Controlled production of monodisperse double emulsions by two-step droplet breakup in microfluidic devices

A microfluidic device having both hydrophobic and hydrophilic components is exploited for production of multiple-phase emulsions. For producing water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) dispersions, aqueous droplets ruptured at the upstream hydrophobic junction are enclosed within organic droplets formed at the downstream hydrophilic junction. Droplets produced at each junction could have narrow size distributions with coefficients of variation in diameter of less than 3%. Control of the flow conditions produces variations in internal/external droplet sizes and in the internal droplet number. Both W/O/W emulsions (with two types of internal droplets) and oil-in-water-in-oil emulsions were prepared by varying geometry and wettability in microchannels.     

Measurement of branching fractions for B-->eta(c)K(*) decays

We report measurements of branching fractions for charged and neutral B-->eta(c)K decays where the eta(c) meson is reconstructed in the K(0)(S)K+/-pi(-/+), K+K-pi(0), K(*0)K-pi(+), and pp; decay channels. The neutral B0 channel is a CP eigenstate and can be used to measure the CP violation parameter sin(2phi(1). We also report the first observation of the B0-->eta(c)K(*0) mode. The results are based on an analysis of 29.1 fb(-1) of data collected by the Belle detector at KEKB.     

NMR analysis of lignins in CAD-deficient plants. Part 1. Incorporation of hydroxycinnamaldehydes and hydroxybenzaldehydes into lignins

Peroxidase/H2O2-mediated radical coupling of 4-hydroxycinnamaldehydes produces 8-O-4-, 8-5-, and 8-8-coupled dehydrodimers as has been documented earlier, as well as the 5-5-coupled dehydrodimer. The 8-5-dehydrodimer is however produced kinetically in its cyclic phenylcoumaran form at neutral pH. Synthetic polymers produced from mixtures of hydroxycinnamaldehydes and normal monolignols provide the next level of complexity. Spectral data from dimers, oligomers, and synthetic polymers have allowed a more substantive assignment of aldehyde components in lignins isolated from a CAD-deficient pine mutant and an antisense-CAD-downregulated transgenic tobacco. CAD-deficient pine lignin shows enhanced levels of the typical benzaldehyde and cinnamaldehyde end-groups, along with evidence for two types of 8-O-4-coupled coniferaldehyde units. The CAD-downregulated tobacco also has higher levels of hydroxycinnamaldehyde and hydroxybenzaldehyde (mainly syringaldehyde) incorporation, but the analogous two types of 8-O-4-coupled products are the dominant features. 8-8-Coupled units are also clearly evident. There is clear evidence for coupling of hydroxycinnamaldehydes to each other and then incorporation into the lignin, as well as for the incorporation of hydroxycinnamaldehyde monomers into the growing lignin polymer. Coniferaldehyde and sinapaldehyde (as well as vanillin and syringaldehyde) co-polymerize with the traditional monolignols into lignins and do so at enhanced levels when CAD-deficiency has an impact on the normal monolignol production. The implication is that, particularly in angiosperms, the aldehydes behave like the traditional monolignols and should probably be regarded as authentic lignin monomers in normal and CAD-deficient plants.     

A convenient synthesis of the beraprost intermediate: a useful method for introducing a C3 unit at the benzyl position

[reaction: see text] The Heck reaction is a more efficient and reliable method than previous ones for introducing a C3 unit at the benzyl position for the synthesis of Beraprost. Especially, trialkylated long-chain amines such as (n-C(8)H(17))(3)N and (n-C(12)H(25))(3)N resulted in good yields. This development will be used for the industrial synthesis of Beraprost.     

Measurement of B(0)(d)-B_(0)(d) mixing rate from the time evolution of dilepton events at the upsilon(4S)

We report a determination of the B(0)(d)-&B_(0)(d) mixing parameter Deltam(d) based on the time evolution of dilepton yields in Upsilon(4S) decays. The measurement is based on a 5.9 fb(-1) data sample collected by the Belle detector at KEKB. The proper-time difference distributions for same-sign and opposite-sign dilepton events are simultaneously fitted to an expression containing Deltam(d) as a free parameter. Using both muons and electrons, we obtain Deltam(d) = 0.463+/-0.008 (stat)+/-0.016 (syst) ps(-1). This is the first determination of Deltam(d) from time evolution measurements at the Upsilon(4S). We also place limits on possible CPT violations.     

Observation of large CP violation in the neutral B meson system

We present a measurement of the standard model CP violation parameter sin2 phi(1) based on a 29.1 fb(-1) data sample collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e(+)e(-) collider. One neutral B meson is fully reconstructed as a J/psi K(S), psi(2S)K(S), chi(c1)K(S), eta(c)K(S), J/psi K(L), or J/psi K(*0) decay and the flavor of the accompanying B meson is identified from its decay products. From the asymmetry in the distribution of the time intervals between the two B meson decay points, we determine sin2 phi(1) = 0.99+/-0.14(stat)+/-0.06(syst). We conclude that we have observed CP violation in the neutral B meson system.     

Optimum contact conditions for miniaturized surface acoustic wave linear motor

This paper reports the successful operation of a 70 MHz driving surface acoustic wave (SAW) linear motor with a miniaturized stator transducer. This paper also deals with an investigation into an optimized slider design for the miniaturized SAW linear motor. The performance of three silicon type sliders, with different projection size, was compared. Output forces of the three sliders were measured with change of pre-load. It was found that the slider with smaller projection tended to produce greater output force.     

A cylindrical micro-ultrasonic motor (stator transducer size: 1.4 mm in diameter and 5.0 mm long)

Ultrasonic motors are suitable for a micro-actuator because of a direct drive, no brake and their simple construction. In order to fabricate micro-ultrasonic motors, a piezoelectric thin film is essential. In this study, a hydrothermal method was adopted to deposit a PZT thin film. The dimensions of the stator transducer were: outer diameter, 1.4 mm; inner diameter, 1.2 mm; and length, 5.0 mm. The resonance frequency of the stator transducer was 227 kHz, and the vibration amplitude was 58 nmp-p at an input voltage of 4.0 Vp-p. The maximum revolution speed was 680 rpm, and the maximum starting torque was 0.67 microNm. The experimental conditions were 20 Vp-p and 5.3 mN pre-load. The motor property versus scale was investigated using an equivalent circuit. The calculated results indicated that the output torque of the 100 microns diameter motor was 27 nNm.     

Fabrication of microstructures on paraffin substrate using laser heating

In this paper, a technique of forming convex microstructures on a paraffin substrate using laser heating is described. This technique makes use of a phenomenon that solid paraffin, melted by continuous laser irradiation, grows into a pillar-shaped structure with a high aspect ratio in a liquid. Two-dimensional structures, such as line- and wall-shaped structures, are available by scanning irradiation. Also, it is possible to fabricate oblique structures with an inclined laser irradiation. In addition, some characteristics of this fabrication method, such as the laser power and the material temperature, are investigated. Furthermore, the mechanism of this fabrication method is presented. PACS 07.10.Cm; 47.55.Pf; 65.40.De; 79.20.Ds; 81.05.-t     

Synthesis of a Hematoside Analog Containing Phytosphingosine and α-Hydroxyfatty Acid

Abstract

The hematoside analog 1 [NeuGcα(2→3)Galβ(1→4)Glcβ(1→1)Cer], which contains a phytosphingosine as a sphingoid base and an α-hydroxyfatty acid, has been synthesized. Coupling of the methyl (methyl 5-benzyloxyacetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-2-thio-D-glycero-α- and -β-D-galacto-2-nonulopyranosid)onate 5, prepared from the corresponding 5-acetamido derivative 2, with a lactose derivative 6 afforded sialolactoside 7, which was converted to the corresponding trichloroacetimidate 10. Glycosylation of 10 with the ceramide tribenzoate 12 gave the protected hematoside analog 13, which was deprotected to the hematoside analog 1.