Synthesis of a (1→6)-β-Linked N-Acetyl-d-glucosamine Oligosaccharide1

Abstract

1,6-Anhydro-2-deoxy-3,4-di-O-benzyl-2-phthalimido-β-d- glucopyranose (5) was synthesized from 1,6-anhydro-β-d-mannopyranose (1) in five steps. Compound 5 was polymerized under cationic conditions and selectively yielded glucosamine oligomers (degree of polymerization 5-7). Copolymerization of 5 with 1,6-anhydro-2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-β-d-glucopyranose indicated the low reactivity of 5 with the active cation derived from 5. Deprotection of 2-deoxy-3,4-di-O-benzyl-2-phthalimido-(1→6)-β-d-glucopyranan (7) and N-acetylation gave 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-(1→6)-β-d-glucopyranan (9).     

Application of Novel Glycosides Prepared with Odorless Benzenethiols in Glycosylation Reaction

p‐Dodecylbenzenethiol (1) and p‐octyloxybenzenethiol (2) were synthesized as new odorless benzenethiols. Moreover, preparation of novel 1‐thioglycosides using 1 and 2 as well as their application for glycosylation reactions was performed. As a result, it was found that these 1‐thio‐glycosides were excellent glycosyl donors, and especially 2‐thio‐sialoside prepared from 1 and 2 afforded the best result to date in terms of α‐ and β‐selectivity in the sialylation where only the single C‐3 hydroxyl group of acceptor D‐galactopyranoside was free. All procedures from the preparation of thioglycosides to glycosylation reaction were attainable under completely odorless conditions.     

Selective adsorption and stable solidification of radioactive cesium ions by porous silica gels loaded with insoluble ferrocyanides

Development of highly functional cesium selective adsorbents for the decontamination of high-activity-level water(HALW) from the Fukushima NPP-1 accident is very urgent. In order to selectively adsorb the radioactive cesium, three kinds of novel porous silica gels loaded with insoluble ferrocyanides(SLFC) were prepared using a successive impregnation/precipitation method. Based on the results of previous research, the SLFC composites have relatively large uptake ratio above 95%, distribution coefficients(Kd) above 103 cm3/g, and excellent adsorption kinetics even in seawater. The solidification results also indicate that zeolites have an excellent Cs immobilization characteristic, gas-trapping and self-sintering abilities, and low leachability. We chose three kinds of SLFC composites to achieve the optimization of solidification by mixing with nine kinds of additives at high temperatures(up to 1200 °C). The Cs contents in the three composites were estimated to be below 30% of the initial contents and decreased with the three stages at calcination temperatures ranging from 25 to 1200 °C. By contrast, the Cs immobilization ratio was markedly lowered by mixing with additives: of those, allophane had the best immobilization result. By increasing the additive ratio to 50 wt%, the Cs immobilization ratio became almost 100% and no volatilization of Cs was detected even after calcination at 1200 °C. This result indicates that calcination of the mixture of SLFC composites after adsorbing Cs+ ions and specific additives under appropriate ratio is effective for stable solidification.     

Defect Engineering and Anisotropic Modulation of Ionic Transport in Perovskite Solid Electrolyte LixLa(1−x)/3NbO3

Solid electrolytes, such as perovskite Li_3xLa_2/1−xTiO₃, Li_xLa_(1−x)/3NbO₃ and garnet Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ ceramic oxides, have attracted extensive attention in lithium-ion battery research due to their good chemical stability and the improvability of their ionic conductivity with great potential in solid electrolyte battery applications. These solid oxides eliminate safety issues and cycling instability, which are common challenges in the current commercial lithium-ion batteries based on organic liquid electrolytes. However, in practical applications, structural disorders such as point defects and grain boundaries play a dominating role in the ionic transport of these solid electrolytes, where defect engineering to tailor or improve the ionic conductive property is still seldom reported. Here, we demonstrate a defect engineering approach to alter the ionic conductive channels in Li_xLa_(1−x)/3NbO₃ (x = 0.1~0.13) electrolytes based on the rearrangements of La sites through a quenching process. The changes in the occupancy and interstitial defects of La ions lead to anisotropic modulation of ionic conductivity with the increase in quenching temperatures. Our trial in this work on the defect engineering of quenched electrolytes will offer opportunities to optimize ionic conductivity and benefit the solid electrolyte battery applications.     

The Bioactive Peptide SL-13R Expands Human Umbilical Cord Blood Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells In Vitro

Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) transplantation is a curative treatment of hematological disorders that has been utilized for several decades. Although umbilical cord blood (UCB) is a promising source of HSPCs, the low dose of HSPCs in these preparations limits their use, prompting need for ex vivo HSPC expansion. To establish a more efficient method to expand UCB HSPCs, we developed the bioactive peptide named SL-13R and cultured UCB HSPCs (CD34+ cells) with SL-13R in animal component-free medium containing a cytokine cocktail. Following 9 days of culture with SL-13R, the numbers of total cells, CD34+, CD38− cells, and hematopoietic stem cell (HSC)-enriched cells were significantly increased relative to control. Transplantation of cells cultured with SL-13R into immunodeficient NOD/Shi-scid/IL-2Rγ knockout mice confirmed that they possess long-term reconstitution and self-renewal ability. AHNAK, ANXA2, and PLEC all interact with SL-13R. Knockdown of these genes in UCB CD34+ cells resulted in reduced numbers of hematopoietic colonies relative to SL-13R-treated and non-knockdown controls. In summary, we have identified a novel bioactive peptide SL-13R promoting expansion of UCB CD34+ cells with long-term reconstitution and self-renewal ability, suggesting its clinical use in the future.     

Molecular synchronization waves in arrays of allosterically regulated enzymes

Spatiotemporal pattern formation in a product-activated enzymic reaction at high enzyme concentrations is investigated. Stochastic simulations show that catalytic turnover cycles of individual enzymes can become coherent and that complex wave patterns of molecular synchronization can develop. The analysis based on the mean-field approximation indicates that the observed patterns result from the presence of Hopf and wave bifurcations in the considered system.     

Multiple Ca(2+) environments in silicate glasses by high-resolution (43)Ca MQMAS NMR technique at high and ultra-high (21.8 T) magnetic fields

We here show the (43)Ca 5QMAS NMR spectra at high field (16.4 T) and the first 7QMAS spectrum at ultra-high field (21.8 T) for geologically important Ca-containing glasses. The high-resolution MQMAS spectra present a clear evidence of multiple Ca sites in the amorphous structures that have never been identified by other analytical methods. The present study suggests that the Ca(2+) ions are mainly in 7- and 8-fold coordination sites. This will offer valuable insights for dynamic properties of magmatic liquids. The MQMAS NMR technique at high magnetic field is a unique tool to understand the detailed structural information on a specific element in solids including organic and inorganic compounds.     

Development of variable‐magnification X‐ray Bragg optics

A novel X‐ray Bragg optics is proposed for variable‐magnification of an X‐ray beam. This X‐ray Bragg optics is composed of two magnifiers in a crossed arrangement, and the magnification factor, M, is controlled through the azimuth angle of each magnifier. The basic properties of the X‐ray optics such as the magnification factor, image transformation matrix and intrinsic acceptance angle are described based on the dynamical theory of X‐ray diffraction. The feasibility of the variable‐magnification X‐ray Bragg optics was verified at the vertical‐wiggler beamline BL‐14B of the Photon Factory. For X‐ray Bragg magnifiers, Si(220) crystals with an asymmetric angle of 14° were used. The magnification factor was calculated to be tunable between 0.1 and 10.0 at a wavelength of 0.112 nm. At various magnification factors (M≥ 1.0), X‐ray images of a nylon mesh were observed with an air‐cooled X‐ray CCD camera. Image deformation caused by the optics could be corrected by using a 2 × 2 transformation matrix and bilinear interpolation method. Not only absorption‐contrast but also edge‐contrast due to Fresnel diffraction was observed in the magnified images.     

Development of a New Benzylating Reagent Spontaneously Releasing Benzyl Cation Equivalents at Room Temperature

A new O‐benzylating reagent, that is, 4‐(4,6‐diphenoxy‐1,3,5‐triazin‐2‐yl)‐4‐benzylmorpholinium trifluoromethanesulfonate (DPT‐BM), has been developed. Benzyl cation equivalents are generated from DPT‐BM by dissolving the compound in a solvent at room temperature under non‐acidic conditions. The benzylation of various alcohols by using a combination of DPT‐BM and magnesium oxide provided the benzyl ethers in good yields.