Partial molal heat capacities of aqueous tetraalkylammonium bromides as functions of temperature

Enthalpies of solution have been measured from 5 to 85°C for aqueous tetraethyl- and tetrapropylammonium bromides, and the integral heat method is employed to evaluate for these electrolytes over a wide temperature range. Data taken from the literature have been used to evaluate for aqueous Bu₄NBr over a similar temperature range. These data, along with similar data for Me₄NBr, previously reported, have been used to evaluate absolute ionic heat capacities. While the absolute values agree only qualitatively with two other methods of division, the temperature dependences of the three methods essentially agree up to 65°C. Heat capacities due to structural effects on the solvent, obtained by subtracting the inherent heat capacities of the ions, are extraordinarily positive for all four tetraalkylammonium ions and have negative temperature coefficients, indicating that all four ions, including the tetramethylammonium ion, are structure-making ions.     

A new caffeoyl quinic acid from aster scaber and its inhibitory activity against human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) integrase

The phytochemical study of the aerial parts of Aster scaber Thunb. (Asteraceae) yielded a new caffeoyl quinic acid, (-) 3,5-dicaffeoyl-muco-quinic acid (2) and three known compounds, (-) 3,5-dicaffeoyl quinic acid (1), (-) 4,5-dicaffeoyl quinic acid (3), (-) 5-caffeoyl quinic acid (4). The structures were established by high resolution spectroscopic methods. The antiviral effects against HIV-1 integrase of the compounds was evaluated. (-) 3,5-Dicaffeoyl-muco-quinic acid (2) exhibited potent antiviral activity with an IC50 value of 7.0 +/- 1.3 microg/ml.     

Tunable magnetic arrangement of iron oxide nanoparticles in situ synthesized on the solid substrate from diblock copolymer micelles

Hexagonal arrangement of iron oxide nanoparticles was fabricated by utilizing a single-layered film of diblock copolymer micelles. The synthesis was directly performed on the solid substrate by oxygen plasma with preserving the dimensional order of micelles so that separate procedures for synthesis and deposition of nanoparticles were not necessary. Since the oxygen plasma treatment also eliminated polymers, pure patterns of iron oxide nanoparticles were obtained. Moreover, easy control over the size of nanoparticles enabled us to selectively create a ferrimagnetic or a superparamagnetic pattern of iron oxide nanoparticles without altering the fabrication process.     

Preparation of ω-tetrahydropyran-2-ylsulfanylalkylmagnesium chlorides: Useful reagents for the synthesis of 1-(ω-mercaptoalkyl)-1,2-dihydrobuckminsterfullerenes (C60)

ω-Tetrahydropyran-2-ylsulfanylalkylmagnesium chlorides are prepared as Grignard reagents containing protected mercaptoalkyl chains, which are useful for the direct introduction of ω-mercaptoalkyl chains to electrophiles. In order to prove the usefulness of these reagents, they were reacted with buckminsterfullerene (C₆₀) to give 1-(ω-mercaptoalkyl)-1,2-dihydrobuck minsterfullerenes after the deprotection of THP group with TFA.     

Determination of vibrational level spacings of van der waals molecules from the Lennard-Jones potential

An approximate expression for the eigenvalues for van der Waals molecules by use of the Lennard-Jones (12-6) potential in the WKB approximation is presented. The expression is applied to the rare gas molecules. Ar₂, Kr₂, and Xe₂ by fitting the potential function to the observed potential parameters. Calculated results of vibrational energy spacings for these molecules agree well with the experiment and other calculations which are based on numerical integration of the Schrödinger equation. For Xe₂, the energy spacing expression is used to determine the thermodynamic functions of the van der Waals bond.     

Osteoprotegerin is present on the membrane of osteoclasts isolated from mouse long bones

Osteoprotegerin (OPG), a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, is known to inhibit osteoclastogenesis by acting as a soluble decoy receptor for the receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL). We report the presence of OPG on the membrane of osteoclasts and the possibility of the direct action of OPG on them. Highly pure osteoclast precursors were isolated from mouse long bones and induced to differentiate into mature osteoclasts by M-CSF and soluble RANKL (sRANKL). The presence of OPG on the membrane of these cells was confirmed by western blotting and immunostaining. Furthermore, sRANKL was found to be bound to the OPG on the osteoclast precursors. These results suggest that OPG might have a new role during the differentiation of osteoclasts beyond its role as a soluble decoy receptor. The mechanism of the existence of OPG on osteoclast precursors remains to be found.     

ADENOSINE-MEDIATED PHOTOREACTION OF 4,5',8-TRIMETHYLPSORALEN WITH ALCOHOLS

Abstract— Irradiation of thin films consisting of 4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen (TMP), adenosine and small amounts of alcohols led to TMP-alcohol photoadducts in addition to TMP-adenosine photoadducts. Four TMP-ethanol and two TMP-methanol adducts have been separated and characterized. Covalent bonds were formed between the 4-carbon of TMP and the α-carbon to the hydroxy group in the alcohols. The TMP-alcohol photoadducts were formed only in the TMP film containing small amounts of alcohol and adenosine. Furthermore, no photoadduct of TMP and ribose was detected upon photolysis of a TMP-ribose film, suggesting that the adenine moiety plays a specific role in the reaction. The interaction of adenosine with psoralens in a dry film may be related to the DNA sequence selectivity observed for the photoreaction of psoralens with DNA.