Organocatalytic Stereoselective Decarboxylative Addition of α-Amido Malonic Acid Half Oxyesters to Isatins

The stereoselective reaction of α-amido-substituted malonic acid half oxyesters (α-amido-MAHOs) with isatins was developed. A cinchona alkaloid thiourea catalyst gave products bearing a tetrasubstituted stereogenic centre in high yields with high diastereo- and enantioselectivities (75–99% yield, 83:17–97:3 dr, 92:8–99:1 er). The obtained products can be converted into some chiral compounds without loss of enantiopurity. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were conducted to clarify the origin of stereoselectivities, and suggested that the first stereogenic centre is set in the decarboxylation, the second in the protonation.     

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis effectively treated with itraconazole

A 23-year-old man with bronchial asthma presented with fever, cough, and sputum. A chest X-ray examination showed pulmonary infiltrations in the left upper and lower lung fields with central bronchiectasis. Although his temperature came down with antibiotics, pulmonary infiltrations persisted with cough and sputum. Following bronchoscopy and an allergological examination, the patient was given a diagnosis of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) based on Rosenberg's criteria, including peripheral blood eosinophilia, a high serum IgE level, immediate skin reaction to Aspergillus antigen, positive precipitating antibodies, and Aspergillus fumigatus in sputum. The patient was treated with itraconazole instead of corticosteroids. His respiratory symptoms, eosinophilia, and pulmonary infiltration then disappeared, and his IgE serum level gradually decreased. An antifungal agent alone was effective in treating this ABPA patient.     

Development of power system reliability analysis program with consideration of system operation

This paper describes a new program which analyzes the reliability of composite power systems with consideration of power system operational aspects. It uses the sequential Monte Carlo method and calculates annual risk indices for each load point. The program deals with the system problems involved in load flow, voltage, frequency, and small‐signal stability if necessary. The distinctive feature of the program is consideration of power system operation in a sequential manner, such as generation dispatch and system restoration after equipment failure. This makes possible the evaluation of both power system planning and operation from the reliability point of view. Several new methods of reducing calculation time are developed and implemented, including the concurrent LP/load flow method, which improves solvability. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 153(4): 20–31, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20138     

Induction of subcutaneous tissue fibrosis in newborn mice by transforming growth factor beta--simultaneous application with basic fibroblast growth factor causes persistent fibrosis

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of serum P on endometrial histology in stimulated cycles. DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. SETTING: Community hospital-based donor oocyte program. PATIENT(S): Fertile young oocyte donors and infertile donor oocyte recipients. INTERVENTION(S): Oocyte donors underwent gonadotropin stimulation after midluteal pituitary suppression. Endometrial biopsies were obtained at the time of oocyte retrieval. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Endometrial histology and serum P levels in oocyte donors. Pregnancy and implantation rates in oocyte recipients. RESULT(S): Thirteen biopsy specimens (52.0%) showed in-phase mixed proliferative pattern (days 14 to 15), whereas 12 (48.0%) were secretory (days 16 to 17). On the day of hCG, subjects with secretory endometrium had higher P of 1.7 ng/mL (5.4 nmol/L) than women with the mixed pattern (0.8 ng/mL [2.5 nmol/L]). Progesterone > or = 0.9 ng/mL had a 78.6% positive predictive value for secretory transformation. In 75.0% of cycles with secretory endometrium, P was > or = 0.9 ng/mL, (2.9 nmol/L) as early as 2 days before hCG. Both mixed and secretory patterns were associated with similar clinical pregnancy rates (57.1% and 60.0%, respectively) and delivery rates (38.1% and 50.0%, respectively) in recipients. CONCLUSION(S): Subtle elevation of P induced secretory endometrial transformation without reduction in embryo viability.     

An image sensor which captures 100 consecutive frames at 1000000 frames/s

An image sensor for a video camera of 1000000 frames per second (fps) was developed. The specifications of the developed sensor are as follows: 1) frame rate: 1000000 fps; 2) pixel count: 81 120 (=312/spl times/260) pixels; 3) total number of successive frames: 103 frames; 4) gray levels: 10 b; and 5) open area of each pixel (fill factor): 580 square micrometers (13%). The overwriting function is installed for synchronization of image capturing with occurrence of the target event. Sensitivity is significantly high with the large photogate. Some innovative technologies were introduced to achieve ultrahigh performance, including slanted linear CCD in situ storage, curving design procedure, and a CCD switch with fewer metal shunting wires. They are applicable to the development of other new high-performance image sensors.     

Corrosion of carbon steel through a thin film of solution

The corrosion phenomena of carbon steel covered with a thin film of solution were examined by using a vertical rotating disk electrode dipped partially in the corroding solution. The diffusion rate of oxygen through the thin film of solution, obtained from the cathodic polarization curve, was the rate-determining step of the corrosion process. This rate was much larger than that through the bulk solution. The effect of carbon content in the steel on the corrosion is discussed and the corrosion of the steel containing copper is also discussed.     

Preparation and Properties of Aramid Copolymers Derived from 3,4'-ODA, 4,4'-ODA, IPC and TPC

Two series of wholly aromatic copolyamides (aramid copolymers) derived from (3-aminophenyl) (4-aminophenyl) ether (3,4'-ODA), bis(4-aminophenyl)ether(4,4'-ODA), isophthaloyl chloride (IPC), and terephthaloyl chloride (TPC), having inherent viscosity of 0.63-1.41 dL·g^-1 were synthesized. The thermal and mechanical properties of the cast films were investigated for application as hot-melt adhesives. When the aramid 341 composed of 3,4'-ODA and IPC was used, the value of adhesive joint strength at 20°C was 8.4 MPa and this value was maintained even at 230°C. And when 20 mol % of 3,4'-ODA were replaced by 4,4'-ODA, the value of adhesive joint strength at 20°C was a maximum, 16 MPa.     

Antigen specificity of antihistone antibodies in systemic sclerosis

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and clinical significance of antibodies to individual histone components in systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: Serum samples from patients with limited cutaneous SSc (lSSc; n = 42) and diffuse cutaneous SSc (dSSc; n = 28) were examined for IgG and/or IgM antibodies to individual histone components and complexes by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The level of IgG antibody to total histones was significantly higher in lSSc and dSSc than in normal controls. The level of IgM antibody to total histones was significantly higher in lSSc, but not in dSSc, than in normal controls. IgG antibody to total histones tended to be increased in dSSc when compared with that in lSSc. On the other hand, IgM antibody to total histones tended to be increased in lSSc when compared with that in dSSc. Although SSc showed various antihistone specificities, H2B, H2A-H2B, (H2A-H2B)-dsDNA were main antigens recognised by IgG antibodies in both lSSc and dSSc. Although IgM antibodies to H2B and H2A-H2B were also detected in both lSSc and dSSc, serum samples from lSSc patients exhibited highest IgM reactivity with H1. CONCLUSION: SSc may be included among conditions in which heterogeneous antihistone antibodies are produced. IgM antibodies to the most accessible histone H1 may be related to mild clinical features (lSSc) and IgG antibodies to the inner core molecules of native histone such as H2B or complexes including H2B may be associated with severe clinical features (dSSc) in Ssc.     

Formation of a high polymer of acrylamide by utilizing Kolbe's electrolysis

During the electro-initiated polymerization of acrylamide by utilizing Kolbe's electrolysis as a source of free radicals in an aqueous solution of acetic acid and potassium acetate, only an oligomer with a molecular weight of 4000–6000 was obtained. However, by the addition of ferric ion, a high-polymer with a molecular weight of a few millions was obtained. The effective action of ferric ions was retarded by the presence of ferrous ion and a large amount of chloride ion. The optimum amount of ferric ion for the formation of high-polymer and the effects and roles of various ions on the process of polymerization are discussed.     

A 3.5 V, 1.3 W GaAs power multi-chip IC for cellular phones

A GaAs power multi-chip IC (MCIC) operable at a voltage of 3.5 V designed for cellular phones has been developed. The MCIC is able to deliver an output power of 1.3 W with a power-added efficiency of 60% in a frequency range from 890 to 950 MHz. This consists of two GaAs MESFET's, three GaAs passive matching chips, and a printed circuit board on which biasing networks are disposed. These are mounted on an aluminum nitride (AlN) package, occupying a half volume of conventional power hybrid IC's, i.e., only 0.4 cc. In order to improve the low voltage operation characteristics, a GaAs power MESFET operable at a low voltage of 3.5 V with an output power of 32 dBm and a power-added efficiency of 65% is developed, and microstrip lines having high impedance characteristics are incorporated also in order to minimize the conductor loss of matching network. The MCIC would be highly useful to develop compact cellular phones with advanced characteristics