Repulsive interaction can be a key design element of molecular rotary motors

Low-barrier molecular rotary motors having rotaxane architecture can be constructed using a cucurbituril host and a polyyne guest serving as stator and rotator, respectively. The repulsive interaction between these components is supported by molecular mechanics calculations with model systems and experimentally verified by X-ray crystallography with several synthetic host-guest complexes, all suggesting that the diyne rod floats at the center of the macrocyclic host with no apparent van der Waals contacts between them. Further support for these interactions is suggested by microcalorimetry measurements.     

Three-dimensional nanofabrication with elastomeric phase masks

This Feature Article reviews recent work on an optical technique for fabricating, in a single exposure step, three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures with diverse structural layouts. The approach, which we refer to as proximity field nanopatterning, uses conformable, elastomeric phase masks to pattern thick layers of transparent, photosensitive materials in a conformal contact mode geometry. Aspects of the optics, the materials, and the physical chemistry associated with this method are outlined. A range of 3D structures illustrate its capabilities, and several application examples demonstrate possible areas of use in technologies ranging from microfluidics to photonic materials to density gradient structures for chemical release and high-energy density science.     

Free convection effects and radiative heat transfer in MHD Stokes problem for the flow of dusty conducting fluid through porous medium

The present note deals with the effects of radiative heat transfer and free convection in MHD for a flow of an electrically conducting, incompressible, dusty viscous fluid past an impulsively started vertical non-conducting plate, under the influence of transversely applied magnetic field. The heat due to viscous dissipation and induced magnetic field is assumed to be negligible. The governing linear partial differential equations are solved by finite difference technique. The effects of various parameters (like radiation parameter N, Prandtl number Pr, porosity parameter K) entering into the MHD Stokes problem for flow of dusty conducting fluid have been examined on the temperature field and velocity profile for both the dusty fluid and dust particles.     

Evolutionary algorithms in the optimization of dynamic molecular alignment

We numerically study the optimization of dynamic molecular alignment by shaped femtosecond pulses. It is found that an accurate synchronization of the applied field to the molecular response is needed to obtain maximum alignment. Simple approaches based on low-dimensional parametrizations of the electric field are shown to be clearly inferior, especially in the strongly nonperturbative regime.     

A RECONSIDERATION OF THE PROPERTIES OF A PULSED RUBY LASER IN RELATION TO MICROSURGERY

Abstract— The properties of a pulsed ruby laser beam focused through a triocular microscope were studied in relation to microsurgery. Quantitative studies on 'model tissues' with different absorbencies at 6943 Å revealed that the spot diameter of the focused microbeam was dependent upon several factors. It decreased with (1) a decrease in the absorption by the object at 6943 Å; (2) a decrease in the energy of the microbeam; and (3) an increase in the magnification of the microscope. The existence of the 'tube of effect' in the optical path of the focused micro-beam was realized by irradiating the object at different planes. The depth of the tube of effect increased with (1) increase in laser energy or (2) decrease in magnification. By employing certain plant species ( Spirogyra praetensis Transeau, Ulva lactuca Linnaeus, Porphyra miniata (Lyngbye) C. Agardh and Elodea sp.) the reaction of the protoplasm to the laser microbeam in terms of 'primary damage' and 'secondary damage' was defined. Based on these experimental data the concept of minimal visible spot size in laser microsurgery and its limitations are discussed.     

Control of nitromethane photoionization efficiency with shaped femtosecond pulses

The applicability of adaptive femtosecond pulse shaping is studied for achieving selectivity in the photoionization of low-density polyatomic targets. In particular, optimal dynamic discrimination (ODD) techniques exploit intermediate molecular electronic resonances that allow a significant increase in the photoionization efficiency of nitromethane with shaped near-infrared femtosecond pulses. The intensity bias typical of high-photon number, nonresonant ionization is accounted for by reference to a strictly intensity-dependent process. Closed-loop adaptive learning is then able to discover a pulse form that increases the ionization efficiency of nitromethane by ～150%. The optimally induced molecular dynamics result from entry into a region of parameter space inaccessible with intensity-only control. Finally, the discovered pulse shape is demonstrated to interact with the molecular system in a coherent fashion as assessed from the asymmetry between the response to the optimal field and its time-reversed counterpart.     

Pyrolyze this paper: Can biomass become a source for precise carbon electrodes?

To advance science and technology, we must stand on the shoulders of others; they do not have to be giants, but they must be steady. Carbon electrodes made by dry pyrolysis of biomass are ubiquitous thanks to the enormous abundance and variety of biomass. However, making precise and reproducible carbons from highly varied precursors is challenging. One approach is to erase differences by intense etching or heating. Other strategies harness the richness of biomass by investigating biomass–carbon–electrochemistry correlations systematically and by developing chemical and thermal treatments for gentle homogenization. Comparing ～120 articles on ～80 biomass sources demonstrates that full reporting of the biomass origin, organ, age, and other parameters is essential for further development of precise and reproducible carbon electrode materials.     

Heat transfer in MHD flow of dusty viscoelastic (Walters’ liquid model-B) stratified fluid in porous medium under variable viscosity

The paper investigates the effects of heat transfer in MHD flow of viscoelastic stratified fluid in porous medium on a parallel plate channel inclined at an angle θ. A laminar convection flow for incompressible conducting fluid is considered. It is assumed that the plates are kept at different temperatures which decay with time. The partial differential equations governing the flow are solved by perturbation technique. Expressions for the velocity of fluid and particle phases, temperature field, Nusselt number, skin friction and flow flux are obtained within the channel. The effects of various parameters like stratification factor, magnetic field parameter, Prandtl number on temperature field, heat transfer, skin friction, flow flux, velocity for both the fluid and particle phases are displayed through graphs and discussed numerically.     

Integrating proteomics with electrochemistry for identifying kinase biomarkers

We present an integrated approach for highly sensitive identification and validation of substrate-specific kinases as cancer biomarkers. Our approach combines phosphoproteomics for high throughput cancer-related biomarker discovery from patient tissues and an impedimetric kinase activity biosensor for sensitive validation. Using non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as a proof-of-concept study, label-free quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis of a pair of cancerous and its adjacent normal tissues revealed 198 phosphoproteins that are over-phosphorylated in NSCLC. Among the differentially regulated phosphorylation sites, the most significant alteration was in residue S165 in the Hepatoma Derived Growth Factor (HDGF) protein. Hence, HDGF was selected as a model system for the electrochemical studies. Further motif-based analysis of this altered phosphorylation site revealed that extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) are most likely to be the corresponding kinases. For validation of the kinase–substrate pair, densely packed peptide monolayers corresponding to the HDGF phosphorylation site were coupled to a gold electrode. Phosphorylation of the monolayer by ERK2 and dephosphorylation by alkaline phosphatase (AP) were detected by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and surface roughness analysis. Compared to other methods for quantification of kinase concentration, this label-free electrochemical assay offers the advantages of ultra-sensitivity as well as higher specificity for the detection of cancer-related kinase–substrate pair. With implementation of multiple kinase–substrate biomarker pairs, we expect this integrated approach to become a high throughput platform for discovery and validation of phosphorylation-mediated biomarkers.