Immunotronics - novel finite-state-machine architectures with built-in self-test using self-nonself differentiation

A novel approach to hardware fault tolerance is demonstrated that takes inspiration from the human immune system as a method of fault detection. The human immune system is a remarkable system of interacting cells and organs that protect the body from invasion and maintains reliable operation even in the presence of invading bacteria or viruses. This paper seeks to address the field of electronic hardware fault tolerance from an immunological perspective with the aim of showing how novel methods based upon the operation of the immune system can both complement and create new approaches to the development of fault detection mechanisms for reliable hardware systems. In particular, it is shown that by use of partial matching, as prevalent in biological systems, high fault coverage can be achieved with the added advantage of reducing memory requirements. The development of a generic finite-state-machine immunization procedure is discussed that allows any system that can be represented in such a manner to be "immunized" against the occurrence of faulty operation. This is demonstrated by the creation of an immunized decade counter that can detect the presence of faults in real tim

Advanced hydrogels based on natural macromolecules: chemical routes to achieve mechanical versatility

Advances in synthetic routes to chemically modify natural macromolecules such as polysaccharides and proteins have allowed designing functional hydrogels able to tackle current challenges in the biomedical field. Hydrogels are hydrophilic three-dimensional systems able to absorb or retain a large volume of water, prepared from a low percentage of precursor macromolecules. The typical fragile elastic structure of common hydrogel formulations often limits their usage. Three main fabrication strategies involving several compounds or multimodified materials known as double networks, dual-crosslinked networks, and interpenetrating networks have been explored to impart mechanical strength to hydrogels. Widely investigated for synthetic polymers, these approaches allow obtaining added-value hydrogels with a large spectrum of mechanical properties. Advances in the development of such hydrogels with biomacromolecules as main constituent materials have enabled the fabrication of hydrogels with improved key properties for medical use, including biocompatibility, controlled release of active substances and tailored biodegradability, while exploring sustainable sources. This review describes recent advances in the use of proteins, as well as natural and semi-synthetic polymers for the fabrication of hydrogels for biomedical applications. Structures processed via double network, dual-crosslinked, or interpenetrating network strategies are reviewed, and emphasis is given to the type of chemical modifications and reactions, as well as the covalent and non-covalent interactions/bonds involved in those mechanisms.publishe

DNA as Topological Quantum Computer

This article represents a vision about how DNA might act as a topological quantum computer (tqc). Tqc means that the braidings of braid strands define tqc programs and M-matrix (generalization of S-matrix in zero energy ontology) defining the entanglement between states assignable to the end points of strands define the tqc usually coded as unitary time evolution for Schödinger equation. One can ends up to the model in the following manner. a) Darwinian selection for which the standard theory of self-organization provides a model, should apply also to tqc programs. Tqc programs should correspond to asymptotic self-organization patterns selected by dissipation in the presence of metabolic energy feed. The spatial and temporal pattern of the metabolic energy feed characterizes the tqc program - or equivalently - sub-program call. b) Since braiding characterizes the tqc program, the self-organization pattern should correspond to a hydrodynamical flow or a pattern of magnetic field inducing the braiding. Braid strands must correspond to magnetic flux tubes of the magnetic body of DNA. If each nucleotide is transversal magnetic dipole it gives rise to transversal flux tubes, which can also connect to the genome of another cell. As a matter fact, the flux tubes would correspond to what I call wormhole magnetic fields having pairs of space-time sheets carrying opposite magnetic fluxes. c) The output of tqc sub-program is probability distribution for the outcomes of state function reduction so that the sub-program must be repeated very many times. It is represented as four-dimensional patterns for various rates (chemical rates, nerve pulse patterns, EEG power distributions, ...) having also identification as temporal densities of zero energy states in various scales. By the fractality of TGD Universe there is a hierarchy of tqcs corresponding to p-adic and dark matter hierarchies. Programs (space-time sheets defining coherence regions) call programs in shorter scale. If the self-organizing system has a periodic behavior each tqc module defines a large number of almost copies of itself asymptotically. Generalized EEG could naturally define this periodic pattern and each period of EEG would correspond to an initiation and halting of tqc. This brings in mind the periodically occurring sol-gel phase transition inside cell near the cell membrane. There is also a connection with hologram idea: EEG rhythm corresponds to reference wave and nerve pulse patters to the wave carrying the information and interfering with the reference wave. d) Fluid flow must induce the braiding which requires that the ends of braid strands must be anchored to the fluid flow. Recalling that lipid mono-layers of the cell membrane are liquid crystals and lipids of interior mono-layer have hydrophilic ends pointing towards cell interior, it is easy to guess that DNA nucleotides are connected to lipids by magnetic flux tubes and hydrophilic lipid ends are stuck to the flow. e) The topology of the braid traversing cell membrane cannot be affected by the hydrodynamical flow. Hence braid strands must be split during tqc. This also induces the desired magnetic isolation from the environment. Halting of tqc reconnects them and make possible the communication of the outcome of tqc. The model makes several testable predictions about DNA itself. In particular, matter-antimatter asymmetry and slightly broken isospin symmetry have counterparts at DNA level induced from the breaking of these symmetries for quarks and antiquarks associated with the flux tubes. DNA cell membrane system is not the only possible system that could perform tqc like activities and store memories in braidings: flux tubes could connect biomolecules and the braiding could provide an almost definition for what it is to be living. Even water memory might reduce to braidings. The model leads also to an improved understanding of other roles of the magnetic flux tubes containing dark matter. Phase transitions changing the value of Planck constant for the magnetic flux tubes could be key element of bio-catalysis and electromagnetic long distance communications in living matter. For instance, one ends up to what might be called code for protein folding and bio-catalysis. There is also a fascinating connection with Peter Gariaev's work suggesting that the phase transitions changing Planck constant have been observed and wormhole magnetic flux tubes containing dark matter have been photographed in his experiments

Building membrane nanopores

Membrane nanopores—hollow nanoscale barrels that puncture biological or synthetic membranes—have become powerful tools in chemical- and biosensing, and have achieved notable success in portable DNA sequencing. The pores can be self-assembled from a variety of materials, including proteins, peptides, synthetic organic compounds and, more recently, DNA. But which building material is best for which application, and what is the relationship between pore structure and function? In this Review, I critically compare the characteristics of the different building materials, and explore the influence of the building material on pore structure, dynamics and function. I also discuss the future challenges of developing nanopore technology, and consider what the next-generation of nanopore structures could be and where further practical applications might emerge

A comprehensive survey of recent advancements in molecular communication

With much advancement in the field of nanotechnology, bioengineering and synthetic biology over the past decade, microscales and nanoscales devices are becoming a reality. Yet the problem of engineering a reliable communication system between tiny devices is still an open problem. At the same time, despite the prevalence of radio communication, there are still areas where traditional electromagnetic waves find it difficult or expensive to reach. Points of interest in industry, cities, and medical applications often lie in embedded and entrenched areas, accessible only by ventricles at scales too small for conventional radio waves and microwaves, or they are located in such a way that directional high frequency systems are ineffective. Inspired by nature, one solution to these problems is molecular communication (MC), where chemical signals are used to transfer information. Although biologists have studied MC for decades, it has only been researched for roughly 10 year from a communication engineering lens. Significant number of papers have been published to date, but owing to the need for interdisciplinary work, much of the results are preliminary. In this paper, the recent advancements in the field of MC engineering are highlighted. First, the biological, chemical, and physical processes used by an MC system are discussed. This includes different components of the MC transmitter and receiver, as well as the propagation and transport mechanisms. Then, a comprehensive survey of some of the recent works on MC through a communication engineering lens is provided. The paper ends with a technology readiness analysis of MC and future research directions

Advance in Energy Harvesters/Nanogenerators and Self-Powered Sensors

This reprint is a collection of the Special Issue "Advance in Energy Harvesters/Nanogenerators and Self-Powered Sensors" published in Nanomaterials, which includes one editorial, six novel research articles and four review articles, showcasing the very recent advances in energy-harvesting and self-powered sensing technologies. With its broad coverage of innovations in transducing/sensing mechanisms, material and structural designs, system integration and applications, as well as the timely reviews of the progress in energy harvesting and self-powered sensing technologies, this reprint could give readers an excellent overview of the challenges, opportunities, advancements and development trends of this rapidly evolving field

Sustainable vegetable oil-based biomaterials: synthesis and biomedical applications

One of the main criteria for ecological sustainability is that the materials produced for common use are green. This can include the use of biomaterials and materials that are environmentally friendly, biodegradable and produced at low cost. The exploration of natural resources as sustainable precursors leads to the production of biopolymers that are useful for 3D printing technology. Recently, waste vegetable oils have been found to be a good alternative source for the production of biopolymers in various applications from the engineering to the biomedicine. In this review, the processes for the synthesis of vegetable oil-based biomaterials are described in detail. Moreover, the functionalization strategies to improve the mechanical properties of these materials and the cell-material interaction for their potential use as micro-structured scaffolds in regenerative medicine are discussed