Sep 2024 • Sensors
Kobi Aflalo, Zeev Zalevsky
The noninvasive measurement and sensing of vital bio signs, such as respiration and cardiopulmonary parameters, has become an essential part of the evaluation of a patient’s physiological condition. The demand for new technologies that facilitate remote and noninvasive techniques for such measurements continues to grow. While previous research has made strides in the continuous monitoring of vital bio signs using lasers, this paper introduces a novel technique for remote noncontact measurements based on radio frequencies. Unlike laser-based methods, this innovative approach offers the advantage of penetrating through walls and tissues, enabling the measurement of respiration and heart rate. Our method, diverging from traditional radar systems, introduces a unique sensing concept that enables the detection of micro-movements in all directions, including those parallel to the antenna surface. The main goal of this work is to present a novel, simple, and cost-effective measurement tool capable of indicating changes in a subject’s condition. By leveraging the unique properties of radio frequencies, this technique allows for the noninvasive monitoring of vital bio signs without the need for physical contact or invasive procedures. Moreover, the ability to penetrate barriers such as walls and tissues opens new possibilities for remote monitoring in various settings, including home healthcare, hospital environments, and even search and rescue operations. In order to validate the effectiveness of this technique, a series of experiments were conducted using a prototype device. The results demonstrated the feasibility of accurately measuring …
Show moreSep 2024 • Science Advances
Hila Zak, Eyal Rozenfeld, Mali Levi, Patricia Deng, David Gorelick, Hadar Pozeilov, Shai Israel, Yoav Paas, Yoav Paas, Jin Billy Li, Moshe Parnas, Galit Shohat-Ophir
A-to-I RNA editing is a cellular mechanism that generates transcriptomic and proteomic diversity, which is essential for neuronal and immune functions. It involves the conversion of specific adenosines in RNA molecules to inosines, which are recognized as guanosines by cellular machinery. Despite the vast number of editing sites observed across the animal kingdom, pinpointing critical sites and understanding their in vivo functions remains challenging. Here, we study the function of an evolutionary conserved editing site in Drosophila, located in glutamate-gated chloride channel (GluClα). Our findings reveal that flies lacking editing at this site exhibit reduced olfactory responses to odors and impaired pheromone-dependent social interactions. Moreover, we demonstrate that editing of this site is crucial for the proper processing of olfactory information in projection neurons. Our results highlight the value of using …
Show moreSep 2024 • 2024 49th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz …, 2024
Shiran Levy, Nathalie Lander Gower, Silvia Piperno, Sadhvikas J Addamane, John L Reno, Asaf Albo
This study explores the effect of doping density on the performance of split-well resonant-phonon (SWRP) Terahertz Quantum Cascade Lasers (THz QCLs) through non-equilibrium Green’s functions (NEGF) analysis. Experimental research showed that increasing the doping concentration in these designs led to better results compared to the split-well direct-phonon (SWDP) design, which has a larger overlap between its active laser states and the doping profile. We also found that electron-electron (e-e) scattering is a major factor in performance limitation. By identifying key scattering mechanisms, we propose optimization strategies for doping profiles and material quality to enhance operational temperatures. This research offers insights into overcoming current limitations in THz QCLs, setting a foundation for future technological advancements.
Show moreSep 2024 • Optics Express
Or Sefi, A Ben Yehuda, Yishai Klein, Z Sobol, S Bloch, H Schwartz, E Cohen, S Shwartz
Hard x-ray imaging is indispensable across diverse fields owing to its high penetrability. However, the resolution of traditional x-ray imaging modalities, such as computed tomography (CT) systems, is constrained by factors including beam properties, the limitations of optical components, and detection resolution. As a result, the typical resolution in commercial imaging systems that provide full-field imaging is limited to a few hundred microns, and scanning CT systems are too slow for many applications. This study advances high-photon-energy imaging by extending the concept of computational ghost imaging to multipixel ghost imaging with x-rays. We demonstrate a remarkable resolution of approximately 20 µm for an image spanning 0.9 by 1 cm^2, comprised of 400,000 pixels and involving only 1000 realizations. Furthermore, we present a high-resolution CT reconstruction using our method, revealing …
Show moreSep 2024 • The Journal of Physical Chemistry B
Shelly Meron, Shahaf Peleg, Yulia Shenberger, Lukas Hofmann, Lada Gevorkyan-Airapetov, Sharon Ruthstein
In-cell electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy experiments provide high-resolution data about conformational changes of proteins within the cell. However, one of the limitations of EPR is the requisite of stable paramagnetic centers in a reducing environment. We recently showed that histidine-rich sites in proteins hold a high affinity to Cu(II) ions complexed with a chelator. Using a chelator prevents the reduction of Cu(II) ions. Moreover, this spin-labeling methodology can be performed within the native cellular environment on any overexpressed protein without protein purification and delivery to the cell. Herein, we use this novel methodology to gain spatial information on the extracellular domain of the human copper transporter, hCtr1. Limited structural information on the transmembrane domain of the human Ctr1 (hCtr1) was obtained using X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM. However, these …
Show moreSep 2024
Natalya Segal, Zeev Zalevsky, Yafim Beiderman, Yevgeny Beiderman, Zeev Kalyuzhner, Sergey Agdarov
A fully remote, portable, contactless, affordable alternative to fMRI, EEG, and fNIRS for brain cortex analysis can accelerate innovation in understanding brain function across various fields. We leverage laser speckle pattern tracking technology, which has proven valuable in engineering and bioengineering, and empower it with AI to implement remote brain monitoring. This study investigated brain cortex responses to clear versus incomprehensible speech by projecting a laser beam over Wernicke’s area and analyzing the reflected speckle patterns with a convLSTM-based DNN classifier. The classifier could distinguish brain reactions in unseen subjects with a mean area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.94 when classifying at least 1 second of input speech. The ability to remotely distinguish brain reactions has practical applications in dynamic settings such as sports and real-life activities and for individuals with sensory sensitivities to scalp contact, helmets, or claustrophobic environments.
Show moreSep 2024 • 2024 49th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz …, 2024
Nathalie Lander Gower, Shiran Levy, Silvia Piperno, Sadhvikas J Addamane, Asaf Albo
This research compares two two-well (TW) Terahertz Quantum Cascade Lasers (THz QCLs) using non-equilibrium Green’s functions (NEGF) in order to understand the discrepancy in their maximum operating temperatures (T max ). Despite similar designs and simulation findings, the devices show a substantial performance difference. This is connected to variations in interface roughness (IFR) caused by different Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) reactors. Our findings highlight the necessity of accurate MBE growth control for high-performance THz QCLs and propose approaches for interface modification to improve device temperature performance, providing a clearer path to meeting and exceeding current T max records.
Show moreSep 2024 • 2024 49th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz …, 2024
Shiran Levy, Nathalie Lander Gower, Silvia Piperno, Asaf Albo
In this research we investigate the issues that arise from line broadening in m-plane GaN Terahertz Quantum Cascade Lasers (THz QCLs). Our study using non-equilibrium Green’s functions (NEGF) shows that factors beyond longitudinal-optical (LO) phonon coupling contribute to line broadening. Despite these challenges, increased doping densities were found to increase gain, allowing for lasing at up to 280 K at 7.2 THz. This indicates the potential of practical GaN-based THz QCLs for high-temperature applications, suggesting avenues for achieving room temperature operation and advancing THz QCL development.
Show moreSep 2024 • SciPost Physics Core
Judith F Stein, Aviad Frydman, Richard Berkovits
Analyzing complex experimental data with multiple parameters is challenging. We propose using Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) as an effective solution. This method, demonstrated through real experimental data analysis, surpasses conventional approaches in understanding complex physics data. Singular values and vectors distinguish and highlight various physical mechanisms and scales, revealing previously challenging elements. SVD emerges as a powerful tool for navigating complex experimental landscapes, showing promise for diverse experimental measurements.
Show moreSep 2024 • Optics Express
Or Sefi, A Ben Yehuda, Yishai Klein, Z Sobol, S Bloch, H Schwartz, E Cohen, S Shwartz
Hard x-ray imaging is indispensable across diverse fields owing to its high penetrability. However, the resolution of traditional x-ray imaging modalities, such as computed tomography (CT) systems, is constrained by factors including beam properties, the limitations of optical components, and detection resolution. As a result, the typical resolution in commercial imaging systems that provide full-field imaging is limited to a few hundred microns, and scanning CT systems are too slow for many applications. This study advances high-photon-energy imaging by extending the concept of computational ghost imaging to multipixel ghost imaging with x-rays. We demonstrate a remarkable resolution of approximately 20 µm for an image spanning 0.9 by 1 cm^2, comprised of 400,000 pixels and involving only 1000 realizations. Furthermore, we present a high-resolution CT reconstruction using our method, revealing …
Show moreSep 2024 • Viruses
Odelia Orbaum-Harel, Anna Sloutskin, Inna Kalt, Ronit Sarid
Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a cancer-causing virus that establishes life-long infection. KSHV is implicated in the etiology of Kaposi’s sarcoma, and a number of rare hematopoietic malignancies. The present study focuses on the KSHV open reading frame 20 (ORF20), a member of the conserved herpesvirus UL24 protein family containing five conserved homology domains and a conserved PD-(D/E)XK putative endonuclease motif, whose nuclease function has not been established to date. ORF20 encodes three co-linear protein isoforms, full length, intermediate, and short, though their differential functions are unknown. In an effort to determine the role of ORF20 during KSHV infection, we generated a recombinant ORF20-Null KSHV genome, which fails to express all three ORF20 isoforms. This genome was reconstituted in iSLK cells to establish a latent infection, which resulted in an accelerated transcription of viral mRNAs, an earlier accumulation of viral lytic proteins, an increase in the quantity of viral DNA copies, and a significant decrease in viral yield upon lytic reactivation. This was accompanied by early cell death of cells infected with the ORF20-Null virus. Functional complementation of the ORF20-Null mutant with the short ORF20 isoform rescued KSHV production, whereas its endonuclease mutant form failed to enhance lytic reactivation. Complementation with the short isoform further revealed a decrease in cell death as compared with ORF20-Null virus. Finally, expression of IL6 and CXCL8, previously shown to be affected by the hCMV UL24 homolog, was relatively low upon reactivation of cells infected with …
Show moreSep 2024 • Carbon
Moorthy Maruthapandi, Arulappan Durairaj, Arumugam Saravanan, John HT Luong, Aristides Bakandritsos, Aharon Gedanken, Radek Zboril
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are of growing concern due to their toxicity and environmental impact. Their facile detection is thus of a high importance but still challenging because they are unreactive and often present at very low concentrations. Developing sensing schemes for VOCs based on low-cost, sensitive, selective, and user-friendly methods is therefore crucial for environmental monitoring. To address these issues, we herein developed polymer supported carbon dots (CDs) by reacting tetraminobenzene with 2,4,6-trichlorophenyl oxalate using a simple reflux method. Owing to the selection of precursors, polymer supported fluorescent carbon dots (P-CDs) were grown decorating the synthesized polymeric spheres. The P-CDs composites were highly stable, and their fluorescence was drastically quenched by several VOC analytes (ethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, and ammonia) due …
Show moreSep 2024 • Optics Express
O Sefi, A Ben Yehuda, Y Klein, Z Sobol, S Bloch, H Schwartz, E Cohen, S Shwartz
Hard x-ray imaging is indispensable across diverse fields owing to its high penetrability. However, the resolution of traditional x-ray imaging modalities, such as computed tomography (CT) systems, is constrained by factors including beam properties, the limitations of optical components, and detection resolution. As a result, the typical resolution in commercial imaging systems that provide full-field imaging is limited to a few hundred microns, and scanning CT systems are too slow for many applications. This study advances high-photon-energy imaging by extending the concept of computational ghost imaging to multipixel ghost imaging with x-rays. We demonstrate a remarkable resolution of approximately 20 µm for an image spanning 0.9 by 1 cm^2, comprised of 400,000 pixels and involving only 1000 realizations. Furthermore, we present a high-resolution CT reconstruction using our method, revealing …
Show moreSep 2024 • arXiv preprint arXiv:2409.15549
Amit Te'eni, Zohar Schwartzman-Nowik, Marcin Nowakowski, Paweł Horodecki, Eliahu Cohen
Quantum query complexity mainly studies the number of queries needed to learn some property of a black box with high probability. A closely related question is how well an algorithm can succeed with this learning task using only a fixed number of queries. In this work, we propose measuring an algorithm's performance using the mutual information between the output and the actual value. A key observation is that if an algorithm is only allowed to make a single query and the goal is to optimize this mutual information, then we obtain a task which is similar to a basic task of quantum communication, where one attempts to maximize the mutual information of the sender and receiver. We make this analogy precise by formally considering the oracle as a separate subsystem, whose state records the unknown oracle identity. The oracle query prepares a state, which is then measured; and the target property of the oracle plays the role of a message that should be deduced from the measurement outcome. Thus we obtain a link between the optimal single-query algorithm and minimization of the extent of quantum correlations between the oracle and the computer subsystems. We also find a lower bound on this mutual information, which is related to quantum coherence. These results extend to multiple-query non-adaptive algorithms. As a result, we gain insight into the task of finding the optimal non-adaptive algorithm that uses at most a fixed number of queries, for any oracle problem.
Show moreSep 2024 • arXiv preprint arXiv:2309.01347
Ashwin Ramasubramaniam, Doron Naveh
Modulation of electronic properties of materials by electric fields is central to the operation of modern semiconductor devices, providing access to complex electronic behaviors and greater freedom in tuning the energy bands of materials. Here, we explore one-dimensional superlattices induced by a confining electrostatic potential in monolayer MoS, a prototypical two-dimensional semiconductor. Using first-principles calculations, we show that periodic potentials applied to monolayer MoS induce electrostatic superlattices in which the response is dominated by structural distortions relative to purely electronic effects. These structural distortions reduce the intrinsic band gap of the monolayer substantially while also polarizing the monolayer through piezoelectric coupling, resulting in spatial separation of charge carriers as well as Stark shifts that produce dispersive minibands. Importantly, these minibands inherit the valley-selective magnetic properties of monolayer MoS, enabling fine control over spin-valley coupling in MoS and similar transition-metal dichalcogenides.
Show moreSep 2024 • The Journal of Physical Chemistry B
Shelly Meron, Shahaf Peleg, Yulia Shenberger, Lukas Hofmann, Lada Gevorkyan-Airapetov, Sharon Ruthstein
In-cell electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy experiments provide high-resolution data about conformational changes of proteins within the cell. However, one of the limitations of EPR is the requisite of stable paramagnetic centers in a reducing environment. We recently showed that histidine-rich sites in proteins hold a high affinity to Cu(II) ions complexed with a chelator. Using a chelator prevents the reduction of Cu(II) ions. Moreover, this spin-labeling methodology can be performed within the native cellular environment on any overexpressed protein without protein purification and delivery to the cell. Herein, we use this novel methodology to gain spatial information on the extracellular domain of the human copper transporter, hCtr1. Limited structural information on the transmembrane domain of the human Ctr1 (hCtr1) was obtained using X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM. However, these …
Show moreSep 2024 • ACS Catalysis
Manoj Shanmugasundaram, Nagaprasad Reddy Samala, Ilya Grinberg, David Zitoun
Nanoconfinement of electrocatalytic reactions is a promising strategy to influence the reaction kinetics. The degree of confinement affects the electronic and mass transport parameters and breaks the scaling laws of surface activity in electrocatalysis. Herein, a strongly confined system has been designed to demonstrate the nanoconfinement effects on the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) in an alkaline medium. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with an inner diameter of 14 Å have been filled with a Pt single-atom catalyst (SAC). The kinetics of the HOR reaction in alkaline solution are slowed down by the confinement effect, with a high overpotential observed for Pt SAC in CNT compared with a nonconfined Pt catalyst. This effect was observed to a lower extent in Pt SAC in a CNT with a larger diameter. On the other hand, nanoconfinement does not slow down the kinetics in an acidic medium for any of these three types of …
Show moreSep 2024 • Elsevier Reference Collection in Chemistry
Ashim Nandi, Germán Molpeceres, Prashant K Gupta, Dan T Major, Johannes Kästner, Jan ML Marti, Sebastian Kozuch
Quantum tunneling (QT) is not an effect often considered in chemistry, and rightfully so. However, in many cases it is significant, and in some cases it is even considerable. In this chapter we will describe the basic tenets of QT with a focus on catalysis, followed by some of the most important tools to study and compute them. The chapter goes on to address the title of the chapter by discussing several clear cases of QT for hydrogen-based reactions in organometallic, enzymatic, astrochemical, and organic systems. The insights highlighted in the chapter showcase the importance of QT in specific catalyzed reactions and help uncover the instances that are worth of attention.
Show moreSep 2024 • The Journal of Physical Chemistry B
Wonmuk Hwang, Steven L Austin, Arnaud Blondel, Eric D Boittier, Stefan Boresch, Matthias Buck, Joshua Buckner, Amedeo Caflisch, Hao-Ting Chang, Xi Cheng, Yeol Kyo Choi, Jhih-Wei Chu, Michael F Crowley, Qiang Cui, Ana Damjanovic, Yuqing Deng, Mike Devereux, Xinqiang Ding, Michael F Feig, Jiali Gao, David R Glowacki, James E Gonzales, Mehdi Bagerhi Hamaneh, Edward D Harder, Ryan L Hayes, Jing Huang, Yandong Huang, Phillip S Hudson, Wonpil Im, Shahidul M Islam, Wei Jiang, Michael R Jones, Silvan Käser, Fiona L Kearns, Nathan R Kern, Jeffery B Klauda, Themis Lazaridis, Jinhyuk Lee, Justin A Lemkul, Xiaorong Liu, Yun Luo, Alexander D MacKerell Jr, Dan T Major, Markus Meuwly, Kwangho Nam, Lennart Nilsson, Victor Ovchinnikov, Emanuele Paci, Soohyung Park, Richard W Pastor, Amanda R Pittman, Carol Beth Post, Samarjeet Prasad, Jingzhi Pu, Yifei Qi, Thenmalarchelvi Rathinavelan, Daniel R Roe, Benoit Roux, Christopher N Rowley, Jana Shen, Andrew C Simmonett, Alexander J Sodt, Kai Töpfer, Meenu Upadhyay, Arjan van der Vaart, Luis Itza Vazquez-Salazar, Richard M Venable, Luke C Warrensford, H Lee Woodcock, Yujin Wu, Charles L Brooks III, Bernard R Brooks, Martin Karplus
Since its inception nearly a half century ago, CHARMM has been playing a central role in computational biochemistry and biophysics. Commensurate with the developments in experimental research and advances in computer hardware, the range of methods and applicability of CHARMM have also grown. This review summarizes major developments that occurred after 2009 when the last review of CHARMM was published. They include the following: new faster simulation engines, accessible user interfaces for convenient workflows, and a vast array of simulation and analysis methods that encompass quantum mechanical, atomistic, and coarse-grained levels, as well as extensive coverage of force fields. In addition to providing the current snapshot of the CHARMM development, this review may serve as a starting point for exploring relevant theories and computational methods for tackling contemporary and …
Show moreSep 2024 • SciPost Physics Core
Judith F Stein, Aviad Frydman, Richard Berkovits
Analyzing complex experimental data with multiple parameters is challenging. We propose using Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) as an effective solution. This method, demonstrated through real experimental data analysis, surpasses conventional approaches in understanding complex physics data. Singular values and vectors distinguish and highlight various physical mechanisms and scales, revealing previously challenging elements. SVD emerges as a powerful tool for navigating complex experimental landscapes, showing promise for diverse experimental measurements.
Show moreSep 2024 • arXiv e-prints
NJ Hartley, D Hodge, T Buckway, R Camacho, P Chow, E Christie, A Gleason, S Glenzer, A Halavanau, AM Hardy, C Recker, S Sheehan, S Shwartz, H Tarvin, M Ware, J Wunschel, Y Xiao, RL Sandberg, G Walker
We present measurements of X-ray Parametric Down Conversion at the Advanced Photon Source synchrotron facility. Using an incoming pump beam at 22 keV, we observe the simultaneous, elastic emission of down-converted photon pairs generated in a diamond crystal. The pairs are detected using high count rate silicon drift detectors with low noise. Production by down-conversion is confirmed by measuring time-energy correlations in the detector signal, where photon pairs within an energy window ranging from 10 to 12 keV are only observed at short time differences. By systematically varying the crystal misalignment and detector positions, we obtain results that are consistent with the constant total of the down-converted signal. Our maximum rate of observed pairs was 130/hour, corresponding to a conversion efficiency for the down-conversion process of .
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