Construction of a functional IgG-binding luciferase fusion protein for the rapid detection of specific bacterial strains

A fusion protein consisting of two IgG-binding domains of streptococcal protein G and firefly luciferase was constructed, and a simple and specific bioluminescent immunodetection system for bacterial strains was developed.     

2-Acyl-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acids: lead compounds with triple actions, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α/γ agonist and protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitory activities

2-Acyl-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid derivatives were synthesized and biologically evaluated. (S)-2-(2,4-Hexadienoyl)-7-[2-(5-methyl-2-phenyloxazol-4-yl)ethoxy]-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid (14) showed peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and PPARα agonist activities and protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP-1B) inhibitory activities. PPARγ agonist activity of 14 was comparable to that of rosiglitazone, and PTP-1B inhibitory activity was about 10-fold weaker than that of ertiprotafib, a PTP-1B inhibitor. Compound 14 showed high oral absorption in rats and potent hypoglycemic effects in KK-A(y) mice. In conclusion, 14 would be an excellent lead compound for a new type of anti-diabetic drug with triple actions.     

A Convenient Method for the Preparation of 4(e)-Hydroxy-and 4(e)-Methoxyadamantan-2-ones

Hydrolysis or methanolysis of 4(a)-(trifluoromethyl-sulfonyloxy)adamantan-2-one affords 4(e)-hydroxy-or 4(e)-methoxyadamantan-2-one, respectively, as major product, both of which are easily separated from minor by-products.     

High-pressure synthesis and structures of lanthanide germanides of LnGe5 (Ln=Ce, Pr, Nd, and Sm) isotypic with LaGe5

A series of lanthanide penta-germanides LnGe₅ (Ln=Ce, Pr, Nd and Sm) has been prepared by high-pressure (5–13 GPa) and high-temperature (500–1200 °C) reaction. CeGe₅ crystallizes in an orthorhombic unit cell (S.G. Immm (71)) with a=4.000(5) Å, b=6.192(5) Å, c=9.86(1) Å, and V=244.1(5) Å³. The new germanides are isotypic with LaGe₅ consisting of a Ge covalent network with tunnels where guest ions Ln³⁺ are situated. The network is composed of sublayers with edge-sharing Ge six-membered rings with only boat conformation. The sublayers are connected by rare eight-coordinated Ge atoms. The cell volume of the compounds systematically decreases from La to Sm compounds, except for CeGe_5, owing to the lanthanide contraction. The lattice constants of CeGe₅ are smaller than those of the Pr compound because it contains Ce⁴⁺ ions. CeGe₅ is paramagnetic above 2 K, but does not obey the Curie–Weiss law. PrGe₅ and NdGe₅ are Curie–Weiss type paramagnets with Weiss temperatures of –3.3 and –18.4 K. SmGe₅ shows an antiferromagnetic transition at 10.4 K.     

Aggregations or crystals of Acridine Orange in various synthetic-polymer fibres

Summary The visible absorption spectra of the cross-sections of the dyed various synthetic-polymer fibres were measured by means of a microspectrophotometer. We found that the spectra of Acridine Orange hydrochloride in the crosssections of fibres showed a maximum of -band and band, and the spectra of Acridine Orange (free base), indicated a maximum of -band, -band and the crystal peak of the dye. These results suggest that the monomeric state, the aggregate as well as the crystal of the dye exist in these dyed synthetic-polymer fibres.

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Zusammenfassung Die sichtbaren Absorptionsspektren der Querschnitte der verschiedenen gefärbten synthetischen Polymerfasern wurden mit einem Mikrospektrophotometer gemessen. Dabei wurde herausgefunden, daß die Spektra der Acridinorange Hydrochloride in den Querschnitten ein Maximum beim -Band und beim -Band und die Spektra der Acridinorange (freie Base) ein Maximum beim -Band, -Band und beim Kristallpik der Farbstoffe zeigen. Diese Resultate deuten darauf hin, daß sowohl der monomere Status, als auch Aggregate und die Kristalle der Farbstoffe in diesen synthetischen Polymerfasern existieren.

     

Formation of molecular glasses and the aggregation in solutions for lanthanum(III), calcium(II), and yttrium(III) complexes of octanoyl-DL-alaninate

Octanoylalaninato-metal (metal = calcium(II), yttrium(III), lanthanum(III), and zinc(II)) complexes were prepared and the first three metal complexes were found to readily form transparent and stable molecular glasses from methanol and chloroform solutions. The process of glass formation from solution was studied in detail. The effect of the central metal ions on the formation of glassy states was remarkable: the lanthanum and calcium complexes assumed glassy or crystalline states depending on the isolation method and the yttrium complex had a large tendency to assume an amorphous state, whereas the zinc complex did not assume a pure and stable glassy-state. The glass transition temperatures were 50 degrees C for the yttrium complex and 70-75 degrees C for the lanthanum and calcium complexes when these complexes are monohydrates prepared by a solvent-cast method, whereas they increase by 10-30 degrees for the hemihydrates which were obtained by an annealing treatment at 110 degrees C. The coordinated water was eliminated from the solid above the glass transition temperature. The glassy state was regarded as a result of the self-aggregation of the metal complex in solution by an entanglement of the methylene chains with one another. SAXS showed the presence of two disordered bilayer structures with 2.2 nm and 4.5 nm periods in the glassy states. The structures of the molecular assemblies in the solid states and solutions were compared by SAXS and NMR studies. EXAFS studies confirmed the coordination numbers of oxygen atoms around the yttrium and lanthanum atoms in the glassy states for the yttrium and lanthanum complexes to be about 7.     

A Macrocyclic Fluorophore Dimer with Flexible Linkers: Bright Excimer Emission with a Long Fluorescence Lifetime

Bright fluorescent molecules with long fluorescence lifetimes are important for the development of lifetime‐based fluorescence imaging techniques. Herein, a molecular design is described for simultaneously attaining long fluorescence lifetime (τ) and high brightness (Φ_F×?) in a system that features macrocyclic dimerization of fluorescent π‐conjugated skeletons with flexible linkers. An alkylene‐linked macrocyclic dimer of bis(thienylethynyl)anthracene was found to show excimer emission with a long fluorescence lifetime (τ≈19 ns) in solution, while maintaining high brightness. A comparison with various relevant derivatives revealed that the macrocyclic structure and the length of the alkylene chains play crucial roles in attaining these properties. In vitro time‐gated imaging experiments were conducted as a proof‐of‐principle for the superiority of this macrocyclic fluorophore relative to the commercial fluorescent dye Alexa Fluor 488.     

Effects of low-temperature chemistry on the wall heat flux in HCCI combustion

Direct numerical simulations of homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion are performed to investigate the behaviour of the wall heat flux, Φ, under engine relevant conditions. In laminar conditions, there are four distinctive stages where Φ evolution is affected by low-temperature chemistry (LTC), resulting in multiple local maxima with a lagged maximum value in Φ evolution. These effects are also observed in turbulence conditions locally. However, they no longer appear in the mean Φ evolution clearly, although some weak non-monotonicity in Φ due to the LTC are observed. The locality of the LTC effects may need to be addressed for near-wall pollutant prediction in future.