No abstract

Many chemical and biological processes are dependent on molecular gradients. We describe a new microfluidic approach that can be used to produce spatiotemporal gradients across two-dimensional surfaces and three-dimensional gels under flow-free conditions. Free diffusion between dynamically replenished flow channels acting as a sink and source is utilized to give rise to stable steady-state gradient profiles. The gradient profile is dictated by the engineered design of the device's gradient-generating region. Different designs can yield both linear and non-linear gradients of varying profiles. More complex gradients can be made by juxtaposing different designs within a single gradient-generating region. By fabricating an array of designs along the gradient-generating region, different gradient profiles can be generated simultaneously, allowing for parallel analysis. Additionally, simple methods of localizing gels into microdevices are demonstrated. The device was characterized by experimentally obtained gradient profiles of fluorescent molecules that corroborated closely with a simulated finite element model.

Picornaviral mRNAs have been shown to possess special structures in their 5' nontranslated regions (5'NTRs) that provide sites for internal binding of ribosomes and thus direct cap-independent translation. The translational cis-acting elements for ribosomal internal entry into the 5'NTR of encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), a member of family Picornaviridae, have been named the internal ribosomal entry site (IRES). All of the published experiments regarding the IRES function of the picornavirus 5'NTR, however, were performed with cell extracts in vitro or with tissue culture cells in transient assay systems. In this study, we examined the IRES function of the EMCV 5'NTR in chimeric mouse embryos and demonstrated that this element does in fact work stably in mouse embryos as well as in embryonic stem (ES) cells. By using a dicistronic vector, pWH8, consisting of a promoter-driven neomycin resistance gene (neo) followed by the EMCV 5'NTR-lacZ sequence, we showed that more than half of the ES cells made G418 resistant by the vector stained positive for f8-galactosidase (s-gal). On Northern (RNA) blots, all of the clones analyzed revealed a transcript of the expected size containing both the 13-gal and the neo cistrons. These results indicate that dicistronic mRNAs are produced from the stably integrated vector in those ES clones and that both of the cistrons are translated to produce functional proteins. The chimeric embryos derived from these ES clones also stained positive for 1-gal, suggesting that the bifunctional mRNAs are active in the embryos. This dicistronic vector system provides a novel tool by which to obtain temporally and spatially coordinated expression of two different genes driven by a single promoter in a single cell in mice.

We have successfully synthesized a spherical core-shell structure based on Li[(Ni0.8Co0.2)0.8(Ni0.5Mn0.5)0.2]O2 via a coprecipitation route. According to the careful examination by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy energy-dispersive spectroscopy (TEM-EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), it was found that the core-shell particle consisted of Li[Ni0.8Co0.2]O2 as the core and Li[Ni0.5Mn0.5]O2 as the shell, of which the thickness was estimated to be 1 to approximately 1.5 microm. Both the core and shell were dense as confirmed by SEM. Though the core-shell-structured Li[(Ni0.8Co0.2)0.8(Ni0.5Mn0.5)0.2]O2 delivered a slightly reduced initial discharge capacity, the capacity retention and thermal stability were significantly improved relative to those of the Li[Ni0.8Co0.2]O2 electrode without the Li[Ni0.5Mn0.5]O2 shell. The carbon/Li[Ni0.8Co0.2]O2 pouch cell underwent an explosive ignition during the nail penetration test, whereas the carbon/Li[(Ni0.8Co0.2)0.8(Ni0.5Mn0.5)0.2]O2 cell remained stable, demonstrating the superior thermal stability of the core-shell electrode. As a new positive electrode material, the core-shell-structured Li[(Ni0.8Co0.2)0.8(Ni0.5Mn0.5)0.2]O2 is a significant breakthrough in the development of high-capacity lithium secondary batteries.