High-throughput age synchronisation of Caenorhabditis elegans

We present a passive microfluidic strategy for sorting adult C. elegans nematodes on the basis of age and size. The separation mechanism takes advantage of phenotypic differences between 'adult' and 'juvenile' organisms and their behaviour in microfluidic architectures. In brief, the microfluidic device allows worms to sort themselves in a passive manner.     

Structures of chaos in open reaction systems

By numerically simulating the Bray-Liebhafsky (BL) reaction (the hydrogen peroxide decomposition in the presence of hydrogen and iodate ions) in a continuously fed well stirred tank reactor (CSTR), we find "structured" types of chaos emerging in regular order with respect to flow rate as the control parameter. These chaotic "structures" appear between each two successive periodic states, and have forms and evolution resembling to the neighboring periodic dynamics. More precisely, in the transition from period-doubling route to chaos to the arising periodic mixture of different mixed-mode oscillations, we are able to recognize and qualitatively and quantitatively distinguish the sequence of "period-doubling" chaos and chaos consisted of mixed-mode oscillations (the "mixed-mode structured" chaos), both appearing in regular order between succeeding periodic states. Additionally, between these types of chaos, the chaos without such recognizable "structures" ("unstructured" chaos) is also distinguished. Furthermore, all transitions between two successive periodic states are realized through bifurcation of chaotic states. This scenario is a universal feature throughout the whole mixed-mode region, as well as throughout other mixed-mode regions obtained under different initial conditions.     

Clinical chemistry without reagents? An infrared spectroscopic technique for determination of clinically relevant constituents of body fluids

A spectroscopic method based on attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy has been developed for reagent-free analysis of blood and urine constituents in the clinical laboratory and for point-of-care-applications. Blood plasma, whole blood, and urine were analyzed without any sample preparation, such as drying, concentration, or enrichment. Sample volumes as small as 5 μL (a single drop of blood) can be used. Mathematical models, including partial least-squares regression, were used to construct a prediction model which can calculate the concentration of albumin, cholesterol, glucose, total protein, urea, and triglycerides in whole blood or blood plasma samples and the concentration of urea, uric acid, phosphate and creatinine in urine samples. The absolute precision and reproducibility of the prediction reached is sufficient for routine clinical analysis and is only limited by the precision of the reference analysis used for calibration. This was achieved by use of a large number of calibration samples (approx. 400 for blood samples and approx. 100 for urine samples) carefully selected for physiological and pathological range and for specific disease profiles.     

2-(氟代己酰胺基)-苯甲醛与NH3反应生成3-(1-亚胺基氟烷基)- 1H-喹啉-2-酮的反应机理理论研究

采用密度泛函方法(DFT)研究了2-(氟代己酰胺基)-苯甲醛与NH3的微观反应机理. 在B3LYP/6-31G*水平上优化了反应物、过渡态、中间体及产物的几何构型, 通过振动分析确认了过渡态的结构, 并用内禀反应坐标方法(IRC)确认反应途径. 应用分子中的原子理论(AIM)分析了这些物质的成键特征. 报道了可能的反应通道, 其中Re→TS1→ IM1→TS2→IM2→TS3→IM3→TS4→IM7→TS11→IM9→TS12→IM10→TS13→IM11→TS14→P1具有相对较低的活化能, 是反应的主要通道, 理论预测的主要产物与实验吻合. 采用连续介质模型(PCM)方法研究了反应体系的溶剂化效应, 结果表明反应过程中各物质的能量比气相要低. 溶剂化效应使转化能垒有一定程度的升高.     

Desmotropy, polymorphism, and solid-state proton transfer: four solid forms of an aromatic o-hydroxy Schiff base

The Schiff base derived from salicylaldehyde and 2-amino-3-hydroxypyridine affords a diversity of solid forms, two polymorphic pairs of the enol-imino (D1?a and D1?b) and keto-amino (D2?a and D2?b) desmotropes. The isolated phases, identified by IR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and (13)C cross-polarization/magnetic angle spinning (CP/MAS) NMR spectroscopy, display essentially planar molecular conformations characterized by strong intramolecular hydrogen bonds of the O-H???N (D1) or N-H???O (D2) type. A change in the position of the proton within this O???H???N system is accompanied by substantially different molecular conformations and, subsequently, by divergent supramolecular architectures. The appearance and interconversion conditions for each of the four phases have been established on the basis of a number of solution and solvent-free experiments, and evaluated against the results of computational studies. Solid phases readily convert into the most stable form (D1?a) upon exposure to methanol vapor, heating, or by mechanical treatment, and these transformations are accompanied by a change in the color of the sample. The course of thermally induced transformations has been monitored in detail by means of temperature-resolved powder X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. Upon dissolution, all forms equilibrate immediately, as confirmed by NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy in several solvents, with the equilibrium shifted far towards the enol tautomer. This study reveals the significance of peripheral groups in the stabilization of metastable tautomers in the solid state.     

Candida "psilosis"--electromigration techniques and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for phenotypical discrimination

Biofilm-positive strains of Candida parapsilosis are the second most common yeasts responsible for bloodstream infections. This pathogen is difficult to identify by standard methods from other phenotypically indistinguishable species, biofilm-negative Candida orthopsilosis and biofilm-positive Candida metapsilosis. From a medical point of view, important information is especially whether the strains form biofilm. The biofilm formation enables yeast to colonize artificial surfaces thereby protecting the yeast cell against antifungal agents. The commonly used genotypic methods including different modifications of the polymerase chain reaction have some disadvantages. Therefore, a rapid and reliable method able to identify phenotypically indistinguishable C. "psilosis" species is still of great interest. In this study, the four well-established analytical techniques: gel isoelectric focusing, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, were applied in order to discriminate C. "psilosis" species. The ability of these techniques to differentiate between biofilm-positive and biofilm-negative strains was further investigated. Our results have revealed that the proposed methods, especially matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry of intact yeast cells, can be used as the efficient tools for discrimination and identification of the phenotypically indistinguishable microorganisms.     

Cis-trans isomeric and polymorphic effects on the magnetic properties of water-bridged copper coordination chains

The synthesis and magnetic characterization of vanillin-based Cu(II) mononuclear complexes of formula [Cu(van)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](H(2)O)(x) (van = vanillinate; x = 0, compound 1; x = 2, compounds 2 and 3) were performed. Despite the presence of very similar [Cu(van)(2)(H(2)O)(2)] moieties, the crystal structures exhibit distinct Cu···Cu contacts and display three different through-H-bond exchange-coupling pathways. As a result of the relative positions of the water molecules, the experimental (MAGSUS) exchange-coupling constants are dissimilar, i.e., J(1) = -3.0 cm(-1) (the data have been fitted to the Bleaney-Bowers equation considering a dimer; 2J = -6.0 cm(-1)), J(2) = -4.0 cm(-1) (the data have been fitted to the Bonner-Fischer equation for a chain of monomeric copper(II) units), whereas compound 3 is paramagnetic. Subsequently, the theoretical density functional theory (DFT) and wave function theory-based (DDCI) calculations were carried out to better understand the role of the water molecule as a mediator of the magnetic coupling. The use of localized orbitals allows one to elucidate the role of the H-bonds in generating exchange interactions. Since the exchange-coupling constants are strongly dependent on the mechanisms selectively introduced, the role of the H-bond is demonstrated.     

Block Transformation of Hybrid Cellular Automata

By introducing a sequence-block transformation and vector-block transformation, we explore the dynamical properties of hybrid cellular automation (HCA) and hybrid cellular automation with memory (HCAM) in the framework of symbolic dynamics. As the local evolution rules of HCA and HCAM are not-uniform, the new uniform cellular automata (CAs) with multiple states are constructed by specifical the block transformations. Furthermore, because the new CA rules are topologically conjugate with the originals, the complex dynamics of the HCA and HCAM rules can be investigated via the new CA rules.