Preventing explosions of hydrogen gas inhalers.

Production and excretion of hydrogen (H) gas in human was reported in 1969, since then it has been regarded as non-toxic molecule. For preventive and therapeutic medical uses, a possible treatment for cancer was reported and another article was published on how H acts as a therapeutic antioxidant by selectively reducing cytotoxic oxygen radicals. A variety of H gas inhalers have been available in the market for hospital and home uses.

Production of N-acetyl cis-4-hydroxy-L-proline by the yeast N-acetyltransferase Mpr1.

The proline analog cis-4-hydroxy-L-proline (CHOP), which inhibits the biosynthesis of collagen, has been evaluated as an anticancer, antifibrosis, and antihypertension drug. However, its water solubility and low molecular weight limit its therapeutic potential since it is rapidly excreted. In addition, CHOP is considered to be too toxic due primarily to its systematic effects on noncollagen proteins.

Metabolite profiling reveals YihU as a novel hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase for alternative succinic semialdehyde metabolism in Escherichia coli.

The search for novel enzymes and enzymatic activities is important to map out all metabolic activities and reveal cellular metabolic processes in a more exhaustive manner. Here we present biochemical and physiological evidence for the function of the uncharacterized protein YihU in Escherichia coli using metabolite profiling by capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry. To detect enzymatic activity and simultaneously identify possible substrates and products of the putative enzyme, we profiled a complex mixture of metabolites in the presence or absence of YihU.

Effect of ionic surfactants on the iridescent color in lamellar liquid crystalline phase of a nonionic surfactant.

A nonionic surfactant, n-dodecyl glyceryl itaconate (DGI), self-assembles into bilayer membranes in water having a spacing distance of sub-micrometer in the presence of small amounts of ionic surfactants, and shows beautiful iridescent color. Ionic surfactants have strong effects on this iridescent system. We have interestingly found that the iridescent color changes with time after mixing DGI and ionic surfactants and the color in equilibrium state changes greatly with concentration of the ionic surfactants.

Total synthesis of brevetoxin-B.

Brevetoxin-B (BTX-B), produced by the red tide organism, Gymnodium breve Davis, is the first member of marine polycyclic ethers to be structurally elucidated and one of the most potent neurotoxins. The structural feature is a trans-fused polycyclic ether ring system with 23 stereocenters. Its unique, complex structure and potent biological activity have attracted the attention of synthetic organic chemists.