Parallel mixing of photolithographically defined nanoliter volumes using elastomeric microvalve arrays

Portable microfluidic systems provide simple and effective solutions for low-cost point-of-care diagnostics and high-throughput biomedical assays. Robust flow control and precise fluidic volumes are two critical requirements for these applications. We have developed a monolithic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microdevice that allows for storing and mixing subnanoliter volumes of aqueous solutions at various mixing ratios. Filling and mixing is controlled via two integrated PDMS microvalve arrays. The volumes of the microchambers are entirely defined by photolithography, hence volumes from picoliter to nanoliter can be fabricated with high precision. Because the microvalves do not require an energy input to stay closed, fluid can be stored in a highly portable fashion for several days. We have confirmed the mixing precision and predictability using fluorescence microscopy. We also demonstrate the application of the device for calibrating fluorescent calcium indicators. Due to the biocompatibility of PDMS, the device will have broad applications in miniaturized diagnostic assays as well as basic biological studies.     

Anti-metatype antibodies in immunoassays

In this review anti-metatype antibodies are described invoking new principles in immunoassay development. Anti-metatype antibodies are immunological reagents specific for the conformation of the liganded antibody active site which do not interact with bound ligand or unliganded antibody. Relationships between anti-metatype antibody reactivity and the ligand-induced conformational state of monoclonal antibodies are reviewed with emphasis on the fluorescein hapten as a small molecule model system. One characteristic result of the interaction of anti-metatype antibodies with liganded antibodies is a significant delay in the dissociation rate (k₂) of the ligand bound within the primary immune complex. The latter is an important consideration for assay development. Polyclonal and monoclonal anti-metatype antibody reagents are characterized in terms of their differential effects on the ligand dissociation rate. Anti-metatype antibody reactivity is further discussed in terms of protein-protein specificity patterns and relative interactions with idiotype-family members, structural derivatives, and site-specific mutants. Incorporation of principles inherent in the anti-metatype concept and their application to assay development are summarized.Abbreviations D₂O deuterium oxide - Fab 50 kd antibody fragment containing V_HC_H1 + V_LC_L domains - FITC(I) fluorescein isothiocyanate (isomer I) - Fv 26 kd fragment of the antibody molecule containing the variable domains of the H and L chains - Ig immunoglobulin - IgG immunoglobulin G with a mol. wt. of 150 kd. - IgM immunoglobulin M with a mol. wt. of 10⁶d - Id idiotype - Ka antibody affinity (k₁/k₂) in M^–1 - k₁ second order rate of ligand association in M^–1s^–1 - k₂ first order rate of ligand dissociation in s^–1 - K_D dissociation constant or the reciprocal of the affinity constant (1/Ka) - Mab monoclonal antibody - Met metatype - NMR nuclear magnetic resonance - SCA single chain Fv derivative containing a synthetic linker between the two variable domains - V_H variable domain of the antibody H chain - V_L variable domain of the antibody L chain     

syn-2,3-Disubstituted-2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzoxathiin rings: preparation from quinone ketals and 2-mercaptoethanols

A general method for the preparation of syn-2,3-disubstituted-2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzoxathiin rings from 2-mercaptoethanols and quinone ketals is presented. This ring system is produced by Michael addition of a 2-mercaptoethanol to a quinone ketal, followed by cyclization of the initial Michael adduct, and subsequent aromatization to afford a syn-2,3-disubstituted-1,4-benzoxathiin in fair to good chemical yield. Several chiral syn-2,3-disubstituted-2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzoxathiin rings were prepared with this method from enantioenriched 2-mercaptoethanols. No loss of enantiopurity was observed.     

Donor—acceptor interactions of substituted benzenes with molecular chlorine and carbon disulfide

CNDO molecular orbital calculations have been performed to analyze donor—acceptor interactions between molecular chlorine and benzene, toluene, mesitylene and hexamethylbenzene and the, as yet, unreported chlorine—hexafluorobenzene and carbon disulfide—benzene pairs. The stabilization energy and the dipole moment and its derivative (?p/?R_CICI) calculated for the benzene—chlorine complex are in good agreement with the estimated experimental values. The trends in the experimental stabilization energies and the Cl-Cl vibrational frequencies with increasing methyl substitution appear to be well reproduced by the calculations. The charge transferred from the benzene donor is polarized toward the outer chlorine atom or sulfur atom. For hexafluorobenzene-chlorine the direction of electronic charge polarization is reversed from that of the benzene and methylbenzene complexes. The calculated results are discussed within the framework of Muliiken's simplified resonance theory for complexes.     

INDUCTION OF SKIN TUMORS IN HAIRLESS MICE BY A SINGLE EXPOSURE TO UV RADIATION*

Abstract— Skin tumors were induced in hairless mutant mice following a single exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV). Tumors were first noted as early as 7 weeks following irradiation. The UV, emitted by FS20/40T12 fluorescent lamps, was principally in the 280–320 nm spectral region with a peak at 313 nm. Single (skin surface) doses of 3 times 10⁴ J/m² to 24 times 10⁴ J/m² were delivered in 3 h or less. The higher doses resulted in more severe acute damage as well as greater tumor yield. Most of the tumors were benign hyperplastic epithelial papillomas; 4 out of 96 tumors examined histologically proved to be squamous cell carcinomas. This appears to be the first report of experimental carcinogenesis due to a single UV exposure, not requiring exogenous chemical promotion.     

Synthesis of 1,2-dihydroindolo [1,7-AB] [1,5] benzodiazepines and related structures. A new heterocyclic ring system

The synthesis of the novel 1,2-dihydroindolo [1,7-ab][1,5]benzodiazepine ring system 4 is described. Condensation of 2-fluoronitrobenzene with indoline provided the starting material for the synthesis, 1-(2-nitrophenyl)indoline (1a) in high yield. The nitro group was reduced catalytically and the resulting amino function was acylated to afford the heterocycle percursor amide 3. Refluxing this amide in phosphorus oxychloride brought about a Bischler-Napieralski type cyclodehydration to form the target 1,2-dihydroindolo[1,7-ab][1,5]benzodiazepine ring system. Dehydrogenation of the latter led to the fully aromatic indolo[1,7-ab][1,5]benzodiazepine structure 5, while reduction with sodium borohydride provided the 1,2,6,7-tetrahydroindolo[1,7-ab]-[1,5]benzodiazepine tetracycle 6.     

Characterization of N-terminal processing of group VIA phospholipase A<Subscript>2</Subscript> and of potential cleavage sites of amyloid precursor protein constructs by automated identification of signature peptides in LC/MS/MS analyses of proteolytic digests

Dysregulation of proteolytic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) contributes to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease, and the Group VIA phospholipase A(2) (iPLA(2)beta) is the dominant PLA(2) enzyme in the central nervous system and is subject to regulatory proteolytic processing. We have identified novel N-terminal variants of iPLA(2)beta and previously unrecognized proteolysis sites in APP constructs with a C-terminal 6-myc tag by automated identification of signature peptides in LC/MS/MS analyses of proteolytic digests. We have developed a Signature-Discovery (SD) program to characterize protein isoforms by identifying signature peptides that arise from proteolytic processing in vivo. This program analyzes MS/MS data from LC analyses of proteolytic digests of protein mixtures that can include incompletely resolved components in biological samples. This reduces requirements for purification and thereby minimizes artifactual modifications during sample processing. A new algorithm to generate the theoretical signature peptide set and to calculate similarity scores between predicted and observed mass spectra has been tested and optimized with model proteins. The program has been applied to the identification of variants of proteins of biological interest, including APP cleavage products and iPLA(2)beta, and such applications demonstrate the utility of this approach.     

Ascorbate-induced oxidation of formate by peroxodisulfate: product yields,kinetics and mechanism

The slow reaction between peroxodisulfate and formate is significantly accelerated by ascorbate at room temperature. The products of this induced oxidation, CO₂ and oxalate (C₂O^2– ₄), were analyzed by several methods and the kinetics of this reaction were measured. The overall mechanism involves free radical species. Ascorbate reacts with peroxodisulfate to initiate production of the sulfate radical ion (SO^– ₄), which reacts with formate to produce carbon dioxide radical ion (CO^– ₂) and sulfate. The carbon dioxide radical reacts with peroxodisulfate to form CO₂ or self-combines to form oxalate. Competition occurring between these two processes determines the overall fate of the carbon dioxide radical species. As pH decreases, protonation of the carbon dioxide radical ion tends to favor production of CO₂.     

Identification of odor signature chemicals in cocaine using solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography and detector-dog response to isolated compounds spiked on U.S. paper currency

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) combined with gas chromatography (GC) is optimized and applied to the analysis of street-cocaine samples followed by the field-testing of isolated chemicals using certified detector dogs. SPME proves to be a very sensitive and rapid method for isolating odor chemicals from street-cocaine samples. SPME-GC and activated charcoal strip (ACS)-SPME-GC signature profile methods are developed for the detection and quantitation of cocaine-odor chemicals, including the optimization of controllable variables such as fiber chemistry, extraction time, and desorption time. The volatile odor chemicals in representative illicit cocaine samples are identified and quantitated by the ACS-SPME-GC signature profile method and direct injection. Field tests with drug detector dogs show methyl benzoate to be the dominant signature odor chemical along with cocaine on U.S. currency at a threshold level of approximately 1-10 microg when spiked or when 10 ng/s methyl benzoate is diffused from polymer bottles, which is required in order to initiate an alert. No other substance studied initiated consistent responses by the drug dogs. The results indicate that the microgram levels of cocaine that have been reported on circulated U.S. currency are insufficient to signal an alert from law-enforcement trained drug detector dogs.