New sights into the electrochemical interface provided by in situ X-ray absorption fine structure and surface X-ray scattering

Various important processes, such as electron transfer reactions, adsorption/desorption, solvation/desolvation, and formation/cleavage of chemical bonds, take place at electrolyte/electrode interfaces during electrocatalytic reactions. Those processes have been understood on the basis of changes in the surface composition, atomic arrangement, and molecular and electronic structures of the interfaces by using various in situ analysis techniques. To date, in situ analysis and observation of those interfacial processes at an ideal single-crystal surface are indispensable not only for fundamental understanding of the reaction mechanism but also for rational design of the highly efficient and durable electrocatalytic materials. Here, historical and recent progress of in situ studies on electrocatalytic reactions is briefly reviewed with a focus on two major techniques, X-ray absorption fine structure and surface X-ray scattering.     

QEX: target-specific druglikeness filter enhances ligand-based virtual screening

Molecular Diversity - Druglikeness is a useful concept for screening drug candidate compounds. We developed QEX, which is a new druglikeness index specific to individual targets. QEX is an...     

Effect of optical feedback noise on tunable diode laser spectroscopy

The effect of optical feedback noise of a laser diode on the stability of gas-absorption spectra was investigated by monitoring the optical absorption of CO₂ gas. Lasing longitudinal mode instability greatly degraded the shape of the absorption spectra, and coherence collapse in the laser diode greatly broadened the spectra. The correlation between the optical feedback noise of the laser diode and the shape of the gas-absorption spectra was clarified on the basis of these spectral behaviors. PACS 42.62.Fi; 42.55.Px; 42.68.Ca     

Hydrogen plasma enhanced alignment on CNT-STM tips grown by liquid catalyst-assisted microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Carbon nanotubes are grown directly on a scanning tunneling microscopy tip by liquid catalyst-assisted microwave-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and effects of hydrogen plasma treatment on the tip have been investigated in detail by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The unaligned CNTs on the as-grown tip apex have been realigned and reshaped by subsequent hydrogen plasma treatment. The diameter of CNTs is enlarged mainly due to amorphous layers being re-sputtered over their outer shells.     

Vanadium-doped MgAl2O4 crystals as white light source

Spinel MgAl₂O₄ crystals doped with transition metals show charge-transfer transitions for Ti:MgAl₂O₄ on one hand and multiplet transitions of (3d)-electrons for Mn:, Fe:, and Co:MgAl₂O₄ on the other hand. We will show that optical responses of V:MgAl₂O₄ are closer to those of Ti:MgAl₂O₄ and also that white emission spectrum is observed. The microscopic process of the white emission is also proposed.     

Charge/Discharge Properties of Organometallic Batteries Fabricated with Ferrocene–Containing Polymers

A group of ferrocene‐containing polymers were synthesized from vinylferrocene, ethynylferrocene and 1,1′‐dibromoferrocene, and properties of the formed polymers were examined to clarify their potential as a new class of cathode‐active, charge‐storage materials for rechargeable batteries. Vinylferrocene polymerized with 2,2′‐azoisobutyronitrile (AIBN) to give a polymer with number‐average molecular weights of 2 200–5 100 g · mol⁻¹ in 12–41% yields, while ethynylferrocene and 1,1′‐dibromoferrocene polymerized with Rh catalysts and by step‐growth mechanism, respectively, to provide insoluble polymers in 71–96% yields. The capacities of organometallic rechargeable cells fabricated with poly(vinylferrocene), poly(ethynylferrocene), and poly(ferrocene) reached 105, 105, and 95 Ah · kg⁻¹, respectively. In particular, poly(vinylferrocene) displayed completely reversible charge/discharge processes featuring a constant voltage of around 3.5 V.

     

The Progress of the Gait Impairment and Brain Activation in a Patient with Post-stroke Hemidystonia

Objective: We explore the effects of body weight-supported (BWS) treadmill training, including the change of cortical activation, on a patient with post-stroke hemidystonia. Patient: The patient was a 71-year-old man with left thalamus hemorrhage. His motor symptoms indicated slight impairment. There was no overactive muscle contraction in the supine, sitting, or standing positions. During his gait, the right initial contact was the forefoot, and his right knee showed an extension thrust pattern. These symptoms suggested that he had post-stroke hemidystonia. Methods: The patient performed BWS treadmill training 14 times over 3 weeks. The effects of the BWS training were assessed by a step-length analysis, electromyography and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Results: The patient''s nonparetic step length was extended significantly in the Inter-BWS (p<0.001) and Post-BWS (p=0.025) periods compared to the Pre-BWS session. The excessive muscle activity of the right gastrocnemius medialis in the swing phase was decreased at the Inter-BWS, Post-BWS, and follow-up compared to the Pre-BWS session. The peak timing difference of the bilateral tibialis anterior muscle became significant (p<0.05) on the first day of the intervention. The fMRI revealed that the cortical areas activated by the motor task converged through the intervention (p<0.05, family-wise error corrected). Conclusion: These results suggest that there was improvement of the patient''s symptoms of post-stroke hemidystonia due to changes in the brain activity during voluntary movement after BWS intervention. Body weight-supported treadmill training may thus be an effective treatment for patients with poststroke hemidystonia.     

Poly (L‐lactide)‐Degrading Enzyme Produced by Amycolatopsis sp.

Poly (L ‐lactide) (PLLA)‐degrading enzyme was produced in a liquid culture of Amycolatopsis sp. (strain 41). In comparison with polyester substrates, silk powder from silkworm cocoons was the most effective in inducing enzyme production within 5 d. Application to DEAE and Superdex 75 columns resulted in a major protein with molecular weight estimated to be 42 kDa from size exclusion chromatography or 40 kDa from SDS‐PAGE analysis. Optimum pH and temperature are 6.0 and 37–45°C, respectively. Besides PLLA, the enzyme degrades casein, silk powder and Suc‐(Ala)₃‐pNA at an even lower level than Proteinase‐K, but not Suc‐(Gly)₃‐pNA, poly (ε‐caprolactone) and poly (β‐hydroxybutyrate).     

Kripke‐style Semantics of Orthomodular Logics

We present here a Kripke‐style semantics for propositional orthomodular logics that is based on the representation theorem for orthomodular lattices by D.J. Foulis ([2]), in which a sort of semigroups is employed. This semantics can characterize the logics above the orthomodular logic by some elementary conditions.