Molecular recognition characteristics of co-assembled peptides on atomically flat graphite surfaces.

Molecular recognition, involving the binding of two or more molecules, is widely found in multiple disciplines. It plays a crucial role in driving specific molecular functionalization or biological activities such as antigen-antibody interactions. Recently, the molecular recognition of single peptides self-assembly at interfaces has been widely investigated since their broad applications in biosensors and bioelectronics.

Effect of Moisture on the Fatigue and Self-Healing Properties of SiO/SBS Composite Modified Asphalt.

Moisture accelerates the degradation of asphalt properties, significantly impacting the service life of roads. Therefore, this study uses simplified viscoelastic continuous damage theory and employs frequency scanning, linear amplitude scanning, and fatigue-healing-fatigue tests with a dynamic shear rheometer. The objective is to investigate the effects of aging time, moisture conditions, and aging temperature on the fatigue and self-healing performance of SBS (Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene block copolymer)-modified asphalt, nano-SiO-modified asphalt, and nano-SiO/SBS composite modified asphalt in a moisture-rich environment.

Characterizing Chemical, Environmental, and Stimulated Subcellular Physical Characteristics of Size-Fractionated PMs Down to PM.

Air pollution, especially particulate matter (PM), is a significant environmental pollution worldwide. Studying the chemical, environmental, and life-related cellular physical characteristics of size-fractionated PMs is important because of their different degrees of harmful effects on human respiratory tracts and organ systems, causing severe diseases. This study evaluates the chemical components of size-fractionated PMs down to PM collected during a biomass-burning episode, including elemental/organic carbon and trace elements.

Preparation and Performance Study of Rapid Repair Epoxy Concrete for Bridge Deck Pavement.

With the rapid development of bridge construction, the service life of bridges and traffic volume continue to increase, leading to the gradual appearance of diseases such as potholes and cracks in bridge deck pavements under repeated external loads. These issues severely impact the safety and service life of bridges. The repair of bridge deck potholes and cracks is crucial for ensuring the integrity and safety of bridge structures.

Two-Dimensional Layered Nanomaterials Steering Self-Assembly of Dodecapeptides with Three Building Blocks.

Self-assembly of peptides on layered nanomaterials such as graphite and MoS in the formation of long-range ordered two-dimensional nanocrystal patterns leading to its potential applications for biosensing and bioelectronics has attracted significant interest in nanoscience and nanotechnology. However, controlling the self-assembly of peptides on nanomaterials is still challenging due to the unclear role of nanomaterials in steering self-assembly. Here, we used the AFM technique to capture different changes of peptide coverage as well as lengthening and widening rates depending on peptide concentrations, show the distinct boundary dynamics of two stabilized peptide domains, and resolve the molecular resolution structural differences and specific orientation of peptide on both nanomaterials.

Dynamics of Molecular Self-Assembly of Short Peptides at Liquid-Solid Interfaces - Effect of Charged Amino Acid Point Mutations.

Self-organizing solid-binding peptides on atomically flat solid surfaces offer a unique bio/nano hybrid platform, useful for understanding the basic nature of biology/solid coupling and their practical applications. The surface behavior of peptides is determined by their molecular folding, which is influenced by various factors and is challenging to study. Here, the effect of charged amino acids is studied on the self-assembly behavior of a directed evolution selected graphite-binding dodecapeptide on graphite surface.

Theoretical Investigation on Indirect Tensile Strength of Concrete with Rectangular Cross-Section under Locally Distributed Load.

The indirect tensile test plays a crucial role in experimental investigations of brittle material properties. In this study, a mechanical analysis model of the rectangular test block is established based on the theory of elastic mechanics for the characteristics of the indirect tensile test. The theoretical solution of the triangular series is derived for the rectangular test block under the locally distributed load.

Molecular Scale Structure and Kinetics of Layer-by-Layer Peptide Self-Organization at Atomically Flat Solid Surfaces.

Understanding the mechanisms of self-organization of short peptides into two- and three-dimensional architectures are of great interest in the formation of crystalline biomolecular systems and their practical applications. Since the assembly is a dynamic process, the study of structural development is challenging at the submolecular dimensions continuously across an adequate time scale in the natural biological environment, in addition to the complexities stemming from the labile molecular structures of short peptides. Self-organization of solid binding peptides on surfaces offers prospects to overcome these challenges.

Designed polymeric conjugation motivates tunable activation of molecular oxygen in heterogeneous organic photosynthesis.

Photocatalytic oxidative organic reactions are important synthetic transformations, and research on reaction selectivity by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is significant. To date, however, there has rarely been any focus on the directed generation of ROSs. Herein, we report the first identification of tunable molecular oxygen activation induced by polymeric conjugation in nonmetallic conjugated microporous polymers (CMP).

Mapping Nanomechanical Properties of Basal Surfaces in Metastatic Intestinal 3D Living Organoids with High-Speed Scanning Ion Conductance Microscopy.

Studying mechanobiology is increasing of scientific interests in life science and nanotechnology since its impact on cell activities (e.g., adhesion, migration), physiology, and pathology.

In Situ Visualization of Dynamic Cellular Effects of Phospholipid Nanoparticles via High-Speed Scanning Ion Conductance Microscopy.

Phospholipid nanoparticles have been actively employed for numerous biomedical applications. A key factor in ensuring effective and safe applications of these nanomaterials is the regulation of their interactions with target cells, which is significantly dependent on an in-depth understanding of the nanoparticle-cell interactions. To date, most studies investigating these nano-bio interactions have been performed under static conditions and may lack crucial real-time information.

Nano-scale physical properties characteristic to metastatic intestinal cancer cells identified by high-speed scanning ion conductance microscope.

Recent genetic studies have indicated relationships between gene mutations and colon cancer phenotypes. However, how physical properties of tumor cells are changed by genetic alterations has not been elucidated. We examined genotype-defined mouse intestinal tumor-derived cells using a high-speed scanning ion conductance microscope (HS-SICM) that can obtain high-resolution live images of nano-scale topography and stiffness.

Chiral Recognition of Self-Assembled Peptides on MoS via Lattice Matching.

Chiral recognition of peptides on solid surfaces has been studied for a better understanding of their assembly mechanism toward its applications in stereochemistry and enantioselective catalysis. However, moving from small peptides such as dipeptides, understanding the chiral recognition of larger biomolecules such as oligopeptides or peptides with a larger sequence is challenging. Furthermore, their intrinsic mechanism for chiral recognition in liquid conditions was poorly investigated experimentally.

Geometrical Characterization of Glass Nanopipettes with Sub-10 nm Pore Diameter by Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Glass nanopipettes are widely used for various applications in nanosciences. In most of the applications, it is important to characterize their geometrical parameters, such as the aperture size and the inner cone angle at the tip region. For nanopipettes with sub-10 nm aperture and thin wall thickness, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) must be most instrumental in their precise geometrical measurement.

Carbon dots as fluorescent nanoprobe for the determination of N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase activity.

Carbon dots (CDs) were synthesized from p-aminophenol and ethylenediamine via one-step under mild condition and used as a sensitive fluorescent nanoprobe for the activity determination of N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase (NAG). In this assay, p-nitrophenol was in situ produced from p-nitrophenyl-β-D-N-acetyl-glucosaminide, which was exclusively hydrolyzed by NAG. The UV absorption peak of p-nitrophenol (maximum at 400 nm) overlapped the excitation peak of CDs with maximum wavelength at 415 nm, which caused the fluorescence decline of CDs based on inner filter effect.

Development of high-speed ion conductance microscopy.

Scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) can image the surface topography of specimens in ionic solutions without mechanical probe-sample contact. This unique capability is advantageous for imaging fragile biological samples but its highest possible imaging rate is far lower than the level desired in biological studies. Here, we present the development of high-speed SICM.

An Integrated Method for Coding Trees, Measuring Tree Diameter, and Estimating Tree Positions.

Accurately measuring tree diameter at breast height (DBH) and estimating tree positions in a sample plot are important in tree mensuration. The main aims of this paper include (1) developing a new, integrated device that can identify trees using the quick response (QR) code technique to record tree identifications, measure DBH, and estimate tree positions concurrently; (2) designing an innovative algorithm to measure DBH using only two angle sensors, which is simple and can reduce the impact of eccentric stems on DBH measures; and (3) designing an algorithm to estimate the position of the tree by combining ultra-wide band (UWB) technology and altitude sensors, which is based on the received signal strength indication (RSSI) algorithm and quadrilateral localization algorithm. This novel device was applied to measure ten 10 × 10 m square plots of diversified environments and various tree species to test its accuracy.

Organic polymer dot-based fluorometric determination of the activity of horseradish peroxidase and of the concentrations of glucose and the insecticidal protein toxin Cry1Ab/Ac.

Fluorescent polymer dots (PDs) with maximum excitation/emission wavelengths of 410/515 nm were prepared in water solution from 1,4-benzoquinone and ethylenediamine. The green fluorescence of these PDs is screened off by the red-colored oxidation product (PPDox, maximum absorption at 510 nm) formed by horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-catalyzed oxidation of p-phenylenediamine (PPD). It causes the reduction of the fluorescence intensity of the PDs due to spectral overlap and an inner filter effect (IFE).

Alternating Sequence Control for Poly(ester amide)s by Organocatalyzed Ring-Opening Polymerization.

Sequence-controlled polymerization is the forefront of polymer chemistry. Herein, the feasibility of sequence regulation by using organocatalyzed ring-opening polymerization (ROP) is demonstrated. In particular, ring expansion strategy is employed to synthesize pre-organized monomers 1 and 2.

Thermally Driven Approach To Fill Sub-10-nm Pipettes with Batch Production.

Typically, utilization of small nanopipettes results in either high sensitivity or spatial resolution in modern nanoscience and nanotechnology. However, filling a nanopipette with a sub-10-nm pore diameter remains a significant challenge. Here, we introduce a thermally driven approach to filling sub-10-nm pipettes with batch production, regardless of their shape.

The determination of α-glucosidase activity through a nano fluorescent sensor of F-PDA-CoOOH.

A sensitive nanocomplex probe prepared from fluorescent polydopamine nanoparticles (F-PDA) and cobalt oxyhydroxide (CoOOH) nanosheets was established for the determination of α-glucosidase activity. In this detection system, the fluorescence of F-PDA was firstly quenched by CoOOH nanosheets based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Subsequently, ascorbic acid was produced from 2-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic acid which was selectively hydrolyzed by α-glucosidase.

Fibroin-like Peptides Self-Assembling on Two-Dimensional Materials as a Molecular Scaffold for Potential Biosensing.

Self-assembled peptides have revealed uniform ordering on two-dimensional (2D) materials such as mica, graphene, and MoS so far. These peptides are expected to be utilized as a molecular scaffold for biosensing based on 2D materials. However, the stability of the peptide structures on 2D materials under liquid has not been evaluated, and some of the previously reported peptides may have instability under water.

Convenient synthesis of selenyl-indoles via iodide ion-catalyzed electrochemical C-H selenation.

Reported herein is a transition metal- and oxidant-free method for the synthesis of selenyl heteroarenes with diselenides through iodide ion-catalyzed electrolytic selenation. This direct C(sp2)-H selenation strategy, with reduced environmental impact, provides efficient access to a host of selenyl indoles and some other N-heteroarenes under aerobic and galvanostatic conditions.

A low-cost electrochemical thio- and selenocyanation strategy for electron-rich arenes under catalyst- and oxidant-free conditions.

A low-cost and efficient thio- and selenocyanation strategy for electron-rich arenes has been developed under constant-current electrolytic conditions in an undivided cell. This strategy is versatile for various (hetero)aromatic compounds such as indole, pyrrole, aniline and anisole under mild conditions without any catalyst or oxidant. Readily available salts NHSCN and KSeCN are employed respectively as the sole reagent.