Precise mode control of laser-written waveguides for broadband, low-dispersion 3D integrated optics.

Three-dimensional (3D) glass chips are promising waveguide platforms for building hybrid 3D photonic circuits due to their 3D topological capabilities, large transparent windows, and low coupling dispersion. At present, the key challenge in scaling down a benchtop optical system to a glass chip is the lack of precise methods for controlling the mode field and optical coupling of 3D waveguide circuits. Here, we propose an overlap-controlled multi-scan (OCMS) method based on laser-direct lithography that allows customizing the refractive index profile of 3D waveguides with high spatial precision in a variety of glasses.

Soluble Fluorinated Cardo Copolyimide as an Effective Additive to Photopolymerizable Compositions Based on Di(meth)acrylates: Application for Highly Thermostable Primary Protective Coating of Silica Optical Fiber.

The development of photocurable compositions is in high demand for the manufacture of functional materials for electronics, optics, medicine, energy, etc. The properties of the final photo-cured material are primarily determined by the initial mixture, which needs to be tuned for each application. In this study we propose to use simple systems based on di(meth)acrylate, polyimide and photoinitiator for the preparation of new photo-curable compositions.

The Synthesis and Analysis of the Cytotoxicity of AlO-Supported Silver Nanoparticles Prepared by the Plasma Chemical Process Initiated by Pulsed MW Radiation in the AlO-Ag Powder Mixtures.

An original plasma chemical process initiated by microwave discharge in a mixture of metal and dielectric powders was applied to prepare specific materials, which consisted of microsized spherical particles of aluminum oxide covered with silver nanoparticles. The prepared materials are highly uniform in shape, size distribution, and composition. Their cytotoxicity was investigated using the human cell lines MCF7, HEK293T, A549, and VA-13 and the bacterial strains JW5503 (ΔtolC) and K12.

Comparative Study of Field-Effect Transistors Based on Graphene Oxide and CVD Graphene in Highly Sensitive NT-proBNP Aptasensors.

Graphene-based materials are actively being investigated as sensing elements for the detection of different analytes. Both graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and graphene oxide (GO) produced by the modified Hummers' method are actively used in the development of biosensors. The production costs of CVD graphene- and GO-based sensors are similar; however, the question remains regarding the most efficient graphene-based material for the construction of point-of-care diagnostic devices.

Internalization of transferrin-tagged encapsulins into mesenchymal stem cells.

Currently, various functionalized nanocarrier systems are extensively studied for targeted delivery of drugs, peptides, and nucleic acids. Joining the approaches of genetic and chemical engineering may produce novel carriers for precise targeting different cellular proteins, which is important for both therapy and diagnosis of various pathologies. Here we present the novel nanocontainers based on vectorized genetically encoded (Mx) encapsulin, confining a fluorescent photoactivatable mCherry (PAmCherry) protein.

Effect of an internal Kelvin wave on sound propagation in a coastal wedgea).

Spatiotemporal variability of the low-frequency sound field in a coastal wedge in the presence of an internal Kelvin wave (IKW) is studied both experimentally and theoretically. The experiments were carried out in Lake Kinneret, Israel (also known as the Sea of Galilee) in August 2021, with a wideband sound source deployed near the shore and receiving vertical line arrays located at the lake's center. Parameters of the IKW were obtained earlier from long-term thermistor string measurements combined with conductivity, temperature, and depth data.

MnGaS and MnAlSe van der Waals Chalcogenides: A Source of Atomically Thin Nanomaterials.

Layered chalcogenides containing 3d transition metals are promising for the development of two-dimensional nanomaterials with interesting magnetic properties. Both mechanical and solution-based exfoliation of atomically thin layers is possible due to the low-energy van der Waals bonds. In this paper, we present the synthesis and crystal structures of the MnGaS and MnAlSe layered chalcogenides.

Record-High Thermoelectric Performance in Al-Doped ZnO via Anderson Localization of Band Edge States.

Oxides are of interest for thermoelectrics due to their high thermal stability, chemical inertness, low cost, and eco-friendly constituting elements. Here, adopting a unique synthesis route via chemical co-precipitation at strongly alkaline conditions, one of the highest thermoelectric performances for ZnO ceramics (  21.5 µW cm K and  0.

Bulk ferromagnetism in cleavable van der Waals telluride NbFeTe.

A van der Waals telluride, NbFeTe, has been synthesized using chemical vapor transport reactions. The optimized synthetic conditions yield high-quality single crystals with a novel monoclinic crystal structure. Monoclinic NbFeTe demonstrates a (100) cleavage plane, bulk ferromagnetism below 87 K, and a metallic ground state-the necessary prerequisites for needed spintronics technologies.

Analysis of intra-specific variations in the venom of individual snakes based on Raman spectroscopy.

The knowledge of variations in the composition of venoms from different snakes is important from both theoretical and practical points of view, in particular, at developing and selecting an antivenom. Many studies on this topic are conducted with pooled venoms, while the existence and significance of variations in the composition of venoms between individual snakes of the same species are emphasized by many authors. It is important to study both inter- and intra-specific, including intra-population, venom variations, because intra-specific variations in the venom composition may affect the effectiveness of antivenoms as strongly as inter-specific.

Super-Enhancers and Their Parts: From Prediction Efforts to Pathognomonic Status.

Super-enhancers (SEs) are regions of the genome that play a crucial regulatory role in gene expression by promoting large-scale transcriptional responses in various cell types and tissues. Recent research suggests that alterations in super-enhancer activity can contribute to the development and progression of various disorders. The aim of this research is to explore the multifaceted roles of super-enhancers in gene regulation and their significant implications for understanding and treating complex diseases.

Mitochondrial Transplantation Therapy Ameliorates Muscular Dystrophy in Mouse Model.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is caused by loss of the dystrophin protein. This pathology is accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction contributing to muscle fiber instability. It is known that mitochondria-targeted in vivo therapy mitigates pathology and improves the quality of life of model animals.

Оn the aggregation of polycationic photosensitizer upon binding to Gram-negative bacteria.

Polycationic photosensitizers (PS) are not susceptible to aggregation in solutions, but their high local concentrations in Gram-negative bacteria can be sufficient for aggregation and reduced effectiveness of antibacterial photodynamic treatment. By measuring fluorescence spectra and kinetics we were able to evaluate the degree of aggregation of polycationic PS ZnPcCholin Gram-negative bacteria E.K12 TG1.

The use of methylene blue to control the tumor oxygenation level.

Background: Hypoxia is a characteristic feature of many tumors. It promotes tumor proliferation, metastasis, and invasion and can reduce the effectiveness of many types of cancer treatment.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetics of methylene blue (MB) and its impact on the tumor oxygenation level at mouse Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) model using spectroscopic methods.

Cryostructuring of Polymeric Systems: 67 Properties and Microstructure of Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Cryogels Formed in the Presence of Phenol or Bis-Phenols Introduced into the Aqueous Polymeric Solutions Prior to Their Freeze-Thaw Processing.

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) physical cryogels that contained the additives of -, -, and -bis-phenols or phenol were prepared, and their physico-chemical characteristics and macroporous morphology and the solute release dynamics were evaluated. These phenolic additives caused changes in the viscosity of initial PVA solutions before their freeze-thaw processing and facilitated the growth in the rigidity of the resultant cryogels, while their heat endurance decreased. The magnitude of the effects depended on the interposition of phenolic hydroxyls in the molecules of the used additives and was stipulated by their H-bonding with PVA OH-groups.

Bacterial Decontamination of Water-Containing Objects Using Piezoelectric Direct Discharge Plasma and Plasma Jet.

Cold atmospheric plasma has become a widespread tool in bacterial decontamination, harnessing reactive oxygen and nitrogen species to neutralize bacteria on surfaces and in the air. This technology is often employed in healthcare, food processing, water treatment, etc. One of the most energy-efficient and universal methods for creating cold atmospheric plasma is the initiation of a piezoelectric direct discharge.

Mid-Infrared Generated Laser-Induced Grating Signals in Methane-Containing Gas Mixtures as Indicators of Composition, Pressure, and Temperature.

The present work is aimed at studying how spatially periodic modulations of the refractive index of the medium, i.e., laser-induced gratings (LIGs), generated in a gas mixture containing methane (CH) by nanosecond pulses of resonant mid-infrared laser radiation, can be used to measure various gas parameters.

Quaternary ammonium cations conjugated 5,15-diaryltetranaphtho[2,3]porphyrins as photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy.

In quest for new photosensitizers (PSs) with remarkable antitumor photodynamic efficacy, a series of fifteen quaternary ammonium (QA) cations conjugated 5,15-diaryltetranaphtho[2,3]porphyrins (ArTNPs) was synthesized and evaluated in vitro and in vivo to understand how variations in the length of the alkoxy group and the kind of QA cations on meso-phenyl influence the photodynamic antitumor activity. All final compounds (I, II and III) exhibited robust absorption at 729 nm with significant bathochromic shift and high molar extinction coefficients (1.16 × 10-1.

PBr3 adsorption on a chlorinated Si(100) surface with mono- and bivacancies.

For the most precise incorporation of single impurities in silicon, which is utilized to create quantum devices, a monolayer of adatoms on the Si(100) surface and a dopant-containing molecule are used. Here, we studied the interaction of phosphorus tribromide with a chlorine monolayer with mono- and bivacancies using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) at 77 K. The combination of different halogens in the molecule and the adsorbate layer enabled unambiguous identification of the structures after PBr3 dissociation on Si(100)-Cl.

Methane gas dynamics in sediments of Lake Kinneret, Israel, and their controls: Insights from a multiannual acoustic investigation and correlation analysis.

Methane (CH) is the simplest and most common hydrocarbon in nature. CH gas content is accommodated in discrete bubbles in shallow aquatic sediments. The bubble dynamics there are controlled by a diversity of physical, mechanical and biogeochemical processes that vary spatially and temporally over the aquatic ecosystem.

Raman evaluation of the crystallinity degree and composition of poly(L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone).

In this work, we study two series of the copolymers of L-lactide (LLA) and ε-caprolactone (CL) with the CL molar content of 5, 15, and 30 %. The first series was the commercial semicrystalline granules (Corbion, Netherlands), which we analyzed without any additional modification. The second series was amorphous films, prepared from the granules by hot pressing with the subsequent fast quenching in order to avoid the crystallization.

Quantitative Rapid Magnetic Immunoassay for Sensitive Toxin Detection in Food: Non-Covalent Functionalization of Nanolabels vs. Covalent Immobilization.

In this study, we present a novel and ultrasensitive magnetic lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) tailored for the precise detection of zearalenone, a mycotoxin with significant implications for human and animal health. A versatile and straightforward method for creating non-covalent magnetic labels is proposed and comprehensively compared with a covalent immobilization strategy. We employ the magnetic particle quantification (MPQ) technique for precise detection of the labels and characterization of their functionality, including measuring the antibody sorption density on the particle surface.

[First experience of applying domestic video fluorescent equipment for visualization and blood flow evaluation of the parathyroid glands].

In recent years, predictive methods for assessing the preservation of the parathyroid glands have been actively implemented. The article describes the first experience of evaluating the blood supply of the parathyroid glands by quantitative determination of the indocyanine green (ICG) accumulation index in real time in 6 patients before and after a thyroidectomy with central neck lymph node dissection for papillary thyroid cancer. Intraoperative fluorescent angiography was performed by using domestic equipment with a fluorescent module, as well as by using a domestic medication of ICG.