Low power consumption and high sensitivity carbon monoxide gas sensor using indium oxide nanowire

In this paper, micro gas sensor was fabricated using indium oxide nanowire for effective gas detection and monitoring system. Indium oxide nanowire was grown using thermal CVD, and their structural properties were examined by the SEM, XRD and TEM. The electric properties for microdropped indium oxide nanowire device were measured, and gas response characteristics were examined for CO gas. Sensors showed high sensitivity and stability for CO gas. And with below 20 mw power consumption, 5 ppm CO could be detected.

An isotropic chemical shift-chemical shift anisotropic correlation experiment using discrete magic angle turning

An isotropic-anisotropic shift 2D correlation spectroscopy is introduced that combines the advantages of both magic angle turning (MAT) and magic angle hopping (MAH) technologies. In this new approach, denoted DMAT for "discrete magic angle turning", the sample rotates clockwise followed by an anticlockwise rotation of exactly the same amount with each rotation less or equal than 360 degrees but greater than 240 degrees , with the rotation speed being constant only for times related to the evolution dimension. This back and forth rotation is repeated and synchronized with a special radio frequency (RF) pulse sequence to produce an isotropic-anisotropic shift 2D correlation spectrum. For any spin-interaction of rank-2 such as chemical shift anisotropy, isotropic magnetic susceptibility interaction, and residual homo-nuclear dipolar interaction in biological fluid samples, the projection along the isotropic dimension is a high resolution spectrum. Since a less than 360 degrees sample rotation is involved, the design potentially allows for in situ control over physical parameters such as pressure, flow conditions, feed compositions, and temperature so that true in situ NMR investigations can be carried out.

Glutamine induces heat-shock protein-70 and glutathione expression and attenuates ischemic damage in rat islets

BACKGROUND

The transplantation of isolated islets is believed to be an attractive approach for cure of diabetes mellitus. Heat-shock protein (HSP70), which plays a vital role in cellular protection, has been detected in various tissues subjected to stress. Glutamine (GLN) is an important cellular fuel and an essential precursor for the antioxidant glutathione (GSH). It is believed to enhance cellular survival against a variety of stressful stimuli through HSP70. Thus, we performed this study to examine the hypothesis that preoperative GLN administration induces HSP70 and GSH expression before islet transplantation attenuating ischemic damage to rat islets.

METHODS

Adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into two groups according to the administration of GLN after islet isolation. Group A served as the controls, receiving no GLN. Group B islet cells were cultured with L-GLN (10 mmol/L) supplementation for 24 hours. The GSH levels were measured in islet cells. Both HSP70 and proteins related to apoptosis were analyzed in islet cells by Western blots. Isolated rat islets were cultured with interleukin (IL)-1beta. Nitrite production was measured using the Griess reagent.

RESULTS

The GSH levels were significantly elevated in the glutamine-treated group. HSP70 expression in islets treated with GLN was markedly stronger compared with the control group. The basal Bcl-2 expression was markedly increased by GLN treatment. The GLN-treated group showed attenuated IL-1beta-induced injury in association with NO production.

CONCLUSION

These results suggested that preoperative GLN administration induced HSP70 and GSH expressions before islet transplantation, thus attenuating IL-1beta-induced injury in association with NO production and apoptosis, which might be potential tool to mitigate the ischemic damage to islet cells and the early inflammation at the site of implantation through a self-protective mechanism.

Case of adult mumps infection after renal transplantation

Viruses are the most common cause of opportunistic infections, important complications of transplantation. Mumps infection in renal transplant recipients is uncommon. This report focused on a 23-year-old woman who received immunosuppressive therapy based on tacrolimus, prednisolone, and mycophenolate mofetil for renal transplantation. Sixteen months after transplantation, she was admitted with pain and swelling in both infra-auricular areas. Laboratory findings demonstrated positive mumps IgM and IgG antibodies and an increased serum amylase level. Computed tomography revealed both parotid glands to be diffusely enlarged. After the diagnosis of mumps parotitis, the patient's immunosuppression was reduced and the clinical course was satisfactory.

Electrical characterization of ZnO single nanowire device for chemical sensor application

Vertically well-aligned high quality ZnO nanowires were grown on GaN epilayer on c-plane sapphire via a vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) process by introducing an Au thin film (3 nm) as a catalyst. ZnO single nanowire device was ingenuously fabricated by combining conventional optical lithography and high resolution electron beam lithography and its current-voltage characteristics were measured with doing the post process to acquire reproducible performance as a chemical gas sensor. And its temperature dependent current-voltage characteristics were measured to investigate temperature dependant electrical transport. The ZnO nanowire device showed slightly non-ohmic current-voltage characteristics which may be due to back-to-back configuration of the diodes with the insulating contact barriers and showed an relatively small activation energy of 0.2 eV. To test our device as a chemical sensor, the NO2 gas response was reported at the elevated temperature.

Simple synthesis of functionalized superparamagnetic magnetite/silica core/shell nanoparticles and their application as magnetically separable high-performance biocatalysts

Uniformly sized silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles (magnetite@silica) are synthesized in a simple one-pot process using reverse micelles as nanoreactors. The core diameter of the magnetic nanoparticles is easily controlled by adjusting the w value ([polar solvent]/[surfactant]) in the reverse-micelle solution, and the thickness of the silica shell is easily controlled by varying the amount of tetraethyl orthosilicate added after the synthesis of the magnetite cores. Several grams of monodisperse magnetite@silica nanoparticles can be synthesized without going through any size-selection process. When crosslinked enzyme molecules form clusters on the surfaces of the magnetite@silica nanoparticles, the resulting hybrid composites are magnetically separable, highly active, and stable under harsh shaking conditions for more than 15 days. Conversely, covalently attached enzymes on the surface of the magnetite@silica nanoparticles are deactivated under the same conditions.

Inverse Temperature-Dependent Pathway of Cellulose Decrystallization in Trifluoroacetic Acid

An unusual inverse temperature-dependent pathway was observed during cellulose decrystallization in trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). Decreasing the TFA treatment temperature accelerated the cellulose decrystallization process. It took only 100 min to completely decrystallize cellulose at 0 degrees C in TFA, a result not achieved in 48 h at 25 degrees C in the same medium. There was neither cellulose esterification nor a change of cellulose macrofibril morphology by TFA treatment at 0 degrees C. Our IR data suggest that TFA molecules are present as cyclic dimers when they penetrate into crystalline cellulose regions, transforming crystalline cellulose to amorphous cellulose. On the other hand, the rate of TFA penetration into the cellulose matrix was greatly retarded at higher temperatures where monomeric TFA prevails. At elevated temperatures, esterification of TFA monomers on the external surface of crystalline cellulose, agglomeration of cellulose macrofibrils, as well as water released from the esterification reaction, inhibit the diffusion rate of TFA into the cellulose crystalline region and decrease the TFA swelling capability.

Crosslinked enzyme aggregates in hierarchically-ordered mesoporous silica: A simple and effective method for enzyme stabilization

alpha-chymotrypsin (CT) and lipase (LP) were immobilized in hierarchically-ordered mesocellular mesoporous silica (HMMS) in a simple but effective way for the enzyme stabilization, which was achieved by the enzyme adsorption followed by glutaraldehyde (GA) crosslinking. This resulted in the formation of nanometer scale crosslinked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) entrapped in the mesocellular pores of HMMS (37 nm), which did not leach out of HMMS through narrow mesoporous channels (13 nm). CLEA of alpha-chymotrypsin (CLEA-CT) in HMMS showed a high enzyme loading capacity and significantly increased enzyme stability. No activity decrease of CLEA-CT was observed for 2 weeks under even rigorously shaking condition, while adsorbed CT in HMMS and free CT showed a rapid inactivation due to the enzyme leaching and presumably autolysis, respectively. With the CLEA-CT in HMMS, however, there was no tryptic digestion observed suggesting that the CLEA-CT is not susceptible to autolysis. Moreover, CLEA of lipase (CLEA-LP) in HMMS retained 30% specific activity of free lipase with greatly enhanced stability. This work demonstrates that HMMS can be efficiently employed as host materials for enzyme immobilization leading to highly enhanced stability of the immobilized enzymes with high enzyme loading and activity.

Water-induced morphology changes in BaO/γ-Al2O3NOxstorage materials

Exposure of NO(2)-saturated BaO/gamma-Al(2)O(3) NO(x) storage materials to H(2)O vapour results in the conversion of surface nitrates to Ba(NO(3))(2) crystallites, causing dramatic morphological changes in the Ba-containing phase, demonstrating a role for water in affecting the NO(x) storage/reduction properties of these materials.

Polyoma virus-associated nephropathy and concurrent cytomegalovirus infection in the kidney transplant recipients

INTRODUCTION

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and polyoma virus BK (BKV) may both establish latency following primary infection. Frequent reactivation of these viruses can occur in the kidney transplant recipients. BKV may induce CMV gene expression by stimulating cellular regulator proteins or by its own gene regulator proteins. A high rate of concurrent CMV infections has been noted in kidney transplant recipients with polyoma virus-associated nephropathy (PVAN).

METHODS

PVAN was identified in 10 of 191 patients who received kidney transplants between October 1998 and September 2003. PVAN was confirmed by allograft kidney biopsy. Four of the 10 patients were complicated by concurrent CMV infection.

RESULTS

Two patients had only serological evidence of CMV infection and one patient had CMV gastritis. These three patients were treated with intravenous ganciclovir with good results. Disseminated ganciclovir-resistant CMV disease was demonstrated in the remaining patient. This 34-year-old kidney transplant recipient with PVAN died of multiorgan failure despite antiviral therapy with both ganciclovir and foscarnet.

CONCLUSION

PVAN with concurrent CMV infection in kidney transplant recipients showed variable clinical courses including mortality. Further studies are needed to elucidate the influence of PVAN on the pathogenesis of CMV infection.

Morphological Evolution of Ba(NO3)2 Supported on α-Al2O3(0001): An In Situ TEM Study

A key question for the BaO-based NOx storage/reduction catalyst system is the morphological evolution of the catalyst particles during the uptake and release of NOx. Notably, because the formed product during NOx uptake, Ba(NO3)2, requires a lattice expansion from BaO, one can anticipate that significant structural rearrangements are possible during the storage/reduction processes. Associated with the small crystallite size of high-surface area gamma-Al2O3, it is difficult to extract structural and morphological features of Ba(NO3)2 supported on gamma-Al2O3 by any direct imaging method, including transmission electron microscopy. In this work, by choosing a model system of Ba(NO3)2 particles supported on single-crystal alpha-Al2O3, we have investigated the structural and morphological features of Ba(NO3)2 as well as the formation of BaO from Ba(NO3)2 during the thermal release of NOx, using ex-situ and in-situ TEM imaging, electron diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and Wulff shape construction. We find that Ba(NO3)2 supported on alpha-Al2O3 possesses a platelet morphology, with the interface and facets being invariably the eight [111] planes. Formation of the platelet structure leads to an enlarged interface area between Ba(NO3)2 and alpha-Al2O3, indicating that the interfacial energy is lower than the Ba(NO3)2 surface free energy. In fact, Wulff shape constructions indicate that the interfacial energy is approximately 1/4 of the [111] surface free energy of Ba(NO3)2. The orientation relationship between Ba(NO3)2 and the alpha-Al2O3 is alpha-Al2O3[0001]//Ba(NO3)2[111] and alpha-Al2O3(1-210)//Ba(NO3)2(110). Thus, the results clearly demonstrate dramatic morphology changes in these materials during NOx release processes. Such changes are expected to have significant consequences for the operation of the practical NOx storage/reduction catalyst technology.

Effect of Barium Loading on the Desulfation of Pt-BaO/Al2O3 Studied by H2 TPRX, TEM, Sulfur K-edge XANES, and in Situ TR-XRD

Desulfation processes were investigated over sulfated Pt-BaO/Al2O3 with different barium loading (8 and 20 wt %) by using H2 temperature programmed reaction (TPRX), transmission electron microscope (TEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES), and in situ time-resolved X-ray diffraction (TR-XRD) techniques. Both sulfated samples (8 and 20 wt %) form sulfate species (primarily BaSO4) as evidenced by S K-edge XANES and in situ TR-XRD. However, the desulfation behavior is strongly dependent on the barium loading. Sulfated Pt-BaO8/Al2O3, consisting predominantly of surface BaO/BaCO3 species, displays more facile desulfation by H2 at lower temperatures than sulfated Pt-BaO20/Al2O3, a material containing primarily bulk BaO/BaCO3 species. Therefore, after desulfation with H2 up to 1073 K, the amount of the remaining sulfur species on the former, mostly as BaS, is much less than that on the latter. This suggests that the initial morphology differences between the two samples play a crucial role in determining the extent of desulfation and the temperature at which it occurs. It is concluded that the removal of sulfur is significantly easier at lower barium loading. This finding can potentially be important in developing more sulfur resistant LNT catalyst systems.

Protein C and/or S deficiency presenting as peripheral arterial insufficiency

Although protein C and/or S deficiency has frequently been associated with venous thromboembolic events, instances of arterial thromboses have been reported. However, the exact incidence of protein C and/or S deficiency in patients with peripheral arterial insufficiency has not been established. Furthermore, given the lack of adequate studies to define the natural history and angiographic findings of these patients, the treatment has not been well delineated. Therefore, we conducted a prospective study to investigate the prevalence, characteristic angiographic findings and optimal treatments in patients with peripheral arterial insufficiency associated with protein C and/or S deficiency. Between September 2000 and August 2004, 133 patients who presented with peripheral arterial insufficiency underwent hypercoagulability tests before the initiation of any treatments. Of these, 11 patients (8.3%) with protein C and/or S deficiency were included in this study. There were nine males and two females. The ages ranged from 38 years to 72 years (mean 57 years). All patients showed characteristic angiographic findings: long segment thrombotic occlusion of a main peripheral artery without evidence of atherosclerosis or with mild atherosclerotic changes in the aorta and other major arterial trees. Surgical or endovascular procedures were performed in nine patients: bypass graft in four, thrombectomy in four and catheter-directed thrombolysis in one. Conservative treatment with full anticoagulation was performed in two patients. All patients received pre- and post-operative anticoagulation. Except for one amputated case, clinical and vascular laboratory improvements were achieved in 10 patients. Mean follow-up period was 21 months (range 4-45 months). However, one patient, in whom re-vascularization surgery was performed successfully, discontinued warfarin therapy himself at 10 months after surgery, graft occlusion and limb loss occurred at 30 months after surgery. This initial experience suggests that protein C and/or S deficiency may be an independent risk factor for peripheral arterial insufficiency. Patients who present with peripheral arterial insufficiency and protein C and/or S deficiency demonstrate characteristic angiographic findings. Once the diagnosis of protein C and/or S deficiency is made, patients should be treated with life-long anticoagulation.

Simple synthesis of hierarchically ordered mesocellular mesoporous silica materials hosting crosslinked enzyme aggregates

Hierarchically ordered mesocellular mesoporous silica materials (HMMS) were synthesized using a single structure-directing agent. The mesocellular pores are synthesized without adding any pore expander; the pore walls are composed of SBA-15 type mesopores. Small-angle X-ray scattering revealed the presence of uniform pore structures with two different sizes. Using HMMS as a nanoscopic template, hierarchically ordered mesocellular mesoporous carbon (HMMC) and polymer (HMMP) materials were synthesized. HMMS was used as a host for enzyme immobilization. To improve the retention of enzymes in HMMS, we adsorbed enzymes, and then employed crosslinking using glutaraldehyde (GA). The resulting crosslinked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) show an impressive stability with extremely high enzyme loadings. For example, 0.5 g alpha-chymotrypsin (CT) could be loaded in 1 g of silica with no activity decrease observed with rigorous shaking over one month. In contrast, adsorbed CT without GA treatment resulted in a lower loading, which further decreased due to continuous leaching of adsorbed CT under shaking. The activity of crosslinked CT aggregates in HMMS was approximately 10 times higher than that of the adsorbed CT, which represents a 74-fold increase in activity per unit weight of HMMS due to higher CT loading.

Preparation of biocatalytic nanofibres with high activity and stability via enzyme aggregate coating on polymer nanofibres

We have developed a unique approach for the fabrication of enzyme aggregate coatings on the surfaces of electrospun polymer nanofibres. This approach employs covalent attachment of seed enzymes onto nanofibres consisting of a mixture of polystyrene and poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride), followed by a glutaraldehyde (GA) treatment that cross-links additional enzyme molecules and aggregates from the solution onto the covalently attached seed enzyme molecules. These cross-linked enzyme aggregates, covalently attached to the nanofibres via the linkers of seed enzyme molecules, are expected to improve the enzyme activity due to increased enzyme loading, and also the enzyme stability. To demonstrate the principle, we coated α-chymotrypsin (CT) on nanofibres electrospun from a mixture of polystyrene and poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride). The initial activity of CT-aggregate-coated nanofibres was nine times higher than nanofibres with just a layer of covalently attached CT molecules. The enzyme stability of CT-aggregate-coated nanofibres was greatly improved with essentially no measurable loss of activity over a month of observation under rigorous shaking conditions. This new approach of enzyme coating on nanofibres, yielding high activity and stability, creates a useful new biocatalytic immobilized enzyme system with potential applications in bioconversion, bioremediation, and biosensors.

Line narrowing in 1H MAS spectrum of mesoporous silica by removing adsorbed H2O using N2

The peaks for silanol protons in the high-resolution (1)H NMR spectrum obtained on mesoporous silica materials may be broadened and shifted downfield by hydrogen bonding with adsorbed water molecules. Overlapping of the resonance for hydrogen-bonded silanol with the corresponding broad peak due to hydrogen-bonded water may further complicate the spectrum. These complications hamper a quantitative analysis of the spectra for these and similar materials. It is demonstrated in this paper that adsorbed water can be removed by exposing the sample to dry N(2) during magic angle spinning. This results in significant line narrowing for the silanol protons in the (1)H MAS spectrum. The enhanced spectral resolution makes it possible to quantify the various hydroxyl groups in a complex metal-oxide catalyst. Results obtained on tungsten oxide supported on SBA-15 mesoporous silica materials are reported. Additionally, the proton chemical shift of tungsten hydroxyl is identified for the first time.

Changing Morphology of BaO/Al2O3 during NO2 Uptake and Release

The changes in the morphology of Ba-oxide-based NO(x)() storage/reduction catalysts were investigated using time-resolved X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersed spectroscopy. Large Ba(NO(3))(2) crystallites form on the alumina support when the catalyst is prepared by the incipient wetness method using an aqueous Ba(NO(3))(2) solution. Heating the sample to 873 K in a He flow results in the decomposition of the Ba(NO(3))(2) phase and the formation of both a monolayer BaO film strongly interacting with the alumina support and nanocrystalline BaO particles. Upon NO(2) exposure of these BaO phases at room temperature, small (nanosized) Ba(NO(3))(2) crystals and a monolayer of surface nitrate form. Heating this sample in NO(2) results in the coalescence of the nanocrystalline Ba(NO(3))(2) particles into large crystals. The average crystal size in the reformed Ba(NO(3))(2) layer is significantly smaller than that measured after the catalyst preparation. Evidence is also presented for the existence of a monolayer Ba(NO(3))(2) phase after thermal treatment in NO(2), in addition to these large crystals. These results clearly demonstrate the dynamic nature of the Ba-containing phases that are active in the NO(x)() storage/reduction process. The proposed morphology cycle may contribute to the understanding of the changes observed in the performances of these catalysts during actual operating conditions.

The Catalytic Chemistry of HCN + NO2over Na− and Ba−Y,FAU: An in Situ FTIR and TPD/TPR Study

The adsorption of HCN and the reaction of HCN with NO(2) over Na-, and Ba-Y,FAU zeolite catalysts were investigated using in situ FTIR and TPD/TPR spectroscopies. Both catalysts adsorb HCN molecularly at room temperature, and the strength of adsorption is higher over Ba-Y than Na-Y. Over Na-Y, the reaction between HCN and NO(2) is slow at 473 K. On Ba-Y, HCN reacts readily with NO(2) at 473K, forming N(2), CO, CO(2), HNCO, NO, N(2)O, and C(2)N(2). The results of this investigation suggest that initial step in the HCN + NO(2) reaction over these catalysts is the hydrogen abstraction from HCN, and the formation of ionic CN- and NC- species. The formation of N(2) can proceed directly from these ionic species upon their interaction with NO+. Alternatively, these cyanide species can be oxidized to isocyanates which then can be further transformed to N(2), N(2)O and CO(x) in their subsequent reaction with NO(x).

NO2 Adsorption on BaO/Al2O3: The Nature of Nitrate Species

Temperature programmed desorption, infrared spectroscopy, and (15)N solid state NMR spectroscopy were used to characterize the nature of the nitrate species formed on Al(2)O(3) and BaO/Al(2)O(3) NO(x) storage/reduction materials. Two distinctly different nitrate species were found: surface nitrates that are associated with a monolayer BaO on the alumina support, and a bulk-like nitrate that forms on this thin BaO layer. The surface nitrates desorb as NO(2) at lower temperatures than do the bulk-like nitrates, which decompose as NO+O(2) at higher temperatures. The amount of NO(x) stored in the monolayer nitrate is proportional to the surface area of the catalyst, while that in the bulk nitrate increases with BaO coverage.

A novel plasmid-mediated beta-lactamase that hydrolyzes broad-spectrum cephalosporins in a clinical isolate of Klebsiella pneumoniae

A new extended-spectrum beta-lactamase with an isoelectric point (pI) of 6.2 was detected in Klebsiella pneumoniae F161 that was isolated from a patient with infection. This strain was highly resistant to the third or fourth generation cephalosporins such as ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, cefoperazone, and cefpirome. Analysis of this strain by the double disk diffusion test showed synergies between amoxicillin-clavulanate (AMX-CA) and cefotaxime, and AMX-CA and aztreonam, which suggested that this strain produced a extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL). Genetic analysis revealed that the resistance was due to the presence of a 9.4-kb plasmid, designated as pKP161, encoding for new beta-lactamase gene (bla). Sequence analysis showed that a new bla gene of pKP161 differed from bla(TEM-1) by three mutations leading to the following amino acid substitutions: Val84 --> Ile, Ala184 --> Val, and Gly238 --> Ser. These mutations have not been reported previously in the TEM type beta-lactamases produced by clinical strains. The novel beta-lactamase was overexpressed in E. coli and purified by ion exchange chromatography on Q-Sepharose and CM-Sepharose, and then further purified by gel filtration on Sehadex G-200. The catalytic activity of the purified beta-lactamase was confirmed by the nitrocefin disk.

Four new coumarin derivatives from Artemisia keiskeana

Four new coumarin monoterpene ethers, artekeiskeanols A-D (1-4), and three known coumarins, isofraxidin, fraxidin, and daphnoretin, were isolated from the whole plants of Artemisia keiskeana. All structures were determined from spectral data, and that of artekeiskeanol A (1) was confirmed by synthesis.

Milolides, new briarane diterpenoids from the western Pacific octocoral Briareum stechei

Eleven new briarane-type diterpene lactones, designated milolides (1--8, 10--12), together with four known diterpene lactones (9, 13--15), were isolated from the Micronesian octocoral Briareum stechei collected at Yap, Federated States of Micronesia. One aspect of the stereochemistry of one of the known compounds, solenolide C (9), is revised. Structures of the new compounds were determined from spectral data.

Inducible and constitutive expression using new plasmid and integrative expression vectors for Thermus sp

AIMS

To develop molecular tools and examine inducible and constitutive gene expression in Thermus thermophilus.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Two plasmid promoter probe vectors and an integrative promoter probe vector were constructed using a promoterless thermostable kanamycin nucleotidyltransferase (KmR) cassette. Three expression vectors were constructed based on a constitutive promoter J17, that functions in both Thermus and Escherichia coli. An inducible expression vector was constructed using the heat-shock inducible promoter (70 to 85 degrees C) from the dnaK gene of T. flavus, and the malate dehydrogenase gene (mdh) from T. flavus was cloned and expressed in both E. coli and T. thermophilus HB27.

CONCLUSION

This report describes the construction and use of improved promoter probe and expression vectors for use in Thermus species. The mdh gene can be used as a high temperature (85 degrees C) reporter gene for Thermus sp. The dnaK promoter is thermo-inducible.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The expression vectors and molecular tools described here are significant improvements over previously reported vectors for Thermus sp. The mdh gene and the thermo-inducible dnaK promoter will facilitate high temperature studies employing Thermus species.

Gene delivery into rat glomerulus using a mesangial cell vector

To develop an effective protocol of gene transfer into glomeruli, an ex vivo gene delivery system using rat mesangial cells (RMC) as a vector was examined. RMC genetically engineered with a retrovirus harboring the Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase gene was used to estimate the efficacy of gene delivery and the location of the cells within the kidney. The RMC expressing beta-galactosidase, RMCLZ1, was cultured in vitro and the cells were injected into the left kidney through the renal artery of a normal Sprague Dawley rat. At least 1 x 10(6) RMCLZ1 was required for effective gene delivery into glomeruli. One hour and 1, 4, and 14 d after injection, glomeruli were isolated from the left kidneys injected with the cells and the expression of beta-galactosidase in each glomeruli was evaluated. One hour and 1 d after injection, more than 90 and 80%, respectively, of glomeruli from the left kidney showed strong beta-galactosidase activity, while no activity of beta-galactosidase was found in the glomeruli from the right kidneys. The number of glomeruli stained by X-gal and the intensity decreased with time. Fourteen days after injection, about 35% of the glomeruli retained the RMCLZ1. X-gal and periodic acid-Schiff staining of frozen sections obtained 14 d after injection allowed the estimation of the site where the mesangial cells injected were located. The mesangial cells were found mainly in two different locations, the glomerular capillary and the mesangium. The majority (about 90%) of the mesangial cells were located in the glomerular capillary and about 9% of the cells were in the mesangial area. Occasionally, the positive staining was found in proximal tubules and the interlobular artery. Although additional methods are required for the site-specific targeting of the mesangial area, the ex vivo gene transfer to glomeruli is feasible and may be a useful tool for future investigations in the pathological mechanisms of glomerular injury.

Sesquiterpene quinols/quinones from the Micronesian sponge Petrosaspongia metachromia

Two new sesquiterpenes, pelorol (1) and 5-epi-smenospongine (2), and seven known ones (3-9) were isolated from the sponge Petrosaspongia metachromia, collected from Yap, Federated States of Micronesia. Their structures were determined from spectral data. Pelorol (1) possesses a new carbon skeleton.

Cloning, overexpression and purification of Bacillus subtilis elongation factor Tu in Escherichia coli

To establish the overexpression and one-step purification system of Bacillus subtilis elongation factor-Tu (EF-Tu), the EF-Tu gene was amplified with or without own ribosome binding site (rbs) by PCR and the only PCR product without rbs was subcloned successfully. For the expression of the EF-Tu gene cloned after PCR amplification, a constitutive expression system and inducible expression system with His6 tag at N-terminus or C-terminus, or glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion system were examined in E. coli and B. subtilis. Except GST fusion system in E. coli, however, all other trials were unsuccessful at the step of plasmid construction for the EF-Tu expression. The GST/EF-Tu fusion proteins were highly expressed by IPTG induction and obtained as both soluble and insoluble form. From the soluble GST/EF-Tu fusion protein, EF-Tu was obtained to near homogeneity by one-step purification with glutathione-sepharose affinity column chromatography followed by factor Xa treatment. The purified EF-Tu showed high GDP binding activity. These results indicate that the GST/EF-Tu fusion system is favorable to overexpression and purification of B. subtilis EF-Tu.