Synthesis of sulfonated organic–inorganic hybrids through the radical copolymerization of vinyl sulfonate esters and vinyl trialkoxysilanes

Novel organic–inorganic hybrids with sulfonic acid groups were prepared using random copolymers composed of vinyl sulfonate esters and vinyl trialkoxysilanes. Five vinyl sulfonate esters with different substituent groups were employed as protecting monomers for the production of the poly(vinyl sulfonic acid) component, and three vinyl trialkoxysilanes were used as cross-linkable monomers. Free radical and reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) copolymerizations were performed for the production of random copolymers with two different functional groups. The selective deprotection of the sulfonate esters of the copolymers proceeded smoothly and resulted in the formation of copolymers with lithium vinyl sulfonate units and cross-linkable trialkoxysilane units. The co-condensation of the trialkoxysilane moieties in the deprotected copolymers with cross-linkers yielded transparent hybrid films that contained lithium sulfonate groups without aromatic rings or ester linkages.     

A novel ferromagnetic thermo-stent for plaque stabilization that self-regulates the temperature

The purpose of this study is to investigate the vascular wall with a thermally self-regulating, cylindrical stent made of a low Curie temperature ferromagnetic alloy. Physiologic saline was circulated in the silicone model vessel implanted with the stent. The stent-temperature remained nearly constant for variable saline flows, saline temperatures, and magnetic flux densities. Stent implants of this type in human blood vessels could potentially enable thermotherapy and temperature determination without catheterization.     

Cholesterol and fatty acids profile of Brazilian commercial chicken giblets

This study was carried out to determine the chemical composition, cholesterol contents and fatty acids profile of Brazilian commercial chicken giblets. The analysis were performed in gizzard, liver and heart in natura and also in cooked gizzard, fried liver and roasted heart. Fat and cholesterol contents ranged from 0.88% and 72.68 mg/100 g, in cooked gizzard, to 22.19% and 213.18 mg/100 g, in roasted heart. As the fat content gets higher, so does the cholesterol content. Palmitic (C16:0) and stearic acids (C18:0) were the predominant saturated fatty acids (SFA). The C16:0 ranged from 6.39% in cooked gizzard to 18.51% in fried liver. The C18:0 level ranged from 6.62% in roasted heart to 19.19% in cooked gizzard. Linoleic acid (C18:2 omega 6) was the predominant polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). The data revealed that the three different analysed giblets presented a good PUFA/SFA ratio, with values of 1.11, 1.14 and 1.40 for cooked gizzard, fried liver and roasted heart, respectively.     

Efficiency and polarization performance of a multilayer-coated laminar grating in the 6.5-6.9-nm wavelength region

We applied a Mo/B4C multilayer coating to a laminar holographic grating with 2400 grooves/mm and a 1-m radius of curvature. By use of synchrotron soft x rays the multilayer-coated grating was evaluated to have diffraction efficiencies of 3.1% and 0.017% for s- and p-polarized radiation, respectively, at a 6.7-nm wavelength at a 45.35 degrees grazing angle of incidence in the +1 (inside) grating order. Thus the polarizance was estimated to be 98.9% at least. The zero-order peak was suppressed by the destructive interference caused by the groove profile.     

Production of lepidimoide by an endophytic fungus from polysaccharide extracted from Abelmoschus sp.: identification of the product and the organism producing it

A highly potent allelopathic factor, lepidimoide, was initially extracted from mucilage of germinated cress seeds. Polysaccharide extracted from okra (Abelmoschus esculentum Moench) is considered to have a similar structure to lepidimoide as its repeating unit. We therefore initiated the screening of enzymes capable of degrading okra polysaccharide into lepidimoide from endophytes. We discovered an endophytic fungal strain AHU9748 isolated from Coleus galeatus, which produced an oligosaccharide having similar properties to lepidimoide on thin layer chromatography. The physico-chemical data from ESI-MS, NMR spectra and other analyses also showed the purified product to be identical to lepidimoide. The strain AHU9748 was identified as a fungus belonging to the coelomycetes, closely related to the genus Colletotrichum, based on morphological characteristics and sequence analysis of the 18S rDNA and ITS region.     

Ammonia assimilation in Klebsiella pneumoniae F-5-2 that can utilize ammonium and nitrate ions simultaneously: purification and characterization of glutamate dehydrogenase and glutamine synthetase

The two ammonia-assimilating enzymes glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH; EC 1.4.1.4) and glutamine synthetase (GS; EC 6.3.1.2) were synthesized steadily during the cell growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae F-5-2 that can utilize NH4+ and NO3- simultaneously under aerobic conditions. The enzymes were purified to homogeneity from cell extracts and characterized. The molecular mass of the purified GDH was 300 kDa with six identical 52-kDa subunits. GDH showed its maximal activity (aminating) at pH 8.0 and was stable between pHs 5.5 and 11.5. The enzyme was NADP-specific and strongly inhibited by Ag+. It catalyzed the amination of 2-ketovalerate, 2-ketoadipate, and 2-ketobutyrate, in addition to 2-ketoglutarate. The purified GS has a molecular mass of 470 kDa with eight identical 60-kDa subunits. GS showed its maximal activity at pH 8.0 and was stable between pHs 6.0 and 7.0. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by Fe3+, Hg2+, and Cu2+.     

Address‐While‐Display technique combined with gas‐discharge AND logic for driving AC‐PDPs

A hybrid AWD/AND drive technique has been developed in which an Address‐While‐Display (AWD) scheme is combined with an AND logic characteristic that gas discharges demonstrate. The AWD technique enables AC‐PDPs to be driven at high luminance, while the AND logic reduces the number of scan drivers by an order of magnitude. A detailed analysis of the addressing operation has been made. The hybrid drive utilizes the AND logic in two ways: (1) a combination of two voltage pulses and (2) a combination of a voltage pulse and discharge‐priming particles. It was found that the addressing operation requires the establishment of a discharge between the scan and data electrodes, and also between the scan and display electrodes.     

Influence of water vapor on the reduction of cuprous chloride to copper microfibers

Reduction of cuprous chloride has been examined in various atmospheres, mostly at 600°C, to produce copper microfibers that can be applied as a filler for electromagnetic interference shielding and electron conductive paste composites. The reduction with hydrogen resulted in formation of a large amount of copper films, but fine particles and short filaments were obtained when carbon black was mixed into the raw material. The most promising copper microfibers with dimensions of several mm length and 1–10 m thickness could be produced with the system CuCl — C — H₂O using argon as a carrier gas, where H₂ and CO formed then probably reduced the vaporized CuCl molecules. Introduction of hydrogen gas into this system increased the yield of copper microfibers, though they became more bent, curved and kinked in shape. However, the morphology of the microfibers is still acceptable as a filler.     

Quantum Statistics of Three-Dimensional Vortex Filament in Superfluid 4He

The quantum statistics of three-dimensional vortex filament in superfluid ⁴ He is investigated by the use of path integral techniques. The free energy evaluated in the saddle point approximation decreases abruptly at a certain critical value of the applied superflow velocity. This critical behavior is in quantitative agreement with the experimental result of vortex nucleation by a moving ion. The dissipation effects are also discussed within the damped harmonic oscillator approximation.