Fabrication of anodic photocurrent generation systems by use of 6-O-dihydrophytylcellulose as a matrix or a scaffold of porphyrins

Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films containing porphyrin molecules were fabricated by use of 6-O-dihydrophytylcellulose (DHPC) toward anodic photocurrent generation systems. To suppress the porphyrin aggregation, two different approaches were applied: (1) mixing a low-molecular-weight porphyrin having a diterpenoid carbon skeleton (DPor) with DHPC as a matrix (matrix fabrication) and (2) bonding porphyrin molecules to the hydroxyl groups of DHPC covalently, converting into 6-O-dihydrophytyl-2,3-di-O-[p-(10,15,20-triphenyl-5-porphyrinyl)-benzoyl]cellulose as a scaffold (scaffold fabrication). The structure and film properties of the monolayers and the LB films were investigated by the surface pressure (π)–area (A) isotherm measurements, atomic force microscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, and absorption dichroism measurements. The porphyrin aggregation in the LB film could be well suppressed only by the scaffold fabrication, leading to the improvement of the photocurrent quantum yields. The efficient photocurrent performance can be demonstrated by the isolation and the parallel orientation of porphyrin moieties due to the cellulose rigid scaffold. This paper was the subject of the Best Poster Award of the 235th edition of the ACS National Meeting, Cellulose and Renewable Materials.     

An efficient Pd(II)-based catalyst system for carboxylation of aromatic C-H bond by addition of a phosphenium salt

Addition of a phosphenium dramatically improved the reaction yields in the carboxylation of arenes by formic acid catalyzed by Pd(II). Control experiments revealed that the majority of the phosphenium triflate was converted to a mixed anhydride of phosphonic acid and formic acid (7), which however did not substitute for the phosphenium to improve the reaction yield.     

Sawtooth oscillation in current-carrying plasma in the large helical device

Sawtooth oscillations have been observed in current-carrying helical plasmas by using electron-cyclotron-emission diagnostics in the Large Helical Device. The plasma current, which is driven by neutral beam injection, reduces the beta threshold of the sawtooth oscillation. When the central q value is increased due to the plasma current, the core region crashes, and, when it is decreased, the edge region crashes annularly. Observed rapid mixture of the plasma in the limited region suggests that these sawtooth crashes are reconnection phenomena. Unlike previous experiments, no precursor oscillation has been observed.     

Synthesis and NMR structure of p41icf,a potent inhibitor of human cathepsin L

The total synthesis and structural characterization of the MHCII-associated p41 invariant chain fragment (P41icf) is described. P41icf plays a crucial role in the maturation of MHC class II molecules and antigen processing, acting as a highly selective cathepsin L inhibitor. P41icf synthesis was achieved using a combined solid-phase/solution approach. The entire molecule (65 residues, 7246 Da unprotected) was assembled in solution from fully protected peptides in the size range of 10 residues. After deprotection, oxidative folding in carefully adjusted experimental conditions led to the completely folded and functional P41icf with a disulfide pairing identical to that of native P41icf. CD, NMR, and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) were used for the structural and functional characterization of synthetic P41icf. CD thermal denaturation showed clear cooperative behavior. Tight cathepsin L binding was demonstrated by SPR. (1)H NMR spectroscopy at 800 MHz of unlabeled P41icf was used to solve the three-dimensional structure of the molecule. P41icf behaves as a well-folded protein domain with a topology very close to the crystallographic cathepsin L-bound form.     

STRUCTURAL ELUCIDATION OF THE 8-METHOXYPSORALEN OXIDIZED PRODUCT THAT INHIBITS THE CHEMOTACTIC ACTIVITY OF POLYMORPHONUCLEAR NEUTROPHILS TOWARD ANAPHYLATOXIN C5a

The chemical structure of the 8-methoxypsoralen oxidized product that inhibits the chemotactic activity of anaphylatoxin C5a was determined to be 2,3-dihydro-2,9-dimethoxy-3-hydroxy-7-oxo-7H-furo[3,2-g] [1]benzopyran. Its minimal concentration required to obtain the maximum inhibition of C5a des Arg (1 x 10(-8) M) chemotactic activity is 2.5 x 10(-8) M. Bioactivity of this substance was maintained for 2 weeks, stored in a dark room at room temperature under aerobic conditions. There is a possibility that this substance may be useful in the treatment of immune complex diseases.     

Core-level and valence-band characteristics of carbon nitride films with high nitrogen content

Carbon nitride films with high nitrogen content were prepared by reactive pulsed-laser deposition at nitrogen partial pressures varying from 0.1 to 20.0 Torr. It was found that the nitrogen content in the films first increases with increase of the nitrogen pressure, reaches a maximum of 46 at. % at 5.0 Torr, and then decreases to 37 at. % at 20.0 Torr. The almost pure carbon nitride films were systematically characterized by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) concerning the core-level and valence-band structures. Some fingerprint information, which shows the role of nitrogen in controlling the electronic structure of carbon nitride films, was found based on the XPS studies. With enhancing the nitrogen incorporation, both the binding energy and the peak intensity of the core-level and the valence-band spectra vary systematically as a function of nitrogen content in the films. Received: 26 June 2000 / Accepted: 26 June 2000 / Published online: 20 September 2000     

Synthesis of methylcellulose model copolymers with heterogeneous distribution and their solution properties

In order to elucidate the characteristic features of commercial methylcellulose precisely, O-methylcellulose model copolymers consisting of 2,3,6-tri-O-methylanhydroglucose unit (236MeAGU) and 2-O-methylanhydroglucose unit (2MeAGU) with various composition ratios were synthesized via cationic ring-opening copolymerization of the corresponding glucose orthoester derivatives, subsequent removal of pivaloyl and allyl groups, and methylation. The structure of the obtained copolymers was confirmed by ¹H-, ¹³C-NMR, and FT-IR. Temperature-dependent turbidity measurement verified their thermoresponsive behavior in aqueous solution. The lower critical solution temperature was tuned from 63 to 45 °C above 47 mol-% 236MeAGU content. The hydrophobicity along the cellulose chain was dominant to determine their physical properties. However, the aqueous properties of the MC model copolymers were strongly affected by the slight difference of the composition ratio. The present method would provide further details of the structure–property relationship of O-methylcellulose.     

Measurements of thermally stratified pipe flow using image-processing techniques

The cross-correlation technique and Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) have been adopted to measure the time-dependent and two-dimensional velocity and temperature fields of a stably thermal-stratified pipe flow. One thousand instantaneous and simultaneous velocity and temperature maps were obtained at overall Richardson numberRi = 0 and 2.5, from which two-dimensional vorticity, Reynolds stress and turbulent heat flux vector were evaluated. The quasi-periodic inclined vortices (which connected to the crest) were revealed from successive instantaneous maps and temporal variation of vorticity and temperature. It has been recognized that these vortices are associated with the crest and valley in the roll-up motion.List of symbols A Fraction of the available light collected - C Concentration of fluorescence - D Pipe diameter - I Fluorescence intensity - L Sampling length along the incident beam - I ₀ Intensity of an excitation beam - I _c (T) Calibration curve between temperature and fluorescence intensity - I _ref Reference intensity of fluorescence radiation - Re _b Reynolds number based on bulk velocity,U _b D/v - Ri Overall Richardson number based on velocity difference,gDT/U ² - t Time - t Time interval between the reference and corresponding matrix - T Temperature - T ₁,T ₂ Temperature of lower and upper layer - T ^* Normalized temperature, (T–T ₁)/T - T _c (I) Inverse function of temperature as a function ofI _c - T _ref Reference temperature - T Temperature difference between upper and lower flow,T ₂ –T ₁ - U ₁ Velocity of lower stream - U ₂ Velocity of upper stream - U _b Bulk velocity - U _c Streamwise mean velocity atY/D=0 - U Streamwise velocity difference between upper and lower flow,U ₁–U ₂ - u, v, T Fluctuating component ofU, V, T - U, V Velocity component of X, Y direction - X Streamwise distance from the splitter plate - Y Transverse distance from the centerline of the pipe - Z Spanwise distance from the centerline of the pipe - Quantum yield - Absorptivity - vorticity calculated from a circulation - Kinematic viscosity - circulation     

Development of a new foil compounded from carbon nanotubes and sputter-deposition carbon

New carbon-nanotube–sputter-deposition-carbon (CNT–SDC) foils were developed and used in the U beam time at the RIKEN RI Beam Factory (RIBF) from October to December 2011. The lifetimes of these new foils were drastically extended, and stable, high-intensity U beams were successfully provided to users. The lifetime of the CNT–SDC foils was 2–5 C, which was 100 times longer than those of static C-foils previously used. The qualitative analysis of the CNT–SDC foils clearly showed that the CNT structure and bundles were broken by beam irradiation. In addition, it was found that CNT bundles in the CNT–SDC foil were grown after the carbon deposition procedure. This structure was considered to be the reason that the CNT–SDC foils maintain advantages of both CNT and SDC foils.