Fluorogenic “Photoclick” Labeling and Imaging of DNA with Coumarin-fused Tetrazole in Vivo

摘要： Photoclickable fluorogenic probes will enable visualization of specific biomolecules with precise spatiotemporal control in their native environment. However, the fluorogenic tagging of DNA with current photocontrolled clickable probes is still challenging. Herein, we demonstrated the fast (19.5 ± 2.5 M-1 s-1) fluorogenic labeling and imaging of DNA in vitro and in vivo with rationally designed coumarin-fused tetrazoles under UV LED photoirradiation. With a water-soluble, nuclear-specific coumarin-fused tetrazole (CTz-SO3), the metabolically synthesized DNA in cultured cells was effectively labeled and visualized, without fixation, via “photoclick” reaction. Moreover, the photoaclickable CTz-SO3 enabled the real-time, spatially controlled imaging of DNA in live zebrafish.

Towards the Realization of Graphene Based Flexible Radio Frequency Receiver

摘要： We report on our progress and development of high speed flexible graphene field effect transistors (GFETs) with high electron and hole mobilities (~3000 cm2/V·s), and intrinsic transit frequency in the microwave GHz regime. We also describe the design and fabrication of flexible graphene based radio frequency system. This RF communication system consists of graphite patch antenna at 2.4 GHz, graphene based frequency translation block (frequency doubler and AM demodulator) and graphene speaker. The communication blocks are utilized to demonstrate graphene based amplitude modulated (AM) radio receiver operating at 2.4 GHz.

Nanopillar-Assisted SERS Chromatography

摘要： Practical implementation of surfaced enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensing is hindered by complexity of real-life samples, which often requires long and costly pretreatment and purification. Here, we present a novel nanopillar-assisted SERS chromatography (NPC-SERS) method for simultaneous quantitation of target molecules and analysis of complex, multicomponent fluids, e.g., human urine spiked with a model drug paracetamol (PAR). Gold-coated silicon nanopillar (AuNP) SERS substrates and a centrifugal microfluidic platform are tactfully combined, which allows (i) a precise and fully automated sample manipulation and (ii) spatial separation of different molecular species on the AuNP substrate. The NPC-SERS technique provides a novel approach for wetting the stationary phase (AuNP) using the “wicking effect”, and thus minimizes dilution of analytes. Separation of PAR and the main human urine components (urea, uric acid, and creatinine) has been demonstrated. Quantitative detection of PAR with ultrawide linear dynamic range (0?500 ppm) is achieved by analyzing the spreading profiles of PAR on the AuNP surface. NPC-SERS transforms SERS into a sensing technique with general applicability, facilitating rapid and quantitative detection of analytes in complex biofluids, such as saliva, blood, and urine.

Logic Locking Using Hybrid CMOS and Emerging SiNW FETs

摘要： The outsourcing of integrated circuit (IC) fabrication services to overseas manufacturing foundry has raised security and privacy concerns with regard to intellectual property (IP) protection as well as the integrity maintenance of the fabricated chips. One way to protect ICs from malicious attacks is to encrypt and obfuscate the IP design by incorporating additional key gates, namely logic encryption or logic locking. The state-of-the-art logic encryption techniques certainly incur considerable performance overhead upon the genuine IP design. The focus of this paper is to leverage the unique property of emerging transistor technology on reducing the performance overhead as well as preserving the robustness of logic locking technique. We design the polymorphic logic gate using silicon nanowire field effect transistors (SiNW FETs) to replace the conventional Exclusive-OR (XOR)-based logic cone. We then evaluate the proposed technique based on security metric and performance overhead.

Extended π-Conjugated Structures via Dehydrative C–C Coupling

摘要： We describe a methodology for the synthesis of extended aromatic structures through dehydrative C?C coupling from readily accessible diols. Treatment of the diols with a Br?nsted acid (para-toluenesulfonic acid) induces the nucleophilic addition of an arene or heteroarene, yielding fully aromatic products in high to quantitative yields with thiophenes, furan, indole, and N,N-dimethylaniline as coupling partners. The C?C coupling reactions proceed under mild, open flask conditions and offer high atom economy, while providing an attractive alternative approach to metal-catalyzed cross-coupling.

Novel Design for Thermal Management of PV Cells in Harsh Environmental Conditions

摘要： The abundance of solar energy is a blessing in the Arabian Peninsula, where more than 2000 kWh/m2 density has been recorded annually. This has resulted in sincere consideration of PV harvesting in the energy matrix and smart grid. However, artefacts such as degradation of PV efficiency due to the high temperature effect have to be addressed. This paper presents a novel design of a PV cooling system using water to mitigate the effect of high temperature. Several experiments have been conducted, and the results have been analyzed. It has been found that the collected water from the panel after 40 min of cooling gained a temperature of 10 ?C approximately, during December 2016. Eventually, the efficiency was improved by 10.35% (without using MPPT) using water at ambient temperature (24 ?C) compared to the non-cooled panel. Moreover, the temperature of the panel during solar peak hours dropped from 64.3 ?C to 32 ?C and from 59 ?C to 27 ?C in 3 min for the back and front surface, respectively. These results, which are the ?rst of their kind in Qatar, constitute good incentives and pave the way for further investigation to enhance PV ef?ciency in harsh environments. This would be of paramount signi?cance, especially for scaling up PV deployment, as is planned in Qatar and GCC countries in their 2030 vision.

Nano-Assemblies from J-Aggregated Dyes: A Stimuli-Responsive Tool Applicable to Living Systems

摘要： Controlling the packing arrangements of dyes is a facile way of tuning their photophysical and/or photochemical properties, thus enabling new sensing mechanisms for photofunctional tools. Here, we present a general and robust strategy toward water-stable J-aggregated dye templated nano-assemblies by incorporating an amphiphilic diblock copolymer and a stimuli-responsive dye as the only two building components. An iodo-substituted boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) was adopted as a template to direct the self-assembly of poly(ethylene glycol)-block-polycaprolactone (PEG-PCL), forming a core-shell nanoplate with slip-stacked BODIPYs as core surrounded by hydrophilic PEG shell. The self-assembled nanoplate is stable in cell culture medium and possesses a built-in stimuli-responsiveness that arises from BODIPY bearing meso-carboxylate protecting group, which is efficiently removed upon treatment with peroxynitrite. The resulting negative charges lead to rearrangement of dyes from J-stacking to non-stacking, which activates photoinduced singlet oxygen production from the nano-assemblies. The stimuli-activatable photosensitivity has been exploited for specific photodynamic ablation of activated RAW 264.7 cells with excessive endogenous peroxynitrite. In light of the generality of the sensing mechanism, the concept described herein will significantly expands the palette of design principles to develop diverse photofunctional tools for biological research and clinical needs.

TiO2 Nanoparticles Catalyze Oxidation of Huntingtin Exon 1-Derived Peptides Impeding Aggregation: a Quantitative NMR Study of Binding and Kinetics

摘要： Polyglutamine expansion within the N-terminal region of the huntingtin protein results in the formation of intracellular aggregates responsible for Huntington’s disease, a fatal neurodegenerative condition. The interaction between TiO2 nanoparticles and huntingtin peptides comprising the N-terminal amphiphilic domain without (httNT) or with (httNTQ10) a ten-residue C-terminal polyglutamine tract, is investigated by NMR spectroscopy. TiO2 nanoparticles decrease aggregation of httNTQ10 by catalyzing the oxidation of Met7 to a sulfoxide, resulting in an aggregation-incompetent peptide. The oxidation agent is hydrogen peroxide generated on the surface of the TiO2 nanoparticles either by UV irradiation or at low steady-state levels in the dark. The binding kinetics of non-aggregating httNT to TiO2 nanoparticles is characterized by quantitative analysis of 15N dark state exchange saturation transfer and lifetime line broadening NMR data. Binding involves a sparsely-populated intermediate that experiences hindered rotational diffusion relative to the free state. Catalysis of methionine oxidation within the N-terminal domain of the huntingtin protein may potentially provide a strategy for delaying the onset of Huntington’s disease.

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A New Dynamic Model to Predict Transient and Steady State PV Temperatures Taking into Account the Environmental Conditions

摘要： Photovoltaic (PV) cell and module temperature pro?les, Tc and Tpv, respectively, developed under solar irradiance were predicted and measured both at transient and steady state conditions. The predicted and measured Tc or Tpv covered both a bare c-Si PV cell, by SOLARTEC, at laboratory conditions using a solar light simulator, as well as various c-Si and pc-Si modules (SM55, Bioenergy 195W, Energy Solutions 125W) operating in ?eld conditions. The time constants, τ, of the Tc and Tpv pro?les were determined by the proposed model and calculated using the experimentally obtained pro?les for both the bare PV cell and PV modules. For model validation, the predicted steady state and transient temperature pro?les were compared with experimental ones and also with those generated from other models. The effect of the ambient temperature, Ta, wind speed, vw, and the solar irradiance, IT, on the model performance, as well as of the mounting geometries, was investigated and incorporated in the prediction model. The predicted temperatures had the best matching to the measured ones in comparison to those from six other models. The model developed is applicable to any geographical site and environmental conditions.