Recent advances in the iron-catalyzed C-C bond formation via polar reactions of alcohols with carbon-centered nucleophiles

We summarized here the recent developments in the iron-catalyzed C-C bond formation via the polar reactions of alcohols with various carbon-centered nucleophiles. It is composed of three sections according to the categories of the C-centered nucleophiles such as C(sp3), C(sp2), and C(sp).     

Influence of surface passivation on the minority carrier lifetime,Fe-B pair density and recombination center concentration

Three kinds of methods (0.08 mol/L iodine in ethanol, SiNx:H, and 40% HF) are used to passivate solar-grade Czochralski (Cz) silicon wafers. Thereafter, minority carrier lifetime and Fe-B pair density of the wafers are measured using the microwave pho-to-conductance decay (μ-PCD) technique. Based on the measured minority carrier lifetime, it is found that the passivation quality achieved by 0.08 mol/L iodine in ethanol is the best, while that by 40% HF solution is the worst. For the identical wafer, the density distribution of Fe-B pairs is different when different passivation methods are used. When the wafers are passivated by SiNx:H, there exists a close correlation between the distribution of minority carrier lifetime and the concentration distribution of Fe-B pairs. Furthermore, for wafers with high-quality passivation, there is a strong correlation between the recombination center concentration and the Fe-B pair density. All the analyses verify that the surface passivation quality of wafers influences the measurement results of minority carrier lifetime, Fe-B pair density and recombination center concentration.     

MEASUREMENTS OF THE BLOOD CAPILLARY PRESSURE AND ARTERIAL ELASTICITY

Describe some new fully automatic instruments for the measurements of the blood capillary pressure (Pcap) and arterial elastic properties in human fingers using a photoelectric plethysmographic technique. With these instruments, the value of Pcap was in good agreement with those reported by other investigators, the arterial elastic properties in human fingers have been successfully measured. The measurements of Peap and arterial elasticity are now required in clinics because they provide useful and important information for evaluating vascular haemodynamics.     

Reduced function and disassembled microtubules of cultured cardiomyocytes in spaceflight

Lack of gravity during spaceflight has profound effects on cardiovascular system, but little is known about how the cardiomyocytes respond to microgravity. In the present study, the effects of spaceflight on the structure and function of cultured cardiomyocytes were reported. The primary cultures of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were carried on Shenzhou-6 spacecraft and activated at 4 h in orbit. 8 samples were fixed respectively at 4, 48 and 96 h after launching for immunofluorescence of cytoskeleton, and 2 samples remained unfixed to analyze contractile and secretory functions of the cultures. Ground samples were treated in our laboratory in parallel. After 115 h spaceflight, video recordings displayed that the number of spontaneous beating sites in flown samples decreased significantly, and the cells in the beating aggregate contracted in fast frequency without synchrony. Radioimmunoassay of the medium showed that the atrial natriuretic peptide secreted from flown cells reduced by 59.6%. Confocal images demonstrated the time-dependant disassembly of mirotubules versus unchanged distribution and organization of microfilaments. In conclusion, above results indicate reduced function and disorganized cytoskeleton of cardiomyocytes in spaceflight, which might provide some cellular basis for further investigations to probe into the mechanisms underlying space cardiovascular dysfunction.