Tunable coupling of superconducting qubits

We study an LC circuit implemented using a current-biased Josephson junction (CBJJ) as a tunable coupler for superconducting qubits. By modulating the bias current, the junction can be tuned in and out of resonance and entangled with the qubits coupled to it. One can thus implement two-qubit operations by mediating entanglement. We consider the examples of CBJJ and charge-phase qubits. A simple recoupling scheme leads to a generalization to arbitrary qubit designs.     

Stability and linear oscillations of liquid bridges with varied boundary conditions under zero gravity

This article deals with stability and small linear oscillations of liquid bridges between fixed solid surfaces (parallel plates, spheres, ...) under zero gravity. A general investigation method for any kind of axisymmetric liquid bridge is exposed but the author focus his work on the spherical liquid bridge cases. In particular, he exposes a full theoretical study of spherical liquid bridges between two spheres, plates and cones.     

Stability and linear oscillations of liquid bridges with varied boundary conditions under zero gravity

This article deals with stability and small linear oscillations of liquid bridges between fixed solid surfaces (parallel plates, spheres, ...) under zero gravity. A general investigation method for any kind of axisymmetric liquid bridge is exposed but the author focus his work on the spherical liquid bridge cases. In particular, he exposes a full theoretical study of spherical liquid bridges between two spheres, plates and cones.     

Applicability of Microaerobic Technology to Enhance BTEX Removal from Contaminated Waters

As the addition of low concentrations of oxygen can favor the initial degradation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) compounds, this work verified the applicability of the microaerobic technology to enhance BTEX removal in an anaerobic bioreactor supplemented with high and low co-substrate (ethanol) concentrations. Additionally, structural alterations on the bioreactor microbiota were assessed throughout the experiment. The bioreactor was fed with a synthetic BTEX-contaminated water (~ 3 mg L^?1 of each compound) and operated at a hydraulic retention time of 48 h. The addition of low concentrations of oxygen (1.0 mL min^?1 of atmospheric air at 27 °C and 1 atm) assured high removal efficiencies (> 80%) for all compounds under microaerobic conditions. In fact, the applicability of this technology showed to be viable to enhance BTEX removal from contaminated waters, especially concerning benzene (with a 30% removal increase), which is a very recalcitrant compound under anaerobic conditions. However, high concentrations of ethanol adversely affected BTEX removal, especially benzene, under anaerobic and microaerobic conditions. Finally, although bacterial community richness decreased at low concentrations of ethanol, in general, the bioreactor microbiota could deal with the different operational conditions and preserved its functionality during the whole experiment.     

Chemical composition,antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of extracts from the leaves of Smilax brasiliensis Sprengel (Smilacaceae)

The antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of petroleum ether and methanol extracts, fatty acids and methyl esters from leaves of Smilax brasiliensis were evaluated, and the composition of the extracts was determined. Palmitic, linoleic and linolenic acids were major components of the extracts. For antioxidant activity, all samples exhibited IC₅₀ values lower than BHT (2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol). The extracts, fatty acids and methyl esters from S. brasiliensis presented no toxicity to larvae of the brine shrimp, Artemia salina. Among the purified substances, only methyl linolenate showed toxicity (LD₅₀ = 21.47 μg/mL). This study showed, for the first time, the composition of petroleum ether and methanol extracts from S. brasiliensis leaves, as well as the antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of extracts, fatty acids and methyl esters.     

Bioconjugation with Maleimides: A Useful Tool for Chemical Biology

Maleimide chemistry stands out in the bioconjugation toolbox by virtue of its synthetic accessibility, excellent reactivity, and practicability. The second-generation of clinically approved antibody–drug conjugates (ADC) and much of the current ADC pipeline in clinical trials contain the maleimide linkage. However, thiosuccinimide linkages are now known to be less robust than once thought, and ergo, are correlated with suboptimal pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and safety profiles in some ADC constructs. Rational design of novel generations of maleimides and maleimide-type reagents have been reported to address the shortcomings of classical maleimides, allowing for the formation of robust bioconjugate linkages. This review highlights the main strategies for rational reagent design that have allowed irreversible bioconjugations in cysteines, reversible labelling strategies and disulfide re-bridging.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Liquid-Crystalline Tetraoxapentacene Derivatives Exhibiting Aggregation-Induced Emission

A series of new tetrakis(dialkoxyphenyl) dicyanotetraoxapentacene derivatives ( 1 a – c ) were prepared by reaction of the appropriate terphenyl diols with tetrafluoroterephthalonitrile in good yields. Compounds 1 b and 1 c , which bear hexyloxy and decyloxy side chains, exhibited columnar hexagonal mesophases, as shown by polarized optical microscopy, variable-temperature powder X-ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction of methoxy-substituted 1 a revealed that the dicyanotetraoxapentacene core is highly planar, consistent with the notion that these molecules are able to stack in columnar mesophases. A detailed photophysical characterization showed that these compounds exhibit aggregation-induced emission in solution, emission in nonpolar solvents, weak emission in polar solvents, and strong emission in the solid state both as powder and in thin films. These observations are consistent with a weakly emissive charge-transfer state in polar solvents and a more highly emissive locally excited state in nonpolar solvents.