Study of Strangeness Photoproduction on the Neutron in the Threshold Region

Photoproduction of the neutral kaon on the deuteron has been investigated at the Research Center for Electron Photon Science, Tohoku University. We constructed the Neutral Kaon Spectrometer-2 for the detection of charged particles from the decay of the neutral kaon and the hyperon. We obtained a momentum distribution of K ⁰ with the inclusive measurement. It was consistent with the previous measurement. The total cross section of γ + d → K ⁰ + Λ + p was estimated from the measured integral cross section of γ + d → Λ + X. The total cross section with respect to the photon energy was compared with the theoretical calculations. It favored the Saclay-Lyon A model calculation with the ratio of the neutral to charged coupling constants of the axial-vector meson, K ₁, as ~ ?1.5. The energy dependence and the magnitude of the total cross section were similar to the total cross section of γ + p → K ⁺ Λ.     

Stark effects on the phosphorescence spectra of p-benzoquinone

Stark effects on the phosphorescence spectra of p-benzoquinone have been studied in naphthalene crystals at temperatures between 1.7 and 30 K. The experimental data establish that the band splitting of 24 cm^?1 arises from a double minimum potential in the T₁ state.     

A sensitive determination method for mexiletine derivatized with dansyl chloride in rat plasma utilizing a HPLC peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence detection system.

A sensitive determination method for a non-fluorescent anti-arrhythmic drug, mexiletine, in rat plasma is presented utilizing a HPLC peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence (PO-CL) detection system. After an internal standard (4-methylmexiletine, 4.35 pmol) and 0.1 N sodium hydroxide solution were added to 5 microL rat plasma, the solution was poured onto an Extrelut 1 column. Both mexiletine and the internal standard were eluted with diethy ether and then the eluate was evaporated to dryness. The residue was dissolved in 0.2 M borate buffer (pH 8.5) and mixed with dansyl chloride (75 nmol) in acetronitrile. After standing of 90 min at room temperature, 0.5 N HCl was added to the reaction mixture to stop the reaction and a 2/45 aliquot of the mixture was subjected to a HPLC PO-CL detection system using bis(4-nitro-2(3,6,9-trioxadecyloxycarbonyl)phenyl) oxalate (TDPO) and hydrogen peroxide. The calibration curve for mexiletine in rat plasma was linear over the range 20-100 ng/mL plasma (20.6-103 fmol/injection). The detection limit (S/N = 2) was 1.0 fmol over the whole procedure. The method was applied to the measurement of the time courses of plasma mexiletine concentration after oral administration of the drug [25 mg (115.9 mumol)/kg] to rats.     

The crystalline molecular complex between cationic surfactant and some additive substances: Part I: complex formation with phenol derivative as additives

It was established that many crystalline molecular complexes composed of cationic surfactants such as CTAB and several phenolic derivatives were obtained from an appropriate concentrated solution system in which a remarkable viscoelasticity was developed. It is revealed that the molecular complexes have an unambiguous composition of 1:1 molar ratio of surfactants to phenolic additives. The molecular complexes also showed characteristic endothermicity of a degree that suggests the specimens to be single and a pure species. However, through repeated runs the thermal stability of the complexes seemed to be rather poor, as exhibited by a profile change in thermograms of DSC.     

Bioavailable acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyltransferase inhibitor with anti-peroxidative activity: synthesis and biological activity of novel indolinyl amide and urea derivatives

We synthesized a series of indoline derivatives with an amide or urea moiety and examined their inhibitory effects on acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) activity, lipid-peroxidation and serum cholesterol levels in experimental animals. Among the derivatives synthesized, a series of N-(1-alkyl-4,6-dimethylindolin-7-yl)-2,2-dimethylpropanamides++ + potently inhibited rabbit intestinal ACAT activity and lipid-peroxidation of rat brain homogenate. The effect on ACAT activity was related to the length of the alkyl chain at the 1-position of indoline. N-(4,6-Dimethyl-1-octylindolindolin-7-yl)-2,2-dimethylpropanami de hydrochloride (55) showed inhibitory effects on intestinal and hepatic ACAT activity slightly weaker than those of YM-750, and an inhibitory effect on low density lipoprotein (LDL)-peroxidation similar to that of probucol. Compound 55 also reduced serum cholesterol at 10 mg/kg/d in hyperlipidemic rats and 20 mg/kg/d in normolipidemic hamsters. The plasma concentration of 55 reached 716 ng/ml in dogs (10 mg/kg, p.o.), which is an effective concentration against hepatic ACAT activity and LDL-peroxidation. In conclusion, compound 55 is a novel bioavailable ACAT inhibitor with anti-peroxidative activity and is thus a promising anti-atherosclerotic and anti-hyperlipidemic drug. Indoline proved to be a useful pharmacophore for molecular design of new anti-peroxidative drugs.     

A convenient method for synthesis of enantiomerically enriched methylphenidate from N-methoxycarbonylpiperidine

[formula: see text] This report describes a new method to prepare optically active methylphenidate starting from piperidine. The method consists of a transformation of N-methoxycarbonylpiperidine to the corresponding alpha-methoxylated carbamate I by utilizing electrochemical oxidation followed by the coupling reaction with optically active Evans imides II to produce optically active methylphenidate derivatives III with high stereoselectivities, threo-(2R,2'R)-Methylphenidate (IV; Ar = Ph; Ritalin) was easily prepared from III in three steps.     

Enantioselective alkylation of aldehydes catalyzed by a highly active titanium complex of 3-substituted unsymmetric BINOL

[reaction: see text] A titanium complex derived from 3-(3,5-diphenylphenyl)-BINOL exhibits an enhanced catalytic activity in the asymmetric alkylation of aldehydes, allowing the reduction of the catalyst amount to less than 1 mol % without deterioration in enantioselectivity.     

Parameters affecting the adhesion strength between a living cell and a colloid probe when measured by the atomic force microscope

In this study, we used the colloid probe atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique to investigate the adhesion force between a living cell and a silica colloid particle in a Leibovitz's L-15 medium (L-15). The L-15 liquid maintained the pharmaceutical conditions necessary to keep the cells alive in the outside environment during the AFM experiment. The force curves in such a system showed a steric repulsion in the compression force curve, due to the compression of the cells by the colloid probe, and an adhesion force in the decompression force curve, due to binding events between the cell and the probe. We also investigated for the first time how the position on the cell surface, the strength of the pushing force, and the residence time of the probe at the cell surface individually affected the adhesion force between a living cell and a 6.84 μm diameter silica colloid particle in L-15. The position of measuring the force on the cell surface was seen not to affect the value of the maximum adhesion force. The loading force was also seen not to notably affect the value of the maximum adhesion force, if it was small enough not to pierce and damage the cell. The residence time of the probe at the cell surface, however, clearly affected the adhesion force, where a longer residence time gave a larger maximum force. From these results, we could conclude that the AFM force measurements should be made using a loading force small enough not to damage the cell and a fixed residence time, when comparing results of different systems.     

Dispersion and separation of small-diameter single-walled carbon nanotubes

The dispersion of small-diameter single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) produced by the CoMoCAT method in tetrahydrofuran (THF) with the use of amine was studied. The absorption, photoluminescence, and Raman spectroscopies showed that the dispersion and centrifugation process leads to an effective separation of metallic SWNTs from semiconducting SWNTs. Since this method is simple and convenient, it is highly applicable to an industrial utilization for widespread applications of SWNTs.