Conversion of Methane into Methanol and Ethanol over Nickel Oxide on Ceria–Zirconia Catalysts in a Single Reactor

The conversion of methane into alcohols under moderate reaction conditions is a promising technology for converting stranded methane reserves into liquids that can be transported in pipelines and upgraded to value‐added chemicals. We demonstrate that a catalyst consisting of small nickel oxide clusters supported on ceria–zirconia (NiO/CZ) can convert methane to methanol and ethanol in a single, steady‐state process at 723 K using O₂ as an abundantly available oxidant. The presence of steam is required to obtain alcohols rather than CO₂ as the product of catalytic combustion. The unusual activity of this catalyst is attributed to the synergy between the small Lewis acidic NiO clusters and the redox‐active CZ support, which also stabilizes the small NiO clusters.     

Novel metallocene catalysts for syndiotactic polystyrene

A series of new half-metallocene complexes of titanium containing siloxy ligands and a new bimetallic titanocene complex (compound 1) with a crystallographically determined structure have been prepared. When activated with methylaluminoxane (MAO), they showed high activities toward polymerization of styrene with high syndiotacticity. Origin of the high activity and syndiotacticity found in this work was investigated systematically by comparison with polymerization results using other known complexes.     

Reactivity of the Hydroxy Groups in Melezitose and Their Selective Protection

The reactivity of melezitose hydroxy groups was studied by tritylation in pyridine with subsequent acetylation. After partial detritylation of the products, acetyl group transfer from position 4 to 6 was observed. The structure of the prepared melezitose derivatives was established on the basis of their IR, ¹H, ¹³C, and ¹H-¹H COSY NMR, and mass spectra (fast atom bombardment), as well as from the results of model calculations performed with the aid of SGI Indigo Molecule-Pattern-Work-Station software package (Biosym) where the potential energy function was approximated with the CVFF potential. The reactivity of primary hydroxy groups in melezitose was found to decrease in the following order: 6' > 6 6' > 1'.     

Criteria for the field boundaries of an axially symmetric ultrawideband radiator

Criteria for the near and far electromagnetic fields of ultrawideband radiation are considered based on a numerical simulation. To estimate the field boundaries for ultrawideband radiation, it is proposed to use the condition of the maximum (near field) and minimum (far field) differences between the time dependences of the electromagnetic field components. The approach proposed has been approved for an axially symmetric radiator excited by voltage pulses of varied waveform and duration. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 9, pp. 46–50, September, 2008.     

Detection of mutant p53 using field-effect transistor biosensor

We assessed the abilities of wild p53 and mutant p53 proteins to interact with the consensus DNA-binding sequence using a MOSFET biosensor. This is the first report in which mutant p53 has been detected on the basis of DNA-protein interaction using a FET-type biosensor. In an effort to evaluate the performance of this protocol, we constructed the core domain of wild p53 and mutant p53 (R248W), which is DNA-binding-defective. After the immobilization of the cognate DNA to the sensing layer, wild p53 and mutant p53 were applied to the DNA-coated gate surface, and subsequently analyzed using a semiconductor analyzer. As a consequence, a significant up-shift in drain current was noted in response to wild p53, but not mutant p53, thereby indicating that sequence-specific DNA-protein interactions could be successfully monitored using a field-effect-based biosensor. These data also corresponded to the results obtained using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) measurements. Taken together, our results show that a FET-type biosensor might be promising for the monitoring of mutant p53 on the basis of its DNA-binding activity, providing us with very valuable insights into the monitoring for diseases, particularly those associated with DNA-protein binding events.     

Thermal annealing effects on the dynamic photoresponse properties of Al-doped ZnO nanowires network

In this study, UV photodetectors based on a network of aluminium-doped zinc oxide (AZO) nanowires were manufactured at a low cost; for this purpose, a fast and simple fabrication process that involved dropping nanowires dispersion solution was employed instead of the conventional e-beam lithography process that is used to manufacture single nanowire–based UV photodetectors. It was demonstrated that nanowire network–based UV photodetectors provide a much faster UV photoresponse than conventional single nanowire–based UV photodetectors. The fast UV photoresponse of the fabricated UV photodetector can be attributed to the fact that the potential barriers formed in the nanowire network junctions effectively block the flow of electrons during the process of photocurrent decay. Furthermore, the UV photoresponse under illumination by a 254 nm UV source was studied as a function of the annealing temperature of the AZO nanowires network at a bias of 5 V. The fabricated UV photodetector showed the fastest response of 2 s to UV illumination in air when the sample was annealed in air for 1 h at 300 °C.     

Estimates for correlations in billiards with large arcs

Bunimovich billiards are ergodic and mixing. However, if the billiard table contains very large arcs on its boundary then if there exist trajectories experience infinitely many collisions in the vicinity of periodic trajectories on the large arc. The hyperbolicity is nonuniform and the mixing rate is very slow. The corresponding dynamics are intermittent between regular and chaotic, which makes them particularly interesting in physical studies. The study of mixing rates in intermittent chaotic systems is mo...     

SYNTHESIS OF MELEZITOSE DERIVATIVES

The reactivity of melezitose hydroxyls is studied during tritylation in pyridine. Some novel derivatives of melezitose are prepared. An acetyl is transferred from the 4- to the 6-position after detritylation of 3 and 4. The structures of the products are proved by elemental analysis; ¹ H, ¹³ C, and ¹ H- ¹ H COSY NMR spectra;IR spectra; and fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry.     

Predicting melting temperature directly from protein sequences

Proteins of both hyperthermophilic and mesophilic microorganisms generally constitute from the same 20 amino acids; however, the extent of thermal tolerance of any given protein is an inherent property of its amino acid sequence. The present study is the first to report a rapid method for predicting Tm (melting temperature), the temperature at which 50% of the protein is unfolded, directly from protein sequences (the Tm Index program is available at http://tm.life.nthu.edu.tw/). We examined 75 complete microbial genomes using the Tm Index, and the analysis clearly differentiated hyperthermophilic from mesophilic microorganisms on this global genomic basis. These results are consistent with the previous hypothesis that hyperthermophiles express a greater number of high Tm proteins compared with mesophiles. The Tm Index will be valuable for modifying existing proteins (enzymes, protein drugs and vaccines) or designing novel proteins having a desired melting temperature.