Invariant nature of substituted element in metal-hexacyanoferrate.

The chemical substitution of a transition metal (M) is an effective method to improve the functionality of materials. In order to design the highly functional materials, we first have to know the local structure and electronic state around the substituted element. Here, we systematically investigated the local structure and electronic state of the host (M ) and guest (M ) transition metals in metal-hexacyanoferrate (M-HCF), Na (M , M )[Fe(CN)] (1.

Near room temperature chemical vapor deposition of graphene with diluted methane and molten gallium catalyst.

Direct growth of graphene integrated into electronic devices is highly desirable but difficult due to the nominal ~1000 °C chemical vapor deposition (CVD) temperature, which can seriously deteriorate the substrates. Here we report a great reduction of graphene CVD temperature, down to 50 °C on sapphire and 100 °C on polycarbonate, by using dilute methane as the source and molten gallium (Ga) as catalysts. The very low temperature graphene synthesis is made possible by carbon attachment to the island edges of pre-existing graphene nuclei islands, and causes no damages to the substrates.

Formation and Characterization of Hydrogen Boride Sheets Derived from MgB by Cation Exchange.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials are promising for applications in a wide range of fields because of their unique properties. Hydrogen boride sheets, a new 2D material recently predicted from theory, exhibit intriguing electronic and mechanical properties as well as hydrogen storage capacity. Here, we report the experimental realization of 2D hydrogen boride sheets with an empirical formula of HB, produced by exfoliation and complete ion-exchange between protons and magnesium cations in magnesium diboride (MgB) with an average yield of 42.

Comment on "Active sites for CO hydrogenation to methanol on Cu/ZnO catalysts".

Kattel (Reports, 24 March 2017, p. 1296) report that a zinc on copper (Zn/Cu) surface undergoes oxidation to zinc oxide/copper (ZnO/Cu) during carbon dioxide (CO) hydrogenation to methanol and conclude that the Cu-ZnO interface is the active site for methanol synthesis. Similar experiments conducted two decades ago by Fujitani and Nakamura demonstrated that Zn is attached to formate rather than being fully oxidized.

Activation of invariant natural killer T cells stimulated with microbial α-mannosyl glycolipids.

Some synthetic and bacterial glycolipids presented by CD1d specifically activate invariant NKT (iNKT) cells bearing an invariant Vα14-Jα18 (mouse) or Vα24-Jα18 (human) TCR. The antigenic glycolipids identified to date consist of two hydrophobic chains and an α-glycoside in which the 2'-OH group is in the cis orientation toward the anomeric group, namely, either an α-galactoside or an α-glucoside. Several microbial α-mannosyl glycolipids, in which the 2'-OH group is in the trans orientation, were herein examined to establish whether they have potential to activate iNKT cells.

TAC-302 promotes neurite outgrowth of isolated peripheral neurons and prevents bladder denervation related bladder dysfunctions following bladder outlet obstruction in rats.

Aims: To evaluate the ability of TAC-302, a cyclohexenoic fatty alcohol derivative, to enhance neurite outgrowth in cultured rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, and the preventive effects of TAC-302 on bladder denervation-related storage and voiding dysfunctions in rats with bladder outlet obstruction (BOO).

Methods: Rat DRG neurons were cultured in the presence of TAC-302. Cell numbers and neurite lengths were quantified after a 24 h culture.

Molecular recognition by multiple metal coordination inside wavy-stacked macrocycles.

Most biological and synthetic receptors for small organic molecules employ a combination of relatively weak intermolecular interactions such as hydrogen bonds. A host compound that utilizes stronger yet reversible bonding in a synergistic manner could realize precise recognition, but the regulation and spatial arrangement of such reactive interaction moieties have been a challenge. Here, we show a multinuclear zinc complex synthesized from a macrocyclic ligand hexapap, which inwardly arranges labile metal coordination sites for external molecules.

Modulation of the Emission Mode of a Pt(II) Complex via Intermolecular Interactions.

Compounds with controllable color emissions are potentially useful as photoluminescent materials in imaging and sensing applications. Multimolecular emission can be used realizing variable-color emitters and has been demonstrated in the solid state. However, achieving multimolecular emission in solution is difficult to control.

Fabrication of Polymer Microspheres for Optical Resonator and Laser Applications.

This paper describes three methods of preparing fluorescent microspheres comprising π-conjugated or non-conjugated polymers: vapor diffusion, interface precipitation, and mini-emulsion. In all methods, well-defined, micrometer-sized spheres are obtained from a self-assembling process in solution. The vapor diffusion method can result in spheres with the highest sphericity and surface smoothness, yet the types of the polymers able to form these spheres are limited.

The Sodium Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitor Ipragliflozin Promotes Preferential Loss of Fat Mass in Non-obese Diabetic Goto-Kakizaki Rats.

Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors improve hyperglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by increasing urinary glucose excretion. In addition to their antihyperglycemic effect, SGLT2 inhibitors also reduce body weight and fat mass in obese and overweight patients with T2DM. However, whether or not SGLT2 inhibitors similarly affect body composition of non-obese patients with T2DM remains unclear.

High-Temperature Crystal Structure and Chemical Bonding in Thermoelectric Germanium Selenide (GeSe).

The discovery of the ultra-high thermoelectric figure of merit of 2.6 in SnSe has drawn attention to other lead-free IV-VI orthorhombic semiconductors. GeSe has been predicted to possess thermoelectric performances comparable to SnSe.

A sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor type 1 agonist, ASP4058, suppresses intracranial aneurysm through promoting endothelial integrity and blocking macrophage transmigration.

Background And Purpose: Intracranial aneurysm (IA), common in the general public, causes lethal subarachnoid haemorrhage on rupture. It is, therefore, of utmost importance to prevent the IA from rupturing. However, there is currently no medical treatment.

Solvent-Controlled Doublet Emission of an Organometallic Gold(I) Complex with a Polychlorinated Diphenyl(4-pyridyl)methyl Radical Ligand: Dual Fluorescence and Enhanced Emission Efficiency.

A paramagnetic, luminescent organometallic gold(I) complex Au(CF)(PyBTM), where PyBTM is a photostable fluorescent polychlorinated diphenyl(4-pyridyl)methyl radical, was prepared, and its crystal and electronic structures and magnetic and optical properties were investigated. Magnetic studies using electron spin resonance spectroscopy and a superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer indicated the existence of S = / spin per molecule, with the spin density distributed mainly on the PyBTM ligand. The complex exhibited fluorescence in CHCl with emission peak wavelength (λ) of 619 nm and the absolute fluorescence quantum yield (ϕ) of 0.

Local structures around the substituted elements in mixed layered oxides.

The chemical substitution of a transition metal (M) is an effective method to improve the functionality of a material, such as its electrochemical, magnetic, and dielectric properties. The substitution, however, causes local lattice distortion because the difference in the ionic radius (r) modifies the local interatomic distances. Here, we systematically investigated the local structures in the pure (x = 0.

Energy Transfer Dynamics of Formate Decomposition on Cu(110).

Energy transfer dynamics of formate (HCOO ) decomposition on a Cu(110) surface has been studied by measuring the angle-resolved intensity and translational energy distributions of CO emitted from the surface in a steady-state reaction of HCOOH and O . The angular distribution of CO shows a sharp collimation with the direction perpendicular to the surface, as represented by cos θ (n=6). The mean translational energy of CO is measured to be as low as 100 meV and is independent of the surface temperature (T ).

In situ observation of macroscopic phase separation in cobalt hexacyanoferrate film.

Lithium-ion secondary batteries (LIBs) store electric energy via Li deintercalation from cathode materials. The Li deintercalation frequently drives a first-order phase transition of the cathode material as a result of the Li-ordering or Li-concentration effect and causes a phase separation (PS) into the Li-rich and Li-poor phases. Here, we performed an in situ microscopic investigation of the PS dynamics in thin films of cobalt hexacyanoferrate, LiCo[Fe(CN)], against Li deintercalation.

Geminate electron-hole recombination in organic photovoltaic cells. A semi-empirical theory.

We propose a semi-empirical theory which describes the geminate electron-hole separation probability in both homogeneous systems and donor-acceptor heterojunction systems applicable in organic photovoltaics. The theory is based on the results of extensive simulation calculations, which were carried out using various lattice models of the medium and different charge-carrier hopping mechanisms, over the parameter ranges typical for organic solar cells. It is found that the electron-hole separation probability can be conveniently described in terms of measurable parameters by a formula whose functional form is derived from the existing recombination theories, and which contains only one empirical parameter.

Effect of the up-front heat treatment of gelatin particles dispersed in calcium phosphate cements on the in vivo material resorption and concomitant bone formation.

Calcium phosphate cements (CPCs), consisting of a mixture of calcium phosphate powders and setting liquid, have been widely used in orthopedic applications. One of the drawbacks of CPCs is their poor resorbability in the living body, which hinders substitution with natural bones. One of the strategies to facilitate the resorption of CPCs is the incorporation of bioresorbable or water-soluble pore-generating particles (porogens), such as gelatin, in the CPC matrices.

An efficient synthetic method for organometallic radicals: structures and properties of gold(i)-(nitronyl nitroxide)-2-ide complexes.

One-pot synthesis of (nitronyl nitroxide)-gold(i)-phosphine (NN-Au-P) complexes has been developed using chloro(tetrahydrothiophene)gold(i), phosphine ligands, nitronyl nitroxide radicals, and sodium hydroxide. The NN-Au-P complexes can be easily handled because they were quite stable under aerated conditions in both solution and crystalline states. They showed weak absorption bands with vibrational structures in the 450-650 nm region.

A simple zinc(ii) complex that features multi-functional luminochromism induced by reversible ligand dissociation.

The authors create a zinc(ii) complex featuring a simple chemical structure but multi-functional luminochromism. Reversible dissociation/association between the zinc center and the terpyridine ligand plays a key role in the multi-functional luminochromism.

Spatial distribution of electrons near the Fermi level in the metallic LaB through accurate X-ray charge density study.

Charge densities of iso-structural metal hexaborides, a transparent metal LaB and a semiconductor BaB, have been determined using the d > 0.22 Å ultra-high resolution synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction data by a multipole refinement and a maximum entropy method (MEM). The quality of the experimental charge densities was evaluated by comparison with theoretical charge densities.

SHG-specificity of cellular Rootletin filaments enables naïve imaging with universal conservation.

Despite growing demand for truly naïve imaging, label-free observation of cilium-related structure remains challenging, and validation of the pertinent molecules is correspondingly difficult. In this study, in retinas and cultured cells, we distinctively visualized Rootletin filaments in rootlets in the second harmonic generation (SHG) channel, integrated in custom coherent nonlinear optical microscopy (CNOM) with a simple, compact, and ultra-broadband supercontinuum light source. This SHG signal was primarily detected on rootlets of connecting cilia in the retinal photoreceptor and was validated by colocalization with anti-Rootletin staining.

Polymeric Self-Assemblies with Boron-Containing Near-Infrared Dye Dimers for Photoacoustic Imaging Probes.

Polymers containing pyrrolopyrrole aza-BODIPY (PPAB) and thiophene-bridged BODIPY dimers (TBD) having poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) or PEGylated hyaluronic acid (HA) were prepared by facile conjugation approaches. Self-assemblies consisting of TBD-conjugated polymers more efficiently generated photoacoustic (PA) signals than PPAB-PEG conjugate upon irradiation with near-infrared pulsed laser light. Among dye-conjugated polymers examined, TBD-HA-PEG conjugates efficiently generated photoacoustic signals, 1.

Phase I clinical and pharmacokinetic study of S-1 plus oral leucovorin in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Purpose: S-1 has shown a response rate of 35% in chemonaïve patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Leucovorin enhances the antitumor activity of 5-fluorouracil, and concurrent oral administration of S-1 and leucovorin may represent a more active treatment option for mCRC.

Methods: S-1 (35 mg/m) and leucovorin (25 mg/body) were orally administered twice daily to chemonaïve patients with mCRC.

Dynamic profile analysis to characterize dynamics-driven allosteric sites in enzymes.

We examine the dynamic features of non-trivial allosteric binding sites to elucidate potential drug binding sites. These allosteric sites were previously found to be allosteric after determination of the protein-drug co-crystal structure. After comprehensive search in the Protein Data Bank, we identify 10 complex structures with allosteric ligands whose structures are very similar to their functional forms.