Glass transition and dynamics of single and stacked thin films of poly(2-chlorostyrene)

The glass transition temperature and the dynamics of the α-process have been investigated using dielectric relaxation spectroscopy for single and stacked thin films of poly(2-chlorostyrene) (P2CS). The stacked film consists of 10 layers of single thin films with thickness of 12 nm or 18 nm. The glass transition temperature T _g of the single thin films of P2CS is found to decrease with decreasing film thickness in a similar way as observed for polystyrene thin films. The magnitude of the depression of T _g for the stacked thin films is larger than that of the single thin films with corresponding thickness. The depression of the temperature at which the dielectric loss shows a peak due to the α-process at a given frequency, T _α, is larger than that of the single thin films, although the magnitude is smaller than that of T _g . Annealing at a high temperature could cause the T _g and T _α of the stacked thin films to approach the values of the bulk system.     

Facile synthesis of furobenzothiazepines

The reaction of methyl 5-(2-isocyanatophenylthio)-2-furancarboxylate 2 with N-methylpiperazine gave 5-(2-N-piperazinocarbamoylphenylthio)-2-furancarboxylate 3a . Furthermore, 4-N-methylpiperazinyl-2-methoxycarbonylfuro[2,3-b][1,5]benzothiazepine 4a was obtained by the Bischler-Napieralski reaction of 3a with phosphorus oxychloride in the present of phosphorus pentoxide. Three furobenzothiazepines could be obtained using the same method. Based on the pharmacological studies of these compounds, it was found that 4-morpholinyl-2-methoxycarbonylfuro[2,3-b][1,5]benzothiazepine 4b had anti-inflammatory activity similar to flufenamic acid.     

Dose-rate effects on the bulk etch-rate of CR-39 track detector exposed to low-let radiations

The effect of gamma-rays and pulsed electrons has been investigated on the bulk etch rate of CR-39 detector at doses up to 100 kGy under various dose-rate between 0.0044 and 35.0 Gy/s. The bulk etch rate increased exponentially with the dose at every examined dose-rates. It was reveled to be strongly depend on the dose-rate: the bulk etch rate was decreased with increasing dose-rate at the same total dose. A primitive model was proposed to explain the dose-rate effect in which oxygen dissolved was assumed to dominate the damage formation process.     

Finite element analysis of two- and three-dimensional flows around square columns in tandem arrangement

Two- (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) finite element analyses for flow around two square columns in tandem arrangement were performed with various column spacings and Reynolds numbers. The computed values were compared with the wind-tunnel results in terms of the aerodynamic characteristics of the leeward column. In most 2D computations, strong vortices were formed behind the windward column, irrespective of widely changed Reynolds numbers. This was different from the experimental phenomena of equivalent spacing, so that the computed time-averaged pressure coefficients were not identical to the experimental values except when the distance between the two columns was adequately wide or narrow. On the other hand, in 3D computation, distinct differences in flow structures behind the column were observed between Reynolds numbers of 10³ and 10⁴ and the pressure coefficient in the 3D analysis with Re=10⁴ agreed well with the experimental value. Thus, the effectiveness of 3D computations and Reynolds number effects on the flow around two square columns have been confirmed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Momordica charantia constituents and antidiabetic screening of the isolated major compounds

Bioguided fractionation of the methanol extract of Momordica charantia dried gourds led to the isolation of three new cucurbitane triterpenoids (1-3), together with eight known compounds (4-11). The aglycone of momordicoside I was isolated from the ether soluble fraction in a high amount. The structures of the metabolites were established on the basis of one and two dimensional NMR spectroscopic evidence, X-ray analysis, and comparison with the reported data in the literature. A number of phytochemicals have been isolated from Momordica charantia but the constituents responsible for the hypoglycaemic/antihyperglycaemic activities have not been determined. Therefore, in order to evaluate the contribution of the cucurbitane triterpenoids of the ether fraction of M. charantia methanol extract to in vivo anti-diabetic effects, the major compounds, 5beta,19-epoxy-3beta,25-dihydroxycucurbita-6,23(E)-diene (4), and 3beta,7beta,25-trihydroxycucurbita-5,23(E)-dien-19-al (5) have been tested and have shown blood hypoglycaemic effects in the diabetes-induced male ddY mice strain at 400 mg/kg. The two aglycones of charantin did not show any hypoglycaemic effects. Our finding is the first demonstration that major pure cucurbutanoid compounds of M. charantia have in vivo hypoglycaemic effects.     

Irreversible Structural Phase Transition in [(9-triptycylammonium) ([18]crown-6)][Ni(dmit)2]: Origin and Effects on Electrical and Magnetic Properties

Materials exhibiting irreversible phase transitions, leading to changes in their properties, have a potential for novel application in electronic components such as a non-rewritable high-security memory. Here, we focused on the two salts, [(9-triptycylammonium)([18]crown-6)][Ni(dmit)₂] ( 1 ) and [(9-triptycylammonium)([15]crown-5)][Ni(dmit)₂] ( 2 ), which featured 2D sheet structures with alternately stacked cation and anion layers. Both salts exhibit similar cation arrangements, however, their anion arrangements differ significantly. The temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibilities of 1 and 2 were well reproduced by the alternating chain model (J_AC1/k_B=−306(8), J_AC2/k_B=−239(3) K) and the Curie-Weiss model (θ=−3.9(1) K), respectively. 1 experience a reversible phase transition around 40–60 K, causing anomalies in magnetic behavior. Moreover, an irreversible single-crystal-to-single-crystal phase transition to 1′ undergo at ~381 K, inducing a rearrangement of [Ni(dmit)₂]⁻ anions and a resistivity decrease from 6.5×10⁶ to 6.5×10² Ω cm. The susceptibility curve of 1′ was reproduced by a combination of the Curie-Weiss and dimer models (J_dimer/k_B=−407(5), θ=−26.7(5) K). The irreversible transition of 1 is the first example for such supramolecule and [Ni(dmit)₂]⁻ system to our knowledge, in opening potential new-type materials.