Ferromagnetic resonance of cobalt nanoparticles in the polymer shell

The magnetic properties of cobalt spherical nanoparticles (～ 5–9 nm in size) in a polymer shell are investigated using ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) spectroscopy. The metal-polymer complex is prepared through the frontal polymerization of the cobalt acrylamide (CoAAm) complex, followed by the thermolysis at a temperature of 643 K. Analysis of the ferromagnetic resonance spectra demonstrates that the material has a high blocking temperature of ～700 K. The anisotropy constant equal to 0.5 erg/cm³ is somewhat larger than the anisotropy constants characteristic of cobalt macrostructures. This difference is associated with the predominance of the surface anisotropy of nanoparticles. The surface anisotropy constant is calculated to be 0.17 erg/cm², and the anisotropy field is determined to be ～350 Oe. It is revealed that the polymer shell affects the magnetic properties of nanoparticles.     

Total synthesis of (+)-galanthamine starting from d-glucose

The stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-galanthamine (+)-1 starting from d-glucose is described. The cyclohexene ring in (+)-1 was prepared in an optically active form from d-glucose using Ferrier’s carbocyclization reaction, and the critical quaternary carbon was stereoselectively generated via chirality transfer based on the Claisen rearrangement of a cyclohexenol. The dibenzofuran skeleton was effectively constructed by the bromonium ion-mediated intramolecular cyclization of a cyclohexene possessing a phenolic ether function. After the introduction of a carbon-carbon double bond, the Pictet-Spengler type cyclization, followed by the reduction of the amide function completed the chiral synthesis of (+)-1.     

Amperometric biosensing of carbamate and organophosphate pesticides utilizing screen-printed tyrosinase-modified electrodes

A tyrosinase (Tyr) screen-printed biosensor based on the electroreduction of enzymatically generated quinoid products was electrochemically characterized and optimized for determination of carbamates and organophosphorus pesticides. A composite electrode prepared by screen-printing a cobalt (II) phthalocyanine (CoPc) modified cellulose-graphite composite on a polycarbonate support was employed as electrochemical transducer. The Tyr biosensor was prepared by immobilization of enzyme on the composite electrode surface by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde and bovine serum albumin. Parameters affecting the biosensor response such as response time, enzyme loading, concentration and pH of the buffer solution were optimized utilizing catechol as substrate. The maximum response for o-quinone enzymatically generated was obtained after 2 min of reaction. A good reproducibility and high operational stability were found for Tyr biosensor (60 units) at 50 mM phosphate buffer, pH 6.50. Under these conditions, the useful lifetime of biosensor was 10 days. After 15 days, the biosensor could be used with 20% of the initial value. Inhibition studies on the o-quinone steady-state current (at −0.20 V versus Ag/AgCl) were performed to investigate the inhibition kinetics of the pesticides in the enzymatic activity of mushroom tyrosinase. The results shown that the methyl parathion and carbofuran can lead to competitive inhibition process of the enzyme, while diazinon and carbaryl act as mixed inhibitors. Linear relationships were found for methyl parathion (6-100 ppb), diazinon (19-50 ppb), carbofuran (5-90 ppb) and carbaryl (10-50 ppb). Analysis of natural river water samples spiked with 30 ppb of each pesticide showed recoveries between 92.50% and 98.50% and relative standard deviations of 2%.     

Spin dynamics of charge carriers in the process of their localization in α’-(BEDT-TTF)<Subscript>2</Subscript>IBr<Subscript>2</Subscript> single crystals

Sharp changes in the integral intensity and linewidth of the ESR spectrum that accompany the localization of the charge carriers have been revealed in α’-(BEDT-TTF)₂IBr₂ crystals. It has been found that the types of localization in two compounds under investigation are different: charge carriers in β″-(BEDT-TTF)₄NH₄[Cr(C₂O₄)₃] are localized on irregular defects of the crystal lattice, whereas charge carriers in α’-(BEDT-TTF)₂IBr₂ are localized at the regular positions of the unit cell. The exchange narrowing of the ESR line and a sharp decrease in the dc and ac magnetic susceptibilities are observed in α’-(BEDT-TTF)₂IBr₂ at low temperatures T < 50 K. The dc and ac magnetic susceptibilities observed in α’-(BEDT-TTF)₂IBr₂ at high temperatures T > 50 K differ from each other, because the thermally activated hopping frequency of the charge carriers is higher than the frequency of the measuring UHF field of an ESR spectrometer.     

Gadolinium-based hybrid nanoparticles as a positive MR contrast agent

A new nanoparticulate inorganic-organic hybrid-type positive contrast agent (CA), PGP/dextran-K01, was synthesized based on a GdPO4 inorganic core as a relaxation-time-shortening moiety and a dextran-coating, which generates monodispersibility in water, a high relaxation-time-shortening effect by retaining a large number of water molecules in proximity of the core and toxicity reduction in in-vivo studies. This PGP/dextran-K01 nanoparticle has high r1 and r2 values and a significantly low r2/r1 value, 1.1, which is unprecedented and which is the lowest value among existing nanoparticulate CAs indicating that PGP/dextran-K01 is a positive contrast agent. Because of this low r2/r1 value and the nanoparticulate shape, PGP/dextran-K01 will be a useful clinical substitute for negative CAs based on iron oxides.     

Noninteraction of Waves in Two-dimensional Conformal Field Theory

In higher dimensional quantum field theory, irreducible representations of the Poincaré group are associated with particles. Their counterpart in two-dimensional massless models are ??waves?? introduced by Buchholz. In this paper we show that waves do not interact in two-dimensional M?bius covariant theories and in- and out-asymptotic fields coincide. We identify the set of the collision states of waves with the subspace generated by the chiral components of the M?bius covariant net from the vacuum. It is also shown that Bisognano-Wichmann property, dilation covariance and asymptotic completeness (with respect to waves) imply M?bius symmetry. Under natural assumptions, we observe that the maps which give asymptotic fields in Poincaré covariant theory are conditional expectations between appropriate algebras. We show that a two-dimensional massless theory is asymptotically complete and noninteracting if and only if it is a chiral M?bius covariant theory.     

Potential clinical factors affecting hepatobiliary enhancement at Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging

Objective

The objective was to clarify the clinical factors that might affect the degree of hepatic parenchymal enhancement at gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.

Materials and Methods

A total of 84 patients with (n=63) and without chronic liver disease (n=21) underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging. Contrast-enhanced MR images of hepatobiliary phase (HP) were obtained at 20 min after Gd-EOB-DTPA administration. The relative enhancement (RE) of liver parenchyma at 20 min HP was calculated from region of interest measurements at each patient. Then, these results were correlated with various clinical parameters using Pearson correlation coefficient or Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Furthermore, the predictor of the degree of hepatic parenchymal enhancement was determined using multiple regression analysis.

Results

The presence or absence of chronic liver disease (P=.002), ascites (P=.005) and splenomegaly (P=.027), and the values of prothrombin activity (P=.008), total bilirubin (T-Bil) (P=.001), albumin (P=.001), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (P=.002) and cholinesterase (P=.007) were significantly correlated with the RE of liver parenchyma at 20 min HP. Among these parameters, increases of T-Bil (P=.011 to .028) and AST (P=.018 to .049) were predictors of decreased hepatic parenchymal enhancement.

Conclusions

Hepatic parenchymal enhancement of Gd-EOB-DTPA was affected by various clinical parameters. Impaired hepatobiliary enhancement may be predicted by routine biochemical tests, such as T-Bil and AST.     

Hyperfine interactions in the gas-phase E.P.R. spectra of 35ClO (2Π3/2) in the J = 5/2 and J = 3/2 levels

Gas-phase E.P.R. spectra of ³⁵ClO have been measured accurately both in the J=5/2 and J=3/2 rotational levels, using C-band (4·4 GHz) and X-band (9·4 GHz) microwaves, respectively. Special attention has been paid to separate the spectral lines of ³⁵ClO from those of ³⁷ClO. Analysis of the spectra has resulted in the simultaneous determination of the hyperfine parameters h and b and, when combined with a-(b+c)/2 obtained by microwave spectroscopy, the hyperfine parameters a, b and c are all determined. Molecular constants which describe the distribution of the unpaired electron around the chlorine nucleus are derived from them. The molecular g values of the rotational levels indicate the mixing of the ²Π state both with the ²Σ+ and with the ²Δ electronic excited states.     

The top quark mass and flavour mixing in a seesaw model of quark masses

The top quark mass and the flavour mixing are studied in the context of a seesaw model of quark masses based on the gauge group SU(2)_L × SU(2)_R × U(1). Six isosinglet quarks are introduced to give rise to the mass hierarchy of ordinary quarks. In this scheme, we reexamine a mechanism for the generation of the top quark mass. It is shown that, in order to prevent the seesaw mechanism to act for the top quark, the mass parameter of its isosinglet partner must be much smaller than the breaking scale of SU(2)_R. As a result the fourth lightest up quark must have a mass of the order of the breaking scale of SU(2)_R, and a large mixing between the right-handed top quark and its singlet partner occurs. We also show that this mechanism is compatible with the mass spectrum of light quarks and their flavour mixing.