Normal mode analyses of methyl palmitate all-trans and disordered forms in wagging progressive region

Normal mode analyses are made for methyl palmitate molecule having all-trans or conformational disorders around the ester head group, in order to explain characteristic observed frequency shifts in the wagging progressive region between all-trans and disorder chains in triglyceride molecules. It was found that one gauche conformation at C(alpha)-C(beta) position and 90 degrees rotation of the ester head group in an alkyl chain produce frequency shifts for twisting mode as observed. For wagging modes, contamination of the disorders around the head group makes assignments change and apparent frequency shifts occur.     

Modified Synthesis and Supramolecular Polymerization of Rim-to-Rim Connected Bisresorcinarenes

The acid-catalyzed condensation reaction of resorcinol and bisdimethoxyacetals gave rise to rim-to-rim connected bisresorcinarenes in good yields. In the presence of ethanol, the homoditopic bisresorcinarenes assembled to form supramolecular polymers via hydrogen bonding interactions. The fibrous morphologies of the supramolecular polymers were confirmed by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.     

Phase-transfer behavior of cross-linked poly(acrylic acid) particles prepared by dispersion polymerization from ionic liquid to water

The phase-transfer behavior of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) particles from the hydrophobic ionic liquid N,N-diethyl-N-methyl-N-(2-methoxyethyl)ammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide phase to the water phase in the particle state, which we reported previously, was examined in more detail. PAA particles were prepared in the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide ([Bmim][TFSA]) and the organic solvent chloroform and were extracted. The transfer of PAA particles to water in the particle state was also observed in [Bmim][TFSA] systems. In contrast, the transfer phenomenon was not observed in the chloroform system. It was clarified that water/oil interfacial tension γ(wo) is an important parameter in the extraction of PAA in the particle state from the viewpoint of free energy. When the cationic surfactant tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide, aqueous solution was used as the extraction medium, the PAA particles were extracted in the particle state from chloroform to water, in which γ(wo) became as low as that of the ionic liquid. This suggests that the phase-transfer phenomenon of PAA particles in the particle state was induced by the ionic liquid's unique property of low interfacial tension with water despite its high hydrophobic character.     

Wetting mode transition of nanoliter scale water droplets during evaporation on superhydrophobic surfaces with random roughness structure

During evaporation, shape changes of nanoliter-scale (80-100 nL) water droplets were evaluated on two superhydrophobic surfaces with different random roughness (nm-coating, μm-coating). The square of the contact radius and the square of the droplet height decreased linearly with evaporation time. However, trend changes were observed at around 170 s (nm-coating) and around 150 s (μm-coating) suggesting a wetting mode transition. The calculated droplet radii for the wetting mode transition from the average roughness distance and the average roughness height of these surface structures were approximately equal to the experimental values at these trend changes. A certain level of correlation between the roughness size and droplet radius at the wetting mode transition was confirmed on surfaces with random roughness.     

M?ssbauer spectroscopic study on valence-detrapping and trapping of mixed-valence trinuclear iron(III, III, II) fluorine-substituted benzoate complexes

Magnetorheological (MR) fluids are new iron-based materials, whose applications include brakes, dampers, clutches, shock absorbers systems and polishing of optical surfaces (lens and mirrors). They are dependent on the size and shape of particles as the magnetic properties. Interested in the possibility of using iron-rich powders, commonly used in nondestructive testing, ranging in size from a few μm to about 200?μm and lower cost than those commercially used for MR fluids, a study of the structural and magnetic properties of iron-rich metallic particles by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and M?ssbauer spectroscopy (MS) at room temperature has been done. Powders, as received, were separated into particle sizes smaller than 20?μm (sample A) and in the range of 20–38?μm (sample B) because these are the sizes generally required for applications in MR fluids. The particles whose sizes exceed the above values were ground in a high energy planetary mill for 3?h, using different values of rotational speed/time: 200?rpm for one hour, a pause of 10?s, 140?rpm for one hour, pause 10?s and then 175?rpm during the last hour. These powders were sieved to obtain particles smaller than 20?μm (sample C). According XRD results, in all samples, only α-Fe (lattice parameter a = 2,867(2) ?) and Fe₂O₃ (lattice parameter a = 5,037(1) ? and c = 13,755(8) ?) were present. The M?ssbauer spectra were fitted with two sextets. The hyperfine parameters values allowed us to assign the highest relative area spectrum (sextet) corresponding to α-Fe and the second one to Fe₂O₃ in accord to the XRD results. Thus, the preparation method using mechanical milling for diminishing the size of the metallic particles allowed us to get particles with size and magnetic properties that could lead to potentially MR fluids applications.     

Development of an electrochemical cholesterol sensor system for food analysis

In this article, we report on a food-cholesterol monitoring sensor based on a non-enzymatic approach. Amorphous and single-crystal gold electrodes were modified with an alkanethiol self-assembled monolayer to quantify it by voltammetry. We first discuss the basic characteristics of these sensors and provide more information about the instrument developed by JSK Co. This instrument is a battery-operated handheld voltammetric analyzer, which mounts a sensor chip to monitor cholesterol contents in food samples. The sensor showed excellent linearity with the cholesterol concentration; egg-yolk samples were analyzed to give an excellent agreement between the values obtained by the sensor (1.4 mM) and chromatography (1.1 mM).     

Direct drug metabolism monitoring in a live single hepatic cell by video mass spectrometry

The metabolism of anti-breast cancer drug, tamoxifen, in a single human hepatocellular carcinoma cell, HepG2, was directly monitored by a video-mass spectroscope. The cytoplasm, a vacuole or nucleus of the cell was directly sucked by a nano-spray tip under a video-microscope, and then was introduced into a mass spectrometer. Unchanged drug molecules were found in cytoplasm and a vacuole, but the metabolites were only found in the cytoplasm. This direct detection of drug metabolites in a live single cell is useful for speedy drug metabolism monitoring.     

Selective and sensitive determination of peptides using 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid as a fluorogenic reagent

A novel fluorescence (FL) reaction for N-terminal Gly-containing peptides has been developed using 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (3,4-DHPAA). The reaction of the peptides with 3,4-DHPAA was carried out in borate buffer (pH 8.0) in the presence of sodium periodate at 37 °C for 10 min, and the FL was measured with a spectrofluorimeter at the excitation and emission wavelengths of 370 nm and 465 nm, respectively. The 3,4-DHPAA reagent generated particularly strong FL for peptides containing Gly at their N-termini. When various other bio-substances, such as amino acids, sugars, nucleic bases, nucleotides, and proteins, were reacted with 3,4-DHPAA, no FL was observed. Under optimized reaction conditions, the lower detection limit of 0.25 μmol L⁻¹ was obtained for the N-terminal Gly-containing peptides of Gly-Pro (GP) and Gly-Pro-Pro (GPP), which gave 3 times greater FL intensity than that observed for the reagent blank. The proposed reaction with 3,4-DHPAA as a fluorogenic reagent is selective and sensitive for the detection of N-terminal Gly-containing peptides, and therefore, this method could be a useful tool for the determination of these particular oligopeptides.     

Triterpene saponins with hyaluronidase inhibitory activity from the seeds of Camellia sinensis

The MeOH extract of the seeds of Camellia sinensis (L.) KUNTZE gave twelve new saponins (1-12) along with ten known saponins (13-22). These saponins (1-22) showed stronger hyaluronidase inhibitory activity than the positive control, rosmarinic acid.     

Preparation of Micron‐Sized Monodisperse Poly(ionic liquid) Particles

Micron‐sized monodisperse poly(ionic liquid) (PIL) particles, poly([2‐(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide), were prepared by dispersion polymerization at 70 °C in methanol with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) as a stabilizer. The obtained particle size could be controlled by addition of ethanol to the methanol medium while maintaining narrow monodispersity. The PIL particles exhibit unique properties; they can be observed by scanning electron microscopy without platinum coating, which is generally used to avoid an electron charge. Moreover, the solubility of the PIL particles can be easily changed by changing the counter anion, similar to the process for ionic liquids.