Effect of the vortices on the nuclear spin relaxation rate in the unconventional pairing states of the organic superconductor (TMTSF)2PF6

This Letter theoretically discusses quasiparticle states and nuclear spin relaxation rates T1-1 in the quasi-one-dimensional superconductor (TMTSF)2PF6 under a magnetic field applied parallel to the conduction chains. We study the effects of Josephson-type vortices on T1(-1) by solving the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation for p-, d- or f-wave pairing interactions. In the presence of line nodes in pairing functions, T1(-1) is proportional to T in sufficiently low temperatures because quasiparticles induced by vortices at the Fermi energy relax spins. We also try to identify the pairing symmetry of (TMTSF)2PF6.     

SSD1, which encodes a plant-specific novel protein,controls plant elongation by regulating cell division in rice

Plant height is one of the most important traits in crop improvement. Therefore revealing the mechanism of plant elongation and controlling plant height in accordance with breeding object is important. In this study we analyzed a novel dwarf mutant, ssd1, of which phenotype is different from typical GA- or BR-related dwarf phenotype. ssd1 exhibits pleiotropic defects in elongation of various organs such as stems, roots, leaves, and flowers. ssd1 also shows abnormal cell files and shapes, which suggests defects of normal cell division in the mutant. Map-based cloning and complementation test demonstrated that the dwarf phenotype in ssd1 mutant was caused by insertion of retrotransposon in a gene, which encodes plant-specific protein with unknown biochemical function. A BLAST search revealed that SSD1-like genes exist in diverse plant species, including monocots and dicots, but not fern and moss. Our results demonstrate that SSD1 controls plant elongation by controlling cell division in higher plants.     

Improved constraints on D0-D0 mixing in D0 --> K+ pi- decays from the Belle detector

We report the results of a search for D0-D0 mixing in D0 --> K+ pi- decays based on 400 fb(-1) of data accumulated by the Belle detector at KEKB. Both assuming CP conservation and allowing for CP violation, we fit the decay-time distribution for the mixing parameters x and y, as well as for the parameter R(D), the ratio of doubly Cabibbo-suppressed decays to Cabibbo-favored decays. The 95% confidence level region in the (x'2,y') plane is obtained using a frequentist method. Assuming CP conservation, we find x'2 < 0.72 x 10(-3) and -9.9 x 10(-3) < y' < 6.8 x 10(-3) at the 95% confidence level; these are the most stringent constraints on the mixing parameters to date. The no-mixing point (0,0) has a confidence level of 3.9%. Assuming no mixing, we measure R(D) = (0.377 +/- 0.008 +/- 0.005)%.     

Laser Light and X-Ray Diffraction Studies of Oriented Isotactic Polypropylene (iPP) Prepared by Temperature Slope Crystallization

Isotactic polypropylene (iPP) film was melt-crystallized in a temperature gradient. The iPP film showed well oriented α- and β-crystalline textures along the gradient. The crystalline structure, phase transition boundary and lamellar twisting were examined by X-ray diffraction and laser light diffraction (LLD). On the α-β boundary, LLD shows a sharp streak perpendicular to the boundary, where the a-axis of the β-crystal is oriented perpendicular to the temperature gradient. Apart from the boundary, the a-axis of the β-crystal becomes parallel to the gradient. The β-crystal shows lamellar twisting with a pitch of 200 μm at room temperature. When heated the β-crystal, the lamellar distance of 295Å at room temperature decreases to 285Å at 80–100°C and then increases to more than 300Å above 120°C. During the heating, the value of the twist period increases from 200 to 210 μm at 90–100°C, and then to above 224 μm at 140°C. The increase of the twist period is related to the increasing crystalline thickness of the β-lamellae.     

Design of Photostable,Activatable Near‐Infrared Photoacoustic Probes Using Tautomeric Benziphthalocyanine as a Platform

Near‐infrared (NIR) imaging techniques have attracted significant attention for biological and medicinal applications due to the ability of NIR to penetrate deeply into tissues. However, there are very few stable, activatable molecular probes that can utilize NIR light in the wavelength range beyond 800 nm. Herein, we report a new activatable NIR system for photoacoustic imaging based on tautomeric benziphthalocyanines (BPcs). We found that the existence of a free hydroxyl group is crucial for NIR absorption of BPcs. Synthesized water‐soluble hydroxy BPcs exhibited high photostability and no fluorescence, which are desirable features for photoacoustic imaging. We synthesized BPcs in which the free hydroxyl group was masked by an esterase‐labile or an H₂O₂‐labile group. The photoacoustic signals of these hydroxy‐masked BPcs were increased upon NIR excitation at 880 nm in the presence of esterase or H₂O₂, respectively. These are rare examples of activatable probes utilizing NIR light at around 900 nm.     

A practical approach to non-natural or N-unsubstituted α-arylglycine derivatives: Hf(OTf)4-doped Me3SiCl system-catalyzed aminomethylation of electron-rich arenes with a new type of N,O-acetal

The authors have demonstrated the Hf(OTf)₄-doped Me₃SiCl system-catalyzed aminomethylation of electron-rich aromatic compounds, such as indoles and anilines, with new types of N,O-acetals having a variety of functional groups, such as cyano, ester, bis(trimethylsilyl)amino, diallylamino, and cyclic amino moieties, for the preparation of non-natural aromatic amino acid derivatives. Aminomethylation using an N,O-acetal with a bis(trimethylsilyl)amino group was particularly successful in the direct preparation of an N-unsubstituted α-indolylglycine derivative, which required only a standard aqueous workup.     

Enantioselective addition of terminal alkynes to aldehydes catalyzed by a Cu(I)-TRAP complex

The addition of terminal alkynes to aromatic aldehydes was carried out under mild conditions in the presence of a Cu-phosphine complex, which was prepared in situ from Cu(O-t-Bu) and TRAP chiral bisphosphine, to yield enantiomerically enriched propargyl alcohols with moderate enantioselectivities. Furthermore, according to stoichiometric reactions, the reaction presumably involves the addition of a TRAP-coordinated Cu(I) acetylide to an aldehyde.     

p-Nitrophenol permeability and temperature characteristics of an acryloyl-L-proline methyl ester-based porous gel membrane

Thermoresponsive porous gel membranes were synthesized by a simultaneously occurring process consisting of radiation-induced polymerization and crosslinking in aqueous solutions at various concentrations of acryloyl-L -proline methyl ester(A-ProOMe) without a crosslinker. Permeation of p-nitrophenol (PNP) through a thermoresponsive porous gel membrane obtained at a monomer concentration of 80% (w/w) drastically reduced around 14°C, the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of linear poly(A-ProOMe) in water, from 0.60 × 10⁻³ cm/min at 10°C to no permeation at 18°C, accompanied by changes in both size and shape of pores associated with gel shrinkage. Moreover, it was found that porous gel membranes with a porosity of approximately 60% had a greater PNP permeability constant through porous gel membranes with mutually connected pores obtained at a monomer concentration of 50% (w/w) than individually supported pores obtained at a monomer concentration of 70% (w/w). © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1495–1500, 1998