Synthesis and Sensitivity of Hexanitrohexaaza-isowurtzitane(HNIW)

Hexanitrohexaaza-isowurtzitane(AC-HNIW) was synthesized by using a precursor invented by Asahi. The purity, which was measured by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC), was determined to be 99.2%. From the results, it is expected that the propellants or explosives composed of AC-HNIW indicated higher performance in specific impulse, ballistics and detonation velocity. The structure of AC-HNIW was identified by IR and NMR. The results indicated that AC-HNIW had the same structure as CL-20 which was produced by Thiokol corporation. The sensitivity and thermal decomposition properties of AC-HNIW were also measured in order to elucidate HNIW performance. The results were compared with CL-20. The sensitivity of AC-HNIW was determined to be the same as CL-20.     

Synthesis of a low-bandgap polymer bearing side groups containing phenoxy radicals

Poly(isothianaphthene methine) bearing di-tert-butylphenoxide in the side chain was prepared by reacting isothianaphthene and 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde in the presence of POCl₃. A reference polymer with no hydroxy group in the side chain was also synthesized. Both polymers are characterized by a low-bandgap with value of ca. 1.3 eV obtained by optical absorption spectroscopy, and ca. 1.7 eV estimated from an electrochemical method. After treatment with PbO₂ as an oxidizer, phenoxy radicals were generated by oxidation in the polymer side groups. Optical absorption measurements and electron spin resonance (ESR) showed a characteristic signal due to phenoxy radicals. Magnetic properties of the polymer were examined with ESR and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) measurements. The results suggested that the polymer shows paramagnetic behavior.     

The Role of Autophagy as a Mechanism of Toxicity Induced by Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Human Lung Cells

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are promising nanomaterials having unique physical and chemical properties, with applications in a variety of fields. In this review, we briefly summarize the intrinsic properties of highly purified multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs, HTT2800) and their potential hazardous effects on intracellular and extracellular pathways, which alter cellular signaling and impact major cell functions such as differentiation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, apoptosis, and autophagy. A recent study suggested that the induction of autophagy by CNTs causes nanotoxicity. Autophagy was recently recognized as a critical cell death pathway, and autophagosome accumulation has been found to be associated with exposure to CNTs. Although autophagy is considered as a cytoprotective process, it is often observed in association with cell death, and the relationship between autophagy and cell death remains unclear. Our recent study suggests that the levels of autophagy-related genes (LC3B) and autophagosome formation are clearly up-regulated, along with an increase in numbers of autophagosome vacuoles. This review highlights the importance of autophagy as an emerging mechanism of CNT toxicity.     

Protective Role of Proton-Sensing TDAG8 in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury

Acute lung injury is characterized by the infiltration of neutrophils into lungs and the subsequent impairment of lung function. Here we explored the role of TDAG8 in lung injury induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administrated intratracheally. In this model, cytokines and chemokines released from resident macrophages are shown to cause neutrophilic inflammation in the lungs. We found that LPS treatment increased TDAG8 expression in the lungs and confirmed its expression in resident macrophages in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids. LPS administration remarkably increased neutrophil accumulation without appreciable change in the resident macrophages, which was associated with increased penetration of blood proteins into BAL fluids, interstitial accumulation of inflammatory cells, and damage of the alveolar architecture. The LPS-induced neutrophil accumulation and the associated lung damage were enhanced in TDAG8-deficient mice as compared with those in wild-type mice. LPS also increased several mRNA and protein expressions of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the lungs or BAL fluids. Among these inflammatory mediators, mRNA and protein expression of KC (also known as CXCL1), a chemokine of neutrophils, were significantly enhanced by TDAG8 deficiency. We conclude that TDAG8 is a negative regulator for lung neutrophilic inflammation and injury, in part, through the inhibition of chemokine production.     

Vinyl ether‐based polyacetal polyols with various main‐chain structures and polyurethane elastomers prepared therefrom: Synthesis,structure, and functional properties

Novel acid degradable polyacetal polyols and polyacetal polyurethanes able to controlled acid degradation were developed. Polyacetal polyols with various main‐chain structures were synthesized by polyaddition of various vinyl ethers with a hydroxyl group [4‐hydroxy butyl vinyl ether (CH₂?CH? O? CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂? OH), 2‐hydroxy ethyl vinyl ether (CH₂?CH? O? CH₂CH₂? OH), diethylene glycol monovinyl ether (CH₂?CH? O? CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂? OH), and cyclohexanedimethanol monovinyl ether (CH₂?CH? O? CH₂? C₆H₁₀? CH₂? OH)] with p‐toluenesulfonic acid monohydrate (TSAM) as a catalyst in the presence of the corresponding diols [1,4‐butandiol (HO? CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂? OH), ethylene glycol (HO? CH₂CH₂? OH), diethylene glycol (HO? CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂? OH), and 1,4‐cyclohexanedimethanol (HO? CH₂? C₆H₁₀? CH₂? OH)], respectively. Polyacetal polyurethanes were prepared by a two‐step polymerization, using the synthesized polyacetal polyols, 4,4′‐diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), and 1,4‐butandiol (BD) as a chain extender. Depending on the main‐chain structures, these polyurethanes had different glass transition temperature (from ?44 to 19 °C) and properties such as hydrophobic or hydrophilic. Polyurethanes containing the hydrophilic main‐chain exhibited the thermoresponsiveness and had the certain volume phase transition temperature (VPTT). The polyacetal polyurethanes were flexible elastomers around room temperature (～25 °C) and thermally stable (T_d ≥ 310 °C) and additionally exhibited smooth degradation with a treatment of aqueous acid in THF at room temperature to give the corresponding raw material diols. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 44088.     

Identification of the glucosamine kinase in the chitinolytic pathway of Thermococcus kodakarensis

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Synthesis and gas permeability of poly(<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-phenyleneethynylene)s having bulky alkoxy or alkyl groups

Dipropynylbenzene with branched alkoxy and alkyl groups [CH₃C≡CRC₆H₂RC≡CCH₃, R = 2-methylpropoxy (1a), 3-methylbutoxy (1b), 4-methylpentoxy (1c), cyclohexylmethoxy (1d), 2-ethylhexoxy (1e), 2-octoxy (1f), 2-ethylhexyl (1g), and 2-octyl (1h)] were polymerized with Mo(CO)₆ in the presence of 4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl to afford poly(2,5-di(alkoxy or alkyl)-p-phenyleneethynylene)s (2a–h). Polymer 2a was insoluble in any solvents, but the other polymers (2b–h) were soluble in common organic solvents. The polymers with relatively long side chains (2e–h) had high molecular weight over 1.6 × 10⁴ and gave free-standing membranes by solution-casting method. The densities of membranes of 2e–h were 0.914–0.998, and their fractional-free volume values were relatively large (0.094–0.158). The oxygen permeability coefficients of membranes of 2e–h were 18.4, 12.7, 4.85, and 19.3 barrers, respectively. It was found that poly(p-phenyleneethynylene) with 2-octyl side groups, which have the branch at the nearest position from main chain, exhibited the highest gas permeability.     

Chemisorption of Nitrogen Monoxide on Size-Selected Cobalt Cluster Ions

Collisional reactions of NO with Co_n⁺ (n = 2–10) were studied by measuring the absolute cross sections for creating the product ions in a beam-gas geometry at different collision energies and internal temperatures of Co_n⁺. The dominant reaction is chemisorption of NO on Co_n⁺ (formation of Co_nNO⁺ and Co_n–1NO⁺). As n increases, the chemisorption cross section starts to rise sharply at n = 4 and soon reaches the highest possible value, which is the Langevin cross section. The chemisorption cross section practically does not change with the internal temperature, while the branching fraction for the production of Co_nNO⁺ with respect to the sum of Co_nNO⁺ and Co_n–1NO⁺ decreases with the internal temperature in the size range of n = 6–10. A statistical model based on the RRK theory explains the dependences of the chemisorption cross section and the branching fraction on the size (n), the collision energy, and the internal temperature. The energies of the NO chemisorption derived from the dependences of the chemisorption cross section and the branching fraction on the collision energy and the internal temperature show that (1) the NO chemisorption is dissociative for n ≥ 4 and (2) more than one isomer is involved in the chemisorption of NO on Co₉⁺.