Highly conductive, ionic liquid-based polymer electrolytes

In this manuscript is reported a thermal and impedance spectroscopy investigation carried out on quaternary polymer electrolytes, to be addressed as separators for lithium solid polymer batteries, containing large amount of the N-methyl-N-propylpyrrolidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide ionic liquid. The target is the development of Li+ conducting membranes with enhanced ion transport even below room temperature. Polyethylene oxide and polymethyl methacrylate were selected as the polymeric hosts. A fully dry, solvent-free procedure was followed for the preparation of the polymer electrolytes, which were seen to be self-consistent and handled even upon prolonged storage periods (more than 1 year). Appealing ionic conductivities were observed especially for the PEO electrolytes, i.e., 1.6 × 10-3and 1.5 × 10-4 S cm-1 were reached at 20 and -20°C, respectively, which are ones the best, if not the best ion conduction, never detected for polymer electrolytes

A nonmonotone GRASP

A greedy randomized adaptive search procedure (GRASP) is an itera- tive multistart metaheuristic for difficult combinatorial optimization problems. Each GRASP iteration consists of two phases: a construction phase, in which a feasible solution is produced, and a local search phase, in which a local optimum in the neighborhood of the constructed solution is sought. Repeated applications of the con- struction procedure yields different starting solutions for the local search and the best overall solution is kept as the result. The GRASP local search applies iterative improvement until a locally optimal solution is found. During this phase, starting from the current solution an improving neighbor solution is accepted and considered as the new current solution. In this paper, we propose a variant of the GRASP framework that uses a new “nonmonotone” strategy to explore the neighborhood of the current solu- tion. We formally state the convergence of the nonmonotone local search to a locally optimal solution and illustrate the effectiveness of the resulting Nonmonotone GRASP on three classical hard combinatorial optimization problems: the maximum cut prob- lem (MAX-CUT), the weighted maximum satisfiability problem (MAX-SAT), and the quadratic assignment problem (QAP)

Hyperentanglement of two photons in three degrees of freedom

A 6-qubit hyperentangled state has been realized by entangling two photons in three degrees of freedom. These correspond to the polarization, the longitudinal momentum and the indistinguishable emission produced by a 2-crystal system operating with Type I phase matching in the spontaneous parametric down conversion regime. The state has been characterized by a chained interferometric apparatus and its complete entangled nature has been tested by a novel witness criterium specifically introduced for hyperentangled states. The experiment represents the first realization of a genuine hyperentangled state with the maximum entanglement between the two particles allowed in the given Hilbert space.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, Revtex

Stochastic macromodeling for hierarchical uncertainty quantification of nonlinear electronic systems

A hierarchical stochastic macromodeling approach is proposed for the efficient variability analysis of complex nonlinear electronic systems. A combination of the Transfer Function Trajectory and Polynomial Chaos methods is used to generate stochastic macromodels. In order to reduce the computational complexity of the model generation when the number of stochastic variables increases, a hierarchical system decomposition is used. Pertinent numerical results validate the proposed methodology

Minimal model for active nematics: quasi-long-range order and giant fluctuations

We propose a minimal microscopic model for active nematic particles similar in spirit to the Vicsek model for self-propelled polar particles. In two dimensions, we show that this model exhibits a Kosterlitz-Thouless-like transition to quasi-long-range orientational order and that in this non-equilibrium context, the ordered phase is characterized by giant density fluctuations, in agreement with the predictions of Ramaswamy {\it et al.} [Europhys. Lett. {\bf 62}, 196 (2003)].Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett. 4 pages, 4 figure

External ultrasound-assisted lipectomy: effects on abdominal adipose tissue

The use of ultrasound “on the surface” was hypothesized by Scuderi et al. in 19871 and resumed by Zocchi in 1996.2 Ultrasound-assisted liposuction is as a technique that can be associated with suctionassisted lipectomy.3 This new technique is called external ultrasound-assisted lipectomy. Whereas ultrasound- assisted liposuction emulsifies adipose tissue due to adipocyte membrane lysis, external ultrasound- assisted lipectomy, being less “invasive,” induces cell-to-cell contact loss and alters collagenic fibers. This leads to an easier detachment of adipose cells, which remain unaltered and can be mechanically removed. The external ultrasound-assisted lipectomy technique is the transcutaneous application of ultrasound by means of high-frequency ultrasound upon massive infiltrated tissue, followed by traditional liposuction. Results showed that several different effects were detected on both adipocytes and collagen fibers

The Razumov-Stroganov conjecture: Stochastic processes, loops and combinatorics

A fascinating conjectural connection between statistical mechanics and combinatorics has in the past five years led to the publication of a number of papers in various areas, including stochastic processes, solvable lattice models and supersymmetry. This connection, known as the Razumov-Stroganov conjecture, expresses eigenstates of physical systems in terms of objects known from combinatorics, which is the mathematical theory of counting. This note intends to explain this connection in light of the recent papers by Zinn-Justin and Di Francesco.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, JSTAT News & Perspective

Human Adipose Stem Cells: From Bench to Bed-Side

Stem cell-based therapies for repair and regeneration of different tissues are becoming more important in the treatment of several diseases. Adult stem cells currently symbolize the most available source of cell progenitors for tissue engineering and repair and can be harvested using minimally invasive procedures. Moreover, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), the most widely used stem cells in stem cell-based therapies, are multipotent progenitors, with capability to differentiate into cartilage, bone, connective, muscle, and adipose tissue. So far, bone marrow has been regarded as the main source of MSCs. To date, human adult adipose tissue may be the best suitable alternative source of MSCs. Adipose stem cells (ASCs) can be largely extracted from subcutaneous human adult adipose tissue. A large number of studies show that adipose tissue contains a biologically and clinically interesting heterogeneous cell population called stromal vascular fraction (SVF). The SVF may be employed directly or cultured for selection and expansion of an adherent population, so called adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs). In recent years, literature based on data related to SVF cells and ASCs has augmented considerably: These studies have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of SVF cells and ASCs in vivo in animal models. On the basis of these observations, in several countries, various clinical trials involving SVF cells and ASCs have been permitted. This review aims at summarizing data regarding either ASCs cellular biology or ASCs-based clinical trials and at discussing the possible future clinical translation of ASCs and their potentiality in cell-based tissue engineering