Mutation detection in the drug-resistant hepatitis B virus polymerase gene using nanostructured reverse micelles.

The emergence of drug-resistant hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been reported in patients with prolonged administration of lamivudine, which is a potent drug for the prevention of HBV infection. Lamivudine-resistant HBV has several types of mutations at the YMDD motif of its DNA polymerase. We successfully demonstrated that monitoring the hybridization behavior in nanostructured reverse micelles enables us to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). With the aid of reverse micelles, a model 40-mer oligonucleotide containing a single-base substitution was clearly distinguished from the normal, complementary oligonucleotide. In addition, we extended this technique to a high-throughput analysis. The results obtained with a 96-well micro-plate reader indicated the possibility of SNPs detection toward multiple samples of patients.     

Determination of triazine pesticides and related compounds in environmental water by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A method for the determination of 5 triazine herbicides and 12 degradation products in environmental water samples using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/ESI/MS) has been developed. The pesticides in water were extracted with two types of solid phase: a styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer and a graphitized carbon black. Desorption solvents for the extracted compounds were acetone for the styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer and methanol for the graphitized carbon black. Overall recoveries from ground water and river water ranged from 73% to 111%. The limits of detection (LODs) were 0.2 to 28 ng l(-1). This method was applied to several ground water samples.     

Addition–fragmentation chain transfer: Molecular weight distributions and retardation in the system methyl methacrylate/methyl α‐(bromomethyl)acrylate

A detailed investigation of addition–fragmentation chain transfer (AFCT) in the free‐radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the presence of methyl α‐(bromomethyl)acrylate (MBMA) was carried out to elucidate mechanistic details with efficient macromonomer synthesis as an underlying goal. Advanced modeling techniques were used in connection with the experimental work. Curve fitting of simulated and experimental molecular weight distributions with respect to the rate coefficient for addition of propagating radicals to MBMA (k_add) over 60–120 °C resulted in E_add = 21.7 kJ mol^?1 and A_add = 2.18 × 10⁶ M^?1 s^?1 and a very weak temperature dependence of the chain‐transfer constant (E_add ≈ E_p). The rate coefficient for fragmentation of adduct radicals at 60 °C was estimated as k_f ≈ 39 s^?1 on the basis of experimental data of the MMA conversion and the concentration of 2‐carbomethoxy‐2‐propenyl end groups. The approach developed is generic and can be applied to any AFCT system in which copolymerization does not occur and in which the resulting unsaturated end groups do not undergo further reactions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 2640–2650, 2004     

Buchsbaum homogeneous algebras with minimal multiplicity

In this paper we first give a lower bound on multiplicities for Buchsbaum homogeneous k-algebras A in terms of the dimension d, the codimension c, the initial degree q, and the length of the local cohomology modules of A. Next, we introduce the notion of Buchsbaum k-algebras with minimal multiplicity of degree q, and give several characterizations for those rings. In particular, we will show that those algebras have linear free resolutions. Further, we will give many examples of those algebras.     

Second-order necessary optimality conditions for domain optimization problems of the Neumann type

In this paper, we treat a domain optimization problem in which the boundary-value problem is a Neumann problem. In the case where the domain is in a three-dimensional Euclidean space, the first-order and the second-order necessary conditions which the optimal domain must satisfy are derived under a constraint which is the generalization of the requisite of constant volume.Portions of this paper were presented at the 13th IFIP Conference on System Modelling and Optimization, Tokyo, Japan, 1987.     

n-sigma charge-transfer interaction and molecular and electronic structural properties in the hydrogen-bonding systems consisting of p-quinone dianions and methyl alcohol

Molecular and electronic structural properties of the hydrogen-bonded complexes of p-quinone dianions (PQ(2)(-)) were investigated by electrochemistry and spectroelectrochemistry of PQ in MeCN combined with ab initio MO calculations. Hydrogen bonding between PQ(2)(-) and MeOH was measured as the continuous positive shift of the apparent second half-wave reduction potentials with increasing concentrations of MeOH. Detailed analyses of the behavior reveal that PQ(2)(-) forms the 1:2 hydrogen-bonded complexes at low concentrations of MeOH and the 1:4 complexes at high concentrations, yielding the formation constants. Temperature dependence of the formation constants allows us to yield the formation energy as 76.6 and 118.9 kJ mol(-)(1) for the 1:2 and 1:4 complex formation of the 1,4-benzoquinone dianion (BQ(2)(-)) with MeOH, respectively. These results show that the pi-dianions involving the quinone carbonyl groups exhibit very strong hydrogen-accepting ability. The longest wavelength band of the spectra of BQ(2)(-) and the chloranil dianion (CL(2)(-)) is assigned to the (1)B(3u) <-- (1)A(g) band mainly contributed from an intramolecular charge-transfer (CT) configuration. Hydrogen bonding allows the band of BQ(2)(-) and CL(2)(-) to be blue-shifted, depending on the strength of the hydrogen bonds. CNDO/S-CI calculations reveal that the blue shift is ascribed to stabilization of the ground state by the hydrogen bonding involving strong n-sigma-type CT interaction. The HF/6-31G(d) calculation results show that the structure of PQ(2)(-) is characterized by a lengthening of the C=O bonds and a benzenoid ring. The geometrical properties of the hydrogen-bonded complexes of PQ(2)(-) are a slight lengthening of the C=O bonds and a short distance of the hydrogen bonds. It is demonstrated that this situation is due to the strong n-sigma CT interaction in the hydrogen bonds. The results suggest that the differing functions and properties of biological quinones are conferred by the n-sigma CT interaction through hydrogen bonding of the dianions with their protein environment.     

Total synthesis of tylosin

Tylosin has been synthesized byregio- and stereoselective introduction of the amino disaccharide moiety and D-mycinose onto the previously synthesized 16-membered-ring aglycone.     

Semidifferential electroanalysis with a solid working electrode

Semidifferential electroanalysis is described for hexacyanoferrate(III), dichromate, copper(II), p-aminophenol, p-benzoquinone, m-dinitrobenzene, guanine, guanosine, adenine, and adenosine at a stationary solid working electrode. Nearly symmetrical, peaked curves are obtained for the electrode processes of all the samples investigated. The predicted dependence of peak height and peak potential on concentration, electrode area, and potential scan rate are confirmed-experimentally for the glassy carbon disk electrode. It is demonstrated that the technique with the solid working electrode provides higher sensitivity and better resolution than ordinary linear sweep voltammetry. The sensitivity is somewhat worse than in differential pulse voltammetry, but the technique has the advantage of Speed.