Hydrophobic Monomers Recognize Microenvironments in Hydrogel Microspheres during Free-Radical-Seeded Emulsion Polymerization

The three-dimensional structure of nanocomposite microgels was precisely determined by cryo-electron micrography. Several nanocomposite microgels that differ with respect to their nanocomposite structure, which were obtained from seeded emulsion polymerization in the presence of microgels, were used as model nanocomposite materials for cryo-electron micrography. The obtained three-dimensional segmentation images of these nanocomposite microgels provide important insights into the interactions between the hydrophobic monomers and the microgels, that is, hydrophobic styrene monomers recognize molecular-scale differences in polarity within the microgels during the emulsion polymerization. This result led to the formation of unprecedented multi-layered nanocomposite microgels, which promise substantial potential in colloidal applications.     

Novel and stereocontrolled asymmetric synthesis of a new naturally occurring styryllactone, (+)-cardiobutanolide

An efficient and stereodefined strategy is described for the asymmetric synthesis of a new styryllactone from the stem bark of Goniothalamus cardiopetalus, cardiobutanolide. The synthetic process is based on requisite manipulation of the functionalized bicyclic lactol-lactone intermediate incorporating the glucuronolactone-derived skeleton in a complete stereoselective manner.     

Numerical analysis of turbulent structure in compound meandering open channel by algebraic Reynolds stress model

The turbulent flow in a compound meandering channel with a rectangular cross section is one of the most complicated turbulent flows, because the flow behaviour is influenced by several kinds of forces, including centrifugal forces, pressure‐driven forces and shear stresses generated by momentum transfer between the main channel and the flood plain. Numerical analysis has been performed for the fully developed turbulent flow in a compound meandering open‐channel flow using an algebraic Reynolds stress model. The boundary‐fitted coordinate system is introduced as a method for coordinate transformation in order to set the boundary conditions along the complicated shape of the meandering open channel. The turbulence model consists of transport equations for turbulent energy and dissipation, in conjunction with an algebraic stress model based on the Reynolds stress transport equations. With reference to the pressure–strain term, we have made use of a modified pressure–strain term. The boundary condition of the fluctuating vertical velocity is set to zero not only for the free surface, but also for computational grid points next to the free surface, because experimental results have shown that the fluctuating vertical velocity approaches zero near the free surface. In order to examine the validity of the present numerical method and the turbulent model, the calculated results are compared with experimental data measured by laser Doppler anemometer. In addition, the compound meandering open channel is clarified somewhat based on the calculated results. As a result of the analysis, the present algebraic Reynolds stress model is shown to be able to reasonably predict the turbulent flow in a compound meandering open channel. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

L-S category of quaternionic Stiefel manifolds

By calculating certain generalized cohomology theory, lower bounds for the L-S category of quaternionic Stiefel manifolds are given.     

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of N-substituted 2-[(2-imidazolylsulfinyl)methyl]anilines as a new class of gastric H+/K(+)-ATPase inhibitors.

A series of N-substituted 2-[(2-imidazolylsulfinyl)methyl]anilines (3) was synthesized and evaluated for its biological activity against gastric H+/K(+)-ATPase prepared from rabbit stomach and gastric acid secretions in Heidenhain pouch dogs. Monoalkyl substituents on the nitrogen atom of the aniline moiety markedly inhibited the enzyme activity to the same degree as omeprazole, a representative H+/K(+)-ATPase inhibitor. Most of these compounds, administered at 3 mg/kg i.v. inhibited histamine-stimulated gastric acid secretion. The inhibitory activity of these derivatives on the enzymes at pH 6.0 was more potent than that at pH 7.4, and was distinctly correlated to stability in aqueous solution at pH 5.0.     

Fluorescence labeling of oligosaccharides useful in the determination of molecular interactions.

A simple method to label oligosaccharides with a multifunctional fluorescent group was developed. Oligosaccharides were quantitatively labeled at their reducing termini with pyrene butanoic acid hydrazide. The pyrene-labeled oligosaccharides were successfully applied to fluorescence polarization measurements and ELISA at picomole quantity, which was not previously reached by other procedures. This labeling method should prove to be useful in a variety of aspects in glycobiology.     

Development of high-repetition-rate LD pumped Nd:YAG laser and its application

High-average-power and high-energy lasers with good beam quality are fundamental tools for pumping high-peak and high-average-power ultrafast Ti:sapphire laser systems. Laser-diode (LD) pumped solid slate lasers with phase conjugation offer a unique combination of efficiency, reliability, and compactness. We present the design details and performance characteristics of a 360-W 1-kHz LD pumped Nd:YAG phase-conjugated laser. We also discuss the basic design aspects and present our preliminary experimental investigations on ultrashort-pulse laser systems.     

Anomalous PL brightening caused by partial Auger recombination of a (D, X) complex during an impact ionization avalanche in n-GaAs

Partial Auger recombination of the (D⁰, X) bound-exciton in n-GaAs at 4.2 K during an impact ionization avalanche under an applied pulse voltage has been investigated. The bright photoluminescence (PL)-pattern observed by applying the pulse voltage, characterizes well the formation of a current density filament. The observation of the bright PL spectra inside the current density filament gives a quite new result concerning the partial Auger recombination process of the (D⁰, X) complex, leaving the neutral donor in the excited states.     

Precise synthesis of porphyrin array scaffolding polyisocyanides

Aryl isocyanides bearing free‐base and metallo‐porphyrins were prepared and polymerized with a Pd–Pt μ‐ethynediyl complex as the initiator to give polymers with narrow polydispersity indices. The molecular weights of the resulting polymers were precisely controlled by the initial feed ratio of the porphyrin monomer to the initiator. The UV–VIS spectra suggested that the porphyrin pendants are regularly arranged to form stacked columns. Metallo‐porphyrin polymers were also prepared by reacting free‐base porphyrin polymers with metal salts. The successive reactions of free‐base and zinc‐porphyrin monomers resulted in the formation of diblock polymers. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 585–595, 2006