Super-resolution imaging of linearized chromatin in tunable nanochannels.

Nanofluidic linearization and optical mapping of naked DNA have been reported in the research literature, and implemented in commercial instruments. However, the resolution with which DNA features can be resolved is still inherently limited by both Brownian motion and diffraction-limited optics. Direct analysis of native chromatin is further hampered by difficulty in electrophoretic manipulation, which is routinely used for DNA analysis.

Manipulation of the nucleoscaffold potentiates cellular reprogramming kinetics.

Somatic cell fate is an outcome set by the activities of specific transcription factors and the chromatin landscape and is maintained by gene silencing of alternate cell fates through physical interactions with the nuclear scaffold. Here, we evaluate the role of the nuclear scaffold as a guardian of cell fate in human fibroblasts by comparing the effects of transient loss (knockdown) and mutation (progeria) of functional Lamin A/C, a core component of the nuclear scaffold. We observed that Lamin A/C deficiency or mutation disrupts nuclear morphology, heterochromatin levels, and increases access to DNA in lamina-associated domains.

Influence of the Turing instability on the motion of domain boundaries.

Turing's theory of pattern formation has provided crucial insights into the behavior of various biological, geographical, and chemical systems over the last few decades. Existing studies have focused on moving-boundary Turing systems for which the motion of the boundary is prescribed by an external agent. In this paper, we present an extension of this theory to a class of systems in which the front motion is governed by the physical processes that occur within the domain.

Enhanced Interfacial Toughness of Thermoplastic-Epoxy Interfaces Using ALD Surface Treatments.

Interfacial fracture and delamination of polymer interfaces can play a critical role in a wide range of applications, including fiber-reinforced composites, flexible electronics, and encapsulation layers for photovoltaics. However, owing to the low surface energy of many thermoplastics, adhesion to dissimilar material surfaces remains a critical challenge. In this work, we demonstrate that surface treatments using atomic layer deposition (ALD) on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) lead to significant increases in surface energy, without affecting the bulk mechanical response of the thermoplastic.