MDS, Hermitian almost MDS, and Gilbert-Varshamov quantum codes from generalized monomial-Cartesian codes.

We construct new stabilizer quantum error-correcting codes from generalized monomial-Cartesian codes. Our construction uses an explicitly defined twist vector, and we present formulas for the minimum distance and dimension. Generalized monomial-Cartesian codes arise from polynomials in m variables. When m=1 our codes are MDS, and when m=2 and our lower bound for the minimum distance is 3, the codes are at least Hermitian almost MDS. For an infinite family of parameters, when m=2 we prove that our codes beat the Gilbert-Varshamov bound. We also present many examples of our codes that are better than any known code in the literature.

A Phantom Study of Terahertz Spectroscopy and Imaging of Micro- and Nano-diamonds and Nano-onions as Contrast Agents for Breast Cancer.

THz imaging is effective in distinguishing between cancerous, healthy, and fatty tissues in breast tumors, but a challenge remains in the contrast between cancerous and fibroglandular (healthy) tissues. This work investigates carbon-based nanoparticles as potential contrast agents for terahertz imaging of breast cancer. Microdiamonds, nanodiamonds, and nanometer-scale onion-like carbon are characterized with terahertz transmission spectroscopy in low-absorption backgrounds of polydimethylsiloxane or polyethylene. The refractive index and absorption coefficients are calculated based on the measured electric fields. Nanodiamonds show little effect on the terahertz signal, microdiamonds express resonance-like, size-dependent absorption peaks, and onion-like carbon provides a uniform increase in the optical properties even at low concentration. Due to its strong interaction with terahertz frequencies and ability to be activated for selective binding to cancer cells, onion-like carbon is implemented into engineered three-dimensional breast tumor models composed of phantom tissue mimicking infiltrating ductal carcinoma surrounded by a phantom mimicking healthy fibroglandular tissue. This model is imaged using the terahertz reflection mode to examine the effectiveness of contrast agents for differentiation between the two tissue types. In both spectroscopy and imaging, a 10% concentration of onion-like carbon shows the strongest impact on the terahertz signal and holds promise as a terahertz contrast agent.

Science and engineering of nanodiamond particle surfaces for biological applications (Review).

Diamond has outstanding bulk properties such as super hardness, chemical inertness, biocompatibility, luminescence, to name just a few. In the nanoworld, in order to exploit these outstanding bulk properties, the surfaces of nanodiamond (ND) particles must be accordingly engineered for specific applications. Modification of functional groups on the ND's surface and the corresponding electrostatic properties determine their colloidal stability in solvents, formation of photonic crystals, controlled adsorption and release of cargo molecules, conjugation with biomolecules and polymers, and cellular uptake. The optical activity of the luminescent color centers in NDs depends on their proximity to the ND's surface and surface termination. In order to engineer the ND surface, a fundamental understanding of the specific structural features and sp(3)-sp(2) phase transformations on the surface of ND particles is required. In the case of ND particles produced by detonation of carbon containing explosives (detonation ND), it should also be taken into account that its structure depends on the synthesis parameters and subsequent processing. Thus, for development of a strategy of surface modification of detonation ND, it is imperative to know details of its production. In this review, the authors discuss ND particles structure, strategies for surface modification, electrokinetic properties of NDs in suspensions, and conclude with a brief overview of the relevant bioapplications.

Effect of proton irradiation on photoluminescent properties of PDMS-nanodiamond composites.

Pure poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) films, PDMS-nanodiamond (ND) and pure nanodiamond powder were irradiated with 2 MeV protons under a variety of fluence and current conditions. Upon proton irradiation, these samples acquire a fluence-dependent photoluminescence (PL). The emission and excitation spectra, photostability and emission lifetime of the induced photoluminescence of PDMS and PDMS-ND samples are reported. Pure PDMS exhibits a noticeable stable blue PL, while the PDMS-ND composites exhibit a pronounced stable green PL under 425 nm excitation. The PL of PDMS-ND composites is much more prominent than that of pure PDMS or pure ND powder even when irradiated at higher doses. The origin of the significantly enhanced PL intensity for the proton-irradiated PDMS-ND composite is explained by the combination of enhanced intrinsic PL within ND particles due to ion-implantation-generated defects and by PL originating from structural transformations produced by protons at the nanodiamond/matrix interface.

Guidance of actin filament elongation on filament-binding tracks.

Biomolecular motors, which convert chemical energy into mechanical work in intracellular processes, have high potential in bionanotechnology in vitro as molecular shuttles or nanoscale actuators. In this context, guided elongation of actin filaments in vitro could be used to lay tracks for myosin motor-based shuttles or to direct nanoscale actuators based on actin filament end-tracking motors. To guide the direction of filament polymerization on surfaces, microcontact printing was used to create tracks of chemically modified myosin, which binds to, but cannot exert force on, filaments. These filament-binding tracks captured nascent filaments from solution and guided the direction of their subsequent elongation. The effect of track width and protein surface density on filament alignment and elongation rate was quantified. These results indicate that microcontact printing is a useful method for guiding actin filament polymerization in vitro for biomolecular motor-based applications.