Detecting, visualizing, and measuring gold nanoparticle chirality using helical pitch measurements in nematic liquid crystal phases.

Chirality at the nanoscale, or more precisely, the chirality or chiroptical effects of chiral ligand-capped metal nanoparticles (NPs) is an intriguing and rapidly evolving field in nanomaterial research with promising applications in catalysis, metamaterials, and chiral sensing. The aim of this work was to seek out a system that not only allows the detection and understanding of NP chirality but also permits visualization of the extent of chirality transfer to a surrounding medium. The nematic liquid crystal phase is an ideal candidate, displaying characteristic defect texture changes upon doping with chiral additives.

Molecular characterization of a recombinant HLA-DR1/DR2 haplotype.

Serologic analysis of two families identified an HLA-DR haplotype in which DR1 and DR2 cosegregated. DNA-RFLP analysis of these families with an HLA-DRB probe revealed a pattern of hybridization suggestive of a recombination between DR1 and DR15. Following amplification, cloning, and nucleotide sequencing of HLA-DRB-gene second-exon DNA sequences, three DRB amplification products associated with the novel haplotype were identified: these corresponded to DRB1*0101, DR2 pseudogene, and DRB5*0101.

HLA-DR and DQ matching by DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism methods and the outcome of mixed lymphocyte reaction tests in unrelated bone marrow donor searches. The IMUST Study.

The use of DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism (DNA-RFLP) typing for HLA-DR and DQ genes was assessed in 96 patients who were HLA-A,B and DR matched by serology with one or more potential unrelated marrow donors (UD). Two hundred recipient-donor pairs from 10 transplant centres in the UK were studied. DNA-RFLP revealed serological errors in HLA-DR typing and identified additional recipient-donor mismatches.

Discrimination between HLA-DR1 (DRB1*0101) and DR'Br' (DRB1*0103) using sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes.

Serological identification of the HLA-DQw1(w5)-associated or HLA-DQw3(w7)-associated DR'Br' (DRB1*0103) allele cannot be accomplished in the presence of a second DQw1(w5)-positive or DQw3(w7)-positive haplotype, respectively. DNA-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis assists in identification of DR'Br', though not in the presence of DR1. We describe an alternative or complementary method for identification of DR'Br' using two oligonucleotide probes which target HLA-DRB1 gene HV3 regions.

PCR-SSO typing for DR4-Dw subtypes: application to unrelated bone marrow transplant donor selection.

Thirty-seven DR4-positive patient-unrelated bone marrow donor pairs previously DR/DQ restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) typed and tested in mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC), have been DR4-Dw subtyped retrospectively using sequence specific oligonucleotide probes. We found that DR4-Dw subtyping substantially increased the accuracy of pre-MLC matching and could potentially accelerate donor searches by avoiding unnecessary MLC tests on Dw-mismatched donors.