Manuals in orthogonal categories

The notion of a manual, introduced and investigated in detail by Foulis, Randall, and their followers, has turned out to be further reaching than its originators had envisaged. Its omnipresence is comparable with the notion of a sheaf, whose significance is well recognized by every pure and applied mathematician. The principal concern of this paper is to give an appropriate vehicle, as general as possible, by which the theory of manuals can be developed. The vehicle is called an orthogonal category, which is akin to the notion of a category with coproducts. Orthogonal categories provide also a new perspective on the notion of a sheaf over a complete Boolean algebra, deepening our comprehension of Boolean mathematics and paving the way to quantum mathematics.     

Confinement by polynomial potentials

It is shown that the Dirac equation with attractive monomial vector potential cannot confine a particle. General polynomial type vector potential cannot confine a particle, either. This condition is not changed by a scalar potential smaller than the vector one.     

Holographic reconstruction with a 10- mum pixel-pitch reflective liquid-crystal display by use of a light-emitting diode reference light

We reconstructed an animation made from computer-generated holograms with a reflective LCD panel that had a pixel pitch of 10 mumx10 mum and resolution of 1400x1050 . Using a LED as the reference light, we could clearly observe three-dimensional images whose size was approximately 30 mmx10 mm x30 mm . Moreover, we reconstructed a color holograph by use of a simple system with a set of red, green, and blue LEDs as the reference light.     

Structure and synthesis of a new hypotensive vasodilator isolated from Streptomyces aureofaciens

The structure elucidation and synthesis of WS-1228 A, produced by $\text{Streptomyces aureofaciens}$, were described.     

Tumor-infiltrating effector cells of alpha-galactosylceramide-induced antitumor immunity in metastatic liver tumor

BACKGROUND: alpha-Galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer) can be presented by CD1d molecules of antigen-presenting cells, and is known to induce a potent NKT cell-dependent cytotoxic response against tumor cells. However, the main effector cells in alpha-GalCer-induced antitumor immunity are still controversial. METHODS: In order to elucidate the cell phenotype that plays the most important role in alpha-GalCer-induced antitumor immunity, we purified and analyzed tumor-infiltrating leukocytes (TILs) from liver metastatic nodules of a colon cancer cell line (Colon26), comparing alpha-GalCer- and control vehicle-treated mice. Flow cytometry was performed to analyze cell phenotype in TILs and IFN-gamma ELISA was performed to detect antigen-specific immune response. RESULTS: Flow cytometry analysis showed a significantly higher infiltration of NK cells (DX5+, T cell receptor alphabeta (TCR)-) into tumors in alpha-GalCer-treated mice compared to vehicle-treated mice. The DX5+TCR+ cell population was not significantly different between these two groups, indicating that these cells were not the main effector cells. Interestingly, the CD8+ T cell population was increased in TILs of alpha-GalCer-treated mice, and the activation level of these cells based on CD69 expression was higher than that in vehicle-treated mice. Moreover, the number of tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells (DCs) was increased in alpha-GalCer-treated mice. IFN-gamma ELISA showed stronger antigen-specific response in TILs from alpha-GalCer-treated mice compared to those from vehicle-treated mice, although the difference between these two groups was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: In alpha-GalCer-induced antitumor immunity, NK cells seem to be some of the main effector cells and both CD8+ T cells and DCs, which are related to acquired immunity, might also play important roles in this antitumor immune response. These results suggest that alpha-GalCer has a multifunctional role in modulation of the immune response.     

Studies toward the total synthesis of nakiterpiosin: construction of the CDE ring system by a transannular Diels-Alder strategy

The transannular Diels-Alder (TADA) reaction was applied to the synthesis of the CDE ring system of nakiterpiosin (1). Tetracyclic compound 25 may be a key intermediate in the total synthesis of 1.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of new psi[(E)-CH=CMe]- and psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-type alkene dipeptide isosteres by organocopper reagents and application to conformationally restricted cyclic RGD peptidomimetics

Diastereoselective synthesis of new psi[(E)-CH=CMe]- and psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-type alkene dipeptide isosteres corresponding to dipeptides having one N-methylamino acid, and application to bioactive peptides, are described. In a key reaction introducing the chiral alpha-alkyl group of the isosteres, organocopper-mediated alkylation of syn-beta-methylated gamma-mesyloxy-alpha,beta-enoate 26a afforded E- and Z-isomers of anti-S(N)2' products in a solvent-dependent manner. The resulting two isosteres, D-Phe-psi[(E)-CH=CMe]-L-Val 27a and D-Phe-psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-L-Val 28b, which corresponded to trans- and cis-conformers of D-Phe-L-MeVal, respectively, were utilized in a structure-activity relationship study on cyclic RGD peptides 1 and 2, in company with a psi[(E)-CH=CH]-type alkene dipeptide isostere, D-Phe-psi[(E)-CH=CH]-L-Val. The cyclic isostere-containing pseudopeptides 3, 4, and 40 were synthesized and biological activity against integrin alpha(V)beta(3) and alpha(IIb)beta(3) receptors were also evaluated.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of psi[(E)-CH=CMe]- and psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-type dipeptide isosteres by organocopper-mediated anti-S(N)2' reaction

[reaction: see text] Acyclic psi[(E)-CH=CMe]- and psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-type dipeptide isosteres were efficiently synthesized. In a key reaction, alpha-alkylation of gamma-mesyloxy-beta-methyl-alpha,beta-unsaturated esters with organocyanocuprates in diethyl ether or tetrahydrofuran preferentially afforded the psi[(E)-CH=CMe]- or psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-isomer, respectively, via anti-S(N)2' mechanism.     

Effects of beta-sheet breaker peptide polymers on scrapie-infected mouse neuroblastoma cells and their affinities to prion protein fragment PrP(81-145)

The effects of Soto's 'beta-sheet breaker peptide' and its polymer on PrPSc formation in ScN2a cells were investigated. Surface plasmon resonance study indicated that direct binding between PrP(81-145) and the 'beta-sheet breaker peptide' is not specific and may not play a major role in the inhibition of PrPSc formation.