Structural analysis of Na2OGa2O3SiO2 glasses by the X-ray diffraction method

The structure of Na₂OGa₂O₃SiO₂ glasses of four different compositions containing up to 45 mol. % Ga₂O₃ has been determined by the X-ray diffraction method. The radial distribution function D(r) obtained indicates that Ga³⁺ ions are in fourfold coordination and GaO₄ tetrahedra are formed in these glasses. The reduced intensity function S·i(S) and radial distribution function D(r) which were calculated based on a structural model for A-25, 0.25(Ga₂O₃)·0.75(Na₂O·2SiO₂)/3 glass agreed well with the observed ones.     

Laccase-catalyzed conversion of green tea catechins in the presence of gallic acid to epitheaflagallin and epitheaflagallin 3-O-gallate

Green tea extract containing catechin mixtures was treated with gallic acid using laccase (EC 1.10.3.2) to improve its function as a food material. After enzymatic oxidation, two new products were detected on an HPLC chromatogram. These products were purified by extraction with ethyl acetate, sequential column chromatographies, and crystallization. On the basis of ¹H/¹³C NMR, MALDI-TOF/high resolution MS, and UV-visible absorption spectral analyses, they were confirmed to be epitheaflagallin (5) and epitheaflagallin 3-O-gallate (6). This enzymatic process allows us to preferentially convert catechin derivatives in a crude mixture of green tea into different compounds.     

Observation of large Zeeman splitting in GaGdN/AlGaN ferromagnetic semiconductor double quantum well superlattices

Symmetric GaGdN/AlGaN (Gd concentration: 2%) and GaN/AlGaN double quantum well superlattices (DQW-SLs) were grown by radio-frequency plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy on GaN (0001) templates. Atomic steps were observed on all the sample surfaces by atomic force microscope. X-ray diffraction θ/2θ scan curves exhibited well-defined satellite structures. Room temperature ferromagnetism was confirmed for the GaGdN/AlGaN DQW-SL samples by using alternating gradient magnetometer. Strong photoluminescence was observed from both GaGdN and GaN QWs at higher energy side of GaN excitonic peak. Magneto-photoluminescence spectra for GaGdN/AlGaN DQW-SL samples showed a large magnetic field dependence of the excitonic energy by applying a magnetic field up to 7 T. The observed strong redshift of excitonic PL indicated an enhancement of Zeeman splitting of the free carrier energy levels in magnetic GaGdN/AlGaN DQW-SL. Enhanced g-factor was estimated to be about 60 for GaGdN/AlGaN DQW-SL sample with QW thickness of 1 nm.     

PACAP and its receptors exert pleiotropic effects in the nervous system by activating multiple signaling pathways

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) was originally isolated from the ovine brain in 1989 as a novel hypothalamic hormone that potently activates adenylate cyclase to produce cyclic AMP in pituitary cells. This neuropeptide belongs to the secretin/glucagon/vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) superfamily, and exists in two amidated forms as PACAP38 (38-amino acid residues) and PACAP27 derived from the same precursor. The primary structure of PACAP has been remarkably conserved throughout evolution among tunicata, ichthyopsida, amphibia and mammalia, and a PACAP-like neuropeptide has also been determined in Drosophila. Both PACAP and its receptors are mainly distributed in the nervous and endocrine systems showing pleiotropic functions with high potency. There are three types of receptors with high PACAP-binding affinity and with different tissue-distribution patterns. All of them belong to G-protein-coupled receptor superfamily with seven transmembrane domains. PAC(1) is the PACAP-specific receptor and exists in at least eight splice variants which couple to different intracellular signal transduction pathways. VPAC(1) and VPAC(2) are the common receptors for both PACAP and VIP, which are coupled to adenylate cyclase. This review article presents and discusses an update on PACAP research and its pleiotropic physiological functions based on multiple receptor-mediated signaling mechanisms in both the central and peripheral nervous system, including the regulation of hypothalamic neurosecretion, homeostatic control of circadian clock and behavioral actions, involvement in learning and memory processes, neuroprotective effects such as anti-apoptosis and response to injury and inflammation, and neural ontogenetic functions on proliferation/differentiation processes from early stages.     

Synthesis of dl-coriolin

The total synthesis of dl-coriolin has been achieved in a stereoselective way. The key tricyclic intermediate was synthesized from dicyclopentadiene through a route which involved an S_N2 reaction at a neopentylic position.     

Photochemistry of Flavins in Micelles: Specific Effects of Anionic Surfactants on the Monomerization of Thymine Cyclobutane Dimers Photosensitized by Tetra-O-acyl Riboflavins*

It was found that tetra-o-acyl riboflavins efficiently photosensitize the monomerization of the cis, syn-cyclobutane dimers of 1,3-dimethylthymine and 1,3-dimethyluracil in aqueous solution in the presence of such anionic surfactants as sodium dodecyl sulfate and sodium hexadecyl sulfate at concentrations higher than their critical micelle concentration, while little monomerization of the dimers was photosensitized by the flavins in the absence of the surfactants and even in the presence of cationic and nonionic surfactants.     

Quantifying the effects of deuterium substitution on phospholipid mixing in bilayer membranes. A nearest-neighbor recognition investigation

Nearest-neighbor recognition measurements have established that the effects of deuterium substitution on phospholipid mixing are exceedingly small. Thus, the mixing behavior of an exchangeable phospholipid bearing two stearoyl chains with a homologue containing two myristoyl chains in gel-fluid bilayers, fluid bilayers, cholesterol-rich fluid bilayers, and gel-fluid bilayers that have been enriched with cholesterol correspond to a difference in the free energy of mixing that is less than 2.2 cal/mol of hydrogen in all cases. These findings provide the strongest evidence to date in support of the use of deuterated phospholipids as "nonperturbing" probes for structural and dynamic studies of bilayer membranes.     

Isomerization kinetics of panipenem in aqueous solution

The isomerization kinetics of panipenem (INN: (+)-(5R,6S)-3-[(S)-1-(acetimidoylpyrrolidin-3-yl)thio]-6-[(R)-hydroxyethyl]-7-oxo-1-azabicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-ene-2-carboxylic acid, CAS No. 87726-17-8) in aqueous solution were investigated. An equilibrium between the Z-form and E-form was observed, and it was found that the isomerization rates were affected by the pH of the solution. Under acidic conditions, the isomerization rates were small. However, the isomerization rates were increased with the pH value. This phenomenon resulted from the extent of proton dissociation from the acetimidoyl group.     

快离子导体的机械化学合成

快离子导体是二次高能电池及其他全固体电化学器件研制与开发的重要材料，常规方法由于存在原材料选择受限以及原料对容器侵蚀等技术问题，致使一些高性能快离子导体的制备受到很大限制。为此，人们将目标转移到不需加热、在室温条件下即可实现这一材料制备的机械化学合成法。本文总结了近年来利用这种方法在制备快离子导体方面取得的一些最新研究成果。     

First synthesis of 2',3'-epimino-carbocyclic nucleosides

The preparation of 2',3'-epimino-carbocyclic analogues of adenosine is reported. The reaction of p-tosyl azide with N-substituted 2-azabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-en-3-one (ABH) (1a) provided aziridine-fused ABH (2), which was converted to 2',3'-epimino-carbocyclic nucleosides (11).