Control of the Dynamic Motion of a Gel Actuator Driven by the Belousov‐Zhabotinsky Reaction

A novel self‐oscillating gel actuator with gradient structure, which generates a pendulum motion by fixing one edge of the gel without external stimuli was achieved. The gel was synthesized by copolymerizing the ruthenium catalyst for the Belousov‐Zhabotinsky reaction with N‐isopropylacrylamide and 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropane sulfonic acid. Furthermore, we clarified that the period and amplitude for the self‐oscillating behavior of the gel actuator are controllable by changing the composition, temperature, and size of the gel. The maximum amplitude of the novel gel actuator is about a 100 times larger than that of the conventional self‐oscillating gel system.

     

Lipase‐Catalyzed Dynamic Kinetic Resolution of C1‐ and C2‐Symmetric Racemic Axially Chiral 2,2′‐Dihydroxy‐1,1′‐biaryls

We have discovered that the racemization of configurationally stable, axially chiral 2,2′‐dihydroxy‐1,1′‐biaryls proceeds with a catalytic amount of a cyclopentadienylruthenium(II) complex at 35–50 °C. Combining this racemization procedure with lipase‐catalyzed kinetic resolution led to the first lipase/metal‐integrated dynamic kinetic resolution of racemic axially chiral biaryl compounds. The method was applied to the synthesis of various enantio‐enriched C₁‐ and C₂‐symmetric biaryl diols in yields of up to 98 % and enantiomeric excesses of up to 98 %, which paves the way for new developments in the field of asymmetric synthesis.     

Sobolev type theorems for an operator with singularity

Spaces of Sobolev type are discussed, which are defined by the operator with singularity: , where and . This operator appears in a one-dimensional harmonic oscillator governed by Wigner's commutation relations. Smoothness of and continuity of () are studied where is in each space of Sobolev type, and results similar to Sobolev's lemma are obtained. The proofs are carried out based on a generalization of the Fourier transform. The results are applied to the Schrödinger equation.

     

Amino acid residues in GRK1/GRK7 responsible for interaction with S-modulin/recoverin

GRK1 is a visual pigment kinase in rods and is essential for inactivation of light-activated rhodopsin. The GRK1 activity is inhibited by binding of the Ca(2+)-bound form of S-modulin/recoverin. We previously identified the S-modulin/recoverin site to interact with GRK1. In the present study, we identified its counterpart in GRK1. We synthesized 29 of GRK1 or GRK7 partial peptides that cover the entire sequence of GRK1/GRK7, and examined whether these peptides inhibit S-modulin/recoverin activity most probably by preoccupying the binding site for GRK1. The inhibition was the greatest with the N-terminal peptide (p1, aa 3-23 in GRK7). On mutation of each of eight amino acid residues highly conserved in the p1 region of more than 10 orthologs, the inhibition was significantly reduced in the mutation of Leu(6), Asn(12) and Tyr(15). We further examined the binding of the peptides, including mutated ones, to S-modulin/recoverin with a resonance mirror biosensor. The binding correlated well with the degree of the inhibition by a peptide. The inhibition, therefore, seemed to be due to a direct binding of the kinase peptide to the binding site of active S-modulin/recoverin. A GRK1 region close to its C-terminus also seemed to be the binding site for S-modulin/recoverin.     

Boosting Charge Transport in a 2D/3D Perovskite Heterostructure by Selecting an Ordered 2D Perovskite as the Passivator

We demonstrate that an ordered 2D perovskite can significantly boost the photoelectric performance of 2D/3D perovskite heterostructures. Using selective fluorination of phenyl-ethyl ammonium (PEA) lead iodide to passivate 3D FA_0.8Cs_0.2PbI₃, we find that the 2D/3D perovskite heterostructures passivated by a higher ordered 2D perovskite have lower Urbach energy, yielding a remarkable increase in photoluminescence (PL) intensity, PL lifetime, charge-carrier mobilities (ϕμ), and carrier diffusion length (L_D) for a certain 2D perovskite content. High performance with an ultralong PL lifetime of ≈1.3 μs, high ϕμ of ≈18.56 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹, and long L_D of ≈7.85 μm is achieved in the 2D/3D films when passivated by 16.67 % para-fluoro-PEA₂PbI₄. This carrier diffusion length is comparable to that of some perovskite single crystals (>5 μm). These findings provide key missing information on how the organic cations of 2D perovskites influence the performance of 2D/3D perovskite heterostructures.     

Selection principle for various modes of spatially nonuniform electrochemical oscillations

The pattern selection principle for various modes of spatially nonuniform oscillation was investigated by taking a current oscillation of negative differential resistance type, appearing in H2O2 reduction on platinum (Pt) ring electrodes, as a model system. In experiments, various modes of spatiotemporal oscillation, such as a spatially uniform oscillation, standing wave oscillation, and rotating wave oscillation, appeared depending on the applied potential and the distance between the Pt-ring electrode and the reference electrode. A simple mathematical model for the spatiotemporal patterns at the electrode surface was proposed. Numerical calculations and nonlinear bifurcation analysis based on the proposed model reproduced all the essential features of the experimental results and clarified the pattern selection principle.     

Spectral and theoretical studies on effective and selective non-covalent interaction between tetrahexylporphyrins and fullerenes

The host-guest interaction of zinc(II) 5,10,15,20-tetrahexylporphyrin (Zn-THP) and its free base (H2-THP) with fullerenes (C60 and C70) has been studied in toluene medium. Binding constants (K) for H2- and Zn-THP complexes of fullerenes were determined by UV-vis, fluorescence and NMR spectroscopic techniques. Large K values of C70/THP complexes (KC70 ) were obtained in the range of 1.4-2.5 x 10(4)M(-1), while those of C60/THP complexes (KC60) were smaller (1.0-3.2 x10(3)M(-1)). These results show that the KC70 is about 10 times as large as KC60 in both THPs (KC70/KC60 = 10). Enthalpies of formation (DeltaHf degrees) for various fullerene/THP complexes were estimated by ab initio calculations; DeltaHf degrees for C60/H2-THP, C70/H2-THP, C60/Zn-THP and C70/Zn-THP complexes are 5.82, 2.80, 2.31 and 1.54 kcal mol(-1), respectively. The trends in DeltaHf degrees support the experimental results of selective complexation of THPs towards C70 over C60 and fullerenes towards Zn-THP over H2-THP.     

Comparative study of the water oxidizing reactions and the millisecond delayed chlorophyll fluorescence in photosystem II at different pH

Water splitting activity, the multiline EPR signal associated with S(2)-state of the CaMn(4)-cluster and the fast and slow phases of the induction curve of the millisecond delayed chlorophyll fluorescence from photosystem II (PSII) in the pH range of 4.5-8.5 were studied in the thylakoid membranes and purified PSII particles. It has been found that O(2) evolution and the multiline EPR signal were inhibited at acidic (pK approximately 5.3) and alkaline (pK approximately 8.1) pH values, and were maximal at pH 6.0-7.0. Our results indicate that the loss of O(2) evolution and the S(2)-state multiline EPR signal associated with the decrease of the millisecond delayed chlorophyll fluorescence only in alkaline region (pH 7.0-8.5). Possible correlations of the millisecond delayed chlorophyll fluorescence components with the donor side reactions in PSII are discussed.