Recombinant protein of heptad-repeat HR212, a stable fusion inhibitor with potent anti-HIV action in vitro

HR212, a recombinant protein expressed in Escherichia coli, has been previously reported to inhibit HIV-1 membrane fusion at low nanomolar level. Here we report that HR212 is effective in blocking laboratory strain HIV-1IIIB entry and replication with EC50 values of 3.92±0.62 and 6.59±1.74 nM, respectively, and inhibiting infection by clinic isolate HIV-1KM018 with EC50 values of 44.44±10.20 nM, as well as suppressing HIV-1- induced cytopathic effect with an EC50 value of 3.04±1.20 nM. It also inhibited HIV-2ROD and HIV-2CBL-20 entry and replication in the μM range. Notably, HR212 was highly effective against T20-resistant strains with EC50 values ranging from 5.09 to 7.75 nM. Unlike T20, HR212 showed stability sufficient to inhibit syncytia formation in a time-of-addition assay, and was insensitive to proteinase K digestion. These results suggest that HR212 has great potential to be further developed as novel HIV-1 fusion inhibitor for treatment of HIV/ AIDS patients, particularly for those infected by T20-resistant variants.

PHYSICAL VAPOR TRANSPORT AND CRYSTAL-GROWTH OF GESEXTE1-X SOLID-SOLUTIONS

Physical vapor transport studies of GeSe(x)Te1 - x (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4) solid solutions demonstrated, that individual, large single crystals of these materials can be grown in closed ampoules. A compositional analysis of the grown crystals revealed, that the mass transport (crystal growth) process under steady-state conditions is pseudo-congruent and controlled by diffusion processes in the source material. From these experiments, the degree of non-stoichiometry (Ge-vacancy concentrations) of GeSe(x)Te1 - x single crystals could be estimated. The effects of the cubic to rhombohedral phase transformation during cooling on the microstructure and morphology of the grown mixed crystals are observed. This work provides the basis for subsequent defect studies and electrical measurements on these crystals.

Current oscillations and stable electric field domains in doped GaAs/AlAs superlattices

The crossover between two regimes has been observed in the vertical electric transport of weakly coupled GaAs/AlAs superlattices (SLs). At fixed d.c. bias, the SLs can be triggered by illumination to switch from a regime of temporal current oscillation to the formation of a stable electric field domain. The conversion can be reversed by raising the sample temperature to about 200 K. An effective carrier injection model is proposed to explain the conversion processes, taking into account the contact resistance originating from DX centres in the n(+)-Al0.5Ga0.5As contact layers which is sensitive to light illumination and temperature. In addition, quasiperiodic oscillations have been observed at a particular d.c. bias voltage.

Stable Temperature Characteristics of InAs/GaAs Quantum Dots at Long Wavelength Emission

The time-resolved photoluminescence and steady photoluminescence (TRPL and PL) spectra on self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) are investigated. By depositing GaAs/InAs short period superlattices (SLs), 1. 48 μtm emission is obtained at room temperature. Temperature dependent PL measurements show that the PL intensity of the emission is very steady. It decays only to half as the temperature increases from 15 K to room temperature, while at the same time, the intensity of the other emission decreases by a factor of 5 orders of magnitude. These two emissions are attributed to large-size QDs and short period superlattices (SLs), respectively. Large-size QDs are easier to capture and confine carriers,which benefits the lifetime of PL, and therefore makes the emission intensity insensitive to the temperature.

Stable mode-locking in an Yb:YAG laser with a fast SESAM

Stable mode-locking in a diode-pumped Yb:YAG laser was obtained with a very fast semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM). The pulse width was measured to be 4 ps at the central wavelength of 1047 nm. The average power was 200 mW and the repetition rate was 200 MHz.

Thermally Stable Guest-Host Polyetherketone Poled Polymer for Electro-Optical Applications

The high glass transition temperature polymer polyetherketone doped with disperse red 13 (DR13/PEK-c) has been prepared by the spin-coating method. Through in situ second-harmonic generation, the corona poling temperature was optimized by measuring the temperature dependence of the in situ second-harmonic generation signal intensity under the poling electric field. The linear electro-optic coefficients of the poled polymer films have been determined at 632.8 nm by using a simple interferometric technique. The polymer system was measured after 13 000 h, and found that it remained at 80% of its initial value.