MODERN PHYSICS LETTERS B

Noise Reduction in Optically Controlled Quantum Memory
Ma L, Slattery O and Tang X
Quantum memory is an essential device for quantum communications systems and quantum computers. An important category of quantum memory, called Optically controlled quantum memory, uses a strong classical beam to control the storage and re-emission of a single photon signal through an atomic ensemble. The residual light from the strong classical control beam can cause severe noise and degrade the system performance significantly. Efficiently suppressing this noise is required for the successful implementation of optically controlled quantum memories. In this paper, we briefly review the latest and most common approaches to quantum memory and discuss the various noise reduction techniques used in implementing them.
Emergent "Quantum" Theory in Complex Adaptive Systems
Minic D and Pajevic S
Motivated by the question of stability, in this letter we argue that an effective quantum-like theory can emerge in complex adaptive systems. In the concrete example of stochastic Lotka-Volterra dynamics, the relevant effective "Planck constant" associated with such emergent "quantum" theory has the dimensions of the square of the unit of time. Such an emergent quantum-like theory has inherently non-classical stability as well as coherent properties that are not, in principle, endangered by thermal fluctuations and therefore might be of crucial importance in complex adaptive systems.
Potential for measurement of the distribution of DNA folds in complex environments using Correlated X-ray Scattering
Schenk G, Krajina B, Spakowitz A and Doniach S
chromosomal behavior is dictated by the organization of genomic DNA at length scales ranging from nanometers to microns. At these disparate scales, the DNA conformation is influenced by a range of proteins that package, twist and disentangle the DNA double helix, leading to a complex hierarchical structure that remains undetermined. Thus, there is a critical need for methods of structural characterization of DNA that can accommodate complex environmental conditions over biologically relevant length scales. Based on multiscale molecular simulations, we report on the possibility of measuring supercoiling in complex environments using angular correlations of scattered X-rays resulting from X-ray free electron laser (xFEL) experiments. We recently demonstrated the observation of structural detail for solutions of randomly oriented metallic nanoparticles [D. Mendez , (2014) 20130315]. Here, we argue, based on simulations, that correlated X-ray scattering (CXS) has the potential for measuring the distribution of DNA folds in complex environments, on the scale of a few persistence lengths.
Understanding dynamic changes in live cell adhesion with neutron reflectometry
Junghans A, Waltman MJ, Smith HL, Pocivavsek L, Zebda N, Birukov K, Viapiano M and Majewski J
Neutron reflectometry (NR) was used to examine various live cells adhesion to quartz substrates under different environmental conditions, including flow stress. To the best of our knowledge, these measurements represent the first successful visualization and quantization of the interface between live cells and a substrate with sub-nanometer resolution. In our first experiments, we examined live mouse fibroblast cells as opposed to past experiments using supported lipids, proteins, or peptide layers with no associated cells. We continued the NR studies of cell adhesion by investigating endothelial monolayers and glioblastoma cells under dynamic flow conditions. We demonstrated that neutron reflectometry is a powerful tool to study the strength of cellular layer adhesion in living tissues, which is a key factor in understanding the physiology of cell interactions and conditions leading to abnormal or disease circumstances. Continuative measurements, such as investigating changes in tumor cell - surface contact of various glioblastomas, could impact advancements in tumor treatments. In principle, this can help us to identify changes that correlate with tumor invasiveness. Pursuit of these studies can have significant medical impact on the understanding of complex biological problems and their effective treatment, for the development of targeted anti-invasive therapies.
RIEMANN ZEROS AND THE INVERSE PHASE PROBLEM
Tourigny DS
Finding a universal method of crystal structure solution and proving the Riemann hypothesis are two outstanding challenges in apparently unrelated fields. For centrosymmetric crystals however, a connection arises as the result of a statistical approach to the inverse phase problem. It is shown that parameters of the phase distribution are related to the non-trivial Riemann zeros by a Mellin transform.