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.     

Jolkinolide D pharmacophore: synthesis and reaction with biomolecules

To obtain information on the chemical modification of biomolecules with jolkinolide D, a bioactive diterpenoid of plant origin, jolkinolide D pharmacophore was synthesized, and its reactivity toward amino acids, nucleosides, and DNA was investigated.     

Synthesis and characterization of three novel perfluoro-oligothiophenes ranging in length from the trimer to the pentamer

In this Article, we report on the synthesis and full characterization of three perfluorinated oligothiophenes, ranging in length from the trimer to the pentamer (PF-nT, with n = 3, 4, or 5). The differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) analysis of the compounds showed that they can be both oxidized and reduced (i.e., they display a dual or amphoteric electrochemical behavior), with the reduction peaks positively shifted relative to those of the corresponding unsubstituted oligothiophenes. The electrochemically determined energy gaps are in agreement with those measured from the UV-vis-NIR absorption spectra in solution. The conjugational properties have been investigated by means of FT-Raman spectroscopy, both as pure solids and as dilute solutes in CH(2)Cl(2), revealing that: (i) pi-conjugation does not still reach saturation with chain length for the longest oligomer, and (ii) conformational distortions from a nearly coplanar arrangement of the successive thiophene units upon solution are not too large. DFT and TDDFT quantum chemical calculations have been performed, at the B3LYP/6-31G level, to assess information about the optimized molecular structure, equilibrium atomic charges distribution, energies and topologies of the frontier molecular orbitals (MO) around the gap, vibrational normal modes associated with the most outstanding Raman scatterings, and vertical one-electron excitations that give rise to the main optical absorptions.     

Selective permeation of CO2 through poly 2-(N,N-dimethyl)aminoethyl methacrylate membrane prepared by plasma-graft polymerization technique

A membrane having an amine moiety was prepared by plasma-grafting 2-(N,N-dimethyl)aminoethyl methacrylate (DAMA) onto a microporous polyethylene substrate. Permselectivity of the membrane for CO₂ over N₂ was achieved in both dry and water swollen conditions. When the CO₂ partial pressure in the feed gas was 0.047 atm, the selectivity of CO₂ over N₂ reached 130 for the highly swollen water containing membrane. This value was found to agree with that obtained with a mobile carrier membrane (supported liquid membrane) using DAMA as the carrier. The effects of several experimental conditions such as degree of grafting, feed partial pressure and temperature on the membrane performance were studied. It was suggested that the membrane acted as a fixed carrier membrane for CO₂ facilitated transport in under the dry condition and acted as a fixed reaction site membrane in the water swollen condition. The carrier transport mechanism is discussed for dry and aqueous membranes.     

Perfluoro-1,3,5-tris(p-oligophenyl)benzenes: Amorphous Electron-Transport Materials with High-Glass-Transition Temperature and High Electron Mobility

Perfluoro-1,3,5-tris(p-quaterphenyl)benzene (PF-13Y) and perfluoro-1,3,5-tris(p-quinquephenyl)benzene (PF-16Y) have been synthesized and characterized. They showed higher glass transition temperatures compared with perfluoro-1,3,5-tris(p-terphenyl)benzene (PF-10Y). Organic light-emitting diodes were fabricated using these materials as the electron-transport layers. PF-13Y and -16Y are better electron transporters than PF-10Y. The electron mobilities of PF-10Y and Alq₃ were measured by the time-of-flight technique. PF-10Y showed higher electron mobilities (10⁻⁴ cm²/V s) and weaker electric field dependence compared with Alq₃.     

Preconcentration of silver(I), gold(III) and palladium(II) in sea water with p-dimethylaminobenzylidenerhodanine supported on silica gel

A water-insoluble chelating material, p-dimethylaminobenzylidenerhodanine on silica gel (DMABR—SG) is described for preconcentration of trace amounts of silver(I), gold(III) and palladium(II) from water samples. Radioactive tracers (^110mAg and ¹⁹⁵Au) were used to study the behavior of silver and gold; palladium was monitored spectrophotometrically as its 1-(2-pyridylazo)naphthol complex in chloroform. In batch experiments, silver was quantitatively retained on the DMABR—SG at acidities ranging from 1.7 M to pH 5, and gold from 3 M to pH 5; equilibrium was achieved within 1 min for both elements. From sea water, silver ion was completely retained at pH 1.0–6.5 and gold ion at pH 1.0–3.5. In the case of palladium, shaking for about 20 min was required for quantitative retention at pH 1.0–5.0 for aqueous solution and at pH 1.0–7.0 for sea water. The chelating capacity of the DMABR—SG was 23 μmol Ag, 11 μmol Au and 11 μmol Pd per g. Quantitative recovery of silver and gold on DMABR—SG columns from sea water was achieved at higher flow rates (1–2 l h^-1 and 2–3 l h^-1, respectively) than with other chelating resins, e.g., Chelex 100, palladium required slower flow rate (150 ml h^-1). Silver retained on the DMABR—SG column was completely eluted with 20 ml of 2.5% sodium thiosulfate solution but palladium remained on the column. Silver, gold and palladium were quantitatively eluted with 20 ml of 0.1% thiourea in 0.1 M hydrochloric acid.     

5,11-Diazadibenzo[hi,qr]tetracene: Synthesis,Properties, and Reactivity toward Nucleophilic Reagents

5,11-Diazadibenzo[hi,qr]tetracene was synthesized as a new nitrogen-substituted polycyclic heteroaromatic compound by Pd-catalyzed cycloisomerization of an alkyne precursor followed by oxidative cyclization with bis(trifluoroacetoxy)iodobenzene. The substitution of imine-type nitrogen atoms significantly enhanced its electron-accepting character and facilitated the direct nucleophilic addition of arylamines under strongly basic conditions to afford the desired amino-substituted products. The introduction of amino groups induced a remarkable red-shift in their absorption spectra; the tetrasubstituted product exhibited intense near-infrared absorbing property. Furthermore, the π-electronic system, which includes a redox-active 1,4-diazabutadiene moiety, underwent reversible interconversion to its corresponding reduced form upon reduction with NaBH₄ and aerobic oxidation.     

A novel synthesis of the carbapen-2-em derivatives

A new synthesis of the carbapen-2-em ring system, the basic nucleus of thienamycin and its relatives, is described.