On-chip Brillouin lasers based on 10 million-Q chalcogenide resonators without direct etch process

We present a new device platform which defines on-chip chalcogenide waveguide/resonators without directly etching chalcogenide. Using our platform, we have demonstrated chalcogenide ring resonators with record high Q-factor exceeding 1.1x107 which is 10 times larger than previous record on on-chip chalcogenide resonators. A ring cavity is designed and fabricated for Stimulated Brillouin lasing on our platform. Thanks to the high-Q factor, Brillouin lasing with threshold power of 1 mW is demonstrated. This value is more than an order of magnitude improvement than previous world record for on-chip chalcogenide Brillouin lasers. We also developed an efficient and flexible method for resonator waveguide coupling with our device platform. Coupling between a resonator and a waveguide can be varied from under coupled region to over-coupled regio

Psychometric properties of the Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-9 scale among frontline nursing professionals working in the COVID-19 inpatients ward

This study examined the reliability and validity of the Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-9 (SAVE-9) scale among nursing professionals working in a COVID-19 inpatient ward. An anonymous, online survey was conducted among working frontline nursing professionals between April 7 and 18, 2022. We collected information about the participants' age, sex, years of employment, shift work, and marital status. In addition, the participants were asked whether they had dealt with infected patients recently, and whether they had been quarantined, infected, or vaccinated. SAVE-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were used to evaluate symptoms. We used the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to determine the validity of the two-factor model of the SAVE-9 scale. We also tested reliability and convergent validity using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales. A total of 136 responses was analyzed, and CFA for two-factors model of the SAVE-9 scale showed a good model fit among frontline nursing professionals (CFI = 1.000, TLI = 1.040, RMSEA = 0.000, RSMR = 0.060). Multi-group CFAs revealed that the SAVE-9 scale can measure work-related stress and viral anxiety in the same way across sex, having depression, or having generalized anxiety. The internal consistency was shown to be good, and the SAVE-9 scale was significantly correlated with the GAD-7 (r = 0.328, p < 0.001) and PHQ-9 score (r = 0.361, p < 0.001). The two-factor model of the SAVE-9 is a valid and reliable scale for frontline nursing professionals

Novel approach for the detection of intraperitoneal micrometastasis using an ovarian cancer mouse model

Patients with epithelial ovarian cancer have the best overall survival when maximal surgical effort is accomplished. However, despite numerous technological advances, surgery still relies primarily on white-light reflectance and the surgeon’s vision. As such, micrometastases are usually missed and most patients clinically classified as a complete responder eventually recur and succumb to the disease. Our objective is to develop optical enhancers which can aid in the visualization of ovarian cancer micrometastasis. To this end we developed a nanoparticle (NP) platform, which is specifically targeted to the tumor microenvironment. Targeting is achieved by coating FDA-approved PLGA-PEG NP with the peptide sequence RGD, which binds with high affinity to αVβ3 integrins present in both the tumor-associated neovasculature and on the surface of ovarian cancer cells. Administration of the NP platform carrying fluorescent dyes to mice bearing intraperitoneal ovarian cancer allowed visualization of tumor-associated vasculature and its contrast against normal blood vessels. More importantly, we demonstrate the visualization of intraperitoneal ovarian cancer micrometastasis as small as 100 μm with optimal resolution. Finally, we demonstrate that the fluorescent dye cargo was able to penetrate intra-tumorally. Such modality could be used to allow microscopic surgical debulking to assure maximal surgical effort

Universal light-guiding geometry for on-chip resonators having extremely high Q-factor

By providing an effective way to leverage nonlinear phenomena in integrated devices, high-Q optical resonators have led to recent advances in on-chip photonics. However, developing fabrication processes to shape any new material into a resonator with extremely smooth surfaces on a chip has been an exceptionally challenging task. Here, we describe a universal method to implement ultra-high-Q resonators with any new material having desirable properties that can be deposited by physical vapor deposition. Using this method light-guiding cores with surface roughness on the molecular-scale are created automatically on pre-patterned substrates. Its efficacy has been verified using As2S3, a chalcogenide glass that has high-nonlinearity. The Q-factor of the As2S3 resonator so-developed approached the propagation loss record achieved in chalcogenide fibers which were limited by material losses. Owing to the boosted Q-factor, lasing by stimulated Brillouin scattering has been demonstrated with 100 times lower threshold power than the previous record.This work was supported by Samsung Research Funding & Incubation Center of Samsung Electronics under Project Number SRFC-IT1801-03

Identification of miPEP133 as a novel tumor-suppressor microprotein encoded by miR-34a pri-miRNA

Background Very few proteins encoded by the presumed non-coding RNA transcripts have been identified. Their cellular functions remain largely unknown. This study identifies the tumor-suppressor function of a novel microprotein encoded by the precursor of miR-34a. It consists of 133 amino acid residues, thereby named as miPEP133 (pri-microRNA encoded peptide 133). Methods We overexpressed miPEP133 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), ovarian cancer and cervical cancer cell lines to determine its effects on cell growth, apoptosis, migration, or invasion. Its impact on tumor growth was evaluated in a xenograft NPC model. Its prognostic value was analyzed using NPC clinical samples. We also conducted western blot, immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry, confocal microscopy and flow cytometry to determine the underlying mechanisms of miPEP133 function and regulation. Results miPEP133 was expressed in normal human colon, stomach, ovary, uterus and pharynx. It was downregulated in cancer cell lines and tumors. miPEP133 overexpression induced apoptosis in cancer cells and inhibited their migration and invasion. miPEP133 inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Low miPEP133 expression was an unfavorable prognostic marker associated with advanced metastatic NPC. Wild-type p53 but not mutant p53 induced miPEP133 expression. miPEP133 enhanced p53 transcriptional activation and miR-34a expression. miPEP133 localized in the mitochondria to interact with mitochondrial heat shock protein 70kD (HSPA9) and prevent HSPA9 from interacting with its binding partners, leading to the decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial mass. Conclusion miPEP133 is a tumor suppressor localized in the mitochondria. It is a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target for multiple types of cancers

Universal light-guiding geometry for on-chip resonators having extremely high Q-factor

By providing an effective way to leverage nonlinear phenomena in integrated devices, high-Q optical resonators have led to recent advances in on-chip photonics. However, developing fabrication processes to shape any new material into a resonator with extremely smooth surfaces on a chip has been an exceptionally challenging task. Here, we describe a universal method to implement ultra-high-Q resonators with any new material having desirable properties that can be deposited by physical vapor deposition. Using this method light-guiding cores with surface roughness on the molecular-scale are created automatically on pre-patterned substrates. Its efficacy has been verified using As2S3, a chalcogenide glass that has high-nonlinearity. The Q-factor of the As2S3 resonator so-developed approached the propagation loss record achieved in chalcogenide fibers which were limited by material losses. Owing to the boosted Q-factor, lasing by stimulated Brillouin scattering has been demonstrated with 100 times lower threshold power than the previous record. © 2020, The Author(s).1

Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles (MISEV2023): From basic to advanced approaches

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), through their complex cargo, can reflect the state of their cell of origin and change the functions and phenotypes of other cells. These features indicate strong biomarker and therapeutic potential and have generated broad interest, as evidenced by the steady year-on-year increase in the numbers of scientific publications about EVs. Important advances have been made in EV metrology and in understanding and applying EV biology. However, hurdles remain to realising the potential of EVs in domains ranging from basic biology to clinical applications due to challenges in EV nomenclature, separation from non-vesicular extracellular particles, characterisation and functional studies. To address the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly evolving field, the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) updates its 'Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles', which was first published in 2014 and then in 2018 as MISEV2014 and MISEV2018, respectively. The goal of the current document, MISEV2023, is to provide researchers with an updated snapshot of available approaches and their advantages and limitations for production, separation and characterisation of EVs from multiple sources, including cell culture, body fluids and solid tissues. In addition to presenting the latest state of the art in basic principles of EV research, this document also covers advanced techniques and approaches that are currently expanding the boundaries of the field. MISEV2023 also includes new sections on EV release and uptake and a brief discussion of in vivo approaches to study EVs. Compiling feedback from ISEV expert task forces and more than 1000 researchers, this document conveys the current state of EV research to facilitate robust scientific discoveries and move the field forward even more rapidly

An External Energy Independent WO3/MoCl5 Nano-Sized Catalyst for the Superior Degradation of Crystal Violet and Rhodamine B Dye

In this study, the synthesis of a novel catalyst WO3/MoCl5 was carried out by the thermal method. The method gave an entirely different product compared to previous studies that doped Mo on the surface of semiconductor metal oxides. The degradation reaction of crystal violet (CV) and rhodamine B (RB) dye were done without any energy source. The results showed an incomparably superior result for degradation, with a reaction rate constant of 1.74 s−1 for 30 ppm CV, 1.08 s−1 for 30 ppm RB, and a higher value than 1 s−1 for both cases of 50 ppm dye solution. To the author’s knowledge, this catalyst has the highest reaction rate compared to other studies that targeted CV and RB, with an immense reaction rate increase of more than 100 times. Reusability of the three trials was verified, and the only process required was washing the catalyst after the reaction. One of the drawbacks of the advanced oxidation process (AOP), which has a degradation percent limit, has been solved, since 100% mineralization of the dye was available using this catalyst. FT-IR spectroscopy revealed that W-O-Mo linkage was successfully processed while Mo-Cl linkage has retained. 1H-NMR spectroscopy results confirmed that the degradation product of the dye treated by simple MoCl5 and WO3/MoCl5 was different. Deep inspection of specific regions of NMR fields gave necessary information about the degradation product using WO3/MoCl5