Comprehensive separation of secondary metabolites in natural products by high-speed counter-current chromatography using a three-phase solvent system

High-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) using the three-phase solvent system n-hexane-methyl acetate-acetonitrile-water at a volume ratio of 4:4:3:4 was applied to the comprehensive separation of secondary metabolites in several natural product extracts. A wide variety of secondary metabolites in each natural product was effectively extracted with the three-phase solvent system, and the filtered extract was directly submitted to the HSCCC separation using the same three-phase system. In the HSCCC profiles of crude natural drugs listed in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, several physiologically active compounds were clearly separated from other components in the extracts. The HSCCC profiles of several tea products, each manufactured by a different process, clearly showed their compositional difference in main compounds such as catechins, caffeine, and pigments. These HSCCC profiles also provide useful information about hydrophobic diversity of whole components present in each natural product.     

Binding of malachite green promotes stability and shows preference for a human telomere DNA G-quadruplex

A single-stranded human telomere DNA sequence can fold into an intramolecular G-quadruplex structure, which has been shown to inhibit telomerase activity. Small molecules that selectively target and stabilise the G-quadruplex structure have been proposed as potential anticancer drugs. In this study, we analysed the properties of binding of malachite green, a cationic triphenylmethane dye, to the G-quadruplex of d[(T₂AG₃)₄] by UV spectroscopy of thermal melting analysis, a competitive equilibrium dialysis assay, and absorption and circular dichroism spectroscopies. When binding to malachite green, the quadruplex structure that formed in the presence of K⁺ ions was stabilised with an increase in melting temperatures by 6 °C. Malachite green showed selective binding to the G-quadruplex in the presence of duplex and single-stranded DNAs, owing to which it presents higher potential for anticancer therapy, compared to other triphenylmethane dyes. The induced signals of circular dichroism indicate that the binding mode of malachite green involves intercalation between adjacent guanine tetrads of the G-quadruplex.     

Dehydrogenative oxidation of alcohols in aqueous media using water-soluble and reusable Cp*Ir catalysts bearing a functional bipyridine ligand

A new catalytic system for the dehydrogenative oxidation of alcohols using a water-soluble Cp*Ir complex bearing a bipyridine-based functional ligand as catalyst has been developed. With this catalytic system, a variety of primary and secondary alcohols have been efficiently converted to aldehydes and ketones, respectively, in aqueous media without using any oxidant. Reuse of the catalyst by a very simple procedure has been also accomplished.     

Size-dependent partitioning of nano/microparticles mediated by membrane lateral heterogeneity

It is important that we understand the physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms that govern the interaction between nanoparticles (NPs) and heterogeneous cellular surfaces because of the possible cytotoxicity of engineered nanomaterials. In this study, we investigated the lateral localization of nano/microparticles within a biomimetic heterogeneous membrane interface using cell-sized two-phase liposomes. We found that lateral heterogeneity in the membrane mediates the partitioning of nano/microparticles in a size-dependent manner: small particles with a diameter of ≤200 nm were localized in an ordered phase, whereas large particles preferred a fluidic disordered phase. This partitioning behavior was verified by temperature-controlled membrane miscibility transition and laser-trapping of associated particles. In terms of the membrane elastic energy, we present a physical model that explains this localization preference of nano/microparticles. The calculated threshold diameter of particles that separates the particle-partitioning phase was 260 nm, which is in close agreement with our observation (200 nm). These findings may lead to a better understanding of the basic mechanisms that underlie the association of nanomaterials within a cell surface.     

应用蒙特卡罗模拟进行正电子发射断层成像仪散射特性分析

通过使用基于Geant4的蒙特卡罗模拟代码GATE对全身用全3D正电子发射断层成像仪和含有挡板的2D/3D小动物用正电子发射断层成像仪进行建模,系统地分析了3D采集条件下正电子发射断层成像仪的散射分数、散射分布、多次散射、视野外散射四个主要方面和2D采集条件下挡板对散射分数和散射分布的影响.针对全3D散射校正的难点: 多次散射和视野外散射,设计了附加实验,拟合得到了多次散射光子的百分比随体模横截面积变化的关系和不同环的位置受到视野外散射光子的影响;针对2D散射校正,对挡板引入的散射光子进行分离,单独分析, 关键词： 正电子发射断层成像仪（PET） 蒙特卡罗模拟 散射特性 散射校正     

Total Synthesis of (−)‐ and (+)‐Decarbamoyloxysaxitoxin and (+)‐Saxitoxin

Playing the sax : The enantioselective total syntheses of (?)‐ and (+)‐decarbamoyloxysaxitoxin (doSTX) and (+)‐saxitoxin (STX) are reported. A new methodology was developed for the synthesis of STXs, featuring discriminative reduction of the nitro group and N? O bond in nitroisoxazolidine.

     

Membrane Potential Photoresponse of Crowned Malachite Green Derivatives Affording Perfect Photoswitching of Metal Ion Complexation

Photoirradiation effect on potential response to metal ion concentrations and photoinduced potential change were investigated with poly(vinyl chloride) membranes based on a Malachite Green derivative carrying a bis(monoaza-15-crown-5) moiety, by comparing other Malachite Green derivatives. The Malachite Green carrying a bis(crown ether) moiety caused a potential response to potassium ion concentration changes under dark condition. In the membrane potential response, a clear-cut photoinduced switching of potential response was realized by the membrane of Malachite Green carrying a bis(crown ether) moiety, which exhibited no potential response to potassium ion concentrations (0 mV/decade) on UV irradiation. On the other hand, a Malachite Green carrying a monocyclic benzocrown ether moiety showed a considerable dependence of the membrane potential on the metal ion concentrations under both dark and UV irradiation conditions.