Novel pressure stable thermoelectric flow sensor in non-steady state operation mode for inline process analysis in micro reactors

In this contribution results of the non-steady state operation of a novel pressure stable thermoelectric flow sensor chip for the inline chemical process analysis in micro reactors are presented. The sensor chip consists of a heater in between two thermopiles on a novel perforated membrane, thus liquid flows on both sides. Compared to the conventional constant overtemperature/current operation the heater is now operated in non-steady state/pulsed mode and step responses of both thermopiles are evaluated. Based on our results the non-steady operation of the heater leads to a better discrimination between thermal conductivity and heat capacity of the liquid.     

Electrical impedance spectroscopy of gel embedded neuronal cells based on a novel impedimetric biosensor

In this contribution we focus on the on-line analysis of neuronal cells embedded in gel matrices by means of variations in their dielectric and conductive properties. For impedance measurement of thin gel films in flow-through regime a novel impedimetric biosensor was developed. A technique for the preparation of gels containing Neuro-2a neuroblastoma cells (N2a) in between the measurement electrodes was set up. Impedance spectra of gels with N2a cells were analyzed and cell viability was tested. Experimental results showed that even at frequencies (>>1 MHz) and a gel concentration of 2 % with ~8300 cells/μL conductive properties dominate the spectrum.     

Impact of flow-through regime on the cultivation of epithelial cells on quartz crystal resonators in micro fluidic channels

In this contribution the impact of culture medium flow on the cultivation of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells on quartz crystal resonators (QCRs) was studied. Cells were cultivated at different medium flow rates in a bioreactor chip containing 4 QCRs. Confluency and motility of cells were analyzed based on light microscopical pictures and impedance spectra of the resonators. Results were compared with cells cultivated in culture flasks mounted on a shaker and CFD simulation results of the bioreactor chip. Based on our studies the flow-regime in the micro fluidic channel geometry has major impact e.g. on the cell division rate.     

Review: Carbon nanotube based electrochemical sensors for biomolecules

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been incorporated in electrochemical sensors to decrease overpotential and improve sensitivity. In this review, we focus on recent literature that describes how CNT-based electrochemical sensors are being developed to detect neurotransmitters, proteins, small molecules such as glucose, and DNA. Different types of electrochemical methods are used in these sensors including direct electrochemical detection with amperometry or voltammetry, indirect detection of an oxidation product using enzyme sensors, and detection of conductivity changes using CNT-field effect transistors (FETs). Future challenges for the field include miniaturizing sensors, developing methods to use only a specific nanotube allotrope, and simplifying manufacturing.     

On the complement of the Richardson orbit

We consider parabolic subgroups of a general linear group over an algebraically closed field k whose Levi part has exactly t factors. By a classical theorem of Richardson, the nilradical of a parabolic subgroup P has an open dense P-orbit. In the complement to this dense orbit, there are infinitely many orbits as soon as the number t of factors in the Levi part is ≥6. In this paper, we describe the irreducible components of the complement. In particular, we show that there are at most t ? 1 irreducible components. We are also able to determine their codimensions.     

Learning Functions of Few Arbitrary Linear Parameters in High Dimensions

Let us assume that f is a continuous function defined on the unit ball of ℝ ^d , of the form f(x)=g(Ax), where A is a k×d matrix and g is a function of k variables for k≪d. We are given a budget m∈ℕ of possible point evaluations f(x _i ), i=1,…,m, of f, which we are allowed to query in order to construct a uniform approximating function. Under certain smoothness and variation assumptions on the function g, and an arbitrary choice of the matrix A, we present in this paper

Hydration and interactions in protein solutions containing concentrated electrolytes studied by small-angle scattering

During protein crystallization and purification, proteins are commonly found in concentrated salt solutions. The exact interplay of the hydration shell, the salt ions, and protein-protein interactions under these conditions is far from being understood on a fundamental level, despite the obvious practical relevance. We have studied a model globular protein (bovine serum albumin, BSA) in concentrated salt solutions by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The data are also compared to previous studies using SAXS. The SANS results for dilute protein solutions give an averaged volume of BSA of 91,700 ?(3), which is about 37% smaller than that determined by SAXS. The difference in volume corresponds to the contribution of a hydration shell with a hydration level of 0.30 g g(-1) protein. The forward intensity I(0) determined from Guinier analysis is used to determine the second virial coefficient, A(2), which describes the overall protein interactions in solution. It is found that A(2) follows the reverse order of the Hofmeister series, i.e. (NH(4))(2)SO(4) < Na(2)SO(4) < NaOAc < NaCl < NaNO(3) < NaSCN. The dimensionless second virial coefficient B(2), corrected for the particle volume and molecular weight, has been calculated using different approaches, and shows that B(2) with corrections for hydration and the non-spherical shape of the protein describes the interactions better than those determined from the bare protein. SANS data are further analyzed in the full q-range using liquid theoretical approaches, which gives results consistent with the A(2) analysis and the experimental structure factor.     

Synthesis and structure of amido- and imido(pentafluorophenyl)borane zirconocene and hafnocene complexes: N-H and B-H activation

Treatment of Me(2)S·B(C(6)F(5))(n) H(3-n) (n=1 or 2) with ammonia yields the corresponding adducts. H(3)N·B(C(6)F(5))H(2) dimerises in the solid state through N-H···H-B dihydrogen interactions. The adducts can be deprotonated to give lithium amidoboranes Li[NH(2)B(C(6)F(5))(n)H(3-n)]. Reaction of the n=2 reagent with [Cp(2)ZrCl(2)] leads to disubstitution, but [Cp(2)Zr{NH(2)B(C(6)F(5))(2)H}(2)] is in equilibrium with the product of β-hydride elimination [Cp(2)Zr(H){NH(2)B(C(6)F(5))(2)H}], which proves to be the major isolated solid. The analogous reaction with [Cp(2)HfCl(2)] gives a mixture of [Cp(2)Hf{NH(2)B(C(6)F(5))(2)H}(2)] and the N-H activation product [Cp(2)Hf{NHB(C(6)F(5 )(2)H}]. [Cp(2)Zr{NH(2)B(C(6)F(5))(2)H}(2)]·PhMe and [Cp(2)Hf{NH(2)B(C(6)F(5))(2)H}(2)]·4(thf) exhibit β-B-agostic chelate bonding of one of the two amidoborane ligands in the solid state. The agostic hydride is invariably coordinated to the outside of the metallocene wedge. Exceptionally, [Cp(2)Hf{NH(2)B(C(6)F(5))(2)H}(2)]?PhMe has a structure in which the two amidoborane ligands adopt an intermediate coordination mode, in which neither is definitively agostic. [Cp(2)Hf{NHB(C(6)F(5))(2)H}] has a formally dianionic imidoborane ligand chelating through an agostic interaction, but the bond-length distribution suggests a contribution from a zwitterionic amidoborane resonance structure. Treatment of the zwitterions [Cp(2)MMe(μ-Me)B(C(6)F(5))(3)] (M=Zr, Hf) with Li[NH(2)B(C(6)F(5))(n)H(3-n)] (n=2) results in [Cp(2) MMe{NH(2)B(C(6)F(5))(2)H}] complexes, for which the spectroscopic data, particularly (1)J(B,H), again suggest β-B-agostic interactions. The reactions proceed similarly for the structurally encumbered [Cp'(2)ZrMe(μ-Me)B(C(6)F(5))(3)] precursor (Cp'=1,3-C(5)H(3)(SiMe(3))(2) , n=1 or 2) to give [Cp'(2)ZrMe{NH(2)B(C(6)F(5))(n)H(3-n)}], both of which have been structurally characterised and show chelating, agostic amidoborane coordination. In contrast, the analogous hafnium chemistry leads to the recovery of [Cp'(2)HfMe(2)] and the formation of Li[HB(C(6)F(5))(3)] through hydride abstraction.