BINA

HypothesisFrom the end of the twentieth century, the growing interest in a new generation of wearable electronics with attractive application for military, medical and smart textiles fields has led to a wide investigation of chemical finishes for the production of electronic textiles (e-textiles).ExperimentsHerein, a novel method to turn insulating cotton fabrics in electrically conductive by the deposition of three-dimensional hierarchical vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNT) is proposed. Two VACNT samples with different length were synthesized and then dispersed in 4-dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid combined with silica-based sol-gel precursors. The dispersed VACNT were separately compounded with a polyurethane thickener to obtain homogeneous spreadable pastes, finally coated onto cotton surfaces by the “knife-over-roll” technique.FindingsShorter VACNT-based composite showed the best electrical …

We study the magnetization dynamics of nanomagnetic beads with a diameter ranging from 80 to 250 nm in frequency and time domains using a high-resolution elliptical planar Hall effect (EPHE) sensor integrated with a fluidic channel. We find that the dynamics are well described with Cole–Cole and exponential decay models for frequency and time domains, respectively. We discuss the potential use of EPHE sensors in lab-on-a-chip applications.

S44. 00005: Imaging filamentary current flow near the metal-insulator transition in an oxide interface*

Tunnel‐type sodium manganese oxide is attracting attention as a cheap and earth‐abundant cathode material for sodium‐ion batteries, offering more stable cycling performance than other layered materials due to its special structural ordering. Developments and applications in aqueous and nonaqueous electrolyte solutions are reviewed, and problems and possible solutions are discussed in detail.

We provide an introductory overview of medical and industrial x-ray imaging applications and requirements for readers whose primary background is in quantum imaging. We discuss some opportunities for quantum X-ray imaging and related techniques such as ghost imaging to provide meaningful benefits in imaging and explain some of the key challenges that remain before practical applications can reach end users.

Introduction to SPIE Photonics West BiOS conference 11662: Frontiers in Biological Detection: From Nanosensors to Systems XIII

Objective. Restoration of central vision loss in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by implanting a retinal prosthesis is associated with an intriguing situation wherein the central prosthetic vision co-exists with natural normal vision. Of major interest are the interactions between the prosthetic and natural vision. Here we studied the effect of the light-adaptive state of the normal retina on the electrical visual evoked potentials (VEPs) arising from the retinal prosthesis. Approach. We recorded electrical VEP elicited by prosthetic retinal stimulation in wild-type rats implanted with a 1 mm photovoltaic subretinal array. Cortical responses were recorded following overnight dark adaption and compared to those recorded following bleaching of the retina by light (520 nm) at various intensities and durations. Main results. Compared to dark-adapted responses, bleaching induced a 2-fold decrease in the …

We propose and fully analyze the simplest technique to date (to our knowledge) for generating light-based universal quantum computing resources, namely, 2D, 3D, and n-hypercubic cluster states in general. The technique uses two standard optical components: first, a single optical parametric oscillator pumped below threshold by a monochromatic field, which generates Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen entangled states, a.k.a. two-mode squeezed states, over the quantum optical frequency comb; second, phase modulation at frequencies that are multiples of the comb spacing (via RF or optical means). The compactness of this technique paves the way to implementing quantum computing on chip using quantum nanophotonics.

Guillemoles et al. reply—We wrote our Comment 1 as a brief and concise guide to the Shockley–Queisser (SQ) model 2, chiefly aiming to explain how real-world solar cells (non-concentrating, single-junction) must be related to the efficiency limits that result from the SQ model. There is a need for such a Comment, especially in the context of a widened portfolio of new very efficient solar cell materials and a rapidly growing community. As obvious from the title 1, we target non-specialist readers. Such approach 3 has the risk that the resulting text is unsatisfactory for specialist readers. The author of the Correspondence on our Comment 4 is certainly such specialist reader. Thus, to reply to the Correspondence we need to leave the level at which we presented the topic in our Comment, to make clear that while there can be differences of opinion as how to explain the issue to the ‘perplexed’, what is written in our …

Celiac disease (CeD) is a common autoimmune disorder caused by an abnormal immune response to dietary gluten proteins. The disease has high heritability. HLA is the major susceptibility factor, and the HLA effect is mediated via presentation of deamidated gluten peptides by disease-associated HLA-DQ variants to CD4+ T cells. In addition to gluten-specific CD4+ T cells the patients have antibodies to transglutaminase 2 (autoantigen) and deamidated gluten peptides. These disease-specific antibodies recognize defined epitopes and they display common usage of specific heavy and light chains across patients. Interactions between T cells and B cells are likely central in the pathogenesis, but how the repertoires of naïve T and B cells relate to the pathogenic effector cells is unexplored. To this end, we applied machine learning classification models to naïve B cell receptor (BCR) repertoires from CeD patients and healthy controls. Strikingly, we obtained a promising classification performance with an F1 score of 85%. Clusters of heavy and light chain sequences were inferred and used as features for the model, and signatures associated with the disease were then characterized. These signatures included amino acid (AA) 3-mers with distinct bio-physiochemical characteristics and enriched V and J genes. We found that CeD-associated clusters can be identified and that common motifs can be characterized from naïve BCR repertoires. The results may indicate a genetic influence by BCR encoding genes in CeD. Analysis of naïve BCRs as presented here may become an important part of assessing the risk of individuals to develop CeD. Our …

Single-molecule FRET (smFRET) has become a mainstream technique for studying biomolecular structural dynamics. The rapid and wide adoption of smFRET experiments by an ever-increasing number of groups has generated significant progress in sample preparation, measurement procedures, data analysis, algorithms and documentation. Several labs that employ smFRET approaches have joined forces to inform the smFRET community about streamlining how to perform experiments and analyze results for obtaining quantitative information on biomolecular structure and dynamics. The recent efforts include blind tests to assess the accuracy and the precision of smFRET experiments among different labs using various procedures. These multi-lab studies have led to the development of smFRET procedures and documentation, which are important when submitting entries into the archiving system for integrative structure models, PDB-Dev. This position paper describes the current ‘state of the art’ from different perspectives, points to unresolved methodological issues for quantitative structural studies, provides a set of ‘soft recommendations’ about which an emerging consensus exists, and lists openly available resources for newcomers and seasoned practitioners. To make further progress, we strongly encourage ‘open science’ practices.

The development of" fault-tolerant" quantum computers, unaffected by noise and decoherence, is one of the fundamental challenges in quantum technology. One of the approaches currently followed is the realization of" topologically protected" qubits which make use of quantum systems characterized by a degenerate ground state of composite particles, known as" non-Abelian anyons", able to encode and manipulate quantum information in a non-local manner. In this paper, we discuss the potential of quasi-two-dimensional electron gas (q2DEG) at the interface between band insulating oxides, like LaAlO 3 and SrTiO 3, as an innovative technological platform for the realization of topological quantum systems. Being characterized by a unique combination of unconventional spin-orbit coupling, magnetism, and 2D-superconductivity, these systems naturally possess most of the fundamental characteristics needed for …

The sizes of available self‐assembled hydrogen‐bond‐based supramolecular capsules and cages are rather limited. The largest systems have volumes of approximately 1400–2300 Å3. Herein, we report a large, hexameric cage based on intermolecular amide–amide dimerization. The unusual structure with openings, reminiscent of covalently linked cages, is held together by 24 hydrogen bonds. With a diameter of 2.3 nm and a cavity volume of ∼2800 Å3, the assembly is larger than any previously known capsule/cage structure relying exclusively on hydrogen bonds. The self‐assembly process in chlorinated, organic solvents was found to be strongly concentration dependent, with the monomeric form prevailing at low concentrations. Additionally, the formation of host–guest complexes with fullerenes (C60 and C70) was observed.

In continuation of the work on the stabilization of the electrochemical performance of Li and Mn‐rich LixNiyCozMnwO2 (HE‐NCM, x > 1, w > 0.5, x + y + z + w = 2) cathode materials via atomic layer deposition (ALD) surface coatings, herein, the active role of aluminum oxides‐based coatings, during prolonged cycling in battery prototypes with graphite anodes, is discussed. Notable progress in electrochemical cycling and rate performance of Na‐aluminate‐coated Li1.142Mn0.513Ni0.230Co0.115O2 cathode material is established. These coated electrodes delivered a stable discharge capacity of 145 mAh g−1 (66% retention), compared to only 118 mAh g−1 (55% retention) for the uncoated sample at a 1.0 C rate after 400 cycles. Steady average discharge potential, lower voltage hysteresis, and stable energy density profiles are the noteworthy achievements for the coated material during cycling …

We measured the temporal modes of non-classical light with sub-picosecond resolution by utilizing time-lenses and time-stretch schemes. We obtained the temporal modes by analyzing both the intensity distribution and the phase distribution of spontaneous four-wave mixing process in highly nonlinear fibers. This research may lead to identification and characterization of unknown quantum processes with lower noise than before.

We measured the temporal modes of non-classical light with sub-picosecond resolution by utilizing time-lenses and time-stretch schemes. We obtained the temporal modes by analyzing both the intensity distribution and the phase distribution of spontaneous four-wave mixing process in highly nonlinear fibers. This research may lead to identification and characterization of unknown quantum processes with lower noise than before.

Large networks of parametric oscillators hold the promise to solve a paradigmatic NP-hard problem, namely finding the ground state of frustrated Ising models. Recent theoretical studies and experiments based on linear stability analysis showed that coherent Ising machines necessarily encounters two major obstacles: The system can either be trapped in oscillatory persistent beats, or get stuck in a wrong configuration dictated by the eigenvalues of the coupling matrix. These obstacles make networks of coupled parametric oscillator close to threshold intrinsically not an Ising solver. Here we show that for pump power sufficiently above the threshold the system can find correct Ising solutions. Our study highlights the role of nonlinearities in understanding the dynamics of coupled parametric oscillators and brings hope for their applicability as Ising solvers.

SPIE Digital Library Proceedings.

We provide an introductory overview of medical and industrial x-ray imaging applications and requirements for readers whose primary background is in quantum imaging. We discuss some opportunities for quantum X-ray imaging and related techniques such as ghost imaging to provide meaningful benefits in imaging and explain some of the key challenges that remain before practical applications can reach end users.