From Metal–Organic Framework to Intrinsically Fluorescent Carbon Nanodots

Highly photoluminescent carbon nanodots (CNDs) were synthesized for the first time from metal–organic framework (MOF, ZIF‐8) nanoparticles. Coupled with fluorescence and non‐toxic characteristics, these carbon nanodots could potentially be used in biosafe color patterning.     

Homogeneous Oligomeric Ligands Prepared via Radical Polymerization that Recognize and Neutralize a Target Peptide

Abiotic ligands that bind to specific biomolecules have attracted attention as substitutes for biomolecular ligands, such as antibodies and aptamers. Radical polymerization enables the production of robust polymeric ligands from inexpensive functional monomers. However, little has been reported about the production of monodispersed polymeric ligands. Herein, we present homogeneous ligands prepared via radical polymerization that recognize epitope sequences on a target peptide and neutralize the toxicity of the peptide. Taking advantage of controlled radical polymerization and separation, a library of multifunctional oligomers with discrete numbers of functional groups was prepared. Affinity screening revealed that the sequence specificity of the oligomer ligands strongly depended on the number of functional groups. The process reported here will become a general step for the development of abiotic ligands that recognize specific peptide sequences.     

Applications and extensions of cost curves to marine container inspection

Drummond and Holte introduced the theory of cost curves, a graphical technique for visualizing the performance of binary classifiers over the full range of possible class distributions and misclassification costs. In this paper, we use this concept to develop the Improvement Curve, a new performance metric for predictive models. Improvement curves are more user-friendly than cost curves and enable direct inter-classifier comparisons. We apply improvement curves to measure risk-assessment processes at Canada’s marine ports. We illustrate how implementing even a basic predictive model would lead to improved efficiency for the Canada Border Services Agency, regardless of class distributions or misclassification costs.     

Controllable Electronic Structures and Photoinduced Processes of Bay‐Linked Perylenediimide Dimers and a Ferrocene‐Linked Triad

A series of perylene‐3,4,9,10‐bis(dicarboximide) (PDI) dimers linked through the bay regions was systematically synthesized to examine the electronic structures and photophysical properties in dependence on the distance and orientation between the two PDI units. The spectroscopic and electrochemical measurements suggested that the coupling value of a directly linked PDI dimer (PDI)₂ is much larger than those of para‐ and meta‐phenylene‐bridged PDI dimers p‐(PDI)₂ and m‐(PDI)₂. The width of Davydov splitting was quantitatively evaluated to compare the coupling values between the two PDI units in these dimers by absorption spectroscopy in frozen 2‐methyl‐THF. Excimer formation of PDI dimers induced the strong fluorescence quenching and large red‐shifts. Femtosecond transient absorption revealed a broad absorption derived from an excimer in the range from about 600 nm to the near‐IR region. The rate constants of formation and decay of the excimer are strongly dependent on the coupling values. Time‐resolved measurements on ferrocene‐linked p‐(PDI)₂ revealed a competition between the photoinduced processes of electron transfer and excimer formation in PhCN, which is in sharp contrast with the sole electron‐transfer process in toluene.     

Chilling resistances of isolates of Pythium ultimum var. ultimum from the Arctic and Temperate Zones

Chilling resistances in moss pathogenic fungi, Pythium ultimum var. ultimum, from Longyearbyen, Svalbard (78 degree N, 15 degree E), located in the Arctic Zone and in the same isolates from Temperate Zone, were determined. Both strains had similar optimum growth temperatures. However, the strains from Svalbard could grow and survive at 0 - 5 degrees C. In addition, chilling treatment induced irregular mycelial morphology in the Arctic isolates. On the other hand, the isolates from Japan did not grow at temperatures below 5C and were destroyed after chilling stress (0 degree C for 3 days or at 4 degrees C for 1 week). The results suggested that isolates from Svalbard highly adapted to the severe spring condition in Polar environments.     

On the miscibility gap in liquid bismuth-bismuth tribromide system

We have determined the location of the miscibility gap in liquid Bi-BiBr₃ system in the concentration-temperature, x?T, plane from the measurement of the electrical conductivity. The measurements have been done in the concentration range between 30.5 and 92.5 mol.% Bi and in the temperature range between 300 and 600°C. It is found that the temperature dependence of the conductivity of the mixture changes near the retrograde solubility region.     

Vector meson pole dominance in Jψ decays into mesons

The validity of the assumption that $\text{J}\text{ψ}$ decays into mesons proceed via ω, φ and ?⁰ poles followed by cascade decays is examined. $\text{Λ(}\text{J}\text{ψ}\text{→}\text{B}\text{π)}$ is well reproduced by using $\text{Λ(}\text{J}\text{ψ}\text{→ ?π), Λ(ω → ?π), Λ(}\text{B}\text{→ ωπ)}$ and the B → ωπ helicity structure. The structure of OZI-violating $\text{J}\text{ψ}\text{?}\text{V}{}^0$ transitions including the electromagnetic contribution is examined, and compared with the data on inclusive $\text{J}\text{ψ}$ decay.     

Evidence for muon neutrino oscillation in an accelerator-based experiment

We present results for nu(mu) oscillation in the KEK to Kamioka (K2K) long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment. K2K uses an accelerator-produced nu(mu) beam with a mean energy of 1.3 GeV directed at the Super-Kamiokande detector. We observed the energy-dependent disappearance of nu(mu), which we presume have oscillated to nu(tau). The probability that we would observe these results if there is no neutrino oscillation is 0.0050% (4.0 sigma).     

Observation of nonlinear coupling between small-poloidal wave-number potential fluctuations and turbulent potential fluctuations in Ohmically heated plasmas in the JFT-2M tokamak

Two types of electrostatic modes with small-poloidal wave numbers (approximately 1 and 10-15 kHz) are observed in the edge region of Ohmically heated plasmas in the JFT-2M tokamak. The envelope of the higher frequency coherent mode is modulated at the frequency of the lower frequency mode. A bispectral analysis revealed that a significant nonlinear coupling among the two types of fluctuations and the broadband background turbulent potential fluctuations occurs inside the last closed magnetic flux surface, suggesting that a nonlinear process such as the parametric-modulational instability is involved.