F?rster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) between Heterogeneously Distributed Probes: Application to Lipid Nanodomains and Pores

The formation of membrane heterogeneities, e.g., lipid domains and pores, leads to a redistribution of donor (D) and acceptor (A) molecules according to their affinity to the structures formed and the remaining bilayer. If such changes sufficiently influence the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiency, these changes can be further analyzed in terms of nanodomain/pore size. This paper is a continuation of previous work on this theme. In particular, it is demonstrated how FRET experiments should be planned and how data should be analyzed in order to achieve the best possible resolution. The limiting resolution of domains and pores are discussed simultaneously, in order to enable direct comparison. It appears that choice of suitable donor/acceptor pairs is the most crucial step in the design of experiments. For instance, it is recommended to use DA pairs, which exhibit an increased affinity to pores (i.e., partition coefficients K_D,A > 10) for the determination of pore sizes with radii comparable to the Förster radius R₀. On the other hand, donors and acceptors exhibiting a high affinity to different phases are better suited for the determination of domain sizes. The experimental setup where donors and acceptors are excluded from the domains/pores should be avoided.     

Acoustic emission monitoring of slow strain rate tensile tests of 304L stainless steel in supercritical water environment

An experimental set-up has been developed to perform slow strain rate tensile (SSRT) tests on tubular 304L stainless steel (SS) specimens in supercritical water (SCW) environment (550 °C, 250 bar). The supercritical water is circulated inside an internally pressurized tubular specimen mounted into a universal mechanical test rig and heated by a single loop resistance heating furnace. The set-up enables in situ monitoring of acoustic emission and electrochemical potential during the SSRT test. The SCW environment is found to significantly influence the mechanical performance of the material as a result of corrosion processes. A correlation between acoustic emission response and change of electrochemical potential is revealed. The findings are compared with preliminary results of tests performed on bulk SS specimens under the same condition in a commercial autoclave. The advantages and potentialities of both set-ups are discussed.     

Generation of variable mixed vortex fields by a single static hologram

Recently, a transfer of information based on application of mixed vortex fields has been proposed and experimentally verified. A dynamical creation of vortex superpositions carrying an actual information code has been realized by the spatial light modulator with a limited repetition rate. In this paper, the optical set-up enabling generation of variable optical vortex superpositions by a single static hologram is proposed and examined. The actual information codes are created by a standard dynamical modulation of an array of point sources illuminating the static optical system.     

Low power switched‐current circuits with low sensitivity to the rise/fall time of the clock

The switched‐current (SI) technique permits realizing analog discrete‐time circuits in standard digital CMOS technology. A very important property of the analog part of a system on a chip is the possibility it offers for realizing some functions of a digital circuit, but with reduced power consumption. In this paper, a low power SI integrator is presented. It is shown that an integrator consuming a fraction of a milliwatt can be designed in 0.35µm CMOS technology with the use of narrow transistor channels, and with the channel length as a design parameter. The impact of the rise/fall time of the clock signal on the integrator operation is observed. It is shown that this effect can be reduced when the proper switch dimensions are taken for the integrator. Analysis and measurements of the integrator noise are presented. The integrator was built with equal size transistors, yielding less sensitivity to variations in production parameters. An experimental chip in 0.35µm CMOS technology was fabricated, and measurements are compared with results obtained during analysis and simulations. In order to verify the properties of the designed integrator experimentally, a first‐order filter is built with the use of elementary cells on the chip. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Failure Resistance of Historic Stone Bridge Structure of Charles Bridge. II: Susceptibility to Floods

The paper is a follow-up to the first part devoted to an analogical problem investigated with a view to the degradation of the stone structure due to the effects of nonstress load, and it deals with the probability problem of the bridge structure collapse under the effect of an extreme flood wave. The paper presents the results of the numerical analysis of the response of the historic stone bridge structure of Charles Bridge of the 14th century to the flood wave effect simulated by angular rotation, subsidence, and shifting in the footing bottom of a bridge pier. Special focus is on the effect of interventions into the stone bridge structure dating back to the last major overhaul of 1967–1975, particularly, on the effect of the reinforced concrete slab (tie plate) connecting the opposite bridge breast walls increasing the rigidity of the breast walls and their structurally efficient connection to the vaults of the bridge arches. The numerical analyses performed point out the prevailing negative effects of the implemented interventions in terms of structural rigidity of the stone bridge structure exposed to the effect of a flood wave.     

ABT-594 [(R)-5-(2-azetidinylmethoxy)-2-chloropyridine]: a novel, orally effective antinociceptive agent acting via neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: II. In vivo characterization

The antinociceptive effects of ABT-594, a novel nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) ligand, were examined in rats in models of acute thermal (hot box) and persistent chemical (formalin test) pain. Also, the effects of ABT-594 treatment on motor function and electroencephalogram (EEG) were determined. In the hot box and formalin test (i.e., phase 1 and 2), acute treatment with ABT-594 (0.03, 0.1 and 0.3 mumol/kg i.p.) produced significant dose-dependent antinociceptive effects. In the hot box, the efficacy of ABT-594 was maintained after a repeated dosing paradigm (5 days b.i.d.i.p.). ABT-594 was fully efficacious in the formalin test when administered before formalin, and also retained significant efficacy (0.3 mumol/kg i.p.) when administered after formalin injection. The antinociceptive effects of ABT-594 in the hot box and formalin tests were attenuated by pretreatment with the nAChR antagonist, mecamylamine, and in animals treated with the nAChR antagonist chlorisondamine, given centrally (10 micrograms/rat i.c.v. 5 days before), but not in animals pretreated with the opioid receptor antagonist, naltrexone. Acute treatment with ABT-594 produced an initial decrease in open-field locomotor activity, which was absent in animals dosed repeatedly (5 days b.i.d.) with ABT-594. Also, acute treatment with ABT-594 decreased body temperature and decreased the amount of time the animals could maintain balance in an edge-balance test. These effects were no longer present in animals dosed repeatedly with ABT-594. At antinociceptive doses, ABT-594 produced activation of free running EEG in contrast to the sedative-like effects of morphine. Full antinociceptive efficacy was maintained in both the hot box and formalin tests after oral administration, whereas the effects on motoric performance were attenuated. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that ABT-594 is a potent antinociceptive agent with full efficacy in models of acute and persistent pain and that these effects are mediated predominately by an action at central neuronal nAChRs. In addition, antinociceptive effects were maintained after repeated dosing, whereas effects of ABT-594 on motor and temperature measures were attenuated in animals treated repeatedly with ABT-594. Thus, compounds acting at nAChRs may represent a novel approach for the treatment of a variety of pain states.     

Hydrophilic Nanotube Supported Graphene–Water Dispersible Carbon Superstructure with Excellent Conductivity

In this work, it is shown that the hydrophilic functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNs) can stabilize a large amount of pristine graphene nanosheets in pure water without the assistance of surfactants, ionic liquids, or hydrophilic polymers. Role of stabilizer is conveyed by highly hydrophilic carbon nanotubes, functionalized by dihydroxy phenyl groups, affording a stable dispersion at concentrations as high as 15 mg mL^?1. Such multidimensional (2D/1D) graphene/MWCN hybrid is found to be dispersible also in other polar organic solvents such as ethanol, isopropanol, N,N‐dimethylformamide, ethylene glycol, and their mixtures. High‐resolution transmission microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) including a liquid mode AFM manifest several types of interaction including trapping of multiwalled carbon nanotubes between the graphene sheets or the modification of graphene edges. Molecular dynamic simulations show that formation of an assembly is kinetically controlled. Importantly, the hybrid can be deposited on the paper by drop casting or dispersed in water‐soluble polymers resulting in record values of electrical conductivity (sheet resistance up to R_s ≈ 25 Ω sq^?1 for free hybrid material and R_s ≈ 1300 Ω sq^?1 for a polyvinilalcohol/hybrid composite film). Thus, these novel water dispersible carbon superstructures reveal a high application potential as conductive inks for inkjet printing or as highly conductive polymers.     

Triggering Mechanism for DNA Electrical Conductivity: Reversible Electron Transfer between DNA and Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

A new category of iron oxide nanoparticles (surface active maghemite nanoparticles (SAMNs, γ‐Fe₂O₃)) allows the intimate chemical and electrical contact with DNA by direct covalent binding. On these basis, different DNA‐nanoparticle architectures are developed and used as platform for studying electrical properties of DNA. The macroscopic 3D nanobioconjugate, constituted of 5% SAMNs, 70% water, and 25% DNA, shows high stability, electrochemical reversibility and, moreover, electrical conductivity (70–80 Ω cm^?1). Reversible electron transfer at the interface between nanoparticles and DNA is unequivocally demonstrated by Mössbauer spectroscopy, which shows the appearance of Fe(II) atoms on nanoparticles following nanobioconjugate formation. This represents the first example of permanent electron exchange by DNA, as well as, of DNA conductivity at a macroscopic scale. Finally, the most probable configuration of the binding is tentatively modeled by density functional theory (DFT/UBP86/6‐31+G*), showing the occurrence of electron transfer from the organic orbitals of DNA to surface exposed Fe(III) on nanoparticles, as well as the generation of defects (holes) on the DNA bases. The unequivocal demonstration of DNA conduction provides a new perspective in the five decades long debate about electrical properties of this biopolymer, further suggesting novel approaches for DNA exploitation in nanoelectronics.