Electrochemical methods for analysing and controlling charge transfer at the electrode–tissue interface

There have been rapid advances in the development of new materials for use in electrode–tissue interfacing. The development of conducting polymers, conducting hydrogels, carbon nanotubes, graphene and other conducting materials has provided a rich landscape for controlling charge transfer at the electrode–tissue interface and hence to monitor and manipulate cell behaviour. These materials have been used in tissue-engineered constructs to direct and control cell proliferation, growth and differentiation. However, their translation to clinical devices has been less successful. In this review, the use of electroanalytical techniques to develop an understanding of charge transfer at the electrode–tissue interface is discussed. In particular, the impact of solution and electrode conditions on charge injection capacity is demonstrated. The importance of standardised testing methods and the correlation of electrochemical and electrophysiological performance show the limitations of empirical studies and help define key electrode properties for clinical devices. The development of a sound theoretical basis for charge transfer at this increasingly important interface is being advocated to improve clinical outcomes and device lifetime and reduce power usage.     

EBC-232 and 323: A Structural Conundrum Necessitating Unification of Five In Silico Prediction and Elucidation Methods

Structurally unique halimanes EBC-232 and EBC-323, isolated from the Australian rainforest plant Croton insularis, proved considerably difficult to elucidate. The two diastereomers, which consist an unusual oxo-6,7-spiro ring system fused to a dihydrofuran, were solved by unification and consultation of five in silico NMR elucidation and prediction methods [i.e., ACDLabs, olefin strain energy (OSE), DP4, DU8+ and TD DFT CD]. Structure elucidation challenges of this nature are prime test case examples for empowering future AI learning in structure elucidation.     

Saturation of Berge hypergraphs

Given a graph $F$, a hypergraph is a Berge- $F$ if it can be obtained by expanding each edge in $F$ to a hyperedge containing it. A hypergraph $H$ is Berge-$F$-saturated if $H$ does not contain a subhypergraph that is a Berge-$F$, but for any edge $e\in E\left(\overline{H}\right)$, $H+e$ does. The $k$-uniform saturation number of Berge-$F$ is the minimum number of edges in a $k$-uniform Berge-$F$-saturated hypergraph on $n$ vertices. For $k=2$ this definition coincides with the classical definition of saturation for graphs. In this paper we study the saturation numbers for Berge triangles, paths, cycles, stars and matchings in $k$-uniform hypergraphs.     

Inverse colloidal crystal membranes for hydrophobic interaction membrane chromatography

A collaborative study on the robustness and portability of a capillary electrophoresis‐mass spectrometry method for peptide mapping was performed by an international team, consisting of 13 independent laboratories from academia and industry. All participants used the same batch of samples, reagents and coated capillaries to run their assays, whereas they utilized the capillary electrophoresis‐mass spectrometry equipment available in their laboratories. The equipment used varied in model, type and instrument manufacturer. Furthermore, different types of sheath‐flow capillary electrophoresis–mass spectrometry interfaces were used. Migration time, peak height and peak area of ten representative target peptides of trypsin‐digested bovine serum albumin were determined by every laboratory on two consecutive days. The data were critically evaluated to identify outliers and final values for means, repeatability (precision within a laboratory) and reproducibility (precision between laboratories) were established. For relative migration time the repeatability was between 0.05 and 0.18% RSD and the reproducibility between 0.14 and 1.3% RSD. For relative peak area repeatability and reproducibility values obtained were 3–12 and 9–29% RSD, respectively. These results demonstrate that capillary electrophoresis‐mass spectrometry is robust enough to allow a method transfer across multiple laboratories and should promote a more widespread use of peptide mapping and other capillary electrophoresis‐mass spectrometry applications in biopharmaceutical analysis and related fields.     

Steric effects and quantum interference in the inelastic scattering of NO(X) + Ar

Rotationally inelastic collisions of NO(X) with Ar are investigated in unprecedented detail using state-to-state, crossed molecular beam experiments. The NO(X) molecules are selected in the Ω = 0.5, j = 0.5, f state and then oriented such that either the ‘N’ or ‘O’ end of the molecule is directed towards the incoming Ar atom. Velocity map ion imaging is then used to probe the scattered NO molecules in well-defined quantum states. We show that the fully quantum state-resolved differential steric asymmetry, which quantifies how the relative efficiency for scattering off the ‘O’ and the ‘N’ ends of the molecule varies with scattering angle, is strongly affected by quantum interference. Significant changes in both integral and differential cross sections are found depending on whether collisions occur with the N or O ends of the molecule. The results are well accounted for by rigorous quantum mechanical calculations, in contrast to both classical trajectory calculations and more simplistic models that provide, at best, an incomplete picture of the dynamics.     

An open source ion gate pulser for ion mobility spectrometry

Excluding the ion source, an ion mobility spectrometer is fundamentally comprised of drift chamber, ion gate, pulsing electronics, and a mechanism for amplifying and recording ion signals. Historically, the solutions to each of these challenges have been custom and rarely replicated exactly. For the IMS research community few detailed resources exist that explicitly detail the construction and operation of ion mobility systems. In an effort to address this knowledge gap we outline a solution to one of the key aspects of a drift tube ion mobility system, the ion gate pulser. Bradbury-Nielsen or Tyndall ion gates are found in nearly every research-grade and commercial IMS system. While conceptually simple, these gate structures often require custom, high-voltage, floating electronics. In this report we detail the operation and performance characteristics of a wifi-enabled, MOSFET-based pulser design that uses a lithium-polymer battery and does not require high voltage isolation transformers. Currently, each output of this circuit follows a TTL signal with ~20 ns rise and fall times, pulses up to +/? 200 V, and is entirely isolated using fiber optics. Detailed schematics and source code are provided to enable continued use of robust pulsing electronics that ease experimental efforts for future comparison.     

Lattice Distortion and H-passivation in Pure Carbon Electrocatalysts for Efficient and Stable Two-electron Oxygen Reduction to H2O2

The exploration of inexpensive and efficient catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is crucial for chemical and energy industries. Carbon materials have been proved promising with different catalysts enabling 2 and 4e⁻ ORR. Nevertheless, their ORR activity and selectivity is still complex and under debate in many cases. Many structures of these active carbon materials are also chemically unstable for practical implementations. Unlike the well-discussed structures, this work presents a strategy to promote efficient and stable 2e⁻ ORR of carbon materials through the synergistic effect of lattice distortion and H-passivation (on the distorted structure). We show how these structures can be formed on carbon cloth, and how the reproducible chemical adsorption can be realized on these structures for efficient and stable H₂O₂ production. The work here gives not only new understandings on the 2e⁻ ORR catalysis, but also the robust catalyst which can be directly used in industry.