Observation of giant resonance phenomena in the two-step mechanism of electron-Xe collision

We report an (e,2e) binding energy spectrum of Xe obtained at an impact energy of 2.1 keV, which covers the binding energy range up to 220 eV. The result is directly compared with data from high-energy photoelectron spectroscopy. It is found that an (e,2e)-specific, very broad band appears at around 120 eV, although in other energy regions the binding energy spectra by the two methods are in good agreement. The presence of such a band is revealed for the first time, which can be attributed to the second-order effects of the electron-target interaction that involves giant resonance phenomena of the Xe 4d electron.     

Facile synthesis of medium-sized cyclic amines based on Friedel-Crafts reaction via iminium cation by use of acetylene dicobalt complex

An intramolecular Friedel-Crafts reaction of N-methoxymethyl sulfoneamides 3e-j containing an acetylene dicobalt moiety was found to proceed smoothly to afford eight- and nine-membered cyclic amines 4e-j in high yields.     

Transient dimerization and conformational change of a BLUF protein: YcgF

The photochemical reaction dynamics of YcgF, a BLUF protein, were investigated by the pulsed laser-induced transient grating (TG) technique. The TG signal showed three reaction time constants: 2.7 micros, 13 micros, and 2 ms. The fastest was tentatively attributed to relaxation of the excited triplet state of the chromophore, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), and the others represented conformational changes of the protein. The TG signal provided clear evidence that the diffusion coefficient (D) of the photoproduct (3.8x10(-11) m2 s-1) was significantly less than that of the reactant (8.3x10(-11) m2 s-1), with a time constant of 2 ms at a protein concentration of 700 microM. Interestingly, the rate constant increased in proportion to the concentration of the protein, indicating that protein dimerization was one of the main reactions occurring after photoexcitation. The significant reduction in D indicates that a conformational change leading to an increase in interactions with water molecules occurs upon formation of the signaling state. The 13 mus dynamics was attributed to the conformational change that induced transient dimerization. This conformational change might be an essential process for the creation of the signaling state. A detailed scheme for the photochemical reaction of YcgF is proposed.     

Discovery of novel 2-anilinopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine derivatives as c-Src kinase inhibitors for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke

We synthesized a series of novel 2-anilinopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine derivatives and evaluated their ability to inhibit c-Src kinase; 7-(2-amino-2-methylpropylamino)-5-cyclopropyl-2-(3,5-dimethoxyphenylamino)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxamide 7o and 7-(2-amino-2-methylpropylamino)-2-(3,5-dimethoxyphenylamino)-5-methylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxamide 7f showed potent inhibitory activity. Compound 7f inhibited c-Src selectively and exhibited satisfactory central nervous system (CNS) penetration. Furthermore, 7f.HCl reduced the infarct volume in vivo in a rat middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion model when administrated intraperitoneally.     

Antioxidant hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives isolated from Brazilian bee pollen

One novel and three known hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives having antioxidant activities were isolated from a Brazilian bee pollen. They were identified as kaempferol 3-O-[2-O-p-coumaroyl]-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside, N(1), N(5), N(10)-tri-p-coumaroyl spermidine, N(1), N(5), N(10), N(14)-tetra-p-coumaroyl spermine, and monocaffeoyl-tri-p-coumaroyl spermine, respectively. The structure of the kaempferol glycoside was established on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical investigations. Among the isolated compounds, monocaffeoyl-tri-p-coumaroyl spermine showed the strongest free radical-scavenging activity, which was almost identical to that of alpha-tocopherol. On the other hand, the antioxidant effect of tri-p-coumaroyl spermidine on autooxidation of linoleic acid was strongest and nearly equal to that of alpha-tocopherol.     

Analysis of the thermal properties of a liquid 1-butanol polymer composed during a plasma-induced reaction

This paper investigates the mechanisms of thermosetting and simultaneous hydrogen desorption of liquid 1-butanol polymer composed during a plasma-induced reaction. A transparent liquid 1-butanol polymer consisting of partially dissociated 1-butanol, oxygen, and nitrogen gradually gains viscosity at less than 50 degrees C and transforms to a solid between 100 and 150 degrees C. This polymer also traps at least 0.225 mass % hydrogen during its composition and thermally desorbs the hydrogen between 26 and 150 degrees C. Electron probe microanalyses (EPMA) and FTIR analyses indicate that 11 wt % nitrogen fixed from the air is the principal component in the formation of stable 3-D bridge structures and the resultant thermosetting of the polymer. Thermal-desorption analysis and electrical resistivity measurements also support the theory that some hydrogen is electrically trapped as quasi-stable ions around negatively polarized OH and/or C=O bonds in the polymer, contributing to both electrical conductivity and the desorption of hydrogen.     

Variation of characteristics of pentaoxyethylene decyl C10E5 and hexaoxyethylene tetradecyl C14E6 ether micelles with uptake of n-octanol

Wormlike micelles of the surfactant pentaoxyethylene decyl C10E5 and hexaoxyethylene tetradecyl C14E6 ethers were characterized by static (SLS) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) experiments to examine effects of uptake of n-octanol on the micellar characteristics. The SLS results have been successfully analyzed by the light scattering theory for micelle solutions to yield the molar mass Mw(c) as a function of concentration c along with the cross-sectional diameter d of the micelle. The apparent hydrodynamic radius RH,app(c) determined by DLS as a function of c has also been successfully analyzed by a fuzzy cylinder theory which takes into account the hydrodynamic and direct collision interactions among micelles, providing us with the values of the stiffness parameter lambda(-1). It has been found that the micellar length Lw increases with increasing surfactant weight fraction ws and increasing n-octanol content wo in the micelles or with raising temperature T. The values of d and lambda(-1) are found to increase with increasing wo, whereas the spacing s between hydrophilic tails of adjacent surfactant molecules on the micellar surface decreases with increasing wo. Comparison with our previous results for the C10E5 and C14E6 micelles containing n-dodecanol has revealed the salient features in change of the micellar characteristics with uptake of n-alcohols as follows: (i) The Lw values increase more significantly for the C14E6 micelles containing n-dodecanol than those containing n-octanol, whereas Lw of the C10E5 micelles increases by including n-dodecanol and n-octanol without a significant difference for the two alcohols. (ii) The values of d and lambda(-1) of the C10E5 and C14E6 micelles increase with uptake of n-octanol and n-dodecanol into the micelles. They are larger for the C10E5 micelles than for the C14E6 micelles, and their increase with alcohol content is less significant for the C14E6 micelles in comparison with the C10E5 micelles. (iii) The s values of the C10E5 and C14E6 micelles decrease with uptake of n-octanol and n-dodecanol into the micelles. They are somewhat larger in the latter micelles than in the former. (iv) The variation in d, s, and lambda(-1) with uptake of n-alcohol occurs with no difference in the effects for the two alcohols n-octanol and n-dodecanol.     

Rheological properties of hemoglobin vesicles (artificial oxygen carriers) suspended in a series of plasma-substitute solutions

Hemoglobin vesicles (HbV) or liposome-encapsulated Hbs are artificial oxygen carriers that have been developed for use as transfusion alternatives. The extremely high concentration of the HbV suspension (solutes, ca. 16 g/dL; volume fraction, ca. 40 vol %) gives it an oxygen-carrying capacity that is comparable to that of blood. The HbV suspension does not possess a colloid osmotic pressure. Therefore, HbV must be suspended in or co-injected with an aqueous solution of a plasma substitute (water-soluble polymer), which might interact with HbV. This article describes our study of the rheological properties of HbV suspended in a series of plasma substitute solutions of various molecular weights: recombinant human serum albumin (rHSA), dextran (DEX), modified fluid gelatin (MFG), and hydroxylethyl starch (HES). The HbV suspended in rHSA was nearly Newtonian. Other polymers-HES, DEX, and MFG-induced HbV flocculation, possibly by depletion interaction, and rendered the suspensions as non-Newtonian with a shear-thinning profile (10(-4)-10(3) s(-1)). These HbV suspensions showed a high storage modulus (G') because of the presence of flocculated HbV. However, HbV suspended in rHSA exhibited a very low G'. The viscosities of HbV suspended in DEX, MFG, and high-molecular-weight HES solutions responded quickly to rapid step changes in shear rates of 0.1-100 s(-1) and a return to 0.1 s(-1), indicating that flocculation is both rapid and reversible. Microscopically, the flow pattern of the flocculated HbV that perfused through microchannels (4.5 microm deep, 7 microm wide, 20 cmH2O applied pressure) showed no plugging. Furthermore, the time required for passage was simply proportional to the viscosity. Collectively, the HbV suspension viscosity was influenced by the presence of plasma substitutes. The HbV suspension provides a unique opportunity to manipulate rheological properties for various clinical applications in addition to its use as a transfusion alternative.     

Infrared spectroscopic investigation of poly(2-methoxyethyl vinyl ether) during thermosensitive phase separation in water

Hydration changes of poly(2-methoxyethyl vinyl ether) (PMOVE) synthesized via living cationic polymerization have been investigated during a temperature-responsive phase separation in water by using infrared spectroscopy. An aqueous PMOVE solution has lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs) of 66 degrees C in H2O and 65 degrees C in D2O at approximately 15 wt %. During phase separation, the C-H stretching (nu(C-H)) bands of PMOVE shift downward (red shift). In particular, the IR band assigned to the antisymmetric stretching vibration of the terminal methyl groups exhibits a remarkably large red shift by 16 cm-1. The band also exhibits a red shift with increasing polymer concentration at T < Tp. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the models of hydrated PMOVE indicate that the shift is due mainly to the breaking of hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) between the oxygen of the methoxy groups and water and partially to the breaking of the CH...O H-bond to them.