Anticancer multidrug resistance mediated by MRP1: recent advances in the discovery of reversal agents.

Multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1) belongs to the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter family. It is able to transport a broad range of anticancer drugs through cellular membranes, thus limiting their antiproliferative action. Since its discovery in 1992, MRP1 has been the most studied among MRP proteins, which now count nine members.

Long-term shelf stability of amphiphilic beta-cyclodextrin nanosphere suspensions monitored by dynamic light scattering and cryo-transmission electron microscopy.

Amphiphilic beta-cyclodextrins (betaCDa) were synthesized by statistically grafting hexanoyl carbon chains on the secondary hydroxyl functions of the betaCD glucopyranosyl units. The obtained derivative was used to prepare submicronic colloidal nanosphere suspensions using a nano-precipitation method. The fresh suspensions contained particles with a diameter ranging from 60-100 nm.

Study of vibrational energy localization and redistribution in hydrogen peroxide H2O2 at low energy.

Vibrational energy localization and/or redistribution in hydrogen peroxide H2O2 is studied at about 4000 cm(-1) above the quantum mechanical ground state using the ab initio potential energy surface of Koput, Carter, and Handy [J. Phys. Chem.

Diffraction and spectral statistics in systems with a multilevel scatterer.

A semiclassical framework to interpret the spectral rigidity of a system containing a scatterer with internal states is developed. Our prototype system is a scaled Rydberg molecule in an external magnetic field, where the core is a multilevel scatterer: the potential sheet in which the outer electron moves depends on the quantum state of the core. Thus the electron-core collision, interpreted in terms of the diffraction of the semiclassical waves associated with the outer electron on the core, can result in a change of the electron's dynamical regime.

Structure and rheological behavior of casein micelle suspensions during ultrafiltration process.

The stability and mechanism underlying the formation of deposits of casein micelles during ultrafiltration process were investigated by small-angle and ultra small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS and USAXS). The casein micelle dispersions consisted of phospho-caseinate model powders and the measurements probed length scales ranging from 1 to 2000 nm. Rheometric and frontal filtration measurements were combined with SAXS to establish the relationship between the rheological behavior of deposits (shear and/or compression) and the corresponding microstructure.

A peptide nucleic acid-neamine conjugate that targets and cleaves HIV-1 TAR RNA inhibits viral replication.

The neamine part of the aminoglycoside antibiotic neomycin B was conjugated to a 16 mer peptide nucleic acid (PNA) targeting HIV-1 TAR RNA. Attachment of the neamine core allows cellular uptake of the PNA and results in potent inhibition of HIV-1 replication. The polycationic neamine moiety imparts greater solubility to the PNA and also confers a unique RNA cleavage property to the conjugate which is specific to its target site and functional at physiological concentrations of Mg(2+).

Semiclassical dynamics of the van der Waals states in O3(X1A1).

We present the analysis and the semiclassical quantization of the van der Waals states of ozone in the ground electronic state X1A1. Progressions of these states dominate the spectrum of O3 at threshold. Periodic orbits are used to perform assignment and quantization of the vibrational states.

2,2'-Bi(9,9-dihexylfluorene).

The central part of the title molecule, C(50)H(66), is planar, all the rings being in the same plane; the lateral chains are also planar (excluding H atoms), almost perpendicular to the ring plane and grafted on the same side of the molecule. The molecule has nearly a mirror plane, perpendicular to the central C-C bond, instead of the centre of symmetry expected. The orientation of the plane of the rings is approximately 45 degrees from the unit-cell b axis, so that neighbouring molecules are essentially perpendicular.

Modification of spatial distribution of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid degrader microhabitats during growth in soil columns.

Bacterial processes in soil, including biodegradation, require contact between bacteria and substrates. Knowledge of the three-dimensional spatial distribution of bacteria at the microscale is necessary to understand and predict such processes. Using a soil microsampling strategy combined with a mathematical spatial analysis, we studied the spatial distribution of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) degrader microhabitats as a function of 2,4-D degrader abundance.

Nucleosides and ODN electrochemical detection onto boron doped diamond electrodes.

Boron doped diamond (BDD) is a promising material for electroanalytical chemistry due mainly to its chemical stability, its high electrical conductivity and to the large amplitude of its electroactive window in aqueous media. The latter feature allowed us to study the direct oxidation of the two electroactive nucleosides, guanosine and adenosine. The BDD electrode was first activated by applying high oxidizing potentials, allowing to increase anodically its working potential window through the oxidation of CH surface groups into hydroxyl and carbonyl terminations.

Biotinylated polypyrrole films: an easy electrochemical approach for the reagentless immobilization of bacteria on electrode surfaces.

Biotinylated bacteria were immobilized onto biotin/avidin modified electrode surfaces. Firstly, an electrospotting deposition method, followed by fluorescence microscopy, showed that bacteria were specifically grafted onto a gold surface. Fluorescence intensity versus the quantity of bacteria deposited on the surface was correlated, allowing determination of the microbial saturation point.

Amperometric detection of phenolic compounds by polypyrrole-based composite carbon paste electrodes.

This contribution describes new composite carbon paste electrodes (CPEs) for the determination of phenolic compounds. The composite CPEs were prepared by in situ generation of polypyrrole (PPy) within a paste containing the enzyme polyphenol oxidase (PPO). The best paste composition (enzyme/pyrrole monomer/carbon particles/Nujol) was determined for a model enzyme, glucose oxidase (GOx) according to the enzymatic activity of the resulting electrodes and to the enzyme leakage from the paste during storage in phosphate buffer.

New acridone derivatives for the electrochemical DNA-hybridisation labelling.

In the field of DNA sensing, DNA hybridisation detection is generally performed by fluorescence microscopy. However, fluorescence instrumentation is difficult to miniaturise in order to produce fully integrated DNA chips. In this context, electrochemical detection of DNA hybridisation may avoid this limitation.

Spectroscopic and electrochemical characterization of an aqua ligand exchange and oxidatively induced deprotonation in diiron complexes.

Reaction of the unsymmetrical phenol ligand 2-((bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amino)methyl)-6-(((2-pyridylmethyl)benzylamino)methyl)-4-methylphenol (HL-Bn) or its 2,6-dichlorobenzyl analogue (HL-BnCl(2)) with Fe(H(2)O)(6)(ClO(4))(2) in the presence of disodium m-phenylenedipropionate (Na(2)(mpdp)) followed by exposure to atmosphere affords the diiron(II,III) complexes [Fe(2)(L-Bn)(mpdp)(H(2)O)](ClO(4))(2) and [Fe(2)(L-BnCl(2))(mpdp)(CH(3)OH)](ClO(4))(2), respectively. The latter complex has been characterized by X-ray crystallography. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2(1)/n, with a = 13.

Fractal behavior and scaling law of hydrophobic silica in polyol.

This article examines the rheological properties of a system composed of polyol and colloidal silica. Three types of nanosized silicas with hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces were studied: A200 with OH surface groups, R974 with CH(3) surface groups, and R805, which is grafted with a C(8)H(17) alkyl chain. Rheometric measurements showed that the dispersions of R805 silicas have a yield stress at low volume fraction, unlike the R974 and A200 silicas.

Thermically and electrochemically induced isomerization of a (bis(ferrocene)-cyclam)copper(II) complex.

The new bis(ferrocene)-cyclam macrocycle 1,8-bis(ferrocenylmethyl)-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane, denoted L, has been synthesized. Two Cu(II) complexes with L have been isolated and characterized from X-ray structure determination and electrochemical studies. These two LCu(II) complexes correspond to the type I (ferrocenyl subunits in the same side of the cyclam plane) and type III (ferrocenyl subunits above and below the cyclam plane) isomers.

A novel function for the Epstein-Barr virus transcription factor EB1/Zta: induction of transcription of the hIL-10 gene.

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) plays a critical role in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) biology. Indeed, the EBV genome contains a gene (BCRF1) with homology to the human IL-10 (hIL-10) gene. In addition to viral IL-10, which is secreted late in the productive cycle, hIL-10 production is also induced in B cells infected by EBV.

Regioselective sulfonylation at O-2 of cyclomaltoheptaose with 1-(p-tolylsulfonyl)-(1H)-1,2,4-triazole.

2(I)-O-p-Tolylsulfonylcyclomaltoheptaose was obtained in 42% yield by reaction of 1-(p-tolylsulfonyl)-(1H)-1,2,4-triazole on NaH-deprotonated cyclomaltoheptaose in DMF and further converted into the corresponding mono-2(I),3(I)-manno-epoxide.

Influence of chemical structure of amphiphilic beta-cyclodextrins on their ability to form stable nanoparticles.

The aim of the study was to establish a correlation between the chemical structure of amphiphilic beta-cyclodextrins (beta-CDa) and their ability to form stable nanospheres. Amphiphilic derivatives were obtained according to an optimized well-known three-step synthesis. The selective acylation of the secondary face of beta-CD being well controlled, several beta-CDa presenting different substitution degree were synthesized.

Optimal calibration marker mesh for 2D X-ray sensors in 3D reconstruction.

Image intensifiers suffer from distortions due to magnetic fields. In order to use this X-ray projections images for computer-assisted medical interventions, image intensifiers need to be calibrated. Opaque markers are often used for the correction of the image distortion and the estimation of the acquisition geometry parameters.

Structure revision of medermycin/lactoquinomycin a and of related C-8 glycosylated naphthoquinones.

[reaction: see text] On the basis of chemical and spectral data, the structure of the medermycin/lactoquinomycin A has been revised, which has also led to the revision of related C-glycosylated naphthoquinone antibiotics such as lactoquinomycin B, menoxymycins A and B, G15-F, and G15-G.

New stereoselective reaction of methylglyoxal with 2-aminopyridine and adenine derivatives: formation of imino acid-nucleic base derivatives in water under mild conditions.

A remarkable stereoselective reaction of methylglyoxal with 2-aminopyridine, the nucleic base adenine and adenine nucleosides leads in good yield to heterocycles of a new family in water under mild conditions and should be of interest in the understanding of the biological effects of methylglyoxal which is toxic, mutagenic and involved in diabetic complications.

Diffraction by a small aperture in conical geometry: application to metal-coated tips used in near-field scanning optical microscopy.

Light diffraction through a subwavelength aperture located at the apex of a metallic screen with conical geometry is investigated theoretically. A method based on a multipole field expansion is developed to solve Maxwell's equations analytically using boundary conditions adapted both for the conical geometry and for the finite conductivity of a real metal. The topological properties of the diffracted field are discussed in detail and compared to those of the field diffracted through a small aperture in a flat screen, i.

Light and electric field control of ferromagnetism in magnetic quantum structures.

A strong influence of illumination and electric bias on the Curie temperature and saturation value of the magnetization is demonstrated for semiconductor structures containing a modulation-doped p-type Cd(0.96)Mn(0.04)Te quantum well placed in various built-in electric fields.