Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of terminal acetals via highly selective anti-Markovnikov nucleophilic attack of pinacol on vinylarenes, allyl ethers, and 1,5-dienes

A palladium-catalyzed reaction of vinylarenes, allyl ethers, and 1,5-dienes with pinacol proceeded via a selective anti-Markovnikov nucleophilic attack to afford corresponding terminal acetals as major products. The bulkiness of pinacol was found to be critical in controlling the regioselectivity.     

Computer-Aided Detection of Quantitative Signatures for Breast Fibroepithelial Tumors Using Label-Free Multi-Photon Imaging

Fibroadenomas (FAs) and phyllodes tumors (PTs) are major benign breast tumors, pathologically classified as fibroepithelial tumors. Although the clinical management of PTs differs from FAs, distinction by core needle biopsy diagnoses is still challenging. Here, a combined technique of label-free imaging with multi-photon microscopy and artificial intelligence was applied to detect quantitative signatures that differentiate fibroepithelial lesions. Multi-photon excited autofluorescence and second harmonic generation (SHG) signals were detected in tissue sections. A pixel-wise semantic segmentation method using a deep learning framework was used to separate epithelial and stromal regions automatically. The epithelial to stromal area ratio and the collagen SHG signal strength were investigated for their ability to distinguish fibroepithelial lesions. An image segmentation analysis with a pixel-wise semantic segmentation framework using a deep convolutional neural network showed the accurate separation of epithelial and stromal regions. A further investigation, to determine if scoring the epithelial to stromal area ratio and the SHG signal strength within the stromal area could be a marker for differentiating fibroepithelial tumors, showed accurate classification. Therefore, molecular and morphological changes, detected through the assistance of computational and label-free multi-photon imaging techniques, enable us to propose quantitative signatures for epithelial and stromal alterations in breast tissues.     

Charge storage mechanisms of cathode materials in rechargeable aluminum batteries

Science China Chemistry - Rechargeable aluminum batteries (RABs) have attracted great interest as one of the most promising candidates for large-scale energy storage because of their high...     

A thin lens formula of the electrostatic bi-potential lenses

A thin lens formula, whose object and image planes are measured from the lens center, is derived for electrostatic bi-potential lenses. Its approximation degree is discussed.     

Seed coat metabolite profiling of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) accessions from Ghana using UPLC-PDA-QTOF-MS and chemometrics

Abstract

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) is an important grain legume in Africa exhibiting high morpho-genetic diversity. However, not much information exists on the phytochemical profiles of its hulls. This study explored the metabolite profiles of seed-coats from thirteen cowpea accessions of varying phenotypes using UPLC-QTOF-MS and chemometric analysis. A total of 34 secondary metabolites were identified, which comprised phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, sphingolipids and fatty acids. Quantification of selected phenolic compounds revealed marked variations among the cowpea accessions. The chemical profiles of the test accessions were distinguished by multivariate analysis, and the results revealed a marked influence of seed-coat pigmentation on the observed differences in their metabolite profiles. Moreover, delphinidin (traces to 2257.6 µg/g), catechin glucoside (traces to 2840.6 µg/g), catechin (traces to 2089.2 µg/g) and epicatechin (26.3 to 3222.7 µg/g) contributed to the segregation amongst the studied samples. The concentrations of the discriminant metabolites were greater in the dark seeded cowpeas compared to their lighter seeded counterparts. The findings represent a useful contribution to the literature on cowpea seed coat metabolites, and also reveal their potential for use in the development of food and pharmaceutical products.     

Multidimensional angle sensing method using guided-mode resonance

Optical Review - A waveguide grating on a transparent substrate can serve as an optical notch filter owing to guided-mode resonance. The filtering wavelength is highly sensitive to an incidence...     

Structure and photochemistry of nitrocobalt(III) tetraphenylporphyrin with axial triphenylphosphine in toluene solutions

Thermal and photochemical reactions of nitroaquacobalt(III) tetraphenylporphyrin, (NO(2))(H(2)O)Co(III)TPP, have been investigated in toluene solutions containing triphenylphosphine, P phi(3). It is found that Pphi(3) thermally abstracts an oxygen atom from the NO(2) moiety of (NO(2))(H(2)O)Co(III)TPP with a rate constant 0.52 M(-1) s(-1), resulting in the formation of nitrosylcobalt porphyrin, (NO)CoTPP. The 355-nm laser photolysis of (NO(2))(H(2)O)Co(III)TPP at low concentrations of P phi(3) (<1.0 x 10(-4) M) gives Co(II)TPP and NO(2) as intermediates. The recombination reaction of Co(II)TPP and NO(2) initially forms the coordinately unsaturated nitritocobalt(III) tetraphenylporphyrin, (ON-O)Co(III)TPP, which reacts with P phi(3) to yield nitro(triphenylphosphine)cobalt(III) tetraphenylporphyrin, (NO(2))(P phi(3))Co(III)TPP. Subsequently, the substitution reaction of the axial P phi(3) with H(2)O leads to the regeneration of (NO(2))(H(2)O)Co(III)TPP. From the kinetic studies, the substitution reaction is concluded to occur via a coordinately unsaturated nitrocobalt(III) porphyrin, (NO(2))Co(III)TPP. At higher concentrations of P phi(3) (>4 x 10(-3) M), (NO(2))(H(2)O)Co(III)TPP reacts with P phi(3) to form (NO(2))(P phi(3))Co(III)TPP: the equilibrium constant is obtained as K = 4.3. The X-ray structure analysis of (NO(2))(P phi(3))Co(III)TPP reveals that the P-Co-NO(2) bond angle is 175.0(2) degrees and the bond length Co-NO(2) is 2.000(7) A. In toluene solutions of (NO(2))(H(2)O)Co(III)TPP containing P phi(3) (>4 x 10(-3) M), the major light-absorbing species is (NO(2))(P phi(3))Co(III)TPP, which yields (NO)CoTPP by continuous photolysis. The laser photolysis of (NO(2))(P phi(3))Co(III)TPP gives Co(II)TPP, NO(2), and P phi(3) as initial products. The NO(2) molecule is suggested to be reduced by P phi(3) to yield NO, and the reaction between NO and Co(II)TPP gives (NO)CoTPP. The quantum yield for the photodecomposition of (NO(2))(P phi(3))Co(III)TPP is determined as 0.56.