Multi-Threaded Sound Propagation Algorithm to Improve Performance on Mobile Devices.

We propose a multi-threaded algorithm that can improve the performance of geometric acoustic (GA)-based sound propagation algorithms in mobile devices. In general, sound propagation algorithms require high computational cost because they perform based on ray tracing algorithms. For this reason, it is difficult to operate sound propagation algorithms in mobile environments. To solve this problem, we processed the early reflection and late reverberation steps in parallel and verified the performance in four scenes based on eight sound sources. The experimental results showed that the performance of the proposed method was on average 1.77 times better than that of the single-threaded method, demonstrating that our algorithm can improve the performance of mobile devices.

Chiroptical Performances in Self-Assembled Hierarchical Nanosegregated Chiral Intermediate Phases Composed of Two Different Achiral Bent-Core Molecules.

In this paper, chiral intermediate phases composed of two achiral molecules are fabricated by utilizing nanophase separation and molecular hierarchical self-organization. An achiral bent-core guest molecule, exhibiting a calamitic nematic and a dark conglomerate phase according to the temperature, is mixed with another achiral bent-core host molecule possessing a helical nanofilament to separate the phases between them. Two nanosegregated phases are identified, and considerable chiroptical changes, such as circular dichroism and circularly polarized luminescence, are detected at the transition temperatures between the different nanophase-separated states. The nanosegregated chiral phase-wherein the helical nanofilament and dark conglomerate phases are phase-separated-exhibits the highest chiroptical intensities. The luminescence dissymmetry factor, |glum|, in this phase is amplified by an order of magnitude compared with that of another nanosegregated phase, wherein the helical nanofilament and nematic phases are phase-separated.

Control of the Induced Handedness of Helical Nanofilaments Employing Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Fields.

In this paper, a simple and powerful method to control the induced handedness of helical nanofilaments (HNFs) is presented. The nanofilaments are formed by achiral bent-core liquid crystal molecules employing a cholesteric liquid crystal field obtained by doping a rod-like nematogen with a chiral dopant. Homochiral helical nanofilaments are formed in the nanophase-separated helical nanofilament/cholesteric phase from a mixture with a cholesteric phase. This cholesteric phase forms at a temperature higher than the temperature at which the helical nanofilament in a bent-core molecule appears. Under such conditions, the cholesteric liquid crystal field acts as a driving force in the nucleation of HNFs, realizing a perfectly homochiral domain consisting of identical helical nanofilament handedness.

Synthetic MicroProteins: Versatile Tools for Posttranslational Regulation of Target Proteins.

MicroProteins are small, single-domain proteins that regulate multidomain proteins by sequestering them into novel, often nonproductive, complexes. Several microProteins have been identified in plants and animals, most of which negatively regulate transcription factors. MicroProtein candidates that potentially target a wide range of different protein classes were recently identified in a computational approach. Here, we classified all Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) microProteins and developed a synthetic microProtein approach to target specific protein classes, such as hydrolases, receptors, and lyases, in a proof-of-concept approach. Our findings reveal that microProteins can be used to influence different physiological processes, which makes them useful tools for posttranslational regulation in plants and potentially also in animals.

Impact of Heart Rate Reduction with Maximal Tolerable Dose of Bisoprolol on Left Ventricular Reverse Remodeling.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate effect of heart rate (HR) reduction on left ventricular reverse remodeling (LVRR) in Korean patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). METHODS: Ambulatory patients with HFrEF, who had paired echocardiograms, N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and global assessment score (GAS) at baseline and 6-month (n = 157), were followed up on preset treatment schedule with bisoprolol. RESULTS: The LVRR occurred in 49 patients (32%) at 6-month. In multivariable analysis, independent predictors associated with LVRR were use of anti-aldosterone agent (odds ratio [OR], 4.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.80-9.71), young age (OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.92-0.99), high baseline HR (OR, 3.76; 95% CI, 1.40-10.10), and favorable baseline GAS (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.06-2.81). Beneficial effect of bisoprolol, in terms of LVRR, NT-proBNP, and GAS, was remarkable in the high HR group (baseline HR ≥ 75 beats per minute [bpm]), which showed a large HR reduction. CONCLUSION: High baseline HR (≥ 75 bpm) showed an association with LVRR and improvement of NT-proBNP and GAS in patients with HFrEF. This seems to be due to a large HR reduction after treatments with bisoprolol. Trial registry at www.ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00749034.

Nanosegregated Chiral Materials with Self-Assembled Hierarchical Mesophases: Effect of Thermotropic and Photoinduced Polymorphism in Rodlike Molecules.

Supramolecular chirality in a binary mixture of achiral bent-core (BC) and achiral rodlike mesogens was observed. Three different nanosegregated mesophases were determined in the binary system, and meaningful changes in circular dichroism (CD) were detected near the phase-transition temperatures of the rodlike mesogens. The highest CD intensity in the binary system was noted in the nanosegregated mesophase, in which the BC mesogens were in the helical nanofilament (HNF) phase and the rodlike mesogens were in the smectic A phase. The supramolecular chirality in the binary mixture was attributed to the self-assembled hierarchical chiral superstructures. Based on the experimental results, plausible scenarios for the chiral superstructures of the rodlike molecules embedded in the HNF networks are suggested. In addition, a system comprising BC and rodlike molecules doped with a photoresponsive compound exhibited remarkable photoswitching of CD intensity. According to the isothermal photoinduced phase transition of the embedded molecules in BC molecular HNFs, the observed CD intensities can be dynamically and reversibly modulated. Such a material with easily controllable functionality is of considerable interest in the field of materials science.

Enhancing and reducing chirality by opposite circularly-polarized light irradiation on crystalline chiral domains consisting of nonchiral photoresponsive W-shaped liquid crystal molecules.

We found possible chirality enhancement and reduction in chiral domains formed by photoresponsive W-shaped molecules by irradiation with circularly polarized light (CPL). The W-shaped molecules exhibit a unique smectic phase with spontaneously segregated chiral domains, although the molecules are nonchiral. The chirality control was generated in the crystalline phase, which shows chiral segregation as in the upper smectic phase, and the result appeared to be as follows: for a certain chiral domain, right-CPL stimuli enhanced the chirality, while left-CPL stimuli reduced the chirality, and vice versa for another chiral domain. Interestingly, no domain-size change could be observed after CPL irradiation, suggesting some changes in the causes of chirality. In this way, the present system can recognize the handedness of the applied chiral stimuli. In other words, the present material can be used as a sensitive chiral-stimuli-recognizing material and should find invaluable applications, including in chiroptical switches, sensors, and memories as well as in chiral recognition.

Reflective composite sheet design for LCD backlight recycling.

We have designed a reflective composite sheet consisting of a birefringent polymer matrix and isolated isotropic or minimally birefringent fibers. The optical properties of the sheet have been investigated in terms of the width, spacing, and thickness of the individual fibers. Commercial software (FDTD Solution) was used to simulate the reflectance of the proposed sheet, and conventional processes such as cast-film extrusion in combination with solid-state drawing were used to manufacture the multilayer composite sheet. The measured and simulated reflectance spectra confirm the feasibility of employing the sheet as a reflective polarizer.

Thermal phase transition behaviours of the blue phase of bent-core nematogen and chiral dopant mixtures under different boundary conditions.

We have investigated dramatic changes in the thermal phase transition of a liquid-crystalline (LC) blue phase (BP) consisting of bent-core nematogen and chiral dopants under various boundary conditions during cooling from the isotropic phase. Blue phase III, which has arbitrary morphological characteristics, between two glass plates goes to blue phase I, which has a body-centred cubic structure, when the sample is placed on the glass as a droplet form. These two distinctive phase transition behaviours were directly observed by polarized optical microscopy as well as selective reflection spectroscopy, in which the phase transition between BPs started from the air/LC interface. We determined that this transition resulted from the ordered double-twisted cylinders near the air-boundary by confocal laser-scanning microscopy.

Electrospun Poly L-Lactic Acid Nanofiber Webs Presenting Enhanced Piezoelectric Properties.

There has been extensive research on electrospun ferroelectric nanoparticle-doped poly L-lactic acid (PLA) nanofiber web piezoelectric devices. In this study, BaTiO3 nanoparticles (BTNPs) were incorporated into the PLA to enhance the piezoelectric properties. The composite nanofiber webs were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The piezoelectric behavior was analyzed by measuring the peak-to-peak output voltage (Vp-p) of the samples. The sensors fabricated from the PLA/BTNP nanofiber webs exhibited higher Vp-p values than the conventional electrospun PLA sensors. Furthermore, the corona-poled PLA/BTNP nanofiber web sensors exhibited even higher Vp-p values than the non-corona-poled sensors. Lastly, the effect of stacking nanofiber webs in terms of enhancing the sensor performance was also evaluated.

Circularly Polarized Light Emission from Nonchiral Perovskites Incorporated into Nanoporous Cholesteric Polymer Templates.

Chiral perovskites have garnered significant attention, owing to their chiroptical properties and emerging applications. Current fabrication methods often involve complex chemical synthesis routes. Herein, an alternative approach for introducing chirality into nonchiral hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) using nanotemplates composed of cholesteric polymeric networks is proposed. This method eliminates the need for additional molecular design. In this process, HOIP precursors are incorporated into a porous cholesteric polymer film, and two-dimensional (2D) HOIPs grow inside the nanopores. Circularly polarized light emission (CPLE) was observed even though the selective reflection band of the cholesteric polymer films containing a representative HOIP deviated from the emission wavelength of the 2D HOIP. This effect was confirmed by the induced circular dichroism (CD) observed in the absorbance band of the HOIP. The observed CPLE and CD are attributed to the chirality induced by the template in the originally nonchiral 2D HOIP. Additionally, the developed 2D HOIP exhibited a long exciton lifetime and good stability under harsh conditions. These findings provide valuable insights into the development and design of innovative optoelectronic materials.

Efficacy of dapagliflozin in improving arrhythmia-related outcomes after ablation for atrial fibrillation: a retrospective single-center study.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a widespread type of sustained arrhythmia that poses significant health risks. Catheter ablation is the preferred treatment; however, arrhythmia recurrence remains challenging. Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, particularly dapagliflozin (DAPA), have exhibited cardiovascular benefits. However, to date, the influence of these inhibitors on AF post-ablation remains unclear. METHODS: We analyzed the records of 272 patients who underwent catheter ablation for AF from January 2018 to December 2022. Patients were divided into the control (n = 199) and DAPA (n = 73) groups based on DAPA prescription post-ablation. The primary outcome was total atrial arrhythmia recurrence after a 3-month blanking period. RESULTS: The mean age was 72.19 ± 5.45 years; 86.8% of the patients were men. At 18 months post-ablation, 36.2% and 9.5% of the patients in the control and DAPA groups, respectively, reported atrial arrhythmia. Multivariate analysis revealed that DAPA use was associated with a significantly reduced risk of arrhythmia recurrence (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 0.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.07-0.32, p < 0.001). After propensity score-matching (PSM) in 65 pairs, arrhythmia recurrence was lower in the DAPA group compared with the control (8.3% versus 30.8%, aHR: 0.17, 95% CI: 0.06-0.51, p = 0.002). Freedom from total arrhythmia recurrence was significantly higher in the DAPA group compared with the control group in both the overall and PSM population (log-rank test p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: DAPA administration post-ablation was associated with significantly reduced atrial arrhythmia recurrence rates, indicating its potential as an adjunct therapy for enhancing the success of AF ablation.

Physical Unclonable Functions Employing Circularly Polarized Light Emission from Nematic Liquid Crystal Ordering Directed by Helical Nanofilaments.

This study proposes the use of physical unclonable functions employing circularly polarized light emission (CPLE) from nematic liquid crystal (NLC) ordering directed by helical nanofilaments in a mixed system composed of a calamitic NLC mixture and a bent-core molecule. To achieve this, an intrinsically nonemissive NLC is blended with a high concentration of a luminescent rod-like dye, which is miscible up to 10 wt % in the calamitic NLC without a significant decrease in the degree of alignment. The luminescence dissymmetry factor of CPLEs in the mixed system strongly depends on the degree of alignment of the dye-doped NLCs. Furthermore, the mixed system prepared in this study exhibits two randomly generated chiral domains with CPLEs of opposite signs. These chiral domains are characterized not only by their CPLE performances but also by their ability to generate random patterns up to several millimeters, making them promising candidates for high-performance secure authentication applications.

Functional changes of the myocardium in survivors of high-voltage electrical injury.

INTRODUCTION: There are limited long-term follow-up data on functional changes in the myocardium after high-voltage electrical injury (HVEI). METHODS: Twenty-three patients who had been exposed to HVEI (>20,000 volts) and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (≥55%) were enrolled in the study. Echocardiographic parameters, including peak systolic strain (S) and strain rate (SR), were evaluated at baseline, six weeks and six months later. These data were compared with a healthy control group who were matched in terms of age, sex and body mass index. RESULTS: The systolic and diastolic blood pressure and the heart rate were significantly higher in the HVEI group compared with the control group at baseline and at six weeks, but not at the six-month follow-up. Conventional echocardiographic data showed no differences between the groups during the study period. In contrast to the S, the baseline and six weeks, SR was significantly increased in the HVEI group compared with the control group. However, at the six-month follow-up, there was no difference in the SR between the groups. Among the 23 patients with HVEI, 17 of the patients had vertical current injury, and 6 patients had horizontal current injury. There was no difference in terms of the conventional echocardiography, S and SR between the patients with vertical injury and those with horizontal injury at baseline and at the six-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term contractile performance of the myocardium is preserved when patient do not experience left ventricular dysfunction in the early stages after HVEI.

Effect of Nematogen Doping in Bent-Core Molecular Systems with a Helical Nanofilament and Dark Conglomerate.

Two types of binary mixtures were prepared. One consisted of a calamitic nematogen and bent-core molecule with a helical nanofilament, whereas the other contained a calamitic nematogen and bent-core molecule with a dark conglomerate. The chiroptical features of these two mixtures were investigated using polarized optical microscopy and circular dichroism. In addition, X-ray diffraction analysis was performed on the two binary mixtures. The chiroptical features of the two mixtures were remarkably different. One mixture showed enhanced chiroptical features, whereas the other did not show chiroptical features. This method may help in distinguishing between helical nanofilaments and dark conglomerates which originate from bent-core molecular systems.

Ultra-Wide Band Gap Ga2O3-on-SiC MOSFETs.

Ultra-wide band gap semiconductor devices based on ß-phase gallium oxide (Ga2O3) offer the potential to achieve higher switching performance and efficiency and lower manufacturing cost than that of today's wide band gap power electronics. However, the most critical challenge to the commercialization of Ga2O3 electronics is overheating, which impacts the device performance and reliability. We fabricated a Ga2O3/4H-SiC composite wafer using a fusion-bonding method. A low-temperature (≤600 °C) epitaxy and device processing scheme was developed to fabricate MOSFETs on the composite wafer. The low-temperature-grown epitaxial Ga2O3 devices deliver high thermal performance (56% reduction in channel temperature) and a power figure of merit of (∼300 MW/cm2), which is the highest among heterogeneously integrated Ga2O3 devices reported to date. Simulations calibrated based on thermal characterization results of the Ga2O3-on-SiC MOSFET reveal that a Ga2O3/diamond composite wafer with a reduced Ga2O3 thickness (∼1 µm) and a thinner bonding interlayer (<10 nm) can reduce the device thermal impedance to a level lower than that of today's GaN-on-SiC power switches.

Reflective dual-mode liquid crystal display possessing low power consumption and high contrast ratio under ambient light.

We propose a reflective dual-mode liquid crystal display (RD-LCD) which has advantages of long memory retention time and high contrast ratio. The proposed device adopts ideal bistable characteristics, a cell thickness over pitch (d/p) of 0.25. It can realize long memory retention time, thereby reducing power consumption. In addition, an optical configuration for the RD-LCD makes low light leakages at dark state and shows good dispersion characteristics in both dark and bright states over the entire visible ranges. We experimentally confirmed retention time over 6 months in memory mode and memory and dynamic contrast ratios of 47:1 and 43:1 under ambient light, respectively. As a result, the proposed RD-LCD demonstrates convincingly that it is a candidate for green display.

Highly circularly polarized white light using a combination of white polymer light-emitting diode and wideband cholesteric liquid crystal reflector.

We present a simple and intriguing device that generates highly circularly polarized white light. It comprises white polymer light-emitting diodes (WPLEDs) attached to a wideband cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) reflector with a wide photonic bandgap (PBG) covering the visible range. The degree of circular polarization realized is very high over the visible range. The wide PBG was realized by introducing a gradient in pitch of the cholesteric helix by controlling the twisting power within the CLC medium. WPLEDs fabricated using a ternary (red, green, and blue) fluorescent polymer blend with the same moiety showed a low turn-on voltage, high brightness, high efficiency, and good color stability.

Optical configuration for symmetric and high contrast ratio in three-dimensional polarization switching display.

We propose an optical configuration to achieve symmetric and high contrast ratio (CR) in three-dimensional (3D) polarization switching (PS) displays. This optical configuration is accomplished using three retardation films and a λ/2 retardation switching panel. Typically, λ/2 retardation switching in the PS panels has an unanticipated asymmetric CR on the left- and right-hand side of 3D glasses because of the wavelength-dependent phase dispersion. To overcome this problem, we designed an optical configuration and applied it to the electrically controlled birefringence (ECB) cell. As a result, symmetric and high CRs are obtained for the 3D PS display.

Long memory retention time and high contrast ratio in a tristate liquid crystal display device.

We propose a method to obtain long memory retention time and high contrast ratio in a tristate liquid crystal display device. The proposed device has three unique liquid crystal (LC) states that are known as splay, π twist, and bend, with different operating schemes for the two modes of operation, which are the memory (M) mode or dynamic (D) mode. A form of selective vertical or horizontal switching changes the optically compensated π twist LC as a common black state in both the M and D modes into a bend LC state for the D mode or into the splay LC state for the M mode, respectively.