Spin-orbit microlaser emitting in a four-dimensional Hilbert space.

A step towards the next generation of high-capacity, noise-resilient communication and computing technologies is a substantial increase in the dimensionality of information space and the synthesis of superposition states on an N-dimensional (N > 2) Hilbert space featuring exotic group symmetries. Despite the rapid development of photonic devices and systems, on-chip information technologies are mostly limited to two-level systems owing to the lack of sufficient reconfigurability to satisfy the stringent requirement for 2(N - 1) degrees of freedom, intrinsically associated with the increase of synthetic dimensionalities. Even with extensive efforts dedicated to recently emerged vector lasers and microcavities for the expansion of dimensionalities, it still remains a challenge to actively tune the diversified, high-dimensional superposition states of light on demand.

A multinational Delphi consensus to end the COVID-19 public health threat.

Despite notable scientific and medical advances, broader political, socioeconomic and behavioural factors continue to undercut the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we convened, as part of this Delphi study, a diverse, multidisciplinary panel of 386 academic, health, non-governmental organization, government and other experts in COVID-19 response from 112 countries and territories to recommend specific actions to end this persistent global threat to public health. The panel developed a set of 41 consensus statements and 57 recommendations to governments, health systems, industry and other key stakeholders across six domains: communication; health systems; vaccination; prevention; treatment and care; and inequities.

Synthetic Pseudo-Spin-Hall effect in acoustic metamaterials.

While vector fields naturally offer additional degrees of freedom for emulating spin, acoustic pressure field is scalar in nature, and it requires engineering of synthetic degrees of freedom by material design. Here we experimentally demonstrate the control of sound waves by using two types of engineered acoustic systems, where synthetic pseudo-spin emerges either as a consequence of the evanescent nature of the field or due to lattice symmetry. First, we show that evanescent sound waves in perforated films possess transverse angular momentum locked to their propagation direction which enables their directional excitation.

Supporting women's research in predominantly undergraduate institutions: Experiences with a National Science Foundation ADVANCE Institutional Transformation Award.

This paper describes the Gender Equity Project (GEP) at Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY), funded by the U. S. NSF ADVANCE Institutional Transformation Award (ITA) program.

Microstructural Origin of the High-Energy Storage Performance in Epitaxial Lead-Free Ba(ZrTi)O Thick Films.

In our previous work, epitaxial Ba(ZrTi)O thick films (~1-2 μm) showed an excellent energy storage performance with a large recyclable energy density (~58 J/cc) and a high energy efficiency (~92%), which was attributed to a nanoscale entangled heterophase polydomain structure. Here, we propose a detailed analysis of the structure-property relationship in these film materials, using an annealing process to illustrate the effect of nanodomain entanglement on the energy storage performance. It is revealed that an annealing-induced stress relaxation led to the segregation of the nanodomains (via detailed XRD analyses), and a degraded energy storage performance (via polarization-electric field analysis).

Photomechanochemical control over stereoselectivity in the [2 + 2] photodimerization of acenaphthylene.

Tuning solubility and mechanical activation alters the stereoselectivity of the [2 + 2] photochemical cycloaddition of acenaphthylene. Photomechanochemical conditions produce the cyclobutane, whereas the solid-state reaction in the absence of mechanical activation provides the . When the photochemical dimerization occurs in a solubilizing organic solvent, there is no selectivity.

Electrochemical Resistive-Pulse Sensing of Extracellular Vesicles.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) released from biological cells have attracted considerable interest due to their potential for cancer diagnostics and important role in cell signaling. Most previously reported studies have been concerned with the detection of EVs in biofluids and analysis of proteins and nucleic acids they contain. Electrochemical resistive-pulse (ERP) sensing enables direct detection of single EVs released from a specific cell and analysis of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in such vesicles.

The temperature-dependent conformational ensemble of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M).

The COVID-19 pandemic, instigated by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, continues to plague the globe. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease, or M, is a promising target for the development of novel antiviral therapeutics. Previous X-ray crystal structures of M were obtained at cryogenic tem-per-ature or room tem-per-ature only.

Topological sound in two dimensions.

Topology is the branch of mathematics studying the properties of an object that are preserved under continuous deformations. Quite remarkably, the powerful theoretical tools of topology have been applied over the past few years to study the electronic band structure of crystals. Topological band theory can explain and predict topological phase transitions in a material, and the unusual robustness of certain band structure shapes, such as Dirac cones, against small perturbations.

Subchondral bone alterations in a novel model of intermediate post traumatic osteoarthritis in mice.

In Post Traumatic Osteoarthritis (PTOA), hypomineralization and increased remodeling of the Subchondral bone (SB) are the first stages of tissue alterations. Although these alterations are well depicted and one of the main targets in OA intervention, the link between SB compositional and mechanical properties alterations during OA progression remains scarce in the literature. Here, we hypothesized that SB shows - right after the first sign of gait pattern changes - a decrease in SB tissue formation depicted by (i) a decrease in thickness, (ii) a lower nanoscopic stiffness, and (iii) a decrease in mineral and collagen maturity.

Predicting attitudinal and behavioral responses to COVID-19 pandemic using machine learning.

At the beginning of 2020, COVID-19 became a global problem. Despite all the efforts to emphasize the relevance of preventive measures, not everyone adhered to them. Thus, learning more about the characteristics determining attitudinal and behavioral responses to the pandemic is crucial to improving future interventions.

Intermediates in SARS-CoV-2 spike-mediated cell entry.

SARS-CoV-2 cell entry is completed after viral spike (S) protein-mediated membrane fusion between viral and host cell membranes. Stable prefusion and postfusion S structures have been resolved by cryo-electron microscopy and cryo-electron tomography, but the refolding intermediates on the fusion pathway are transient and have not been examined. We used an antiviral lipopeptide entry inhibitor to arrest S protein refolding and thereby capture intermediates as S proteins interact with hACE2 and fusion-activating proteases on cell-derived target membranes.

Coherent full polarization control based on bound states in the continuum.

Bound states in the continuum (BICs) are resonant modes of open structures that do not suffer damping, despite being compatible with radiation in terms of their momentum. They have been raising significant attention for their intriguing topological features, and their opportunities in photonics to enhance light-matter interactions. In parallel, the coherent excitation of optical devices through the tailored interference of multiple beams has been explored as a way to enhance the degree of real-time control over their response.

Sample Preparation for Rapid Lipid Analysis in Drosophila Brain using Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging.

Lipid profiling, or lipidomics, is a well-established technique used to study the entire lipid content of a cell or tissue. Information acquired from lipidomics is valuable in studying the pathways involved in development, disease, and cellular metabolism. Many tools and instrumentations have aided lipidomics projects, most notably various combinations of mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography techniques.

mTORC1 and mTORC2 Complexes Regulate the Untargeted Metabolomics and Amino Acid Metabolites Profile through Mitochondrial Bioenergetic Functions in Pancreatic Beta Cells.

Background: Pancreatic beta cells regulate bioenergetics efficiency and secret insulin in response to glucose and nutrient availability. The mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) network orchestrates pancreatic progenitor cell growth and metabolism by nucleating two complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2. Objective: To determine the impact of mTORC1/mTORC2 inhibition on amino acid metabolism in mouse pancreatic beta cells (Beta-TC-6 cells, ATCC-CRL-11506) using high-resolution metabolomics (HRM) and live-mitochondrial functions.

Discovery of a Transferrin Receptor 1-Binding Aptamer and Its Application in Cancer Cell Depletion for Adoptive T-Cell Therapy Manufacturing.

The clinical manufacturing of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells includes cell selection, activation, gene transduction, and expansion. While the method of T-cell selection varies across companies, current methods do not actively eliminate the cancer cells in the patient's apheresis product from the healthy immune cells. Alarmingly, it has been found that transduction of a single leukemic B cell with the CAR gene can confer resistance to CAR T-cell therapy and lead to treatment failure.

Non-invasive brain stimulation and neuroenhancement.

Attempts to enhance human memory and learning ability have a long tradition in science. This topic has recently gained substantial attention because of the increasing percentage of older individuals worldwide and the predicted rise of age-associated cognitive decline in brain functions. Transcranial brain stimulation methods, such as transcranial magnetic (TMS) and transcranial electric (tES) stimulation, have been extensively used in an effort to improve cognitive functions in humans.

Cancer systems epidemiology: Overcoming misconceptions and integrating systems approaches into cancer research.

Patricia Mabry and coauthors discuss application of systems approaches in cancer research.

Making waves: Uses of real-time, hyperlocal flood sensor data for emergency management, resiliency planning, and flood impact mitigation.

Flooding is expected to increase due to intensification of extreme precipitation events, sea-level rise, and urbanization. Low-cost water level sensors have the ability to fill a critical data gap on the presence, depth, and duration of street-level floods by measuring flood profiles (i.e.

Binding of synthetic carbohydrate receptors to enveloped virus glycans: Insights from molecular dynamics simulations.

Can envelope glycans be targeted to stop viral pandemics? Here we address this question by using molecular dynamics simulations to study the binding between 10 synthetic carbohydrate receptors (SCRs) and the 33 N-glycans most commonly found on the surfaces of enveloped viruses, including Zika virus and SARS-CoV-2. Based on association quotients derived from these simulations, we classified the SCRs as weak binders, promiscuous binders, or selective binders. The SCRs almost exclusively associate at the ManGlcNAc core, which is common to all N-glycans, but the binding affinity between the SCR⋅glycan pair depends on the noncovalent interactions between the heterocycle rings and the glycan antennae.

Decoupling Through-Tip Illumination from Scanning in Nanoscale Photo-SECM.

The use of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) for nanoscale imaging of photoelectrochemical processes at semiconductor surfaces has recently been demonstrated. To illuminate a microscopic portion of the substrate surface facing the SECM probe, a glass-sealed, polished tip simultaneously served as a nanoelectrode and a light guide. One issue affecting nanoscale photo-SECM experiments is mechanical interactions of the rigid optical fiber with the tip motion controlled by the piezo-positioner.

Binding enhancements of antibody functionalized natural and synthetic fibers.

Development of low cost biosensing using convenient and environmentally benign materials is important for wide adoption and ultimately improved healthcare and sustainable development. Immobilized antibodies are often incorporated as an essential biorecognition element in point-of-care biosensors but these proteins are costly. We present a strategy of combining convenient and low-cost surface functionalization approaches for increasing the overall binding activity of antibody functionalized natural and synthetic fibers.

Fast encirclement of an exceptional point for highly efficient and compact chiral mode converters.

Exceptional points (EPs) are degeneracies at which two or more eigenvalues and eigenstates of a physical system coalesce. Dynamically encircling EPs by varying the parameters of a non-Hermitian system enables chiral mode switching, that is, the final state of the system upon a closed loop in parameter space depends on the encircling handedness. In conventional schemes, the parametric evolution during the encircling process has to be sufficiently slow to ensure adiabaticity.