Effect of instrumental particle sizing resolution on the modelling of aerosol radiative parameters

A more realistic estimation of the scattering and hemispheric backscattering coefficients, σ_sp and σ_bsp, and their respective optical cross section, C_sca and C_bk, of aerosol particles is presented on the basis of the exact resolution of the width of the size bins of the particle counter instruments when size distribution measurements are used, and, with the exact optical detector instruments ability. The scattering and hemispheric backscattering cross sections, C_sca and C_bk, of the particles are averaged over the full size bins of the particle counter instrument, while these quantities are usually estimated only on the value of the mean geometric diameter of each size bin. Six instruments, the APS, ASASP-X, DMPS, FSSP-100, ELPI, and SMPS frequently used in particle size distribution measurements are reviewed, for spherical sea-salt particles at a wavelength λ=0.55 μm. The comparison using the conventional geometric mean diameter versus the use of the full size bin leads to large amount of errors for the optical cross section with non-negligible effects on their respective optical coefficients. The maximal accuracy expected for these optical quantities depend on the particle diameter as well as on the channel width of the instruments, and are also function of the angular detector probe used to measure them.     

Antisense-mediated isoform switching of steroid receptor coactivator-1 in the central nucleus of the amygdala of the mouse brain

Background

Antisense oligonucleotide (AON)-mediated exon skipping is a powerful tool to manipulate gene expression. In the present study we investigated the potential of exon skipping by local injection in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) of the mouse brain. As proof of principle we targeted the splicing of steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1), a protein involved in nuclear receptor function. This nuclear receptor coregulator exists in two splice variants (SRC-1a and SRC-1e) which display differential distribution and opposing activities in the brain, and whose mRNAs differ in a single SRC-1e specific exon.

Methods

For proof of principle of feasibility, we used immunofluorescent stainings to study uptake by different cell types, translocation to the nucleus and potential immunostimulatory effects at different time points after a local injection in the CeA of the mouse brain of a control AON targeting human dystrophin with no targets in the murine brain. To evaluate efficacy we designed an AON targeting the SRC-1e-specific exon and with qPCR analysis we measured the expression ratio of the two splice variants.

Results

We found that AONs were taken up by corticotropin releasing hormone expressing neurons and other cells in the CeA, and translocated into the cell nucleus. Immune responses after AON injection were comparable to those after sterile saline injection. A successful shift of the naturally occurring SRC-1a:SRC-1e expression ratio in favor of SRC-1a was observed, without changes in total SRC-1 expression.

Conclusions

We provide a proof of concept for local neuropharmacological use of exon skipping by manipulating the expression ratio of the two splice variants of SRC-1, which may be used to study nuclear receptor function in specific brain circuits. We established that exon skipping after local injection in the brain is a versatile and useful tool for the manipulation of splice variants for numerous genes that are relevant for brain function.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Monomeric and Dimeric Structures of Calix[4]arenes Containing Amidoferrocene

Abstract The reaction of 1,1′-bis(chlorocarbonyl)ferrocene with bis-aminobenzylcalix[4]arene gave amidoferrocene calix[4]arene monomer 1. Compound 1 crystallized in the monoclinic system P21/c with a = 11.196(6) ?, b = 14.971(11) ?, c = 32.007(2) ?, β = 96.413(4)° and V = 5330.9(6) ?³. X-ray diffraction analyses of 1 showed that the calix[4]arene scaffold was in cone conformation in which the intramolecular hydrogen bonding were formed through OH groups at the lower rim to stabilize the structure. Moreover, the intramolecular hydrogen bond between the amide groups of the amidoferrocene unit also presented in the crystal structure. On the other hand, the condensation of 1,1′-bis(chlorocarbonyl)ferrocene with p-tert-bis-aminobenzylcalix[4]arene resulted in the monomeric 2 and [2 + 2] dimeric compounds 3. ¹H-NMR studies signified that the calix[4]arene building block in compounds 2 and 3 adopted the cone conformation. Index Abstract Synthesis and Characterization of Monomeric and Dimeric Structures of Calix[4]arenes Containing Amidoferrocene Chomchai Suksai*, Pannee Leeladee, Colin Jennings, Thawatchai Tuntulani*, Palangpon Kongsaeree The condensation of 1,1′-bis(chlorocarbonyl)ferrocene with p-tert-bis-aminobenzylcalix[4]arene resulted in the monomeric and [2 + 2] dimeric compounds.      

Synthesis of High χ–Low N Diblock Copolymers by Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly

Polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) enables the scalable synthesis of functional block copolymer nanoparticles with various morphologies. Herein we exploit this versatile technique to produce so-called “high χ–low N” diblock copolymers that undergo nanoscale phase separation in the solid state to produce sub-10 nm surface features. By varying the degree of polymerization of the stabilizer and core-forming blocks, PISA provides rapid access to a wide range of diblock copolymers, and enables fundamental thermodynamic parameters to be determined. In addition, the pre-organization of copolymer chains within sterically-stabilized nanoparticles that occurs during PISA leads to enhanced phase separation relative to that achieved using solution-cast molecularly-dissolved copolymer chains.     

Vicinal functionalization of propiolate esters via a tandem catalytic carbocupration-Mukaiyama aldol reaction sequence

The vicinal functionalization of propiolate esters via a tandem catalytic carbocupration-Mukaiyama aldol reaction sequence has been investigated. It has been shown that catalyst loadings as low as 8 mol % readily allow for good yields and excellent diastereoselectivities (>20:1) for a series of Grignard reagents and aldehydes.     

A hemilabile binucleating pincer ligand for self-assembly of coordination oligomers and polymers

The bis(PNP)-donor pincer ligand 1,4-C(6)H(4){N(CH(2)CH(2)PPh(2))(2)}(2), 1, contains weakly basic nitrogen donor atoms because the lone pairs of electrons are conjugated to the bridging phenylene group, and this feature is used in the synthesis of oligomers and polymers. The complexes [Pd(2)X(2)(mu-1)](OTf)(2), X=Cl, Br or OTf, contain the ligand 1 in bis(pincer) binding mode (mu-kappa(6)-P(4)N(2)), but [Pd(4)Cl(6)(mu(3-)1)(2)]Cl(2) contains the ligand in an unusual unsymmetrical mu(3)-kappa(5)-P(4)N binding mode. The bromide complex is suggested to exist as a polymer [{Pd(2)Br(4)(mu(4)-1)}(n)] with the ligands 1 in mu(4)-kappa(4)-P(4) binding mode. The methylplatinum(II) complexes [Pt(2)Me(4)(mu-1)] and [Pt(2)Me(2)(mu-1)](O(2)CCF(3))(2) contain the ligand in mu-kappa(4)-P(4) and mu-kappa(6)-P(4)N(2) bonding modes, while the silver(I) complex [Ag(2)(O(2)CCF(3))(2) (mu-1)] contains the ligand 1 in an intermediate bonding mode in which the nitrogen donors are very weakly coordinated. The complexes [Pd(2)(OTf)(2)(mu-1)](OTf)(2) and [Ag(2)(O(2)CCF(3))(2)(mu-1)] react with 4,4'-bipyridine to give polymers [Pd(2)(micro-bipy)(mu-1)](OTf)(4) and [Ag(2)(mu-bipy)(mu-1)](O(2)CCF(3))(2).     

Synthesis and structure of two tetranuclear osmium carbonyl isotopomers: a crystallographic isotope effect

A synthetic route to [Os4(mu-H)(mu-OH)(mu-CO)(CO)12] ( 1) has been devised through the activation of [Os4(CO)14] with Me3NO. The pyrolysis and photolysis of the reactant in the presence of a trace amount of water produces 1 in low yield. The solid-state structure of [Os4(mu-H)(mu-OH)(mu-CO)(CO)12 x H2O] (1 x H2O) reveals a butterfly Os4 skeleton with bridging H, OH and CO ligands as well as hydrogen-bonded molecules of water in the crystal lattice. A low-temperature 13C{1H} NMR spectroscopic study revealed a merry-go-round exchange of CO ligands around the Os3 plane containing the asymmetric bridging CO. The exposure of 1 x H2O to D2O yielded [Os4(mu-H)(mu-OD)(mu-CO)(CO)12]2. Although the solid-state, intramolecular structure of 2 closely matched that of 1 x H2O, the intermolecular structure did not: its crystal lattice contained no water of crystallization, a previously unreported crystallographic isotope effect.     

An efficient 1,2-chelation-controlled reduction of protected hydroxy ketones via Red-Al

In this paper, we have demonstrated that Red-Al is an efficient chelation-controlled reducing reagent for acyclic acetal (i.e., MOM, MEM, SEM, and BOM) protected alpha-hydroxy ketones. Typically, diastereomeric ratios (dr) ranged from 5 to 20:1 for the 1,2- anti-diols in good to excellent yields.