Magnetic susceptibilities of UO2ThO2 solid solutions

The magnetic susceptibility of UO₂ThO₂ solid solutions has been measured from room temperature to 2.0 K. The magnetic moment and the Weiss constant have been determined in the temperature range in which the Curie-Weiss law holds. For the solid solutions showing antiferromagnetic transition, the Néel temperature has been also determined. These values decrease monotonically with increasing ThO₂ concentration. The results were analyzed using the molecular field theory which includes the interaction between next-nearest neighbor spins. The interactions between nearest neighbor spins, J₁, and those between next-nearest neighbor spins, J₂, both decrease with increasing ThO₂ concentration. The change of J₁ with composition is larger than that of J₂. The effect of magnetic dilution with ThO₂ is considered to be stronger on the interaction between nearest neighbor uranium ions.     

Some novel layered-silicate nanocomposites based on a biodegradable hydroxybutyrate copolymer

This paper describes the preparation, characterization, mechanical properties and thermal stability of layered silicate nanocomposites based on poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHB-co-PHH, known as Nodax^TM). The dispersed phases were organically modified montmorillonites (clay 20A and clay 25A), mica, and talc, and they were introduced by solution mixing. Wide-angle X-ray scattering results and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images confirmed that these two clays were intercalated and finely distributed in the Nodax^TM matrix. This type of layered filler led to remarkable improvements in mechanical properties even at very low loadings. Minimizing aggregation was more of a problem in the case of the mica and the talc, at least in this particular matrix. In some cases, these layered fillers slightly decreased the thermal stability of the Nodax^TM.     

Rate constant of the reaction of NO3 with CH2I2 measured with use of cavity ring-down spectroscopy

We have applied cavity ring-down spectroscopy to a kinetic study of the reaction of NO₃ with CH₂I₂ in 25–100 Torr of N₂ diluent at 298 K. The rate constant of reaction of NO₃ + CH₂I₂ is determined to be (4.0 ± 1.2) × 10⁻¹³ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ in 100 Torr of N₂ diluent at 298 K. The rate constant increases with increasing pressure of buffer gas below 100 Torr. The reaction of CH₂I₂ with NO₃ has the potential importance at nighttime in the atmosphere.     

Contribution of individual zinc ligands to metal binding and peptide folding of zinc finger peptides

Little is known about the contribution of individual zinc-ligating amino acid residues for coupling between zinc binding and protein folding in zinc finger domains. To understand such roles of each zinc ligand, four zinc finger mutant peptides corresponding to the second zinc finger domain of Sp1 were synthesized. In the mutant peptides, glycine was substituted for one of four zinc ligands. Their metal binding and folding properties were spectroscopically characterized and compared to those of the native zinc finger peptide. In particular, the electronic charge-transfer and d-d bands of the Co(II)-substituted peptide complexes were used to examine the metal coordination number and geometry. Fluorescence emission studies revealed that the mutant peptides are capable of binding zinc despite removing one ligand. Circular dichroism results clearly showed the induction of an alpha-helix by zinc binding. In addition, the structures of certain mutant zinc finger peptides were simulated by molecular dynamics calculation. The information indicates that His23 and the hydrophobic core formed between the alpha-helix and the beta-sheet play an essential role in alpha-helix induction. This report demonstrates that each ligand does not contribute equally to alpha-helix formation and coordination geometry in the zinc finger peptide.     

Conversion of antennapedia homeodomain to zinc finger-like domain: Zn(II)-induced change in protein conformation and DNA binding

From the standpoint of protein dynamics and metalloprotein design, it is interesting to create an artificial protein which induces structural change and regulates its function by metal-ion binding. We engineered a novel protein, "Antennafinger (Ant-F)", whose structure and function can be controlled with Zn(II), by introducing the consensus sequence of a Cys(2)His(2)-type zinc finger protein into a non-metalloprotein scaffold, an Antennapedia homeodomain mutant (Ant-wt), selected using a motif-searching system. The circular dichroism studies demonstrate that Ant-F has secondary structures similar to Ant-wt and also changes its conformation due to Zn(II)-binding. The optical absorption spectra of the Co(II) complexes of Ant-F and its derivative proteins suggest that the geometry of the metal center of holo-Ant-F is tetrahedral and that the mutated Cys(2)His(2) residues are involved in the complex formation. In addition, the gel mobility shift assay reveals that the DNA binding activity of Ant-F can be regulated through Zn(II)-induced structural alteration. These results provide valuable information about the dynamic properties of proteins and a novel concept for metalloprotein design.     

Diastereoselective imino-aldol condensation of chiral 3-(p-Tolylsulfinyl)-2-furaldimine and ester enolates

(Ss)-3-(p-Tolylsufinyl)-2-furaldimine was synthesized, and condensation of the chiral furaldimine with lithium ester enolates has been examined. The product distribution of the reaction is dependent upon reaction conditions and on the kind of the substituent placed on the esters. Disubstituted ester enolate resulted in the exclusive formation of (4R)-beta-lactam, while unsubstituted, tert-butyl ester enolate preferentially gave (3R)-beta-amino ester. With the monosubstituted ester enolates, the condensation afforded (4R)-beta-lactams and/or (3R)-beta-amino esters as major products. This method has been applied to an efficient route to chiral furyl beta-lactams.     

Design and preparation of pulsatile release tablet as a new oral drug delivery system.

To achieve time-controlled or site specific delivery of a drug in the gastrointestinal tract, an orally applicable pulsatile drug release system with the dry-coated tablet form was developed. The system consisted of a less water permeable outer shell and a swellable core tablet; from such a system, the drug was expected to be rapidly released after a certain period of time on the basis of time-controlled disintegration mechanism. Various model disks of outer shell, consisting of hydrogenated castor oil and polyethyleneglycol 6000, were tested for their water penetration rate. The experimental results showed that water penetration proceeded obeying the boundary retreating mechanism, so that the lag time of the system could be controlled by changing either the thickness or the composition of the outer shell. The swelling force of various commercially available disintegrants was quantitatively compared, and it was found that carboxymethylcellulose calcium was the preferable disintegrant to be used for the core tablet. On the basis of the results of a series of fundamental studies, various pulsatile release tablets of isoniazide with different lag times were designed. In the in vitro dissolution test, typical pulsatile release was achieved for all the tablets prepared, and a good correlation was found between the observed lag time and the estimated lag time calculated from an empirical equation deduced from the thickness and polyethyleneglycol 6000 content of the outer shell.     

Propylene carbonate as a solvent for salting-out extraction and subsequent differential pulse polarography

Summary Selective and sensitive procedures are described for the direct differential pulse polarographic determination of antimony(III), indium(III) and cadmium(II) in propylene carbonate. This method was based on the salting-out extraction of their halide complexes into the solvent from acidic aqueous media. The extracted Sb(III), In(III) and Cd(II) complexes exhibit sharp differential pulse polarographic peaks at –0.21 V, –0.63 V and –0.72 V vs. SCE in salted-out propylene carbonate phases respectively. The lower limits of determination are 5.0g for Sb(III), 0.6g for In(III), and 0.2g for Cd(II) in 10 ml of the organic phase. A number of foreign ions are eliminated through both processes of solvent extraction and polarography using propylene carbonate.

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Propylencarbonat als Lösungsmittel für die Fällungs-Extraktion und die nachfolgende Differential-Puls-Polarographie

Zusammenfassung Selektive und empfindliche Verfahren für die direkte Bestimmung von Sb(III), In(III) und Cd(II) in Propylencarbonat mit Hilfe der Differential-Puls-Polarographie wurden beschrieben. Die vorliegende Methode beruht auf der Fällungs-Extraktion der Halogenid-Komplexe aus wäßrig-saurem Medium in das Lösungsmittel. Die extrahierten Komplexe des Sb(III), In(III) und Cd(II) ergeben scharfe Peaks bei –0,21 V, –0,63 V und –0,72 V gegen die Kalomelelektrode in den betreffenden Propylencarbonat-Phasen. Die unteren Grenzen der Bestimmungen liegen bei 5,0g Sb, 0,6g In bzw. 0,2g Cd in 10 ml organischer Phase. Eine Anzahl Fremdionen wird durch die beiden Prozesse der Extraktion und der Polarographie in Propylencarbonat ausgeschaltet.

     

SO+(A2Π-X2Πr) emission produced from a dissociative charge-transfer reaction of He+ with SO2 at thermal energy

The extensive bands observed from the helium afterglow reaction of SO₂ in the 250–540 nm region are assigned to the new SO⁺(A²Π-X²Π_r) system produced from the He⁺/SO₂ dissociative charge-transfer reaction at thermal energy. They had been erroneously interpreted as the SO⁺₂ (C?-X?) system produced from He(2³S)/SO₂ Penning ionization. The spectroscopic constants for the SO⁺A²Π) and SO⁺(X²Π_r) states were determined.