Aim: Comparisons between the resting full-cycle ratio (RFR), a new physiological resting index, and fractional flow reserve (FFR) in terms of prognostic value are limited. We aimed to identify the prognostic value of concordance between RFR and FFR and to determine the stability of measured RFR. Methods and Results: We measured FFR and RFR in 161 coronary arteries of 119 patients and classified the data using known cutoffs for FFR (≤0.80) and RFR (≤0.89) into groups; high FFR and high RFR (high FFR/low RFR) group, high FFR and low RFR (high FFR/low RFR) group, low FFR and high RFR (low FFR/high RFR) group, and low FFR and low RFR (low FFR/low RFR) group. The concordance rates in these groups were 42.2% (68/161), 4.4% (7/161), 14.3% (23/161), and 39.1% (63/161), respectively. The concordance between FFR and RFR was 81.4%. The prevalence of females was significantly higher, values for hemoglobin values were significantly lower, and average E/E 0 (an index of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function by echocardiography) was significantly higher in high FFR/low RFR group than in low FFR/high RFR group (p = .008, .050, and .028, respectively). Conclusions: The RFR and FFR values consistently agreed. Female, anemia, and LV diastolic dysfunction may be related to the difference of discordance between high FFR/low RFR and low FFR/high RFR.

A chiral cyclic α,α-disubstituted α-amino acid, (S)-(−)-cucurbitine, which has a pyrrolidine ring with a chiral center at the α-position, was synthesized, and its homopeptides were prepared. (S)-(−)-Cucurbitine homopeptides with a Boc-protecting group formed helical structures with slight control of the helical screw sense to the left-handed form. The state of the pyrrolidine ring in (S)-(−)-cucurbitine was important for the control of the helical structures and helical screw sense of its homopeptides.

Graphical AbstractTo create your abstract, type over the instructions in the template box below. Fonts or abstract dimensions should not be changed or altered.Peptide foldamers composed of six-membered ring α,α-disubstituted α-amino acids with two changeable chiral acetal moieties IntroductionConformational freedom-restricted oligopeptides have attracted the attention of organic, peptide, and medicinal chemists because they are capable of developing peptide organo-catalysts for asymmetric reactions and are also drug candidates derived from biologically active natural peptides.1 α,α-Disubstituted α-amino acids (dAAs) have been used to restrict the conformational freedom of their peptides. 2Oligopeptides incorporating α-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib; αMeAla) have been shown to preferentially form 310-/α-helical structures, whereas peptides having α-ethylated dAAs, such as diethylglycine and (S)-butylethylglycine, are more likely to assume fully planar conformations.3 Differences in secondary structures (helix and planar conformations) are determined by the peptide-backbone torsion angles φ (C'-N-Cα-C') and ψ (N-Cα-C'-N). For example, the ideal right-handed (P) 310-helix has φ −60° and ψ −30° torsion angles, the right-handed (P) α-helix has φ −57° and ψ −47°, and the fully planar conformation has φ 180° and ψ 180°. The patterns of intramolecular hydrogen bonds also differ in these secondary structures. For example, the 310-helix forms an intramolecular hydrogen bond of the N(i+3)-H···O(i)=C(i) i←i+3 type, whereas the α-helix forms an intramolecular hydrogen bond of the N(i+4)-Moreover, the fully planar conformation forms an intramolecular hydrogen bond of the C5---- * Corresponding author. Tel/fax: +81 95 819 2423; e-mail: matanaka@nagasaki-u.ac.jpBy selecting appropriate dAAs, these secondary structures are partially controlled. However, the preferential conformations of known dAAs are limited to those of helix and planar conformations. Thus, the development of new dAAs with different conformational preferences is greatly desired.One such dAA may be the achiral O,O-isopropylidene-α-hydroxymethylserine {Hms(Ipr)} reported by Toniolo, Leplawy, and co-workers. Hms(Ipr) peptides formed destabilized 310-helical structures, in which hydrogen bonds were detected between peptide main-chain NH and side-chain acetonide -O-.We recently synthesized six-membered ring dAAs with a changeable chiral acetal moiety as well as the preferred secondary structures of their peptides.5 These findings prompted us to change the position of the acetal moiety on the cyclohexane ring and increase the number of acetal moieties on the cyclic amino acid. We designed six-membered ring dAAs with two chiral acetal moieties {(R,R)- Chiral cyclic α,α-disubstituted α-amino acids with four chiral centers at their acetal moieties were synthesized. An X-ray crystallographic analysis of homo-chiral tripeptide with (2R,3R)-butane-2,3-diol acetal moieties revealed that the tripeptide formed both (P) and (M) helical structures, and all peptide main-chain N(i)-H...

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The relationship between chiral centers and the helical-screw control of their peptides has already been reported, but it has yet to be elucidated in detail. A chiral four-membered ring α,α-disubstituted α-amino acid with a (R,R)-butane-2,3-diol acetal moiety at the γ-position, but no α-chiral carbon, was synthesized. X-ray crystallographic analysis unambiguously revealed that its homo-chiral heptapeptide formed right-handed (P) and left-handed (M) 3 -helical structures at a ratio of 1:1. They appeared to be enantiomeric at the peptide backbone, but diastereomeric with fourteen (R)-configuration chiral centers. Conformational analyses of homopeptides in solution also indicated that diastereomeric (P) and (M) helices existed at approximately equal amounts, with a slight preference toward right-handedness, and they quickly interchanged at room temperature. The circumstances of chiral centers are important for the control of their helical-screw direction.

The present study quantitatively assesses the relationships between a reticulated giraffe mother and her first- and second-born calves during the first 22 months of the older calf's and the first 12 months of the younger calf's life at the Kyoto City Zoo, Japan. The mother permitted her calves to suckle at over 70% of their suckling attempts in the first month after their births, and the calves ceased suckling spontaneously in 65 to 70% of the suckling bouts. From the second month on, she showed a clear tendency to reject the calves' suckling attempts and terminated almost all of their suckling bouts, which resulted in approximately 60 sec or less of suckling duration per bout. The frequency of proximity between the mother and her calves remained at 20 to 30% throughout the first year, with no apparent developmental changes being evident. The mother was mainly responsible for terminating proximity by walking away from her calves throughout their first year after birth, while both calves were mainly responsible for attempting proximity by approaching their mother after reaching 2 months of age. Our study also showed that the giraffe mother became pregnant again while nursing her calves and ceased lactation (i.e., weaned the calves) before the fetus's growth started accelerating.

Abstract:This study examines the effects of the inclusion of the co-benefits on the potential installed capacity of carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) projects with a linear programming model by the clean development mechanism (CDM) in India's power sector. It is investigated how different marginal damage costs of air pollutants affect the potential installed capacity of CCS projects in the CDM with a scenario analysis. Three results are found from this analysis. First, large quantity of IGCC with CCS becomes realizable when the certified emission reduction (CER) prices are above US$56/tCO 2 in the integrated Northern, Eastern, Western, and North-Eastern regional grids (NEWNE) and above US $49/tCO 2 in the Southern grid. Second, including co-benefits contributes to decrease CO 2 emissions and air pollutants with introduction of IGCC with CCS in the CDM at lower CER prices. Third, the effects of the co-benefits are limited in the case of CCS because CCS reduces larger amount of CO 2 emissions than that of air pollutants. Total marginal damage costs of air pollutants of US$250/t and US$200/t lead to CER prices of US$1/tCO 2 reduction in the NEWNE grid and the Southern grid.

Energy-related Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects contribute to sustainable development through reducing air pollutants in addition to CO 2 emissions. This paper evaluates the co-benefits of ten coal-fired power generation CDM projects which are currently in registration and validation with a power generation mix linear programming model in India's power sector from 2006 to 2031. Two scenarios are developed to identify impacts of the CDM projects. As a result, the co-benefits are invoked by the CDM projects in India's power sector. CO 2 emissions decrease by 79 Mt CO 2 and SO x and NO x emissions decrease by 0.8 Mt SO x and 0.6 Mt NO x from the baseline in 2031. Including benefits from the reduction of the air pollutants warrants sustainable development benefit and contributes to enhance the generated CER prices. Thus, we argue that addressing co-benefits encourages both host countries and investors to participate CDM projects.