Aptamer-ligand binding events, involving small molecule targets, at a surfactant-laden aqueous/liquid crystal (LC) interface were found to trigger a LC reorientation that can be observed in real-time using polarized light. The response was both sensitive and selective: reorientation was observed at target concentrations on the order of the aptamer dissociation constant, but no response was observed in control experiments with target analogues. Circular dichroism and resonance energy transfer experiments suggested that the LC reorientation was due to a conformational change of the aptamer upon target binding. Specifically, under conditions where aptamer-ligand binding induced a conformational change from a relaxed random coil to more intricate secondary structures (e.g., double helix, G-quadruplex), a transition from planar to homeotropic LC orientation was observed. These observations suggest the potential for a label-free LC-based detection system that can simultaneously respond to the presence of both small molecules and nucleic acids.
Religion, Theology and the Human Sciences explores the religious consequences of the so-called 'end of history' and 'triumph of capitalism' as they have impinged upon key institutions of social reproduction in recent times. The book explores the imposition of managerial modernity upon successive sectors of society and shows why many people today feel themselves to be oppressed by systems of management that seem to leave them no option but to conform. This culture has spread through education, health and social services and has been welcomed by the churches. Richard Roberts seeks to challenge and outflank such seamless, oppressive modernity, through reconfiguration of the religious and spiritual field. This volume will be of use to a range of students in humanities and social sciences (particularly theology and the sociology of religion) and should become standard reading for those concerned with the practical application of contemporary theology in a postmodern world.
Biological and biochemical aspects of continuous fermentation in a Tower fermentor operated on a commercial scale are described with particular reference to the rate of utilization of α‐amino nitrogen and carbohydrate. Under stable conditions, well defined gradients exist in the Tower fermentor and a fully fermented beer, indistinguishable from the conventional batch beer, is produced. Breakdown of these gradients leads to unstable conditions with a resultant increase in effluent gravity. Yeast growth in the Tower has been shown to be comparable to that of a conventional batch fermentation. No mutation of the yeast has been observed over a period of 3 years, during which time little trouble was experienced from infecting organisms.
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