Interference phenomenon on the complex degree of coherence

Optical Review - A two-beam interferometer (TBI) with a two-mode fiber (TMF) as a dispersive medium in one arm and air in the other provides evidence of interference related to the complex degree...     

Synthesis of polymer microsphere-supported chiral pyrrolidine catalysts by precipitation polymerization and their application to asymmetric Michael addition reactions

Polymer microsphere-supported chiral pyrrolidine catalysts were successfully synthesized by a precipitation polymerization incorporating a methacrylate monomer bearing chiral N-Boc-pyrrolidine moiety, followed by removal of the N-Boc groups. The resulting polymeric catalysts were applied to the asymmetric Michael addition reactions of aldehydes with alkyl vinyl ketones. The effects of the comonomer, the molar ratios within the catalyst, the catalyst loading, the temperature, and the solvent on the catalytic performance were investigated in detail. The reactions were found to proceed smoothly in the absence of a solvent. A hydrophobic polystyrene-based chiral pyrrolidine catalyst exhibited high reactivity (up to 97% yield) and enantioselectivity (up to 95% ee) during these reactions. The catalyst could also be recovered and reused up to five times without significant loss of activity.     

Validation of an MPC Polymer Coating to Attenuate Surface‐Induced Crosstalk between the Complement and Coagulation Systems in Whole Blood in In Vitro and In Vivo Models

Artificial surfaces that come into contact with blood induce an immediate activation of the cascade systems of the blood, leading to a thrombotic and/or inflammatory response that can eventually cause damage to the biomaterial or the patient, or to both. Heparin coating has been used to improve hemocompatibility, and another approach is 2‐methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC)‐based polymer coatings. Here, the aim is to evaluate the hemocompatibility of MPC polymer coating by studying the interactions with coagulation and complement systems using human blood in vitro model and pig in vivo model. The stability of the coatings is investigated in vitro and MPC polymer‐coated catheters are tested in vivo by insertion into the external jugular vein of pigs to monitor the catheters' antithrombotic properties. There is no significant activation of platelets or of the coagulation and complement systems in the MPC polymer‐coated one, which was superior in hemocompatibility to non‐coated matrix surfaces. The protective effect of the MPC polymer coat does not decline after incubation in human plasma for up to 2 weeks. With MPC polymer‐coated catheters, it is possible to easily draw blood from pig for 4 days in contrast to the case for non‐coated catheters, in which substantial clotting is seen.     

Synthesis of graft terpolymers by addition reaction of amino‐terminated polyether to poly(methacrylate)s bearing five‐membered cyclic dithiocarbonate moieties and application of the graft terpolymers as modifiers for wool

Graft terpolymers bearing polyether side chains and poly(methacrylate) stems were synthesized by the graft‐onto reaction of monoamino‐terminated poly(PO₉‐co‐EO₁) to poly{[5‐(methacryloyloxy)methyl‐1,3‐oxathiolane‐2‐thione]‐co‐n‐butyl methacrylate} [poly(DTCMMA‐co‐BuMA)]. The grafting reaction proceeded via the nucleophilic addition of the terminal amino groups to the five‐membered cyclic dithiocarbonate moieties giving thiol moieties, although the grafting efficiency was low (9–34%) due to the steric hindrance of the side chains. The T_g values of the poly{[DTCMMA‐graft‐poly(PO₉‐co‐EO₁)]‐co‐BuMA} ranged 27–47 °C, depending on the amounts of flexible poly(PO₉‐co‐EO₁) chains introduced lowering the T_g values. Poly{[DTCMMA‐graft‐poly(PO₉‐co‐EO₁)]‐co‐BuMA}s bearing thiol groups were applied for the modification of wool via the disulfide exchange reaction. The modified wool had better dye ability toward a pigment from safflower than the original wool owing to the hydrophilic nature of poly{[DTCMMA‐graft‐poly(PO₉‐co‐EO₁)]‐co‐BuMA} introduced. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Macrocyclic effects upon isomeric CuIIMII and MIICuII cores. Formation with unsymmetric phenol-based macrocyclic ligands

This paper discusses coordination-position isomeric M^IICu^II and Cu^IIM^II complexes, using unsymmetric dinucleating macrocycles (L^m;n)²⁻ ((L^2;2)²⁻, (L^2;3)²⁻ and (L^2;4)²⁻) that comprise two 2-(N-methyl)-aminomethyl-6-iminomethyl-4-bromo-phenonate entities, combined through the ethylene chain (m = 2) between the two amine nitrogens and through the ethylene, trimethylene or tetramethylene chain(n = 2, 3 or 4) between the two imine nitrogens. The macrocycles have dissimilar N(amine)₂O₂ and N(imine)₂O₂ metal-binding sites sharing the phenolic oxygens. The reaction of the mononuclear Cu^II precursors, [Cu(L^2;2)], [Cu(L^2;2)] and [Cu(L^2;2)], with a M^II perchlorate and a M^II acetate salt formed (acetato)M^IICu^II complexes: [CoCu(L^2;2)(AcO)]ClO⁴·0.5H₂O] (1), [NiCu(L^2;2) (AcO)]ClO₄ (2), [ZnCu(L^2;2) (AcO)]ClO₄ (3), [CoCu(L^2;3)(AcO)]ClO₄·0.5H₂O (4), [NiCu(L^2;3)(AcO)]ClO₄ (5), [ZnCu(L^2;3)(AcO)]ClO₄·0.5H₂O (6), [CoCu(L^2;4)(AcO)(DMF)]ClO₄ (7), [NiCu(L^2;4) (AcO)]ClO₄·2DMF (8) and [ZnCu(L^2;4)(AcO)]ClO₄ (9) (the formulation [M_aM_b (L^m;n)]²⁺ means that M_a resides in the aminic site and M_b in the iminic site). The site selectivity of the metal ions is demonstrated by X-ray crystallographic studies for 2·MeOH,3,5,7, and9. An (acetato)Cu^IIZn^II complex, [CuZn(L^2;3)(AcO)]ClO₄ (10), was obtained by the reaction of [PbCu(L^2;3)]-(ClO₄)₂ with ZnSO₄·4H₂O, in the presence of sodium acetate. Other complexes of the Cu^IIM^II type were thermodynamically unstable to cause a scrambling of metal ions. The Cu migration from the iminic site to the aminic site in the synthesis of10 is explained by the ‘kinetic macrocyclic effect’. The coordination-position isomers,6 and10, are differentiated by physicochemical properties.     

Long-Lived Radioiodine in Japanese Environment

The amount of long-lived radioiodine, ¹²⁹I (half-life 1.57·10⁷ y) in the Japanese environment has been studied by measuring thyroids of humans and animals. The collected samples were thyroids of (1) humans in Ibaraki Prefecture, in Kanto district, the central part of Japan, (2) cattle in Aomori Prefecture, north part of Japan, and (3) wild deer in Chiba Prefecture, in Kanto district. The measured mean isotopic ratio ¹²⁹I/¹²⁷I for thyroids of cattle in Aomori Prefecture is 3.5±1.8·10^-9. A higher value of 14±5·10^-9 has been obtained for thyroids of wild deer in Kanto district. On the other hand, the measured ratio for human thyroids in Kanto district is 1±0.2·10^-9. This value is significantly lower than that of cattle thyroids in Aomori and also those reported for human thyroids in Europe and USA. The higher mean ratio for cattle thyroid in Kanto district is possibly explained by the influence of nuclear reprocessing plant. Lower mean ratio for human thyroid might be due to higher dietary intake of algae.     

Thermoluminescence and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies of mineral chrysocolla (dioptase)

The natural mineral chrysocolla (CuSiO₃·2H₂O) has been investigated in terms of thermally stimulated luminescence and EPR measurements. The glow curves for natural samples present three glow peaks at 190, 357 and 450°C. Pre annealed and subsequently irradiated samples give rise to four glow peaks at 140°C, 193°C, 305°C and 450°C. The formation of H^o centers at the expense of water molecules present in the channels has been identified by EPR measurements.     

Linear viscoelastic behavior of perfluorooctyl sulfonate micelles: effects of counter-ions

Linear viscoelastic behavior was investigated for aqueous solutions of perfluorooctyl sulfonate (C₈F₁₇SO⁻ ₃; abbreviated as FOS) micelles having a mixture of tetraethylammonium (N⁺(C₂H₅)₄; TEA) and lithium (Li⁺) ions as the counter-ions. The solutions had the same FOS concentration (0.1 mol l⁻¹) and various Li⁺ fractions in the counter-ions, φ_Li = 0−0.6, and the FOS micelles in these solutions formed threads which further organized into dendritic networks. At T ≤ 15 °C, the terminal relaxation time τ and the viscosity η, governed by thermal scission of the networks, increased with increasing φ_Li up to 0.55. A further increase of φ_Li resulted in decreases of τ and η and in broadening of the relaxation mode distribution. These rheological changes are discussed in relation to the role of TEA ions in thermal scission: Previous NMR studies revealed that only a fraction of TEA ions were tightly bound to the FOS micellar surfaces and these bound ions stabilized the thread/network structures. The concentration of non-bound TEA ions, C_TEA ^*, decreased and finally vanished on increasing φ_Li up to φ_Li ^* ≅ 0.6, and the concentration of the bound TEA ions significantly decreased on a further increase of φ_Li. The non-bound TEA ions appeared to catalyze the thermal scission of the FOS threads, and the observed increases of τ and η for φ_Li < 0.55 were attributed to the decrease of C_TEA ^*. On the other hand, the decreases of τ and η as well as the broadening of the mode distribution, found for φ_Li > 0.55 (where C_TEA ^* ≅ 0), were related to destabilization of the FOS threads/networks due to a shortage of the bound TEA ions and to the existence of concentrated Li⁺ ions. Viscoelastic data of pure FOSTEA and FOSTEA/FOSLi/TEACl solutions lent support to these arguments for the role of TEA ions in the relaxation of FOSTEA/FOSLi solutions. Received: 12 October 1999/Accepted: 1 November 1999