Preparation and certification of the new reference materials; plastics (disk form, JSAC 0621-0625) for determination of mercury using x-ray fluorescent analysis.

The Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry has developed some new plastic certified reference materials (CRMs) for the analysis of mercury in polyester disks using XRF analysis. These CRMs (named as JSAC 0621-0625) were prepared by casting polyesters including a toluene solution of organometallic compounds as a standard. Concentrations of the five levels of mercury ranged from 0 to 250 mg/kg. Homogeneity tests of prepared disks had shown excellent results. Interlaboratory comparison study for the certification was performed by 15 laboratory participants. The z-scores in robust statistical method was applied for the evaluation of outliers. The certified values were assigned after discarding outliers. The uncertainties of certified values were determined as the confidence levels of 95%.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of new psi[(E)-CH=CMe]- and psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-type alkene dipeptide isosteres by organocopper reagents and application to conformationally restricted cyclic RGD peptidomimetics

Diastereoselective synthesis of new psi[(E)-CH=CMe]- and psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-type alkene dipeptide isosteres corresponding to dipeptides having one N-methylamino acid, and application to bioactive peptides, are described. In a key reaction introducing the chiral alpha-alkyl group of the isosteres, organocopper-mediated alkylation of syn-beta-methylated gamma-mesyloxy-alpha,beta-enoate 26a afforded E- and Z-isomers of anti-S(N)2' products in a solvent-dependent manner. The resulting two isosteres, D-Phe-psi[(E)-CH=CMe]-L-Val 27a and D-Phe-psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-L-Val 28b, which corresponded to trans- and cis-conformers of D-Phe-L-MeVal, respectively, were utilized in a structure-activity relationship study on cyclic RGD peptides 1 and 2, in company with a psi[(E)-CH=CH]-type alkene dipeptide isostere, D-Phe-psi[(E)-CH=CH]-L-Val. The cyclic isostere-containing pseudopeptides 3, 4, and 40 were synthesized and biological activity against integrin alpha(V)beta(3) and alpha(IIb)beta(3) receptors were also evaluated.     

A study of embolizing materials for chemo-embolization therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma: embolic effect of cisplatin albumin microspheres using chitin and chitosan in dogs, and changes of cisplatin content in blood and tissue.

Hepatic artery of dogs was embolized with cisplatin (CDDP) albumin microspheres containing chitin and chitosan to investigate the in vivo CDDP release kinetics from CDDP albumin microspheres, the CDDP cumulative characteristics in the liver, and the influence of microsphere administration on hepatic tissue. Results showed that changes in blood CDDP content were dependent on CDDP albumin microsphere type and that release kinetics were better sustained when chitin was added to the microspheres or when the microspheres were treated with chitosan. In particular, the administration of CDDP in the chitin-containing CDDP chitosan albumin microspheres showed a blood CDDP content of approximately 0.26 micrograms Pt/ml 14 d after administration. The administration of chitin-containing or chitosan treated CDDP microspheres showed a CDDP content in the hepatic tissue of 0.14 to 0.23 micrograms Pt/g 28 d after administration. They also showed better control of CDDP release than those without chitin or chitosan treatment. No CDDP influence on hepatic tissue was observed. We conclude that, even in vivo, chitin and chitosan are effective embolic materials.     

Optical studies of pulsed-laser fragmentation of biliary calculi

The fragmentation of gallstones and kidney stones using pulsed visible laser radiation has recently been demonstrated; however, the fragmentation mechanism is not well understood. The temporal and spectral characteristics of the bright flash of light accompanying fragmentation of gallstones were studied using 0.8 and 360-s-long, 690-nm-wavelength, dye-laser pulses. Time-resolved visible emission spectra show a broad continuum upon which line spectra are superimposed. The continuum emission is due to free-free and free-bound electron transitions indicative of a plasma and the line spectra are due to neutral and ionized calcium. Initiation of this plasma is fluence rather than intensity dependent. A model is proposed in which laser energy is coupled to the plasma, which then impulsively expands, generating intense acoustic transients which fracture the stone.     

Syntheses and thermal reactions of 2-alkyl(or aryl)-1-benzoyl-3,4-dihydro-2-thianaphthalenes

1-Benzoyl-2-methy1-3,4-dihydro-2-thianaphthalene ($\text{4a}$) underwent novel intermolecular 1,4-rearrangement in refluxing toluene to give an enol ether $\text{5a}$, while rearrangement of 2-phenyl derivative $\text{4e}$ proceeded intramolecularly in refluxing xylene to afford a 1,4-rearranged enol ether $\text{5b}$. On the other hand, ylides $\text{4a–e}$ were refluxed in alcohols to afford some ring-opened products $\text{10–12}$.