Optical band gap modification of single-walled carbon nanotubes by encapsulated fullerenes

We report optical band gap modifications of single-walled carbon nanotubes upon C60 insertions by using photoluminescence and the corresponding excitation spectroscopy. The shifts in optical transition energies strongly depend on the tube diameter (dt) and the "2n + m" family type, which can be explained by the local strain and the hybridization between the nanotube states and the C60 molecular orbitals. The present results provide possible design rules for nanotube-based heterostructures having a specific type of electronic functionality.     

A new efficient synthetic strategy for N-(dialkylamino)azacycle as a tetrasubstituted hydrazine derivative using sodium triacyloxyborohydride

A new efficient and convergent method has been developed to construct a N-(dialkylamino)azacyclic system as a tetrasubstituted hydrazine via reductive alkylation of the corresponding hydrazone using sodium triacyloxyborohydride [NaBH(OCOR)₃], which is tolerant of various substituents (e.g., phenol, conjugated olefin, amide, and thioamide) on the substrate and useful for organization of the N-aminoazacycle array.     

Continuous and precise particle separation by electroosmotic flow control in microfluidic devices

A new scheme has been described for continuous particle separation using EOF in microfluidic devices. We have previously reported a method for particle separation, called "pinched flow fractionation (PFF)", in which size-dependent and continuous particle separation can be achieved by introducing pressure-driven flows with and without particles into a pinched microchannel. In this study, EOF was employed to transport fluid flows inside a microchannel. By controlling the applied voltage to electrodes inserted in each inlet/outlet port, the flow rates from both inlets, and flow rates distributed to each outlet could be accurately tuned, thus enabling more effective separation compared to the pressure-driven scheme. In the experiment, the particle behaviors were compared between EOF and pressure-driven flow schemes. In addition, micrometer- and submicrometer-sized particles were accurately separated and individually collected using a microchannel with multiple outlet branch channels, demonstrating the high efficiency of the presented scheme.     

Crossover Sorption of C2H2/CO2 and C2H6/C2H4 in Soft Porous Coordination Networks

Porous sorbents are materials that are used for various applications, including storage and separation. Typically, the uptake of a single gas by a sorbent decreases with temperature, but the relative affinity for two similar gases does not change. However, in this study, we report a rare example of “crossover sorption,” in which the uptake capacity and apparent affinity for two similar gases reverse at different temperatures. We synthesized two soft porous coordination polymers (PCPs), [Zn₂(L1)(L2)₂]_n (PCP-1) and [Zn₂(L1)(L3)₂]_n (PCP-2) (L1= 1,4-bis(4-pyridyl)benzene, L2=5-methyl-1,3-di(4-carboxyphenyl)benzene, and L3=5-methoxy-1,3-di(4-carboxyphenyl)benzene). These PCPs exhibits structural changes upon gas sorption and show the crossover sorption for both C₂H₂/CO₂ and C₂H₆/C₂H₄, in which the apparent affinity reverse with temperature. We used in situ gas-loading single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) analysis to reveal the guest inclusion structures of PCP-1 for C₂H₂, CO₂, C₂H₆, and C₂H₄ gases at various temperatures. Interestingly, we observed three-step single-crystal to single-crystal (sc-sc) transformations with the different loading phases under these gases, providing insight into guest binding positions, nature of host–guest or guest-guest interactions, and their phase transformations upon exposure to these gases. Combining with theoretical investigation, we have fully elucidated the crossover sorption in the flexible coordination networks, which involves a reversal of apparent affinity and uptake of similar gases at different temperatures. We discovered that this behaviour can be explained by the delicate balance between guest binding and host–guest and guest-guest interactions.     

Design and synthesis of a second-generation ligand-tethered calcium indicator for plant cell biology based on the fundamental analyses of the structure and physical property

Calcium ion (Ca²⁺) is one of the most important second messengers. However, conventional Ca²⁺ indicators cannot be applied in plant cells. In previous paper, we developed the first-generation protein-ligand tethered calcium indicator that can be applied for living plant cells.Here, we will report the development of second-generation indicator based on the detailed examination on physical properties of the first-generation to improve the drawbacks. Through the examination, we also found that cell permeability of the probe is strongly affected by their aggregation properties. Our findings will provide new strategy for the design of synthetic indicators.     

Fluorescence Properties of Diphenylthiazolo[4,5‐b]pyrazines Tuned by Donor‐Acceptor Substituent Effects

Fluorescence properties of 2,6‐ and 2,5‐diphenylthiazolo[4,5‐b]pyrazine (TPy) derivatives having an electron‐donating substituent (methoxy and dimethylamino) on the 6‐ and 5‐phenyl groups were studied. It was found that 2,6‐diphenyl derivatives fluoresce more efficiently than 2,5‐diphenyl derivatives. Furthermore, a 2,6‐diphenyl derivative having an additional cyano group on the 2‐phenyl ring was an excellent fluorophore showing a wide solvatochromism with great fluorescence yields. Based on the obtained spectroscopic data and mechanistic explanations concerning the substituent effects on the fluorescence properties, useful information on designing new TPy fluorophores is provided.     

Integrable Highest Weight Modules over Affine Superalgebras and Appell's Function

We classify integrable irreducible highest weight representations of non-twisted affine Lie superalgebras. We give a free field construction in the level 1 case. The analysis of this construction shows, in particular, that in the simplest case of the sℓ (2|1) level 1 affine superalgebra the characters are expressed in terms of the Appell elliptic function. Our results demonstrate that the representation theory of affine Lie superalgebras is quite different from that of affine Lie algebras. Received: 17 April 2000 / Accepted: 7 July 2000     

Involvement of the γ Isoform of cPLA2 in the Biosynthesis of Bioactive N-Acylethanolamines

Arachidonylethanolamide (anandamide) acts as an endogenous ligand of cannabinoid receptors, while other N-acylethanolamines (NAEs), such as palmitylethanolamide and oleylethanolamide, show analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and appetite-suppressing effects through other receptors. In mammalian tissues, NAEs, including anandamide, are produced from glycerophospholipid via N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (NAPE). The ɛ isoform of cytosolic phospholipase A₂ (cPLA₂) functions as an N-acyltransferase to form NAPE. Since the cPLA₂ family consists of six isoforms (α, β, γ, δ, ɛ, and ζ), the present study investigated a possible involvement of isoforms other than ɛ in the NAE biosynthesis. Firstly, when the cells overexpressing one of the cPLA₂ isoforms were labeled with [¹⁴C]ethanolamine, the increase in the production of [¹⁴C]NAPE was observed only with the ɛ-expressing cells. Secondly, when the cells co-expressing ɛ and one of the other isoforms were analyzed, the increase in [¹⁴C]N-acyl-lysophosphatidylethanolamine (lysoNAPE) and [¹⁴C]NAE was seen with the combination of ɛ and γ isoforms. Furthermore, the purified cPLA₂γ hydrolyzed not only NAPE to lysoNAPE, but also lysoNAPE to glycerophospho-N-acylethanolamine (GP-NAE). Thus, the produced GP-NAE was further hydrolyzed to NAE by glycerophosphodiesterase 1. These results suggested that cPLA₂γ is involved in the biosynthesis of NAE by its phospholipase A₁/A₂ and lysophospholipase activities.     

Probing new intra-atomic force with isotope shifts

In the development of atomic clocks, some atomic transition frequencies are measured with remarkable precision. These measured spectra may include the effects of a new force mediated by a weakly interacting boson. Such effects might be distilled out from possible violation of a linear relation in isotope shifts between two transitions, as known as King’s linearity, with relatively suppressed theoretical uncertainties. We discuss the experimental sensitivity to a new force in the test of the linearity as well as the linearity violation owing to higher-order effects within the Standard Model. The sensitivity to new physics is limited by such effects. We have found that, for \(\hbox {Yb}^{+}\), the higher-order effect is in the reach of future experiments. The sensitivity to a heavy mediator is also discussed. It is analytically clarified that the sensitivity becomes weaker than that in the literature. Our numerical results of the sensitivity are compared with other weak force search experiments.     

牙鲆群体Idh-1基因座位杂合型个体选择性优势

利用淀粉凝胶水平电泳法分析了人工牙鲆种苗群体的异柠檬酸脱氢酶同工酶 (IDH) .对牙鲆材料分析得知 Idh- 1基因座位只存在 A、B两个等位基因 ,而且在 2 3个样品群中 ,有 19个样品群呈现 A、B这两个等位基因所决定的基因型的杂合型个体过剩现象 ,表现出杂合基因型的选择性优势 .设定这 19个呈杂合型过剩样品群的死亡率为零 ,即以杂合型 A/ B的成活率为 10 0 %来计算其纯合型的成活率 ,得到纯合型个体 A/ A和 B/ B的成活率分别为 6 9.2 %和 75 .2 % ;从个体的标准体长上看 ,在表现为杂合型个体过剩的 19个样品群中 ,15个样品群的杂合型个体 (A/ B)大于纯合型个体 (B/ B) .其结果反映了牙鲆人工养殖放流群体的 Idh- 1的基因型与成活率及生长存在相关性 .