Down-regulation of survivin suppresses uro-plasminogen activator through transcription factor JunB

Survivin, a member of the inhibitors of apoptosis protein family, is expressed during development and in various human cancers. However, the clinical relevance of survivin in cancer is still a matter of debate. Genes induced by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) were screened using cDNA microarray technology in the stomach cancer cell lines, NUGC3 and MKN28. The levels of JunB, survivin, and uro-plasminogen activator (uPA) were up-regulated in cells treated with HGF in a dose-dependent manner. HGF-induced up regulation of JunB, survivin, and uPA was inhibited by pre-treatment with a MEK inhibitor (PD 98059). HGF-induced up-regulation of uPA was repressed by survivin knockdown. HGF enhanced the binding activity of JunB to the survivin promoter in control cells, but not in the JunB-shRNA cells. Transfection with survivin- shRNA resulted in a decrement of cell proliferation, as determined with MTT assays. In an in vitro invasion assay, significantly fewer cells transfected with survivin shRNA than control cells were able to invade across a Matrigel membrane barrier. In conclusion, survivin appeared to play an important role in the up-regulation of uPA induced by HGF via JunB and might contribute to HGF-mediated tumor invasion and metastasis, which may serve as a promising target for gastric cancer therapy.     

Tellurium Tetrachloride as an Efficient Chlorinating Agent for Di- or Trialkyl Phosphites: Novel Synthesis of Dialkyl Chlorophosphates

Various dialkyl chlorophosphates are prepared by the reaction of TeCI₄ with di-or trialkyl phosphites in good yields.     

Long-term aging characteristics of atmospheric-plasma-treated poly(?-caprolactone) films and fibres

This paper reports the change in the surface properties and aging behaviours of surface-modified poly(?-caprolactone) films and nanofibres after atmospheric plasma treatment with a reactive gas. The morphologies, roughness, chemical bonding states, and surface energies of pristine and atmospheric-plasma-treated nanofibres were investigated. The nanofibres subjected to O₂ atmospheric plasma treatment showed higher surface roughness (∼88%), fibre diameter (∼14%), surface energy (∼19.2 times), and hydrophilicity (O/C atomic ratio, ∼43%) than did the pristine nanofibres. Over a 6-month period, the characteristics of the nanofibres isolated from air were not significantly altered; however, in the case of the nanofibres exposed to air, there was a subsequent increase in the surface roughness (∼82%), fibre diameter (∼7%), surface energy (∼27%), and hydrophilicity (O/C atomic ratio, ∼17.6%). We confirmed that the properties of the atmospheric-plasma-treated poly(?-caprolactone) nanofibres maintained for 6 months without exposure to air did not show any significant change. Consequently, these nanofibres would be well suited for biomedical applications that require long-term sample stability.     

Safety improvement of lithium ion batteries by organo-fluorine compounds

Thermal stability, electrochemical oxidation stability and charge/discharge characteristics of natural graphite powder were investigated by mixing of five fluoro-carbonates with 1 mol/L LiClO₄–EC/DEC/PC (1:1:1 vol.). DSC study revealed that thermal stability of the electrolyte solution was improved by mixing of fluoro-carbonates by 10.0–33.3 vol.%. Electrochemical oxidation stability was also improved. Oxidation currents for Pt electrode significantly decreased by mixing of fluoro-carbonates. In the fluoro-carbonate-mixed electrolyte solutions, electrochemical reduction of PC decreased with increasing concentration of fluoro-carbonate and current density. As a result, first coulombic efficiency for natural graphite electrode increased, that is, irreversible capacity decreased in the fluoro-carbonate-mixed solutions.     

Effects of acidic catalysts on the microstructure and biological property of sol–gel bioactive glass microspheres

Sol–gel bioactive glasses have been developed for bone tissue regeneration and drug delivery systems as they have the unique mesoporous structure and high bioactivity in vitro. To develop more reliable drug delivery and bone tissue repair systems, it is necessary to control the morphology and microstructure of bioactive glasses. For this purpose, bioactive glass microspheres (BGMs) were prepared by a sol–gel co-template technology using acids as catalysts. We studied the effects of different acids (citric acid, lactic acid and acetic acid) on the microstructure and apatite-forming bioactivity of BGM. The apatite-forming bioactivity was carried out in simulated body fluid (SBF). The microstructure and apatite-forming bioactivity of BGMs were characterized by various methods. Results showed that acetic acid had little effect on the structure and bioactivity of BGMs. Differently, the morphology and microstructure of BGMs could be controlled by changing citric acid and lactic acid concentrations. In vitro bioactivity test indicated that citric acid and lactic acid derived BGMs possessed the better apatite-forming capacity than that derived by acetic acid.     

A surface plasmon resonance study on the optical properties of gold nanoparticles on thin gold films

We report on an investigation of the optical properties of gold nanoparticles assembled as thin films of different thickness. The nanoparticles were linked to the surface of a gold chip by dithiol reagents and studied by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. There is good correlation between the experimental findings and theoretical simulation, and the respective data reveal the presence of ordered nanostructures in the assemblies. The shift in the SPR angle is linearly dependent on the particle size and the ratio of the different particles. SPR spectroscopy also reveals important information in terms of the optical constants of such films. This shall be further applied to in-situ quality control in the fabrication of optoelectronic, solar cell and semiconductor devices.

Scaling effects on the dynamic characteristics of long-wavelength vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs)

The influence of the oxide aperture radius on the characteristics of a long-wavelength vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) lasing at 1550 nm is presented in this paper. While previous works in the literature mostly investigate the scaling effects of short-wavelength VCSELs. The importance of studying the effects of long-wavelength operation should not be underestimated, as it could be used in fiber optics communication to mitigate dispersion and attenuation of the channel. Using the oxide-confined VCSEL model, the dynamic operations were examined taking into account the carrier-noise, photon-noise and phase-noise, including feedback of the external cavity. Our simulations show that by reducing the oxide aperture up to a given optimal radius, an improvement in the device's characteristics can be demonstrated. Below this value, performance degradation is expected due to increased diffraction losses, reduced confinement factor and enhanced spontaneous emission.     

Complexation behaviour of polymers with pendant cyclodextrin side groups

The influence of the chain conformation on the formation of polymeric supramolecular complexes as well as the influence of the complexation on the conformation of the polymer chain has been studied. The complexation of pyrene into the cavity of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was investigated in aqueous solutions of β-CD substituted poly(allylamine) (PAA) under variation of external parameters, i.e. temperature, pH, ionic strength and addition of urea. The observed changes of the complexation constant K for the formation of the 2:1 β-CD/pyrene complex can be explained by a change of the chain flexibility which leads to a variation of the mean distance between neighbouring β-CD-moieties along the polymer chain. The intra-chain association of the decyl group with β-CD in PAA with co-pendant decyl and β-CD is disrupted by the addition of 1-adamantanamine HCl resulting in a more extended structure of the polymer. The β-CD moiety in PAA-CD shows one order of magnitude greater affinity to 2-(p-toluidyl)naphthalene-6-sulfonate than the native β-CD and the affinity increases further by the presence of decyl side groups.     

Polymers as advanced antibacterial and antibiofilm agents for direct and combination therapies

The growing prevalence of antimicrobial drug resistance in pathogenic bacteria is a critical threat to global health. Conventional antibiotics still play a crucial role in treating bacterial infections, but the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant micro-organisms are rapidly eroding their usefulness. Cationic polymers, which target bacterial membranes, are thought to be the last frontier in antibacterial development. This class of molecules possesses several advantages including a low propensity for emergence of resistance and rapid bactericidal effect. This review surveys the structure–activity of advanced antimicrobial cationic polymers, including poly(α-amino acids), β-peptides, polycarbonates, star polymers and main-chain cationic polymers, with low toxicity and high selectivity to potentially become useful for real applications. Their uses as potentiating adjuvants to overcome bacterial membrane-related resistance mechanisms and as antibiofilm agents are also covered. The review is intended to provide valuable information for design and development of cationic polymers as antimicrobial and antibiofilm agents for translational applications.

This review surveys the structure–activity of advanced antimicrobial cationic polymers with low toxicity and high selectivity. Their uses as potentiating adjuvants and as antibiofilm agents are also covered.