Polytheonamides A and B, highly cytotoxic, linear polypeptides with unprecedented structural features, from the marine sponge, Theonella swinhoei

Polytheonamides A and B are highly cytotoxic polypeptides with 48 amino acid residues isolated from the marine sponge, Theonella swinhoei. The structure of polytheonamide B was determined by spectral and chemical methods, especially extensive 2D NMR experiments, which resulted in the unprecedented polypeptide structure; the N-terminal glycine blocked with a 5,5-dimethyl-2-oxo-hexanoyl group, the presence of eight tert-leucine, three beta-hydroxyvaline, six gamma-N-methylasparagine, two gamma-N-methyl-beta-hydroxyasparagine, and beta,beta-dimethymethionine sulfoxide residues. More significantly, it has the sequence of alternating D- and L-amino acids. Polytheonamide A is an epimer of polytheonamide B differing only in the stereochemistry of the sulfoxide of the 44(th) residue.     

Singlet Oxygen–mediated Hydroxyl Radical Production in the Presence of Phenols: Whether DMPO–·OH Formation Really Indicates Production of ·OH?¶

The reaction of singlet oxygen (1O2) generated by ultraviolet-A (UVA)-visible light (lambda > 330 nm) irradiation of air-saturated solutions of hematoporphyrin with phenolic compounds in the presence of a spin trap, 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO), gave an electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrum characteristic of the DMPO-hydroxyl radical spin adduct (DMPO-*OH). In contrast, the ESR signal of 5,5-dimethyl-2-pyrrolidone-N-oxyl, an oxidative product of DMPO, was observed in the absence of phenolic compounds. The ESR signal of DMPO-*OH decreased in the presence of either a *OH scavenger or a quencher of *O2 and under anaerobic conditions, whereas it increased depending on the concentration of DMPO. These results indicate both 1O2- and DMPO-mediated formation of free *OH during the reaction. When DMPO was replaced with 5-(diethoxyphosphoryl)-5-methyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DEPMPO), no DEPMPO adduct of oxygen radical species was obtained. This suggests that 1O2, as an oxidizing agent, reacts little with DEPMPO, in which a strong electron-withdrawing phosphoryl group increases the oxidation potential of DEPMPO compared with DMPO. A linear correlation between the amounts of DMPO-*OH generated and the oxidation potentials of phenolic compounds was observed, suggesting that the electron-donating properties of phenolic compounds contribute to the appearance of *OH. These observations indicate that 1O2 reacts first with DMPO, and the resulting DMPO-1O2 intermediate is immediately decomposed/reduced to give *OH. Phenolic compounds would participate in this reaction as electron donors but would not contribute to the direct conversion of 1O2 to *OH. Furthermore, DEPMPO did not cause the spin-trapping agent-mediated generation of *OH like DMPO did.     

A mediator-type biosensor as a new approach to biochemical oxygen demand estimation

A novel biosensor for the determination of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) was developed using potassium hexacyanoferrate(III) [HCF(III)] as a mediator. The sensor element consists of a three-electrode system, with both working and counter electrodes compactly integrated as a disposable using etching and electroplating processes. Pseudomonas fluorescens biovar V (isolated from a wastewater treatment plant) was immobilized on the surface of the working electrode using poly(vinyl alcohol)-quaternized stilbazol (PVA-SbQ) photopolymer gel. Synthetic wastewater described by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) was used as a standard solution instead of glucose-glutamic acid synthetic wastewater. The conditions of amperometric measurement were optimized at +600 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl) operating potential, namely 40 mM HCF(III) in a 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) at 20 degrees C. The sensor response was linear from 15 up to 200 mg O l-1 BOD. The response time was 15 min at 200 mg O l-1 BOD. To demonstrate the wide metabolic range of activity of the sensor, the sensor response to 14 substances in four categories of organic compounds was investigated. Further, it was shown that the response of this BOD sensor was not influenced in samples with low concentrations of dissolved oxygen under the measuring conditions used. For real wastewaters, the BOD values were determined using the sensor and compared favorably with those determined by the conventional BOD5 method.     

A critical review on the dynamics of Jovian atmospheres

Some basic theoretical issues of the Jovian atmospheric dynamics are discussed. Those include the depth of the motions, thermal convection both with deep and shallow configurations, the two-dimensional turbulence theory and its relevance. The refractive index analysis is suggested to interpret the coherent structures like Jupiter's Great Red Spot in terms of Charney-Drazin constraint based on the observations. A possibility of Jovian data assimilation is proposed as a future direction.     

Remarkably Selective Ag(+) Extraction and Transport by Thiolariat Ethers

Synthesis and metal binding properties of thiolariat ethers, where a sulfide side chain is introduced into a framework of a crown ether, have been performed. Remarkably high Ag(+) selectivity among heavy metal ions was observed in solvent extraction and transport across a liquid membrane using thiolariat ethers with a 15-crown-5 ring as carriers. Thiolariat ethers with a 12-crown-4 or a 18-crown-6 do not exhibit such a high Ag(+) selectivity. The former binds metal ions weakly, and the latter recognizes Pb(2+) as well as Ag(+). The corresponding oxygen analogs, i.e. lariat ethers, do not show Ag(+) selectivity. The Ag(+) binding strength of the sulfoxide and sulfone analogs is much lower than that of thiolariat ethers. Thiolariat ethers with a benzocrown framework containing a sulfide chain at the 4 position of the benzene nucleus showed very low affinity to Ag(+). Extractability and transport ability using various thiolariat ether derivatives strongly suggested that this high Ag(+) selectivity is a result of the synergistic coordination of the ring oxygen and the sulfur atom of the thiolariat ether. NMR chemical shifts of protons and carbons in the proximity of the sulfur atom of the thiolariat ether were changed significantly in accordance with the synergistic coordination described above. 1:1 Complexation between a thiolariat ether and Ag(+) were supported by a Job plot using the chemical shift of the methylene protons adjacent to the sulfur atom.     

A versatile method for preparation of O-alkylperoxycarbonic acids: epoxidation with alkyloxycarbonylimidazoles and hydrogen peroxide

A variety of O-alkylperoxycarbonic acids ($\text{2}$) were conveniently prepared $\text{in}$$\text{situ}$ by utilizing alkyloxycarbonylimidazoles ($\text{1}$) as their precursors. Epoxidation of alkenes with such peroxy-acids was studied and their reactivities were compared with those of peroxycarboxylic acids.     

The structure of enopeptins A and B, novel depsipeptide antibiotics

The structures of enopeptins A and B, novel depsipeptide antibiotics with 1,3,5,7,9-decapentaene-1,10-dicarboxylic acid and 2-amino-3-hydroxycyclopent-2-enone in a side chain, were determined by chemical and spectroscopic means.     

超临界二氧化碳中卟啉与钴(II)、镍(II)、锌(II)配合物反应动力学

用紫外-可见光谱研究了钴(II)、镍(II)、锌(II)的1, 1, 1, 5, 5, 5-六氟-2, 4-戊二酮-二水配合物[M(hfac)2(H₂O)₂, M=Co、Ni、Zn]与5, 10, 15, 20-四(五氟苯基)卟啉[H2tpfpp]在超临界二氧化碳中反应生成金属卟啉[M(tpfpp)]的反应动力学. 在金属配合物大大过量时, 反应对卟啉为一级. 其表观一级速率常数随钴(II)、镍(II)配合物的浓度增加先增加、而后趋于稳定, 而表观一级速率常数随锌(II)配合物的浓度增加线形增加. 根据实验事实, 讨论了反应的机理, 得到了相应的热力学和动力学参数.     

General synthesis of sugar-pendant 1,3-propanediamines containing a C-glycoside linkage

A straightforward route to C-glycoside linked sugar-pendant 1,3-propanediamines is described. The three-step preparation procedure involves (1) C-glycosylation of an OH-protected α-glycosyl halide with malononitrile, (2) catalytic hydrogenation of the nitriles to amines, and (3) deprotection of acetyl groups via acid-catalyzed hydrolysis. In the case of the galactose derivative, excess sodiomalononitrile promotes the second addition of a carbanion in the first step. The β-anomeric configuration was confirmed by X-ray crystallography of the glycosylated intermediates. This method demonstrates a general method to access a new class of carbohydrate-pendant C-glycoside chelators.     

Pre-fibrillation of pulps to manufacture cellulose nanofiber-reinforced high-density polyethylene using the dry pulp direct kneading method

The dry pulp direct kneading method is an industrially viable, low-energy process for manufacturing cellulose nanofiber (CNF)-reinforced polymer composites, where the chemically modified pulps are nanofibrillated and uniformly dispersed in the polymer matrix during melt compounding. In the present study, cellulose fibers of various sizes ranging from surface-fibrillated pulps (20 μm in width) to fine CNFs (20 nm in width) were prepared from softwood bleached kraft pulps using a refiner and a high-pressure homogenizer. These cellulose fibers were modified with alkenyl succinic anhydride and dried. The dried fibers were used as a feed material for melt compounding in the dry pulp direct kneading method to fabricate CNF-reinforced high-density polyethylene (HDPE). When surface-fibrillated pulps were employed as a feed material, the pulps were nanofibrillated and dispersed uniformly in the HDPE matrix during melt compounding. The resulting composites had much better properties—i.e., much higher tensile modulus and strength values, and much lower coefficient of thermal expansion values—than the composites produced using pulps without pre-fibrillation. However, when CNFs were used as a feed material, they were shortened and agglomerated during melt compounding, and the properties of the composites consequently deteriorated. The study concludes that surface-fibrillated pulp, which can be produced cost-effectively using a refiner on an industrial scale, is more suitable as a feed material than CNFs for melt compounding in the dry pulp direct kneading method. This finding enables the elimination of a preliminary step in the preparation of CNFs from pulps, which is a time-consuming and energy-intensive process.

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