Coexistence of light and heavy carriers associated with superconductivity and antiferromagnetism in CeNi0.8Bi2 with a Bi square net

We found that the ZrCuSiAs-type crystal CeNi(0.8)Bi(2) with a layered structure composed of alternate stacking of [CeNi(x)Bi(1)](δ+) and Bi(2)(δ-) exhibits a superconductive transition at ～4 K. The conductivities, magnetic susceptibilities, and heat capacities measurements indicate the presence of two types of carriers with notable different masses, i.e., a light electron responsible for superconductivity and a heavy electron interacting with the Ce 4f electron. This observation suggests that 6p electrons of Bi(2) forming the square net and electrons in CeNi(x)Bi(1) layers primarily correspond to the light and heavy electrons, respectively.     

Cyclotron resonance and mass enhancement by electron correlation in KFe2As2

Cyclotron resonance (CR) measurements for the Fe-based superconductor KFe(2)As(2) are performed. One signal for CR is observed, and is attributed to the two-dimensional α Fermi surface at the Γ point. We found a large discrepancy in the effective masses of CR [(3.4±0.05)m(e) (m(e) is the free-electron mass)] and de Haas-van Alphen results, a direct evidence of mass enhancement due to electronic correlation. A comparison of the CR and de Haas-van Alphen results shows that both intra- and interband electronic correlations contribute to the mass enhancement in KFe(2)As(2).     

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of potent 1-(2-substituted-aminoacetyl)-4-fluoro-2-cyanopyrrolidine dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitors

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitors have attracted attention as potential drugs for use in the treatment of type 2 diabetes because they prevent the degradation of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and extend its duration of action. We previously reported that 2-cyano-4-fluoropyrrolidines act as potent DPP-IV inhibitors and have been modifying the 1-position of pyrrolidine to obtain more useful inhibitors. An L-tert-butylglycine derivative was found to be a stable and potent DPP-IV inhibitor that exhibits a glucose lowering effect in vivo. Here, we report the synthesis of and biological data on the aforementioned derivatives.     

Redox Reaction in Ti−Mn Redox Flow Battery Studied by X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy

We performed X-ray absorption studies for the electrolytes of a Ti−Mn redox flow battery (RFB) to understand the redox reaction of the Ti/Mn ions and formation of precipitates in charged catholyte, because suppression of the disproportionation reaction is a key to improve the cyclability of Ti−Mn RFB and enhance the energy density. Hard X-ray absorption spectroscopy with a high transmittance and soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy to directly observe the 3d orbitals were complementarily employed. Moreover, the Ti/Mn 3d electronic structure for each precipitate and solution in the charged catholyte was investigated by using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy: the valence of Mn in the precipitate is mostly attributed to 4+, and the solution includes only Mn²⁺. This charge disproportionation reaction should occur after the Mn ions in the catholyte should be oxidized from Mn²⁺ to Mn³⁺ by charge.     

Extremal Problems for Mappings with Generalized Parametric Representation in $${{\mathbb {C}}}^{n}$$

In this paper we are concerned with the family \(\widetilde{S}^t_A(\mathbb {B}^n)\) (\(t\ge 0\)) of normalized biholomorphic mappings on the Euclidean unit ball \(\mathbb {B}^n\) in \({\mathbb {C}}^n\) that can be embedded in normal Loewner chains whose normalizations are given by time-dependent operators \(A\in \widetilde{\mathcal {A}}\), where \(\widetilde{\mathcal {A}}\) is a family of measurable mappings from \([0,\infty )\) into \(L({\mathbb {C}}^n)\) which satisfy certain natural assumptions. In particular, we consider extreme points and support points associated with the compact family \(\widetilde{S}^t_A(\mathbb {B}^n)\), where \(A\in \widetilde{\mathcal {A}}\). We prove that if \(f(z,t)=V(t)^{-1}z+\cdots \) is a normal Loewner chain such that \(V(s)f(\cdot ,s)\in \mathrm{ex}\,\widetilde{S}^s_A(\mathbb {B}^n)\) (resp. \(V(s)f(\cdot ,s)\in \mathrm{supp}\,\widetilde{S}^s_A(\mathbb {B}^n)\)), then \(V(t)f(\cdot ,t)\in \mathrm{ex}\, \widetilde{S}^t_A(\mathbb {B}^n)\), for all \(t\ge s\) (resp. \(V(t)f(\cdot ,t)\in \mathrm{supp}\,\widetilde{S}^t_A(\mathbb {B}^n)\), for all \(t\ge s\)), where V(t) is the unique solution on \([0,\infty )\) of the initial value problem: \(\frac{d V}{d t}(t)=-A(t)V(t)\), a.e. \(t\ge 0\), \(V(0)=I_n\). Also, we obtain an example of a bounded support point for the family \(\widetilde{S}_A^t(\mathbb {B}^2)\), where \(A\in \widetilde{\mathcal {A}}\) is a certain time-dependent operator. We also consider the notion of a reachable family with respect to time-dependent linear operators \(A\in \widetilde{\mathcal {A}}\), and obtain characterizations of extreme/support points associated with these families of bounded biholomorphic mappings on \(\mathbb {B}^n\). Useful examples and applications yield that the study of the family \(\widetilde{S}^t_A(\mathbb {B}^n)\) for time-dependent operators \(A\in \widetilde{\mathcal {A}}\) is basically different from that in the case of constant time-dependent linear operators.     

Experimental Validation of Intermediate Termination in RAFT Polymerization with Dithiobenzoate via Comparison of Miniemulsion and Bulk Polymerization Rates

To understand if either of two controversial models for the retardation by RAFT agents is applicable, styrene polymerization using dithiobenzoate as the RAFT agent is carried out in both bulk and miniemulsion systems with the same rates of radical generation and the same RAFT agent concentrations. Miniemulsion polymerization with average diameters of the miniemulsion droplets of ≈107 nm is by far faster than in bulk, and the obtained rate of polymerization agrees well with the calculated results assuming a bimolecular termination between propagating radical and intermediate radical, generated by the addition reaction of propagating radical to the RAFT agent, which shows that the intermediate termination is the major reason for rate retardation by the RAFT agent.

     

Role of interstitial voids in oxides on formation and stabilization of reactive radicals: interstitial HO2 radicals in F2-laser-irradiated amorphous SiO2

A procedure to produce stable hydroperoxy radicals (HO*2) in bulk amorphous SiO(2) (a-SiO(2)) has been developed. Oxygen molecules incorporated in the interstitial voids in a-SiO(2) react with mobile hydrogen atoms (H(0)) generated by the photolysis of silanol (SiOH) groups with F(2)-laser light (lambda = 157 nm, hnu = 7.9 eV), resulting in the efficient creation of interstitial HO*2. The high yield of HO*2 suggests that the collisions of the reaction intermediate with the void wall play an important role in dissipating the excess energy of the intermediate instead of the triple collision observed in the gas phase reaction. The resultant HO*2 is thermally stable up to 100 degrees C.     

Iron-based layered superconductor: LaOFeP

We report superconductivity in an iron-based layered oxy-pnictide LaOFeP. LaOFeP is composed of an alternate stack of lanthanum oxide (La3+O2-) and iron pnictide (Fe2+P3-) layers. Magnetic and electrical resistivity measurements verify the occurrence of the superconducting transition at approximately 4 K.     

Synthesis and size control of silver nanoparticles using reverse micelles of sucrose fatty acid esters

Silver nanoparticles were prepared in reverse micelles of sucrose fatty acid esters. The TEM image showed that the obtained silver nanoparticles displayed a wide variety of shapes. The size of silver nanoparticles was strongly dependent upon a kind of reducing agents and tended to increase with an increase in reaction temperature. Moreover, the size of silver nanoparticles was controlled by using sucrose fatty acids at a different esterification degree or by mixing sucrose fatty acid monoesters with polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid monoesters. The resultant silver colloid could be preserved for at least 1 month without precipitation.     

Limiting Current in a Flowing‐Electrolyte‐Type Droplet Cell

To the limit : Electrolyte flow accelerates the mass‐transfer process in a droplet cell (see picture). The limiting current in the cell is expressed as a sum of hydrodynamic and stagnant terms. The current derived from the latter term indicates that convective mass transfer in the cell would be changed dramatically at a significantly small volumetric flow rate.