A novel dinuclear cyclometalated iridium complex bridged with 1,4-bis[pyridine-2-yl]benzene: its structure and photophysical properties

The synthesis, structure, and photophysical properties of a new cyclometalated dinuclear iridium complex, (ppy)2Ir(mu-BPB)Ir(ppy)2 [ppy = 2-phenylpyridine, BPB = 1,4-bis(pyridin-2-yl)benzene], have been investigated.     

Age-dependent plasticity in the superior temporal sulcus in deaf humans: a functional MRI study

Background  

Sign-language comprehension activates the auditory cortex in deaf subjects. It is not known whether this functional plasticity in the temporal cortex is age dependent. We conducted functional magnetic-resonance imaging in six deaf signers who lost their hearing before the age of 2 years, five deaf signers who were >5 years of age at the time of hearing loss and six signers with normal hearing. The task was sentence comprehension in Japanese sign language.     

Interactions of enzymes and a lectin with a chitin-based graft copolymer having polysarcosine side chains

The molecular-recognition abilities of a water-soluble chitin derivative, chitin-graft-polysarcosine (2) were investigated using chitinase, lysozyme, and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). The enzymatic degradabilities of 2 were evaluated using chitinase and lysozyme. The molecular weight of those compounds of 2 with a higher affinity toward water decreased rapidly, as compared with partially deacetylated chitin (1). The 1H NMR spectrum of the low-molecular-weight fraction, yielded after lysozymic hydrolysis, indicated that saccharide residues in the chitinous backbone were specifically recognized by the lysozyme, then beta-glycosidic linkages in the backbone were selectively hydrolyzed. Furthermore, the molecular-recognition ability of the chitinous backbone of graft copolymer 2 toward the lectin WGA was elucidated by the enzyme-linked lectin-binding assay (ELLA). It was revealed that the graft copolymer with a lower degree of substitution (DS) value efficiently interacted with WGA. Interestingly, a graft copolymer having longer polysarcosine side chains showed higher recognition ability toward WGA than that having short side chains.     

Remote asymmetric induction with vinylketene silyl n,o-acetal

A highly regio- and diastereoselective TiCl4-mediated vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reaction using the chiral vinylketene silyl N,O-acetal has been developed. The present vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reaction provides a unique and effective means of controlling remote asymmetric induction. The methyl group at the alpha-position is important in achieving a high level of stereoselectivity. From a synthetic point of view, this methodology can provide a one-step construction of delta-hydroxy-alpha,gamma-dimethyl-alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl unit that is seen in many natural polyketide products.     

First results from KamLAND: evidence for reactor antineutrino disappearance

KamLAND has measured the flux of nu;(e)'s from distant nuclear reactors. We find fewer nu;(e) events than expected from standard assumptions about nu;(e) propagation at the 99.95% C.L. In a 162 ton.yr exposure the ratio of the observed inverse beta-decay events to the expected number without nu;(e) disappearance is 0.611+/-0.085(stat)+/-0.041(syst) for nu;(e) energies >3.4 MeV. In the context of two-flavor neutrino oscillations with CPT invariance, all solutions to the solar neutrino problem except for the "large mixing angle" region are excluded.     

Magnetic ordering of dangling bond networks on hydrogen-deposited Si(111) surfaces

Based on total-energy electronic-structure calculations within the density-functional theory, we find that a high spin state is realized for an ultimate dangling bond unit on an otherwise hydrogen-covered Si(111) surface. We further propose a systematic method of constructing nanometer-scale dangling bond networks that exhibit the ferrimagnetic spin ordering. The interplay between the electron-electron interaction and the surface reconstruction is elucidated.     

Lines of periodic hole structures produced by laser ablation using interfering femtosecond lasers split by a transmission grating

Long lines of periodic hole structures were produced on a gold film, a glass slide and polystyrene by laser ablation using interfering femtosecond lasers split by a transmission grating. An optical system comprising a cylindrical lens added to an imaging system with a transmission grating was used to obtain the interference of two beams along a long length, and high laser fluence was used to achieve laser ablation. The separation of each hole was 6.25 m, and the total length of the structure produced reached 6 mm, which is longest periodic structure produced by a shot of femtosecond laser. PACS 42.62.-b; 07.60.Ly; 42.40.Eq     

Total versus single point blow-up of solutions of a semilinear parabolic equation with localized reaction

In this paper, we study the initial-boundary value problem of a semilinear parabolic equation with localized reaction,

     

Energetics and electronic structures of encapsulated C60 in a carbon nanotube

We report total-energy electronic structure calculations that provide energetics of encapsulation of C60 in the carbon nanotube and electronic structures of the resulting carbon peapods. We find that the encapsulating process is exothermic for the (10,10) nanotube, whereas the processes are endothermic for the (8,8) and (9,9) nanotubes, indicative that the minimum radius of the nanotube for the encapsulation is 6.4 A. We also find that the C(60)@(10,10) is a metal with multicarriers each of which distributes either along the nanotube or on the C60 chain. This unusual feature is due to the nearly free electron state that is inherent to hierarchical solids with sufficient space inside.