Micro‐ and Nano‐Technologies for Lipid Bilayer‐Based Ion‐Channel Functional Assays

Ion channel proteins provide gated pores that allow ions to passively flow across cell membranes. Owing to their crucial roles in regulating transmembrane ion flow, ion channel proteins have attracted the attention of pharmaceutical investigators as drug targets for use in the studies of both therapeutics and side effects. In this review, we discuss the current technologies that are used in the formation of ion channel‐integrated bilayer lipid membranes (BLMs) in microfabricated devices as a potential platform for next‐generation drug screening systems. Advances in BLM fabrication methodology have allowed the preparation of BLMs in sophisticated formats, such as microfluidic, automated, and/or array systems, which can be combined with channel current recordings. A much more critical step is the integration of the target channels into BLMs. Current technologies for the functional reconstitution of ion channel proteins are presented and discussed. Finally, the remaining issues of the BLM‐based methods for recording ion channel activities and their potential applications as drug screening systems are discussed.     

Photochemical intramolecular cyclization of o-alkynylaryl isocyanides with organic dichalcogenides leading to 2,4-bischalcogenated quinolines

When a mixture of o-alkynylaryl isocyanides and organic dichalcogenides such as diselenides or ditellurides was irradiated with light of wavelength over 300 or 400 nm, the intramolecular cyclization of the isocyanides took place to afford the corresponding 2,4-bischalcogenated quinolines selectively. The photochemical cyclization of 2-(phenylethynyl)phenyl isocyanide could also proceed in the presence of hydrogen transfer reagents such as tris(trimethylsilyl)silane, tributylgermyl hydride, alkanethiols, and benzeneselenol, providing the corresponding 3-phenylquinoline as the result of 2,4-dihydrogenation.     

Direct catalytic enantio- and diastereoselective aldol reaction of thioamides

A direct catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction of thioamides using a soft Lewis acid/hard Br?nsted base cooperative catalyst comprising (R,R)-Ph-BPE/[Cu(CH(3)CN)(4)]PF(6)/LiOAr is described. Exclusive enolate generation from thioacetamides through a soft-soft interaction with the soft Lewis acid allowed for a direct aldol reaction to α-nonbranched aliphatic aldehydes, which are usually susceptible to self-condensation under conventional basic conditions. A hard Lewis basic phosphine oxide has emerged as an effective additive to constitute a highly active ternary soft Lewis acid/hard Br?nsted base/hard Lewis base cooperative catalyst, enabling a direct enantio- and diastereoselective aldol reaction of thiopropionamides. Strict control of the amount of the hard Lewis base was essential to drive the catalytic cycle efficiently with a minimized retro-aldol pathway, affording syn-aldol products with high stereoselectivity. Divergent transformation of the thioamide functionality is an obvious merit of the present aldol methodology, allowing for a facile transformation of the aldol product into the corresponding aldehyde, ketone, amide, amine, and ketoester. An aldehyde derived from the direct aldol reaction was subjected to a second direct aldol reaction, which proceeded in a catalyst-controlled manner to provide 1,3-diols with high stereoselectivity.     

New cannabinoid-like chromane and chromene derivatives from Rhododendron anthopogonoides

Two new cannabinoid-like chromane and chromene derivatives named anthopogocyclolic acid (1) and anthopogochromenic acid (2) and five related compounds (3-7) which are known as synthetic analogues of cannabinoids: cannabichromene (CBC) type, cannabicyclol (CBL) type, and cannabicitran (CBT) type, have been isolated together with geranyl orsellinic acid (8) from the Chinese medicinal plant Rhododendron anthopogonoides. Their structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic and chemical evidence. The absolute configuration of the asymmetric carbons at C-2 of 1-7 was determined to be S from their circular dichroism (CD) spectra. Compounds 2, 4 and 6 inhibited compound 48/80-induced histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-lysergic acid, (+)-lysergol, and (+)-isolysergol by palladium-catalyzed domino cyclization of allenes bearing amino and bromoindolyl groups

Enantioselective total synthesis of the biologically important indole alkaloids (+)-lysergol, (+)-isolysergol, and (+)-lysergic acid is described. Key features of these total synthesis include (1) a facile synthesis of a chiral 1,3-amino alcohol via the Pd(0)- and In(I)-mediated reductive coupling reaction between L-serine-derived 2-ethynylaziridine and formaldehyde; (2) the Cr(II)/Ni(0)-mediated Nozaki-Hiyama-Kishi (NHK) reaction of an indole-3-acetaldehyde with iodoalkyne; and (3) Pd(0)-catalyzed domino cyclization of an allene bearing amino and bromoindolyl groups. This domino cyclization enabled direct construction of the C/D ring system of the ergot alkaloids skeleton, as well as the creation of the C5 stereogenic center with transfer of the allenic axial chirality to the central chirality.     

Advantages of synthetic multi-element reference material with pseudo-biological matrix in activation analysis

Recent developments in the studies of low-energy electron attachment to molecules have been reviewed in light of rate constants and cross sections obtained for various halogen-containing compounds. A rational mechanism for the initial attachment is proposed. A method for the investigation of electron thermalization in gases containing an electron-attaching compound has been presented. The electron-energy-loss rate constants and the thermalization times for some electron scavengers are derived.     

Reentrant ferromagnetism observed in SmMn2Ge2

Magnetic characteristics of SmMn₂Ge₂ with a layer structure have been studied by magnetization measurements using single crystal. In the sequence of decreasing temperature, ferromagnetism is observed at 196 K ? T ? 348 K, collinear antiferromagnetism becomes stable for 64 K ? T < 196 K and reentrant ferromagnetism appears below 64 K. The appearance of such successive magnetic orderings are attributed to the variation of the shortest Mn-Mn distance due to thermal expansion and the existence of ferromagnetic coupling between the Sm moments in the intralayer which is dominant at low temperatures.     

Correction method for X-ray fluorescent determination of chromium in high-alloy steels and nickel-base alloys

Summary A new interelement correction method has been developed for the X-ray fluorescent determination of chromium in high-alloy steels and nickel-base alloys. The calibration equation which was derived from the JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) model is applicable over wide ranges of compositions by preparation of only Fe-Cr binary standards.The new approach gave better accuracy than that based on Rasberry-Heinrich correction model. The accuracies (_d) were 0.08% for high-alloy steels and 0.14% for nickel-base alloys.

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Korrekturmethode für die röntgenfluorescenzspektrometrische Bestimmung von Chrom in hochlegierten Stählen und Nickellegierungen

Zusammenfassung Die Eich-Gleichung für das neue Korrekturverfahren wurde vom JIS-Modell (Japanese Industrial Standards) abgeleitet und ist über einen weiten Bereich von Zusammensetzungen durch Herstellung von lediglich binären Fe-Cr-Standards einsetzbar. Das beschriebene Verfahren bietet eine bessere Genauigkeit als die Methode nach dem Korrekturmodell von Rasberry-Heinrich. Sie betrug 0,08% für hochlegierte Stähle und 0,14% für Nickellegierungen.