Electrochemical hydrogenation of enones using a proton- exchange membrane reactor: selectivity and utility

Electrochemical hydrogenation of enones using a proton-exchange membrane reactor is described. The reduction of enones proceeded smoothly under mild conditions to afford ketones or alcohols. The reaction occurred chemoselectively with the use of different cathode catalysts (Pd/C or Ir/C)

Characteristics of Gelation by Amides Based on trans-1,2-Diaminocyclohexane: The Importance of Different Substituents

Six diamides were prepared from trans-(1R,2R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane and the corresponding racemate and were subsequently used as gelators. Three chiral compounds and their racemates were prepared. One of the chiral compounds and its racemate contained two n-dodecanoylamino groups as the same substituents. The other two chiral compounds and their racemates contained different substituents: 10-undecenoylamino and 2-heptyl-undecanoylamino groups, and 5-hydroxypentanoylamino and 2-heptylundecanoylamino groups. Their gelation abilities were evaluated on the basis of the minimum gel concentration using eight solvents. The thermal stability and transparency of the gels were investigated by UV-vis spectroscopy using three-component mixed solvents of hexadecyl 2-ethylhexanoate, liquid paraffin, and decamethyl cyclopentasiloxane (66 combinations). The gel-to-sol phase-transition temperatures were also studied. The viscoelastic behavior of the gels was studied by rheology measurements in the strain sweep mode. Aggregates constructing three-dimensional networks were studied by transmission electron microscopy and circular dichroism spectroscopy. The molecular packing of the gels was evaluated by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS).ArticleBULLETIN OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN.90(3):312-321(2017)journal articl

Significance of the School Anti-Bullying Policy: A Study on the Contents of the School Anti-Bullying Policy of the Public Elementary and Junior High Schools in X-Ward Tokyo

Under the Anti-Bullying Promotion Act, each school is required to formulate its own school anti-bullying policy. This phenomenon is considered as “legalization” and “standardization” of educational issues initiated by the central government. This paper examines the significance of school anti-bullying policy at a school level, clarifying whether the content of each school policy is formulated according to the actual situation of each school.From the analysis of the texts of the school anti-bullying policies and from the interview survey, in public elementary and junior high schools in X-ward, Tokyo, it became clear that the content of each policy is not necessarily in accordance with the actual situation of each school.個人論文Individual Pape

Adaptive visualization of gas distribution using augmented reality glasses

L. Duan, H. Matsukura, P. Punpongsanon, T. Hiraki, D. Iwai and K. Sato, "Adaptive Visualization of Gas Distribution Using Augmented Reality Glasses," 2020 IEEE 9th Global Conference on Consumer Electronics (GCCE), 2020, pp. 658-659, doi: 10.1109/GCCE50665.2020.9291811

Intrinsic Visible Plasmonic Properties of Colloidal PtIn₂ Intermetallic Nanoparticles

コロイド状C1-PtIn2ナノ粒子による可視プラズモン特性の発現 --新規可視プラズモン材料としての金属間化合物ナノ粒子の設計指針--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2024-01-12.Materials that intrinsically exhibit localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in the visible region have been predominantly researched on nanoparticles (NPs) composed of coinage metals, namely Au, Ag, and Cu. Here, as a coinage metal-free intermetallic NPs, colloidal PtIn₂ NPs with a C1 (CaF₂-type) crystal structure are synthesized by the liquid phase method, which evidently exhibit LSPR at wavelengths similar to face-centered cubic (fcc)-Au NPs. Computational simulations pointed out differences in the electronic structure and photo-excited electron dynamics between C1-PtIn₂ and fcc-Au NPs; reduces interband transition and stronger screening with smaller number of bound d-electrons compare with fcc-Au are unique origins of the visible plasmonic nature of C1-PtIn₂ NPs. These results strongly indicate that the intermetallic NPs are expected to address the development of alternative plasmonic materials by tuning their crystal structure and composition

Development of improved method to identify and analyze lung fibrocytes with flow cytometry in a reporter mouse strain

Introduction Fibrocytes are emerging myeloid-derived circulating cells that can migrate into damaged tissues and usually contribute to their repair. Key features of fibrocytes include the expression myeloid markers, production of extracellular matrix proteins, and secretion of various humoral factors that activate resident fibroblasts; they also have the potential to differentiate into fibroblasts. However, no specific surface markers have been identified to identify fibrocytes in vivo. One reason could be that the method used to detect fibrocytes requires intracellular collagen staining. Methods In the present study, to establish an improved method for the detection of lung fibrocytes and to analyze viable fibrocytes, we used collagen I(α)2-green fluorescent protein (Col-GFP) reporter mice, which had undergone the intratracheal instillation of bleomycin (BLM). Results Using flow cytometry to gate out cells with autofluorescence, we clearly found that CD45+ GFP+ cells resided in the lungs of Col-GFP mice at a steady state and these cells increased after BLM injury, peaking at Day 14. These cells expressed not only known cell surface markers of fibrocytes, but also some novel markers, in addition to a low level of collagen I in comparison to CD45− GFP+ cells. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the improved method can be a useful for the detection of pure lung fibrocytes and allows us to further analyze the characteristics of viable fibrocytes

Validity and reproducibility of food photographic estimation for evaluating meals in evacuation shelters

Objective: The primary goal was to evaluate the validity of food photographic estimation for nutritional assessment compared with weighed food record (WFR). Methods: We evaluated the validity and reproducibility of photographic estimation of foods provided in evacuation shelters. We analyzed 35 meals served at 12 shelters in Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan, affected by a heavy rain disaster in 2020. In this context, we compared 21 senior students' portion size estimation by food photographs to WFR. In addition, we assigned five meals for each of the 21 senior students, and the same meal photograph was estimated by three students to test reproducibility. Results: No statistically significant difference was detected between the two methods regarding energy, the total grams of meal, the protein, and vitamins B1, B2, and C, except for salt. In addition, the students who never self-cooked underestimated the total grams. Conclusion: Food photographic estimation could simplify the nutritional assessment in evacuation shelters. However, unclear photographs and food items served by weight could weaken the estimation accuracy. According to previous studies and the applied postestimation questionnaire, photographs taken from specified angles and reference food photobooks for portion size estimation may improve accuracy

Raft localization of CXCR4 is primarily required for X4-tropic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is initiated by successive interactions of viral envelope glycoprotein gp120 with two cellular surface proteins, CD4 and chemokine receptor. The two most common chemokine receptors that allow HIV-1 entry are the CCR5 and CXCR4. The CD4 and CCR5 are mainly localized to the particular plasma membrane microdomains, termed raft, which is rich in glycolipids and cholesterol. However, the CXCR4 is localized only partially to the raft region. Although the raft domain is suggested to participate in HIV-1 infection, its role in entry of CXCR4-tropic (X4-tropic) virus is still unclear. Here, we used a combination of CD4-independent infection system and cholesterol-depletion-inducing reagent, methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MbetaCD), to address the requirement of raft domain in the X4-tropic virus infection. Treatment of CD4-negative, CXCR4-positive human cells with MbetaCD inhibited CD4-independent infection of the X4-tropic strains. This inhibitory effect of the cholesterol depletion was observed even when the CXCR4 was over-expressed on the target cells. Soluble CD4-induced infection was also inhibited by MbetaCD. The MbetaCD had no effect on the levels of cell surface expression of CXCR4. In contrast to these infections, MbetaCD treatment did not inhibit CD4-dependent HIV-1 infection in the wild type CD4-expressing cells. This study and previous reports showing that CD4 mutants localized to non-raft domains function as HIV-1 receptor indicate that CXCR4 clustering in the raft microdomains, rather than CD4, is the key step for the HIV-1 entry