5,6,7,8-Tetrafluoro-3lambda4delta2,1,2,4-benzothiaselenadiazine, 5,6,7,8-tetrafluoro-1,3lambda4delta2,2,4-benzodithiadiazine, and their hydrocarbon analogues: molecular and crystal structures

5,6,7,8-Tetrafluoro-3lambda4delta2,1,2,4-benzothiaselenadiazine (1) is prepared by the intramolecular nucleophilic cyclization of C6F5SeN=S=NSiMe3 (2) mediated by CsF. According to an X-ray diffraction analysis, the heterocycle of 1 is bent along the Se(1)...N4 line by 6.0(2) degrees in the crystal. Despite the obvious similarities between 1 and its 1,3-dithia analogue (7) with respect to molecular composition and shape, the crystal packing of 1 is substantially different from that of 7. An interesting consequence of this is the inclusion of atmospheric N2 in the crystal lattice of the selenium derivative 1. The molecular structure and bonding of 1 have been investigated using quantum-chemical calculations at the DFT/B3LYP/6-311+G level of theory, and the results have been compared to those of 5,6,7,8-tetrafluoro-1,3lambda4delta2,2,4-benzodithiadiazine (7) and their hydrocarbon analogues (5 and 8).     

Liquid-liquid phase separation of binary Lennard-Jones fluid in slit nanopores

The capillary phase separation of a binary mixture of two truncated and shifted Lennard-Jones (LJ) Ar liquids in slit-shaped oxygen nanopores is examined. The LJ parameters—ε(Ar(A)–Ar(A))=ε(Ar(B)–Ar(B))=0.8ε(Ar(A)–Ar(B)) and 0.5ε(Ar(A)–O)?=?ε(Ar(B)–O)—were used to distinguish the two Ar liquids. The cut off distance for Ar was 3.5σ. We employed a molecular dynamics (MD) technique in which a pore space was connected with a bulk solution to easily determine the equilibrium bulk concentration. Liquid phase isotherms were obtained for pores with widths ranging from 5.5σ to 9.5σ, and the relation between the pore width and the phase separation concentration was determined. Each simulation was run until the bulk concentration attained equilibrium (1–2 μs). The MD results show that the Patrick model overestimates the bulk concentration for a given pore size. We proposed a modified Patrick model in which the pore wall potential is considered. In our model, the Gibbs-Tolman-Koenig-Buff effect is not considered for the interfacial tension since two surfaces of tension exist on both sides of the equimolar dividing surface of the two-Ar liquid phase. The two surfaces of tension neutralized Gibbs-Tolman-Koenig-Buff effect each other. The present simple model successfully describes the relation to prove its reliability.     

Development of sample preparation technique to characterize chemical structure of humin by synchrotron-radiation–based X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Carbon-binding state of humin (HM, a non-conductive insoluble organo-mineral humic substance) was successfully characterized for the first time by synchrotron-radiation–based X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Four sample preparation techniques—HM on double-sided carbon tape, indium sheet, copper mesh, and in pellet formed from the mixture of HM and copper powder (Cu) at different mixing ratios (1:1, 1:2, and 1:6 v/v)—were compared. The results show that HM samples prepared using the first three methods had significant charge buildup, which made the interpretation of the XPS spectra impossible because of the shifts in the binding energy of C 1s XPS spectra. Pellets of HM:Cu mixture enhanced the electrical conductivity and reduced charge buildup on the sample surface. Pellets prepared with HM:Cu ratio of 1:1 (v/v) provided the minimum charge buildup and high sensitivity with difference in C 1s spectra regardless of the observing position. The C 1s spectra, estimated by the subtraction of the carbon contamination in Cu, showed the resolution of CC (284.0 eV), C C/C H (285.1 eV), C O (286.3 eV), CO (287.3 eV), and OC O (288.3 eV) and three additional peaks of CF (289.3 eV), CF₂ (290.2 eV), and CF₃ (291.4 eV). Soft X-ray absorption spectroscopic (XAS) analysis further proved the existence of fluoride (F 1s) in HM structure. The detection of fluorinated carbon in HM showed a great advancement of XPS compared with other conventional analyses. X-ray with the incident angle of 0° provided the smallest (nearly negligible) energy shift in the C 1s spectra of HM and did not damage the surface of the sample.     

Genotoxic Responses of Mitochondrial Oxygen Consumption Rate and Mitochondrial Semiquinone Radicals in Tumor Cells

Our recent report demonstrated that genotoxic stimuli enhance mitochondrial energy metabolism in various tumor cell lines. However, the mitochondrial response against genotoxic stimuli has not been fully elucidated. In this study, to investigate mitochondrial functions in X-irradiated cells, the oxygen consumption rate (OCR) in human cervical adenocarcinoma HeLa cells was examined by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy with lithium 5,9,14,18,23,27,32,36-octa-n-butoxy-2,3-naphthalocyanine. ESR oximetry demonstrated that basal respiration, ATP-linked respiration, proton leak, maximal respiration, and reserve capacity increased in HeLa cells 24 h after X-irradiation. However, a flow cytometric analysis using MitoTracker Green showed that mitochondrial mass also increased following X-irradiation. When the OCR was standardized to the mitochondria membrane mass, the radiation-induced increases in the respiratory parameters disappeared. This finding indicated that the radiation-induced increase in cellular OCR was explained by an increase in mitochondrial mass but not by the activation of mitochondrial respiratory-related enzymes. In addition, mitochondrial semiquinone radicals at g?=?2.004 were detected by low-temperature (110 K) ESR spectroscopy. The ESR signal intensity of semiquinone radicals was enhanced by X-irradiation, suggesting an increase in the electron flow in the electron transport chain. These data will be important to understand the mechanism of radio-sensitization by mitochondria-targeting reagents in tumor cells.     

Triple point of Lennard-Jones fluid in slit nanopore: solidification of critical condensate

We report the results of a molecular dynamics simulation that looked for the triple point of Lennard-Jones fluid in slit-shaped nanopores. The simulation method employed for this purpose is able to maintain vapor-liquid coexistence in a nanopore at a specific equilibrium bulk-phase pressure. The triple point is the freezing point of the critical condensate. The triple-point temperature could be higher or lower than the bulk triple point, depending on the pore size. This is thought to be due to two opposing factors: the elevating effect of the pore-wall potential energy, and the depressing effect of the capillary condensate's tensile condition. Because of the cancellation, the deviation of the triple-point temperature from the bulk triple-point temperature was not considered significant. The pressure of the triple point, however, was significantly different from that of the bulk triple point. A simple model to describe the triple point is developed and shown to agree well with the results of the simulation. The importance of the two factors in nanoscale pores, which cannot be described by the classic Gibbs-Thomson equation, is emphasized.     

Observation of rho/omega meson modification in nuclear matter

We measured the invariant mass spectra of electron-positron pairs in the target rapidity region of 12-GeV p+A reactions. We have observed a significant difference in the mass spectra below the omega meson between p+C and p+Cu interactions. This difference indicates that the spectral shape of mesons is modified at normal nuclear-matter density.     

Stable operation of a 300-m laser interferometer with sufficient sensitivity to detect gravitational-wave events within our galaxy

TAMA300, an interferometric gravitational-wave detector with 300-m baseline length, has been developed and operated with sufficient sensitivity to detect gravitational-wave events within our galaxy and sufficient stability for observations; the interferometer was operated for over 10 hours stably and continuously. With a strain-equivalent noise level of h approximately 5x10(-21)/sqrt[Hz], a signal-to-noise ratio of 30 is expected for gravitational waves generated by a coalescence of 1.4M-1.4M binary neutron stars at 10 kpc distance. We evaluated the stability of the detector sensitivity with a 2-week data-taking run, collecting 160 hours of data to be analyzed in the search for gravitational waves.     

Sensitivity of a miniaturized touch probe sensor using PZT thin film vibrator

In this paper, an improved touch probe sensor device for higher sensitivity and low contact force is reported. In order to improve the resolution, we have evaluated the sensitivity and fabricated a miniaturized sensor. The sensor transducer was 3 mm long and had higher resonance frequency. The resonance frequency of the vibrator was 937 kHz. Evaluated sensitivity was 1.0 x 10(-1) mV/nm. This value equals five times larger than that of a previous sensor. Miniaturization of the sensor device carried smaller vibration operation and higher sensitivity.