Integrin α6β1 is the main receptor for vascular laminins and plays a role in platelet adhesion, activation, and arterial thrombosis.

Background: Laminins are major components of basement membranes, well located to interact with platelets upon vascular injury. Laminin-111 (α1β1γ1) is known to support platelet adhesion but is absent from most blood vessels, which contain isoforms with the α2, α4, or α5 chain. Whether vascular laminins support platelet adhesion and activation and the significance of these interactions in hemostasis and thrombosis remain unknown.

A humanized glycoprotein VI (GPVI) mouse model to assess the antithrombotic efficacies of anti-GPVI agents.

Glycoprotein VI (GPVI) has been proposed as a promising antiplatelet target, because its blockade prevents experimental thrombosis without impairing hemostasis. The objective of this study was to develop a preclinical tool to evaluate the role of human GPVI (hGPVI) in various models of thrombosis and to screen anti-GPVI compounds. A genetically modified mouse strain expressing hGPVI has been developed using a knockin strategy.

Fabrication of centimeter-sized single-domain two-dimensional colloidal crystals in a wedge-shaped cell under capillary forces.

Self-assembly of colloidal spheres confined within cells of different shapes formed with two slides under capillary forces are studied. It is found that by controlling the shape of the cell the curvature of the drying front can result in a significant effect on the self-organization process. A curved drying front formed within parallel slides is always associated with growth of colloidal crystal structures with a high density of disorder.

[Concentration polarization of low density lipoprotein at the distal end of carotid stenosis promotes atherogenesis].

To test the hypothesis that concentration polarization of atherogenic lipids may occur in the arterial system and play an important role in localization of atherosclerosis, we simulated and measured in vitro the luminal surface concentration of low density lipoprotein (LDL) in local stenosis at the distal end of carotid artery by number simulation and laser scanning confocal microscopy, then we designed carotid stenosis model to test the role of LDL concentration polarization in atherogenesis. The in vitro experiment showed that the luminal surface LDL concentration was higher than the bulk concentration as predicted by the concentration polarization theory. The relative luminal surface LDL concentration changed with the flow velocity and ratio of stenosis.

Enantioselective total synthesis of phomallenic acid C.

The newly isolated bacterial FAS II inhibitor phomallenic acid C (3) was synthesized for the first time as a 16:1 mixture of the (R)- and (S)-isomer with the diyne-allene motif constructed using a coupling under Negishi conditions. By comparison with the synthetic sample, the natural phomallenic acid C was estimated to be a 3.8:1 mixture of (R)-/(S)-isomers.

Novel, efficient total synthesis of natural 20(S)-camptothecin.

Enantiopure 20(S)-camptothecin has been prepared from a known hydroxypyridone through a novel approach that involves a Claisen rearrangement, an asymmetric nucleophilic ethylation, a Heck coupling and a Friedländer condensation as the key transformations.

[Research advances of small-diameter vascular grafts].

This review is a summary of some useful methods and advances about improving clinical applications to small-diameter vascular grafts in recent years, and it points out the developing orientation of small-diameter vascular grafts in the future.

Facile cleavage of triethylsilyl (TES) ethers using o-iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX) without affecting tert-butyldimethylsilyl (TBS) ethers.

[reaction: see text] In DMSO cleavage of triethylsilyl (TES) ethers by o-iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX) was significantly faster than cleavage of tert-butyldimethylsilyl (TBS) ethers or further oxidation into carbonyl compounds. In most cases, TES protecting groups could be removed in good to excellent yields within 1 h, whereas similar TBS protecting groups remained intact under the same conditions. The procedure also could be adapted for direct one-pot conversion of TES ethers into carbonyl compounds.

Synthesis of natural fragrant molecules cis-3-methyl-4-decanolide and aerangis lactone. General enantioselective routes to beta,gamma-cis-disubstituted gamma-lactones and gamma,delta-cis-disubstituted delta-lactones.

General enantioselective routes to 3,4-cis-dialkyl substituted gamma-lactones and 4,5-cis-dialkyl substituted delta-lactones using TiCl(4)-mediated Evans asymmetric aldolization as the key step are reported. The syntheses are exemplified with two natural fragrant molecules, cis-3-methyl-4-decanolide (1) and aerangis lactone (2). The (R,R) steroegenic centers were established using (S)-phenylalanine-derived 2-oxazolidinone or thiazolidinethione as chiral auxiliary, whereas the (S,S) ones were constructed with auxiliary prepared from (R)-phenylglycine.