No abstract

Designing a spectrometer without the need for wavelength multiplexing optics can effectively reduce the complexity and physical footprint. On the basis of the computational spectroscopic strategy and combining a broadband-responsive dynamic detector, we successfully demonstrate an optics-free single-detector spectrometer that maps the tunable quantum efficiency of a superconducting nanowire into a matrix to build a solvable mathematical equation. Such a spectrometer can realize a broadband spectral responsivity ranging from 660 to 1900 nm. The spectral resolution at the telecom is sub-10 nm, exceeding the energy resolving capacity of existing infrared single-photon detectors. Meanwhile, benefiting from the optics-free setup, precise time-of-flight measurements can be simultaneously achieved. We have demonstrated a spectral LiDAR with eight spectral channels. This spectrometer scheme paves the way for applying superconducting nanowire detectors in multifunctional spectroscopy and represents a conceptual advancement for on-chip spectroscopy and spectral imaging.

Six novel Ia₃-type cyclopeptide alkaloids (1-6) were isolated from stems of Ziziphus apetala. Compound 5 and the known compounds mauritine A (7) and mauritine F (8) were isolated from the roots. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analyses and chemical methods. The total alkaloids from the roots and the isolated cyclopeptide alkaloids were tested for antidepressant behavior on mice, cytotoxicity, and 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) inhibition in vitro. Only mauritine A (7) showed inhibitory activity on 11β-HSD1, with IC₅₀ values of 52.0 (human) and 31.2 μg/mL (mouse).

Dendrobium huoshanense is used to treat various diseases in traditional Chinese medicine. Recent studies have identified active components. However, the lack of genomic data limits research on the biosynthesis and application of these therapeutic ingredients. To address this issue, we generated the first chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation of D. huoshanense. We integrated PacBio sequencing data, Illumina paired-end sequencing data, and Hi-C sequencing data to assemble a 1.285 Gb genome, with contig and scaffold N50 lengths of 598 kb and 71.79Mb, respectively. We annotated 21,070 protein-coding genes and 0.96 Gb transposable elements, constituting 74.92% of the whole assembly. In addition, we identified 252 genes responsible for polysaccharide biosynthesis by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional annotation. Our data provide a basis for further functional studies, particularly those focused on genes related to glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, and have implications for both conservation and medicine.

Many classic and quantum devices need to operate at cryogenic temperatures, demanding advanced cryogenic digital electronics for processing the input and output signals on a chip to extend their scalability and performance. Here, we report a superconducting binary encoder with ultralow power dissipation and ultracompact size. We introduce a multigate superconducting nanowire cryotron (nTron) that functions as an 8-input OR gate within a footprint of approximately 0.5 μm2. Four cryotrons compose a 4-bit encoder that has a bias margin of 18.9%, an operation speed greater than 250 MHz, an average switching jitter of 75 ps, and a power dissipation of less than 1 μW. We apply this encoder to read out a superconducting-nanowire single-photon detector array whose pixel location is digitized into a 4-bit binary address. The small size of the nanowire combined with the low power dissipation makes nTrons promising for future monolithic integration.