Self-Assembled Photochromic Molecular Dipoles for High-Performance Polymer Thin-Film Transistors.

The development of high-performance multifunctional polymer-based electronic circuits is a major step toward future flexible electronics. Here, we demonstrate a tunable approach to fabricate such devices based on rationally designed dielectric super-lattice structures with photochromic azobenzene molecules. These nanodielectrics possessing ionic, molecular, and atomic polarization are utilized in polymer thin-film transistors (TFTs) to realize high-performance electronics with a p-type field-effect mobility (μFET) exceeding 2 cm2 V-1 s-1. A crossover in the transport mechanism from electrostatic dipolar disorder to ionic-induced disorder is observed in the transistor characteristics over a range of temperatures. The facile supramolecular design allows the possibility to optically control the extent of molecular and ionic polarization in the ultrathin nanodielectric. Thus, we demonstrate a 3-fold increase in the capacitance from 0.1 to 0.34 μF/cm2, which results in a 200% increase in TFT channel current

Novel algorithms for improved detection and analysis of fluorescent signal fluctuations

Fluorescent dyes and genetically encoded fuorescence indicators (GEFI) are common tools for visualizing concentration changes of specifc ions and messenger molecules during intra- as well as intercellular communication. Using advanced imaging technologies, fuorescence indicators are a prerequisite for the analysis of physiological molecular signaling. Automated detection and analysis of fuorescence signals require to overcome several challenges, including correct estimation of fuorescence fuctuations at basal concentrations of messenger molecules, detection, and extraction of events themselves as well as proper segmentation of neighboring events. Moreover, event detection algorithms need to be sensitive enough to accurately capture localized and low amplitude events exhibiting a limited spatial extent. Here, we present two algorithms (PBasE and CoRoDe) for accurate baseline estimation and automated detection and segmentation of fuorescence fuctuations

Capillary electrophoretic separation of herbicidal enantiomers applying ergot alkaloids

Abstract The capillary electrophoretic separation of some herbicidal enantiomers is shown applying 1-allylterguride as chiral selector. Baseline separation is shown for the enantiomers of fluazifop, halossifop and fenoxaprop, whereas the optical isomers of flamprop could be partially resolved. Separation times are short compared to similar analyses, applying HPLC and a terguride chiral stationary phase. The degree of dissociation of the acidic analytes, as well as the amount of methanol present in the background electrolyte, are shown to have a major influence on enantioresolution, as expected form earlier studies. © 1997 Elsevier Science B. V

TRPV1 enhances the afferent response to P2X receptor activation in the mouse urinary bladder

Both TRPV1 and P2X receptors present on bladder sensory nerve fibres have been implicated in mechanosensation during bladder filling. The aim of this study was to determine possible interactions between these receptors in modulating afferent nerve activity. In wildtype (TRPV1+/+) and TRPV1 knockout (TRPV1−/−) mice, bladder afferent nerve activity, intravesical pressure, and luminal ATP and acetylcholine levels were determined and also intracellular calcium responses of dissociated pelvic DRG neurones and primary mouse urothelial cells (PMUCs). Bladder afferent nerve responses to the purinergic agonist αβMethylene-ATP were depressed in TRPV1−/− mice (p ≤ 0.001) and also in TRPV1+/+ mice treated with the TRPV1-antagonist capsazepine (10 µM; p ≤ 0.001). These effects were independent of changes in bladder compliance or contractility. Responses of DRG neuron to αβMethylene-ATP (30 µM) were unchanged in the TRPV1−/− mice, but the proportion of responsive neurones was reduced (p ≤ 0.01). Although the TRPV1 agonist capsaicin (1 µM) did not evoke intracellular responses in PMUCs from TRPV1+/+ mice, luminal ATP levels were reduced in the TRPV1−/− mice (p ≤ 0.001) compared to wildtype. TRPV1 modulates P2X mediated afferent responses and provides a mechanistic basis for the decrease in sensory symptoms observed following resiniferatoxin and capsaicin treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms

A Search for Dark Higgs Bosons

Recent astrophysical and terrestrial experiments have motivated the proposal of a dark sector with GeV-scale gauge boson force carriers and new Higgs bosons. We present a search for a dark Higgs boson using 516 fb-1 of data collected with the BABAR detector. We do not observe a significant signal and we set 90% confidence level upper limits on the product of the Standard Model-dark sector mixing angle and the dark sector coupling constant.Comment: 7 pages, 5 postscript figures, published version with improved plots for b/w printin

Search for the standard model Higgs boson in the H to ZZ to 2l 2nu channel in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

A search for the standard model Higgs boson in the H to ZZ to 2l 2nu decay channel, where l = e or mu, in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV is presented. The data were collected at the LHC, with the CMS detector, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 inverse femtobarns. No significant excess is observed above the background expectation, and upper limits are set on the Higgs boson production cross section. The presence of the standard model Higgs boson with a mass in the 270-440 GeV range is excluded at 95% confidence level.Comment: Submitted to JHE