Tailored Solid-State Carbohydrate Nanostructures Based on Star-Shaped Discrete Block Co-Oligomers.

Carbohydrates are key building blocks for advanced functional materials owing to their biological functions and unique material properties. Here, we propose a star-shaped discrete block co-oligomer (BCO) platform to access carbohydrate nanostructures in bulk and thin-film states via the microphase separation of immiscible carbohydrate and hydrophobic blocks (maltooligosaccharides with 1-4 glucose units and solanesol, respectively). BCOs with various star-shaped architectures and saccharide volume fractions were synthesized using a modular approach. In the bulk, the BCOs self-assembled into common lamellar, cylindrical, and spherical carbohydrate microdomains as well as double gyroid, hexagonally perforated lamellar, and Fddd network morphologies with domain spacings of ∼7 nm. In thin films, long-range-ordered periodic carbohydrate microdomains were fabricated via spin coating. Such controlled spatial arrangements of functional carbohydrate moieties on the nanoscale have great application potential in biomedical and nanofabrication fields.

Mechanical Force Induced Formation of Extrinsic Micropores in Coordination Polymers.

Mechanical force can be employed not only to efficiently synthesize new materials under environmentally friendly conditions but also to change the macroscopic and microscopic properties of materials. Although coordination polymers (CPs) are attractive functional materials because they possess high structural designability and diversity, mechanical force-induced structural and functional changes of CPs are challenging issues. In this study, two one-dimensional CPs, one a densely packed nonporous CP [Cu2(bza)4(pyr)] (1) and the other a porous CP [Cu2(1-nap)4(pyr)] (2) (bza = benzoate, 1-nap = 1-naphthoate and pyr = pyrimidine), were subjected to ball-milling to assess the effect of mechanical force on their porosities. Ball mill treatments were found to induce an amorphization and cause a 30 fold enhancement of the CO2 adsorption amount at 195 K and P/P0 ∼ 1 for 1 and a slightly decreased CO2 adsorption amount for 2. The results of thorough characterization studies suggest that the formation of extrinsic micropores in addition to extrinsic mesopores/macropores between particles takes place by ball milling.

A Temporarily Pore-Openable Porous Coordination Polymer for Guest Adsorption/Desorption.

Flexible porous coordination polymers (PCPs)/metal-organic frameworks are unique materials that have potential applications as components of highly efficient separation, sensor, and actuator systems. In general, the structures of flexible PCPs drastically change upon guest loading. In this investigation, we uncovered the rare one-dimensional PCP [Cu2(bza)4(2-apyr)] (1; bza = benzoate and 2-apyr = 2-aminopyrimidine), which exhibits a unique type of flexibility involving temporary pore opening. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that desolvated 1 and ethyl acetate (AcOEt)-loaded (1·AcOEt) and CO2-loaded (1·CO2) 1 have isolated pores. In the case of 1, the pore structure prevents guest penetration. In addition, the isolated pore structures of 1·AcOEt and 1·CO2 block guest release. However, 1 participates in reversible adsorption/desorption of AcOEt and CO2 because pore opening occurs temporarily. The CO2 adsorption/desorption isotherms of 1 are type I and dissimilar to those observed in traditional flexible PCPs with adsorption/desorption hysteresis. The lesser conventional flexibility displayed by 1 could offer new insight into the design of flexible PCPs.

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced periodontal inflammation is associated with the up-regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 and microsomal prostaglandin synthase 1 in human gingival epithelial cells.

Periodontitis is characterized by chronic gingival tissue inflammation, and inflammatory mediators such as IL-8 and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) are associated with disease progression. Previously we showed that oxidatively modified low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) was present in gingival crevicular fluid. In this study, the role of oxLDL in the gingival epithelial cell inflammatory response was further investigated using Ca9-22 cells and primary human oral keratinocytes (HOK). Treatment of Ca9-22 cells and HOK with oxLDL induced an up-regulation of IL-8 and the PGE(2)-producing enzymes, cyclooxygenase-2 and microsomal PGE(2) synthase-1. These responses induced by oxLDL were significantly suppressed by a nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) inhibitor. However, unlike the result in macrophages, oxLDL did not lead to an increase in CD36 expression in these two cells. These results suggest that oxLDL elicits gingival epithelial cell inflammatory responses through an activation of the NF-κB pathway. These data suggest a mechanistic link between periodontal disease and lipid metabolism-related disorders, including atherosclerosis.

Docosahexaenoic acid induces adipose differentiation-related protein through activation of retinoid x receptor in human choriocarcinoma BeWo cells.

Adipose differentiation-related protein (ADRP) is associated with intracellular lipid droplets that accumulate neutral lipids. Here we report that ADRP expression in a human choriocarcinoma cell line, BeWo, is regulated through activation of retinoid X receptor (RXR) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma). Incubation with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or oleic acid (OA) induced accumulation of triacylglycerol (TG) and ADRP in BeWo cells. DHA-induced ADRP expression was suppressed by RXR-antagonists, PA452 and HX531. However, oleic acid-induced ADRP expression was not blocked by the RXR-antagonists but by a PPARgamma-antagonist. Treatment of the cells with RXR-agonists, HX630 and PA024, increased Adrp transcripts, however, they alone did not change the levels of ADRP protein and TG in BeWo cells. Induction of ADRP protein was observed in the presence of a proteasome inhibitor, suggesting that ADRP is degraded under lipid-poor conditions. These results suggest that expression of ADRP is in part regulated by RXR and PPARgamma transcription factors, and DHA induces ADRP by acting as an endogenous agonist of RXR.

Anti-influenza virus activity of biflavonoids.

Ginkgetin was found to inhibit the influenza virus sialidase. Ginkgetin-sialic acid conjugates showed a significant survival effect in the influenza-virus-infected mice.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SENSORY ASSESSMENT AND RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF COSMETIC CREAMS.

One hundred and forty-four untrained judges ranked O/W creams on consistency, spreadability, and stickiness or tackiness, and the results were correlated with rheological characteristics obtained from flow curves. The ranking order for consistency corresponded, for all practical purposes, to the ranking order for shear stress needed to break down the internal structure of the sample (shear rates of 44 s-1 or less). The ranking for spreadability was related to plastic viscosity at 26-32°C. The judges showed poor agreement on the ranking for stickiness (tackiness) and no clear-cut relationship could be obtained between this property and rheological parameters. Consumer preference favored the sample with the highest consistency.