Phonon density of states and compression behavior in iron sulfide under pressure

We report the partial phonon densities of states (DOS) of iron sulfide, a possible component of the rocky planet's core, measured by the 57Fe nuclear resonant inelastic x-ray scattering and calculate the total phonon DOS under pressure. From the phonon DOS, we drive thermodynamic parameters. A comparison of the observed and estimated compressibilities makes it clear that there is a large pure electronic contribution in the observed compressibility in the metallic state. Our results present the observation of thermodynamic parameters of iron sulfide with the low-spin state of an Fe2+ ion at the high density, which is similar to the condition of the Martian core.     

Anomalous behavior of the coefficient of normal restitution in oblique impact

The coefficient of normal restitution in an oblique impact is theoretically studied. Using a two-dimensional lattice model for an elastic disk and an elastic wall, we demonstrate that the coefficient of normal restitution can exceed unity and has a peak against the incident angle in our simulation. We also explain this behavior based upon a phenomenological theory.     

Monitoring molecular beacon DNA probe hybridization at the single-molecule level

We have monitored the reaction dynamics of the DNA hybridization process on a liquid/solid interface at the single-molecule level by using a hairpin-type molecular beacon DNA probe. Fluorescence images of single DNA probes were recorded by using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. The fluorescence signal of single DNA probes during the hybridization to individual complementary DNA probes was monitored over time. Among 400 molecular beacon DNA probes that we tracked, 349 molecular beacons (87.5 %) were hybridized quickly and showed an abrupt fluorescence increase, while 51 probes (12.5 %) reacted slowly, resulting in a gradual fluorescence increase. This ratio stayed about the same when varying the concentrations of cDNA in MB hybridization on the liquid/surface interface. Statistical data of the 51 single-molecule hybridization images showed that there was a multistep hybridization process. Our results also showed that photostability for the dye molecules associated with the double-stranded hybrids was better than that for those with the single-stranded molecular beacon DNA probes. Our results demonstrate the ability to obtain a better understanding of DNA hybridization processes using single-molecule techniques, which will improve biosensor and biochip development where surface-immobilized molecular beacon DNA probes provide unique advantages in signal transduction.     

Thermally responsive wettability of self-assembled methylcellulose nanolayers

Thermo-responsive cellulosic nanolayers were prepared from methylcellulose (MC), which is known to have a unique lower critical solution temperature. Thiosemicarbazide (TSC) was selectively introduced into the MC reducing end groups, and the corresponding MC-TSC derivative was spontaneously chemisorbed on an Au substrate at 4 °C to give MC self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Linear MC chains were stably fixed onto the Au substrate, yielding an MC-SAM of thickness ca. 15 nm with a root mean square value less than 1 nm. The MC-SAM surface exhibited thermally responsive wetting characteristics; the water contact angle was found to rise and fall around 70 °C, possibly due to the solid-state phase transition of the MC nanolayers resulting from the inherent gelation of MC molecules in water. Such wetting behavior was shown to be reversible following repeated heating and cooling. The MC-SAM immersed in salt solution revealed lower phase transition temperatures, and an increase in sodium chloride concentration ranging from 0.0 to 1.0 M brought about a dramatic decrease in the apparent phase transition temperature from ca. 70 to 30 °C. For the purposely designed MC nanolayers, such controllable wetting properties are expected to prompt growing interest in the applications of cellulosic biopolymer interfaces.     

Curvature integrals under the Ricci flow on surfaces

In this paper, we consider the behavior of the total absolute and the total curvature under the Ricci flow on complete surfaces with bounded curvature. It is shown that they are monotone non-increasing and constant in time, respectively, if they exist and are finite at the initial time. As a related result, we prove that the asymptotic volume ratio is constant under the Ricci flow with non-negative Ricci curvature, at the end of the paper.      

Biological identification of peptides that specifically bind to poly(phenylene vinylene) surfaces: recognition of the branched or linear structure of the conjugated polymer

Peptides that bind to poly(phenylene vinylene) (PPV) were identified by the phage display method. Aromatic amino acids were enriched in these peptide sequences, suggesting that a π-π interaction is the key interaction between the peptides and PPV. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments using chemically synthesized peptides demonstrated that the Hyp01 peptide, with the sequence His-Thr-Asp-Trp-Arg-Leu-Gly-Thr-Trp-His-His-Ser, showed an affinity constant (7.7 × 10(5) M(-1)) for the target, hyperbranched PPV (hypPPV) film. This value is 15-fold greater than its affinity for linear PPV (linPPV). In contrast, the peptide screened for linPPV (Lin01) showed the reverse specificity for linPPV. These results suggested that the Hyp01 and Lin01 peptides selectively recognized the linear or branched structure of PPVs. The Ala-scanning experiment, circular dichroism (CD) spectrometry, and molecular modeling of the Hyp01 peptide indicated that adequate location of two Trp residues by forming the polyproline type II (P(II)) helical conformation allowed the peptide to specifically interact with hypPPV.