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Crude extracts of Dolichos biflorus can be coupled to polystyrene particles to yield an agglutination reagent for the detection of group C streptococcal antigen extracts. The reagent is relatively inexpensive and simple to prepare and can be employed for the definitive identification of this beta-hemolytic streptococcus.
The lectin of the tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum, or of the potato, Solanum tuberosum, can be passively coupled to amide-modified polystyrene spheres to be used as a detection reagent for the specific identification of group B streptococcal cultures grown in selective or nonselective Todd-Hewitt broth for 5 and 4 h, respectively. Agglutination occurred when the lectin reagents were allowed to react with either the cell suspension, clarified broth, or antigen extracts from group B streptococci grown in Todd-Hewitt broth. No agglutination occurred when these lectins were allowed to react with strains of serogroup A, C, D, F, or G streptococci. False-negative agglutination responses may occur with certain serotype of group B streptococci grown on Columbia sheep blood agar. A 20-min staining time permitted the specific labeling of fixed smears of group B streptococci with fluorescein-conjugated Lycopersicon lectin. The lectin from the solanaceous plant Datura stramonium did not agglutinate group B streptococci or other clinically significant streptococcal serogroups.
We report here the first successful growth of Polystyrene brushes directly from the apex of a conventional AFM tip using a Langmuir-Blodgett deposition technique associated with a controlled free radical polymerization. The efficiency of the grafting together with the possibility to form multi-layers are checked through AFM force measurements between a bare or functionalized tip and a silicon wafer in water or xylene.
Thin polystyrene (PS) films on top of silicon substrates are a frequently investigated model system in the framework of unstable films. However, with respect to stability the various experiments yielded contradictory results. Focussing on the influence of preparation conditions such as the surface cleaning solves these contradictions. By applying different surface cleans the PS film can be changed from a stable homogeneous one into a completely dewetted one. In addition to the type of clean applied, the time between cleaning the surface and spin-coating the polymeric layer on top turned out to be an important experimental parameter.
Near-edge X-ray absorption fine-structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy was used to measure simultaneously the relaxation rates of polystyrene (PS) molecules at the free surface and in the bulk. The samples were uniaxially stretched and annealed at temperatures below the bulk glass transition temperature of PS. The surface and bulk chain relaxation was monitored by measuring the partial-electron and the fluorescence NEXAFS yields, respectively, both parallel and perpendicular to the stretching direction. The decay of the optical birefringence was also measured to provide an independent measure of the bulk relaxation. Relaxation of PS chains was found to occur faster on the surface relative to the bulk. The magnitude of the surface glass transition temperature suppression over the bulk was estimated based on the information on the temperature dependence of the rates.
We present a detailed study of free polymer surfaces and their effects on the measured glass transition temperature (T(g)) of thin polystyrene (PS) films. Direct measurements of the near-surface properties of PS films are made by monitoring the embedding of 10 and 20 nm diameter gold spheres into the surface of spin-cast PS films. At a temperature T = 378 K( > T(g)), the embedding of the spheres is driven by geometrical considerations arising from the wetting of the gold spheres by the PS. At temperatures below T(g) (363 K < T < 370 K), both sets of spheres embed 3-4 nm into the PS films and stop. These studies suggest that a liquid-like surface layer exists in glassy PS films and also provide an estimate for the lower bound of the thickness of this layer of 3-4 nm. This qualitative idea is supported by a series of calculations based upon a previously developed theoretical model for the indentation of nanoscale spheres into linear viscoelastic materials. Comparing data with simulations shows that this surface layer has properties similar to those of a bulk sample of PS having a temperature of 374 K. Ellipsometric measurements of the T(g) are also performed on thin spin-cast PS films with thicknesses in the range 8 nm < h < 290 nm. Measurements are performed on thin PS films that have been capped by thermally evaporating 5 nm thick metal (Au and Al) capping layers on top of the polymer. The measured T(g) values (as well as polymer metal interface structure) in such samples depend on the metal used as the capping layer, and cast doubt on the general validity of using evaporative deposition to cover the free surface. We also prepared films that were capped by a new non-evaporative procedure. These films were shown to have a T(g) that is the same as that of bulk PS (370+/-1 K) for all film thicknesses measured (> 7 nm). The subsequent removal of the metal layer from these films was shown to restore a thickness-dependent T(g) in these samples that was essentially the same as that observed for uncapped PS films. An estimate of the thickness of the liquid-like surface layer was also extracted from the ellipsometry measurements and was found to be 5+/-1 nm. The combined ellipsometry and embedding studies provide strong evidence for the existence of a liquid-like surface layer in thin glassy PS films. They show that the presence of the free surface is an important parameter in determining the existence of T(g) reductions in thin PS films.
We have conducted a systematic study on the effects of post rubbing annealing on the relaxation of rubbing-induced birefringence of polystyrene. It is found that annealing at T(0) only affects the relaxation up to T(0)+T(Lag), where T(Lag) is proportional to the logarithm of the annealing time t(A). A theoretical model based on the distribution of relaxation times due to the individual birefringence elements is proposed. To remove its contribution to the net birefringence each element must overcome an energy barrier E=(317+1.17xi)x10(3) J/mol, and therefore must have a characteristic relaxation time tau which depends on temperature T and a barrier height which ranges from 340.4 kJ/mol to 445.7 kJ/mol. The relaxation of birefringence is expressed by the equation NB(T, t)=[Formula: see text]N(xi)e(-t/tau(T,xi))dxi, in which both the relaxation time tau(T,xi) and the distribution function N(xi) can be extracted from experimental data. The predictions of the model agree well with all the experimental results presented in this work. The differences and similarities of the relaxation of birefringence with respect to the physical aging of quenched PS are discussed. In particular, similarities in terms of the general temperature lag phenomena are noted.
Twenty patients with multiple or recurrent superficial head and facial cancer were treated with low-megavoltage electron-beam therapy, using a readily adaptable polystyrene shield assembly with interchangeable collimators. Patient set-up times were reduced, treatment was simplified, and flexibility of therapy was achieved. Therapeutic response was excellent even in patients with extensive primary or recurrent skin cancer requiring large-field irradiation.
Polysaccharides derived from Salmonella typhimurium lipopolysaccharide (LPS) representing the O-antigen factors 1, 4, 5, and 12 and the O-antigen factors 6 and 7 from Salmonella choleraesuis LPS were derivatized with the photoreactive compound anthraquinone and subsequently covalently coupled to microtiter polystyrene plates by ultraviolet irradiation. Both polysaccharide antigens could be coupled simultaneously to the same microtiter plate. The coated surface was used in indirect ELISA for the determination of serum antibodies from pigs infected with bacteria of the two Salmonella groups and from uninfected pigs. This ELISA proved itself by having a good long-term durability and a high degree of reproducibility, including low day-to-day variations and low interplate variations. Furthermore, the ELISA showed good specificity and sensitivity when data were compared with the optical density levels of a panel of pig sera as determined by a conventional ELISA on the basis of passive coating of the two Salmonella LPS antigens (the mix-ELISA). The covalent anthraquinone mix-ELISA shows promise as a stable and durable alternative to the existing conventional ELISA for serological surveillance of Salmonella infections in pigs.
The heating of laser-irradiated two-layer spherical particles is analyzed theoretically and numerically by solution of the heat conduction equation. The internal heat source function and temperature distributions are presented for particles composed of a dye-doped polystyrene core and a deposited silver shell. It is shown that the internal heat source function distributions inside such particles substantially depend on core radii and shell thicknesses. Therefore the same parameters also strongly influence the heating times of such particles. In particular, the increase in thickness of the surface silver layer can result both in reduction of the heating time of two-layer particles and in strong growth of the heating time.
We report saturable absorber materials in the 1.5 microm band that consist of poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) polymers with single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). A very uniform dispersion of SWNT in PMMA and PS polymers has been realized by using chlorobenzene or tetrahydrofuran as a dispersion solvent. These materials, which are as thick as 1 mm, are easily optically polished on both surfaces. This was difficult to achieve with previous thin-film materials. By incorporating PMMA/SWNT as a saturable absorber, a 171 fs pulse is successfully generated in a passively mode-locked fiber laser.
Previous experiments had shown that the free N-terminal fibronectin 30-kDa-domain mediates binding of soluble 125I-fibrin to transamidase-coated polystyrene beads (Hörmann et al., Biol. Chem. Hoppe-Seyler 368, 669-674, 1987). Now, the formation of covalent adducts of the N-terminal fragment with fibrin peptide chains is demonstrated. Binding of soluble 125I-fibrin was performed in presence of N-terminal fibronectin 30-kDa or 70-kDa fragments. The material adsorbed was removed from the beads under reducing conditions and analysed by dodecylsulfate gel electrophoresis followed by autoradiography. The 30-kDa fragment gave rise to bands of 80 kDa and 180-200 kDa which were lacking in the products of the 70-kDa compound. Instead, they showed bands at 120 kDa and ca. 280 kDa. Evidently, those bands represented covalent adducts of fibrin peptide chains or their dimers with the 30-kDa or the 70-kDa fragment, respectively. In addition, dimeric gamma-chains and alpha-chain polymers of fibrin were present indicating partial polymerization of bead-attached fibrin.
Desorption/ionization on porous silicon-mass spectrometry (DIOS-MS) is a novel soft ionization MS technique that does not require any matrix reagent, ideally resulting in fewer obstructive peaks in the lower mass region. In this study, the etching conditions of porous silicon spots as an ionization platform of DIOS-MS were investigated for determining the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of polymers. To evaluate the accuracy of DIOS mass spectra observed using porous silicon spots prepared under various etching conditions, a certified polystyrene (PS) standard sample with an average molecular weight of ca. 2400 was used as a model sample. By optimizing the etching conditions, the MWD of the PS sample could be accurately observed by DIOS-MS using both p-type and n-type porous silicon spots. Especially, in the case of a suitable n-type spot, an accurate peak distribution with very fewer obstructive background peaks could be observed using the minimum laser power, comparable to the conventional matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS).
A two-site immunoradiometric assay for total renin concentration in human plasma is described. A new type of polystyrene tubes with a special bottom geometry, so-called Star Tubes were used. The lower limit of detection was 2 microIU per ml and the working range from 2 to 2000 microIU per ml. The variation for duplicate determinations on standards and plasma samples was 2.7% and the day to day variation was 4.8%. No significant interferences or cross reactivities were identified. EDTA-plasma was analyzed after dilution with a phosphate buffer. Plasma samples from different patient categories were analyzed. The results were compared with those obtained by our substrate enrichment method after acid activation of the samples had taken place. A linear correlation (r = 0.990) between the results obtained with the two methods was found.
A portable evanescent-wave fiber-optic biosensor was used to detect Escherichia coli O157:H7 in seeded 10- and 25-g ground beef samples. The biosensor works by launching light from a 635-nm laser diode into specially designed optical fiber probes, generating an evanescent field that extends approximately 1,000 nm from the fiber surface. Fluorescent molecules within the evanescent field are excited, and a portion of their emission recouples into the fiber probe. The return path emission is transported by an optical fiber to a photodiode within the biosensor that detects and quantifies the fluorescent signal. A sandwich immunoassay was performed on the fiber probes with cyanine 5 dye-labeled polyclonal anti-E. coli O157:H7 antibodies for generation of the specific fluorescent signal. Biotin-streptavidin interactions were used to attach polyclonal anti-E. coli O157:H7 antibodies to the surface of the fiber probe. A centrifugation method was developed to obtain samples suitable for biosensor analysis from 10- and 25-g ground beef samples. The assay was shown to be sensitive and repeatable. One hundred percent correct identification of positive samples was demonstrated at 9.0 x 10(3) CFU/g for 25-g ground beef samples with silica waveguides and at 5.2 x 10(2) CFU/g for 10-g ground beef samples with polystyrene waveguides. The reaction was highly specific. No false positives were observed for 10-g ground beef samples not spiked with the pathogen. In addition, when samples were spiked with high concentrations of a variety of non-E. coli O157:H7 organisms, no false positives were observed. The method was rapid, with results being obtained within 25 min of sample processing.
OBJECTIVE: To establish a GC method using wide bore open tubular columns f or controlling pretreatment for polystyrene-type macroporous absorbing resins and its eligible standard. METHOD: A model macroporous absorbing resins made in our lab was eluted by anhydrous alcohol. The residual solvents in elution (xylene, styrene, diethylbenzene, divinybenzene, decane) were assayed by GC. When the residual solvents can not be detected, the pretreatment is eligible. Compare this method with the methods referring in the literatures. RESULT: When using this method to control the pretreatment, the resins need to be elute 11 times with anhydrous alcocol. When using "adding several times water in the alcohol elution will not be turbid" to control the pretreatment, the resins need to be elute 3 times with anhydrous alcocol. When using "the elution have no UV absorption between the wavelength 200-400 nm" to control the pretreatment, the resins need to be elute over 20 times with anhydrous alcocol. CONCLUSION: The method is simple and feasible.
We use high-performance liquid chromatography with fraction collection to separate an antigen of interest. The antigen is then immobilized on polystyrene microtiter wells and detected with a specific antibody, followed by a second biotinylated antibody and streptavidin labeled with a fluorescent europium chelate. Fluorescence can be quantified with the use of time-resolved fluorescence. Antigen detectability down to 2-3 x 10(-17) mol was achieved. This method could be used as an alternative to Western blot in certain applications.
The authors have examined the possibility of using sectional polystyrene plates, made in this country, in time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (tr-FIA) with Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis and tick-borne encephalitis arboviruses, and with influenza A virus. The plates presensitized with specific antibodies were found fit for the detection of the antigens of the above viruses. These plates are not recommended for the detection of influenza A virus-specific proteins adsorbed directly onto the microplate surface.