A Lewis acid-promoted Pinner reaction.

Carbonitriles and alcohols react in a Lewis acid-promoted Pinner reaction to carboxylic esters. Best results are obtained with two equivalents of trimethylsilyl triflate as Lewis acid. Good yields are achieved with primary alcohols and aliphatic or benzylic carbonitriles, but the straightforward synthesis of acrylates and benzoates starting with acrylonitrile and benzonitrile, respectively, is similarly possible.

Structure confirmation of altertenuol.

Comparison of an authentic sample of altertenuol with altenuisol obtained by total synthesis and analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance spectra unambiguously revealed that altertenuol and altenuisol are identical compounds.

Safety evaluation of human living skin equivalents.

Human living skin equivalents (LSEs) offer an alternative to the use of split-thickness autografts for the treatment of hard-to-heal wounds. LSEs consist of 4 active components: a well-differentiated stratum corneum derived from epidermal keratinocytes, dermal fibroblasts, and an extracellular collagen matrix. Neonatal foreskins are used as the source of keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts for the manufacture of LSEs.

Preclinical pharmacology and possible mechanism of action of the novel antitumor agent 5-(4'-piperidinomethylphenyl)-2,3-dihydroimidazo [2,1-a]isoquinoline.

SDZ 62-434 (CAS 115621-95-9, 5-(4'-piperidinomethylphenyl)-2,3-dihydroimidazo [2,1-a]isoquinoline dihydrochloride), a member of a novel class of antitumor agents, exhibited direct and macrophage-induced cytotoxicity against a variety of murine tumor cell lines. It is more effective than edelfosine in increasing survivors and reducing tumor volume in the oral mouse Meth A fibrosarcoma model. Preliminary studies suggest that an undefined cytotoxic effect, macrophage activation and possible effects on signal transduction may account for its antitumor mechanism of action.

Over-expression and characterization of active recombinant rat liver carnitine palmitoyltransferase II using baculovirus.

The cDNA encoding rat liver carnitine palmitoyltransferase II (CPT-II) was heterologously expressed using a recombinant baculovirus/insect cell system. Unlike Escherichia coli, the baculovirus-infected insect cells expressed mostly soluble active recombinant CPT-II (rCPT-II). CPT activity from crude lysates of recombinant baculovirus-infected insect cells was maximal between 50 and 72 h post-infection, with a peak specific activity of 100-200 times that found in the mock- or wild-type-infected control lysates.