An NAD+-type earth-abundant metal complex enabling photo-driven alcohol oxidation.

For the first time, an NAD+-type earth-abundant metal complex [Zn(pbn)2(H2O)](ClO4)2 (1) was found to exhibit photo-induced oxidizing ability to convert various primary and secondary alcohols to the corresponding aldehyde and ketone compounds. In addition, a two-electron-reduced Zn(II) complex [Zn(pbnH-pbnH)(ClO4)2] (1red) comprising the novel C-C coupling ligand, obtained by the photo-induced oxidation of alcohols by 1, was successfully isolated and completely characterized. We clarified that the photochemical oxidation of alcohols by 1 to produce 1red proceeds via an electron transfer followed by proton transfer mechanism as elucidated by kinetic analysis on the basis of absorption spectroscopic measurements.

Isolation of influenza A H1N2 viruses from an outbreak in Yokohama City during the 2001-2002 influenza season in Japan.

Emergence of Influenza A H1N2 viruses was documented worldwide during the 2001-2002 influenza season. In Japan, H1N2 viruses were isolated from two students of a junior high school in an influenza outbreak in Yokohama City, February 2001. Genetic and antigenic analyses demonstrated that the H1N2 viruses isolated in Japan shared common features with those isolated in other countries.