A Biosilification Fusion Protein for a ‘Self‐immobilising’ Sarcosine Oxidase Amperometric Enzyme Biosensor

Monomeric sarcosine oxidase (mSOx) fusion with the silaffin peptide, R5, designed previously for easy protein production in low resource areas, was used in a biosilification process to form an enzyme layer electrode biosensor. mSOx is a low activity enzyme (10–20 U/mg) requiring high amounts of enzyme to obtain an amperometric biosensor signal, in the clinically useful range <1 mM sarcosine, especially since the K_m is >10 mM. An amperometric biosensor model was fitted to experimental data to investigate dynamic range. mSOx constructs were designed with 6H (6×histidine) and R5 (silaffin) peptide tags and compared with native mSOx. Glutaraldehyde (GA) cross‐linked proteins retained ～5 % activity for mSOx and mSOx‐6H and only 0.5 % for mSOx‐R5. In contrast R5 catalysed biosilification on (3‐mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane (MPTMS) and tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) particles created a ‘self‐immobilisation’ matrix retaining 40 % and 76 % activity respectively. The TMOS matrix produced a thick layer (>500 μm) on a glassy carbon electrode with a mediated current due to sarcosine in the clinical range for sarcosinemia (0–1 mM). The mSOx‐R5 fusion protein was also used to catalyse biosilification in the presence of creatinase and creatininase, entrapping all three enzymes. A mediated GC enzyme linked current was obtained with dynamic range available for creatinine determination of 0.1–2 mM for an enzyme layer ～800 nm.     

Fifteen consecutive integers with exactly four prime factors

We describe a successful search for a sequence of fifteen consecutive integers, each the product of exactly four prime factors. Fifteen is best possible.

     

Magnetic resonance imaging: a new window into industrial processing.

Although the most important use of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) continues to be for diagnostic medicine, recognition is being gained for many nonmedical applications. Examples include the following areas: petrogeology, food, agriculture, polymers and polymer-composites, and pharmaceuticals. These areas all involve studies of species that have short spin-spin relaxation times, and consequently need far fast gradient switching. These technical details are discussed and typical applications given.     

Properties of nonparametric estimators of autocovariance for stationary random fields

Summary We introduce nonparametric estimators of the autocovariance of a stationary random field. One of our estimators has the property that it is itself an autocovatiance. This feature enables the estimator to be used as the basis of simulation studies such as those which are necessary when constructing bootstrap confidence intervals for unknown parameters. Unlike estimators proposed recently by other authors, our own do not require assumptions such as isotropy or monotonicity. Indeed, like nonparametric function estimators considered more widely in the context of curve estimation, our approach demands only smoothness and tail conditions on the underlying curve or surface (here, the autocovariance), and moment and mixing conditions on the random field. We show that by imposing the condition that the estimator be a covariance function we actually reduce the numerical value of integrated squared error.     

Degradative chain transfer in vinyl acetate polymerizations using toluene as solvent

In this work, we propose that retardation in vinyl acetate polymerization rate in the presence of toluene is due to degradative chain transfer. The transfer constant to toluene (C_trs) determined using the Mayo method is equal to 3.8 × 10^?3, which is remarkably similar to the value calculated from the rate data, assuming degradative chain transfer (2.7 × 10^?3). Simulations, including chain‐length‐dependent termination, were carried out to compare our degradative chain transfer model with experimental results. The conversion–time profiles showed excellent agreement between experiment and simulation. Good agreement was found for the M_n data as a function of conversion. The experimental and simulation data strongly support the postulate that degradative chain transfer is the dominant kinetic mechanism. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3620–3625, 2007     

Pulsed laser deposition of nanostructured Ag films

Ultra-thin (0.5-5 nm) films of Ag have been prepared by pulsed laser deposition in vacuum using a 26 ns KrF excimer laser at 1 J cm⁻². The deposition was controlled using a Langmuir ion probe and a quartz crystal thickness monitor. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the films are not continuous, but are structured on nanometer size scales. Optical absorption spectra showed the expected surface plasmon resonance feature, which shifted to longer wavelength and increased in strength as the equivalent film thickness was increased. It is shown that Maxwell Garnett effective medium theory can be used to calculate the main features of optical absorption spectra.     

Dynamical fermions in lattice gauge theories: Metropolis and Langevin techniques in two dimensions

A variety of techniques for the inclusion of dynamical fermions in lattice gauge theory is examined. Three pseudo-fermionic techniques that have the characteristics desirable for an unquenched simulation of four-dimensional QCD are studied in detail. Langevin and Metropolis pseudo-fermionic techniques are implemented for a 64×64 lattice on the Distributed Array Processor and their relative merits examined both for free fermions and the lattice Schwinger model.