Density-ratio matching under the Bregman divergence: a unified framework of density-ratio estimation

Estimation of the ratio of probability densities has attracted a great deal of attention since it can be used for addressing various statistical paradigms. A naive approach to density-ratio approximation is to first estimate numerator and denominator densities separately and then take their ratio. However, this two-step approach does not perform well in practice, and methods for directly estimating density ratios without density estimation have been explored. In this paper, we first give a comprehensive review of existing density-ratio estimation methods and discuss their pros and cons. Then we propose a new framework of density-ratio estimation in which a density-ratio model is fitted to the true density-ratio under the Bregman divergence. Our new framework includes existing approaches as special cases, and is substantially more general. Finally, we develop a robust density-ratio estimation method under the power divergence, which is a novel instance in our framework.     

Improvement of thermochromic property at low temperatures of CuMo0.94W0.06O4 by Zn substitution

Zinc-doped copper molybdenum oxide, Zn-doped CuMo_0.94W_0.06O₄, was synthesized, and the effects of the Zn doping on the thermochromic property of CuMo_0.94W_0.06O₄ were investigated at low temperatures. X-ray diffractometry and diffuse reflectance UV–Vis spectroscopy clarified that Zn doping for CuMo_0.94W_0.06O₄ promoted the structural phase transition of the γ-phase to the α-phase of CuMo_0.94W_0.06O₄ at low temperatures and Zn-doped CuMo_0.94W_0.06O₄ exhibited a drastic color change in the temperature range of 30–70 °C. Differential scanning calorimetry also confirmed that Zn doping changed the phase transition temperature of CuMo_0.94W_0.06O₄. Consequently, Cu_1?xZn_xMo_0.94W_0.06O₄ with x?=?0.01 exhibited a larger thermal change in the diffuse reflectance spectrum in the visible light range, compared with CuMo_0.94W_0.06O₄. An appropriate Zn-doping ratio was effective for enhancing the thermochromic property of the CuMo_0.94W_0.06O₄ pigment in the visible region in the temperature range of 30–70 °C.

     

Dress-up chiral columns for the enantioseparation of amino acids based on fluorous separation

In this paper, we report a new type of chiral high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column—a so-called dress-up chiral column—featuring a chiral stationary phase adsorbed reversibly in a commercial fluorous HPLC column through fluorous interactions. We synthesized perfluroalkylated proline derivatives as chiral stationary phase compounds and then adsorbed them reversibly in the fluorous HPLC column through the pumping of their solutions. By using this dress-up chiral column and fluorophobic elution of an aqueous copper(II) sulfate/MeOH mixture, we could enantioseparate seven racemic amino acids within 40 min. When we washed the dress-up chiral column with fluorophilic tetrahydrofuran or MeOH, the adsorbed chiral stationary phase compounds desorbed from the column, completely destroying its enantioseparation ability. The relative standard deviation of the retention times, the number of theoretical plates, and the resolution for each of four preparations of the dress-up columns were all less than or equal to 9.53 % in 20-times repeated analysis, and were all less than or equal to 18.7 % in four different preparations, respectively.     

Gas chromatography–electron ionization–mass spectrometry quantitation of valproic acid and gabapentin,using dried plasma spots,for therapeutic drug monitoring in in‐home medical care

A simple and sensitive gas chromatography–electron ionization–mass spectrometry (GC‐EI‐MS) method using dried plasma spot testing cards was developed for determination of valproic acid and gabapentin concentrations in human plasma from patients receiving in‐home medical care. We have proposed that a simple, easy and dry sampling method is suitable for in‐home medical patients for therapeutic drug monitoring. Therefore, in the present study, we used recently developed commercially available easy handling cards: Whatman FTA DMPK‐A and Bond Elut DMS. In‐home medical care patients can collect plasma using these simple kits. The spots of plasma on the cards were extracted into methanol and then evaporated to dryness. The residues were trimethylsilylated using N‐methyl‐N‐trimethylsilyltrifluoroacetamide. For GC‐EI‐MS analysis, the calibration curves on both cards were linear from 10 to 200 µg/mL for valproic acid, and from 0.5 to 10 µg/mL for gabapentin. Intra‐ and interday precisions in plasma were both ≤13.0% (coefficient of variation), and the accuracy was between 87.9 and 112% for both cards within the calibration curves. The limits of quantification were 10 µg/mL for valproic acid and 0.5 µg/mL for gabapentin on both cards. We believe that the present method will be useful for in‐home medical care. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nanotechnological evaluation of protein adsorption on dialysis membrane surface hydrophilized with polyvinylpyrrolidone

Hydrophilizing synthetic polymer dialysis membranes with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) play an important role for inhibition of protein adsorption on membrane surface. In the present study, the effect of PVP on protein adsorption was evaluated from a nano-scale perspective. Swelling behavior of PVP present on wet polysulfone (PS)/PVP film surfaces was observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Fibrinogen and human serum albumin (HSA) were immobilized on the tip of AFM probes, with which a force-curve between protein and wet PS/PVP film surface was measured by AFM while scanning in order to visualize two-dimensional protein adsorbability on film surfaces. Furthermore, HSA adsorbability on non-PVP containing PEPA dialysis membrane (FLX-15GW) and PVP containing PEPA dialysis membrane (FDX-150GW) was evaluated by the AFM force-curve method. As a result, PS/PVP film surface was completely covered with hydrated and swollen PVP at 5 wt% or more PVP content. Protein adsorbability on PS/PVP film surfaces decreased greatly with increasing content of PVP. The adsorption of HSA was inhibited by the presence of PVP on film surfaces more significantly than that of more hydrophobic fibrinogen. HSA adsorbability on wet FLX-15GW dialysis membrane surface was 428 ± 174 pN whereas that on wet FDX-150GW dialysis membrane surface was 42 ± 29 pN.     

Molecular-shape imprinting and immobilization of biomolecules on a polymer containing azo dye

We demonstrate a novel technique for molecular imprinting and immobilization on a surface of a polymer containing azo dyes (azopolymer). The azopolymer was found to be capable of immobilizing micrometer- and nanometer-scale macromolecules (e.g., lambda-DNA, immunoglobulin G (IgG), bacterial protease, and 1-mum polystyrene particles) through photoirradiation with blue-wavelength light. Fluorescence and atomic force microscopy studies revealed that the azopolymer surface deformed along with the shape of the macromolecules, holding them in place after photoirradiation. The desorption of the immobilized macromolecules from the azopolymer surface in an aqueous medium was observed to be very slow, on the time scale of 10 min to weeks, depending on the photoirradiation time. Immunological and enzymatic studies showed that IgG and bacterial protease immobilized on the azopolymer surface retained their original functionality. These results suggest that the azopolymer physically, not chemically, binds the macromolecules because of the increase in contact area between the macromolecules and the azopolymer surface after photoirradiation.     

Structural study of perovskite-type fine particles by synchrotron radiation powder diffraction

The crystal structures of BaTiO₃ and PbTiO₃ fine particles have been investigated by powder diffraction using synchrotron radiation high energy X-rays. It is revealed that a BaTiO₃ fine particle essentially consists of tetragonal and cubic structure components at 300 K, whereas a PbTiO₃ fine particle consists of a tetragonal structure. Adopting a structure model for the BaTiO₃ particle that a cubic shell covers a tetragonal core, the thickness of cubic BaTiO₃ shell is estimated at almost constant irrespective of particle sizes. Successive phase transitions are detected in 100 nm particles of BaTiO₃ near the phase-transition temperatures of a bulk crystal. The changes in diffraction profiles are small, but they are apparent for a most up-to-date powder diffractometry. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Development and validation of a GC-EI-MS method with reduced adsorption loss for the quantification of olanzapine in human plasma

A simple and sensitive GC-EI-MS method using solvent extraction and evaporation was developed for the determination of olanzapine concentrations in plasma samples. Because olanzapine and promazine, which was used as the internal standard (IS), are nitrogenous bases, they can adsorb to the weakly acidic silanol groups on the surfaces of glass centrifuge tubes during solvent extraction and evaporation. Silylation of the glass tubes, addition of triethylamine (TEA), and use of a sample solution with a basic pH could prevent adsorption loss. The extraction method involved mixing plasma (500 μL) in a silylated glass tube with a promazine solution (2 μg/mL, 25 μL) in methanol containing 1% TEA. After addition of aqueous sodium carbonate (0.5 mol/L, pH 11.1, 1 mL) and extraction into 3 mL of dichloromethane/n-hexane (1:1, v/v) containing 1% TEA, the organic phase was evaporated to dryness in a silylated glass tube. The residue was dissolved in ethyl acetate containing 1% TEA (50 μL). For GC-EI-MS analysis, the calibration curves of olanzapine in human plasma were linear from 0.5 to 100 ng/mL. Intra- and interday precisions in plasma were both less than 7.36% (coefficient of variation), and the accuracy was between 94.6 and 110% for solutions with concentrations greater than 0.5 ng/mL. The limit of quantification was 0.5 ng/mL in plasma. The assay was applied to therapeutic drug monitoring in samples from three schizophrenic patients.     

Soluble precursors of 2,3-naphthalocyanine and phthalocyanine for use in thin film transistors

Soluble precursors of 2,3-naphthalocyanine (Nc) and phthalocyanine (Pc) were prepared and were converted into insoluble semiconducting thin films of Pc and Nc by heating after fabrication via spin-coating.     

Total Synthesis of Siomycin A: Completion of the Total Synthesis

The total synthesis of siomycin A ( 1 ), a representative compound of the thiostrepton family of peptide antibiotics, was achieved by incorporating the five synthetic segments A ( 2 ), B ( 3 ), C ( 4 ), D ( 5 ), and E ( 6 ). The dehydropiperidine segment A ( 2 ) was esterified with the dihydroquinoline segment C ( 4 ), and the subsequent coupling with the β‐phenylselenoalanine dipeptide segment D ( 5 ) at the segment C portion followed by lactamization between the segments A and D gave segment A‐C‐D ( 27 ). This was amidated with the pentapeptide segment B ( 3 ) at the segment A portion followed by one‐pot cyclization (between segments A and B) and elongation (with the β‐phenylselenoalanine dipeptide segment E ( 6 ) at the segment A portion), thus furnishing siomycin A ( 1 ).