Latex Fractionation by Sedimentation and Colloidal Crystallization: The Case of Poly(styrene-co-acrylamide)

Poly(styrene-co-acrylamide) (PS-AAM) latex was prepared, fractionated by sedimentation under gravity, and characterized by PCS, infrared spectra, secondary and backscattered electron imaging in the scanning electron microscope, and electron spectroscopy imaging in an analytical transmission electron microscope. Three latex fractions were obtained. The lower fraction was opalescent and its particles were the more uniform, concerning size, chemical composition, and topochemical features. This lower fraction was still further fractionated by zonal centrifugation in a density gradient, yielding two fractions with similar macrocrystal-forming abilities but different sizes and chemical compositions. These results confirm those previously obtained for the PS-HEMA latex. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Charge transport in a mixed ionically/electronically conducting, cationic, polyacetylene ionomer between ion-blocking electrodes

The electrical behavior of the cationic, polyacetylene-based, conjugated ionomer, poly[(2-cyclooctatetraenylethyl)trimethylammonium trifluoromethanesulfonate], sandwiched between gold electrodes is reported. The steady-state current of this mixed ionically/electronically conducting system is assigned to be unipolar diffusive hole transport for voltages below approximately 1.4 V, giving way to bipolar migratory transport above approximately 1.4 V. In the low-voltage regime, a non-Faradaically controlled doping model is proposed where p-doping at the anode is balanced by the charging of an ionic double layer at the cathode. In the high-voltage regime, n- and p-type regions extend from the electrodes as the voltage becomes sufficient to drive disproportionation and the electric field required by the redistribution of ions begins to substantially influence carrier transport. The assignment of a transport mechanism is primarily based on analyzing the decay of the steady-state system under short-circuit and open-circuit conditions. First, it is shown that the power describing the power-law decay of the short-circuit current is characteristic of the steady-state carrier profile. Second, it is argued that a component of the time-dependent, open-circuit voltage decaying more rapidly than the time scale for ion motion is indicative of a substantial migratory component to steady-state transport, as observed in the high-voltage regime. The hole and electron mobilities are estimated to be on the order of 10(-7)-10(-6) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1).     

Unidirectional current in a polyacetylene hetero-ionic junction

Unidirectional electronic current is reported for a device based on the interface between an anionically functionalized and a cationically functionalized polyacetylene. The unidirectional current in this mixed ionically/electronically conducting system is electronic but is regulated by asymmetry in the ionic processes.     

Electrical conduction in Fe2O3 and Cr2O3

The influence of some impurities on the conduction properties of Cr₂O₃ and Fe₂O₃ are examined and contrasted. A mechanism is proposed to account for the effect of Ti in Cr₂O₃.     

Antisense-mediated isoform switching of steroid receptor coactivator-1 in the central nucleus of the amygdala of the mouse brain

Background

Antisense oligonucleotide (AON)-mediated exon skipping is a powerful tool to manipulate gene expression. In the present study we investigated the potential of exon skipping by local injection in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) of the mouse brain. As proof of principle we targeted the splicing of steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1), a protein involved in nuclear receptor function. This nuclear receptor coregulator exists in two splice variants (SRC-1a and SRC-1e) which display differential distribution and opposing activities in the brain, and whose mRNAs differ in a single SRC-1e specific exon.

Methods

For proof of principle of feasibility, we used immunofluorescent stainings to study uptake by different cell types, translocation to the nucleus and potential immunostimulatory effects at different time points after a local injection in the CeA of the mouse brain of a control AON targeting human dystrophin with no targets in the murine brain. To evaluate efficacy we designed an AON targeting the SRC-1e-specific exon and with qPCR analysis we measured the expression ratio of the two splice variants.

Results

We found that AONs were taken up by corticotropin releasing hormone expressing neurons and other cells in the CeA, and translocated into the cell nucleus. Immune responses after AON injection were comparable to those after sterile saline injection. A successful shift of the naturally occurring SRC-1a:SRC-1e expression ratio in favor of SRC-1a was observed, without changes in total SRC-1 expression.

Conclusions

We provide a proof of concept for local neuropharmacological use of exon skipping by manipulating the expression ratio of the two splice variants of SRC-1, which may be used to study nuclear receptor function in specific brain circuits. We established that exon skipping after local injection in the brain is a versatile and useful tool for the manipulation of splice variants for numerous genes that are relevant for brain function.