Binding of high-mannose-type oligosaccharides and synthetic oligomannose clusters to human antibody 2G12: implications for HIV-1 vaccine design

Human antibody 2G12 broadly neutralizes human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates and shows protective activity against viral challenge in animal models. Previous mutational analysis suggested that 2G12 recognized a novel cluster of high-mannose type oligosaccharides on HIV-1 gp120. To explore the carbohydrate antigen for HIV-1 vaccine design, we have studied the binding of 2G12 to an array of HIV-1 high-mannose type oligosaccharides by competitive ELISAs and found that Man9GlcNAc is 210- and 74-fold more effective than Man5GlcNAc and Man6GlcNAc in binding to 2G12. The results establish that the larger high-mannose oligosaccharide on HIV-1 is the favorable subunit for 2G12 recognition. To mimic the putative epitope of 2G12, we have created scaffold-based multivalent Man9 clusters and found that the galactose-scaffolded bi-, tri-, and tetra-valent Man9 clusters are 7-, 22-, and 73-fold more effective in binding to 2G12 than the monomeric Man9GlcNAc2Asn. The experimental data shed light on further structural optimization of epitope mimics for developing a carbohydrate-based HIV-1 vaccine.     

Double proton transfer behavior and one-electron oxidation effect in double H-bonded glycinamide-formic acid complex

The behavior of double proton transfer occurring in a representative glycinamide-formic acid complex has been investigated at the B3LYP/6-311 + + G( * *) level of theory. Thermodynamic and, especially, kinetic parameters, such as tautomeric energy, equilibrium constant, and barrier heights have been discussed, respectively. The relevant quantities involved in the double proton transfer process, such as geometrical changes, interaction energies, and intrinsic reaction coordinate calculations have also been studied. Computational results show that the participation of a formic acid molecule favors the proceeding of the proton transfer for glycinamide compared with that without mediate-assisted case. The double proton transfer process proceeds with a concerted mechanism rather than a stepwise one since no ion-pair complexes have been located during the proton transfer process. The calculated barrier heights are 11.48 and 0.85 kcal/mol for the forward and reverse directions, respectively. However, both of them have been reduced by 2.95 and 2.61 kcal/mol to 8.53 and -1.76 kcal/mol if further inclusion of zero-point vibrational energy corrections, where the negative barrier height implies that the reverse reaction should proceed with barrierless spontaneously, analogous to that occurring between glycinamide and formamide. Furthermore, solvent effects on the thermodynamic and kinetic processes have also been predicted qualitatively employing the isodensity surface polarized continuum model within the framework of the self-consistent reaction field theory. Additionally, the oxidation process for the double H-bonded glycinamide-formic acid complex has also been investigated. Contrary to that neutral form possessing a pair of two parallel intermolecular H bonds, only a single H bond with a comparable strength has been found in its ionized form. The vertical and adiabatic ionization potentials for the neutral complex have been determined to be about 9.40 and 8.69 eV, respectively, where ionization is mainly localized on the glycinamide fragment. Like that ionized glycinamide-formamide complex, the proton transfer in the ionized complex is characterized by a single-well potential, implying that the proton initially attached to amide N4 in the glycinamide fragment cannot be transferred to carbonyl O13 in the formic acid fragment at the geometry of the optimized complex.     

Alkanethiolate self-assembled monolayers as functional spacers to resist protein adsorption upon Au-coated nerve microelectrode

Alkanethiolate self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of varied chain lengths were adsorbed upon Au-coated nerve microelectrodes and employed as protein-resistant spacers. The microelectrode spiraled as a cuff type can be used for restoring motor function via electrical stimulation on the peripheral nerve system; however, an increase of electrode impedance might occur during implantation. In this work, a thin-film SAMs treatment upon Au/polyimide (PI) surface of the microelectrode provided a hydrophobic characteristic, which retarded protein adsorption at the initial stage and subsequent pileup (or thickening) process. The protein-resistant effect exhibited comparable SAMs of different chain lengths adsorbed upon Au/PI surfaces. The increase of electrode impedance as a function of protein deposition time was mainly correlated with the addition of reactance that was associated with the pileup thickness of the deposited protein. Particularly, the SAMs-modified surface was capable to detach a significant portion of the accumulated protein from the protein-deposited SAMs/Au/PI, whereas the protein-deposited layers exhibited firm adhesion upon Au/PI surface. It is therefore very promising to apply thin-film SAMs adsorbed upon Au-coated surface for bioinvasive devices that have the need of functional electrical stimulations or sensing nerve signals during chronic implantation.     

锡—邻菲咯啉络合物吸附极谱波的研究及应用

研究了锡－邻菲咯啉体系的极谱行为，在ｐＨ＝２．５０的０．１０ｍｏｌ／Ｌ氯乙酸－氯乙酸钠介质中，在单扫描极谱上，Ｓｎ－邻菲咯啉络合物于－０．４１Ｖ电位处产生一良好的吸附还原波。波高与Ｓｎ的浓度在２．０×１０＾－８－４．０×１０＾－６ｍｏｌ／Ｌ范围内呈线性关系；检出限为１．０×１０＾－８ｍｏｌ／Ｌ Ｓｎ，对合金标样中的锡进行测定，取得了满意的结果。     

Thermal analysis of composites based on crystalline polymers and metals

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy have been used to examine the chemical and physical changes (crystallinity, accumulation of oxygen-containing groups, etc.) during thermal oxidation of polyethylene, polypropylene and Penton contained in coatings and metalfilled films, taking into account the thickness of the polymer layer and catalytic activity of the metal.

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Zusammenfassung DSC, thermogravimetrische Analyse (TG) und infrarot (IR) Spektroskopie wurden zur Untersuchung der während der thermischen Oxidation von in Belägen und metallgefüllten Filmen enthaltenem Polyäthylen, Polypropylen und Penton stattfindenden chemischen und physikalischen Veränderungen (Kristallinität, Anhäufung stickstoffhaltiger Gruppen usw.) eingesetzt. Hierbei wurden die Stärke der Polymerschicht und die katalytische Aktivität des Metalls in Betracht genommen.

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New coordination catalysts based on rare earth compounds for polymerization of 1-octene

The study of rare earth coordination catalysts for polymerization of 1-octene has been successfully carried out for the first time. Some features and kinetic behavior of polymerization of 1-octene by Nd(naph)₃–AIEt₃ catalyst system in tetrachloro-methane are described. The overall polymerization activation energy E_a measured was 74.5 kJ/mol and the rate equation could be expressed as R_p = k_p [Nd] [M] (k_p = 3.21 × 10^?3 L/mol s, at 50°C). The catalytic activity of various rare earth elements in Ln (naph)₃ and ligands in NdL₃ for the polymerization was compared. A 1-octene oligomer with double bonds was obtained. It is either a white or pale yellow waxy semi-solid. Its number-average molecular weight is about 10³ and the molecular weight distribution is less than 2.     

A new route to semirigid poly(amide-ester)s with ordered structure

Four novel semirigid poly(amide-ester)s having the same ordered amide-amide-ester-ester (-AAEE-) and the same or the different phenyl structure were synthesized from the various combination of active acylamide of benzotriazole (HBT) such as 1,1′-(isophthaloyl)bisbenzotriazole (IPBBT) and 1,1′-(terephthaloyl)bisbenzotriazole (PBBT) with diols such as N,N'-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)isophthamide (HEIPA) and N,N'-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)terephthamide (HEPTA) which prepared from the selective N-acylation of IPBBT or PBBT with aminoethanol in excellent yield at room temperature. Before the preparation of diol monomers, a model reaction of selective N-acylation was also completed from active monoacylamide of benzotriazole, 1-benzoylbenzotriazole with aminoethanol. The ordered structure of poly(amideester)s were characterized by infrared (IR) and NMR spectra. On the bases of different reactivity between selective N-acylation and O-acylation of active acylamide of benzotriazole, poly(amide-ester)s having the ordered AAEE and the same phenyl structure were also readily synthesized from the IPBBT or PBBT with aminoethanol under mild conditions by one-bath process.     

Mechanical and electrochemical effects on surface convection and on emulsification new criteria

Theoretical and experimental studies of surface instability for charged and polarized interfaces between two immiscible liquids are reviewed. A linear analysis of stability shows the role of mechanical and electrochemical para meters for the onset of interfacial convection. Three cases are studied: 1) For the restored Boltzman distribution in bulk phases, the stability is only governed by the interfacial tension through the composition between mechano-chemicaland electrical contributions to the surface free energy; 2) for the non-restored Boltzman distribution, the stability is also governed by the discontinuity of mechanical quantities (density-viscosity) associated with the discontinuity of electrochemical and electrical quantities (dielectric constant-solute concentration-diffusion coefficient, potential drop); and 3) for concentrated charged and dipolar monolayers, the convection criteria of stability are directly related to the discontinuity of mechanical quantities (density-viscosity) associated with the discontinuity of electrochemical quantities (dielectric constant).Additional experiments on emilsification and demulsification were performed in order to verify this last theoretical prediction.     

Synthesis and characterization of Mn2P2S6 single-crystal nanorods and nanotubes

Mn2P2S6 single-crystal nanorods with diameters 20-40 nm and lengths up to 1 microm and nanotubes with diameters 40-50 nm and lengths ranging between 110 and 170 nm have been prepared through a low-temperature solvothermal method. They have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution (HR) TEM, electron diffraction, energy-dispersive spectrometry analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy.     

自由体积与亲水性对环氧涂层防护性能的影响

报道了涂层聚合物自由体积和亲水性对涂层腐蚀防护性能影响的初步研究结果.实验表明,相对于自由体积,树脂的亲水性是决定树脂吸水率的更主要因素.低亲水性涂层腐蚀防护性能的提高主要源自到达涂层/金属界面的水量的显著降低.但由于采用活性酯固化的环氧树脂涂层中水通道的尺寸相对较大,水合离子扩散较容易,因此该类涂层覆盖下的金属基体被润湿部分的腐蚀趋势反而较一般涂层为大.