Search

This work introduces a novel sieving gel for DNA electrophoresis using a classical click chemistry reaction, the copper (I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC), to cross-link functional polymer chains. The efficiency of this reaction provides, under mild conditions, hydrogels with near-ideal network connectivity and improved physical properties. Hydrogel formation via click chemistry condensation of functional polymers does not involve the use of toxic monomers and UV initiation. The performance of the new hydrogel in the separation of double stranded DNA fragments was evaluated in the 2200 TapeStation system, an analytical platform, recently introduced by Agilent that combines the advantages of CE in terms of miniaturization and automation with the simplicity of use of slab gel electrophoresis. The click gel enables addition of florescent dyes prior to electrophoresis with considerable improvement of resolution and separation efficiency over conventional cross-linked polyacrylamide gels.

The authors acknowledge support received from the Scottish Funding Council, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Scottish Power Renewables and E.ON under the Hebridean Marine Energy Futures (HMEF) programme (Grant reference number 1R042 (HFU) SPIRIT , Project Ref. HR10012), a research initiative led by the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) and Aquamarine Power. Scarba C-POD data were collected under the UK Natural Environment Research Council (DEFRA/NERC) grant NE/J004367/1 (RESPONSE). Marine habitat heterogeneity underpins species distribution and can be generated through interactions between physical and biological drivers at multiple spatiotemporal scales. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is used worldwide to study potential impacts of marine industrial activities on cetaceans, but understanding of animals’ site use at small spatiotemporal scales (

Guidelines for achieving change in the performance of a task are of little value unless they are actually adopted and used by both planning and operational staff. This suggests that success—or rather lasting improvement—is dependent on appropriate processes for guideline development. The processes need to build broad-based support for lasting cultural or institutional change. The authors were involved in a recent attempt to change the approach to flood warnings in Australia by drawing up a set of `best practice' guidelines. This paper explores the background to change, the institutional context, the process of achieving agreement on, and building commitment for, the details of the changes, and the need for further continuous effort to ensure implementation of the changes on the ground.