Role of spectral cues in median plane localization

The role of spectral cues in the sound source to ear transfer function in median plane sound localization is investigated in this paper. At first, transfer functions were measured and analyzed. Then, these transfer functions were used in experiments where sounds from a source on the median plane were simulated and presented to subjects through headphones. In these simulation experiments, the transfer functions were smoothed by ARMA models with different degrees of simplification to investigate the role of microscopic and macroscopic patterns in the transfer functions for median plane localization. The results of the study are summarized as follows: (1) For front-rear judgment, information derived from microscopic peaks and dips in the low-frequency region (below 2 kHz) and the macroscopic patterns in the high-frequency region seems to be utilized; (2) for judgment of elevation angle, major cues exist in the high-frequency region above 5 kHz. The information in macroscopic patterns is utilized instead of that in small peaks and dips.     

Total synthesis of ingenol

Total synthesis of ingenol, a diterpene isolated from the genus Euphorbia, was accomplished on the basis of the novel key reactions. The highly strained ingenane skeleton was constructed through an intramolecular cyclization reaction of an acetylene dicobalt complex followed by a rearrangement reaction of an epoxy alcohol. The C(3),C(4),C(5)-triol moiety was introduced by a stereoselective double dihydroxylation reaction of a diene having C(2)-C(3) and C(4)-C(5) double bonds.     

Scopadulcic acid B, a new tetracyclic diterpenoid from Scoparia dulcis L. Its structure, H+, K(+)-adenosine triphosphatase inhibitory activity and pharmacokinetic behaviour in rats

The structure of scopadulcic acid B (2, SDB), a major ingredient of the Paraguayan herb "Typychá kurat?" (Scoparia dulcis L.), was elucidated mainly by comparison of its spectral data with that of scopadulcic acid A (1). SDB inhibited both the K(+)-dependent adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity of a hog gastric proton pump (H+, K(+)-ATPase) with a value of 20-30 microM for IC50 and proton transport into gastric vesicles. Pharmacokinetic studies of SDB in rats indicated that plasma SDB concentrations after i.v. injection of the sodium salt of SDB (SDB-Na) were described reasonably well by a two-compartment open model with Michaelis-Menten elimination kinetics. Plasma concentrations after oral administration of SDB-Na or SDB showed a much slower decline than what was expected following the i. v. study. It was suggested that the sustained plasma level of SDB after oral administration of SDB-Na or SDB was accounted for by relatively slow but efficient gastro-intestinal absorption in rats.     

Chemoenzymatic syntheses of (-)-1-deoxymannojirimycin (DMJ) and its naturally occurring 6-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl glycoside

The naturally occurring sugar mimetic alkaloids 1-deoxymannojirimycin (DMJ, 1) and 6-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-DMJ (2) have each been prepared in a completely stereoselective manner from the cis-1,2-dihydrocatechol 3, itself obtained in enantiomerically pure form by microbial oxidation of chlorobenzene.     

A new route for generation of alpha-lambda3-iodanyl ketones via ester exchange of (Z)-(beta-acetoxyvinyl)-lambda3-iodanes: their nucleophilic substitutions with halides and sulfur and phosphorus nucleophiles

An efficient method for generation of alpha-lambda3-iodanyl ketones from (Z)-(2-acetoxyvinyl)(phenyl)-lambda3-iodanes was developed. The method involves ester exchange of (Z)-2-acetoxyvinyl-lambda3-iodanes with methanol in the presence of triethylamine. alpha-lambda3-Iodanyl ketones react with a variety of nucleophiles such as halides, thiols, phosphines, phosphinic acids, and phosphates, under the conditions which produce alpha-functionalized carbonyl compounds probably via an S(N)2 pathway.     

Potentiometric flow injection analysis of concentrated hydrogen peroxide by using an Fe(II)-Fe(III) redox potential buffer solution

The flow injection analysis of hydrogen peroxide is proposed, using a redox electrode and an Fe(II)-Fe(III) potential buffer solution. Influencing factors, such as the concentrations of Fe(II)-Fe(III) and sulfuric acid in the potential buffer on sensitivity of the proposed method are examined. The analysis of high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide up to approximately 10 M was conducted successfully with relative standard deviation of 0.7%.     

Regularities of extraction of uranyl thenoyltrifluoroacetonate into a number of solvents

The extraction equilibria were investigated of the thenoyltrifluoroacetone (TTA) chelate of uranyl ion between aqueous perchlorate medium and thirteen organic solvents. The extracted species was shown to be UO₂A₂. The solubility parameter of the chelate was estimated from the partition data and it was confirmed that the relationship lgP _M=n lgP _HA+const. holds for the present system. When the extraction constant (K _ex) is considered in relation to the distribution coefficients, theK _ex values are expected to be constant under certain conditions for all of the solvents; the lgK _ex values were found to be constant (lgK _ex=−2.85±0.17).     

Contribution of oligosaccharides to protection of the H,K-ATPase beta-subunit against trypsinolysis

The proton-pumping H+,K+-adenosinetriphosphatase (H,K-ATPase), responsible for acid secretion by the gastric parietal cell, faces a harshly acidic environment, with some pepsin from neighboring chief cells, at its luminal surface. Its large catalytic alpha-subunit is mostly oriented cytoplasmically. The smaller beta-subunit (HKbeta), is mainly extracellular, with one transmembrane domain and a small cytoplasmic domain. Seven N-linked oligosaccharides in the extracellular domain of HKbeta are thought to contribute to protection of the H,K-ATPase, since previous work has shown that their complete removal, by peptide N-glycosidase F (PNGase F), greatly increased susceptibility of HKbeta to proteolysis. The possibility of graded protection by different numbers of oligosaccharides was investigated here with the use of mutant HKbeta cDNA, having various N-glycosylation sites mutated (Asn to Gln), transfected into HEK-293 cells. Membrane preparations, two days after transfection, were solubilized in 1% Triton X-100 and subjected to trypsinolysis (pH 8, 37 degrees C, trypsin:protein 1:10-1:25). Relative amounts of HKbeta remaining after 20 min trypsin were determined, after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and probing of Western blots with an antibody to the HKbeta extracellular domain, by chemiluminescent development of blots and densitometry of resulting films. Maturely glycosylated HKbeta was made significantly more susceptible to trypsin than wild type when at least five oligosaccharides were deleted, while the high-mannose form (pre-beta), from the endoplasmic reticulum, became significantly more susceptible than wild-type pre-beta with removal of only two or more oligosaccharides. For each mutant, and wild type, pre-beta was consistently more susceptible than the mature form. While the number, and kind, of oligosaccharides seem to affect protection for HKbeta against trypsinolysis, other aspects of protein maturation, including proper folding of peptide domains and possible subtle alterations of conformation during Golgi processing, are also likely to contribute to this protection.     

Homo-N-oligonucleotides (N1/N9-C1' methylene bridge oligonucleotides): nucleic acids with left-handed helicity

Oligonucleotides containing a methylene bridge between N1 or N9 of the heterocyclic base and C1' of the pentofuranosyl ring (homo-N-oligonucleotides) were synthesized. Melting curves revealed that such homo-type oligomers could cross-pair with complementary homo-type or natural oligomers. Circular-dichroic studies provide evidence that the homo-type dimers have a left-handed stacked conformation and further suggest that single-stranded and double-stranded homo-type oligomers adopt a left-handed conformation, while duplexes with natural oligomers or nucleic acids form RNA-like right-handed helices. NMR spectroscopy (NOESY) provides supporting evidence for a left-handed stacked conformation of the homo-type dimer, while atomic force microscopy indicates a left-handed helical conformation of homo-type dsDNA. Homo-type dimers and oligomers showed high resistance to digestion by snake-venom and calf-spleen phosphodiesterases and nuclease S1.