Binding Characteristics Study of DNA based Aptamers for E. coli O157:H7

E. coli O157:H7 is a pathogenic bacterium producing verotoxins that could lead to serious complications such as hemolytic uremia syndrome. Fast detection of such pathogens is important. For rapid detection, aptamers are quickly gaining traction as alternative biorecognition molecules besides conventional antibodies. Several DNA aptamers have been selected for E. coli O157:H7. Nonetheless, there has not been a comparative study of the binding characteristics of these aptamers. In this work, we present a comprehensive analysis of binding characteristics including binding affinity (K_d) and binding capacity (B_max) of DNA-based aptamers for E. coli O157:H7 using qPCR. Our results show that aptamer E18R has the highest binding capacity to E. coli 157:H7 and the highest specificity over non-pathogenic E. coli strains K12 and DH5α. Our study also finds that the common biotin-tag modification at 5′ end typically changes the binding capacity significantly. For most of the selected aptamers, the binding capacity after a biotin-tag modification decreases. There exists a discrepancy in the binding capability between the selected aptamer and the aptamer used for detection. Our study also shows that a lower concentration of Mg²⁺ ions in the binding buffer leads to a decrease in the binding capacity of E17F and E18R, while it does not affect the binding capacity of S1 and EcoR1.     

Co‐optimization of SnS absorber and Zn(O,S) buffer materials for improved solar cells

Thin‐film solar cells consisting of earth‐abundant and non‐toxic materials were made from pulsed chemical vapor deposition (pulsed‐CVD) of SnS as the p‐type absorber layer and atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Zn(O,S) as the n‐type buffer layer. The effects of deposition temperature and annealing conditions of the SnS absorber layer were studied for solar cells with a structure of Mo/SnS/Zn(O,S)/ZnO/ITO. Solar cells were further optimized by varying the stoichiometry of Zn(O,S) and the annealing conditions of SnS. Post‐deposition annealing in pure hydrogen sulfide improved crystallinity and increased the carrier mobility by one order of magnitude, and a power conversion efficiency up to 2.9% was achieved. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

氮化铂在高压下的相变及弹性性质的第一原理计算

用PBE形式下的广义梯度近似（GGA）赝势平面波方法研究了氮化铂的结构相变以及弹性性质,计算了氮化铂的氯化钠（B1）、氯化铯（B2）、闪锌矿（B3）、纤维矿（B4）等四种结构并应用高压下的焓与压强的关系,得出在常温常压下B4结构是最稳定的结构,这与Yu 等人得的结果一致,且 B4→B1及B1→B2的相变压强分别发生在36.7 GPa和 185.4 GPa,同时,研究了B4结构在高压的弹性性质,发现弹性常数、体模量、剪切模量、压缩波速、剪切波速以及德拜温度均随着压强的增大而单调增大     

磷酸钾缓冲溶液与模型细胞膜相互作用的和频光谱

利用和频光谱技术详细研究了磷酸钾缓冲溶液与带负电荷的生物仿生膜(d₅₄-DMPG磷脂双层膜)相互作用的实时过程．通过监控CD₂、CD₃、磷脂分子头部的磷酸根以及羰基官能团的光谱信号随加入磷酸钾缓冲溶液的实时变化,获得了磷脂双层膜分子结构的动力学变化．结果表明K⁺能够结合到细胞膜上,并且很快地引起了CD₂、CD₃、磷脂头部磷酸根以及羰基官能团信号的变化．根据各官能团的和频信号响应,磷酸钾缓冲溶液很可能是通过在双层膜中形成环形气孔来与磷脂双层膜发生作用．该结果可以很好地解释磷酸钾缓冲溶液环境下的离子协助蛋白质的跨膜过程．     

Light-Driven Crawling of Molecular Crystals by Phase-Dependent Transient Elastic Lattice Deformation

The light-driven crawling of a molecular crystal that can form three phases, (α, β, and γ) is presented. Laser irradiation of the molecular crystal can generate phase-dependent transient elastic lattice deformation. The resulting elastic lattice deformation that follows scanning irradiation of a laser can actuate the different phases of molecular crystal to move with different velocity and direction. Because the γ phase has a large Young's modulus (ca. 26 GPa), a force of 0.1 μN can be generated under one laser spot. The generated force is sufficient to actuate the γ-formed molecular crystals in a wide dimensional range to move longitudinally at a velocity of about 60 μm min⁻¹, which is two orders of magnitude faster than the α and β phases.     

Anisotropic Poisson Effect and Deformation-Induced Fluorescence Change of Elastic 9,10-Dibromoanthracene Single Crystals

Elastic organic crystals have attracted considerable attention as next-generation flexible smart materials. However, the detailed information on both molecular packing change and macroscopic mechanical crystal deformations upon applied stress is still insufficient. Herein, we report that fluorescent single crystals of 9,10-dibromoanthracene are elastically bendable and stretchable, which allows a detailed investigation of the deformation behavior. We clearly observed a Poisson effect for the crystal, where the short axes (b and c-axes) of the crystal are contracted upon elongation along the long axis (a-axis). Moreover, we found that the Poisson's ratios along the b-axis and c-axis are largely different. Theoretical molecular simulation suggests that the tilting motion of the anthracene may be responsible for the large deformation along the c-axis. Spatially resolved photoluminescence (PL) measurement of the bent elastic crystals reveals that the PL spectra at the outer (elongated), central (neutral), and inner (contracted) sides are different from each other.     

Anisotropic Poisson Effect and Deformation‐Induced Fluorescence Change of Elastic 9,10‐Dibromoanthracene Single Crystals

Elastic organic crystals have attracted considerable attention as next‐generation flexible smart materials. However, the detailed information on both molecular packing change and macroscopic mechanical crystal deformations upon applied stress is still insufficient. Herein, we report that fluorescent single crystals of 9,10‐dibromoanthracene are elastically bendable and stretchable, which allows a detailed investigation of the deformation behavior. We clearly observed a Poisson effect for the crystal, where the short axes (b and c‐axes) of the crystal are contracted upon elongation along the long axis (a‐axis). Moreover, we found that the Poisson's ratios along the b‐axis and c‐axis are largely different. Theoretical molecular simulation suggests that the tilting motion of the anthracene may be responsible for the large deformation along the c‐axis. Spatially resolved photoluminescence (PL) measurement of the bent elastic crystals reveals that the PL spectra at the outer (elongated), central (neutral), and inner (contracted) sides are different from each other.     

利用光杠杆法测量金属丝的弹性滞后环

利用大学物理实验中的光杠杆法测定金属丝弹性模量的原理和设备,对具有超弹性的NiTi丝的弹性滞后环进行了测定结果表明,此种方法可以很好地测定NiTi丝的弹性滞后环,而且操作简单使用方便,是一种非常有效的测定金属细丝弹性滞后环的方法.     

再谈"小球与均质自由杆的碰撞"

讨论了小球在杆上任一点的碰撞问题,并指出《大学物理》2006年第5期《小球与均质自由杆的碰撞》一文中"完全非弹性碰撞后两物体不一定粘在一起共同运动"的说法是错误的.