Photodecarboxylative addition of carboxylates to phthalimides: a concise access to biologically active 3-(alkyl and aryl)methylene-1H-isoindolin-1-ones

A series of 3-(alkyl and aryl)methyleneisoindolin-1-one derivatives were synthesized in a simple two-step procedure using a recently established photodecarboxylative addition of carboxylates to phthalimides as the key-step. Subsequent acid-catalyzed dehydration and deprotection furnished the desired target compounds with high E-selectivity. The reaction sequence was applied to the synthesis of the known bioactive phenylethylene derivative, AKS-186. Different analogues, including heteroatom-containing isosteres were also synthesized using this approach.     

Gas chromatographic analysis of the thermally unstable dimethyl methylphosphonate carbanion via trimethylsilyl derivatization

An HPLC method to quantitate phytometallophores (phytosiderophores) exuded from roots of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) growing in nutrient solution culture was developed. 9-Fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (FMOC) derivatives of phytometallophores were separated on a C18 reverse-phase column using a sodium acetate (pH 7.2) and acetonitrile-methanol gradient over 20 min followed by fluorescence detection. Detection limits ranged from 15 to 370 pmol depending on the particular phytometallophore. The effectiveness of this method was demonstrated using the response of barley seedlings to Fe-sufficient and Fe-deficient nutrient solution conditions. Phytometallophores collected in root washings of Fe-deficient barley seedlings increased with plant age while phytometallophore release from Fe-adequate roots was negligible.     

Lipophilic derivatives of cyclam as new inhibitors of tumor cell growth

Two new lipophilic tetraazamacrocycles were prepared and, in contrast to non-lipophilic analogs, found to be potent inhibitors of tumor cell growth in vitro with IC50 values below 10 micromolar.     

Shrinkage estimators of the location parameter for certain spherically symmetric distributions

We consider estimation of a location vector for particular subclasses of spherically symmetric distributions in the presence of a known or unknown scale parameter. Specifically, for these spherically symmetric distributions we obtain slightly more general conditions and larger classes of estimators than Brandwein and Strawderman (1991,Ann. Statist.,19, 1639–1650) under which estimators of the formX +ag(X) dominateX for quadratic loss, concave functions of quadratic loss and general quadratic loss.Research supported by NSF grant DMS-88-22622     

Peripatetic Highlights in Bern

This tour of significant scientific sites in Bern uses the local legacy of its most illustrious scientists, Albert Einstein (1879–1955) and Fritz Houtermans (1903–1966), as its guiding thread through the old town and the university district.Ann M.Hentschel is translator of the correspondence volumes of The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein and is currently employed by the Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Bern to write the guide for a city tour of Einsteins old haunts in Bern for the coming jubilee of special relativity in 2005. For the historical companion guidebook, see Hentschel and Grasshoff, Albert Einstein (ref. 4) and the website <.     

Synthesis and characterization of seven-coordinate tripodal imidazole complexes of iron(II) and manganese(II)

The iron(II) and manganese(II) complexes of the N(7) Schiff-base condensate of tris(3-aminopropyl)amine with 1-methyl-2-imidazolecarbaldehyde and the manganese(II) complex of the N(7) Schiff-base condensate of tris(3-aminopropyl)amine with 4-imidazolecarbaldehyde are high-spin mono capped octahedral seven-coordinate complexes with a short, approximately 2.44 è, metal to apical nitrogen bond.     

Neutrino oscillations as a probe of dark energy

We consider a class of theories in which neutrino masses depend significantly on environment, as a result of interactions with the dark sector. Such theories of mass varying neutrinos were recently introduced to explain the origin of the cosmological dark energy density and why its magnitude is apparently coincidental with that of neutrino mass splittings. In this Letter we argue that in such theories neutrinos can exhibit different masses in matter and in vacuum, dramatically affecting neutrino oscillations. As an example of modifications to the standard picture, we consider simple models that may simultaneously account for the LSND anomaly, KamLAND, K2K, and studies of solar and atmospheric neutrinos, while providing motivation to continue to search for neutrino oscillations in short baseline experiments such as BooNE.     

On Homogeneity of Radicals of Semigroup Algebras

We answer a known question showing that not all radicals of semigroup Q algebras of Q₀ -complete commutative, cancellative and torsion-free semigroups are homogeneous.     

Measuring hearing in the harbor seal (Phoca vitulina): comparison of behavioral and auditory brainstem response techniques

Auditory brainstem response (ABR) and standard behavioral methods were compared by measuring in-air audiograms for an adult female harbor seal (Phoca vitulina). Behavioral audiograms were obtained using two techniques: the method of constant stimuli and the staircase method. Sensitivity was tested from 0.250 to 30 kHz. The seal showed good sensitivity from 6 to 12 kHz [best sensitivity 8.1 dB (re 20 microPa2 x s) RMS at 8 kHz]. The staircase method yielded thresholds that were lower by 10 dB on average than the method of constant stimuli. ABRs were recorded at 2, 4, 8, 16, and 22 kHz and showed a similar best range (8-16 kHz). ABR thresholds averaged 5.7 dB higher than behavioral thresholds at 2, 4, and 8 kHz. ABRs were at least 7 dB lower at 16 kHz, and approximately 3 dB higher at 22 kHz. The better sensitivity of ABRs at higher frequencies could have reflected differences in the seal's behavior during ABR testing and/or bandwidth characteristics of test stimuli. These results agree with comparisons of ABR and behavioral methods performed in other recent studies and indicate that ABR methods represent a good alternative for estimating hearing range and sensitivity in pinnipeds, particularly when time is a critical factor and animals are untrained.