Microfluidic and hydrothermal preparation of vesicles using sorbitan monolaurate/polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate (Span 20/Tween 20).

Here, we present a method for preparing vesicles by combining hydrothermal emulsification with solvent diffusion (SD). The sorbitan monolaurate/polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate (Span 20/Tween 20) system was used as the target lipid because these lipids are cheap and advantageous for the production scale. The water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion stabilized with lipids was formed under hydrothermal conditions (240 °C under 10 MPa), followed by mixing with water that included lipids to obtain a W/O-in-water (W/O/W) emulsion.

Magnetic Hyperthermia Using Self-Controlled Heating Elements Consisting of Fe-Al Milling Alloy Induces Cancer Cell Apoptosis while Preserving Skeletal Muscle.

Necrosis-inducing anticancer drugs enhance high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) release during cell necrosis, and HMGB1-induced autophagy in skeletal muscle induces muscle atrophy. We evaluated the efficacy of magnetic hyperthermia therapy (MHT) using a low-energy magnetic field and self-controlled heating elements in tumor treatment. MHT-induced apoptosis by heating mouse subcutaneous tumors at 43°C using a heat-controlling iron-aluminum (Fe-Al) milling alloy.

Cu-Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidative C-H/C-O Cyclization of 2,2'-Binaphthols: Practical Synthesis of PXX Derivatives.

Cu-catalyzed C-H/C-O cyclization of 2,2'-binaphthol, using air as an oxidant, was developed. C-H functionalization of binaphthols occurred at the 8,8'-position to form peri-xanthenoxanthenes that exhibit high charge-carrier mobility. The reaction can tolerate a wide variety of functional groups and afforded the corresponding peri-xanthenoxanthene derivatives via an efficient procedure.

Water-Processable, Air-Stable Organic Nanoparticle-Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposites Exhibiting n-Type Thermoelectric Properties.

Water-dispersed organic base nanoparticles are utilized for the highly stable n-type doping of single-walled carbon nanotubes in aqueous dispersion. Long-term stability is often a critical challenge in the application of n-type organic conductors. The present n-type organic materials exhibit almost no degradation in the thermoelectric properties over months, in air.

Amine/Hydrido Bifunctional Nanoporous Silica with Small Metal Nanoparticles Made Onsite: Efficient Dehydrogenation Catalyst.

Multifunctional catalysts are of great interest in catalysis because their multiple types of catalytic or functional groups can cooperatively promote catalytic transformations better than their constituents do individually. Herein we report a new synthetic route involving the surface functionalization of nanoporous silica with a rationally designed and synthesized dihydrosilane (3-aminopropylmethylsilane) that leads to the introduction of catalytically active grafted organoamine as well as single metal atoms and ultrasmall Pd or Ag-doped Pd nanoparticles via on-site reduction of metal ions. The resulting nanomaterials serve as highly effective bifunctional dehydrogenative catalysts for generation of H from formic acid.

Grafted Polymethylhydrosiloxane on Hierarchically Porous Silica Monoliths: A New Path to Monolith-Supported Palladium Nanoparticles for Continuous Flow Catalysis Applications.

Polymethylhydrosiloxane has been grafted on the surface of a hierarchically porous silica monolith using a facile catalytic reaction between Si-H and silanol to anchor the polymer. This easy methodology leads to the functionalization of the surface of a silica monolith, where a large amount of free Si-H bonds remain available for reducing metal ions in solution. Palladium nanoparticles of 15 nm have been synthesized homogeneously inside the mesopores of the monolith without any stabilizers, using a flow of a solution containing Pd.

Photo-triggered release from liposomes without membrane solubilization, based on binding to poly(vinyl alcohol) carrying a malachite green moiety.

When working with liposomes analogous to cell membranes, it is important to develop substrates that can regulate interactions with the liposome surface in response to light. We achieved a photo-triggered release from liposomes by using a copolymer of poly(vinyl alcohol) carrying a malachite green moiety (PVAMG). Although PVAMG is a neutral polymer under dark conditions, it is photoionized upon exposure to UV light, resulting in the formation of a cationic site for binding to liposomes with a negatively charged surface.

Photoinduced conformational changes in DNA by poly(vinyl alcohol) carrying a malachite green moiety for protecting DNA against attack by nuclease.

Light is a highly advantageous means of specific cell targeting. Though targeted gene delivery is an important characteristic of an ideal delivery vehicle, there has been little effort to develop a photoresponsive vector. Among nonviral vectors, cationic substances interact effectively with negatively charged DNA.

Current rectification in nickelocenylferrocene sandwiched between two gold electrodes.

I present a theoretical study of the electronic transport properties of nickelocenylferrocene sandwiched between gold electrodes. Compared with the biferrocene system, the nickelocenylferrocene system had high electrical conduction and rectification in the bias range -1 to 1 V. Furthermore, the spin-down states of the nickelocenylferrocene system exhibited perfect spin-filtering properties.

Using Rasch measurement to validate the Big Five factor marker questionnaire for a Japanese university population.

In recent years, psychological studies have increasingly come to support the so-called "Big Five" or "Five-factor Model" (FFM) of human personality. However, the vast majority of research in this field has been undertaken in Western contexts, thus raising the question of how applicable the Big Five is to Asian populations. Moreover, nearly all research into the Big Five has relied on traditional techniques of statistical analysis (e.

Phototriggered DNA complexation and compaction using poly(vinyl alcohol) carrying a malachite green moiety.

Photoinduced DNA compaction was performed using the interaction of DNA with a photoresponsive random copolymer of poly(vinyl alcohol) carrying a malachite green moiety (PVAMG). Although PVAMG does not have any affinity for DNA under dark conditions, it undergoes photoionization upon exposure to UV light, consequently resulting in a cationic binding site for DNA. Electrophoresis results demonstrated that irradiation of PVAMG retarded the DNA bands due to their complexation, whereas the bands remained unchanged under dark conditions.

Photochemically triggered reaction of glucose oxidase in a fused vesicle containing Malachite Green leuconitrile derivative.

Glucose oxidase (GOD) was encapsulated in vesicles containing a photoionizable Malachite Green leuconitrile derivative (MGL). Subsequent UV irradiation of MGL afforded the fusion of GOD- and glucose-encapsulating vesicles and thus decreased the concentration of glucose in the vesicles. The time dependence of the vesicle fusion was studied using fluorescent probe molecules.

Synthesis of a spirobifluorene-bridged allylsilane precursor for periodic mesoporous organosilica.

A novel spirobifluorene-bridged allylsilane precursor, which can be easily purified by silica gel chromatography, was prepared by using a new molecular building block for allylsilane sol-gel precursors (MBAS) and successfully converted into a highly fluorescent periodic mesoporous organosilica film.

Disruption of reverse micelles and release of trapped ribonuclease A photochemically induced by Malachite Green leuconitrile derivative.

Photoinduced disruption of a sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) reverse micelle is triggered by a Malachite Green leuconitrile derivative (MGL). UV irradiation of MGL solubilized in an AOT-water-chloroform mixture creates a cationic surfactant that interacts electrostatically with the anionic AOT. We investigated the disruption of the reverse micelle by using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and found that UV irradiation of MGL decreases the number of water molecules solubilized in the interior of the AOT reverse micelles.

Morphological changes in vesicles and release of an encapsulated compound triggered by a photoresponsive Malachite Green leuconitrile derivative.

Photoinduced morphological changes in phosphatidylcholine vesicles are triggered by a Malachite Green leuconitrile derivative dissolved in the lipidic membrane, and are observed at Malachite Green derivative/lipid ratios <5 mol %. This Malachite Green derivative is a photoresponsive compound that undergoes ionization to afford a positive charge on the molecule by UV irradiation. The Malachite Green derivative exhibits amphiphilicity when ionized photochemically, whereas it behaves as a lipophilic compound under dark conditions.

Photoinduced micelle-to-vesicle transition and encapsulation of by photoresponsive Malachite Green derivative.

UV irradiation on a Malachite Green leuconitrile derivative afforded a cationic surfactant in aqueous solutions of sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate. The result involved a micelle-to-vesicle transition and encapsulation which have been investigated by trapping experiment. Transmission electron microscopy was applied for direct observation of vesicle formation.

Photoinduced increase in vesicle size and role of photoresponsive malachite green leuconitrile derivative in vesicle fusion.

The influence of photoirradiation on vesicles containing a Malachite Green leuconitrile derivative carrying a long alkyl chain, affording photogenerated amphiphilicity, was investigated. The photoresponsive Malachite Green leuconitrile derivative was embedded in the vesicle bilayer of two single-tailed amphiphiles with oppositely charged head groups consisting of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) and sodium octyl sulfate (SOS). Transmission electron microscopy, which was used for observing photoinduced structural change in the vesicles, demonstrated that photoirradiation of the vesicles containing the Malachite Green leuconitrile derivative increased the average size of the vesicle diameter from 116 to 243 nm in the [CTAC]/[SOS] = 0.

Higher order structure of Mucor miehei lipase and micelle size in cetyltrimethylammonium bromide reverse micellar system.

The higher order structure of Mucor miehei lipase and micelle size in a cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) reverse micellar system was investigated. Circular dichroic (CD) measurement revealed that the lipase far-UV CD spectra changed markedly, going from buffer solution to the reverse micellar solution, and were very similar for any organic solvent used. The ellipticity of the solubilized lipase in the far-UV region markedly decreased with increasing water content (W(0): molar ratio of water to CTAB), indicating that the secondary structure of lipase changed with the water content.

Morphology control of polylactide microspheres enclosing irinotecan hydrochloride with polylactide based polymer surfactant for reduction of initial burst.

We introduced newly biodegradable polymer surfactant to poly(D,L-lactide) microspheres for exhibiting precisely controlled release rate of antitumor agent. We newly designed biodegradable polymer surfactant, poly(ethyleneoxide monooleate)-block-poly(D,L-lactide); (MOPEO-PLA), which has a biocompatible, oil-soluble and compatible with polylactide matrices. Polylactide (PLA) microspheres with MOPEO-PLA enclosing Irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11) was successfully fabricated by solvent evaporation method via O/O emulsion.

Facile preparation of a new BINAP-based building block, 5,5'-diiodoBINAP, and its synthetic application.

[reaction: see text] Bis(pyridine)iodonium tetrafluoroborate was successfully used for regioselective iodination of BINAP dioxide to give 5,5'-diiodoBINAP dioxide in an excellent yield of 92%, with no observed formation of 4,4'-diiodoBINAP dioxide. A Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction with 5,5'-diiodoBINAP dioxide gave the desired bis(trimethylsilylethynyl) product in 86% yield. The resulting 5,5'-disubstituted BINAP dioxides were reduced to the corresponding phosphines, which were used as chiral ligands for rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of phenylboronic acid to 2-cyclohexenone to give 3-phenylcyclohexanone in excellent yield with high enantioselectivity.

Submerged culture of Tricholoma matsutake mycelium in bubble column fermentors.

Submerged culture of Tricholoma matsutake mycelium was carried out using two bubble column fermentors, a standard bubble column and an external-loop airlift column. The effects of the aeration rate and column type on culture performance in terms of the mycelia morphology, glucose consumption, cell yield, and growth rate were investigated. Morphologically, three types of pellets-large spherical, small spherical and filamentous-were observed depending on the aeration rate.

Liquid-liquid extraction of alpha-lactalbumin using reverse micellar organic solvent.

The liquid-liquid extraction of alpha-lactalbumin based on reverse micellar organic solvents was investigated. Forward extraction of the protein in the reverse micellar organic phase from aqueous feed solutions was strongly dependent on the initial pH of the feed solution and the complete forward extraction of 0.03 mM alpha-lactalbumin was successfully achieved at pH 6.

Higher order structure of proteins solubilized in AOT reverse micelles.

The higher order structure of proteins solubilized in an bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate sodium (AOT) reverse micellar system was investigated. From circular dichroic (CD) measurement, CD spectra of cytochrome c, which is solubilized at the interface of reverse micelles, markedly changed on going from buffer solution to the reverse micellar solution, and the ellipticity values in the far- and near-UV regions decreased with decreasing the water content (W0: molar ratio of water to AOT), indicating that the secondary and tertiary structures of cytochrome c changed with the water content. The ellipticity of ribonuclease A, which is solubilized in the center of micellar water pool, in the near-UV region was dependent on W0 and became minimum when W0 of ca.

[Temporal illusory conjunction in RSVP tasks: effects of target complexity].

We examined the complexity effects of stimuli and tasks on temporal illusory conjunction in the Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) tasks. Subjects were asked to report the partially defined target. We found that error patterns greatly depended on the visual complexity of stimuli.