The University of Sheffield

4 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Engineering

Using Neutron Spin Echo Resolved Grazing Incidence Scattering to Investigate Organic Solar Cell Materials

Andrew J. Parnell¹, Adam Hobson², Robert M. Dalgliesh³, Richard A. L. Jones¹, Alan D. F. Dunbar²

¹Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, ²Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Sheffield, ³ISIS Pulsed Neutron and Muon Source Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

Progress has been made in utilizing spin echo resolved grazing incidence scattering (SERGIS) as a neutron scattering technique to probe the length-scales in irregular samples. Crystallites of [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester have been probed using the SERGIS technique and the results confirmed by optical and atomic force microscopy.

Immunology and Infection

Development of an in vitro model system for studying the interaction of Equus caballus IgE with its high-affinity receptor FcεRI

Sari Sabban¹, Hongtu Ye², Birgit Helm²

¹Biological Department, King Abdulaziz University, ²The Krebs Institute for Biomolecular Research, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield

The current study describes the development and applications of a genetically engineered assay system based on the transfection of rat basophilic leukemia cells with the equine FcεRIα gene. Transfected cells express a functional receptor where the release of mediators of the allergic response can be activated by IgE and antigen.

Engineering

Casting Protocols for the Production of Open Cell Aluminum Foams by the Replication Technique and the Effect on Porosity

Erardo M. Elizondo Luna¹, Farzad Barari², Robert Woolley², Russell Goodall¹

¹Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Sheffield, ²Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Sheffield

Replication is one of the processing techniques used for the production of porous metal sponges. In this paper one implementation of the method for the production of open celled porous aluminum is shown in detail.

Neuroscience

Electrophysiological Method for Recording Intracellular Voltage Responses of Drosophila Photoreceptors and Interneurons to Light Stimuli In Vivo

Mikko Juusola^1,2, An Dau², Lei Zheng¹, Diana Rien^1,2

¹National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, ²Department of Biomedical Science, The University of Sheffield

Sharp microelectrodes enable accurate electrophysiological characterization of photoreceptor and visual interneuron output in living Drosophila. Here we show how to use this method to record high-quality voltage responses of individual cells to controlled light stimulation. This method is ideal for studying neural information processing in insect compound eyes.