Corneal cross-linking.

First introduced over 20 years ago as a treatment for progressive keratoconus, the original "Dresden" corneal cross-linking (CXL) protocol involved riboflavin saturation of the stroma, followed by 30 min of 3 mW/cm-intensity ultraviolet-A (UV-A) irradiation. This procedure generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cross-link stromal molecules, thereby stiffening the cornea and counteracting the ectasia-induced weakening. Due to their large size, riboflavin molecules cannot readily pass through the corneal epithelial cell tight junctions; thus, epithelial debridement was performed.

Unveiling van Hove Singularity-Boosted Photothermoelectric Response for Wearable Human-Radiation Detection.

Van Hove singularity (vHs), the singularity point of density of states (DOS) in crystalline solids, is a research hotspot in emerging phenomena such as light-matter interaction, superconducting, and quantum anomalous Hall effect. Although the significance of vHs in photothermoelectric (PTE) effect has been recognized, its integral role in electron excitation and thermoelectric effect is still unclear, particularly in the mid-infrared band that suffers from Pauli blockade in semimetals. Here, we unveil the Fermi-level-modulated PTE behavior in the vicinity of vHs in carbon nanotubes, employing ionic-liquid gating.

Cantilever-enhanced dual-comb photoacoustic spectroscopy.

Dual-comb photoacoustic spectroscopy (DC-PAS) advances spectral measurements by offering high-sensitivity and compact size in a wavelength-independent manner. Here, we present a novel cantilever-enhanced DC-PAS scheme, employing a high-sensitivity fiber-optic acoustic sensor based on an optical cantilever and a non-resonant photoacoustic cell (PAC) featuring a flat-response characteristic. The dual comb is down-converted to the audio frequency range, and the resulting multiheterodyne sound waves from the photoacoustic effect, are mapped into the response frequency region of the optical cantilever microphone.

Preparation of amorphous silicon-doped YO aerogel enabling nonlinear optical features for ultrafast photonics.

Amorphous aerogels with the microscopic nanoscale three-dimensional meshes provide superb platforms for investigating unique physicochemical properties. In order to enhance the physical, thermal and mechanical performances, one efficient and common approach is integrating diverse functional materials. Herein, we report a simple strategy to fabricate the amorphous silicon doped YO aerogels with the post-gelation method under the N/EtOH supercritical atmosphere.

Exposure of Proso millet starch to superheated steam: Effect on physicochemical, techno-functional, rheological behavior, digestibility, and related mechanism.

In the present study, proso millet starch (PMS) was treated with SHS (120-160 °C for 1-5 min) to investigate the molecular interactions and techno-functional, rheological, and digestible properties. Exposure to SHS induced the degradation of helical structure, and longer chains, reducing amylose, blue value, optical density, and relative crystallinity. Meanwhile, SHS treatment might have introduced hydro‑carbonyl groups, eventually increasing water absorption capacity, swelling power, and transparency.

NIR-II Ratiometric Optical Theranostic Capsule for Diagnosis and Precise Therapy of Intestinal Inflammation.

Capsules were widely used in clinical settings for the oral delivery of various drugs, although it remains challenging to trace real-time drug release behavior and adjust dosages based on the therapeutic effect. To address these issues, we developed theranostic capsules that loaded two kinds of fluorescence nanoparticles, HO-responsive Janus Ag/AgS nanoparticles (Ag/AgS JNPs) and the downconversion nanoparticles (DCNPs), and the dexamethasone (Dex) drug. The Ag/AgS JNPs exhibit a highly sensitive fluorescence (FL) signal at 1250 nm in response to HO, while the FL signal from the DCNPs at 1550 nm remains stable under physiological conditions.

Optical-resolution parallel ultraviolet photoacoustic microscopy for slide-free histology.

Intraoperative imaging of slide-free specimens is crucial for oncology surgeries, allowing surgeons to quickly identify tumor margins for precise surgical guidance. While high-resolution ultraviolet photoacoustic microscopy has been demonstrated for slide-free histology, the imaging speed is insufficient, due to the low laser repetition rate and the limited depth of field. To address these challenges, we present parallel ultraviolet photoacoustic microscopy (PUV-PAM) with simultaneous scanning of eight optical foci to acquire histology-like images of slide-free fresh specimens, improving the ultraviolet PAM imaging speed limited by low laser repetition rates.

Power analysis for personal light exposure measurements and interventions.

Background: Light exposure regulates the human circadian system and more widely affects health, well-being, and performance. With the rise in field studies on light exposure's effects, the amount of data collected through wearable loggers and dosimeters has also grown. These data are more complex than stationary laboratory measurements.

Field integration of shoot gas-exchange and leaf chlorophyll fluorescence measurements to study the long-term regulation of photosynthesis in situ.

Understanding the diurnal and seasonal regulation of photosynthesis is an essential step to quantify and model the impact of the environment on plant function. Although the dynamics of photosynthesis have been widely investigated in terms of CO2 exchange measurements, a more comprehensive view can be obtained when combining gas-exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF). Until now, integrated measurements of gas-exchange and ChlF have been restricted to short-term analysis using portable IRGA systems that include a fluorometer module.

Study of contaminated snow cover using remote sensing in the Eastern Himalayas of Arunachal Pradesh, India.

Snow is considered contaminated when any foreign materials are deposited/mixed with it, which can accelerate melting and significantly impact the snow cover's radiative balance. Such an enhanced melting rate results in a reduction in freshwater sources at the catchment level. In optical remote sensing, snow contamination is widely studied using a normalizing difference index called the snow contamination index.

Enhancing Stability of Microwave-Synthesized CsSnTiBr Perovskite by Cation Mixing.

The double-perovskite material CsTiBr shows excellent photovoltaic potential, making it a promising alternative to lead-based materials. However, its high susceptibility to degradation in air has raised concerns about its practical application. This study introduces an interesting synthesis approach that significantly enhances the stability of CsTiBr powder.

Peroxynitrite activatable NIR-II probe for tumor diagnosis and photothermal therapy in vivo.

Peroxynitrite (ONOO) is a bioactive molecule involved in various biochemical processes, and the abnormal concentration fluctuations of ONOO in living systems are closely associated with various diseases, including cancer. An important characteristic of the tumor microenvironment is the overexpression of ONOO, highlighting the significance of specific detection of ONOO in distinguishing between tumor tissue and normal tissue. A single near-infrared second window (NIR-II) molecular probe integrated fluorescence imaging and photothermal therapy can achieve precise localization and effective ablation of deep-seated tumor tissue.

A scalable and durable polydimethylsiloxane-coated nanoporous polyethylene textile for daytime radiative cooling.

Radiative cooling technology with zero-energy consumption and zero-carbon emission has drawn enormous attention. However, the high-cost manufacture, limited scalability, and narrow application scopes remain major impediments to radiative cooling commercialization. Here, we present a bilayer PDMS/nanoPE fabricated by an automatic film applicator for high-performance passive daytime radiative cooling.

Tailoring non-axenic lactic acid fermentation from cheese whey permeate targeting a flexible lactic acid platform.

Lactic acid (LA) is an important biobased platform chemical, with potential applications in synthetising a wide range of chemical products or serving as feedstock for various bioprocesses. Industrial LA production via pure culture fermentation is characterized by high operational costs and utilizes food-grade sugars, thereby reducing the feasibility of LA applications. In this context, our research focussed on valorising the largest dairy side stream, cheese whey permeate, through the use of mixed microbial communities.

Fiber-Shaped Temperature Sensor with High Seebeck Coefficient for Human Health and Safety Monitoring.

Wearable thermoelectric (TE)-based temperature sensors capable of detecting and transmitting temperature data from the human body and environment show promise in intelligent medical systems, human-machine interfaces, and electronic skins. However, it has remained a challenge to fabricate the flexible temperature sensors with superior sensing performance, primarily due to the low Seebeck coefficient of the TE materials. Here, we report an inorganic amorphous TE material, GeAsTe, with a high Seebeck coefficient of 1050 μV/K, which is around 3 times higher than the organic TE materials and 2 times higher than the inorganic crystal TE materials.

[Spatiotemporal Variation and Influencing Factors of Atmospheric Aerosol in the Middle Region of the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin from 2000 to 2020].

Based on the aerosol optical depth （AOD） of the MODIS MCD19A2 dataset from 2000 to 2020, combined with meteorological data, land use/land cover data, and socio-economic data, the spatiotemporal distribution of AOD in the middle region of the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin was analyzed using STL and Theil-Sen Median trend estimation and the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on AOD was revealed using GeoDetector, XGBoost model and SHAP analysis. The results showed that the spatial heterogeneity of AOD in the middle region of the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin was obvious, which was mainly controlled by topography, with high AOD value concentrated in the valley with the altitude lower than 4 300 m. Owing to the precipitation and surface wind speed, the seasonal difference of AOD was obvious, with the highest in winter.

Quantifying the effects of the microphysical hygroscopic restructuring of soot on ensemble optical properties and satellite aerosol optical depth retrievals.

Black carbon, or soot, significantly contributes to atmospheric light absorption due to its low single scattering albedo (SSA). This study investigates the impact of soot's hygroscopic restructuring on satellite remote sensing, focusing on radiative forcing, top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance, and aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrievals. We characterized soot aging using relative humidity (RH) growth factor functions and modeled fresh and aging soot aggregates using a cluster-cluster aggregation algorithm.

Probing Deep Hydrogen Polysulfides Fluctuations In Vivo by Engineering Activatable Fluorescence Reporters with Second Near-Infrared Window Emission.

Deep and comprehensive understanding of the intricate biochemical processes mediated by HS ( ≥ 1), but not HS, is of paramount importance. A few fluorescent probes have been developed with the intention of addressing this issue. However, there is currently no evidence of any activatable NIR-II fluorescent probes for HS-specific imaging over HS.

The Chemistry of Atmospheric Aerosols: At the Nexus Between Climate, Energy, and Air Quality.

Atmospheric aerosols can be emitted directly as particles or formed in the atmosphere from phase transitions of gaseous compounds with low enough vapor pressure. During their lifecycle in the atmosphere, aerosols undergo multiphase changes, altering chemical composition, reactivity, physical and optical properties, ultimately influencing how they impact climate, human health and ecosystems. The understanding of the chemical processes in the atmosphere is crucial to assess these effects.

Ground-based MAX-DOAS observations of formaldehyde and glyoxal in Xishuangbanna, China.

Multi-axial differential optical absorption spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) measurements were conducted in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China, between November 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 to obtain vertical distributions of formaldehyde (HCHO) and glyoxal (CHOCHO). The observations show an increase in vertical column densities (VCDs) and volume mixing ratios (VMRs) for both HCHO and CHOCHO concentrations during periods of biomass combustion. The VCDs of HCHO and CHOCHO from TROPOMI are in good agreement with the MAX-DOAS observations.