Specificity and biomineralization activities of Ti-binding peptide-1 (TBP-1)

Numerous peptide aptamers that recognize inorganic materials have been isolated using in vitro peptide evolution systems. However, it remains unknown how peptides interact with inorganic materials or how specific those interactions are. We, therefore, assessed the target specificities of the peptide aptamer TBP-1 (RKLPDAPGMHTW) by monitoring its ability to bind 10 different metals. We found that phages displaying TBP-1 bound to Ti, Si, and Ag surfaces but not to Au, Cr, Pt, Sn, Zn, Cu, or Fe. As previously seen with Ti, binding to Si and Ag was diminished by R1A, P4A, or D5A mutation, suggesting that the same molecular mechanism underlies TBP-1 binding to all three materials. We also observed that a synthetic TBP-1 peptide mediated mineralization of both silica and Ag. It, thus, appears that although the overall chemical characteristics of Ti, Si, and Ag surfaces are dissimilar, they share a common subnanometric structure that is recognized by TBP-1.     

Extensive quinoidal oligothiophenes with dicyanomethylene groups at terminal positions as highly amphoteric redox molecules

A series of highly extensive quinoidal oligothiophenes carrying a dicyanomethylene group at both terminal positions is synthesized. As the quinoidal structures extend, they have highly amphoteric abilities and show strong electronic absorptions in the visible to near-infrared region. The higher homologues, quinquethiophene and sexithiophene, exist as equilibrium mixtures with the biradical species.     

Fluorescence enhancement by hydroperoxides based on a change in the intramolecular charge transfer character of benzofurazan

Strong fluorescence signals were observed after the reaction of novel reagents with hydroperoxides.     

Electroorganic chemistry—XI : The stereochemistry of electroreduction of cyclic ketones

Cyclic ketones were electrolytically reduced in isopropanol and in H₂SO₄H₂OMeOH. It was found that, in isopropanol the stereoisomer ratios of the products were approximately equal to the thermodynamic relative stabilities, whereas in H₂SO₄H₂OMeOH the thermodynamically unstable epimeric alcohols formed were more than that anticipated from the relative stabilities. The mechanism of this electroreduction involving the stereoselective adsorption and electron transfer is discussed.     

Voiceless affricate/fricative distinction by frication duration and amplitude rise slope

Previous psychophysical studies have shown that the perceptual distinction between voiceless fricatives and affricates in consonant-vowel syllables depends primarily on frication duration, whereas amplitude rise slope was suggested as the cue in automatic classification experiments. The effects of both cues on the manner of articulation between /integral of/ and /t integral of/ were investigated. Subjects performed a forced-choice task (/integral of/ or /t integral of) in response to edited waveforms of Japanese fricatives /integral of i/, /integral of u/, and /integral of a/. We found that frication duration, onset slope, and the interaction between duration and onset slope influenced the perceptual distinction. That is, the percent of /integral of/ responses increased with an increase in frication duration (experiments 1-3). The percent of /integral of/ responses also increased with a decrease in slope steepness (experiment 3), and the relative importance between slope portions was not even but weighted at onset (experiments 1 and 2). There was an interaction between the two cues of frication duration and steepness. The relative importance of the slope cue was maximum at a frication duration of 150 ms (experiment 3). It is concluded that the frication duration and amplitude rise slope at frication onset are acoustic cues that discriminate between /integral of/ and /t integral of/, and that the two cues interact with each other.     

Synthesis of novel pentafluorosulfanylfurans. Two retro-Diels-Alder approaches

The first examples of furan substituted with an SF5 group are reported. 3-pentafluorosulfanylfurans were prepared from their respective 2-pentafluorosulfanyl-5-cyano-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene precursors via retro-Diels-Alder reactions. Also, a tandem cycloaddition/retrocycloaddition reaction between 4-phenyloxazole and 1-pentafluorosulfanylhex-1-yne was used to prepare 3-pentafluorosulfanyl-4-butylfuran. [reaction: see text].     

Anomalous High Pressure Properties in Fullerene Superconductors

Abstract

Correlations among lattice parameter, external pressure, and critical temperature T_c has been surveyed on fullerene superconductors with a wide range of lattice parameters and various valence states. The observed value of dT_c/dP for Na₂Rb_0.5Cs_0.5C₆₀ and Li₃CsC₆₀, having small interfullerene separations, is about a few times lager than that of K₃C₆₀. In contrast, small dT_c/dP values are found in fullerides with expanded unit cells, such as (NH₃)_xNaAA^?C₆₀ (A, A^? = K, Rb and Cs) and A₃Ba₃C₆₀. Interestingly, the chemical and physical pressure effects on T_c are considerably different in these fullerides with large interfullerene spacings. Our results suggest that the pressure dependence is scaled by an interfullerene distance when the interfullerene distances is small, but that this scaling fails when the unit cell is expanded.     

Electronic Properties of Ba-Intercalated Fullerides

Abstract

Raman spectra have been measured on Ba_xC₆₀ binary systems for x=3, 4 and 6. The pentagonal pinch Ag(2) mode exhibits a softening in an approximately proportional manner to the formal valence of C₆₀ molecule. This result suggests that the valence of C₆₀ in Ba doped systems are understood by the naive ionic crystal model based on Ba²⁺. The broader Raman peaks in superconducting Ba₄C₆₀ indicates that the electron-phonon interaction is considerably large comparing to those for Ba₃C₆₀ and Ba₆C₆₀.