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Digital nucleic acid amplification testing (dNAAT) and analysis techniques, such as digital polymerase chain reaction (PCR), have become useful clinical diagnostic tools. However, nucleic acid (NA) sample preparation preceding dNAAT is generally laborious and performed manually, thus creating the need for a simple sample preparation technique and a facile coupling strategy for dNAAT. Therefore, we demonstrate a simple workflow which automates magnetic bead-based extraction of NAs with a one-step transfer to dNAAT. Specifically, we leverage droplet magnetofluidics (DM) to automate the movement of magnetic beads between small volumes of reagents commonly employed for NA extraction and purification. Importantly, the buffer typically used to elute the NAs off the magnetic beads is replaced by a carefully selected PCR solution, enabling direct transfer from sample preparation to dNAAT. Moreover, we demonstrate the potential for multiplexing using a digital high-resolution melt (dHRM) after the digital PCR (dPCR). The utility of this workflow is demonstrated with duplexed detection of bacteria in a sample imitating a coinfection. We first purify the bacterial DNA into a PCR solution using our DM-based sample preparation. We then transfer the purified bacterial DNA to our microfluidic nanoarray to amplify 16S rRNA using dPCR and then perform dHRM to identify the two bacterial species.

Identification of moulds is crucial for the clinical management of patients. The goal of this study was to evaluate the new ID-FUNGI plate (IDFP) for the identification of moulds by MALDI Biotyper. IDFP was compared with Sabouraud with gentamicin and chloramphenicol plate (SAB) for the identification of 80 moulds from respiratory samples and eight reference strains. With the direct transfer method, species identification rose from 6% with SAB to 68% with IDFP using score cut-off 2 and from 20 to 75% using cut-off 1.7 (p

Trifluoroethanol and difluoroethanol units are important motifs in bioactive molecules, but the methods to direct incorporate these units are limited. Herein, we report two organosilicon reagents for the transfer of trifluoroethanol and difluoroethanol units into molecules. Through intramolecular C-Si bond activation by alkoxyl radicals, these reagents were applied in allylation, alkylation and alkenylation reactions, enabling efficient synthesis of various tri(di)fluoromethyl group substituted alcohols. The broad applicability and general utility of the approach are highlighted by late-stage introduction of these fluoroalkyl groups to complex molecules, and the synthesis of antitumor agent Z and its difluoromethyl analog Z′., Methods for direct incorporation of tri- and di-fluoroethanol units in molecules are relatively limited. Here, the authors report two organosilicon reagents which are applied to allylation, alkylation and alkenylation reactions as tri- and di-fluoroethanol transfer reagents.

Poly-ε-caprolactone nanofibrous polymer has been used as an alternative to restricted access media for extraction of protein-containing biological samples and direct transfer in the chromatographic system. Three commercial cartridges differing in length and internal diameter have been manually packed with the composite material prepared from poly-ε-caprolactone nanofibers coated on poly-ε-caprolactone microfibrous scaffold and connected to the column-switching chromatographic system. Bovine milk and human serum (25 μL) spiked with a mixture of methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, and butylparaben in a concentration range of 1-100 μg mL

Hybrid vesicles (HVs) that consist of mixtures of block copolymers and lipids are robust biomimetics of liposomes, providing a valuable building block in bionanotechnology, catalysis and synthetic biology. However, functionalisation of HVs remains laborious and expensive, creating a significant current challenge in the field. Here, using a new approach of extraction with styrene-maleic acid lipid particles (SMALPs), we show that a membrane protein (cytochrome bo3) directly transfers into HVs with an efficiency of 73.9 ± 13.5% and without the requirement of any detergent, long incubation times or mechanical disruption. Interestingly, direct transfer of membrane proteins using this approach was not possible into liposomes. This suggests that the HVs are more amenable than liposomes to membrane protein incorporation from a SMALP system. Finally, we show that this transfer method is not limited to cytochrome bo3 and can also be performed with complex membrane protein mixtures.

Johnson-Corey-Chaykovsky fluorocyclopropanation of double activated alkenes utilizing S-monofluoromethyl-S-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetramethylphenylsulfonium tetrafluoroborate is an efficient approach to obtain a range of monofluorocyclopropane derivatives. So far, fluoromethylsulfonium salts have displayed the broadest scope for direct fluoromethylene transfer. In contrast to more commonly used fluorohalomethanes or freon derivatives, diarylfluoromethylsulfonium salts are bench stable, easy-to use reagents useful for the direct transfer of a fluoromethylene group to alkenes giving access to the challenging products - fluorocyclopropane derivatives. Interplay between the reactivity of the starting materials and stability of the fluorocyclopropanes formed determines the outcome of the process.

Conical intersections are ubiquitous in photochemical processes, where nonadiabatic transfer induces ultrafast nonradiative decay from an excited state. Although they eluded experimental detection until the 1990s, today three diagnostic attributes are generally associated with photochemical reactions through conical intersections: ultrafast electronic dynamics, negligible fluorescence, and coherent wavepacket transfer. Here, we use generalized quantum dynamics simulations to show that coherent nonadiabatic transfer of excited vibrational wavepackets can occur even without reaching the conical intersection region. Instead, the wavepacket remains distant from the conical intersection throughout. In some topographies, an energetically inaccessible conical intersection can be completely avoided, yet still induce substantial nonadiabatic transfer with ultrafast transfer efficiencies that are nearly identical to those of direct transfer through a conical intersection. These results reveal that the diagnostic properties of conical intersections are not actually specific to decay pathways traveling directly through the intersection funnel, as is the common interpretation, but can also arise from alternative pathways that do not reach the intersection. This suggests that the diagnostic features and experimental signals associated with conical intersections should be reassessed, and the concept of pathways through a conical intersection as the "paradigm of photochemistry" may need to be adjusted.

Specialty barley malts provide unique aroma characteristics to beer; however, the transfer of specialty malt odorants to beer has not yet been systematically studied. Therefore, three beers were brewed: (1) exclusively with kilned base barley malt, (2) with the addition of a caramel barley malt, and (3) with the addition of a roasted barley malt. Major odorants in the beers were identified by aroma extract dilution analysis followed by quantitation and calculation of odor activity values (OAVs). The caramel malt beer was characterized by outstandingly high OAVs for odorants such as (E)-β-damascenone, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, methionol, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, and 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one, whereas the highest OAV for 2-methoxyphenol was obtained in the roasted malt beer. Quantifying odorants in the malts revealed that the direct transfer from malt to beer played only a minor role in the amount of malt odorants in the beers, suggesting a substantial formation from precursors and/or a release of encapsulated odorants during brewing.

The scope of graphene nanoribbon (GNR) structures accessible through bottom-up approaches is defined by the intrinsic limitations of either all-on-surface or all-solution-based synthesis. Here, we report a hybrid bottom-up synthesis of GNRs based on a Matrix-Assisted Direct (MAD) transfer technique that successfully leverages technical advantages inherent to both solution-based and on-surface synthesis while sidestepping their drawbacks. Critical structural parameters tightly controlled in solution-based polymerization reactions can seamlessly be translated into the structure of the corresponding GNRs. The transformative potential of the synergetic bottom-up approaches facilitated by the MAD transfer techniques is highlighted by the synthesis of chevron-type GNRs (cGNRs) featuring narrow length distributions and a nitrogen core-doped armchair GNR (N4-7-ANGR) that remains inaccessible using either a solution-based or an on-surface bottom-up approach alone.

Phthalate and alternative plasticizers are semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and among the most abundant indoor pollutants. Although ingestion of dust is one of the major exposure pathways to them, migration knowledge from source products to indoor dust is still limited. Systematic chamber measurements were conducted to investigate the direct transfer of these SVOCs between source products and dust in contact with the source. Substantial direct source-to-dust transfer of SVOCs was observed for all tests. The concentration of bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate in dust was 12 times higher than the pre-experimental level after only two days of source-dust contact. A mechanistic model was developed to predict the direct transfer process, and a reasonable agreement between model predictions and measurements was achieved. The octanol/air partition coefficient (Koa) of SVOCs, the emission parameter of the source product (y0), and the characteristics of the dust layer (i.e., porosity and thickness) control the transfer, affecting the SVOC concentration in dust, the kinetics of direct transfer, or both. Dust mass loading has a significant influence on the transfer, while relative humidity only has a limited effect. The findings suggest that minimizing the use of SVOC-containing products and house vacuuming are effective intervention strategies to reduce young children's exposure to SVOCs.

Nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are gaseous signaling molecules (gasotransmitters) that regulate both physiological and pathological processes and offer therapeutic potential for the treatment of many diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, renal disease, bacterial and viral infections. However, the inherent labile nature of therapeutic gases results in difficulties in direct gases administration and their controlled delivery at clinically relevant ranges. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with highly porous, stable, and easy-to-tailor properties have shown promising therapeutic gas delivery potential. Herein, we highlight the recent advances of MOF-based platforms for therapeutic gas delivery, either by endogenous (i.e., direct transfer of gases to targets) or exogenous (i.e., stimulating triggered release of gases) means. Reports that involve in vitro and/or in vivo studies are highlighted due to their high potential for clinical translation. Current challenges for clinical requirements and possible future innovative designs to meet variable healthcare needs are discussed.

Seawater adaptability of steelhead trout increases along with the increase in the size of the fish, independent of parr-smolt transformation. Three 96 h seawater challenge tests were conducted to determine the size at which seawater adaptability of steelhead trout develops. Plasma Na+ and Cl− levels, moisture content, gill Na+/K+ ATPase activity, and mortality during the 96 h after direct transfer to seawater (32 ppt) were determined. Plasma Na+ and Cl− levels in 50 g fish continuously increased during the 96 h after the transfer to seawater (p0.05), for which a possible explanation was discussed. A mere 2.6% mortality in both the 50 and 150 g size groups was observed. In conclusion, the current results indicate that 50 g size steelhead trout did not show development of a high level of hypoosmoregulatory capacity, whereas fish in the 100 and 150 g size groups showed a high level in our experimental conditions. Therefore, the steelhead trout larger than a 100 g size is recommended for transfer to seawater culture.

In this study, a nanoflower structured WO3 thin film has been prepared on an etched titanium substrate using a WO3 seeds-assisted hydrothermal reaction method. The WO3 nanoflower-like structure appeared when the growth time arrived at 4.75 h. Subsequently, this film went into a rapid growth stage. The nanoflower (NF) structured WO3 thin film with 8 h of hydrothermal reaction possessed the best photoelectrochemical performance. The photoinduced current density was 2.0 mA·cm−2 at a bias potential of 1.23 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) under the illumination by a simulated sunlight (100 mW/cm2) with a filter air mass (AM) 1.5 G. The improvement of the photoelectrochemical performance of the nanoflower structured WO3 can be attributed to three aspects. Firstly, the light absorption capacity could be increased by the nanoflower structure. Secondly, the reactive sites could be enhanced due to the increased specific surface area of the nanoflower structured WO3. Finally, a direct transfer channel for the photogenerated electrons could be formed by the definite 2-dimentional WO3 nanoflakes linked with the Ti substrate.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of many potassium fertilization methods on growth, productivity and fruit quality of date palm trees c.v Barhee grown under heat stress in Tushka region, Aswan Governorate, Egypt. Applied potassium fertilization (as K2SO4 (48% K2O)) to date palm trees by four methods i.e., control treatment (without potassium), Soil application at (1, 2 and 3 kg/palm, Foliar application at (1, 2 and 3% K2SO4) and Injection into the trunk at (1, 2 and 3% K2SO4). Results showed that the highest vegetative growth, yield and fruit quality were found from trunk injection method at 3% as comparative with control, also compared to other treatments in two studied seasons. On the hand, this study showed that leaf mineral contents especially potassium increased significantly comparing to control. In additions, Potassium injection method was surpassed than the other methods and that may be due to the direct transfer the element to the specific parts of the plant through trunk, applying injection methodcould help us to solving the problem of absorption and transmission of potassium in date palm trees.

Phthalate esters (PAEs), as a group of typical semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) with excellent performance as plasticizers, are widely used in indoor products and have been found to harm human health. There are two migration pathways for phthalates from the source to settled dust, namely: direct and non-direct contact with the sources. Therefore, concentrations of phthalates in settled dust have exhibited significant differences in the source and non-source surfaces in past literature. In this study, a porous media model is proposed to characterise the mass transfer mechanism of phthalates from the source into settled dust via two migration pathways. We compared the simulation data with the experimental data in the literature to validate the model, and the simulation results were consistent with the experimental results within an acceptable degree. Based on the model, a certain thickness of settled dust was selected to simulate the dust-phase concentration change of DEHP within 500 days and the concentration difference between source (value of 21,687.33 μg/g) and non-source surfaces (value of 150.32 μg/g) was compared. Then, the difference in the concentration distribution in the dust layer of different mass transfer pathways was visually demonstrated. Dust loading can dominate the mass transfer of phthalates and influence the concentration in dust by affecting the characteristics of the dust layer (porosity and thickness of settled dust). In addition, the solid diffusion coefficient and Koa values of phthalates have a significant influence on the dust-phase concentration and time to reach a steady state.

Organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) are a group of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and among the most abundant contaminants indoors. Their indoor presence has been associated with potential health risks however there is limited understanding as to how they are released from indoor sources. This study uses an emission micro-chamber to explore one of the currently understudied chemical migration pathways; direct transfer between a source material and settled dust in contact with the source. A tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP)-treated insulation board is used as the source material. Rapid and substantial transfer was observed after only 8 h of source-dust contact, resulting in 80 times higher concentrations in dust compared to pre-experiment levels. Further time points at 24 h and 7 d showed similarly high average dust levels and the TCIPP in the dust and air in the chamber was calculated to be close to thermodynamic equilibrium. It was concluded that TCIPP was effectively transferred from the insulation board to the dust on its surface and the surrounding air via gas-phase diffusion. In a real room, a gradient of TCIPP concentrations in air above the surface of a product could result in higher concentrations in dust sitting on the product than dust in the rest of the room.

By evolving the N-terminal domain of Methanosarcina mazei pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase (PylRS) that directly interacts with tRNAPyl, a mutant clone that displays improved amber suppression efficiency for the genetic incorporation of Nε-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-L-lysine three-fold more than the wild type was identified. The identified mutations are R19H/H29R/T122S. Direct transfer of these mutations to two other PylRS mutants that were previously evolved for the genetic incorporation of Nε-acetyl- L-lysine and Nε-(4-azidobenzoxycarbonyl)- L-δ,ε-dehydrolysine respectively also improved the incorporation efficiency of these two noncanonical amino acids. Since the three identified mutations are in the N-terminal domain of PylRS that is separated from its catalytic domain for charging tRNAPyl with a noncanonical amino acid, they can be potentially introduced to all other PylRS mutants for improving incorporation efficiency of their corresponding noncanonical amino acids. Therefore, it represents a general strategy to optimize the pyrrolysine incorporation system-based noncanonical amino acid mutagenesis.

RNA interference (RNAi) is induced by the direct transfer of double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) into protoplasts prepared from Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings. In this protoplast RNAi system, we compared the efficacies of various-sized dsRNAs (between 21 and 139 nucleotides [nt]) for inducing RNAi and assessed the dsRNA-cleaving activities of Dicer-like 3 (DCL3) and 4 (DCL4). After the direct transfer of dsRNAs into protoplasts, cleaved RNA products of 21 nt were detected from long 130- or 500-nt dsRNAs by DCL4 but not from 37-nt dsRNAs. These results indicate that DCL4 preferentially cleaves long dsRNAs in protoplasts, consistent with our previous biochemical data regarding the substrate specificity of DCL4. Direct transfer of long dsRNAs of approximately 130 nt into protoplasts induces RNAi much more effectively (by approximately 60- to 400-fold) than direct transfer of short 37-nt dsRNAs. Although transfer of 21-nt dsRNAs into protoplasts induced RNAi without DCL4 activity, the induction of RNAi was less effective (by approximately 0.01-fold) compared with long dsRNAs. These results indicate that cleavage of long dsRNAs exceeding 100 nt by DCL4 into 21-nt dsRNAs is essential for efficient induction of RNAi in plant cells.

Phosphonium salt ([Ph3P(+)CF2H] Br(-), DFPB) was found to be an efficient nucleophilic difluoromethylation reagent. Although DFPB is known as a phosphonium ylide precursor, its reaction with carbonyl compounds under traditional "Wittig reaction conditions" did not give the expected Wittig difluoroolefinated products, but afforded the nucleophilic difluoromethylation products, α-CF2H alcohols. Mechanistic investigation reveals that the unexpected transformation proceeded via the direct transfer of the CF2H group, which resulted from the high P-O affinity.

Semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) can be released from products and distributed in the indoor environment, including air and dust. However, the mechanisms and the extent of substance transfer into air and dust are not well understood. Therefore, in a small-scale field study the transfer of nine SVOCs was investigated: Four artificial consumer products were doped with eight deuterium-labeled plasticizers (phthalates and adipates) and installed in five homes to investigate the emission processes of evaporation, abrasion, and direct transfer. Intentional release was studied with a commercial spray containing a pyrethroid. During the 12 week study, indoor air and settled dust samples were collected and analyzed. On the basis of our measurement results, we conclude that the octanol-air partitioning coefficient Koa is a major determinant for the substance transfer into either air or dust: A high Koa implies that the substance is more likely to be found in dust than in air. The emission process also plays a role: For spraying, we found higher dust and air concentrations than for evaporation. In contrast, apartment parameters like air exchange rate or temperature had just a minor influence. Another important mechanistic finding was that although transfer from product to dust currently is postulated to be mostly mediated by air, direct transport from product to dust on the product surface was also observed.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization−time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has entered clinical laboratories, facilitating identification of bacteria. Here, we evaluated the MALDI Biotyper (Bruker Daltonics) for the identification of fastidious Gram-negative rods (GNR). Three sample preparation methods, direct colony transfer, direct transfer plus on-target formic acid preparation, and ethanol-formic acid extraction, were analyzed for 151 clinical isolates. Direct colony transfer applied with the manufacturer's interpretation criteria resulted in overall species and genus identification rates of 43.0% and 32.5%, respectively; 23.2% of the isolates were not identified, and two misidentifications (1.3%) were observed. The species identification rates increased to 46.4% and 53.7% for direct transfer plus formic acid preparation and ethanol-formic acid extraction, respectively. In addition, we evaluated score value cutoff alterations. The identification rates hardly increased by reducing the genus cutoff, while reducing the 2.0 species cutoff to 1.9 and to 1.8 increased the identification rates to up to 66.2% without increasing the rate of misidentifications. This study shows that fastidious GNR can reliably be identified using the MALDI Biotyper. However, the identification rates do not reach those of nonfastidious GNR such as theEnterobacteriaceae. In addition, two approaches optimizing the identification of fastidious GNR by the MALDI Biotyper were demonstrated: formic acid-based on-target sample treatment and reductions in cutoff scores to increase the species identification rates.

We report a formvar assisted transfer method to make graphene TEM grids having single layer graphene. Our method uses formvar instead of PMMA as the polymer support and produces clean graphene. Formvar was easily removed by dissolving in chloroform and did not leave residues after removal because of the lower the molecular weight. Our transfer method achieved the higher average coverage (about 55%) than direct transfer method (about 5%). Since mesh grids were not exposed to a metal etchant solution during our transfer process, the mesh grid material for graphene transfer was not limited. Our graphene transfer method produces high quality and single layer graphene for a graphene TEM grid. Consequently, the formvar assisted graphene transfer method solves disadvantages of polymer support method and direct transfer.

Connexins family in humans consists of 21 highly conserved proteins that are responsible for contact formation between cells. On the cell surface, connexins form hemichannels, or connexons. Two hemichannels brought together form a gap junction, a form of intercellular contact that allows for direct transfer of material and signals between the adjacent cells. Gap junctions serve for transporting ions and other soluble, low molecular weight molecules therefore synchronizing the microenvironment of the contacting cells and maintaining cell and tissue homeostasis. Impairment of gap junctions is associated with different pathological conditions. Importantly, it has been described in atherosclerosis, which causes local cellular dysfunction in the arterial wall tissues followed by the development of atherosclerotic plaque. There are 3 main connexins expressed in human cardiovascular system: Cx37, Cx40, and Cx43. Alterations in the arterial wall cells observed in atherosclerosis include changes in the expression pattern of the main connexins and impairment of intercellular contacts and communication. According to the currently available data, Cx37 and Cx40 have anti-atherogenic and vasculoprotective properties, while Cx43 appears to be more pro-atherogenic. However, the effects of connexins are cell type-dependent and in many cases, remain to be studied in detail. In this review, we summarize the available knowledge on connexins of the arterial wall cells involved in atherosclerosis development.

Redox biocatalysis has come to the forefront because of its excellent catalytic efficiency, stereoselectivity, and environmental benignity. The green and sustainable biotransformation can be driven by photoelectrochemical (PEC) platforms where redox biocatalysis is coupled with photoelectrocatalysis. The main challenge is how to transfer photoexcited electrons to (or from) the enzyme redox centers for effective biotransformation using solar energy. This review commences with a conceptual discussion of biocatalytic PEC platforms and highlights recent advances in PEC-based biotransformation through cofactor regeneration or direct transfer of charge carriers to (or from) oxidoreductases on enzyme-conjugated electrodes. Finally, we address future perspectives and potential next steps in the vibrant field of biocatalytic photosynthesis.

Tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA) levels in tobacco cut filler and cigarette smoke were measured in more than 1000 commercially available cigarettes sampled between 2008 and 2014. Relative contributions to their transfer from tobacco to the mainstream smoke in terms of direct transfer by distillation, pyrorelease, and pyrosynthesis were evaluated on the basis of the comparison with the transfer of nicotine from tobacco to smoke. N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) was transferred essentially by distillation, while N'-nitrosoanatabine (NAT), 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-bipyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and N'-nitrosoanabasine (NAB) were transferred by pyrorelease or pyrosynthesis as well. In the case of the Tobacco Heating System 2.2, the transfer of nicotine from tobacco to the aerosol was similar to that observed for cigarettes, while the % transfer of TSNAs from tobacco to THS 2.2 aerosol was 2-3 times lower than in cigarettes. This difference is due to the fact that the tobacco is heated instead of burnt resulting in a lower direct transfer by distillation and a lower if any contribution of pyrosynthesis or pyrorelease.

The mobility and bioavailability of Cu in soils depend on the chemical Cu forms and are strongly influenced by water-induced changes in soil redox conditions. We chose an experimental approach by flooding a carbonatic floodplain soil and incubating it in a glovebox for 35 days. We used a five-step sequential chemical extraction to characterize the changes in chemical partitioning (F1–F5; NH 4 NO 3 -extractable, NaOAc-extractable, NH 4 Ox-extractable, hot H 2 O 2 /NH 4 OAc-extractable and residual fractions, respectively) of Cu and δ 65 Cu values in the soil during the 35 days. After flooding, Cu concentrations decreased in F1–F3 and increased in F4–F5. Overall, 73% of the total Cu was redistributed among the five studied fractions. Before flooding (Day 0), δ 65 Cu values in F1–F4 followed the estimated bonding strengths of Cu in the respective fractions, indicating equilibrium distribution of Cu at the beginning of the experiment. The total variation in δ 65 Cu values among F1–F5 changed strongly from 0.83 ± 0.18‰ on Day 0 to a maximum of 2.18 ± 0.17‰ on Day 7. This change indicates the reduction of Cu 2 + to Cu + or Cu 0 after flooding. The strongest variations in δ 65 Cu values occurred in F3 (0.09 ± 0.07‰ to 1.43 ± 0.13‰) and F4 (− 0.24 ± 0.07‰ to 0.55 ± 0.07‰), while flooding had no or small effects on the δ 65 Cu values of F1, F2 and F5. Our results suggest a direct transfer of Cu from F3 to F4 because both concentration changes and changes in δ 65 Cu values were balanced between the two fractions. The responses of Cu partitioning and δ 65 Cu values to flooding are in line with the formation of Cu x S or other reduced Cu species and reduction of Cu associated to Fe (oxyhydr)oxides. Our results emphasize the strong influence of redox conditions on Cu partitioning in soils and indicate a reduction in Cu availability under anoxic redox conditions.

The O-difluoromethylation of 1,3-diones with S-difluoromethyl sulfonium salt is described. The sulfonium salt was previously believed to be a direct difluoromethylation reagent, but our mechanistic investigation reveals that the O-difluoromethylation reaction proceeds not only via the direct transfer of the CF2H group, but also via a difluorocarbene process. This work represents the first protocol for mild O-difluoromethylation of acyclic 1,3-diones.

Electrocatalysis as a catalytic process involving oxidation or reduction through the direct transfer of electrons is of key importance subject in various fields of chemistry and associated sciences. Heterogeneous electrocatalysis is especially important to the development of water oxidation and fuel cells catalysts. This paper presents the brief description of the electrocatalysis and the mechanism of electrochemical reactions. Different factors and their influence on electrocatalytic activity, have been discussed. Role of nanoparticles in electrocatalysis received a particular emphasis. Long-term tasks of electrocatalysis were also definied.

Individual micro- and nanostructures of metal oxides are known to be highly sensitive to surface phenomena due to their enhanced surface-to-volume ratio. In this work, an individual Bi2O3-functionalized ZnO microwire (Bi2O3/ZnO MW) with a diameter of ~2.2 μm was integrated into a sensing device using its direct transfer and placement in a focused ion beam (FIB)/scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipment. The fabricated device was exposed to H2 gas at room temperature showing a detectable response. The gas response to 1000 ppm is ~28%.

A direct transfer of plasmid pBP517 from C600 to J53 Escherichia coli K12 strains by electroporation, either by the standard method, or in the presence of 20 μg/mL of DNAse was carried out. In a standard experiment, donor and recipient bacteria were mixed and subjected to the electroporation procedure, about 2700 (range 1600-3700) recombinants were found, while no colonies were detected from non treated bacteria. When the same tests were performed at the presence of DNAse the number of recombinants fell to about 200 (range 183-218). This difference between the number of colonies found in the presence or in absence of DNAse was observed every time the tests were repeated. According to these observations, plasmid DNA has been transferred from donor to recipient cells via electroporation also when DNAse was added. Since the free genetic material is destroyed by the enzyme and recombination takes place it has been hypothesized that there must be a direct contact between the partner cells.

This study evaluated MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and a custom reference spectra expanded database for the identification of bovine-associated coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS). A total of 861 CNS isolates were used in the study, covering 21 different CNS species. The majority of the isolates were previously identified by rpoB gene sequencing (n = 804) and the remainder were identified by sequencing of hsp60 (n = 56) and tuf (n = 1). The genotypic identification was considered the gold standard identification. Using a direct transfer protocol and the existing commercial database, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry showed a typeability of 96.5% (831/861) and an accuracy of 99.2% (824/831). Using a custom reference spectra expanded database, which included an additional 13 in-house created reference spectra, isolates were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry with 99.2% (854/861) typeability and 99.4% (849/854) accuracy. Overall, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry using the direct transfer method was shown to be a highly reliable tool for the identification of bovine-associated CNS.

We demonstrate a direct transfer technique of Au thin layer onto electroplated Au surface from a surface of atomically smooth master wafer. An atomically smooth Au surface with a root mean square surface roughness of 0.6 nm could be transferred from the master wafer. We also examined its applicability to room-temperature Au-Au bonding in atmosphere. A high bonding strength of about 225 MPa was obtained.

The energy requirements for direct transfer to Mercury are very high. In order to reduce the velocity impulse requirements, the concept of gravity assist is used for mercury missions. In the present work, Venus gravity assist is used to reach Mercury. The patched conic technique is used to generate the opportunities. The gravity assist opportunities are obtained using grid search as well as using heuristic algorithm-Differential Evolution. The performance of the techniques is compared and it is found that Differential Evolution finds the minimum energy opportunity very quickly. The minimum energy opportunities between 2020–30 have been generated and analysed using these two techniques. The Lambert problem, which is central to patched conic technique, is solved using Battin's Universal formulation.

A major obstacle in the development of industrial catalysts is the scalability of both catalyst performance and synthesis. While utilizing pilot-scale test reactors allows for a direct transfer from the development stage to the application, it comes at the cost of flexibility. The amount of catalyst required in a pilot-scale test reactor often surpasses the yields of novel synthesis procedures, requiring extensive scale-up efforts. Here, pilot-scale reactors are combined with small lab-scale reactors, using the example of oxidation of o-xylene to phthalic anhydride.

We successfully fabricated silver nanowire (AgNW)-based microelectrodes on various substrates such as a glass and polydimethylsiloxane by using a photolithographic process for the first time. The AgNW-based microelectrodes exhibited excellent electrical conductivity and mechanical flexibility. We also demonstrated the direct transfer process of AgNW-based microelectrodes from a glass to a biocompatible polyacrylamide-based hydrogel. The AgNW-based microelectrodes on the biocompatible hydrogel showed excellent electrical performance. Furthermore, they showed great mechanical flexibility as well as superior stability under wet conditions. We anticipate that the AgNW-based microelectrodes on biocompatible hydrogel substrates can be a promising platform for realization of practical bioelectronics devices.

Novel and simple etchings for direct transfer of CVD-grown graphene on Cu to arbitrary substrates are reported in this paper. Besides the classical transfer method using FeCl 3 , two novel etching solutions have been used for depositing graphene over different substrates: HF:2Na 2 CO 3 ·3H 2 O 2 (4:1) and H 2 O 2 (30% p./v.):aqua Regis (1HNO 3 :3HCl):H 2 O (1:1:2). By using these etching solutions, graphene was firstly transferred to PET wafers and then to arbitrary substrates (microscope slides). The resulting materials were analyzed and discussed in detail using Raman Spectroscopy.

Two ten-channel fixed-bed reactor systems were developed for high-throughput screening of new Deacon catalysts. The sequential ten-channel reactor allows the determination of the activity of up to ten catalysts per day. With a ten-channel ageing reactor the long-time stability of catalytic activity can be tested in parallel. Both systems are robust, quite resistant against corrosion, and use the identical reaction tubes which enable the direct transfer of a catalyst from one to the other system. A mass-spectrometric pulse method has been developed and applied successfully for the analysis of the corrosive product gas mixture of the Deacon reaction.

Reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy was used to study the reaction of adsorbed molecular oxygen with carbon monoxide to produce adsorbed carbon dioxide at 130 K. By simultaneously monitoring the O–O stretch of O 2 (ads), the C–O stretch of CO(ads), and the asymmetric O–C–O stretch of CO 2 (ads), it is found that there is an O 2 –CO interaction, suggesting that the transition state involves direct transfer of an O atom from O 2 (ads) to CO, rather than through reaction of CO(ads) with a hot surface O atom produced from O 2 dissociation.

DNA-bearing cellular material can come to be present on a surface by either direct or indirect transfer. Direct transfer includes contact, but also includes activities within the vicinity of an item that may result in the transfer of DNA directly from an individual without any contact, such as speaking, coughing, and sneezing. Indirect transfer of DNA is when DNA from an individual comes to be on an item via an intermediary surface. It is important to consider indirect transfer in the evaluation of trace DNA in casework. The term 'trace DNA' in this review refers solely to DNA that cannot be attributed to an identifiable body fluid. This review presents and considers data from trace DNA experiments to establish whether the quantity of DNA recovered from a crime stain and/or the quality of a DNA profile obtained can be used to infer the likely mechanism of transfer. The data show that varied results are obtained from apparently similar trace DNA samples, presumably due to the many factors that affect the detection of trace DNA. The nature and effect of these varying factors and the application of the data to casework is considered generally and with specific reference to DNA transfer to skin, DNA beneath fingernails, 'wearer DNA', and various contamination considerations.

Food contact surfaces are subject to contamination by pathogens, which can lead to cross-contamination by transfer to other food products. However, the European regulation specifies that materials intended for safe food contact must not interfere with foodstuff characteristics. Considered a traditional and natural material, wooden boards are used as a “technological tool” during the cheese-ripening process. In France, wood is authorized for food-contact. The aim of this study was to determine the behavior of deliberately contaminated wooden surfaces in direct contact with foodstuffs. The model studied consisted of spruce ripening shelves experimentally inoculated with a well-known potential hazard throughout the production chain of some dairy products: Listeria monocytogenes . Then, the transfer from deliberately inoculated wood to cheese was analyzed and compared with plastic and glass inoculated surfaces. For this purpose, a protocol was developed and first-use spruce boards were inoculated with L. monocytogenes solution at a concentration of 10 5 CFU/cm 2 then the microbial transfer to pressed non-cooked cheeses was studied. Factors such as cheese contact time, wood and cheese moisture contents, were tested. We compared the transfer rate with glass plates and plastic sheets with inclined meshes, commonly used throughout the cheese production chain, in the same conditions. The results showed a transfer yield below 3% (CFU/cm 2 ) in the first hour of contact for all surfaces tested and was 0.55% for the wooden boards. No differences were found for drier cheeses or for higher wood moisture content. The wooden porous surface in contact with cheeses was not a factor that increased the L. monocytogenes direct transfer rates. In conclusion, wooden shelves have the lowest transfer rate of L. monocytogenes to pressed non-cooked cheeses compared to glass and polypropylene surfaces. This results contribute to the suitability of use of wooden material for direct contact with food.

The main objective of the presented study was to characterize the stability of the Sudanese camel insulin after 6 months of its extraction, purification and formulation from the fresh pancreatic glands of the camel, slaughtered for local and export consumption. The stability and purity of the formulated insulin samples were compared to standard insulin sam-ples that of the leading manufacturing companies using some analytical techniques such as HPLC, gel electrophoresis and atomic absorption. In another part of the study, the direct transfer method was used to accomplish sterility test by complete immersion of the insulin samples into thioglycollate and soybean medium. The data were presented as mean ± S.E.M (standard error of means) for the comparison of zinc (mg/units) and nitrogen (in percentage) concentrations in standard and testing camel insulin samples, respectively. Similarly, the linear equation was derived and the coefficient factors for standard and testing insulin samples were compared to determine the peak area and the concentrations of the camel insulin samples (mean ± S.E.M) after HPLC elution. The P value, P

Several studies have reported poor results when trying to identify microorganisms directly from the bioMérieux BacT/ALERT blood culture system using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. The aim of this study is to evaluate two new methods, Sepsityper and an enrichment method for direct identification of microorganisms from this system. For both methods the samples were processed using the Bruker Microflex LT mass spectrometer (Biotyper) using the Microflex Control software to obtain spectra. The results from direct analysis were compared with those obtained by subculture and subsequent identification. A total of 350 positive blood cultures were processed simultaneously by the two methods. Fifty-three cultures were polymocrobial or failed to grow any organism on subculture, and these results were not included as there was either no subculture result, or for polymicrobial cultures it was known that the Biotyper would not be able to distinguish the constituent organisms correctly. Overall, the results showed that, contrary to previous reports, it is possible to identify bacteria directly from bioMérieux blood culture bottles, as 219/297 (74%) correct identifications were obtained using the Bruker Sepsityper method and 228/297 (77%) were obtained for the enrichment method when there is only one organism was present. Although the enrichment method was simpler, the reagent costs for the Sepsityper method were approximately pound 4.00 per sample compared to pound 0.50. An even simpler and cheaper method, which was less labour-intensive and did not require further reagents, was investigated. Seventy-seven specimens from positive signalled blood cultures were analysed by inoculating prewarmed blood agar plates and analysing any growth after 1-, 2- and 4-h periods of incubation at 37 degrees C, by either direct transfer or alcohol extraction. This method gave the highest number of correct identifications, 66/77 (86%), and was cheaper and less labour-intensive than either of the two above methods.

Phosphonium salt ([Ph3P(+)CF2H] Br(-), DFPB) was found to be an efficient nucleophilic difluoromethylation reagent. Although DFPB is known as a phosphonium ylide precursor, its reaction with carbonyl compounds under traditional "Wittig reaction conditions" did not give the expected Wittig difluoroolefinated products, but afforded the nucleophilic difluoromethylation products, α-CF2H alcohols. Mechanistic investigation reveals that the unexpected transformation proceeded via the direct transfer of the CF2H group, which resulted from the high P-O affinity.

The O-difluoromethylation of 1,3-diones with S-difluoromethyl sulfonium salt is described. The sulfonium salt was previously believed to be a direct difluoromethylation reagent, but our mechanistic investigation reveals that the O-difluoromethylation reaction proceeds not only via the direct transfer of the CF2H group, but also via a difluorocarbene process. This work represents the first protocol for mild O-difluoromethylation of acyclic 1,3-diones.

We report two direct and easy ways of fabricating stable, superhydrophobic polymeric and carbon surfaces directly by biomimicking the patterns found on natural plant leaves by micromolding and nanoimprint lithography. Two distinct classes of naturally occurring microtextures on superhydrophobic leaves were mimicked in this study, which include leaves of Elephant creeper (Argyreia Nervosa) and Nasturtium (Tropaeolum Majus). These show structural superhydrophobicity derived from high aspect ratio hairs and lower aspect ratio microtextures, respectively. Both the textures could be replicated by micromolding in different polymers, polydimethylsiloxane, polystyrene, and an organic resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) gel. Patterned RF gel surfaces yielded superhydrophobic carbon surfaces upon pyrolysis because RF gel is a polymer precursor to glassy carbon. The nanoimprint lithography could be used for a direct transfer of the lower aspect ratio leaf patterns on the surfaces of various other polymers like poly(ethylen...

The pathways by which Cd is accumulated in rice grain are not well understood, in particular the components attributable to direct transfer from the root, and to remobilisation of Cd previously accumulated in other plant parts. In order to observe the timing of Cd accumulation in rice plants and determine the major period for accumulation of Cd which can be translocated to the grain, Cd was supplied to the roots of rice plants grown under static hydroponic conditions at a non-toxic, environmentally relevant concentration (50 nM), according to three different timing regimes: (1) Pre-flowering Cd, (2) Post-flowering Cd, or (3) Continuous Cd. The rate of accumulation of Cd in the developing grain was monitored by harvesting immature rice panicles at four time points prior to a final harvest. Nearly all grain Cd was accumulated within 16 days of anthesis and the contribution of post-flowering Cd uptake was evident from 7 days after flowering. It was estimated that 60% of the final grain Cd content was remobilised from that accumulated by the plant prior to flowering and the other 40% came from uptake during grain maturation. This study shows that Cd uptake from the root to the grain in rice is indeed possible post-flowering and it is an important source of grain Cd.

We present a detailed study of the interaction between the ZrO2 molecule and H2 within DFT and CCSD(T) approaches. H2 activation is followed by cleavage of H–H bond giving OZrH–OH species with hydride and hydroxyl groups. Both direct transfer of H from Zr–H to Zr–OH and a two step process via a Zr(OH)2 intermediate (in a triplet state) lead to water formation generating ZrO…H2O. The hybrid B3LYP or PBE0 functionals with SDD pseudopotential/basis set on Zr and 6-311++G(2df,2p) basis sets for O, H represent the best compromise between accuracy and computational cost.

The compact strip production (CSP) process has received much attention because it is environment friendly and can be used for recycling resources. However, steel scrap, the main material used in the CSP process, causes surface cracks in the hot strip being manufactured as a result of surface hot shortness by Cu and Sn in the steel scrap. This study investigates the influence of heat pattern on the brittleness of Cu-containing steels prior to treatment in a reheating tunnel furnace at 1100°C. The prior austenite grain size of a sample that was reheated from room temperature before being transferred to a tunnel furnace was finer than that obtained by the direct transfer process, and the crack depth was inhibited by 50%. In contrast, the prior austenite grain size of a sample obtained by a process in which austenite is reheated from a cooling stop temperature of 650°C–850°C was almost the same as that obtained by direct transfer to the tunnel furnace. However, the crack depth in the case of reheating from the cooling stop temperature of 650°C–850°C was greater than in the case of direct transfer. This deep cracking was caused by a noninternal oxidation area at the scale/steel interface.