Parallel refreshed cryogenic charge-locking array with low power dissipation

To build a large scale quantum circuit comprising millions of cryogenic qubits will require an efficient way to supply large numbers of classic control signals. Given the limited number of direct connections allowed from room temperature, multiple level of signal multiplexing becomes essential. The stacking of hardware to accomplish this task is highly dependent on the lowest level implementation of control electronics, of which an open question is the feasibility of mK integration. Such integration is preferred for signal transmission and wire interconnection, provided it is not limited by the large power dissipation involved. Novel cryogenic electronics that prioritises power efficiency has to be developed to meet the tight thermal budget. In this paper, we present a power efficient approach to implement charge-locking array

Gene expression profiling of canine osteosarcoma reveals genes associated with short and long survival times

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Gene expression profiling of spontaneous tumors in the dog offers a unique translational opportunity to identify prognostic biomarkers and signaling pathways that are common to both canine and human. Osteosarcoma (OS) accounts for approximately 80% of all malignant bone tumors in the dog. Canine OS are highly comparable with their human counterpart with respect to histology, high metastatic rate and poor long-term survival. This study investigates the prognostic gene profile among thirty-two primary canine OS using canine specific cDNA microarrays representing 20,313 genes to identify genes and cellular signaling pathways associated with survival. This, the first report of its kind in dogs with OS, also demonstrates the advantages of cross-species comparison with human OS.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The 32 tumors were classified into two prognostic groups based on survival time (ST). They were defined as short survivors (dogs with poor prognosis: surviving fewer than 6 months) and long survivors (dogs with better prognosis: surviving 6 months or longer). Fifty-one transcripts were found to be differentially expressed, with common upregulation of these genes in the short survivors. The overexpressed genes in short survivors are associated with possible roles in proliferation, drug resistance or metastasis. Several deregulated pathways identified in the present study, including Wnt signaling, Integrin signaling and Chemokine/cytokine signaling are comparable to the pathway analysis conducted on human OS gene profiles, emphasizing the value of the dog as an excellent model for humans.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A molecular-based method for discrimination of outcome for short and long survivors is useful for future prognostic stratification at initial diagnosis, where genes and pathways associated with cell cycle/proliferation, drug resistance and metastasis could be potential targets for diagnosis and therapy. The similarities between human and canine OS makes the dog a suitable pre-clinical model for future 'novel' therapeutic approaches where the current research has provided new insights on prognostic genes, molecular pathways and mechanisms involved in OS pathogenesis and disease progression.</p

HALON-hysterectomy by transabdominal laparoscopy or natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery : a randomised controlled trial (study protocol)

Acknowledgments The authors acknowledge the NOTES Investigators' team for taking care of the study participants; and Amanda McPhail for language correction and editing of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES) adnexectomy for benign pathology compared with laparoscopic excision (NOTABLE) : A protocol for a randomised controlled trial

M1 - 018059 Acknowledgments We thank the vNOTES investigators’ team for taking care of the study participants. We also thank Amanda McPhail for language correction and editing of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Reconfigurable multiplex setup for high throughput electrical characterisation at cryogenic temperature

In this paper, we present a reconfigurable multiplex (MUX) setup that increases the throughput of electrical characterisation at cryogenic temperature. The setup separates the MUX circuitry from quantum device under test (qDUT), allowing qDUT chips to be exchanged easily and MUX chips to be reused. To interface with different types of qDUTs, board-level designs are incorporated to allow interconnects flexibly routed into different topology. MUXs are built based on a multiple level selective gating (MLSG) scheme, where the number of multiplexed output channels (interconnects) is exponentially dependent on the number of control lines. In the prototype setup presented in this paper, with 14 out of 44 existing wires from room temperature, 4 MUXs at cryogenic temperature can supply in total 128 interconnects to interface with qDUTs. We validate the MUX setup operation and assess the various limits existed by measuring k$\Omega$ resistors made of $\mu$m-size graphene ribbons. We further demonstrate the setup by performing charge transport measurement on 128 nm-size graphene quantum devices in a single cooling down

Ordered arrays of gold nanoparticles crosslinked by dithioacetate linkers for molecular devices

The final performance of a molecular electronic device is determined by the chemical structure of the molecular wires used in its assembly. Molecular place-exchange was used to incorporate di-thioacetate terminated molecules into ordered arrays of dodecanethiol capped gold nanoparticles. X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed successful molecular replacement. Room-temperature molecular conductance of a statistically large number of devices reveals that conductance is enhanced by up to two orders of magnitude for the di-thioacetate terminated molecules. Density functional theory transport calculations were performed on five different configurations of the di-thioacetate molecules between gold electrodes, and the calculated average conductance values are in good agreement with the experimentally-observed conductance trend. Our findings highlight important cooperative effects of bridging neighboring gold nanoparticles and choice of appropriate molecular wires when designing devices for efficient transport

Adnexectomy by vaginal Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery versus laparoscopy : results of a first randomised controlled trial (NOTABLE trial)

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