A method for spectroscopically detecting a chemical in a gas sample includes illuminating the gas sample with ultraviolet light and photolyzing a first chemical in the gas sample to generate a photolyzed gas sample and spectroscopically detecting a second chemical in the photolyzed gas sample. The second chemical has an optical absorption range within a respective optical absorption range of the first chemical.

Systems and methods of in vivo hydroxyl radical protein foot-printing are presented. These teachings may be used to, for example, study three-dimensional protein structure or bio-kinetics. Radical Dosimetry including an optional intrinsic standard is used on isolated intact cells. Real-time feedback based on an internal standard provides comparability between different experiments and in vivo analysis results in data that is representative of actual biological conditions.

Flash Photo-Oxidation Device and Higher Order Structural Analysis is employed for higher order structural analysis of biomolecules. Biomolecular higher order structure (HOS) results from the confounded superimposition of a biomolecule's secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure and defines the manner in which a biomolecule presents itself and interacts with other biomolecules in living systems. A rapidly growing class of therapeutic drugs, known as biotherapeutics, comprises a variety of proteins, whose therapeutic properties are inherently linked and dependent upon their HOS. As such, HOS analysis of biotherapeutics is an important analytical requirement in the biopharmaceutical industry. The present invention provides new means and methods for the determination of biopharmaceutical HOS and associated conformation using improved devices and methodologies for flash photo-oxidation of proteins to determine their higher order biomolecular structure, and such is responsive to the increased demand for new and improved HOS analytical means in the biopharmaceutical industry.

Flash Photo-Oxidation Device and Higher Order Structural Analysis is employed for higher order structural analysis of biomolecules. Biomolecular higher order structure (HOS) results from the confounded superimposition of a biomolecule's secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure and defines the manner in which a biomolecule presents itself and interacts with other biomolecules in living systems. A rapidly growing class of therapeutic drugs, known as biotherapeutics, comprises a variety of proteins, whose therapeutic properties are inherently linked and dependent upon their HOS. As such, HOS analysis of biotherapeutics is an important analytical requirement in the biopharmaceutical industry. The present invention provides new means and methods for the determination of biopharmaceutical HOS and associated conformation using improved devices and methodologies for flash photo-oxidation of proteins to determine their higher order biomolecular structure, and such is responsive to the increased demand for new and improved HOS analytical means in the biopharmaceutical industry.

The present invention provides a photolytic converter for converting reactant molecules in a fluid sample into product molecules by photolytic dissociation with electromagnetic radiation. The converter has a reaction chamber in communication with one or more electromagnetic radiation sources, an inflow conduit for conveying the fluid sample into the reaction chamber, and an outflow conduit for conveying the fluid sample out of the reaction chamber into a receptacle, wherein at least one of the first and outflow conduits extends into the reaction chamber. The receptacle can comprise detection means for generating a signal indicative of a concentration of product molecules in the processed fluid sample.

Disclosed are compositions which can mimic DNA and/or RNA in cells of a subject and methods of using them as a substrate in testing efficacy of one or more compositions in reducing and/or preventing radiation, such as ultraviolet (UV) radiation-caused DNA and/or RNA damage of said subject. Also disclosed are systems related to the disclosed methods.

A flow cell is provided that includes surface-attached structures in a chamber. The structures are movable in response to a magnetic or electric field. A target extraction or isolation system includes the flow cell and a driver configured for applying a magnetic or electric field to the interior of the flow cell to actuate movement of the structures. The flow cell may be utilized to extract or isolate a target from a sample flowing through the flow cell. Further, a microfluidic system is provided that includes surface-attached structures and a microarray, wherein actuated motion of the surface-attached structures is used to enhance flow, circulation, and/or mixing action for analyte capture on the microarray.

Disclosed are compositions which can mimic DNA and/or RNA in cells of a subject and methods of using them as a substrate in testing efficacy of one or more compositions in reducing and/or preventing radiation, such as ultraviolet (UV) radiation-caused DNA and/or RNA damage of said subject. Also disclosed are systems related to the disclosed methods.

According to one embodiment, an apparatus for measuring hydroxyl radicals that measures hydroxyl radicals produced by irradiating a liquid to be treated flowing through a channel in which an ultraviolet lamp is arranged with ultraviolet rays, the apparatus includes a diverting unit, a reagent adding unit, and a measuring unit. The diverting unit has a diverting channel that diverts the liquid to be treated before being irradiated with the ultraviolet rays from the channel and part of which is arranged at a position enabling the liquid to be treated within the channel to be irradiated with the ultraviolet rays. The reagent adding unit adds a hydroxyl radical measuring reagent to the diverted liquid to be treated. The measuring unit irradiates the diverted liquid to be treated with the ultraviolet rays and measures the amount of hydroxyl radicals produced based on a change in the hydroxyl radical measuring reagent between before and after the irradiation with the ultraviolet rays.

Systems and methods of in vivo and in vitro radical protein foot-printing using an opto-fluidic array are presented. These teachings may be used to, for example, study three-dimensional protein structure or bio-kinetics. Radical dosimetry including an optional intrinsic standard is used. Real-time feedback based on an internal standard provides comparability between different experiments and in vivo and in vitro analysis results in data that is representative of actual biological conditions.