EFFECT OF DRYING METHOD ON MESOPOROSITY OF RESORCINOL-FORMALDEHYDE DRYGEL AND CARBON GEL

Resorcinol-formaldehyde hydrogels were synthesized by sol-gel polycondensation of resorcinol with formaldehyde in a slightly basic aqueous solution. RF cryogels, RF xerogels, and RF xerogels (MW gels) were respectively prepared from RF hydrogels by freeze drying, hot air drying, and microwave drying. Carbon cryogels, carbon xerogels and carbon MW gels were subsequently obtained by pyrolyzing RF drygels in an inert atmosphere. Freeze drying and microwave drying were effective to prepare mesoporous RF drygels and carbon gels. RF cryogels and carbon cryogels showed high mesoporosity over wide ranges of the molar ratio of resorcinol to catalyst (R/C) and the ratio of resorcinol to water (R/W) used in sol-gel polycondensation. Although RF xerogels had a few mesopores, carbon xerogels had no mesopores. RF MW gels and carbon MW gels showed mesoporosity if appropriate values of R/C and R/W were selected.     

Consideration of Stretchable Dry Electrodes for Smart Shirts Aimed for Biological Signal Monitoring

Dry electrodes of a smart shirt for measuring biological signals were prepared by the additive printing method using a stretchable conductive paste with Ag fillers loading. Interfacial impedance between the electrode and skin depended on the contact pressure of electrode and the moisture of stratum corneum. When moisture of stratum corneum was more than 30%, ECG could be measured using the stretchable electrodes printed on a compression shirt. However, noise signal in the ECG signal increased when the moisture of stratum corneum was less than 30%. To solve this problem, we propose to use additional electrodes made of an electrically conductive kneaded rubber.     

Fluorogenic derivatization reagents suitable for isolation and identification of cysteine-containing proteins utilizing high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

The fluorogenic derivatization reagents with a positive charge, 4-(dimethylaminoethylaminosulfonyl)-7-chloro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (DAABD-Cl) and 7-chloro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole-4-sulfonylaminoethyltrimethylammonium chloride (TAABD-Cl), are proposed for use in proteomics studies. Following derivatization of protein mixtures with these reagents, a series of standard processes of isolation, digestion, and identification of the proteins were performed utilizing high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection and tandem mass spectrometry with the probability-based protein identification algorithm. Both DAABD and TAABD derivatives were detected fluorometrically at the femtomole level and showed more than 100-fold improvement in sensitivity compared to the underivatized original compounds with an electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometer analysis. The modification of the MASCOT database search system memorized with the fragment information of a DAABD-attached Cys residue allowed the identification of the proteolytic peptide fragments of the derivatized bovine serum albumin (BSA) with an estimated 38% sequence coverage of BSA. Utilizing DAABD-Cl as a derivatization reagent, identification of several proteins was also possible in a soluble extract of Caenorhabditis elegans (10 microg of protein). Consequently, for identification of proteins in the complex matrixes of proteins, DAABD-Cl could be a more appropriate reagent than ammonium 7-fluoro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole-4-sulfonate as reported previously.     

Amphiphilic Poly(Amino Acid) Nanoparticles Induce Size‐Dependent Dendritic Cell Maturation

Size‐regulated amphiphilic poly(amino acid) nanoparticles (NPs) composed of poly(γ‐glutamic acid) (γ‐PGA) and the hydrophobic amino acid derivative, L ‐phenylalanine ethyl ester (Phe) are prepared to evaluate the effects of particle size on dendritic cell (DC) uptake of NPs and their immune stimulatory activities as delivery carriers and adjuvants. The size of the Phe‐conjugated γ‐PGA NPs (γ‐PGA–Phe NPs) is easily controlled by regulating the aggregated γ‐PGA–Phe numbers. Each of the differently sized γ‐PGA–Phe NPs could efficiently encapsulate ovalbumin (OVA), and the amount of encapsulated OVA per milligram of NPs is almost the same despite the differences in size. The DC uptake of small NPs is lower than for the larger NPs, but the effect of DC activation by NPs is high in the small sizes. The DC activation is significantly affected by the size of the NPs, which suggests that not only the uptake process of the NPs, but also the surface interactions between the NPs and DCs, is important for the induction of DC maturation. The precisely size‐controllable γ‐PGA–Phe NPs have significant potential as an antigen carrier and vaccine adjuvant. These results should provide guidelines for adjuvant design in the development of an effective vaccine.     

Adaptive optics instrumentation in submillimeter/terahertz spectroscopy with a flexible polyvinylidene fluoride cladding hollow waveguide

A simple instrument has been developed to carry out temperature dependent submillimeter/terahertz-wave spectroscopy using a polyvinylidene fluoride flexible hollow waveguide and an eggplant-shape launching lens.     

Single-molecule conductance of π-conjugated rotaxane: new method for measuring stipulated electric conductance of π-conjugated molecular wire using STM break junction

An electronic conductance with small fluctuations, which is stipulated in single-molecule junctions, is necessary for the precise control of single-molecule devices. However, the suppression of conductance fluctuations in conventional molecular junctions is intrinsically difficult because the fluctuations are related to the contact fluctuations and molecular motion. In the present study involving experimental and theoretical investigations, it is found that covering a single π-conjugated wire with an α-cyclodextrin molecule is a promising technique for suppressing conductance fluctuations. The conductance histogram of the covered molecular junction measured with the scanning tunneling microscope break-junction technique shows that the conductance peak for the covered junction is sharper than that of the uncovered junction. The covering technique thus has two prominent effects: the suppression of intramolecular motion, and the elimination of intermolecular interactions. Theoretical calculations of electronic conductance clearly support these experimental observations.     

Tank模型及其在边坡水位预测中的应用

 Tank模型可以模拟非线性的降雨–地下水运移过程,并且能迅速得到解答。基于现有的单列tank模型,提出新的复合水箱模型。由于新模型参数超过20个,应用传统优化算法难以快速找到最优解,一种新的启发式自搜索算法(变维数搜索算法)被引入并改进后用于模型最优解的寻找。变维数搜索算法能够根据搜索进程的变化自动改变搜索维数并且快速找到最优解。27个参数的复合tank模型被应用于日本国道九号线的一个边坡,计算结果表明：变维数搜索算法能够在10 min左右找到合适的最优解;降雨过程复合tank模型计算的地下水位变化和观测值非常接近。最后通过和有限单元法计算结果的比较表明,有限单元法的计算结果受地质渗透特性的影响很大,而复合tank模型不存在这种问题。工程实例计算表明,该方法和监测结果比较一致,但其适应性更强,特别适用于没有进行足够地质结构探查的边坡。它能够快速反映降雨过程中地下水位的运移过程,可以推广使用。     

High‐Throughput Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells into Cardiomyocytes with a Microfabricated Magnetic Pattern and Cyclic Stimulation

Pluripotent stem cells are central tools to many regenerative medicine strategies due to their ability to differentiate toward the three embryonic germ layers. One challenge remains in providing control over their differentiation into specific lineages, such as cardiac commitment. Here, the possibility of directing cardiomyogenesis of embryonic stem cells using a microfabricated magnetic pattern is demonstrated. The stem cells are labeled with magnetic nanoparticles, aggregated into embryoid bodies (EBs) onto the pattern, and stimulated with a local magnetic force applied via the pattern. The EBs formed on this magnetic device experience the same differentiation profile as the ones created by the common hanging drop approach, while it allows high‐throughput production of hundreds of EBs. Further on/off cyclic magnetic force stimulation mediated by the same device is sufficient to enhance cardiomyogenesis in a way that almost all EBs develop spontaneous beating, confirmed by the overexpression of α‐actin and troponin proteins, and by the upregulation (twofold to fivefold) of genes involved in mesoderm differentiation (Nkx2.5, Gata4, and Gata6), and more specifically cardiac lineage (Tnnt2, Myh6, and Myl‐2). Beyond holding high application‐level potential, this work confirms that physical forces, and specifically on/off dynamic ones can be sufficient to govern cell function.