Evaluation of bitterness suppression of macrolide dry syrups by jellies

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bitterness-suppressing effect of three jellies, all commercially available on the Japanese market as swallowing aids, on two dry syrups containing the macrolides clarithromycin (CAM) or azithromycin (AZM). The bitterness intensities of mixtures of the dry syrups and acidic jellies were significantly greater than those of water suspensions of the dry syrups in human gustatory sensation tests. On the other hand, the mixture with a chocolate jelly, which has a neutral pH, was less bitter than water suspensions of the dry syrups. The bitterness intensities predicted by the taste sensor output values correlated well with the observed bitterness intensities in human gustatory sensation tests. When the concentrations of CAM and AZM in solutions extracted from physical mixtures of dry syrup and jelly were determined by HPLC, concentrations in the solutions extracted from mixtures with acidic jellies were higher than those from mixtures with a neutral jelly (almost 90 times higher for CAM, and almost 7-10 times higher for AZM). Thus, bitterness suppression is correlated with the pH of the jelly. Finally, a drug dissolution test for dry syrup with and without jelly was performed using the paddle method. There was no significance difference in dissolution profile. It was concluded the appropriate choice of jelly with the right pH is essential for taste masking. Suitable jellies might be used to improve patient compliance, especially in children. The taste sensor may be used to predict the bitterness-suppressing effect of the jelly.     

Studies on the Lossen-type rearrangement of N-(3-phenylpropionyloxy) phthalimide and N-tosyloxy derivatives with several nucleophiles

The reaction of N-(3-phenylpropionyloxy)phthalimide (1a) and N-tosyloxy (5a,b) derivatives with nucleophiles was examined and found to give the products via Lossen-type rearrangement. In order to obtain the scope of this reaction mechanism, further studies the reaction of several N-sulfonyloxyimide derivatives with various nucleophiles under similar conditions were carried out and found to afford the corresponding same types of products in high yields.     

Analysis of γ-ray production in neutral-current neutrino-oxygen interactions at energies above 200 MeV

It has long been recognized that the observation of γ rays originating from nuclear deexcitation can be exploited to identify neutral-current neutrino-nucleus interactions in water-Cherenkov detectors. We report the results of a calculation of the neutrino- and antineutrino-induced γ-ray production cross section for the oxygen target. Our analysis is focused on the kinematical region of neutrino energy larger than ～200 MeV, in which a single-nucleon knockout is known to be the dominant reaction mechanism. The numerical results have been obtained using for the first time a realistic model of the target spectral function, extensively tested against electron-nucleus scattering data. We find that at a neutrino energy of 600?MeV the fraction of neutral-current interactions leading to emission of γ?rays of energy larger than 6?MeV is ～41%, and that the contribution of the p_{3/2} state is overwhelming.     

Optical precursors in coupled-resonator-induced transparency

We experimentally examined the propagation of temporally square modulated optical pulses through a coupled ring resonator. Sharp transient spikes appeared as the square pulses entered the system. The main signal gradually grew up through coupled-resonator-induced transparency (CRIT), with the time constant determined by a second resonator. Transient spikes were attributed to the higher and lower spectral components of the incident pulse, to which the resonators cannot respond; hence, they were interpreted as optical precursors. The experiments, therefore, demonstrated that precursors and the main signal can be observed separately, with amplitudes comparable to that of the incident step in CRIT.     

Bischelated complexes of a dithiocarbazate <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis> Schiff base ligand: synthesis,characterization and antimicrobial activities

The N,S bidentate proligand S-hexyl-β-N-(4-methoxybenzylidene)dithiocarbazate (HL), obtained by condensation of S-hexyldithiocarbazate with 4-methoxybenzaldehyde, has been used to synthesize six metal complexes, namely NiL₂, CuL₂, ZnL₂, CdL₂, PdL₂ and PbL₂, which have been characterized by physicochemical techniques and spectroscopic methods. Single crystal structural analyses for NiL₂, CuL₂ and PdL₂ show that these are square-planar complexes with each metal bischelated by the Schiff base in its deprotonated monoanionic form. In all three cases, the ligands show a trans configuration, although they crystallize in different space groups. All the metal complexes with the exception of the nickel derivative show a significant decrease in fluorescence intensity with respect to the free proligand HL. Free HL and all six complexes were tested for antibacterial activity against three pathogenic gram-negative organisms. The metal complexes show moderate although diverse activities; however, free HL as well as the copper(II) complex did not reveal any antibacterial activity against the tested organisms.     

Aliphatic/aromatic polyimide ionomers as a proton conductive membrane for fuel cell applications

To produce a proton conductive and durable polymer electrolyte membrane for fuel cell applications, a series of sulfonated polyimide ionomers containing aliphatic groups both in the main and in the side chains have been synthesized. The title polyimide ionomers 1 with the ion exchange capacity of 1.78-2.33 mequiv/g were obtained by a typical polycondensation reaction as transparent, ductile, and flexible membranes. The proton conductivity of 1 was slightly lower than that of the perfluorinated ionomer (Nafion) below 100 degrees C, but comparable at higher temperature and 100% RH. The highest conductivity of 0.18 S cm(-)(1) was obtained for 1 at 140 degrees C. Ionomer 1 with high IEC and branched chemical structure exhibited improved proton conducting behavior without sacrificing membrane stability. Microscopic analyses revealed that smaller (<5 nm) and well-dispersed hydrophilic domains contribute to better proton conducting properties. Hydrogen and oxygen permeability of 1 was 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than that of Nafion under both dry and wet conditions. Fuel cell was fabricated with 1 membrane and operated at 80 degrees C and 0.2 A/cm(2) supplying H(2) and air both at 60% or 90% RH. Ionomer 1 membrane showed comparable performance to Nafion and was durable for 5000 h without distinct degradation.     

Highly stereospecific protonation of stereoregular living PMMA anions with several alcohols

Living and highly isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) anion (M̄n = 2.5 × 10³) prepared with t-C₄H₉MgBr as an initiator was protonated with phenol in toluene at −78°C. The reaction was stereospecific toward meso addition, and the meso/racemo ratio at the chain-end of the resultant polymer was 89/11. Addition of 1,4-dioxane to the living isotactic PMMA anion in toluene at −78°C remarkably reduced the viscosity of the system, and protonation of the PMMA anion with phenol in the presence of 1,4-dioxane enhanced the meso-specificity to 94%. On the other hand, the protonation reaction of the living syndiotactic PMMA anion (M̄n = 2.5 × 10³), which was generated by t-C₄H₉Li/(n-C₄H₉)₃Al in toluene at −93°C, with t-butanol was found to be 97% racemo-specific. These highly stereospecific protonation reactions of the stereoregular PMMA anions were in contrast to the protonation of the anions with methanol or benzyl alcohol which was almost non-stereospecific.     

Stereocomplex formation of isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) with a wide variety of syndiotactic polymethacrylates

Syndiotactic (st–) polymers of methacrylates with primary and secondary ester groups, prepared by the syndiotactic-specific living polymerization with t-C₄H₉Li/R₃Al, were found to form stereocomplexes with isotactic (it–) poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) by annealing in the solid state or by mixing in certain solvents such as acetone and toluene. Melting points of the complexes depend on the structure of the ester group and can be changed in a wide range of temperature. st–Polymers of tertiary esters did not form the complex. Effects of anneal conditions, molecular weight, and tacticity on the melting point of the complex were studied in some detail for the combination of st–poly(benzyl methacrylate) and it–PMMA. st–Random copolymers of MMA with several alkyl methacrylates also formed stereocomplexes with it–PMMA, whose melting point could be changed continuously by changing the composition in a certain range of temperature. st–Block copolymers of PMMA and poly(benzyl methacrylate) formed stereocomplexes with it–PMMA which showed two melting points, provided the block lengths are long enough for the two types of the com plexes to form independently. Stereoblock PMMA, it–PMMA–block–st–PMMA, and stereoblock copolymer, it–PMMA–block–st–poly(butyl methacrylate), were found to form stereocomplexes more easily than the corresponding mixtures. The stereoregular uniform PMMAs were used for elucidating the process of stereocomplex formation and its stoichiometry by means of gelpermeation chromatography (GPC). The preliminary results clearly indicated that the complexation occurs mainly in 1:1 stoichiometry in the beginning, while a small fraction of 1:2 (it–: st–) complex was also formed concomitantly. By similar GPC experiments using a series of uniform PMMAs, the minimum length of PMMA chains for the complex formation was found to be in the range of degrees of polymerization from 42 to 46.