Synthesis of prumycin and related compounds

Prumycin (1) and related compounds have been synthesized from benzyl 2-(benzyloxycarbonyl)amino-2-deoxy-5,6-O-isopropylidene-β-d-glucofuranoside (4). Benzoylation of 4, followed by deisopropylidenation, gave benzyl 3-O-benzoyl-2-(benzyloxycarbonyl)amino-2-deoxy-β-d-glucofuranoside (6), which was converted, via oxidative cleavage at C-5–C-6 and subsequent reduction, into the related benzyl β-d-xylofuranoside derivative (7). Benzylation of 3-O-benzoyl-2-(benzyloxycarbonyl)-amino-2-deoxy-d-xylopyranose (8), derived from 7 by hydrolysis, afforded the corresponding derivatives (9, 11) of β- and α-d-xylopyranoside, and compound 7 as a minor product. Treatment of benzyl 3-O-benzoyl-2-(benzyloxycarbonyl)amino-2-deoxy-4-O-mesyl-β-d-xylopyranoside 10, formed by mesylation of 9, with sodium azide in N,N-dimethylformamide gave benzyl 4-azido-3-O-benzoyl-2-(benzyloxy-carbonyl)amino-2,4-dideoxy-α-l-arabinopyranoside (13), which was debenzoylated to compound 14. Selective reduction of the azide group in 14, and condensation of the 4-amine with N-[N-(benzyloxycarbonyl)-d-alaninoyloxy]succinimide, gave the corresponding derivative (15) of 1. Reductive removal of the protecting groups of 15 afforded 1. Prumycin analogs were also synthesized from compound 14. Evidence in support of the structures assigned to the new derivatives is presented.     

Artificial Sweat for Humanoid Finger

To achieve favorable Frictional Tactile Sensation （FTS） for robot and humanoid fingers, this report investigated the effects of human finger sweat on Friction Coefficient （FC） and verified the effectiveness of artificial sweat on FTS tbr a humanoid finger. The results show that the model sweat （salt and urea water faked real sweat） increases the FC of the real finger sliding on the high hygroscopic and rough surface （paper）, whereas on the low hygroscopic and smooth surface （PMMA）, the sweat forms a fluid film and decreases FC, restricting severe finger adhesion. Further, the film formation and capillary adhesion force of sweat were discussed. The experimental results with the artificial sweats （ethanol and water） and humanoid finger （silicone rubber skin with tactile sensors） verifies the effectiveness. The artificial sweat restricts severe adhesion （stick-slip vibration）, and enhances cognitive capability of FTS.     

Influence of Dietary Condition on Muscle Protein Composition

Contents of arginine, methionine, histidine, phenylalanine, tryptophan and tyrosine were measured in the “Extract” and the “Fibrous” proteins obtained by urea fractionation from the skeletal muscle of rats fed a normal, a tryptophan-free and a protein-free diets for 30 days respectively. The ratios of the “Extract” to the “Fibrous” proteins were remarkably different in the muscles of the different dietary groups. Significant differences, were observed in the amino acid compositions of the protein fractions between the normal and both deficient groups showing the presence of the different dietary effects on the constituent proteins of the muscle.

A quantitative fractionation method of muscle protein was presented. Muscles from the adult rats fed a normal, a tryptophan-free and a protein-free diets separately for 4 weeks were fractionated by this method. The effects on the composition of the muscle protein fractions were different between the tryptophan-free and the protein-free diets. The decreases of non-protein nitrogen and sarcoplasmic protein by both deficient diets were greater than that of total muscle nitrogen, whereas those of actin, myosin and stroma were smaller. This shows the presence of the different dietary effects on the constituent proteins of muscle.     

Distribution of cis-Vaccenic Acid in Chinese Hamster V79-R Cells

V79-R Cells grown in lipid-free medium contained octadecenoic acids as the major fatty acids esterified to lipids. Octadecenoic acids were composed of two positional isomers, oleic and cis-vaccenic acids. The distribution of oleic and cis-vaccenic acids was altered by the addition of various fatty acids to the medium. There was no difference in the distribution of oleic and cis-vaccenic acids in phospholipids between mitochondria and microsomes. Cardiolipin contained higher amounts of palmitoleic and cis-vaccenic acids than did other lipids.     

Properties of a New Plant Serine Protease Cucumisin

Cucumisin [EC 3.4.21.25] was coupled to cyanogen bromide-activated Sephayose 4B. The specific activity of the immobilized cucumisin was 41% of that of the soluble cucumisin toward casein. The immobilized enzyme was more stable against alkaline inactivation or heat than the soluble enzyme. In using affinity chromatography on a column of the immobilized cucumisin-Sepharose, cucumisin inhibitor was not obtained from potent sources of proteinase inhibitors, such as pig kidney and liver, avian and turtle egg-whites, or soybeans.     

The transition in frequency of Y chromatin in males during the neonatal period

Summary The frequency of Y chromatin, visualized as fluorescent bodies in cell nuclei from lymphocytes in blood smears, was signficantly less in newborn males than in three-month-old male infants and adults. The frequency of Y chromatin-positive cells on day 0 was 36.16±9.11% and then increased daily. At one month after birth the frequency was 55.07±9.29%, which was not significantly different from that in adult males (57.08±5.97%).     

Biodeposit production by the mussel Mytilus edulis L. on rocky shores

Seasonal changes in the amount of biodeposit (faeces and pseudofaeces) produced by the mussel Mytilus edulis L., which is one of the representative suspension-feeders in the rocky intertidal and shallow subtidal regions of Mutsu Bay, were studied in the laboratory. The effects of water temperature, light, food concentration, flow rate, body size, age, and spawning on biodeposit production were investigated. More biodeposit was produced in summer than in other seasons. Throughout the year, the amount of biodeposit was positively correlated with body size. Relatively more biodeposit was produced by smaller than by larger individuals. A M. edulis population living in one square meter was estimated to produce 9.20 kg of faeces and 2.71 kg of pseudofaeces per year (dry wt). More biodeposit was produced at water temperatures of 17.6–20.2° C than at 4.5–7.6° C and 25.2–26.0° C. The optimum temperature for biodeposit production was found to be ≈ 20.0 °C. When kept in the dark, M. edulis produced more biodeposit than in the light. When food concentration is increased, more psuedofaeces are produced; the amount of faeces, however, remains constant. With increasing flow rate, the amount o f biodeposit per h increased but the biodeposition rate decreased. Larger amounts of faeces and smaller amounts of pseudofaeces were produced by younger mussels than by older ones of a similar size. Spawning also affected biodeposit production.     

New peptide alkaloids from Hovenia dulcis and H. tomentella

From the root bark of Hovenia dulcis Thunb. and H. tommentella (Makino) Nakai (Rhamnaceae), three peptide alkaloids, frangulanine, hovenins-A and -B have been isolated. Hovenin-A has been shown to be des-N-methylfrangulanine (II).     

Negative correlation between dispersal investment and canopy openness among populations of the ant-dispersed sedge,Carex lanceolata

Plant Ecology - Flowering plants exhibit a wide variation in the resources they invest in dispersal structures (dispersal investment), but the environmental correlates still remain unclear in many...     

High-dose zolpidem abuse in a patient with insomnia comorbid with major depressive disorder

Sleep and Biological Rhythms - A 39-year-old married woman was referred to a psychiatry outpatient clinic for treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). The dose of zolpidem she had been taking...