A near infrared spectroscopic discrimination of noodle flours using a principal-component analysis coupled with chemical information.

Using a portable near infrared (NIR) spectrometer, we discriminated flours for making Japanese noodles (Soba), not only relying on a statistical and mathematical approach, but also on a chemical interpretation of the NIR spectra. In original NIR spectra, the particle-size difference, which results in an undesired systematic variation, was extracted and interpreted as the first-principal component factor by a principal-component analysis. The discrimination of flour materials cannot be satisfied by this factor. However, after a standardized treatment for the original spectra, the particle-size effects were eliminated; alternatively, differences in the chemical contents were extracted as principal-component factors. Using these factors, flour material discrimination was achieved much better. This study suggests a novel idea of utilizing the wavelength contribution ratio spectra for interpreting the factors extracted from the principal-component analysis for the NIR spectra. This report also describes the relationship between the NIR spectra and the chemical-analysis data.     

NMR studies of magnetic superconductor RuSr2RECu2O8 (RE=Gd, Eu and Y)

We have carried out ^99/101Ru and ^63/65Cu nuclear magnetic resonance experiments in order to investigate magnetic and electronic properties of the magnetic superconductor RuSr₂RECu₂O₈ (RE=Gd, Eu and Y). The two kinds of ^99/101Ru signals were observed in the magnetically ordered state for each system, suggesting a charge segregation of Ru⁵⁺ (S=3/2) and Ru⁴⁺ (S=1) ions in the RuO₂ layers. The internal field at the Cu sites is revealed to be of the order of kilo Oe, indicating weak magnetic interactions between the CuO₂ and RuO₂ planes. The temperature dependence of nuclear spin-lattice relaxation time T₁ of ⁶³Cu in RE=Y shows a ‘spin gap’ like behavior, suggesting the system is under-doped.     

Synthesis and reactions of 1-methyl-5-tributylstannyl-4-trifluoromethylpyrazole

N-Methylation at the pyrazole ring by sequential treatment of 5-tributylstannyl-4-trifluoromethylpyrazole with LDA and iodomethane regioselectively provided the title compound in high yield. The addition reaction of 5-lithiated-4-trifluoromethylpyrazole with a wide range of electrophiles allowed easy and high-yielding introduction of substituents on position 5.     

Synthesis and application of a macroporous silica-based polymeric octyl(phenyl)-N,N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphoshine oxide composite for the chromatographic separation of high level liquid waste

Summary The Minor Actinides Recovery from HLW by Extraction Chromatography (MAREC) process was used mainly for the separation of minor actinides (MAs) and some specific fission products (FPs) from highly active liquid waste (HLW) by the composite CMPO/SiO₂-P of the macroporous silica based polymeric octyl(phenyl)-N,N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphoshine oxide (CMPO) and others. In this study a cascade of chromatographic separation was performed on a 3.0M HNO₃ solution containing 5.0 ^. 10^-3M of 13 elements, at 323 K. The cascade consisted of three columns the first and second ones were packed with CMPO/SiO₂-P and the third with SiO₂-P particles. The first column was employed to prepare various eluents containing saturated CMPO. The second column was used for separation into groups. The CMPO of CMPO/SiO₂-P was recovered from the effluent by the third column and a CMPO-free effluent containing minor actinides was obtained. The elements contained in the simulated HLW of 3.0M HNO₃ were separated into (1) a non-adsorption group (Sr, Cs, and Ru etc.), (2) a MA-hRE (heavy rare earth)-Mo-Zr group, and (3) a lRE (light rare earth) group by eluting with 3.0M HNO₃, 0.05M DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) (pH 2.0) and HNO₃ (pH 3.5), respectively. The resultant MA-hRE-Mo-Zr mixture containing minor actinides was then separated into the groups (1) Pd-Ru, (2) MA-hRE, and (3) Mo-Zr by utilizing 3.0M HNO₃, distilled water, and 0.05M DTPA (pH 2.0) as eluents. More than 92% of CMPO in the MA-hRE containing effluent was adsorbed by SiO₂-P particles. The effectivity and technical feasibility of MAREC process were demonstrated.     

A stable cohomotopy refinement of Seiberg-Witten invariants: I

The monopole map defines an element in an equivariant stable cohomotopy group refining the Seiberg-Witten invariant. Part I discusses the definition of this stable homotopy invariant and its relation to the integer valued Seiberg-Witten invariants.     

Nitrogen‐Rich Manganese Oxynitrides with Enhanced Catalytic Activity in the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

The catalytic activity of manganese oxynitrides in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was investigated in alkaline solutions to clarify the effect of the incorporated nitrogen atoms on the ORR activity. These oxynitrides, with rock‐salt‐like structures with different nitrogen contents, were synthesized by reacting MnO, Mn₂O₃, or MnO₂ with molten NaNH₂ at 240–280 °C. The anion contents and the Mn valence states were determined by combustion analysis, powder X‐ray diffraction, and X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure analysis. An increase in the nitrogen content of rock‐salt‐based manganese oxynitrides increases the valence of the manganese ions and reinforces the catalytic activity for the ORR in 1 m KOH solution. Nearly single‐electron occupancy of the antibonding e_g states and highly covalent Mn?N bonding thus enhance the ORR activity of nitrogen‐rich manganese oxynitrides.     

Oxa-TriQuinoline: A New Entry to Aza-Oxa-Crown Architectures**

A new 15-membered-macrocyclic molecular entity, oxa-TriQuinoline (o-TQ), was designed and synthesized. In o-TQ, three oxygen atoms were joined onto three quinoline units at the 2- and 8-positions in a head-to-tail fashion by three-fold S_NAr reactions, giving rise to the characteristic N₃O₃ aza-oxa-crown architecture. o-TQ can serve as a new tridentate nitrogen ligand to capture a Cu^I cation and adopt a bowl shape, before supramolecular complexation with corannulene and [12]cycloparaphenylene (CPP) occurs through π–π and CH–π interactions. In the presence of the Cu^I cation, the non-emissive o-TQ becomes a highly emissive material in the solid state, whereby the emission wavelengths depend on the ancillary ligand on the Cu^I cation. The o-TQ/Cu^I complex is able to promote carbene catalysis to provide a range of enamines with a gem-difluorinated terminus.     

Preparation of composite particles with magnetic silica core and fluorescent polymer shell

Dual functions of magnetic and fluorescent properties were created in composite particles that incorporated magnetite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles in particle cores of silica and fluorescent pyrene in particle shells of polystyrene. The Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were prepared with a conventional homogeneous precipitation method and surface modified with a coupling agent of carboxyethylsilanetriol. The silica particles incorporating Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were synthesized with a modified Stöber method in which the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were added to a system of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS)/ammonia/water/ethanol. Then, the magnetite/silica composite particles were coated with the pyrene/polystyrene shell in a soap-free emulsion polymerization, which was conducted in the presence of pyrene in a mixed solvent of water/ethanol. The composite particles prepared in the mixed solvent had both magnetic and fluorescent properties. The fluorescent spectrum of the particles with Fe₃O₄ was very similar to that without Fe₃O₄, indicating that the magnetic component within the core particles scarcely interfered with the fluorescent emission from the polymer shell.     

Microscopic studies of a SnO2/α-Fe2O3 architectural nanocomposite using Mössbauer spectroscopic and magnetic measurements

A SnO₂/α-Fe₂O₃ architectural nanocomposite, which was evidenced as SnO₂ nanorod arrays assembled on the surface of α-Fe₂O₃ nanotubes in our previous study, was investigated microscopically by means of Mössbauer spectroscopic and magnetic measurements. It was found for the SnO₂ nanorods that Fe³⁺ ions substituted slightly to Sn_0.998Fe_0.002O₂. Concerning the α-Fe₂O₃ tubes, the Morin transition, which was completely suppressed in the mother, SnO₂-free α-Fe₂O₃ nanotubes, was found to be recovered locally. We speculate that it takes place in the interface area as a result of structural modification needed for the connection with the SnO₂ nanorods.     

High pressure synthesis and structure of a new magnetoplumbite-type cobalt oxide SrCo12O19

A new magnetoplumbite-type hexagonal cobalt oxide, SrCo₁₂O₁₉, has been synthesized at a high pressure of 3 GPa and its structural and magnetic properties have been studied using single crystalline samples. Bond-valence calculations for five crystallographically independent Co sites show a rather wide charge distribution from +2.15 to +3.50. Magnetic measurements have revealed anisotropic magnetic behavior below a magnetic ordering temperature of 80 K. Comparative discussions on the structure-property relationship for SrCo₁₂O₁₉ and related compounds suggest the presence of localized spins with a uniaxial anisotropy at the trigonal bipyramidal site.