Invariant natural killer T cells stimulated with cholesteryl glycosides modulate immune responses in allergy and delayed-type hypersensitivity.

Invariant NKT cells were stimulated with cholesteryl O-acyl α-glycosides in the context of CD1d. The activated NKT cells have potential to sustain the homeostasis in the body exposed to excess in either Th1- or Th2-immunity.

Collaborative study of thresholds for mutagens: proposal of a typical protocol for detection of hormetic responses in cytotoxicity tests.

Background: According to the linear no-threshold model (LNT), even the smallest amount of radiation is hazardous. Although the LNT is not based on solid data, this hypothesis has been applied to mutagens and carcinogens. As a result, it has been postulated that there are no thresholds for these chemicals.

Energy Transfer-Assisted Whispering Gallery Mode Lasing in Conjugated Polymer/Europium Hybrid Microsphere Resonators.

Lanthanide metal complexes display luminescence with narrow bandwidth. Here, we present coupling of the luminescence from europium ion (Eu ) with whispering gallery modes (WGMs) in conjugated polymer microsphere resonators. Self-assembly of fluorene-terpyridine alternating copolymer, coordinated by Eu (F8tpy-Eu ), forms well-defined microspheres with an average diameter of 3.

Thermal efficiency of a thermocell made of Prussian blue analogues.

Recently, it was reported that a thermocell can convert temperature into electric energy by using the difference in the thermal coefficient (α = dV/dT) of the redox potential (V) between the cathode and anode materials. Among battery materials, Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) are promising materials for thermocell, because α changes from approximately -0.3 mV/K in NaMn[Fe(CN)] 3.

Structures and Catalytic Activities of Complexes between Heme and All Parallel-Stranded Monomeric G-Quadruplex DNAs.

Heme in its ferrous and ferric states [heme(Fe) and heme(Fe), respectively] binds selectively to the 3'-terminal G-quartet of all parallel-stranded monomeric G-quadruplex DNAs formed from inosine(I)-containing sequences, i.e., d(TAGGGTGGGTTGGGTGIG) DNA(18mer) and d(TAGGGTGGGTTGGGTGIGA) DNA(18mer/A), through a π-π stacking interaction between the porphyrin moiety of the heme and the G-quartet, to form 1:1 complexes [heme-DNA(18mer) and heme-DNA(18mer/A) complexes, respectively].

Characterization of Catalytic Activities and Heme Coordination Structures of Heme-DNA Complexes Composed of Some Chemically Modified Hemes and an All Parallel-Stranded Tetrameric G-Quadruplex DNA Formed from d(TTAGGG).

Heme binds selectively to the 3'-terminal G-quartet (G6 G-quartet) of an all parallel-stranded tetrameric G-quadruplex DNA, [d(TTAGGG)], to form a heme-DNA complex. Complexes between [d(TTAGGG)] and a series of chemically modified hemes possessing a heme Fe atom with a variety of electron densities were characterized in terms of their peroxidase activities to evaluate the effect of a change in the electron density of the heme Fe atom (ρ) on their activities. The peroxidase activity of a complex decreased with a decreasing ρ, supporting the idea that the activity of the complex is elicited through a reaction mechanism similar to that of a peroxidase.

Low-energy methane scattering from Pt(111).

We have measured the temperature dependence of angular distributions of CH from Pt(111) at an incident energy of 109 meV. A broad angular distribution has been observed along the two main symmetry directions, whereby the peak center shifts from the supra-specular position to the sub-specular position when the surface temperature increases from 120 K to 800 K. Different widths have been measured for the scattering patterns along the [ ] and the [ ] azimuthal directions.

Correction: Synthesis of figure-of-eight helical bisBODIPY macrocycles and their chiroptical properties.

Correction for 'Synthesis of figure-of-eight helical bisBODIPY macrocycles and their chiroptical properties' by Makoto Saikawa et al., Chem. Commun.

Functional Supramolecular Architectures of Dipyrrin Complexes.

Dynamic formation of self-assemblies from molecular components is a useful and efficient way to produce molecular and supramolecular architectures with sophisticated functions. The labile coordination bond and dynamic covalent bond as a reversible bond have often been used to create a well-organized supramolecular self-assembly. In order to realize sophisticated novel functions of the supramolecular self-assemblies, dipyrrin complexes have recently been employed as a functional unit and incorporated into the supramolecular architectures because of their outstanding properties and functions such as a high photostability and strong light absorption/emission.

Tightly binding valence electron in aluminum observed through X-ray charge density study.

Accurate and high reciprocal resolution experimental structure factors of aluminum were determined from a synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction data measured at 30 K with sin θ/λ < 2.31 Å. The structure factors have small deviations from independent atom model in sin θ/λ < 0.

Synthesis of Polyfluoro Arylene-Based Poly(arylenevinylene)s via Pd-Catalyzed Dehydrogenative Direct Alkenylation.

In this study, π-conjugated poly(arylenevinylene)s are synthesized via the Pd-catalyzed dehydrogenative direct alkenylation of polyfluoroarenes with diethenyl aromatic monomer. The introduction of a fluoro group promotes the cross-coupling reaction, and the formation of the undesired homocoupling byproduct is minimized by optimizing the reaction conditions. The polycondensation reactions lead to the formation of poly(arylenevinylene)s with a well-defined trans-configuration.

Operando Direct Observation of Charge Accumulation and the Correlation with Performance Deterioration in PTB7 Polymer Solar Cells.

Polymer solar cells are one of the promising energy sources because of the easy solution-processable production with large area at a low cost without toxicity. Among the polymer materials, a donor-acceptor conjugated copolymer PTB7 has been extensively studied because of the typical high-performance polymer solar cells. Here, we show operando direct observation of charge accumulation in PTB7:PCBM blend solar cells from a microscopic viewpoint using electron spin resonance spectroscopy.

Protective Effect of Ipragliflozin on Pancreatic Islet Cells in Obese Type 2 Diabetic db/db Mice.

Ipragliflozin is a selective sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor that increases urinary glucose excretion and subsequently improves hyperglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). To assess the beneficial effect of ipragliflozin on the mass and function of pancreatic β-cells under diabetic conditions, obese T2DM db/db mice were treated with ipragliflozin for 5 weeks. Glucose and lipid metabolism parameters, pathological changes in pancreatic islet cells and insulin content were evaluated.

Synthesis and Unique Optical Properties of Selenophenyl BODIPYs and Their Linear Oligomers.

A series of selenophene-substituted boron-dipyrrin (BODIPY) monomers and selenophene-linked BODIPY oligomers was synthesized. The synthesized BODIPYs show good absorption/emission properties in the red to near-infrared region. Furthermore, some of the selenophenyl BODIPYs are not only useful fluorophores but also good photosensitizers to produce singlet oxygen.

Thermal Expansion in Layered Na MO.

Layered oxide Na MO (M: transition metal) is a promising cathode material for sodium-ion secondary battery. Crystal structure of O3- and P2-type Na MO with various M against temperature (T) was systematically investigated by synchrotron x-ray diffraction mainly focusing on the T-dependences of a- and c-axis lattice constants (a and c) and z coordinate (z) of oxygen. Using a hard-sphere model with minimum Madelung energy, we confirmed that c/a and z values in O3-type Na MO were reproduced.

Progression process and safety assessment adaptation of endometrial lesions in ENU-induced 2-stage uterine carcinogenicity in a Tg-rasH2 mouse model.

Although acotiamide hydrochloride hydrate (acotiamide-HH) has not been reported to have genotoxic findings in any of the genotoxicity studies or treatment-related toxicological findings in reproductive and developmental studies, suspicious uterine tumorigenesis was observed in the results of a long-term rat carcinogenicity study. To clarify the uterine tumorigenesis of acotiamide-HH, we performed a 2-stage uterine carcinogenicity model in the transgenic rasH2 mouse initiated by N-Ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU). This model facilitated the short-term detection of uterine carcinogenic potential, and it appears to be a very useful testing method for assessing the safety of chemicals that may affect uterine tumorigenesis.

Multi-molecular emission of a cationic Pt(ii) complex through hydrogen bonding interactions.

The cationic Pt complexes with amide groups have been found to show dimer emission through hydrogen bonding interactions with counter anions even at low concentration. In order to investigate further details of dimer emission, we prepared three Pt complexes, Pt·B(CF), Pt·Cl, and Pt·PF, whose counter anions possess different strengths of a hydrogen bonding acceptor. Hydrogen bonding interactions in the ground state and excited-state dynamics of the Pt complexes were evaluated by NMR analysis, temperature dependence, and kinetics of dimer emission.

X-ray electron density investigation of chemical bonding in van der Waals materials.

Van der Waals (vdW) solids have attracted great attention ever since the discovery of graphene, with the essential feature being the weak chemical bonding across the vdW gap. The nature of these weak interactions is decisive for many extraordinary properties, but it is a strong challenge for current theory to accurately model long-range electron correlations. Here we use synchrotron X-ray diffraction data to precisely determine the electron density in the archetypal vdW solid, TiS, and compare the results with density functional theory calculations.

Retreat from Stress: Rattling in a Planar Coordination.

Thermoelectric devices convert heat flow to charge flow, providing electricity. Materials for highly efficient devices must satisfy conflicting requirements of high electrical conductivity and low thermal conductivity. Thermal conductivity in caged compounds is known to be suppressed by a large vibration of guest atoms, so-called rattling, which effectively scatters phonons.

Fast epi-detected broadband multiplex CARS and SHG imaging of mouse skull cells.

We present a bimodal imaging system able to obtain epi-detected mutiplex coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (M-CARS) and second harmonic generation (SHG) signals coming from biological samples. We studied a fragment of mouse parietal bone and could detect broadband anti-Stokes and SHG responses originating from bone cells and collagen respectively. In addition we compared two post-processing methods to retrieve the imaginary part of the third-order nonlinear susceptibility related to the spontaneous Raman scattering.

Synthesis of Conjugated Polymers Containing Octafluorobiphenylene Unit via Pd-Catalyzed Cross-Dehydrogenative-Coupling Reaction.

Polycondensation via Pd-catalyzed cross-dehydrogenative-coupling reaction of 2,2',3,3',5,5',6,6'-octafluorobiphenyl with thiophene analogues was studied. The synthetic protocol, in which employment of prefunctionalized starting monomers was fully avoided, allowed straightforward access to an alternating π-conjugated polymer. The addition of KCO to the catalytic system promotes the cross-coupling reaction and suppresses the undesired homocoupling reaction, producing the corresponding donor-acceptor type π-conjugated polymers with minor homocoupling defects.

Strong localization of oxidized Co state in cobalt-hexacyanoferrate.

Secondary batteries are important energy storage devices for a mobile equipment, an electric car, and a large-scale energy storage. Nevertheless, variation of the local electronic state of the battery materials in the charge (or oxidization) process are still unclear. Here, we investigated the local electronic state of cobalt-hexacyanoferrate (Na Co[Fe(CN)]), by means of resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) with high energy resolution (~100 meV).

Recent progress in boron nanomaterials.

Various types of zero, one, and two-dimensional boron nanomaterials such as nanoclusters, nanowires, nanotubes, nanobelts, nanoribbons, nanosheets, and monolayer crystalline sheets named borophene have been experimentally synthesized and identified in the last 20 years. Owing to their low dimensionality, boron nanomaterials have different bonding configurations from those of three-dimensional bulk boron crystals composed of icosahedra or icosahedral fragments. The resulting intriguing physical and chemical properties of boron nanomaterials are fascinating from the viewpoint of material science.