Determination of the structure of {31}ne by a fully microscopic framework

We perform the first quantitative analysis of the reaction cross sections of {28-32}Ne by {12}C at 240 MeV/nucleon, using the double-folding model with the Melbourne g matrix and the deformed projectile density calculated by antisymmetrized molecular dynamics. To describe the tail of the last neutron of {31}Ne, we adopt the resonating group method combined with antisymmetrized molecular dynamics. The theoretical prediction excellently reproduces the measured cross sections of {28-32}Ne with no adjustable parameters. The ground state properties of {31}Ne, i.e., strong deformation and a halo structure with spin parity 3/2{-}, are clarified.     

Preparation of Silicalite-1 Within Macroporous Silica Glass

Microcrystalline silicalite-1 was formed on the inner surface of macroporus silica glasses prepared by the sol-gel process. By heating a homogeneous precursor solution at 100°C under a hydrothermal condition, 2–5 m of plate-like particles of silicalite-1 were deposited. With an increase of mixing time of the precursor solution, the number of silicalite-1 particles increased, accompanied by the relative decrease of the particle size. Depending on the temperature and the duration of the heat-treatment of the macroporous silica, the amount of deposited silicalite-1 varied. Below 1000°C, the amount increased with the heat-treatment temperature, as a result of the competition between the precipitation of silicalite-1 and the dissolution of silica from the macroporous silica glass under a strongly basic condition. On the other hand, above 1000°C the amount of deposited silicalite-1 decreased in accordance with the decrease of the macropore diameter by the heat-treatment, because of the limited transport of the dissolved silicate species through the smaller macropores.     

A simple method for estimating the superaromatic stabilization energy of a super-ring molecule

A simple graph-theoretical method is proposed for readily estimating the degree of extra stabilization due to macrocyclic conjugation (superaromaticity). This method is based theoretically on the concept of circuit resonance energy previously defined for cyclic pi systems. We confirmed that kekulene and related super-ring molecules are essentially nonsuperaromatic, with very small superaromatic stabilization energies.     

Oligomeric Alkoxysilanes with Cagelike Hybrids as Cores: Designed Precursors of Nanohybrid Materials

Well‐defined alkoxysilane oligomers containing a cagelike carbosiloxane core were synthesized and used as novel building blocks for the formation of siloxane‐based hybrid networks. These oligomers were synthesized from the cagelike trimer derived from bis(triethoxysilyl)methane by silylation with mono‐, di‐, and triethoxychlorosilanes ((EtO)_nMe_3?nSiCl, n=1, 2, and 3). Hybrid xerogels were prepared by hydrolysis and polycondensation of these oligomers under acidic conditions. The structures of the products varied depending on the number of alkoxy groups (n). When n=2 and 3, microporous xerogels (BET surface areas of 820 and 510 m² g^?1, respectively) were obtained, whereas a nonporous xerogel was obtained when n=1. ²⁹Si NMR spectroscopic analysis suggested that partial rearrangement of the siloxane networks, which accompanied the cleavage of the Si–O–Si linkages, occurred during the polycondensation processes. By using an amphiphilic triblock copolymer surfactant as a structure‐directing agent, hybrid thin films with a 2D hexagonal mesostructure were obtained when n=2 and 3. These results provide important insight into the rational synthesis of molecularly designed hybrid materials by sol–gel chemistry.     

Intrinsic carrier doping in antiferromagnetically interacted supramolecular copper complexes with (pyrazino)tetrathiafulvalene (pyra-TTF) as the ligand, [CuIICl2(pyra-TTF)] and (pyra-TTF)2[CuI3Cl4(pyra-TTF)

New supramolecular copper complexes with pyrazinotetrathiafulvalene (pyra-TTF) as the ligand, [Cu(II)Cl2(pyra-TTF)] (1) and (pyra-TTF) 2[Cu(I)3Cl4(pyra-TTF)] (2), have been synthesized by the diffusion method. Complex 1 is a black block crystal with a three-dimensional (3-D) supramolecular network; the linear chain [-Cu(II)Cl2-(pyra-TTF)-] n extends along the b axis, where the coordinated pyra-TTF donors are stacked in a head-to-tail and ring-over-bond configuration to construct two-dimensional (2-D) sheets, and between the sheets, there are C...Cl(-) or H...Cl(-) contacts. Even though the electron spin resonance (ESR) measurement reveals the nearly Cu(II) state, complex 1 is a semiconductor with sigmaRT=1.0 x 10(-4) S cm(-1) and Ea=0.33 eV. The high-frequency conductivity measurement also confirmed the intrinsic slight carrier doping from Cu(II) to the pyra-TTF donor. This slight doping enhances not only the real and imaginary dielectric constants but also the antiferromagnetic interaction between Cu(II) spins following the 2-D Heisenberg model with 2J=-20 K. In contrast, complex 2 is a very thin black needle. This needle crystal has two crystallographically independent pyra-TTF molecules, which are coordinated and noncoordinated donors. The coordinated donors composed a supramolecular chain [Cu(I)3Cl4(pyra-TTF)(0)]n , whereas the noncoordinated donors formed conducting alpha'-type pyra-TTF(+0.5) sheets. This complex is semiconducting with sigmaRT=0.1 S cm(-1) and Ea=0.15 eV. Both complexes 1 and 2 demonstrate that the pyra-TTF molecule works not only as an oxidized donor by Cu(II) to construct conducting sheets but also as a ligand coordinated to a Cu cation to form supramolecuar chains.     

Electrical conductivity modulation coupled to a high-spin-low-spin conversion in the molecular system [FeIII(qsal)2][Ni(dmit)2]3.CH3CN.H2O

The synergy between the electrical conductivity within the stacks of Ni(dmit)2 in the newly electrocrystallized [Fe(qsal)2][Ni(dmit)2]3.CH3CN.H2O and the spin conversion of Fe(qsal)2 is evidenced. In addition, the presence of a light-induced excited spin state trapping effect suggests that this complex is a prototypal photoswitchable spin-crossover molecular conductor.     

Analysis on heat stress-induced hyperphosphorylation of stathmin at serine 37 in Jurkat cells by means of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and tandem mass spectrometry

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and tandem mass spectrometry were successfully used for determination of a phosphorylation site of stathmin induced by heat stress to Jurkat cells of a human T lymphoblastic cell line. The cells were incubated for 30 min at 41 degrees C up to 45 degrees C in a serum free 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) buffered culture medium. The intracellular soluble proteins were separated by 2-DE, and some of the proteins increased their abundance by heat stress. Those proteins were identified to be calmodulin, protein kinase C substrate, thymosin beta-4 and F-actin capping protein beta-subunit by peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). On the contrary, protein phosphatase 2C gamma-isoform, nucleophosmin, translationally controlled tumor protein, Rho GDP-dissociation inhibitor-1, eukaryotic translation initiation factors 5A and 3A subunit 2, ubiquitin-like protein SMT 3B and chloride intracellular channel protein-1 were decreased their abundance. A protein spot of M(r) 18,000 and pI 5.9 was markedly increased at temperatures higher than 43 degrees C at which the cells were led to apoptosis. The spot was identified to be stathmin of a signal relay protein which has a function of sequestering microtubule. MALDI-quadrupole ion trap (QIT)-TOF-MS/MS and immunoblotting with a monoclonal antibody specific for a phosphorylation site of stathmin showed that the spot was a phosphorylated stathmin at serine 37 (Ser 37). The phosphorylation was suppressed by treatment of cells with olomoucine of an inhibitor specific for cyclin dependent kinase (Cdk-1). These results strongly suggest that heat stress activates Cdk-1 which phosphorylates Ser 37 on the stathmin molecule. The phosphorylation may cause the functional loss of stathmin for dynamic microtubule assembly and leads Jurkat cells to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.     

Products of the triplet excited state produced in the radiolysis of liquid benzene

The radiation chemical yields of the products derived from the triplet excited state produced in the radiolysis of liquid benzene with gamma-rays, 10 MeV 4He ions, and 10 MeV 12C ions have been determined. Iodine scavenging techniques have been used to examine the formation and role of radicals, especially the H atom and phenyl radical. For all irradiation types examined here, the increase in hydrogen iodide yields with increasing iodine concentration matches the increase in iodobenzene yields. This agreement suggests that the benzene triplet excited state is the common precursor for the H atom and the phenyl radical. Pulse radiolysis studies in liquid benzene have determined the rate coefficients for the reactions of phenyl radicals with iodine and with the solvent benzene to be 9.3 x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1) and 3.1 x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1), respectively. Direct measurements of polymer formation, which refers to trimers (C18) and higher order compounds (>C18), in liquid benzene radiolysis using gamma-rays, 4He ions, and 12C ions at relatively high doses have been performed using gel permeation chromatography. The yields of trimers increase from gamma-rays to 12C ions due to the increased importance of intratrack radical-radical reactions that can be scavenged by the radical scavenging reactions of iodine. On the other hand, the >C18 product yields decrease from gamma-rays to 12C ions. The structure of the polymer consists of a partly saturated ring as determined by infrared and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry studies. A schematic representation for the radiolytic decomposition of the benzene triplet excited state is presented.     

Metal-organic frameworks from copper dimers with cis- and trans-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate and cis,cis-1,3,5-cyclohexanetricarboxylate

Single crystals of three coordination networks containing the Cu(2)(COO)(4) core bridged by cyclohexane have been hydrothermally prepared by the reaction of 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic (1,4-H(2)chdc) or 1,3,5-cyclohexanetricarboxylic (1,3,5-H(3)chtc) acid and Cu(NO(3))(2) x 6H(2)O. We report their characterizations by single-crystal X-ray structure determinations, IR spectroscopy, thermal analyses, and their magnetic properties. [Cu(2)(trans-1,4-chdc)(2)] (1) consists of 4 x 4 grids with the dimeric nodes connected by the trans-1,4-chdc, and these grids are then connected to each other by Cu-O bonds, resulting in a porous network (void volume of 130 Angstrom(3) per cell or 25%) with no solvent in its cavities. [Cu(2)(cis-1,4-chdc)(2)(H(2)O)(2)] (2) consists of two-legged ladders where the dimer nodes are bridged by pairs of cis-1,4-chdc and the water molecules cap the ends of the Cu dimers. [Cu(2)(1,3,5-Hchtc)(2)] (3) displays 4 x 4 grids, but each dimeric node is connected to its neighbors within the same grid by Cu-O bonds to form a layered network which further makes hydrogen-bond interactions with its neighbors. 2 and 3 have compact structures without any space for solvents. IR and DT-TGA confirm the absence of water in the empty channels of 1, while IR shows the presence of both protonated and deprotonated carboxyl groups for 3. The magnetic properties of all three compounds are dominated by the strong Cu-Cu antiferromagnetic interaction resulting in singlet-triplet gaps of 450-500 K.     

Application of water as a solvent in microwave-assisted extraction for analysis of PCBs and CBzs in fly ash

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and chlorobenzenes (CBzs) are two classes of dioxin precursors formed in municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs); they produce negative health effects similar to those of dioxins. Reducing the analytical time required for determining the concentrations of these compounds in MSWIs is important for quickly evaluating their importance and assessing associated health risks. In the present study, water is used as a safe and environmentally friendly solvent in microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) for PCB and CBz analyses. MAE is compared with traditional Soxhlet extraction (SE) to determine the extraction efficiencies. The evaluation of extraction efficiencies shows that MAE has a high extraction efficiency compared with that of SE when water content is lower than 60%. Furthermore, the extraction time and organic solvent consumption are reduced with MAE compared with SE.