Live‐Cell Imaging of Endogenous mRNAs with a Small Molecule

Determination of subcellular localization and dynamics of mRNA is increasingly important to understanding gene expression. A new convenient and versatile method is reported that permits spatiotemporal imaging of specific non‐engineered RNAs in living cells. The method uses transfection of a plasmid encoding a gene‐specific RNA aptamer, combined with a cell‐permeable synthetic small molecule, the fluorescence of which is restored only when the RNA aptamer hybridizes with its cognitive mRNA. The method was validated by live‐cell imaging of the endogenous mRNA of β‐actin. Application of the technology to mRNAs of a total of 84 human cytoskeletal genes allowed us to observe cellular dynamics of several endogenous mRNAs including arfaptin‐2, cortactin, and cytoplasmic FMR1‐interacting protein 2. The RNA‐imaging technology and its further optimization might permit live‐cell imaging of any RNA molecules.     

Experimental Investigation on Heat Transfer Characteristics of a Gas-to-Gas Counterflow Microchannel Heat Exchanger

Heat transfer characteristics of a gas-to-gas counterflow microchannel heat exchanger have been experimentally investigated. Temperatures and pressures at inlets and outlets of the heat exchanger have been measured to obtain heat transfer rates and pressure drops. The heat transfer and the pressure drop characteristics are discussed. Since the partition wall of the heat exchanger is thick compared with the microchannel dimensions, a simple heat exchange model with constant wall temperature is proposed to predict the heat transfer rate. The predicted heat transfer rate using the constant wall temperature model agrees well with the experimental results.     

Inhibitory Effects of Hydrogels on the Adhesion,Germination, and Development of Zoospores Originating from Laminaria angustata

The inhibition of germination and development of zoospores originating from Laminaria angustata originated on various kinds of hydrogels is studied. The effects of the water content of the gel (the degree of swelling), the electrical nature (neutral, positive charge, negative charge), the charge density, the counterions of hydrogels on the inhibition of zoospore germination and development of gametophytes are phenomenologically investigated. Among the gels investigated, poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) gel showed a dramatic inhibition to germination, and might serve as a novel, environmentally safe inhibitor of zoospore adhesion.     

Observation of intermediate bands feeding the positive-parity yrast band in 155Gd

High-spin states of ¹⁵⁵Gd were populated by using the ¹⁵⁴Sm(α,3nγ)¹⁵⁵Gd reaction at E _α= 33 MeV. γ-γ coincidence, E _γ singles, excitation function, and the DCO ratios were measured. we have identified three intermediate bands with ΔI= 2 feeding the positive yrast band. The bands are interpreted as such candidate bands that are mixed with the negative-parity ground state band. This observation can provide a plausible explanation for unusually large population of the positive-parity yrast band observed in a recent Coulomb excitation. Received: 2 November 1999     

Thermodynamik von Einzelschichten von Mehrfachkomponenten

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Gemischte Einzelschichten von Cholesterin mit Fetts?uren

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Stability and Size Control of Reverse Vesicles

The stability and size control of reverse vesicles have been investigated for a sucrose monoalkanoate/hexaethylene glycol hexadecyl ether/decane/water system. The stability is highly dependent on the surfactant mixing ratio, amount of added water, and vesicle size. The size distribution of reverse vesicles produced by simple mixing is very large, but larger vesicles can be removed by means of the extrusion method and reasonably homogeneously size-distributed reverse vesicles can be obtained. If a probe-type ultrasonicator is used, the reverse vesicles obtained are homogeneous and of very small size (50-70 nm in diameter) and they are considered to be of the unilamellar type.     

Sorption and transport of water vapor in alginic acid,sodium alginate,and alginate-cobalt complex films

The sorption and the transport of water vapor in films of alginic acid (G1), sodium alginate (G1Na), and alginate-cobalt complex (G1Co) were studied at 30°C by employing the weighing method. Sorption isotherms for all films of G1, G1Na, G1Co were of type II in the Brunauer's classification. The integral absorption from, and desorption to, zero pressure were non-Fickian type for all films studied. The mean permeability coefficient P , which was determined by the cup method, increased with the increase of vapor pressure, especially in the low vapor pressure region. P for G1Na was much higher than that for G1, which mainly reflects more hygroscopic nature of G1Na than that of G1. The values of P for G1Co were lower than those for G1 at lower pressures and then approached those for G1 at higher vapor pressures. Integral diffusion coefficient D evaluated as P /S, where the solubility coefficient S was evaluated from sorption isotherms, increased rapidly with increasing water concentration and then leveled off. In the concentration region studied, the magnitude of D and its dependence on concentration for H₂O-G1Na system did not differ much from those for H₂O-G1 system. D for H₂O-G1Co system was much lower than that for H₂O-G1 system. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Scale-up synthesis of vinyl polymer-grafted nano-sized silica by radical polymerization of vinyl monomers initiated by surface initiating groups in the solvent-free dry-system

For the purpose of the prevention of the environmental pollution and the simplification of reaction process, the scale-up radical graft polymerization of vinyl monomers onto nano-sized silica surface initiated by azo groups and peroxycarbonate groups previously introduced onto the surface in the solvent-free dry-system was investigated. The introduction of azo groups onto the silica surface was achieved by the reaction of surface amino groups with 4,4′-azobis(4-cyanopentanoic acid chloride). On the other hand, the introduction of peroxycarbonate groups onto the silica surface was achieved by Michael addition of surface amino groups to t-butylperoxy-2-methacryloyloxyethylcarbonate. The graft polymerization of vinyl monomers onto the surface was successfully achieved by splaying monomers to nano-sized silica having azo and peroxycarbonate groups in solvent-free dry-system. It is interesting to note that the formation of ungrafted polymer was depressed in comparison with graft polymerization in solution: the grafting efficiency was 90-95%. In addition, in the solvent-free dry-system, the grafting of copolymer having pendant peroxycarbonate groups onto the nano-sized silica surface and the radical postgraft polymerization of styrene initiated by the pendant initiating groups of the grafted copolymer chain on the silica surface was investigated.