Hopf invariants, Toda brackets and the reduced diagonal map

That there is a close connection between crude (or suspended) Hopf invariants and the reduced diagonal map has long been known. In this paper we build on a classical result of Boardman and Steer (1967) to explore some further relationships in terms of conic structures. In a related result we show that certain Toda brackets contain crude Hopf invariants as elements. In particular, using this latter observation, detection of crude Hopf invariants can be carried out.     

Numerical analysis on auto-ignition of a high pressure hydrogen jet spouting from a tube

In this study, a direct numerical simulation based on compressible flow dynamics has been applied to the autoignition and extinction of a high-pressure hydrogen jet spouting from a tube. The diameter of the tube is 4.8 mm. The length of the tube is 71 mm. At the inlet, pressure is set at 3.6, 5.3 and 21.1 MPa, and temperature is set at 300 K for all cases. To explore the autoignition of hydrogen jet, two-dimensional axisymmetric Navier–Stokes equations with a detailed chemical kinetics and rigorous transport properties have been employed. The hydrogen jet through the tube is choked. The numerical results show that the high-pressure hydrogen jet produces a semi-spherical shock wave in the ambient air at the early time of jetting. The shock wave heats up the air to a high temperature and causes the autoignition of the hydrogen and air mixture in the tube as well as at the tube exit.     

Endoscopic Observation of Tissue by Narrowband Illumination

We propose a new illumination method for a medical endoscope: narrow band imaging (NBI), in which the spectral bandwidth of the filtered light is narrowed. To confirm how the spectral specifications of the filtered light influence a reproduced image, an experiment was conducted observing the endoscopic images of the back mucosa of a human tongue. In addition, the effect of NBI on endoscopic images was investigated through preliminary clinical tests in colonoscopy and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. It has been shown that NBI can enhance the capillary pattern and the crypt pattern on the mucosa. These patterns are useful features for diagnosing an early cancer.     

Purcell effect of GaAs quantum dots by photonic crystal microcavities

We fabricate photonic crystal slab microcavities embedded with GaAs quantum dots by electron beam lithography and droplet epitaxy. The Purcell effect of exciton emission of the quantum dots is confirmed by the micro photoluminescence measurement. The resonance wavelengths, widths, and polarization are consistent with numerical simulation results.     

High-fidelity teleportation beyond the no-cloning limit and entanglement swapping for continuous variables

We experimentally demonstrate continuous-variable quantum teleportation beyond the no-cloning limit. We teleport a coherent state and achieve the fidelity of 0.70 +/- 0.02 that surpasses the no-cloning limit of 2/3. Surpassing the limit is necessary to transfer the nonclassicality of an input quantum state. By using our high-fidelity teleporter, we demonstrate entanglement swapping, namely, teleportation of quantum entanglement, as an example of transfer of nonclassicality.     

Differences between PREMIER combustion in a natural gas spark-ignition engine and knocking with pressure oscillations

PREMIER (PREmixed Mixture Ignition in the End-gas Region) combustion occurs with auto-ignition in the end-gas region when the main combustion flame propagation is nearly finished. Auto-ignition is triggered by the increases in pressure and temperature induced by the main combustion flame. Similarly to engine knocking, heat is released in two stages when engines undergo this type of combustion. This pattern of heat release does not occur during normal combustion. However, engine knocking induces pressure oscillations that cause fatal damage to engines, whereas PREMIER combustion does not. The purpose of this study was to elucidate PREMIER combustion in natural gas spark-ignition engines, and differentiate the causes of knocking and PREMIER combustion. We applied combustion visualization and in-cylinder pressure analysis using a compression–expansion machine (CEM) to investigate the auto-ignition characteristics in the end-gas region of a natural gas spark-ignition engine. We occasionally observed knocking accompanied by pressure oscillations under the spark timings and initial gas conditions used to generate PREMIER combustion. No pressure oscillations were observed during normal and PREMIER combustion. Auto-ignition in the end-gas region was found to induce a secondary increase in pressure before the combustion flame reached the cylinder wall, during both knocking and PREMIER combustion. The auto-ignited flame area spread faster during knocking than during PREMIER combustion. This caused a sudden pressure difference and imbalance between the flame propagation region and the end-gas region, followed by a pressure oscillation.     

Chronopotentiometric determination of the outer-sphere association constants of substitution-inert metal complexes

Summary A new method for the determination of association constants by the measurement of chronopotentiometric transition time has been developed and applied to the study on the outer-sphere association of some substitution-inert complex cations with sulphate ions. The association constants were determined from the change in transition time as function of the concentration of sulphate ions at ionic strength 0.1 (NaClO₄) and 25° C: 93 ±8 for [Co(NH₃)₆]³⁺SO₄ ^2–, 99 ±15 for [Co(en)₃]³⁺SO₄ ^2–, 61 ±7 for [Cr(NH₃)₆]³⁺SO₄ ^2– and 58 ±8 for [Cr(en)₃]³⁺SO₄ ^2–. The ratios of the diffusion coefficients of the univalent ion-pairs and tervalent substitution-inert complex cations were also obtained. From these ratios the diffusion coefficients of the univalent ion-pairs were calculated, which were found to differ not greatly from those of univalent complex ions with similar structures.

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Zusammenfassung Eine neue Methode zur Bestimmung von Assoziationskonstanten aus den Transitionszeiten chronopotentiometrischer Messungen wurde entwickelt. Sie wurde zur Untersuchung der Assoziation von Sulfationen in zweiter Sphäre an koordinativ abgesättigten Komplex-Kationen herangezogen. Die Assoziationskonstanten wurden aus der Abhängigkeit der Transitionszeit von der Sulfatkonzentration in Medien der Ionenstärke 0,1 (NaClO₄) und bei 25° C bestimmt. Man erhält folgende Werte: 93±8 für [Co(NH₃)₆]³⁺SO₄ ^2–, 99±15 für [Co(en)₃]³⁺SO₄ ^2–, 61±7 für [Cr(NH₃)₆]³⁺SO₄ ^2– und 58±8 für [Cr(en)₃]³⁺SO₄ ^2–. Die Verhältnisse der Diffusionskoeffizienten der einwertigen Ionenpaare zu denen der dreiwertigen Komplex-Kationen wurden ebenfalls bestimmt. Aus diesen Verhältnissen lassen sich die Diffusionskoeffizienten der Ionenpaare berechnen. Man erhält eine gute Übereinstimmung mit den Werten für einwertige Komplexionen mit ähnlicher Struktur.

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Dedicated to Prof. Dr. M. von Stackelberg on his 70th birthday.     

Photoinduced rotational isomerization mechanism of 2-chlorobenzaldehyde in low-temperature rare-gas matrices by vibrational and electronic spectroscopies

Rotational isomerization of 2-chlorobenzaldehyde in low-temperature rare-gas matrices has been investigated by vibrational and electronic spectroscopies with aids of the density functional theory (DFT) and configuration interaction single (CIS) calculations. Infrared spectrum of the less stable O-cis isomer, produced from the more stable O-trans isomer upon UV irradiation, is measured with an FT-IR spectrophotometer. The enthalpy difference between the O-cis and O-trans isomers is estimated to be 9.7±0.2 kJ mol⁻¹ from the temperature dependence of the infrared band intensities. Analyses of the infrared and electronic absorption spectral changes after UV irradiation and the phosphorescence spectra measured at various excitation wavelengths suggest that the rotational isomerization occurs via the intersystem crossing from S₁ to T₁.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of new psi[(E)-CH=CMe]- and psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-type alkene dipeptide isosteres by organocopper reagents and application to conformationally restricted cyclic RGD peptidomimetics

Diastereoselective synthesis of new psi[(E)-CH=CMe]- and psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-type alkene dipeptide isosteres corresponding to dipeptides having one N-methylamino acid, and application to bioactive peptides, are described. In a key reaction introducing the chiral alpha-alkyl group of the isosteres, organocopper-mediated alkylation of syn-beta-methylated gamma-mesyloxy-alpha,beta-enoate 26a afforded E- and Z-isomers of anti-S(N)2' products in a solvent-dependent manner. The resulting two isosteres, D-Phe-psi[(E)-CH=CMe]-L-Val 27a and D-Phe-psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-L-Val 28b, which corresponded to trans- and cis-conformers of D-Phe-L-MeVal, respectively, were utilized in a structure-activity relationship study on cyclic RGD peptides 1 and 2, in company with a psi[(E)-CH=CH]-type alkene dipeptide isostere, D-Phe-psi[(E)-CH=CH]-L-Val. The cyclic isostere-containing pseudopeptides 3, 4, and 40 were synthesized and biological activity against integrin alpha(V)beta(3) and alpha(IIb)beta(3) receptors were also evaluated.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of psi[(E)-CH=CMe]- and psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-type dipeptide isosteres by organocopper-mediated anti-S(N)2' reaction

[reaction: see text] Acyclic psi[(E)-CH=CMe]- and psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-type dipeptide isosteres were efficiently synthesized. In a key reaction, alpha-alkylation of gamma-mesyloxy-beta-methyl-alpha,beta-unsaturated esters with organocyanocuprates in diethyl ether or tetrahydrofuran preferentially afforded the psi[(E)-CH=CMe]- or psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-isomer, respectively, via anti-S(N)2' mechanism.