Synchrotron radiation based Mössbauer absorption spectroscopy of various nuclides

Synchrotron-radiation (SR) based Mössbauer absorption spectroscopy of various nuclides is reviewed. The details of the measuring system and analysis method are described. Especially, the following two advantages of the current system are described: the detection of internal conversion electrons and the close distance between the energy standard scatterer and the detector. Both of these advantages yield the enhancement of the counting rate and reduction of the measuring time. Furthermore, SR-based Mössbauer absorption spectroscopy of ⁴⁰K, ¹⁵¹Eu, and ¹⁷⁴Yb is introduced to show the wide applicability of this method. In addition to these three nuclides, SR-based Mössbauer absorption spectroscopy of ⁶¹Ni, ⁷³Ge, ¹¹⁹Sn, ¹²⁵Te, ¹²⁷I, ¹⁴⁹Sm, and ¹⁸⁹Os has been performed. We continue to develop the method to increase available nuclides and to increase its ease of use. The complementary relation between the time-domain method using SR, such as nuclear forward scattering and the energy-domain methods such as SR-based Mössbauer absorption spectroscopy is also noted.     

Precision measurement of cosmic-Ray antiproton spectrum

The energy spectrum of cosmic-ray antiprotons ( &pmacr;'s) has been measured in the range 0.18-3.56 GeV, based on 458 &pmacr;'s collected by BESS in a recent solar-minimum period. We have detected for the first time a characteristic peak at 2 GeV of &pmacr;'s originating from cosmic-ray interactions with the interstellar gas. The peak spectrum is reproduced by theoretical calculations, implying that the propagation models are basically correct and that different cosmic-ray species undergo a universal propagation. Future BESS data with still higher statistics will allow us to study the solar modulation and the propagation in detail and to search for primary &pmacr; components.     

Observation of light propagation across a 90 degrees corner in chains of microspheres on a patterned substrate

To demonstrate light-path manipulation in arbitrary shapes we fabricated coupled-resonator optical waveguides (CROWs) having a 90 degrees-corner structure on a lithographically patterned substrate. The spectra of propagation light within the CROWs were directly measured by guide-collection-mode near-field scanning optical microscopy. The spectra revealed that the propagation light through the CROWs has a larger transverse-magnetic polarization mode than a transverse-electric (TE) one. The most plausible cause of the lower intensity in the TE mode is that light leaks out to the Si substrate.     

Microphase Separation of Bulk and Ultrathin Films of Polyurethane Elastomers

Surmmary: Polyurethane elastomers (PUEs) were synthesized with poly(oxytetramethylene) glycol (PTMG), 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and 1,4-butanediol (BD)/1,1,1-trimethylol propane (TMP) by a prepolymer method. The degree of microphase separation of bulk and ultrathin films for these PUEs was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). In the bulk films, FT-IR and DSC measurements revealed that the degree of micro-phase separation strengthened with increasing BD content. AFM observation of the BD-PUE showed hard segment domains surrounded by a soft segment matrix. The domains ranged in size from 10-20 nm, while BD/TMP- and TMP PUEs did not have clear domains. On the other hand, AFM observation was carried out on thin films (200 mm in thickness) and ultrathin films (approximately 8-5 nm) prepared by spin-coating the different concentrations of PUE solutions. The microphase separated strucuture under 10 nm in thickness showed marked decreases in the size of the microphase-separated domain.     

Method for Evaluating Potential Maximum Shear Strain for a Fine Metal Wire in Torsion Testing

Experimental Techniques - The torsion number of drawn fine high carbon steel wires was measured through torsion testing. The angles between the scratches on the tested wire surface and its...     

A new unnatural base pair system between fluorophore and quencher base analogues for nucleic acid-based imaging technology

In the development of orthogonal extra base pairs for expanding the genetic alphabet, we created novel, unnatural base pairs between fluorophore and quencher nucleobase analogues. We found that the nucleobase analogue, 2-nitropyrrole (denoted by Pn), and its 4-substitutions, such as 2-nitro-4-propynylpyrrole (Px) and 4-[3-(6-aminohexanamido)-1-propynyl]-2-nitropyrrole (NH(2)-hx-Px), act as fluorescence quenchers. The Pn and Px bases specifically pair with their pairing partner, 7-(2,2'-bithien-5-yl)imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (Dss), which is strongly fluorescent. Thus, these unnatural Dss-Pn and Dss-Px base pairs function as reporter-quencher base pairs, and are complementarily incorporated into DNA by polymerase reactions as a third base pair in combination with the natural A-T and G-C pairs. Due to the static contact quenching, the Pn and Px quencher bases significantly decreased the fluorescence intensity of Dss by the unnatural base pairings in DNA duplexes. In addition, the Dss-Px pair exhibited high efficiency and selectivity in PCR amplification. Thus, this new unnatural base pair system would be suitable for detection methods of target nucleic acid sequences, and here we demonstrated the applications of the Dss-Pn and Dss-Px pairs as molecular beacons and in real-time PCR. The genetic alphabet expansion system with the replicable, unnatural fluorophore-quencher base pair will be a useful tool for sensing and diagnostic applications, as well as an imaging tool for basic research.     

Catalytic Reductive Cross-Coupling between Aromatic Aldehydes and Arylnitriles

A reductive cross-coupling reaction between aromatic aldehydes and arylnitriles using a copper catalyst and a silylboronate as a reductant is reported. This protocol represents an unprecedented approach to the chemoselective synthesis of α-hydroxy ketones by electrophile–electrophile cross-coupling.     

Microdetermination of carbon and hydrogen using nitrogen as a transport gas

Summary A method for the microdetermination of carbon and hydrogen is described. In this method a sample is burned in a stream of nitrogen by adding a suitable amount of oxygen generated electrolytically. In the combustion tube, a new absorbent for halogens and sulphur oxides, a combustion catalyst and a roll of reduced copper gauze are packed. Nitrogen oxides resulting from samples containing nitrogen are reduced to nitrogen by the copper gauze. About 50 successive determinations can be carried out with a copper gauze without renewing it. A new absorbent for halogens and sulphur oxides has an extremely high capacity compared with the usual absorbents such as silver wire, or silver granules, and it does not damage the combustion tube when it is exhausted. For the absorption tubes for water and carbon dioxide, the author's metal needle tubes are used, and the results obtained with various samples are found to be satisfactory.

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Zusammenfassung Ein Verfahren zur Mikrobestimmung von Kohlenstoff und Wasserstoff wurde beschrieben. Dabei wird die Probe im Stickstoffstrom verbrannt, dem eine geeignete Menge elektrolytisch hergestellten Sauerstoffs zugemischt wird. Ein neues Absorptionsmittel für Halogene und Schwefeloxyde, ein Verbrennungskatalysator und eine Rolle aus reduziertem Kupferdrahtnetz dienen als Rohrfüllung. Die Stickstoffoxyde aus stickstoffhältigen Substanzen werden am Kupferdrahtnetz reduziert. Etwa 50 Bestimmungen können ohne Erneuerung der Drahtnetzrolle durchgeführt werden. Das neue Absorptionsmittel für Halogene und Schwefeloxyde hat im Vergleich zu dem sonst verwendeten Silberdraht oder granuliertem Silber eine besonders große Kapazität und beschädigt das Verbrennungsrohr nicht, wenn es erschöpft ist. Als Absorptionsröhrchen für Wasser und Kohlendioxyd werden die vom Verfasser angegebenen Metall-Nadel-Röhrchen verwendet. Die mit verschiedenen Substanzen erhaltenen Resultate sind befriedigend.

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Résumé On décrit une méthode de microdosage du carbone et de l'hydrogène. Dans cette méthode, on brûle l'échantillon dans un courant d'azote, en ajoutant une quantité convenable d'oxygène (formé électrolytiquement). On dispose dans le tube à combustion un nouvel absorbant des halogènes et des oxydes du soufre, un catalyseur de combustion et une toile de cuivre réduit enroulée. Les oxydes d'azote provenant des échantillons qui contiennent de l'azote sont réduits en azote par la toile de cuivre. On peut effectuer environ 50 dosages successifs avec une toile de cuivre, sans la changer. Le nouvel absorbant des halogènes et des oxydes du soufre a une capacité extrêmement élevée par rapport aux absorbants usuels, tels qu'un fil d'argent ou des grains d'argent, et il n'abîme pas le tube à combustion quand il est épuisé. En ce qui concerne les tubes à absorption pour l'eau et le gaz carbonique, on utilise les tubes à aiguilles métalliques de l'auteur. Les résultats obtenus avec divers échantillons ont été satisfaisants.

     

Carbazolyl Benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]difuran: An Ambipolar Host Material for Full‐Color Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

We have designed an ambipolar material, 3,7‐bis[4‐(N‐carbazolyl)‐phenyl]‐2,6‐diphenylbenzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]difuran (CZBDF), and synthesized it by zinc‐mediated double cyclization. Its physical properties clarified that CZBDF possesses a wide‐gap character, well‐balanced and high hole and electron mobilities of larger than 10^?3 cm² V^?1 s^?1, and a high thermal stability. Using CZBDF as a host material for heterojunction OLED devices, a full range of visible emission was obtained. Notably, CZBDF also enabled us to fabricate RGB‐emitting homojunction OLEDs, with performances comparable or superior to the heterojunction devices composed of several materials.