Structure of wyosine, the condensed tricyclic nucleoside of torula yeast phenylalanine transfer ribonucleic acid

Large-scale isolation of the minor nucleoside wyosine of torula yeast tRNA(Phe) was accomplished by a combination of enzymatic digestion and reversed-phase chromatography: the wyosine-containing nucleotide fraction, which was obtained by partial digestion of unfractionated tRNA (1 g) with nuclease P1, was concentrated by reversed-phase column chromatography followed by complete digestion with nuclease P1/alkaline phosphatase. The nucleoside mixture thus obtained was purified by reversed-phase HPLC, providing wyosine (70 microg). Comparison of this nucleoside with a chemically synthesized authentic sample has unambiguously established that the structure of wyosine is 4,6-dimethyl-3-beta-D-ribofuranosyl-3,4-dihydro-9H-imidazo[1,2-a]purin-9-one (2).     

UV dose measurements of photosensitive dermatosis patients by polycrystalline GaN-based portable self-data-acquisition UV monitors

We have developed a UV monitor with polycrystalline (poly-) gallium nitride (GaN) UV sensors and evaluated its performance from the viewpoint of its effectiveness for use with photosensitive dermatosis patients. The poly-GaN UV sensor is sensitive to UV light from 280 to 410 nm even without optical filters. The UV monitor is a portable self-data-acquisition instrument with a minimum detection level (defined as average UV intensity over 290 to 400 nm) of 2 microW/cm2 and can store UV dose data for 128 days. It allows easy measurement of four orders of magnitude of ambient UV intensity and dose from indoor light to direct solar radiation in summer. Trial use of the UV monitor by five xeroderma pigmentosum patients started in June 2000 and was carried out for 1 year. It was demonstrated that the UV monitor was useful in improving their quality of life.     

A novel [60]fullerene receptor with a Pd(II)-switched bisporphyrin cleft

Porphyrin dimer 1, which does not have an inside cavity and cannot interact with [60]fullerene (C60), becomes an excellent C60-acceptor with a large cavity in the presence of a Pd(II) complex.     

Oligo(octithienylene-diethynylene)s as unprecedentedly long conjugated nanomolecules

[reaction: see text] A series of oligo(octithienylene-diethynylene)s alternately composed of octithiophene and diacetylene units have been prepared by a random Eglinton coupling reaction among mono- and diethynyloctithiophenes. The largest compound isolated in the oligomeric series is comprised of twelve octithiophene units and eleven diacetylene units, and its molecular length reaches ca. 43 nm, which is the longest among single-component conjugated nanomolecules.     

Robust D-wave pairing correlations in a hole-doped spin-fermion model

Pairing correlations are studied numerically in a hole-doped spin-fermion model. Simulations performed on up to 12 x 12 clusters provide indications of D-wave superconductivity away from half-filling comparable to those of the 2D t-J model. The pairing correlations are the strongest in the direction perpendicular to the dynamic stripes that appear in the ground state at some densities. An optimal doping, where correlations are maximized, was observed at approximately 25% doping with an estimated T(c) approximately 100-200 K, in qualitative agreement with high-T(c) cuprates' phenomenology, while pairing correlations are suppressed by static stripe inhomogeneities.     

Analysis of electroweak precision data and prospects for future improvements

We update our previous work on an analysis of the electroweak data by including new and partly preliminary data available up to the 1996 summer conferences. The new results on the partial decay widths into and hadrons now offer a consistent interpretation of all data in the minimal standard model. The value extracted for the strong interaction coupling constant agrees well with determinations in other areas. New constraints on the universal parameters , and are obtained from the updated measurements. No signal of new physics is found in the , , analysis once the SM contributions with GeV and those of not a too heavy Higgs boson are accounted for. The naive QCD-like technicolor model is now ruled out at the 99% CL even for the minimal model with . In the absence of a significant new physics effect in the electroweak observables, constraints on masses of the top quark, , and Higgs boson, , are derived as a function of and the QED effective coupling . The preferred range of depends rather strongly on the actual value of : for , while for at 95% CL. Prospects due to forthcoming improved measurements of asymmetries, the mass of the weak boson , and are discussed. Anticipating uncertainties of 0.00020 for , 20 MeV for , and 2 GeV for , the new physics contributions to the , , parameters will be constrained more severely, and, within the SM, the logarithm of the Higgs mass can be constrained to about . The better constraints on , , and on within the minimal SM should be accompanied with matching precision in . Received: 18 June 1997     

Experimental evaluation of the ξ-function for an atmospheric argon plasma near 104 K

The ξ-functions for an atmospheric argon plasma have been evaluated within an accuracy of ±9% over the visible region (400–800 nm) at several temperatures in the 10⁴ K region. The plasma has been produced by a low-voltage, high-current arc jet and its parameters have been determined by using a recently published value for the atomic transition probability.     

Crystal growth of Co ferrite on fine acicular γ-Fe2O3 particles

Highly coercive magnetic powder was obtained by growing cobalt ferrite on the surface of γ-Fe₂O₃ particles in highly alkaline suspensions containing cobalt and ferrous ions in a Co/Fe molar ratio = $\text{1}\text{2}$. The mechanism of the growth and the structure of cobalt ferrite on γ-Fe₂O₃ were studied by X-ray diffraction and electron diffraction techniques. Results show that crystals of cobalt ferrite CoFe₂O₄ with a spinel type crystal structure of lattice constant 8.415 Å grew epitaxially on γ-Fe₂O₃. The acicular direction of the epitaxially grown Co-γ-Fe₂O₃ as well as γ-Fe₂O₃ was in the [$\text{1}$01] direction. It was found that from the lattice constant value and the half width of X-ray diffraction peaks, the lattice constant epitaxially grown Co γ-Fe₂O₃ may be attributed to two kinds of crystals, viz., seed γ-Fe₂O₃ ($\text{a = 8.35 ～ 8.37}\text{A}\text{?}$) which was partly reduced to Fe₃O₄, and surface layer CoFe₂O₄ ($\text{a = 8.415}\text{A}\text{?}$). The crystal growth in the interface between the seed crystals and the growth layer was affected by the crystal structure of the seed crystals. The lattice constant of CoFe₂O₄ which was located in the vicinity of the interface was almost equal to that of the seed crystals.     

Vector meson pole dominance in Jψ decays into mesons

The validity of the assumption that $\text{J}\text{ψ}$ decays into mesons proceed via ω, φ and ?⁰ poles followed by cascade decays is examined. $\text{Λ(}\text{J}\text{ψ}\text{→}\text{B}\text{π)}$ is well reproduced by using $\text{Λ(}\text{J}\text{ψ}\text{→ ?π), Λ(ω → ?π), Λ(}\text{B}\text{→ ωπ)}$ and the B → ωπ helicity structure. The structure of OZI-violating $\text{J}\text{ψ}\text{?}\text{V}{}^0$ transitions including the electromagnetic contribution is examined, and compared with the data on inclusive $\text{J}\text{ψ}$ decay.     

A coordination gelator that shows a reversible chromatic change and sol-gel phase-transition behavior upon oxidative/reductive stimuli

A novel coordination gelator exhibits reversible chromatic and sol-gel phase-transition phenomena triggered by thermal and chemical stimuli.