Vacuum‐driven fluid manipulation by a piezoelectric diaphragm micropump for microfluidic droplet generation with a rapid system response time

Recently, we developed a convenient microfluidic droplet generation device based on vacuum‐driven fluid manipulation with a piezoelectric diaphragm micropump. In the present study built on our previous work, we investigate the influence of settings applied to the piezoelectric pump, such as peak‐to‐peak drive voltage (V_p‐p) and wave frequency, on droplet generation characteristics. Stepwise adjustments to the drive voltage in ±10‐V_p‐p increments over the range of 200?250 V_p‐p during droplet creation revealed that the droplet generation rate could be reproducibly controlled at a specific drive voltage. The droplet generation rate switched within <0.5 s after the input of a new voltage. Although the droplet generation rate depended on the drive voltage, this setting had almost no influence on droplet size. The frequency over the selected range (50?60 Hz) did not markedly influence the droplet generation rate or droplet size. We show that the current fluid manipulation system can be conveniently used for both droplet generation and for rapid droplet reading, which is required in many microfluidic‐based applications.     

OADM环网的实验研究

研究了光分插复用器(OADM)的关键技术,重点分析了相关的实现技术,完成了利用OADM构建全光环网的实验研究,给出了重要的实验数据,包括眼图、光谱图、光信噪比、保护与恢复等,并对这些实验数据进行了分析,为光传送网的设计与构建提供了重要的参考依据.     

Sexing Bovine Embryos Using PCR Amplification of Bovine SRY Sequence

This study analyses the bovine SRY DNA sequence by direct sequencing procedure, followed by the designation of the PCR primers specific for bovine SRY. Using PCR amplification of bovine SRY gene, the embryo sex was determined. The results of the embryo sex identification were confirmed after the embryo transfer and pregnancies.     

透明导电玻璃(ITO)基材自加热传感静态芯片聚合酶链反应(PCR)

利用商品化ITO玻璃导电层的温阻效应, 无需任何微加工手段, 实现了自加热和传感的芯片温度自动程序控制, 最大程度地减小了传感滞后对温度控制稳定性的影响, 温度控制的稳定性达到了0.2 ℃, 升温速度最快可达20 ℃/s以上, 在冷却风扇辅助下降温速度最快达到了8 ℃/s. 芯片温控单元的引线从传统的两对(一对用于传感, 一对用于加热)减少为一对. 通过在该芯片上直接构建多个开放微池反应器的方法成功地实现了λDNA 157 bp片段的并行扩增. 将该芯片置于倒置荧光显微镜样品台上, 以蓝色(575 nm)发光二极管为光源, 以光电倍增管为检测手段检测了dsDNA和SYBR Green Ⅰ嵌合物的荧光强度随温度的实时变化曲线.     

ISOLATION,CHARACTERIZATION AND EXPRESSION OF THE COMPLEMENTARY DNA FOR HUMAN TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR (TNF-α)

A cDNA for human TNF-α (615bp) was isolated by means of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using first strand cDNA from PMA-induced HL-60 cells as template. The result from sequencing the 615 bp cDNA fragment indicated that it corresponded to the entire sequence of mature human TNF coding region. Direct expression of mature human TNF was achieved using a plasmid pHT-1 constructed by ligation of the cDNA and a synthetic DNA. The IPTG-induced bacterial product (hTNF) showed cytotoxicity to mouse L-929 cells. The TNF activity was further identified by neutralization of a specific monoclonal antibody against human TNF-α. Approximately 80,000 units of activity were detected per ml of culture at A600=2.     

Capillary and microchip gel electrophoresis for simultaneous detection of Salmonella pullorum and Salmonella gallinarum by rfbS allele-specific PCR

We report the use of capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE) based on a rfbS allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the analysis and simultaneous detection of Salmonella pullorum and Salmonella gallinarum, which are the major bacterial pathogens in poultry. rfbS allele-specific PCR was used to concurrently amplify two specific 147- and 187-bp DNA fragments for the simultaneous detection of S. pullorum and S. gallinarum at an annealing temperature of 54 ± 1 °C and an MgCl₂ concentration of 2.8-5.6 mM. Under an electric field of 333.3 V/cm and a sieving matrix of 1.0% poly(ethyleneoxide) (M_r 600 000), the amplified PCR products were analyzed within 6 min by CGE separation. This CGE assay could be translated to microchip format using programmed field strength gradients (PFSG). In the microchip gel electrophoresis with PFSG, both of the Salmonella analyses were completed within 30 s, without decreasing the resolution efficiency. rfbS allele-specific PCR-microchip gel electrophoresis with the PFSG technique might be a new tool for the simultaneous detection of both S. pullorum and S. gallinarum, due to its ultra-speed and high efficiency.     

Coupling of an indicator-free electrochemical DNA biosensor with polymerase chain reaction for the detection of DNA sequences related to the apolipoprotein E

This paper describes a disposable indicator-free electrochemical DNA biosensor applied to the detection of apolipoprotein E (apoE) sequences in PCR samples. In the indicator-free assays, the duplex formation was detected by measuring the electrochemical signal of the guanine base of nucleic acids. The biosensor format involved the immobilisation of an inosine-modified (guanine-free) probe onto a screen-printed electrode (SPE) transducer and the detection of the duplex formation in connection with the square-wave voltammetric measurement of the oxidation peak of the guanine of the target sequence.The indicator-free scheme has been characterised using 23-mer oligonucleotides as model: parameters affecting the hybridisation assay such as probe immobilisation conditions, hybridisation time, use of hybridisation accelerators were examined and optimised.The analysis of PCR samples (244 bp DNA fragments, obtained by amplification of DNA extracted from human blood) required a further optimisation of the experimental procedure. In particular, a lower steric hyndrance of the probe modified surface was essential to allow an efficient hybridisation of the target DNA fragment. Negative controls have been performed using the PCR blank and amplicons unrelated to the immobilised probe. A 10 min hybridisation time allowed a full characterisation of each sample.     

Durbin-Watson statistic as a morphological estimator of information content

The present work proposes a new approach for the evaluation of the information content in latent variables, and therefore, for the determination of the regression model dimensionality. Several examples are provided, using simulated, real-world, and reference datasets. The results showed that the application of the Durbin-Watson (DW) criterion could be used for the determination of the number of latent variables. Moreover, the method is straightforward in its implementation and could help in the understanding of model behaviour, particularly in complex datasets. A comparison is made with cross-validation techniques for the case of reference datasets, showing the potential of the Durbin-Watson criterion in the characterisation of the regression model. The advantages and disadvantages of this procedure (compared to cross-validation) are discussed. The properties of the information content of the regression vectors (loadings p, w and b vectors) are shown as well as how to use them for the current purpose.