The Canonical Solutions of the Q-Systems¶ and the Kirillov–Reshetikhin Conjecture

We study a class of systems of functional equations closely related to various kinds of integrable statistical and quantum mechanical models. We call them the finite and infinite $Q$-systems according to the number of functions and equations. The finite Q-systems appear as the thermal equilibrium conditions (the Sutherland–Wu equation) for certain statistical mechanical systems. Some infinite Q-systems appear as the relations of the normalized characters of the KR modules of the Yangians and the quantum affine algebras. We give two types of power series formulae for the unique solution (resp. the unique canonical solution) for a finite (resp. infinite) Q-system. As an application, we reformulate the Kirillov–Reshetikhin conjecture on the multiplicities formula of the KR modules in terms of the canonical solutions of Q-systems. Received: 2 August 2001 / Accepted: 27 December 2001     

The alkaloids from the fruits of the plant Daphniphyllaceae

Six alkaloids have been isolated from the fruits of the plant Daphniphyllaceae. Two of them are new alkaloids, namely methyl homodaphniphyllate (1) and daphnilactone-B (2). The structure of the former was deduced by chemical transformation from daphniphylline (3). The structure of daphnilactone-B was estimated by the exhaustive spectral analysis as well as by chemical evidences, and finally determined by an X-ray crystallographic analysis of the free base.     

Preparation of Layer Structure-Controlled Ru-Sn-Al2O3 Catalysts and Their Reactivity

In order to achieve functional group selective hydrogenation, the layer structure of Ru-Sn-Al2O3 catalysts was controlled by using sol-gel, powder impregnation and combined sol-gel impregnation methods. The properties of the catalysts and effectiveness in hydrogenation of dimethyl terephthalate were examined. The surface Sn contents of the catalysts characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depended on the preparation method, in spite of almost the same bulk Ru and Sn compositions measured by X-ray fluorescence analyses. TPR and CO adsorption of the catalysts also depended on the preparation method. With regard to the conversion rate of dimethyl terephthalate and the rate of product conversion from methyl 4-hydroxy methylbenzoate to p-xylene via methyl p-toluate, Ru impregnation catalysts had higher rates than the other catalysts.     

Synthesis of a Stimuli‐Responsive P‐Chiral Polymer with Chiral Phosphorus Atoms and Azobenzene Moieties in the Main Chain

A reaction of the P‐chiral compound (S,S)‐1,2‐bis(boranato(tert‐butyl)methylphosphino)ethane with an azobenzene derivative gave stimuli‐responsive polymers with P‐chiral phosphines in the main chain. This is the first example of a stimuli‐responsive P‐chiral polymer. The polymer isomerized from the trans to the cis form upon UV irradiation and reverted to the trans form reversibly. The polymer was able to coordinate to platinum, and the resulting polymer complex exhibited the Cotton effect owing to the chirality of the phosphorus atoms. The structure of the P‐chiral polymer obtained could be changed reversibly by light and thermal stimuli, and the polymer chain was induced to rotate helically when complexed with transition metals through the chiral phosphorus atoms.     

Mechanisms of ATPases--a multi-disciplinary approach

ATPases are important molecular machines that convert the chemical energies stored in ATP to mechanical actions within the cell. ATPases are among the most abundant proteins with diverse functions involved in almost every cellular pathway. The well characterised ATPases include the various motor proteins responsible for cargo transfers, cell motilities, and muscle contractions; the protein degradation machinery - the proteasome; the ATP synthase, F-ATPase; and the chaperone systems. Other ATPases include DNA helicases and DNA replication complex; proteins responsible for protein/complex disassembly; and certain gene regulators. It is beyond the scope of this review to cover the complete range of ATPases. Instead, we will focus on a few representative ATPases, chosen based on their diverse mechanisms and properties. Furthermore, this review is by no means trying to cover comprehensively the literature for each ATPase nor the historical aspects in each field. We will focus on describing the various techniques being employed to derive the mechanisms and properties of the chosen ATPases. Among them, high and low resolution structural studies combined with biochemical assays seem to be the dominant technical advances adapted to reveal mechanisms for most of the ATPases except the bacterial sigma54 activators, whose mechanism of action is mostly derived from large amount of biochemical studies. A number of them, especially the F-ATPase and motor proteins, have been studied successfully by various single molecule and imaging techniques. We will therefore discuss them in greater details in order to describe the wide range techniques being utilised.     

Chemical studies on nitrogen heterocyclic skeleton of the Daphniphyllum alkaloids

From a biogenetic point of view, a great variety of related alkaloids isolated from the plant Daphniphyllaceae are related to one another by bond formation or fission. Thus, daphnialcohol acetate (6), a derivative of the degradation products of daphniphylline (1), was subjected to von Braun degradation followed by acid-catalyzed recyclization to give an isomer (8) of daphnialcohol, which has a new type of nitrogen heterocyclic skeleton. Furthermore, daphnilactone-B (3) was converted into a daphniphylline-type compound (19) via a plausible intermediate (21).     

Stereostructures of several solidagolactones (elongatolides)

The structures of several clerodane-type diterpenes [solidagolactones II (elongatolide C), III, IV (elongatolide A), V, VI (elongatolide D), elongatolide B, and elongatolide E] have been revised , all of which are $\text{cis}$-clerodanes.     

Dosimetry of fast neutrons in 1W nuclear reactor with plastic nuclear-track detectors

A nuclear reactor at Kinki University is operated at the maximum of 1W. It produces fission neutrons as much as gamma-rays. To facilitate its use for neutron radiobiology, fast neutrons inside the reactor were measured with nuclear-track detectors TS 16 N and a pair of ion chambers. The angular dependence of TS 16 N response, an anisotropy of fast neutron fluxes in the reactor and misuse of the kerma factor assumed for radiation protection business are the major causes of discrepancy is measured doses by the two methods. Correction factors for the three causes are proposed. After correction, neutron doses estimated with TS 16 N and chambers agree within 5%. The dose-rate at the reactor's center is about 20 tissue-cGy/h. This is the first in situ dosimetry of fast neutrons in a reactor with track detectors attached to biologic samples. Our routine usage has demonstrated that, if used with caution, TS 16 N elements are handy, reliable monitors for fast neutron dosimetry as they are insensitive to contaminated gamma-rays and small enough to be attached to biologic samples.