Pericyclic reactions in the synthesis of new 5-aryl-5,6-dihydroquinolino[2,1-b]quinazolin-12-ones

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Analyses of the TCR repertoire of MHC class II-restricted innate CD4+ T cells

Analysis of the T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire of innate CD4⁺ T cells selected by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-dependent thymocyte–thymocyte (T-T) interaction (T-T CD4⁺ T cells) is essential for predicting the characteristics of the antigens that bind to these T cells and for distinguishing T-T CD4⁺ T cells from other types of innate T cells. Using the TCR^mini Tg mouse model, we show that the repertoire of TCRα chains in T-T CD4⁺ T cells was extremely diverse, in contrast to the repertoires previously described for other types of innate T cells. The TCRα chain sequences significantly overlapped between T-T CD4⁺ T cells and conventional CD4⁺ T cells in the thymus and spleen. However, the diversity of the TCRα repertoire of T-T CD4⁺ T cells seemed to be restricted compared with that of conventional CD4⁺ T cells. Interestingly, the frequency of the parental OT-II TCRα chains was significantly reduced in the process of T-T interaction. This diverse and shifted repertoire in T-T CD4⁺ T cells has biological relevance in terms of defense against diverse pathogens and a possible regulatory role during peripheral T-T interaction.     

Fetal hematopoietic stem cells express MFG-E8 during mouse embryogenesis

The milk fat globule-EGF-factor 8 protein (MFG-E8) has been identified in various tissues, where it has an important role in intercellular interactions, cellular migration, and neovascularization. Previous studies showed that MFG-E8 is expressed in different cell types under normal and pathophysiological conditions, but its expression in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) during hematopoiesis has not been reported. In the present study, we investigated MFG-E8 expression in multiple hematopoietic tissues at different stages of mouse embryogenesis. Using immunohistochemistry, we showed that MFG-E8 was specifically expressed in CD34⁺ HSCs at all hematopoietic sites, including the yolk sac, aorta-gonad-mesonephros region, placenta and fetal liver, during embryogenesis. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting and polymerase chain reaction analyses demonstrated that CD34⁺ cells, purified from the fetal liver, expressed additional HSC markers, c-Kit and Sca-1, and that these CD34⁺ cells, but not CD34⁻ cells, highly expressed MFG-E8. We also found that MFG-E8 was not expressed in HSCs in adult mouse bone marrow, and that its expression was confined to F4/80⁺ macrophages. Together, this study demonstrates, for the first time, that MFG-8 is expressed in fetal HSC populations, and that MFG-E8 may have a role in embryonic hematopoiesis.     

Application of polymethyl methacrylate in cathode materials of lithium-ion batteries

A study of the Li₂FeSiO₄/C cathode material doped with Mn demonstrated that introduction of polymethyl methacrylate results in a substantial decrease in the particle size and increase in the specific surface area of the cathode material. Polymethyl methacrylate strongly improves the cyclic stability of the cathode material. The discharge capacity after the first cycle was 218 mA h g^–1, and that upon stabilization of the structure of the cathode material, 170 mA h g^–1.     

Integrated One‐Flow Synthesis of Heterocyclic Thioquinazolinones through Serial Microreactions with Two Organolithium Intermediates

The synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds via short‐lived intermediates in a microreactor is attractive, because of the fast flow and high throughput. Additionally, intermediates can be utilized sequentially to efficiently build up a library in a short time. Here we present an integrated microfluidic synthesis of biologically active thioquinazolinone libraries. Generation of o‐lithiophenyl isothiocyanate and subsequent reaction with aryl isocyanate is optimized by controlling the residence time in the microreactor to 16 ms at room temperature. Various S‐benzylic thioquinazolinone derivatives are synthesized within 10 s in high yields (75–98 %) at room temperature. These three‐step reactions involve two organolithium intermediates, an isothiocyanate‐functionalized aryllithium intermediate, and a subsequent lithium thiolate intermediate. We also demonstrate the gram‐scale synthesis of a multifunctionalized thioquinazolinone in the microfluidic device with a high yield (91 %) and productivity (1.25 g in 5 min).     

Antibacterial behaviour of quaternized poly(vinyl chloride)-g-poly(4-vinyl pyridine) graft copolymers

Amphiphilic graft copolymers consisting of poly(vinyl chloride)(PVC) main chains and poly(4-vinyl pyridine)(P4VP) side chains were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization(ATRP) using direct initiation of chlorine atoms. The successful synthesis of PVC-g-P4 VP graft copolymers was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance(1H-NMR). Transmission electron microscope(TEM) and small angle X-ray scattering(SAXS) analysis showed that PVC-g-P4 VP exhibited microphase-separated, ordered structure with 37.6 nm of domain spacing, which was not observed in neat PVC. For antibacterial applications, the tertiary nitrogen atoms of PVC-gP4 VP was quaternized using 1-bromohexane, as confirmed by FTIR measurements. Bacteria including Escherichia coli(E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus(S. aureus), Bacillus cereus(B. cereus), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa(P. aeruginosa) were completely killed in 24 h on the quaternized PVC-g-P4VP(46% grafting) surface, indicating its excellent antibacterial behavior while it showed to be cytotoxic to mammalian cell.     

Self-penetrating and interpenetrating 3D metal-organic frameworks constructed from 4-(4-carboxyphenoxy)-phthalic acid and <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-donor auxiliary ligands

Two new interesting entangled structures, namely, [Ni_1.5(L)(bpy)₂(H₂O)₃] _n · 3nH₂O (I) and [Cd₃(L)₂(bbi)₂]n · nH₂O (II)(where H₃L is 4-(4-carboxyphenoxy)-phthalic acid, bpy is 4,4′-bipyridine, and bbi is 1,1′-(1,4-butanediyl)bis(imidazole)) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis (EA), infrared spectra (IR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), solid fluorescence and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that complex I possesses a 3D self-penetrating framework constructed from ladder-like and fishbone-like subunits. Complex II shows a 3D framework of two-fold interpenetration assembled from trinuclear Cd(II) clusters bridged by bbi and L^3? ligands.