Protein sliding and hopping kinetics on DNA

Using Monte-Carlo simulations, we deconvolved the sliding and hopping kinetics of GFP-LacI proteins on elongated DNA from their experimentally observed seconds-long diffusion trajectories. Our simulations suggest the following results: (1) in each diffusion trajectory, a protein makes on average hundreds of alternating slides and hops with a mean sliding time of several tens of ms; (2) sliding dominates the root mean square displacement of fast diffusion trajectories, whereas hopping dominates slow ones; (3) flow and variations in salt concentration have limited effects on hopping kinetics, while in vivo DNA configuration is not expected to influence sliding kinetics; furthermore, (4) the rate of occurrence for hops longer than 200 nm agrees with experimental data for EcoRV proteins

Oxy-combustion studies into the co -firing of coal and biomass blends: Effects on heat transfer, gas and ash compositions

Oxy-combustion with coal and biomass co-firing is a technology that could revolutionize fossil fuel power generation. It can significantly reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and permit the continued use of plentiful coal supplies and thereby secure our future energy needs without the severe environmental impacts expected if fossil fuels are used without CCS. The work presented here was conducted by means of experimental tests co-firing coal and biomass under oxy-firing conditions at the retrofitted 100kWth oxy-combustor facility at Cranfield University. A parametric study was performed with respect to the effect of recycled ratio and fuel variability on gas composition (including SO3), temperatures, heat flux, burn-out and ash deposition. Furthermore, the possible compensation in heat transfer resulting from the higher heat capacity and emissivity of the gases in the oxy-combustion process as compared to the air-firing case was explored. This was done by the use of blends of coal and biomass, and we concluded that this compensation is unlikely to be significant due to the marked differences between heat fluxes reached under air and oxy-firing conditions

Oxy-combustion studies into the co -firing of coal and biomass blends: Effects on heat transfer, gas and ash compositions

Oxy-combustion with coal and biomass co-firing is a technology that could revolutionize fossil fuel power generation. It can significantly reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and permit the continued use of plentiful coal supplies and thereby secure our future energy needs without the severe environmental impacts expected if fossil fuels are used without CCS. The work presented here was conducted by means of experimental tests co-firing coal and biomass under oxy-firing conditions at the retrofitted 100kWth oxy-combustor facility at Cranfield University. A parametric study was performed with respect to the effect of recycled ratio and fuel variability on gas composition (including SO3), temperatures, heat flux, burn-out and ash deposition. Furthermore, the possible compensation in heat transfer resulting from the higher heat capacity and emissivity of the gases in the oxy-combustion process as compared to the air-firing case was explored. This was done by the use of blends of coal and biomass, and we concluded that this compensation is unlikely to be significant due to the marked differences between heat fluxes reached under air and oxy-firing conditions

Professorial roles: a study of the professorial populations within nursing and midwifery, social work and allied health professions

The professorial populations in nursing/midwifery, social work and allied health are relatively new in academia compared to longer established professions such as medicine and dentistry. Less is known about the roles, career pathways, characteristics and career aspirations of the professoriate within these emerging professions. A survey was undertaken from sample populations in each of the three professorial groups in order to obtain qualitative and quantitative data on professorial roles and activities, career pathway information and support mechanisms for professorial positions. This paper discusses the findings of the survey which relate specifically to professorial roles and activities and whether the identified roles reflect the professorial activities proposed by the National Conference of University Professors (NCUP) Other aspects of this survey including career pathways, findings relating to gender and support mechanisms will form the basis of future papers. Result

Trap States Ruling Photoconductive Gain in Tissue-Equivalent, Printed Organic X-Ray Detectors

Organic semiconductors are excellent candidates for X-ray detectors that can adapt to new applications, with unique properties including mechanical flexibility and the ability to cover large surfaces. Their chemical composition, primarily carbon and hydrogen, makes them human tissue equivalent in terms of radiation absorption. This is a highly desirable property for a radiation dosimeter to be employed in medical diagnostics and therapy, however a low-Z composition limits the absorption of ionizing radiation. The detection efficiency can be enhanced by considering the photoconductive gain (PG) effect, a significant contributor to the ionizing radiation detection mechanism in this class of materials. In this work, a process of controlled solution deposition by nozzle printing and crystallization of an organic semiconductor thin film is demonstrated whereby a flexible, arrayed thin-film X-ray detector with record X-ray sensitivities among flexible radiation detectors (S = (9.0 +/- 0.4) x 10(7) mu C Gy(-1) cm(-3)) is developed. The excitonic peaks responsible for the activation of the PG effect are investigated and identified using a novel technique called photocurrent spectroscopy optical quenching, and the analysis of the changes in trap states is further demonstrated

Rosetta Brains: A Strategy for Molecularly-Annotated Connectomics

We propose a neural connectomics strategy called Fluorescent In-Situ Sequencing of Barcoded Individual Neuronal Connections (FISSEQ-BOINC), leveraging fluorescent in situ nucleic acid sequencing in fixed tissue (FISSEQ). FISSEQ-BOINC exhibits different properties from BOINC, which relies on bulk nucleic acid sequencing. FISSEQ-BOINC could become a scalable approach for mapping whole-mammalian-brain connectomes with rich molecular annotations

Grain Boundary Induced Bias Instability in Soluble Acene-Based Thin-Film Transistors

Since the grain boundaries (GBs) within the semiconductor layer of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) have a strong influence on device performance, a substantial number of studies have been devoted to controlling the crystallization characteristics of organic semiconductors. We studied the intrinsic effects of GBs within 5,11-bis(triethylsilylethynyl) anthradithiophene (TES-ADT) thin films on the electrical properties of OFETs. The GB density was easily changed by controlling nulceation event in TES-ADT thin films. When the mixing time was increased, the number of aggregates in asspun TES-ADT thin films were increased and subsequent exposure of the films to 1,2-dichloroethane vapor led to a significant increase in the number of nuleation sites, thereby increasing the GB density of TES-ADT spherulites. The density of GBs strongly influences the angular spread and crystallographic orientation of TES-ADT spherulites. Accordingly, the FETs with higher GB densities showed much poorer electrical characteristics than devices with lower GB density. Especially, GBs provide charge trapping sites which are responsible for bias-stress driven electrical instability. Dielectric surface treatment with a polystyrene brush layer clarified the GB-induced charge trapping by reducing charge trapping at the semiconductor-dielectric interface. Our study provides an understanding on GB induced bias instability for the development of high performance OFETs.1172Ysciescopu