A versatile apparatus for simultaneous trapping of multiple species of ultracold atoms and ions to enable studies of low energy collisions and cold chemistry.

We describe an apparatus where many species of ultracold atoms can be simultaneously trapped and overlapped with many species of ions in a Paul trap. Several design innovations are made to increase the versatility of the apparatus while keeping the size and cost reasonable. We demonstrate the operation of a three-dimensional (3D) magneto-optical trap (MOT) of 7Li using a single external cavity diode laser. The 7Li MOT is loaded from an atomic beam, with atoms slowed using a Zeeman slower designed to work simultaneously for Li and Sr. The operation of a 3D MOT of 133Cs, loaded from a 2D MOT, is demonstrated, and provisions for MOTs of Rb and K in the same vacuum manifold exist. We demonstrate the trapping of 7Li+ and 133Cs+ at different settings of the Paul trap and their detection using an integrated time-of-flight mass spectrometer. We present results on low energy neutral-neutral collisions (133Cs-133Cs, 7Li-7Li, and 133Cs-7Li collisions) and charge-neutral collisions (133Cs+-133Cs and 7Li+-7Li collisions). We show evidence of sympathetic cooling of 7Li+ (133Cs+) due to collisions with the ultracold 7Li (133Cs).

Stable 671-nm external cavity diode laser with output power exceeding 150†mW suitable for laser cooling of lithium atoms.

We report the design and performance of a Littrow-type 671-nm external cavity diode laser (ECDL) that delivers output power greater than 150 mW and features enhanced passive stability. The main body of the ECDL is constructed using titanium to minimize temperature related frequency drifts. The laser diode is mounted in a cylindrical mount that allows vertical adjustments while maintaining thermal contact with the temperature stabilized baseplate. The wavelength tuning is achieved by horizontal displacement of the diffraction grating about an optimal pivot point. The compact design increases the robustness and passive stability of the ECDL and the stiff but lightweight diffraction grating-arm reduces the susceptibility to low-frequency mechanical vibrations. The linewidth of the ECDL is ∼360 kHz. We use the 671-nm ECDL, without any additional power amplification, for laser cooling and trapping of lithium atoms in a magneto-optical trap. This simple, low-cost ECDL design using off-the-shelf laser diodes without anti-reflection coating can also be adapted to other wavelengths.

Nanoparticles for super-resolution microscopy: intracellular delivery and molecular targeting.

Following an overview of the approaches and techniques used to acheive super-resolution microscopy, this review presents the advantages supplied by nanoparticle based probes for these applications. The various clases of nanoparticles that have been developed toward these goals are then critically described and these discussions are illustrated with a variety of examples from the recent literature.

Hyperfine coupling constants of the cesium 7D5/2 state measured up to the octupole term.

We report the measurement of hyperfine splitting (HFS) in the 7D5/2 state of 133Cs using high-resolution Doppler-free two-photon spectroscopy enabled by precise frequency scans using an acousto-optic modulator (AOM). All six hyperfine levels are resolved in our spectra. We determine the hyperfine coupling constants A = -1.70867(62) MHz and B = 0.050(14) MHz which represent an over 20-times improvement in the precision of both A and B. Moreover, our measurement is sufficiently precise to put bounds on the value of the magnetic octupole coupling constant C = 0.4(1.4) kHz for the 7D5/2 state. We additionally report the measurement of the ac Stark shift [-46 ± 4 Hz/(W/cm2)], collisional shift, and pressure broadening which are important for optical frequency standards based on the 6S1/2 → 7D5/2 two-photon transition.

Identification and characterization of novel microRNAs in disease-resistant and disease-susceptible Penaeus monodon.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), known as a translational regulator, are evolutionary conserved, small, and noncoding RNA. They have played a vital role in disease biology through the host-virus-miRNA-interaction. In this study, novel miRNAs of naturally occurring, virus-free disease-resistant and disease-susceptible Penaeus monodon were identified and characterized. In disease-susceptible samples, 45 homologous mature miRNAs and 28 homologous precursor miRNAs were identified. In disease-resistant samples, 52 homologous mature miRNAs and 87 homologous precursor miRNAs were identified. In disease-susceptible samples, 33 novel mature miRNAs and 33 novel precursor miRNAs were identified. In disease-resistant samples, 523 novel mature miRNAs and 141 novel precursor miRNAs were identified. Differential expression study revealed the up-regulated and down-regulated miRNAs in disease-resistant and disease-susceptible P. monodon. Gene ontology pathway of known and novel miRNAs revealed that P. monodon miRNAs might have a potential and specific role in signal transduction, cell-to-cell signaling, innate immune response and defense response to different pathogens.

Understanding the Switching Mechanisms of the Antiferromagnet/Ferromagnet Heterojunction.

Electric-field-driven spintronic devices are considered promising candidates for beyond CMOS logic and memory applications thanks to their potential for ultralow energy switching and nonvolatility. In this work, we have developed a comprehensive modeling framework to understand the fundamental physics of the switching mechanisms of the antiferromagnet/ferromagnet heterojunction by taking BiFeO3/CoFe heterojunctions as an example. The models are calibrated with experimental results and demonstrate that the switching of the ferromagnet in the antiferromagnet/ferromagnet heterojunction is caused by the rotation of the Neel vector in the antiferromagnet and is not driven by the unidirectional exchange bias at the interface as was previously speculated. Additionally, we demonstrate that the fundamental limit of the switching time of the ferromagnet is in the subnanosecond regime. The geometric dependence and the thermal stability of the antiferromagnet/ferromagnet heterojunction are also explored. Our simulation results provide the critical metrics for designing magnetoelectric devices.

Development and characterization of white spot disease linked microsatellite DNA markers in Penaeus monodon, and their application to determine the population diversity, cluster and structure.

Pathogens that are introduced suddenly to natural populations can potentially cause quick changes to the genetics and diversity of the host. In the past three decades, white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) has caused damaging epizootics in Penaeus monodon populations. In this study, we developed WSSV resistance- or susceptibility-linked microsatellite DNA markers, and their effectiveness was validated experimentally. WSSV-resistant marker linked retroelements and genes that may have an important role in WSSV-resistance phenomena were partially identified. Allelic data of 1,694 samples from nine distinct geographic locations in India were revealed that populations from Digha and Kochi were highly dispersed, and also showed higher genetic diversity, higher population diversity, and lower prevalence of disease resistance. A very high level of gene flow was observed within all populations and a very high level of genetic variation was present within populations. Two genetically admixture population clusters were estimated in nature. WSSV-resistance has a significant link with genetic diversity, population cluster and population diversity. Microsatellite marker analysis characterized genetic divergence, diversity and structure among wild populations.

Observation of Quantum Interference and Coherent Control in a Photochemical Reaction.

Coherent control of reactants remains a long-standing challenge in quantum chemistry. In particular, we have studied laser-induced molecular formation (photoassociation) in a Raman-dressed spin-orbit-coupled ^{87}Rb Bose-Einstein condensate, whose spin quantum state is a superposition of multiple bare spin components. In contrast to the notably different photoassociation-induced fractional atom losses observed for the bare spin components of a statistical mixture, a superposition state with a comparable spin composition displays the same fractional loss on every spin component. We interpret this as the superposition state itself undergoing photoassociation. For superposition states induced by a large Raman coupling and zero Raman detuning, we observe a nearly complete suppression of the photoassociation rate. This suppression is consistent with a model based upon quantum destructive interference between two photoassociation pathways for colliding atoms with different spin combinations. This model also explains the measured dependence of the photoassociation rate on the Raman detuning at a moderate Raman coupling. Our work thus suggests that preparing atoms in quantum superpositions may represent a powerful new technique to coherently control photochemical reactions.

Collisional Cooling of Light Ions by Cotrapped Heavy Atoms.

We experimentally demonstrate cooling of trapped ions by collisions with cotrapped, higher-mass neutral atoms. It is shown that the lighter ^{39}K^{+} ions, created by ionizing ^{39}K atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT), when trapped in an ion trap and subsequently allowed to cool by collisions with ultracold, heavier ^{85}Rb atoms in a MOT, exhibit a longer trap lifetime than without the localized ^{85}Rb MOT atoms. A similar cooling of trapped ^{85}Rb^{+} ions by ultracold ^{133}Cs atoms in a MOT is also demonstrated in a different experimental configuration to validate this mechanism of ion cooling by localized and centered ultracold neutral atoms. Our results suggest that the cooling of ions by localized cold atoms holds for any mass ratio, thereby enabling studies on a wider class of atom-ion systems irrespective of their masses.

Photodissociation of Trapped Rb_{2}

The direct photodissociation of trapped ^{85}Rb_{2}^{+} (rubidium) molecular ions by the cooling light for the ^{85}Rb magneto-optical trap (MOT) is studied, both experimentally and theoretically. Vibrationally excited Rb_{2}^{+} ions are created by photoionization of Rb_{2} molecules formed photoassociatively in the Rb MOT and are trapped in a modified spherical Paul trap. The decay rate of the trapped Rb_{2}^{+} ion signal in the presence of the MOT cooling light is measured and agreement with our calculated rates for molecular ion photodissociation is observed. The photodissociation mechanism due to the MOT light is expected to be active and therefore universal for all homonuclear diatomic alkali metal molecular ions.

Identification and characterisation of microsatellite DNA markers in order to recognise the WSSV susceptible populations of marine giant black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon.

White spot disease (WSD) which is caused by white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) creates severe epizootics in captured and cultured black tiger shrimp, resulting a huge loss in the economic output of the aquaculture industry worldwide. Performing selective breeding using DNA markers would prove to be a potential cost effective strategy for long term disease control in shrimps. In the present investigation, microsatellite DNA fingerprints were compared between naturally occurring WSSV resistant and susceptible populations of Penaeus monodon. After PCR with a set of shrimp specific primers three reproducible DNA fragments of varying sizes were found, among which 442 bp and 236 bp fragments were present in considerably higher frequencies in the WSSV susceptible shrimp population (p ≤ 0.0001). After WSSV challenge experiment the copy no. of WSSV was determined using real-time PCR, where it was found to be almost 4 × 10(3) fold higher in WSSV susceptible shrimps than in the resistant ones. Thus, these microsatellite DNA markers will be useful to distinguish between WSSV susceptible and resistant brood stocks of P. monodon. Sequencing studies revealed that these DNA markers were novel in P. monodon. Highest WSSV resistance using these DNA markers, was observed in the shrimp populations of Andaman Island and Chennai among the different coastal areas of India, suggesting these places as safe for specific pathogen resistant brood stock shrimp collection. This study will be a very effective platform towards understanding the molecular pathogenesis of WSD for generation of disease free shrimp aquaculture industry.

Formation of ultracold (7)Li(85)Rb molecules in the lowest triplet electronic state by photoassociation and their detection by ionization spectroscopy.

We report the formation of ultracold (7)Li(85)Rb molecules in the a(3)Σ(+) electronic state by photoassociation (PA) and their detection via resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI). With our dual-species Li and Rb magneto-optical trap apparatus, we detect PA resonances with binding energies up to ∼62 cm(-1) below the (7)Li 2s (2)S1/2 + (85)Rb 5p (2)P1/2 asymptote. In addition, we use REMPI spectroscopy to probe the a(3)Σ(+) state and excited electronic 3(3)Π and 4(3)Σ(+) states and identify a(3)Σ(+) (v″ = 7-13), 3(3)Π (vΠ' = 0-10), and 4(3)Σ(+) (vΣ' = 0-5) vibrational levels. Our line assignments agree well with ab initio calculations. These preliminary spectroscopic studies on previously unobserved electronic states are crucial to discovering transition pathways for transferring ultracold LiRb molecules created via PA to deeply bound rovibrational levels of the electronic ground state.

Assessment of WSSV prevalence and distribution of disease-resistant shrimp among the wild population of Penaeus monodon along the west coast of India.

Shrimp aquaculture is threatened by many diseases, among which white spot disease (WSD) caused by white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is the leading one. Information related to the geographical distribution and seasonal prevalence of WSD is necessary to obtain a clear understanding of the disease biology in shrimp. Identification of WSD-resistant individual shrimp with DNA markers is also an important technique to develop better WSD-free shrimp health management. The present study aim is to estimate the occurrence of WSSV in Penaeus monodon qualitatively and quantitatively during three different seasons during the years 2011 to 2013 along the west coast of India. Additionally, the disease resistance prevalence using previously developed 71 bp microsatellite and 457 bp RAPD-SCAR DNA markers is also investigated. Samples were collected throughout the year from four locations along the west coast of India: Kochi, Kerala; Mangalore, Karnataka; Vasco-da-Gama, Goa; and Veraval, Gujarat. The results depicted that the average WSSV prevalence, as determined by the nested PCR method and taken cumulatively over the four locations, was the lowest (0%) during the post-monsoon season and the highest (31.6%) during the monsoon season. The WSD prevalence was observed to increase when the latitude was decreased along the west coast of India (from Veraval to Kochi). Out of the three different seasons, the average WSSV copy number was the highest (approximately 10(3) copies µg(-1) shrimp genomic DNA) during the monsoon season. The disease-resistant prevalence, as determined using the developed DNA markers, was found to be the highest in Vasco-da-Gama (59.5%) and the lowest in Kochi (40.9%). The present study suggests better options for the efficient collection of disease-free and disease-resistant brood stocks, which would be a more cost-effective and safer approach toward disease prevention over conventional trends of seed generation from unselected wild brood stock.

Recent Developments in Engineered Magnesium Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering.

Significant attention has been drawn in recent years to develop porous scaffolds for tissue engineering. In general, porous scaffolds are used for non-load bearing applications. However, various metallic scaffolds have been investigated extensively for hard tissue repair due to their favorable mechanical and biological properties. Stainless steel (316L) and titanium (Ti) alloys are the most commonly used material for metallic scaffolds. Although stainless steel and Ti alloys are employed as scaffold materials, it might result in complications such as stress shielding, local irritation, interference with radiography, etc. related to the permanent implants. To address the above-mentioned complications, degradable metallic scaffolds have emerged as a next generation material. Among the all metallic degradable scaffold materials, magnesium (Mg) based material has gained significant attention owing to its advantageous mechanical properties and excellent biocompatibility in a physiological environment. Therefore, Mg based materials can be projected as load bearing degradable scaffolds, which can provide structural support toward the defected hard tissue during the healing period. Moreover, advanced manufacturing techniques such as solvent cast 3D printing, negative salt pattern molding, laser perforation, and surface modifications can make Mg based scaffolds promising for hard tissue repair. In this article, we focus on the advanced fabrication techniques which can tune the porosity of the degradable Mg based scaffold favorably and improve its biocompatibility.

N-Heterocyclic carbene catalyzed desymmetrization of diols: access to enantioenriched oxindoles having a C3-quaternary stereocenter.

Herein, we describe an effective strategy for enantioselective synthesis of oxindoles having a C3-quaternary stereocenter via N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalyzed desymmetrization of diols. The process is based on the catalytic asymmetric transfer acylation of primary alcohols using readily available aldehydes as an acylation agent. The reaction enables easy access to diversely functionalized C3-quaternary oxindoles with excellent enantioselectivity. The synthetic potential of the process is further demonstrated via the preparation of the key intermediate for (-)-esermethole and (-)-physostigmine.

Early loss of endogenous NAD+ following rotenone treatment leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and Sarm1 induction that is ameliorated by PARP inhibition.

Sarm1 is an evolutionary conserved innate immune adaptor protein that has emerged as a primary regulator of programmed axonal degeneration over the past decade. In vitro structural insights have revealed that although Sarm1 induces energy depletion by breaking down nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide+ (NAD+ ), it is also allosterically inhibited by NAD+ . However, how NAD+ levels modulate the activation of intracellular Sarm1 has not been elucidated so far. This study focuses on understanding the events leading to Sarm1 activation in both neuronal and non-neuronal cells using the mitochondrial complex I inhibitor rotenone. Here, we report the regulation of rotenone-induced cell death by loss of NAD+ that may act as a 'biological trigger' of Sarm1 activation. Our study revealed that early loss of endogenous NAD+ levels arising due to PARP1 hyperactivation preceded Sarm1 induction following rotenone treatment. Interestingly, replenishing NAD+ levels by the PARP inhibitor, PJ34 restored mitochondrial complex I activity and also prevented subsequent Sarm1 activation in rotenone-treated cells. These cellular data were further validated in Drosophila melanogaster where a significant reduction in rotenone-mediated loss of locomotor abilities, and reduced dSarm expression was observed in the flies following PARP inhibition. Taken together, these observations not only uncover a novel regulation of Sarm1 induction by endogenous NAD+ levels but also point towards an important understanding on how PARP inhibitors could be repurposed in the treatment of mitochondrial complex I deficiency disorders.

Recent Developments in Metallic Degradable Micromotors for Biomedical and Environmental Remediation Applications.

Synthetic micromotor has gained substantial attention in biomedicine and environmental remediation. Metal-based degradable micromotor composed of magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), and iron (Fe) have promise due to their nontoxic fuel-free propulsion, favorable biocompatibility, and safe excretion of degradation products Recent advances in degradable metallic micromotor have shown their fast movement in complex biological media, efficient cargo delivery and favorable biocompatibility. A noteworthy number of degradable metal-based micromotors employ bubble propulsion, utilizing water as fuel to generate hydrogen bubbles. This novel feature has projected degradable metallic micromotors for active in vivo drug delivery applications. In addition, understanding the degradation mechanism of these micromotors is also a key parameter for their design and performance. Its propulsion efficiency and life span govern the overall performance of a degradable metallic micromotor. Here we review the design and recent advancements of metallic degradable micromotors. Furthermore, we describe the controlled degradation, efficient in vivo drug delivery, and built-in acid neutralization capabilities of degradable micromotors with versatile biomedical applications. Moreover, we discuss micromotors' efficacy in detecting and destroying environmental pollutants. Finally, we address the limitations and future research directions of degradable metallic micromotors.

Synergistic Effects of Cerium and Hot Forging on Biodegradation, Antibacterial Properties, and In Vivo Biocompatibility of Microalloyed Mg-Zr-Sr Alloys.

Biodegradable magnesium (Mg)-based alloys are potential candidates for orthopedic applications. In the present study, we have discussed the effect of cerium (Ce) addition and hot forging on mechanical properties, in vitro-in vivo corrosion, antibacterial activity, and cytocompatibility of microalloyed Mg-0.2Zr-0.1Sr-xCe (x = 0 [MZS], 0.5 wt % [MZS-Ce]) alloys. Addition of 0.5 wt % Ce to forged MZS alloys leads to strengthening of the basal texture as well as formation of a higher fraction of dynamic recrystallized (DRX) grains. Hot forging and addition of cerium to the MZS alloy improve both the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of the forged MZS-Ce alloy by 1.39 and 1.21 times, respectively, compared to those of the forged MZS alloy. The potentiodynamic polarization test in Hank's solution indicates that the corrosion resistance of the forged MZS alloy improves with addition of 0.5 wt % Ce. Uniform distribution of Mg12Ce precipitates, a higher DRX fraction, strengthened texture, and formation of a compact CeO2 passive layer result in 1.68 times reduction in the immersion corrosion rate of the forged MZS-Ce alloy compared to that of the forged MZS alloy. Addition of Ce to the MZS alloy shows excellent antibacterial activity. The forged MZS-Ce alloy exhibited the highest antibacterial efficacy (76.73%). All the alloys show favorable cytocompatibility and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity with MC3T3-E1 cells. The improved corrosion resistance of the forged MZS-Ce alloy (95%) leads to higher cell viability compared to that of the forged MZS alloy (85%). In vivo biodegradation and the ability to generate new bones were analyzed by implanting cylindrical samples in the rabbit femur. Histological analysis showed no adverse effects around the implants. Gradual degradation of the implants and higher new bone formation around the forged MZS-Ce sample were confirmed by micro-CT analysis. Bone regeneration around the implants (58.21%) was validated by flurochrome labeling. After 60 days, the forged MZS-Ce alloy showed controlled corrosion and better bone-implant integration, presenting it as a potential candidate for internal fracture fixation materials.

Neural sampling machine with stochastic synapse allows brain-like learning and inference.

Many real-world mission-critical applications require continual online learning from noisy data and real-time decision making with a defined confidence level. Brain-inspired probabilistic models of neural network can explicitly handle the uncertainty in data and allow adaptive learning on the fly. However, their implementation in a compact, low-power hardware remains a challenge. In this work, we introduce a novel hardware fabric that can implement a new class of stochastic neural network called Neural Sampling Machine (NSM) by exploiting the stochasticity in the synaptic connections for approximate Bayesian inference. We experimentally demonstrate an in silico hybrid stochastic synapse by pairing a ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FeFET)-based analog weight cell with a two-terminal stochastic selector element. We show that the stochastic switching characteristic of the selector between the insulator and the metallic states resembles the multiplicative synaptic noise of the NSM. We perform network-level simulations to highlight the salient features offered by the stochastic NSM such as performing autonomous weight normalization for continual online learning and Bayesian inferencing. We show that the stochastic NSM can not only perform highly accurate image classification with 98.25% accuracy on standard MNIST dataset, but also estimate the uncertainty in prediction (measured in terms of the entropy of prediction) when the digits of the MNIST dataset are rotated. Building such a probabilistic hardware platform that can support neuroscience inspired models can enhance the learning and inference capability of the current artificial intelligence (AI).

In Vitro Degradation and In Vivo Biocompatibility of Strontium-Doped Magnesium Phosphate-Reinforced Magnesium Composites.

Magnesium is projected for use as a degradable orthopedic biomaterial. However, its fast degradation in physiological media is considered as a significant challenge for its successful clinical applications. Bioactive reinforcements containing Mg-based composites constitute one of the promising approaches for developing degradable metallic implants because of their adjustable mechanical behaviors, corrosion resistance, and biological response. Strontium is a trace element known for its role in enhancing osteoblast activity. In this study, bioactive SrO-doped magnesium phosphate (MgP)-reinforced Mg composites containing 1, 3, and 5 wt % MgP were developed through the casting route. The influence of the SrO-doped MgP reinforcement on degradation behaviors of the composites along with its cell-material interactions and in vivo biocompatibility was investigated. The wt % and distribution of MgP particles significantly improved the mechanical properties of the composite. HBSS immersion study indicated the least corrosion rate (0.56 ± 0.038 mmpy) for the Mg-3MgP composite. The higher corrosion resistance of Mg-3MgP leads to a controlled release of Sr-containing bioactive reinforcement, which eventually enhanced the cytotoxicity as measured using MG-63 cell-material interactions. The in vivo biocompatibility of the composite was evaluated using the rabbit femur defect model. Micro-computed tomography (µ-CT) and histological analysis supported the fact that Mg-3MgP maintained its structural integrity and enhanced osteogenesis (50.36 ± 2.03%) after 2 months of implantation. The results indicated that the Mg-MgP composite could be used as a degradable internal fracture fixation device material.