Liquid crystal modulator in the channel of a laser projection microscope

Using the light modulator based on electrically controlled reflection in the interface between isotropic dielectric and nematic liquid crystal has been viewed. The optical scheme of a laser projection microscope (LPM) with a liquid crystal modulator (LCM) in treatment, observation and recording channels has been proposed, implemented and investigated. In the proposed scheme, LCM can act as a light beam splitter, attenuator and modulator simultaneously. Possibilities of some thin film materials processing by LPM with LCM in the treatment, observation and recording channels are demonstrated

Critical role of PD-L1 expression on non-tumor cells rather than on tumor cells for efective anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy in a transplantable mouse hematopoietic tumor model

[EN] The expression of PD-L1 on tumor cells or within the tumor microenvironment has been associated with good prognosis and sustained clinical responses in immunotherapeutic regimens based on PD-L1/PD-1/CD80 immune checkpoint blockade. To look into the current controversy in cancer immunotherapy of the relative importance of PD-L1 expression on tumor cells versus non-tumor cells of the tumor microenvironment, a hematological mouse tumor model was chosen. By combining a genetic CRISPR/Cas9 and immunotherapeutic approach and using a syngeneic hematopoietic transplantable tumor model (E.G7-cOVA tumor cells), we demonstrated that dual blockade of PD-L1 interaction with PD-1 and CD80 enhanced anti-tumor immune responses that either delayed tumor growth or led to its complete eradication. PD-L1 expression on non-tumor cells of the tumor microenvironment was required for the promotion of tumor immune escape and its blockade elicited potent anti-tumor responses to PD-L1 WT and to PD-L1-defcient tumor cells. PD-L1+ tumors implanted in PDL1-defcient mice exhibited delayed tumor growth independently of PD-L1 blockade. These fndings emphasize that PD-L1 expression on non-tumor cells plays a major role in this tumor model. These observations should turn our attention to the tumor microenvironment in hematological malignancies because of its unappreciated contribution to create a conditioned niche for the tumor to grow and evade the anti-tumor immune response.SIThis work has been supported by Grant FIS PI# 1300029 (Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias, Ministry of Health, Spanish Government, and co-funded by European Union ERDF/ESF, “Investing in your future”), LE093U13 and Unit of Excellence Research UIC #012 (Department of Education of the Regional Government, Junta de Castilla y Leon) and Gerencia Regional de Salud (BIO/01/15) to JIRB. It was also funded by Miguel Servet National Grant (Health National Organization Research) CP12/03063, CPII17/00002 and FIS PI16/00002 (Instituto de Salud Carlos III and co-funded by European Union ERDF/ESF, “Investing in your future”), and Gerencia Regional de Salud GRS963/A/2014, GRS1142/A/2015 and GRS 1505/A/2017 to M.L.R.G. This work has been partially funded by the National Network CIBER-ONC (oncology research) CB16/12/00480

LC acousto-optical transducer for nondestructive holographic control systems

The construction of acousto-optical display based on the hysteretic in cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) is proposed for nondestructive holographic test systems. The influence oblique reactive sputtering deposited thin films of In₂O₃, AlxOy, SiOx, upon alignment properties of CLC, which are used as ultrasonic holographic recording media, is investigated. The technical characteristics and properties of developed acousto-optical display (AOD) are represented. The high sensitivity and planar texture reproducibility CLC are shown to be implicit advantages of AOD developed

Surface microrelief obtained by composed target deposition for LC molecules alignment

Technology of SiOx:In,Sn aligning films deposited by the cathode reactive sputtering (CRS) method is presented. The influence of In, Sn alloy surface concentration in Si cathode target on aligning film properties are investigated by the AFM and optical profilometry methods. The properties of aligning microrelief obtained by CRS method for various In, Sn concentration and by the polyimide rubbing method are compared. It was shown that such aligning microrelief can create defectless and perfect at the microscopic level nematic LC oriented structures

Vacuum method for creation of liquid crystal orienting microrelief

A mechanism for creation of microrelief surface anisotropy of amorphous films oxides materials which are obtained by oblique reactive cathode sputtering method is described. The influence of technological parameters of sputtering on the LC orienting parameters is investigated. The dependencies of the target material, angle of material emission and reemission processes under the substrate negative ion treatment is shown. The application of oblique reactive cathode sputtering method for creation of LCD with differ-ent size is demonstrated

Disappearance of aligning properties of deposited SiOx films as caused by external factors

Thermal and degradation stability of SiOx aligning films deposited by cathode reactive sputtering (CRS) in glow discharge plasma were investigated. It was shown that a heat treatment and other external factors initiate transformations on the surface of aligning film and provided new conditions at the interface. This leads to a change of slight axis orientation direction of LC molecules and appearance of various defects in the LC aligned structures. The technological ways to increase the aligning layer durability under influence of external factors were proposed