Complexes between monoclonal antibodies and receptor fragments with a common cold virus: determination of stoichiometry by capillary electrophoresis

Complex formation between monoclonal antibodies or soluble receptor fragments and a human rhinovirus is quantified by relating the concentration of the antibody or receptor under equilibrium conditions to the initial concentration of the virus. Within a given concentration range of the reactants, the shape of the resulting curve depends only on the value of the dissociation constant of the particular system studied. Using antibodies and receptor fragments, cases for high, low, and intermediate affinity were investigated. For high-affinity systems, the curve approximates a decaying straight line and the binding stoichiometry can be accurately determined from the intercept with the x-axis. For the case of intermediate affinity, the curve can be linearized at low virus concentrations with the receptors present in large excess. Extrapolation of this line allows derivation of the binding stoichiometry from the intercept with the x-axis, although with less accuracy. For intermediate affinities, an estimate of the dissociation constant can be obtained from fitting the curve to the data points measured. Finally, in the case of low affinity none of the binding parameters can be quantified, although a rough estimate of the lower limit of the dissociation constant is possible. The method was applied for two different monoclonal antibodies, a Fab fragment and a receptor fragment, binding to human rhinovirus serotype 2. Thirty copies of the monoclonal antibody 8F5 were found to bind to the virion, which is in agreement with data from electron cryomicroscopy. The complex between monovalent human very-low-density lipoprotein receptor encompassing repeats 2 and 3 and human rhinovirus serotype 2 showed 60 receptor molecules bound per virion.     

Optimization of relative tool position in accumulative double sided incremental forming using finite element analysis and model bias correction

Double-Sided Incremental Forming (DSIF) uses two small, independently moving, hemispherical tools on either side of the sheet to form a desired shape by following a predefined tool path. This study was motivated by the observation that the relative tool position of the tools, specified in the tool path generation algorithm, affects the formed geometric accuracy. A methodology for defining the relative tool positioning in the tool path generation algorithm based on local part geometry is proposed using simplified Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and sample physical experiments combined with Gaussian Process modeling techniques. This approach can take into account the mechanics of deformation in DSIF explicitly and physical compliance of the DSIF machine implicitly. Physical experiments were performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework.     

3D deep X-ray lithography for producing a multi-channel Fourier transform interferometer

We introduce a modified LIGA process architecture to manufacture a static lamellar grating Fourier-transform spectrometer invented by Moser and Möller (European patent EP 0 765 488 B1, 1994). Such spectrometers hold unique advantages over common Michelson-type FTIRs including high time resolution, speed, compactness, and robustness. To cope with the spectrometer’s demand for precise high-aspect-ratio micro-fabrication, we present a modified LIGA process which enhances the X-ray lithography by means of a moving mask technique (Heussler and Moser Lithography method and apparatus PCT/SG2011/000376, 2011). The technique relies on independently moving multiple masks stacked on top of each other during the lithographic step and thus allows to locally vary the deposited dose in a positive tone photoresist. First manufacturing results as well as a performance test of a prototype spectrometer are reported.     

Saturation behavior of extrinsic photoconductivity in GaP light emitting diodes at high infrared intensities

Saturation of extrinsic photoconductivity in GaP:N(Zn, Te) diodes could be achieved by excitation with a TEA-CO₂-laser. At wavelengths in the 10 μm range intensities of several 100 kW/cm² being near the damage threshold were applied. Carrier lifetimes of 60 ps at 4.2 K and 200 ps at 77 K could be estimated. The only conceivable mechanism explaining these short time constants is the capture of infrared excited holes by ionized shallow acceptors in the highly compensated p-side of the diode.     

Polarization stability of phase-locked arrays of vertical-cavitysurface-emitting lasers

The polarization stability of the fundamental lasing super-mode obtained from coherently coupled arrays of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers has been investigated. Various devices have been analyzed and none showed the abrupt change of the polarization direction (flip) often observed in solitary devices. This polarization stability is due to a current independent dichroism of 0.5 GHz     

Complex resonances of conducting spheres with lossy coatings

The electromagnetic scattering amplitude for metal objects coated with a lossless dielectric exhibits a large number of resonances versus real frequency. These resonances are a function of the object shape and size, coating thickness, and coating electrical properties. Previously, it was shown that for coated spheres and nonspherical bare objects, these resonances can be understood in terms of phase matched circumnavigating surface waves and the objects' complex eigenfrequencies. The effect of dielectric loss in the coating on the complex eigenfrequencies and phase velocities of these surface waves is presented for a metal sphere coated with a uniform homogeneous dielectric coating. It is seen that the positions of the complex resonance frequencies move away from the real frequency axis under the influence of dielectric loss in the coating. The effect of this is shown to correspond to the changes in the backscatter spectrum versus real frequency as computed using a Mie series expansion. The significant difference between the lossless and lossy dielectric-coated sphere cases is seen to be due to a modification of the phase velocities of surface waves, particularly the whispering gallery types, and the increased attenuation of the surface wave modes     

Long-term spectral stability of singlemode VCSELs

The long-term spectral stability of 780 nm AlGaAs-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers has been investigated. The 28 devices from two different wafers show a thermally induced averaged total spectral shift of 75±9 and 47±7 GHz, respectively     

Wettability Studies of Pb-Free Soldering Materials

For Pb-free soldering materials, two main substitutes are currently being considered, consisting of Sn–Ag and Sn–Ag–Cu eutectics, both with melting points higher than that of the Sn–Pb eutectic. Therefore, both will require higher soldering temperatures for industrial applications. Also, both eutectics have a higher surface tension than the Sn–Pb eutectic, requiring wettability studies on adding Bi, Sb, and In to the eutectics to decrease the melting points and surface tension. The experimental results for the surface tension were compared with thermodynamic modeling by Butler’s method and were used to create the SURDAT database, which also includes densities for pure metals, binary, ternary, quaternary, and quinary alloys. To model the surface tension, excess Gibbs energies of the molten components were taken from the ADAMIS database. For the case of the Ag–Sn system, enthalpies of formation of Ag₃Sn from solution calorimetry were used for checking optimized thermodynamic parameters. In the study of Sn–Ag–Cu–Bi–Sb liquid alloys, the range of possible Bi compositions for practical applications has been used to formulate a generalized metric of wettability, which was checked by measurements of the influence of In on the Sn–Ag–Cu system.     

The Symphony of Life [Chronobiological Investigations]

Biological rhythms in a wide range of frequencies are present in the whole organism as well as within each living cell. Some of these rhythms reflect adaptations to cosmic cycles and help to anticipate changes in the environment. Others integrate and coordinate body. Importance, interaction, and visualization of biological rhythms is presented in this article. Chronobiology observes notable amount of rhythms at all organismic levels and over several orders of time magnitude.     

Properties of CsI(TI) — Renaissance of an old scintillation material

CsI(TI) is an interesting material for calorimeters in high energy physics. Properties of this material are reported.