Photoelectrochemical evaluation of pH effect on hole transport through triplex-forming DNA immobilized on a gold electrode

We characterized pH effect on hole transport through DNA duplexes possessing a partial triplex-forming region. Direct electrochemical measurement of the current response of photosensitizer-tethered DNA immobilized on a gold electrode revealed that the partial triplex formation under acidic conditions suppressed photocurrent due to hole transport, while dissociation of the triplex into the duplex as occurred upon increasing pH values recovered the photocurrent efficiency. Reversible conversion between duplex and triplex induced upon cyclic alternation of pH values resulted in a rise and fall of photocurrent responses, indicating that pH change may feature in the switching function of hole transport in DNA. These electrochemical behaviors could be correlated to the results obtained in long-range photo-oxidative DNA cleavage experiments, in which DNA cleavage at the hole trapping site beyond the triplex region was significantly suppressed under triplex-forming acidic conditions.     

Thiophene-fused ladder boroles with high antiaromaticity

A series of polycyclic thiophene-fused boroles were synthesized on the basis of stepwise substitution reactions from thienylboronic ester precursors. In these ladder-type π-conjugated systems, the thiophene-fused structure enhances the antiaromaticity of the borole ring. This trend is opposite to the conventional understanding that the arene-fused structure decreases the antiaromaticity of the 4π-electron ring skeletons. The ladder boroles exhibited characteristic properties such as long-wavelength absorptions and low reduction potentials.     

The catalyst industry of Japan (2)

The trends of the catalyst industry in Japan are described based on the statistical data published by the Japanese government offices. Three topical items in the recent catalytic technology developments in Japan are described: resid FCC, methylmethacrylate, and emission control for lean-burn engines.     

Investigations on poly(vinyl chloride). IV. Effects of metal chlorides on the thermal decomposition of poly(vinyl chloride)

The effects of various metal oxides upon the thermal decomposition of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) were previously reported. In this work, 23 metal chlorides were investigated to determine their effects on the thermal decomposition of PVC by pyrolysis–gas chromatography at 500°C. Each metal chloride exhibits influences on the course of thermal decomposition of PVC almost similar to the corresponding metal oxide except for a few elements; the metal chlorides from acidic metal oxides accelerate the thermal decomposition of PVC, but the metal chlorides from basic metal oxides do not. On comparing the effects of metal oxides and metal chlorides on the thermal decomposition of PVC, most metal chlorides were found to accelerate the thermal decomposition of PVC more than the corresponding metal oxides, owing to ease of addition of the chlorine atoms released from metal chloride to the dehydrochlorinated chains. It is concluded from these results that the thermal decomposition of PVC containing metal salts is markedly influenced by the ease with which chlorine atoms are released from the corresponding metal chloride.     

A single-molecule enzymatic assay in a directly accessible femtoliter droplet array

The enzyme assay in a femtoliter chamber array is a simple and efficient method for concentrating the reaction product; it greatly improves the detection sensitivity down to the single-molecule level. However, in previous methods, controlling the initiation and termination of the reaction in each chamber is difficult once enclosed. Furthermore, the recovery of the enzyme and product is also difficult. To overcome these drawbacks, we developed a femtoliter droplet array in which the individual droplets are fixed on the substrate and are directly accessible from outside. A hydrophilic-in-hydrophobic micropatterned surface was used for the preparation of the droplets. When the aqueous solution on the surface is exchanged with oil, the hydrophilic surface retains the aqueous solution, and more than 10(6) dome-shaped droplets that are usable for further assay can be prepared simultaneously. The curvature radius of the droplet obeys the Young-Laplace equation, and the volume can be precisely controlled by the micropipette, which applies pressure into the droplet. Changing the pressure makes the addition, collection, and exchange of the aqueous content for individual droplets possible. Using these advantages, we successfully measured the kinetic parameters of the single-molecule enzyme β-galactosidase and rotary motor protein F(1)-ATPase enclosed in a droplet.     

Polydimethylsiloxane‐coated partitioning sample collection device for the precise quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in air

A novel partitioning collection device comprising a glass cartridge packed with poly(dimethylsiloxane)‐coated macroporous silica particles was developed for the precise quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in air. The analyte collection and elution performances achieved using different amounts of poly(dimethylsiloxane) coating were quantitatively evaluated. The sample retention power increased with increasing the coating, and more than 250 L of air could be collected without analyte breakthrough at a sampling temperature of 35°C. During the air collection, the moisture in the air was not retained on the particles due to the hydrophobic surface of the sorbent. A complete and rapid elution of the collected analytes from the device was accomplished by the passage of only 10 mL of acetone with ultrasonication for 1 min. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in tunnel air.     

Mechanochromic Luminescence (MCL) of Purely Organic Two-Component Dyes: Wide-Range MCL over 300 nm and Two-Step MCL by Charge-Transfer Complexation

Despite recent extensive studies on mechanochromic luminescence (MCL), rational control over the magnitude of the emission-wavelength shift in response to mechanical stimuli remains challenging. In the present study, a two-component donor-acceptor approach has been applied to create a variety of organic MCL composites that exhibit remarkable emission-wavelength switching. Dibenzofuran-based bis(1-pyrenylmethyl)diamine and typical organic fluorophores have been employed as donor and acceptor dyes, respectively. Outstanding wide-range MCL with an emission-wavelength shift of over 300 nm has been achieved by mixing the diamine with 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic diimide. Unprecedented two-step MCL in response to mechanical stimuli of different intensity has also been realized for a two-component mixture with 9,10-anthraquinone. Fluorescence microscopy observations at the single-particle level revealed that the segregation and mixing of the two-component dyes contribute to the stimuli-responsive emission-color switching of the MCL composites.     

Reactions of 2-phospholene 1-oxides with bromine in some media: Facile preparation of bromohydrin derivatives of 2-phospholenes

Reactions of 1-phenyl- and 1-methoxy-2-phospholene 1-oxides with bromine in aqueous organic solvents or in a protic medium, such as methanol, easily afforded the corresponding 2-bromo-3-hydroxy- or 2-bromo-3-methoxyphospholane 1-oxide derivatives. The reaction mechanism was postulated based on the stereochemistry of the products.     

Light Emitting Diodes Fabricated from Liquid Phase Epitaxial InAs/InAsxP1‐x‐ySby/InAsx'P1‐x'‐y'Sby' and InAs/InAs1‐xSbx Multi‐Layers

Mid‐infrared light emitting diodes (LED) in 3‐5μm wavelength range have been fabricated from InAs/InAs_xP_1‐x‐ySb_y/InAs_x'P_1‐x'‐y'Sb_y' composition graded layer and InAs/InAsSb multilayers. The heterostructures were grown by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) between 600 and 520°C. An output power of 3.1 mW at 11K and of 10 μW at 300 K have been obtained under a peak current of 100 mA (50 % duty ratio) from InAsSb multilayers. Recombination mechanisms for these diodes were studied by temperature‐dependent emission spectra using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) measurement system with double modulation. The output powers of the LEDs decrease rapidly at temperatures above 153 K suggesting that nonradiative and Auger recombinations are the main limitation of the device performance at high temperatures.