Non-Abelian topological order and anyons on a trapped-ion processor.

Non-Abelian topological order is a coveted state of matter with remarkable properties, including quasiparticles that can remember the sequence in which they are exchanged1-4. These anyonic excitations are promising building blocks of fault-tolerant quantum computers5,6. However, despite extensive efforts, non-Abelian topological order and its excitations have remained elusive, unlike the simpler quasiparticles or defects in Abelian topological order. Here we present the realization of non-Abelian topological order in the wavefunction prepared in a quantum processor and demonstrate control of its anyons. Using an adaptive circuit on Quantinuum's H2 trapped-ion quantum processor, we create the ground-state wavefunction of D4 topological order on a kagome lattice of 27 qubits, with fidelity per site exceeding 98.4 per cent. By creating and moving anyons along Borromean rings in spacetime, anyon interferometry detects an intrinsically non-Abelian braiding process. Furthermore, tunnelling non-Abelions around a torus creates all 22 ground states, as well as an excited state with a single anyon-a peculiar feature of non-Abelian topological order. This work illustrates the counterintuitive nature of non-Abelions and enables their study in quantum devices.

High-power near-concentric Fabry-Perot cavity for phase contrast electron microscopy.

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of vitrified biological macromolecules (cryo-EM) is limited by the weak phase contrast signal that is available from such samples. Using a phase plate would thus substantially improve the signal-to-noise ratio. We have previously demonstrated the use of a high-power Fabry-Perot cavity as a phase plate for TEM. We now report improvements to our laser cavity that allow us to achieve record continuous wave intensities of over 450 GW/cm2, sufficient to produce the optimal 90° phase shift for 300 keV electrons. In addition, we have performed the first cryo-EM reconstruction using a laser phase plate, demonstrating that the stability of this laser phase plate is sufficient for use during standard cryo-EM data collection.

Observation of the Relativistic Reversal of the Ponderomotive Potential.

The secular dynamics of a nonrelativistic charged particle in an electromagnetic wave can be described by the ponderomotive potential. Although ponderomotive electron-laser interactions at relativistic velocities are important for emerging technologies from laser-based particle accelerators to laser-enhanced electron microscopy, the effects of special relativity on the interaction have only been studied theoretically. Here, we use a transmission electron microscope to measure the position-dependent phase shift imparted to a relativistic electron wave function when it traverses a standing laser wave. The kinetic energy of the electrons is varied between 80 and 300 keV, and the laser standing wave has a continuous-wave intensity of 175 GW/cm^{2}. In contrast to the nonrelativistic case, we demonstrate that the phase shift depends on both the electron velocity and the wave polarization, confirming the predictions of a quasiclassical theory of the interaction. Remarkably, if the electron's speed is greater than 1/sqrt[2] of the speed of light, the phase shift at the electric field nodes of the wave can exceed that at the antinodes. In this case there exists a polarization such that the phase shifts at the nodes and antinodes are equal, and the electron does not experience Kapitza-Dirac diffraction. Our results thus provide new capabilities for coherent electron beam manipulation.

Laser phase plate for transmission electron microscopy.

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of rapidly frozen biological specimens, or cryo-EM, would benefit from the development of a phase plate for in-focus phase contrast imaging. Several types of phase plates have been investigated, but rapid electrostatic charging of all such devices has hindered these efforts. Here, we demonstrate electron phase manipulation with a high-intensity continuous-wave laser beam, and use it as a phase plate for TEM. We demonstrate the laser phase plate by imaging an amorphous carbon film. The laser phase plate provides a stable and tunable phase shift without electrostatic charging or unwanted electron scattering. These results suggest the possibility for dose-efficient imaging of unstained biological macromolecules and cells.

Imaging Optical Frequencies with 100 µHz Precision and 1.1 µm Resolution.

We implement imaging spectroscopy of the optical clock transition of lattice-trapped degenerate fermionic Sr in the Mott-insulating regime, combining micron spatial resolution with submillihertz spectral precision. We use these tools to demonstrate atomic coherence for up to 15 s on the clock transition and reach a record frequency precision of 2.5×10^{-19}. We perform the most rapid evaluation of trapping light shifts and record a 150 mHz linewidth, the narrowest Rabi line shape observed on a coherent optical transition. The important emerging capability of combining high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy will improve the clock precision, and provide a path towards measuring many-body interactions and testing fundamental physics.

Abnormal cervical cancer screening in pregnancy and preterm delivery.

BACKGROUND: Preterm delivery is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is common in reproductive-aged women. We hypothesised that abnormal cervical cancer screening tests, as a proxy for HPV infection, would be associated with preterm delivery. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of women delivering liveborn singletons beyond 20 weeks gestation, who had a Papanicolaou (Pap) test within 1 year prior to delivery. Women with abnormal Pap or positive high-risk HPV tests, classified as having 'abnormal screening', were compared with women classified as having 'normal screening' in bivariate analysis for overall preterm delivery at less than 37 weeks gestation. Using Poisson regression, we report unadjusted (RR) and adjusted (aRR) risk ratios for spontaneous preterm delivery due to preterm labour and preterm premature rupture of membranes. RESULTS: Among 2686 women meeting criteria for analysis, 213 (8%) had abnormal screening. Women with abnormal screening, compared with normal screening, were not more likely to deliver preterm (12.2% vs. 9.8%, RR 1.3 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.9, 1.8], aRR 1.2 [95% CI 0.8, 1.7]). Women with abnormal screening, however, were at greater risk for spontaneous preterm delivery in unadjusted and adjusted analysis (8.9% vs. 4.5%; RR 2.0 [95% CI 1.2, 3.2], aRR 1.8 [95% CI 1.1, 2.9]). CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in risk of overall preterm delivery in women with abnormal compared with normal cervical cancer screening tests. Our data suggest, however, that abnormal screening in pregnancy may be associated with spontaneous preterm delivery.

The Sister Model: a framework for academic and service partnerships in nursing home settings.

A unique teaching nursing home project was developed between a college of nursing and four nursing homes for the purpose of providing diverse teaching-learning experiences for nursing students, sharing resources among all participants, and attracting new nursing graduates to consider a career in long-term care. The Sister Model, a partnership model, served as a framework for the project and was designed to increase communication, share resources, promote interactive learning, and use nursing expertise to develop competence of nursing students. Evaluations of model activities were positive, and the model serves as an example of how schools of nursing and nursing homes can work together toward common goals.

Individualizing geriatric clinical resources to impact nursing home care.

A Midwestern United States baccalaureate program's partnership with local nursing homes provided an opportunity for faculty, students, and nursing home staff to use national geriatric best practice clinical resources when caring for nursing home residents. Individualizing and using these resources within the nursing home setting proved challenging. Nevertheless, the outcome of the project formed a solid foundation for future collaborative efforts between the College of Nursing and local nursing homes.

Resident attractiveness: an influential factor in the quality of care in nursing homes.

Studying the characteristics considered attractive in residents in long-term care can provide an innovative picture of how nursing staff may perceive and inadvertently respond to residents based on those characteristics. It may be difficult to believe that attractiveness can affect the quality of residents' care. However, being open to the discovery of all factors that may influence the quality of care is important to promote positive changes in resident outcomes in nursing homes.

Preparing to care for older adults: engaging college constituents.

Baccalaureate nursing programs must find innovative methods to transform educational culture to value and reward excellence in caring for older adults. Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University used a multidimensional approach to engage college constituents and change the way baccalaureate students are prepared to care for older adults. The college engaged faculty, students, and the community in exchange activities that focused on generating excitement for geriatric nursing within the college and the community. Engaging college constituents enabled large numbers of individuals to work toward creating an educational culture that values and rewards excellence in geriatric nursing.

Conceptual model of attractiveness as a factor influencing quality of care and outcomes of residents in nursing home settings.

Exploration of factors influencing the quality of care and subsequent outcomes of residents in nursing home settings is crucial as the older population continues to grow exponentially. A conceptual model of attractiveness is proposed that encompasses characteristics of residents that draw staff toward or away from them, thus influencing the quality of care provided and outcomes. Case study application is used to depict the interplay of the model with the provision of resident care and outcomes.

Organizational structure and job satisfaction in public health nursing.

The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe the characteristics and relationship of organizational structure and job satisfaction in public health nursing. A significant relationship was found between organizational structure variables and job satisfaction for public health nurses employed in down state Illinois local health departments. The findings of this study suggest that work environments in which supervisors and subordinates consult together concerning job tasks and decisions, and in which individuals are involved with peers in decision making and task definition, are positively related to job satisfaction. This information will assist nurse administrators in development of work structures that support participative decision making and enhance job satisfaction, critical to retaining and attracting a well-qualified public health nurse workforce.

Strategic use of faculty workgroups to develop online interactive geriatric curricular modules.

Initiating a college-wide, complex multimedia approach to teaching-learning can be fraught with considerable challenges. The strategic use of faculty workgroups to maximize faculty involvement in the development and use of interactive Web-based modules was one successful approach to overcoming such challenges. Use of faculty workgroups composed of grant team faculty members and course faculty during the development process recognized the faculty's curricular and content expertise and tapped individual creativity. Other successful approaches to meeting development challenges were the inclusion of a multimedia designer in faculty workgroups, demonstrations of technology at college council meetings and the use of familiar software by faculty to communicate module design ideas. Additional practical approaches for technology teams within higher education settings are presented from both person and design perspectives.

Cultivating empowerment in nursing today for a strong profession tomorrow.

The ongoing nursing shortage requires careful consideration by those in nursing education to determine causes of the shortage and best approaches to countering the supply issue predicted to last far into the future. A grounded theory approach was used to conduct a pilot study to explore processes related to empowerment and disempowerment among 16 participants from a baccalaureate nursing program. Participants included nursing school administrators, faculty, and students. Cultivating was the basic core process constructed that appeared to influence empowering and disempowering experiences in nursing education. Findings suggest collaborative efforts between nursing education and clinical practice are necessary.

Empowering nursing staff and residents in long-term care.

An exploration of empowering and disempowering experiences among nursing staff members and long-term care residents yielded themes based on educational, communication, and relationship needs of nursing staff and environmental and relationship needs of residents in long-term care. Strategies for empowering nursing staff and residents are suggested.