Pulsed-Mode Metalorganic Vapor-Phase Epitaxy of GaN on Graphene-Coated -Sapphire for Freestanding GaN Thin Films.

We report the growth of high-quality GaN epitaxial thin films on graphene-coated -sapphire substrates using pulsed-mode metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy, together with the fabrication of freestanding GaN films by simple mechanical exfoliation for transferable light-emitting diodes (LEDs). High-quality GaN films grown on the graphene-coated sapphire substrates were easily lifted off by using thermal release tape and transferred onto foreign substrates. Furthermore, we revealed that the pulsed operation of ammonia flow during GaN growth was a critical factor for the fabrication of high-quality freestanding GaN films.

High-performance optical phased array for LiDARs demonstrated by monolithic integration of polymer and SiN waveguides.

Optical phased array (OPA) beam scanners for light detection and ranging (LiDAR) are proposed by integrating polymer waveguides with superior thermo-optic effect and silicon nitride (SiN) waveguides exhibiting strong modal confinement along with high optical power capacity. A low connection loss of only 0.15 dB between the polymer and SiN waveguides was achieved in this work, enabling a low-loss OPA device.

Computational Integral Imaging Reconstruction via Elemental Image Blending without Normalization.

This paper presents a novel computational integral imaging reconstruction (CIIR) method using elemental image blending to eliminate the normalization process in CIIR. Normalization is commonly used in CIIR to address uneven overlapping artifacts. By incorporating elemental image blending, we remove the normalization step in CIIR, leading to decreased memory consumption and computational time compared to those of existing techniques.

Oculomotor fatigability with decrements of saccade and smooth pursuit for diagnosis of myasthenia gravis.

Background And Objectives: As the efficacy of current diagnostic methods for myasthenia gravis (MG) remains suboptimal, there is ongoing interest in developing more effective diagnostic models. As oculomotor fatigability is one of the most common and diagnostic symptoms in MG, we aimed to investigate whether quantitative saccadic and smooth-pursuit fatigability analyses with video-oculography (VOG) are useful for diagnosis of MG.

Methods: A convenience cohort of 46 MG patients was recruited prospectively, including 35 with ocular and 11 with generalized MG (mean age, 50.

Monolithic integration of polymer waveguide phase modulators with silicon nitride waveguides using adiabatic transition tapers.

Polymer waveguide phase modulators (PMs) demonstrate high thermal confinement with outstanding thermo-optic properties and can provide stable low-power phase modulation in optical phased arrays (OPA). On the other hand, silicon nitride (SiN) waveguides produce stronger optical confinement with smaller waveguide core sizes than polymer waveguides and can handle high optical power without nonlinear effects. In this work, a high-performance PM was achieved by monolithic integration of a polymer waveguide and tapered SiN input and output waveguides.

Case report: Bilateral posterior ischemic optic neuropathy in a patient with atrial fibrillation and multifocal embolic stroke.

An 80-year-old female with a history of diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension presented with sudden onset of sequential bilateral visual loss. The best visual acuity was light perception in the right eye and finger counting in the left eye, however, bilateral fundus did not reveal optic disc edema. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed acute embolic stroke and diffusion restriction in the posterior portion of both optic nerves.

Frequency Response of Thermo-Optic Phase Modulators Based on Fluorinated Polyimide Polymer Waveguide.

Polymer waveguide phase modulators exhibit stable low-power phase modulation owing to their exceptional thermal confinement and high thermo-optic effect, and thus, have the merit of thermal isolation between channels, which is crucial for an optical phased array (OPA) beam scanner device. In this work, a waveguide phase modulator was designed and fabricated based on a high-refractive-index fluorinated polyimide. The propagation loss of the polyimide waveguide and the temporal response of the phase modulator were characterized.

Fast-running beamforming algorithm for optical phased array beam scanners comprised of polymeric waveguide devices.

The phase error imposed in optical phased arrays (OPAs) for beam scanning LiDAR is unavoidable due to minute dimensional fluctuations that occur during the waveguide manufacturing process. To compensate for the phase error, in this study, a fast-running beamforming algorithm is developed based on the rotating element vector method. The proposed algorithm is highly suitable for OPA devices comprised of polymer waveguides, where thermal crosstalk between phase modulators is suppressed effectively, allowing for each phase modulator to be controlled independently.

Improved insights into the adaptation and selection of Nitrosomonas spp. for partial nitritation under saline conditions based on specific oxygen uptake rates and next generation sequencing.

Partial nitritation (PN) is a bioprocess that is essential for developing cost-effective biological nitrogen removal processes. Understanding the abundant bacterial communities responsible for nitrification under salt stress conditions is important to achieve a stable PN system for treating saline wastewater. Therefore, in this study, we identified the core nitrifying communities and investigated their correlations with the process parameters in a nitrifying bioreactor that was used for treating saline high-strength ammonia wastewater.

Compact solid-state optical phased array beam scanners based on polymeric photonic integrated circuits.

Optical phased array (OPA) devices are being actively investigated to develop compact solid-state beam scanners, which are essential in fields such as LiDAR, free-space optical links, biophotonics, etc. Based on the unique nature of perfluorinated polymers, we propose a polymer waveguide OPA with the advantages of low driving power and high optical throughput. Unlike silicon photonic OPAs, the polymer OPAs enable sustainable phase distribution control during beam scanning, which reduces the burden of beamforming.

Genotyping by Sequencing-Based Discovery of SNP Markers and Construction of Linkage Map from F Population of Pepper with Contrasting Powdery Mildew Resistance Trait.

Powdery mildew (PM) is a common fungal disease infecting pepper plants worldwide. Molecular breeding of pepper cultivars with powdery mildew resistance is desirable for the economic improvement of pepper cultivation. In the present study, 188 F population derived from AR1 (PM resistant) and TF68 (PM sensitive) parents were subjected to high-throughput genotyping by sequencing (GBS) for the identification of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers.

Statewide Ambulance Coverage of a Mixed Region of Urban, Rural and Frontier under Travel Time Catchment Areas.

This study examines the statewide service coverage of emergency medical services (EMS) in view of public health planners, policy makers, and ambulance service managers. The study investigates the statewide service coverage in a mixed region of urban, rural, and frontier regions to address the importance of ambulance service coverage at a large scale. The study incorporated statewide road networks for ambulance travel time, census blocks for population, and backup service coverage using geographic information systems (GIS).

Versatile Nutraceutical Potentials of Watermelon-A Modest Fruit Loaded with Pharmaceutically Valuable Phytochemicals.

Watermelon () is an important horticultural crop which belongs to the Curcubitaceae family. The nutraceutical potential of watermelon has been illustrated by several researchers, which makes it a better choice of functional food. Watermelon has been used to treat various ailments, such as cardio-vascular diseases, aging related ailments, obesity, diabetes, ulcers, and various types of cancers.

Transcriptome sequencing assisted discovery and computational analysis of novel SNPs associated with flowering in in-bred lines for marker-assisted backcross breeding.

The sequencing of radish genome aids in the better understanding and tailoring of traits associated with economic importance. In order to accelerate the genomics assisted breeding and genetic selection, transcriptomes of 33 radish inbred lines with diverse traits were sequenced for the development of single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) markers. The sequence reads ranged from 2,560,543,741 bp to 20,039,688,139 bp with the GC (%) of 47.

Deciphering the Nutraceutical Potential of -A Comprehensive Overview.

(Radish) belongs to the Brassicaceae family and is a widely consumed root vegetable all around the world. The nutritional and medicinal values of radishes have been proven by several researches. Extracts prepared from the aerial and underground parts of radishes have been used in the treatment of stomach disorders, urinary infections, hepatic inflammation, cardiac disorders and ulcers in folk medicine since the ancient times.

Optically Bistable Switching Glazing Achieved by Memory Function of Grafted Hydrogels.

Active switching glazings driven by electrical energy have been widely used for the on-demand control of the optical transmittance of smart windows; however, continuous electrical energy consumption is necessary to maintain the optical state. In this work, to minimize the energy consumption during operation of switchable windows, we have developed an optically bistable switching glazing based on the memory function in the volume change of the hydrogels. By grafting a multicomponent copolymer that has a chemical composition gradient of three different monomers onto the methyl cellulose backbone, the prepared hydrogel exhibits a smooth transition during heating and a large thermal hysteresis in the swelling behavior during cooling.

Whole Genome Resequencing of Capsicum baccatum and Capsicum annuum to Discover Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Related to Powdery Mildew Resistance.

The present study deals with genome wide identification of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers related to powdery mildew (PM) resistance in two pepper varieties. Capsicum baccatum (PRH1- a PM resistant line) and Capsicum annuum (Saengryeg- a PM susceptible line), were resequenced to develop SNP markers. A total of 6,213,009 and 6,840,889 SNPs for PRH1 and Saengryeg respectively have been discovered.

Next-Generation Sequencing Approaches in Genome-Wide Discovery of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Markers Associated with Pungency and Disease Resistance in Pepper.

Pepper is an economically important horticultural plant that has been widely used for its pungency and spicy taste in worldwide cuisines. Therefore, the domestication of pepper has been carried out since antiquity. Owing to meet the growing demand for pepper with high quality, organoleptic property, nutraceutical contents, and disease tolerance, genomics assisted breeding techniques can be incorporated to develop novel pepper varieties with desired traits.

Stepwise Activation of Switchable Glazing by Compositional Gradient of Copolymers.

Thermotropic glazing is one of the most promising developments for adaptive solar control; however, a monotonic transparent-opaque transition limits its practical application. In this work, to render stepwise activation of the switchable glazing, we prepared multicomposition copolymers having a compositional gradient. By slow addition of the monomers in the reaction mixture during free-radical polymerization, the blend of copolymers with each polymer having different compositions of the monomers could be prepared.

Photothermally driven fast responding photo-actuators fabricated with comb-type hydrogels and magnetite nanoparticles.

To overcome the slow kinetics of the volume phase transition of stimuli-responsive hydrogels as platforms for soft actuators, thermally responsive comb-type hydrogels were prepared using synthesized poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) macromonomers bearing graft chains. Fast responding light-responsive hydrogels were fabricated by combining a comb-type hydrogel matrix with photothermal magnetite nanoparticles (MNP). The MNPs dispersed in the matrix provide heat to stimulate the volume change of the hydrogel matrix by converting absorbed visible light to thermal energy.

Visible Light-Triggered On-Demand Drug Release from Hybrid Hydrogels and its Application in Transdermal Patches.

On-demand release from stimuli-responsive hydrogels has received great attention due to an increasing clinical need. Here, we have prepared spherical hydrogel beads showing visible light-induced volume change at body temper-ature. By spray injection of the monomer solution using the alginate templ-ating method, hybrid beads of several hundred micrometers, consisting of temperature-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone) hydrogel and magnetite nanoparticles (MNP), are produced.

Multi stimuli-responsive hydrogel microfibers containing magnetite nanoparticles prepared using microcapillary devices.

Extensive research efforts have been devoted to the development of hydrogel microfibers for tissue engineering, because the vascular structure is related to the transport of nutrients and oxygen as well as the control of metabolic and mechanical functions in the human body. Even though stimuli-responsive properties would enhance the potential applicability of hydrogel microfibers for artificial tissue architectures, previous studies of their fabrication have not considered changes in the microfibers in response to external stimuli. In this work, we prepared temperature-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) microfibers with controlled shapes and sizes by the in situ photo-polymerization of aqueous monomers loaded in calcium alginate templates generated from microcapillary devices.

Energy efficient glazing for adaptive solar control fabricated with photothermotropic hydrogels containing graphene oxide.

Glazing for adaptive solar control is the most promising for energy efficient development, because the use of this technology in buildings can be expected to significantly impact energy use and efficiency by screening sunlight that enters a building in summer. To achieve autonomous adjustable transparency, we have developed photothermotropic material system by combining photothermal materials with thermotropic hydrogels. We found that graphene oxide dispersed within a hydrogel matrix effectively converts the photo energy of sunlight into thermal energy, providing the efficient means to trigger transparency of thermotropic hydrogels.

Photothermally triggered fast responding hydrogels incorporating a hydrophobic moiety for light-controlled microvalves.

Iron oxide nanoparticles dispersed within a thermally responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) hydrogel matrix effectively convert the photo energy of visible light of modest intensity into thermal energy, providing the efficient means to trigger changes in volumetric swelling of hydrogels. However, long irradiation time (on the order of minutes) and modest volume change limit their applications that need fast response and/or large volume change. In this work, we found that the degree of volume change triggered by light could be maximized by adjusting the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the hydrogels.

CopA3 peptide prevents ultraviolet-induced inhibition of type-I procollagen and induction of matrix metalloproteinase-1 in human skin fibroblasts.

Ultraviolet (UV) exposure is well-known to induce premature aging, which is mediated by matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) activity. A 9-mer peptide, CopA3 (CopA3) was synthesized from a natural peptide, coprisin, which is isolated from the dung beetle Copris tripartitus. As part of our continuing search for novel bioactive natural products, CopA3 was investigated for its in vitro anti-skin photoaging activity.