Evaluation of Photocatalytic Activity of Transparent Anatase Nanocrystals-Dispersed Silica Films Prepared by the Sol-Gel Process with Hot Water Treatment

Anatase nanocrystals were precipitated mainly at the surface of the silica-titania gel films with hot water treatment, whereas the addition of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in the films led to the dispersion of anatase nanocrystals in the whole of the films after the treatment. Both films with and without PEG showed high photocatalytic activities for acetaldehyde, NO _x and stearic acid in the gas-solid system, and for methylene blue and potassium iodide in the liquid-solid system. The addition of PEG improved the photocatalytic activities of the resultant films due to the smaller anatase crystallites and the porous film structure. The residual silica under-layer of the superficially anatase-precipitated films is expected to act as a protective one for an organic polymer substrate against the photocatalytic degradation.     

Two novel aromatic glycosides,pueroside-A and -B,from puerariae radix

Two novel aromatic glycosides were obtained from Puerariae Radix and their chemical structures were characterized.     

Studies on cardiotonic agents. V. Synthesis of 1-(6,7-dimethoxy-4-quinazolinyl)piperidine derivatives carrying various 5-membered heterocyclic rings at the 4-position

A series of 1-(6,7-dimethoxy-4-quinazolinyl)piperidines carrying various 5-membered heterocycles at the 4-position was synthesized and examined for cardiotonic activity in anesthesized dogs. The (4-oxo-2-thioxo-3-imidazolindinyl)amino derivatives showed the most potent inotropic activity. Marked loss of activity was observed in the 2,4-dihydro-3-thioxo-3H-1,2,4-triazolyl, the 2,4-dihydro-3-oxo-3H-pyrazolyl and the (2,3-dihydro-2-thioxo-3H-1,3,4-thiadiazol-5-yl)amino derivatives. The synthesis and structure-activity relationships are discussed.     

Preparation of Titania Nanosheet-Precipitated Coatings on Glass Substrates by Treating SiO2-TiO2 Gel Films with Hot Water Under Vibrations

Titania nanosheet-precipitated coatings have been prepared by treating SiO₂-TiO₂ gel films on glass substrates with hot water at 90°C under vibration. Longitudinal vibrations at about 6 Hz during the treatment enhanced the formation of titania nanosheet. The titania nanosheet consisted of several layers with a spacing of about 0.6 nm and was identified as hydrated titania with a lepidocrocite-type structure. The morphology of the titania nanosheet-precipitated coatings is probably achieved by lowering of the concentration of hydrolyzed titania species at the surface due to rapid water flow driven by the vibrations. The coatings were transparent in the visible range and showed high photocatalytic activity and antifogging property.     

Liposomes prepared from synthetic amphiphiles. I. Their technetium labeling and stability

In order to apply liposomes prepared from synthetic amphiphiles containing amino acid residues to radiopharmaceuticals, their labeling with 99Tc or 99mTc and stability in saline or in serum were investigated. These liposomes were highly labeled by embedding stearylamine-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid as a ligand of technetium. The labeling was more efficient at pH 7.0 than at pH 4.0 or 8.5. Among these technetium-labeled liposomes tested, liposomes containing the alanine residue were stable in saline or in 50% serum at 37 degrees C for at least 24 h, in contrast to liposomes (phosphatidylcholine: cholesterol = 1:1 molar ratio) whose stability had been enhanced by adding cholesterol.     

Highly sensitive determination of haloperidol in human serum by capillary gas chromatography using a surface ionization detector

A method has been developed for highly sensitive determination of haloperidol in human serum involving a simple extraction procedure followed by gas chromatographic separation. Target components were separated from the extracting solvents with a Van den Berg type solventless sample injector before introduction Into a DB-1 capillary separation column. A surface ionization detector (SID), which has highly selective sensitivity for Substituted amines, was employed for quantitation using bromperidol as an internal standard. Chloroform proved to be the best extracting solvent, yielding a quantitative detection limit of 5 ng/ml (S/N = 2). Comparison of the response to target compounds obtained by the SID, FTD (flame thermionic detector), and FID (flame ionization detector) showed the SID to be superior.     

Determination of meropenem by capillary electrophoresis using direct injection of serum

Concentration determination of meropenem, a carbapenem antibiotic, using a capillary electrophoresis method by direct injection of serum samples without any pretreatment is described herein. Sodium tetraborate (25 mM)-sodium hydroxide (0.1 M) containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (90 mM) is used as a run buffer (pH 10.0). Meropenem is detected at its absorption maximum at 297 nm. Migration time of meropenem is approximately 7.2 min, and the detection limit of the assay is 2.0 mg/L at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3.0. The relative standard deviations of intra- and interassay accuracies are 3.43-8.87% and 4.28-8.54%, respectively, at a nominal concentration of 6.3-100.0 mg/L, and their recovery rates are 94-111% and 92-105%, respectively.     

Polyiodide composition in poly(vinyl acetate)-iodine-iodide complex

Polyiodide formed by complexation of poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) with iodine in the presence of iodide has been investigated by chemical analysis and resonance Raman spectrophotometry. When PVAc films were immersed in iodide-iodine aqueous solutions which had different ratios of iodide to iodine concentration [I^?]/[I₂], the complex films exhibited tremendous variations of swelling degree, despite the relatively small change in the amount of bound iodine. From a quantitative chemical analysis, the composition of polyiodide bound to PVAc was found to be 1.01 ± 0.035 in the molar ratio of iodide to iodine irrespective of the composition of the iodide-iodine aqueous solution ([I^?]/[I₂] = 2–500). The polyiodide formed in PVAc-iodine-iodide complex was therefore inferred to be (I₃^?)_n. Resonance Raman spectra obtained on PVAc-iodine-iodide complexes were also identical to those of the benzamide-iodine complex, in which the polyiodide consists of (I₃^?)_n, consistent with the result from chemical analysis.