Depth estimation of protoporphyrin IX objects in turbid media considering the fluorescence intensity ratio between two wavelengths of light for application in invasion diagnosis of gastric cancer

Optical Review - This paper demonstrates a method to estimate the depth of a fluorescence object in turbid media using dual-wavelength excited photodynamic diagnosis, to aid in the invasion depth...     

PEO-based composite lithium polymer electrolyte, PEO-BaTiO3-Li(C2F5SO2)2N

Polyethylene oxide (PEO) based polymer electrolytes with BaTiO₃ as filler and Li(C₂F₅SO₂)₂N as salt have been examined in lithium polymer batteries. The aluminum disolution potential in PEO-Li(C₂F₅SO₂)₂N was estimated to be 4.1 V vs. Li/Li⁺ at 80 °C, which was compared to that of 3.8 V vs. Li/Li⁺ in PEO-Li(CF₃SO₂)₂N. The electrical conductivity of the system was measured as a function of O/Li ratio. The highest conductivity was observed in O/Li=8. The conductivity was 1.65×10⁻³ S/cm at 80 °C and 1.5×10⁻⁵ S/cm at 25 °C. The interfacial resistance of Li/polymer electrolyte/Li annealed at 80 °C for 15 days was lower than 100 Ωcm². Paper presented at the 8th EuroConference on Ionics, Carvoeiro, Algarve, Portugal, Sept. 16 – 22, 2001.     

Base-free oxidative homocoupling of arylboronic esters

Base-free oxidative homocoupling reaction of arylboronic esters has been found to proceed using a catalytic amount of a palladium-1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (DPPP) complex under an oxygen atmosphere, affording a variety of biaryls in modest to excellent yields. Even arylboronic esters bearing a base-sensitive functional group are applicable to the reaction.     

Novel method to control release of lipophilic drugs with high potency from silicone

Silicone has been utilized as a carrier material for sustained release system of lipophilic drugs. Extensive studies revealed that drug release rate is influenced by factors such as physicochemical properties of the drug and additives.(1-5)) When a lipophilic drug is highly potent at low concentrations, the drug release rate should be strictly controlled so as to avoid side effects. In this study, using vitamin D(3) (VD(3)) as an example of such drugs, we investigated novel method to suppress initial burst and to modify drug release rate from silicone matrix. As a result, it was found that (a). addition of human serum albumin (HSA) suppressed initial burst and enhanced release rate in the later stage, resulting constant release of VD(3), (b). covering a matrix formulation with a membrane of low diffusivity (core-rod formulation) suppressed initial burst and released drug in a constant rate, and (3) using materials for which the drug has high affinity as dissolution solvent (reservoir formulation), the drug release rate was reduced.     

Interconversion behavior of the C-H bond in the CH4+ radical cation: ab initio molecular dynamics study

Thermal motion of CH4+ is investigated by performing an ab initio molecular dynamics method with the second-order M?ller-Plesset (MP2)/6-311G** force field. In the trajectories obtained at 400 K, we have observed rapid interconversion behavior of the geometrical parameters of CH4+ with the frequency of 0.6/ps, where the C-H pair forming the small angle around 55 degrees is switched to another pair on subpicosecond time scale. The switching patterns are found to be classified into the following two types. Type 1: one C-H of the small angled C-H pair is switched to one C-H of the other C-H pair. Type 2: the small angled C-H pair is switched to the other C-H pair, which has been newly observed in the present ab initio MD calculation. The four C-H bonds of CH4+ are characterized by the long and short C-H bonds in a time region of the trajectories, and also for the time-evolution of C-H bonds such interconversion behavior is observed. The switching patterns of the geometrical parameters are compared with those in the interconversion scheme between six equivalent C2v symmetry structures of CH4+ [Paddon-Row, M. N. et al., J Am Chem Soc 1985, 107, 7696]. We have also investigated the electronic energy fluctuation due to thermal motion of CH4+. The standard deviation of total electronic energy at 400 K is evaluated to be 1.2 kcal/mol.     

1,6-dihydro-3(2H)-pyridinones as synthetic intermediates. Total synthesis of (±)-tecomanine

The first and stereoselective total synthesis of (±)-tecomanine ($\text{1}$) has been achieved from ethyl 1,6-dihydro-3(2H)-pyridinone-1-carboxylate ($\text{2}$) as a synthon.     

Photochemical valence tautomerization of berberinephenolbetaines to 8,14-cycloberbines,versatile aziridine derivatives for spirobenzylisoquinolines

Irradiation of the berberinephenolbetaines ($\text{8}$$\text{a}$, $\text{8}$$\text{b}$, and $\text{8}$$\text{c}$) effected valence tautomerization to give the 8,14-cycloberbines ($\text{9}$$\text{a}$, $\text{9}$$\text{b}$, and $\text{9}$$\text{c}$), the aziridine derivatives, in high yield. The 8,14-cycloberbines were efficiently converted to the spirobenzylisoquinolines by regioselective C bond cleavage.     

A dynamic free-entry oligopoly with sluggish entry and exit adjustments

We study a dynamic free-entry oligopoly with sluggish entry and exit of firms under general demand and cost functions. We show that the number of firms in a steady-state open-loop solution for a dynamic free-entry oligopoly is smaller than that at static equilibrium and that the number of firms in a steady-state memoryless closed-loop solution is larger than that in an open-loop solution.