Multiplex amplified product-length polymorphism analysis of 36 mitochondrial single-nucleotide polymorphisms for haplogrouping of East Asian populations

We present a reliable, rapid, and economical multiplex amplified product-length polymorphism (APLP) method for analyzing the haplogroup-diagnostic mitochondrial single-nucleotide polymorphisms (mtSNPs) in East Asian populations. By examining only 36 haplogroup-specific mtSNPs in the coding region by using four 9-multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subsequent electrophoresis, we could safely assign 1815 individuals from 8 populations of Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Germans to 45 relevant haplogroups. This multiplex APLP analysis of coding-region mtSNPs for haplogrouping is especially useful not only for molecular phylogenetic studies but also for large-scale association studies due to its rapid and economical nature. This is the first panel of mtSNPs in the coding region to be used for haplogrouping of East Asian populations.     

Ruthenium‐catalyzed synthesis of quinolines via reductive heteroannulation of nitroarenes with 3‐amino‐1‐propanols

Nitroarenes are reductively cyclized with 3‐amino‐1‐propanols in dioxane/H₂O in the presence of a ruthenium catalyst and tin(II) chloride dihydrate together with isopropanol to afford the corresponding quinolines. A reaction pathway involving initial reduction of nitroarenes to anilines, propanol group transfer from 3‐amino‐1‐propanols to anilines, N‐alkylation of anilines by 3‐anilino‐1‐propanols and heteroannulation of 1,3‐dianilinopropanes is proposed.     

Mild and practical method for the alpha-arylation of nitriles with heteroaryl halides

[reaction: see text] A mild and transition-metal-free method for the alpha-arylation of aliphatic nitriles with activated heteroaryl halides was developed using NaHMDS or KHMDS as base at ambient temperature. The key to the success of this method is generation of the nitrile anion in the presence of the heteroaryl halide. The method is applicable to both primary and secondary carbonitriles and a wide range of heteroaryl halides. Selective monoarylation was observed with primary carbonitriles. The operational simplicity and the mild reaction conditions add to the value of this method as a practical alternative to the preparation of alpha-heteroaryl carbonitriles.     

Sequential actions of cobalt nanoparticles and palladium(II) catalysts: three-step one-pot synthesis of fenestranes from an enyne and an alkyne diester

A three-step one-pot synthesis of fenestranes from a readily available enyne and an alkyne diester has been carried out with cobalt nanoparticles and palladium(II) as catalysts.     

Hetero-calix[4]pyrroles: incorporation of furans, thiophenes, thiazoles or fluorenes as a part of the macrocycle

Furans, thiazoles, fluorene or thiophene incorporated calix[4]pyrrole analogues were synthesized and characterized. The synthesis was achieved by utilization of various building blocks such as 7, 13, 14, 18 and 21. Acid catalyzed condensation of those building blocks with acetone or meso-disubstituted dipyrromethanes afforded desired macrocycles.     

Molecular variations in Th1-specific cell surface gene Tim-3

The family of T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain (TIM) proteins is identified to be expressed on T cells. A member of Tim family, Tim-3 (T cell immunoglobulin mucin 3) is selectively expressed on the surface of differentiated Th1 cells. Tim-3 might have an important role in the induction of autoimmune diseases by regulating macrophage activation and interacts with Tim-3 ligand to regulate Th1 responses. To determine the variation sites in the coding and promoter region of human Tim-3 gene, we performed variation scanning by direct sequencing using the genomic DNA isolated from the patients with asthma or allergic rhinitis and healthy controls without asthma and allergic rhinitis. We identified four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) including one novel SNPs (-1541C>T) and two variation sites (-1292_-1289delTAAA and -1282_-1278dupTAAAA) in the coding and promoter region of human Tim-3 gene in both the patients and healthy groups.     

Determination of estrone and 17 beta-estradiol in human hair by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

An efficient procedure is described for the determination of estrone and 17 beta-estradiol in hair by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The method involves alkyloxycarbonylation with isobutyl chloroformate (isoBCF) of phenolic hydroxy groups after alkaline digestion of hair samples. The resulting isobutyloxycarbonyl derivatives of estrone and 17 beta-estradiol are extracted with hexane and subjected to chlorodifluoroacetyl derivatization in order to protect the remaining alcoholic hydroxy groups. When GC-MS with selected ion monitoring (SIM) was used, the quantitative ions were at m/z 270 and 384 in the electron ionization mass spectra for estrone and 17 beta-estradiol, respectively. The detection limits for SIM of the steroids were 1 and 2 pg, respectively, and the SIM responses were linear with correlation coefficients varying from 0.991 to 0.994 in the concentration range 0.2-4.0 ng g-1 for the estrogens studied. The detection of estrone and 17 beta-estradiol in hair samples was possible in the concentration range of 0.24-1.30 ng g-1. The concentrations of the two estrogens detected were different in male and female hair samples.     

Hypoxanthine,xanthine and theobromine complexes with palladium(II) and platinum(IV) chlorides

Summary Complexes of the general types Pd(L)(LH)Cl (LH=hxH, xnH, or tbH) and Pt(L)(LH)Cl₃ (LH=hxH, or xnH) are formed by boiling under reflux 21 molar mixtures of hypoxanthine (hxH), xanthine (xnH) or theobromine (tbH) and PdCl₂ or PtCl₄ in ethanol-triethyl orthoformate. These complexes appear to be linear chain polymeric species, characterized by single monoanionic L^– ligands bridging between adjacent Pd²⁺ or Pt⁴⁺ ions. Inclusion of one terminal neutral LH and one terminal chloro-ligand completes the coordination sphere in the square-planar Pd²⁺ complexes, while the Pt⁴⁺ complexes aretrans-octahedral, involving three terminal chloro and one terminal LH ligand per platinum. The possible binding sites of the bidentate bridging L^– and the unidentate terminal LH are discussed.     

Stereochemistry of the thermal isomerizations of (2S,3R-methoxymethyl-2,3-dideuterio-1-(dideuteriomethylene)cyclopropane

The (2S,3R) isomer of 2-methoxymethyl-2,3-dideuterio-1-(dideuteriomethylene)cyclopropane has been synthesized and heated at 198.8°: from the experimentally observed mol fractions of the eight isomers of 2,3,α,α,- and 2,3,3,α - tetradeuterio - 2 - methoxymethyl - 1 - methylenecyclopropane in the pyrolysis product mixture have been derived rate constants for seven distinct modes of isomerization. One-center thermal epimerizations at C(2) and C(3) and the C(2)C(3) two-center epimerization are of kinetic importance. Only two of four observable stereochemical modes for carbon [1,3] shifts are seen: there is inversion of stereochemistry at the migrating C atom, while the C(3)H trans to C(2)-CH₂OCH₃ in starting material becomes syn 4 : 1 C(α)-H in the [1,3] shift product. Stereomutation at C(2) does not occur along the reaction coordinate for [1,3] carbon shifts.