Experimental signature of medium modifications for rho and omega mesons in the 12 GeV p+A reactions

The invariant mass spectra of e+e- pairs produced in 12 GeV proton-induced nuclear reactions are measured at the KEK Proton Synchrotron. On the low-mass side of the meson peak, a significant enhancement over the known hadronic sources has been observed. The mass spectra, including the excess, are well reproduced by a model that takes into account the density dependence of the vector meson mass modification, as theoretically predicted.     

Comparison between sonodynamic effect and photodynamic effect with photosensitizers on free radical formation and cell killing

Although enhancement of ultrasound-induced cell killing by photodynamic reagents has been shown, the sonochemical mechanism in detail is still not clear. Here, comparison between sonodynamic effect and photodynamic effect with photosensitizers at a concentration of 10 μM on free radical formation and cell killing was made. When electron paramagnetic-resonance spectroscopy (EPR) was used to detect 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone-N-oxyl (TAN) after photo-irradiation or sonication with 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone (TMPD), the order of TAN formation in the photo-irradiated samples was as follows: rhodamine 6G (R6) > sulforhodamine B (SR) > hematoporphyrin (Hp) > rhodamine 123 (R123) > rose bengal (RB) > erythrosine B (Er) = 0; although there was time-dependent TAN formation when the samples were sonicated, no significant difference among these agents were observed. All these agents suppressed ultrasound-induced OH radical formation detected by EPR-spin trapping. Sensitizer-derived free radicals were markedly observed in SR, RB and Er, while trace level of radicals derived from R6 and R123 were observed. Enhancement of ultrasound-induced decrease of survival in human lymphoma U937 cells was observed at 1.5 W/cm² (less than inertial cavitation threshold) for R6, R123, SR and Er, and at 2.3 W/cm² for R6, R123, Er, RB and SR. On the other hand, photo-induced decrease of survival was observed for R6, Hp and RB at the same concentration (10 μM). These comparative results suggest that (1) ¹O₂ is not involved in the enhancement of ultrasound-induced loss of cell survival, (2) OH radicals and sensitizer-derived free radicals do not take part in the enhancement, and (3) the mechanism is mainly due to certain mechanical stress such as augmentation of physical disruption of cellular membrane by sensitizers in the close vicinity of cells and/or cavitation bubbles.     

Effect of the cell type and cell density on the binding of living cells to a silica particle: an atomic force microscope study

We used the atomic force microscope to study how the cell type and the density of cells adsorbed at a substrate can affect the adhesion between a living cell and a model drug delivery system (DDS) carrier nano-particle. We used three different anchorage-dependent cells, i.e., a living mouse fibroblast cell (L929), a living human colon cancer cell (Caco2), and a living mouse malignant melanoma cell (B16F10). For the DDS model nano-particle, we used a silica colloid. In order to correlate the adhesion force with the cell types, the growth curve of the cells were determined with a haemocytometer. The shapes of the cells at the different stages were monitored by light microscopy, and the morphology of their surfaces obtained by tapping mode atomic force microscopy.

Force measurements showed that the Caco2 cell bound little to a silica particle, regardless of the cell density. The L929 cell bound well to a silica particle for low and high cell densities. The B16F10 cell bound little to a silica particle for low cell densities, but bound well for high cell densities. AFM images showed that the L929 cell did not contain folds. The B16F10 cells, however, displayed folds in the cell surface for low cell densities, but no folds in the cell for high cell densities. As literature also reported that the Caco2 cell contains folds, these results suggested that cells with folds showed less adhesion to a silica particle than cells without folds. The presence of folds in the cell presumably decreased the number of sites on the cell that could hydrogen bond or undergo van der Waals binding with the silanol groups of the silica particle.     

Preparation of highly dispersed core/shell-type titania nanocapsules containing a single Ag nanoparticle

Core/shell-type titania nanocapsules containing a single Ag nanoparticle were prepared. Ag nanoparticles were prepared using the reduction of silver nitrate with hydrazine in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as protective agent. The sol-gel reaction of titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) was used to prepare core/shell-type titania nanocapsules with CTAB-coated Ag nanoparticles as the core. TEM observations revealed that the size of the core (Ag particle) and the thickness of the shell (titania) of the core/shell particles obtained are about 10 nm and 5-10 nm, respectively. In addition, the nanocapsules were found to be dispersed in the medium as individual particles without aggregation. Moreover, titania coating caused the surface plasmon absorption of Ag nanoparticles to shift toward the longer wavelength side.     

Dynamics of photo-induced terahertz optical activity in metal chiral gratings

We investigated the dynamics of photo-induced optical activity of metal chiral gratings on an Si substrate for terahertz (THz) waves. We employed a new technique that enables optical-pump and THz-probe measurements via broadband THz spectroscopy at the microsecond time scale using a low-repetition-rate pump and a high-repetition-rate probe. We revealed that the THz optical activity decays as a result of the carrier diffusion effect because this optical activity is because of the presence of three-dimensional chiral structures of photo-carriers in the Si substrate.     

Synthesis of poly(phenylsilsesquioxane) having organostannyl groups

Poly(phenylsilsesquioxane) (PSQ) having tributylstannyl groups (TBPSQ) was prepared from phenyltrimethoxysilane and bis(tributyltin) oxide [(Bu₃Sn)₂O] under basic conditions. The procedure, using a catalytic amount of basic reagent such as triethylamine, sodium hydroxide, or aqueous ammonia, afforded yields of TBPSQ based on Si in the range of 12–45% at a number‐average molecular weight precipitated from ethanol of about 3500. In the other procedure, starting from PSQ with (Bu₃Sn)₂O, the incorporation of tributylstannyl groups into PSQ proceeded effectively in the presence of an acid catalyst such as methanesulfonic acid or sulfuric acid, giving TBPSQ in moderate yields of greater than 52%. Dibutyltin oxide, a bifunctional organotin compound, was also used, affording dibutylstannylated poly(phenylsilsesquioxane) (DBPSQ) without crosslinking. The highest ratio of Si and Sn contained in TBPSQ or DBPSQ, prepared under acidic conditions, was Si/Sn = 7/1. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 2125–2133, 2001     

Dialkynyl selenides: Synthesis, 13C NMR spectra,and molecular orbital calculations

Reactions of SeCl₄ with lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide and terminal acetylenes in the presence of BuLi or AIBN afforded the corresponding dialkynyl selenides in moderate to high yields. The reaction may proceed via a selenium amide 7 and an alkynyl selenium amide 8 . The comparison of ¹³C NMR spectra of dialkynyl selenides and tellurides has disclosed that the differences of the chemical shift of acetylenic carbons between Se and Te derivatives are consistent regardless of their substitution patterns. Ab initio molecular orbital calculations are reported for dialkynyl ether and chalcogenides. The calculated structures, charge distributions, and orbital energies are discussed.     

Fractionation of apple procyanidins by size-exclusion chromatography.

Oligomeric constituents of apple procyanidins were fractionated by size-exclusion chromatography using a TSKgel Toyopearl HW-40F column. The best separation was obtained using a mobile phase of acetone-8 M urea (6:4; adjusted to pH 2) at a flow-rate of 1.0 ml/min. In this chromatographic system, the use of 8 M urea in the mobile phase resulted in a molecular sieve effect without any surface affinity interaction between the gel beads and the procyanidin molecules. Each fraction obtained was examined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The order of elution of the procyanidins from the column was coincident with their degree of polymerization.     

Study of chiral property of nuclear matter through measurements of Φ meson decays

The experiment E325 being performed at KEK 12GeV-PS is to investigate the chiral property of QCD in dense matter through the measurements of vector mesons which decay inside nucleus. The status of the experiment and the preliminary mass distribution of Φ → K⁺K⁻ decays are presented.     

Reactions of diselenoic acid esters with amines and X-ray crystal structure analyses of aromatic selenoamides

Aromatic diselenoic acid Se-methyl esters 1 react with amines at 0°C in tetrahydrofuran (THF) to yield selenoamides in moderate to good yields. The reaction course is highly dependent on the steric requirements of both starting materials. In the reactions of the ester 1a with 2-methylpiperidine and of the ester 1b with piperidine, the starting materials disappear within 1 hour with the liberation of black selenium, but the corresponding selenoamides are not produced. These results may be ascribed to the steric congestion caused by the formation of the selenoamide group from the tetrahedral intermediate 15 . X-ray crystal structure analyses of the selenoamides 3 and 9 have been performed. The bond length of C(Se) N is shorter than a carbon nitrogen single bond. On the other hand, the CSe bond is longer than that of the ordinary carbon-selenium double bond. These results are indicative of the efficient delocalization of the electrons of nitrogen to the carbon–selenium double bond. The double bond character between the carbon attached to selenium and the nitrogen is also supported by the nitrogen atom showing sp² character. When a methyl group is introduced at the meta position of the aromatic ring, the deviation of the aromatic ring from the plane involving the carbon–selenium double bond and nitrogen atom becomes substantially large, perhaps due to the steric bulkiness of the selenium atom.