A model for cell-surface-exposed carbohydrate moieties suitable for structural studies by NMR spectroscopy

In the present study a synthetic glycolipid system is presented that can be readily incorporated into phospholipid micelles and that allows the study of cell-surface-exposed carbohydrate units by high-resolution NMR techniques. Here, we present an efficient route for the synthesis of glycolipid compounds that contain mannose, mannobiose, or mannotriose coupled either directly to an alkyl chain or through a poly(ethylene glycol) linker. Furthermore, we have validated our model system by measuring the binding of cyanovirin N (CV-N), a cyanobacterial protein that binds with nanomolar affinity to the terminal arms of high-mannose structures of the HIV surface-envelope glycoprotein gp120, to glycolipids the carbohydrate portions of which comprise the corresponding high-mannose moieties. From the results of chemical-shift mapping with uniformly (15)N-labelled CV-N, we conclude that binding to the protein occurs at sites similar to those involved in binding the nonconjugated carbohydrates. We characterized the insertion of the glycolipids into dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) micelles by measuring translational diffusion, and we observed that the diffusion constants of the glycolipids were very similar to those of the DPC micelles themselves, but significantly deviated from those of the free glycolipids. We also present experimental proof that the glycolipids remain inserted in the micelles while binding to CV-N. Finally, by addition of a ligand that had a higher affinity to CV-N but which was not attached did not couple to a lipid anchor, CV-N could be released from the glycolipid and, hence, from the micelle-associated state.     

Aptamer-based viability impedimetric sensor for viruses

The development of aptamer-based viability impedimetric sensor for viruses (AptaVISens-V) is presented. Highly specific DNA aptamers to intact vaccinia virus were selected using cell-SELEX technique and integrated into impedimetric sensors via self-assembly onto a gold microelectrode. Remarkably, this aptasensor is highly selective and can successfully detect viable vaccinia virus particles (down to 60 virions in a microliter) and distinguish them from nonviable viruses in a label-free electrochemical assay format. It also opens a new venue for the development of a variety of viability sensors for detection of many microorganisms and spores.     

Self-mixing detection of backscattered radiation in single-mode pulse-periodic CO2 lasers

The self-mixing (autodyne) effect in single-mode CO(2) lasers with pulse-periodic (PP) pumping of the active medium is theoretically analyzed and experimentally investigated. A semiempirical model of the autodyne effect in CO(2) lasers of this type is developed that allows the laser beat signal to be described from the known shape of the generated pulses. The self-mixing effect in PP CO(2) lasers is shown to be identical with that in continuous-wave CO(2) lasers, except that the autodyne amplification during the laser pulse proves time-dependent. It is demonstrated that the amplitude-frequency characteristic of the autodyne amplification for PP CO(2) lasers is also of resonance nature, but its bandwidth is broadened, as compared with that in the case of continuous laser pumping. As in the case of continuous pumping, the self-mixing effect in PP CO(2) lasers can be used to detect and analyze backscattered signals, specifically for measuring the rates of destruction of materials by the 10 μm radiation and for monitoring this process.     

Surface plasmon polariton amplification upon electrical injection in highly integrated plasmonic circuits

We propose a very efficient approach for amplification of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in a nanoscale waveguiding geometry with strong (～λ/10) mode confinement. The implemented scheme of electric pumping is based on a single-heterostructure Schottky-barrier diode and has been numerically shown to ensure full compensation of the SPP propagation losses at wavelengths around 3 μm and, moreover, to provide net SPP gain. The presented concept creates the backbone for the implementation of highly integrated large-scale hybrid electronic-plasmonic circuits operating at extremely high speeds and opens the prospects for the realization of integrated coherent SPP sources.     

Synthesis and characterization of anthracene derivative for organic field-effect transistor fabrication

Here we report on the synthesis and characterization of anthracene derivative for solution processable organic field-effect transistors. The transistor devices with bottom-contact geometry provided a maximum field-effect mobility of 3.74 x 10(-4) cm2 V(-1) s(-1) as well as current on/off ratio of 5.05 x 10(4) and low threshold voltage. Structural information in the solid state is obtained by thermal analysis and two-dimensional wide angle X-ray scattering (2D-WAXS). From the 2D-WAXS, it is clear that the planes of anthracene rings and benzene ring of the molecule are different in solid state. We assume similar arrangement in the thin-film which limit the effective hopping and thus charge mobility.     

Air-assisted growth of tin dioxide nanoribbons

SnO2 nanoribbons have been synthesized by annealing of a milled SnO2 powder, which is able to evaporate efficiently at the temperature as low as 1100 degrees C due to the metastable structure created by ball milling treatment. When the milled powder was annealed in an assembly of two combustion boats, SnO2 nanoribbons formed on the surface of the milled powder. The nanoribbons tend to grow along the [101] crystallographic direction and their side surfaces are represented by +/- (010) and +/- (101) facets. The oxygen plays an important role in enhancing their formation.     

The computational study of the “inversion substitution” reactions CX3Br + O2 → CX3O2 + Br (X = H,F)

The kinetic parameters for the “inversion substitution” reactions of Br-containing fire suppressants CH₃Br and CF₃Br with molecular oxygen CX₃Br + O₂ → CX₃O₂ + Br (X = H, F) have been obtained on the basis of computational study carried out by quantum chemistry methods and transition state theory (TST). The DFT/B3LYP approach has been used to obtain molecular structures and vibrational frequencies and CCSD(T) method with additive corrections at MP2 and SODFT levels have been applied in order to calculate reaction enthalpies and activation barriers. Activation barrier for the substitution reaction CH₃Br + O₂ → CH₃O₂ + Br was found to be (53.3 kcal/mol) close to the endoergicity (51.2 kcal/mol) of bimolecular abstraction CH₃Br + O₂ → CH₂Br + HO₂ which means that this “inversion substitution” should be considered as a competing process in the oxidation initiation of bromine containing substances. The results of these calculations together with the earlier results have allowed us to build the correlation of Evans–Polanyi type between the activation barrier and reaction enthalpy for “inversion substitution” reactions CH₃X + O₂ → CH₃O₂ + X. For bromotrifluoromethane CF₃Br (Halon-1301) the barrier of “inversion substitution” was found to be of 86 kcal/mol that is higher by about 15 kcal/mol as compared with unimolecular decay CF₃Br → CF₃ + Br barrier. This makes negligible the role of bimolecular substitution reaction for kinetics of CF₃Br in oxygen environment. The TST calculations of the rate constants and their temperature dependence for the direct and reverse “inversion substitution” reactions have been carried out within the temperature interval of 273–2000 K.     

Design of novel FN3 domains with high stability by a consensus sequence approach

The use of consensus design to produce stable proteins has been applied to numerous structures and classes of proteins. Here, we describe the engineering of novel FN3 domains from two different proteins, namely human fibronectin and human tenascin-C, as potential alternative scaffold biotherapeutics. The resulting FN3 domains were found to be robustly expressed in Escherichia coli, soluble and highly stable, with melting temperatures of 89 and 78°C, respectively. X-ray crystallography was used to confirm that the consensus approach led to a structure consistent with the FN3 design despite having only low-sequence identity to natural FN3 domains. The ability of the Tenascin consensus domain to withstand mutations in the loop regions connecting the β-strands was investigated using alanine scanning mutagenesis demonstrating the potential for randomization in these regions. Finally, rational design was used to produce point mutations that significantly increase the stability of one of the consensus domains. Together our data suggest that consensus FN3 domains have potential utility as alternative scaffold therapeutics.     

Influence of Landau level mixing on the properties of elementary excitations in graphene in strong magnetic field

ABSTRACT: Massless Dirac electrons in graphene fill Landau levels with energies scaled as square roots of their numbers. Coulomb interaction between electrons leads to mixing of different Landau levels. The relative strength of this interaction depends only on dielectric susceptibility of surrounding medium and can be large in suspended graphene. We consider influence of Landau level mixing on the properties of magnetoexcitons and magnetoplasmons-elementary electron-hole excitations in graphene in quantizing magnetic field. We show that, at small enough background dielectric screening, the mixing leads to very essential change of magnetoexciton and magnetoplasmon dispersion laws in comparison with the lowest Landau level approximation.PACS: 73.22.Pr; 71.35.Ji; 73.43.Mp; 71.70.Gm.