A protein-DNA dimerizer constructed from a DNA-binding polyamide and the peptide FYPWMKG facilitates the binding of a natural transcription factor Exd to an adjacent DNA site. The Exd binding domain can be reduced to a dipeptide WM attached to the polyamide through an epsilon-aminohexanoic acid linker with retention of protein-DNA dimerizer activity. Screening a library of analogues indicated t...

The use of fancy graphics can have a mesmerizing effect on simulation novices and, as such, may blind the user to the actual capabilities and valid usages. The visualization of simulations are distinct from other computer graphic media because they are a representation of an abstract of reality (the model) as opposed to a representation of reality. This extended abstract provides examples of vi...

This is a “cheat sheet”, which means that it consists of information packaged in a concise and efficient way so that it can easily be used as a quick reference. The topic is ranks of elliptic curves, mostly over Q. This is a slightly revised version of the handout I wrote as a supplement to my survey talk “Distributions of Ranks of Elliptic Curves” at MSRI’s Connections for Women: Arithmetic St...

Polyamide-6 (PA-6)/graphite nanocomposites were prepared by melt blending, using a variety of graphites, including virgin graphite, expandable graphites and expanded graphite. The resulting nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, cone calorimetry, and tensile mechanical analysis. Nanocomposite formation does occur, as denoted by the nanometre dispersi...

This paper reports a novel approach in the electrode immobilization of an enzyme, invertase, by electrochemical polymerization of pyrrole in the presence of enzyme. The polypyrrole/invertase and polyamide/polypyrrole/invertase electrodes were constructed by the entrapment of enzyme in conducting matrices during electrochemical polymerization of pyrrole. This study involves the preparation and c...

Synthetic pyrrole (P)-imidazole (I) containing polyamides can target predetermined DNA sequences and modulate gene expression by interfering with transcription factor binding. We have previously shown that rationally designed polyamides targeting the inverted CCAAT box 2 (ICB2) of the topoisomerase IIα (topo IIα) promoter can inhibit binding of transcription factor NF-Y, re-inducing expression ...

Pyrrole-imidazole (Py-Im) hairpin polyamides are a class of small molecule DNA minor groove binding compounds that have been shown to modulate endogenous gene expression in cell culture. Gene regulation by polyamides requires efficient cellular uptake and nuclear localization properties for candidate compounds. To further optimize Py-Im polyamides for enhanced potency in cell culture, a focused...

Nanocomposites were synthesized from reactive thermally stable montmorillonite and aromatic-aliphatic polyamide obtained from 4-aminophenyl sulfone and sebacoyl chloride. Carbonyl chloride terminal chain ends were generated using 1% extra sebacoyl chloride that could interact chemically with the organoclay. The distribution of clay in the nanocomposites was investigated by XRD, SEM, and TEM. Me...

This paper presents initial development of polymer nanocomposites (PNC) material for rapid manufacturing (RM) application. PNC materials containing a polyamide (PA) and nano particles (5wt%) were produced by solution blending with the aim to improve the mechanical properties. Commercial polyamide 6 (PA6) was dissolved in formic acid (HCO2H) together with two different types of nano particle mat...

The "RapidTool" Short Run (SR) Tooling Process using the Copper Polyamide material provides a route to mold inserts for injection molding made directly in the Selective Laser Sintering machine. The STL files for the mold inserts are shelled and conformal cooling lines and ejector pin guides are added before SLS processing. Sintering of the material in the SLS machine provides quick metal/plasti...