5′-Terminal chemical capping of spliced leader RNAs

Spliced leader (SL) RNA trans-splicing adds a N²,N²,7-trimethylguanosine cap (TMG) and a 22-nucleotide sequence, the SL, to the 5′ end of mRNAs. Both non-trans-spliced with a monomethylguanosine cap (MMG) and trans-spliced mRNAs co-exist in trans-splicing metazoan cells. Efficient translation of TMG-capped mRNAs in nematodes requires a defined core of nucleotides within the SL sequence. Here we present a chemical procedure for the preparation and purification of 5′-terminal capped MMG and TMG wild-type, and mutant 22 nt spliced leader RNAs (GGU/ACUUAAUUACCCAAGUUUGAG) with or without a 3′ biotin tag.     

Nitride-based ultraviolet Schottky barrier photodetectors with LT-AlN cap layers

We present the characteristics of novel GaN-based ultraviolet (UV) Schottky barrier photodetectors (PDs) with a low-temperature (LT-)AlN cap layer. Comparing them with conventional Schottky barrier PDs, it was found that we achieved smaller dark current and larger UV to visible rejection ratio from the PDs with the LT-AlN cap layer. The dark leakage current for the Schottky barrier PDs with the LT-AlN cap layer was shown to be about four orders of magnitude smaller than that for the conventional Schottky barrier PDs. With −5 V applied bias, the measured responsivity and UV to visible rejection ratio are 0.16 A /W and 7.74×10² for the Schottky barrier PDs with the LT-AlN cap layer, respectively. This result can be attributed to the thicker and higher potential barrier when the LT-AlN cap layer was inserted.     

Modeling of large deformation frictional contact in powder compaction processes

In this paper, the computational aspects of large deformation frictional contact are presented in powder forming processes. The influence of powder–tool friction on the mechanical properties of the final product is investigated in pressing metal powders. A general formulation of continuum model is developed for frictional contact and the computational algorithm is presented for analyzing the phenomena. It is particularly concerned with the numerical modeling of frictional contact between a rigid tool and a deformable material. The finite element approach adopted is characterized by the use of penalty approach in which a plasticity theory of friction is incorporated to simulate sliding resistance at the powder–tool interface. The constitutive relations for friction are derived from a Coulomb friction law. The frictional contact formulation is performed within the framework of large FE deformation in order to predict the non-uniform relative density distribution during large deformation of powder die pressing. A double-surface cap plasticity model is employed together with the nonlinear contact friction behavior in numerical simulation of powder material. Finally, the numerical schemes are examined for efficiency and accuracy in modeling of several powder compaction processes.     

Evaluation of plasma damage in ultra-low-k materials with cap film using “extracted k-value” method

An “extracted k-value” method has been developed for evaluating postdevice-process damage in ultra-low-k materials inside a multi-layer structure. It is found that an in-depth analysis with using X-ray reflectivity (XRR) is very effective for recognizing the nature of the damage. With these methods, it is investigated that the damage generated in porous methylsilsesquioxane (MSQ) during cap-film deposition and the effect of subsequent process for the improvement.     

Enhanced plasmon resonance light scattering signals of colloidal gold resulted from its interactions with organic small molecules using captopril as an example

Gold nanoparticles are known for their plasmon resonance absorption (PRA) depending on their size. Our this investigation shows that plasma resonance light scattering (PRLS) signals in the corresponding PRA region could be measured using a common spectrofluorometer, and be enhanced when aggregation of gold nanoparticles occurs due to their interaction with organic small molecules (OSMs). Using captopril (Cap) as an example, we investigated the interactions of gold nanoparticles with OSMs in order to propose a general method of OSMs such as typical clinic organic drugs. In aqueous medium of pH 2.09, there are about 2.2 × 10³ Cap molecules covalently binding to the surface of a 10-nm diameter gold nanoparticle through the thiol functional group of Cap, and thus forms a core-shell assembly of [(Au)₃₁₀₀₀]@[(Cap)₂₂₀₀], displaying strong enhanced PRLS signals in the PRA region of gold colloid. The PRLS intensities characterized at 553.0 nm were found to be proportional to the concentration of Cap over the range of 0.1-1.7 mg L⁻¹ with the determination limit (3σ) of 32.0 μg L⁻¹. With that, Cap in pharmaceutical preparations could be determined with the recovery of 97.0-104.5% and R.S.D. of less than 2.4%.     

A new construction of caps

In this paper we present a general method to construct caps in higher-dimensional projective spaces. As an application, for q≥8 even we obtain caps in PG(5,q) larger than the caps known so far, and a new class of caps of size (q+1)(q²+3) for q≥7 odd.     

Synthesis of the first double-functionalized dinucleotide mRNA cap analogue for its specific labeling

The modification of various important nucleotide-based molecules (such as nucleotides, RNA, DNA, oligonucleotides) with fluorophores, affinity tags and reactive moieties is of enormous utility for studying their localization, structure and dynamics, as well as diverse biological functions involving their interacting partners. Herein, we report chemical methodology in which the dinucleotide mRNA cap analogue is doubly modified within its second nucleotide. The prepared dinucleotide contains an alkyne at the N2-position of guanine, and levulinic acid within the ribose moiety. Such modifications may be further used for specific labeling of the cap, for instance with a fluorophore that will allow the molecule to be tracked inside the cell and an attachment cell-penetrating peptide that will help to deliver it to the area of interest. Exemplar molecules were attached in order to demonstrate the utility of the newly synthesized cap analogue.     

On the impact of the Si passivation layer thickness on the NBTI of nanoscaled Si0.45Ge0.55 pMOSFETs

The negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) of nanoscaled Si_0.45Ge_0.55 pFETs with different thicknesses of the Si passivation layer (cap) is studied. Individual discharge events are detected in the measured threshold voltage shift (ΔV_th) relaxation traces, with exponentially distributed step heights. The use of a thinner Si cap is shown to reduce both the average number of charge/discharge events and the average ΔV_th step height. To qualitatively explain the experimental observations, a simple model including a defect band in the dielectric is proposed.     

Construction of caps by means of caps in complementary subspaces

A construction of caps is given which yields in particular caps with a free pair of points. Applying this construction, we meet the bound of Farr and Lisoněk [J. Farr, P. Lisoněk, Caps with free pairs of points, J. Geom. 85 (2006) 35-41] for caps with a free pair of points in , q even.