Curvature integrals under the Ricci flow on surfaces

In this paper, we consider the behavior of the total absolute and the total curvature under the Ricci flow on complete surfaces with bounded curvature. It is shown that they are monotone non-increasing and constant in time, respectively, if they exist and are finite at the initial time. As a related result, we prove that the asymptotic volume ratio is constant under the Ricci flow with non-negative Ricci curvature, at the end of the paper.      

Selective separation of water–ethanol mixture through synthetic polymer membranes having carboxylic acid as a functional group

Separation of water–ethanol mixture through a membrane was carried out by pervaporation using a membrane which provided a hydrogen-bonding interaction. A membrane obtained from poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylonitrile) was effective for a selective separation of water from aqueous ethanol solution by pervaporation technique. Spectroscopic and flux analyses verified that this high selectivity toward water was attributed to the hydrogen-bonding interaction between water and acrylic acid (carboxylic acid) unit in the membrane. On the other hand, a membrane from poly(acrylic acid-co-styrene) preferentially permeated ethanol in the low water feed concentration region.     

Stereoselective synthesis of trans olefins by the reaction of Wittig reagents with selenium. Formation of selenocarbonyl compounds.

Wittig reagents were successfully changed to symmetrical olefins when treated with elemental selenium. The reaction proceeds through a selenocarbonyl intermediate, which existence was confirmed by Diels-Alder reaction.     

Air-stable, room-temperature emissive disilenes with π-extended aromatic groups

π-Conjugated disilenes with 2-naphthyl or 2-fluorenyl groups on the silicon atoms have been synthesized as air-stable emissive red solids using the bulky 1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7-octaethyl-s-hydrindacen-4-yl (Eind) groups. The strong π-π* absorptions and distinct emission at room temperature, both in solution and in the solid state, have been observed due to the substantial contribution of the 3p(π)*(Si-Si)-2p(π)*(carbon π-electron system) conjugation.     

Fully and partially fluorinated flavone derivatives

In the crystal structures of the fully and partially fluorinated flavone derivatives 5,6,7,8‐tetrafluoro‐2‐(2,3,4,5,6‐pentafluorophenyl)‐4H‐1‐benzopyran‐4‐one, C₁₅HF₉O₂, (I), and 5,6,7,8‐tetrafluoro‐2‐phenyl‐4H‐1‐benzopyran‐4‐one, C₁₅H₆F₄O₂, (II), the pentafluorophenyl group and the pyranone moiety in (I) are twisted due to repulsion of the F substituents, and a CO(δ⁻)...π(δ⁺) intermolecular interaction is observed between the carbonyl O atom and the pentafluorophenyl group. In (II), on the other hand, the phenyl group and the pyranone moiety are almost coplanar, and arene–perfluoroarene interactions are observed in the head‐to‐tail intermolecular columnar stacking between the phenyl group and the tetrafluorophenylene moiety.     

Vocalization control in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) during locomotion behavior

The vocalization behavior of Mongolian gerbils, a model animal of auditory physiology, was examined. A pair of gerbils was placed in a chamber, and their species-specific vocalizations and locomotive behaviors were recorded and analyzed. Two types of calls were predominantly produced: high-frequency upward frequency-modulated (HU-FM) calls and low-frequency multi-harmonic frequency-modulated (LM-FM) calls. Emission rates of HU-FM calls significantly decreased as the distance between the two gerbils increased, and playback of simulated HU-FM calls increased the emission rates. Acoustic analysis of HU-FM calls showed that the calls exhibited a stereotypic spectro-temporal structure including a fixed inter-onset interval (100-175 ms) and that individual differences in the frequency could convey the body size of the callers. The timing of HU-FM calls was highly synchronized with jump movements when an animal vocalized while jumping, suggesting the existence of tight locomotor-vocal coupling. Conversely, LM-FM calls were observed only when the gerbils tactilely contacted with each other while fighting over a food. These results suggest that Mongolian gerbils change the rates of call emissions and call types (e.g., LM-FM or HU-FM calls) in response to changes in visual and possibly tactile and auditory information. The functions of both calls are discussed in terms of their acoustic structures.     

White light emission of Mn-doped SnO-ZnO-P2O5 glass containing no rare earth cation

The authors have demonstrated white light emission of rare earth (RE)-free Mn-doped SnO-ZnO-P(2)O(5) glass. The RE-free glass shows white light emission with a high value of quantum efficiency (QE) comparable to conventional crystalline phosphor. It is notable that the high QE value is attained for RE-free transparent glass, and the broad emission can be continuously tuned by both the amount of activator and the composition of the glass. Since this glass possesses low-melting property, we emphasize that the glass phosphor will lead to the development of a novel inorganic white-light-emitting device in combination with a solid state UV light-emitting source.