Optimization of Peptide Separations by Differential Ion Mobility Spectrometry

Differential ion mobility spectrometry (DIMS) has the ability to separate gas phase ions based on their difference in ion mobility in low and high electric fields. DIMS can be used to separate mixtures of isobaric and isomeric species indistinguishable by mass spectrometry (MS). DIMS can also be used as a filter to improve the signal-to-background of analytes in complex samples. The resolving power of DIMS separations can be improved several ways, including increasing the dispersion field and increasing the amount of helium in the nitrogen carrier gas. It has been previously demonstrated that the addition of helium to the DIMS carrier gas provides improves separations when the dispersion field is the kept constant as helium content is varied. However, helium has a lower breakdown voltage than nitrogen. Therefore, as the percent helium content in the nitrogen carrier gas is increased, the highest dispersion field accessible decreases. This work presents the trade-offs between increasing dispersion fields and using helium in the carrier gas by comparing the separation of a mixture of isobaric peptides. The maximum resolution for a separation of a mixture of three peptides with the same nominal molar mass was achieved by using a high dispersion field (~72 kV/cm) with pure nitrogen as the carrier gas within the DIMS assembly. The conditions used to achieve the maximum resolution also exhibit the lowest ion transmission through the assembly, suggesting that it is necessary to consider the trade-off between sensitivity and resolution when optimizing DIMS conditions for a given application. Figure

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Global existence for wave maps with torsion

Wave maps (i.e. nonlinear sigma models) with torsion are considered in 2+1 dimensions. Global existence of smooth solutions to the Cauchy problem is proven for certain reductions under a translation group action: invariant wave maps into general targets, and equivariant wave maps into Lie group targets. In the case of Lie group targets (i.e. chiral models), a geometrical characterization of invariant and equivariant wave maps is given in terms of a formulation using frames     

Exact scalar field cosmologies in a higher derivative theory

We obtain exact cosmological solutions of a higher derivative theory described by the Lagrangian L=R+2αR ² in the presence of interacting scalar field. The interacting scalar field potential required for a known evolution of the FRW universe in the framework of the theory is obtained using a technique different from the usual approach to solve the Einstein field equations. We follow here a technique to determine potential similar to that used by Ellis and Madsen in Einstein gravity. Some new and interesting potentials are noted in the presence of R ² term in the Einstein action for the known behaviours of the universe. These potentials in general do not obey the slow rollover approximation.     

New liquid crystalline tetrazine derivatives for guest-host displays

A number of new liquid crystalline tetrazine derivatives was synthesized. The electro-optical studies showed that the 3-n-alkyl-6-[4-(4-n-alkyl-cyclohexanoyloxy)phenyl]-1,2,4,5-tetrazines are excellent dyes for guest-host displays with positive colour contrast.     

Isolation of short-lived isotopes of lanthanum and indium by β-diketonates sublimation

Trace amounts of lanthanum hexafluoroacetylacetonate and indium acetylacetonate were isolated by combination of methods, which includes synthesis of volatile elements -diketonates by nucleophilic ligands exchange and fractional sublimation. This method is useful for produce isotope generators.     

Orbital Angular Momentum in Scalar Diquark Model and QED

We compare the orbital angular momentum of the ‘quark’ in the scalar diquark model as well as that of the electron in QED (to order α) obtained from the Jaffe–Manohar decomposition to that obtained from the Ji relation. We estimate the importance of the vector potential in the definition of orbital angular momentum.     

Programmed trapping of individual bacteria using micrometre-size sieves

Monitoring the real-time behavior of spatial arrays of single living bacteria cells is only achieved with much experimental difficulty due to the small size and mobility of the cells. To address this problem, we have designed and constructed a simple microfluidic device capable of trapping single bacteria cells in spatially well-defined locations without the use of chemical surface treatments. The device exploits hydrodynamics to slow down and trap cells flowing near a narrow aperture. We have modeled this system numerically by approximating the motion of Escherichia coli cells as rigid 3-D ellipsoids. The numerical predictions for the speed and efficiency of trapping were tested by fabricating the devices and imaging GFP expressing E. coli at a high spatio-temporal resolution. We find that our numerical simulations agree well with the actual cell flow for varying trap geometries. The trapped cells are optically accessible, and combined with our ability to predict their spatial location we demonstrate the ease of this method for monitoring multiple single cells over a time course. The simplicity of the design, inexpensive materials and straightforward fabrication make it an accessible tool for any systems biology laboratory.     

The York map is a canonical transformation

The York mapping from the space of freely chosen conformal data to the space of constraint-satisfying physical data is shown to be a canonical transformation for both the vacuum Einstein theory and the Einstein-Maxwell theory.