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Fast modulation of optical signals that carry multidimensional information in the form of wavelength, phase or polarization has fueled an explosion of interest in integrated photonics. This interest however masks a significant challenge which is that independent modulation of multi-wavelength carrier signals in a single waveguide is not trivial. Such challenge is attributed to the longitudinal direction of guided-mode propagation, limiting the spatial separation and modulation of electric-field. Here, we overcome this using a single photonic element that utilizes active coherent (near) perfect absorption. We make use of standing wave patterns to exploit the spatial-degrees-of-freedom of in-plane modes and individually address elements according to their mode number. By combining the concept of coherent absorption in spatio-spectral domain with active phase-change nanoantennas, we engineer and test an integrated, reconfigurable and multi-spectral modulator operating within a single element. Our approach demonstrates for the first time, a non-volatile, wavelength-addressable element, providing a pathway for exploring the tunable capabilities in both spatial and spectral domains of coherent nanophotonics.

Recent advances in inverse-design approaches for discovering optical structures based on desired functional characteristics have reshaped the landscape of nanophotonic structures, where most studies have focused on how light interacts with nanophotonic structures only. When quantum emitters (QEs), such as atoms, molecules, and quantum dots, are introduced to couple to the nanophotonic structures, the light–matter interactions become much more complicated, forming a rapidly developing field – quantum nanophotonics. Typical quantum functional characteristics depend on the intrinsic properties of the QE and its electromagnetic environment created by the nanophotonic structures, commonly represented by a scalar quantity, local-density-of-states (LDOS). In this work, we introduce a generalized inverse-design framework in quantum nanophotonics by taking LDOS as the bridge to connect the nanophotonic structures and the quantum functional characteristics. We take a simple system consisting of QEs sitting on a single multilayer shell–metal–nanoparticle (SMNP) as an example, apply fully-connected neural networks to model the LDOS of SMNP, inversely design and optimize the geometry of the SMNP based on LDOS, and realize desirable quantum characteristics in two quantum nanophotonic problems: spontaneous emission and entanglement. Our work introduces deep learning to the quantum optics domain for advancing quantum device designs; and provides a new platform for practicing deep learning to design nanophotonic structures for complex problems without a direct link between structures and functional characteristics.

Dissipation, often associated with plasmons, leads to decoherence and is generally considered fatal for quantum nonlinearities and entanglement. Counterintuitively, by introducing a dissipative plasmonic nanoantenna into a typical cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) system, we unveil the wide existence of the atom-photon quasi-bound state (qBS), a kind of exotic eigenstate with anomalously small decay, in the hybrid plasmonic-photonic cavity. To derive the analytical condition of atom-photon qBS, we formulate a quantized two-mode model of the local density of states by connecting the interacting uncoupled cavity modes to the macroscopic QED. With resonant plasmon-photon coupling, we showcase the single-atom qBS that improves the efficiency of single-photon generation over one order of magnitude; and the two-atom qBS that significantly enhances spontaneous entanglement generation compared with a bare photonic cavity. Notably, such single-atom and multi-atom qBS can be simultaneously accessed in realistic plasmonic-photonic cavities, providing a versatile platform for advanced quantum technologies, such as quantum light sources, quantum computation, and quantum information.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) systems in the daily life greatly increases the amount of data generated and processed. In addition to the large computational power required, the hardware needs to be compact and energy efficient. One promising approach to fulfill those requirements is phase-change material based photonic neuromorphic computing that enables in-memory computation and a high degree of parallelization. In the following, we present an optimized layout of a photonic tensor core (PTC) which is designed to perform real valued matrix vector multiplications and operates at telecommunication wavelengths. We deploy the well-studied phase-change material Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) as an optical attenuator to perform single positive valued multiplications. In order to generalize the multiplication to arbitrary real factors, we develop a novel symmetric multiplication unit which directly includes a reference-computation branch. The variable GST attenuator enables a modulation depth of 5 dB over a wavelength range of 100 nm with a wavelength dependency below 0.8 dB. The passive photonic circuit itself ensures equal coupling to the main-computation and reference-computation branch over the complete wavelength range. For the first time, we integrate wavelength multiplexers (MUX) together with a photonic crossbar array on-chip, paving the way towards fully integrated systems. The MUX are crucial for the PTC since they enable multiple computational channels in a single photonic crossbar array. We minimize the crosstalk between the channels by designing Bragg scattering based MUX. By cascading, we achieve an extinction ratio larger than 61 dB while the insertion loss is below 1 dB.

Bilayer graphene (BLG) grown via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) tends to exhibit twisted stacking. The twist angle θ t in twisted BLG (tBLG) provides a new degree of freedom for engineering its electronic and optical properties. In this paper, we investigate the θ t-dependent optical absorption in tBLG and deeply understand the electronic structure-optical properties correlations. New absorption peaks, whose wavelengths are modified by θ t, are observed on the feature of optical contrast (OC) in tBLG. Under the corresponding energy excitation, the Raman G mode in tBLG exhibits a significant enhancement. Furthermore, the results of θ t obtained by OC absorption peak are verified to be consistent with those by the Raman R mode. All these properties are proved to be related to the energy difference between low-energy Van Hove singularities (E VHS) in the density of states of tBLGs. This work builds a relation between optical absorption and twist angle, providing a viable method to identifying twist angles in tBLGs.

Retinal diseases, which can lead to significant vision loss, are complex conditions involving various cellular and molecular mechanisms. The interleukin-6 (IL-6) family, particularly Oncostatin M (OSM), has garnered attention for their roles in retinal inflammation, angiogenesis, and neuroprotection. This comprehensive review explores the dual nature of OSM and other IL-6 family members in retinal pathophysiology, highlighting their contribution to both degenerative and regenerative processes. The review also examines current research on OSM’s interaction with key signaling pathways and discusses the potential of OSM and the IL-6 family as potential therapeutic targets. Understanding these mechanisms could lead to innovative treatments that modulate OSM activity, offering new avenues for managing retinal diseases and contributing to the development of more effective interventions.

A congenital protein anomaly in the erythrocyte membrane skeleton causes a hereditary haemolytic illness known as hereditary spherocytosis (HS). The primary characteristic of HS is an increase in the number of tiny spherical red blood cells in the peripheral blood. The chief clinical features of HS include anaemia, jaundice, splenomegaly, spherical erythrocytosis in the blood, chronic anaemia with haemolysis, and recurrent acute attacks. Most patients have a family history; some have autosomal recessive inheritance, whereas most have autosomal dominant inheritance. In cases of severe hyperbilirubinemia disproportionate to haemolysis, other causes of hyperbilirubinemia should be considered. Gilbert syndrome (GS) is an autosomal dominant illness caused by the reduced activity of uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyl transferase lAl and is characterised by intermittent hyperbilirubinemia without any other signs or symptoms of liver disease. The possibility of the coexistence of HS and GS is very limited. Here we present the case of an elderly man with yellow skin and sclera recurring anaemia, and a final diagnosis of coexisting HS and GS.

Glioma is a highly malignant brain tumor with a grim prognosis. Genetic factors play a role in glioma development. While some susceptibility loci associated with glioma have been identified, the risk loci associated with prognosis have received less attention. This study aims to identify risk loci associated with glioma prognosis and establish a prognostic prediction model for glioma patients in the Chinese Han population.

A series of filter rods (FRs) with sodium alginate (SA) modification were prepared by a simple one-pot pre-treatment surface modification method for the retention of typical smoke components. The influences of SA on the physico-chemical properties and adsorption behaviors (or retention characteristics) toward FRs were investigated in detail. Based on the results of XRD, BET, and SEM, it can be inferred that SA modification has no influences on compositions and textural properties of FRs. However, surface modification of FR by SA can greatly improve the hydrophilicity of FR, which is crucial for water retention. In situ diffuse Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy results demonstrate that FR modified by 2 g·L−1 SA presents superior adsorption character for acetone. The differences in the adsorption or retention of water and acetone are ascribed to surface enriched functional groups tuned by surface engineering modification. By contrast, the modification of SA had no obvious effect on the adsorption of CO at room temperature. By contrast, at high temperature, low modification concentration is conducive to the CO2 and CO adsorption. It presents a good perspective for the rational design of new filter materials to reduce the release of harmful components in cigarette smoke.

Herein, the performance of silicone-modified 3D printing photosensitive resin was examined. Bisphenol-A epoxy acrylate (EA) was used as the substrate and isophorone diisocyanate, hydroxy-silicone oil, and hydroxyethyl acrylate were used as the raw materials. A silicone intermediate was synthesized to modify the substrate to prepare the 3D printing photosensitive material. The as-synthesized materials were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The tensile fracture morphology was also analyzed. The effects of the addition of silicone intermediates on the mechanical properties, thermal stability, and shrinkage of the prepared 3D printing photosensitive resins were investigated. The results showed that an organosilicone group was successfully introduced into the side chain of EA. When the ratio of n(silicone):n(EA) is 0.3:1, the material has a high impact strength of 19.4 kJ·m−2, which is 32.8% higher than that of the pure resin; in addition, the elongation at break is 8.65% (compared to 6.56% of the pure resin). The maximum thermal weight loss temperature is 430.33°C, which is 6°C higher than that of the pure resin.

As a major nominally anhydrous mineral (NAM) in the Earth's upper mantle, orthopyroxene could host up to several hundred parts per million H2O in its crystal structure and transport the H2O to the deep Earth. To study the effect of structural H2O on the elasticity of orthopyroxene, we have measured the single-crystal elasticity of Mg1.991Al0.065Si1.951O6 with 842–900 ppm H2O and 1.64 ± 0.20 wt% Al2O3 at ambient conditions using Brillouin spectroscopy. The best-fit single-crystal elastic moduli (Cijs), bulk (KS0), and shear (G0) modulus of the hydrous Al-bearing orthopyroxene were determined as: C11 = 235(2) GPa, C22 = 173(2) GPa, C33 = 222(2) GPa, C44 = 86(1) GPa, C55 = 82(1) GPa, C66 = 82(1) GPa, C12 = 75(3) GPa, C13 = 67(2) GPa, and C23 = 49(2) GPa, KS0 = 111(2) GPa, and G0 = 78(1) GPa. Systematic analysis based on the results presented in this and previous studies suggests that the incorporation of 842–900 ppm H2O would increase C13 by 12.0(7)% and decrease C23 by 8.6(8)%. The effects on C11, C22, C33, C44, C66, KS0, and VP are subtle if not negligible when considering the uncertainties. The C55, C12, G0, and VS are not affected by the presence of structural H2O. Although laboratory experiments show that Fe,Al-bearing orthopyroxenes can host up to 0.8 wt% H2O in its structure, future high-pressure-temperature elasticity measurements on orthopyroxene with higher H2O content are needed to help better quantify this effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More clinical evidence is needed regarding the relative priority of treatments for brain metastases (BMs) from EGFR/ALK-negative/unselected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched. Overall survival (OS), central nervous system progression-free survival (CNS-PFS), and objective response rate (ORR) were selected for Bayesian network meta-analyses. We included 25 eligible randomized control trials (RCTs) involving 3,054 patients, investigating nine kinds of treatments for newly diagnosed BMs and seven kinds of treatments for previously treated BMs. For newly diagnosed BMs, adding chemotherapy, EGFR-TKIs, and other innovative systemic agents (temozolomide, nitroglycerin, endostar, enzastaurin, and veliparib) to radiotherapy did not significantly prolong OS than radiotherapy alone; whereas radiotherapy + nitroglycerin showed significantly better CNS-PFS and ORR. Surgery could significantly prolong OS (hazard ratios [HR]: 0.52, 95% credible intervals: 0.41–0.67) and CNS-PFS (HR: 0.32, 95% confidence interval: 0.18–0.59) compared with radiotherapy alone. For previously treated BMs, pembrolizumab + chemotherapy, nivolumab + ipilimumab, and cemiplimab significantly prolonged OS than chemotherapy alone. Pembrolizumab + chemotherapy also showed better CNS-PFS and ORR than chemotherapy. In summary, immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based therapies, especially ICI-combined therapies, showed promising efficacies for previously treated BMs from EGFR/ALK-negative/unselected NSCLC. The value of surgery should also be emphasized. The result should be further confirmed by RCTs.

The effect of competitive adsorption on the catalytic performance of H3PMo12O40@C catalyst for producing 2-nitro-4-methylsulfonylbenzoic acid (NMSBA) from the oxidation of 2-nitro-4- methylsulfonyltoluene (NMST) by oxygen in acetic acid has been investigated. Six kinds of acids were added into the impregnation solution as competitive adsorbates for phosphomolybdic acid in the preparation of H3PMo12O40@C catalyst. H2SO4, HCl, HNO3, CH3COOH and H2C2O4 are beneficial to improving the catalytic activity of the H3PMo12O40@C catalyst. The corresponding optimum impregnation concentrations for H2SO4, HCl, HNO3, CH3COOH and H2C2O4 are 0.4, 0.3, 0.3, 1.0 and 0.3 mol L−1, respectively. The addition of H3PO4 exerts a negative effect on the catalytic capability of H3PMo12O40@C catalyst. The results of TEM characterization show that good dispersion of H3PMo12O40 on the surface of the H3PMo12O40@C catalyst is beneficial to ameliorating the catalytic ability of H3PMo12O40@C catalyst in the production of NMSBA from NMST by oxygen in acetic acid. The results of NH3-TPD indicate that the acidity of the H3PMo12O40@C also favors the improvement of the catalytic capability of H3PMo12O40@C in the oxidation of NMST to NMSBA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kidney diseases are common health problems worldwide. Various etiologies ultimately lead to the development of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease. Natural compounds from herbs or medicinal plants are widely used for therapy and prevention of various ailments, among which is Inonotus obliquus. I. obliquus is rich in triterpenoids and the main active ingredients include betulinic acid, trametenolic acid, inotodiol, and ergosterol. New evidence suggests that I. obliquus triterpenes may be an effective drug for the treatment and protection of various kidney diseases. The aim of this review is to highlight the pharmacological activities and potential role of I. obliquus triterpenes in the kidney disease treatment and protection.

The last 50 years have witnessed ecolinguistics come into bloom as a mature domain. This paper aims to examine the half-century development of ecolinguistics by reviewing its backgrounds, definitions, strands, and approaches, and also briefly previewing its future horizons. The birth of ecolinguistics can be attributed to such ecological necessities as the ecological crisis as an essential root, and an ecological perspective for linguistics as a linguistic necessity, together with six ecolinguistic turns in this domain (Section 2). Since the emergence of ecolinguistics in the 1970s, various definitions for ecolinguistics as an evolving concept have come into being, involving the geographical, conceptual, disciplinary, methodological, and practical sides (Section 3). Figures who have contributed to the development of this domain can be divided into old strands like Haugenian and Hallidayan ecolinguistics, as well as new strands such as strong ecolinguistics and the latest radical embodied ecolinguistics (Section 4). Given the diverse definitions and strands, a set of approaches have taken shape, ranging from the Haugenian approach to ecological discourse analysis (Section 5). Due to major problems found in reviewing four parts of ecolinguistics, it is high time three shifts in perspective be put into effect in ecolinguistics that can promise its future horizons.

Immunoglobulin γ-1 heavy chain constant region (IGHG1) is a functional isoform of immunoglobulins and plays an important role in the cytolytic activity of immune effector cells. Dysregulated IGHG1 was implicated in the occurrence and development of various tumors. Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) is an endogenous fluorophore and is used in photodynamic therapy, which induces the generation of reactive oxygen species to initiate the death of tumor cells. However, the roles of IGHG1 in the colorectal cancer cell proliferation and PpIX accumulation have not been reported yet. Data from qRT-PCR and western blot analysis showed that IGHG1 was up-regulated in the colorectal cancer cells. Colorectal cancer cells were then transfected with shRNA targeting IGHG1 to down-regulate IGHG1 and conducted with Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK8) and colony formation assays. Results demonstrated that shRNA-mediated down-regulation of IGHG1 decreased cell viability of colorectal cancer and suppressed cell proliferation. Moreover, PpIX accumulation was promoted and the hemin content was decreased by the silence of IGHG1. Interference of IGHG1 reduced the phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and ferrochelatase (FECH) expression, resulting in retarded cell proliferation in an MEK-FECH axis-dependent pathway.

Cocoon is a kind of natural biopolymer material with reasonable structure and various functions. However, its structure and functions are often destroyed in practical application. In this study, we took common Bombyx Mori as the research object, and provided different cocooning sites for single or multiple silkworms to construct common stereoscopic cocoons (“normal cocoons” [NC]) and flat cocoons (“single-silkworm flat cocoons” [SFC] and “multi-silkworm flat cocoons” [MFC]), respectively, and compared the morphological structure and basic properties of these cocoons. The study found that the flat cocoons have similar multi-layered variable structure and characteristics compared to those of the common cocoons; also, morphological characteristics and physical and chemical properties of silk fiber from outer layer to inner layer, such as sericin content, fiber fineness, and change rule of basic mechanical properties, are completely consistent with those of the common cocoons. It can be considered that the flat cocoons are constructed by silkworms in the same “procedural” process as that of common cocoons. Due to the expansion of cocooning space, the mechanical properties of fibers are significantly improved. By controlling the size of the cocooning space or the quantity of silkworms cocooning simultaneously, and the time of spinning, a cocoon material with controllable thickness, weight per square meter, porosity, and number of cocoon layers can be obtained as a composite material for direct application.

Dendrobium huoshanense has been used for centuries in China and its polysaccharides are the main active components in treating loss of body fluids resulting from fever and asthenic symptoms. However, the biosynthetic pathway of polysaccharides in D. huoshanense remains to be elucidated. In this study, we obtained a guanosine diphosphate (GDP)-mannose pyrophosphorylase (DhGMPP) from D. huoshanense and characterized its function to catalyze the conversion of α-D-mannose-phosphate to GDP-D-mannose involved in the production of polysaccharides. DhGMPP, with the open reading frame of 1,245 bp, was isolated from RNA-Seq data of D. huoshanense. Phylogenetic analysis as well as sequence characterization suggested its involvement in the biosynthesis of GDP-D-mannose. In vitro enzyme assay demonstrated that GMPP encoded a pyrophosphorylase that converted α-D-mannose-phosphate and GTP into GDP-D-mannose. Identification of DhGMPP could provide more insights into the mechanism concerning polysaccharide biosynthesis in D. huoshanense and be utilized for enhancing polysaccharide accumulation through metabolic engineering.

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Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonists in reducing propofol injection pain, postoperative nausea/ vomiting, and shivering through pooling the available published data.

To evaluate the pharmacoeconomics of three therapeutic schemes in treating anti-tuberluosis therapy -induced liver injury (anti-TB DILI).