Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to novel recombinant coronavirus-based fusion proteins (“RBDs-IgG Fc protein” and “RBDs protein”) and vaccine compositions using the same, in which the fusion proteins comprise tandemly arranged coronaviruses receptor binding domains (RBDs). The present disclosure further provides methods and kits for immunizing a subject using the compositions.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure describe techniques that involve an active stabilization of coherent controllers using nearby qubits. In an aspect, a quantum information processing (QIP) system for stabilizing phase damping in qubits is described that provides a first and a second qubit ion, measuring magnetic field fluctuations using the second qubit ion, and generates one or more magnetic fields based on the measured magnetic field fluctuations, the one or more magnetic fields being applied near the first qubit ion to cancel the magnetic field fluctuations to stabilize the phase damping of the first qubit ion. Another such QIP system performs provides a first and a second qubit ion, locks a local oscillator to a frequency reference associated with the second qubit ion, and tracks, using the local oscillator, a frequency of the first qubit ion based on the frequency reference. Methods associated with these QIP systems are also described.

Abstract: A method for detecting a two-qubit correlated dephasing error includes accessing a signal of a quantum system, where the quantum system includes a plurality of qubits. Every qubit has a nonzero rate of dephasing and some qubits have a nonzero rate of correlated dephasing. The signal further includes information about a matrix that includes diagonal elements and off-diagonal elements. The off-diagonal elements of the matrix are 2s-sparse. The method further includes performing randomized measurements of the off-diagonal elements of the matrix and recovering the matrix based on a direct measurement of the diagonal elements of the matrix.

Abstract: A quantum EIT-based optical switch includes a first waveguide, linear or nonlinear, a separate nonlinear waveguide evanescently coupled to the first waveguide, and a pump coupled to the nonlinear waveguide. A quantum STIRAP-based optical transduction device, which includes an auxiliary, intermediate spectral state for the quantum signal that aids efficient transduction of the quantum signal from the input spectral state to the output spectral state in a single device.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for modifying genomic DNA sequences of a plant cell are provided. The methods produce double stranded breaks at target sites in a genomic DNA sequence, resulting in mutation, insertion, and/or deletion of DNA sequences at the target site(s) in a genome. The compositions comprise DNA constructs comprising nucleotide sequences that encode a Cas12b protein. The DNA constructs can be used to direct the modification of genomic DNA at a target site. Methods to use these DNA constructs to modify genomic DNA sequences are described herein. Additionally, compositions and methods for modulating the expression of genes are provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods of quantum sensing include depositing a sample volume onto an ensemble of quantum defects, hyperpolarizing spins in the sample volume, performing a sensing sequence, and reading out information regarding electronic spin states of the quantum defects in the ensemble of quantum defects, which sense the hyperpolarized spins in the sample volume.

Abstract: Systems, methods, network devices, and machine-readable media disclosed herein include encoding data for storage or transmission by encoding the data according to a tamper-resistant data encoding scheme that renders the data secure against unbounded polynomial size attacks. The present disclosure further includes subsequently determining whether the data has been tampered with, and notifying a processor when the data has been modified or compromised.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a doped cubic bismuth oxide that is phase stable in a temperature range of from about 550° C. to about 700° C. The doped cubic bismuth oxide comprises a mixture of a first dopant and a second dopant.

Abstract: The present invention relates to rhomboidal phase bismuth oxide that maintains electric conductivity of at least about 1×10?2 S/cm at temperature of about 500° C. for at least about 100 hours. In particular, the bismuth oxides of the invention have stable conductivity at a temperature range from about 500° C. to about 550° C.

Abstract: A system for noise-resistant quantum communication using hyperentanglement includes a quantum system that includes a plurality of qubits, a processor, and a memory. The memory includes instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the processor, cause the quantum system to access a signal of a quantum system that includes a plurality of qubits and obtain hyperentanglement of the plurality of qubits via an entanglement source. The hyperentanglement of the plurality of qubits is in at least two dimensions, including a first dimension and a second dimension. The instructions, when executed, further cause the quantum system to transmit the hyperentangled plurality of qubits via a communication channel; perform a communication of the signal with the first dimension of the at least two dimensions; and filter results of the communicated signal based on the second dimension of the at least two dimensions.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure describe techniques for controlling coherent crosstalk errors that occur in multi-channel acousto-optic modulators (AOMs) by applying cancellation tones to reduce or eliminate the crosstalk errors. For example, a method and systems are described that include applying a first radio frequency (RF) tone to generate a first acoustic wave in a first channel of the multi-channel AOM, wherein a portion of the first acoustic wave interacts with a second channel to cause a crosstalk effect, and applying a second RF tone to generate a second acoustic wave in the second channel, wherein the second acoustic wave reduces or eliminates the crosstalk effect caused by the portion of the first acoustic wave.

Abstract: The problem of lost circulation is pertinent to the oil industry. To prevent fluid loss, a lost circulation material (LCM), or more generally, a plugging material, can be used to effectively plug the fractures in the rock formation. If the fractures are in the production zone, it is also ideal to unplug them when the drilling operation is complete. Therefore, a material engineered to degrade after a desired period would be useful. In examples, a plugging material has been developed by gelling an oil-based fluid using a low molecular weight gelator, dibenzylidene sorbitol (DBS). DBS gels are robust and show plugging behavior. DBS is shown to chemically degrade in presence of an acid. Hence, a self-degrading gel can be synthesized by incorporating an acid into the system. Further, by varying the type and concentration of the acid, the degradation time of the gel can be controlled.

Abstract: A monitoring device for a battery pack, which includes a plurality of battery cells, has at least one ultrasound source and at least one ultrasound sensor. The ultrasound source can be configured to generate and direct ultrasound at one or more battery cells of the battery pack. The ultrasound sensor can be configured to detect ultrasound reflected from or transmitted through one or more cells of the battery pack. A battery management unit receives one or more signals from the ultrasound sensor responsive to the detected ultrasound. The battery management unit can be configured to determine a state of the battery pack based at least in part on the detected ultrasound.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a cellular foam composition, a method for producing and using the same. One particular aspect of the disclosure provides a cellular foam composition comprising a plurality of foam layers, where each foam layer is made from a hollow microstructure material. In particular, the density of the hollow microstructure material in each foam layer is different from the density of the hollow microstructure material that forms the adjacent foam layer. In some embodiments, cellular foam compositions of the disclosure further include an interfacial layer comprising interfacial voids in between adjacent layers.

Abstract: A circulator includes a central circuit having a first superconducting island, a second superconducting island, a third superconducting island, and a central island, each in electrical communication with each other via a plurality of Josephson junctions.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides aqueous electrolytes with a lower salt concentration and wider electrochemical stability window compared to water-in-salt electrolytes. The aqueous electrolyte composition of the disclosure comprises an anti-solvent, which reduces the H2O activity and the amount of H2O in the Li-ion solvation sheath. In one particular embodiment of the disclosure provides a nonflammable aqueous electrolyte composition for a lithium-ion battery, wherein the aqueous electrolyte composition comprises: an electrolyte salt comprising a lithium salt; water; and an organic component that is miscible with water. In some embodiments, the electrochemical stability window of the aqueous electrolyte composition is greater than 3.0 V and a molality of an electrolyte salt in said aqueous electrolyte composition is about 5 m or less.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides rechargeable divalent metal batteries comprising a multidentate compound. In particular, the presence of a multidentate compound in the electrolyte of the rechargeable divalent metal batteries significantly increases the interfacial charge transfer kinetics and/or suppresses undesired side reactions on both cathodes and metal anodes. It is believed that these effects are at least in part due to solvation sheath reorganization by the multidentate compound. Other aspects of the disclosure include methods for reducing a charge transfer overpotential and methods for increasing a charge transfer kinetics in rechargeable divalent metal batteries.

Abstract: A catalytic structure has a plurality of high-entropy alloy (HEA) nanoparticles. Each HEA nanoparticle is composed of a homogeneous mixture of elements of cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), and at least two transition metal elements. For example, in some embodiments, each HEA nanoparticle is a quinary mixture of Co, Mo, iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), and copper (Cu). The homogeneous mixture in each HEA nanoparticle forms a single solid-solution phase. The catalytic structure is used to catalyze a chemical reaction, for example, ammonia decomposition or ammonia synthesis. Methods for forming the catalytic structure are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosure describes various aspects related to enabling effective multi-qubit operations, and more specifically, to techniques for enabling parallel multi-qubit operations on a universal ion trap quantum computer. In an aspect, a method of performing quantum operations in an ion trap quantum computer or trapped-ion quantum system includes implementing at least two parallel gates of a quantum circuit, each of the at least two parallel gates is a multi-qubit gate, each of the at least two parallel gates is implemented using a different set of ions of a plurality of ions in a ion trap, and the plurality of ions includes four or more ions. The method further includes simultaneously performing operations on the at least two parallel gates as part of the quantum operations. A trapped-ion quantum system and a computer-readable storage medium corresponding to the method described above are also disclosed.

Abstract: An afocal sensor assembly detects a light beam with an aberrated wavefront. The afocal sensor assembly is configured to provide sorted four-dimensional (4D) light field information regarding the light beam, for example, via one or more plenoptic images. Based on the 4D light field information, a lossy reconstruction of an aberrated wavefront for one or more actuators of an adaptive optics (AO) device is performed. The AO device can be controlled based on the lossy reconstruction to correct the wavefront of the light beam. In some embodiments, the aberrated wavefront is due to passage of the light beam through atmospheric turbulence, and the lossy reconstruction and correction using the AO device is performed in less than 1.0 ms. The lossy reconstruction of the aberrated wavefront can have a phase accuracy in a range of ?/2 to ?/30.