Selective Light-Triggered Release of DNA from Gold Nanorods Switches Blood Clotting On and Off

Blood clotting is a precise cascade engineered to form a clot with temporal and spatial control. Current control of blood clotting is achieved predominantly by anticoagulants and thus inherently one-sided. Here we use a pair of nanorods (NRs) to provide a two-way switch for the blood clotting cascade by utilizing their ability to selectively release species on their surface under two different laser excitations. We selectively trigger release of a thrombin binding aptamer from one nanorod, inhibiting blood clotting and resulting in increased clotting time. We then release the complementary DNA as an antidote from the other NR, reversing the effect of the aptamer and restoring blood clotting. Thus, the nanorod pair acts as an on/off switch. One challenge for nanobiotechnology is the bio-nano interface, where coronas of weakly adsorbed proteins can obscure biomolecular function. We exploit these adsorbed proteins to increase aptamer and antidote loading on the nanorods.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant DMR #0906838

Lawson criterion for ignition exceeded in an inertial fusion experiment

For more than half a century, researchers around the world have been engaged in attempts to achieve fusion ignition as a proof of principle of various fusion concepts. Following the Lawson criterion, an ignited plasma is one where the fusion heating power is high enough to overcome all the physical processes that cool the fusion plasma, creating a positive thermodynamic feedback loop with rapidly increasing temperature. In inertially confined fusion, ignition is a state where the fusion plasma can begin "burn propagation" into surrounding cold fuel, enabling the possibility of high energy gain. While "scientific breakeven" (i.e., unity target gain) has not yet been achieved (here target gain is 0.72, 1.37 MJ of fusion for 1.92 MJ of laser energy), this Letter reports the first controlled fusion experiment, using laser indirect drive, on the National Ignition Facility to produce capsule gain (here 5.8) and reach ignition by nine different formulations of the Lawson criterion

Quartz Crystal Microbalance Data

We are using a Qpod quartz crystal microbalance (manufactured by Inficon) for use as a low-volume non-volatile residue analysis tool. Inficon has agreed to help troubleshoot some of our measurements and are requesting to view some sample data, which are attached. The basic principle of an NVR analysis is to evaporate a known volume of solvent, and weigh the remaining residue to determine the purity of the solvent. A typical NVR analysis uses 60 g of solvent and can measure residue with an accuracy of +/- 0.01 mg. The detection limit is thus (0.01 mg)/(60 g) = 0.17 ppm. We are attempting to use a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) to make a similar measurement. The attached data show the response of the QCM as a 5-20 mg drop of solvent evaporates on its surface. The change in mass registered by the QCM after the drop evaporates is the residue that deposits on the crystal. On some measurements, the change in mass in less than zero, which is aphysical since the drop will leave behind {>=}0 mass of residue. The vendor, Inficon, has agreed to look at these data as a means to help troubleshoot the cause

Quartz Crystal Microbalance Data

We are using a Qpod quartz crystal microbalance (manufactured by Inficon) for use as a low-volume non-volatile residue analysis tool. Inficon has agreed to help troubleshoot some of our measurements and are requesting to view some sample data, which are attached. The basic principle of an NVR analysis is to evaporate a known volume of solvent, and weigh the remaining residue to determine the purity of the solvent. A typical NVR analysis uses 60 g of solvent and can measure residue with an accuracy of +/- 0.01 mg. The detection limit is thus (0.01 mg)/(60 g) = 0.17 ppm. We are attempting to use a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) to make a similar measurement. The attached data show the response of the QCM as a 5-20 mg drop of solvent evaporates on its surface. The change in mass registered by the QCM after the drop evaporates is the residue that deposits on the crystal. On some measurements, the change in mass in less than zero, which is aphysical since the drop will leave behind {>=}0 mass of residue. The vendor, Inficon, has agreed to look at these data as a means to help troubleshoot the cause

Patterning Nanodomains with Orthogonal Functionalities: Solventless Synthesis of Self-Sorting Surfaces

A simple method to fabricate a multifunctional patterned platform on the nanometer scale is demonstrated. The platform contains two reactive functional groups on the surface: one is an acetylene group which can be functionalized via click chemistry, and the other is an amine group which can also be functionalized by classic carbodiimide chemistry with N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS). The click-active and amine surface could be obtained from polymer coating of poly(propargyl methacrylate) (PPMA) via initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) and poly(allylamine) (PAAm) via a plasma polymerization process, respectively, utilizing commercially available monomers. A capillary force lithography (CFL) process was applied on a stacked film of a PPMA layer on PAAm, and CFL could selectively pattern PPMA maintaining the bottom PAAm layer intact, which completes the multifunctional nanopatterns. The minimum feature size of this nanopattern was 110 nm. The entire fabrication process is solventless and low temperature, which can minimize the loss of functionalities. The click and NHS reactions are highly orthogonal to each other so that nonspecific immobilization can be minimized. These advantageous characteristics enable the covalent functionalization of two independent components in a one-pot functionalization process in self-recognized way. The one-pot orthogonal functionalization was performed in an aqueous solution at room temperature, which is biocompatible. Considering the versatility and generality of the reactions used here, we believe this platform can be easily extended to various biodevice applications.close631