Quadranosides VI-XI, six new triterpene glucosides from the seeds of Combretum quadrangulare

Six new triterpene glucosides, quadranosides VI-XI (1-6), belonging to three different [ursane- (1-4), oleanane- (5) and lupane-type (6)] triterpene classes, have been isolated from a MeOH extract of the seeds of Combretum quadrangulare KURZ (Combretaceae), together with nine known compounds, rosamutin (7), 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-6beta,23-dihydroxytormentic acid (8), arjunetin (9), arjunglucoside II (10), combreglucoside (11), chebuloside II (12), vitexin (13), (+)-catechin (14) and (-)-epigallocatechin (15). The structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis.     

Synthesis,structure, and swelling behavior of two-component copolymer networks

A two-component copolymer network comprising polystyrene (PS) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) as copolymer components was prepared by cross-linking PS with telechelic PDMS with a new method. The microphase structure of the dry PS/PDMS network was found to be irregular from DSC and small angle X-ray scattering measurements. The swelling behavior was observed in three kinds of mixed solvents which were chosen so as to contrast with one another in respect of solubility of the component polymers. The observed swelling degree depended on the solvent composition in a manner peculiar to the respective mixed solvent systems. The Flory swelling equation extended to the two-component polymer network qualitatively reproduced the experimental swelling behavior.     

Adsorption Characteristics in Reversed-Phase Liquid Chromatography Using Ethanol/Water Mixed Solvent

Adsorption characteristics were studied in a reversed-phase liquid chromatography consisting of an octadecylsilyl (ODS)-silica gel and ethanol/water mixture (70/30, v/v), and were compared with corresponding results obtained by using methanol/water and acetonitrile/water mixtures (70/30, v/v) as mobile phase. Similar tendencies were observed for some adsorption characteristics in the three chromatographic systems. However, the magnitude of the characteristics was not entirely identical in the three systems. Surface diffusion was dominant for intraparticle diffusion in the ODS-silica gel particles irrespective of the type of the organic modifiers in mobile phases. A few correlations were confirmed with regard to surface diffusion, i.e., an enthalpy-entropy compensation and a linear free-energy relation. The analogous correlations on surface diffusion phenomena suggest the similarity in the mechanism of surface diffusion in the three chromatographic systems.     

Effective reduction of critical current for current-induced magnetization switching by a Ru layer insertion in an exchange-biased spin valve

Recently, it has been predicted that a spin-polarized electrical current perpendicular to plane directly flowing through a magnetic element can induce magnetization switching through spin-momentum transfer. In this Letter, the first observation of current-induced magnetization switching (CIMS) in exchange-biased spin valves (ESPVs) at room temperature is reported. The ESPVs show the CIMS behavior under a sweeping dc current with a very high critical current density. It is demonstrated that a thin ruthenium (Ru) layer inserted between a free layer and a top electrode effectively reduces the critical current densities for the CIMS. An "inverse" CIMS behavior is also observed when the thickness of the free layer increases.     

Ultrasonic-induced nucleation of ice in water containing air bubbles

Cavitation induced by ultrasonic vibrations can cause nucleation of ice in supercooled water. In this study, the time required for ultrasonic-induced nucleation of ice was measured for water containing two different size distributions of air bubbles. When the water was supersaturated with air bubbles, there was a time lag of about 0.5 s between the onset of ultrasonic irradiation and the onset of ice nucleation, and the probability of ice nucleation was unusually high within 0.5-1.1 s after the onset of ultrasonic irradiation. These results cannot be explained by conventional models alone, in which the collapse of a cavitation bubble triggers the nucleation of ice. Secondary effects appear to also influence ice nucleation.     

Nitric oxide (NO) production inhibitory constituents of Tabebuia avellanedae from Brazil

From the water extract of Brazilian Tabebuia avellanedae, two new iridoids (1, 2) and a new phenylethanoid glycoside (3) have been isolated together with twelve known compounds (4-15). Their structures were determined based on the spectroscopic data. The isolated compounds inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophage-like J774.1 cells. Compounds 1, 3, 10, 11, and 12 showed inhibitory activities more potent (IC50, 13.8-26.1 microg/ml) than a positive control N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA; IC50, 27.4 microg/ml).     

Spectrophotometric determination of urinary protein with o-sulfophenylfluorone-metal complex.

A simple and sensitive spectrophotometric method for the determination of human serum albumin (HSA) was established based on the ternary complex-formation reaction of HSA with o-sulfophenylfluorone (SPF) as a xanthene dye and metal ion (niobium(V) and bismuth(III)) in the presence of a dispersion agent. This new method enabled the determination of HSA in the range of 1 - 15 microg/ml HSA by measuring the difference of the absorbance at 530 nm between HSA-SPF-metal ion and SPF-metal ion solutions. In the determination of HSA, this method is about 2-times more sensitive than the Pyrogallol Red-molybdenum(VI) method (PR method), which accounts for more than 80% of the quantification methods for urinary protein assays in Japan. There was no significant difference between the results obtained by the present method and the PR method for human urine samples. The binding process between the SPF-metal complex and HSA was studied by determining the binding parameters and the thermodynamic parameters.