Attachment of glycosaminoglycan oligosaccharides to thiol-derivatised gold surfaces

Glycosaminoglycan oligosaccharides have been attached to thiol-derivatised gold surfaces, via the formation of mercury-sugar adducts at the non-reducing end, representing a new method of generating versatile glycoconjugates incorporating this class of biologically and medically important carbohydrate.     

Novel formulations of vitamins and insulin by nanoengineering of polyelectrolyte multilayers around microcrystals

Microcapsules loaded with vitamin K3 (VK3), biotin, or insulin were prepared by using a novel coating technology based on the layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes onto microcrystal templates. This produced multilayered, polymeric shells of varying thickness around the crystalline cores. Dissolution of the core material (VK3 with ethanol, biotin with basic solution, and insulin with acidic solution), resulted in its release through the shells. Microelectrophoresis was employed to monitor the microcrystal coating process; confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to verify multilayer coating and the formation of hollow polymer shells following removal of the microcrystal templates. The release rates of both VK3 and insulin decreased as the wall thickness (the number of polyelectrolyte layers deposited onto the microcrystal cores), increased. The release time could be varied by a factor of more than ten, depending on the number of polyelectrolyte layers applied. Following the addition of 70 mass % ethanol, the solubility of VK3 increased by as much as 170-fold, resulting in an increased rate of VK3 release. By selecting appropriate polymer materials for the shells, and by controlling the number of polyelectrolyte layers applied, shells of various thickness, stiffness, aqueous solubility, dispersibility, biocompatibility, and permeability can be constructed.     

Rapid identification of environmental bacterial strains by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

In recent years, various mass spectrometry procedures have been developed for bacterial identification. The accuracy and speed with which data can be obtained by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) could make this a powerful tool for environmental monitoring. However, minor variations in the sample preparation can influence the mass spectra significantly. Therefore, the first objectives of this study were the adjustment and the optimization of experimental parameters allowing a rapid identification of whole bacterial cells without laborious sample preparation. The tested experimental parameters were matrix, extraction solvent, salt content, deposition method, culture medium and incubation time. This standardized protocol was applied to identify reference and environmental bacterial strains of Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Acinetobacter. The environmental bacterial strains were isolated from sewage sludge using an original microextraction procedure based on repeated sonications and enzymatic treatments. The bacterial identification was realized by the observation of the respective genus-, species- and strain-specific biomarkers. This bacterial taxonomy could be completed within one hour, with minimal sample preparation, provided that sufficient bacteria had been collected prior to MALDI-TOF analysis.     

Investigating 3He diffusion NMR in the lungs using finite difference simulations and in vivo PGSE experiments

Finite difference simulations have been used to model (3)He gas diffusion in simulated lung tissue. The technique has the advantage that a wide range of structural models and diffusion-sensitizing gradient waveforms can be investigated, for which analytical methods would otherwise be virtually impossible. Results from simulations and in vivo pulsed-gradient-spin-echo (PGSE) experiments show that the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) is a function of diffusion time and gradient strength, and suggests diffusion is locally anisotropic. The simulations have been compared to recent work on an analytical model that characterizes lung tissue as a series of independent cylinders. The results presented may have clinical implications for (3)He ADC measurements in assessing lung diseases such as chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease.     

Acoustic excitations in a self-assembled block copolymer photonic crystal

High resolution Brillouin light scattering can sensitively detect acoustic phonons in concentrated solutions of a high molecular weight poly(styrene-b-isoprene) symmetric copolymer in toluene. This block copolymer lamellar forming system also possesses a photonic stop band in the visible spectrum. Based on the low but finite contrast in mechanical properties between the styrene and isoprene components and taking into account the geometrical characteristics of the layered microstructure, we calculate the acoustic band structure and represent the observed acousticlike and opticlike phonons.     

Intraoperative contrast-enhanced MR-imaging as predictor of tissue damage during cryoablation of porcine liver

This study evaluate intraoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as predictor of tissue damage following cryoablation of porcine liver with and without concomitant hepatic vascular inflow occlusion.Inflow occlusion was used during freezing in 6 of 12 pigs included. The volumes of the procedural ice-balls were estimated from MR images. Immediately after thawing contrast (MnDPDP) enhanced MRI was performed to estimate the volume of the cryolesion. Four days after ablation MRI was repeated of the in-vivo and the ex-vivo liver. Photography was performed of the sliced liver specimens to estimate the volumes of the lesions. The intraoperative volume of the cryolesion as shown by contrast enhanced MRI corresponded well to the ice-ball volume for lesions made without vascular occlusion (difference 0.3 +/- 0.9 cm(3), p = 0.239). For lesions made during occlusion the volume of the intraoperative cryolesion was larger than the corresponding ice-ball (difference 7.5 +/- 3.3 cm(3), p = 0.003). The volume of the cryolesions as estimated from histopathology four days after freezing and contrast enhanced MRI immediately after freezing corresponded well for lesions made with (difference -2.6 +/- 4.5 cm(3), p = 0.110) and without vascular occlusion (difference -0.5 +/- 2.3 cm(3), p = 0.695).Intraoperative MnDPDP-enhanced MRI of the cryolesion is predictive of the tissue damage induced during cryoablation of porcine liver. The procedural ice-ball is not, if induced during inflow occlusion.     

Single Machine Scheduling of Unit-time Jobs with Controllable Release Dates

The paper presents a bicriterion approach to solve the single-machine scheduling problem in which the job release dates can be compressed while incurring additional costs. The two criteria are the makespan and the compression cost. For the case of equal job processing times, an O(n⁴) algorithm is developed to construct integer Pareto optimal points. We discuss how the algorithm developed can be modified to construct an -approximation of noninteger Pareto optimal points. The complexity status of the problem with total weighted completion time criterion is also established.     

Equitable resolvable coverings

In an earlier article, Willem H. Haemers has determined the minimum number of parallel classes in a resolvable 2‐(qk,k,1) covering for all k ≥ 2 and q = 2 or 3. Here, we complete the case q = 4, by construction of the desired coverings using the method of simulated annealing. Secondly, we look at equitable resolvable 2‐(qk,k,1) coverings. These are resolvable coverings which have the additional property that every pair of points is covered at most twice. We show that these coverings satisfy k < 2q ? , and we give several examples. In one of these examples, k > q. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 11: 113–123, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/jcd.10024     

Single Supplier Scheduling for Multiple Deliveries

The problem of scheduling the production and delivery of a supplier to feed the production of F manufacturers is studied. The orders fulfilled by the supplier are delivered to the manufacturers in batches of the same size. The supplier's production line has to be set up whenever it switches from processing an order of one manufacturer to an order of another manufacturer. The objective is to minimize the total setup cost, subject to maintaining continuous production for all manufacturers. The problem is proved to be NP-hard. It is reduced to a single machine scheduling problem with deadlines and jobs belonging to F part types. An O(NlogF) algorithm, where N is the number of delivery batches, is presented to find a feasible schedule. A dynamic programming algorithm with O(N ^F /F ^F–2) running time is presented to find an optimal schedule. If F=2 and setup costs are unit, an O(N) time algorithm is derived.