Corn silk induces nitric oxide synthase in murine macrophages

Corn silk has been purified as an anticoagulant previously and the active component is a polysaccharide with a molecular mass of 135 kDa. It activates murine macrophages to induce nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and generate substantial amounts of NO in time and dose-dependent manners. It was detectable first at 15 h after stimulation by corn silk, peaked at 24 h, and undetectable by 48 h. Induction of NOS is inhibited by pyrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) and genistein, an inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) and tyrosine kinase, respectively, indicating that iNOS stimulated by corn silk is associated with tyrosine kinase and NF-kappaB signaling pathways. IkappaB-alpha degradation was detectible at 10 min, and the level was restored at 120 min after treatment of corn silk. Corn silk induced nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB by phosphorylation and degradation of IkappaB-alpha.     

Ligand dynamics and reactivity in trimetallic clusters

The general relationships between trinuclear cluster reactivity and the ligand dynamical processes in these systems are explored. Three specific mechanistic studies are presented: (1) the rate and stereochemistry of ligand addition to ₃-imidoyl complexes, (2) the factors influencing the rate of carbon-hydrogen bond activation in ₃-alkyne complexes, and (3) the origin of anomalously large kinetic deuterium isotope effect in metal to ligand and ligand to metal hydrogen transfer in trinuclear and binuclear complexes. In all three cases, the current state of the mechanistic studies are summarized and the possible rate of specific ligand dynamical processes in controlling the mechanism are put forth.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (+)-SCH 351448: a unique ligand system for sodium, calcium, and other cations

(+)-SCH 351448 (Na+ salt A) was synthesized employing ring-closing olefin metathesis reaction of an open diene diester intermediate for construction of the 28-membered macrodiolide structure. The open diene diester was prepared from the monomeric hydroxy carboxylic acid and two different olefin fragments. The monomeric hydroxy acid was synthesized via Julia-Julia coupling reaction of intermediates derived from the same olefinic fragments. Oxane units in these fragments were prepared by radical cyclization reactions of beta-alkoxyacrylates. Analogous SCH 351448 salts incorporating other mono- and divalent cations may be prepared. Under acidic conditions, SCH 351448 (Na+ salt A) was the most stable complex, but SCH 351448 (Ca2+ salt) and (Na+ salt B) appear to be physiologically important species.     

Ion-selective electrodes based on tetraphenyl-phosphonium 12-tungstosilicate and on crystal violet tetraphenylborate in the potentiometric titration of acid and basic dyes

Poly(vinyl chloride) membrane electrodes containing the specified substances are suitable as indicator electrodes in titrations of basic dyes with sodium tetraphenylborate solution and of acidic dyes with crystal violet solution. Useful curves are obtained even at the 10^-3 M level.     

The Tolman length: is it positive or negative?

By means of a large-scale molecular dynamics simulation, we show that the Tolman length, although positive, is much smaller in magnitude than previously reported. We found that the range of interparticle interaction can significantly affect the magnitude of the Tolman length. When the range of interaction is longer than five molecular diameters, the Tolman length is on the order of a few hundredths of the molecular diameter, rather than a few tenths known previously.     

Maleation of poly(3,4‐epoxy‐1‐butene) for accelerated crosslinking in the presence of a redox catalyst

Accelerated crosslinking of novel poly(3,4‐epoxy‐1‐butene) (3,4‐PEPB) oligomers in the presence of a cobalt‐based redox catalyst was investigated. Previous studies using model compounds, 3,4‐dimethoxy‐1‐butene and 1,4‐dimethoxy‐2‐butene, suggested that maleation of hydroxyl‐terminated 3,4‐PEPB oligomers would result in more rapid crosslinking in thin films. Novel maleated oligomers offered a unique combination of both electron‐rich and electron‐poor olefinic sites, and quantitative maleation significantly increased the crosslinking rate of 3,4‐PEPB. Efficient copolymerization between terminal maleate groups and olefinic groups in the repeating unit was proposed to account for accelerated crosslinking rates. Furthermore, the addition of novel reactive diluents, such as maleic acid mono‐ethyl ester, also effectively improved the 3,4‐PEPB crosslinking rate. Sol fraction measurements as a function of coating thickness revealed that the crosslinking rate versus oxygen diffusion was less significant for the maleated oligomers because of the presence of reactive electron‐poor olefins. Sol fractions were constant for catalyst concentrations greater than 0.25–0.50 wt % (as compared with oligomer feed). This observation suggested that a redox process was not a dominant factor in determining crosslinking rates at various experimental conditions. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2789–2798, 2002     

Phage-display selection of a human single-chain fv antibody highly specific for melanoma and breast cancer cells using a chemoenzymatically synthesized G(M3)-carbohydrate antigen

Overexpression of the cell-surface glycosphingolipid G(M3) is associated with a number of different cancers, including those of the skin, colon, breast, and lung. Antibodies against the G(M3) epitope have potential application as therapeutic agents in the treatment of these cancers. We describe the chemoenzymatic synthesis of two G(M3)-derived reagents and their use in the panning of a phage-displayed human single-chain Fv (scFv) antibody library derived from the blood of cancer patients. Three scFv-phage clones, GM3A6, GM3A8, and GM3A15, were selected for recombinant expression and were characterized using BIAcore and flow cytometry. BIAcore measurements using the purified, soluble scFvs yielded dissociation constants (K(d)) ranging from 4.2 x 10(-7) to 2.1 x 10(-5) M. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the ability of each scFv to discriminate between normal human cells (human dermal fibroblast, HDFa), melanoma cells (HMV-1, M21, and C-8161), and breast cancer cells (BCM-1, BCM-2, and BMS). GM3A6 displayed cross-reactivity with normal cells, as well as tumor cells, and GM3A15 possessed little or no binding activity toward any of the cell lines tested. However, GM3A8 bound to five of the six tumor cell lines and showed no measurable reactivity against the HDFa cells. Hence, we have demonstrated that a synthetic G(M3) panning reagent can be used to isolate a fully human scFv that is highly specific for native G(M3) on the surface of tumor cells. The result is a significant step toward effective immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer.     

Solvolysis-decomposition of 2-adamantyl chloroformate: evidence for two reaction pathways

Reaction of 2-adamantyl chloroformate under a variety of solvolytic conditions leads to 2-adamantyl chloride accompanied by solvolysis products, some with and some without retention of the CO(2) unit. For example, in 100% ethanol, only 4.8% 2-adamantyl chloride is formed with the mixed carbonate (88%) being the dominant product, and in 100% 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol, the products are both formed with loss of CO(2), 59% of the chloride and 41% of the ether. With exclusion of the specific rates in 100% and 90% ethanol and methanol, a good Grunwald-Winstein plot against Y(Cl) values (solvent ionizing power) is obtained, with a slope of 0.47 +/- 0.03. The results are compared with those reported earlier for 1-adamantyl chloroformate and isopropyl chloroformate and mechanistic conclusions are drawn.     

Recyclable self-assembly-supported catalytic system for orthoalkylation

[reaction: see text] A new recyclable supported catalyst system for orthoalkylation was devised using a self-assembly consisting of the barbiturate and 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine H-bonding motifs. At high temperature, the system is completely homogeneous so as to give an efficient catalytic activity, while it is heterogenized at room temperature to form an insoluble solid phase for the easy recovery of the catalyst after the reaction.     

小角激光光散射法测定聚甲基丙烯酸-6-磺己基钠特性粘数-分子量关系

<正> 聚甲基丙烯酸己磺酸钠(PSSHMA)是我们最近合成的,具有较好的抗凝血性能。对于带磺酸基聚合物抗凝血性能的研究,文献报道还不多。我们用羟基己磺酸钠与甲基丙烯酸反应制备了甲基丙烯酸己磺酸钠(SSHMA)新单体,在此异相酯化反应中,使用了四丁基硫酸氢铵(TBAB)作为催化剂,使反应较顺利的进行,得纯单体。经复钙时