Comparison of oligonucleotide migration in a bicontinuous cubic phase of monoolein and water and in a fibrous agarose hydrogel

Porous hydrogels such as agarose are commonly used to analyze DNA and water-soluble proteins by electrophoresis. More recently lyotropic liquid crystals, such as the diamond cubic phase formed by the lipid monoolein and water, has become a new type of well-defined porous structure of interest for both hydrophilic and amphiphilic analytes. Here we compare these two types of matrixes by investigating the nature of retardation they confer to an oligonucleotide that migrates in their respective aqueous phases. The retardation for a 25-mer oligonucleotide was found to be about 35-fold stronger in the cubic phase than in an agarose hydrogel modified to have the same average pore size. According to modelling, the strong retardation is primarily due to the fact that hydrodynamic interaction with the continuous monoolein membrane is a stronger source of friction than the steric interactions (collisions) with discrete gel fibres. A secondary effect is that the regular liquid crystal has a narrower pore-size distribution than the random network of the agarose gel. In agreement with experiments, these two effects together predict that the retardation in the cubic phase is a 30-fold stronger than in an agarose gel with the same average pore radius.     

On the Representation of Functions with Gaussian Wave Packets

We introduce Gaussian wave packets in pursuit of representations of functions, in which the representation is invariant under translation, modulation, scale, rotation and anisotropic dilation. Properties of both continuous and discrete representations are discussed. For the discrete (two-dimensional) case, we develop fast algorithms for the application of the analysis and synthesis operators. A main objective for using Gaussian wave packets is to obtain sparse approximations of functions. However, due to the many invariance properties, the representations will have a high degree of redundancy. Therefore, we also introduce sparse methods for highly redundant representations, that employ some of the analytic properties of Gaussian wave packet for gaining computational efficiency.     

Dielectric response of ferroelectric*C liquid crystals in a bias electric field

The dielectric response of the ferroelectric chiral smectic C phase in a bias electric field is studied theoretically within the Landau model using the constant amplitude approximation. It is argued that the response consists of two modes, one of which is related to the unwinding of the helix (the unwinding mode), whereas the other mode is associated with the distortion of the polarization distribution at constant pitch of the helix (the Goldstone mode). The relaxation frequency of the unwinding mode (fu), which is inversely proportional to the square of the sample dimension along the helical axis, is estimated to be of the order of 10^-4Hz for a sample of length l≈ 1 mm along the helical axis. Consequently, in dielectric experiments performed usually at frequencies higher than fu, only the Goldstone mode contribution is detected. In this way, we can explain the behaviour of the measured static dielectric susceptibility which goes to zero as the critical field is approached from below, although the model predicts that the total static dielectric susceptibility, being a sum of the Goldstone mode and the unwinding mode contribution, diverges at the critical field.     

Accurate time-resolved laser spectroscopy on lithium atoms

The lifetime of the lithium 2p ² P states has been measured with high accuracy using the delayed coincidence technique with a continuous mode-locked dye laser as the source of the excitation light. The value 27.22 (0.20) ns was obtained. In addition, the hyperfine structure of the⁷Li 2p ² P _3/2 state, which can normally scarcely be resolved, has been studied by recording the slow quantum beats at zero field and the very fast beats in the Paschen-Back regime. New accurate values for the²³Na 3p ² P _3/2 state hyperfine structure constants are also presented.     

Adaptive Filtering: Once More with Gusto

Adaptive filtering, when used as a forecasting method, proposes to be able to distinguish a "signal pattern" of a time series instead of just smoothing out the random noise introduced by the data. Adaptive filtering is claimed by its creators to "...always do as well if not better than either moving averages, exponential smoothing,...". In order to see whether this claim could be substantiated, the author has taken the approach of a casual user of forecasting methods and has sought to determine whether adaptive filtering is useful, or not, as a forecasting method. The method was used to compute forecasts for ten sets of data on monthly insurance payments in a Finnish insurance company, and the experience gained from this work is compared with criticisms of the method expressed by a number of writers. It is shown that the method performs quite well for practical purposes, despite the fact that it has some major theoretical shortcomings.     

Protein-polyelectrolyte cluster formation and redissolution: a Monte Carlo study

Aqueous solutions of proteins and oppositely charged polyelectrolytes were studied at different polyelectrolyte chain length, ionic strength, and protein-protein interaction potential as a function of the polyelectrolyte concentration. One of the protein models used represented lysozyme in aqueous environment. The model systems were solved by Monte Carlo simulations, and their properties were analyzed in terms of radial distribution functions, structure factors, and cluster composition probabilities. In the system with the strongest electrostatic protein-polyelectrolyte interaction the largest clusters were formed near or at equivalent amount of net protein charge and polyelectrolyte charge, whereas in excess of polyelectrolyte a redissolution appeared. Shorter polyelectrolyte chains and increased ionic strength lead to weaker cluster formation. An inclusion of nonelectrostatic protein-protein attraction promoted the protein-polyelectrolyte cluster formation.     

Crystals in crystals-nanocrystals within mesoporous zeolite single crystals

A major factor governing the performance of catalytically active particles supported on a zeolite carrier is the degree of dispersion. It is shown that the introduction of noncrystallographic mesopores into zeolite single crystals (silicalite-1, ZSM-5) may increase the degree of particle dispersion. As representative examples, a metal (Pt), an alloy (PtSn), and a metal carbide (beta-Mo(2)C) were supported on conventional and mesoporous zeolite carriers, respectively, and the degree of particle dispersion was compared by TEM imaging. On conventional zeolites, the supported material aggregated on the outer surface of the zeolite particles, particularly after thermal treatment. When using mesoporous zeolites, the particles were evenly distributed throughout the mesopore system of the zeolitic support, even after calcination, leading to nanocrystals within mesoporous zeolite single crystals.     

Sensitive assay of methadone in plasma by using capillary gas chromatography with photoionization detection

A new gas chromatographic assay for methadone, utilizing a fused-silica capillary column, is presented. Extreme sensitivity was reached, compared to nitrogen-phosphorus and mass spectrometry detection, by employing a photoionization detector. Plasma concentrations of methadone as low as 1 ng/ml can easily be detected and, by further optimization, 0.1 ng/ml was reached. The minimum detectable amount of methadone reaching the detector was 70 fg. The results indicate that the photoionization detector has potential as a tool in drug monitoring.