Optical-path-length-shifting color digital holography

We propose an in-line color digital holography that can suppress a 0th-order diffraction image and a conjugate image. This technique reconstructs the image of an object from two holograms that are formed at two different distances from the object for each primary color. We numerically simulated the proposed technique and confirmed that it enabled the reconstruction of higher-quality images of an object than the Fresnel transform alone, which is the simplest reconstruction algorithm in digital holography. The effectiveness of the proposed technique was also quantitatively shown by evaluating the reconstructed images using root-mean-square errors. Thus, it was confirmed that the proposed technique was capable of recording and reconstructing both three-dimensional information and color information of an object.     

Rapid speciation and quantification of selenium compounds by HPLC-ICP MS using multiple standards labelled with different isotopes

Speciation analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP MS) is now commonly used to investigate metabolic and toxicological aspects of some metals and metalloids. We have developed a rapid method for simultaneous identification and quantification of metabolites of selenium (Se) compounds using multiple standards labelled with different isotopes. A mixture of the labelled standards was spiked in a selenised garlic extract and the sample was subjected to speciation analysis by HPLC-ICP MS. The selenised garlic contains γ-glutamyl-methylselenocysteine, methylselenocysteine, and selenomethionine and the concentrations of those Se compounds were 723.8, 414.8, and 310.7 ng Se ml(-1), respectively. The isotopically labelled standards were also applied to the speciation of Se in rat urine. Selenate, methylselenonic acid, selenosugar, and trimethyselenium ions were found to be excreted by the present speciation procedure. Multiple standards labelled with different stable isotopes enable high-throughput identification and quantitative measurements of Se metabolites.     

Synthesis of vanadium-doped palladium nanoparticles for hydrogen storage materials

Palladium–vanadium (Pd/V) alloy nanoparticles stabilized with n-pentyl isocyanide were prepared as new hydrogen storage materials by a facile polyol-based synthetic route with tetraethylene glycol and NaOH at 250 °C. The size distribution of the nanoparticles thus obtained featured two peaks at 4.0 ± 1.1 and 1.4 ± 0.3 nm in diameter, which were the mixture of Pd/V alloy and Pd nanoparticles. The ratio between the number of Pd/V and that of Pd nanoparticles was 51:49, and the Pd:V ratio of the overall product was 9:1 in wt%, indicating that the 4.0 nm Pd/V nanoparticles were composed of 81% Pd and 19% V. The inclusion of vanadium caused the increase in the d-spacing and thus expansion of lattice constant. A rapid increase in hydrogen content at low H₂ pressures was observed for the Pd/V nanoparticles, and a 0.47 wt% H₂ adsorption capacity was achieved under a H₂ pressure of 10 MPa at 303 K. Hydrogen storage performances of Pd/V alloy nanoparticles was superior compared with Pd nanoparticles.     

A first total synthesis of a hybrid-type ganglioside associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-like disorder

The hybrid ganglioside X1, which was identified in the bovine brain, was synthesized for the first time. Ganglioside X1 is believed to be involved in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-like disorders in patients with neurological disorders after treatment with bovine brain gangliosides. A convergent approach using two branched glycan units, the GM2-core trisaccharide and the lacto-ganglio tetrasaccharide, efficiently provided the highly branched heptasaccharide part of ganglioside X1, which was conjugated with the ceramide part to produce the protected ganglioside X1. Global deprotection delivered homogenous ganglioside X1, with which serum from the patient was reacted.     

Bis(oxazoline)–ligand-mediated asymmetric [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement of benzyl ethers: reaction mechanism based on the hydrogen/deuterium exchange effect

We have investigated the mechanism of chiral induction in the asymmetric [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement of allyl benzyl ether in the presence of a bis(oxazoline) chiral ligand [(S,S)-Box–tBu] by comparing the reaction of both enantiomers of monodeuterated benzyl ether 1a–d. As a result, we found that chirality was induced via enantioselective deprotonation followed by efficient chirality transfer of the resulting chiral benzyl carbanion with the inversion of stereochemistry. It was revealed that the chiral ligand facilitates selective deprotonation as well as prevents the chiral carbanion from racemization. Moreover, we examined the effect of the o-methoxy substituent on the benzene ring.     

Synthesis and Biological Activity of Some New Pyrazole Copper(II) Complexes

As a part of systematic investigation of synthesis and biologically active compounds of pyrazole derivatives containing transition metal, several new pyrazole copper(II) complexes 3a?f were synthesized from pyrazole sodium salts 2a?f , which were produced from spiro‐pyrazoles 1a?f and sodium hydride by a ring‐opening reaction. All the synthesized compounds were characterized by spectroscopic analysis. Pyrazole copper(II) complexes 3a?d and 3f exhibited high DNA cleavage activity in vitro. Furthermore, compounds 3a?f were tested for their growth inhibitory activity in A549 lung cancer, B16F10 murine melanoma, and HeLa human uterine carcinoma cells. Compounds 3c,d displayed moderate B16F10 and HeLa inhibitory activity levels ( 3c : IC₅₀ = 45 μM in B16F10 cells and 34 μM in HeLa cells, 3d : IC₅₀ = 50 μM in B16F10 cells and 32 μM in HeLa cells).     

Concentration- and time-dependent eccentric changes in circular dichroism of saccharide-linked ethynylpyridine oligomer with copper(II) ions

We studied the preparation and circular dichroism (CD) behavior of 2,6-pyridylene ethynylene octameric oligomer linked to a β-d-glucoside moiety with a C20-alkylene chain. The addition of Cu(OTf)(2) salt led to a remarkable enhancement of the first CD band of the oligomer, and an unexpected concentration and time dependency were observed. For example, when 1.0 × 10(-3) M of Cu(OTf)(2) was added to a 1,2-dichloroethane solution of the oligomer (5.0 × 10(-4) M, unit concentration), the CD band appeared in the positive at first and gradually inverted into the negative with time.     

A light-induced phase exhibiting slow magnetic relaxation in a cyanide-bridged [Fe4Co2] complex

Single-molecule magnets: A cyanide-bridged hexanuclear complex showed a thermal electron-transfer-coupled spin transition centered at 220?K. Light irradiation at low temperature (LT; HT = high temperature) generated a metastable state showing slow magnetic relaxation in measurements of the alternating-current magnetic susceptibility (χ(m); see picture).     

Unusual Photoreaction of Triquinacene within Self‐Assembled Hosts

Triquinacene is a concave tricyclic hydrocarbon with diverse photoreactivity. In the cavity of an electron‐accepting molecular host, triquinacene was specifically photooxidized at the peripheral allylic position into an alcohol, 1‐hydroxytriquinacene, via guest‐to‐host electron transfer. The unusual reactivity stems from the extremely electron‐deficient triazine panel ligand of the host cage, which allows the cage to function as a good electron acceptor. Thus, self‐assembled coordination cages can serve not only as molecular‐sized reaction vessels but also function electronically as redox media. Dissolved molecular oxygen is indispensable for the photoreaction and immediately traps a photogenerated radical.