Further studies on the structure of polysaccharides from the lichen Flavoparmelia caperata (L.) Hale

A water-soluble polysaccharide called PC-2 was previously isolated from Flavoparmelia caperata (L.) Hale and assigned to alpha(1-3)(1-4)glucan. However, PC-2 separated into three components, PC-2A, PC-2B, and PC-2C (a single peak in HPLC, respectively) on further purification. Methylation analysis and (1)H- and (13)C-NMR spectroscopic studies suggested that PC-2A is composed of repeating units of [alpha-D-Glc1-3](3), : [alpha-D-Glc1-4](2), while PC-2B and PC-2C are partly branched galactoglucomannans consisting of (1-3)- and (1-4)-linked alpha-D-glucopyranosyl units as the main chain. In addition we confirmed that the polysaccharide fraction PB-2 from the lichen of the same genus, Flavoparmelia baltimorensis (Gyelink & Foriss) Hale, is identical to PC-2 based on the chemical and spectroscopic data.     

Welding characteristics of 27, 40 and 67 kHz ultrasonic plastic welding systems using fundamental- and higher-resonance frequencies

The welding characteristics of 27, 40 and 67 kHz ultrasonic plastic welding systems that are driven at only the fundamental-resonance frequency vibration were compared, and also those of the welding systems that were driven at the fundamental and several higher resonance frequencies simultaneously were studied. At high frequency, welding characteristics can be improved due to the larger vibration loss of plastic materials. For welding of rather thin or small specimens, as the fundamental frequency of these welding systems is higher and the numbers of driven higher frequencies are driven simultaneously, larger welded area and weld strength were obtained.     

Rapid dissolution of chromite with sulphuric acid-lithium sulphate mixture containing ceric sulphate, manganese dioxide or periodate, and spectrophotometric determination of chromium

Cr(2)O(3) and chromite ore can be dissolved in H(2)SO(4)Li(2)SO(4)Ce(SO(4))(2) (20/10/1 v/w/w), H(2)SO(4)Li(2)SO(4)MnO(2) (20/10/1 v/w/w) and H(2)SO(4)Li(2)SO(4)KIO(4) (20/10/2 v/w/w) mixtures. The turbid solution produced can be clarified by treatment with H(2)O(2) or solvent extraction and the chromium determined spectrophotometrically at 614 nm.     

Rapid decomposition of heterocyclic ring compounds with molten acidic lithium sulphate flux containing catalysts and kjeldahl determination of nitrogen

Heterocyclic ring compounds such as pyrazine, pyrimidine, purine, quinoxaline, quinazoline and phthalazine can be rapidly decomposed in the molten state with mixtures of various ratios of concentrated sulphuric acid and lithium sulphate (molten ALS) flux containing catalysts such as cupric sulphate, elemental selenium powder, selenium dioxide, mercury(II) oxide (red) and mercurcic sulphate. The quantitative recovery of nitrogen in the above six compounds with the molten ALS flux decomposition systems can be obtained with the Kjeldahl method.     

Rapid decomposition of organic materials with acidic lithium sulphate flux containing catalysts, oxidizing agents or reducing agents, and Kjeldahl determination of nitrogen

Organic compounds and natural materials such as dimethylglyoxime, p-nitrophenol, alpha-nitroso-beta-naphthol, 4-(2-pyridylazo)-resorcinol, phenylhydrazine hydrochloride, monopyrazolone, residual fuel oil and coal can be rapidly decomposed in the melting state with various ratios of sulphuric acid-lithium sulphate (v/w) mixture containing catalysts, oxidizing agents or reducing agents such as elemental selenium powder, cupric sulphate, ceric sulphate and stannous sulphate. The quantitative recovery of nitrogen in the melting medium can be obtained with the Kjeldahl method.     

New hypocholesterolemic abietamide derivatives. II. Synthesis and hypocholesterolemic activity of N-phenyl-delta 8-dihydroabietamides

A series of N-phenyl-delta 8-dihydroabietamide analogs were prepared and tested for hypocholesterolemic activity. The effects of substituents of the phenyl moiety on the activities were quantitatively analyzed by using various substituent parameters. The activities were enhanced by the electron-donating effect of ortho and para substitutents and the bulkiness of ortho substituents. A combination of 2,6-dimethylaniline with resin acids other than delta 8-dihydroabietic acid produced lower activities than N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-delta 8-dihydroabietamide, abietane-type carboxamides being somewhat stronger than pimarane-type carboxamides. The conversion of the carboxamide group to other groups resulted in more or less of a decrease in activity, giving evidence that the carboxamide group is important to hypocholesterolemic activity.     

Development of a novel method for screening of estrogenic compounds using nano-sized bacterial magnetic particles displaying estrogen receptor

In this study, nano-sized bacterial magnetic particles (BMPs) displaying human estrogen receptor ligand binding domain (ERLBD) on the surface was successfully produced by the magnetic bacterium, Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1. Furthermore, a non-isotopic binding assay for estrogenic compounds using the BMPs displaying ERLBD was developed. A BMP membrane-specific protein, Mms16, was used as an anchor molecule to localize ERLBD on the surface of BMPs. ERLBD-BMP complexes were simply extracted by magnetic separation from ruptured AMB-1 transformants and used for the assay based on the competitive binding of alkaline phosphatase conjugated 17β-estradiol (ALP-E2) as a tracer. Dissociation constant of the receptor was 2.3 nM. Inhibition curves were evaluated by the decrease in luminescence intensity resulting from the enzymatic reaction of alkaline phosphatase. The overall simplicity of this receptor binding assay results in a method that can be easily adapted to a high throughput format. Moreover, this method can be integrated into a fully-automated ligand screening system using magnetic separation.     

Micro wet analysis system using multi-phase laminar flows in three-dimensional microchannel network

A three-dimensional microchannel network with two-level crossings of channels was constructed in a glass microchip by sandwiching an insulating glass plate between two glass plates with microchannels followed by thermal bonding. Pressure-driven stable multi-phase laminar flows inside the three-dimensional channel network were realized by balancing flow rates of syringe pumps. Micro unit operations for mixing, reaction, solvent extraction, and detection were properly arranged in the multi-phase laminar flows, so that four parallel analyses, comprising twenty unit operations in total, could be integrated onto a single chip. Two chelating reagents and two sample solutions containing heavy metal ions (Fe(ii) or Co(ii)) were mixed and reacted in four different combinations using the three-dimensional channel network. After chelating reactions were completed, post processing (solvent extraction or addition of acid) was applied to each solution stream to remove the interferences of coexisting metal ions. Finally, target metal complexes were detected using a thermal lens microscope (TLM). Integrity of the micro system was confirmed by qualitative analysis of Fe(ii) and Co(ii). This is the first example of continuous flow chemical processing utilizing multi-phase laminar flow realized in a three-dimensional channel network.     

Deaminocolchinyl Methyl Ether: Synthesis from 2,3,4,4′-Tetramethoxybiphenyl-2-carbaldehyde. Comparison of antitubulin effects of deaminocolchinyl methyl ether and dehydro analogs

Synthesis of deaminocolchinyl methyl ether 9 was achieved from tetramethoxy-substituted biphenyl-2-carb-aldehyde 12 via tricyclic ketone 20 and 5,6-didehydro congener 11 . Compound 9 was identical in every respect with material prepared from colchicine via 6,7-didehydro congener 10 . Measuring inhibition of tubulin polymerization in vitro showed compounds 4 , 5 , and 9 – 11 of the alloseries of colchicinoids to be particularly potent inhibitors.