Data fitting independent of grid structure using a volumic version of MPU

Abstract  

Volume graphics is a key technology in fields such as fluid dynamics and medical science. The visualization of volume data requires the creation of a continuous scalar field to exactly or approximately interpolate scalar values assigned to the discrete voxels. In the present paper, we propose a method that we refer to as the volumic version of the multi-level partition of unity (volumic MPU). The method approximately interpolates the scalar values with good precision to generate a scalar field that is continuous up to second-order differentiation. The volumic MPU, being independent of grid structures of input volume data, is applicable to both irregular-grid data and regular grid data. The volumic MPU can also be used as an effective data-compression technique. The speed to evaluate the created scalar field is almost as high as that of trilinear interpolation.     

β‐Carboline alkaloids from the stems of Picrasma quassioides

Five new β‐carboline alkaloids, 6,12‐dimethoxy‐3‐(2‐hydroxylethyl)‐β‐carboline (1), 3,10‐dihydroxy‐β‐carboline (2), 6,12‐dimethoxy‐3‐(1‐hydroxylethyl)‐β‐carboline (3), 6,12‐dimethoxy‐3‐(1,2‐dihydroxylethyl)‐β‐carboline (4), and 6‐methoxy‐3‐(2‐hydroxyl‐1‐ethoxylethyl)‐β‐carboline (5), and two new natural products, 6‐methoxy‐12‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxycarbonyl‐β‐carboline (6) and 3‐hydroxy‐β‐carboline (7) were isolated from the stems of Picrasma quassioides along with 16 known β‐carboline alkaloids (8–23). The structures of new compounds were determined by extensive spectroscopic analyses, and the 1D and 2D NMR data of compounds 6, 7 and 10 were reported for the first time. The bioassays showed that only compounds 14 and 16 could enhance the differentiation of 3T3‐L1 preadiocytes accompanied by secretion of adiponectin proteins among these 23 compounds. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Decoupling optical and potentiometric band gaps in pi-conjugated materials

Syntheses, optical spectroscopy, potentiometric studies, and electronic structural calculations are reported for two classes of conjugated (porphinato)metal oligomers that feature a meso-to-meso ethyne-bridged linkage topology. One set of these systems, bis[(5,5'-10,20-bis[3,5-bis(3,3-dimethyl-1-butyloxy)phenyl]porphinato)zinc(II)]ethyne (DD), 5,15-bis[[5'-10',20'-bis[3,5-di(3,3-dimethyl-1-butyloxy)phenyl]porphinato)zinc(II)]ethynyl]-10,20-bis[3,5-di(9-methoxy-1,4,7-trioxanonyl)phenyl]porphinato)zinc(II) (DDD), and 5,15-bis[[15' '-(5'-10',20'-bis[3,5-bis(3,3-dimethyl-1-butyloxy)phenyl]porphinato)zinc(II)]-[(5' '-10' ',20' '-bis[3,5-di(9-methoxy-1,4,7-trioxanonyl)phenyl]porphinato)zinc(II)]ethyne]ethynyl]-10,20-bis[3,5-di(9-methoxy-1,4,7-trioxanonyl)phenyl]porphinato)zinc(II) (DDDDD), constitute highly soluble analogues of previously studied examples of this structural motif having simple 10,20-diaryl substituents, while a corresponding set of conjugated oligomers, [(5-10,20-bis[3,5-bis(3,3-dimethyl-1-butyloxy)phenyl]porphinato)zinc(II)]-[(5'-15'-ethynyl-10',20'-bis[10,20-bis(heptafluoropropyl)porphinato)zinc(II)]ethyne (DA), 5,15-bis[[5'-10',20'-bis[3,5-di(3,3-dimethyl-1-butyloxy)phenyl]porphinato)zinc(II)]ethynyl]-10,20-bis(heptafluoropropyl)porphinato]zinc(II) (DAD), and 5,15-bis[[15' '-(5'-10',20'-bis[3,5-bis(3,3-dimethyl-1-butyloxy)phenyl]porphinato)zinc(II)]-[(5' '-(10' ',20' '-bis(heptafluoropropyl)porphinato)zinc(II)]ethyne]ethynyl]-10,20-bis[3,5-di(9-methoxy-1,4,7-trioxanonyl)phenyl]porphinato)zinc(II) (DADAD), features alternating electron-rich and electron-poor (porphinato)zinc(II) units. Electrooptic and computational data for these species demonstrate that it is possible to engineer conjugated oligomeric structures that possess highly delocalized singlet (S1) excited states yet manifest apparent one-electron oxidation and reduction potentials (E1/20/+ and E1/2-/0 values) that are essentially invariant with respect to those elucidated for their constituent monomeric precursors.     

Synthesis and cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase 4 isoenzyme inhibitory activity of heterocycle condensed purines

To reverse the adverse reactions of alkylxanthines and to develop novel inhibitors of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4), a series of heterocycle [a]-, [b]-, [c,d]-, and [i]-condensed purines were designed and synthesized. Although all compounds did not display PDE1 and PDE3 inhibitory activities, several heterocycle [i]-condensed purines strongly inhibited PDE4. Especially, dl-3,4-dipropyl-8-methyl-4,5,7,8-tetrahydro-1H-imidazo[2,1-i]purin-5-one (dl-7c) exhibited comparable PDE4 inhibitory activity (IC(50)=1.9 microM) to rolipram and denbufylline (DBF).     

A Periodic Table for Genetic Codes

This paper presents a new version of a periodic table for genetic codes using a Leibnitz Number as a codon number or anticodon number, which is a natural binary code number and hence outwardly similar to the Gray code binary number. In the obtained periodic table or in the reformed table (a cube-shaped periodic table), the proteinaceous amino acids not only have periodicity, but also occupy mirror-symmetrical positions with respect to the xy-plane. Moreover, the cube-shaped periodic table allows a partial explanation of non-standard genetic codes and some predictions about providing potential candidates for non-standard genetic codons to be discovered in the future. By making a new format of a two-dimensional periodic table for anticodons as the primary reference point, all of the anticodon pairing with multiple codons can be intimately related to a mirror-symmetrical arrangement of amino acids with relation to the yz-plane in the two-dimensional periodic table.In the later section two new indexes, the Inversion Number and the Miracle Number, are introduced to show that the codon numbers and anticodon numbers play a fundamental role in the structure underlying the genetic code table. These characteristic features, such as periodicity and mirror symmetry of the indexes, hold true for not just the Watson–Crick base-pairs, but also for the non-Watson–Crick base-pairs.Furthermore, in the mammalian mitochondrial genetic code, some basic rules identical/similar to the standard genetic code can be disclosed. These results, including symmetric quality of amino acids and Inversion Numbers, suggest the necessary conditions for the existence of life systems. Additionally, the proposed periodic table can successfully understand the previous studies, such as codon ring, mutation ring, and biosynthetic pathways.     

Design of novel inorganic-organic hybrid materials based on iron-chloranilate mononuclear complexes: characteristics of hydrogen-bond-supported layers toward the intercalation of guests

Novel intercalation compounds constructed from the common two-dimensional hydrogen-bond-supported layers and functional guests [(H(0.5)phz)(2)[Fe(CA)(2)(H(2)O)(2)].2H(2)O](n)(1), ([Fe(Cp)(2)][Fe(CA)(2)(H(2)O)(2)])(n)(2), ([Fe(Cp*)(2)][Fe(CA)(2)(H(2)O)(2)])(n)(3), and [(TTF)(2)[Fe(CA)(2)(H(2)O)(2)]](n)(4) (H(2)CA = chloranilic acid, phz = phenazine, [Fe(Cp)(2)] = ferrocene, [Fe(Cp*)(2)] = decamethylferrocene, TTF = tetrathiafulvalene) are described. The guest cations are introduced between the ([Fe(CA)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](m-))(l) layers by electrostatic (1-4) and pi-pi stacking (3, 4) interactions. [Fe(Cp*)(2)](+) cations in 3 are stacked on each other making tilted columns which are included in the channel created by the chlorine atoms of CA(2-) dianions. TTF cations in 4 are stacked face to face with two types of S...S distances (type A; 3.579(3) A, and type B; 3.618(3) A) making a columnar structure. The TTF cations in the stacked column have a head-to-tail arrangement with respect to the iron-chloranilate layer. M?ssbauer spectroscopy suggests that [Fe(CA)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](m-) anion in 3 is consistent with high-spin (S = 5/2) iron(III) ions and [Fe(Cp*)(2)](+) in the low-spin (S = 1/2) iron(III) ions. In 4, M?ssbauer spectroscopy shows high-spin iron(II) ions (IS = 1.10 mm.s(-1) and QS = 1.66 mm.s(-1) at 297 K) and high-spin iron(III) ions (IS = 0.42 mm.s(-1) and QS = 1.27 mm.s(-1) at 297 K), suggesting that the anionic layer of iron-chloranilate has a valence-trapped mixed-valence state. At the temperature range of 77-300 K, the compounds 1, 2, and 3 are EPR silent, whereas the EPR spectrum of 4 shows two types of signals with g = 2.008 indicating the radical form of TTF.     

Catalytic, asymmetric trans-selective hetero Diels-Alder reactions using a chiral zirconium complex

[reaction: see text] The first catalytic, asymmetric 2,3-trans-selective hetero Diels-Alder reaction has been developed. The reactions of aldehydes with Danishefsky's dienes proceeded smoothly to afford the pyranone derivatives in high yields with high trans-selectivities and enantioselectivities in the presence of a chiral zirconium complex, which was prepared from zirconium tert-butoxide and (R)-3,3'-diiodobinaphthol or its derivatives, primary alcohol, and a small amount of water. This reaction was applied to the concise synthesis of (+)-prelactone C.     

Effects of omega-functional groups on pH-dependent reductive desorption of alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiols having various terminal groups on their omega-positions were formed on a Au111 electrode, and their reductive desorption was studied by linear sweep voltammetry, focusing on effects of solution pH on the desorption behavior. The peak potentials (Ep) of cathodic waves representing reductive desorption were found to be reflected by the pKa value of the thiol group and were negatively shifted with an increase in pH of the electrolyte solution. The magnitude of the pH dependency of Ep was greatly influenced by the hydrophobicity of the terminal groups. In the cases of alkanethiol SAMs having pH-sensitive terminal groups such as carboxyl and amino groups, their basicity was estimated from bending points appearing in the pH titration profile of Ep. This method allows direct determination of not only the pKa value of the arrayed groups but also that of the groups dissolved in solution simultaneously. The pKa values of the arrayed carboxyl groups in SAMs were larger by ca. 3 pH units than their original ones, while those for amino groups were smaller by ca. 2 pH units.