Quantitative Assessment of Tip Effects in Single‐Molecule High‐Speed Atomic Force Microscopy Using DNA Origami Substrates

High‐speed atomic force microscopy (HS‐AFM) is widely employed in the investigation of dynamic biomolecular processes at a single‐molecule level. However, it remains an open and somewhat controversial question, how these processes are affected by the rapidly scanned AFM tip. While tip effects are commonly believed to be of minor importance in strongly binding systems, weaker interactions may significantly be disturbed. Herein, we quantitatively assess the role of tip effects in a strongly binding system using a DNA origami‐based single‐molecule assay. Despite its femtomolar dissociation constant, we find that HS‐AFM imaging can disrupt monodentate binding of streptavidin (SAv) to biotin (Bt) even under gentle scanning conditions. To a lesser extent, this is also observed for the much stronger bidentate SAv–Bt complex. The presented DNA origami‐based assay can be universally employed to quantify tip effects in strongly and weakly binding systems and to optimize the experimental settings for their reliable HS‐AFM imaging.     

The Validity of Generalized Ginzburg-Landau Equations

We consider parabolic systems defined on cylindrical domains close to the threshold of instability, in which the Fourier modes with positive growth rates are concentrated at a non-zero critical wave number. In particular, we consider systems for which a so-called Ginzburg–Landau equation can be derived. Due to the presence of continuous spectrum, classical bifurcation theory is not available to describe bifurcating solutions. Thus, we consider a modified system with artificial spectral gap, which possesses an infinite-dimensional centre manifold. The amplitude equation on this manifold is called a generalized Ginzburg–Landau equation. From previous work [18] it is known that the Fourier modes are exponentially concentrated at integer multiples of the critical wave number. Hence, the error made by this modification is exponentially small in powers of the bifurcation parameter. The approximations obtained via the generalized Ginzburg–Landau equation are valid on a much longer time scale than those obtained by using the classical Ginzburg–Landau equation as an amplitude equation.     

Growth of hexagonal quantum dots under preferential evaporation

We perform numerical simulations of hexagonal quantum dots of AlGaN semiconductors. We show that the competition between surface mass diffusion and evaporation rules the morphology of the quantum dots. The system displays three different behaviors: presence of separated islands without a wetting layer, islands dissolving into the wetting layer, or islands that do not evolve. The first behavior is of special interest because its optoelectrical properties are significantly improved in comparison with quantum dots with a wetting layer.     

Measurement of moisture in grains at extreme temperatures

Summary This research has demonstrated that the dielectric method can be used successfully for grain moisture measurements for diverse grain types over wide ranges of temperatures if the grain moisture content is below certain (grain-specific) threshold values. These high-moisture limits were estimated. Optimum temperature correction coefficients for 149 MHz moisture measurements were determined for grain samples at different moisture levels. This information should be very helpful for grain moisture meter manufacturers and for moisture meter users who need to determine grain moisture contents at temperature extremes to be able to market grain more efficiently.     

FT-IR and FT-FIR studies of vanadium,molybdenum and tungsten oxides supported on different carriers

In the far IR region at low molybdenum loadings, Mo-SiO₂ catalysts present a pseudomolybdate or a polymolybdate species, while bulk-like MoO₃ appears at loadings close to the geometrical monolayer coverage. W-SiO₂ and V-SiO₂ spectra show bands close to those observed on the corresponding bulk oxides.In the case of TiO₂, Al₂O₃, ZrO₂ supported catalysts, a band is observed near 1000 cm^–1 which is assigned to the Mo=O stretching vibration of coordinatively unsaturated Mo ⁿ⁺ ions showing a stronger interaction with the support than one observed on silica.     

Excess enthalpies of aqueous solutions of polyols at 25°

The excess enthalpies of aqueous solutions of nine polyols were determined at 25°C and reported in the virial form. The most interesting and new feature of this family of solutes is that the sign of the enthalpic pair interaction coefficients h_xx is positive for the first members of the series and negative for the higher homologues. Other points are the large differences found among the values of h_xx for stereoisomers, whereas pairs of enantiomers show the same values within experimental errors. An application of the group additivity method is also discussed.     

Hardware components wastes pyrolysis: energy recovery and liquid fraction valorisation

Pyrolysis of hardware components wastes consisting mainly in computers and television components was performed under nitrogen. The degradation products were separated in three fractions, solid, liquid and gaseous. Analyses of the three phases were carried out using gas chromatography (GC), mass spectrometry (MS), thermal analysis and infrared spectroscopy. The energetic content of the gas phase and the economic value of the liquid phase were also determined. The gas fraction produced was rich in light hydrocarbons and hydrogen. Consequently, its calorific value was high and widely sufficient to make the pyrolysis process self-sustained. The main products of the liquid phase were phenol and isopropylphenol (ca. 50–80 wt.%). The presence of Br-based compounds, deriving from the flame retardant employed in hardware components, were also detected. A controlled combustion of the solid phase permitted to obtain the glass fibres unaltered, which can be recycled.     

Chaotic motions of a rigid rotor in short journal bearings

In the present paper the conditions that give rise to chaotic motions in a rigid rotor on short journal bearings are investigated and determined. A suitable symmetry was given to the rotor, to the supporting system, to the acting system of forces and to the system of initial conditions, in order to restrict the motions of the rotor to translatory whirl. For an assigned distance between the supports, the ratio between the transverse and the polar mass moments of the rotor was selected conveniently small, with the aim of avoiding conical instability. Since the theoretical analysis of a system's chaotic motions can only be carried out by means of numerical investigation, the procedure here adopted by the authors consists of numerical integration of the rotor's equations of motion, with trial and error regarding the three parameters that characterise the theoretical model of the system: m, the half non-dimensional mass of the rotor, , the modified Sommerfeld number relating to the lubricated bearings, and , the dimensionless value of rotor unbalance. In the rotor's equations of motion, the forces due to the lubricating film are written under the assumption of isothermal and laminar flow in short bearings. The number of numerical trials needed to find the system's chaotic responses has been greatly reduced by recognition of the fact that chaotic motions become possible when the value of the dimensionless static eccentricity % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbnL2yY9% 2CVzgDGmvyUnhitvMCPzgarmWu51MyVXgaruWqVvNCPvMCG4uz3bqe% fqvATv2CG4uz3bIuV1wyUbqee0evGueE0jxyaibaieYlf9irVeeu0d% Xdh9vqqj-hEeeu0xXdbba9frFf0-OqFfea0dXdd9vqaq-JfrVkFHe9% pgea0dXdar-Jb9hs0dXdbPYxe9vr0-vr0-vqpWqaaeaabiGaciaaca% qabeaadaabauaaaOqaaiabew7aLnaaBaaaleaacaWGZbaabeaaaaa!4046!\[\varepsilon _s \] is greater than 0.4. In these conditions, non-periodic motions can be obtained even when rotor unbalance values are not particularly high (=0.05), whereas higher values (>0.4) make the rotor motion periodic and synchronous with the driving rotation. The present investigation has also identified the route that leads an assigned rotor to chaos when its angular speed is varied with prefixed values of the dimensionless unbalance . The theoretical results obtained have then been compared with experimental data. Both the theoretical and the experimental data have pointed out that in the circumstances investigated chaotic motions deserve more attention, from a technical point of view, than is normally ascribed to behaviours of this sort. This is mainly because such behaviours are usually considered of scarce practical significance owing to the typically bounded nature of chaotic evolution. The present analysis has shown that when the rotor exhibits chaotic motions, the centres of the journals describe orbits that alternate between small and large in an unpredictable and disordered manner. In these conditions the thickness of the lubricating film can assume values that are extremely low and such as to compromise the efficiency of the bearings, whereas the rotor is affected by inertia forces that are so high as to determine severe vibrations of the supports.Nomenclature C radial clearance of bearing (m) - D diameter of bearing (m) - e dimensional eccentricity of journal (m) - e _s value of e corresponding to the static position of the journal - E dimensional static unbalance of rotor (m) - f _x, f _y =F _x/(P), F _y/(P): non-dimensional components of fluid film force - F _x, F _y dimensional components of fluid film force (N) - g acceleration of gravity (m/s²) - L axial length of bearing (m) - m % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbnL2yY9% 2CVzgDGmvyUnhitvMCPzgarmWu51MyVXgaruWqVvNCPvMCG4uz3bqe% fqvATv2CG4uz3bIuV1wyUbqee0evGueE0jxyaibaieYlf9irVeeu0d% Xdh9vqqj-hEeeu0xXdbba9frFf0-OqFfea0dXdd9vqaq-JfrVkFHe9% pgea0dXdar-Jb9hs0dXdbPYxe9vr0-vr0-vqpWqaaeaabiGaciaaca% qabeaadaabauaaaOqaaiabg2da9maalaaabaGaeqyYdC3aaWbaaSqa% beaacaaIYaaaaaGcbaGaeqyYdC3aa0baaSqaaGabciaa-bdaaeaaca% WFYaaaaaaakiabg2da9maalaaabaGaeqyYdC3aaWbaaSqabeaacaaI% YaaaaOGaam4qaaqaaiabeo8aZjaadEgaaaaaaa!4C14!\[ = \frac{{\omega ^2 }}{{\omega _0^2 }} = \frac{{\omega ^2 C}}{{\sigma g}}\]: half non-dimensional mass of rotor - M half mass of rotor (kg) - n angular speed of rotor (in r.p.m.=60/2) - t time