Proposal for manipulating and detecting spin and orbital states of trapped electrons on helium using cavity quantum electrodynamics

We propose to couple an on-chip high finesse superconducting cavity to the lateral-motion and spin state of a single electron trapped on the surface of superfluid helium. We estimate the motional coherence times to exceed 15 microseconds, while energy will be coherently exchanged with the cavity photons in less than 10 nanoseconds for charge states and faster than 1 microsecond for spin states, making the system attractive for quantum information processing and cavity quantum electrodynamics experiments. Strong interaction with cavity photons will provide the means for both nondestructive readout and coupling of distant electrons.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, supplemental material

Biopesticide activity from drimanic compounds to control tomato pathogens

Indexación: Scopus.Tomato crops can be affected by several infectious diseases produced by bacteria, fungi, and oomycetes. Four phytopathogens are of special concern because of the major economic losses they generate worldwide in tomato production; Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, causative agents behind two highly destructive diseases, bacterial canker and bacterial speck, respectively; fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici that causes Fusarium Wilt, which strongly affects tomato crops; and finally, Phytophthora spp., which affect both potato and tomato crops. Polygodial (1), drimenol (2), isonordrimenone (3), and nordrimenone (4) were studied against these four phytopathogenic microorganisms. Among them, compound 1, obtained from Drimys winteri Forst, and synthetic compound 4 are shown here to have potent activity. Most promisingly, the results showed that compounds 1 and 4 affect Clavibacter michiganensis growth at minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) values of 16 and 32 μg/mL, respectively, and high antimycotic activity against Fusarium oxysporum and Phytophthora spp. with MIC of 64 μg/mL. The results of the present study suggest novel treatment alternatives with drimane compounds against bacterial and fungal plant pathogens. © 2018 by the authors.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/23/8/205

SNAI transcription factors mediate epithelial--mesenchymal transition in lung fibrosis

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal interstitial lung disease characterised by accumulation of activated (myo)fibroblasts and excessive extracellular matrix deposition. The enhanced accumulation of (myo)fibroblasts may be attributed, in part, to the process of transforming growth factor \textgreekb1 (TGF\textgreekb1)-induced epithelial--mesenchymal transition (EMT), the phenotypic switching of epithelial to fibroblast-like cells. Although alveolar epithelial type II (ATII) cells have been shown to undergo EMT, the precise mediators and mechanisms remain to be resolved. The objective of this study is to investigate the role of SNAI transcription factors in the process of EMT and in IPF.Methods: Using quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, western blotting, as well as gain- and loss-of-function studies and functional assays, the role of SNAI1 and SNAI2 in TGF\textgreekb1-induced EMT in ATII cells in vitro was assessed; and the expression of SNAI transcription factors was analysed in experimental and human IPF in vivo.Results: TGF\textgreekb1 treatment increased the expression and nuclear accumulation of SNAI1 and SNAI2, in concert with induction of EMT in ATII cells. SNAI overexpression was sufficient to induce EMT, and small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated SNAI depletion attenuated TGF\textgreekb1-induced ATII cell migration and EMT. SNAI expression was elevated in experimental and human IPF and localised to hyperplastic ATII cells in vivo.Conclusions: The results demonstrate that TGF\textgreekb1-induced EMT in ATII cells is essentially controlled by the expression and nuclear translocation of SNAI transcription factors. Increased SNAI1 and SNAI2 expression in experimental and human IPF in vivo suggests that SNAI-mediated EMT may contribute to the fibroblast pool in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Adaptive Path Planning for Depth Constrained Bathymetric Mapping with an Autonomous Surface Vessel

This paper describes the design, implementation and testing of a suite of algorithms to enable depth constrained autonomous bathymetric (underwater topography) mapping by an Autonomous Surface Vessel (ASV). Given a target depth and a bounding polygon, the ASV will find and follow the intersection of the bounding polygon and the depth contour as modeled online with a Gaussian Process (GP). This intersection, once mapped, will then be used as a boundary within which a path will be planned for coverage to build a map of the Bathymetry. Methods for sequential updates to GP's are described allowing online fitting, prediction and hyper-parameter optimisation on a small embedded PC. New algorithms are introduced for the partitioning of convex polygons to allow efficient path planning for coverage. These algorithms are tested both in simulation and in the field with a small twin hull differential thrust vessel built for the task.Comment: 21 pages, 9 Figures, 1 Table. Submitted to The Journal of Field Robotic

Point force manipulation and activated dynamics of polymers adsorbed on structured substrates

We study the activated motion of adsorbed polymers which are driven over a structured substrate by a localized point force.Our theory applies to experiments with single polymers using, for example, tips of scanning force microscopes to drag the polymer.We consider both flexible and semiflexible polymers,and the lateral surface structure is represented by double-well or periodic potentials. The dynamics is governed by kink-like excitations for which we calculate shapes, energies, and critical point forces. Thermally activated motion proceeds by the nucleation of a kink-antikink pair at the point where the force is applied and subsequent diffusive separation of kink and antikink. In the stationary state of the driven polymer, the collective kink dynamics can be described by an one-dimensional symmetric simple exclusion process.Comment: 7 pages, 2 Figure

Foreword

The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between gender, discourse and technology, and the resulting construction of bodily norms, in a contemporary environment dominated by info- and bio-technologies. The premise from which this study starts is that the ‘intra-action’ between gender, discourse and technology plays a central role in shaping contemporary identities. The study is based on close readings of material from three case studies: cyberpunk fiction, (in)fertility weblogs and the World Health Organisation guidelines on naming of biotechnologies. The distinctive combination of the three case studies provides a unique perspective on the relationship between gender, discourse and technology, showing how it shifts across different contexts, and demonstrating the socio-historical contingency of the bodily norms produced therein. This study is comprised of three empirical texts, one theoretical text and a kappa. The analysis shows how innovative cyberpunk narratives challenge not only human/non-human boundaries, but also genre and gender conventions. The specific format of the blog allows women’s experiences of infertility to be heard and produces hybrid discourses which challenge contemporary authoritative discourses about femininity. The third case study explores the assignment of International Nonproprietary Names to new biotechnologies, and the implications of this on the construction of patients’ bodies. Finally, the theoretical text contributes to existing feminist analyses of technoscience by proposing a new tool called abject/noise for examining disruptions to discursive and bodily coherence. This tool is then tested on a series of documents about the assignment of International Nonproprietary Names to new biotechnologies. Throughout, the importance of ‘situated knowledges’ is emphasised, both in how gender, discourse and technology are understood, but also in the norms produced and the position of the researcher.Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka relationen mellan genus, diskurs och teknik och hur denna relation bidrar till att konstruera vissa typer av kroppsnormer, speciellt som vår samtid infärgas av informationsteknik och bioteknik. Utgångspunkten för denna studie är att ’intra-action’ mellan genus, diskurs och teknik spelar en central roll i utformningen av samtida identiteter. Studien bygger på närläsningar av material från tre fallstudier: cyberpunk-litteratur, in/fertilitetets-bloggar och Världs-hälsoorganisationens riktlinjer för namngivning av bioteknik. Kombinationen av de tre fallstudierna ger ett unikt perspektiv på relationen mellan genus, diskurs och teknik. Den visar hur relationen skiftar mellan olika sammanhang, och hur denna är kulturellt villkorad och därmed tillåter vissa kroppsliga normer att upstå och cirkulera. Denna undersökning består av tre empiriskt grundade texter, en mer teoretisk text och en kappa. Den försten analysen visar hur innovativa cyberpunk berättelser inte bara utmanar föreställningar kring det mänsklig / icke-mänskliga gränser, utan också själva genren i sig och dess kulturella konventionerna kring genus. Det specifika format webbloggen (eller blogg) i den andra fallstudien tillåter kvinnors upplevelser av infertilitet att höras och producerar genreöverlappningar och igen-kännanden som utmanar samtida normativ diskurser om reproduktiv kvinnlighet. Den tredje fallstudien undersöker tilldelningen av ett så kallat Internationellt generiskt namn till nya biotekniska produkter, och konsekvenserna detta får för konstruktionen av patienternas genusifierade kroppar. Slutligen bidrar den teoretiska texten till befintliga feministiska analyser av ’teknovetenskap’ genom att föreslå ett nytt verktyg som kallas ’abject/noise’ för att undersöka störningar i diskursiva och kroppsliga sammanhang. Detta verktyg testats sedan också analytiskt på dokumentar som rör tilldelningen av Internationellt generiskt namn till ny bioteknik. Genom hela avhandlingen läggs tonvikten på ’situerad kunskap’, både gäller hur genus, diskurs och teknik förstås kontextuellt, hur normer blir till och hur forskaren positionerar sig