Coulomb excitation of154Sm

The deformed nucleus¹⁵⁴Sm was studied by Coulomb excitation with NORDBALL by using a⁵⁸Ni beam. The ground-state band, the beta band, the gamma band and the octupole band (K=0-) were excited up to the 16+ state, the 6+ state, the 6+ state and the 13-state, respectively. A new band was established from 6+ to 14+ on the basis of the gamma-gamma coincidence spectra. The excitation probability of the new band is larger than that of the beta band.We would like to thank Dr. G. Sletten, Mr. J. Westergaard and the members of TAL, Niels Bohr Institute for their kind support. A part of this research is supported by Monbusho International Scientific Research Program (Joint Research No.01044037).     

Synthesis and disproportionation of ABAC-type oxacalix[4]arenes

An efficient method to prepare ABAC-type oxacalix[4]arenes by a ‘3+1’ fragment synthesis and their CsF-catalyzed disproportionation producing an equilibrium mixture of three oxacalix[4]arenes are described.     

Medicinal foodstuffs. XXVIII. Inhibitors of nitric oxide production and new sesquiterpenes, zedoarofuran, 4-epicurcumenol, neocurcumenol, gajutsulactones A and B, and zedoarolides A and B, from Zedoariae Rhizoma.

A new eudesmane-type sesquiterpene, zedoarofuran, and six new guaiane- or seco-guaiane-type sesquiterpenes, 4-epicurcumenol, neocurcumenol, gajutsulactones A and B, and zedoarolides A and B, were isolated from aqueous acetone extract of Zedoariae Rhizoma together with 36 known sesquiterpenes and two diarylheptanoids. Their stereostructures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence. The effects of isolated components on nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-activated mouse peritoneal macrophages were examined and 16 sesquiterpenes including gajutsulactones A and B, and bis(4-hydroxycinnamoyl)methane were found to show inhibitory activity.     

First-principles study of benzene on noble metal surfaces: Adsorption states and vacuum level shifts

We have studied the interaction of benzene with Cu(1 1 1), Ag(1 1 1) and Au(1 1 1) surfaces using density functional theory (DFT) within a generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and the van der Waals density functional [vdW-DF; M. Dion, H. Rydberg, E. Schröder, D.C. Langreth, B.I. Lundqvist, Phys. Rev. Lett. 92 (2004) 246401]. The adsorption energies using vdW-DF are significantly more accurate than those using GGA, while the equilibrium adsorption distances between benzene and metal substrates () calculated by both GGA and vdW-DF are almost identical. The work function changes induced by the adsorption of benzene are significantly underestimated compared with the experimental values, as a result of the overestimation of by both GGA and vdW-DF. Instead of determining the values from first-principles calculations, we deduced the most probable adsorption distances in such a way as to reproduce the experimentally-observed work function changes. The deduced adsorption distance () is shortest on Cu(1 1 1) while it is longest on Ag(1 1 1), reflecting the strength of the interactions between benzene and the metal surfaces. It turns out that the substrate dependence of the work function change is mainly ascribed to the difference in the benzene–metal distance (Z_C). Charge transfer and work function changes by the adsorption of benzene were analyzed by means of the induced density of interface states (IDIS) model [H. Vázquez, R. Qszwaldowski, P. Pou, J. Ortega, R. Pérez, F. Flores, A. Kahn, Europhys. Lett. 65 (2004) 802], and compared with the self-consistent GGA calculations. The vacuum level shifts estimated by the IDIS model agree with the GGA results for . On the other hand, the discrepancy between the two methods becomes larger for , where the back donation from the metal substrates to the adsorbate becomes significant. We show that the IDIS model reasonably works well for benzene on Cu(1 1 1), Ag(1 1 1) and Au(1 1 1) surfaces because on all surfaces. However, our analysis reveals that the actual charge density redistribution induced by the adsorption of benzene is more complicated than that assumed in the IDIS model.     

First-principles study of the pentacene/Cu(1 1 1) interface: Adsorption states and vacuum level shifts

We have studied the interaction of pentacene with a Cu(1 1 1) surface using density functional theory (DFT) within a generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and the van der Waals density functional [vdW-DF, M. Dion, H. Rydberg, E. Schröder, D.C. Langreth, B.I. Lundqvist, Phys. Rev. Lett. 92 (2004) 246401]. The adsorption energy is accurately predicted by vdW-DF, while the equilibrium distances between pentacene and the metal substrate (Z_C) are overestimated by both GGA and vdW-DF. The work function changes depend significantly on Z_C. The experimental work function change can be successfully reproduced by GGA if the experimentally reported adsorption geometry is used, whereas the magnitude of the work function change is underestimated if calculated adsorption geometries are applied. We examined the IDIS model [H. Vázquez, R. Qszwaldowski, P. Pou, J. Ortega, R. Pérez, F. Flores, A. Kahn, Europhys. Lett. 65 (2004) 802] to compare it with the GGA results. The interface dipoles estimated by the IDIS model fairly agree with the GGA results, provided that the adsorption distance is large. On the other hand, they tend to deviate from the GGA results as the adsorption distance becomes smaller, where back donation from the metal surface to the adsorbate occurs. Our analysis reveals that at experimentally reported metal–organic distance, back donation is significant enough to induce polarization of pentacene molecules perpendicular to the surface, which leads to a reduction of the work function. Thus, at the experimentally reported metal–organic distance, the work function change estimated by a simple IDIS model deviates from that calculated by self-consistent GGA calculations. We also found that at the experimentally reported metal–organic distance, the transferred electrons create weak chemical bonds between pentacene and the Cu(1 1 1) surface, illustrating the reactive nature of pentacene.     

New Technique for Fourier Transform Thermal Analysis

A new technique for the simultaneous measurement of higher order harmonic of temperature wave under temperature scan was proposed. The mathematical rule for the propagation of harmonies in the film shaped specimen was examined and the principle of Fourier transform thermal analysis was theoretically and experimentally justified. This principle applied to a technique called ‘Fourier transform thermal analysis’, makes it possible to determine simultaneously thermal diffusivity, heat capacity per unit volume and thermal conductivity as a function of frequency and temperature. The results on thermoplastics were shown and the glass transition and the crystallization were discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Observation of intermediate bands feeding the positive-parity yrast band in 155Gd

High-spin states of ¹⁵⁵Gd were populated by using the ¹⁵⁴Sm(α,3nγ)¹⁵⁵Gd reaction at E _α= 33 MeV. γ-γ coincidence, E _γ singles, excitation function, and the DCO ratios were measured. we have identified three intermediate bands with ΔI= 2 feeding the positive yrast band. The bands are interpreted as such candidate bands that are mixed with the negative-parity ground state band. This observation can provide a plausible explanation for unusually large population of the positive-parity yrast band observed in a recent Coulomb excitation. Received: 2 November 1999     

Bioactive constituents from Chinese natural medicines. XV. Inhibitory effect on aldose reductase and structures of Saussureosides A and B from Saussurea medusa

The 80% aqueous acetone extract from the whole plant of Saussurea medusa MAXIM. was found to inhibit rat lens aldose reductase (IC50=1.4 microg/ml). From this extract, flavonoids, lignans, and quinic acid derivatives were isolated together with two new ionone glycosides, saussureosides A and B. Their absolute stereostructures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence including the application of modified Mosher's method. In addition, some isolates were found to show an inhibitory effect on aldose reductase.