Synthesis of human renin inhibitory peptides, angiotensinogen transition-state analogs containing a retro-inverso amide bond

The experimental details for the synthesis of human renin inhibitors are described. In order to avoid metabolic degradation of the Phe-His (P3-P2) amide bond in transition-state analogs, structurally modified acyl residues (P4-P3) were incorporated into the inhibitors. Compound 1a, which contained 2-(1-naphthylmethyl)-3-(N-phenethylcarbamoyl)propionyl residue (P4-P3) with a retro-inverso amide bond, L-histidine, and norstatine isoamylamide residue (P1-P1) as a transition-state mimic, had potent human renin inhibitory activity, and it lowered blood pressure when administered orally to common marmosets.     

Design of sugar–oligonucleotide conjugates installed gold nanoparticle for effective delivery to hepatic parenchymal cells

A novel oligonucleotide delivery system that is based on oligonucleotide–nanoparticle conjugates has been described. Installed oligonucleotides were modified with the carbohydrate at the 3′ terminus, accordingly, constructed nanoparticles display clustered carbohydrates on their outer layer for the targeted delivery of oligonucleotides. The method for the construction of ligand-functionalized nanoparticle was simple and reproducible. The stability of the nanoparticles displaying clustered carbohydrates greatly increased in serum compared to nanoparticles without carbohydrates. In order to investigate the targetability of oligonucleotide–nanoparticle conjugates into primary hepatic parenchymal cells, freshly isolated rat hepatocytes were incubated with nanoparticles and the amount of internalized gold nanoparticles was evaluated by an inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy analysis. Nanoparticles displaying clustered carbohydrates internalized more efficiently than nanoparticles without carbohydrate modifications. In particular, the cellular uptakes of oligonucleotide-conjugated gold nanoparticle increased 1.7 ～2.0-fold by galactose modification. Competition assay revealed that clustered galactose enhanced the internalization of the nanoparticle into primary hepatic parenchymal cells by a receptor-mediated process.

Dynamical study of femtosecond-laser-ablated liquid-aluminum nanoparticles using spatiotemporally resolved x-ray-absorption fine-structure spectroscopy

We study the temperature evolution of aluminum nanoparticles generated by femtosecond laser ablation with spatiotemporally resolved x-ray-absorption fine-structure spectroscopy. We successfully identify the nanoparticles based on the L-edge absorption fine structure of the ablation plume in combination with the dependence of the edge structure on the irradiation intensity and the expansion velocity of the plume. In particular, we show that the lattice temperature of the nanoparticles is estimated from the L-edge slope, and that its spatial dependence reflects the cooling of the nanoparticles during plume expansion. The results reveal that the emitted nanoparticles travel in a vacuum as a condensed liquid phase with a lattice temperature of about 2500 to 4200 K in the early stage of plume expansion.     

Loop corrections to the heterotic string effective lagrangian

We derive string-loop corrections (torus topology) to the quartic curvature term in the low-energy effective lagrangian for the heterotic string theory. The one-loop correction is found to give the relative weight of two tensor structures different from the tree level.     

Long-lived ultrafast spin precession in manganese alloys films with a large perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

Spin precession with frequencies up to 280 GHz is observed in Mn(3-δ)Ga alloy films with a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy constant K(u)～15 M?erg/cm(3). The damping constant α, characterizing macroscopic spin relaxation and being a key factor in spin-transfer-torque systems, is not larger than 0.008 (0.015) for the δ=1.46 (0.88) film. Those are about one-tenth of α values for known materials with large K(u). First-principles calculations well describe both low α and large K(u) for these alloys.     

Temperature stabilized optical waveguide modulator

A low drive-voltage optical modulator using a Ti-diffused UNbO₃ optical waveguide has been fabricated. Stabilization against ambient temperature change was realized by using a miniature halfwave plate. The halfwave voltage, 3 dB bandwidth, optical insertion loss and extinction ratio were 3·8 V (at 1·06m wavelength), 850 MHz, 10 dB and 13 dB, respectively. A reduction scheme for the optical absorption caused by metallic electrodes, and an analysis of the modulator high frequency response are also reported.     

Observation of methoxy species on the Si(111)(7 × 7) surface — A vibrational study

Chemisorption of methanol on the Si(111)(7 × 7) surface has been studied at ～ 300 K using high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy. Methanol reacts with the Si(111) surface to form the stable surface species SiOCH₃ and SiH. The methoxy species (CH₃O) is bonded to the Si surface with a covalent bond formed between its oxygen end and the dangling bond of the Si(111) surface atom. A structural model for methanol chemisorbed on the Si(111) surface is proposed.     

Effects of high-concentration phosphorus doping on crystal quality and lattice strain in SiGe HBTs

A high-concentration in-situ phosphorus-doping technique for silicon low-temperature epitaxial growth with Si₂H₆ has been developed. Growth temperature has an impact on the crystal quality and on lattice strain of phosphorus-doped silicon layers. Resistivity, micro-Raman spectroscopy, and high-resolution X-ray diffraction indicated that good crystal quality was achieved at a growth temperature of 525 °C. On the other hand, growth pressure has little influence on crystal quality or on lattice strain except for surface morphology. By optimizing epitaxial growth conditions, an extremely high concentration of phosphorous doping was achieved without a high-temperature activation annealing, and the resultant good crystal quality of the phosphorus-doped silicon layer gave a very low resistivity. Accordingly, the high-concentration in-situ phosphorus doping is a powerful technique to fabricate future ultra-high-speed SiGe HBTs.