Synthesis, characterization and biocompatibility of a multifunctional gold nanoparticle system for the delivery of single-stranded RNA to lymphocytes

The use of RNA macromolecules as therapeutic agents for HIV and other infectious diseases is promising but limited by suboptimal delivery to the target site. With HIV infection, this is particularly challenging since lymphocytes are particularly difficult to transfect. This paper describes an innovative strategy for the intracellular delivery of a novel single-stranded RNA (oligoribonucleotide) with putative anti-HIV activity. This strategy is based on a PEGylated gold nanoparticle scaffold covalently linked to the thiol-modified oligoribonucleotide via a cleavable N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio) propionate (SPDP) linker molecule. The nanoparticle was then coated with a cationic polymer (polyethyleneimine) to facilitate cell entry and endosomal escape. A synthetic anti-CD4 cyclic targeting peptide was attached to the polyethyleneimine-coated nanoparticle via an SPDP linker molecule, in an attempt to enhance uptake and selectivity. Synthesis, characterization, SPDP and RNA loading, cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of the nanoparticle are described. Approximately 45 000 strands of RNA were taken up per lymphocyte. Uptake was limited by relatively inefficient loading ofRNAonto the gold nanoparticle surface (1 strand per 4.8 nm2 of nanoparticle surface area) and significant aggregation of the nanoparticle in physiological solutions. No antiviral activity was demonstrated, possibly due to insufficient intracytoplasmic delivery of the RNA.Keywords: Gold nanoparticle, polyethyleneimine, transfection, RNA deliver

(S)-N-Benzyl-2-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetra­hydro­isoquinoline-3-carboxamide

The structure of the title compound, C18H20N2O, at 173 K has hexa­gonal (P61) symmetry. The N-containing six-membered ring assumes a half-chair conformation. In the crystal, inter­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonding via the amide groups cross-link the mol­ecules along the a axis. The absolute configuration was confirmed by 2D NMR studies

3-Benzyl-5,7-dimeth­oxy­chroman-4-ol

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C18H20O4, O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds connect the mol­ecules in parallel layers along the b axis

Galactic Cosmic Strings as Sources of Primary Antiprotons

A possible signature of a class of superconducting cosmic strings trapped in the Milky Way plasma is the emission of low energy antiprotons due to baryon number violating processes on the string. We find the terrestrial flux and the energy spectrum of such antiprotons. Current observational bounds on the flux of low energy antiprotons place a {\it lower} bound on the string tension which is comparable to that given by the electroweak scale.Comment: 11 pages; added reference to recent observations of low energy antiproton

Microwave-assisted synthesis of meso-carboxyalkyl-BODIPYs and an application to fluorescence imaging

Please read abstract in the article.http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Journals/JournalIssues/OB2021-09-21hj2021Nuclear Medicin

Anomalous dipion invariant mass distribution of the Υ(4S)\Upsilon(4S) decays into Υ(1S)π+π−\Upsilon(1S) \pi^{+} \pi^{-} and Υ(2S)π+π−\Upsilon(2S) \pi^{+} \pi^{-}

To solve the discrepancy between the experimental data on the partial widths and lineshapes of the dipion emission of $\Upsilon(4S)$ and the theoretical predictions, we suggest that there is an additional contribution which was not taken into account in previous calculations. Noticing that the mass of $\Upsilon(4S)$ is above the production threshold of $B\bar B$, the contribution of the sequential process $\Upsilon(4S)\to B\bar B\to \Upsilon(nS)+S\to \Upsilon(nS)+\pi^+\pi^-$ ($n=1,2$) may be sizable, and its interference with that from the direct production would be important. The goal of this work is to investigate if a sum of the two contributions with a relative phase indeed reproduces the data. Our numerical results on the partial widths and the lineshapes $d\Gamma(\Upsilon(4S)\to \Upsilon(2S,1S)\pi^+\pi^-)/d(m_{\pi^+\pi^-})$ are satisfactorily consistent with the measurements, thus the role of this mechanism is confirmed. Moreover, with the parameters obtained by fitting the data of the Belle and Babar collaborations, we predict the distributions $d\Gamma(\Upsilon(4S)\to \Upsilon(2S,1S)\pi^+\pi^-)/d\cos\theta$ which have not been measured yet.Comment: 5 pages, 3 tables and 4 figures. Accepted by Eur. Phys. J.

Physics Opportunities with the 12 GeV Upgrade at Jefferson Lab

This white paper summarizes the scientific opportunities for utilization of the upgraded 12 GeV Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) and associated experimental equipment at Jefferson Lab. It is based on the 52 proposals recommended for approval by the Jefferson Lab Program Advisory Committee.The upgraded facility will enable a new experimental program with substantial discovery potential to address important topics in nuclear, hadronic, and electroweak physics.Comment: 64 page

Status of CMB Polarization Measurements from DASI and Other Experiments

We review the current status and future plans for polarization measurements of the cosmic microwave background radiation, as well as the cosmology these measurements will address. After a long period of increasingly sensitive upper limits, the DASI experiment has detected the E-mode polarization and both the DASI and WMAP experiments have detected the TE correlation. These detections provide confirmation of the standard model of adiabatic primordial density fluctuations consistent with inflationary models. The WMAP TE correlation on large angular scales provides direct evidence of significant reionization at higher redshifts than had previously been supposed. These detections mark the beginning of a new era in CMB measurements and the rich cosmology that can be gleaned from them.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figures; To be published in the proceedings of "The Cosmic Microwave Background and its Polarization", New Astronomy Reviews, (eds. S. Hanany and K.A. Olive

Proximity effect at superconducting Sn-Bi2Se3 interface

We have investigated the conductance spectra of Sn-Bi2Se3 interface junctions down to 250 mK and in different magnetic fields. A number of conductance anomalies were observed below the superconducting transition temperature of Sn, including a small gap different from that of Sn, and a zero-bias conductance peak growing up at lower temperatures. We discussed the possible origins of the smaller gap and the zero-bias conductance peak. These phenomena support that a proximity-effect-induced chiral superconducting phase is formed at the interface between the superconducting Sn and the strong spin-orbit coupling material Bi2Se3.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure