Attempting to Create a Pathway to 15-Deacetylcalonectrin with Limited Accumulation in Cultures of Mutants: Insight into Trichothecene Biosynthesis Machinery.

The compound 15-deacetylcalonectrin (15-deCAL) is a common pathway intermediate in the biosynthesis of trichothecenes. This tricyclic intermediate is metabolized to calonectrin (CAL) by trichothecene 15--acetyltransferase encoded by . Unlike other trichothecene pathway gene mutants, the Δ mutant produces lower amounts of the knocked-out enzyme's substrate 15-deCAL, and instead, accumulates higher quantities of earlier bicyclic intermediate and shunt metabolites.

Infrared Spectroscopy and Anharmonic Vibrational Analysis of (HO-Kr) ( = 1-3): Hemibond Formation of the Water Radical Cation.

The hemibond is a nonclassical covalent bond formed between a radical (cation) and a closed shell molecule. The hemibond formation ability of water has attracted great interest, concerning its role in ionization of water. While many computational studies on the water hemibond have been performed, clear experimental evidence has been hardly reported because the hydrogen bond formation overwhelms the hemibond formation.

Cooperativity of the Activated CH/π Interaction Probed through CH Stretching Vibrations in Phenol-(Acetylene) (∼16 ≤ ≤ ∼30) and (Acetylene) (10 ≤ ≤ 70) Clusters.

The acidity of acetylene CH is stronger than that of alkane CH, and the attractive interaction between an acetylene CH with π-electrons, which shows a clear hydrogen bond property, is called activated CH/π interaction. In this study, cooperative enhancement of the activated CH/π interaction has been probed through the cluster size dependence of the red shift of the acetylene CH stretching vibrational band in neutral phenol-(acetylene) (∼16 ≤ ≤ ∼30) and (acetylene) (10 ≤ ≤ 70). In both the clusters, the characteristic asymmetric (red-shaded) shape of the CH stretch band has been observed.

Vibrational Coupling in Solvated HO: Interplay between Fermi Resonance and Combination Band.

Complex vibrational features of solvated hydronium ion, HO, in 3 μm enable us to look into the vibrational coupling among O-H stretching modes and other degrees of freedom. Two anharmonic coupling schemes have often been engaged to explain observed spectra: coupling with the OH bending overtone, known as Fermi resonance (FR), has been proposed to account for the splitting of the OH stretch band at ∼3300 cm in HO···Ar, but an additional peak in HO···(N) at the similar frequency region has been assigned to a combination band (CB) with the low-frequency intermolecular stretches. While even stronger vibrational coupling is expected in HO···(HO), such pronounced peaks are absent.

Infrared Spectroscopy of Protonated Phenol-Water Clusters.

To explore the microhydration structures of protonated phenol, size-selective infrared spectroscopy of protonated phenol-(water) clusters ( n = 1-5) was performed. The protonation of phenol can occur either at the phenyl ring or at the hydroxy group. The coexistence of the two isomer types separated by the high isomerization barrier was reconfirmed for bare protonated phenol.

Fermi resonance in solvated HO: a counter-intuitive trend confirmed via a joint experimental and theoretical investigation.

The spectral features of H3O+ between 3000 and 3800 cm-1 are known to be dominated by coupling between the fundamentals of stretching modes and the overtones of bending modes. A strong Fermi resonance (FR) pattern has been observed in Ar-tagged H3O+, and the sensitive dependence of the FR pattern on the number of Ar tags has been analyzed by Li et al. [J.

Temperature and Size Dependence of Characteristic Hydrogen-Bonded Network Structures with Ion Core Switching in Protonated (Methanol)-(Water) Mixed Clusters: A Revisit.

Hydrogen-bonded network structures and preferential ion core in the protonated methanol-water mixed clusters, H(methanol)-(water) (n = 6-10), were explored by a combination of infrared spectroscopy and theoretical calculations. Infrared spectra of the OH stretch region of the clusters were measured at the two different temperature ranges by using Ar-tagging. Stable isomer structures of the clusters were searched by the multiscale modeling approach and temperature dependent infrared spectra were simulated based on the statistical populations of the isomers.

An ab initio anharmonic approach to study vibrational spectra of small ammonia clusters.

Fermi resonance between the N-H stretching (ν and ν) and the overtone of N-H bending (2ν) in ammonia has hindered the interpretation and assignments of experimental spectra of small ammonia clusters. In this work, we carried out anharmonic vibrational calculations using MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ to examine the vibrational spectra of (NH) with a focus on the size evolution. The enhancement of hydrogen bond strength due to cooperative effects will cause ν and ν to red-shift and blue-shift, respectively, when the size of the cluster increases.

Infrared spectroscopy of large-sized neutral and protonated ammonia clusters.

Size-selective infrared spectroscopy was applied to neutral and protonated ammonia clusters, (NH3)n (n = ∼5-∼80) and H(+)(NH3)n (n = 8-100), to observe their NH stretching vibrations. The moderate size selection was achieved for the neutral clusters by the infrared-ultraviolet double resonance scheme combined with mass spectrometry. The size dependence of the observed spectra of (NH3)n is similar to that of the average size-controlled clusters doped in He droplets.

Naphthalene and anthracene complexes sandwiched by two {(Cp*)Fe(I)} fragments: strong electronic coupling between the Fe(I) centers.

The reactions of the half-sandwich iron(II) complex [FeCl(Cp*)(tmeda)] (1; Cp*=η(5)-C(5)Me(5), TMEDA=N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine) with potassium naphthalenide or potassium anthracenide gave the diamagnetic complexes [(Cp*)Fe(μ-polyarene)Fe(Cp*)] (polyarene=naphthalene (2), anthracene (3a)), which have two {(Cp*)Fe} units bound to opposite faces of the polyarene. One of two {(Cp*)Fe} units in 3a is located over the central ring of anthracene while the other is positioned over an outer ring. The {(Cp*)Fe} unit bound to the central ring of 3a migrates to the outer ring upon heating in the solid state to give the isomer 3b.

Synthesis, structures, and electronic properties of [8Fe-7S] cluster complexes modeling the nitrogenase P-cluster.

High-yield synthesis of the iron-sulfur cluster [{N(SiMe(3))(2)}{SC(NMe(2))(2)}Fe(4)S(3)](2)(mu(6)-S) {mu-N(SiMe(3))(2)}(2) (1), which reproduces the [8Fe-7S] core structure of the nitrogenase P(N)-cluster, has been achieved via two pathways: (1) Fe{N(SiMe(3))(2)}(2) + HSTip (Tip = 2,4,6-(i)Pr(3)C(6)H(2)) + tetramethylthiourea (SC(NMe(2))(2)) + elemental sulfur (S(8)); and (2) Fe(3){N(SiMe(3))(2)}(2)(mu-STip)(4) (2) + HSTip + SC(NMe(2))(2) + S(8). The thiourea and terminal amide ligands of 1 were found to be replaceable by thiolate ligands upon treatment with thiolate anions and thiols at -40 degrees C, respectively, and a series of [8Fe-7S] clusters bearing two to four thiolate ligands have been synthesized and their structures were determined by X-ray analysis. The structures of these model [8Fe-7S] clusters all closely resemble that of the reduced form of P-cluster (P(N)) having 8Fe(II) centers, while their 6Fe(II)-2Fe(III) oxidation states correspond to the oxidized form of P-cluster (P(OX)).

Determination of toxic trace elements in foodstuffs, soils and sediments of bangladesh using instrumental neutron activation analysis technique.

The concentrations of arsenic (As), chromium (Cr) and iron (Fe) were determined in the foodstuffs, soils and sediments from various areas in Bangladesh and new data for these toxic trace elements were given. The arsenic pollution problems in the most of the areas of Bangladesh are of geological origin. The high level of As in foodstuffs, soils and sediments, except for tannery sediments is probably positively correlated to the Fe concentration.

Anti-apoptotic action of Wnt5a in dermal fibroblasts is mediated by the PKA signaling pathways.

Wnts are secreted glycoproteins that control diverse biological processes, such as proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. We here found that Wnt5a inhibited apoptosis induced by serum deprivation in primary-cultured human dermal fibroblasts. Anti-apoptotic activity of Wnt5a was not inhibited by a dickkopf-1 (DKK), which blocks the canonical Wnt pathway.

Antidepressant-like effect of Cordyceps sinensis in the mouse tail suspension test.

Cordyceps sinensis (CS) has been known as a component of traditional medicines that elicit various biological effects such as anti-fatigue, immunomodulatory, and hypoglycemic actions. Since it has been well-established that fatigue is closely related to depression, we used the tail suspension test (TST) in mice to examine the antidepressant-like effects of hot water extract (HWCS) and supercritical fluid extract (SCCS) of CS. Immobility time in the TST was reduced by administration of SCCS (2.

Wnt5a promotes adhesion of human dermal fibroblasts by triggering a phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/Akt signal.

Frizzled-3 (Fzd3), highly expressed in both the central nervous system (CNS) and skin, plays essential roles in axonal growth and guidance during the CNS development and may be involved in maintenance of skin integrity, although its ligand remains undetermined. In this study, we demonstrate that Wnt5a specifically binds to Fzd3 in vitro and triggers phosphorylation of Akt mediated by phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K), but not that of ERK or protein kinase C, in human primary-cultured dermal fibroblasts. We have further found that such Wnt5a/Fzd3-triggered activation of the PI3K/Akt signal promotes integrin-mediated adhesion of human dermal fibroblasts to collagen I-coated dishes.

A new time-resolved fluorometric microarray detection system using core-shell-type fluorescent nanosphere and its application to allergen microarray.

We have developed a new time-resolved fluorometric (TRF) microarray detection system consisting of fluorescent NH2 nanosphere, TRF microarray detector and gamma-irradiated polystyrene chip. Using the TRF microarray detector, we detected 500 particles of the fluorescent nanosphere in one channel. Cross-talk fluorescence from the adjacent channels was little observed in the TRF microarray detector (<0.

A steep one-step [HS-HS] to [LS-LS] spin transition in a 4,4'-bipyridine linked one-dimensional coordination polymer constructed from a pyrazolato bridged Fe(II) dimer.

The variable temperature magnetic susceptibility, X-ray crystallography, and Mössbauer and Raman spectra of a new dinuclear complex-based one-dimensional coordination polymer [[Fe(II)2(NCS)2(mu-bpypz)2](micro-4,4'-bpy)].MeOH demonstrated a steep one-step [HS-HS] to [LS-LS] spin transition.

Pyrogenic iron(III)-doped TiO2 nanopowders synthesized in RF thermal plasma: phase formation, defect structure, band gap, and magnetic properties.

Iron(III)-doped TiO(2) nanopowders, with controlled iron to titanium atomic ratios (R(Fe/Ti)) ranging from nominal 0 to 20%, were synthesized using oxidative pyrolysis of liquid-feed metallorganic precursors in a radiation-frequency (RF) thermal plasma. The valence of iron doped in the TiO(2), phase formation, defect structures, band gaps, and magnetic properties of the resultant nanopowders were systematically investigated using Mössbauer spectroscopy, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, TEM/HRTEM, UV-vis spectroscopy, and measurements of magnetic properties. The iron doped in TiO(2) was trivalent (3+) in a high-spin state as determined by the isomer shift and quadrupole splitting from the Mössbauer spectra.

[An experimental study on anti-aging action of Cordyceps extract].

Objective: To investigate anti-aging effect and mechanism of Cordyceps extract(CSE) on aged mice induced by D-galactose.

Method: The aged mice were induced by D-galactose. Meanwhile, they were treated with three doses of CSE.

Synthesis of the P-cluster inorganic core of nitrogenases.

The [8Fe-7S] core of the P-clusters in nitrogenases is unique among the known [Fe-S] clusters which are essential to electron-transfer processes in nature. The [8Fe-7S] cluster has been thought unstable and to exist only in protein environments. We found that this unusual [8Fe-7S] structure can be self-assembled from the reaction of Fe(II) bis-amide, tetramethylthiourea, 2,4,6-triisopropylbenzenethiol, and elemental sulfur in a specific mole ratio.

Design of novel inorganic-organic hybrid materials based on iron-chloranilate mononuclear complexes: characteristics of hydrogen-bond-supported layers toward the intercalation of guests.

Novel intercalation compounds constructed from the common two-dimensional hydrogen-bond-supported layers and functional guests [(H(0.5)phz)(2)[Fe(CA)(2)(H(2)O)(2)].2H(2)O](n)(1), ([Fe(Cp)(2)][Fe(CA)(2)(H(2)O)(2)])(n)(2), ([Fe(Cp*)(2)][Fe(CA)(2)(H(2)O)(2)])(n)(3), and [(TTF)(2)[Fe(CA)(2)(H(2)O)(2)]](n)(4) (H(2)CA = chloranilic acid, phz = phenazine, [Fe(Cp)(2)] = ferrocene, [Fe(Cp*)(2)] = decamethylferrocene, TTF = tetrathiafulvalene) are described.

Pulmonary hypertension in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea.

Thirty-seven patients (35 men and two women) with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) without any known cardiovascular and lung diseases were examined by Doppler echocardiography. Eight of the 37 (21.6%) patients experienced daytime pulmonary hypertension (PH), and all of them had severe OSAHS with an apnea-hypopnea index of > 30.

The Valence-Detrapping Phase Transition in a Crystal of the Mixed-Valence Trinuclear Iron Cyanoacetate Complex [Fe(3)O(O(2)CCH(2)CN)(6)(H(2)O)(3)].

A mixed-valence trinuclear iron cyanoacetate complex, [Fe(3)O(O(2)CCH(2)CN)(6)(H(2)O)(3)] (1), was prepared, and the nature of the electron-detrapping phase transition was studied by a multitemperature single-crystal X-ray structure determination (296, 135, and 100 K) and calorimetry by comparison with an isostructural mixed-metal complex, [CoFe(2)O(O(2)CCH(2)CN)(6)(H(2)O)(3)] (2). The mixed-valence states at various temperatures were also determined by (57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. The Mössbauer spectrum of 1 showed a valence-detrapped state at room temperature.