Effects of solvent in photo-induced graft copolymerization of vinyl monomers on cellulose

The effects of swelling of the sample and polymerization solvents were studied for photo-induced graft copolymerization of vinyl monomers on cellulose. The graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was activated by swelling of the sample or organic solvent-water solutions within a certain range of their concentrations. Though each organic solvent gave a maximum in per cent grafting and the number of grafts at about 25 vol-% concentration, the initiation reaction scarcely took place at 100% concentration; thus, the solvent itself is considered to have a negative effect. The solvents used in the experiments were all hydrophilic, such as methanol, acetone, and dioxane. The average molecular weight of the grafted PMMA differed in each solvent, indicating a different characteristic effect of solvent on the growing grafted polymer radicals. The presence of ferric ion as a sensitizer stimulated further the contributions of the sample swelling and the organic solvents to the copolymerization reaction. A similar effect was observed for styrene as for MMA, but not for acrylic acid and methacrylic acid.     

Universal Functions on Complex General Linear Groups

In 1929, Birkhoff proved the existence of an entire function F on with the property that for any entire function f there exists a sequence {a_k} of complex numbers such that {F(ζ+a_k)} converges to f (ζ) uniformly on compact sets. Luh proved a variant of Birkhoff's theorem and the second author proved a theorem analogous to that of Luh for the multiplicative group *. In this paper extensions of the above results to the multi-dimensional case are proved. Let M(n,  ) be the set of all square matrices of degree n with complex coefficients, and let G=GL(n,  ) be the general linear group of degree n over . We denote by (G) the set of all holomorphic functions on G. Similarly, we define ( ). Let K be the (G)-hull of a compact set K in G. Finally we denote by B(G) the set of all compact subsets K of G with K=K such that there exists a holomorphic function f on M(n,  ) with f(0)(f(K)), where (f(K)) is the ( )-hull of f(K). Our main result is the following. There exists a holomorphic function F on G such that for any KB(G), for any function f holomorphic in some neighbourhood of K, and for any >0, there exists CG with max_ZK |F(CZ)−f(Z)|<.     

Selective chemiluminescence method for monitoring of vitamin K homologues in rheumatoid arthritis patients

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin involved in blood coagulation and bone metabolism. The detection and monitoring of vitamin K homologues in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients is a challenging problem due to the smaller concentrations of vitamin K and the presence of several interfering medications. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a new highly sensitive and selective chemiluminescence (CL) method designated to quantify vitamin K homologues in plasma of RA patients including phylloquinone (PK, vitamin K₁), menaquinone-4 (MK-4, vitamin K₂) and menaquinone-7 (MK-7, vitamin K₂). The method was based on the unique photochemical properties of vitamin K homologues that were exploited for selective luminol CL reaction. The correlation coefficients of 0.998 or more were obtained in the concentration ranges of 0.1-100 ng mL⁻¹ vitamin K homologues. The detection limits were 0.03-0.1 ng mL⁻¹ in human plasma for vitamin K homologues. The developed HPLC-CL system was successfully applied for selective determination of vitamin K homologues in plasma of RA patients. The developed method may provide a useful tool for monitoring vitamin K homologues in different clinical studies such as RA, osteoporosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in which vitamin K is intervented.     

Asymmetric strecker reaction of aldimines using aqueous potassium cyanide by phase-transfer catalysis of chiral quaternary ammonium salts with a tetranaphthyl backbone

The phase-transfer-catalyzed, highly enantioselective cyanation of aldimines using aqueous KCN has been realized based on the molecular design of chiral quaternary ammonium iodide 2c bearing a stereochemically defined tetranaphthyl backbone. For example, vigorous stirring of a mixture of cyclohexanecarboxaldimine (R = c-Hex) and (R,R,R)-2c (1 mol %) in toluene-KCN aqueous solution (1.5 equiv) at 0 degrees C for 2 h gave rise to the corresponding protected amino nitrile (R = c-Hex) in 89% yield with 95% ee. A wide range of aliphatic aldimines, including those having alpha-tert-alkyl substituents, is tolerated by the present system. This study represents a novel approach for the asymmetric Strecker-type reactions, which utilizes chiral phase-transfer catalysts for practical access to various unusual, optically pure alpha-amino acids.     

Preparation of finely dispersed O/W emulsion from fatty acid solubilized in subcritical water

A novel method for preparing a finely dispersed oil-in-water emulsion is proposed. Octanoic acid dissolved in water at a high temperature of 220 or 230 degrees C at 15 MPa was combined with an aqueous solution of a surfactant and then the mixture was cooled. When a nonionic surfactant, decaglycerol monolaurate (ML-750) or polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate (Tween 20), was used, fine emulsions with a median oil droplet diameter of 100 nm or less were successfully prepared at ML-750 and Tween 20 concentrations of 0.083% (w/v) and 0.042%, respectively, or higher. The diameters were much smaller than those of oil droplets prepared by the conventional homogenization method using a rotor/stator homogenizer. However, an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate, was not adequate for the preparation of such fine emulsions by the proposed method. Although the interfacial tensions between octanoic acid and the surfactant solutions were measured at different temperatures, they were not an indication for selecting a surfactant for the successful preparation of the fine emulsion by the proposed method.     

Liquid chromatographic determination of polyamines in human urine based on intramolecular excimer-forming fluorescence derivatization using 4-(1-pyrene)butanoyl chloride

A liquid chromatographic method for highly sensitive and selective fluorometric determination of polyamines (putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine and spermine) in human urine is described. This method is based on an intramolecular excimer-forming fluorescence derivatization with a pyrene reagent, 4-(1-pyrene)butanoyl chloride (PBC), followed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography. The method offers higher sensitivity for determination of spermidine and spermine than previously reported method utilizing 4-(1-pyrene)butyric acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester as a derivatization reagent. Samples containing free polyamines in diluted human urine were directly derivatized with PBC and separated on an octyl column. The derivatives were detected at excitation 345 and emission 475 nm wavelengths. For determination of total polyamine content, the conjugated polyamines were first hydrolyzed in 4 M HCl. The detection limits (signal-to-noise ratio = 3) for polyamines in urine were 1.1-3.4 pmol/mL. At optimized derivatization and chromatographic conditions, interferences such as biogenic monoamines gave no peaks or the peaks did not interfere with the peaks of polyamine derivatives. In conclusion, the present derivatization method allows direct determination of polyamines in human urine samples without the need for sample clean-up procedures.     

Holomorphic sections of line bundles over (H,C)-groups

Using an analogue of the refined Chern class, we study holomorphic sections of line bundles over an (H,C)-group. As an application we get that every meromorphically separable (H,C)-group is quasi-abelian.     

On an integrable discretization of integrable systems with a separatrix

An integrable time-discretization of integrable Hamiltonian systems with a separatrix is considered being based on Hirota's bilinear formalism. It is proved that a discrete-time simple pendulum has a complete set of exact solutions, a conserved quantity and a separatrix. The value of the conserved quantity which characterizes the separatrix is remarkably congruent with the value of the continuous-time Hamiltonian. A discrete-time anharmonic oscillator is also shown to have the same property.     

New,improved procedure for the synthesis of structurally diverse N-spiro C2-symmetric chiral quaternary ammonium bromides

Selective, direct ortho magnesiation of (S)-2,2'-bis(isopropoxycarbonyl)-1,1'-binaphthyl (6) has been achieved under mild conditions, using magnesium bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperamide) [Mg(TMP)(2)]. In combination with the subsequent reaction with the appropriate electrophiles, bromine and iodine, this method constitutes a key step in establishing a new and concise synthetic route to a wide variety of N-spiro C(2)-symmetric chiral quaternary ammonium bromides of type 1.