Dark Brown Powder Research Articles

Reishi Polysaccharides Induce Immunoglobulin Production through the TLR4/TLR2-mediated Induction of Transcription Factor Blimp-1

The polysaccharides of Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) possess immunomodulation activities; however, their mode of molecular action in regulating each cellular subset in the immune system is still not clear. Here, we investigate the function of the main polysaccharide fraction of Reishi (Reishi-F3) in B lymphocyte activation/differentiation. We find that Reishi-F3 causes mouse splenic B cell activation and differentiation to IgM-secreting plasma cells, and the process depends on Reishi-F3-mediated induction of Blimp-1, a master regulator capable of triggering the changes of a cascade of gene expression during plasmacytic differentiation. In human peripheral B lymphocytes, although Reishi-F3 fails to induce their activation, it is able to enhance antibody secretion, which is associated with Blimp-1 mRNA induction. The function of Reishi-F3 depends on the Toll-like receptors TLR4/TLR2 as neutralizing antibodies against TLR4/TLR2 block Reishi-F3-mediated induction of Blimp-1 mRNA and Ig secretion. We have shown that interaction of Reishi-F3 with TLR4/TLR2 followed by signaling through p38 MAPK is involved in the induction of Blimp-1 mRNA, whereas signaling through ERK, p38 MAPK, JNK, and IKK complex is involved in Reishi-F3-mediated Ig secretion. Furthermore, the differential mechanism of Reishi-F3 in mouse and human B cell activation is probably due to the presence of Blimp-1 regulatory site in human CD86 promoter. These results establish the signaling and molecular mechanisms of Reishi-F3 on promoting antibody secretion.

New Details Concerning the Reactions of Nitric Oxide with Vanadium Tetrachloride

The slow addition of NO to a CCl(4) solution of VCl(4) reproducibly forms the known polymer [V(NO)(3)Cl(2)](n)() as a dark brown powder. Treatment of a CH(2)Cl(2) suspension of [V(NO)(3)Cl(2)](n)() with excess THF generates mer-(THF)(3)V(NO)Cl(2) (1) which can be isolated as an orange crystalline material in 55% yield. The reaction of 1 with excess MeCN or 1 equiv of trimpsi (trimpsi = (t)BuSi(CH(2)PMe(2))(3)) provides yellow-orange (MeCN)(3)V(NO)Cl(2)xMeCN (2xMeCN) and yellow (trimpsi)V(NO)Cl(2) (3), respectively. A black, crystalline complex formulated as [NO][VCl(5)] (4) is formed by the slow addition of NO to neat VCl(4) or by the reaction of excess ClNO with neat VCl(4). Complex 4 is extremely air- and moisture-sensitive, and IR spectroscopy suggests that in solutions and in the gas phase it dissociates back into VCl(4) and ClNO. Reaction of 4 with excess [NEt(3)(CH(2)Ph)]Cl generates [NEt(3)(CH(2)Ph)](2)[VCl(6)]x2CH(2)Cl(2) (5x2CH(2)Cl(2)), which can be isolated as deep-red crystals in 51% yield. All new complexes have been characterized by conventional spectroscopic methods, and the solid-state molecular structures of 1, 2xMeCN, and 5x2CH(2)Cl(2) have been established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses.

A simple and effective synthesis of cadmium selenide in aqueous N, N′-dimethylformamide

Cadmium selenide has been synthesized directly from cadmium chloride in aqueous N, N′-dimethylformamide (DMF) by the use of cycloocteno-1,2,3-selenadiazole or the element itself as the source of selenium. The dark brown powders that are the end-products of these reactions were characterized by reflectance spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy.

Diuranium inverted sandwiches involving naphthalene and cyclooctatetraene.

Treatment of IU(DME)(NC[(t)Bu]Mes)(3) (2-I-DME) with 4 equiv of KC(8) and 0.5 equiv of naphthalene in DME allowed the isolation of a naphthalene-bridged compound, K(2)(mu-eta(6),eta(6)-C(10)H(8))[U(NC[(t)Bu]Mes)(3)](2) (K(2)-2(2)-mu-C(10)H(8)), in 60% yield as a dark brown powder. The twelve U-C distances are rather short, varying from 2.565(11) to 2.749(10) A. Treatment of M(2)-2(2)-mu-C(10)H(8) (M = Na, K) with 2 equiv of 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene afforded a mixture of two products: M-2-COT and 2(2)-mu-COT. Compound 2(2)-mu-COT can be assembled independently in 90% yield by salt elimination upon reaction of M-2-COT with iodide 2-I-DME. The U-C(arene) distance in compound 2(2)-mu-COT is longer than that in its naphthalene counterpart K(2)-2(2)-mu-C(10)H(8)(2.822 vs 2.634 A), in accord with bonding considerations. A DFT study performed on model compounds for both M(2)-2(2)-mu-C(10)H(8) and 2(2)-mu-COT indicates that the delta bonds present in the former compound show better covalent overlap.

The product of the reaction of alumina with lithium metal

Lithium metal heated in α-Al 2O 3 crucibles in vacuo to 800 K reacts completely with the crucible material. The products formed by this exothermal reaction are identified as the phases Li 9Al 4, α/β-Li 5AlO 4 and LiAlO 2 by means of X-ray powder diffraction analysis. Chemical analysis of the dark brown powders and comparison with the ternary Li-Al-O system confirm the results of the structural analysis. Two new equilibrium tie-lines in the Li-Al-O phase diagram are proposed. Nitrogen is not involved in the reaction.

龍涎香の成分に就いて (第2報)

Studies were made on the inorganic constituent of ambergris obtained from the intestines of the sperm whale. The ether-insoluble matter (11.8%) of the ambergris is a dark brown powder, and contained some fragments of snout-like bone formations found in cuttle fish. Incineration of this powder yielded 16.3% of grayish white ash whose spectral analysis by the quartz spectrograph indicated the presence of the following. Group I - Ga, Fe*, K*, Mg, Na, (P), Si, Sr*, Zn; Group II - Al, Nb*, Cr*, Cu, La*, Mn, Ni*, Ti*, W* (where* denotes presence in minute amounts). The elements of the Group I were detected directly from the spectral lines, and those of the Group II were determined by comparing with spectrographs taken under the same conditions of the known compounds, such as aluminum oxide, columbite, chromium oxide, titanium oxide, and tungsten oxide, with that of ambergris ash. Phosphorus was confrmed as ammonium phosphomolybdate. It was assumed that a very minute amount of Ag, Co, Gd, and Hg were also present, although they were not determined. The quantitative analysis of the ash gave the following results. CaO 6.21%, MgO 9.88%, P2O5 4.65%, SiO2 6.02%.

XXVII. Quartz as a Rock-forming Mineral

In the few remarks which I have to bring before the Society this evening, I make no pretensions of offering any original observations on the mineral Quartz. What I have to state, for the information of the younger members, is only what has been made known during recent years in Geological Text-Books and in special papers, as to its modes of occurrence, the conditions under which it is found, and the important place it occupies, as one of the rock-forming minerals, it being estimated to form one fourth, perhaps, of the ponderable crust of the globe. Quartz, a German miner's term for crystallized silica or rock crystal, is a mineral which is properly speaking colourless, but found of all tints when mixed with various metallic elements which are considered impurities, although sometimes they give it great beauty and interest, especially in those varieties known as gem-stones. In the scale of hardness of minerals, ranging from 1 to 10, quartz reaches 7, so that there are only 3 degrees between it and the diamond, which has a hardness of 10. Quartz is an oxide of silicon, there being in 100 parts 53·33 of oxygen, and 46·67 of silicon, or silicium as it is sometimes termed, a dark brown powder, heavier than water, which, the base of silica, was first discovered by Berzelius in 1823, and is still only known to the scientific chemist. It is non-fusible before the blow-pipe and non-volatile. Silica or quartz possesses one or two interesting and valuable This 250-word extract was created in the absence of an abstract