Nepheline from K2CO3/nanosized sodalite as a prospective candidate for diesel soot combustion

Nepheline group materials obtained by a thermal treatment of K2CO3-supported nanosized sodalite are identified as cost-effective materials which show promising activity and durability toward diesel soot combustion.     

Effect of electric fields on the surface profiles of electrorheological suspensions

The surface deformation induced in electric fields is studied on the comb pattern electrodes for silica suspensions. On the application of electric fields, a fine pattern with a waveform is developed from the smooth surface. The surface profiles can be approximated by single sinusoidal waves or their superposition depending on the sample thickness. In electric fields, the silica suspensions shows the viscosity decrease in steady shear and yield stress in the limit of zero shear rates. The viscosity decrease can be attributed to electrophoretic migration of particles to one electrode and the development of yield stress to eletrorheological effects due to chain formation of particles between electrodes. In thick liquid films, the dielectric polarization forces are predominant and the sinusoidal profiles with a wavelength of pitch of electrodes are formed. In thin films, the electrophoretic forces are predominant and the wavelength coincides with twice the pitch of electrodes. At intermediate thicknesses, the surface profiles can be expressed by a superposition of two sinusoidal waves.     

Spin-lattice relaxation of 25Al and 28P in Pt

The spin-lattice relaxation times T ₁ for short-lived β emitters ²⁵Al(I?=?5/2, T _1/2?= 7.2 s) and ²⁸P(I?=?3, T _1/2?= 270 ms) in Pt were measured by means of the β-NMR technique. As a result, T ₁[²⁵Al in Pt] = (1.1 $^{+\ 0.7}_{-\ 0.3})$ s and T ₁[²⁸P in Pt] >0.5 s were obtained at temperatures of 17 and 20 K, respectively. The Knight shifts were estimated from the Korringa relation, which were evaluated by comparing to the first principle calculations.     

Rate coefficients of H-atom abstraction from ethers and isomerization of alkoxyalkylperoxy radicals

Group rate expressions for the hydrogen(H)-atom abstraction reactions from ethers by hydrogen atoms and hydroxyl(OH) radicals and the intramolecular hydrogen-transfer isomerization reactions of alkoxyalkylperoxy radicals, which result from the H-abstraction from ethers followed by the addition of O(2), have been evaluated based on the quantum chemical calculations and experimental data. With the relative method proposed in the present study, it was shown that the rate coefficients of the reactions, for which only poor experimental information is available, can be reliably evaluated by calculating and extracting the difference from the well-established reactions of alkane hydrocarbons. The major features on the H-abstraction reactions from O-adjacent sites of ethers compared to those from alkanes were the suppression of the activation energy due to the decrease of the C-H bond dissociation energy and non-next neighbor substituent effect from the alkyl group on the counter side of -O-. For the hydrogen transfer isomerization reactions, similar suppression of the activation energy as well as the change in the ring strain energy was found as a major feature.     

Temporal diet changes recorded by stable isotopes in Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) hair

Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios were measured in hair samples of the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) inhabiting the Northern Japanese Alps (NJA) (n?=?20) and the periphery of Nagano City (NC) (n?=?6), in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. The hair of NJA bears, which did not have access to anthropogenic foods, showed lower values of δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N than that of NC bears which had access to garbage and corn fields, especially during the summer. These results reflect somewhat differing diets between the NJA and NC bears. We attempted to assess the feeding history during the hair growth cycle using the growth section analysis method. Each hair sample had been cut into 3?mm lengths from root to tip, labeled, and analyzed along the hair growth. We measured the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of each 3?mm length of hair sample from one NC bear which had been killed while raiding a corn field. The sections showed wide ranges of isotope ratios, from ?23.2‰ to ?14.6‰ for δ¹³C, and from 0.3‰ to 4.6‰ for δ¹⁵N. It was shown that the diet of this bear shifted dramatically from principally C₃ plants to more C₄ plants and to foods of animal origin. An analysis of the whole hair reflects just the average feeding habit during hair growth, but the present method can trace its diet history. This method can contribute to obtain precise ecological information of wildlife.     

Development of miracle medicines from sialic acids

Sialic acids are electronegatively charged C9-sugars and are considered to play important roles in higher animals and some microorganisms. Denoting their significance, understanding and exploiting the complexity of the sialic acids has been referred to as the "the third language of life". In essence, "sialic acid derivatives possess a harmonious shape and good balance between two opposing hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts, meaning that they should display various kinds of potentially unique and possibly conflicting physiological activities (glycolipoids)". Consequently, there are good omens that unprecedented 'miracle' medicines could be developed from sialic acid derivatives. In this review, the first problem, the preparation of sialic acids, is covered, the synthesis of sialic acid derivatives and confirmation of their structures obviously being of critical significance. In addition we needed to confirm their precise stereochemistry and a hydrolysis method has been developed for confirmation of the anomeric position. Several of the compounds have already demonstrated interesting bioactivity.     

Synthesis of Graft Copolymers Based on Poly(2‐Methoxyethyl Acrylate) and Investigation of the Associated Water Structure

Graft copolymers composed of poly(2‐methoxyethyl acrylate) are prepared employing controlled radical polymerization techniques. Linear backbones bearing atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiating sites are obtained by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer copolymerization of 2‐methoxyethyl acrylate (MEA) and 2‐(bromoisobutyryloxy)ethyl methacrylate (BrⁱBuEMA) as well as 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate and BrⁱBuEMA in a controlled manner . MEA is then grafted from the linear macroinitiators by Cu (I)‐mediated ATRP. Fairly high molecular weights (>120 000 Da) and low polydispersity indices (1.17–1.38) are attained. Thermal investigations of the graft copolymers indicate the presence of the freezing bound water, and imply that the materials may exhibit blood compatibility.