Novel copolymers of styrene. 1. Alkyl ring-substituted 2-cyano-3-phenyl 2-propenamides

Novel electrophilic trisubstituted ethylene monomers, alkyl ring-substituted 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenamides, RC₆H₄CH=C(CN)CONH₂ (where R is 2-methyl, 3-methyl, 4-methyl, 4-ethyl, 4-i-propyl, 4-i-butyl, and 4-t-butyl), were synthesized by potassium hydroxide catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and cyanoacetamide, and characterized by CHN elemental analysis, IR, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR. Novel copolymers of the ethylenes and styrene were prepared at equimolar monomer feed composition by solution copolymerization in the presence of a radical initiator, AIBN at 70 °C. The composition of the copolymers was calculated from nitrogen analysis, and the structures were analyzed by IR, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR, GPC, DSC, and TGA. High T _g of the copolymers in comparison with that of polystyrene indicates a substantial decrease in chain mobility of the copolymer due to the high dipolar character of the trisubstituted ethylene monomer unit. Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen occurred in two steps, first in the 200–500 °C range with residue (5–7 wt%), which then decomposed in the 500–800 °C range.     

Development of a Highly Sensitive β-Glucan Detection System Using Scanning Single-Molecule Counting Method

To overcome the limitations of the Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay method for the diagnosis of invasive fungal infection, we applied a reaction system combining recombinant β-glucan binding proteins and a scanning single-molecule counting (SSMC) method. A novel (1→3)-β-D-glucan recognition protein (S-BGRP) and a (1→6)-β-glucanase mutant protein were prepared and tested for the binding of (1→6)-branched (1→3)-β-D-glucan from fungi. S-BGRP and (1→6)-β-glucanase mutant proteins reacted with β-glucan from Candida and Aspergillus spp. Although LAL cross-reacted with plant-derived β-glucans, the new detection system using the SSMC method showed low sensitivity to plant (1→3)-β-D-glucan, which significantly improved the appearance of false positives, a recognized problem with the LAL method. Measurement of β-glucan levels by the SSMC method using recombinant β-glucan-binding proteins may be useful for the diagnosis of fungal infections. This study shows that this detection system could be a new alternative diagnostic method to the LAL method.     

Fabrication and lithium intercalation properties of epitaxial Li2RuO3 thin films

Lithium intercalation in a lithium excess layered material Li₂RuO₃ was investigated using two-dimensional model electrodes with a restricted reaction plane of (002). Li₂RuO₃ films were synthesized on Al₂O₃(0001) substrate by a pulsed laser deposition, and X-ray diffraction measurements confirmed epitaxial growth of Li₂RuO₃(002). Electrochemical characterization using cyclic voltammetry and charge/discharge measurements indicated electrochemical reactions with a discharge capacity of 200 mAh g^− 1 for the film deposited at 400 °C followed by post-annealing at 550 °C. The electrochemical activity on the (002) plane indicated three-dimensional lithium diffusion in the two-dimensional layered rocksalt structure through the lithium sites in the transition metal layer.     

Schottky and pn junction cryogenic radiation detectors made of p-InSb compound semiconductor

Schottky and pn junction detectors were fabricated with p-InSb. Fabrication methods, energy spectra of ²⁴¹Am alpha particles and rise times are shown. We could observe pulses at operating temperatures up to 77 and 115 K for the Schottky and the pn junction detectors, respectively.     

Cryogenic neutron detector by InSb semiconductor detector with high-density helium-3 gas converter

The neutron-detection characteristics of a cryogenic neutron detector comprising an InSb semiconductor detector and a helium-3 gas converter were evaluated at a gas pressure up to 12.4 atm at 4.2 K. The detector successfully detected stable neutrons under these conditions, where the density of the helium-3 gas is a few-hundred times higher than that at room temperature. It was found that the neutron detection efficiency was correlated with the gas pressure—even in a backward-detection configuration—in low-temperature, high-pressure helium-3.     

Spectrophotometric detection of histidine and lysine using combined enzymatic reactions

An amino acid-sensing system with absorption spectrophotometric detection was developed. To ensure specific recognition of each amino acid, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases were employed and the concentration of NADH produced by way of several enzymatic reactions was measured. Using this detection system, from 1.5 to 55 μM of histidine and from 15 to 95 μM of lysine could be measured selectively in HEPES-KOH buffer (pH 8.0).     

Three‐dimensional quasi‐static frictional contact by using second‐order cone linear complementarity problem

A new formulation is presented for the three‐dimensional incremental quasi‐static problems with unilateral frictional contact. Under the assumptions of small rotations and small strains, a second‐order cone linear complementarity problem is formulated, which consists of complementarity conditions defined by bilinear functions and second‐order cone constraints. The equilibrium configurations are obtained by using a combined smoothing and regularization method for the second‐order cone complementarity problem. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Facile One-Pot Synthesis of Polymer-Phospholipid Composite Microbubbles with Enhanced Drug Loading Capacity for Ultrasound-Triggered Therapy

This paper reports the one-pot synthesis of perfluorocarbon microbubbles with crosslinked shells of poly(acrylic acid) and phospholipid that boast excellent ultrasound contrast enhancement, enhanced loading capacity, and the ability to retain or release their contents through variation in the level of ultrasound exposure.     

Controlling gate-CD uniformity by means of a CD prediction model and wafer-temperature distribution control

A technique for predicting wafer temperature was developed, and a model for predicting critical dimension (CD) was devised. Using this technique and model in combination makes it possible to calculate wafer temperature during gate etching within an accuracy of 1 °C and to predict CD distribution after plasma etching. Etching at a temperature for uniform CD given by the CD prediction model reduces the CD variation (3σ) during gate etching from 2.3 to 1.5 nm. Applying this temperature prediction technique and CD prediction model together will contribute to improving etching apparatus design and process development.     

Fabrication of single crystal PZT thin films on glass substrates

 We have successfully transferred heteroepitaxial Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ (PZT) thin films from MgO substrates on to glass substrates. The transferred PZT thin films exhibit single crystal structure with ferroelectric properties similar to the as-grown epitaxial films. The transferring process comprises coating of Cr-metallized surface of epitaxial PZT thin films, pressing and cementing the Cr-metallized surface on to the glass substrates by silicone rubber, and removing the MgO substrates by chemical etching. This process realizes a fabrication of high-temperature processed PZT thin films onto the glass at room temperature. The process is also available for the transformation of PZT thin films on organic film sheet. The present transfer process reduces the effects of the inevitable strain and/or constraint to rigid substrates for heteroepitaxial growth and has a potential for integration of single crystal piezoelectric PZT devices onto a wide variety of MEMS.