Identifying the viscoelastic properties of soft matter from the indentation response of a hard film-soft substrate system

The indentation technique is widely used in measuring the mechanical properties of soft matter at the microscale or nanoscale,but still faces challenges by these unique properties as well as the consequent strong surface adhesion, including the strong nonlinear effect, unclear judgment of the contact point, difficulties in estimating the contact area, and the risk of the indenter piercing the sample. Here we propose a two-step method to solve these problems: lay a hard film on a soft matter, and obtain the viscoelastic properties of this soft matter through the indentation response of this composite structure. We first establish a theoretical indentation model of the hard film-soft substrate system based on the theory of plates, elastic-viscoelastic correspondence principle and Boltzmann superposition principle. To verify the correctness of this method, we measure the mechanical properties of the methyl vinyl silicone rubber(MVSR) covered by a Cu nanofilm. Finally, we test the effectiveness and error sensitivity of this method with the finite element method(FEM). The results show that our method can accurately measure the mechanical properties of soft matter, while effectively circumventing the problems of the traditional indentation technique.     

Identification of the Enzymes Mediating the Maturation of the Seryl-tRNA Synthetase Inhibitor SB-217452 during the Biosynthesis of Albomycins

Albomycin δ₂ is a sulfur-containing sideromycin natural product that shows potent antibacterial activity against clinically important pathogens. The l -serine-thioheptose dipeptide partial structure, known as SB-217452, has been found to be the active seryl-tRNA synthetase inhibitor component of albomycin δ₂. Herein, it is demonstrated that AbmF catalyzes condensation between the 6′-amino-4′-thionucleoside with the d -ribo configuration and seryl-adenylate supplied by the serine adenylation activity of AbmK. Formation of the dipeptide is followed by C3′-epimerization to produce SB-217452 with the d -xylo configuration, which is catalyzed by the radical S-adenosyl-l -methionine enzyme AbmJ. Gene deletion suggests that AbmC is involved in peptide assembly linking SB-217452 with the siderophore moiety. This study establishes how the albomycin biosynthetic machinery generates its antimicrobial component SB-217452.     

Fabrication of Microporous Metal–Organic Frameworks in Uninterrupted Mesoporous Tunnels: Hierarchical Structure for Efficient Trypsin Immobilization and Stabilization

Hierarchically porous metal–organic frameworks (HP-MOFs) are promising in various applications. Most reported HP-MOFs are prepared based on the generation of mesopores in microporous frameworks, and the formed mesopores are connected by microporous channels, limiting the accessibility of mesopores for bulky molecules. A hierarchical structure is formed by constructing microporous MOFs in uninterrupted mesoporous tunnels. Using the confined space in as-prepared mesoporous silica, highly dispersed metal precursors for MOFs are coated on the internal surface of mesoporous tunnels. Ligand vapor-induced crystallization is employed to enable quantitative formation of MOFs in situ, in which sublimated ligands diffuse into mesoporous tunnels and react with metal precursors. The obtained hierarchically porous composites exhibit record-high adsorption capacity for the bulky molecule trypsin. The thermal and storage stability of trypsin is improved upon immobilization on the composites.     

Characteristics of black carbon aerosol in Jiaxing,China during autumn 2013

We conducted measurements of black carbon（BC） aerosol in Jiaxing,China during autumn from September 26 to November 30,2013.We investigated temporal and diurnal variations of BC,and its correlations with meteorological parameters and other major pollutants.Results showed that hourly mass concentrations of BC ranged from 0.2 to 22.0 μg/m³,with an average of 5.1 μg/m³.The diurnai variation of BC exhibited a bimodal distribution,with peaks at 07:00 and 18:00.The morning peak was larger than the evening peak.The mass percentages of BC in PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ were 7.1%and 4.8%,respectively.The absorption coefficient of BC was calculated to be 44.4 Mm^-1,which accounted for 11.1%of the total aerosol extinction.BC was mainly emitted from local sources in southwestern Jiaxing where BC concentrations were generally greater than 11 μg/m³ during the measurement period.Correlation analysis indicated that the main sources of BC were motor vehicle exhaust,and domestic and industrial combustion.     

Mass and isotopic concentrations of water-insoluble refractory carbon in total suspended particulates at Mt.Waliguan Observatory(China)

Mass concentration and isotopic values δ¹³C and ¹⁴C are presented for the water-insoluble refractory carbon（WIRC） component of total suspended particulates（TSP）,collected weekly during 2003,as well as from October 2005 to May 2006 at the WMO-GAW Mt.Waliguan（WLG） site.The overall average WIRC mass concentration was（1183±120）ng/m³（n = 79）,while seasonal averages were 2081 ±1707（spring）,454±205（summer）,650±411（autumn）,and 1019±703（winter） ng/m3.Seasonal variations in WIRC mass concentrations were consistent with black carbon measurements from an aethalometer,although WIRC concentrations were typically higher,especially in winter and spring.The δ¹³C PDB value（-25.3 ± 0.8）%.determined for WIRC suggests that its sources are C₃ biomass or fossil fuel combustion.No seasonal change in δ¹³C PDB was evident.The average percent Modern Carbon（pMC） for ¹⁴C in WIRC for winter and spring was（67.2 ± 7.7）%（n = 29）.Lower pMC values were associated with air masses transported from the area east of WLG,while higher pMC values were associated with air masses from the Tibetan Plateau,southwest of WLG.Elevated pMC values with abnormally high mass concentrations of TSP and WIRC were measured during a dust storm event.     

Various exact analytical solutions of a variable-coefficient Kadomtsev–Petviashvili equation

Nonlinear Dynamics - Under investigation is a generalized (3 + 1)-dimensional variable- coefficient Kadomtsev– Petviashvili equation in fluid mechanics. Various exact analytical solutions are...     

Entropic uncertainty relation in neutrino oscillations

The European Physical Journal C - We study the isentropic evolution of the matter produced in relativistic heavy-ion collisions for various values of the entropy-per-baryon ratio of interest for...