Modulation of Relaxivity,Suspension Stability,and Biodistribution of Dendronized Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as a Function of the Organic Shell Design

Nanoparticles (NPs) with a mean diameter of 10 nm are functionalized with three dendrons: D1 a PEGylated PAMAM dendron of generation 0.5, D2 a hydrophilic oligoethyleneglycol‐derivatized dendron (D2) displaying a phosphonic acid at the focal point, and D2–2P the same dendron than D2 but with two phosphonic acid anchoring agents. Their grafting is confirmed by IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. All dendronized NPs are stable over a long period of time in suspensions in water and in different physiological media and display a mean hydrodynamic diameter smaller than 50 nm whatever the molecule architecture. NMRD profiles and relaxivity measurements highlight the influence of the molecule architecture on the water diffusion close to the magnetic core thus influencing the relaxation properties at low magnetic field. The high hydrophilic architecture of the dendron D2 by contrast to dendron D1 allows maintaining the colloidal stability in different conditions while ensuring a very good accessibility of water molecule close to the magnetic core. Coupling of a fluorescent dye on dendrons have allowed investigating the biodistribution of dendronized NPs, which are found to be quickly eliminated through urinary and hepatobiliary pathways within 4 h. Furthermore, no enhanced permeation and retention effect in tumors can be observed.     

A note on the interlacing of zeros and orthogonality

Let be a sequence of monic polynomials with deg(t_n)=n such that, for each n∈N, the zeros of t_n are real and simple and t_n and t_n+1 have no common zeros. We discuss the connection between the orthogonality of the sequence, the positivity of a certain ratio, and the interlacing of the zeros of t_n and t_n+1 for n≥1, n∈N.     

Zeros of Jacobi polynomials Pn( α, β)$ P_{n}^{(\alpha ,\beta)} $, − 2 < α, β < − 1

The sequence of Jacobi polynomials \(\{P_{n}^{(\alpha ,\beta )}\}_{n = 0}^{\infty }\) is orthogonal on (??1,1) with respect to the weight function (1 ? x)^α(1 + x)^β provided α > ??1,β > ??1. When the parameters α and β lie in the narrow range ??2 < α, β < ??1, the sequence of Jacobi polynomials \(\{P_{n}^{(\alpha ,\beta )}\}_{n = 0}^{\infty }\) is quasi-orthogonal of order 2 with respect to the weight function (1 ? x)^α+?1(1 + x)^β+?1 and each polynomial of degree n,n ≥?2, in such a Jacobi sequence has n real zeros. We show that any sequence of Jacobi polynomials \(\{P_{n}^{(\alpha ,\beta )}\}_{n = 0}^{\infty }\) with ??2 < α, β < ??1, cannot be orthogonal with respect to any positive measure by proving that the zeros of Pn??1(α,β) do not interlace with the zeros of Pn(α,β) for any \(n \in \mathbb {N},\)n ≥?2, and any α,β lying in the range ??2 < α, β < ??1. We also investigate interlacing properties satisfied by the zeros of equal degree Jacobi polynomials Pn(α,β),Pn(α,β+?1) and Pn(α+?1,β+?1) where ??2 < α, β < ??1. Upper and lower bounds for the extreme zeros of quasi-orthogonal order 2 Jacobi polynomials Pn(α,β) with ??2 < α, β < ??1 are derived.     

Chemical synthesis of picornaviral protein primers of RNA replication

Naturally occurring nucleopeptidic replication primers (VPg-pUpU) of poliovirus and coxsackie virus were chemically synthesized. The synthesis was accomplished via block-coupling of two minimally protected fragments of the target structures: a short RNA-nucleopeptide and a longer peptide segment containing diverse side-chain functionalities. The synthetic VPg-pUpU of coxsackie virus was characterized by NMR spectroscopy.     

Noncompliant oligopolistic firms and marketable pollution permits: Statics and dynamics

In this paper, we consider the modeling, analysis, and computation of solutions to both static and dynamic models of multiproduct, multipollutant noncompliant oligopolistic firms who engage in a market for pollution permits. In the case of the static model, we utilize variational inequality theory for the formulation of the governing equilibrium conditions as well as the qualitative analysis of the equilibrium pattern, including sensitivity analysis. We then propose a dynamic model, using the theory of projected dynamical systems, whose set of stationary points coincides with the set of solutions to the variational inequality problem. We propose an algorithm, which is a discretization in time of the dynamic adjustment process, and provide convergence results using the stability analysis results that are also provided herein. Finally, we apply the algorithm to several numerical examples to compute the profit-maximized quantities of the oligopolistic firms' products and the quantities of emissions, along with the equilibrium allocation of licenses and their prices, as well as the possible noncompliant overflows and underflows. This is the first time that these methodologies have been utilized in conjunction to study a problem drawn from environmental policy modeling and analysis.     

Elliptic operators on Lie groups

We review the theory of strongly elliptic operators on Lie groups and describe some new simplifications. Let U be a continuous representation of a Lie group G on a Banach space and a ₁,...,a _d a basis of the Lie algebra g of G. Let A _i=dU(a _i) denote the infinitesimal generator of the continuous one-parameter group t U(exp(-ta _i)) and set % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqaqFfpeea0df9GqVa0-% aq0dXdarVe0-yr0RYxir-dbba9q8aq0-qq-He9q8qqQ8fq0-vr0-vr% Y-bdbiqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaGaamyqamaaCaaale% qajeaObaGaeyySdegaaOGaeyypa0JaamyqamaaBaaajeaWbaGaaeyA% aaWcbeaajaaOdaWgaaqcbaAaamaaBaaajiaObaGaaiiBaaqabaaaje% aObeaakiaacElacaGG3cGaai4TaiaadgeadaWgaaqcbaCaaiaabMga% aSqabaGcdaWgaaWcbaWaaSbaaKGaahaacaGGUbaameqaaaWcbeaaaa% a!4897!\[A^\alpha = A_{\rm{i}} _{_l } \cdot\cdot\cdotA_{\rm{i}} _{_n } \], where =(i ₁,...,i _n) with _j and set ||=n. We analyze properties of mth order differential operators % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqaqFfpeea0df9GqFj0-% aq0dXdarVe0-yr0RYxir-dbba9q8aq0-qq-He9q8qqQ8fq0-vr0-vr% Y-bdbiqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaGaamisaiabg2da9i% aabccadaaeqaqaaiaadogadaWgaaqcbaCaaiabgg7aHbWcbeaaaKqa% GgaacqGHXoqycaqG7aGaaeiiaiaabYhacqGHXoqycaqG8bGaeyizIm% QaaeyBaaWcbeqdcqGHris5aOGaamyqamaaCaaaleqajeaObaGaeyyS% degaaaaa!4A6C!\[H = {\rm{ }}\sum\nolimits_{\alpha {\rm{; |}}\alpha {\rm{|}} \le {\rm{m}}} {c_\alpha } A^\alpha \] with coefficients c . If H is strongly elliptic, i.e., % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqaqFfpeea0df9GqFj0-% aq0dXdarVe0-yr0RYxir-dbba9q8aq0-qq-He9q8qqQ8fq0-vr0-vr% Y-bdbiqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaGaciOuaiaacwgacq% GH9aqpcaqGGaWaaabeaeaacaGGOaaajeaObaGaeyySdeMaae4oaiaa% bccacaqG8bGaeyySdeMaaeiFaiabg2da9iaab2gaaSqab0GaeyyeIu% oakiaabMgacqaH+oaEcaGGPaWaaWbaaSqabKqaGgaacqGHXoqyaaGc% cqGH+aGpcaaIWaaaaa!4C40!\[{\mathop{\rm Re}\nolimits} = {\rm{ }}\sum\nolimits_{\alpha {\rm{; |}}\alpha {\rm{|}} = {\rm{m}}} ( {\rm{i}}\xi )^\alpha > 0\] for all % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqaqFfpeea0df9GqVa0-% aq0dXdarVe0-yr0RYxir-dbba9q8aq0-qq-He9q8qqQ8fq0-vr0-vr% Y-bdbiqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaGaeqOVdGNaeyicI4% SaeSyhHe6aaWbaaSqabeaacaWGKbaaaOGaaiixaiaacUhacaaIWaGa% aiyFaaaa!3EAA!\[\xi \in ^d \backslash \{ 0\} \], then we give a simple proof of the theorem that the closure of H generates a continuous (and holomorphic) semigroup on and the action of the semigroup is determined by a smooth, representation independent, kernel which, together with all its derivatives, satisfies mth order Gaussian bounds.     

Vault ribonucleoprotein particles and the central mass of the nuclear pore complex

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) are macromolecular pores that span the nuclear envelope and undergo conformational changes in response to changes in cisternal calcium levels. Depletion of cisternal calcium leads to the appearance of a mass within the pore. The identity and role of this central mass remain unknown, although some studies suggest they are vault complexes. Vault complexes are 13 MDa ribonucleoproteins found in the cytoplasm and recently in the nuclei of some species, suggesting that they associate with NPCs to cross the nuclear envelope. Using Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements between labeled vaults and NPCs, we find significant energy transfer suggesting that vaults and NPCs are closely associated at the nuclear envelope. This is supported by high‐resolution electron microscopy measurements revealing significant spatial correlations between gold‐labeled vaults and NPCs. As the location of the central mass in the NPC is dependent on cisternal calcium levels, FRET signals under conditions of varying cisternal calcium were also measured and shown to undergo significant changes. Together, these findings suggest that the central mass observed in NPCs may be, at least in part, due to the presence of vaults in the pore. Possible roles in cyto‐nuclear trafficking are discussed.     

DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAQUE REDUCTION ASSAY AND APPLICATION TO THE STUDY OF PSORALEN-DAMAGED DNA

Abstract— We have developed a procedure called a plaque reduction assay to assess the biological activity of duplex circular DNA modified by covalent adduct formation with psoralen derivatives. The replicating form (RF) of bacteriophage DNA modified by photochemical addition of a psoralen derivative was introduced into bacterial cells using the CaCI₂ transfection method. The transfected cells. plated upon a confluent lawn of cells permissive for the bacteriophage in the inoculum, provided a measure of the reduction in infectivity of the RF DNA which resulted from its covalent modification. Use of this assay is illustrated in studies which screened and compared the activities of several recently synthesized psoralen derivatives. We describe two new compounds. β-(8-psoralenoxy)-ethanol and β-(8-psoralenoxy)ethylamine that are significantly more active than either 8-methoxypsoralen or trioxsalen in the biological assay