An atomic seesaw switch formed by tilted asymmetric Sn-Ge dimers on a Ge (001) surface.

When tin (Sn) atoms are deposited on a clean germanium (Ge) (001) surface at room temperature, buckled dimers originating from the Sn atoms are formed at the Ge-dimer position. We identified the dimer as a heterogeneous Sn-Ge dimer by reversing its buckling orientation with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) at 80 kelvin. An atomic seesaw switch was formed for one-dimensional electronic conduction in the Ge dimer-row direction by using the STM to reversibly flip the buckling orientation of the Sn-Ge dimer and to set up standing-wave states.

Interactions among protein molecules in freeze-gel of soymilk and protein structures in heated soymilk during cooling.

To estimate the interactions forming in soymilk freeze-gel, lyophilized gel was extracted successively with various solvents. A mixture of urea, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) dissolved the proteins effectively. The thiol-disulfide exchange reactions and hydrophobic interactions were shown to have a complex relation with a three-dimensional network. The addition of SDS or 2-ME resulted in an incomplete gel or no precipitation of soymilk. In our previous paper (Shimoyamada et al. Food Sci. Technol. Res. 1999, 5, 284-288), the significance of precooling to form small, homogeneously distributed ice crystals in soymilk was reported. In this study, precooling was shown to maintain the partially denatured structures of soybean proteins in soymilk that had unfolded due to heat treatment. These phenomena were considered to be other important functions of precooling in freeze-gelation.

Pradimicins A, B and C: new antifungal antibiotics. II. In vitro and in vivo biological activities.

Pradimicins A, B and C specify novel antibiotics produced by Actinomadura hibisca No. P157-2 (ATCC 53557) possessing potent and broad antifungal activity in vivo. They showed moderate in vitro antifungal activity against a wide variety of fungi and yeasts including clinically important pathogens, and were highly effective in systemic infection with Candida albicans in mice after iv and im administrations. Pradimicin A showed in vivo therapeutic activity against C. albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans and Aspergillus fumigatus in both normal and immunocompromized mice. 5-Fluorocytosine- and azole-resistant C. albicans strains were susceptible to pradimicin A. This antibiotic also demonstrated therapeutic efficacy against lung candidiasis and aspergillosis, vaginal candidiasis and skin Trichophyton mentagrophytes infection in mice with iv or topical treatment. The LD50 values after a single iv or im administration were 120 mg/kg and more than 400 mg/kg, respectively. Against various cultured mammalian cells, pradimicin A was noncytotoxic at 100 or 500 micrograms/ml, and showed potent anti-influenza virus activity with an IC50 value of 6.8 micrograms/ml.

Synthesis of a new series of cephalosporins having 3-substituted-ammonio-1-propenyl group as the C-3 side chain.

The synthesis and antimicrobial activity of eight derivatives of 7-[(Z)-2-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)- and 7-[(Z)-2-(5-amino-1,2,4-thiadiazol-3-yl)-2-methoxyiminoacetamido] cephalosporins having an (E) or (Z)-3-ammonio-1-propenyl group in the C-3 side chain are described. The (E)-propenyl derivatives were more active than their corresponding Z-isomers and showed well-balanced, broad antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria including Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Cispentacin, a new antifungal antibiotic. II. In vitro and in vivo antifungal activities.

Cispentacin [-)-(1R,2S)-2-aminocyclopentane-1-carboxylic acid) is a new antifungal antibiotic possessing potent anti-Candida activity. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) and IC100 values of cispentacin against clinical isolates of Candida albicans were in the ranges 6.3 approximately 12.5 and 6.3 approximately 50 micrograms/ml, respectively, by turbidimetric measurement in yeast nitrogen base glucose medium. No significant activity was seen against any yeasts and molds when tested by the agar dilution method using three different agar media: KNOPP's agar, yeast extract-glucose-peptone agar and Sabouraud dextrose agar. This antibiotic demonstrated good therapeutic efficacy against a systemic Candida infection in mice by both parenteral and po administrations. The 50% protection dose (PD50) values after single iv and po administrations were 10 and 30 mg/kg, respectively. It was also effective in a systemic infection with Cryptococcus neoformans and in both lung and vaginal infections with C. albicans in mice. Cispentacin did not induce acute lethal toxicity at 1,000 mg/kg by iv injection and 1,500 mg/kg by ip and po administrations in mice.

Karnamicin, a complex of new antifungal antibiotics. I. Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation and physico-chemical and biological properties.

A complex of new antifungal antibiotics designated karnamicin was isolated from the cultured broth of Saccharothrix aerocolonigenes No. N806-4. Fifteen components have so far been isolated from the complex; the major component karnamicin B2 was identified by X-ray crystallography to be a novel molecule unrelated to known antibiotics. All components of karnamicin exhibited a rather broad spectrum of activity against fungi and yeasts with MICs ranging from 3.1 to 50 micrograms/ml.

In vitro and in vivo evaluations of a new broad-spectrum oral cephalosporin, BMY-28232, and its prodrug esters.

The in vitro activity of a new cephalosporin, BMY-28232 (7-[(Z)-2-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)-2-hydroxyiminoacetamido]-3-[ (Z)-1- propenyl]-3-cephem-4-carboxylic acid), was compared with those of cefuroxime and BMY-28488, the 3-vinyl congener of BMY-28232, against 899 bacteria including strains resistant to newer cephalosporins. BMY-28232 displayed potent, broad-spectrum antibacterial activity with high stability to various types of beta-lactamase. Its acetoxyethyl ester (BMY-28271) and pivaloyloxymethyl ester (BMY-28257) were well absorbed after oral administration to mice and rats. Both esters were metabolized to BMY-28232 and mainly excreted in urine. Oral bioavailability of both prodrug esters (60 to 70%) was better than that of cefuroxime axetil (46%) and gave excellent therapeutic efficacy against gram-positive- and gram-negative-bacterial infections in mice. Oral 50% protective doses (in milligrams per kilogram of body weight) of 0.65 and 0.72 for Staphylococcus aureus Smith, 0.9 and 1.2 for Escherichia coli Juhl, 1.6 and 1.6 for Proteus vulgaris, and 18.9 and 14.3 for Enterobacter cloacae were obtained for BMY-28271 and BMY-28257, respectively.

Comparison of the in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of cefepime (BMY-28142) with ceftazidime, cefuzonam, cefotaxime and cefmenoxime.

Cefepime (BMY-28142), a new semisynthetic cephalosporin, was evaluated for in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities in comparison with ceftazidime, cefuzonam, cefotaxime and cefmenoxime. Cefepime showed a well-balanced, broad spectrum of activity against a number of clinical isolates collected in Japan. The activity of cefepime against Gram-positive bacteria was several times greater than that of ceftazidime, nearly comparable to cefotaxime and cefmenoxime, and slightly weaker than cefuzonam. Against Enterobacteriaceae, cefepime showed superior activity to the reference cephalosporins against Proteus inconstans, Providencia rettgeri, Morganella morganii, Citrobacter freundii and Enterobacter cloacae. The activity of cefepime against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was nearly comparable to that of ceftazidime. Cefotaxime, cefuzonam and cefmenoxime were substantially less active against P. aeruginosa. Cefepime was more stable than cefuzonam, cefotaxime and cefmenoxime to various types of beta-lactamases from Gram-negative bacteria. The high in vitro activity of cefepime was reflected in its in vivo efficacy against experimental infections in normal and immuno-suppressed mice. Cefepime was the most effective among the cephalosporins tested against four Gram-negative bacterial infections.

Synthesis and biological activity of a new cephalosporin, BMY-28232 and its prodrug-type esters for oral use.

The synthesis and structure-activity relationships of 7-[(Z)-2-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)-2-hydroxyiminoacetamido]-3-[( Z)-1- propenyl]-3-cephem-4-carboxylic acid (BMY-28232), its 3-alkenyl analogs (6 and 7) and O-substituted derivatives of the oxyimino moiety (10) are described, as well as the oral pharmacokinetics and in vivo activities of the 1-acetoxyethyl ester of BMY-28232 (BMY-28271) and its analogous esters (11). The 3-alkenyl groups were introduced by the Wittig reaction of the ylide (2) prepared from the 3-chloromethyl cephem (1) to afford the Z (main) and E (minor) isomers regarding the 3-side chain. The O-substituted derivatives (10) were prepared by 7-N-acylation of the 7-amino cephem (4a) with the corresponding O-substituted side chain acids (8). The prodrug esters (11) were prepared by esterification of BMY-28232 with an appropriate halide. BMY-28232 was the most active among the 3-alkenyl analogs tested against Gram-negative organisms and much more active than the O-substituted derivatives against Gram-positive bacteria. BMY-28271 showed good oral bioavailability (66%) and good in vivo efficacy in mice against infections of Staphylococcus aureus Smith (PD50, 0.68 mg/kg) and Escherichia coli Juhl (0.54 mg/kg).

Cephalosporinase interactions and antimicrobial activity of BMY-28142, ceftazidime and cefotaxime.

Cephalosporinases of Enterobacter cloacae and Citrobacter freundii were responsible for resistance to newer cephalosporins such as cefotaxime and ceftazidime but not BMY-28142. Interaction of these cephalosporins including hydrolysis, binding, inhibition, and inactivation with cephalosporinases from E. cloacae GN7471 and C. freundii GN7391 were studied. BMY-28142 was much more stable against the both enzymes than cephalothin, but more hydrolyzable than cefotaxime and ceftazidime at higher concentration such as 100 microM. Because of low affinity for the enzymes, i.e. large Km and Ki, the calculated hydrolysis rate of BMY-28142 at 0.1 microM was smaller than those of cefotaxime and ceftazidime, that explained the difference in activity against cephalosporinase-producing strains between BMY-28142 and cefotaxime or ceftazidime. The effects of cephalosporinase production on susceptibility of Escherichia coli omp mutants were examined using a plasmid having cephalosporinase gene of C. freundii GN346. Decrease in susceptibility of E. coli by cephalosporinase production was larger in the strain lacking outer membrane proteins (Omp) F and C, and smaller in the strain producing OmpF constitutively.

In vitro activity and beta-lactamase stability of the oral cephalosporin BMY-28100.

BMY-28100 was compared with cephalexin, cefaclor, cefixime, and cefteram and found to be more active than the reference cephalosporins against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus faecalis, and Clostridium difficile. BMY-28100 was the next most active, after cefteram, against Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Against gram-negative bacteria, BMY-28100 showed similar activity to that of cefaclor. The antimicrobial activity of BMY-28100, including bactericidal activity, against Staphylococcus aureus was less affected by penicillinase-production than was that of cefaclor. BMY-28100 was more stable than cefaclor against various types of penicillinases, especially against the penicillinase from Staphylococcus aureus.

In vitro and in vivo evaluations of BMY-28100, a new oral cephalosporin.

A new semisynthetic oral cephalosporin, BMY-28100, was evaluated for in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities in comparison with cefaclor and cephalexin. BMY-28100 showed in vitro activity 3- and 10-fold more potent than that of cefaclor against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae, respectively. BMY-28100 was slightly better than cefaclor and about 4 times more active than cephalexin against Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis were comparably susceptible to BMY-28100 and cefaclor. The bactericidal activity of BMY-28100 against S. aureus, E. coli and P. mirabilis was equal to or twice as high as MIC value, which was similar to that of cefaclor. The stability of BMY-28100 against penicillinases was nearly comparable to that of cefaclor, whereas cefaclor was somewhat unstable to cephalosporinases. BMY-28100 was about twice as active as cefaclor against three Gram-positive bacterial infections. BMY-28100 was also more potent against infections of H. influenzae and P. mirabilis, but slightly less active against E. coli Juhl than cefaclor. Blood level parameters of BMY-28100 were significantly superior to those of cefaclor and slightly better than cephalexin in mice and rats. The urinary recovery of BMY-28100 was somewhat higher and comparable to that of cefaclor and cephalexin, respectively. BMY-28100 was more stable than cefaclor in human and calf sera at 37 degrees C.

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of a new oral cephalosporin, BMY-28100 and related compounds.

The synthesis and structure-activity relationships of 7-[D-alpha-amino-alpha-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-acetamido]-3-[(Z)-1-propenyl]- 3-cephem-4-carboxylic acid (BMY-28100) and its analogs in the 3- and 7-side chains are described. The 3-(substituted-propenyl) groups were introduced by the Wittig reaction of the 3-phosphoniomethyl cephems which were derived from the 3-chloromethyl derivatives. The reaction gave predominantly the cis isomer regarding the 3-side chain. The cis and trans isomers showed characteristic UV and 1H NMR spectra. Most of cephems of this series were well-absorbed orally and more active both in vitro and in vivo than cephalexin and cefaclor against Gram-positive organisms. Their Gram-negative activity varied depending on the 3- and 7-substituents. Compounds with a cis-propenyl group showed the best Gram-negative activity among the 3-alkenyl analogs prepared, whereas the D-4-hydroxyphenylglycyl and D-4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylglycyl substitutions in the 7-side chain were found suitable to improve the Gram-negative activity of 3-cis-propenyl series of cephalosporins to the level favorably compared with that of cefaclor. The 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl analog was found to be metabolized in vivo to the 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl derivative and, therefore, showed nearly the same in vivo activity as that of the latter. BMY-28100 was selected for further evaluation and the results will be reported in the subsequent paper.

Antibacterial activity of BMY-28142, a novel broad-spectrum cephalosporin.

BMY-28142, 7-[(Z)-2-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)-2-methoxyiminoacetamido]-3- (1-methylpyrrolidinio)methyl-3-cephem-4-carboxylate, exhibited a well-balanced, extended-spectrum of antibacterial activity both in vitro and in vivo. Against Staphylococci and Streptococci, BMY-28142 was about four to ten times more active than ceftazidime and comparable to cefotaxime. Most Enterobacteriaceae were more susceptible to BMY-28142 than to ceftazidime, though strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were slightly more sensitive to ceftazidime. BMY-28142 showed potent activity against Gram-negative bacteria resistant to ceftazidime and/or cefotaxime. Bactericidal activity of BMY-28142 against 10 strains of P. aeruginosa was superior to that of ceftazidime. In bacterial infection models in mice, BMY-28142 was more effective than ceftazidime against three Gram-positive and three Gram-negative pathogens. The anti-pseudomonal in vivo activity of BMY-28142 was nearly comparable to that of ceftazidime. The blood levels and urinary excretion rates of BMY-28142 in mice were similar to those of ceftazidime.

Inosamycin, a complex of new aminoglycoside antibiotics. I. Production, isolation and properties.

A strain of Streptomyces hygroscopicus No. J296-21 (ATCC 39150) was found to produce a complex of new antibiotics, called inosamycins, which consisted of components A, B, C, D and E. They are novel aminocyclitol antibiotics structurally related to neomycin, paromomycin and ribostamycin. The antibiotic complex and each component of inosamycin exhibit a broad antibacterial spectrum but they are inactive against most of the aminoglycoside-resistant organisms. The antibacterial activity of inosamycin A, the major component of the complex, is comparable to that of neomycin but its acute toxicity is significantly lower (ca. 1/3) than that of neomycin.

Empedopeptin (BMY-28117), a new depsipeptide antibiotic. I. Production, isolation and properties.

Empedopeptin is a new antibiotic produced by empedobacter haloabium nov. sp. (ATCC 31962). It is a water-soluble depsipeptide antibiotic containing eight amino acid residues and a C14-fatty acid moiety in the molecule. Although structurally unrelated, empedopeptin and vancomycin have similar antimicrobial spectra against aerobic and anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria including antibiotic-resistant strains. Empedopeptin is highly active in vivo in mice against systemic infections of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes and Clostridium perfringens. Empedopeptin is not absorbed orally.

[Mechanism of action of certain fibrinolytic bis-tetrahydroisoquinolines: their antagonists and histamine- and 5-hydroxytryptamine-releasing effects (author's transl)].

1, 1'-Heptamethylene-bis-6, 7-dimethoxy-1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (HBDT) and 1, 1'-tetramethylene-bis-6, 7-dimethoxy-1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (bisobrin) produced an edema when given subcutaneously into the hind paws of rats. The inhibitory effects of various antagonists on the paw edema and fibrinolysis induced by HBDT were examined in rats to determine whether chemical mediators other than histamine were involved. The relation of histamine to the fibrinolytic activity of these bis-tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives has already been reported. Both edema and fibrinolysis were significantly inhibited by pretreatment with promethazine, cyproheptadine or phentolamine, but not by dibenamine, propranolol, atropine, indomethacin or pyridinolcarbamate. epsilon-Aminocaproic acid inhibited the fibrinolytic activity completely without any effect on the paw edema. HBDT released 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) along with histamine from rat peritoneal mast cells. However, the amount of released 5-HT was considerably smaller than that of histamine. These results suggested that bis-tetrahydroisoquinolines released both histamine and 5-HT and that these mediators produced paw edema and induced fibrinolysis by enhancement of plasmin production.