An ASE Reduction Filter Using Cascaded Optical Fiber Grating Couplers in EDFA Repeater

A new configuration for an ASE reduction filter in EDFA repeaters for WDM optical transmission systems using optical fiber grating couplers (FGCs) was proposed and first demonstrated. The filtering characteristics of the proposed filter for amplified single wavelength signal and 2-channel WDM signals using EDFA were identified. It was found that the filter was effective to improve SNR in optical domain by reducing ASE noise. The required FGC characteristics for the filter were theoretically predicted under the condition that the total filter loss did not exceed 3 dB. More than 70% of drop efficiency was required in each FGC for the application of the proposed filter to an 8-channel WDM system using EDFA repeaters.     

Efficient [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement accelerated by a trifluoroacetyl group: synthesis of benzofurans under mild conditions

The [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement took place smoothly during the course of trifluoroacetylation of O-phenyloxime at below room temperature to give the dihydrobenzofuran or benzofuran as a result of concomitant cyclization.     

Synthesis and characterization of monodispersed core-shell spherical colloids with movable cores

Gold nanoparticles have been conformally coated with amorphous silica (using a sol-gel method) and then an organic polymer (via surface-grafted, atom transfer radical polymerization) to form spherical colloids with a core-double-shell structure. The thickness of silica and polymer shells could be conveniently controlled in the range of tens to several hundred nanometers by changing the concentration of the reagent and/or the reaction time. Selective removal of the silica layer (through etching in aqueous HF) led to the formation of hollow polymer beads containing movable gold cores. This new form of core-shell particles provides a unique system for measuring the feature size and transport property associated with hollow particles. In one demonstration, we showed that the thickness of a closed polymer shell could be obtained by mapping the electrons backscattered from the core and shell. In another demonstration, the plasmon resonance band of the gold cores was used as an optical probe to follow the diffusion kinetics of chemical reagents across the polymer shells.     

Hydroxylation of ionized aromatics including carboxylic acid or amine using recombinant Streptomyces lividans cells expressing modified biphenyl dioxygenase genes

The bphA1(2072)A2A3A4 gene cluster codes for a shuffled biphenyl dioxygenase holoenzyme with broad substrate specificity. These bphA1(2072)A2A3A4 genes were expressed in the actinomycetes Streptomyces lividans using a thiostrepton-inducible promoter P_tipA. Biotransformation experiments of various aromatics including carboxylic acid or amine in their molecular structure, such as 1-naphthoic acid, 2-(1-naphthyl)acetic acid, diphenylamine, and 1-benzyl-4-piperidone, were performed using the recombinant S. lividans cells. These ionized aromatics were converted to the corresponding 1,2-dihydrodiol, mono- or tri-hydroxy forms in 48 h. The structure of the converted products was determined by their EI-MS, ¹H- and ¹³C NMR analysis, and several products were found to be novel compounds.     

Synthesis, characterization and FET properties of novel dithiazolylbenzothiadiazole derivatives

Dithiazolylbenzothiadiazoles easily obtained have high electron affinity and the FET device of a trifluoromethylphenyl derivative exhibited a good n-type performance with high electron mobility.     

Formation process of silver-polypyrrole coaxial nanocables synthesized by redox reaction between AgNO3 and pyrrole in the presence of poly(vinylpyrrolidone)

We have recently demonstrated a one-step process to fabricate silver-polypyrrole (PPy) coaxial nanocables (Chen, A.; Wang, H.; Li, X. Chem. Commun. 2005, 14, 1863). The formation process of silver-PPy coaxial nanocables is discussed in this article. It was found from the results of TEM and SEM images that large numbers of silver atoms were formed when AgNO3 was added to a pyrrole solution. Then silver atoms transform to silver-PPy nanosheets with regular morphology, which will connect together to be more stable. Silver-PPy nanocables will be able to grow at the expense of the silver-PPy nanosheets. Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) plays crucial roles in this process: as a capping agent to form silver nanowires, and as a dispersant of pyrrole monomers, which can influence the site at which pyrrole monomer exists. On the basis of experimental analysis, the possible mechanism was proposed. Because of the effect of PVP, silver ions and pyrrole monomers are apt to be adsorbed at the [111] and [100] facets of silver nanosheets, respectively. Obvious polymerization will take place on the boundary of the [111] and [100] facets. The PPy layer stays stable on the [100] facets. Meanwhile, newly formed silver atoms and silver nanosheets will further ripen and grow on the [111] facets. In a word, the morphology of final products and the formation process are determined by the reaction site between AgNO3 and the pyrrole monomer, which is influenced by PVP.     

Synthesis of polyanionic glycopolymers for the facile assembly of glycosyl arrays

Polyanionic glycopolymers were synthesized aiming at establishing a simple process for assembling glycosyl arrays. The synthetic glycopolymers carry the key carbohydrate epitopes of α-d-galactobioside (Gb₂), β-lactoside, and α-d-mannopyranoside, each of which serves as a ligand of bacterial toxins and adhesion proteins. The Gb₂ epitope, prepared from penta-O-acetyl-d-galactopyranose, was coupled with poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride) in a polymer reaction to afford a Gb₂-embedded glycopolymer having also carboxylate (COO⁻) polyanions at the side chain. The polyanionic glycopolymer was then applied to a preparation of sugar-coated gold electrodes, which involves an alternating layer-by-layer adsorption based on electrostatic interactions. The presence of the Gb₂-coat on the surface was evidenced by Fourier transform infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy. The Gb₂-coated glyco-chip was stable in 10 mM HEPES buffer containing 150 mM NaCl aq. Other glycopolymers carrying the β-lactoside and α-d-mannopyranoside epitopes were applied to the same assembling process. The derived glycosyl arrays will be useful for detecting Shiga toxins, other pathogenic toxins and viruses when applied as glyco-chips for surface plasmon resonance or quartz crystal microbalance technique.