Calorimetric Studies on the pH Dependence in Hairpin Formation within the Human Enkephalin Enhancer Region

Two complementary 23 base-pair oligomers with sequences analogous to the 3, 5-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) inducible enhancer region of the human enkaphalin gene were shown previously⁽⁶⁾ to undergo reversible conformational transformation from duplex to two individual hairpin structures, with two GT and two AC base mismatches, respectively. The present study uses differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to determine H values for both the dissociation of the duplex formed by the complementary stands and the melting of each hairpin structure. Melting of the hairpins was studied at several different pH values and both the H and cooperative unit (CU) parameters for the hairpin with the AC base mismatches was found to be pH dependent. Increased values for H of melting and cooperative unit size at lower pH values supports the possibility of protonation of adenosine bases and formation of stable AC base pairs in this latter hairpin.     

Solid-phase synthesis of trisubsituted guanidines

The solid-phase library synthesis of trisubstituted guanidines was accomplished. Amines were loaded onto the 4-formyl-3,5-dimethoxyphenoxymethyl linker via reductive amination. Subsequent acylation with Fmoc-4-aminomethylbenzoic acid followed by Fmoc deprotection gave solid-supported primary amines. Alternatively, sulfonylation of resin-bound secondary amines with 4-cyanobenzenesulfonyl chloride followed by borane reduction also gave solid-supported primary amines. Both resins were acylated with isocyanates to furnish solid-supported ureas. Dehydration of ureas with p-toluenesulfonyl chloride in pyridine gave solid-supported carbodiimides. Nucleophilic addition of amines to the carbodiimide bond followed by cleavage off the solid support gave trisubstituted guanidines.     

Crystal growth considerations in the use of “solar grade” silicon

The use of lower purity, lower cost, “solar grade” silicon for crystal growth feed stock has been proposed as one means to reduce the cost of solar cells. The metallic impurities in this material have a deleterious effect on cell efficiency; however, the maximum tolerable impurity concentrations depend not only on the acceptable cell efficiency, but also on the details of the crystal growth process. We wuantitatively analyze the problem using data on relative solar cell efficiency as a function of metallic impurity concentration and the effective segregation coefficients for Czochralski growth. We find, for example, that solar cell performance rather than interface breakdown during crystal growth will most likely determine the permissable impurity content in solar grade silicon. We also show that continuous rather than sequential melt replenishment is advantageous for Czochralski growth.     

Quadratic differential equations in -graded algebras

Quadratic differential equations whose associated algebra has an automorphism of order two are studied. Under hypotheses that naturally generalize the cases where the even or odd part of the algebra is one dimensional, the following are examined: structure theory of the associated algebra (ideal structure, simplicity, solvability, and nilpotence), derivations and first integrals, trajectories given by derivations, and Floquet decompositions.

     

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Sulfuration and reversion reactions of brominated poly(isobutylene‐co‐isoprene)

The sulfuration and reversion products of brominated poly(isobutylene‐co‐isoprene) (BIIR) were characterized through the use of a model compound, brominated 2,2,4,8,8‐pentamethyl‐4‐nonene (BPMN). The reaction of BPMN with S₈ produced bisallylic polysulfides of various ranks, yielding sulfur bromide intermediates that likely contributed to the rapid oxidation of allylic sulfides into thiophenes. Reductive cure reversion to pentamethylnonene was also observed in the latter stages of vulcanization. The reaction of 2,2′‐dithiobisbenzothiazole with BIIR and BPMN produced a stable adduct that reduced the concentration of allylic bromide available for vulcanization. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1915–1926, 2003     

Experimental observation of a superfluid gyroscope in a dilute Bose-Einstein condensate

We have observed a three-dimensional gyroscopic effect associated with a vortex in a dilute Bose-Einstein condensed gas. A condensate with a vortex possesses a single quantum of circulation, and this causes the plane of oscillation of the scissors mode to precess around the vortex line. We have measured the precession rate of the scissors oscillation. From this we deduced the angular momentum associated with the vortex line and found a value close to Planck's over 2pi per particle, as predicted for a superfluid.     

On Rado numbers for

For all integers m3 and all natural numbers a₁,a₂,…,a_m−1, let n=R(a₁,a₂,…,a_m−1) represent the least integer such that for every 2-coloring of the set {1,2,…,n} there exists a monochromatic solution to

a₁x₁+a₂x₂++a_m−1x_m−1=x_m.