Integrated three-dimensional filter separates nanoscale from microscale elements in a microfluidic chip

We report on the integration of a size-based three-dimensional filter, with micrometre-sized pores, in a commercial microfluidic chip. The filter is fabricated inside an already sealed microfluidic channel using the unique capabilities of two-photon polymerization. This direct-write technique enables integration of the filter by post-processing in a chip that has been fabricated by standard technologies. The filter is located at the intersection of two channels in order to control the amount of flow passing through the filter. Tests with a suspension of 3 μm polystyrene spheres in a Rhodamine 6G solution show that 100% of the spheres are stopped, while the fluorescent molecules are transmitted through the filter. We demonstrate operation up to a period of 25 minutes without any evidence of clogging. Preliminary validation of the device for plasma separation from whole blood is shown. Moreover, the filter can be cleaned and reused by reversing the flow.     

Conformational basis for asymmetric seeding barrier in filaments of three- and four-repeat tau

Tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease is intimately linked to the deposition of proteinacious filaments, which akin to infectious prions, have been proposed to spread via seeded conversion. Here we use double electron-electron resonance (DEER) spectroscopy in combination with extensive computational analysis to show that filaments of three- (3R) and four-repeat (4R) tau are conformationally distinct. Distance measurements between spin labels in the third repeat, reveal tau amyloid filaments as ensembles of known β-strand-turn-β-strand U-turn motifs. Whereas filaments seeded with 3R tau are structurally homogeneous, filaments seeded with 4R tau are heterogeneous, composed of at least three distinct conformers. These findings establish a molecular basis for the seeding barrier between different tau isoforms and offer a new powerful approach for investigating the composition and dynamics of amyloid fibril ensembles.     

Frequency dependence of electron spin relaxation for threeS = 1/2 species doped into diamagnetic solid hosts

Electron spin lattice relaxation rates (1/T₁) were measured as a function of temperature at two or three microwave frequencies for threeS = 1/2 species in temperature ranges with different dominant relaxation processes. Between 10 and 50 K the contribution from the direct process to the relaxation rate was substantially greater at 94 than at 9.5 GHz for a vanadyl porphyrin doped into zinc tetratolylporphyrin. For bis(diethyldithiocarbamato)copper(II) doped into the diamagnetic Ni(II) analog the relaxation rate between 25 and 100 K is dominated by the Raman process and exhibits little frequency dependence between 9.2 and 94 GHz. For 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinoloxy (tempol) doped into a diamagnetic host the relaxation rate between about 40 and 100 K is dominated by the Raman process. In this temperature range, relaxation rates at 3.2, 9.2, and 94 GHz exhibit little frequency dependence. Above about 130 K, the relaxation rate for tempol decreases in the order S-band s> X-band > W-band. The relaxation rates in this temperature range fit a model in which 1/T₁ is dominated by a thermally activated process that is assigned as rotation of the methyl groups on the nitroxyl ring.     

Aged nuclear explosive melt glass: Radiography and scanning electron microscope analyses documenting radionuclide distribution and glass alteration

Assessment of the long-term performance of nuclear melt glass under saturated conditions provides insight into factors controlling radionuclide release into groundwater. Melt glass samples were collected from an underground nuclear detonation cavity at the Nevada Test Site that was in contact with groundwater for more than 10 years. The samples were made into thin sections and the distribution of alpha-activity mapped using CR-39 plastic detectors. The melt glass is visually heterogeneous and the results of the alpha-track radiography indicate that the highest alpha-activity is associated with areas of dark colored glass. Analyses of the thin sections by alpha-spectrometry show the prominent actinide species to be ²³⁸Pu, ^239,240Pu and ²⁴¹Am. Scanning electron microprobe analysis of the bulk glass shows conspicuous alteration layers lining internal vesicle surfaces in the glass. X-ray diffraction patterns for the alteration phases are consistent with clay mineral compositions. Glass dissolution models indicate these layers are too thick to have formed at ambient temperatures over the 10 year period in which they remained in a saturated environment. This implies the alteration layers likely formed at temperatures higher than ambient during cooling of the cavity following the underground detonation. Mobilization of this clay alteration layer as colloidal particles in groundwater represents a potential source of actinide release into the environment.     

Set intersection representations for almost all graphs

Two variations of set intersection representation are investigated and upper and lower bounds on the minimum number of labels with which a graph may be represented are found that hold for almost all graphs. Specifically, if θ_k(G) is defined to be the minimum number of labels with which G may be represented using the rule that two vertices are adjacent if and only if they share at least k labels, there exist positive constants c_k and c′_k such that almost every graph G on n vertices satisfies Changing the representation only slightly by defining θ;_odd (G) to be the minimum number of labels with which G can be represented using the rule that two vertices are adjacent if and only if they share an odd number of labels results in quite different behavior. Namely, almost every graph G satisfies Furthermore, the upper bound on θ_odd(G) holds for every graph. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Electron spin relaxation of radicals in γ-irradiated malonic acid and methyl malonic acid

Radicals generated by γ-irradiation of malonic acid and methyl malonic acid were studied as a function of temperature by inversion recovery, echo-detected saturation recovery and electron-electron double resonance (ELDOR) at X-band, and by continuous-wave saturation recovery at X-band and S-band. ELDOR reductions for malonic acid radical in polycrystalline and single-crystal samples indicate that nuclear spin relaxation is faster than both electron spin relaxation and cross relaxation between 93 and 233 K. Deuteration of the carboxylate protons caused the maximum ELDOR reduction to shift from about 110 to 150 K, consistent with the assignment of the rapid nuclear spin relaxation to hydrogen-bonded proton dynamics. ELDOR enhancements for both radicals formed in methyl malonic acid indicate that cross relaxation is faster than both electron spin relaxation and nuclear spin relaxation between 77 and 220 K. Enhanced cross relaxation and electron spin relaxation are attributed to the rotation of methyl groups at a rate comparable to the electron Larmor frequency. The temperature dependence of the enhancement of 1/T _1e was analyzed to determine the activation energies for methyl rotation. The same radical is formed in irradiated methyl malonic acid and L-alanine, but the barrier to rotation of the α-methyl is 500 K in the methyl malonic acid host and 1500 K in the L-alanine host, which indicates a large impact of the lattice on the barrier to rotation.     

Precision measurement of the muon momentum in pion decay at rest

A new series of precision measurements of the muon momentum p_μ⁺ in the decay π→μ⁺v_μ at rest have been made using a magnetic spectrometer. The result is p_μ⁺=(29.79139 ± 0.00083) MeV/c. The consequences of this value for the rest masses of the muon neutrino and of the charged pion are discussed.     

A high-resolution laser Doppler anemometer for three-dimensional turbulent boundary layers

 A new laser Doppler anemometer optimized for high spatial resolution near a wall is described. The instrument uses short focal length optics, a mirror probe in the flow, and side-scatter collection to produce a measuring volume 35 μm in diameter by 66 μm long. Data are presented for a two-dimensional boundary layer, demonstrating the instrument’s ability to measure Reynolds shear stresses as close to the wall as 0.1 mm, or y ⁺≈3. Received: 6 October 1995/Accepted: 9 April 1996     

Direct Metalation of 1,3,5,7-Tetranitrocubane with Amides of Tin and Lead. Preparation and Chemistry of o-Nitrostannanes and o-Nitroplumbanes in the Cubyl Series(1)

Trialkyltin and trialkyllead amides react directly and remarkably easily with 1,3,5,7-tetranitrocubane to form mono- to tetrakis(trialkyltin)- and -(trialkyllead) tetranitrocubanes. These are all stable compounds. The X-ray crystallographic properties of some are given. The (trialkylstannyl)cubanes react with electrophiles such as bromine with unexpected cleavage of alkyltin bonds rather than cubyl-tin bonds. On the other hand, the (trialkylplumbyl)cubanes do ultimately undergo cubyl-lead bond cleavage. This provides a useful way to achieve substitution on the cubane nucleus and provides access to compounds such as 1,3,5,7-tetrabromo-2,4,6,8-tetranitrocubane. The lead derivatives of tetranitrocubane are also useful for making 1,2,3,5,7-pentanitrocubane and 1,2,3,4,5,7-hexanitrocubane.