Inhibition of cytopathic effect of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 by various phorbol derivatives

Forty-eight derivatives of phorbol (9) and isophorbol (14) were evaluated for their inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 induced cytopathic effects (CPE) on MT-4 cells, as well as their activation of protein kinase C (PKC), as indices of anti-HIV-1 and tumor promoting activities, respectively. Of these compounds, the most potent inhibition of CPE was observed in 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (8) and 12-O-acetylphorbol 13-decanoate (6). The former also showed the strongest PKC activation activity, while the latter showed no activity at 10 ng/ml. Both activities were generally observed in those phorbol derivatives with an A/B trans configuration, but not in the isophorbol derivatives with an A/B cis configuration. Acetylation of 20-OH in the phorbol derivatives significantly reduced the inhibition of CPE, as shown in 12-O-, 20-O-diacetylphorbol 13-decanoate (6a) (IC100=15.6 microg/ml) vs. compound 6 (IC100=0.0076 microg/ml), and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13,20-diacetate (8a) (IC100=15.6 microg/ml) vs. 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (8) (IC100=0.00048 microg/ml), except in the case of 12-O-decanoylphorbol 13-(2-methylbutyrate) (4) and phorbol 12,13-diacetate (9c). The reduction of a carbonyl group at C-3 abruptly reduced the inhibition of CPE, as observed in 3beta-hydroxyphorbol 12,13,20-triacetate (9f) (IC100=500 microg/ml) vs. phorbol 12,13,20-triacetate (9d) (IC100=62.5 microg/ml). Although 8 was equipotent in the inhibition of CPE, and activation of PKC, both activities were abruptly decreased by the acetylation of 20-OH and methylation of 4-OH [as in 8a and 4-O-methyl-12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13,20-diacetate (8b), respectively]. On the other hand, its positional isomer (12-O-acetylphorbol 13-tetradecanoate (8c) showed neither activities. The removal of a long acyl group in 8 led to a substantial loss of both activities, as shown in phorbol 13-acetate (9b). Of the 12-O-acetyl-13-O-acylphorbol derivatives, the highest inhibition of CPE was observed in 6, which has a dodecanoyl residue at C-13. Both an increase and decrease in the number of fatty acid carbon chains resulted in significant reduction of the inhibition of CPE.     

Structure-activity relationships (SAR) of [D-Arg(2)]dermorphin(1-4) analogues,N(alpha)-amidino-Tyr-D-Arg-Phe-X

In investigating the development of compounds with potent analgesic effects after oral administration, 74 C-terminal analogues (N(alpha)-amidino-Tyr-D-Arg-Phe-X), based on the structure of N(alpha)-amidino-Tyr-D-Arg-Phe-Me beta Ala-OH (ADAMB), were synthesized. Their analgesic activity was evaluated using the mouse-tail pressure test after both subcutaneous and oral administration, and the structure-activity relationships (SAR) were examined in detail. The results clearly indicated that compounds containing beta-amino acid without a side chain at the X position are preferable for expression of potent analgesic activity, and that the free carboxyl group is superior in its analgesic activity to that of the esterified or amidated carboxy group at the C-terminal. In addition, N-methylation of the amide bond at the 4th position contributed to improved analgesic activity. These results indicated that the strong and long-lasting analgesic effect of ADAMB is expressed by the synergistic effects of N(alpha)-amidination, the N-methylation of the amide bond at the 4th position and the carbon chain length (beta-Ala) of the residue at the 4th position, and that this is the most suitable structure.     

Acid-promoted reaction of trimethylsilylketene bis(ethylthio)acetal with imines. Synthesis of gamma,gamma-bis(ethylthio)allylamines

Acid-catalyzed reaction of silylketene dithioacetal 1 with iminium salts or imines 3b,d-h gave the corresponding gamma,gamma-bis(ethylthio)allylamines 2a-h or 5b,d-h in generally high yields. Similar reactions of 1 with (salicylidene)amines 6a-e afforded 4-amino-2,2-bis(ethylthio)chromans 8a-e in good to moderate yields.     

Split flow and bypass flow systems for monolithic capillary columns in liquid chromatography

Split flow and bypass flow systems were assembled using Nano Y Connectors with low dead volume commercially available for capillary liquid chromatography (LC). The split ratio could be controlled by changing the dimension of restriction tubing and applied back pressure to the restriction tubing. The split flow system allowed us to use valve injectors and pumps commercially available for capillary LC. The reproducibility of the present split flow system was acceptable. The relative standard deviation for six successive measurements was 0.4% for the retention time, whereas that for the peak height and peak area was 1-3% depending on the analytes. The bypass flow system uses two Nano Y Connectors, where the eluent split at the first Nano Y Connector, which is located in the inlet of the separation column, is merged again into the effluent from the column at the second Nano Y Connector. The bypass flow system could avoid on-column detection and allowed us to use flow cells, leading to an approximate three times improvement in signal-to-noise. The present flow systems were evaluated by using aromatic hydrocarbons and alkylbenzenes as test analytes.     

Stable operation of a 300-m laser interferometer with sufficient sensitivity to detect gravitational-wave events within our galaxy

TAMA300, an interferometric gravitational-wave detector with 300-m baseline length, has been developed and operated with sufficient sensitivity to detect gravitational-wave events within our galaxy and sufficient stability for observations; the interferometer was operated for over 10 hours stably and continuously. With a strain-equivalent noise level of h approximately 5x10(-21)/sqrt[Hz], a signal-to-noise ratio of 30 is expected for gravitational waves generated by a coalescence of 1.4M-1.4M binary neutron stars at 10 kpc distance. We evaluated the stability of the detector sensitivity with a 2-week data-taking run, collecting 160 hours of data to be analyzed in the search for gravitational waves.     

Concerning the structure of the reaction products from n-sulfinylsulfonamides and dimethylketen-n-phenylimine

The reactions of N-sulfinylsulfonamides with dimethyIketen-N-phenylimine furnish 3- sulfonylimino-1,2-thiazetidin-1-oxides (e.g. $\text{4}$) instead of the previously reported 3-isopropylidene-1,2,4-thiadiazetidin-1-oxides (e.g. $\text{3}$).     

One-step phase shift 3-D surface profilometry with grating projection

A 3-D profiling system has been developed using a grating projection approach and a one-step phase shift algorithm. In the system, a grating pattern projected on an object surface is acquired by a CCD camera, and the grating's phase deformation caused by the surface shape is extracted by spatial phase shift processing, which uses only one frame of digital image. One phase value can be calculated from a successive 3-pixel range if the fringe period is set to either 4-pixel width or 8-pixel width. The fixed phase distribution of the system is excluded by a standard plane calibration. With 8-bit input data, the system's RMS phase accuracy is developed up to 2π/60 in the experimental examinations.     

Oxidation of siliconsilicon and siliconhydrogen bonds with molecular oxygen and bis(trimethylsilyl) peroxide

The siliconsilicon bond which is either strained or substituted with more than two fluorine atoms is easily oxidized with molecular oxygen and bis-(trimethylsilyl) peroxide (BSPO) at or below room temperature to form mainly the corresponding disiloxane. The former aerobic oxidation is inhibited by 2,4,6-tri(t-butyl)phenol, while the latter is not. Oxidation of the SiH bond with BSPO and the preparation of three new (fluoro)methyldisilanes are also described.     

Photodimerization of 1,4-dicinnamoylbenzene crystal via a topochemical process

1,4-Dicinnamoylbenzene crystals photodimerize readily via a double [2+2] cycloaddition into the corresponding tricyclic dimer, which consists of two cyclobutane rings and a macro ring bridged by two phenylene linkages.