NMR and UV studies of 3'-S-phosphorothiolate modified DNA in a DNA : RNA hybrid dodecamer duplex; implications for antisense drug design

High-resolution NMR spectroscopy has been used to establish the conformational consequences of the introduction of a single 3[prime or minute]-S-phosphorothiolate link in the DNA strand of a DNA : RNA hybrid. These systems are of interest as potential antisense therapeutic agents. Previous studies on similarly modified dinucleotides have shown that the conformation of the sugar to which the sulfur is attached shifts to the north (C(3[prime or minute])-endo/C(2[prime or minute])-exo). Comparisons made between NOESY cross-peak intensities, and coupling constants from PE-COSY spectra, for both non-modified and modified duplexes confirm that this conformational shift is also present in the double helical oligonucleotide system. In addition it is noted that in both the dinucleotides and the modified duplex, the conformation of the sugar ring 3[prime or minute] to the site of modification is also shifted to the north. That this pattern is observed in the small monomeric system as well as the larger double helix is suggestive of some pre-ordering of the sequences. The conclusion is supported by consideration of the (1)H chemical shifts of the heterocyclic bases near the site of the modification. The enhanced stability that these conformational changes should bring was confirmed by UV thermal melting studies. Subsequently a series of singly and doubly 3[prime or minute]-S-phosphorothiolate-modified duplexes were investigated by UV. The results are indicative of an additive effect of the modification with thermodynamic benefit being derived from alternate spacing of two modified linkers.     

Diluent effects on the Debye-type dielectric relaxation in viscous monohydroxy alcohols

With the recognition that the Debye-type dielectric relaxation of liquid monohydroxy alcohols does not reflect the structural relaxation dynamics associated with the viscous flow and the glass transition, its behavior upon dilution is expected to differ from that of real alpha-processes. We have investigated the Debye-type dielectric relaxation of binary alcohol/alkane mixtures across the entire concentration range in the supercooled regimes. The focus is on 2-ethyl-1-hexanol in two nonpolar liquids, 3-methylpentane and squalane, which are more fluid and more viscous than the alcohol, respectively. The Debye relaxation is found to occur only for alcohol mole fractions x > 0.2 and is always accompanied by a non-Debye relaxation originating from the alcohol component. Prior to its complete disappearance, the Debye relaxation is subject to broadening. We observe that the Debye dynamics of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol is accelerated in the more fluid 3-methylpentane, while the more viscous squalane leads to longer Debye relaxation times. The present experiments also provide evidence that the breakdown of the Debye relaxation amplitude does not imply the absence of hydrogen-bonded structures.     

Evidence for the importance of trapped particle resonances for resistive wall mode stability in high beta tokamak plasmas

Active measurements of the plasma stability in tokamak plasmas reveal the importance of kinetic resonances for resistive wall mode stability. The rotation dependence of the magnetic plasma response to externally applied quasistatic n=1 magnetic fields clearly shows the signatures of an interaction between the resistive wall mode and the precession and bounce motions of trapped thermal ions, as predicted by a perturbative model of plasma stability including kinetic effects. The identification of the stabilization mechanism is an essential step towards quantitative predictions for the prospects of "passive" resistive wall mode stabilization, i.e., without the use of an "active" feedback system, in fusion-alpha heated plasmas.     

Reactively compatibilized and dynamically vulcanized thermoplastic elastomers based on high-density polyethylene and reclaimed rubber

Melt blending was employed to prepare thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) of reclaimed rubber (RR) and high density polyethylene (HDPE). Mechanical properties of TPE samples were improved in different methods including dynamic vulcanization and reactive blending (reactive compatibilization) during melt mixing in an internal Haake mixer. The physical and mechanical properties of the TPE blends were investigated by the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and tensile tests. The thermal behavior was characterized by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The phase morphology of the blends was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Experimental results showed that, both static and dynamic mechanical properties of reactively-compatibilized and dynamically-vulcanized samples improved significantly compared with the virgin samples. The effect of dynamic-vulcanization and reactivecompatibilization on the mechanical properties revealed that the Young’s modulus and storage modulus increased with both improvement methods. SEM results showed that, dynamic-vulcanization and reactivecompatibilization methods improved the distribution of RR particles in HDPE matrix. Although both methods improved the thermal and mechanical properties of the HDPE/RR blends, dynamic-vulcanization was more effective and promising approach due to the higher properties of HDPE/RR blends prepared by this method.     

Experimental transition probabilities of some Xe(I) lines

Using the light absorption technique in a ¹³²Xe afterglow plasma, we have measured the relative transition probabilities for several xenon lines which have the metastable 6s[$\text{3}\text{2}$]₂ or the resonant 6s[$\text{3}\text{2}$]₁ states as their lowest transition level. Because the transition probabilities of the 8819 Å (6p[$\text{5}\text{2}$]₃ ? 6s[$\text{3}\text{2}$]²) and 8280 Å (6p[$\text{1}\text{2}$]₀ ? 6s[$\text{3}\text{2}$]₁) lines are relatively well known, we have chosen these as reference lines and have thus been able to determine the absolute values of the transition probabilities for 19 xenon lines corresponding to transitions from 6p, 6p′, 7p, 8p, 9p, 4f and 5f to 6s[$\text{3}\text{2}$]₂, and for four lines corresponding to the transitions 6p?6s[$\text{3}\text{2}$]₁.     

Optimal design of a novel NGL/LNG integrated scheme: economic and exergetic evaluation

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - A novel NGL/LNG integrated scheme based on C3MR refrigeration system is modeled by using Aspen plus® in this study. The mentioned scheme utilizes...     

On the phenomena of deformation and neck formation in LLDPE films subjected to uniaxial and biaxial loading conditions

Heterogeneous deformation in the form of dilatational bands is observed under certain biaxial stress states that closely resembles uniaxial necking in LLDPE blown films. The formation and orientation of dilatational bands is a function of film morphology and stress state. The dilatational bands form, with their lengths aligned with the machine direction (MD) of the film, under equibiaxial stress states and nonequibiaxial stress states when the higher principle stress is coincident with the transverse direction (TD). However, homogeneous deformation is observed if the higher principle stress is coincident with the MD. Similarly, uniaxial specimens show necking when the stress is applied in the TD and affine deformation when the stress is applied in the MD. Neck boundary propagation under uniaxial loading is due primarily to the consumption of undrawn material, while dilatational band boundary propagation under an equibiaxial loading also includes simultaneous continued deformation of the drawn material. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 2651–2663, 1999     

The effect of number of baffles on the improvement efficiency of primary sedimentation tanks

In this study, the effect of different numbers of baffles is investigated using computational simulation. Laboratory measurements using different numbers of constant height baffles in a rectangular primary sedimentation tank are conducted. The velocity fields measured by an Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV) are used to verify the results of the computational model. The effects of the number of baffles arrangement on the hydraulic performance of primary settling tanks are studied by using two different ways: the parameters of flow pattern and the Flow Through Curves (FTCs) method. The results of both the experimental and computational investigations indicate that increasing the number of baffles in suitable positions provides minimum volume of the recirculation region, dissipates the kinetic energy, creates a uniform flow field in the tank and finally the hydraulic efficiency of the sedimentation tank will be improved.