Polystyrene Derivative Films for Liquid Crystal Alignment

We studied the alignment of liquid crystal molecules on rubbed, thin polymer films of polystrene and its derivatives. Liquid crystal molecules were aligned perpendicular to the rubbing direction, although the polymer main chains of rubbed films were oriented along the rubbing direction. The alignment of the liquid crystal depended on the choice of side phenyl groups of polystyrene derivatives, and the pretilt angle varied with the type and the position of the substituents that were introduced into the side phenyl groups. Homogeneous alignment for ferroelectric liquid crystal was obtained by using poly(NO₂ styrene), poly(p-OH styrene) and poly(4-vinylpyridine) films, which have relatively high β-dispersion and glass transition temperatures.     

Magnetic Susceptibility in 2D Superconductor NaxHfNCl System

Abstract

Superconducting critical temperature, T_c and the shielding volume fraction, SVF, of layered nitride superconductor Na_xHfNCl have been studied as a function of x, i.e. Na concentration. Although T_c decreases gradually with increasing x from 20.0 K at x=0.11 to 16.5 K at x=0.85, SVF has a sharp peak around x=1/6, where strong coupling between local ordering of Na atoms and Fermi surface instability can be expected. Structural disorder in the samples above x=0.5, observed by powder neutron diffraction, does not affect the superconductivity appreciably. Electronic specific heat coefficient, γ, is estimated to be about 7.7 mJ/mol/K² by its difference of magnetic susceptibility between HfNCl and Na_0.5HfNCl. The γ value is relatively small compared with the high T_c value, revealing double honeycomb lattice system as new potential higher T_c superconductor series by intercalation.     

Error estimates with explicit constants for Sinc approximation, Sinc quadrature and Sinc indefinite integration

Error estimates with explicit constants are given for approximations of functions, definite integrals and indefinite integrals by means of the Sinc approximation. Although in the literature various error estimates have already been given for these approximations, those estimates were basically for examining the rates of convergence, and several constants were left unevaluated. Giving more explicit estimates, i.e., evaluating these constants, is of great practical importance, since by this means we can reinforce the useful formulas with the concept of “verified numerical computations.” In this paper we reveal the explicit form of all constants in a computable form under the same assumptions of the existing theorems: the function to be approximated is analytic in a suitable region. We also improve some formulas themselves to decrease their computational costs. Numerical examples that confirm the theory are also given.     

Destabilizing domains derived from the human estrogen receptor

Methods to rapidly and reversibly perturb the functions of specific proteins are desirable tools for studies of complex biological processes. We have demonstrated an experimental strategy to regulate the intracellular concentration of any protein of interest by using an engineered destabilizing protein domain and a cell-permeable small molecule. Destabilizing domains have general utility to confer instability to a wide range of proteins including integral transmembrane proteins. This study reports a destabilizing domain system based on the ligand binding domain of the estrogen receptor that can be regulated by one of two synthetic ligands, CMP8 or 4-hydroxytamoxifen.     

Total synthesis of (-)-isoschizogamine

A first asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-isoschizogamine has been accomplished. Our synthesis features the facile construction of the carbon framework of the natural product through a Wagner-Meerwein rearrangement, a tandem metathesis, a stereoselective rhodium-mediated 1,4-addition of an arylboronic acid, and a ring-closing metathesis via a hemiaminal ether.     

Polycyclic π-electron system with boron at its center

We disclose a new planarized triarylborane in which the tri-coordinated boron atom is embedded in a fully fused polycyclic π-conjugated skeleton. The compound shows high stability toward oxygen, water, and silica gel, despite the absence of steric protection around the B atom. Reflecting the electron-donating character of the π-skeleton and the electron-accepting character of the B atom, this compound shows broad absorption bands that cover the entire visible region and a fluorescence in the visible/near-IR region. In addition, this compound shows dramatic property changes upon formation of a tetra-coordinated borate, such as thermochromic behavior in the presence of pyridine.     

Electrochemical synthesis of mesoporous Pt-Au binary alloys with tunable compositions for enhancement of electrochemical performance

Mesoporous Pt-Au binary alloys were electrochemically synthesized from lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) containing corresponding metal species. Two-dimensional exagonally ordered LLC templates were prepared on conductive substrates from diluted surfactant solutions including water, a nonionic surfactant, ethanol, and metal species by drop-coating. Electrochemical synthesis using such LLC templates enabled the preparation of ordered mesoporous Pt-Au binary alloys without phase segregation. The framework composition in the mesoporous Pt-Au alloy was controlled simply by changing the compositional ratios in the precursor solution. Mesoporous Pt-Au alloys with low Au content exhibited well-ordered 2D hexagonal mesostructures, reflecting those of the original templates. With increasing Au content, however, the mesostructural order gradually decreased, thereby reducing the electrochemically active surface area. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction profiles, X-ray photoelectron spectra, and elemental mapping showed that both Pt and Au were atomically distributed in the frameworks. The electrochemical stability of mesoporous Pt-Au alloys toward methanol oxidation was highly improved relative to that of nonporous Pt and mesoporous Pt films, suggesting that mesoporous Pt-Au alloy films are potentially applicable as electrocatalysts for direct methanol fuel cells. Also, mesoporous Pt-Au alloy electrodes showed a highly sensitive amperometric response for glucose molecules, which will be useful in next-generation enzyme-free glucose sensors.     

57Fe M?ssbauer analysis of the Upper Triassic-Lower Jurassic deep-sea chert: Paleo-redox history across the Triassic-Jurassic boundary and the Toarcian oceanic anoxic event

We investigated the paleo-redox change across the Triassic-Jurassic (T-J) boundary (～200?Ma) and the Early Toarcian oceanic anoxic event (T-OAE; ～183?Ma) recorded in the Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic pelagic deep-sea cherts in the Inuyama area, Central Japan. The present ⁵⁷Fe M?ssbauer spectroscopic analysis for these cherts identified five iron species, i.e., hematite (α-Fe₂O₃), pyrite (FeS₂), paramagnetic Fe^3?+?, and two paramagnetic Fe^2?+? with different quadrupole splittings. The occurrence of hematite and pyrite in deep-sea cherts essentially indicates primary oxidizing and reducing depositional conditions, respectively. The results confirmed that oxidizing conditions persisted in deep-sea across the T-J boundary. In contrast, across the T-OAE, deep-sea environment shifted to reducing conditions. The first appearance of the gray pyrite-bearing chert marked the onset of the deep-sea oxygen-depletion in the middle Pliensbachian, i.e., clearly before the shallow-sea T-OAE.     

Einstein metrics on compact Lie groups which are not naturally reductive

The study of left-invariant Einstein metrics on compact Lie groups which are naturally reductive was initiated by D??Atri and Ziller (Mem Am Math Soc 18, (215) 1979). In 1996 the second author obtained non-naturally reductive Einstein metrics on the Lie group SU(n) for n ??? 6, by using a method of Riemannian submersions. In the present work we prove existence of non-naturally reductive Einstein metrics on the compact simple Lie groups SO(n) (n ??? 11), Sp(n) (n ??? 3), E ₆, E ₇, and E ₈.     

Coloring Eulerian Triangulations of the Klein Bottle

We show that an Eulerian triangulation of the Klein bottle has chromatic number equal to six if and only if it contains a complete graph of order six, and it is 5-colorable, otherwise. As a consequence of our proof, we derive that every Eulerian triangulation of the Klein bottle with face-width at least four is 5-colorable.