Effect of Non‐Specifically Adsorbed Ions on the Surface Oxidation of Pt(111)

The oxidation processes of a Pt(111) electrode in alkaline electrolytes depend on non‐specifically adsorbed ions according to in situ X‐ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopic measurements. In an aqueous solution of LiOH, an OH_ad adlayer is formed in the first oxidation step of the Pt(111) electrode as a result of the strong interaction between Li⁺ and OH_ad, whereas Pt oxidation proceeds without OH_ad formation in CsOH solution. Structural analysis by X‐ray diffraction indicates that Li⁺ is strongly protective against surface roughening caused by subsurface oxidation. Although Cs⁺ is situated near the Pt surface, the weak protective effect of Cs⁺ results in irreversible surface roughening due to subsurface oxidation.     

Formation of a Ligand‐Assisted Complex of Two RNA Hairpin Loops

The hairpin structure is one of the most common secondary structures in RNA and holds a central position in the stream of RNA folding from a non‐structured RNA to structurally complex and functional ribonucleoproteins. Since the RNA secondary structure is strongly correlated to the function and can be modulated by the binding of small molecules, we have investigated the modulation of RNA folding by a ligand‐assisted formation of loop–loop complexes of two RNA hairpin loops. With a ligand (NCT6), designed based on the ligand binding to the G–G mismatches in double‐stranded DNA, we successfully demonstrated the formation of both inter‐ and intra‐molecular NCT6‐assisted complex of two RNA hairpin loops. NCT6 selectively bound to the two hairpin loops containing (CGG)₃ in the loop region. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of two doubly‐labeled RNA hairpin loops clearly showed the formation of intermolecular NCT6‐assisted loop–loop complex. Förster resonance energy‐transfer studies of RNA constructs containing two hairpin loops, in which each hairpin was labeled with Alexa488 and Cy3 fluorophores, showed the conformational change of the RNA constructs upon binding of NCT6. These experimental data showed that NCT6 simultaneously bound to two hairpin RNAs at the loop region, and can induce the conformational change of the RNA molecule. These data strongly support that NCT6 functions as molecular glue for two hairpin RNAs.     

Evaluating a time-delay of hydrogen production quantitatively in photosynthetic bacteria for stabilizing intermittency

Renewable energy is regarded as a clean energy source but has some problems, one of which is intermittency. To reduce this, the time-delay of hydrogen production by photosynthetic bacteria can be effective. In this study, we qualitatively evaluated the time-delay of hydrogen production by photosynthetic bacteria under various irradiation conditions, and we also quantitatively evaluated it by fitting the experimental data and the hydrogen production model with a genetic algorithm. As a result of model fitting, we found that the relationship between the lengths of the optimized time-delay of hydrogen production by photosynthetic bacteria and the amount of light irradiation is linear. And we also found that the time-delay of hydrogen production by photosynthetic bacteria had an upper limit under low light intensity. We have suggested the existence of an energy store mechanism in photosynthetic bacteria.     

High field magnetization of Pr1-xGdxNi single crystals

Magnetization measurements were carried out on Pr_1−xGd_xNi single crystals for x=0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 using pulsed magnetic fields up to 55 T and at 4.2 K. For the data observed along the c-axis there are clear indications of transitions, of the combined system of Pr and Gd moments, from a ferrimagnetic to a ferromagnetic state. The observed saturation magnetizations at 55 T and intermediate magnetizations at 1 T were well modeled assuming ferro- and ferri-magnetic structures, respectively.     

Oxidation activity of Au nanoparticles on aerogel supports

We have prepared titania aerogel and titania-coated silica aerogel incorporating thiol-capped Au nanoparticles. Both composite materials showed high CO oxidation activity after they were calcined at 673 K. Compositional and morphological changes driven by calcination were evaluated with thermogravimetry and X-ray diffractometry. From the results, it was suggested that the nanoparticles transformed from a faulted to a near-regular FCC structure presumably in concert with the formation of firm contacts between the nanoparticles and the gel substrates. While the diameters of the Au particles in the titania aerogel considerably increased upon calcination, those in the titania-coated silica aerogel were almost unchanged. As a consequence, the latter composite aerogel showed higher activity for oxidation of CO.     

Rapid and Efficient Copper‐Catalyzed Finkelstein Reaction of (Hetero)Aromatics under Continuous‐Flow Conditions

A general, rapid, and efficient method for the copper‐catalyzed Finkelstein reaction of (hetero)aromatics has been developed using continuous flow to generate a variety of aryl iodides. The described method can tolerate a broad spectrum of functional groups, including N‐H and O‐H groups. Additionally, in lieu of isolation, the aryl iodide solutions were used in two distinct multistep continuous‐flow processes (amidation and Mg–I exchange/nucleophilic addition) to demonstrate the flexibility of this method.     

H(x)TeV9O28]((5-x)-) (x=1 and 2): vanadotellurates with decavanadate structure

Two new vanadotellurates, [HTeV(9)O(28)](4-) and [H(2)TeV(9)O(28)](3-) have been synthesized and structurally characterized as tetra-n-butylammonium (TBA) salts: TBA(4)[HTeV(9)O(28)]·2CH(3)CN [triclinic, space group P ?1, a = 16.7102(6) ?, b = 17.4680(7) ?, c = 17.9634(7) ?, α = 74.412(1)°, β = 67.494(1)°, γ = 74.160(2)°, Z = 2] and TBA(3)[H(2)TeV(9)O(28)] [monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c, a = 13.0013(5) ?, b = 19.157(1) ?, c = 28.453(1) ?, β = 97.222(2)°, Z = 4]. The results of the structural analyses indicate that the four O atoms that bridge two V atoms on the Te side are the most basic ones in the structure. The results of density-functional theory (DFT) calculations support this view.     

Synthesis,p-Nitrophenolate Complexation and Competitive Anion Signaling of Novel Calixpyrrole Dimer

A novel dimeric calixpyrrole has been synthesized. The dimer forms stable complexes with p-nitrophenolate ion with a concomitant reduction in extinction coefficient. The chromogenic anion is displaced by the addition of various anions like fluoride and acetate. Effective optical sensing of these anions is accomplished using the calixpyrrole dimer.