Synthetic alpha-mannosyl ceramide as a potent stimulant for an NKT cell repertoire bearing the invariant Valpha19-Jalpha26 TCR alpha chain

A NKT cell repertoire is characterized by the expression of the Valpha19-Jalpha26 invariant TCR alpha chain (Valpha19 NKT cell). This repertoire, as well as a well-established Valpha14-Jalpha281 invariant TCR alpha(+) NKT cell subset (Valpha14 NKT cell), has been suggested to have important roles in the regulation of the immune system and, thus, is a major therapeutic target. Here, we attempted to find specific antigens for Valpha19 NKT cells. Valpha19 as well as Valpha14 NKT cells exhibited reactivity to alpha-galactosyl ceramide (alpha-GalCer). Thus, a series of monoglycosyl ceramides with an axially oriented glycosidic linkage between the sugar and ceramide moiety were synthesized and their antigenicity to Valpha19 NKT cells was determined by measuring their immune responses in culture with glycolipids. Comprehensive examinations revealed substantial antigenic activity for Valpha19 NKT cells by alpha-mannosyl ceramide.     

Dissociation equilibrium between uncharged and charged local anesthetic lidocaine in a surface-adsorbed film

The dissociation equilibrium between uncharged local anesthetic lidocaine (LC) and charged local anesthetic LC (LCH⁺) in a surface-adsorbed film was investigated by measuring the surface tension and pH of aqueous solutions of a mixture of hydrochloric acid and LC. The surface tension values decreased slightly with increasing total molality m_t at 0X₂0.5, where X₂ is the mole fraction of LC in the mixture, while they decreased rapidly with increasing m_t at 0.5<X₂1. It was shown from the pH measurements that almost all LC molecules were changed into LCH⁺ ions by protonation at 0X₂0.5 and both forms coexisted only at 0.5<X₂1. The quantities of the respective LC and LCH⁺ transferred from the aqueous solution to the adsorbed film, i.e., their surface densities, were calculated by applying the thermodynamic equations derived to the surface tension and pH data. A greater quantity of LC than LCH⁺ existed in the adsorbed film at the coexisting composition. The partitioning behavior of LC and LCH⁺ in the adsorbed film was characterized by three composition regions: (1) slight partitioning of low surface-active LCH⁺ in the region at 0X₂0.5, (2) preferential partitioning of LC at 0.5<X₂<around 0.7, and (3) negative partitioning of LCH⁺ at around 0.7X₂1. The present results clearly indicate that uncharged local anesthetics transfer into hydrophobic environments such as cell membranes more than charged ones.     

Determination of the double-bond position in hexadecenols by mass spectrometry without prior chemical modification

Fourteen isomers of chemically unmodified hexadecenol were analysed by two types of quadrupole mass spectrometer, coupled with a gas chromatograph, for the location of the double-bond position. A series of spectra were interpreted in terms of mass spectral patterns on a fuzzy classification, in which the intensity ratios of six diagnostic pairs of the predominant ions were preferred in devising similarity indices. The accuracy of the method in the location of double-bond position was confirmed by testing with other series of spectra.     

A theorem on the average number of subfaces in arrangements and oriented matroids

It is known that for simple arrangements in thed-dimensional Euclidean spaceR ^d The average number ofj-dimensional subfaces of ak-dimensional face is less than . In this paper, we show that this is also true for all arrangements inR ^d and for all oriented matroids, and we give combinatorial proofs.     

Penicillin-cephalosporin conversion X. New synthesis of dithioazetidinones from thiazoline-azetidinones

New ring-opening reaction of thiazoline-azetidinones 1 to dithioazetidinones 2 was achieved with 2-benzothiazolyl disulfide in aqueous acidic media and its potentiality for the preparation of a variety of cephalosporins 3 from various thiazoline-azetidinones 1 is demonstrated.     

Frequency response of the glucose sensor based on immobilized glucose oxidase membrane

Frequency response of the glucose sensor based on the immobilized glucose oxidase membrane was investigated experimentally by giving the sinusoidal change of glucose concentration to the glucose sensor and observing its output signal. Observed values of gains and phase lags of the frequency response of the glucose sensor followed the frequency response model of the first-order with dead time; The time constant and also the dead time were estimated and found to decrease as the amount of enzyme immobilized in the membrane increased and the thickness of the membrane decreased.

     

Spectrophotometric determination of boron with an azomethine H derivative

Summary An azomethine H derivative, 1-(2,4-dihydroxybenzylidene-amino)-8-hydroxynaphthalene-3,6-disulphonic acid (azomethine HR) was examined and proposed as a spectrophotometric reagent for boron, as compared with azomethine H. Azomethine HR reacts with boron in aqueous solution (pH 7.5) to form a yellow complex having an absorption maximum at 425 nm. The sensitivity is 3.5-fold greater than with azomethine H when the same reagent concentration is applied. Basic conditions for the determination of boron have been worked out. The method is applicable to sea and hot spring waters. The standard deviation is ±2.1%.

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Spektralphotometrische Borbestimmung mit einem Azomethin H-Derivat

     

Asymmetric synthesis of highly substituted beta-nitro alcohols and enantiomerically enriched 4,4,5-trisubstituted oxazolidinones

It is demonstrated that alpha,alpha-disubstituted-alpha-nitroketones are reduced to the corresponding trisubstituted nitro alcohols in good to excellent yield and enantiomeric excess by borane-dimethyl sulfide in the presence of a chiral oxazaborolidine catalyst. Reduction of the nitro alcohols to the corresponding amino alcohols and their subsequent conversion to enantiomerically enriched 4,4,5-trisubstituted oxazoldinones is also reported.     

Effect of pressure on the thermotropic phase behavior of surfactant assemblies in water

The temperature (T)—pressure (P) phase diagrams of aqueous solutions of a homologous series of cationic surfactants, tetradecyl- (C14TAB), hexadecyl- (C16TAB), and octadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (C18TAB), have been determined by observing the sudden change of the transmittance accompanying the phase transition under high pressure up to 160 MPa. Regarding three kinds of phase transitions which have been previously assigned by the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) (S. Kaneshina and M. Yamanaka, J. Colloid Interface Sci.131, 493, 1989), all the transition temperatures were linearly elevated by applying pressure. The volume changes associated with the transitions were estimated from the Clapeyron—Clausius equation by using the values of the T—P slopes on the phase diagrams and of the transition entropies taken from the DSC study. A chemical potential vs pressure profile, of which slope reflects the partial molar volume, among the states of surfactant assemblies, i.e., micelle, gel, and coagel, was drawn schematically on the basis of the transition volumes. The phase boundary between the coagel phase and the micellar solution should be the critical solution line of the surfactant, representing the pressure dependence on the Krafft temperature. In the C18TAB-water system, the phase boundary line between the metastable gel and the supercooled micelle had a break point at 45 MPa, suggesting the existence of a new pressure-induced mesophase above 45 MPa. The metastable gel phase of C14TAB disappeared in the pressure range up to 160 MPa.     

Efficient synthesis of tertiary amines from secondary amines

Reliable N-alkylations of secondary amines have been developed. By using DIAD and TPP (or PS-TPP) a variety of secondary amines can be converted to the corresponding tertiary amines in good to excellent yields with diverse alkylhalides; no formation of quaternary amine salts are observed. These protocols are amenable to combinatorial chemistry libraries, and are also useful for the syntheses of secondary amines by an acid lysis of the cleavable tertiary amino resins.