Continuous-time random walk models of DNA electrophoresis in a post array: part I. Evaluation of existing models

Several continuous-time random walk (CTRW) models exist to predict the dynamics of DNA in micropost arrays, but none of them quantitatively describes the separation seen in experiments or simulations. In Part I of this series, we examine the assumptions underlying these models by observing single molecules of λ DNA during electrophoresis in a regular, hexagonal array of oxidized silicon posts. Our analysis takes advantage of a combination of single-molecule videomicroscopy and previous Brownian dynamics simulations. Using a custom-tracking program, we automatically identify DNA-post collisions and thus study a large ensemble of events. Our results show that the hold-up time and the distance between collisions for consecutive collisions are uncorrelated. The distance between collisions is a random variable, but it can be smaller than the minimum value predicted by existing models of DNA transport in post arrays. The current CTRW models correctly predict the exponential decay in the probability density of the collision hold-up times, but they fail to account for the influence of finite-sized posts on short hold-up times. The shortcomings of the existing models identified here motivate the development of a new CTRW approach, which is presented in Part II of this series.     

地源热泵地埋管换热量的研究

地源热泵地埋管换热器的换热量,不仅直接关系到这一能源方式的可行与否,还对系统形式,运行管理方案产生重要的影响,因而对任何一个工程都必须尽可能精准地确定它.试验使用人工冷热源模拟空调负荷,对某医院的地源热泵地埋管分别进行了冬季和夏季工况的换热量测试.并将依据测试数据计算所得结果与理论计算结果进行比较,最终得到该工程可信的...     

Femtosecond laser ablation of silicon in air and vacuum

Femtosecond(fs) pulse laser ablation of silicon targets in air and in vacuum is investigated using a timeresolved shadowgraphic method. The observed dynamic process of the fs laser ablation of silicon in air is significantly different from that in vacuum. Similar to the ablation of metallic targets,while the shock wave front and a series of nearly concentric and semicircular stripes,as well as the contact front,are clearly identifiable in the process of ablation under 1×10 5 Pa,these phenomena are no longer observed when the ablation takes place in vacuum. Although the ambient air around the target strongly affects the evolution of the ablation plume,the three rounds of material ejection clearly observed in the shadowgraphs of fs laser ablation in standard air can also be distinguished in the process of ablation in vacuum. It is proven that the three rounds of material ejection are caused by different ablation mechanisms.     

Development of Coarse-Grained Force Field by Combining Multilinear Interpolation Technique and Simplex Algorithm

A fast, reasonable, and transferable coarse-grained (CG) molecular dynamics force field (FF) is essential to combine experimental and simulation data. However, the parameterization of CG FF usually requires massive computation, which hinders its rapid development. Here, we presented an efficient optimization protocol by combining multilinear interpolation technique with simplex algorithm. In this preliminary work, taking the experimental properties as the benchmark, we constructed a new set of CG FF for water and n-alkanes by adopting piecewise Morse function to describe the nonbonded interactions. This CG FF has a delicate balance between efficiency, accuracy, and transferability and well reproduced the correct structural and thermodynamics properties of pure water and alkane liquids. More importantly, optimized Morse potential was also successfully applied to describe the interactions between water and n-alkanes. It nicely predicted the phase separation, interface tension, hydration free energy, and formation of microemulsions of water/oil mixtures. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Investigations on the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of a rotor supported by porous tilting pad bearings

Nonlinear Dynamics - Porous tilting pad bearings (PTPBs) combine the advantages of tilting pad and porous gas bearings and can be used in rotary motion and precision machine tools. This research...     

二元阴、 阳离子表面活性剂调控合成不同形貌的介孔二氧化硅

经过简单的水热处理, 以二元阴、 阳离子表面活性剂[十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(CTAB)和十二烷基磺酸钠(SDS)分别作为阳离子表面活性剂和阴离子表面活性剂]为模板剂合成了不同形貌的介孔二氧化硅. 通过调控2种表面活性剂摩尔分数R(R=n(SDS)/[n(SDS)+n(CTAB)]), 合成了多种形貌的介孔二氧化硅. 对合成的不同形貌样品通过扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、 透射电子显微镜(TEM)、 X射线粉末衍射仪(XRD) 及比表面和孔隙分析仪进行了表征. 结果表明, 随着R值从0.01变化到0.50, 介孔二氧化硅的形貌经历了一系列规律性的变化, 出现了二维六方、 层状相和反相堆积的形貌: 在R=0.01~0.18之间, 主要产物为六方相棒状结构, 且长径比随着R值增大而增大; 在R=0.20~0.28之间主要得到空心泡状结构且具有明显的演变过程; 在R=0.32~0.40之间发生了多层囊泡到单层囊泡的结构转变; 当R值超过一定范围时会产生反相堆积的形貌. 分析认为, SDS在加入过程中通过影响堆积参数g影响胶束的形貌变化, 调控了不同形貌介孔二氧化硅的合成. 各阶段产物形貌和R值的变化有直接关系, 可通过改变R值来合成特定形貌的产物.     

Characterization of a Thermophilic Monosaccharide Stimulated β-Glucosidase from Acidothermus cellulolyticus

The gene(ABK51908) from Acidothermus cellulolyticus encodes a mature protein of 484 residues with a calculated molecular mass of 53.0 kDa. Sequence analysis revealed that the protein had 59% identity to the β-glucosidases CAA82733, which belongs to glycoside hydrolase family 1(GH1). We cloned and expressed the gene in Escherichia coli BL21-Gold(DE3). The recombinant protein(AcBg) had an optimal pH and temperature of 7.0 and 70℃, respectively. The specific activities of AcBg under optimal conditions were 290 and 33 U/mg for p-nitrophenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside(pNPG) and cellobiose, respectively. AcBg hydrolyzed the oligosaccharide sequentially from the non-reducing end to produce glucose units according to the results of HPLC analysis. AcBg showed high salt tolerance and monosaccharide-stimulation properties. Its activity rose more than 2-fold when 5 mol/L NaCl/KCl were added. The activity of the β-glucosidase was remarkably enhanced in the presence of 0.2 mol/L D-glucose(increased more than 1.9-fold), 0.1 mol/L α-methyl-D-glucose(increased more than 1.4-fold) and 1.0 mol/L D-xylose(increased more than 1.9-fold). The catalysis kinetics and structural changes in various concentrations of glucose were determined. The results indicate that glucose reduces substrate affinity and causes conformational changes.