Surface anchoring of rodlike molecules on corrugated substrates

We studied the mechanism of surface anchoring of rodlike molecules on substrates with the surfaces corrugated at molecular scale by molecular-dynamics simulation. We constructed a model for substrates that can have anisotoropic topographical patterns such as corrugation. The structural and thermodynamic properties of rodlike molecules on the corrugated surfaces, including the elastic and anchoring properties, were calculated and the influence of the surface structure on the anchoring was discussed. We found that the rodlike molecules are aligned along the grooves of the corrugated surfaces guided by the anisotropic molecular interaction between the molecules and the corrugated surface. The strength of anchoring was found to be increased when the period of corrugation is decreased at molecular level.     

Supramolecular hemoprotein-gold nanoparticle conjugates

Interaction of apohemoprotein with a covalently immobilized heme moiety onto a gold nanoparticle surface resulted in supramolecular hemoprotein-gold nanoparticle conjugates. The addition of an apohemoprotein dimer further led to a densely-packed hemoprotein-gold nanoparticle assembly, which was visualized by TEM and AFM measurements.     

3'-amino-2',4'-BNA: novel bridged nucleic acids having an N3'-->P5' phosphoramidate linkage

Novel oligonucleotide analogues, containing a 3'-amino-2',4'-BNA unit, were successfully synthesized, and they showed superior duplex and triplex forming ability as well as BNA itself, along with remarkable enzymatic stability.     

The role of precursors in the structure of SiO2-Al2O3 sols and gels by the sol-gel process

Binary sols and gels of SiO₂-Al₂O₃ were prepared using tetraethyl orthosilicate and each of four aluminum compounds; aluminum di (sec-butoxide) ethylacetoacetic ester chelate (AC), aluminum nitrate nonahydrate (AN), aluminum formoacetate (AF), and boehmite sol (BS) made from aluminum i-propoxide. The structure and the evolution of the Si-O-Al bonds in SiO₂-Al₂O₃ sols and gels were investigated by ²⁷Al nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Infrared absorption spectra, DTA, and X-ray diffraction. The formation of Si-O-Al bonds differs depending on the aluminum compounds used as raw materials. The ratio of Al(IV) to {Al(IV) + Al(VI)} is related to the microstructural homogeneity of the gels. When AC is used as a raw material, the Si-O-Al bonds are formed in the sol state and resultant gel shows good microstructural homogeneity. In case of AN, the Si-O-Al bonds are not formed either in the sol or the wet gel state. The bonds are formed by drying the gel before heat-treatment temperature reaches 300 400°C, resulting in good microstructural homogeneous gel. When AF is used, the Si-O-Al bonds are formed in the sol state but the ratio of Al(IV) to {Al(IV) + Al(VI)} is lower than when using AC. Microstructural homogeneity of the gel is ranked between AC or AN and BS. Using BS, the Si-O-Al bonds are not formed in the sol solution, and the change in the coordination number of the gel is similar to that of boehmite gel. The Microstructural homogeneity of the gel is the worst among the BS gels, which were prepared by using the four aluminum raw materials.     

Does catalytic activity of bence-jones proteins contribute to the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma?

Some Bence-Jones proteins have been found to be capable of hydrolyzing DNA, chromogenic amide substrates, such as benzoylarginine p-nitroanilide, and natural oligopeptides, such as arginine vasopressin. Patients who excrete Bence-Jones protein with the DNA-nicking activity have shown moderately severe symptoms. When incubated with LLC-PK1 (porcine kidney proximal tubule) cells, some Bence Jones proteins penetrated the cytoplasm, and entered the nucleus with little or no degradation of epitopes. Intranuclear Bence Jones proteins ultimately induced DNA fragmentation in situ and cell death. This cytocidal activity was not directly associated with the DNA-nicking activity, since Bence Jones proteins with no detectable DNase activity also produced cell death. These results, however, suggest that the biological activities of Bence Jones proteins described here makes a significant contribution to the development and/or deterioration of multiple myeloma.     

Electron spectroscopic investigation of metal-insulator transition in Ce1-xSrxTiO3

We have carried out detailed electron spectroscopic investigation of Ce_1−x Sr_xTiO₃ exhibiting insulator-metal transition withx. Core level X-ray photoelectron spectra of Ce3d as well as resonant photoemission spectra obtained at the Ce4d→4f resonant absorption threshold establish Ce as being in the trivalent state throughout the series. Using the ’off-resonance’ condition for Ce 4f states, we obtain the Ti3d dominated spectral features close toE _F , exhibiting clear signatures of coherent and incoherent peaks. We discuss the implications of our findings in relation to the metalinsulator transition observed in this series of compounds. Dedicated to Professor C N R Rao on his 70th birthday     

A new stereospecific cross-coupling by the palladium-catalyzed reaction of 1-alkenylboranes with 1-alkenyl or 1-alkynyl halides

The representative (E)-1-alkenyldisiamylboranes and (E)-1-alkenyl-1,3,2-benzodioxaboroles readily obtainable $\text{via}$ hydroboration of 1-alkynes react with 1-alkenyl halides or 1-alkynyl halides in the presence of a catalytic amount of tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium and base to give corresponding conjugated (E)-dienes or (E)-enynes with high regio- and stereospecificity in good yields, respectively.