A new method for atmospheric nitrogen dioxide measurements using the combination of a stripping coil and fluorescence detection.

A new stripping coil for the collection of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) has been developed to increase its versatility and efficiency. Nitrogen dioxide measurements based on quantitative collection through a reaction coil into an alkaline solution has been examined. Nitrogen dioxide is collected in a 0.1 N NaOH solution. This collection system has an efficiency of nearly 100%. The absorbed nitrogen dioxide has been measured by fluorescence detection with sub-ppbv detection limits. The excitation wavelength at 360 nm and the produced emission wavelength at 405 nm were suitable for nitrite ion measurements.     

Carbonyl allylations by 3-halopropenes or 2-propenyl mesylate with tin(IV) chloride and tetrabutylammonium iodide

2-Propenyl tin species, prepared from 3-halopropenes or 2-propenyl mesylate with tin(IV) chloride and tetrabutylammonium iodide in dichloromethane, causes nucleophilic addition to aldehydes to produce the corresponding homoallylic alcohols.     

Establishment of hybrid-derived offspring populations in the Ohomopterus ground beetles through unidirectional hybridization

An approach to deduce the mechanism of stabilization of the hybrid-derived populations in the Ohomopterus ground beetles has been made by comparative studies on the phylogenetic trees of the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA. A phylogenetic tree based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal gene roughly reflects the relations of morphological species group, while mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (ND5) gene shows a considerable different topology on the tree; there exist several geographically-linked lineages, most of which consist of more than one species. These results suggest that the replacement of mitochondria has occurred widely in the Ohomopterus species. In most cases, hybridization is unidirectional, i.e., the species A (♂) hybridized with another species B (♀) and not vice versa, with accompanied replacement of mitochondria of A by those of B. The results also suggest that partial or complete occupation of the distribution territory by a hybrid-derived morphological species. The morphological appearance of the resultant hybrid-derivatives are recognized as that of the original species A. Emergence of a morphological new species from a hybrid-derived population has been exemplified.     

Pharmacokinetics of brain natriuretic peptide in rats.

The pharmacokinetics of rat brain natriuretic peptide (rBNP) was compared with that of alpha-rat atrial natriuretic peptide (alpha-rANP) in rats. After intravenous infusion in rats (600 pmol min-1kg-1 for 2 min), the disappearance of plasma rBNP was 4-fold slower than that of alpha-rANP. The estimated mean plasma clearance rates for rBNP and alpha-rANP were 45.9 ml min-1kg-1 and 74.4 ml min-1kg-1, respectively. The affinity of rBNP for the clearance receptor or degradation enzyme was considered to be lower than that of alpha-rANP.     

Thermodynamically stable vesicle formation from glycolipid biosurfactant sponge phase

Thermodynamically stable vesicle (L(alpha1)) formation from glycolipid biosurfactant sponge phase (L(3)) and its mechanism were investigated using a "natural" biocompatible mannosyl-erythritol lipid-A (MEL-A)/L-alpha-dilauroylphosphatidylcholine (DLPC) mixture by varying the composition. The trapping efficiency for calcein and turbidity measurements clearly indicated the existence of three regions: while the trapping efficiencies of the mixed MEL-A/DLPC assemblies at the compositions with X(DLPC)< or =0.1 or X(DLPC)> or =0.8 were almost zero, the mixed assemblies at the compositions with 0.1 or =0.8 were multilamellar vesicles (L(alpha)) with diameter from 2 to 10 microm. Meanwhile, dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurement revealed that the average size of the vesicles at the composition of X(DLPC)=0.3 was 633.2 nm, which is remarkably small compared to other compositions. Moreover, the mixed vesicle solution at the composition of X(DLPC)=0.3 was slightly bluish and turbid and kept its dispersion stability at 25 degrees C for more than 3 months, indicating the formation of a thermodynamically stable vesicle (L(alpha1)). These results exhibited the formation of a thermodynamically stable vesicle (L(alpha1)) with a high dispersibility from the MEL-A/DLPC mixture. The asymmetric distribution of MEL-A and DLPC in the two vesicle monolayers caused by the difference in geometrical structures is very likely to have changed their self-assembled structure from a sponge phase (L(3)) to a thermodynamically stable vesicle (L(alpha1)).     

4,7‐Diiodo‐2,1,3‐benzothiadiazole and 7,7′‐diiodo‐4,4′‐bi(2,1,3‐benzothiadiazole)

In the crystal structures of the title compounds, C₆H₂I₂N₂S, (I), and C₁₂H₄I₂N₄S₂, (II), respectively, a large number of short inter‐heteroatom contacts, such as S?N, I?I and N?I, are observed. In (II), which is non‐centrosymmetric, two halves of the mol­ecule are related by a crystallographic twofold axis.     

Synthesis of two naturally occurring 3-methyl-2,5-dihydro-1-benzoxepin carboxylic acids

[structures: see text] Two naturally occurring 3-methyl-2,5-dihydro-1-benzoxepin carboxylic acids, 6-hydroxy-3-methyl-8-(phenylethyl)-2,5-dihydro-1-benzoxepin-9-carboxylic acid (radulanin E) (1) and 9-hydroxy-3-methyl-2,5-dihydro-1-benzoxepin-7-carboxylic acid (2), were synthesized using Stille coupling followed by Mitsunobu cyclization.