclodextrins prevent the chemical oxidation, i.e., doping of polyaniline by iodine. This indicates formation of a new inclusion complex, a conjugated conducting polymer covered by insulated cyclic molecules, namely, "insulated molecular wire".

S urgical removal of tumors located in the skull base or deep intracranial regions requires a high order of anatomical knowledge that can be obtained only through a large number of surgical experiences and has therefore been recognized as a challenging category in the neurosurgical field. Object. In this paper, the authors' goal was to report their novel presurgical simulation method applying interactive virtual simulation (IVS) using 3D computer graphics (CG) data and microscopic observation of color-printed plaster models based on these CG data in surgery for skull base and deep tumors.Methods. For 25 operations in 23 patients with skull base or deep intracranial tumors (meningiomas, schwannomas, epidermoid tumors, chordomas, and others), the authors carried out presurgical simulation based on 3D CG data created by image analysis for radiological data. Interactive virtual simulation was performed by modifying the 3D CG data to imitate various surgical procedures, such as bone drilling, brain retraction, and tumor removal, with manipulation of a haptic device. The authors also produced color-printed plaster models of modified 3D CG data by a selective laser sintering method and observed them under the operative microscope.Results. In all patients, IVS provided detailed and realistic surgical perspectives of sufficient quality, thereby allowing surgeons to determine an appropriate and feasible surgical approach. Surgeons agreed that in 44% of the 25 operations IVS showed high utility (as indicated by a rating of "prominent") in comprehending 3D microsurgical anatomies for which reconstruction using only 2D images was complicated. Microscopic observation of color-printed plaster models in 12 patients provided further utility in confirming realistic surgical anatomies.Conclusions. The authors' presurgical simulation method applying advanced 3D imaging and modeling techniques provided a realistic environment for practicing microsurgical procedures virtually and enabled the authors to ascertain complex microsurgical anatomy, to determine the optimal surgical strategies, and also to efficiently educate neurosurgical trainees, especially during surgery for skull base and deep tumors. (http://thejns.org/doi/abs/10.3171/2013.3.JNS121109) keY WorDs • neurosurgery • presurgical simulation • skull base tumor • surgical anatomy • 3D imaging • oncology Abbreviations used in this paper: CAD = computer-aided designing; CG = computer graphics; CN = cranial nerve; CPA = cerebellopontine angle; CTA = CT angiography; DSA = digital subtraction angiography; IAC = internal auditory canal; IVS = interactive virtual simulation; MRA = MR angiography.

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The present paper reports on the results of a series of authors’ parabolic flight experiments on spray cooling in addition to ground-based experiments in which the influence of heater orientation and the behavior of rebounded droplets were especially studied in detail. Water and FC-72 (perfluorocarbon) were employed alternatively as a test liquid sprayed from a single full-cone nozzle onto a Cr-plated surface of an electrically heated copper block for transient cooling experiments or onto a transparent ITO (indium tin oxide) coated surface of a glass block for steady state experiments in a relatively low superheat region. Each experimental run was accomplished within some 15 sec through which a stable reduced gravity condition (0.01 times the terrestrial gravity) was maintained in the aircraft. Cooling curves were obtained over a wide range of each of the following parameters: the wall superheat, the spray volume flux and the Weber number for the spray droplets. It is demonstrated that the gravity dependency of the spray cooling characteristics varies with the spray volume flux and the droplet Weber number. Qualitative interpretations of the observed gravity dependency are provided.

From the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of twigs of Magnolia denudata (Magnoliaceae), seven new neolignan derivatives, 1-7, were isolated along with eighteen known lignan and neolignan derivatives, 8-25. The structures of the new neolignans were elucidated by means of spectral methods, especially by 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectra, and two dimensional NMR methods such as 1H-detected heteronuculear multiple bond connectivity1 (HMBC), 1H-detected multiple quantum coherence (HMQC) and 1H-1H-correlation spectroscopy (COSY). Compounds 1-4 have novel structures possessing a 6-oxabicyclo[3.2.2]nonane skeleton and compounds 5-8 also have novel structures possessing a bicyclo[3.2.1]octane skeleton. The anti-platelet-activating factor (PAF) activity of these compounds was tested by measurement of inhibition activity against acetyl transferase to lyso-PAF.