Circularly polarized light-induced electrogyration in the Au nanoparticles on the ITO

We have found that the gold nanoparticles on the ITO substrates might be considered promising materials for circularly polarized light-induced linear electrogyration (EG). The maximal achieved value of the EG susceptibility described by third-order axial tensor caused by probe circularly polarized light at a wavelength of 1060 nm was equal to about 13 deg/mm at pulsed electric field strength 30.0 V/cm with a duration of about 1 ms. We have revealed that the maximal EG coefficient is achieved for the samples possessing maximal resistivity. The investigated composites possess long-lived EG grating which decreases by not more than 12% after 120 min of laser treatment. Applying a non-circular pump light leads to the diminishing of the observed EG.     

Lithographic design of photosensitive polyarylates based on reaction development patterning

The factors affecting pattern‐forming properties in reaction development patterning were examined with polyarylates with various bisphenol moieties. The developability of the photosensitive polyarylates was dependent on the properties of the subtituent (R) in the bisphenol moieties. The development time decreased in the following order: R?C(CH₃)₂ > fluorenyl unit ? phenolphthalein unit > C(CF₃)₂ > SO₂. This order agreed with that of the reactivity between the polyarylates and ethanolamine, and these orders can be explained by pK_a of the bisphenol used to prepare the polyarylates. The development with NH₂? R′? OH resulted in successful positive‐tone pattern formation. However, pattern formation with the developers containing NH₂? R′? OCH₃ was unsuccessful. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2694–2706, 2006     

Electrode kinetics of the metal complexes with aminopolycarboxylic acids: Part II. Cadmium-ethylenediamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetate (EDTA) complexes

The d.c. polarographic current-potential curves of Cd(II)-EDTA complexes were examined in the pH range 0.5–10.0, to elucidate the mechanism of their electrode processes and to determine the relevant electrochemical kinetic parameters. It was shown that the first wave observed below pH 3 at ?0.58 to ?0.65 V vs. SCE is the reversible reduction wave of Cd(II) aquo-ion with kinetically-controlled limiting current, and the second wave observed above pH 1.5 at ?0.75 to ?1.21 V vs. SCE corresponds to the simultaneous irreversible reduction of four complex species, CdH₃L⁺, CdH₂L, CdHL^? and CdL^2?, where CdH_pL^(p?2)+ and L^4? denote the protonated complex species with p protons and the unprotonated EDTA ion, respectively. Analysis of the dependence of limiting current on the hydrogen ion concentration led to the conclusion that the preceding reaction determining the behaviour of limiting current is CdH₃L⁺?Cd²⁺+H₃L^? with k₃^d=6.3×10² s^?1 and k₃^f=3.3×10⁶ s^?1M^?1, where k₃^d and k₃^f are the dissociation and formation rate constants, respectively. On the other hand, from analysis of the dependence of half-wave potentials of the second wave on the hydrogen ion concentration, the kinetic parameters of the four complex species were evaluated, and are given in Table 1. Further, it was shown that the cathodic rate constants of these four charge transfer processes at some reference potential together with those of Cd(II)-HEDTA complexes fulfil the linear free energy relationship.     

Development of a high-performance liquid chromatographic system with enzyme reactors for the determination of N-acetyl branched-chain amino acids

Immobilized enzymes were used as column reactors in a high-performance liquid chromatographic system for the specific detection of N-acetyl branched-chain amino acids (AcBCAs) such as N- acetyl- l -valine (AcVal), N- acetyl- l -leucine (AcLeu) and N- acetyl- l -isoleucine (AcIle). Aminoacylase and leucine dehydrogenase were immobilized onto poly(vinyl alcohol) beads. The AcBCAs were separated as three peaks on a Capcell C(1) SG120 column with 0.03M phosphate buffer (pH 8.0). Aminoacylase was capable of hydrolysing the AcBCAs to amino acids, which react with beta-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) in the presence of leucine dehydrogenase. The reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) produced was monitored fluorimetrically. The calibration graphs were linear from 4 to 200muM for AcVal and AcLeu, and from 5 to 300muM for AcIle; detection limits for AcVal, AcLeu and AcIle were 2, 2 and 3muM, respectively. The immobilized aminoacylase reactor should be renewed every 5 days owing to a poor stability of aminoacylase.     

Constituents of Crinoidea, 4. Isolation and structure of ceramides and glucocerebrosides from the feather star Comanthus japonica

Five ceramides, JC-1-JC-5, and four glucocerebrosides, JCer-1-JCer-4, have been isolated from their parent ceramide and glucocerebroside molecular species JC and JCer obtained from the less polar lipid fraction of the chloroform/methanol extract of the feather star Comanthus japonica. The structures of these sphingolipids have been determined on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence. Reversed-phase HPLC was effective at isolating these sphingolipids, revealing very close resemblance in their structures. JC-1, JC-3, JC-4, JC-5 and JCer-2, JCer-4 are newly found ceramides and glucocerebrosides, respectively.     

Studies of the Methane Steam Reforming Reaction at High Pressure in a Ceramic Membrane Reactor

The effects of temperature and pressure on the steam reforming of methane 3H2+CO) were investigated in a membrane reactor (MR) with a hydrogen permeable membrane. The studies used a novel silica-based membrane prepared by using the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique with a permeance for H2 of 6.0×l0-8 mol·m-2·s-1·Pa-1 at 923 K. The results in a packed-bed reactor (PBR) were compared to those of the membrane reactor at various temperatures (773-923 K) and pressures (1-20 atm, 101.3-2026.5 kPa) using a commercial Ni/MgAl2O4 catalyst. The conversion of methane was improved significantly in the MR by the countercurrent removal of hydrogen at all temperatures and allowed product yields higher than the equilibrium to be obtained. Pressure had a positive effect on the hydrogen yield because of the increase in driving force for the permeance of hydrogen. The yield of hydrogen increased with pressure and reached a value of 73×10-6 mol·g-1·s-1 at 2026.5 kPa and 923 K which was higher by 108% than the value of 35×10-6 mol·g-1·s-1 obtained for the equilibrium yield. The results obtained with the silica-based membrane were similar to those obtained with various other membranes as reported in the literature.     

Determination of aliphatic amino acids in serum by HPLC with fluorimetric detection using co-immobilized enzyme reactor

A simple and selective method is presented for the determination of aliphatic amino acids such as L-alanine, L-valine, L-isoleucine and L-leucine in serum using HPLC with detection by co-immobilized alanine dehydrogenase/leucine dehydrogenase post-column reactor and fluorimeter. The enzymes were simultaneously immobilized on chitosan beads. The separation was achieved by means of an ods column with elution with phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). The system gave linear responses over two orders of magnitude and detection limits at 1-2muM levels.