Fluorescence imaging of potassium ions in living cells using a fluorescent probe based on a thrombin binding aptamer-peptide conjugate

When a biotinylated FRET probe based on a peptide-thrombin binding aptamer conjugate was introduced together with streptavidin and biotinylated nuclear export signal peptide into HeLa cells, the resulting ternary complex enabled visualization of K(+) concentration changes in the cell.     

MNBA-mediated β-lactone formation: mechanistic studies and application for the asymmetric total synthesis of tetrahydrolipstatin

Various β-lactones were prepared from β-hydroxycarboxylic acids by intramolecular dehydration condensation using MNBA, an effective coupling reagent, along with a nucleophilic catalyst. The transition state that provides the desired 4-membered ring model system is disclosed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and the structural features of the transition form are discussed. This method was successfully applied to the asymmetric total synthesis of tetrahydrolipstatin (THL), an antiobestic drug used in clinical treatment to inhibit the activity of pancreatic lipase.     

Altered posttranslational modification on U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein 68k in systemic autoimmune diseases detected by 2D Western blot

Anti-ribonucleoprotein (anti-RNP) antibodies are one of the representative autoantibodies detectable in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD). Generally, posttranslational modifications (PTMs) on autoantigens are proposed to be involved in the production of autoantibodies. In this study, we tried to detect the alteration in PTMs on a U1 small nuclear RNP 68k subunit (U1-68k), a major antigen of anti-RNP antibodies. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained from patients with MCTD, SLE, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and from healthy donors. U1-68ks in the PBMCs were detected by 2D Western blot (WB), where extracted nuclear proteins were separated by 2DE, followed by the detection of U1-68k using WB. More than 20 PTM isoforms were detected with different molecular weights of 65.0 , 66.5, and 68.0kDa, and different pIs between 6.0 and 8.5. Importantly, the relative intensity of the spot with 66.5 kDa and pI 7.5 was significantly increased in the MCTD and SLE groups compared to the RA and healthy groups. Further, this U1-68k isoform, in particular, in its RS domain, was found to have significantly decreased phosphorylation compared to the other isoforms. The PTM alternation may be one of the steps to generate the anti-RNP antibodies.     

Oxidation of 7,8‐diaminotheophylline with lead tetraacetate and reaction of the oxidation product, 6‐cyanoimino‐5‐diazo‐1,3‐dimethylpyrimidine‐2,4‐dione with alcohols or amines

Oxidation of 7,8‐diaminotheophylline (1) with lead tetraacetate in refluxing toluene gave a mixture of 3‐amino‐5,7‐dimethylpyrimido[4,5‐e][1,2,4]triazine‐6,8‐dione ( 2 ) and 6‐cyanoimino‐5‐diazo‐1,3‐dimethylpyrimidine‐2,4‐dione ( 4 ). The latter was transformed to 2 by the reaction with 1‐propanethiol in quantitative yield. The reaction of 4 with methanol, ethanol and 1‐propanol in the presence of rhodium ( II ) acetate gave 5‐alkoxy‐6‐(2‐alkyl‐3‐isoureido)‐1,3‐dimethylpyrimidine‐2,4‐diones ( 7a‐c ). A similar reaction of 4 with alkylamines such as n‐propylamine, n‐butylamine, isobutylamine and n‐hexylamine gave a mixture of 7‐alkyl‐8‐aminotheophyllines ( 8a‐d ) and (5‐alkylamino‐1,3‐dimethyl‐2,4‐dioxopyrimidin‐6‐yl)cyanamides ( 9a‐d ).     

Modification of radiation resistance of Bacillus spores by water

Spores of Bacillus subtilis, containing plasmid (B. subtilis BD 366(pUB110, Trp C2 thr 5)), were prepared free of additives and the effect of water on their radiation sensitivity under aerobic condition was investigated. The moisture content of spores was controlled by (i) drying over CaCl₂ (Aw = 0.0), (ii) equilibrating with the vapor of saturated aqueous NaCl solution (Aw = 0.7), or (iii) suspending in water (Aw = 1.0). The resistance of spores to radiation increased with increasing moisture content. The analysis of spore DNA by agarose gel electrophoresis showed that DNA damage (strand breaks) decreased with increasing water activity of the spores, a finding concomitant with the observed survival rates.     

Non‐Shrinking Networked Materials from the Cross‐Linking Copolymerization of Spiroorthocarbonate with Bifunctional Oxetane

Summary: The cationic ring‐opening copolymerization behavior of SOC1 with BOXT and the properties of the obtained cross‐linked copolymers are described. SOC1 and BOXT are cationically copolymerized under various feed ratios to obtain the corresponding cross‐linked copolymers in 73–96% yields. The volume change during copolymerization could be controlled by the addition of SOC1 to obtain non‐shrinking or volume‐expanding copolymers. The glass transition temperatures (T_g) of the copolymers also decrease linearly with the feed ratio of SOC1, which suggests that the introduction of the flexible poly(SOC1) segment into the rigid BOXT cross‐linked segment relieves the internal stress in the resins that severely degrade their mechanical properties.

Cationic copolymerization of SOC1 and BOXT.     

N,N-Diethyl-3-toluamide Formulation Based on Ethanol Containing 0.1% 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin Attenuates the Drug’s Skin Penetration and Prolongs the Repellent Effect without Stickiness

N,N-diethyl-3-toluamide (DEET) is one of the most widely used insect repellents in the world. It was reported that a solution containing 6–30% cyclodextrin (CD) as a solvent instead of ethanol (EtOH) provided an enhancement of the repellent action time duration of the DEET formulation, although the high-dose CD caused stickiness. In order to overcome this shortcoming, we attempted to prepare a 10% DEET formulation using EtOH containing low-dose CDs (β-CD, 2-hydroxypropyl-β-CD (HPβCD), methyl-β-CD, and sulfobutylether-β-CD) as solvents (DEET/EtOH/CD formulations). We determined the CD concentration to be 0.1% in the DEET/EtOH/CD formulations, since the stickiness of 0.1% CDs was not felt (approximately 8 × 10⁻³ N). The DEET residue on the skin superficial layers was prolonged, and the drug penetration into the skin tissue was decreased by the addition of 0.1% CD. In particular, the retention time and attenuated penetration of DEET on the rat skin treated with the DEET/EtOH/HPβCD formulation was significantly higher in comparison with that of the DEET/EtOH formulation without CD. Moreover, the repellent effect of DEET was more sustained by the addition of 0.1% HPβCD in the study using Aedes albopictus. In conclusion, we found that the DEET/EtOH/HPβCD formulations reduced the skin penetration of DEET and prolonged the repellent action without stickiness.     

Visible-Light-Induced Synthesis of 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydroquinolines through Formal [4+2] Cycloaddition of Acyclic α,β-Unsaturated Amides and Imides with N,N-Dialkylanilines

1,2,3,4-Tetrahydroquinolines should be applicable to the development of new pharmaceutical agents. A facile synthesis of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines that is achieved by a photoinduced formal [4+2] cycloaddition reaction of acyclic α,β-unsaturated amides and imides with N,N-dialkylanilines under visible-light irradiation, in which a new Ir^III complex photosensitizer, a thiourea, and an oxidant act cooperatively in promoting the reaction, is reported. The photoreaction enables the synthesis of a wide variety of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines, while controlling the trans/cis diastereoselectivity (>99:1) and constructing contiguous stereogenic centers. A chemoselective cleavage of an acyclic imide auxiliary is demonstrated.     

The119Sn Mössbauer effect in RMn6Sn6 compounds (R=Gd,Y)

The magnetic properties of intermetallic compounds RMn₆Sn₆ (T=Gd and Y) have been investigated by¹¹⁹Sn Mössbauer effect measurements. The differences of the hyperfine field on both the Sn₁ and Sn₃ sites were small between GdMn₆Sn₆ and YMn₆Sn₆, while the Mn sublattice orders ferromagnetically for R=Gd and antiferromagnetically for R=Y. This result indicated that Mn moments order antiferromagnetically in the intra-plane of the Kagomè net in YMn₆Sn₆.