Novel diphenylacetylene-based room-temperature liquid crystalline molecules with alkylthio groups,and investigation of the role for terminal alkyl chains in mesogenic incidence and tendency

In this study, we offer a new family of alkylthio-containing diphenylacetylene-based liquid crystalline molecules (the so-called tolanes) showing nematic phases stable down to room temperature and high birefringence, with insights into the role for terminal alkyl chains in mesogenic incidence and tendency. A number of asymmetric tolane homologues having various alkyl chain lengths in the alkylthio and alkyl groups at each p-, p’-position were synthesised, and their phase transition behaviour was investigated by polarising optical microscope observation, differential scanning calorimetry and wide-angle X-ray diffraction measurement. Consequently, several homologues exhibited monotropic nematic or highly ordered smectic (soft crystal) phases stable down to room temperature. It is found that a long alkyl group on the side opposite to an alkylthio group is prerequisite for mesogenic incidence. In addition, a nematogenic homologue exhibited a higher birefringence value of 0.20 compared to that of 0.19 for an alkoxy counterpart.     

Counter-current chromatography based analysis of synergy in an anti-tuberculosis ethnobotanical

The crude extract of an Alaskan ethnobotanical plant, Oplopanax horridus, was subjected to counter-current chromatography (CCC), and the selected active regions were evaluated for their synergistic effects with an in vitro model of anti-tubercular efficacy. CCC as a support-free high-resolution separation method was employed to preclude potential irreversible absorption to a solid stationary phase. The microplate Alamar blue assay and the isobole method were used to measure the biological activity and eliminate dose-response dependent errors, respectively. Using the combination of CCC, bioassay and isobole method, significant synergistic effects were observed. Among the entire polarity range, fractions with distribution constant between 0.44 and 0.81 showed the most synergistic enhancement with an increase in potency by 108% for the recombined fractions.     

On the Bifurcations and Multiple Endemic States of a Single Strain HIV Model Dedicated to Professor Toshikazu Sunada on the Occasion of his 60th Birthday

The dynamics of a single strain HIV model is studied.The basic reproduction number R_0 used as a bifurcation parameter shows that the system undergoes transcritical and saddle-node bifurcations.The usual threshold unit value of R_0 does not completely determine the eradication of the disease in an HIV infected person.In particular,a sub-threshold value R_C is established which determines the system's number of endemic states:multiple if R_c Ro 1,only one if R_C = R_0 = 1,and none if R_0 R_C 1.     

Preparation of cadmium‐containing brown rice grains as calibration standards for X‐ray fluorescence analysis of cadmium in rice grains

A preparation method for Cd‐containing brown rice grains as calibration standards was developed for X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis of Cd in rice grains. Calibration standards were prepared by adding 10 g of base rice grains (from Japan) to 100 ml of methanol containing 5?100 µg of Cd. The mixture was heated, cooled, and stored in a silica gel desiccator. Seven grams of each calibration standard was packed into a polyethylene cup (32‐mm internal diameter and 23‐mm height) covered with a 6‐µm‐thick polypropylene film and then subjected to XRF analysis. The calibration curves of Cd in brown and white rice grains showed good linearity in 0.50?10 mg kg^?1. The detection limits of Cd in brown and white rice grains were 0.14 and 0.12 mg kg^?1, respectively. The slopes of the calibration curves for Cd in brown and white rice grains were slightly different owing to absorption effects. The absorption effects were corrected using the ratio of the intensity of Cd Kα to that of Rh Kα‐Compton scattering. After correction, the calibration curves of Cd in brown and white rice grains showed identical slopes. The spike test for 5 mg kg^?1 of Cd in white rice grains (from Thailand), using the corrected calibration curves, showed quantitative recoveries (92?97%). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Oenothein B in Eucalyptus Leaf Extract Suppresses Fructose Absorption in Caco-2 Cells

Inhibition of fructose absorption may suppress adiposity and adiposity-related diseases caused by fructose ingestion. Eucalyptus leaf extract (ELE) inhibits intestinal fructose absorption (but not glucose absorption); however, its active compound has not yet been identified. Therefore, we evaluated the inhibitory activity of ELE obtained from Eucalyptus globulus using an intestinal fructose permeation assay with the human intestinal epithelial cell line Caco-2. The luminal sides of a cell monolayer model cultured on membrane filters were exposed to fructose with or without the ELE. Cellular fructose permeation was evaluated by measuring the fructose concentration in the medium on the basolateral side. ELE inhibited 65% of fructose absorption at a final concentration of 1 mg/mL. Oenothein B isolated from the ELE strongly inhibited fructose absorption; the inhibition rate was 63% at a final concentration of 5 μg/mL. Oenothein B did not affect glucose absorption. In contrast, the other major constituents (i.e., gallic acid and ellagic acid) showed little fructose-inhibitory activity. To our knowledge, this is the first report that oenothein B in ELE strongly inhibits fructose absorption in vitro. ELE containing oenothein B can prevent and ameliorate obesity and other diseases caused by dietary fructose consumption.