The LEGO® brick road to open science and biotechnology.

LEGO® is a brand of toys that have entertained generations of children. Beyond amusement, LEGO® bricks also constitute a building ecosystem of their own that creators from the general public, as well as scientists and engineers, can use to design and assemble devices for all purposes, including scientific research and biotechnology. We describe several of these constructions to highlight the construction properties of LEGO® and their advantages, caveats, and impact in biotechnology.

A Three-Component Ugi-Type Reaction of -Carbamoyl Imines Enables a Broad Scope Primary α-Amino 1,3,4-Oxadiazole Synthesis.

A general synthesis of -protected primary α-amino 1,3,4-oxadiazoles, from -carbamoyl imines, -isocyaniminotriphenylphosphorane (NIITP), and carboxylic acids, is described. Featuring an isocyanide addition reaction with -carbamoyl imines, this efficient three-component Ugi-type reaction was found to be broad in scope with respect to imine, and carboxylic acid coupling partners. Furthermore, the versatility of this method was demonstrated by α-amino 1,2,4-triazole synthesis, the late-stage functionalization of seven drug molecules, and five divergent derivatizations of a primary α-amino 1,3,4-oxadiazole.

Cyclic uniaxial cell stretching in tissue culture using a LEGO®-based mechanical stretcher and a polydimethylsiloxane stretchable vessel.

Mechanical signals are essential for the regulation of many biological processes. Therefore, it has become paramount to account for these mechanical parameters when exploring biological processes. Here, we describe a protocol to apply cyclic uniaxial stretch on cells in culture using a LEGO®-based mechanical stretcher and a flexible custom-made polydimethylsiloxane culture vessel as well as validated downstream applications.

PANAS Models of Positive and Negative Affectivity for Adolescent Boys.

The measurement of affect is often of central interest in adolescent research. Very few studies have investigated the factor structure underlying adolescent responses to the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, with mixed results. Only two studies reported on the trait version: one in Florida, the other in Chile.