Bowtie

Resonant photonic refractive index sensors have made major advances based on their high sensitivity and contact-less readout capability, which is advantageous in many areas of science and technology. A major issue for the technological implementation of such sensors is their response to external influences, such as vibrations and temperature variations; the more sensitive a sensor, the more susceptible it also becomes to external influences. Here, we introduce a novel bowtie-shaped sensor that is highly responsive to refractive index variations while compensating for temperature changes and mechanical (linear and angular) vibrations...

BACKGROUND: The Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) includes new item types. Little is known about nursing students' confidence and accuracy in answering these questions. METHOD: A descriptive comparative study examined prelicensure nursing students' confidence and accuracy in answering NGN-style items versus multiple-choice questions (MCQs) of the same content via a 12-item quiz. RESULTS: Less than one third of students ( n = 194; 32.1%) reported feeling confident in answering NGN questions...

X-ray computed tomography employing sparse projection views has emerged as a contemporary technique to mitigate radiation dose. However, due to the inadequate number of projection views, an analytic reconstruction method utilizing filtered backprojection results in severe streaking artifacts. Recently, deep learning strategies employing image-domain networks have demonstrated remarkable performance in eliminating the streaking artifact caused by analytic reconstruction methods with sparse projection views. Nevertheless, it is difficult to clarify the theoretical justification for applying deep learning to sparse view CT reconstruction, and it has been understood as restoration by removing image artifacts, not reconstruction...

An asymmetric dual-grating gate bilayer graphene-based field effect transistor (ADGG-GFET) with an integrated bowtie antenna was fabricated and its response as a Terahertz (THz) detector was experimentally investigated. The device was cooled down to 4.5 K, and excited at different frequencies (0.15, 0.3 and 0.6 THz) using a THz solid-state source. The integration of the bowtie antenna allowed to obtain a substantial increase in the photocurrent response (up to 8 nA) of the device at the three studied frequencies as compared to similar transistors lacking the integrated antenna (1 nA)...

BACKGROUND: A filamentous fungus Penicillium rubens is widely recognized for producing industrially important antibiotic, penicillin at industrial scale. OBJECTIVE: To better comprehend, the genetic blueprint of the wild-type P. rubens was isolated from India to identify the genetic/biosynthetic pathways for phenoxymethylpenicillin (penicillin V, PenV) and other secondary metabolites. METHOD: Genomic DNA (gDNA) was isolated, and library was prepared as per Illumina platform...

The purpose of this paper is to improve the risk management process in the quality management system of higher education, taking into account the hazardous factors that increase the probability of occurrence and severity of consequences of undesirable events, as well as favorable factors that reduce the probability of occurrence and severity of consequences of hazardous events. The basis of risk management in the quality management systems of higher education institutions is the "Bowtie" method, which involves six main steps of identifying inconsistency, determining the impact of hazardous and favorable factors according to the impact group, ranking hazardous and favorable factors, calculating risk, substantiating precautionary measures and checking calculations...

Coherent collective oscillations of electrons excited in metallic nanostructures (localized surface plasmons) can confine incident light to atomic scales and enable strong light-matter interactions, which depend nonlinearly on the local field. Direct sampling of such collective electron oscillations in real-time is crucial to performing petahertz scale optical modulation, control, and readout in a quantum nanodevice. Here, we demonstrate real-time tracking of collective electron oscillations in an Au bowtie nanoantenna, by recording photo-assisted tunnelling currents generated by such oscillations in this quantum nanodevice...

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the development and impact of a project to create a statewide test bank of Next Generation NCLEX®-style items. BACKROUND: Using a train-the-trainer model, champions created an open access resource of Next Generation NCLEX-style items to use to teach clinical judgment and then trained peers on item writing and test bank use. METHOD: Stufflebeam's CIPP (context, inputs, process, and products) model provided the framework for the evaluation...

Previously, we described the RNA recombinants accumulating in tissues infected with the bromoviruses BMV (Brome mosaic virus) and CCMV (Cowpea chlorotic mottle virus). In this work, we characterize the recombinants encapsidated inside the purified virion particles of BMV and CCMV. By using a tool called the Viral Recombination Mapper (ViReMa) that detects recombination junctions, we analyzed a high number of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) short RNA sequence reads. Over 28% of BMV or CCMV RNA reads did not perfectly map to the viral genomes...

Repetitive DNA sequences cause genomic instability and are important genetic markers. Identification of repeats is a critical step in genome annotation and analysis. On the other hand, repeats also pose a technical challenge for genome assembly and alignment programs using NGS data. RFGR is a comprehensive tool that can find exact repetitive sequences in complete genomes and assembled genomes, as well as NGS reads of prokaryotes. For complete genomes, RFGR uses a suffix trees to find seed repeats of repetitive sequences of fixed length with indels...

The streamlines of the energy flux (Poynting vectors) and chirality flux as well as the intensity of the electric field around various plasmonic nanostructures (nanocube, nanocuboid, nanotriangle, hexagonal nanoplate and bowtie nanoantenna) induced by a circularly polarized (CP) or linearly polarized (LP) light were studied theoretically. The boundary element method combined with the method of moment was used to solve a set of surface integral equations, based on the Stratton-Chu formulation, for analyzing the highly distorted electromagnetic (EM) field in the proximity of these nanostructures...

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection is still critical to control COVID-19 outbreak. Traditional polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or lateral flow immunoassay performed poorly on detection times, sample preparation process and accuracy. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based detection has emerged as a powerful analytical technique, which overcomes the above limitations. However, due to the near-field effect of traditional substrate, it is difficult to monitor the binding event of aptamers with proteins...

Optical nanoantennas possess broad applications in the fields of photodetection, environmental science, biosensing and nonlinear optics, owing to their remarkable ability to enhance and confine the optical field at the nanoscale. In this article, we present a theoretical investigation of surface-enhanced photoluminescence spectroscopy for single molecules confined within novel Au bowtie nanoantenna, covering a wavelength range from the visible to near-infrared spectral regions. We employ the finite element method to quantitatively study the optical enhancement properties of the plasmonic field, quantum yield, Raman scattering and fluorescence...

Polymer patching on inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) enables multifunctionality and directed self-assembly into nonclosely packed optical and mechanical metamaterials. However, experimental demonstration of such assemblies has been scant due to challenges in leveraging patch-induced NP-NP attractions and understanding NP self-assembly dynamics. Here we use low-dose liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy to visualize the dynamic behaviors of tip-patched triangular nanoprisms upon patch-clasping, where polymer patches interpenetrate to form cohesive bonds that connect NPs...

Microbes have been confirmed to play key role in biogeochemistry of antimony. However, the impact of indigenous bacteria (from active mines) on the behavior of dissolved antimony remained poorly understood. In current study, the hyper antimony-resistant strain, Achromobacter sp. 25-M, from the world largest antimony deposit, Xikuangshan antimony deposit, was evaluated for its role in dissolved Sb(V) and Sb(III) precipitation and removal. Despite the high resistance to Sb(III) (up to 50 mM), the facultative alkaliphile, 25-M was not capable of Sb(III) oxidation...

Optical imaging and photolithography hold the promise of extensive applications in the branch of nano-electronics, metrology, and the intricate domain of single-molecule biology. Nonetheless, the phenomenon of light diffraction imposes a foundational constraint upon optical resolution, thus presenting a significant barrier to the downscaling aspirations of nanoscale fabrication. The strategic utilization of surface plasmons has emerged as an avenue to overcome this diffraction-limit problem, leveraging their inherent wavelengths...

This study presents a measurement principle for determining the size of the ablation zone in MWA, which could ultimately form an alternative to more expensive monitoring approaches like CT. The measurement method is based on a microwave transmission measurement. A MWA is performed experimentally on ex vivo bovine liver to determine the ablation zone. This setup uses a custom slot applicator performing the MWA at an operating frequency of 2.45 GHz and a custom bowtie antenna measuring the waves transmitted from the applicator...

BACKGROUND: Ultra-low-dose (ULD) computed tomography (CT) scans should be used when CT is performed only for attenuation correction (AC) of positron emission tomography (PET) data. A tin filter can be used in addition to the standard aluminium bowtie filter to reduce CT radiation dose to patients. The aim was to determine how low CT doses can be, when utilised for PET AC, with and without the tin filter, whilst providing adequate PET quantification. METHODS: A water-filled NEMA image quality phantom was imaged in three configurations with 18 F-FDG: (1) water only (0HU); (2) with cylindrical insert containing homogenous mix of sand, flour and water (SFW, approximately 475HU); (3) with cylindrical insert containing sand (approximately 1100HU)...

Bowtie nano-apertures can confine light into deep subwavelength volumes with extreme field enhancement, making them a useful tool for various applications such as optical trapping, deep subwavelength imaging, nanolithography, and sensors. However, the correlation between the near- and far-field properties of bowtie nano-aperture arrays has yet to be fully explored. In this study, we experimentally investigated the polarization-dependent surface plasmon resonance in bowtie nano-aperture arrays using both optical transmission spectroscopy and photoemission electron microscopy...

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S): Up to 80% of metastatic patients face resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Combined SABR and ICI (I-SABR) can unleash antitumor immune cascades to overcome resistance and improve response with minimal toxicity. This synergy is particularly interesting in the oligoprogressive setting to extend the clinical benefit (CB) of ICI. However, there are no current biomarkers for patient selection. We hypothesize that differential expression of exosomal RNA in liquid biopsy may predict response to I-SABR...