The total mixed curvature of open curves in $$E^3$$

The total mixed curvature of a curve in \(E^3\) is defined as the integral of \(\sqrt{\kappa ^2+\tau ^2}\), where \(\kappa \) is the curvature and \(\tau \) is the torsion. The total mixed curvature is the length of the spherical curve defined by the principal normal vector field. We study the infimum of the total mixed curvature in a family of open curves whose endpoints and principal normal vectors at the endpoints are prescribed. In our previous works, we studied similar problems for the total absolute curvature, which is the length of the spherical curve defined by the unit tangent vector, and for the total absolute torsion, which is the length of the spherical curve defined by the binormal vector.     

New procedure to mask the 2,3-pi bond of the indole nucleus and its application to the preparation of potent opioid receptor agonists with a Corynanthe skeleton

Treatment of indole alkaloids with hypervalent iodine in the presence of ethylene glycol provides 2,3-ethylene glycol bridged adducts that could be converted into the original indoles under mild reductive conditions. This procedure, which involves masking of the reactivity of the indole nucleus at the beta-position, was utilized for the modification of the benzene ring of the indoline derivative and was applied to the preparation of potent opioid receptor agonists with the Corynanthe skeleton. [reaction: see text]     

High-resolution photoassociation spectroscopy of ultracold ytterbium atoms by using the intercombination transition

We observed high-resolution photoassociation spectra of laser-cooled ytterbium (Yb) atoms in the spin-forbidden 1S0 - 3P1 intercombination line. The rovibrational levels in the 0u+ state were measured for red detunings of the photoassociation laser ranging from 2.9 MHz to 1.97 GHz with respect to the atomic resonance. The rotational splitting of the vibrational levels near the dissociation limit were fully resolved due to the sub-MHz linewidth of the spectra in contrast to previous measurements using the spin-allowed singlet transition. In addition, from a comparison between the spectra of 174Yb and those of 176Yb, a d-wave shape resonance for 174Yb is strongly suggested.     

The Total Squared Curvature of Curves and Approximation by Piecewise Circular Curves

For a smooth curve in the Euclidean spaces, the total squared curvature is defined as the integral of the square of the curvature. If one takes three points on the curve which are close to one another, the reciprocal of the radius of the circle passing through those points approximates the curvature. We use this to approximate the total squared curvature and study its convergence rate.     

Interaction of anti-aggregation agent dimethylethylammonium propane sulfonate with acidic fibroblast growth factor

Prevention of aggregation is critical for analyzing protein structure. Non-detergent sulfobetaines (NDSBs) are known to prevent protein aggregation, but the molecular mechanisms of their anti-aggregation effect are poorly understood. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, we analyzed the effects of dimethylethylammonium propane sulfonate (NDSB-195) on acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF). NDSB-195 (0.5M) increased both aggregation and denaturation temperatures of aFGF by 4 degrees C. Chemical shift perturbation analyses indicated that many affected residues were located at the junction between a beta-strand (or 3(10)-helix) and a loop, irrespective of the chemical properties of the residue. The apparent dissociation constants of the interaction ranged from 0.04 to 3M, indicating weak interactions between NDSB and protein molecules.     

Electronic absorption and emission spectra of Alq3 in solution with special attention to a delayed fluorescence

Tris(8-quinolinolato)aluminum(III) (Alq₃) shows electronic absorption bands at 378, 360 (in a 1:1 mixed solvent of methanol and ethanol (ME) at 77 K), 334, 316, 300, 263, 255.8, and 233 nm in ethanol at room temperature. According to the polarized fluorescence excitation spectrum together with MO calculations, for instance, the 360 nm band is assigned to an LL CT transition (an intramolecular charge transfer transition between two ligands), and the 378 nm band to an LM/ML CT one (an intramolecular charge transfer transition between ligand and metal). Alq₃ shows a broad fluorescence band peaking at around 478 nm in the ME matrix at 77 K. The emission spectrum measured with a phosphoroscope has two emission bands at 567 and 478 nm. The 567 nm band accompanies vibronic bands at 578 and 605 nm, being safely assigned to a phosphorescence of Alq₃. The lifetimes of the 478 and 567 nm bands are both 5.4 ms. The lifetime of the 478 nm band together with the band position and its band shape indicate that this band can be assigned to a delayed fluorescence.     

Characteristics of voltage holding ratio and residual direct current voltage for polymer-sustained-alignment liquid crystal cells formed from mixed monomers containing biphenyl- and benzilketal-groups

Abstract

For improving process efficiency of polymer-sustained-alignment liquid crystal displays (PSA-LCDs), new photo-initiation monomers (PI-monomers), 2-methoxy-2-methacryloyl-oxy-ethoxy-2-phenylacetophenon (2-MMOEP) and 2,2-dimethacryloyl-oxy-ethoxy-2-phenylacetophenon (2,2-DMOEP), were developed and investigated image sticking characteristics. LC cells having PSA layers formed from a monomer 4,4′-dimethacryloyl-oxy-biphenyl (4,4′-DMABiph) and each PI-monomer were fabricated, and voltage holding ratio (VHR) and residual direct current voltage (V_rDC) were clarified as the image sticking characteristics. The VHR and the V_rDC were improved with the LC cells having the PSA layers formed from 4,4′-DMABiph and 2,2-DMOEP owing to large rate constant of polymerization. In contrast, the VHR and the V_rDC were deteriorated with the LC cells having the PSA layers formed from 4,4′-DMABiph and 2-MMOEP. The deterioration of the VHR and the V_rDC was derived from the increase in the concentration of radical and/or ion generated from 2-MMOEP. The results indicate that the number of polymerizable group in the PI-monomer is important, and plural number of polymerizable group in the PI-monomer leads to high VHR and low V_rDC.     

A novel route for the construction of Taxol ABC-ring framework: skeletal rearrangement approach to AB-ring and intramolecular aldol approach to C-ring

We report here on the construction of the ABC-ring framework of (±)-Taxol using an intramolecular aldol reaction as a key step. AB-ring compound 8 was converted to ketoaldehyde 25 as a precursor of an aldol reaction via introduction of oxygen-functionalities and a methoxycarbonyl group, which can be converted to a methyl group, in the proper positions of the B-ring. An aldol reaction of ketoaldehyde with LDA led to the formation of the desired product 27, which corresponds to the ABC-ring framework of (±)-Taxol.     

Design of a doubly-curved crystal to improve X-ray fluorescence analysis of aerosol particles

Doubly-curved crystals (DCCs) can be very useful devices to focus and monochromatize radiation from an X-ray tube or a synchrotron, especially for X-ray fluorescence analysis. However, production of a DCC is somewhat difficult. In this paper we will present some basic theory about DCC geometries, different ways of DCC production and methods to test the quality of the DCCs.     

Synthesis of the N-Amykitanosyl Tetramic Acid Moiety of Amycolamicin

An improved five-step synthetic route from l -fucose to an N-glycosyl l -valine methyl ester has been developed. The new route involves glycosidation of l -fucose with phenol in a β-selective manner without protection/deprotection steps and one-pot stereochemical inversion of a secondary alcohol intermediate and is superior to our previous one both in the number of steps and in overall yield. An N-glycosyl l -valine benzyl ester, prepared from l -fucose in an analogous way, has been elaborated into an N-amykitanosyl tetramic acid derivative, Li's synthetic intermediate for amycolamicin, via a four-step sequence which features the utilization of Bestmann's ylide to stereoconvergently construct an N-glycosyl tetramic acid intermediate in a single step, opening of a cyclic carbonate ring with an amine to regioselectively install a carbamate functionality, and visible light-mediated oxidative debenzylation of an N,N-dibenzyl carbamate.