Ruthenium complex-catalyzed hydroformylation of alkenes with carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide can be used as a reactant for the hydroformylation of alkenes. The ruthenium complexes derived from H₄Ru₄(CO)₁₂ and LiCl effectively catalyze the hydroformylation of cyclohexene with CO₂ to give hydroxymethylcyclohexane with a yield of 88%.     

Multi-locus genotyping of bottom fermenting yeasts by single nucleotide polymorphisms indicative of brewing characteristics

Yeast plays a capital role in brewing fermentation and has a direct impact on flavor and aroma. For the evaluation of competent brewing strains during quality control or development of novel strains it is standard practice to perform fermentation tests, which are costly and time-consuming. Here, we have categorized DNA markers which enable to distinguish and to screen brewing strains more efficiently than ever before. Sequence analysis at 289 loci in the genomes of six bottom fermenting Saccharomyces pastorianus strains revealed that 30 loci contained single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). By determining the nucleotide sequences at the SNP-loci in 26 other S. pastorianus strains and 20 strains of the top fermenting yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, almost all these strains could be discriminated solely on the basis of the SNPs. By comparing the fermentative phenotypes of these strains we found that some DNA markers showed a strong association with brewing characteristics, such as the production of ethyl acetate and hydrogen sulphide (H2S). Therefore, the DNA markers we identified will facilitate quality control and the efficient development of brewing yeast strains.     

Specific response of osteoblast-like cells on hydroxyapatite layer containing serum protein

Accelerations of bone-like apatite deposition and cell growth on an electrically polarized ceramic hydroxyapatite have been reported. A relationship between these phenomena was investigated in a previous report, and then it was suggested that osteoblast-like cell’s (MC3T3-E1) growth had relevance to the mineral growth. The effect of the formed apatite layer especially appeared to be on the cell adhesion. The acceleration of cell proliferation on the polarized HAp has been shown using fibroblastic cell (L929) and nerve cell (SK-N-SH) lines, therefore the effect of the layer on L929 and SK-N-SH was investigated to support the mechanism of acceleration of cell proliferation by polarization of HAp. In this study, the effect of the bone-like apatite layer was not confirmed on L929 cell’s growth. On the other hand, the acceleration of nerve cell’s proliferation was confirmed on the formed apatite layer. However, the remarkable improvement of the cell adhesion of SK-N-SH was not confirmed on the apatite layer. Consequently, it was considered that the bone-like apatite containing serum protein obtained by the coprecipitation of bone-like apatite and serum protein has a pronounced role only in the activity of osteoblast-like cells.     

Layer by Layer Growth of Solid 4He on Graphite down to 0.1 K

The growth of solid ⁴He on graphite from the superfluid phase is known to occur at pressures well below the bulk solidification point. The number of adsorbed layers increases with pressure and the solid growth undergoes non-continuous layer-by-layer growth at low temperature. We have studied this growth using the torsional oscillator method for isotherms down to 0.1?K. In contrast with simple layer-by-layer growth scenarios, our evidence suggests that the growth of adsorbed solid ⁴He is more complex and less solid is present on the graphite substrate at low temperature.     

Heterogeneous nucleation and growth mechanism on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surface

Heterogeneous nucleation and nucleation period of calcium carbonate on the mica and the highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) substrate have been investigated. Calcium carbonate was prepared by the reaction of calcium nitrate solution with sodium carbonate solution. In the reaction crystallization of calcium carbonate, calcite and vaterite were nucleated on the both substrates. We counted the number of crystalline calcium carbonate on the substrates obtained from various initial supersaturations of calcium carbonate. The number of crystals on the mica surface was much higher than on the HOPG surface. Additionally, the number of crystals on the mica was greatly affected by changing of initial supersaturation. In order to explain the difference between the mica and the HOPG surface, a possible model for the nucleation period of calcium carbonate has been discussed. The surface crystallization on the mica and the HOPG could be described by considering the supersaturation in the bulk solution and in the vicinity of substrate, separately.     

Regulation of protein loading on poly(trimethylene carbonate), poly(l-lactic acid), and their copolymer: Effect of surface enrichment by polymer crystallinity

Poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC), poly(l-lactic acid) (PLA), and their copolymer are of great interest for various biomedical materials. These surface properties have the potential to be used as drug delivery carrier and interface on the biomaterials. PTMC surfaces including functional molecules of cholesterol, lithocholic acid (LA), and poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether (mPEG), were transformed by changing external condition. PTMC including mPEG segment indicated inhibition of protein adsorption due to the surface enrichment of the mPEG. By blending of PTMC including LA unit and mPEG segment, it indicated much more suppression of protein immobilization than that of PTMC including only LA unit. Moreover, by increasing PLA composition in the PTMC–PLA copolymer, surface enrichment of the terminal molecule was inhibited by forming crystal structure by PLA in the membrane. It is considered that the property could be achieved by regulation of protein immobilization and adsorption. As a PTMC derivative, poly(5-methyl-5-carboxyl-1,3-dioxan-2-one) (PMBC) was prepared and total amount of protein immobilization was nicely enhanced. Therefore, more proteins were retained on PMBC surface. This study indicated protein immobilization or adsorption on controlled surface by selecting polymer.     

Effect of the edge type and strain on the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of the BNRs

We present the effect of edge structures on the edge energy and stress of BN nanoribbons. Ab initio density functional calculations show that the armchair edge is lower in energy than the zigzag edge by 0.43 eV/angstrom. Both types of the edges are under the compressive stress. The zigzag edges are mechanically more stable than the armchair edges. Based on the calculated edge energies, the equilibrium shape of the BN flakes are found to be regular hexagonal, and dominated by the armchair edges. The zigzag ribbons are found to be half-metallic, whereas the armchair ribbons are semiconducting.     

Extraction and antioxidant property of polyhydroxylated naphthoquinone pigments from spines of purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus nudus

Purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus nudus) spines were dissolved in HCl–ethanol-aqueous solution. The polyhydroxylated 1,4-naphthoquinone (PHNQ) pigments were condensed and purified by using macroporous resin in static adsorption mode. PHNQ in the extract were characterised rapidly by using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to hybrid quadrupole orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometer (Q-TOFMS). Six known compounds including spinochrome E, 2,7-dihydroxynaphthazarin, spinochrome B, spinochrome C, spinochrome A and echinochrome A, and two new compounds with molecular formula of aminopentahydroxynaphthoquinone and acetylaminotrihydroxynaphthoquinone were identified tentatively. The pigment extract was evaluated for antioxidant activity by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging capacity assay, Fe²⁺ chelating assay, reducing power assay, lipid peroxidation inhibition assay and tertiary-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BOOH)-induced macrophages protection assay. In all testing methods, the extract showed excellent activity, indicating the PHNQ from S. nudus spines are potential sources of natural antioxidants.     

Chaperone Activity of Bicyclic Nojirimycin Analogues for Gaucher Mutations in Comparison with N‐(n‐nonyl)Deoxynojirimycin

Gaucher disease (GD), the most prevalent lysosomal storage disorder, is caused by mutations of lysosomal β‐glucosidase (acid β‐Glu, β‐glucocerebrosidase); these mutations result in protein misfolding. Some inhibitors of this enzyme, such as the iminosugar glucomimetic N‐(n‐nonyl)‐1‐deoxynojirimycin (NN‐DNJ), are known to bind to the active site and stabilize the proper folding for the catalytic form, acting as “chemical chaperones” that facilitate transport and maturation of acid β‐Glu. Recently, bicyclic nojirimycin (NJ) analogues with structure of sp² iminosugars were found to behave as very selective, competitive inhibitors of the lysosomal β‐Glu. We have now evaluated the glycosidase inhibitory profile of a series of six compounds within this family, namely 5‐N,6‐O‐(N′‐octyliminomethylidene‐NJ (NOI‐NJ), the 6‐thio and 6‐amino‐6‐deoxy derivatives (6S‐NOI‐NJ and 6N‐NOI‐NJ) and the corresponding galactonojirimycin (GNJ) counterparts (NOI‐GNJ, 6S‐NOI‐GNJ and 6N‐NOI‐GNJ), against commercial as well as lysosomal glycosidases. The chaperone effects of four selected candidates (NOI‐NJ, 6S‐NOI‐NJ, 6N‐NOI‐NJ, and 6S‐NOI‐GNJ) were further evaluated in GD fibroblasts with various acid β‐Glu mutations. The compounds showed enzyme enhancement on human fibroblasts with N188S, G202R, F213I or N370S mutations. The chaperone effects of the sp² iminosugar were generally stronger than those observed for NN‐DNJ; this suggests that these compounds are promising candidates for clinical treatment of GD patients with a broad range of β‐Glu mutations, especially for neuronopathic forms of Gaucher disease.     

Pyrolytic transformation from polydihydrosilane to hydrogenated amorphous silicon film

The fabrication of thin film silicon devices based on solution processes rather than on conventional vacuum processes is of substantial interest since cost reductions may result. Using a solution process, we coated substrates with polydihydrosilane solution and studied the pyrolytic transformation of the material into hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H). From thermal gravimetry and differential thermal analysis data a significant reduction in weight of the material and a construction of SiSi bonds are concluded for the pyrolysis temperature T_p = 270 to 360 °C. The appearance of amorphous silicon phonon bands in Raman spectra for films prepared at T_p ≥ 330 °C suggests the construction of a three-dimensional amorphous silicon network. Films prepared at T_p ≥ 360 °C exhibit a hydrogen content near 10 at.% and an optical gap near 1.6 eV similar to device-grade vacuum processed a-Si:H. However, the infrared microstructure factor, the spin density, and the photosensitivity require significant improvements.