Effects of maternal hypoglycemia on fetal eye and skeleton development in rats.

The relationship between insulin-induced maternal hypoglycemia and teratogenicity was investigated in detail. We injected 4 different forms of insulin (insulin human, aspart, glargine, and detemir) subcutaneously at 1 or 2 dose levels to Sprague-Dawley rats from Days 6 to 11 of pregnancy, measured blood glucose levels, and conducted fetal examination. In the insulin human and aspart (low dose) groups, while severe hypoglycemia (approximately 50mg/dL) was seen, it lasted only 6h and no fetal anomalies were observed. Fetal axial skeleton anomalies were observed in the aspart (high dose) group, which exhibited intermediate-duration of severe hypoglycemia (9h). Eye and axial skeleton anomalies were observed in the glargine and detemir groups, which exhibited continuous severe hypoglycemia (≥9h). These results revealed that insulin-induced maternal hypoglycemia caused fetal eye and skeleton anomalies and the causative key factors were duration of maternal severe hypoglycemia.

12T061A and 12T061C, two new julichrome family compounds, as radical scavengers from Streptomyces sp.

We identified two new radical scavengers, 12T061A (1, C19H20O7) and 12T061C (2, C20H22O7), from a culture of the Streptomyces sp. Spectroscopic analysis indicated that these compounds are new julichrome family compounds. Compounds 1 and 2 showed radical-scavenging activity with an ED50 of 370 µM and 18 µM, respectively. Moreover, 1 showed tumor cell growth suppressive activity in HepG2 cells, (IC50: 3.6 µM); however, no suppressive activity was shown in 2 (IC50: > 100 µM).

Carbonyl olefination utilizing an alkyl halide-titanocene(II) system.

Ketones, aldehydes, esters and lactones are transformed into olefins by treatment with the organotitanium species formed from alkyl halides and titanocene(II).