Functional Template Research Articles

Reliable quantification of 18F-GE-180 PET neuroinflammation studies using an individually scaled population-based input function or late tissue-to-blood ratio

PurposeTracer kinetic modeling of tissue time activity curves and the individual input function based on arterial blood sampling and metabolite correction is the gold standard for quantitative characterization of microglia activation by PET with the translocator protein (TSPO) ligand 18F-GE-180. This study tested simplified methods for quantification of 18F-GE-180 PET.MethodsDynamic 18F-GE-180 PET with arterial blood sampling and metabolite correction was performed in five healthy volunteers and 20 liver-transplanted patients. Population-based input function templates were generated by averaging individual input functions normalized to the total area under the input function using a leave-one-out approach. Individual population-based input functions were obtained by scaling the input function template with the individual parent activity concentration of 18F-GE-180 in arterial plasma in a blood sample drawn at 27.5 min or by the individual administered tracer activity, respectively. The total 18F-GE-180 distribution volume (VT) was estimated in 12 regions-of-interest (ROIs) by the invasive Logan plot using the measured or the population-based input functions. Late ROI-to-whole-blood and ROI-to-cerebellum ratio were also computed.ResultsCorrelation with the reference VT (with individually measured input function) was very high for VT with the population-based input function scaled with the blood sample and for the ROI-to-whole-blood ratio (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.989 ± 0.006 and 0.970 ± 0.005). The correlation was only moderate for VT with the population-based input function scaled with tracer activity dose and for the ROI-to-cerebellum ratio (0.653 ± 0.074 and 0.384 ± 0.177). Reference VT, population-based VT with scaling by the blood sample, and ROI-to-whole-blood ratio were sensitive to the TSPO gene polymorphism. Population-based VT with scaling to the administered tracer activity and the ROI-to-cerebellum ratio failed to detect a polymorphism effect.ConclusionThese results support the use of a population-based input function scaled with a single blood sample or the ROI-to-whole-blood ratio at a late time point for simplified quantitative analysis of 18F-GE-180 PET.

Modulation of TEA and methanol gas sensing by ion-exchange based on a sacrificial template 3D diamond-shaped MOF

This paper introduces a facile and simple method to synthesize ZnO and modulate ZnO to change into CuO/ZnO for realizing gas sensitive performance transformation from triethylamine (TEA) to methanol (CH3OH) without altering the original morphology of ZnO. ZnO with diamond-shape was prepared simply by calcining a three-dimensional (3D) Metal Organic Framework (MOF) {[Zn5(L)2(H2O)5]·7(DMA)·10(H2O)}n (HPU-15) as template. When HPU-15 was immersed in solutions containing Cu(II) cations, Zn2+ in HPU-15 could be exchanged by Cu2+ rapidly. Then, CuO/ZnO was derived from the ion-exchanged product Cu@HPU-15. Unlike ZnO shows the selective responses to TEA, CuO/ZnO shows the highest sensing performance to CH3OH. First principles calculations showed that the gas sensitive performance transformation is mainly attributed to the changes of adsorption energy of materials, which gives rise to the transformation of sensing performance. Besides, the unique p-n junction is also beneficial for CH3OH gas sensing performance. Therefore, such post-synthetic metal ion exchange approach provides a novel strategy for the development of functional sacrificial template MOF materials for the application in the modulation of the sensitive performance of sensor.

Using Data Imputation for Signal Separation in High-contrast Imaging

Abstract To characterize circumstellar systems in high-contrast imaging, the fundamental step is to construct a best point-spread function (PSF) template for the noncircumstellar signals (i.e., starlight and speckles) and separate it from the observation. With existing PSF construction methods, the circumstellar signals (e.g., planets, circumstellar disks) are unavoidably altered by overfitting and/or self-subtraction, making forward modeling a necessity to recover these signals. We present a forward modeling–free solution to these problems with data imputation using sequential nonnegative matrix factorization (DI-sNMF), which first converts this signal separation problem to a “missing data” problem in statistics by flagging the regions that host circumstellar signals as missing data, then attributes PSF signals to these regions. We mathematically prove it to have negligible alteration to circumstellar signals when the imputation region is relatively small, which thus enables precise measurement of these circumstellar objects. We apply it to simulated point-source and circumstellar disk observations to demonstrate its proper recovery of them. We apply it to Gemini Planet Imager K1-band observations of the debris disk surrounding HR 4796A, finding a tentative trend that the dust is more forward scattering as the wavelength increases. We expect DI-sNMF to be applicable to other general scenarios where the separation of signals is needed.

Electrochemical fabrication of reduced MoS2-based portable molecular imprinting nanoprobe for selective SERS determination of theophylline.

A new portable molecular imprinting polymer (MIP)-SERS nanoprobe is fabricated by a convenient electrochemical method. Single-layered MoS2 is electrochemically reduced on ascreen-printed electrode as the scaffold. Functional monomers o-phenylenediamine (oPD), template theophylline (THP), and SERS-active Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) are then one-step electropolymerized on the scaffold. The morphology of the nanoprobe is found to be a three-dimensional and porous structure. The abundant AuNPs with the size of 45~50nm are trapped within the growing MIP instead of being confined to the surface. The thickness of MIP film is calculated to 25.1nm. The nanoprobe displays a strong SERS effect for THP using 532nm as excitation wavelength with adetection limit (LOD) of 0.01nM. The SERS peak intensity at 1487cm-1 increases linearly with the concentration of THP in the range0.1 nM to 0.1mM. After the template is removed, the imprint-removed nanoprobe is generated for selective binding of THP. The re-binding kinetics study implies the portable MIP-SERS nanoprobe can reach the adsorption equilibrium within 8min. This nanoprobe exhibits low SERS interference for structural analogues theobromine (THB) and caffeine (CAF). The nanoprobe was employed to THP determination in tea drink samples, with recoveries ranging from 99.0 to 102.0% and relative standard deviations of < 5.0%. Graphical abstractSchematic representation of a portable molecular imprinting SERS nanoprobe used for selective and sensitive theophylline recognition. The nanoprobe is fabricated by one-step electropolymerized o-phenylenediamine (oPD), theophylline, and electroreduced Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) on reduced MoS2 (rMoS2) modified screen-printed electrode (SPE).

Preparation of BSA surface imprinted manganese dioxide-loaded tubular carbon fibers with excellent specific rebinding to target protein

Along with the wide development of protein imprinted polymers, the researchers still face many challenges, such as difficult template elution, slow adsorption rate and low adsorption capacity. In order to promote the progress of protein separation and purification, the surface imprinted manganese dioxide-loaded tubular carbon fibers (FTCFs@MnO2@MIPs) are prepared in this work. FTCFs@MnO2@MIPs are based on tubular carbon fibers (TCFs) coated with flaky MnO2. Dopamine (DA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) are utilized as functional monomers and templates. The MnO2 nanosheets are grown and loaded on the surface of carboxyl-modified tubular carbon fibers (CMTCFs) to form a MnO2 shell, which provides more imprinting sites for protein imprinting. Meanwhile, this shell enhances the interaction between the imprinting sites and BSA. The content of MnO2 loaded on the surface of CMTCFs is 9.42%. The obtained materials are systematically characterized and the adsorption performances of FTCFs@MnO2@MIPs for BSA are investigated. The adsorption process of FTCFs@MnO2@MIPs exhibits significant self-driven characteristics. The adsorption capacity reaches 816.44 mg/g in 60 min and the imprinting factor (IF) is 3.31. FTCFs@MnO2@MIPs can selectively separate BSA from the mixed proteins and fetal bovine serum. Excellent reusability and practical application ability make MnO2-loaded tubular carbon fibers (FTCFs@MnO2) become a promising carrier in the field of protein imprinting.

Bi-layered Tubular Microfiber Scaffolds as Functional Templates for Engineering Human Intestinal Smooth Muscle Tissue.

Designing biomimetic scaffolds with in vivo-like microenvironments using biomaterials is an essential component of successful tissue engineering approaches. The intestinal smooth muscle layers exhibit a complex tubular structure consisting of two concentric muscle layers in which the inner circular layer is orthogonally oriented to the outer longitudinal layer. Here, we present a three-dimensional (3D) bi-layered tubular scaffold based on flexible, mechanically robust and well aligned silk protein microfibers to mimic native human intestinal smooth muscle structure. The scaffolds were seeded with primary human intestinal smooth muscle cells to replicate human intestinal muscle tissues in vitro. Characterization of the tissue constructs revealed good biocompatibility and support for cell alignment and elongation in the different scaffold layers to enhance cell differentiation and functions. Furthermore, the engineered smooth muscle constructs supported oriented neurite outgrowth, a requisite step to achieve functional innervation. These results suggested these microfiber scaffolds as functional templates for in vitro regeneration of human intestinal smooth muscle systems. The scaffolding provides a crucial step toward engineering functional human intestinal tissue in vitro, as well as for the engineering of many other types of smooth muscles in terms of their similar phenotypes. Such utility may lead to a better understanding of smooth muscle associated diseases and treatments.

Point spread function modelling for wide-field small-aperture telescopes with a denoising autoencoder

ABSTRACTThe point spread function reflects the state of an optical telescope and it is important for the design of data post-processing methods. For wide-field small-aperture telescopes, the point spread function is hard to model because it is affected by many different effects and has strong temporal and spatial variations. In this paper, we propose the use of a denoising autoencoder, a type of deep neural network, to model the point spread function of wide-field small-aperture telescopes. The denoising autoencoder is a point spread function modelling method, based on pure data, which uses calibration data from real observations or numerical simulated results as point spread function templates. According to real observation conditions, different levels of random noise or aberrations are added to point spread function templates, making them realizations of the point spread function (i.e. simulated star images). Then we train the denoising autoencoder with realizations and templates of the point spread function. After training, the denoising autoencoder learns the manifold space of the point spread function and it can map any star images obtained by wide-field small-aperture telescopes directly to its point spread function. This could be used to design data post-processing or optical system alignment methods.

Modified Potentiometric Screen-Printed Electrodes Based on Imprinting Character for Sodium Deoxycholate Determination

Potentiometric sensors have a great influence on the determination of most various compounds in their matrices. Therefore, efficient and new sensors were introduced to measure sodium Deoxycholate (NaDC) as a bile acid salt. These sensors are based on NaDC imprinted polymer (MIP) as sensory element. The MIP beads were synthesized using thermal polymerization pathway, in which acrylamide (AAm), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), NaDC, and benzoyl peroxide (BPO) were used as the functional monomer, cross-linker, template, and initiator, respectively. The proposed sensors were fabricated using a coated screen-printed platform and the sensing membrane was modified by single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) as an ion-to-electron transducer. The sensors exhibited high sensitivity that reached 4.7 × 10−5 M of near-Nernestian slope (−60.1 ± 0.9 mV/decade, r2 = 0.999 (n= 5)). In addition, the sensors revealed high selectivity, long lifetime, high potential stability, and conductivity that ensure reproducible and accurate results over a long time. MIP characterization was performed using Fourier Transform-Infrared (FT-IR) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Regarding the interaction of NaDC with serum albumin (SA), albumin is determined in human serum samples as human serum albumin (HSA), which was collected from different volunteers of different ages and gender.

How C++ Templates Are Used for Generic Programming

Generic programming is a key paradigm for developing reusable software components. The inherent support for generic constructs is therefore important in programming languages. As for C++, the generic construct, templates, has been supported since the language was first released. However, little is currently known about how C++ templates are actually used in developing real software. In this study, we conduct an experiment to investigate the use of templates in practice. We analyze 1,267 historical revisions of 50 open source systems, consisting of 566 million lines of C++ code, to collect the data of the practical use of templates. We perform statistical analyses on the collected data and produce many interesting results. We uncover the following important findings: (1) templates are practically used to prevent code duplication, but this benefit is largely confined to a few highly used templates; (2) function templates do not effectively replace C-style generics, and developers with a C background do not show significant preference between the two language constructs; (3) developers seldom convert dynamic polymorphism to static polymorphism by using CRTP (Curiously Recursive Template Pattern); (4) the use of templates follows a power-law distribution in most cases, and C++ developers who prefer using templates are those without other language background; (5) C developer background seems to override C++ project guidelines. These findings are helpful not only for researchers to understand the tendency of template use but also for tool builders to implement better tools to support generic programming.

Deep eutectic solvents skeleton typed molecularly imprinted chitosan microsphere coated magnetic graphene oxide for solid-phase microextraction of chlorophenols from environmental water.

Novel molecularly imprinted chitosan microspheres were prepared on the surface of magnetic graphene oxide, with deep eutectic solvents both as a functional monomer and template. The prepared molecularly imprinted chitosan microspheres-magnetic graphene oxide was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction,Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, thermogravimetric analysis were subsequently combined with solid-phase micro-extraction for simultaneous separation and enrichment of the extraction of chlorophenols from environmental water. Factors affecting the extraction efficiency of chlorophenols were optimized using response surface methodology. The actual extraction capacities under the optimal conditions (liquid to solid ratio=3, cycles of adsorption/desorption=5, 40°C extraction temperature, and extraction time for 35min) were 86.90mg/g. Compared to the traditional materials, the molecularly imprinted chitosan microspheres-magnetic graphene oxide produced higher selectivity and extraction capacity.

Construction of Spatiotemporal Infant Cortical Surface Functional Templates.

Infant cortical surface templates play an essential role in spatial normalization of cortical surfaces across individuals in pediatric neuroimaging analysis. However, existing infant surface templates have two major limitations in functional MRI analysis. First, they are constructed by co-registration of cortical surfaces based on structural attributes, which cannot lead to accurate functional alignment, due to the highly variable relationship between cortical folds and functions. Second, they are constructed by simply averaging co-registered cortical attributes, which is sensitive to registration errors and leads to blurred attribute patterns on templates, thus deteriorating the accuracy in spatial normalization. Therefore, the construction of infant cortical functional templates encoding sharp functional architectures is critical for infant fMRI analysis. To this end, we construct the first set of spatiotemporal infant cortical surface functional templates using Wasserstein barycenter and a state-of-the-art functional feature, namely the gradient density of functional connectivity. To address the first issue, we leverage functional gradient density to drive surface registration to improve inter-individual functional correspondences. To address the second issue, we compute templates based on the Wasserstein barycenter of functional gradient density maps across individuals. The motivation is that Wasserstein barycenter represents a meaningful mean under the Wasserstein distance metric, which takes into account the alignment of local spatial distribution of cortical attributes and thus is robust to registration errors, leading to sharp and detailed patterns on templates. Experiments on a dataset with 207 fMRI scans between 0 and 2 years of age show the validity and accuracy of our constructed infant cortical functional templates.

In vitro anti-malarial efficacy of chalcones: cytotoxicity profile, mechanism of action and their effect on erythrocytes

BackgroundMalaria extensively leads to mortality and morbidity in endemic regions, and the emergence of drug resistant parasites is alarming. Plant derived synthetic pharmaceutical compounds are found to be a foremost research to obtain diverse range of potent leads. Amongst them, the chalcone scaffold is a functional template for drug discovery. The present study involves synthesis of ten chalcones with various substitution pattern in rings A and B and assessment of their anti-malarial efficacy against chloroquine sensitive and chloroquine resistant strains as well as of their cytotoxicity and effect on haemozoin production.MethodsThe chalcones were synthesized by Claisen-Schmidt condensation between equimolar quantities of substituted acetophenones and aryl benzaldehydes (or indole-3-carboxaldehyde) and were screened for anti-malarial activity by WHO Mark III schizont maturation inhibition assay. The cytotoxicity profile of a HeLa cell line was evaluated through MTT viability assay and the selectivity index (SI) was calculated. Haemozoin inhibition assay was performed to illustrate mode of action on a Plasmodium falciparum strain.ResultsThe IC50 values of all compounds were in the range 0.10–0.40 μg/mL for MRC-2 (a chloroquine sensitive strain) and 0.14–0.55 μg/mL for RKL-9 (a chloroquine resistant strain) of P. falciparum. All the chalcones showed low cellular toxicity with minimal haemolysis. The statistically significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the haemozoin production suggests a similar mechanism than that of chloroquine.ConclusionsOut of ten chalcones, number 7 was found to be a lead compound with the highest potency (IC50 = 0.11 µg/mL), as compared to licochalcone (IC50 = 1.43 µg/mL) and with high selectivity index of 85.05.

Molecularly imprinted polymer-based sensor for electrochemical detection of erythromycin

The increasing global reports on the occurrence of macrolide antibiotics resistance, especially erythromycin (Ery) resistant strains, suggests the possible presence of these antibiotics in the environment hence, their inclusion in the EU watchlist of water pollutants. Consequently, there is an urgent need for the development of portable and cost effective analytical sensing devices for their monitoring in water. The combination of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) as a sensing element with a portable electrochemical transducer such as screen printed electrode (SPE) may offer a valuable approach for the desired routine environmental monitoring. This work demonstrates the preparation of an electrochemical MIP-based sensor for Ery detection in aqueous media. Ery-selective MIP, Ery-MIP was generated directly on SPE, Ery-MIP/SPE via electrochemical polymerization of m-phenylenediamine (mPD). The optimization of sensor performance was achieved with special attention given to the selection of functional monomer, template removal, polymer thickness and incubation time. Ery-MIP/SPE sensor demonstrated the ability to discriminate target analyte against very close analogues i.e clarithromycin and azithromycin in both PBS and tap water. In addition, Ery-MIP/SPE could detect Ery down to low limits (LOD = 0.1 nM and LOQ = 0.4 nM) and exhibited good recovery in tap water. The presented analytical approach could be potentially suited and/or further developed for adequate monitoring of Ery as well as other macrolides in environmental water.

Photovoltaic broadband photodetectors based on CH3NH3PbI3 thin films grown on silicon nanoporous pillar array

The research of broadband photodetectors has been attracting extensive attention because of their great importance and application potentials in numerous fields. In this study, we proposed a perovskite-based photovoltaic broadband photodetector using silicon nanoporous pillar array (Si-NPA) as the hole-transport layer as well as the growth template. By optimizing the conditions of solvent vapors annealing approach, the conformal growth of high-quality CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPbI3) thin films was achieved with a high material integrity, thus enabling a rapid and efficient carrier transport at the MAPbI3/Si-NPA interface. The photoresponse analysis reveals that the devices exhibit a high light sensitivity from the deep ultraviolet to the near-infrared region and a pronounced photovoltaic behavior. Typically, a high on/off ratio of 0.82 × 105, a photoresponsivity of 8.13 mA/W, a specific detectivity of 0.974 × 1013 Jones, and fast response speeds of 253.3/230.4 μs were achieved at zero bias under light illumination of 780 nm. Because of the using of air-stable inorganic carrier-transport layers (Si-NPA, ZnO), and the coaxial core/shell heterojunction architecture for a full protection of vulnerable MAPbI3 active layer from exposure to air ambient, the photodetectors without encapsulation can operate with an excellent stability and repeatability in a wide frequency range over 5000 Hz and continuous light switching (1200 cycles). Even after one-month storage in air ambient, the devices can operate properly with only 8% photocurrent decay. The results obtained provide an effective strategy for the design and development of high-performance broadband photodetectors by combining the advantages of perovskites and functional Si-NPA template.

A population stereotaxic positron emission tomography brain template for the macaque and its application to ischemic model

PurposePositron emission tomography (PET) is a non-invasive imaging tool for the evaluation of brain function and neuronal activity in normal and diseased conditions with high sensitivity. The macaque monkey serves as a valuable model system in the field of translational medicine, for its phylogenetic proximity to man. To translation of non-human primate neuro-PET studies, an effective and objective data analysis platform for neuro-PET studies is needed. Materials and methodsA set of stereotaxic templates of macaque brain, namely the Institute of High Energy Physics & Jinan University Macaque Template (HJT), was constructed by iteratively registration and averaging, based on 30 healthy rhesus monkeys. A brain atlas image was created in HJT space by combining sub-anatomical regions and defining new 88 bilateral functional regions, in which a unique integer was assigned for each sub-anatomical region. ResultsThe HJT comprised a structural MRI T1 weighted image (T1WI) template image, a functional FDG-PET template image, intracranial tissue segmentations accompanied with a digital macaque brain atlas image. It is compatible with various commercially available software tools, such as SPM and PMOD. Data analysis was performed on a stroke model compared with a group of healthy controls to demonstrate the usage of HJT. ConclusionWe have constructed a stereotaxic template set of macaque brain named HJT, which standardizes macaque neuroimaging data analysis, supports novel radiotracer development and facilitates translational neuro-disorders research.

Synthesis of CdTe Quantum Dots-based Imprinting Fluorescent Nanosensor for Highly Specific and Sensitive Determination of Caffeic Acid in Apple Juices

A facile method for the synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) onto CdTe quantum dots (CdTe-QDs@MIPs) was successfully developed, and for the first time used as a sensitive fluorescent nanosensor for specific and rapid determination of caffeic acid (CA) in apple juices. Sol—gel polymerization was selected to fabricate hydrophilic MIPs layer using 3-(aminopropyl) triethoxysilane, tetraethyl orthosilicate, and CA as functional monomer, cross-linker and template, respectively. Under optimum experimental conditions, smaller CdTe-QDs@MIPs particles (48 nm) were synthesized with polymerization time at 2 min, which showed fast fluorescence quenching with response time at 3 min and high sensitivity with a limit of detection at 0.73 μg L−1. The fluorescence intensity of CdTe-QDs@MIPs presented excellent linearity with the concentration of CA in the range from 2 to 100 μg L−1 (R2, 0.9980). Te developed method showed good repeatability with batch-to-batch relative standard deviation at 3.31%, and excellent selectivity over structural analogues. The practicability of the as-prepared CdTe-QDs@MIPs was confirmed by the analysis of CA in apple juices with satisfactory recoveries from 93.3% to 108.3%, and precisions <2.1%. Results demonstrated that a rapid, selective, and sensitive fluorescent method was successfully developed to detect CA in food samples.

Progress in Nanoporous Templates: Beyond Anodic Aluminum Oxide and Towards Functional Complex Materials.

Successful synthesis of ordered porous, multi-component complex materials requires a series of coordinated processes, typically including fabrication of a master template, deposition of materials within the pores to form a negative structure, and a third deposition or etching process to create the final, functional template. Translating the utility and the simplicity of the ordered nanoporous geometry of binary oxide templates to those comprising complex functional oxides used in energy, electronic, and biology applications has been met with numerous critical challenges. This review surveys the current state of commonly used complex material nanoporous template synthesis techniques derived from the base anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) geometry.

R7A mutation in N protein renders temperature sensitive phenotype of VSV by affecting its replication and transcription in vitro.

Viral genomic RNA encapsidated by nucleoprotein (N) forms functional template for the transcription and replication of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). The crystal structure of the N-RNA complex shows that RNA is tightly sequestered between the two lobes of the N protein. The residue (R7) in N-terminal arm of N is of great importance to the formation of functional N-RNA template. In our study, we found that single amino acid substitution (R7A) resulted in the loss of CAT expression in vitro minigenome system at 37°C. But the R7A had little effect on CAT expression at 31°C. Further analysis showed that R7A had great effects on the RNA synthesis and the formation of cytoplasmic inclusions of VSV only at 37°C not at 31°C. Forthefurtherinvestigation of the effect of R7A on virus replication, we checked the dominant-negative effect of NR7A in minigenome system and the single step curve of recombinant virus with R7A mutation in N protein (rVSVR7A) under 37°C and 31°C separately. Our results showed that the mutation of R7A within the N-terminal arm of N affected both replication and transcription and induced VSV to become temperature sensitive.

Facile preparation of photonic and magnetic dual responsive protein imprinted nanomaterial for specific recognition of bovine hemoglobin

Stimulated response molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have attracted wide attention not only because of their intriguing response to external stimuli, but also due to the desired molecular recognition ability. Herein, a novel dual responsive proteins MIPs with both photonic and magnetic stimuli has been developed by surface imprinting polymerization, where double bonds modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles, a water-soluble azobenzene containing 4-[(4-methacryloyloxy)phenylazo]benzenesulfonic acid and bovine hemoglobin (BHb) were used as magnetic core, photoswitchable functional monomer and template protein, respectively. The resultant MIPs possessed a typical spherical structure with a relative rough imprinted layer of 15 nm thickness. Moreover, the MIPs had good binding behavior toward BHb with fast binding kinetics, high adsorption capacity and satisfactory selectivity. The MIPs were proved to be well photo-controlled toward the template protein BHb under the alternating irradiation of 365 and 440 nm: 31.4% BHb was released from the MIPs at 365 nm and 67.2% BHb was bound into the MIPs at 440 nm. As a result, the MIPs were successfully applied to specifically extract template protein from actual biological sample. As a consequence, combining photocontrolled release and uptake, rapidly magnetic separation and specific recognition, the resultant MIPs with photonic and magnetic dual responsive abilities show significant advantages in the enrichment of trace protein in biological samples.

Improved Fermi-GBM GRB Localizations Using BALROG

Abstract The localizations of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) detected with the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) on board the Fermi satellite are known to be affected by significant systematic errors of 3°–15°. This is primarily due to the mismatch of the employed Band function templates and the actual GRB spectrum. This problem can be avoided by simultaneously fitting for the location and the spectrum of a GRB, as demonstrated with an advanced localization code, BALROG. Here, we analyze in a systematic way a sample of 105 bright GBM-detected GRBs for which accurate reference localizations are available from the Swift observatory. We show that the remaining systematic error can be reduced to ∼1°–2°.