Rate constants for the etching of gallium arsenide by atomic chlorine

Known chlorine atom concentrations were prepared in a discharge flow system and used to etch the (100) face of a gallium arsenide single crystal. The etch rate was monitored by mass spectrometry, laser interferometry, and surface proftlometry. In the temperature range from 90 to 160°C the reaction can be described by the rate law $$Etch rate = kP_{Cl} $$ where $$k = 9 \times 10^{(6 \pm 0.5)} \mu m min^{ - 1} Torr^{ - 1} e^{ - 9 \pm 1)kcal/RT} $$      

Biomedical significance of endothelial cell specific growth factor, angiopoietin

Until recently, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was the only growth factor proven to be specific and critical for blood vessel formation. Other long-known factors, such as the fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), platelet-derived growth factor, or transforming growth factor-beta, had profound effects in endothelial cells. But such factors were nonspecific, in that they could act on many other cells, and it seemed unlikely that these growth factors would be effective targets for treatment of endothelial cell diseases. A recently discovered endothelial cell specific growth factor, angiopoietin, has greatly contributed to our understanding of the development, physiology, and pathology of endothelial cells (Davis et al., 1996; Yancopoulos et al., 2000). The recent studies that identified and characterized the physiological and pathological roles of angiopoietin have allowed us to widen and deepen our knowledge about blood vessel formation and vascular endothelial function. Therefore, in this review, we describe the biomedical significance of these endothelial cell growth factors, the angiopoietins, in the vascular system under normal and pathological states.     

Syntheses of 1beta-methylcarbapenems bearing 5-methyl-4-hydroxypyrrolidinone

A new series of 1beta-methylcarbapenems 1a-d bearing 5-methyl-4-mercaptopyrrolidinone rings has been prepared and evaluated for in vitro antibacterial activity and pharmacokinetic parameters. Most compounds showed excellent antibacterial activity and high stability to dehydropeptidase-1. We have synthesized optically active 5-methyl-4-hydroxypyrrolidinones from enantiomerically pure aziridine esters.     

Total synthesis and absolute stereochemistry of (9R,10S)-epoxyheptadecan-4,6-diyn-3-one, a diacylglycerol acyltransferase inhibitor from Panax ginseng

Asymmetric synthesis of four possible stereoisomers of (9,10)-epoxyheptadecan-4,6-diyn-3-one was accomplished, and the absolute configuration of the naturally occurring (9R,10S)-epoxyheptadecan-4,6-diyn-3-one (1) was elucidated.     

A novel and efficient route to diarylmethanes catalyzed by nickel(II) ion on nanoporous carbon

Much improved catalytic carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions between aryl chlorides and Grignard reagents has been achieved using nickel(II) ion on nanoporous carbon.     

Convergent synthesis of PAMAM dendrimers using click chemistry of azide-functionalized PAMAM dendrons

Azide-functionalized PAMAM dendrons containing an azidopropylamine focal point were synthesized by the divergent method and applied for the construction of symmetric PAMAM-like dendrimers containing 1,2,3-triazole rings as connectors via stitching with two different multi-terminal alkynes. The stitching method was based on the click chemistry protocol, i.e., the copper-catalyzed cycloaddition reaction between an alkyne and an azide.     

Cure behavior and thermal stability of an epoxy: new bismaleimide blends for composite matrices

A new bismaleimide (BMI) resin was synthesized to formulate epoxy(tetraglycidyl diaminodiphenyl methane; TGDDM) – bismaleimide thermoset blends for composite matrix applications. 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl methane (DDM) was used as an amine curing agent for the TGDDM. A Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was employed to characterize the new BMI resin. Cure behavior of the epoxy–BMI blends was studied using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). DSC thermograms of the thermoset blends indicated two exothermic peaks. The glass transition temperature of the thermoset blends decreased with BMI content. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was carried out to investigate thermal degradation behavior of the cured epoxy–BMI thermoset blends. The new BMI resin reacted partially with the DDM and weak intercrosslinking polymer networks were formed during cure of the thermoset blends.     

bPAK-interacting exchange factor may regulate actin cytoskeleton through interaction with actin

p21-activated kinase (PAK)-interacting exchange factor (PIX) is known to be involved in regulation of Cdc42/Rac GTPases and PAK activity. PIX binds to the proline-rich region of PAK, and regulates biological events through activation of Cdc42/Rac GTPase. To further investigate the role of PIX we produced monoclonal antibodies (Mab) against bPIX. Three clones; N-C6 against N-terminal half and C-A3 and C-B7 against C- terminal half of bPIX were generated and characterized. N-C6 Mab detected bPIX as a major band in most cell lines. C-A3 Mab recognizes GIT-binding domain (GBD), but it does not interfere with GIT binding to bPIX. Using C-A3 Mab possible bPIX interaction with actin in PC12 cells was examined. bPIX Mab (C-A3) specifically precipitated actin of the PC12 cell lysates whereas actin Mab failed to immunoprecipitate bPIX. Co-sedimentation of PC12 cell lysates with the polymerized F-actin resulted in the recovery of most of bPIX in the cell lysates. These results suggest that bPIX may not interact with soluble actin but with polymerized F-actin and revealed that bPIX constitutes a functional complex with actin. These data indicate real usefulness of the bPIX Mab in the study of bPIX role(s) in regulation of actin cyoskeleton.     

Ionic liquid-coated enzyme for biocatalysis in organic solvent

Ionic liquid-coated enzyme (ILCE) is described as a useful catalyst for biocatalysis in organic solvent. An ionic liquid, [PPMIM]-[PF(6)] (1, [PPMIM] = 1-(3'-phenylpropyl)-3-methylimidazolium), which is solid at room temperature and becomes liquid above 53 degrees C, was synthesized in two steps from N-methylimidazole. The coating of enzyme was done by simply mixing commercially available enzyme with 1 in the liquid phase above 53 degrees C and then allowing the mixture to cool. A representative ILCE, prepared with a lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia, showed markedly enhanced enantioselectivity without losing any significant activity.     

Reversible replication between ordered mesoporous silica and mesoporous carbon

Highly ordered mesoporous silica can be regenerated from a mesoporous carbon CMK-3 that is a negative replica of mesoporous silica SBA-15, indicating reversible replication between carbon and inorganic materials.