The sonication-centrifugation technique is commonly used for dispersing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in aqueous surfactant solutions. However, the methodologies and materials this purpose are widely varied, few dispersive agents have been studied systematically. This work describes a systematic study into ability of some well-known (and less common) surfactants polymers to disperse SWCNTs fabricated by two different techniques. UV-vis-NIR absorbance spectra their supernatant...

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has been the material of choice for microfluidic applications in cell biology many years, with recent advances encompassing nano-scaffolds and surface modifications to enhance cell-surface interactions at nano-scale. However, PDMS not previously amenable which require complex geometries three dimensions culture device fabrication absence additional components. Further, devices have limited capacity retrieval following without severely compromising health. This...

We present Skan (Skeleton analysis), a Python library for the analysis of skeleton structures objects. It was inspired by "analyse skeletons" plugin Fiji image software, but its extensive Application Programming Interface (API) allows users to examine and manipulate any intermediate data produced during analysis. Further, use common such as SciPy sparse matrices pandas frames opens results within ecosystem scientific libraries available in Python. demonstrate validity Skan's measurements...

Branched gold nanoparticles with sharp tips are considered excellent candidates for sensing and field enhancement applications. Here, a rapid simple synthesis strategy is presented that generates highly branched hollow cores ca.100% yield through one-pot seedless reaction at room temperature in the presence of Triton X-100. It shown multibranched tunable dimensions, branch density length can be obtained by adjusting concentrations reactants. Insights into formation mechanism point toward an...

Malaria is caused by five different Plasmodium spp. in humans each of which modifies the host erythrocyte to survive and replicate. The two main causes malaria, P. falciparum vivax, differ their ability cause severe disease, mainly due differences cytoadhesion infected erythrocytes (IE) microvasculature. Cytoadhesion brain leads a large number deaths year consequence exported parasite proteins, some modify cytoskeleton while others such as PfEMP1 project onto surface where they bind...

Plasmodium falciparum mediates adhesion of infected red blood cells (RBCs) to vessel walls by assembling a multi-protein complex at the RBC surface. This virulence-mediating structure, called knob, acts as scaffold for presentation major virulence antigen, P. Erythrocyte Membrane Protein-1 (PfEMP1). In this work we developed correlative STochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy–Scanning Electron Microscopy (STORM-SEM) spatially and temporally map delivery knob-associated histidine-rich...

The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum traffics the virulence protein P. erythrocyte membrane 1 (PfEMP1) to surface of infected red blood cells (RBCs) via membranous organelles, known as Maurer's clefts. We developed a method for efficient enrichment clefts and profiled composition this trafficking organelle. identified 13 previously uncharacterized or poorly characterized cleft proteins. generated transfectants expressing green fluorescent (GFP) fusions 7 proteins confirmed their...

The remarkable deformability of red blood cells (RBCs) depends on the viscoelasticity plasma membrane and cell contents surface area to volume (SA:V) ratio; however, it remains unclear which these factors is key determinant for passage through small capillaries. We used a microfluidic device examine traversal normal, stiffened, swollen, parasitised immature RBCs. show that dramatic stiffening RBCs had no measurable effect their ability traverse channels. By contrast, moderate decrease in...

Research into silicon solar cells that use a thin film of single walled carbon nanotubes as the front electrode is an important area increasing research activity. This paper provides first ever direct performance comparison between devices fabricated with either semiconducting, metallic or mixed to probe effect semiconducting/metallic nature, ‘metallicity’, nanotube on cell and properties. HiPCO material sorted using gel chromatography technique highly purified in semiconducting species. The...

Static methods to determine the spring constant of AFM cantilevers have been widely used in scientific community since importance such calibration techniques was established nearly 20 years ago. The most commonly static involve loading a trial cantilever with known force by pressing it against pre-calibrated standard or reference cantilever. These number sources uncertainty, which include uncertainty measured cantilever, exact position point on and how closely match. We present technique...

Single walled carbon nanotube thin films are fabricated by solution shearing from high concentration sodium nanotubide polyelectrolyte inks. The solutions produced simple stirring of the nanotubes with elemental in dimethylacetamide, and thus not subject to any sonication-induced damage. At such elevated concentrations (∼4 mg mL(-1)), exist liquid crystal phase during deposition this order is transferred films, which well aligned direction shear a 2D nematic parameter ∼0.7 determined...

Presentation of the variant antigen, Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (EMP1), at knob-like protrusions on surface infected red blood cells, underpins parasite’s pathogenicity. Here we describe a PF3D7_0301700 (PTP7), that functions nexus between intermediate trafficking organelle, Maurer’s cleft, and cell surface. Genetic disruption PTP7 leads to accumulation vesicles clefts, grossly aberrant knob morphology, failure deliver EMP1 We show an expanded low complexity...

As a recent technological development, high-speed atomic force microscopy (AFM) has provided unprecedented insights into dynamic processes on the nanoscale, and is capable of measuring material property variation over short timescales. Miniaturized cantilevers developed specifically for AFM differ greatly from standard both in size properties, calibration cantilever spring constant critical accurate, quantitative measurement. This work investigates specifically, these new-generation first...

Abstract Aluminium substitution into goethite, α-FeOOH, has been studied systematically by infrared spectroscopy over the frequency interval 150 to 700 cm -1 . A range of synthetic compositions. (Fe 1-x Al x )OOH, 0 ≤ 0.0857, plus end-member diaspore (AlOOH) were examined. The IR spectrum FeOOH interest can be deconvoluted 9 peaks: 670, 633, 497, 451, 409, 396, 360, 290 and 268 With addition Al, spectra become broader frequencies modes shift higher values. An effective line width parameter Δ...

Current methods of synthesis for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) usually produce heterogeneous mixtures different nanotube diameters and thus a mixture electronic properties. Consequently, many techniques to sort according their type have been devised. One such method involves the chemical reaction CNTs with aryl diazonium salts. Here we examine reactions electric arc produced (dispersed by variety surfactants polymers in aqueous solution) 4-bromo-, 4-nitro-, 4-carboxybenzenediazonium...

Quenching of optical absorbance spectra for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) dispersed in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) has been observed to be more pronounced at higher concentrations the surfactant. The protonation-based quenching behavior displays wavelength dependence, affecting larger diameter nanotube species preferentially. Although may recovered by hydroxide addition, pH measurements suggest that hydrolysis SDS does not play a major role short term high concentrations. degree is correlate well...

The simian parasite Plasmodium knowlesi causes severe and fatal malaria infections in humans, but the process of host cell remodelling that underpins pathology this zoonotic is only poorly understood. We have used serial block-face scanning electron microscopy to explore topography P. knowlesi-infected red blood cells (RBCs) at different stages asexual development. elaborates large flattened cisternae (Sinton Mulligan's clefts) tubular vesicles cytoplasm, as well parasitophorous vacuole...

Abstract Purpose Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) imparts physical stress on the oolemma of oocyte and remains among most technically demanding skills to master, with success rates related experience expertise. ICSI is also time-consuming requires workflow management in laboratory. This study presents a device designed reduce pressure during investigates if this improves embryo development porcine model. The impact laboratory was assessed. Methods Porcine oocytes were matured vitro...

Carbon nanotubes are considered to be an ideal imaging tip for atomic force microscopy (AFM) applications, and a number of methods fabricating these types probe have been developed in recent years. This work reports the attachment carbon AFM probes using micromanipulator within scanning electron microscope. Electron beam induced deposition etching used enhance quality nanotube improve fabrication rate CNT compared existing techniques. The process is also improved by mat SWCNTs (buckypaper)...

In this work PeakForce tapping (PFT) imaging was demonstrated with carbon nanotube atomic force microscopy (CNT-AFM) probes; mode shows great promise for providing simple, stable CNT-AFM probes, which can be difficult to apply. The PFT is used probes demonstrate high resolution on samples features in the nanometre range, including a Nioprobe calibration sample and gold nanoparticles silicon, order modes effectiveness, also aid determining diameter of very thin probes. addition operation,...

Elucidating the underlying principles behind band gap engineering is paramount for successful implementation of semiconductors in photonic and optoelectronic devices. Recently it has been shown that a wide direct semiconductor, such as ZnO, can be modified upon cocrystallization with amino acids, role biomolecules remaining unclear. Here, by probing modeling light-emitting properties ZnO–amino acid cocrystals, we identify acids' on this modulation demonstrate their effective chirality...

The malaria parasite hijacks host erythrocytes to shield itself from the immune system and proliferate. Red blood cell abnormalities can provide protection by impeding invasion growth within or compromising ability of parasites avoid clearance. Here, we describe 2 N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea-induced mouse lines, SptbMRI26194 SptbMRI53426 , containing single-point mutations in erythrocyte membrane skeleton gene, β spectrin (Sptb), which exhibit microcytosis but retain a relatively normal ratio...