Flossing DNA in a Dual Nanopore Device

Solid‐state nanopores are a single‐molecule technique that can provide access to biomolecular information that is otherwise masked by ensemble averaging. A promising application uses pores and barcoding chemistries to map molecular motifs along single DNA molecules. Despite recent research breakthroughs, however, it remains challenging to overcome molecular noise to fully exploit single‐molecule data. Here, an active control technique termed “flossing” that uses a dual nanopore device is presented to trap a proteintagged DNA molecule and up to 100's of back‐and‐forth electrical scans of the molecule are performed in a few seconds. The protein motifs bound to 48.5 kb λ‐DNA are used as detectable features for active triggering of the bidirectional control. Molecular noise is suppressed by averaging the multiscan data to produce averaged intertag distance estimates that are comparable to their known values. Since nanopore feature‐mapping applications require DNA linearization when passing through the pore, a key advantage of flossing is that trans‐pore linearization is increased to >98% by the second scan, compared to 35% for single nanopore passage of the same set of molecules. In concert with barcoding methods, the dual‐pore flossing technique could enable genome mapping and structural variation applications, or mapping loci of epigenetic relevance.     

SD振子中内部激变现象的研究

应用广义胞映射图论方法(GCMD)研究SD(smooth and discontinuous systems)振子的内部激变现象,通过对SD常微分方程系统的全局分析发现周期解通向混沌的内部激变现象是由于周期吸引子与在其吸引域内部的混沌鞍碰撞产生的,混沌鞍是胞空间中的瞬态自循环胞集,周期吸引子与混沌鞍发生碰撞后,混沌鞍转...     

Direct Imaging of Space‐Charge Accumulation and Work Function Characteristics of Functional Organic Interfaces

The tailoring of organic systems is crucial to further extend the efficiency of charge transfer mechanisms and represents a cornerstone for molecular device technologies. However, this demands control of electrical properties and understanding of the physics behind organic interfaces. Here, a quantitative spatial overview of work function characteristics for phthalocyanine architectures on Au substrates is provided via kelvin probe microscopy. While macroscopic investigations are very informative, the current approach offers a nanoscale spatial rendering of electrical characteristics which is not possible to attain via conventional techniques. Interface dipole is observed due to the formation of charge accumulation layers in thin F₁₆CuPc, F₁₆CoPc, and MnPc films, displaying work functions of 5.7, 6.1, and 5.0 eV, respectively. The imaging and quantification of interface locations with significant surface potential and work function response (<0.33 eV for material thickness <1 nm) show also a dependency on the crystalline state of the organic systems. The work function mapping suggests space‐charge carrier regions of about 4 nm at the organic interface. This reveals rich spatial electric parameters and ambipolar characteristics that may drive electrical performance at device scales, opening a realm of possibilities toward the development of functional organic architectures and its applications.     

Recent progress in microstructural hydrogen mapping in steels: quantification,kinetic analysis,and multi-scale characterisation

ABSTRACT

This paper gives an overview of recent progress in microstructure-specific hydrogen mapping techniques. The challenging nature of mapping hydrogen with high spatial resolution, i.e. at the scale of finest microstructural features, led to the development of various methodologies: thermal desorption spectrometry, silver decoration, the hydrogen microprint technique, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, atom probe tomography, neutron radiography, and the scanning Kelvin probe. These techniques have different characteristics regarding spatial and temporal resolution associated with microstructure-sensitive hydrogen detection. Employing these techniques in a site-specific manner together with other microstructure probing methods enables multi-scale, quantitative, three-dimensional, high spatial, and kinetic resolution hydrogen mapping, depending on the specific multi-probe approaches used. Here, we present a brief overview of the specific characteristics of each method and the progress resulting from their combined application to the field of hydrogen embrittlement.

This paper is part of a thematic issue on Hydrogen in Metallic Alloys     

Unprecedented Surface Plasmon Modes in Monoclinic MoO2 Nanostructures

Developing stable plasmonic materials featuring earth-abundant compositions with continuous band structures, similar to those of typical metals, has received special research interest. Owing to their metal-like behavior, monoclinic MoO₂ nanostructures have been found to support stable and intense surface plasmon (SP) resonances. However, no progress has been made on their energy and spatial distributions over individual nanostructures, nor the origin of their possibly existing specific SP modes. Here, various MoO₂ nanostructures are designed via polydopamine chemistry and managed to visualize multiple longitudinal and transversal SP modes supported by the monoclinic MoO₂, along with intrinsic interband transitions, using scanning transmission electron microscopy coupled with ultrahigh-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy. The identified geometry-dependent SP energies are tuned by either controlling the shape and thickness of MoO₂ nanostructures through their well-designed chemical synthesis, or by altering their length using a developed electron-beam patterning technique. Theoretical calculations reveal that the strong plasmonic behavior of the monoclinic MoO₂ is associated with the abundant delocalized electrons in the Mo d orbitals. This work not only provides a significant improvement in imaging and tailoring SPs of nonconventional metallic nanostructures, but also highlights the potential of MoO₂ nanostructures for micro–nano optical and optoelectronic applications.     

基于曲率约束的点云分割去噪方法

在点云去噪处理过程中,为提高对曲率变化较大区域的去噪效果,提出基于曲率约束的点云分割去噪方法。该方法通过曲率约束点云数据使模型特征得到有效保持,构建噪声光顺的映射函数使得噪声点回归光顺,能够避免使用传统滤波对点云数据模型产生过光顺,对后续处理奠定一定基础。实验表明,该方法相对于双边滤波能够有效地保持模型的特征,保留模型边缘信息,去除噪声效果更为明显。     

Research on the Design Method of Equipment in Service Assessment Subjects

Combined with equipment activities such as combat readiness, training, exercises and management, it is proposed that the design of equipment in-service assessment subjects should follow the principles of combination, stage and operability. Focusing on the design of equipment in-service assessment subjects, a design method for in-service assessment subjects based on the combination of trial and training mode is proposed. Based on the actual use of high-equipment use management and training and the established indicator system, the army’s bottom-level equipment activity subjects and bottom-level assessments are combined. The indicators are mapped and analyzed. Through multiple rounds of iterations, the mapping relationship between in-service assessment indicators and military equipment activity subjects is established. Finally, the equipment activity subjects whose data is collected (reflecting the underlying assessment indicators) are generated in-service assessment subjects. The orthogonal test method is used to optimize the samples in the assessment subjects to form an in-service assessment implementation plan. Taking a certain type of armored infantry fighting vehicle as an example, the sample optimization design of the initially generated in-service assessment subjects is analyzed. It provides methods and ideas to carry out in-service assessment work.     

In Situ and Operando Characterization of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

For proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) to become a mainstream energy source, significant improvements in their performance, durability, and efficiency are necessary. To improve their durability, there must be a solid understanding of how the structural and electrochemical processes are affected during operation to propose mitigation strategies. To this aim, in situ and operando characterization techniques can locally identify structural and electrochemical processes, which cannot be captured using conventional techniques. Linking these properties in the same geometric area has been challenging due to its inherent limitations, such as sample size and imaging resolution. This has created a knowledge gap in structure‐to‐electrochemical performance relationships as operation and degradation unevenly affect different areas of the cell. In the recent past, catalyst layer degradation, hot spots, and water management have been structurally and electrochemically visualized in the same geometric area, revealing new interactions. To further the research in this direction, these interconnected fields are reviewed, followed by a roadmap for in situ characterization of PEMFCs, treating structural and electrochemical processes as a unified subject. With this approach, the knowledge of the degradation of PEMFCs will be significantly improved.