Exploration, expansion and definition of the atropopeptide family of ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides.

Ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides (RiPPs) constitute a diverse class of natural products. Atropopeptides are a recent addition to the class. Here we developed AtropoFinder, a genome mining algorithm to chart the biosynthetic landscape of the atropopeptides.

Characterization of recombinant photoconverting green fluorescent Akanes.

Akanes are fluorescent proteins that have several fluorescence maxima. In this report, Akane1 and Akane3 from Scleronephthya gracillima were selected, successfully overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified by affinity chromatography. Fluorescence spectra of the recombinant Akanes matured in darkness, or ambient light were found to have several fluorescence peaks.

Synthesis and crystal structure of a sulphur-bridged molecular hoop consisting of 5,7,12,14-tetrathiapentacene.

A cyclic dimer consisting of 5,7,12,14-tetrathiapentacene (TC[2]TTP) forms a new extended series of thiacalix[]arenes, and was successfully synthesized by an intramolecular Friedel-Crafts-type condensation of the macrocyclic precursor. TC[2]TTP was characterized using H and C nuclear magnetic resonance and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Its hoop-shaped molecular structure was determined by X-ray crystallography.

Sensitivity enhancement of DHR123 radio-fluorogenic nanoclay gel dosimeter by incorporating surfactants and halogenides.

Dosimetry of spatial dose distribution of ionizing radiation in tissue equivalent materials is particularly important for cancer radiotherapy. Here, we describe a radio-fluorogenic gel-based dosimeter that has achieved 16 times higher sensitivity by incorporating surfactants and halogenides. The gel dosimeters were prepared from dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR123) and small amounts of nano-sized clay and a radiosensitizer.

Oxidation of a Dithieno[3,4-b:3',4'-d]thiophene Cyclic Dimer Containing a Planar Cyclooctatetraene Ring: Retention of High Antiaromaticity During Reactions.

One-electron and peracid oxidations of dithieno[3,4-b : 3',4'-d]thiophene cyclic dimer, which contains an antiaromatic planar cyclooctatetraene (COT) core, were conducted. The reaction of the cyclic dimer with SbCl produced isolable radical cation salts. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations showed that the spin density of the radical cation resides not on the COT ring but on the peripheral sulfur and carbon atoms in the thiophene unit with retention of high antiaromaticity based on the nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS).

Paddlewheel Complexes with Azulenes: Electronic Interaction between Metal Centers and Equatorial Ligands.

Rhodium dinuclear complexes (1-3) with azulene moieties as equatorial ligands were obtained by reacting Rh (OAc) with guaiazulene-2-carboxylic acid, azulene-2-carboxylic acid, and azulene-1-carboxylic acid, respectively. The molecular structures in their crystalline states were determined by X-ray diffraction to be 1 ⋅ (H O) , 1 ⋅ (MeCN) , 2 ⋅ (MeCN) , and 3 ⋅ (DMF) , which were coordinated with the crystallization solvent at the axial positions. Among these, the crystal packing of 1 ⋅ (H O) , 1 ⋅ (MeCN) , and 3 ⋅ (DMF) revealed the formation of one-dimensional stacked chains nearly along the axial direction and of two-dimensional stacked sheets along the equatorial direction.

Light-triggered hydrophilic drug release from liposomes through removal of a photolabile protecting group.

The antibiotic penicillin G cannot be completely incorporated into hydrophobic lipid-membranes owing to its hydrophilicity. Through modification with a hydrophobic and photolabile protecting group, penicillin G was effectively incorporated into liposomes and released by photoirradiation at 365 nm.

Long-Range Intramolecular Electronic Communication in a Trinuclear Ruthenium Tropolonate Complex.

Dinuclear and trinuclear ruthenium complexes, [Ru(trop)(Ctrop)Ru(dppe)Cp] [2b; trop = tropolonato, Ctrop = ethynyltropolonato, dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane] and [Ru(trop){(Ctrop)Ru(dppe)Cp}] (3), were synthesized, and their electronic and electrochemical properties were investigated in comparison with our previously reported complex [Ru(acac)(Ctrop)Ru(dppe)Cp] (2a). The electron-donating Ru(dppe)Cp unit and electron-accepting RuO unit are connected by Ctrop in these complexes. 2a incorporates acetylacetonate as an ancillary ligand, while 2b and 3 incorporate tropolonate as an ancillary ligand.

miR-133 regulates Evi1 expression in AML cells as a potential therapeutic target.

The Ecotropic viral integration site 1 (Evi1) is a zinc finger transcription factor, which is located on chromosome 3q26, over-expression in some acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Elevated Evi1 expression in AML is associated with unfavorable prognosis. Therefore, Evi1 is one of the strong candidate in molecular target therapy for the leukemia.

A very rare case of primary meningococcal arthritis in an adult male.

We report here a very rare case of primary meningococcal arthritis of the knee joint without clinical features associated with meningococcemia, meningitis, or meningococcal complications. The patient suffered from diabetes mellitus and had experienced two episodes of joint trauma. Intravenous infusion of ampicillin/sulbactam for 18 consecutive days was successful.

Use of copper alloy for preventing transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus contamination in the dermatology ward.

Metallic copper has been shown significantly to reduce methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) contamination of the ambient surroundings of the beds of MRSA-carrying patients in dermatology wards. The aim of this study was to determine whether a bed sheet made of copper-coated film will reduce the spread of MRSA contamination in the environment of a heavily-colonized patient. The bacterial count was highest on the bed sheet.

Long-term variations in dissolved trace elements in the Sagami River and its tributaries (upstream area), Japan.

We investigated long-term variations in dissolved chemical species in water sampled from the Sagami River and its tributaries, Japan. The samples were taken monthly from May 1993 to April 2000 at 28 sampling sites in the Sagami River system. In this paper, we concentrate on 17 sites in the upper catchment.

Retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy.

Retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy is currently performed either by lateral flank approach or posterior lumbar approach. The retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy avoids invading the intraperitoneal cavity and possible injury to the abdominal organs. The posterior lumbar approach allows direct access to the main adrenal vascular supply before the gland is manipulated.

Cleavage of Tellurium-Carbon Bonds of Hexavalent Organotellurium Compounds by Potassium Graphite.

The potassium ion intercalated in graphite results in unique reactivity of Ar Te K C (1), formed by cleavage of one of the Te-C(Ar) bonds of Ar Te by KC . Thus, 1 reacted quantitatively with CH I to give Ar TeCH , which was not obtainable from Ar Te Li . The Te-CH bond of Ar TeCH is cleaved in preference to the Te-C(Ar) bonds, and formation of Ar Te(CD ) suggests the intermediacy of the hypervalent dianion Ar Te .