A simple approach to sensor discovery and fabrication on self-assembled monolayers on glass

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on glass were used as a platform to sequentially deposit fluorophores and small molecules for ion sensing. The preorganization provided by the surface avoids the need for complex receptor design, allowing for a combinatorial approach to sensing systems based on small molecules. The resulting libraries are easily measured and show varied responses to a series of both cations and anions. This technology is transferable from the macro- to the microscale both via microcontact printing (microCP), where the fluorophore is printed onto a glass surface, and via direct attachment of the fluorophore to microchannel walls. The ease of miniaturization of this technology may make the generation of a wide variety of simple yet efficient microarrays possible.     

A theoretical study of special acoustic effects caused by the staircase of the El Castillo pyramid at the Maya ruins of Chichen-Itza in Mexico

It is known that a handclap in front of the stairs of the great pyramid of Chichen Itza produces a chirp echo which sounds more or less like the sound of a Quetzal bird. The present work describes precise diffraction simulations and attempts to answer the critical question what physical effects cause the formation of the chirp echo. Comparison is made with experimental results obtained from David Lubman. Numerical simulations show that the echo shows a strong dependence on the kind of incident sound. Simulations are performed for a (delta function like) pulse and also for a real handclap. The effect of reflections on the ground in front of the pyramid is also discussed. The present work also explains why an observer seated on the lowest step of the pyramid hears the sound of raindrops falling in a water filled bucket instead of footstep sounds when people, situated higher up the pyramid, climb the stairs.     

The representation of 3D gaussian beams by means of inhomogeneous waves

There are different methods to mathematically represent a bounded beam. Perhaps the most famous method is the classical Fourier method that consists of the superposition of pure homogeneous plane waves all traveling in different directions and having an amplitude that can be found by the Fourier transform of the required profile. This method works perfectly for 2D as well as for 3D bounded beams. However, some researchers prefer the inhomogeneous wave theory to represent a bounded beam because some phenomena, e.g. the Schoch effect, are explained by this method by means of concepts that agree better with intuition. There are several papers dealing with this method for 2D gaussian beams. Until now, it has never been considered possible to represent 3D gaussian beams as well. The present paper shows a method to overcome this shortcoming and presents different sorts of 3D gaussian beams that are built up by means of inhomogeneous plane waves.     

The population-sample decomposition approach to multivariate estimation methods

In this paper it is argued that all multivariate estimation methods, such as OLS regression, simultaneous linear equations systems and, more widely, what are known as LISREL methods, have merit as geometric approximation methods, even if the observations are not drawn from a multivariate normal parent distribution and consequently cannot be viewed as ML estimators. It is shown that for large samples the asymptotical distribution of any estimator, being a totally differentiable covariance function, may be assessed by the δ method. Finally, we stress that the design of the sample and a priori knowledge about the parent distribution may be incorporated to obtain more specific results. It turns out that some fairly traditional assumptions, such as assuming some variables to be non-random, fixed over repeated samples, or the existence of a parent normal distribution, may have dramatic effects on the assessment of standard deviations and confidence bounds, if such assumptions are not realistic. The method elaborated by us does not make use of such assumptions.     

Analytic study of multiserver buffers with two-state Markovian arrivals and constant service times of multiple slots

In this paper, we study the behavior of a discrete-time multiserver buffer system with infinite buffer size. Packets arrive at the system according to a two-state Markovian arrival process. The service times of the packets are assumed to be constant, equal to multiple slots. The behavior of the system is analyzed by means of an analytical technique based on probability generating functions (PGF’s). Explicit expressions are obtained for the PGF’s of the system contents and the packet delay. From these, the mean values, the variances and the tail distributions of the system contents and the packet delay are calculated. Numerical examples are given to show the influence of various model parameters on the system behavior.     

Carbon nanotubes-assisted polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for enhanced separation of human serum proteins and application in liverish diagnosis

The application of pore-gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PG-PAGE) incorporated with carbon nanotube modified by Triton X-100 and carboxylation so as to improve the separation of human serum proteins is reported. The novel PG-PAGE was made by adding water-soluble single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) when preparing the polyacrylamide gel. Significant improvements in separation of complement C3 protein and haptoglobin (Hp) in human serum were achieved. It was estimated that the interactions between the hydrophilic groups on the proteins and the surface of the CNTs result in different adsorption kinetics of complement C3 and Hp subtype on the nanoparticles incorporated in the gel, thus enhancing the separation of the two proteins in serum. This new CNT matrix-assisted PG-PAGE method for enhanced separation of complement C3 and Hp in human serum was successfully applied to distinguish the samples from liverish patients and healthy people.     

Hydrodynamic chromatography of polystyrene microparticles in micropillar array columns

We report on the possibility to perform HDC in micropillar array columns and the potential advantages of such a system. The HDC performance of a pillar array column with pillar diameter = 5 μm and an interpillar distance of 2.5 μm has been characterized using both a low MW tracer (FITC) and differently sized polystyrene bead samples (100, 200 and 500 nm). The reduced plate height curves that were obtained for the different investigated markers all overlapped very well, and attained a minimum value of about h_min = 0.3 (reduction based on the pillar diameter), corresponding to 1.6 μm in absolute value and giving good prospects for high efficiency separations. The obtained reduced retention time values were in fair agreement with that predicted by the Di Marzio and Guttman model for a flow between flat plates, using the minimal interpillar distance as characteristic interplate distance.     

Nickel N‐heterocyclic carbene complexes in the vinyl polymerization of norbornene

Vinyl polymerized norbornene has some useful properties such as good mechanical strength, optical transparency and heat resistance. Several transition metal complexes have been described in the literature as active catalysts for the vinyl polymerization of norbornene. We now report the use of three types of nickel(II) complexes with N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands in the catalytic vinyl polymerization of norbornene under a range of conditions. Specifically, two nickel complexes bearing a chelating bis(NHC) ligand, two nickel complexes bearing two chelating anionic N‐donor functionalized NHC ligands as well as one diiodidonickel(II) complex with two monodentate NHC ligands were tested. The solid‐state structure of bis(1,3‐dimethylimidazol‐2‐ylidene)diiodidonickel(II), as determined by X‐ray crystallography, is presented. The highest polymerization activity of 2.6 × 10⁷ g (mol cat)^?1 h^?1 was observed using the latter nickel complex as catalyst, activated by methylaluminoxane. The norbornene polymers thus obtained are of high molecular weight but with rather low polydispersity. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A modified HOL priority scheduling discipline: Performance analysis

In this paper, we introduce and analyze a modified HOL (head-of-the-line) priority scheduling discipline. The modification is incorporated to cope with the so-called starvation problem of regular HOL priority queues. We consider a discrete-time single-server queueing system with two priority queues of infinite capacity and with the introduced priority scheme. We show that the use of probability generating functions is suitable for analyzing the system contents and the packet delay. Some performance measures (such as means and variances) of these stochastic quantities will be derived. Furthermore, approximate expressions of the tail probabilities are obtained from the probability generating functions, by means of the dominant-singularity method. These expressions, together with their characteristics, constitute one of the main contributions of this paper. Finally, the impact and significance of the m-HOL (modified HOL) priority scheduling on these performance measures is illustrated by some numerical examples.