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Yong Hou

Publications and source records attributed to Yong Hou.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

Accessible CAT$(-1)$ groups of critical exponent less than one

Let $X$ be proper CAT$(-1)$ and let $\Gamma\le\Isom(X)$ be finitely generated and discrete. The sharp structural theorem states that, if $\Gamma$ is accessible over finite subgroups and $\delta_X(\Gamma)<1$, then $\Gamma$ is geometrically finite and virtually free, has a finite graph of groups with finite edge groups and virtually cyclic infinite vertex groups, and $\partial\Gamma\to\Lambda_\Gamma$ collapses exactly their conjugate two point boundaries. The result is hereditary, and below $1/2$ every finitely generated subgroup is convex-cobounded (\cref{thm:accessible-main}). Hence non-virtually-free accessible groups have $\delta_X(\Gamma)\ge1$ (\cref{cor:accessible-gap}). Consequences cover finitely presented groups, groups with uniformly bounded finite-subgroup orders, characteristic-zero linear groups, and Kleinian groups, also infinite parabolic-free Kleinian groups have finite-index classical Schottky subgroups (\cref{cor:accessibility-extension,cor:linear-groups,cor:kleinian-classical}). Hence we cover substantial larger class than \cite{LiuWang2023},\cite{Hou2001}, also see \cref{rem:strictness-sharpness}. Finally, we also state consequences for finite JSJ representatives and hierarchies (\cref{thm:JSJ,thm:hierarchy,cor:hierarchy-dimension}).

math.GR↗
arXiv2026

Dielectric response and structural properties of finite-temperature electron liquids

The dielectric response and structural properties of finite-temperature electron liquids are central to accurately describing the physical behavior of electronic systems. This study presents a robust analytical model for the static structure factor of the uniform electron gas, combining physically motivated form for the static structure factor with constraints derived from high-accuracy path integral Monte Carlo simulations. The model accurately reproduces key features of the static structure factor across a broad range of temperatures and densities. Using this static structure factor, the density response function is directly evaluated, enabling a self-consistent definition of the static local field correction. As practical applications, the model is employed to investigate the low-velocity stopping power and the electron-ion friction coefficient. Results derived for the friction coefficient show good agreement with simulation data at moderate coupling and degeneracy. The proposed approach provides a computationally efficient and reliable method for characterizing the static response properties of correlated electron systems, facilitating improved simulations of energy deposition and ionic transport in warm dense matter and other strongly coupled quantum plasmas.

physics.plasm-ph↗
arXiv2026

From Displacement to Angle: Diamond-Based 3D Rotation Sensing for High-Precision Cellular Force Measurement

Cellular traction forces are conventionally measured by tracking the displacement of beads or micropillars, an approach fundamentally limited by optical diffraction and the classical Euler-Bernoulli beam assumption, which is accurate only when the traction-induced deformation is relatively small while the aspect ratio of micropillars is large. Here we introduce an alternative approach: quantifying force through direct measurement of rotational angle, in addition of displacement of the micropillar, using fluorescent nanodiamonds as embedded 3D orientation markers. Specifically, by integrating optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) with laser polarization modulation (LPM), we determine the complete three-dimensional orientation of nanodiamonds attached to PDMS micropillars with sub-degree precision ($\sim$0.5$^\circ$). This angle-based measurement framework bypasses the resolution constraints of displacement tracking and remains valid for stocky beams or when large deformations occur. Finite-element simulations demonstrate that our method reduces force estimation errors by at least 10% compared to conventional displacement-based approaches. Moreover, we successfully capture multidimensional pillar deformations -- including bending and twisting -- that are inaccessible to conventional displacement-only method. Taken together, our work establishes diamond-based angular force microscopy as a high-precision platform for mechanobiology.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2026

All-optical intracellular thermal profiling using nanodiamond-based "thermal radar"

The local thermal conductivity (\k{appa}) is a pivotal biophysical parameter, governing intracellular heat flux and underlying functional processes like metabolic regulation and stress response. However, label-free mapping with sub-micron resolution in living cells remains challenge. Here, we present frequency-domain fluorescence thermometry (FD-FTM), an all-optical method based on a hybrid nanodiamond-on-gold-membrane platform, which enables quantitative mapping of \k{appa} in biological systems. Fluorescence nanodiamonds (FNDs) are deposited on substrates coated with a 50 nm gold membrane, where FNDs function as nanoscale thermometers, and the gold membrane serves as a photothermal heat source. We validate FD-FTM across reference materials and biological media, with fitting uncertainties of ~10%. By varying the modulation frequency, we tune the thermal penetration depths, enabling controlled heat propagation from the substrate to the cell nucleus. The method delivers sensitivity sufficient to resolve changes in biofluid thermal conductivity on the order of 16% relative to water. Using these capabilities, we demonstrate non-invasive thermal profiling across scales: at the cellular level, nuclear chromatin packing yields \k{appa} higher by ~10% relative to the cytoplasm; at the organelle level, we resolve \k{appa} variations associated with protein aggregates formed during liquid-liquid phase separation in an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis disease model. Temporal measurements in living cells over 30 minutes further reveal spatially resolved intracellular responses to osmotic stress, linking nanoscale thermal dynamics to biomolecular condensates. These results establish FD-FTM as a label-free, robust, and quantitative platform for thermally decoding intracellular processes, opening avenues for studying metabolic heterogeneity, disease mechanisms, and therapeutic responses.

physics.bio-ph↗
arXiv2026

Swelling-Induced Stress-Assisted Transfer of Nanodiamond Arrays with a PVA Carrier Tape for Conformal Bio-Integrated Sensing and Labelling

The conformal integration of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center nanodiamond arrays onto soft, hydrated, curvilinear biological interfaces remain a fundamental challenge for in vivo quantum sensing and imaging. Conventional transfer techniques often fail due to reliance on high temperature, corrosive chemicals, or mechanical peeling, leading to pattern damage, low fidelity, or poor biocompatibility. Here, we report a transfer strategy utilizing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) carrier soluble tape, enabling rapid, residue-free, high-fidelity transfer of nanodiamond patterns onto diverse biointerfaces. The success of this method is rooted in a unique "hydrate-soften-expand-self-peel" mechanism of the soluble tape with PVA backing. In situ mechanical tracking reveals non-uniform PVA swelling upon hydration generates transient local normal and shear stresses at the interface. These stresses delaminate the tape within 3 minutes at room temperature while promoting adhesion of the nanodiamond array to the substrate. In contrast, conventional water-soluble tapes with composite structures undergo passive dissolution and collapse, causing residue contamination and reduced efficiency. Leveraging this mechanism, we achieve conformal patterning on ultra-soft hydrogels (~0.6 kPa) and highly curved bio-surfaces (hair, 100 {\mu}m^-1). Additionally, we demonstrate a dual-identity verification system integrating data storage and physical unclonable functions on a hydrogel contact lens. This work provides a versatile tool for bio-interface engineering and a general framework for gentle, efficient transfer of functional nanomaterials.

physics.bio-ph↗
arXiv2026

Nanodiamond-Enabled Torsion Microscopy Uncovers Multidimensional Cell-Matrix Mechanical Interactions

Traditional cellular force-sensing techniques, such as traction force microscopy (TFM), are predominantly limited to measuring linear tractions, overlooking and technically unable to capture the nanoscale torsional forces that are critical in cell-matrix interactions. Here, we introduce a nanodiamond-enabled torsion microscopy (DTM) that integrates nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers as orientation markers with micropillar arrays to decouple and quantify nanoscale rotational and translational motions induced by cells. This approach achieves high precision (~1.47 degree rotational accuracy and ~3.13*10-15 Nm torque sensitivity), enabling reconstruction of cellular torsional force fields and twisting energy distributions previously underestimated. Our findings reveal the widespread presence of torsional forces in cell-matrix interactions, introducing "cellular mechanical modes" where different adhesion patterns dictate the balance between traction- and torque- mediated mechanical energy transferred to the substrate. Notably, in immune cells like macrophages that generally exert low linear tractions, torque overwhelmingly dominates traction, highlighting a unique mechanical output for specific cellular functions. By uncovering these differential modes, DTM provides a versatile tool to advance biomechanical investigations, with potential applications in disease diagnostics and therapeutics.

physics.bio-ph↗
arXiv2023

Theoretical evidence of H-He demixing under Jupiter and Saturn conditions

The immiscibility of hydrogen-helium mixture under the temperature and pressure conditions of planetary interiors is crucial for understanding the structures of gas giant planets (e.g., Jupiter and Saturn). While the experimental probe at such extreme conditions is challenging, theoretical simulation is heavily relied in an effort to unravel the mixing behavior of hydrogen and helium. Here we develop a method via a machine learning accelerated molecular dynamics simulation to quantify the physical separation of hydrogen and helium under the conditions of planetary interiors. The immiscibility line achieved with the developed method yields substantially higher demixing temperatures at pressure above 1.5 Mbar than earlier theoretical data, but matches better to the experimental estimate. Our results suggest a possibility that H-He demixing takes place in a large fraction of the interior radii of Jupiter and Saturn, i.e., 27.5% in Jupiter and 48.3% in Saturn. This indication of an H-He immiscible layer hints at the formation of helium rain and offers a potential explanation for the decrease of helium in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn.

physics.comp-ph↗
arXiv2023

Super-resolution enabled widefield quantum diamond microscopy

Widefield quantum diamond microscopy (WQDM) based on Kohler-illumination has been widely adopted in the field of quantum sensing, however, practical applications are still limited by issues such as unavoidable photodamage and unsatisfied spatial-resolution. Here, we design and develop a super-resolution enabled WQDM using a digital micromirror device (DMD)-based structured illumination microscopy. With the rapidly programmable illumination patterns, we have firstly demonstrated how to mitigate phototoxicity when imaging nanodiamonds in cell samples. As a showcase, we have performed the super-resolved quantum sensing measurements of two individual nanodiamonds not even distinguishable with conventional WQDM. The DMD-powered WQDM presents not only excellent compatibility with quantum sensing solutions, but also strong advantages in high imaging speed, high resolution, low phototoxicity, and enhanced signal-to-background ratio, making it a competent tool to for applications in demanding fields such as biomedical science.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2023

Quantum-Enhanced Diamond Molecular Tension Microscopy for Quantifying Cellular Forces

The constant interplay and information exchange between cells and their micro-environment are essential to their survival and ability to execute biological functions. To date, a few leading technologies such as traction force microscopy, have been broadly used in measuring cellular forces. However, the considerable limitations, regarding the sensitivity and ambiguities in data interpretation, are hindering our thorough understanding of mechanobiology. Herein, we propose an innovative approach, namely quantum-enhanced diamond molecular tension microscopy (QDMTM), to precisely quantify the integrin-based cell adhesive forces. Specifically, we construct a force sensing platform by conjugating the magnetic nanotags labeled, force-responsive polymer to the surface of diamond membrane containing nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers. Thus, the coupled mechanical information can be quantified through optical readout of spin relaxation of NV centers modulated by those magnetic nanotags. To validate QDMTM, we have carefully performed corresponding measurements both in control and real cell samples. Particularly, we have obtained the quantitative cellular adhesion force mapping by correlating the measurement with established theoretical model. We anticipate that our method can be routinely used in studying important issues like cell-cell or cell-material interactions and mechanotransduction.

q-bio.CB↗
arXiv2023

Random-walk shielding-potential viscosity model for warm dense metals

We develop a novel model, called the ``random-walk shielding-potential viscosity model'' (RWSP-VM) that introduces the statistics of random-walk ions and the Debye shielding effect to describe the viscosities of warm dense metals. The viscosities of several metals with low to high atomic number (Be, Al, Fe, and U) are calculated using the analytical expression of RWSP-VM. Additionally, we simulate the viscosities of Fe and Be by employing the Langevin molecular dynamics (MD) and classical MD, while the MD data for Al and U are obtained from a previous work. The results of the RWSP-VM are in good agreement with the MD results, which validates the proposed model. Furthermore, we compare the RWSP-VM with the one-component plasma model and Yukawa viscosity model and show that the three models yield results in excellent agreement with each other in the regime where the RWSP-VM is applicable. These results indicate that the RWSP-VM is a universal, accurate, and highly efficient model for calculating the viscosity of metals in the warm dense state. The code of the proposed RWSP-VM is provided, and it is envisaged that it will have broad application prospects in numerous fields.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗
arXiv2022

Multiscale topology classifies and quantifies cell types in subcellular spatial transcriptomics

Spatial transcriptomics has the potential to transform our understanding of RNA expression in tissues. Classical array-based technologies produce multiple-cell-scale measurements requiring deconvolution to recover single cell information. However, rapid advances in subcellular measurement of RNA expression at whole-transcriptome depth necessitate a fundamentally different approach. To integrate single-cell RNA-seq data with nanoscale spatial transcriptomics, we present a topological method for automatic cell type identification (TopACT). Unlike popular decomposition approaches to multicellular resolution data, TopACT is able to pinpoint the spatial locations of individual sparsely dispersed cells without prior knowledge of cell boundaries. Pairing TopACT with multiparameter persistent homology landscapes predicts immune cells forming a peripheral ring structure within kidney glomeruli in a murine model of lupus nephritis, which we experimentally validate with immunofluorescent imaging. The proposed topological data analysis unifies multiple biological scales, from subcellular gene expression to multicellular tissue organization.

q-bio.QM↗
arXiv2021

The classification of Kleinian groups of Hausdorff dimensions at most one and Burnside's conjecture

In this paper we provide the complete classification of convex cocompact Kleinian group of Hausdorff dimensions less than $1.$ In particular, we prove that every convex cocompact Kleinian group of Hausdorff dimension $<1$ is a classical Schottky group. This upper bound is sharp. The result implies that the converse of Burside's conjecture \cite{Burside} is true: All non-classical Schottky groups must have Hausdorff dimension $\ge1$. The prove of the theorem relies on the result of Hou \cite{Hou}.

math.GT↗
arXiv2021

Reduced Ionic Diffusion by the Dynamic Electron-Ion Collisions in Warm Dense Hydrogen

The dynamic electron-ion collisions play an important rolein determining the static and transport properties of warmdense matter (WDM). Electron force field (eFF) method is applied to study the ionic transport properties of warm densehydrogen. Compared with the results from quantum moleculardynamics and orbital-free molecular dynamics, the ionicdiffusions are largely reduced by involving the dynamic collisions of electrons and ions. This physics is verified by quantum Langevin molecular dynamics (QLMD) simulations, which includes electron-ion collisions induced friction(EI-CIF) into the dynamic equation of ions. Based on these new results, we proposed a model including the correctionof collisions induced friction of the ionic diffusion. The CIF model has been verified to be valid at a wide range ofdensity and temperature. We also compare the results with the Yukawa one component plasma (YOCP) model andEffective OCP (EOCP) model. We proposed to calculate the self-diffusion coefficients using the EOCP model modifiedby the CIF model to introduce the dynamic electron-ion collisions effect.

physics.comp-ph↗
arXiv2017

All finitely generated Kleinian groups of small Hausdorff dimension are classical Schottky groups

This is the second part of the works on Hausdorff dimensions of Schottky groups. It has been conjectured that the Hausdorff dimensions of nonclassical Schottky groups are strictly bounded from below. In this second part of our works we provide a resolution of this conjecture, we prove that there exists a universal positive number $λ>0$, such that any finitely-generated non-elementary Kleinian groups with limit set of Hausdorff dimension $<λ$ are classical Schottky groups. We will generalize our previous technologies given in \cite{HS} to prove our general result. Our result can be consider as a converse to \cite{Doyle}.

math.GT↗
arXiv2017

The classification of Kleinian groups of Hausdorff dimensions at most one

In this paper we provide the complete classification of Kleinian groups of Hausdorff dimensions less than $1.$ In particular, we prove that every purely loxodromic Kleinian groups of Hausdorff dimension $<1$ is a classical Schottky group. This upper bound is sharp. As an application, the result of \cite{H} then implies that, every closed Riemann surface is uniformizable by a classical Schottky group. The prove relie on the result of Hou \cite{Hou}, and space of rectifiable $\G$-invariant closed curves.

math.GT↗
arXiv2017

MDA in Capillary for Whole Genome Amplification

Whole genome amplification (WGA) plays an important role in sample preparation of low-input templates for high-throughput sequencing. Multiple displacement amplification (MDA), a popular isothermal WGA method, suffers a major hurdle of highly uneven amplification. Optimizations have been made in the past by separating the reagents into numbers of tiny chambers or droplets in microfluidic devices, which significantly improves the amplification uniformity of MDA. However, skill barrier still exists for biological researchers to handle chip fabrication and droplet manipulation. Here, we present a novel MDA protocol, in-capillary MDA (icMDA), which significantly simplifies the manipulation and improves the uniformity of amplification by dispersing reagents in a long quasi-1D capillary tubing. We demonstrated that icMDA is able to accurately detect SNVs with higher efficiency and sensitivity. Moreover, this straightforward method employs neither customized instruments nor complicated operations, making it a ready-to-use approach for most laboratories.

q-bio.GN↗
arXiv2016

On smooth moduli space of Riemann surfaces

In this paper we study the smooth moduli space of closed Riemann surfaces. This smooth moduli is an infinite cover of the usual moduli space $\mathscr{M}_g$ of closed Riemann surfaces, and is identified with the Schottky space of rank $g.$ The main theorem of the paper is: Closed Riemann surfaces are uniformizable by Schottky groups of Hausdorff dimension less than one. This work seem to be the only paper in literature to study question of Riemann surface uniformization and its Hausdorff dimension. We develop new techniques of rational norm of homological marking of Riemann surface and, decomposition of probability measures to prove our result. As an application of our theorem we have existence of period matrix of Riemann surface in coordinates of smooth moduli space.

math.GT↗