User:Zackcohen55/sandbox

Article evaluation

Fatty acid: Fatty acid

Reflection paragraph:

This is already a well-written article. I was not distracted by any of the subpoints, although their certainly were some points that I am less interested in (industrial, for example). Nevertheless it is important to have this information in the article. The citation links do indeed work, although there is a glaring "citation needed" in the introduction. None of the information is out of date, but there is no mention of fatty acid self assembly into vesicles.

Text I posed to the article's talk page:

It may be helpful to add a section about self-assembly of fatty acids into vesicles. ~Zack

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Initial planning of my article

I want to contribute a section about astrobiology to the main microfluidics article. Remote analysis of organic samples as a means to detect biosignatures is an important and fascinating application of microfluidics. Here are some sources:

Mora MF, Greer F, Stockton AM, Bryant S, Willis PA. Toward total automation of microfluidics for extraterrestial in situ analysis. 2011. Analytical chemistry 83 (22), 8636-8641

Stockton AM, Tjin CC, Chiesl TN, Mathies RA. Analysis of carbonaceous biomarkers with the Mars Organic Analyzer microchip capillary electrophoresis system: carboxylic acids. 2011. Astrobiology 11 (6), 519-528

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Add to an article

In the fatty acid article linked above, under section "reactions of fatty acids" and under subsection acidity, there is a needed citation for the statement: Fatty acids do not show a great variation in their acidities, as indicated by their respective pKa.

This does seem to be true by looking at PubChem entries, but I can not find a single article that has studied multiple fatty acids thoroughly. Actually, the only article I can find seems to provide totally different (and likely inaccurate) pKa values.

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Initial drafting of my article

The main microfluidics article does not have any mention of applications to astrobiology. So I will first establish that astrobiology has a need for microfluidic devices (difficulty of sample return vs need to identify biosignatures). Then I will discuss thoroughly the work that has been done on detection with microfluidic devices.

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Article I emailed for peer review

In order to understand the prospects for life to exist elsewhere in the universe, astrobiologists are interested in measuring the chemical composition of extraplanetary bodies. These measurements are difficult to make because the return of a physical sample from distant bodies is a challenging endeavor (1). So sample composition must be assessed remotely, and the data must be sent back to Earth as electrical signals.

During design of remote probes, it is critical to minimize mass to make space flight more manageable. Thus microfluidic devices have high utility for their small size and wide-ranging functionality. From a Martian sample, the organic content can be assessed using microchip capillary electrophoresis and selective fluorescent dyes (2). These studies are capable of detecting amino acids (3), peptides (4), fatty acids (5), and simple aldehydes, ketones (6), and thiols (7). These analyses coupled together could allow powerful detection of extraterrestrial biosignatures (8).

Additionally, microfluidic devices can be used to probe the potential for chemical evolution in an origins of life scenario (9). The high-throughput capability of this device allows chemical simulations to take place on feasible timescales for laboratory analysis, instead of unobservable geological timescales.

References:

1) Witze, A. NASA plans Mars sample-return rover. 2014. Nature. 509 (7500): 272–272.

2) Mora MF, Greer F, Stockton AM, Bryant S, Willis PA. Toward total automation of microfluidics for extraterrestial in situ analysis. 2011. Analytical chemistry 83 (22), 8636-8641

3) Chiesl TN, Chu WK, Stockton AM, Amashukeli X, Grunthaner F, Mathies RA. Enhanced amine and amino acid analysis using Pacific Blue and the Mars Organic Analyzer microchip capillary electrophoresis system. 2009. Analytical chemistry 81 (7), 2537-2544

4) Kaiser RI, Stockton AM, Kim YS, Jensen EC, Mathies RA. 2013. On the formation of dipeptides in interstellar model ices. The Astrophysical Journal 765 (2), 111

5) Stockton AM, Tjin CC, Chiesl TN, Mathies RA. Analysis of carbonaceous biomarkers with the Mars Organic Analyzer microchip capillary electrophoresis system: carboxylic acids. 2011. Astrobiology 11 (6), 519-528

6) Stockton AM, Tjin CC, Huang GL, Benhabib M, Chiesl TN, Mathies RA. Analysis of carbonaceous biomarkers with the Mars Organic Analyzer microchip capillary electrophoresis system: aldehydes and ketones. 2010. Electrophoresis 31 (22), 3642-3649

7) Mora MF, Stockton AM, Willis PA. Analysis of thiols by microchip capillary electrophoresis for in situ planetary investigations. 2013. Electrophoresis 34 (2), 309-316

8) Bowden SA, Wilson R, Taylor C, Cooper JM, Parnell J. The extraction of intracrystalline biomarkers and other organic compounds from sulphate minerals using a microfluidic format – a feasibility study for remote fossil-life detection using a microfluidic H-cell. 2007. International Journal of Astrobiology 6 (1) : 27–36

9) Doran D, Rodriguez-Garcia M, Turk-MacLeod R, Cooper GJT, Cronin L. A recursive microfluidic platform to explore the emergence of chemical evolution. 2017. Beilstein J. Org. Chem, 13, 1702–1709.

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Revised article after peer review

In order to understand the prospects for life to exist elsewhere in the universe, astrobiologists are interested in measuring the chemical composition of extraplanetary bodies (1). But bringing a physical sample to Earth is a challenging process that could involve multiple missions over multiple years, each requiring incredible technical precision (2). So instead sample composition can be assessed remotely (3), and this data must be processed and sent back to Earth in a timely manner (4).

During design of remote probes, it is critical to minimize mass to make space flight more manageable (5). Thus microfluidic devices have high utility for their small size and wide-ranging functionality (6). From an extraterrestrial sample, the organic content can be assessed using microchip capillary electrophoresis and selective fluorescent dyes (7). These devices are capable of detecting amino acids (8), peptides (9), fatty acids (10), and simple aldehydes, ketones (11), and thiols (12). These analyses coupled together could allow powerful detection of the key components of life, and hopefully inform our search for functioning extraterrestrial life (13).

Additionally, microfluidic devices can be used to probe the potential for chemical evolution in an origins of life scenario (14). The high-throughput capability of droplet-based devices allows chemical simulations to take place on feasible timescales for laboratory analysis, instead of unobservable geological timescales (15).

References:

1.    NASA Astrobiology Strategy, 2015. https://nai.nasa.gov/media/medialibrary/2015/10/NASA_Astrobiology_Strategy_2015_151008.pdf

2.    Witze, A. NASA plans Mars sample-return rover. 2014. Nature. 509 (7500): 272–272.

3.    Chiesl TN, Benhabib M, Stockton AM, Mathies RA. Multichannel Mars Organic Analyzer (McMOA): Microfluidic Networks for the Automated in Situ Microchip Electrophoretic Analysis of Organic Biomarkers on Mars. Astrobiology Science Conference 2010. https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/abscicon2010/pdf/5021.pdf

4.    Lee CM, Cable ML, Hook SJ, Green RO, Ustin SL, Mandl DJ, Middleton EM. An introduction to the NASA Hyperspectral InfraRed Imager (HyspIRI) mission and preparatory activities. 2015. Remote Sensing of Environment 167 6-19.

5.    Rast M, Schwehm G, Attema E. Payload-Mass Trends for EarthObservation and Space-Exploration Satellites. 1999. ESA bulletin 97. http://www.esa.int/esapub/bulletin/bullet97/rast.pdf

6.    Beebe DJ, Mensing GA, Walker GM. PHYSICS AND APPLICATIONS OF MICROFLUIDICS IN BIOLOGY. 2002. Annu. Rev. Biomed. Eng. 4:261–86

7.    Mora MF, Greer F, Stockton AM, Bryant S, Willis PA. Toward total automation of microfluidics for extraterrestial in situ analysis. 2011. Analytical chemistry 83 (22), 8636-8641

8.    Chiesl TN, Chu WK, Stockton AM, Amashukeli X, Grunthaner F, Mathies RA. Enhanced amine and amino acid analysis using Pacific Blue and the Mars Organic Analyzer microchip capillary electrophoresis system. 2009. Analytical chemistry 81 (7), 2537-2544

9.    Kaiser RI, Stockton AM, Kim YS, Jensen EC, Mathies RA. 2013. On the formation of dipeptides in interstellar model ices. The Astrophysical Journal 765 (2), 111

10.  Stockton AM, Tjin CC, Chiesl TN, Mathies RA. Analysis of carbonaceous biomarkers with the Mars Organic Analyzer microchip capillary electrophoresis system: carboxylic acids. 2011. Astrobiology 11 (6), 519-528

11.  Stockton AM, Tjin CC, Huang GL, Benhabib M, Chiesl TN, Mathies RA. Analysis of carbonaceous biomarkers with the Mars Organic Analyzer microchip capillary electrophoresis system: aldehydes and ketones. 2010. Electrophoresis 31 (22), 3642-3649

12.  Mora MF, Stockton AM, Willis PA. Analysis of thiols by microchip capillary electrophoresis for in situ planetary investigations. 2013. Electrophoresis 34 (2), 309-316

13.  Bowden SA, Wilson R, Taylor C, Cooper JM, Parnell J. The extraction of intracrystalline biomarkers and other organic compounds from sulphate minerals using a microfluidic format – a feasibility study for remote fossil-life detection using a microfluidic H-cell. 2007. International Journal of Astrobiology 6 (1) : 27–36

14.  Doran D, Rodriguez-Garcia M, Turk-MacLeod R, Cooper GJT, Cronin L. A recursive microfluidic platform to explore the emergence of chemical evolution. 2017. Beilstein J. Org. Chem, 13, 1702–1709.

15.  Linshiz G, Jensen E, Stawski N, Bi C, Elsbree N, Jiao H, Kim J, Richard Mathies R, Keasling JD, Hillson NJ. End-to-end automated microfluidic platform for synthetic biology: from design to functional analysis 2016. Journal of Biological Engineering 10:3.

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Reflective essay

1.    I wrote an addition to the main microfluidics article about the applications to the field of astrobiology. So this was an addition to an existing article.

2.    By including my text in the broader microfluidics article, I make sure astrobiology is explicitly represented in the growing list of fields that can be positively impacted by microfluidic devices. Specifically, I have brought to light two important research directions. I have explained the use of microfluidic devices on extraterrestrial missions as a means of detecting biosignatures. Secondly, I discuss the use of high-throughput microfluidic devices to explore origins of life chemistry. These are both critical areas of astrobiology that need significant progress, and microfluidic devices are uniquely capable of facilitating this progress.

3.    I received very helpful comments from my peer reviewers, but I did not receive feedback from any external wikipedians. First, my peer reviewers specifically recommended that I elaborate on the challenges associated with sample-return missions, so I explained this more thoroughly in my first paragraph and added additional references. I also received feedback on my description of remote sample analysis, and although this is not an area that I am particularly familiar with, I was able to supplement my text with additional description/references. I also modified my use of the word “martain” to include a more general set of extraterrestrial objects. Finally, I removed the potentially ambiguous piece of jargon “biosignatures”, per peer reviewer request.

4.    The overall idea of this assignment is good: research a relevant topic and write about it in a concise way that can benefit the broader science community. However, the emphasis on review skills and proper Wikipedia technique was less valuable to me. While the goal for the final article was clear, I was actually a bit confused and frustrated by all the sandbox steps along the way. I think that portion of the course was unnecessary. Doing the actual peer review was certainly helpful, and I think the final articles will be valuable to others beyond this course.

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Preparring to insert my article, want to get format down first

Optics[edit]
The merger of microfluidics and optics is typical known as optofluidics. Examples of optofluidic devices are tunable microlens arrays and optofluidic microscopes.

Microfluidic flow enables fast sample throughput, automated imaging of large sample populations, as well as 3D capabilities. or superresolution.

Acoustic droplet ejection (ADE)[edit]
Acoustic droplet ejection uses a pulse of ultrasound to move low volumes of fluids (typically nanoliters or picoliters) without any physical contact. This technology focuses acoustic energy into a fluid sample in order to eject droplets as small as a millionth of a millionth of a litre (picoliter = 10−12 litre). ADE technology is a very gentle process, and it can be used to transfer proteins, high molecular weight DNA and live cells without damage or loss of viability. This feature makes the technology suitable for a wide variety of applications including proteomics and cell-based assays.

Fuel cells[edit]
Further information: Electroosmotic pump

Microfluidic fuel cells can use laminar flow to separate the fuel and its oxidant to control the interaction of the two fluids without a physical barrier as would be required in conventional fuel cells.

Astrobiology
In order to understand the prospects for life to exist elsewhere in the universe, astrobiologists are interested in measuring the chemical composition of extraplanetary bodies. Because of their small size and wide-ranging functionality, microfluidic devices are uniquely suited for these remote sample analyses. From an extraterrestrial sample, the organic content can be assessed using microchip capillary electrophoresis and selective fluorescent dyes. These devices are capable of detecting amino acids, peptides , fatty acids , and simple aldehydes, ketones , and thiols. These analyses coupled together could allow powerful detection of the key components of life, and hopefully inform our search for functioning extraterrestrial life.

Future directions[edit]

 * On-chip characterization:
 * Microfluidics in the classroom: On-chip acid-base titrations