All carbohydrate-based nanocomposites composed of sorbitol polyglycidyl ether, aminated trehalose and cellulose nanofiber.

Renewable resources-derived nanocomposites are receiving extensive attention because of increasing environmental concern and restricted availability of petrochemical resources. The thiol-ene reaction of cysteamine hydrochloride and allyl-etherified trehaloses (AxTs) with allyl functionalities of x = 6 and 8 produced aminated trehaloses (NxTs). Sorbitol polyglycidyl ether (SPE) was cured with NxTs in the presence or absence of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) to give all carbohydrate-based nanocomposites (SPE-NxT/CNFs) or cured resins (SPE-NxTs).

Stereocomplexation, Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Conetworks Composed of Star-Shaped l-Lactide, d-Lactide and ε-Caprolactone Oligomers Utilizing Sugar Alcohols as Core Molecules.

It is important to develop tailor-made biodegradable/biocompatible polymer networks usable for biomaterials whose thermal and mechanical properties are easily controlled by changing the composition. We synthesized sugar-alcohol-based polymer networks (SPN-scLAO/3CLO, = 4, 5 or 6) by the crosslinking reactions of erythritol, xylitol or sorbitol-based -armed star-shaped l-lactide and d-lactide oligomers (HSLLAO and HSDLAO), a glycerol-based 3-armed star-shaped ε-caprolactone oligomer (H3SCLO) and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) at the weight ratios of HSLLAO/HSDLAO = 1/1 and (HSLLAO + HSDLAO)/H3CLO = 100/0, 75/25, 50/50, 25/75 or 0/100). The influence of the arm number on the crystallization behavior, thermal and mechanical properties of SPN-scLAO/3CLOs were systematically investigated by comparing with those of sugar-alcohol-based homochiral polymer network (SPN-LLAO, = 4, 5 or 6) prepared by the reaction of HSLLAO and HDI.

[Structural analysis of subsidiary tar dyes contained in Food red No. 102].

Three unknown colors (A1, A2 and A3) in Food red No. 102 (R102) were identified by LC-MS and NMR analysis. Red dye A1 was azo rubine (AZO), which is not designated as a coloring agent in Japan.

IFN-gamma deficiency worsen Pneumocystis pneumonia with Th17 development in nude mice.

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) occurs frequently in patients with immunodeficiency syndromes, especially AIDS. In order to investigate the role of IFN-gamma on PCP, nude mice deficient in IFN-gamma (GKO nude) and their wild-type ones (WT nude) were infected with murine Pneumocystis. Nine weeks later they were sacrificed, and cytokines in BALF and lung histopathology were compared between them.

Distinct response in maintenance of human naive and memory B cells via IL-21 receptor and TCL1/Akt pathways.

The molecular mechanisms involving in B-cell survival/proliferation are poorly understood. Here we investigated the molecules affecting the survival of human naïve and memory B cells. Without stimulation, naïve B cells survived longer than memory B cells.