37 research outputs found
Oxygen and Air Nanobubble Water Solution Promote the Growth of Plants, Fishes, and Mice
Nanobubbles (<200 nm in diameter) have several unique properties such as long lifetime in liquid owing to its negatively charged surface, and its high gas solubility into the liquid owing to its high internal pressure. They are used in variety of fields including diagnostic aids and drug delivery, while there are no reports assessing their effects on the growth of lives. Nanobubbles of air or oxygen gas were generated using a nanobubble aerator (BUVITAS; Ligaric Company Limited, Osaka, Japan). Brassica campestris were cultured hydroponically for 4 weeks within air-nanobubble water or within normal water. Sweetfish (for 3 weeks) and rainbow trout (for 6 weeks) were kept either within air-nanobubble water or within normal water. Finally, 5 week-old male DBA1/J mice were bred with normal free-chaw and free-drinking either of oxygen-nanobubble water or of normal water for 12 weeks. Oxygen-nanobubble significantly increased the dissolved oxygen concentration of water as well as concentration/size of nanobubbles which were relatively stable for 70 days. Air-nanobubble water significantly promoted the height (19.1 vs. 16.7 cm; P<0.05), length of leaves (24.4 vs. 22.4 cm; P<0.01), and aerial fresh weight (27.3 vs. 20.3 g; P<0.01) of Brassica campestris compared to normal water. Total weight of sweetfish increased from 3.0 to 6.4 kg in normal water, whereas it increased from 3.0 to 10.2 kg in air-nanobubble water. In addition, total weight of rainbow trout increased from 50.0 to 129.5 kg in normal water, whereas it increased from 50.0 to 148.0 kg in air-nanobubble water. Free oral intake of oxygen-nanobubble water significantly promoted the weight (23.5 vs. 21.8 g; P<0.01) and the length (17.0 vs. 16.1 cm; P<0.001) of mice compared to that of normal water. We have demonstrated for the first time that oxygen and air-nanobubble water may be potentially effective tools for the growth of lives.Ebina K., Shi K., Hirao M., et al. (2013) Oxygen and Air Nanobubble Water Solution Promote the Growth of Plants, Fishes, and Mice. PLoS ONE 8(6): e65339. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065339
Nkx3.2 Promotes Primary Chondrogenic Differentiation by Upregulating Col2a1 Transcription
Background: The Nkx3.2 transcription factor promotes chondrogenesis by forming a positive regulatory loop with a crucial chondrogenic transcription factor, Sox9. Previous studies have indicated that factors other than Sox9 may promote chondrogenesis directly, but these factors have not been identified. Here, we test the hypothesis that Nkx3.2 promotes chondrogenesis directly by Sox9-independent mechanisms and indirectly by previously characterized Sox9-dependent mechanisms. Methodology/Principal Findings: C3H10T1/2 pluripotent mesenchymal cells were cultured with bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) to induce endochondral ossification. Overexpression of wild-type Nkx3.2 (WT-Nkx3.2) upregulated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) production and expression of type II collagen a1 (Col2a1) mRNA, and these effects were evident before WT-Nkx3.2-mediated upregulation of Sox9. RNAi-mediated inhibition of Nkx3.2 abolished GAG production and expression of Col2a1 mRNA. Dual luciferase reporter assays revealed that WT-Nkx3.2 upregulated Col2a1 enhancer activity in a dose-dependent manner in C3H10T1/2 cells and also in N1511 chondrocytes. In addition, WT-Nkx3.2 partially restored downregulation of GAG production, Col2 protein expression, and Col2a1 mRNA expression induced by Sox9 RNAi. ChIP assays revealed that Nkx3.2 bound to the Col2a1 enhancer element. Conclusions/Significance: Nkx3.2 promoted primary chondrogenesis by two mechanisms: Direct and Sox9-independen
Photofluorination of Aliphatic C–H Bonds Promoted by the Phthalimide Group
Aliphatic C–H
fluorination of phthalimide derivatives with
Selectfluor was investigated under photoirradiation conditions. The
reaction did not require any additive or catalyst and afforded C–H
fluorinated products in moderate to good yields. It is likely that
the reaction site depends on the C–H bond energy, and this
may be the reason for the good to high regioselectivity
Benzylic C–H Trifluoromethylation via Photoenol
Photoenols
generated <i>in situ</i> from <i>ortho</i>-methyl-substituted
phenylketones such as benzophenones and acetophenones were trifluoromethylated
with Togni reagent without any additive or catalyst. This trifluoromethylation
reaction proceeded smoothly under photoirradiation conditions (365
nm). Various functional groups were tolerant of the reaction conditions.
Interestingly, the trifluoromethyl group was exclusively introduced
at the <i>ortho</i>-benzylic position. Mechanistic studies
suggested that this reaction proceeds via formation of a photoenol,
not via a radical pathway
Enantioselective Bromocyclization of Allylic Amides Catalyzed by BINAP Derivatives
A highly enantioselective
bromocyclization of allylic amides with <i>N</i>-bromosuccinimide
(NBS) was developed with DTBM-BINAP as
a catalyst, affording chiral oxazolines with a tetrasubstituted carbon
center in high yield with up to 99% ee. By utilizing the bromo substituent
as a handle, the obtained compounds were converted to synthetically
useful chiral building blocks
Oxygen and air nanobubble water solution promote the growth of plants, fishes, and mice.
Nanobubbles (<200 nm in diameter) have several unique properties such as long lifetime in liquid owing to its negatively charged surface, and its high gas solubility into the liquid owing to its high internal pressure. They are used in variety of fields including diagnostic aids and drug delivery, while there are no reports assessing their effects on the growth of lives. Nanobubbles of air or oxygen gas were generated using a nanobubble aerator (BUVITAS; Ligaric Company Limited, Osaka, Japan). Brassica campestris were cultured hydroponically for 4 weeks within air-nanobubble water or within normal water. Sweetfish (for 3 weeks) and rainbow trout (for 6 weeks) were kept either within air-nanobubble water or within normal water. Finally, 5 week-old male DBA1/J mice were bred with normal free-chaw and free-drinking either of oxygen-nanobubble water or of normal water for 12 weeks. Oxygen-nanobubble significantly increased the dissolved oxygen concentration of water as well as concentration/size of nanobubbles which were relatively stable for 70 days. Air-nanobubble water significantly promoted the height (19.1 vs. 16.7 cm; P<0.05), length of leaves (24.4 vs. 22.4 cm; P<0.01), and aerial fresh weight (27.3 vs. 20.3 g; P<0.01) of Brassica campestris compared to normal water. Total weight of sweetfish increased from 3.0 to 6.4 kg in normal water, whereas it increased from 3.0 to 10.2 kg in air-nanobubble water. In addition, total weight of rainbow trout increased from 50.0 to 129.5 kg in normal water, whereas it increased from 50.0 to 148.0 kg in air-nanobubble water. Free oral intake of oxygen-nanobubble water significantly promoted the weight (23.5 vs. 21.8 g; P<0.01) and the length (17.0 vs. 16.1 cm; P<0.001) of mice compared to that of normal water. We have demonstrated for the first time that oxygen and air-nanobubble water may be potentially effective tools for the growth of lives
Difunctionalization of Alkenes Using 1‑Chloro-1,2-benziodoxol-3-(1<i>H</i>)‑one
Difunctionalization
of alkenes with 1-chloro-1,2-benziodoxol-3-(1<i>H</i>)-one
(<b>1</b>) was investigated. Various additional
nucleophiles were tested, and oxychlorination, dichlorination, azidochlorination,
chlorothiocyanation, and iodoesterfication were demonstrated. The
oxychlorination product was obtained efficiently when the reaction
was operated in water. Dichlorination occurred in the presence of
a Lewis basic promoter, such as 4-phenylpyridine <i>N</i>-oxide, as an additive. The reaction with <i>in situ</i>-generated azido anion afforded azidochlorinated compounds with a
chlorine atom at the terminal position, while the reaction with trimethylsilyl
isothiocyanate produced chlorothiocyanation adducts with a chlorine
atom at the benzylic position. On the other hand, when <b>1</b> was treated with tetra-<i>n</i>-butylammonium iodide prior
to the addition of alkenes, only iodoesterification occurred selectively.
These mild reactions enable convenient site-selective difunctionalizations
of substrates having two alkene moieties. NMR experiments suggested
that the electrophilic reactive species in each reaction varied depending
on the nature of the added nucleophile
Asymmetric Fluorolactonization with a Bifunctional Hydroxyl Carboxylate Catalyst
We
report the first successful example of a highly enantioselective
fluorolactonization with an electrophilic fluorinating reagent, Selectfluor<sup>®</sup>, in the presence of a novel bifunctional organocatalyst.
The catalyst design includes a carboxylate anion functioning as a
phase-transfer agent and a benzyl alcohol unit to capture the substrate
through hydrogen bonding. Fluorinated isobenzofuranones were obtained
in good yields with up to 94% ee (97:3 er). On the basis of mechanistic
studies, we propose a unique reaction mechanism with potential for
further applications
Serum level of oxidative stress marker is dramatically low in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with tocilizumab
Regarding the pathobiology of rheumatoid arthritis, oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species is an important mechanism that underlies destructive and proliferative synovitis. Abundant amounts of reactive oxygen species have been detected in the synovial fluid of inflamed rheumatoid joints. It is reported that drugs that block tumor necrosis factor-α reduce the oxidative stress marker levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In this study, we measured reactive oxygen species using a free radical analytical system in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, tumor necrosis factor-α-blocking drugs (infliximab, etanercept), and an interleukin-6-blocking drug (tocilizumab). The serum level of oxidative stress was drastically low in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with tocilizumab, suggesting that interleukin-6 blocking therapy reduces not only joint damage, but also vascular degeneration in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. We believe that such a drastic effect would reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events and mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Asymmetric Fluorolactonization with a Bifunctional Hydroxyl Carboxylate Catalyst
We
report the first successful example of a highly enantioselective
fluorolactonization with an electrophilic fluorinating reagent, Selectfluor<sup>®</sup>, in the presence of a novel bifunctional organocatalyst.
The catalyst design includes a carboxylate anion functioning as a
phase-transfer agent and a benzyl alcohol unit to capture the substrate
through hydrogen bonding. Fluorinated isobenzofuranones were obtained
in good yields with up to 94% ee (97:3 er). On the basis of mechanistic
studies, we propose a unique reaction mechanism with potential for
further applications