Reconstruction of the Point-Spread Function of the Human Eye Using a New Phase-Retrieval Algorithm

The double-pass method is thought to obtain the point spread function (PSF) in human eyes based on two techniques: the symmetric double-pass method using the same pupil size and the asymmetric double-pass method using a different pupil size. The symmetric double-pass method provides autocorrelation of the retinal PSF and, thus, the modulation transfer function. The asymmetric double-pass method provides low-frequency partial-phase information and the partial phase-retrieval algorithm is applied to obtain the complete-phase information, and to estimate the PSF. The partial phase-retrieval algorithm is based on the iteration method proposed by Fineup and Kowalczyk and requires a lengthy computation. In this study, we propose a new high-speed phase-retrieval algorithm based on the property that the real and imaginary parts of optical transfer functions (OTFs) continuously change in value.     

Sonochemistry and its dosimetry

The effects of ultrasound originate primarily in acoustic cavitation. The cavitation bubbles collapse violently enough to lead to interesting chemical effects, known as sonochemistry. There is a great need to relate the efficiency of sonochemical reaction to the energy of ultrasonic irradiation used to produce them. In this paper, three OH radical dosimeters, Fricke dosimeter, terephthalate dosimeter, and iodide dosimeter, are compared from the analytical point of view. The dosimeters based on photometry, i.e., Fricke and iodide, produced reliable and reproducible results, but the sensitivity is not enough for special applications, such as chemical monitoring of single bubble cavitation. The dosimeter based on fluorometry, terephthalate dosimeter, offered high sensitivity, 1.2×10¹¹ molecules ml⁻¹. The effects of some experimental parameters in sonochemistry, i.e., solution temperature and the dissolved gas species, were evaluated with the dosimeters.     

One-step synthesis of 4-aminodihydrobenzofurans and 4-hydroxyindoles via dehydrogenation-heteromercuration of 2-alyl-3-aminocyclohexenones using mercury(II) acetate

On treatment of the 2-allyl-3-aminocyclohexenones with mercury(II) acetate, either sequence, dehydrogenation—oxymercuration or dehydrogenation—aminomercuration, occurred depending on the nature of the amino group in the substrate to yield the dihydrobenzofurans or indoles, respectively.     

Chiral β-dimethylaminoalkylphosphines. Highly efficient ligands for a nickel complex catalyzed asymmetric grignard cross-coupling reaction

Chiral β-dimethylaminoalkylphosphines were prepared starting with amino acids, (S)-alanine, (S)-phenylalanine, (R)-phenylglycine, (S)-valine, and (R)-tert-leucine. The chiral phosphines were found to be highly efficient ligands for a nickel catalyzed asymmetric Grignard cross-coupling reaction (38～94% optical yield).     

Vinyl polymerization. CCCXXXIX. Effect of chain length of nylon 3 on the polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated with the system of nylon 3, copper(II) ion,and water

It was found recently that the system of nylon 3, copper(II) ion, and water could initiate a radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate(MMA). In the present paper, the effect of average chain length of the molecules of nylon 3 on the rate of polymerization of MMA was studied. The rate increased with the chain length of nylon 3. This result was explained well by the fact that the shorter nylon 3 forms a complex with copper (II) ion more easily than longer nylon 3. It was assumed that the shorter nylon 3 fills three or four coordination sites of copper(II) ion and loses the ability to initiate the polymerization. The efficiency of grafting of MMA and the degree of polymerization of MMA homopolymer were independent of the chain length of nylon 3.     

Mechanism of stereoregular polymerization of butadiene by homogeneous Ziegler-Natta catalysts. I. Effects of the species of transition metals

Butadiene was polymerized by catalysts of the type: metal acetylacetonate (metal: Ti to Ni in the periodic table)–triethylaluminum–aluminum halide, with various ratios of triethylaluminum to aluminum halide. The minimum cis content was observed with vanadium catalyst in all cases, while the minimum polymer yields were observed with the iron and the manganese catalysts. These transition metal effects are discussed in terms of the crystal field theory, and it is suggested that the electrostatic interaction between the nearly nonbonding electrons of transition metal atom and a butadiene molecule or a growing end of the polymeric chain plays an important role in the stereoregular polymerization of butadiene by homogeneous Ziegler-Natta catalysts.     

A new route to methyl (R,E)-(-)-tetradeca-2,4,5-trienoate (pheromone of Acanthoscelides obtectus) utilizing a palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allene formation reaction

[reaction: see text] A formal total synthesis of the sex attractant of male dried bean beetle, methyl (R,E)-(-)-tetradeca-2,4,5-trienoate, was achieved by a new efficient route utilizing the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allene synthesis reaction. It was found that the atropisomeric biaryl bisphosphine (R)-segphos showed better enantioselectivity than (R)-binap in the Pd-catalyzed reaction for preparing alkyl-substituted axially chiral allenes.     

Development of direct fluorination technology for application to materials for lithium battery

Direct fluorination of 1,3-dioxolan-2-one with elemental fluorine was successfully carried out to provide 4-fluoro-1,3-dioxolan-2-one, which was expected as an additive for lithium ion secondary battery. 4-Fluoro-1,3-dioxolan-2-one was also further fluorinated with elemental fluorine to give three isomers of difluoro derivatives by the same methodology. Another topic is the preparation of trifluoromethanesulfonyl fluoride, an intermediate of lithium battery electrolyte, by the reaction of methanesulfonyl fluoride with elemental fluorine. The use of perfluoro-2-methylpentane as a solvent gave satisfactory selectivity of trifluoromethanesulfonyl fluoride.     

Syntheses and electrical conductivity of polyamides containing tetrathiafulvalene moieties in the main chain

Novel polyamides that contain tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) moieties were synthesized by direct polycondensation of Δ^2,2′ -bi-1,3-dithiole-4,4′(5′)-dicarboxylic acid with aromatic diamines in the presence of triphenylphosphine, hexachloroethane, and pyridine. Complexes of these polyamides with bromine were TTF cation radical () salts which resulted from the charge transfer of TTF moieties to bromine. The electrical conductivity of undoped polyamides increased with a decrease in diamine length. By doping the bromine the conductivity of the polyamides was enhanced by 3–5 orders of magnitude and reached 10^?5–;10^?9S cm^?1. Maximum conductivity was observed at the doping ratio of [Br]/[repeat unit] < 1. The electrical conduction in the bromine complexes may be attributed to the hopping of odd electrons of between TTF moieties.