Cycloisomerization of 1,6-enynes: asymmetric multistep preparation of a hydrindane framework in water with polymeric catalysts

[Reaction: see text] Cycloisomerization of 1,6-enynes proceeded smoothly in water under heterogeneous conditions in the presence of a palladium complex supported on polystyrene-poly(ethylene glycol) copolymer resin to give the corresponding cyclopentanes with a high level of chemical greenness. Multistep asymmetric synthesis of a hydrindane framework was achieved via palladium-catalyzed asymmetric pi-allylic alkylation, propargylation, and cycloisomerization of 1,6-enynes, where all three steps were performed in water with recyclable polymeric catalysts.     

Titanosilicate molecular sieve for size-screening photocatalytic conversion

Titanosilicate molecular sieves, when activated by ultraviolet light irradiation in water in the presence of molecular oxygen, catalyze a conversion of molecules having a size close to the pore of the catalysts but are inactive for molecules having much larger or smaller size. This unprecedented size-screening photocatalytic activity is triggered by a combination of H2O-induced shortened lifetime of active species (charge-transfer excited state of tetrahedrally coordinated titanium oxide) and restricted diffusion of a molecule inside the pore. This catalytic property demonstrates a potential utility of the catalyst for selective transformation of molecules that is associated with a size reduction of molecules, so-labeled "molecular shave" transformation.     

The isolation and structure elucidation of new cassane diterpene-acids from Caesalpinia crista L. (Fabaceae), and review on the nomenclature of some Caesalpinia species

New cassane diterpene-acids, neocaesalpins H and I, were isolated from the leaves of Caesalpinia crista (Fabaceae), and their structures were deduced on the basis of the spectroscopic and chemical basis. These compounds were characterized as having an alpha,beta-butenolide hemiacetal ring that is rare in nature. The lacking of 5-hydroxy group also distinguished neocaesalpins H and I from cassane diterpenes (caesalpins) occurring in other Caesalpinia species from the phytochemical viewpoint. The nomenclature of three Caesalpinia species was also reviewed, and it was found that some species belonging to the genus Caesalpinia are improperly named and should be changed to valid names.     

Microemulsion-based synthesis of titanium phosphate nanotubes via amine extraction system

The first titanium phosphate nanotubes with alternating interlayer spacings have been successfully prepared and characterized. The synthesis is accomplished in a reverse microemulsion formed in an amine extraction system. TEM data from samples made after different times of reaction suggest a scrolling-formation mechanism.     

Analytical approach to the discoloration of edible laver "nori" in the Ariake Sea.

To understand the cause of discoloration of the sea laver "nori," which is found in the Ariake Sea, the concentrations of pigments and elements in the normal and discolored laver samples were determined. In the discolored samples, a decrease in all of the pigments, chlorophyll a and carotenoids, and proteinous pigments, phycobiliproteins, was clearly observed. This was accompanied by a decrease in the content of Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, and P. Good correlations between these elements and chlorophyll a, as well as between these elements and phycobiliproteins, were confirmed, indicating that, in addition to the deficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus, the deficiency of trace elements (Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu), which are specifically required for photosynthesis, could be a reason for the discoloration of nori. The cause of elemental deficiency is also discussed.     

Isolation of heptadepsin, a novel bacterial cyclic depsipeptide that inhibits lipopolysaccharide activity

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is considered to cause various inflammatory reactions. We searched among microbial secondary metabolites for compounds that could inhibit LPS-stimulated adhesion between human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and human myelocytic cell line HL-60 cells. In the course of our screening, we isolated a novel cyclic depsipeptide, which we named heptadepsin, from the whole culture broth of Paenibacillus sp. The addition of heptadepsin prior to LPS stimulation decreased HL-60 cell-HUVEC adhesion without showing any cytotoxicity. It also inhibited the cellular adhesion induced by lipid A, the active component of LPS, but it did not inhibit TNF-alpha or IL-1beta-induced cell adhesion. The result of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis revealed that heptadepsin interacted with lipid A directly. Thus, heptadepsin, a novel naturally occurring cyclic heptadepsipeptide, was shown to inactivate LPS by direct interaction with LPS.     

Design and synthesis of novel imidazolium-based ionic liquids with a pseudo crown-ether moiety: diastereomeric interaction of a racemic ionic liquid with enantiopure europium complexes

A planar-chiral imidazolium salt with a tris(oxoethylene) bridge was synthesized, and its potential application as a room temperature ionic liquid with a molecular-recognition ability was demonstrated.     

Enhancing the Cellulose-Degrading Activity of Cellulolytic Bacteria CTL-6 (Clostridium thermocellum) by Co-Culture with Non-cellulolytic Bacteria W2-10 (Geobacillus sp.)

The effect of a non-cellulolytic bacterium W2-10 (Geobacillus sp.) on the cellulose-degrading activity of a cellulolytic bacterium CTL-6 (Clostridium thermocellum) was determined using cellulose materials (paper and straw) in peptone cellulose solution (PCS) medium under aerobic conditions. The results indicated that in the co-culture, addition of W2-10 resulted in a balanced medium pH, and may provide the required anaerobic environment for CTL-6. Overall, addition of W2-10 was beneficial to CTL-6 growth in the adverse environment of the PCS medium. In co-culture with W2-10, the CTL-6 cellulose degradation efficiency of filter paper and alkaline-treated wheat straw significantly increased up to 72.45 and 37.79 %, respectively. The CMCase activity and biomass of CTL-6 also increased from 0.23 U ml^?1 and 45.1 μg ml^?1 (DNA content) up to 0.47 U ml^?1 and 112.2 μg ml^?1, respectively. In addition, co-culture resulted in accumulation of acetate and propionate up to 4.26 and 2.76 mg ml^?1. This was a respective increase of 2.58 and 4.45 times, in comparison to the monoculture with CTL-6.     

Simultaneous determination of radionuclides separable into natural decay series by use of time-interval analysis

A delayed coincidence method, time-interval analysis (TIA), has been applied to successive – decay events on the millisecond time-scale. Such decay events are part of the ²²⁰Rn²¹⁶Po (T_1/2 145 ms) (Th-series) and ²¹⁹Rn²¹⁵Po (T_1/2 1.78 ms) (Ac-series). By using TIA in addition to measurement of ²²⁶Ra (U-series) from -spectrometry by liquid scintillation counting (LSC), two natural decay series could be identified and separated. The TIA detection efficiency was improved by using the pulse-shape discrimination technique (PSD) to reject -pulses, by solvent extraction of Ra combined with simple chemical separation, and by purging the scintillation solution with dry N₂ gas. The U- and Th-series together with the Ac-series were determined, respectively, from alpha spectra and TIA carried out immediately after Ra-extraction. Using the ²²¹Fr²¹⁷At (T_1/2 32.3 ms) decay process as a tracer, overall yields were estimated from application of TIA to the ²²⁵Ra (Np-decay series) at the time of maximum growth. The present method has proven useful for simultaneous determination of three radioactive decay series in environmental samples.     

Modes of conformational changes of proteins adsorbed on a planar hydrophobic polymer surface reflecting their adsorption behaviors

Infrared spectra of hen egg white lysozyme and bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorbed on a solid poly tris(trimethylsiloxy)silylstyrene (pTSS) surface in D2O solution were measured using attenuated total reflection (ATR) Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. From the area and shape of the amide I' band of each spectrum, the adsorption amount and the secondary structure were determined simultaneously, as a function of adsorption time. We could show that the average conformation for all the adsorbed lysozyme molecules was solely determined by the adsorption time, and independent of the bulk concentration, while the adsorption amount increased with the bulk concentration as well as the adsorption time. These results suggest that lysozyme molecules form discrete assemblies on the surface, and that the surface assemblies grow over several hours to have a definite architecture independent of the adsorption amount. As for BSA, the extent of the conformational change was solely determined by the adsorption amount, regardless of the bulk concentration and the adsorption time. These differences in the adsorption properties of lysozyme and BSA may reflect differences in their conformational stabilities.