Stimulation of Microvascular Networks on Sulfonated Polyrotaxane Surfaces with Immobilized Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor

Modulation of material properties and growth factor application are critical in constructing suitable cell culture environments to induce desired cellular functions. Sulfonated polyrotaxane (PRX) surfaces with immobilized vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) are prepared to improve network formation in vascular endothelial cells. Sulfonated PRXs, whereby sulfonated α‐cyclodextrins (α‐CDs) are threaded onto a linear poly(ethylene glycol) chain capped with bulky groups at both terminals, are coated onto surfaces. The molecular mobility of sulfonated PRX surfaces is modulated by tuning the number of threading α‐CDs. VEGF is immobilized onto surfaces with varying mobility. Low mobility and VEGF‐immobilization reinforce cell proliferation, yes‐associated protein activity, and rhoA, pdgf, ang‐1, and pecam‐1 gene expression. Highly mobile surfaces and soluble VEGF weakly affect these cell responses. Network formation is strongly stimulated in vascular endothelial cells only on low‐mobility VEGF‐immobilized surfaces, suggesting that molecular mobility and VEGF immobilization synergistically control cell function.     

Arithmetic functions and the Cauchy product

It is known that under the Dirichlet product, the set of arithmetic functions in several variables becomes a unique factorization domain. A. Zaharescu and M. Zaki proved an analog of the ABC conjecture in this ring and showed that there exists a non-trivial solution to the Fermat equation $$z^n=x^n+y^n$$ ($$n\ge 3$$). It is also known that under the Cauchy product, the set of arithmetic functions becomes a unique factorization domain. In this paper, we consider the ring of arithmetic functions in several variables under the Cauchy product and prove an analog of the ABC conjecture in this ring to show that there exists a non-trivial solution to the Fermat equation $$z^n=x^n+y^n$$ ($$n\ge 3$$).     

Reversed phase liquid chromatographic determination of organic acids using on-line complexation with copper(II) ion

We describe a simple and sensitive liquid chromatographic method for the analysis of organic acids using on-line complexation with copper(II) ion. Organic acids complexed with copper(II) ion were separated on a reversed-phase C18 column and detected by UV absorption at 240 nm. The copper(II) ion concentration in the mobile phase had a great influence on separation and sensitivity. A mobile phase consisting of 10 mM copper(II) sulfate in 5 mM sulfuric acid (pH 2.3) was used to separate nine organic acids (tartaric, malic, malonic, lactic, acetic, citric, maleic, succinic and fumaric acids). The detection limits of the examined organic acids calculated at S/N = 3 ranged from 0.6 to 100 μM. The detector signal was linear over three orders of magnitude of organic acid concentration. The method successfully measured organic acids in juice and vinegar samples.     

Chemical investigation of metabolites produced by an endophytic Aspergillus sp. isolated from Limonia acidissima

Endophytic fungi are considered as a good source to produce important secondary metabolites with interesting bioactivities. In a continuation of our studies towards the search for environmentally friendly bioactive compounds from Sri Lankan flora, we investigated the secondary metabolites produced by the endophytic fungi Aspergillus sp. isolated from the seeds of the popular edible fruit Limonia acidissima L. of the family Rutaceae. The pure culture of the Aspergillus sp. was grown on potato dextrose broth media. After 4 weeks fermentation, fungal media were extracted with organic solvents. Chromatographic separation of the fungal extracts over silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and RP-HPLC furnished flavasperone (1), rubrofusarin B (2), aurasperone A (3), fonsecinone D (4) and aurasperone B (5). Compounds 1–4 showed moderate activities in brine shrimp toxicity assay. This is the first report of the ¹³C NMR data of compounds 4 and 5.     

Method development for the determination of 24S‐hydroxycholesterol in human plasma without derivatization by high‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry in atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mode

We developed a highly sensitive and specific high‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization interface to determine 24S‐hydroxycholesterol, a major metabolite of cholesterol formed by cytochrome P450 family 46A1, in human plasma without any derivatization step. Phosphate buffered saline including 1% Tween 80 was used as the surrogate matrix for preparation of calibration curves and quality control samples. The saponification process to convert esterified 24S‐hydroxycholesterol to free sterols was optimized, followed by liquid–liquid extraction using hexane. Chromatographic separation of 24S‐hydroxycholesterol from other isobaric endogenous oxysterols was successfully achieved with gradient mobile phase comprised of 0.1% propionic acid and acetonitrile using L‐column2 ODS (2 μm, 2.1 mm id × 150 mm). This assay was capable of determining 24S‐hydroxycholesterol in human plasma (200 μL) ranging from 1 to 100 ng/mL with acceptable intra‐ and inter‐day precision and accuracy. The potential risk of in vitro formation of 24S‐hydroxycholesterol by oxidation from endogenous cholesterol in human plasma was found to be negligible. The stability of 24S‐hydroxycholesterol in relevant solvents and human plasma was confirmed. This method was successfully applied to quantify the plasma concentrations of 24S‐hydroxycholesterol in male and female volunteers.     

Effect of Coulomb Damping on Buckling of a Two-Rod System

This paper describes a significant influence of a slight Coulomb damping on buckling, using a simple two rods system. Coulomb damping produces equilibrium regions around the well-known stable and unstable steady states under the pitchfork bifurcation which occurs in the case without Coulomb damping. Also, the stability of the states in the equilibrium regions is examined by using the phase portrait. As a consequence, due to the slight Coulomb damping, it is theoretically clarified that the states in the equilibrium regions are locally stable, even in the neighborhood of the unstable steady states under the pitchfork bifurcation in the case without Coulomb damping, i.e., even in the neighborhood of the unstable trivial steady states in the postbuckling and the unstable nontrivial steady states under the subcritical pitchfork bifurcation. Furthermore, the experimental results are in qualitative agreement with the theoretically predicted phenomena.     

Noise analysis of an electro-optic sensor system

Optical Review - This paper describes the noise analysis of an electro-optic (EO) sensor system based on experimental and simulation results. We developed a polarization simulator of the EO sensor...     

Catalytic Alkynylation of Polyfluoroarenes by Amide Base Generated In Situ

We herein demonstrate that the amide base generated in situ from CsF and N(TMS)₃ catalyzes the deprotonative coupling reactions of terminal alkynes with polyfluoroarenes, wherein mono- and dialkynylations occur efficiently for penta- and hexafluorobenzenes, respectively. Tetraalkynylated products could also be synthesized from dialkynylated compounds.     

Gas Storage in Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electrical resistance measurement on single-walled carbon nan-otube (SWNT) samples prepared by the arc-discharge method are reported. The XRD profile of heat-treated sample indicated that air (oxygen, and/or nitrogen and/or water) can be condensed inside the SWNTs. We also found that the electrical resistance of SWNT soot is significantly affected by exposing to the oxygen gas and humid air.