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Non-reciprocal transport in solids under time-reversal symmetry is of great current interest. Here we show that YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 (YBCO)/Nd 0.65 (Ca 0.7 Sr 0.3 ) 0.35 MnO 3 (NCSMO) multilayers are promising candidates. By rectifying environmental electromagnetic fluctuations, they generate a spontaneous voltage of tens of millivolts, that can drive a persistent current across external circuits. The underlying ratchet-type potential presumably originates from the complex domain state of the NCSMO layers which host several nearly degenerate magnetic, electronic and polar orders. Particularly important appears to be the competition between a charge/orbital ordered majority phase with polar moments and a nonpolar ferromagnetic minority phase. A central role is also played by the adjacent YBCO layers that are too thin (≤10 nm) to fully screen the electric fields emanating from the NCSMO layers. These multilayers are useful for energy harvesting over broad temperature and magnetic field ranges, and for tunable multifunctional memory devices that are responsive to magnetic fields, electric currents, and electromagnetic radiation. Nonreciprocal transport is sensitive to the broken inversion symmetry of the electronic state. Here, the authors demonstrate a spontaneous voltage signal which they suggest is time-reversal-even and arises from a ratchet-type electronic potential.

ObjectiveTransversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is commonly used for postcesarean section analgesia and compares favorably with other systemic and regional analgesia techniques. No major complications of ultrasound-guided TAP block have previously been reported in this indication. We report 2 cases of systemic local anesthetic toxicity in this context leading to seizures and treated with lipid emulsion.Case ReportThe first event occurred 10 minutes after ultrasound-guided bilateral injections, each consisting of 20 mL of levobupivacaine 3.75 mg/mL. Two episodes of tonic-clonic seizure required resuscitation measures and 200 mL of lipid emulsion. The second case 25 minutes after a 20-mL bilateral injection of ropivacaine 7.5 mg/mL. One generalized tonic-clonic seizure required bag-mask ventilation and 250 mL of lipid emulsion. In both cases, patients were successfully treated and fully recovered.ConclusionsThese cases cast a cautionary note for the use of TAP blocks after cesarean delivery. The risk of systemic local anesthetic toxicity after this procedure remains unknown in this population and plasma concentration of local anesthetics should be measured in case of suspected toxicity. To limit this risk, a low concentration of local anesthetic solution should be chosen when a “20 mL bilaterally” regimen is necessary to achieve the required spread for a successful block.

We report on the development of scintillating bolometers based on lithium molybdate crystals that contain molybdenum that has depleted into the double-β active isotope 100Mo (Li2100deplMoO4). We used two Li2100deplMoO4 cubic samples, each of which consisted of 45-millimeter sides and had a mass of 0.28 kg; these samples were produced following the purification and crystallization protocols developed for double-β search experiments with 100Mo-enriched Li2MoO4 crystals. Bolometric Ge detectors were utilized to register the scintillation photons that were emitted by the Li2100deplMoO4 crystal scintillators. The measurements were performed in the CROSS cryogenic set-up at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory (Spain). We observed that the Li2100deplMoO4 scintillating bolometers were characterized by an excellent spectrometric performance (∼3–6 keV of FWHM at 0.24–2.6 MeV γs), moderate scintillation signal (∼0.3–0.6 keV/MeV scintillation-to-heat energy ratio, depending on the light collection conditions), and high radiopurity (228Th and 226Ra activities are below a few µBq/kg), which is comparable with the best reported results of low-temperature detectors that are based on Li2MoO4 using natural or 100Mo-enriched molybdenum content. The prospects of Li2100deplMoO4 bolometers for use in rare-event search experiments are briefly discussed.

We report on the development of scintillating bolometers based on lithium molybdate crystals that contain molybdenum that has depleted into the double-β active isotope [sup.100]Mo (Li[sub.2] [sup.100depl]MoO[sub.4]). We used two Li[sub.2] [sup.100depl]MoO[sub.4] cubic samples, each of which consisted of 45-millimeter sides and had a mass of 0.28 kg; these samples were produced following the purification and crystallization protocols developed for double-β search experiments with [sup.100]Mo-enriched Li[sub.2]MoO[sub.4] crystals. Bolometric Ge detectors were utilized to register the scintillation photons that were emitted by the Li[sub.2] [sup.100depl]MoO[sub.4] crystal scintillators. The measurements were performed in the CROSS cryogenic set-up at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory (Spain). We observed that the Li[sub.2] [sup.100depl]MoO[sub.4] scintillating bolometers were characterized by an excellent spectrometric performance (∼3–6 keV of FWHM at 0.24–2.6 MeV γs), moderate scintillation signal (∼0.3–0.6 keV/MeV scintillation-to-heat energy ratio, depending on the light collection conditions), and high radiopurity ([sup.228]Th and [sup.226]Ra activities are below a few µBq/kg), which is comparable with the best reported results of low-temperature detectors that are based on Li[sub.2]MoO[sub.4] using natural or [sup.100]Mo-enriched molybdenum content. The prospects of Li[sub.2] [sup.100depl]MoO[sub.4] bolometers for use in rare-event search experiments are briefly discussed.

In this paper, we describe QUBIC, an experiment that will observe the polarized microwave sky with a novel approach, which combines the sensitivity of state-of-the-art bolometric detectors with the systematic effects control typical of interferometers. QUBIC’s unique features are the so-called “self-calibration”, a technique that allows us to clean the measured data from instrumental effects, and its spectral imaging power, i.e., the ability to separate the signal into various sub-bands within each frequency band. QUBIC will observe the sky in two main frequency bands: 150 GHz and 220 GHz. A technological demonstrator is currently under testing and will be deployed in Argentina during 2019, while the final instrument is expected to be installed during 2020.

We report on the development of scintillating bolometers based on lithium molybdate crystals that contain molybdenum that has depleted into the double-β active isotope 100Mo (Li2100deplMoO4). We used two Li2100deplMoO4 cubic samples, each of which consisted of 45-millimeter sides and had a mass of 0.28 kg; these samples were produced following the purification and crystallization protocols developed for double-β search experiments with 100Mo-enriched Li2MoO4 crystals. Bolometric Ge detectors were utilized to register the scintillation photons that were emitted by the Li2100deplMoO4 crystal scintillators. The measurements were performed in the CROSS cryogenic set-up at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory (Spain). We observed that the Li2100deplMoO4 scintillating bolometers were characterized by an excellent spectrometric performance (∼3-6 keV of FWHM at 0.24-2.6 MeV γs), moderate scintillation signal (∼0.3-0.6 keV/MeV scintillation-to-heat energy ratio, depending on the light collection conditions), and high radiopurity (228Th and 226Ra activities are below a few µBq/kg), which is comparable with the best reported results of low-temperature detectors that are based on Li2MoO4 using natural or 100Mo-enriched molybdenum content. The prospects of Li2100deplMoO4 bolometers for use in rare-event search experiments are briefly discussed.

We report on the superconducting properties of amorphous Nb x Si 1− x thin films. The normal-state resistance and critical temperatures can be separately adjusted to suit the desired application. Notably, the relatively low electron–phonon coupling of these films makes them good candidates for an “all electron bolometer” for Cosmological Microwave Background radiation detection. Moreover, this device can be made to suit both high and low impedance readouts.

We report on the study of the two-dimensional Disorder-induced Superconductor- Insulator Transition (D-SIT) in NbxSi1-x thin films. In this proceeding, we present new results on the emergence of an insulating state from a 2d metallic state.

Rectification effects in solid-state devices are a consequence of nonreciprocal transport properties. This phenomenon is usually observed in systems with broken inversion symmetry. In most instances, nonreciprocal transport arises in the presence of an applied magnetic field and the rectified signal has an antisymmetric dependence on the field. We have observed rectification of environmental electromagnetic fluctuations in plain Nb channels without any asymmetry in design, leading to spontaneous voltage peaks at the superconducting transition. The signal is symmetric in the magnetic field and appears even without an applied field at the critical temperature. This is indicative of an unconventional mechanism of nonreciprocal transport resulting from a spontaneous breaking of inversion symmetry.