Lithium isotope separation by chemical exchange with polymer-bound azacrown compounds

The chromatographic separation of lithium isotopes was investigated by chemical exchange with the recently synthesized polymer-bound dibenzo pyridino diamide azacrown (DBPDA) and reduced dibenzo pyridino diamide azacrown (RDBPDA). Column chromatography was employed for the determination of the effect of solvents and ligand conformation on the separation coefficients. The maximum separation coefficients, , for the DBPDA and RDBPDA at 20.0±0.02°C with acetonitrile as eluent, were found to be 0.034±0.002 and 0.035±0.002, respectively. The isotope separation coefficient and adsorption capability of the lithium ion on the DBPDA and RDBPDA were only slightly dependent on ligand structure, but strongly dependent on the solvent. DBPDA and RDBPDA appeared to have almost the same value for the isotope separation coefficient of lithium.     

The 2-(4-trifluoromethylphenylsulfonyl)ethoxycarbonyl (Tsc) amino-protecting group: use in the solid-phase synthesis of pyrrole-imidazole polyamides

The development of the 2-(4-trifluoromethylphenylsulfonyl)ethoxycarbonyl (Tsc) function, a novel base-sensitive amino-protecting group, and its application to the preparation of DNA-binding polyamides are described. Pyrrole-imidazole polyamides were synthesized by an efficient solid-phase method under conditions compatible with Fmoc chemistry using two Tsc-protected amino acids, Tsc-Py-OH 1a and Tsc-Im-OH 1b.     

Electrolytic production of metallic uranium from U3O8 in a 20-kg batch scale reactor</p> </p>

Summary The electrolytic reduction of U₃O₈ powder was carried out using LiCl-Li₂O molten salt in a 20-kg U₃O₈ batch cell to verify the feasibility of the process. As the current passes the cell, the decomposition of Li₂O and the reduction of U₃O₈ occur simultaneously in a cathode assembly and oxygen gas evolvs at the anode. The results from a 20-kg U₃O₈ scale cell were compared with data obtained from a bench scale cell. The results suggest a successful demonstration of this process, exhibiting a reduction conversion of U₃O₈ of more than 99% in a batch.</p> </p>     

Synthesis of nanosized TiO2/SiO2 particles using microwave processes and their photocatalytic activity on the decomposition of orange II

The nanosized titania and TiO₂/SiO₂ particles were prepared by the microwave-hydrothermal method. The effect of physical properties TTIP/TEOS ratio and calcination temperature has been investigated. The major phase of the pure TiO₂ particle is of the anatase structure, and a rutile peak was observed above 800°C. In TiO₂/SiO₂ particles, however, no significant rutile phase was observed, although the calcination temperature was 900°C. No peaks for the silica crystal phase were observed at either silica/titania ratio. The crystallite size of TiO₂/SiO₂ particles decreases as compared to pure TiO₂ at high calcination temperatures. The TiO₂/SiO₂ particles show higher activity on the photocatalytic decomposition of orange II as compared to pure TiO₂ particles.     

Photodissociation tandem mass spectrometry at 266 nm of an aliphatic peptide derivatized with phenyl isothiocyanate and 4-sulfophenyl isothiocyanate

Photodissociation (PD) tandem mass spectra have been obtained at 266 nm for the protonated molecules of a tryptic peptide, ASHLGLAR, and of its phenyl isothiocyanate and 4-sulfophenyl isothiocyanate derivatives, generated by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization. Derivatization with the aromatic chromophores greatly reduced the intensity of the laser required for efficient PD. Major fragment ions observed in the three spectra are quite similar. General features of the PD tandem mass spectra and their potential utility for analytical purposes are discussed.     

bPAK-interacting exchange factor may regulate actin cytoskeleton through interaction with actin

p21-activated kinase (PAK)-interacting exchange factor (PIX) is known to be involved in regulation of Cdc42/Rac GTPases and PAK activity. PIX binds to the proline-rich region of PAK, and regulates biological events through activation of Cdc42/Rac GTPase. To further investigate the role of PIX we produced monoclonal antibodies (Mab) against bPIX. Three clones; N-C6 against N-terminal half and C-A3 and C-B7 against C- terminal half of bPIX were generated and characterized. N-C6 Mab detected bPIX as a major band in most cell lines. C-A3 Mab recognizes GIT-binding domain (GBD), but it does not interfere with GIT binding to bPIX. Using C-A3 Mab possible bPIX interaction with actin in PC12 cells was examined. bPIX Mab (C-A3) specifically precipitated actin of the PC12 cell lysates whereas actin Mab failed to immunoprecipitate bPIX. Co-sedimentation of PC12 cell lysates with the polymerized F-actin resulted in the recovery of most of bPIX in the cell lysates. These results suggest that bPIX may not interact with soluble actin but with polymerized F-actin and revealed that bPIX constitutes a functional complex with actin. These data indicate real usefulness of the bPIX Mab in the study of bPIX role(s) in regulation of actin cyoskeleton.     

Effect of interacting nanoparticles on the ordered morphology of block copolymer/nanoparticle mixtures

We investigated the effect of hard additives, that is, magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) and metal NPs, on the ordered morphology of block copolymers by varying the NP concentration. To characterize the structural changes of a block copolymer associated with different NP loadings, small-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy were performed. Monodisperse maghemite (γ-Fe₂O₃) NPs (7 nm in diameter) and silver (Ag) NPs (6 nm in diameter) with surfaces modified with oleic acids were synthesized, and a cylinder-forming poly(styrene-block-isoprene) diblock copolymer was used as a structure-directing matrix for the NPs. As the NP concentration increased, domains of NP aggregates were observed for both magnetic and metal NPs. In the case of mixtures of cylinder-forming poly(styrene-block-isoprene) and Ag NPs with weak particle–particle interactions, random aggregates of Ag NPs were observed, and the ordered morphology of the block copolymer lost its long-range order with an increase in the NP concentration. However, regular, latticelike aggregates obtained with γ-Fe₂O₃ NPs, because of the strong interparticle interactions, induced an intriguing morphological transformation from hexagonal cylinders to body-centered-cubic spheres via undulated cylinders, whereas the neat block copolymer did not show such a morphological transition over a wide range of temperatures. The interplay between magnetic NPs and the block copolymer was also tested with magnetic NPs of different sizes. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 3571–3579, 2006     

Mimicry of tandem repeat peptides against cell surface carbohydrates

Our approach to multivalent peptide construction relies on tentacle peptides, also known as a multiple antigenic peptides, which contain two and four repeats of a selected peptide. In this communication, we report the results of preliminary studies aimed at (1) the selection of short peptides against the carbohydrate, sLeX, (2) the synthesis of tentacle dimers and tetramers of the selected peptides, and (3) the determination of affinities and specificities of the peptides to several related carbohydrates by using the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and the equilibrium dialysis techniques. Binding affinity studies, as well as assays of in vitro binding of the peptides to a sLeX-specific cell line, have shown that the tetrameric peptides bind to the cell surface sugars.     

Notable coordination effects of 2-pyridinesulfonamides leading to efficient aziridination and selective aziridine ring opening

[reaction: see text] We have developed, on the basis of a chelation-strategy, an efficient copper-catalyzed aziridination protocol with the use of 5-methyl-2-pyridinesulfonamide and PhI(OAc)(2). The reaction proceeds smoothly under mild conditions to give aziridines in moderate to good yields in the absence of external ligands or bases. The coordination-assisted approach offers the additional benefits that efficient deprotection of the N-substituent and selective aziridine ring-opening are effectively achieved.