Thermo Fisher Scientific (Netherlands)

Abstract Iron-based superconductors (IBS) such as FeSe0.5Te0.5 (Fe(Se,Te)) are highly promising for applications in high magnetic fields and low temperatures, allowing their adoption in liquid helium at fields exceeding 20 T. In these regimes, while high-temperature superconductors (HTS) exhibit superior performance, IBS materials offer advantages, including a large critical grain-boundary angle that reduces the need for strict texturing, making them strong candidates for coated conductors. Fe(Se,Te) films can be deposited under less extreme conditions compared to HTS, simplifying manufacturing and making Fe(Se,Te)-based coated conductors a cost-effective alternative for large-scale production.
Recently, we demonstrated that a thin TiN film serves as an effective buffer layer, enabling the oriented growth of superconducting Fe(Se,Te) on biaxially textured Ni-W. This leads to a simple coated conductor architecture, fabricated using Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD), based on a single electrically conducting buffer layer. The resulting tape exhibits normal-state resistivity comparable to that of the substrate, proving the electrical connection that allows the substrate itself to function as an intrinsic stabiliser. 
In this work, we analyse the microstructure of the TiN-based tape via TEM, elucidating the Fe(Se,Te) growth mechanism on the mismatched TiN buffer layer and investigating the micro- and nanostructure of the superconducting film. Depending on deposition conditions, the formation of a nanostructured hexagonal secondary phase was detected, contributing an effective pinning landscape. This results in high critical current densities ( J C ), exceeding 0.1 MA/cm² at 4.2 K in magnetic fields up to 17.5 T and around 3.2 MA/cm² at 4.2 K in self-field. The angular dependence of the critical current density reveals a quasi-isotropic behaviour, attributed to the presence of the nanosized secondary phase, contributing to uniformly distributed pinning centres within the superconducting matrix.
These findings represent significant advancements in process simplification and performance of Fe(Se,Te)-based coated conductors, further reinforcing the potential of IBS-coated conductors for applications.

Immune protection by the complement system depends on C3 cleavage by C3 convertases that is critical to all three activation pathways. Structural data on convertase formation in the classical pathway and on C3-substrate binding to convertases is lacking. We present the cryo-EM structures of the proconvertase (C4b2), convertase (C4b2b), and convertase-substrate complex (C4b2b-C3) of the classical pathway. The data show that C2 and C4b form proconvertases and convertases like factor B and C3b of the alternative pathway. Substrate C3 binds C4b of the convertase through two interfaces: one also found in the SCIN-inhibited C3bBb dimer, and another facilitated by conformational changes in C3. Bending of C3 and swinging of the C2 protease bring the C3-scissile loop into the active site. The second, charged, C4b-interaction site favors C3- substrate binding, but upon cleavage repels product C3b. Thus, a charge switch-over mechanism effects the catalytic turnover of the convertases producing opsonin C3b.

Abstract Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and related characterization techniques are widely used to inspect semiconductor devices. Conventional TEM (CTEM) and scanning TEM (STEM) methods mostly keep the incident electron beam at a fixed angle, aligned with the optical axis of the electron microscope. While effective in many scenarios, this invariance could limit the potential for more complex applications. We investigate a technique that allows us to acquire multidimensional data from a series of beam tilt angles. The acquired data can be further processed to provide more information and to reduce the possible errors associated with single data sets. In this paper, we demonstrate the advantages of this technique through several semiconductor use cases. These benefits include reducing unwanted background information in electric field mapping on a SiC film, enhancing strain mapping quality on a Si-SiGe multilayer structure and improving grain mapping on a 3D-NAND device. This beam-tilt technique can be executed via an automated script once the experimental conditions are optimized, paving the way for large-volume investigation through automated TEM.

Edge computing enables time-sensitive applications by bringing computation closer to data sources. However, existing orchestration frameworks such as Kubernetes often overlook performance variability, leading to inefficient resource management. While recent advances have introduced performance-aware scheduling, load balancing remains largely reactive. In particular, performance-aware load balancers are still missing from mainstream systems, limiting their ability to meet subsecond latency requirements. This paper presents a unified extension to orchestration frameworks that integrates both performance-aware scheduling and load balancing. We design lightweight performance predictors, trained on historical monitoring data, to estimate performance fluctuations. Variability predictors inform the scheduler, while Round-Trip Time (RTT) predictors guide load balancing decisions. Our approach is validated using a Single Particle Analysis (SPA) application deployed on a Kubernetes-based edge computing testbed. Results demonstrate that the predictors achieve approximately 85% accuracy in capturing RTT variability. Simulation results show reductions in application completion times ranging from 50% to 78% for scheduling and 68% for load balancing, highlighting the effectiveness of predictive orchestration in dynamic edge/cloud environments.

For many years, the Cryo-EM community is expecting that software automation will achieve the ultimate goal of providing a Single Particle Analysis (SPA) data acquisition workflow that requires no setup from the user's side [1,2]. Achieving that will allow many more researchers, who are not necessarily application or microscope experts an optimal use of time in high throughput cryo-electron microscopes. This is particularly important in industrial set-ups or entry-level labs where efficiency and ease of use are key adoption barriers. Moreover, it has been identified that one of the main bottlenecks in Single Particle Acquisition (SPA) is screening automation [2]. Thermo Scientific Smart EPU with EPU Multigrid already provides a workflow that enables screening of multiple samples in highly automated way [3]. We are now expanding on that with the goal to make SPA screening fully unattended. With the use of EPU Multigrid, EPU Quality Monitor (EQM) and Embedded CryoSPARC Live, and a novel set of AI/DL algorithms, we can now demonstrate a workflow that allows users to screen a full cassette of samples on an autoloader system without the need to pass through any manual setup tasks.To achieve that level of automation, many parts of the workflow need to be optimized. User workflows for screening often include the acquisition and subsequent analysis of small datasets from numerous grids in different conditions to find optimal ice thickness and particle behavior [2]. This task is quite tedious: Users need to load each grid, select grid squares with a variation in ice thickness, identify foil holes, select foil holes with a variation in ice thickness, curate initial selections and afterwards perform data analysis to find favorable conditions for data acquisition. Smart EPU introduces a set of innovative AI/DL plugins that automate all the above steps. Experimental results show that the algorithms perform to a comparable level to an experienced user. We also combine these innovations with a redesigned UI to invoke the setup with just one click. This screening solution will be connected to EQM and Embedded CryoSPARC Live, so data analysis also happens in real time.With these developments in place, users will be able to load the samples, immediately start the screening process, and after a few hours get the results visualized in our data integration platform on their laptop.

In the recent years, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) single-particle analysis (SPA) has greatly benefited from a multitude of technological advances cumulating in breaking the atomic-resolution barrier for biological macromolecules. Since then, structural insights by cryo-EM have led to driving rational design of new vaccines and therapeutics due to high throughput and high-resolution screening and data collection technologies. Additionally, cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) has become an indispensable tool for structural cell biology. In this presentation we elaborate on the latest Thermo Fisher Scientific innovations for 300kV cryo electron microscopy for SPA and cryo-ET to advance more workflow efficiency and performance. Our ongoing mission is to further improve the connectivity between the cryo-FIB and cryo-TEM for an even more streamlined tomography workflow that is safer, faster and cleaner. Data acquisition and processing can be a significant cryo-ET bottleneck. Our integrated solution, combining Thermo Scientific Tomography 5 and Tomo Live, automates pre-acquisition tasks, enhances productivity with predictive tracking and enables rapid quality assessment. Robust and optimized motion correction helps produce crisp tomograms and image quality needed for sub-tomogram averaging. Results are displayed with new quality metrics on a web platform, making the workflow user-friendly and facilitating structural biology advancements.