BINA

The unique fluorescent nanomaterials known as carbon dots (CDs) are highly resistant to photobleaching, have low toxicity, and are well soluble in water. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) coated CDs are a novel fluorophore with good biocompatibility and pH sensing ability. Here, p-phenylenediamine (p-PD) is used as a carbon source and hyperbranched PEI is used as a surface passivation agent in a simple, one-step hydrothermal synthesis process. The CDs optical characteristics are pH-responsive due to the presence of different amine groups on PEI, which is functional polycationic polymer. The limits of techniques based on fluorescence intensity can be overcome by fluorescent lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), a very sensitive method for detecting a microenvironment. In this study, FLIM was used to measure pH with pH-sensitive CDs. These molecules are nontoxic to the cells, and the positively charged CDs have …

X-ray optical wave mixing is a nonlinear diffraction method that gives direct information about the Ångstrom and femtosecond-scale structure of the local optically-induced charge density in bulk solids, information unavailable to purely optical methods. The first measurements of wave mixing between x rays and optical photons were reported for single crystal diamond [Glover et al., Nature 488, 603 (2012)]. Here we report x-ray optical wave mixing experiments using the Swiss-FEL and LCLS hard x-ray free-electron lasers. To measure the wave-mixing signal we use silicon crystal optics to monochromate the free-electron laser output and analyze the energy-angle dependent wave-mixing signal while rejecting the elastic background. The results include the first measurements from silicon and the first measurement of the higher-order wave-mixing process generating the sum frequency of two optical and one x-ray …

The unique fluorescent nanomaterials known as carbon dots (CDs) are highly resistant to photobleaching, have low toxicity, and are well soluble in water. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) coated CDs are a novel fluorophore with good biocompatibility and pH sensing ability. Here, p-phenylenediamine (p-PD) is used as a carbon source and hyperbranched PEI is used as a surface passivation agent in a simple, one-step hydrothermal synthesis process. The CDs optical characteristics are pH-responsive due to the presence of different amine groups on PEI, which is functional polycationic polymer. The limits of techniques based on fluorescence intensity can be overcome by fluorescent lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), a very sensitive method for detecting a microenvironment. In this study, FLIM was used to measure pH with pH-sensitive CDs. These molecules are nontoxic to the cells, and the positively charged CDs have …

The synchronization of human networks, and the possibility of obtaining an agreement in a group, are essential for our survival. The dynamics of human networks are affecting every aspect of our lives in politics, economics, science, and engineering, and are essential for our mental and physical health. We study the unique properties of human networks and their dynamics by resorting to coupled violin players. We found that the human ability to ignore inputs or to focus on an input change dramatically the dynamics of the network compared to other coupled networks. We show how human networks react to frustrating situations, how they change the network connectivity or the network coupling strength, and how they escape local minima. In addition, the formation of leaders has a significant impact on the dynamics of human groups and networks and can completely shift the trajectory of a society. We study how …

We report the observation of coherent oscillations in conversion efficiency of weakly bound dimers formed from a thermal gas of ultracold atoms. Finite thermal energy of the gas causes loss of coherence when a broad continuum is resonantly coupled to a discrete bound state. Restoration of the coherence can be achieved through nonadiabatic transitions of the dressed molecular energy level that are induced by a strong modulation pulse with fast envelope dynamics. Conditions to observe coherent oscillations are verified and control of their properties is demonstrated. The main experimental findings are supported by theoretical modeling and numerical calculations. The observed results may lead to a renewed interest in general studies of a discrete energy level coupled to a broadband continuum when the properties of both are fully controlled.

Cisplatin (CP) is the first-line standard of care for bladder cancer. However, a significant percentage of advanced bladder cancer patients are ineligible to receive standard CP treatment, due to the drug’s toxicity, and in particular its nephrotoxicity. These patients currently face suboptimal therapeutic options with lower efficacy. To overcome this limitation, here we designed CP-conjugated gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with specific properties that prevent renal toxicity, and concurrently preserve the therapeutic efficacy of CP. Safety and efficacy of the particles were studied in bladder tumor-bearing mice, using clinically-relevant fractionated or non-fractionated dosing regimens. A non-fractionated high dose of CP-GNP showed long-term intratumoral accumulation, blocked tumor growth, and nullified the lethal effect of CP. Treatment with fractionated lower doses of CP-GNP was also superior to an equivalent treatment with free CP, demonstrating both anti-tumor efficacy and prolonged mouse survival. Moreover, as opposed to free drug, CP-conjugated GNPs did not cause fibrosis or necrosis in kidney. These results indicate that conjugating CP to GNPs can serve as an effective, combined anti-cancer and renoprotective approach, and thus has potential to widen the range of patients eligible for CP-based therapy.

The Aharonov-Bohm (AB) effect has been highly influential in fundamental and applied physics. Its topological nature commonly implies that an electron encircling a magnetic flux source in a field-free region must close the loop in order to generate an observable effect. In this Letter, we study a variant of the AB effect that apparently challenges this concept. The significance of weak values and nonlocal equations of motion is discussed as part of the analysis, shedding light on and connecting all these fundamental concepts.

The unique fluorescent nanomaterials known as carbon dots (CDs) are highly resistant to photobleaching, have low toxicity, and are well soluble in water. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) coated CDs are a novel fluorophore with good biocompatibility and pH sensing ability. Here, p-phenylenediamine (p-PD) is used as a carbon source and hyperbranched PEI is used as a surface passivation agent in a simple, one-step hydrothermal synthesis process. The CDs optical characteristics are pH-responsive due to the presence of different amine groups on PEI, which is functional polycationic polymer. The limits of techniques based on fluorescence intensity can be overcome by fluorescent lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), a very sensitive method for detecting a microenvironment. In this study, FLIM was used to measure pH with pH-sensitive CDs. These molecules are nontoxic to the cells, and the positively charged CDs have …

Although single point time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy (FA) measurements are well established and routinely used for various applications in many laboratories, only a few reports described their extension into two-dimensional (2D) time-resolved FA imaging (TR-FAIM). The ability to perform TR-FAIM can offer cellular imaging based on the rotational correlation time (θ) that depends on the viscosity and dynamic properties of the tissues. We extended existing frequency domain (FD) fluorescence lifetime (FLT) imaging microscopy (FLIM) to FD TR-FAIM, which produces visual maps of θ. The proof of concept of the FD TR-FAIM was validated on 7 fluorescein solutions with increasing viscosities (achieved by increasing glycerol concentration between 0-80%). The studies were performed using images of θ as well as by characterizing the peak (mode) and the full width half maximum (FWHM) of its histograms (of …

Geometry, an ancient yet vibrant branch of mathematics, has important and far-reaching impacts on various disciplines such as art, science, and engineering. Here, we introduce an emerging concept dubbed “geometric deep optical sensing” that is based on a number of recent demonstrations in advanced optical sensing and imaging, in which a reconfigurable sensor (or an array thereof) can directly decipher the rich information of an unknown incident light beam, including its intensity, spectrum, polarization, spatial features, and possibly angular momentum. We present the physical, mathematical, and engineering foundations of this concept, with particular emphases on the roles of classical and quantum geometry and deep neural networks. Furthermore, we discuss the new opportunities that this emerging scheme can enable and the challenges associated with future developments.

K04. 00003: Zwitterists: Photo-patternable Polymer Zwitterions for Interfacial Dipole Doping of Monolayer Graphene*

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is characterized by aggressive local invasion and metastatic spread, leading to high lethality. Although driver gene mutations during PDA progression are conserved, no specific mutation is correlated with the dissemination of metastases–. Here we analysed RNA splicing data of a large cohort of primary and metastatic PDA tumours to identify differentially spliced events that correlate with PDA progression. De novo motif analysis of these events detected enrichment of motifs with high similarity to the RBFOX2 motif. Overexpression of RBFOX2 in a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) metastatic PDA cell line drastically reduced the metastatic potential of these cells in vitro and in vivo, whereas depletion of RBFOX2 in primary pancreatic tumour cell lines increased the metastatic potential of these cells. These findings support the role of RBFOX2 as a potent metastatic suppressor in …

The later stages of cooling of molecules and clusters in the interstellar medium are dominated by emission of vibrational infrared radiation. With the development of cryogenic storage it has become possible to experimentally study these processes. Recent storage ring results demonstrate that intramolecular vibrational redistribution takes place within the cooling process, and an harmonic cascade model has been used to interpret the data. Here we analyze this model and show that the energy distributions and the photon emission rates develop into near-universal functions that can be characterized with only a few parameters, irrespective of the precise vibrational spectra and oscillator strengths of the systems. We show that the photon emission rate and emitted power vary linearly with total excitation energy with a small offset. The time developments of ensemble internal energy distributions are calculated with …

In the last few decades, point-of-care (POC) sensors have become increasingly important in the detection of various targets for the early diagnostics and treatment of diseases. Diverse nanomaterials are used as building blocks for the development of smart biosensors and magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) are among them. The intrinsic properties of MNPs, such as their large surface area, chemical stability, ease of functionalization, high saturation magnetization, and more, mean they have great potential for use in biosensors. Moreover, the unique characteristics of MNPs, such as their response to external magnetic fields, allow them to be easily manipulated (concentrated and redispersed) in fluidic media. As they are functionalized with biomolecules, MNPs bear high sensitivity and selectivity towards the detection of target biomolecules, which means they are advantageous in biosensor development and lead to a more sensitive, rapid, and accurate identification and quantification of target analytes. Due to the abovementioned properties of functionalized MNPs and their unique magnetic characteristics, they could be employed in the creation of new POC devices, molecular logic gates, and new biomolecular-based biocomputing interfaces, which would build on new ideas and principles. The current review outlines the synthesis, surface coverage, and functionalization of MNPs, as well as recent advancements in magnetite-based biosensors for POC diagnostics and some perspectives in molecular logic, and it also contains some of our own results regarding the topic, which include synthetic MNPs, their application for sample preparation, and the …

The Leggett-Garg Inequality (LGI) constrains, under certain fundamental assumptions, the correlations between measurements of a quantity Q at different times. Here we analyze the LGI, and propose similar but somewhat more elaborate inequalities, employing a technique that utilizes the mathematical properties of correlation matrices, which was recently proposed in the context of nonlocal correlations. We also find that this technique can be applied to inequalities that combine correlations between different times (as in LGI) and correlations between different locations (as in Bell inequalities). All the proposed bounds include additional correlations compared to the original ones and also lead to a particular form of complementarity. A possible experimental realization and some applications are briefly discussed.

The advent of functional devices based on two-dimensional (2D) materials has further intensified the interest in the latter. However, the fabrication of structures using layered materials remains a key challenge. Recently, we proposed the so-called “Laser-Induced Transfer” method (LIT), as a digital and solvent-free approach for the high-resolution and intact transfer of 2D materials’ pixels. Here, we will further highlight the versatility of LIT by reporting results on the high-quality digital transfer of graphene and MoS2. These materials have emerged in the field of nanoelectronics, sensors and photonics due to their unique optoelectronic properties, but their high-quality transfer remains a hurdle. The quality of the transferred films has been confirmed with systematic characterization based on Scanning Electron Microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, as well as mobility’s extraction. Then we will present how the laser …

All‐solid‐state lithium batteries (ASSLBs) are considered as an alternative solution to lithium‐ion batteries, because of their safety and high theoretical energy density. Argyrodite‐based solid‐electrolytes (SEs), Li6PS5X (X = Cl, Cl0.5Br0.5 or Br), are promising candidates for ASSLBs. Most of the previous reports have used Li6PS5Cl as the default SE composition. Here, the electrochemical behavior of three different argyrodites with Cl− or Br−, or both, as the halogen is systematically studied. Using LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 as a model cathode, the behavior of these SEs in ASSLB cells is also studied. SEs containing Br show higher near‐room‐temperature ionic conductivity (>2 mS cm−1) and the critical current density (≥1 mA cm−2) during Li plating/stripping, and are stable up to 5 V versus Li/Li+. Li6PS5Br gives the best electrochemical performance in terms of C‐rate and long‐term cycling among the three …

Disordered metallic nanostructures have features that are not realized in well‐defined nanometallic counterparts, such as broadband light localization and inhomogeneous refraction index at the nanoscale. Disordered metal systems with a networked inner architecture have both particles and voids with subwavelength dimensions which are randomly 3D organized in space. These disordered structures are benefited from high surface area and damage stability, permit guest materials permeability, and can be achieved in large scales employing less costs and expertise. Their abundant nanosize gaps and sharp tips can interact with incident light over a broadband range to generate a rich pattern of hot‐spots and can therefore function as an artificial leaf, for example. Here, the linear and nonlinear optical properties of both well‐defined and disordered plasmonic structures are reviewed with a focus on largescale 3D …

All‐solid‐state lithium batteries (ASSLBs) are considered as an alternative solution to lithium‐ion batteries, because of their safety and high theoretical energy density. Argyrodite‐based solid‐electrolytes (SEs), Li6PS5X (X = Cl, Cl0.5Br0.5 or Br), are promising candidates for ASSLBs. Most of the previous reports have used Li6PS5Cl as the default SE composition. Here, the electrochemical behavior of three different argyrodites with Cl− or Br−, or both, as the halogen is systematically studied. Using LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 as a model cathode, the behavior of these SEs in ASSLB cells is also studied. SEs containing Br show higher near‐room‐temperature ionic conductivity (>2 mS cm−1) and the critical current density (≥1 mA cm−2) during Li plating/stripping, and are stable up to 5 V versus Li/Li+. Li6PS5Br gives the best electrochemical performance in terms of C‐rate and long‐term cycling among the three …

Imaging systems, including human vision, have a limited capability to separate spatial features, and these can also only be extracted over a limited depth range. The limits are related to the effect of diffraction and caused by the finite dimensions of the imaging optics and the geometry of the sensor. In my talk I will present novel photonic approaches to exceed the normal resolution and depth of focus limitations and show how those concepts can be applied in practical applications such as in microscopy, biomedical sensing, and ophthalmic devices to correct visual deficiencies.