Anomalous High Pressure Properties in Fullerene Superconductors

Abstract

Correlations among lattice parameter, external pressure, and critical temperature T_c has been surveyed on fullerene superconductors with a wide range of lattice parameters and various valence states. The observed value of dT_c/dP for Na₂Rb_0.5Cs_0.5C₆₀ and Li₃CsC₆₀, having small interfullerene separations, is about a few times lager than that of K₃C₆₀. In contrast, small dT_c/dP values are found in fullerides with expanded unit cells, such as (NH₃)_xNaAA^?C₆₀ (A, A^? = K, Rb and Cs) and A₃Ba₃C₆₀. Interestingly, the chemical and physical pressure effects on T_c are considerably different in these fullerides with large interfullerene spacings. Our results suggest that the pressure dependence is scaled by an interfullerene distance when the interfullerene distances is small, but that this scaling fails when the unit cell is expanded.     

Tissue gadolinium deposition in renally impaired rats exposed to different gadolinium-based MRI contrast agents: Evaluation with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)

ObjectivesTo quantify tissue gadolinium (Gd) deposition in renally impaired rats exposed to Gd-EOB-DTPA and other Gd-based MRI contrast agents by means of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and to compare the differences in distribution among major organs as possible triggers for nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF).MethodsA total of 15 renally impaired rats were injected with Gd-EOB-DTPA, Gd-DTPA-BMA and Gd-HP-DO3A. Gd contents of skin, liver, kidney, lung, heart, spleen, diaphragm and femoral muscle were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Histological assessment was also conducted.ResultsTissue Gd deposition in all organs was significantly higher (P = 0.005 ~ 0.009) in the Gd-DTPA-BMA group than in the Gd-HP-DO3A and Gd-EOB-DTPA groups. In the Gd-DTPA-BMA group, Gd was predominantly deposited in kidney (1306 ± 605.7 μg/g), followed by skin, liver, lung, spleen, femoral muscle, diaphragm and heart. Comparing Gd-HP-DO3A and Gd-EOB-DTPA groups, Gd depositions in the kidney, liver and lung were significantly lower (P = 0.009 ~ 0.011) in the Gd-EOB-DTPA group than in the Gd-HP-DO3A group although no significant differences were seen for any other organs.ConclusionsGd-EOB-DTPA is a stable and safe Gd-based contrast agent (GBCA) showing lower Gd deposition in major organs in renally impaired rats, compared with other GBCAs. This fact suggests that the risk of NSF onset would be low in the use of Gd-EOB-DTPA.     

On predicate provability logics and binumerations of fragments of Peano arithmetic

Solovay proved (Israel J Math 25(3–4):287–304, 1976) that the propositional provability logic of any ∑₂-sound recursively enumerable extension of PA is characterized by the propositional modal logic GL. By contrast, Montagna proved in (Notre Dame J Form Log 25(2):179–189, 1984) that predicate provability logics of Peano arithmetic and Bernays–Gödel set theory are different. Moreover, Artemov proved in (Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR 290(6):1289–1292, 1986) that the predicate provability logic of a theory essentially depends on the choice of a binumeration of the theory which is used to construct the provability predicate. In this paper, we compare predicate provability logics of I∑ _n ’s. For a binumeration α(x) of a recursive theory T, let PL _α(T) be the predicate provability logic of T defined by α(x). We prove that for any natural numbers i, j such that 0 < i < j, there exists a ∑₁ binumeration α(x) of some recursive axiomatization of I∑ _i such that ${{\sf PL}_\alpha({\rm I \Sigma}_i) \nsupseteq \bigcap_{\beta(x)}{\sf PL}_\beta({\rm I \Sigma}_j)}$ PL α ( I Σ i ) ? ? β ( x ) PL β ( I Σ j ) and ${{\sf PL}_\alpha({\rm I \Sigma}_i) \nsubseteq \bigcup_{\beta(x)}{\sf PL}_\beta({\rm I \Sigma}_j)}$ PL α ( I Σ i ) ? ? β ( x ) PL β ( I Σ j ) , where β(x) ranges over all ∑₁ binumerations of recursive axiomatizations of I∑ _j .     

The Limits of Common Cause Approach to EPR Correlation

It is often argued that no local common cause models of EPR correlation exist. However, Szabó and Rédei pointed out that such arguments have the tacit assumption that plural correlations have the same common causes. Furthermore, Szabó showed that for EPR correlation a local common cause model in his sense exists. One of his requirements is that common cause events are statistically independent of apparatus settings on each side. However, as Szabó knows, to meet this requirement does not entail that different combinations of common cause events (e.g. meet and join in lattice-theoretic terminology) are statistically independent of measurement settings. This further condition is formulated in two ways. First, the apparatus settings are completely independent of such combinations. Second, the apparatus settings on each side are independent of such combinations. Does a common cause model which meets the former and the latter respectively exist? This problem is considered. In particular, the latter version is Szabó’s and Rédei’s open problem. Negative answers are given to both versions.     

Studies on neurosteroids XXII. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method for profiling rat brain 3-oxo-4-ene-neuroactive steroids

A sensitive liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-ESI-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous determination of five 3-oxo-4-ene-neuroactive steroids, i.e. androstenedione, testosterone (T), progesterone (PROG), 20alpha-dihydroprogesterone and 20beta-dihydroprogesterone, in rat brain has been developed and validated. The brain steroids were extracted with methanol-acetic acid, purified using solid-phase extraction cartridges and subjected to LC-ESI-MS/MS. The method does not require derivatization. Deuterium-labeled T and PROG were used as the internal standards, and quantification was based on the selected reaction monitoring mode. This method allowed the reproducible and accurate quantification of the brain neuroactive steroids using 100 mg of tissue; the intra- and inter-assay relative standard deviations were below 4.7 and 4.3%, respectively, and the accuracy values were 97.6-103.2% for all the steroids. The limits of quantitation were 0.1 ng/g tissue for all the steroids. The application of this developed method for the analysis of changes in the brain neuroactive steroid levels by immobilization stress is also presented.     

Synthesis and DNA‐binding properties of 1,10‐phenanthroline analogues as intercalating‐crosslinkers

We synthesized a series of bis(bromomethyl)‐1,10‐phenanthrolines as novel anticancer lead compounds and examined their DNA‐binding properties. 5,6‐Bis(bromomethyl)‐1,10‐phenanthroline showed DNA intercalating activity and DNA crosslinking activity, furthermore it is stable in aqueous solution.     

Morphology and surface States of colloidal probucol nanoparticles evaluated by atomic force microscopy

Morphology and surface states of colloidal probucol nanoparticles after dispersion of probucol/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) ternary ground mixture into water were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The observed particles had core-shell structure, i.e. drug nanocrystals were covered with PVP and SDS complex. The AFM phase image and the force curve analyses indicated that probucol nanoparticles with PVP K17 showed layer structure, compared to those with PVPK12. The structural difference was explainable in terms of the molecular states of PVP-SDS complex on the particle surface. These findings support not only the mechanism of drug nanoparticle formation but also the in vivo absorption results with the almost same particle size of ca. 40 nm.     

Preparation of copolyesters from diols and bisphenols by the solution polycondensation with TsCl/DMF/Py as a condensing agent

A novel synthetic method for the preparation of copolyesters comprised of diols and bisphenols using tosyl chloride (TsCl)/DMF/pyridine (Py) as a condensing agent has been developed. A variety of combinations of monomers could produce relatively high molecular weight copolymers, and better results were obtained by initial oligomerization of diols followed by bisphenols. In order to demonstrate usefulness of this method, copolymers comprised of IPA/TPA (50/50), bis(2‐hydroxyethyl)terephthalate (BHET),and several bisphenols were prepared and compared to the poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) modified by TPA and 2,2‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)propane (BPA) diacetate in terms of their thermal properties. The length of mesogenic unit segments in the thermotropic IPA/TPA (50/50)‐BHET/ 4,4′‐dihydroxybenzophenone (4,4′‐DHBP) (50/50) copolymer was changed by initial reaction of BHET followed by dropwise addition of 4,4′‐DHBP in the two‐stage polycondensation and also by varying the amounts of BHET used at the initial and final stages in the three‐stage copolycondensation, and the results were studied by NMR and their thermal properties. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1270–1276, 2000     

Trace determination of steroids causing age-related diseases using LC/MS combined with detection-oriented derivatization

With the rapid shift to an aging society in Japan, age-related diseases, such as osteoporosis, dementia and cancer, are sharply increasing. The measurement of steroids related to these diseases in biological fluids and tissues is useful for elucidation of the nature, diagnosis and treatment of such diseases. LC/MS is considered to be the most promising method for this purpose due to its specificity and versatility, but it sometimes does not demonstrate the required sensitivity for trace amounts of steroids, because steroids have a rather low response using either electrospray ionization (ESI) or atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI). To overcome this problem, the author developed detection-oriented derivatization procedures for steroids in LC/MS. For ESI-MS, introduction of a permanently charged moiety is effective. Based on this, 2-hydrazino-1-methylpyridine was developed and used in monitoring prostatic 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone, a good index for the follow-up of patients affected by prostate cancer under androgen deprivation therapy and salivary dehydroepiandrosterone, which is now often designated as an anti-aging hormone. A proton-affinitive Cookson-type reagent, 4-[2-(6,7-dimethoxy-4-methyl-3-oxo-3,4-dihydroquinoxalyl)ethyl]-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione, was used for the determination of 1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 [1alpha(OH)D3], a synthetic prodrug of the active form of vitamin D3, in human plasma, and this new LC/positive-APCI-MS method enabled the pharmacokinetic study of 1alpha(OH)D3 in humans. Electron-capture APCI-MS based on derivatization with 2-nitro-4-trifluoromethylphenylhydrazine was used for the analysis of neurosteroids, which affect brain excitability through action at the neurotransmitter receptors. With this method, the stress-induced rapid biosynthesis of pregnane-type neurosteroids in rat brains was demonstrated.     

Parameter estimation by decoherence in the double-slit experiment

We discuss a parameter estimation problem using quantum decoherence in the double-slit interferometer. We consider a particle coupled to a massive scalar field after the particle passing through the double slit and solve the dynamics non-perturbatively for the coupling by the WKB approximation. This allows us to analyze the estimation problem which cannot be treated by master equation used in the research of quantum probe. In this model, the scalar field reduces the interference fringes of the particle and the fringe pattern depends on the field mass and coupling. To evaluate the contrast and the estimation precision obtained from the pattern, we introduce the interferometric visibility and the Fisher information matrix of the field mass and coupling. For the fringe pattern observed on the distant screen, we derive a simple relation between the visibility and the Fisher matrix. Also, focusing on the estimation precision of the mass, we find that the Fisher information characterizes the wave-particle duality in the double-slit interferometer.