Electric field-induced concentration and capture of DNA onto microtips

Simple, high-yield concentration of DNA is important for high-throughput genetic analysis and disease diagnosis. Glass-based microfilters are popular but the process requires centrifugation steps with cumbersome chemical processes. As an alternative, a concentration method using an electric field has been explored previously, but with limited efficiency. In this paper, electric field-induced concentration and capture of DNA are studied by using high-aspect-ratio microtips coated with a gold layer. The microtips are immersed longitudinally into a solution of 100???L containing ??-phage DNA. After DNA concentration using an electric field, the microtips are withdrawn from the solution. Under AC- and biased AC fields, DNA is concentrated by electrophoresis (EP), dielectrophoresis (DEP), and electroosmotic flow (EOF). To reduce capillary effects in the withdrawal process, the microtips are coated with positively charged poly-l-lysine (PLL). The pattern of captured DNA is analyzed by fluorescence microscopy. DEP attracts DNA molecules at the edges of microtips, where the highest gradient of electric field exists. EP attracts DNA onto the surface of microtips following the vectors of an electric field. EOF generates vortexes that deliver DNA onto microtips. Using this method, 85% of DNA is captured on the PLL-coated microtips after three sequential captures. The concentration mechanism can potentially facilitate rapid and simple preparation of DNA for downstream analysis.     

Junction properties of polypyrrole containing a small amount of poly(ethylene oxide) with indium

A method to generate a porous region near the surface of a polymer is suggested. In this method the region near the surface is swollen by immersing the polymer for a short time in a solvent. Subsequently, the polymer is introduced in a nonsolvent (for the polymer) that is, however, miscible with the solvent. The formation of the porous region is a result of (1) the swelling accompanied by the disentanglement of the surface molecular chains, and the dissolution of some of them during the immersion in the solvent, and (2) the rapid extraction of the solvent from the swollen region by the nonsolvent. The porous surface provides a matrix into which a second incompatible monomer can be polymerized so that the two otherwise incompatible polymers can adhere to one another.     

Sensitive Label-Free Immunoassay by Colorimetric Plasmonic Biosensors Using Silver Nanodome Arrays

The sensitive direct detection of biomolecules is demonstrated by a colorimetric plasmonic biosensor utilizing the surface colors of plasmonic metasurfaces named Ag nanodome arrays. The Ag nanodome arrays consist of polystyrene bead monolayers coated with Ag thin films whose surface colors are optimized by changing the size of the polystyrene beads. The bulk refractive index sensitivity of colorimetric detection evaluated using the hue angle is 590° RIU⁻¹ (RIU: refractive index unit). For selected geometry, the refractive index resolution (5.0 × 10⁻⁵ RIU) obtained by colorimetric detection surpasses that of spectroscopic detection evaluated via the dip wavelength in the reflection spectrum. The numerical simulations predict an enhanced sensing performance when the hue angle of the surface colors of the Ag nanodome arrays changes from 300° to 200°, corresponding to changes in the dip wavelength from 570 to 600 nm in the reflection spectra. Furthermore, the detection sensitivity of the biomolecules is characterized using a direct IgG immunoassay format. The detection limit of the IgG concentration is as low as 134 pM using simple colorimetric detection. The feasibility of sensitive label-free immunoassays using a colorimetric plasmonic biosensor is expected to accelerate the development of highly sensitive and reliable smartphone-based plasmonic biosensors.     

The Atmospheric Scanning Electron Microscope with open sample space observes dynamic phenomena in liquid or gas

Although conventional electron microscopy (EM) requires samples to be in vacuum, most chemical and physical reactions occur in liquid or gas. The Atmospheric Scanning Electron Microscope (ASEM) can observe dynamic phenomena in liquid or gas under atmospheric pressure in real time. An electron-permeable window made of pressure-resistant 100 nm-thick silicon nitride (SiN) film, set into the bottom of the open ASEM sample dish, allows an electron beam to be projected from underneath the sample. A detector positioned below captures backscattered electrons. Using the ASEM, we observed the radiation-induced self-organization process of particles, as well as phenomena accompanying volume change, including evaporation-induced crystallization. Using the electrochemical ASEM dish, we observed tree-like electrochemical depositions on the cathode. In silver nitrate solution, we observed silver depositions near the cathode forming incidental internal voids. The heated ASEM dish allowed observation of patterns of contrast in melting and solidifying solder. Finally, to demonstrate its applicability for monitoring and control of industrial processes, silver paste and solder paste were examined at high throughput. High resolution, imaging speed, flexibility, adaptability, and ease of use facilitate the observation of previously difficult-to-image phenomena, and make the ASEM applicable to various fields.     

Development and field test of the articulated mobile robot T2 Snake-4 for plant disaster prevention

Abstract

In this work, we develop an articulated mobile robot that can move in narrow spaces, climb stairs, gather information, and operate valves for plant disaster prevention. The robot can adopt a tall position using a folding arm and gather information using sensors mounted on the arm. In addition, this paper presents a stair climbing method using a single backward wave. This method enables the robot to climb stairs that have a short tread. The developed robot system is tested in a field test at the World Robot Summit 2018, and the lessons learned in the field test are discussed.     

Sugar-binding property of magnetite particles modified with dihydroxyborylphenyl groups via graft polymerization of acrylic acid

In order to combine sugar-binding property and magnetism, dihydroxyborylphenyl (DHBP) groups were attached to magnetite particles via graft polymerization of acrylic acid. The graft polymerization was carried out in a redox system consisting of mercapto groups introduced onto the surfaces of magnetite particles and ceric ions. DHBP groups were attached through amide linkages by the condensation reaction of 3-aminophenylboronic acid with carboxyl groups of the grafted poly(acrylic acid). Complexation of the attached DHBP groups was examined with various sugars and compared with that of the free phenylboronic acid. The attached DHBP groups gave a large value of binding constant K for the complexation with adenosine having a pair of cis-OH groups, whereas the K values for the DHBP groups with adenosine phosphates were extremely small. With respect to the complexation with 2′-deoxyadenosine, cooperative interaction of neighboring DHBP groups was suggested. Although the value of acidity index pK_a of the attached DHBP was larger than that of free phenylboronic acid, the pK_a value was decreased by coexistent basic groups.     

All polymer PTC devices: Temperature‐conductivity characteristics of polyisothianaphthene and poly(3‐hexylthiophene) blends

The present article is concerned with the temperature‐conductivity characteristics of blends consisting of polyisothianaphthene (PITN) particles and a soluble poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT). PITN was synthesized by direct conversion of 1,3‐dihydroisothianaphthene (DHITN) monomer using N‐chlorosuccinimide (NCS) as an oxidation/dehydrogenation reagent. The high conductivity and thermal stability of the doped and dedoped PITN were confirmed. Microscopic investigation by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the as‐prepared PITN exhibited diversified shapes and sizes, with large rectangular particles having an average size of 2 ～ 5μm and fine round particles ranging from 0.1 to 0.3 μm. The PITN particles were blended with the chemically synthesized P3HT as a high conductivity component to improve the conductivity and simultaneously maintain the positive temperature coefficient (PTC) effect of the original P3HT near its melting point. The temperature‐conductivity characteristics for PITN‐P3HT blends with various PITN contents showed that a blend having both a high conductivity (nearly 3 ～ 4 orders higher than that of the original P3HT) and a good PTC intensity could be obtained with a PITN content of 20 ～ 25%. The different temperature‐conductivity behavior of P3HT blends filled with PITN as compared to other conducting particles, for example, carbon black, was explained by its unique dispersion structure due to a relatively higher adhesive interaction of PITN particles with the P3HT matrix during the precipitation process. The results from heating recycles revealed that the PTC effect of PITN‐P3HT blends was not just related to the conductivity decrease of the P3HT matrix, arising from the conformational change of the conjugated backbone during the melting, but also to the dilution effect of the conducting percolation network due to the mobility of PITN particles induced by the viscosity decrease of the P3HT matrix. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 97: 1848–1854, 2005     

Immobilization of glucose oxidase and electron-mediating groups on the film of 3-methylthiophene/thiophene-3-acetic acid copolymer and its application to reagentless sensing of glucose

Enzyme electrodes were prepared by covalent immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx) on the films of conducting copolymer obtained by electrochemical copolymerization of 3-methylthiophene and thiophene-3-acetic acid. Onto the enzyme electrodes, 2,5-dihydroxyphenyl (DHP) groups were introduced as redox mediators by the reaction of 2,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde using alkylenediamines as linker molecules. The mediator-carrying enzyme electrodes were applied to reagentless glucose sensing system. It was found that response current to glucose was increased by introducing DHP groups, and the longer the alkylene chain of used alkylenediamine was, the higher the response current became. For a comparison, poly-l-lysine was linked onto the films of the conducting copolymer in advance, and immobilization of GOx and then introduction of DHP groups were carried out. The mediator-carrying electrode prepared thus gave higher amperometric response than those prepared with alkylenediamines, suggesting that amino groups of poly-l-lysine functioned effectively as the sites for binding GOx and DHP groups.     

Improving the Biodegradation of Organic Pollutants with Ozonation during Biological Wastewater Treatment

Pre-ozonation is often used to enhance the biodegradability of recalcitrant compounds prior to biological treatment of wastewater. A usual shortcoming of such an approach is wasting ozone on other compounds that are already biodegradable. This research followed a groundbreaking approach of degrading a recalcitrant substance with ozone during biological treatment. Two parallel bench-top activated sludge processes were fed a synthetic wastewater containing typical biodegradable substances and also methylene blue at 5 mg/L. Ozone was applied continuously and directly into one of the activated sludge units at 17 mg/L based on inflow rate. The methylene blue was removed by 95%?in the ozonated process compared with just 40%?removal in the non-ozonated control. The removal in the activated sludge without ozonation was demonstrated to be mainly due to biosorption. The ozone oxidation reaction by-products were analyzed using GC-MS on volatile substances collected in the headspace above ozonated samples of methylene blue and most found to be biodegradable. These by-products are expected to be degraded and assimilated in the same process unit together with the other biodegradables in the feed stream by the activated sludge process. The reaction rate with organic substances depleted the dissolved ozone at such a rate that the inactivation of the treatment bacteria (and protozoa) was minimal, mostly affecting the filamentous bacteria. A concern that ozone, as a powerful disinfectant, could inhibit or kill the beneficial bacteria in the activated sludge process was proven to be incorrect.