1′-Carbopalladated-4-ferrocenyl-1,3-oxazolines as catalysts for Heck reactions: Further evidence in support of the Pd(0)/Pd(II) mechanism

1′-Carbopalladated complexes derived from 4-ferrocenyl-1,3-oxazolines are reported in this paper as efficient catalysts for the Heck coupling of iodo- and bromoarenes with alkenes. Experimental evidence points out strongly towards the involvement of a Pd(0)/Pd(II) catalytic cycle in the mechanism of the reaction. For the first time, the disassembly of the carbopalladated complex via coupling with the olefin in a non-catalytic Heck reaction has been demonstrated to be the origin of the release of Pd(0) from the palladacycle carrier.     

Titanium Carbide MXene as a Mode Locker in Erbium-Doped Fiber Laser Cavity

Journal of Russian Laser Research - We propose a MXene Ti3C2Tx thin-film and demonstrate as saturable absorber (SA) to generate mode-locked laser pulses. In constructing the SA, titanium carbide...     

Q-Switched Fiber Laser with a Hafnium-Bismuth-Erbium Codoped Fiber as Gain Medium and Sb2Te3 as Saturable Absorber

Journal of Russian Laser Research - We successfully demonstrate Q-switched fiber laser with a 20 cm long Hafnium-Bismuth-Erbium codoped fiber (HBEDF) as an active medium in conjunction with...     

Pharmacokinetic parameters as a potential predictor of response to pharmacotherapy in benign prostatic hyperplasia: a preclinical trial using dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI

We sought to assess the possibility of using pharmacokinetic parameters as a predictor of response to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) pharmacotherapy via a randomized, placebo-controlled, animal preclinical trial using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI). Twelve male beagles with BPH were enrolled in a preclinical experimental drug trial and divided into two randomized groups with six beagles each: one drug (finasteride) group and one placebo (control) group. Two baseline MRI examinations and three follow-ups during treatment were performed on a clinical 1.5-T MRI system using axial T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance images for prostate volume measurement and DCE-MRI for the assessment of prostate microcirculation. A total of 0.2 mmol/kg body weight of the Gd-based contrast agent was administered with an injection rate of 0.2 ml/s. The pharmacokinetic parameters, maximum enhancement ratio (MER), transfer constant and rate constant, were assessed to characterize the microcirculation in the parenchymal zone. The time-signal intensity curve from the external iliac artery was used as the arterial input function. The correlation between baseline evaluations (prostate volume and pharmacokinetic parameters) and therapy-induced prostate volume changes under finasteride treatment were assessed. The changes in prostate volume at the end of the trial exhibited a significant linear correlation to the initial parenchymal MER (P < .02) in the finasteride group. Larger prostate volume reductions coincided with smaller initial parenchymal MER. These findings show considerable promise of using parenchymal MER as a predictor of response to BPH pharmacotherapy with finasteride.     

An efficient, general synthesis of racemic 2-substituted ferrocenecarboxaldehydes

A straightforward, high-yielding route to racemic 2-substituted ferrocenecarboxaldehydes has been developed. The synthesis involves the ortho-lithiation/electrophilic quenching of readily accessible 2-ferrocenyl-4,4-dimethyloxazoline (2c), followed by N-methylation, sodium borohydride-mediated reduction, and acidic hydrolysis.