Photosynthetic oxygen evolution in mesoporous silica material: adsorption of photosystem II reaction center complex into 23 nm nanopores in SBA

An oxygen-evolving photosynthetic reaction center complex (PSII) was adsorbed into nanopores in SBA, a mesoporous silica compound. We purified the dimer of PSII complex from a thermophilic cyanobacterium, Thermosynechococcus vulcanus, which grows optimally at 57 °C. The thermally stable PSII dimeric complex has a diameter of 20 nm and a molecular mass of 756 kDa and binds more than 60 chlorophylls. The SBA particles, with average internal pore diameters of 15 nm (SBA(15)) and 23 nm (SBA(23)), adsorbed 4.7 and 15 mg of PSII/g SBA, respectively. Measurement with a confocal laser-scanning microscope indicated the adsorption of PSII to the surface and the inner space of the SBA(23) particles, indicating the adsorption of PSII into the 23 nm silica nanopores. PSII did not bind to the inner pores of SBA(15). PSII bound to SBA(23) showed the high and stable activity of a photosynthetic oxygen-evolving reaction, indicating the light-driven electron transport from water to the quinone molecules added in the outer medium. The PSII-SBA conjugate can be a new material for photosensors and artificial photosynthetic systems.     

Platinum catalyzed 7-endo cyclization of internal alkynyl amides and its application to synthesis of the caprazamycin core

The scope and limitations of the platinum catalyzed 7-endo cyclization of internal alkynyl amides were investigated. Substitution of the alkyne with an aryl group gave better results, presumably because it stabilized the transition state. Applying the reaction to a secondary amide, the caprazamycin core was successfully synthesized from commercially available material in eight steps.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel fused porphyrinoids based on cyclic carbazole[2]indolones

The carbazole- and indolone-based porphyrinoids 3 and 4 were synthesized by stepwise transition-metal-catalyzed coupling reactions. Palladium metalation of 4 produced 4Pd, which exhibits near-infrared absorption.     

Palladium-Catalyzed Cascade Process Consisting of Isocyanide Insertion and Benzylic C(sp(3))-H Activation: Concise Synthesis of Indole Derivatives

Synthesis of the indole skeleton was achieved using a Pd-catalyzed cascade process consisting of isocyanide insertion and benzylic C(sp(3))-H activation. It was found that slow addition of isocyanide is effective for reducing the amount of catalyst needed and Ad(2)P(n)Bu is a good ligand for C(sp(3))-H activation. The construction of the tetracyclic carbazole skeleton was also achieved by a Pd-catalyzed domino reaction incorporating alkyne insertion.     

Visualization of penetration of a high-speed focused microjet into gel and animal skin

Journal of Visualization - Realization of a needle-free drug delivery device can solve needle-caused problems. Recently, attention has been given to the use of a focused liquid jet instead of the...     

Ezrin Modulates the Cell Surface Expression of Programmed Cell Death Ligand-1 in Human Cervical Adenocarcinoma Cells

Cancer cells employ programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), an immune checkpoint protein that binds to programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and is highly expressed in various cancers, including cervical carcinoma, to abolish T-cell-mediated immunosurveillance. Despite a key role of PD-L1 in various cancer cell types, the regulatory mechanism for PD-L1 expression is largely unknown. Understanding this mechanism could provide a novel strategy for cervical cancer therapy. Here, we investigated the influence of ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM) family scaffold proteins, crosslinking the actin cytoskeleton and certain plasma membrane proteins, on the expression of PD-L1 in HeLa cells. Our results showed that all proteins were expressed at mRNA and protein levels and that all ERM proteins were highly colocalized with PD-L1 in the plasma membrane. Interestingly, immunoprecipitation assay results demonstrated that PD-L1 interacted with ERM as well as actin cytoskeleton proteins. Furthermore, gene silencing of ezrin, but not radixin and moesin, remarkably decreased the protein expression of PD-L1 without affecting its mRNA expression. In conclusion, ezrin may function as a scaffold protein for PD-L1; regulate PD-L1 protein expression, possibly via post-translational modification in HeLa cells; and serve as a potential therapeutic target for cervical cancer, improving the current immune checkpoint blockade therapy.     

On flag-transitive affine planes of orderq 3

Let be a translation plane of orderq ³,q an odd prime power, whose kern GF(q). Letl be the line at infinity of . LetG be a solvable collineation group of in the linear translation complement, which acts transitively onl , and letH be a maximal normal cyclic subgroup ofG. Then the restriction ofH onl acts semiregularly onl and {1, 2, 3, 6}, where is the restriction ofG onl (ifq –1(mod 3), then {1, 2}). Ifq {3, 5} and {1, 2}, then is determined completely, using a computer.     

Synthesis and antiulcer activity of 4-substituted 8-[(2-benzimidazolyl)sulfinylmethyl]-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoli nes and related compounds

A series of 4-substituted 8-[(2-benzimidazolyl)sulfinylmethyl]-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolin es was synthesized and examined for their (H+ + K+)adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase)-inhibitory and antisecretory activities against histamine-induced gastric acid secretion in rats. Many compounds tested were potent inhibitors of (H+ + K+)ATPase. Most compounds showed antisecretory activity. The antiulcer activity against water-immersion stress-induced gastric ulcer, aspirin-induced gastric ulcer and gastric necrosis induced by hydrochloric acid also were tested in the rat. Some of these compounds, in particular, 4-(N-allyl-N-methylamino)-1-ethyl-8-[(5-fluoro-6-methoxy-2-benzimidazoly l) sulfinylmethyl]-1-ethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline (XVIIx) were found to have potent activity. The structure-activity relationships are discussed.     

Diastereoselective solid-phase radical addition to oxime ether anchored to polymer support

Stereocontrol in radical reactions of oxime ether anchored to polymer support was studied. Highly diastereoselective solid-phase radical reaction was achieved by using triethylborane and diethylzinc as a radical initiator at low reaction temperature, providing a novel method for the synthesis of the alpha-amino acid derivatives with excellent diastereoselectivities.