Comments on Intracellular Studies of Presynaptic Inhibition

The use of intracellular electrodes, e.g., (micropipettes), in electrophysiological studies of the central nervous system, has enhanced our understanding of the basic function of the nervous system. The purpose of this paper is to review a study in which this microtechnique was successfully employed in the spinal cord

Clinical application of a rapid microbiological test based on capillary zone electrophoresis to assess local skin infection

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The basic clinical problem associated with infection treatment is the fact that classic, commonly and routinely used isolation and identification methods are based on long-term processes of a phenotypic analysis of microorganisms. Consequently sometimes, especially in small centres, rapid implementation of antibacterial treatment becomes delayed.</p> <p>The work presents the initial results of rapid microbiological identification based on an original method of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). The study involved the analysis of 78 biological samples from post-operative wounds and trophic ulcers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The attempt was made to identify individual bacterial species based on characteristic features of electropherograms achieved. Finally, G(+) cocci type bacteria and different G(-) rods were identified with sensitivity of 88.1% and specificity of 100%.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Based on the clinical trials using an electrophoretic technique in the field of microbiological diagnostics of infected exudate from a post-operative wound it can be concluded that it is a rapid and relatively sensitive method for initial identification of infectious pathogens.</p

Supramolecular recognition of estrogens via molecularly imprinted polymers

The isolation and preconcentration of estrogens from new types of biological samples (acellular and protein-free simulated body fluid) by molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction has been described. In this technique, supramolecular receptors, namely molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are used as a sorbent material. The recognition sites of MIPs were prepared by non-covalent multiple interactions and formed with the target 17β-estradiol as a template molecule. High-performance liquid chromatography with spectroscopic UV, selective, and a sensitive electrochemical CoulArray detector was used for the determination of 17β-estradiol, estrone, and estriol in simulated body fluid which mimicked human plasma

Single-Molecule Electrochemical Transistor Utilizing a Nickel-Pyridyl Spinterface

Using a scanning tunnelling microscope break-junction technique, we produce 4,4′-bipyridine (44BP) single-molecule junctions with Ni and Au contacts. Electrochemical control is used to prevent Ni oxidation and to modulate the conductance of the devices via nonredox gatingthe first time this has been shown using non-Au contacts. Remarkably the conductance and gain of the resulting Ni-44BP-Ni electrochemical transistors is significantly higher than analogous Au-based devices. Ab-initio calculations reveal that this behavior arises because charge transport is mediated by spin-polarized Ni <i>d</i>-electrons, which hybridize strongly with molecular orbitals to form a “spinterface”. Our results highlight the important role of the contact material for single-molecule devices and show that it can be varied to provide control of charge and spin transport

Influence of air cooling and air-jet vortex generator on flow structure in turbine passage

The paper concerns the experimental investigations and numerical simulations of a high loaded model of a turbine blade. An increase in the blade load leads to enlargement of a local supersonic zone terminated by a shock wave on the suction side. The Mach number upstream of the shock reaches up to 1.6. The interaction of the shock wave with a boundary layer at such a high Mach number leads to a strong separation. Streamwise vortices generated by air-jets were used for the interaction control. The work presents the experimental and numerical results of the application of an air-jets vortex generator on the suction side of cooled turbine blades. Very interesting results were obtained in the context of the air cooling and air-jet vortex generator influence on the flow structure in the turbine passage