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Electrical address circuits developed for driving fast-switching ferroelectric liquid-crystal spatial light modulators (SLM) can be programmed to increase the speed of much slower responding nematic liquidcrystal SLMs. Using an addressing circuit that can switch as fast as 0.164 ms, voltages are programmed for values of phase that exceed the desired phase, and when the phase reaches the desired value, the voltage is switched to the required steady-state voltage. For a SLM that has a phase range of 3.5[pi] and that is programmed over a 2[pi] range, switching speed is reduced from 400 ins to between 71 and 77 ms. The speedup algorithm is applied to each pixel of the SLM together with a digital correction for a spatially nonuniform phase. OCIS codes: 230.6120, 230.3720, 050.1970, 070.2580.

A new 512 x 512 pixel phase-only spatial light modulator (SLM) has been found to deviate from being flat by several wavelengths. Also, the retardation of the SLM relative to voltage varies across the device by as much as 0.25 wavelength. The birefringence of each pixel as a function of address voltage is measured from the intensity of the SLM between crossed polarizers. To these responses are added a reference spatial phase measured by phase shifting interferometry for a single address voltage. Fits to the measured data facilitate the compensation of the SLM to a root-mean-square wave-front error of 0.06 wavelength. The application of these corrections to flatten the full aperture of the SLM sharpens the focal plane spot and reduces the distortion of computer-designed diffraction patterns. OCIS codes: 230.6120, 050.1970, 070.2580, 120.5050, 120.3180.

Some previous studies have shown that PLOD2 has some value in tumorigenesis. However, the broad significance of PLOD2 has not been discussed in depth. This study was aimed at elaborated and summarized the value of PLOD2 in various tumors. First, we integrated GTEx, The Cancer Genome Atlas and Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia databases to analyze the expression of PLOD2 , and found that it was expressed differently in normal tissues and significantly highly expressed in most tumors compared with normal tissues. Second, our analysis revealed that PLOD2 expression was negatively correlated with the prognosis of several tumors. For gastric cancer, the median overall survival time was significantly higher in the PLOD2 low expression group [HR 0.616 (95%CI 0.442–0.858), p = 0.004]. Third, for tumor immunity, PLOD2 was significantly associated with tumor infiltration, including immune infiltrating cells; immune checkpoint expression; immune microenvironment scores (immune score, stromal score and estimate scores); immunotherapy-related scores (tumor mutational burden, microsatellite instability, tumor neoantigen burden); expression of DNA repair genes Mismatch Repairs and methyltransferase; and enrichment analyses identified PLOD2 -associated terms and pathways. Lastly, twenty pairs of gastric cancer and adjacent immunohistochemistry showed that PLOD2 was significantly overexpressed in gastric cancer (p < 0.001). Collectively, PLOD2 played a significant role in tumorigenesis and maybe serve as a potential biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis in cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Due to the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) complexity and cancer heterogeneity, the clinical outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are barely elicited from the conventional treatment options, even from the promising anti-cancer immunotherapy. As a suppressive TIME-related marker, the role played by cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in HCC TIME, and its potential effects on anti-cancer T cell immune response remains unknown. In our study, to investigate the COX-2-dependent immune regulation pathway, we verified that the macrophages phenotypes were correlated to COX-2/PGE2 expressions among HCC patients. A multi-cellular co-culture platform containing HCC cells, macrophages, and T cells were established to mimic HCC TIME in vitro and in animal model. M2 macrophage polarization and activated CD8 + T cells exhaustion were observed under high COX-2 levels in HCC cells, with further evaluation using CRISPR/Cas9-based PTGS2 knocking out and COX-2 blockade (celecoxib) treatment controls. PGE2, TGF-β, Granzyme B, and IFN-γ levels were testified by flow cytometry and ELISA to fully understand the mechanism of COX-2 suppressive effects on T cell-based anti-HCC responses. The activation of the TGF-β pathway evaluated by auto-western blot in T cells was confirmed which increased the level of phosphorylated Smad3, phosphorylated Samd2, and FoxP1, leading to T cell de-lymphotoxin. In conclusion, high COX-2-expressing HCC cell lines can induce anti-tumor abilities exhaustion in activated CD8 + T cell through M2 TAMs polarization and TGF beta pathway. COX-2 inhibitors may reduce the inhibitory effect on CD8 + T cells through regulating TAMs in TIME, thus enhance the T cell-based cytotoxicity and improve the prognosis of HCC patients., Competing Interests: None., (AJTR Copyright © 2021.)

A graphical user interface is used to program sequences of analog phase patterns onto a 512 x 512 pixel, electrically-addressed spatial light modulator (SLM). Hand sketches made with a digital pen are used to prescribe the footprints, velocities and trajectories of multiple, independently-controlled diffracted spots. The interface is intended to demonstrate to potential end-users, who are not knowledgeable about diffractive optical design, to what degree SLM's may be considered to produce arbitrary multi-spot beam steering. Using the interface, scanning sequences are created, programmed, run through, and diffracted from a SLM that simultaneously scans multiple patterns on distinct trajectories.

Previously we described a method for estimating the thermal conductivity of magneto-optic recording media. The method relies on identifying the laser power that brings the maximum temperature of the TbFeCo layer to as high as the Curie temperature. We extensively use a similar method to estimate the heat capacity of a dielectric layer, a TbFeCo layer, and an aluminum alloy layer of magneto-optic recording media. Measurements are conducted on static disks with a beam of light focused on a TbFeCo layer. The method has the advantage of thermal diffusion depending on a multilayer structure and irradiation time.