Near-infrared emissions with widely different widths in two kinds of Er-doped oxide glasses with high refractive indices and low phonon energies

Er³⁺-doped alkali-barium-bismuth-tellurite (LKBBT) and alkali-barium-bismuth-gallate (LKBBG) glasses with high refractive indices and low phonon energies have been designed, fabricated, characterized and compared. Intense 1.53 μm emissions with widely different widths in the two kinds of glasses were observed and recorded under 980 nm diode laser excitation. The full-widths at half-maximum of the 1.53 μm emission bands in LKBBT and LKBBG glasses are 58 and 40 nm, and the lifetimes of them were measured to be 3.21 and 3.97 ms, respectively. The quantum efficiencies for the ⁴I_13/2 level in both glasses are almost 100%. The 1.53 μm broad and narrow emissions with high spontaneous emission probabilities and large emission cross-sections indicate that Er³⁺-doped LKBBT and LKBBG glasses are suitable materials in developing broadband optical amplifier and infrared laser, respectively.     

Nonlinear conduction in two-dimensional CDW system: 1T-TaS2

Non-linear electrical conductivity is observed in 1T-TaS₂ in the lowest-temperature phase (the commensurate charge density wave state). The collective excitations are suggested to contribute to the electronic conduction as in the case of the linear chain metals TTF-TCNQ and NbSe₃.     

Total synthesis of buergerinin F via effective construction of the asymmetric quaternary carbons using an enantioselective aldol reaction

An efficient method for the synthesis of (+)-buergerinin F is established via the enantioselective aldol reaction of a tetra-substituted ketene silyl acetal with crotonaldehyde, followed by intramolecular Wacker-type ketalization.     

Molecular structure of 3-methylthiophene studied by gas electron diffraction combined with microwave spectroscopic data

The molecular structure of 3-methylthiophene has been determined by gas electron diffraction (GED) combined with microwave (MW) spectroscopic data. Ab initio calculations at the HF/3–21G* level were carried out and used as structural constraints in the data analysis. The torsional vibration of the methyl group was treated as a large-amplitude motion. The structural parameters were determined to be: r_{g(S---C2) = 1.719(2) Å}, r_{g(C2=C3) = 1.370(3) Å}, r_{g(C3---C6) = 1.497(6) Å}, r_{g(C2---H) = 1.101(5) Å}, CSC = 91.6(2)°, SC₂C₃ = 113.3(5)°, SC₅C₄ = 111.3(3)°, C₂C₃C₆ = 123.2(11)° and C₃C₆H = 112(2)°. The values of r(S---C₂) - r(S=C₅) and r(C₂=C₃)-r(C₄ =C₅) were fixed at the 3–21G* value of 0.002 Å. Parenthesized values are the estimated limits of error (3σ) referring to the last significant digit.     

A-type cranberry proanthocyanidins inhibit the RANKL-dependent differentiation and function of human osteoclasts

This study investigated the effect of A-type cranberry proanthocyanidins (AC-PACs) on osteoclast formation and bone resorption activity. The differentiation of human pre-osteoclastic cells was assessed by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining, while the secretion of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) was measured by ELISA. Bone resorption activity was investigated by using a human bone plate coupled with an immunoassay that detected the release of collagen helical peptides. AC-PACs up to 100 μg/mL were atoxic for osteoclastic cells. TRAP staining evidenced a dose-dependent inhibition of osteoclastogenesis. More specifically, AC-PACs at 50 μg/mL caused a 95% inhibition of RANKL-dependent osteoclast differentiation. This concentration of AC-PACs also significantly increased the secretion of IL-8 (6-fold) and inhibited the secretion of both MMP-2 and MMP-9. Lastly, AC-PACs (10, 25, 50 and 100 μg/ml) affected bone degradation mediated by mature osteoclasts by significantly decreasing the release of collagen helical peptides. This study suggests that AC-PACs can interfere with osteoclastic cell maturation and physiology as well as prevent bone resorption. These compounds may be considered as therapeutic agents for the prevention and treatment of periodontitis.     

Chirality exchange from sp3 central chirality to axial chirality: benzannulation of optically active diaryl-2,2-dichlorocyclopropylmethanols to axially chiral alpha-arylnaphthalenes

Chirality exchange benzannulation of optically active (1S)-aryl(aryl')-2,2-dichlorocyclopropylmethanols (>99% ee) using TiCl4 successfully proceeded to give axially chiral (M)-alpha-arylnaphthalenes with excellent levels of stereo induction (>99% ee). This unique transformation involves the single-step chirality exchange from sp3 central chirality to axial chirality, that is, a type of excellent memory effect.