Alternative formulation and dynamic process for the efficient Banzhaf–Owen index

We adopt excess functions to propose alternative formulation and dynamic process for the efficient Banzhaf–Owen index.     

Deboronation-induced ratiometric emission sensing of fluoride by 1,3,5-tris-(o-carboranyl-methyl)benzene

1,3,5-Tris-(o-carboranyl-methyl)benzene (closo-1) and its nido-form (nido-1) were synthesized and fully characterized. The solid-state molecular structure of closo-1 was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Compound closo-1 exhibited an intense single emission in various organic solvents that was red-shifted with increasing solvent polarity. The positive solvatochromic effect and theoretical calculation results at the first excited (S₁) optimized structure of closo-1 strongly suggest that this emissive band can be assigned to an intramolecular charge transfer. Meanwhile, nido-1 showed a pronounced red-shift of the emissive band compared to that of closo-1 and aroused low-energy emission. The specific emissive features of nido-1 were attributed to the elevation of its HOMO level, estimated by cyclic voltammetry. The photophysical changes by conversion from closo-1 to nido-1 allowed the emissive color-tunable sensing of fluoride. Thus, the tris-o-carboranyl compound showed great potential as a chemodosimeter for fluoride anion sensing, detectable by the naked-eye.     

A new type of soluble pentacene precursor for organic thin-film transistors

A new type of soluble pentacene precursor is synthesized, which extrudes a unit of CO upon heating at 150 degrees C, to produce pentacene in nearly quantitative yield.     

Structural transformations in dinuclear zinc complexes involving Zn-Zn bonds

Reduction of Zn(2)(mu-eta(2)-Me(2)Si(NDipp)(2))(2) with 4 equiv. of KC(8) resulted in a dramatic structural transformation into [(eta(2)-Me(2)Si(NDipp)(2))ZnZn(eta(2)-Me(2)Si(NDipp)(2))](2-) featuring a Zn-Zn bond instead of [Zn(2)(micro-eta(2)-Me(2)Si(NDipp)(2))(2)](2-); the mechanism of the observed structural transformations arising from the Zn-Zn bond formation involving the intermediate of [Zn(2)(mu-eta(2)-Me(2)Si(NDipp)(2))(2)](-) was elucidated by elaborate computations.     

Rhodamine-based Hg2+-selective chemodosimeter in aqueous solution: fluorescent OFF-ON

[reaction: see text] N-(Rhodamine-6G)lactam-N'-phenylthiourea-ethylenediamine (1) was developed as a fluorescent and colorimetric chemodosimeter in aqueous solution with a broad pH span (5 approximately 10) and high selectivity toward Hg2+ but no significant response toward other competitive cations, such as Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+, etc. The Hg2+-promoted ring opening of spirolactam of the rhodamine moiety induced cyclic guanylation of the thiourea moiety, which resulted in the dual chromo- and fluorogenic observation (OFF-ON).     

Measurement of scattering rate and minimum conductivity in graphene

The conductivity of graphene samples with various levels of disorder is investigated for a set of specimens with mobility in the range of 1-20x10(3) cm2/V sec. Comparing the experimental data with the theoretical transport calculations based on charged impurity scattering, we estimate that the impurity concentration in the samples varies from 2-15x10(11) cm(-2). In the low carrier density limit, the conductivity exhibits values in the range of 2-12e2/h, which can be related to the residual density induced by the inhomogeneous charge distribution in the samples. The shape of the conductivity curves indicates that high mobility samples contain some short-range disorder whereas low mobility samples are dominated by long-range scatterers.     

Limits on interactions between weakly interacting massive particles and nucleons obtained with CsI(Tl) crystal detectors

The Korea Invisible Mass Search (KIMS) experiment presents new limits on the weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP)-nucleon cross section using data from an exposure of 3409 kg.d taken with low-background CsI(Tl) crystals at the Yangyang Underground Laboratory. The most stringent limit on the spin-dependent interaction for a pure proton case is obtained. The DAMA signal region for both spin-independent and spin-dependent interactions for the WIMP masses greater than 20 GeV/c2 is excluded by the single experiment with crystal scintillators.     

Single‐Walled TiO2 Nanotubes: Enhanced Carrier‐Transport Properties by TiCl4 Treatment

In the present work we report significant enhancement of the photoelectrochemical properties of self‐ organized TiO₂ nanotubes by a combined “de‐coring” of classic nanotubes followed by an appropiate TiCl4 treatment. We show that, except for the expected particle decoration, a key effect of the TiCl4 treatment is that the electron transport characteristics in TiO₂ nanotubes can be drastically improved, for example, we observe an enhancement of up to 70 % in electron‐transport times.     

Gd‐DTPA‐Dopamine‐Bisphytanyl Amphiphile: Synthesis,Characterisation and Relaxation Parameters of the Nanoassemblies and Their Potential as MRI Contrast Agents

Here, a new amphiphilic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent, a Gd^III‐chelated diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid conjugated to two branched alkyl chains via a dopamine spacer, Gd‐DTPA‐dopamine‐bisphytanyl (Gd‐DTPA‐Dop‐Phy), which is readily capable of self‐assembling into liposomal nanoassemblies upon dispersion in an aqueous solution, is reported. In vitro relaxivities of the dispersions were found to be much higher than Magnevist, a commercially available contrast agent, at 0.47 T but comparable at 9.40 T. Analysis of variable temperature ¹⁷O NMR transverse relaxation measurements revealed the water exchange of the nanoassemblies to be faster than that previously reported for paramagnetic liposomes. Molecular reorientation dynamics were probed by ¹H NMRD profiles using a classical inner and outer sphere relaxation model and a Lipari–Szabo “model‐free” approach. High payloads of Gd^III ions in the liposomal nanoassemblies made solely from the Gd‐DTPA‐Dop‐Phy amphiphiles, in combination with slow molecular reorientation and fast water exchange makes this novel amphiphile a suitable candidate to be investigated as an advanced MRI contrast agent.