Time variation of the electromagnetic transfer function of the earth estimated by using wavelet transform

In order to accurately estimate the geomagnetic transfer functions in the area of the volcano Mt. Iwate (IWT), we applied the interstation transfer function (ISTF) method to the three-component geomagnetic field data observed at Mt. Iwate station (IWT), using the Kakioka Magnetic Observatory, JMA (KAK) as remote reference station. Instead of the conventional Fourier transform, in which temporary transient noises badly degrade the accuracy of long term properties, continuous wavelet transform has been used. The accuracy of the results was as high as that of robust estimations of transfer functions obtained by the Fourier transform method. This would provide us with possibilities for routinely monitoring the transfer functions, without sophisticated statistical procedures, to detect changes in the underground electrical conductivity structure.     

Micro-phase sorbent extraction for trace analysis via in situ sorbent formation: application to the spectrophotometric determination of nitrite in environmental waters.

A micro-phase sorbent in situ formation from an aqueous solution was proposed for the sensitive spectrophotometric determination of nitrite in environmental waters. Nitrite in a 10 mL sample solution was converted into a cationic azo dye by the reaction with 4-trifluoromethylanilinium ion and N-1-naphthylethylenediammonium ion in an acidic medium. Addition of dodecylbenzenesulfonate ion caused the formation of a suspension of ion associate in the solution. Centrifugation of the solution led to the isolation of a liquid organic phase that extracted the azo dye at the bottom of the centrifuge tube. The volume of the new phase was ca. 5 microL. After the aqueous phase was discarded, the organic phase was dissolved with 1 mL of 2-methoxyethanol to measure the absorbance. Nitrogen as NO2- at concentrations from 1.5 to 30 microg L(-1) was determined with sufficient precision. When 0.2 mL of 2-methoxyethanol was applied to dissolve the organic phase, 0.3-4.8 microg NO2--N L(-1) was determined. The recovery tests for nitrite added to some river water and seawater were satisfactory. This method is very simple and rapid. It takes only 30 min from the dye formation to the measurement of the absorbance.     

Concentration and degradation of hyaluronic acid in knee synovial fluid from carrageenin-induced rabbit arthritis

The concentration and degradation of hyaluronic acid in the synovial fluid of carrageenin-induced arthritic joints of rabbits was studied. A 0.5-ml volume of 1% lambda-carrageenin was intra-articularly injected three times into a right knee joint, and saline into a left. After 5 d from the last injection, inflammatory changes were observed in the synovial membrane and synovial fluid, but not in the articular cartilage. In the inflammatory synovial fluid, lipid peroxide content, phosphatase activity and cell counts were significantly increased, but the copper concentration was not changed. Concentration of polymeric hyaluronic acid and total hyaluronic acid were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography using gel-permeation columns. Total hyaluronic acid was appreciably decreased in the inflammatory fluid. The polymeric hyaluronic acid determined was 38% of the total hyaluronic acid in the inflammatory fluid and 74% in the control fluid. This suggests that in the inflammatory fluid, molecular weights of hyaluronic acid are distributed in the broader range. The concentration of chondroitin sulphates was similar in both the inflammatory fluid and the control fluid, but the content ratio of chondroitin sulphates to hyaluronic acid was higher in the inflammatory fluid. In the inflamed synovial membrane, synthesis of hyaluronic acid as measured by incorporation of [14C]glucosamine into glycoconjugates was increased by about twice that in the control membrane.     

Application of intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cyclic addition of azide and olefin; construction of (pyrrolidine-2-ylidene)glycinate and glycinamides

Oxopropyl E-(pyrrolidine-2-ylidene)glycinamide (5c) and allyl E-(pyrrolidine-2-ylidene)glycinate (5d) were effectively synthesized from 2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-4-O-tert-butyldimethylsilyl(TBDMS)-D-arabinal (7) using intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cyclic reaction of azide and olefin as a key reaction. These results proved this cyclic reaction should be applicable for the synthesis of various (pyrrolidine-2-ylidene)glycinate and glycinamide. In addition, the development of a synthetic route for the precursor of an unsaturated cyclic dehydro amino acid involved in azinomycins (carzinophilin) using relating glycinate, methyl E-(pyrrolidine-2-ylidene)glycinate (5a) was described.     

Antioxidant effects of hydroxybenzalacetones on peroxynitrite-induced lipid peroxidation in red blood cell membrane ghost and SOS response in Salmonella typhimurium TA4107/pSK1002

Antioxidant activity of a series of hydroxybenzalacetones was determined against peroxynitrite-induced lipid peroxidation in red blood cell membrane and SOS response through DNA damage in bacterial cells. Hydroxybenzalacetone derivatives with hydroxy, methoxy, ethoxy or methyl substitution were analyzed and found to be more effective than the water-soluble vitamin E analogue Trolox. The inhibitory effect against lipid peroxidation correlated well to that against the SOS response, which is dependent on decomposition of peroxynitrite by hydroxybenzalacetones outside of the cell membrane. The antioxidant activity was shown to correlate well with the electric parameter sigma+. Electron-donating substituents with more negative sigma+ values increased the potencies. The result suggests that hydroxybenzalacetones with more electron-donating substituents will protect tissue more effectively against oxidative stress.     

Tosylation of endocrine-disruptive alkylphenolic compounds in a solid-phase reaction system consisting of C18-modified silica gel and aqueous buffer solution

The tosylation reaction of endocrine-disruptive alkylphenolic compounds in a solid-phase aqueous system was investigated with the aim of developing an environment-friendly and efficient derivatization method for HPLC analyses of environmental samples. The phenols were rapidly and efficiently converted to the tosyl derivatives on a commercially available ODS solid-phase cartridge by passing an aqueous buffer solution through it. The solid-phase aqueous tosylation system has been incorporated into a preconcentration step performed by solid-phase extraction from environmental water.     

Symmetry or asymmetry in cheletropic additions forming cyclopropanes

Cheletropic additions forming cyclopropane rings were studied theoretically. Ten addition paths were traced by means of density-functional-theory calculations. Two 1,4-dienes, 1,4-pentadiene, and tricyclo[5.3.1.0^4,9]undeca-2,5-diene were adopted as substrates. CO, SO₂, C₂H₅PCl₂, CCl₂ and SiCl₂ were employed as cheletropic reagents (Xs). An orbital correlation diagram of the Woodward–Hoffmann (W–H) rule and frontier molecular orbital (FMO) interactions between them were investigated in detail. The FMO interactions, HOMO (1,4-diene)lumo (X) and homo (X)LUMO (diene), work reasonably for the progress of the reactions. Those cause the formation of two C–X bonds and a cyclopropane ring, and alternation of double bonds to single bonds. All the additions are concerted. The easiness of the ring formation depends upon the energy gap between HOMO and lumo and that between homo and LUMO, and the spatial directions of HOMO and LUMO extensions. Symmetry conservation of the W–H rule does not hold necessarily for those addition paths. The symmetry-breaking was discussed in terms of FMO interactions.Acknowledgement This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan and by Nishida Memorial Foundation for Fundamental Chemical Research.     

DNA PHOTOREACTIVATING ENZYME FROM SILKWORM

An ammonium-sulfate-precipitable (33–70%) fraction in extracts from eggs of silkworm Bombyx mori contains photoreactivating enzyme that reactivates the transforming activity of UV inactivated Hemophilus influenzae DNA. The action spectrum for in vitro photoreactivation with the enzyme has a broad peak around 365–385 nm, with a shoulder extending to 460 nm. This relatively higher photoreactivation efficiency at wavelengths longer than 450 nm seems to be a unique feature of DNA photoreactivating enzyme of silkworm. Using gel filtration, a mol wt of 42,000 was estimated for the enzyme. Optimum and isoionic pH of the enzyme were 7.2 and 5.4, respectively. These properties of silkworm enzyme are within the range of variations in reported biochemical characteristics of photoreactivating enzymes from different species.