Psoralen-conjugated oligonucleotide with hairpin structure as a novel photo-sensitive antisense molecule

Hairpin type psoralen-cojugated oligonucleotides cross-linked with RNA when they hybridized with a perfectly complementary RNA.     

Effects of fatty acids, fatty amines and propylene glycol on rat stratum corneum lipids and proteins in vitro measured by fourier transform infrared/attenuated total reflection (FT-IR/ATR) spectroscopy.

Fourier transform infrared/attenuated total reflection (FT-IR/ATR) spectroscopy was used to examine the effect of fatty acids, fatty amines and propylene glycol (PG) on the molecular mobility of rat stratum corneum lipids and keratinized proteins, using a hydrophobic solute, indomethacin, and a polar solute, 5- and 6-carboxyfluorescein (CF). Treatment of the skin with either oleic acid or oleylamine resulted in significant CH2 C-H asymmetric stretching band shifts and broadening. The extent of spectral alteration varied with the chemical structure of the penetrant. The penetrants increased the lipophilic indomethacin flux and shortened the lag times through the skin in vitro. The plot of frequency changes vs. indomethacin flux or lag time demonstrated a linear relationship, thus indicating that spectral alteration in CH2 C-H stretching regions of stratum corneum lipids may provide a reliable index for characterizing penetrants. The data also showed that the hydrophilic group which attached to the CH2 group in the penetrant molecules did not play a part in the membrane permeability enhancing action. Oleic acid and oleylamine appeared to induce a conformational alteration of the keratinized proteins from alpha-helix to beta sheet. Such alteration was also observed with PG treatment. Accumulation of CF was significantly increased by the PG pretreatment of the skin, thus suggesting that PG-induced protein conformational changes could be related to the enhancement of CF accumulation.     

Three-component photopolymers based on thermal crosslinking and acidolytic de-crosslinking of vinyl ether groups. 2. effects of acid components on photopolymer characteristics

The three-component photopolymers consisting of poly(p-hydroxystyrene) (PHS) or poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) (PSA) as the binder polymer, 2,2-bis(4-(2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy)phenyl)propane (BPA-DEVE) or 1,1,1-tris(4-(2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy)phenyl)ethane (THPETEVE) as the crosslinking agent, and a photoacid generator were investigated with regard to their lithographic characteristics and thermal crosslinking reactivity because of the acidity of the acid component. The thermal crosslinking rate can be represented as the pseudo first-order reaction. The PSA copolymer with an acrylic acid unit has the higher crosslinking rate and sensitivity, and the lower activation energy. Under low baking temperatures at which crosslinking does not take place, dual-mode resist behavior is observed.     

Saponins from leaves of Acanthopanax hypoleucus Makino.

From the leaves of Acanthopanax hypoleucus Makino (Araliaceae), five triterpenoidal saponins, having oleanolic acid and hederagenin as sapogenins, were isolated. On the basis of chemical and spectral data, the structures of two new saponins, named hypoleucosides A (1), and B (5) were elucidated as follows: 1; 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl 11 alpha-methoxy-oleanolic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester, 5; 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1----2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1---- 4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1----6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester.     

Self-assemblies of enzymatically degradable amphiphilic oligopeptides as nonviral gene carrier

Novel biodegradable oligopeptide-type gene carriers composed of cationic residues (KRRRKRKRRRKRKRRC) and oligo leucine segments were developed. The amphiphilic carrier was found to form micelle-like assemblies in aqueous solutions, when the oligo leucine is 12 amino acids length (Pep-L12). NMR, CMC, and GPC analysis revealed their hydrophobic/cationic core/shell morphology. Hydrophobic interaction between leucines is thought to be the major driving force behind formations of assemblies. The transient expression of luciferase introduced to COS-1 cells using Pep-L12 below the CMC is as low as that by the control cationic peptides without leucine residue (Pep-L0), while improved transgene expression was observed in the case of Pep-L12 above CMC. The self-assembly raised the apparent molecular weight and gene transfection ability without loosening their low cytotoxicity. These results indicate that the amphiphilic oligopeptides are very promising materials as highly efficient and less toxic gene carriers.     

Development of practical system for laser-induced plasma-assisted ablation (LIPAA) for micromachining of glass materials

The laser-induced plasma-assisted ablation (LIPAA) process developed by us, in which only a single conventional pulsed laser is used, makes it possible to perform high-quality and high-speed glass microfabrication. We developed the LIPAA system, which uses the second harmonic of a diode pumped Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, for practical use in industry. The system comprises two optical components, which are the objective lens for high-resolution microfabrication and the galvano mirror type scanner for high-speed patterning of complicated microstructures. In addition to surface microstructuring of the glass, selective metallization of the glass by the LIPAA process, followed by electroless Cu plating, is demonstrated . PACS 42.70.Ce; 42.55Xi     

Synthesis of CdTe quantum dots using a heterogeneous process at low temperature and their optical and structural properties

Luminescent CdTe quantum dots (QDots) have been synthesized through a low-temperature process employing a heterogeneous reaction between cadmium acetate and tri-n-octyl phosphine tellurium (TOPTe) in the presence of tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide (TOPO). UV-visible absorption spectra revealed that monodispersed CdTe QDots were synthesized at 70 °C for 240 min. The as-synthesized CdTe QDots exhibited photoluminescence (PL) with a narrow spectral distribution (FWHM41 nm). Highly luminescent CdTe QDots with PL quantum yield (QY) up to 33% were size selected from the ensemble. X-ray and electron diffraction measurements revealed that CdTe crystallized in a wurtzite-type structure at 70 °C. High-resolution transmission electron microscopic measurements revealed that the CdTe particles were of regular spherical morphology with an average diameter of 2.8 nm. The present experiment demonstrates, in addition to an advantage in green chemistry, that a low-temperature process allows an extended period of time for crystallization that is useful for synthesizing defect-free QDots with higher PL QY. PACS 81.07.-b; 81.20.-n; 81.07.Ta; 78.67.-n; 61.46.+w     

Epoxidation with an electrocatalytic p-450 model system in an acidic solution

An electrochemical P-450 model system using meso-tetraphenylporphyrinatomanganese(III) chloride (MnTPP), imidazole and acetic acid was tested in an acetonitrile solution, and epoxide was obtained with a good current efficiency. The results of cyclic voltammetry revealed that acid plays an important role in the second electron transfer.     

Growth conditions for oscillation of nonlinear differential equations with p-Laplacian

In this paper, oscillation criteria are established for all solutions of second-order nonlinear differential equations of the form