TGF-β1 induction of the adenine nucleotide translocator 1 in astrocytes occurs through Smads and Sp1 transcription factors

Background  

The adenine nucleotide translocator 1 (Ant1) is an inner mitochondrial membrane protein involved with energy mobilization during oxidative phosphorylation. We recently showed that rodent Ant1 is upregulated by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) in reactive astrocytes following CNS injury. In the present study, we describe the molecular mechanisms by which TGF-β1 regulates Ant1 gene expression in cultured primary rodent astrocytes.     

Poly(ortho‐phenylene ethynylene)s: Synthetic accessibility and optical properties

Poly(ortho‐phenylene ethynylene)s (PoPEs) have been synthesized via an in situ activation/coupling AB′ polycondensation protocol. The resulting polymers have been characterized by several analytical methods and are shown to have no structural defects. Although the Sonogashira–Hagihara polycondensation reaction is less efficient than for the preparation of the corresponding meta‐ and para‐linked polymers, presumably because of steric hindrance caused by the ortho substituents, the process can be accelerated by the use of microwave irradiation. Optical spectroscopy indicates solvent‐dependent conformational changes between extended transoid and helical cisoid conformations, providing the first experimental evidence for solvophobically driven folding of the PoPE backbone. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1619–1627, 2006     

XPS investigations of ink‐jet printed paper

Different ink‐jet printed paper materials were investigated using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) yielding the elemental composition of the near‐surface region of the papers. We found significant differences with respect to the detected elements and their atomic concentrations in the different inks studied here. Two different groups of inks could be identified by means of a lower ratio of the O and C atomic concentrations and lower concentrations in specific trace elements like Mg, Na and Si. High‐resolution spectra of C 1s and O 1s core levels allowed a detailed determination of the chemical state of the respective elements. On the basis of a detailed deconvolution of these XPS signals, significant differences between all the investigated ink‐jet printed papers were found, thereby allowing their discrimination. The applicability of the measurements and, more generally, the XPS technique for forensic investigations of paper are discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bildung und Kristallstruktur eines dimeren sauerstoffverbrückten Titanaminobisphenoxides

Formation and Crystal Structure of an Oxygen Bridged Titanium Amino Bisphenoxide Di‐(μ‐oxo)‐titan‐bis[aminobisphenoxide] ( 3 ) was obtained by reaction of (i‐Prop)₂TiL* ( 2 ) {L* = O‐4, 6‐(t‐Bu)₂C₆H₂‐2‐CH₂‐[1, 4‐N₂C₅H₁₀]‐2'‐CH₂‐4', 6'‐(t‐Bu)₂C₆H₂O] with water in a molar ratio 1:1 in diethylether. Both i‐Propyl moieties are substituted yielding the dimeric oxygen bridged amino bisphenoxide complex. The six coordinate Ti atoms are a result of Ti—N and Ti—O interactions of the corresponding atoms of the amino bisphenoxide ligand and the bridging O atoms. The central planar Ti₂O₂ ring may be considered as the general structural feature of the title compound: Space group P1¯, Z = 1, lattice dimensions at —60°C: a = 11.6899(4), b = 11.7873(4), c = 12.6462(4) Å, α = 98.070(1), β = 99.660(1), γ = 95.343(1)°, R₁ = 0.0469, wR₂ = 0.1049, GooF = 0.939.     

Synthesis and Conformational Switching of Partially and Differentially Bridged Resorcin[4]arenes Bearing Fluorescent Dye Labels. Preliminary Communication

We report the synthesis of modified Cram‐type cavitands bearing one or two fluorescent labels for single‐molecule spectroscopic studies of vase? kite conformational switching (Scheme 3). Syntheses were performed by stepwise bridging of the four couples of neighboring H‐bonded OH groups of resorcin[4]arene bowls (Schemes 2 and 3). The new substitution patterns enable the construction of a large variety of future functional architectures. ¹H‐NMR Investigations showed that the new partially and differentially bridged cavitands feature temperature‐ and pH‐triggered vase? kite conformational isomerism similar to symmetrical cavitands with four identical quinoxaline bridges (Table). It was discovered that vase? kite switching of cavitands is strongly solvent‐dependent.     

Preparation of '2,('3)-O-Acyl-pCpA derivatives as substrates for T4 RNA ligase-mediated “chemical aminoacylation”

The synthesis of '2('3)-O-(amino)acyl-pCpA derivatives is described and the products are characterized chemically and as substrates for T4 RNA ligase in the presence of E. coli tRNA ^phe-C_OH. The modified (N-acetylammo)acyl-tRNA's so derived are characterized by their chromatographic and biochemical properties, and by their ability to act as P-site tRNA donors in the peptidyltransferase reaction.     

Encapsulation of functional moieties within branched star polymers: effect of chain length and solvent on site isolation

Porphyrin and pyrene photoactive cores have been encapsulated within an isolating polymeric shell using an efficient and general strategy based on the use of dendritic initiators for the ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone to yield functional core star polymers. The isolation of the core functionalities has been studied using fluorescence quenching and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) techniques as well as solvatochromic probes. With increasing chain length as well as solvent polarity, enhanced site isolation of the core has been observed. These findings have been correlated to actual molecular dimensions independently measured by pulsed field gradient spin-echo (PGSE) NMR. The developed synthetic methodology offers a rapid route to efficient encapsulation of functional moieties and therefore has potential for the design of new materials.