Large nuclear spin polarization in gate-defined quantum dots using a single-domain nanomagnet

The electron-nuclei (hyperfine) interaction is central to spin qubits in solid state systems. It can be a severe decoherence source but also allows dynamic access to the nuclear spin states. We study a double quantum dot exposed to an on-chip single-domain nanomagnet and show that its inhomogeneous magnetic field crucially modifies the complex nuclear spin dynamics such that the Overhauser field tends to compensate external magnetic fields. This turns out to be beneficial for polarizing the nuclear spin ensemble. We reach a nuclear spin polarization of ~50%, unrivaled in lateral dots, and explain our manipulation technique using a comprehensive rate equation model

Konzepte der internetbasierten Gerätesteuerung

Auf dem Gebiet der Gerätesteuerung existieren zahlreiche Insellösungen, die den Anspruch nach generischer Eignung nicht erfüllen. In besonderer Weise defizitär ist der Mangel an ganzheitlichen, offenen Frameworks, bei denen die Autokonfiguration, die Gerätezuordenbarkeit vor Ort, die Geräteüberwachbarkeit, die Inter-Gerätekommunikation und die Automatisierbarkeit von Abläufen Berücksichtigung finden. Vor diesem Hintergrund öffnet die Arbeit mit einer Bestandsaufnahme von Technologien, die Einzelanforderungen der generischen Gerätesteuerung erfüllen. Sie bilden im weiteren Verlauf das potentielle Architekturfundament. Der Betrachtungsrahmen wird hierbei soweit ausgedehnt, dass relevante Verfahrensschritte vom Geräteanschluss bis zur automatisierten Generierung von User Interfaces abgedeckt sind. Unter Rückgriff auf ausgewählte Technologien wird ein zweigliedriger Ansatz vorgestellt, der ein sehr breites Spektrum potentieller Steuergeräte unterstützt und gleichzeitig technologieoffen im Hinblick auf die Autogenerierung von User Interfaces ist. Höchstmögliche Funktionalität wird durch die Beschreibungssprache Device XML (DevXML) erreicht, deren Entwicklung einen Schwerpunkt der Arbeit darstellte. In Anlehnung an die etablierte Petrinetztheorie werden Abhängigkeiten zwischen Zuständen und Funktionen formal beschrieben. Das Sprachvokabular von DevXML ermöglicht hierauf aufbauend Regeldefinitionen mit dem Ziel der Ablaufautomatisierung. Das entworfene Framework wurde anhand von insgesamt elf praktischen Beispielen wie z.B. einem Schalter, einem Heizungsmodul, einem Multimeter bis hin zu virtuellen Geräten erfolgreich verifiziert

Análise da eficiência produtiva de uma indústria de cordoaria por meio de simulação computacional discreta

RESUMO Este estudo apresenta a análise da eficiência produtiva de uma indústria de cordoaria por meio da simulação computacional discreta. O objetivo do trabalho foi de buscar alternativas para incremento da capacidade produtiva da linha produtiva. A metodologia utilizada apoiou-se inicialmente na compreensão do sistema atual, seguindo para coleta de dados e modelagem do modelo. Posteriormente, foram testados cenários de operação, os quais incluíram adição de máquinas e paradas de produção. O primeiro visou avaliar estratégias para expansão da produção e o segundo para compreensão do impacto dos desvios de produção. Os resultados dos cenários demonstram a necessidade da diminuição de paradas de produção de alto impacto, bem como do aumento da produtividade por meios mais viáveis em termos financeiros (como aumento dos turnos de produção ao invés do investimento em maquinário)

NFT-enriched smart contracts for smart circular economy models

A smart contract is an electronic transaction protocol intended to digitally facilitate, verify, or enforce the execution of the terms of underlying legal agreements. Thus, by following the traditional perception, smart contracts target reducing transaction costs, including arbitration and enforcement costs, by realizing trackable and irreversible transactions using blockchain technology for distributed databases. However, the potential of smart contracts goes far beyond cost reductions by facilitating the entrepreneurial collaboration of cross-organizational business processes. Industry 4.0 aims to create smart supply chains. Smart contracts and Non-Fungible Token (NFT) solutions can realize new smart business models in the circular economy. The recent case study from the automobile industry demonstrates how using NFT technology in the form of a digital certificate can become an integral part of smart product lifecycle management in the frame of a circular economy integrating innovative business models with smart service design concepts. By doing so, the use of NFT paves the way for dynamic and adaptable supply chains, evolving needs of stakeholders towards a sustainable and circular economy. The authors participated in research projects related to smart supply chains and circular economy. Thus, the paper discusses the question of how and to what extent smart contracting, blockchain technology, NFT solutions, and Service Design can facilitate the implementation of smart business models in the context of the circular economy. The research is based on expert interviews, surveys, and case studies from EU projects focusing on the Baltic Sea Region

Method for in-field texture analysis of sugar beet roots using a handheld penetrometer

Methodology for analysing textural properties of sugar beet roots in the laboratory has previously been established. It has been shown to be reliable and of value in exploring relationships between textural properties, damage rates, and storability of varieties. In this paper, a methodology for the assessment of textural properties in-field, prior to harvest, using an inexpensive handheld penetrometer is examined. Three sugar beet varieties were grown in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Sweden during 2019. Textural properties were assessed in-field with the handheld penetrometer 2, 1 and 0 months prior to harvest, and with the laboratory penetrometer directly after harvest. Comparison of the results showed generally strong correlations. A power analysis suggests a difference in mean Handheld Pressure of 0.10 MPa could be found significant within a large trial with a block design. The reliability of the handheld penetrometer was further assessed in the Swedish national variety trials over three years (2019-2021). Correlation coefficients of 0.86 and 0.94 were found between mean Handheld Pressure for 2019 and 2020, and 2020 and 2021 respectively. The handheld penetrometer can be applied as an economic means of quantifying differences in textural properties of sugar beet varieties. Clear operating procedure and training must exist

Dual staining with CFDA-AM and SYTOX Blue in flow cytometry analysis of UV-irradiated Tetraselmis suecica to evaluate vitality

After disinfection of ballast water, it is crucial to detect organisms and determine their vitality to assess the performance of the chosen treatment technique. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is a treatment technology commonly used for water disinfection. In this study, the phytoplankter Tetraselmis suecica was UV irradiated and subsequently stained with both 5-carboxyfluorescein diacetate acetoxymethyl ester (CFDA-AM) and SYTOX Blue, staining metabolically active and membrane-permeable cells, respectively. This dual staining protocol can be used to assess samples during type approval of UV-based treatment systems. Non-irradiated and UV-irradiated samples were incubated in darkness, to simulate a ballast water transport, after which the vitality and viability T. suecica were monitored regularly over a period of 15 d. Flow cytometry (FCM) analysis separated the cells into 4 FCM populations (=single cells grouped together based on their fluorescence signals) according to differences in esterase activity and membrane integrity. UV-irradiated samples followed a different staining pattern compared to non-irradiated samples, where 1 specific FCM population of cells expressed esterase activity, but at the same time gave signals for disrupted membranes. This is useful as a sign of future death and is interpreted as an ‘early warning’ FCM population. FCM results were also compared to corresponding plate count results, differentiating vital, viable cells from vital, non-viable cells. We argue that dual staining with SYTOX Blue and CFDA-AM facilitates and improves FCM analysis when evaluating the performance of UV-based water treatment systems.publishedVersio

Dual staining with CFDA-AM and SYTOX Blue in flow cytometry analysis of UV-irradiated Tetraselmis suecica to evaluate vitality

After disinfection of ballast water, it is crucial to detect organisms and determine their vitality to assess the performance of the chosen treatment technique. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is a treatment technology commonly used for water disinfection. In this study, the phytoplankter Tetraselmis suecica was UV irradiated and subsequently stained with both 5-carboxyfluorescein diacetate acetoxymethyl ester (CFDA-AM) and SYTOX Blue, staining metabolically active and membrane-permeable cells, respectively. This dual staining protocol can be used to assess samples during type approval of UV-based treatment systems. Non-irradiated and UV-irradiated samples were incubated in darkness, to simulate a ballast water transport, after which the vitality and viability T. suecica were monitored regularly over a period of 15 d. Flow cytometry (FCM) analysis separated the cells into 4 FCM populations (=single cells grouped together based on their fluorescence signals) according to differences in esterase activity and membrane integrity. UV-irradiated samples followed a different staining pattern compared to non-irradiated samples, where 1 specific FCM population of cells expressed esterase activity, but at the same time gave signals for disrupted membranes. This is useful as a sign of future death and is interpreted as an ‘early warning’ FCM population. FCM results were also compared to corresponding plate count results, differentiating vital, viable cells from vital, non-viable cells. We argue that dual staining with SYTOX Blue and CFDA-AM facilitates and improves FCM analysis when evaluating the performance of UV-based water treatment systems.publishedVersio

Diabetes is associated with impaired myocardial performance in patients without significant coronary artery disease

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) have high risk of heart failure. Whether some of the risk is directly linked to metabolic derangements in the myocardium or whether the risk is primarily caused by coronary artery disease (CAD) and hypertension is incompletely understood. Echocardiographic tissue Doppler imaging was therefore performed in DM patients without significant CAD to examine whether DM per se influenced cardiac function.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Patients with a left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) > 35% and without significant CAD, prior myocardial infarction, cardiac pacemaker, atrial fibrillation, or significant valve disease were identified from a tertiary invasive center register. DM patients were matched with controls on age, gender and presence of hypertension.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In total 31 patients with diabetes and 31 controls were included. Mean age was 58 ± 12 years, mean LVEF was 51 ± 7%, and 48% were women. No significant differences were found in LVEF, left atrial end systolic volume, or left ventricular dimensions. The global longitudinal strain was significantly reduced in patients with DM (15.9 ± 2.9 vs. 17.7 ± 2.9, p = 0.03), as were peak longitudinal systolic (S') and early diastolic (E') velocities (5.7 ± 1.1 vs. 6.4 ± 1.1 cm/s, p = 0.02 and 6.1 ± 1.7 vs. 7.7 ± 2.0 cm/s, p = 0.002). In multivariable regression analyses, DM remained significantly associated with impairments of S' and E', respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In patients without significant CAD, DM is associated with an impaired systolic longitudinal LV function and global diastolic dysfunction. These abnormalities are likely to be markers of adverse prognosis.</p

Smoking and obesity associated BDNF gene variance predicts total and cardiovascular mortality in smokers.

OBJECTIVE: The brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) locus has been implicated in psychiatric and substance related disorders. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have shown strong associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms in BDNF, smoking behaviour and high body mass index (BMI). Our aim was to test whether genetic BDNF variation alters the risk of smoking related morbidity and mortality. DESIGN: Cox proportional hazards models were used to relate the BDNF rs4923461(A/G) polymorphisms to all-cause, cancer and cardiovascular mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence adjusted for age, sex, BMI, and smoking quantity. SETTING: The Malmö Diet and Cancer Study (MDCS), a population based prospective cohort study (n=30 447). PATIENTS: We obtained complete data on 25 071 subjects, of whom 6507 were current smokers and 18 564 were non-smokers who underwent a baseline examination from 1991-1996. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: During a mean follow-up time of 12 years, 1049 deaths (346 cardiovascular deaths and 492 cancer deaths) and 802 incident CVD events occurred among current smokers. RESULTS: The major allele (A) of rs4923461 was significantly associated with ever having smoked (p=0.03) and high BMI (p=0.001). The A-allele was associated with risk of all-cause (HR=1.12, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.25; p<0.05) and CVD (HR=1.23, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.49; p=0.04) mortality. There was no significant association between the rs4923461 and cancer mortality or CVD incidence. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that smoking- and obesity-associated variation of the BDNF gene affects the risk of death, especially due to cardiovascular causes, in smokers. Determination of the BDNF genotype in smokers may guide the need for smoking cessation interventions

Post-Translational Inhibition of IP-10 Secretion in IEC by Probiotic Bacteria: Impact on Chronic Inflammation

Peer reviewedPublisher PD