Direct loading of polymer matrices in plastic microchips for rapid DNA analysis: A comparative study

We report the design and performance validation of microfluidic separation technologies for human identification using a disposable plastic device suitable for integration into an automated rapid DNA analysis system. A fabrication process for a 15-cm long hot-embossed plastic microfluidic devices with a smooth semielliptical cross section out of cyclic olefin copolymer is presented. We propose a mixed polymer solution of 95% w/v hydroxyethylcellulose and 5% w/v polyvinylpyrrolidone for a final polymer concentration of 2.5 or 3.0% to be used as coating and sieving matrix for DNA separation. This formulation allows preparing the microchip without pretreatment in a single-loading step and provides high-resolution separation (≈1.2 bp for fragments <200 bp), which is superior to existing commercial matrices under the same conditions. The hot-embossed device performance is characterized and compared to injection-molded devices made out of cyclic olefin copolymer based on their respective injector geometry, channel shape, and surface charges. Each device design is assessed by fluorescence videomicroscopy to evaluate the formation of injection plugs, then by comparing electropherograms for the separation of a DNA size standard relevant to human identification.     

Random Skew Plane Partitions with a Piecewise Periodic Back Wall

Random skew plane partitions of large size distributed according to an appropriately scaled Schur process develop limit shapes. In the present work, we consider the limit of large random skew plane partitions where the inner boundary approaches a piecewise linear curve with non-lattice slopes, describing the limit shape and the local fluctuations in various regions. This analysis is fairly similar to that in Okounkov and Reshetikhin (Commun Math Phys 269:571–609, 2007), but we do find some new behavior. For instance, the boundary of the limit shape is now a single smooth (not algebraic) curve, whereas the boundary in Okounkov and Reshetikhin (Commun Math Phys 269:571–609, 2007) is singular. We also observe the bead process introduced in Boutillier (Ann Probab 37(1):107–142, 2009) appearing in the asymptotics at the top of the limit shape.     

时间分辨全反射红外光谱对醋酸诱导丝蛋白构象转变的研究

采用时间分辨全反射红外光谱为主要分析手段, 对醋酸在丝蛋白膜中的扩散过程及其对丝蛋白构象转变机理进行了研究. 结果表明, 醋酸能够诱导丝蛋白构象转变为β-折叠. 醋酸的扩散速率和β-折叠构象的生成速率较为相似, 表明醋酸分子渗透到丝蛋白聚集体中是破坏丝蛋白原有氢键并诱导肽链重排, 进而实现构象转变的一个先决条件. 同时, 通过比较真空干燥处理前后丝蛋白膜的实验结果, 证实了丝蛋白中的水含量是影响醋酸的扩散速度以及丝蛋白多肽链重排速度的一个重要因素.     

A generalized fortress problem using k-consecutive vertex guards

The fortress problemwas posed independently by Joseph Malkelvitch and Derick Wood to determine the number of guards sufficient to cover the exterior of an n-vertex polygon. O'Rourke and Wood showed that vertex guards are sometimes necessary and always sufficient. Yiu and Choi considered a variation of the problem by allowing each guard to patrol an edge (called an edge guard) of the polygon and obtained a tight bound of edge guards for general polygons. In this paper, we unify and generalize both results by considering the number of k-consecutive vertex guards that are required to solve the fortress problem. A tight bound of is obtained. Received 21 July 1999; revised 23 March 2000.     

Wireless Coupling of Conducting Polymer Actuators with Light Emission

Combining the actuation of conducting polymers with additional functionalities is an interesting fundamental scientific challenge and increases their application potential. Herein we demonstrate the possibility of direct integration of a miniaturized light emitting diode (LED) in a polypyrrole (PPy) matrix in order to achieve simultaneous wireless actuation and light emission. A light emitting diode is used as a part of an electroactive surface on which electrochemical polymerization allows direct incorporation of the electronic device into the polymer. The resulting free-standing polymer/LED hybrid can be addressed by bipolar electrochemistry to trigger simultaneously oxidation and reduction reactions at its opposite extremities, leading to a controlled deformation and an electron flow through the integrated LED. Such a dual response in the form of actuation and light emission opens up interesting perspectives in the field of microrobotics.     

Catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of alkenes with arabinose-derived uloses

Four l-erythro-2-uloses were readily prepared from l-arabinose via a reaction sequence involving Fischer glycosidation, acetalization and oxidation. Bulky steric sensors at the anomeric center could enhance the stereoselectivity of the dioxirane epoxidation and one of the uloses performed with good enantioselectivity towards trans-stilbene (up to 90% ee). However, the catalysts decomposed during the epoxidation and the maximum chemical yield was only 13% under the basic conditions. Three l-threo-3-uloses could overcome the decomposition problem based on the electron withdrawing effect of the ester group(s) α to the ketone functionality. The best chemical yield was up to 93% using a ketone with two flanking ester groups. One of the improved uloses displayed moderate enantioselectivity towards trans-disubstituted and trisubstituted alkenes (40-68% ee).     

Total synthesis of some new 4-demethoxyanthracyclinones

Optically active 4-demethoxyanthracyclinoiies (39a-g) bearing a variety of substituents at the 9position have been synthesised by an analogous route to that previously employed by us for (+)-4-demethoxydaunomycinone (5). These novel anthracyclinones have been prepared in sufficient quantity for subsequent glycosidation and biological evaluation.     

Structural variations of potassium aryloxides

A series of potassium aryloxides (KOAr) were isolated from the reaction of a potassium amide (KN(SiMe(3))(2)) and the desired substituted phenoxide (oMP, 2-methyl; oPP, 2-iso-propyl; oBP, 2-tert-butyl; DMP, 2,6-di-methyl; DIP, 2,6-di-iso-propyl; DBP, 2,6-di-tert-butyl) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) or pyridine (py) as the following: [([K(mu(4)-oMP)(THF)][K(mu(3)-oMP)])(5)]( infinity ) (1), [[K(6)(eta(6),mu(3)-oMP)(4)(eta(6),mu(4)-oMP)(2)(py)(4)].[K(6)(eta(6),mu(3)-oMP)(6)(eta(6)-py)(4)]]( infinity ) (2), [K(mu(3)-oPP)](4)(THF)(3) (3), [K(4)(eta(6),mu(3)-oPP)(2)(mu(3)-oPP)(2)(py)(3)]( infinity ) (4), [K(mu(3)-oBP)(THF)](6) (5), [K(6)(eta(6),mu(3)-oBP)(2)(mu(3)-oBP)(4)(py)(4)]( infinity ) (6), [K(3)(eta(6),mu(3)-DMP)(2)(mu-DMP)(THF)]( infinity ) (7), [[K(eta(6),mu-DMP)(py)](2)]( infinity ) (8), [K(eta(6),mu-DIP)]( infinity ) (9), [K(eta(6),mu-DBP)]( infinity ) (10). Further exploration of the aryl interactions led to the investigation of the diphenylethoxide (DPE) derivative which was isolated as [K(mu(3)-DPE)(THF)](4) (11) or [K(mu(3)-DPE)(py)](4).py(2) (12) depending on the solvent used. In general, the less sterically demanding ligands (oMP, oPP, oBP, and DMP) were solvated polymeric species; however, increasing the steric bulk (DIP and DBP) led to unsolvated polymers and not discrete molecules. For most of this novel family of compounds, the K atoms were pi-bound to the aryl rings of the neighboring phenoxide derivatives to fill their coordination sites. The synthesss and characterization of these compounds are described in detail.     

Finding a positive definite linear combination of two Hermitian matrices

Let A and B be n-by-n Hermitian matrices over the complex field. A result of Au-Yeung [1] and Stewart [8] states that if

$\text{x}{}^1\text{(A + iB)x≠0}$

for all nonzero n-vectors x, then there is a linear combination of A and B which is positive definite. In this article we present an algorithm which finds such a linear combination in a finite number of steps. We also discuss the implementation of the algorithm in case A and B are real symmetric sparse matrices.