Control of Axial Chirality by Planar Chirality Based on Optically Active [2.2]Paracyclophane

Optically active X-shaped molecules based on the planar chiral [2.2]paracyclophane building block were prepared, in which di(methoxy)terphenyl units were stacked on the central benzene rings. At 25 °C, anisolyl rings freely rotate in solution, while in the crystal form, they are fixed by intramolecular CH–π interactions, thereby leading to the expression of the axial chirality, i.e., propeller chirality was exhibited by the planar chiral [2.2]paracyclophane moiety. The X-shaped molecule exhibited good circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) profiles with moderate Φ_PL and a large g_lum value in the order of 10⁻³ at 25 °C, in solution. In contrast, at −120 °C, dual CPL emission with opposite signs was observed. According to the theoretical studies, the rotary motion of the anisolyl units is suppressed in the excited states, and so emission from two isomers could be observed. These results demonstrate that the axial chirality was controlled by the planar chirality, leading ultimately to propeller chirality.     

Macroscopic single‐domain graphene sheet on Ni(111)

We observed in situ growth of a single graphene sheet on Ni(111) by low‐energy electron microscopy. The sheet was grown epitaxially beyond the steps on the substrate. The crystalline shapes of graphene islands were clearly seen; the straight edges of the island are crossed at either 60 or 120°, and the linear edges shifted perpendicular to the edge keeping the equilibrium shape. Graphene islands were united to form a single sheet without any grain boundaries and any wrinkles. The Ni substrate of several centimeters in size was covered with a single‐domain graphene sheet. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coordination characteristics of trivalent lanthanides and actinides in molten hydrate salts of Ca(NO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript> and CaCl<Subscript>2</Subscript>

Distribution behavior of Ce(III), Am(III), and Cm(III) between tri-n-butyl phosphate solution and molten calcium nitrate hydrate Ca(NO₃)₂·RH₂O or molten calcium chloride hydrate CaCl₂·RH₂O was studied radiochemically. In Ca(NO₃)₂·RH₂O systems, maximum separation factors of Ce and Cm to Am were observed to be 12 (Ce/Am) and 1.7 (Cm/Am). The distribution ratios of these elements increased with the decrease of water activity in the hydrates, and the extractabilities at the water deficient region was less sensitive compared to those at the water abundant region. This trend was similar to the coordination circumstance change observed in electronic absorption spectra of Nd(III) in the hydrates.     

Optimization of DNA hybridization efficiency by pH-driven nanomechanical bending

The accessibility and binding affinity of DNA are two key parameters affecting the hybridization efficiency in surface-based biosensor technologies. Better accessibility will result in a higher hybridization efficiency. Often, mixed ssDNA and mercaptohexanol monolayers are used to increase the hybridization efficiency and accessibility of surface-bound oligonucleotides to complementary target DNA. Here, no mercaptohexanol monolayer was used. We demonstrate by differential microcantilever deflection measurements at different pH that the hybridization efficiency peaks between pH 7.5 and 8.5. At low pH 4.5, hydration and electrostatic forces led to tensile surface stress, implying the reduced accessibility of the bound ssDNA probe for hybridization. In contrast, at high pH 8.5, the steric interaction between neighboring ssDNA strands was decreased by higher electrostatic repulsive forces, bending the microcantilever away from the gold surface to provide more space for the target DNA. Cantilever deflection scales with pH-dependent surface hybridization efficiency because of high target DNA accessibility. Hence, by changing the pH, the hybridization efficiency is adjusted.     

Computational performance of Free Mesh Method applied to continuum mechanics problems

The free mesh method (FMM) is a kind of the meshless methods intended for particle-like finite element analysis of problems that are difficult to handle using global mesh generation, or a node-based finite element method that employs a local mesh generation technique and a node-by-node algorithm. The aim of the present paper is to review some unique numerical solutions of fluid and solid mechanics by employing FMM as well as the Enriched Free Mesh Method (EFMM), which is a new version of FMM, including compressible flow and sounding mechanism in air-reed instruments as applications to fluid mechanics, and automatic remeshing for slow crack growth, dynamic behavior of solid as well as large-scale Eigen-frequency of engine block as applications to solid mechanics.     

A converse of Hörmander’s L2-estimate and new positivity notions for vector bundles

Science China Mathematics - We study conditions of Hörmander’s L2-estimate and the Ohsawa-Takegoshi extension theorem. Introducing a twisted version of the Hörmander-type condition,...     

Design of a Photocatalytic [2+2] Cycloaddition Reaction Using Redox-Tag Strategy

The design of photocatalytic processes is important for a sustainable society. Key to these photocatalytic reactions is electron transfer. This article is focused on titanium dioxide photocatalyzed organic synthesis and the design of a new [2+2] cycloaddition reaction based on the electron transfer process. Electron transfer - not only between the substrate and the photocatalyst but also inter- and intramolecularly – is crucial for the reaction design. Radical cations were generated by the photocatalyst and trapped by alkenes. The resultant cyclobutyl radical cations were immediately reduced by the aryl rings via intramolecular electron transfer to obtain cyclobutane rings. The outcome of the reaction was controlled by substitution of the aryl ring and the linker connecting the aryl ring to the enol ether. The carefully designed substrates were highly effective for photocatalytic cycloaddition.     

Coevolution of role preference and fairness in the ultimatum game

Traditional economics assumes that humans are rational. However, it is known that humans behave fairly in the ultimatum game (UG). There are various explanations for this apparent paradox, such as the “inequity aversion.” However, the role preference (proposer or responder) of humans in the UG is obscure. I conducted a UG scenario experiment where subjects were asked their role preference in addition to their decision in the game. The results showed that the subjects prefer to be proposers rather than responders. In particular, it was found that rational subjects had a high preference for the proposer role. On the basis of these results, I conducted evolutionary simulations of the UG, where each individual has role preference intensity. A role is allocated to the individual proportional to the preference intensity. The results showed coevolution of role preference and fairness. The preference for the proposer role evolved when rational strategy evolved, whereas this preference weakened as rationality decreased. This indicates that fairness has a strong link with role preference; in other words, human fairness is always threatened by the “power and position” of some particular individuals. Hence, its equal distribution among individuals may be effective in maintaining a high level of fairness. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity, 2012     

A biochemical sniffer-chip for convenient analysis of gaseous formaldehyde from timber materials

A biochemical gas-sensor (sniffer-chip) with formaldehyde dehydrogenase (FALDH) was developed for convenient analysis of gaseous formaldehyde with high gas-selectivity. The sniffer-chip for formaldehyde in the gas phase was constructed by immobilizing FALDH to a Pt-electrode coated hydrophilic PTFE membrane. The oxidation current of NADH produced by the enzymatic reactions was measured by amperometric analysis. The calibration range of the sniffer-chip for formaldehyde in the gas phase was from 40 to 2000 ppb, which encountered the maximum permissible concentration of formaldehyde vapor in the residential house (80 ppb) and formaldehyde detection limit for the human sense of smell (410 ppb). As the resident-environmental application, the sniffer-chip was possible to measure the formaldehyde concentration from some timber materials (3 kinds of interior timber and 2 kinds of exterior formwork timber) within 3 min. The calculated concentration value by a regression analysis was consistent with those of a commercially available gas sensor and a gas detector tube for formaldehyde. The FALDH sniffer-tip would be effective and convenient approach to detect and measure gaseous formaldehyde with high gas-selectivity at the residential atmosphere. Correspondence: Kohji Mitsubayashi, Department of Biomedical Devices and Instrumentation, Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 2-3-10 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan     

Electronic structure of octane on Cu(1 1 1) and Ni(1 1 1) studied by near edge X-ray absorption fine structure

The electronic structure of an octane film grown on Cu(1 1 1) and Ni(1 1 1) was studied using C K-edge near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS). A pre-peak was observed on the bulk edge onset for the 1 ML thick octane films on the metal substrates. The pre-peak originated from metal induced gap states (MIGS) in the band gap of octane. The intensity of the pre-peak for octane/Ni(1 1 1) was the same as that of octane/Cu(1 1 1), suggesting that there was little difference in the density of unoccupied MIGS between the octane film on Ni(1 1 1) and Cu(1 1 1). We discuss the metal dependence of the density of unoccupied MIGS on the band structure of the metals.