Emission from charge recombination during the pulse radiolysis of 9-cyano-10-phenylethynylanthracenes with donor and acceptor substituents

Emission from 9-cyano-10-phenylanthracene and 9-cyano-10-phenylethynylanthracenes having donor and acceptor substituents (RA = PA, PEA, OEA, NEA, and DEA) was studied with the time-resolved fluorescence measurement during the pulse radiolysis of RAs in benzene (Bz). PA and DEA showed only monomer emission, while other RAs (PEA, OEA, and NEA) showed both monomer and excimer emissions with much lower intensities. On the basis of the steady-state and transient absorption and emission measurements, the formation of RA in the singlet excited state ((1)RA*) can be attributed to the charge recombination between RA radical cation and anion (RA*+ and RA*-, respectively) which are initially generated from the radiolytic reaction in Bz. It is expected that for PA with a twisted geometry, the charge recombination between PA*+ and PA*- occurs to give (1)PA* during the pulse radiolysis in Bz. For PEA and OEA, pi-stacking interaction is possible for the formation of an encounter complex during the charge recombination between RA*+ and RA*-. For NEA, it is expected that NEA*+ and NEA*- collide neck-to-neck to generate the excimer due to the twisted geometry. For DEA, a considerably twisted structure is assumed to give (1)DEA* with strong ICT character but not (1)(DEA)2* because of the bulky donor substituent.     

Highly sensitive determination of lanthanides by capillary electrophoresis with direct visible detection after precapillary complexation with aromatic polyaminocarboxylate and additionally applying dynamic ternary complexation with nitrilotriacetic acid

A newly synthesized aromatic polyaminocarboxylate (NBD-ABEDTA, H(4)L) was applied to precapillary derivatizing capillary electrophoresis as a chelating reagent for lanthanide ions (Ln(3+)). The Ln-L complexes provide both kinetic stability on dissociation due to their methyl-EDTA coordinating structure, and high light absorptivity (epsilon(max) = 2.4 x 10(4) cm(-1) mol(-1) dm(3)) in the visible region at 469 nm thanks to their nitrobenzofurazan moiety. A ligand was employed for capillary zone electrophoresis based on a unique concept: both precapillary and dynamic on-capillary complexation were carried out on one center-metal ion to achieve high resolution. As a ternary complex-formation agent, iminodiacetate (IDA), bound to the mother complex (Ln-L), was added to the carrier buffer solution. The carrier buffer solution of 9.5 mmol.dm(-3) (pH 9.45) borate and 33.5 mmol.dm(-3) IDA, drastically improved the resolution among Ln(3+) ions. Each of the Ln complexes was effectively separated, except for Pr-Sm. Furthermore, the absence of L from the carrier solution, which stabilizes the baseline fluctuation, provided low LOD (typically 4.2 x 10(-7) mol.dm(-3)). This strongly suggests that Ln-L complexes are kinetically stable even with a large excess of IDA. Quite unexpectedly, the order of migration differs from that of the atomic number, inverting at Nd. This is due to the effect of the cavity size of the residual coordination sites on the ternary complexation and the electronic density of Ln(3+).     

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.     

Detection of diminished response to cold pressor test in smokers: Assessment using phase-contrast cine magnetic resonance imaging of the coronary sinus

Purpose

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the reproducibility for measuring the cold pressor test (CPT)-induced myocardial blood flow (MBF) alteration using phase-contrast (PC) cine MRI, and to determine if this approach could detect altered MBF response to CPT in smokers.

Materials and methods

After obtaining informed consent, ten healthy male non-smokers (mean age: 28 ± 5 years) and ten age-matched male smokers (smoking duration ≥ 5 years, mean age: 28 ± 3 years) were examined in this institutional review board approved study. Breath-hold PC cine MR images of the coronary sinus were obtained with a 3 T MR imager with 32 channel coils at rest and during a CPT performed after immersing one foot in ice water. MBF was calculated as coronary sinus flow divided by the left ventricular (LV) mass which was given as a total LV myocardial volume measured on cine MRI multiplied by the specific gravity (1.05 g/mL).

Results

In non-smokers, MBF was 0.86 ± 0.25 mL/min/g at rest, with a significant increase to 1.20 ± 0.36 mL/min/g seen during CPT (percentage change of MBF (?MBF (%)); 39.2% ± 14.4%, p < 0.001). Inter-study reproducibility for ?MBF (%) measurements by different MR technologist was good, as indicated by the intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.93 and reproducibility coefficient of 10.5%. There was no significant difference between smokers and non-smokers for resting MBF (0.85 ± 0.32 mL/min/g, p = 0.91). However, ?MBF (%) in smokers was significantly reduced (-4.0 ± 32.2% vs. 39.2 ± 14.4%, p = 0.011).

Conclusion

PC cine MRI can be used to reproducibly quantify MBF response to CPT and to detect impaired flow response in smokers. This MR approach may be useful for monitoring the sequential change of coronary blood flow in various potentially pathologic conditions and for investigating its relationship with cardiovascular risk.     

Synthesis, crystal structures, and properties of 6,12-diaryl-substituted indeno[1,2-b]fluorenes

Fused polycyclic indeno[1,2-b]fluorene derivatives with aryl substituents at the 6,12-positions have been prepared as a potential antiaromatic 20π electronic system. They showed strong absorptions in the visible region and amphoteric redox properties. The quinoid-type molecular structures were revealed by X-ray crystal-structure analysis, which indicated that the bond lengths of the quinoid unit depend on the aryl substituents. Whereas nucleus-independent chemical shift NICS(1) calculations indicate the antiaromatic nature of the s-indacene core, they have higher stability than substituted acene derivatives. The derivatives with difluorophenyl or anthryl groups were stable in solution. Vapor-deposited thin films showed ambipolar carrier transportation in the field-effect transistor devices.     

Synthesis,Crystal Structures,and Properties of 6,12‐Diaryl‐Substituted Indeno[1,2‐b]fluorenes

Fused polycyclic indeno[1,2‐b]fluorene derivatives with aryl substituents at the 6,12‐positions have been prepared as a potential antiaromatic 20π electronic system. They showed strong absorptions in the visible region and amphoteric redox properties. The quinoid‐type molecular structures were revealed by X‐ray crystal‐structure analysis, which indicated that the bond lengths of the quinoid unit depend on the aryl substituents. Whereas nucleus‐independent chemical shift NICS(1) calculations indicate the antiaromatic nature of the s‐indacene core, they have higher stability than substituted acene derivatives. The derivatives with difluorophenyl or anthryl groups were stable in solution. Vapor‐deposited thin films showed ambipolar carrier transportation in the field‐effect transistor devices.     

Reporting of quantitative oxygen mapping in EPR imaging

Oxygen maps derived from electron paramagnetic resonance spectral-spatial imaging (EPRI) are based upon the relaxivity of molecular oxygen with paramagnetic spin probes. This technique can be combined with MRI to facilitate mapping of pO(2) values in specific anatomic locations with high precision. The co-registration procedure, which matches the physical and digital dimensions of EPR and MR images, may present the pO(2) map at the higher MRI resolution, exaggerating the spatial resolution of oxygen, making it difficult to precisely distinguish hypoxic regions from normoxic regions. The latter distinction is critical in monitoring the treatment of cancer by radiation and chemotherapy, since it is well-established that hypoxic regions are three or four times more resistant to treatment compared to normoxic regions. The aim of this article is to describe pO(2) maps based on the intrinsic resolution of EPRI. A spectral parameter that affects the intrinsic spatial resolution of EPRI is the full width at half maximum (FWHM) height of the gradient-free EPR absorption line in frequency-encoded imaging. In single point imaging too, the transverse relaxation times (T(2)(?)) limit the resolution since the signal decays by exp(-t(p)/T(2)(?)) where the delay time after excitation pulse, t(p), is related to the resolution. Although the spin densities of two point objects may be resolved at this separation, it is inadequate to evaluate quantitative changes of pO(2) levels since the linewidths are proportionately affected by pO(2). A spatial separation of at least twice this resolution is necessary to correctly identify a change in pO(2) level. In addition, the pO(2) values are blurred by uncertainties arising from spectral dimensions. Blurring due to noise and low resolution modulates the pO(2) levels at the boundaries of hypoxic and normoxic regions resulting in higher apparent pO(2) levels in hypoxic regions. Therefore, specification of intrinsic resolution and pO(2) uncertainties are necessary to interpret digitally processed pO(2) illustrations.     

The Bowman–Bradley theorem for multiple zeta-star values

TextThe Bowman–Bradley theorem asserts that the multiple zeta values at the sequences obtained by inserting a fixed number of twos between $3,1,\dots ,3,1$ add up to a rational multiple of a power of π. We establish its counterpart for multiple zeta-star values by showing an identity in a non-commutative polynomial algebra introduced by Hoffman.VideoFor a video summary of this paper, please click here or visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpqA2OJ6vP8.