Efficient computation of the Bergsma–Dassios sign covariance

In an extension of Kendall’s \(\tau \), Bergsma and Dassios (Bernoulli 20(2):1006–1028, 2014) introduced a covariance measure \(\tau ^*\) for two ordinal random variables that vanishes if and only if the two variables are independent. For a sample of size n, a direct computation of \(t^*\), the empirical version of \(\tau ^*\), requires \(O(n^4)\) operations. We derive an algorithm that computes the statistic using only \(O \left( n^2\log (n)\right) \) operations.     

Our Odyssey with Functionalized Chiral Phosphines: From Optical Resolution to Asymmetric Synthesis to Catalysis

Our journey in organophosphorus research over the past 26 years is compiled in this Personal Account. Advances in palladacycle design have engendered a shift in our focus from template‐mediated transformations to catalysis for the direct preparation of chiral phosphines containing a wide variety of functional groups. Novel approaches to access previously inaccessible phosphines and their applications in cancer research are summarized herein.

     

Thermal and ion-induced surface reactions of 1,1-difluoroethylene on Si(111)7 x 7 and vitreous SiO2

Thermal and ion-induced reactions of 1,1-difluoroethylene (1,1-C2H2F2 or iso-DFE) on Si(111)7 x 7 and vitreous SiO2 surfaces have been investigated by vibrational electron energy loss spectroscopy and thermal desorption spectrometry. Like ethylene, iso-DFE predominantly chemisorbs via a [2 + 2] cycloaddition mechanism onto the 7 x 7 surface as a di-sigma-bonded difluoroethane-1,2-diyl adstructure, which undergoes H abstraction and defluorination, producing hydrocarbon fragments and SiF(x) (x = 1-3) upon annealing to >700 K. Ion irradiation of Si(111)7 x 7 in iso-DFE at 50 eV impact energy appears to substantially enhance the production of hydrocarbon fragments and SiF(x)(), leading to stronger SiF4 desorption products over an extended temperature range (400-900 K). The observed SiC and SiF(x) produced on the 7 x 7 surface by ion irradiation in iso-DFE are found to be similar to those obtained by ion irradiation in the fluoromethane homologues, CF4 and CH2F2. The production of higher relative concentrations for the larger SiF(x) and C2-containing fragments is evidently favored on the 7 x 7 surface. On a vitreous SiO2 surface, ion irradiation in iso-DFE, unlike that in CF4 and CH2F2, appears to produce less SiF(x) than that on the 7 x 7 surface, which indicates that surface O does not interact strongly with the C2-containing fragments. The presence or absence of a C=C bond and the relative F-to-C ratio of the sputtering gas could therefore produce important effects on the resulting surface products obtained by low-energy ion irradiation.     

Novel core-shell nanoparticles and their application in high-capacity immobilization of enzymes

Novel core-shell nanoparticles consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) cores coated with synthetic polymer and biopolymer (polyethyleneimine, chitosan, and casein) shells were synthesized via direct graft copolymerization of methyl methacry late from hydrophilic polymers in the absence of surfactant. Average hydrodynamic diameters of the nanoparticles ranged from 163 to 263 nm. High-capacity (up to 530 mg/g) immobilizations of enzymes and high-activity retained percentage (E _spe) (up to 90%) were achieved.     

Photodynamic effects of mTHPC on human colon adenocarcinoma cells: photocytotoxicity,subcellular localization and apoptosis

The photodynamic properties of meta-tetra(hydroxyphenyl)chlorin (mTHPC), a promising second-generation photosensitizer, were investigated using a human colon adenocarcinoma cell line (Colo 201 cells). The study on photocytotoxicity using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide reduction assay showed that mTHPC was an effective photosensitizer on Colo 201 cells. The photocytotoxicity of mTHPC showed both drug and light dose-dependent characteristics. To reach LD50, namely, the dose at which 50% of the cells were killed, only 0.45+/-0.15 microg/mL of mTHPC and 3 J/cm2 of light dose were required. The presence of 10% fetal calf serum in culture medium significantly decreased the incorporation of mTHPC into cells and resulted in the reduction of photodynamic efficacy. Using confocal laser scanning microscopy, mTHPC was first shown to localize in lysosomes rather than in mitochondria. Furthermore, nuclear stainings demonstrated that photodynamic therapy with mTHPC induced apoptosis in Colo 201 cells.     

Pressurized liquid extraction of active ingredients (ginsenosides) from medicinal plants using non-ionic surfactant solutions

The feasibility of employing aqueous non-ionic surfactant solutions as an alternative solvent system in pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) is demonstrated for the first time using the roots of American ginseng as model solid samples. When compared to the use of pure water or methanol, the presence of a common non-ionic surfactant (Triton X-100) in water at a concentration above its critical micelle concentration was shown to enhance the amount of pharmacologically active ingredients (ginsenosides) extracted from ginseng roots. The advantages of using aqueous non-surfactant solutions were also demonstrated by comparing extraction performances between ultrasonic-assisted extraction and PLE methods. Furthermore, the combination of PLE and cloud point extraction was shown to be a new and effective approach for the rapid sample preconcentration of herbal materials prior to analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography.     

New hole-transport polyurethanes applied to polymer light-emitting diodes

Polymeric light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) using high-performance hole-transport polyurethanes (PUs) have been fabricated. The PUs were prepared from the condensation polymerization of (E, E)-1,4-bis(2-hydroxystyryl)benzene, an oligo para-phenylene-(E)-vinylene (OPV) unit, with toluene diisocyanate (TDI), isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) or dicyclohexylmethane 4,4′-diisocyanate (H₁₂MDI), respectively. The condensation polymerization was end-capped with 4-tert-butylphenol as the terminal group. The PLED having the PU layer inserted between PEDOT:PSS (HIL) and MEH-PPV (EML) demonstrated superior current efficiency and low turn-on voltage when comparing to the reference devices of ITO/MEH-PPV(50 nm)/Ca(10 nm)/Ag(100 nm) as well as ITO/PEDOT:PSS(30 nm)/MEH-PPV(50 nm)/Ca(10 nm)/Ag(100 nm). In particularly, the best device performance was realized with the PU of OPV-IPDI as the hole-transport layer, resulting 53 times and 2.72 times of current efficiency enhancement as well as 1.5 V and 1 V voltage reduction of the turn-on voltage, respectively, when compared against the reference devices. Besides, our experiments also showed that the PU polymer could also be applied for flexible PLED with similar performance enhancement. Based on the promising results, we concluded that OPV-IPDI was a good hole-transport material for light-emitting diode application.     

Unexpected reactivities of Cu2(diphosphine)2 complexes in alcohol: isolation, x-ray crystal structure, and photoluminescent properties of a remarkably stable [Cu3(diphosphine)3(mu3-H)]2+ hydride complex

Treatment of [Cu2(dcpm)2]Y2 (dcpm = bis(dicyclohexylphosphino)methane, Y = ClO4-, BF4-, PF6-, CF3SO3-) with refluxing MeOH in the presence of KOH afforded hydride complexes [Cu3(dcpm)3(mu3-H)]Y2 (1) in about 85% yield. Refluxing [Cu2(dcpm)2](PF6)2 with MeOH in the presence of NH3.H2O and air gave a carboxylate complex [Cu2(dcpm)2(O2CCH2OH)]PF6 (2) in 40% yield. All of the complexes 1 and 2 have been characterized by X-ray crystallography. The Cu3 cores in 1 are almost perfectly shielded by the dcpm ligands. Intense photoluminescence was observed for 1 both in the solid state and in solution.