Thermal reduction of 7H-benz[d,e]anthracen-7-one and related ketones under hydrogen-transfer conditions

In the presence of hydrogen donor solvents and at elevated temperatures, aromatic ketones can be selectively deoxygenated to the corresponding hydroaromatic compounds. The kinetics for reduction of 7H-benz[d,e]anthracen-7-one (benzanthrone, 6) into 7H-benz[d,e]anthracene (benzanthrene, 1) in 9,10-dihydroanthracene (3) solvent has been investigated in detail. The relatively slow hydrogenation of 6 is due to reversibility of the initial hydrogen-transfer step according to a reverse radical disproportionation (RRD). The dynamics could well be rationalized using the energetics of species computed by density functional theory (DFT). The application of hydrogen donors such as 1 as a hydrogen-transfer agent, although favorable in terms of a low benzylic carbon-hydrogen bond dissociation enthalpy, is limited due to the slow self-hydrogenation, which in case of 1 gives 5,6-dihydro-4H-benz[d,e]anthracene (7).     

Effectiveness of Photodynamic Therapy in Elimination of HPV‐16 and HPV‐18 Associated with CIN I in Mexican Women

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy (PDT), using δ‐aminolevulinic acid (5‐ALA), in the elimination of premalignant cervical lesions in Mexican patients with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and/or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Thirty women diagnosed with CIN I and/or positive for HPV participated in the study. Topical 6% 5‐ALA in gel form was applied to the uterine cervix; after 4 h, the lesion area was irradiated with a light dose of 200 J cm^?2 at 635 nm. This procedure was performed three times at 48‐h intervals. Clinical follow‐up was performed at 3, 6, and 12 months after the initial PDT administration, by colposcopy, cervical cytology, histopathological analysis, polymerase chain reaction, and hybrid capture. Of HPV‐infected patients without evidence of CIN I, 80% cleared the infection, while HPV associated with CIN I was eliminated in 83% of patients (P < 0.05). At 12 months, CIN I had regressed in 57% of patients, although this response was not statistically significant. PDT using 6% 5‐ALA is concluded to be effective in eliminating HPV infection associated or not with CIN I.     

Existence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">g</Emphasis><Superscript>1</Superscript><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">g</Emphasis>–2</Subscript>’s on a double covering of a hyperelliptic curve

Abstract Let X be a non–hyperelliptic curve of genus g which is a double covering of a hyperelliptic curve C of genus h. In this paper, we prove that, if h≥ 3 and g≥ 4h+5, then X admits a complete, base point free g¹_g–2. Moreover, if h=3, this result holds under the mild condition g≥ 4h+3=15. Keywords: Double covering of hyperelliptic curves, Pencil of degree g–2 Mathematics Subject Classification (2000:) 14H30, 14H45     

Half-line solutions of a nonlinear heat conduction problem

We solve a half-line problem for a nonlinear diffusion equation with a given time-dependent thermal conductivity at the origin. The problem reduces to a linear Volterra integral equation, which is solvable by Picard’s process of successive approximations. We analyze some explicit examples numerically. __________ Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Matematicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 152, No. 1, pp. 58–65, July, 2007.     

Halide and nitrite recognizing hexanuclear metallacycle copper(II) pyrazolates

Halide-centered hexanuclear, anionic copper(II) pyrazolate complexes [trans-Cu(6)((3,5-CF(3))(2)pz)(6)(OH)(6)X](-), X = Cl, Br, I are isolated in a good yield from the redox reaction of the trinuclear copper(I) pyrazolate complex [μ-Cu(3)((3,5-CF(3))(2)pz)(3)] with a halide source such as PPh(3)AuCl or [Bu(4)N]X, X = Cl, Br, or I, in air. X-ray structures of the anion-centered hexanuclear complexes show that the six copper atoms are bridged by bis(3,5-trifluoromethyl)pyrazolate and hydroxyl ligands above and below the six copper atom plane. The anions are located at the center of the cavity and weakly bound to the six copper atoms in a μ(6)-arrangement, Cu-X = ~3.1 ?. A nitrite-centered hexanuclear copper(II) pyrazolate complex [trans-Cu(6)((3,5-CF(3))(2)pz)(6)(OH)(6)(NO(2))](-) was obtained when a solution of [PPN]NO(2) in CH(3)CN was added dropwise to the trinuclear copper(I) pyrazolate complex [μ-Cu(3)((3,5-CF(3))(2)pz)(3)] dissolved in CH(3)CN, in air. Blue crystals are produced by slow evaporation of the acetonitrile solvent. The X-ray structure of [PPN][trans-Cu(6)((3,5-CF(3))(2)pz)(6)(OH)(6)(NO(2))] complex shows the nitrite anion sits in the hexanuclear cavity and is perpendicular to the copper plane with a O-N-O angle of 118.3(7)°. The (19)F and (1)H NMR of the pyrazolate ring atoms are sensitive to the anion present in the ring. Anion exchange of the NO(2)(-) by Cl(-) can be observed easily by (1)H NMR.     

Real points in the fibres of dominant maps defined overR

Letf: X → Y be a dominant map between real algebraic varieties of the same dimension. The object of this paper is the study of the map which sends every pointy ∈ Y to the number of real points inf ⁻¹ (y). We give a sufficient condition ony to ensure that the above map is locally constant iny. Moreover, we consider the subset ofY where this map is no more locally constant and we give the principal properties of this set.

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Sunto Siaf: X → Y un morfismo dominante tra varietà algebriche reali della stessa dimensione. In questo articolo si studia la mappa che associa ad ogni puntoy ∈ Y il numero di punti reali inf ⁻¹ (y); in particolare si dà una condizione sufficiente suy affinchè tale mappa sia costante in un suo intorno. Inoltre, si considera il sottoinsieme diY in cui tale mappa non è più localmente costante e si danno le principali proprietà di tale insieme.

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The work was written while both the authors were members of the G.N.S.A.G.A. of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche.     

Complete enantiospecificity in the highly regioselective and stereoselective photo- and thermal rearrangements of some homoconjugated ketones

The oxa-di-π-methane (ODPM) photorearrangement of 2-(carbomethoxy)spiro [5.5]undeca-1,3-diene-7-one ($\text{1}$d) to $\text{2}$d and the latter's thermal rearrangement to $\text{3}$d were shown to be not only fully regio-and stereoselective but also to occur with complete enantiospecificity. An additional example, the 2-hydroxymethyl derivative ($\text{1}$f) was also studied and the two systems were chemically correlated.     

Optimization of DNA extraction from dental remains

Efficient DNA extraction procedures is a critical step involved in the process of successful DNA analysis of such samples. Various protocols have been devised for the genomic DNA extraction from human tissues and forensic stains, such as dental tissue that is the skeletal part that better preserves DNA over time. However DNA recovery is low and protocols require labor‐intensive and time‐consuming step prior to isolating genetic material. Herein, we describe an extremely fast procedure of DNA extraction from teeth compared to classical method. Sixteen teeth of 100‐year‐old human remains were divided into two groups of 8 teeth and we compared DNA yield, in term of quantity and quality, starting from two different sample preparation steps. Specifically, teeth of group 1 were treated with a classic technique based on several steps of pulverization and decalcification, while teeth of group 2 were processed following a new procedure to withdraw dental pulp. In the next phase, the samples of both group underwent the same procedure of extraction, quantification and DNA profile analysis. Our findings provide an alternative protocol to obtain a higher amount of good quality DNA in a fast time procedure, helpful for forensic and anthropological studies.