Efficient design and implementation of approximate FA, FS, and FA/S circuits for nanocomputing in QCA.

Recently, there has been a lot of research in Quantum Cellular Automata (QCA) technology because it promises low power consumption, low complexity, low latency, and compact space. Simultaneously, approximate arithmetic, a new paradigm in computing, streamlines the computational process and emerges as a low-power, high-performance design approach for arithmetic circuits. Furthermore, the XOR gate has been widely used in digital design and is a basic building block that can be used in many upcoming technologies. The full adder (FA) circuit is a key component of QCA technology and is utilized in arithmetic logic operations including subtraction, multiplication, and division. A great deal of research has been done on the design of approximate FA, full subtractor (FS), full adder/subtractor (FA/S), and 4-bit ripple carry adder (RCA) based on XOR logic, establishing them as essential components in the creation of QCA-based arithmetic circuits. This study presents three new and effective QCA-based circuits, based on XOR logic: an approximate FA, an approximate FS, an approximate FA/S, and an approximate 4-bit ripple carry adder (RCA). Interestingly, some designs have inputs on one side and outputs on the other, making it easier to reach the components without being encircled by other cells and leading to a more effective circuit design. In particular, a delay of 0.5 clock phases, an area of 0.01 µm2, and implementation utilizing just 11 cells was accomplished in the approximate FA and subtractor designs. In a similar vein, the estimated FA/S designs showed 0.5 clock phase delay, 0.01 µm2 area, and 12 cells used for implementation. An approximate 4-bit RCA is proposed using 64 QCA cells. The effectiveness of these designs is evaluated through functional verification with the QCADesigner program. According to simulation results, these proposed solutions not only function well but significantly outperform previous ideas in terms of speed and space. The proposed FA, FS, and RCA designs surpassed the previous best designs by 21%, 21%, and 43%, respectively, in terms of cell count.

Molecular Logic Gate for Sensing pH/Peroxynitrite with Potential Applications in Cisplatin Treatment.

Cisplatin is a common chemotherapy drug for multiple solid tumors; however, due to the nitrification of peroxynitrite (ONOO-), a series of side effects seriously affect its dose and efficacy. Considering that the reactivity of ONOO- is significantly affected by pH in vitro, revealing their roles in living cells contributes to understanding the side-effect process induced by cisplatin. Herein, we present a near-infrared fluorescent logic gate for sensing pH/ONOO-, which can accurately discriminate four scenarios (no analyte, analyte H+ alone, analyte ONOO- alone, and H+ + ONOO-) and which one comes first. With this probe, the significant roles of pH and ONOO- in cisplatin treatment are disclosed, in which the cell account shows a dramatic reduction accompanied by decreased pH and upregulated ONOO- levels. By artificially recovering the pH, the ONOO- content and cell account can maintain a stable state, possibly due to the protection from acidification and nitration. This work provides an ideal pH/ONOO- logical sensor for revealing their potential roles under cisplatin, which is expected to proffer new insights into more related diseases and drug research.

An electrochemical biosensor equipped with a logic circuit as a smart automaton for two-miRNA pattern detection.

Detecting multiple targets in complex cellular and biological environments yields more reliable results than single-label assays. Here, we introduced an electrochemical biosensor equipped with computing functions, acting as a smart automaton to enable computing-based detection. By defining the logic combinations of miR-21 and miR-122 as detection patterns, we proposed the corresponding AND and OR detection automata. In both logic gate modes, miR-21 and miR-122 could be replaced with single-stranded FO or FA, modified with Fc, binding to the S chain on the electrode surface. This process led to a significant decrease in the square wave voltammetry (SWV) of Fc on the same sensing platform, as numerous ferrocene (Fc)-tagged DNA fragments escaped from the electrode surface. Experimental results indicated that both automata efficiently and sensitively detected the presence of the two targets. This strategy highlighted how a small amount of target could generate a large current signal decrease in the logic automata, significantly reducing the detection limit for monitoring low-abundance targets. Moreover, the short-stranded DNA components of the detection automata exhibited a simple composition and easy programmability of probe sequences, offering an innovative detection mode. This simplified the complex process of detection, data collection, computation, and evaluation. The direct detection result ("0" or "1") was exported according to the embedded computation code. This approach could be expanded into a detection system for identifying other sets of biomarkers, enhancing its potential for clinical applications.

Who is performing the driving tasks after interventions? Investigating drivers' understanding of mode transition logic in automated vehicles.

Mode awareness is important for the safe use of automated vehicles, yet drivers' understanding of mode transitions has not been sufficiently investigated. In this study, we administered an online survey to 838 respondents to examine their understanding of control responsibilities in partial and conditional driving automation with four types of interventions (brake pedal, steering wheel, gas pedal, and take-over request). Results show that most drivers understand that they are responsible for speed and distance control after brake pedal interventions and steering control after steering wheel interventions. However, drivers have mixed responses regarding the responsibility for speed and distance control after steering wheel interventions and the responsibility for steering control after gas pedal interventions. With a higher automation level (conditional driving automation), drivers expect automation to remain responsible more often compared to a lower automation level (partial driving automation). Regarding Hands-on requirements, more than 99% of respondents answered that drivers would keep their hands on the steering wheel after all intervention types in partial automation, while 60-95% would place their hands on the wheel after various intervention types in conditional automation. A misalignment between actual logic and drivers' expectations regarding control responsibilities is observed by comparing survey responses to the mode transition logic of commercial partially automated vehicles. To resolve confusion about control responsibilities and ensure consistent expectations, we propose implementing a consistent mode design and providing enhanced information to drivers.

Subjective logic as a complementary tool to meta-analysis to explicitly address second-order uncertainty in research findings: A case from infant studies.

Any experiment brings about results and conclusions that necessarily have a component of uncertainty. Many factors influence the degree of this uncertainty, yet they can be overlooked when drawing conclusions from a body of research. Here, we showcase how subjective logic could be employed as a complementary tool to meta-analysis to incorporate the chosen sources of uncertainty into the answer that researchers seek to provide to their research question. We illustrate this approach by focusing on a body of research already meta-analyzed, whose overall aim was to assess if human infants prefer prosocial agents over antisocial agents. We show how each finding can be encoded as a subjective opinion, and how findings can be aggregated to produce an answer that explicitly incorporates uncertainty. We argue that a core feature and strength of this approach is its transparency in the process of factoring in uncertainty and reasoning about research findings. Subjective logic promises to be a powerful complementary tool to incorporate uncertainty explicitly and transparently in the evaluation of research.

Reasoning From Quantified Modal Premises.

Quantified modal inferences interest logicians, linguists, and computer scientists, but no previous psychological study of them appears to be in the literature. Here is an example of one: All those artists are businessmen. Paulo is possibly one of the artists. What follows? People tend to conclude: Paulo is possibly a businessman (Experiment 1). It seems plausible, and it follows from an intuitive mental model in which Paulo is one of a set of artists who are businessmen. Further deliberation can yield a model of an alternative possibility in which Paulo is not one of the artists, which confirms that the conclusion is only a possibility. The snag is that standard modal logics, which deal with possibilities, cannot yield a particular conclusion to any premises: Infinitely many follow validly (from any premises) but they do not include the present conclusion. Yet, further experiments corroborated a new mental model theory's predictions for various inferences (Experiment 2), for the occurrence of factual conclusions drawn from premises about possibilities (Experiment 3) and for inferences from premises of modal syllogisms (Experiment 4). The theory is therefore plausible, but we explore the feasibility of a cognitive theory based on modifications to modal logic.

The logic of silence.

In this paper we investigate the notion of silence using different tools, in particular the hexagon of oppositions.

Multi-layered computational gene networks by engineered tristate logics.

So far, biocomputation strictly follows traditional design principles of digital electronics, which could reach their limits when assembling gene circuits of higher complexity. Here, by creating genetic variants of tristate buffers instead of using conventional logic gates as basic signal processing units, we introduce a tristate-based logic synthesis (TriLoS) framework for resource-efficient design of multi-layered gene networks capable of performing complex Boolean calculus within single-cell populations. This sets the stage for simple, modular, and low-interference mapping of various arithmetic logics of interest and an effectively enlarged engineering space within single cells. We not only construct computational gene networks running full adder and full subtractor operations at a cellular level but also describe a treatment paradigm building on programmable cell-based therapeutics, allowing for adjustable and disease-specific drug secretion logics in vivo. This work could foster the evolution of modern biocomputers to progress toward unexplored applications in precision medicine.

Extracting Evidence from Health IT Studies to Populate Logic Models.

BACKGROUND: Logic models graphically present the socio-technical components of a variety of 'programs' such as educational programs. They show the underlying logic and assumptions of how a program is supposed to work. We suggest that they can be used to describe the mechanisms of complex socio-technical health IT interventions. OBJECTIVE: To assess the suitability of logic models to describe cause-effect chains of health IT. RESULTS: We are currently conducting an integrative review of the impact of patient portals on patient outcomes. We extracted the following elements of logic models from the found publications: resources, activities, output, outcome, and impact. These factors are then used to populate the logic model and form a structured graphical representation of the evidence. Until now, all the evidence we found could be fit into the logic model. The logic model was able to accommodate diverse types of evidence. CONCLUSION: Logic models seem to be suitable for representing evidence on the impact of health IT.

The evolutionary features and internal logic of the one-vote veto system: A Nvivo analysis based on the policy texts of the three provinces in the east, middle and west.

Analyzing the evolutionary features and internal logic of the one-vote veto system in China over the past two decades is highly significant when considering reform and standardization. In order to conduct this analysis, the Nvivo 12 software was used to examine policy texts related to the one-vote veto issued by Fujian, Hubei, and Gansu provinces. Through a comparative analysis of keyword frequency statistics, policy text form, and content characteristics across the three provinces, it was discovered that governmental departments have experienced fundamental changes in their utilization of the one-vote veto system after 20 years of development. These changes are primarily seen in the refinement of the description of the one-vote veto in policy texts, the gradual reduction in the withdrawal mechanism of the one-vote veto, and an expanded application field for the one-vote veto.

Ultrasensitive Photoelectrochemical Biosensor for Dual-miRNAs Detection Based on Molecular Logic Gates and Methylene Blue Sensitized ZnO@CdS@Au Nanorods.

The occurrence of cancer is often closely related to multiple tumor markers, so it is important to develop multitarget detection methods. By the proper design of the input signals and logical operations of DNA logic gates, detection and diagnosis of cancer at different stages can be achieved. For example, in the early stages, specific input signals can be designed to correspond to early specific tumor markers, thereby achieving early cancer detection. In the late stage, logic gates for multitarget detection can be designed to simultaneously detect multiple biomarkers to improve diagnostic accuracy and comprehensiveness. In this work, we constructed a dual-target-triggered DNA logic gate for anchoring DNA tetrahedra, where methylene blue was embedded in the DNA tetrahedra to sensitize ZnO@CdS@Au, achieving ultrasensitive detection of the target substance. We tested the response of AND and OR logic gates to the platform. For AND logic gates, the sensing platform only responds when both miRNAs are present. In the concentration range of 10 aM to 10 nM, the photoelectric signal gradually increases with an increase of the target concentration. Subsequently, we used OR logic gates for miRNA detection. Even if only one target exists, the sensing platform exhibits excellent performance. Similarly, within the concentration range of 10 aM to 10 nM, the photoelectric signal gradually increases with an increase of the target concentration. The minimum detection limit is 1.10 aM. Whether it is the need to detect multiple targets simultaneously or only one of them, we can achieve it by selecting the appropriate logic gate. This strategy holds promising application prospects in fields such as biosensing, medical diagnosis, and environmental monitoring.

Surface Cues Explain the Logic-Liking Effect in Disjunctions.

The finding that people tend to prefer logically valid conclusions over invalid ones is known in the literature as the logic-liking effect and has traditionally been interpreted as evidence for the notion of so-called logical intuitions. Results of more recent empirical studies investigating conditional and categorical syllogisms suggest, however, that previous instances of the logic-liking effect can be accounted for by a confound in terms of surface-feature atmosphere. But the true nature of this atmosphere effect has so far remained largely elusive. Here, we address this issue and introduce two variants of disjunctive syllogisms that enable us to deconfound validity, possibility of the conclusion, and surface-feature atmosphere, which has been impossible with simple disjunctive syllogisms used in earlier studies. Three experiments, in which participants were asked to provide liking and logic ratings for these arguments, revealed that the logic-liking effect in disjunctive syllogisms can be explained by an atmosphere confound in combination with implied demand to consider logicality when judging likability. We also observed a strong atmosphere effect in logic ratings over and above an effect of logical validity per se. Furthermore, atmosphere effects appear to be induced only by specific surface features, namely those that are ecologically valid, if fallible, predictors for logicality. We conclude that acquired atmosphere heuristics provide proxies for logical validity that reasoners often take at face value. A comparison of the present results with previous findings from experiments that focused on conditional and categorical syllogisms additionally indicates that these atmosphere heuristics are used irrespective of an argument's complexity.

Inhibit-AND logic gate enabled versatile BoF-AgNPs as ultrasensitive and selective nanoprobe for Mn(II) ions and nanocatalyst for rapid MB decoloration.

There is great interest in fabricating devices that can detect and remove water pollutants, especially heavy metal ions and dyes from wastewater, to promote sustainable water use. In this study, an extract of Borassus flabellifer leaves (BoF-LE) was used to synthesize silver nanoparticles (BoF-AgNPs), with the BoF-LE serving as a reducing and capping agent. The sensitivity and selectivity of BoF-AgNPs for Mn(II) ions were tested by comparing with the control sample and other competent metal ions. Our results showed that BoF-AgNPs are extremely sensitive and selective in detecting Mn(II) ions, with a detection limit of 0.3 ppb. HR-TEM, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and DLS investigations were used to confirm that BoF-AgNPs detect Mn(II) ions by an aggregation-based mechanism. Additionally, it was found that BoF-AgNPs are effective in rapidly decolorizing MB dye, as demonstrated by their ability to decolorize MB by 92.66% within 7 min. This study is the first to report successful synthesis of BoF-AgNPs and their two applications, which are enabled with an Inhibit-AND logic gate. Using BoF-AgNPs to detect and degrade water pollutants may promote sustainable water use.

The realization logic of rural revitalization: Coupled coordination analysis of development and governance.

BACKGROUND: Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new stage. The principal social contradiction is the uneven development of urban and rural areas. The rural revitalization strategy has emerged as time has required. The realization of rural revitalization not only requires development to lay the foundation of the countryside but also requires governance to lead the development of the countryside. Development and governance are two indispensable aspects of rural revitalization. However, China's rural areas have long been in a state of development without governance, and this situation must change. Therefore, systematically exploring the relationship between development and governance is the key to solving the current shortcomings in rural areas. METHODS: Based on the data from the statistical yearbook, the study constructed a set of evaluation indicators for rural development governance and revitalization and verified the model's effectiveness.The entropy method and the assessment model were used to calculate the comprehensive score of rural development, governance, and revitalization. The relationship between rural development and governance was analyzed using a coupled coordination model. The regression analysis model was used to explore the relationship between the coupling results of rural development, governance, and rural revitalization. RESULTS: From the comprehensive results, both development and governance show an upward trend, but the upward trend of development is better. From the analysis of coupling coordination between development and governance, the C value is in good condition, the T value fluctuates wildly, and the D fluctuates with the fluctuation of T. Judging from the comprehensive score of rural revitalization, it also shows an upward trend year by year. Judging from the regression analysis results of coupling coordination degree and rural revitalization comprehensive score, coupling coordination degree will significantly impact the rural revitalization evaluation value. CONCLUSIONS: The study found that current rural development and governance present a spiral coupling coordination relationship, and the degree of coupling coordination significantly correlates with rural revitalization. Based on the research conclusions, the study further proposes three paths to promote the coupling and coordination of development and governance. The first is an organizational isomorphism, which builds a coupled coordination system for rural development and governance. The second is to tilt resources and improve the supply of connected and coordinated factors for rural development and governance. The third is the operating mechanism to optimize rural development and governance's coupling and coordination path.

AND Logic-Gate-Based Dual-Locking Probe System for the Sensitive Detection of microRNA and APE1.

MicroRNA (miRNA) and apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) have been reported to be closely associated with cancers, making them potential crucial biomarkers and therapeutic targets. However, focusing on the detection of a single target is not conducive to the diagnosis and prognosis assessment of diseases. In this study, an AND logic-gate-based dual-locking hairpin-mediated catalytic hairpin assembly (DL-CHA) was developed for sensitive and specific detection of microRNA and APE1. By addition of a lock to each of the hairpins, with APE1 and microRNA serving as keys, fluorescence signals could only be detected in the presence of simultaneous stimulation by APE1 and miRNA-224. This indicated that the biosensor could operate as an AND logic gate. DL-CHA exhibited advantages such as a low background, rapid response, and high logic capability. Therefore, the biosensor serves as a novel approach to cancer diagnosis with significant potential applications.

Modular CRISPR/Cas12a synergistic activation platform for detection and logic operations.

The revolutionary technology of CRISPR/Cas has reshaped the landscape of molecular biology and molecular engineering. This tool is of interest to researchers in multiple fields, including molecular diagnostics, molecular biochemistry circuits, and information storage. As CRISPR/Cas spreads to more niche areas, new application scenarios and requirements emerge. Developing programmability and compatibility of CRISPR/Cas becomes a critical issue in the new phase. Here, we report a redundancy-based modular CRISPR/Cas12a synergistic activation platform (MCSAP). The position, length, and concentration of the redundancy in the split DNA activators can finely regulate the activity of Cas12a. With the redundant structure as an interface, MCSAP serves as a modular plug-in to seamlessly integrate with the upstream molecular network. MCSAP successfully performs three different tasks: nucleic acid detection, enzyme detection, and logic operation. MCSAP can work as an effector for different molecular networks because of its compatibility and programmability. Our platform provides powerful yet easy-to-use tools and strategies for the fields of DNA nanotechnology, molecular engineering, and molecular biology.

Logical regulation of endogenous gene expression using programmable, multi-input processing CRISPR guide RNAs.

The CRISPR-Cas system provides a versatile RNA-guided approach for a broad range of applications. Thanks to advances in RNA synthetic biology, the engineering of guide RNAs (gRNAs) has enabled the conditional control of the CRISPR-Cas system. However, achieving precise regulation of the CRISPR-Cas system for efficient modulation of internal metabolic processes remains challenging. In this work, we developed a robust dCas9 regulator with engineered conditional gRNAs to enable tight control of endogenous genes. Our conditional gRNAs in Escherichia coli can control gene expression upon specific interaction with trigger RNAs with a dynamic range as high as 130-fold, evaluating up to a three-input logic A OR (B AND C). The conditional gRNA-mediated targeting of endogenous metabolic genes, lacZ, malT and poxB, caused differential regulation of growth in Escherichia coli via metabolic flux control. Further, conditional gRNAs could regulate essential cytoskeleton genes, ftsZ and mreB, to control cell filamentation and division. Finally, three types of two-input logic gates could be applied for the conditional control of ftsZ regulation, resulting in morphological changes. The successful operation and application of conditional gRNAs based on programmable RNA interactions suggests that our system could be compatible with other Cas-effectors and implemented in other host organisms.

SAILoR: Structure-Aware Inference of Logic Rules.

Boolean networks provide an effective mechanism for describing interactions and dynamics of gene regulatory networks (GRNs). Deriving accurate Boolean descriptions of GRNs is a challenging task. The number of experiments is usually much smaller than the number of genes. In addition, binarization leads to a loss of information and inconsistencies arise in binarized time-series data. The inference of Boolean networks from binarized time-series data alone often leads to complex and overfitted models. To obtain relevant Boolean models of gene regulatory networks, inference methods could incorporate data from multiple sources and prior knowledge in terms of general network structure and/or exact interactions. We propose the Boolean network inference method SAILoR (Structure-Aware Inference of Logic Rules). SAILoR incorporates time-series gene expression data in combination with provided reference networks to infer accurate Boolean models. SAILoR automatically extracts topological properties from reference networks. These can describe a more general structure of the GRN or can be more precise and describe specific interactions. SAILoR infers a Boolean network by learning from both continuous and binarized time-series data. It navigates between two main objectives, topological similarity to reference networks and correspondence with gene expression data. By incorporating the NSGA-II multi-objective genetic algorithm, SAILoR relies on the wisdom of crowds. Our results indicate that SAILoR can infer accurate and biologically relevant Boolean descriptions of GRNs from both a static and a dynamic perspective. We show that SAILoR improves the static accuracy of the inferred network compared to the network inference method dynGENIE3. Furthermore, we compared the performance of SAILoR with other Boolean network inference approaches including Best-Fit, REVEAL, MIBNI, GABNI, ATEN, and LogBTF. We have shown that by incorporating prior knowledge about the overall network structure, SAILoR can improve the structural correctness of the inferred Boolean networks while maintaining dynamic accuracy. To demonstrate the applicability of SAILoR, we inferred context-specific Boolean subnetworks of female Drosophila melanogaster before and after mating.

Photonic crystal-enhanced fluorescence biosensor with logic gate operation based on one-pot cascade amplification DNA circuit for enzyme-free and ultrasensitive analysis of two microRNAs.

The development of sensitive and efficient analytical methods for multiple biomarkers is crucial for cancer screening at early stage. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a kind of biomarkers with diagnostic potential for cancer. However, the ultrasensitive and logical analysis of multiple miRNAs with simple operation still faces some challenges. Herein, a photonic crystal (PC)-enhanced fluorescence biosensor with logic gate operation based on one-pot cascade amplification DNA circuit was developed for enzyme-free and ultrasensitive analysis of two cancer-related miRNAs. The fluorescence biosensor was performed by biochemical recognition amplification module (BCRAM) and physical enhancement module (PEM) to achieve logical and sensitive detection. In the BCRAM, one-pot cascade amplification circuit consisted of the upstream parallel entropy-driven circuit (EDC) and the downstream shared catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA). The input of target miRNA would trigger each corresponding EDC, and the parallel EDCs released the same R strand for triggering subsequent CHA; thus, the OR logic gate was obtained with minimization of design and operation. In the PEM, photonic crystal (PC) array was prepared easily for specifically enhancing the fluorescence output from BCRAM by the optical modulation capabilities; meanwhile, the high-throughput signal readout was achieved by microplate analyzer. Benefiting from the integrated advantages of two modules, the proposed biosensor achieved ultrasensitive detection of two miRNAs with easy logic gate operation, obtaining the LODs of 8.6 fM and 6.7 fM under isothermal and enzyme-free conditions. Hence, the biosensor has the advantages of high sensitivity, easy operation, multiplex and high-throughput analysis, showing great potential for cancer screening at early stage.