A Negative Regulatory Feedback Loop within the JAK-STAT Pathway Mediated by the Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase DUSP14 in Shrimp.

The JAK-STAT pathway is a central communication node for various biological processes. Its activation is characterized by phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of the transcription factor STAT. The regulatory balance of JAK-STAT signaling is important for maintenance of immune homeostasis. Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) induce dephosphorylation of tyrosine residues in intracellular proteins and generally function as negative regulators in cell signaling. However, the roles of PTPs in JAK-STAT signaling, especially in invertebrates, remain largely unknown. Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei is currently an important model for studying invertebrate immunity. This study identified a novel member of the dual-specificity phosphatase (DUSP) subclass of the PTP superfamily in P. vannamei, named PvDUSP14. By interacting with and dephosphorylating STAT, PvDUSP14 inhibits the excessive activation of the JAK-STAT pathway, and silencing of PvDUSP14 significantly enhances humoral and cellular immunity in shrimp. The promoter of PvDUSP14 contains a STAT-binding motif and can be directly activated by STAT, suggesting that PvDUSP14 is a regulatory target gene of the JAK-STAT pathway and mediates a negative feedback regulatory loop. This feedback loop plays a role in maintaining homeostasis of JAK-STAT signaling and is involved in antibacterial and antiviral immune responses in shrimp. Therefore, the current study revealed a novel inhibitory mechanism of JAK-STAT signaling, which is of significance for studying the regulatory mechanisms of immune homeostasis in invertebrates.

Structure and Phylogenetic Relationships of Scolopacidae Mitogenomes (Charadriiformes: Scolopacidae).

The family Scolopacidae presents a valuable subject for evolutionary research; however, molecular studies of Scolopacidae are still relatively understudied, and the phylogenetic relationships of certain species remain unclear. In this study, we sequenced and obtained complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from Actitis hypoleucos and partial mtDNA from Numenius arquata, Limosa limosa, and Limnodromus semipalmatus. The complete mtDNA contained 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and a control region. Scolopacidae contained three types of start codons and five types of stop codons (including one incomplete stop codon, T--). In 13 protein-coding genes, average uncorrected pairwise distances (Aupd) revealed that ATP8 was the least conserved while COX3 had the lowest evolutionary rate. The ratio of Ka/Ks suggested that all PCGs were under purifying selection. Using two methods (maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference) to analyze the phylogenetic relationships of the family Scolopacidae, it was found that the genera Xenus and Actitis were clustered into another sister group, while the genus Phalaropus is more closely related to the genus Tringa. The genera Limnodromus, Gallinago, and Scolopax form a monophyletic group. This study improves our understanding of the evolutionary patterns and phylogenetic relationships of the family Scolopacidae.

Vibrational stability improvement of a mirror system using active mass damping.

Addressing the demand for high stability of beamline instruments at the SHINE facility, a high stability mirror regulating mechanism has been developed for mirror adjustments. Active mass damping was adopted to attenuate pitch angle vibrations of mirrors caused by structural vibrations. An internal absolute velocity feedback was used to reduce the negative impact of spillover effects and to improve performance. The experiment was conducted on a prototype structure of a mirror regulating mechanism, and results showed that the vibration RMS of the pitch angle was effectively attenuated from 47 nrad to 27 nrad above 1 Hz.

40 Gb/s multimode all-optical regenerator based on the low-loss silicon-based nanowaveguide.

With the increasing demand for communication capacity, all-optical regeneration of multimode signals is a helpful technology of network nodes and optical signal processors. However, the difficulty of regenerating signal in higher-order modes hinders the practical application of multimode all-optical regenerators. In this study, we experimentally demonstrate the 40 Gb/s all-optical regeneration of NRZ-OOK signal in TE0 and TE1 modes via four-wave mixing (FWM) in the low-loss silicon-based nanowaveguide. By optimizing the parameters of waveguide section to enhance FWM conversion efficiency of two modes, and introducing Euler bending to reduce crosstalk between modes, the transmission loss of the silicon waveguide is 0.3 dB/cm, and the FWM conversion efficiency of the multimode regenerator is as high as -9.6 dB (TE0) and -13.0 dB (TE1). Both modes achieve extinction ratio enhancement of about 6 dB after regeneration. This silicon-based all-optical regenerator has great application potential in all-optical signal processing systems.

Low-loss grating coupler with a subwavelength structure on a thin-film lithium niobate substrate.

We demonstrated a low-loss O-band grating coupler on an x-cut thin-film lithium niobate substrate by implementing subwavelength and apodized structures. The subwavelength gratings were used to mitigate the refractive index discontinuity between the input taper and grating region, which was the first application of such a structure for grating coupler optimization on a thin-film lithium niobate substrate. The coupling efficiency was measured to be -1.99 dB/coupler at a wavelength of 1312.8 nm, which was the lowest loss among the reported lithium niobate grating couplers that do not use metal mirrors. The proposed design does not require metal mirrors or any additional material layers and can be easily fabricated with a single-step lithography and etching processes.

Thin-film lithium niobate-based electro-optic comb cloning for self-homodyne coherent communication.

As the optical communication industry advances, metropolitan area networks (MANs) and radio access networks (RANs) are extensively deployed on a large scale, demanding energy-efficient integrated light sources and simplified digital signal processing (DSP) technologies. The emergence of thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) has given rise to high-performance, energy-efficient on-chip modulators, making on-chip optical frequency comb (OFC) more appealing. Owing to the phase uniformity and stability of this chip-scale device, it has been possible to eliminate the carrier frequency phase estimation (CPE) in DSP stacks using comb-clone-enabled self-homodyne detection. Here we report the first use, to our knowledge, of a TFLN on-chip electro-optic (EO) frequency comb to realize comb cloning and self-homodyne coherent detection. We transmit three optical pilot tones and eight data channels encoded with 20 Gbaud polarization-multiplexed 16-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (PM-16-QAM) over 10 km and 80 km standard single-mode fibers. The bit error ratios (BERs) of the eight channels reach below 10-3, a result made possible by our on-chip comb. The scalability and mass producibility of on-chip EO combs, combined with the simplified DSP, show potential in our proposed fifth-generation (5G) RAN and MAN transmission scheme.

D-arabinose acts as antidepressant by activating the ACSS2-PPARγ/TFEB axis and CRTC1 transcription.

CREB-regulated transcription coactivator 1 (CRTC1), a pivotal synaptonuclear messenger, regulates synaptic plasticity and transmission to prevent depression. Despite exhaustive investigations into CRTC1 mRNA reductions in the depressed mice, the regulatory mechanisms governing its transcription remain elusive. Consequently, exploring rapid but non-toxic CRTC1 inducers at the transcriptional level is important for resisting depression. Here, we demonstrate the potential of D-arabinose, a unique monosaccharide prevalent in edible-medicinal plants, to rapidly enter the brain and induce CRTC1 expression, thereby eliciting rapid-acting and persistent antidepressant responses in chronic restrain stress (CRS)-induced depressed mice. Mechanistically, D-arabinose induces the expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and transcription factor EB (TFEB), thereby activating CRTC1 transcription. Notably, we elucidate the pivotal role of the acetyl-CoA synthetase short-chain family member 2 (ACSS2) as an obligatory mediator for PPARγ and TFEB to potentiate CRTC1 transcription. Furthermore, D-arabinose augments ACSS2-dependent CRTC1 transcription by activating AMPK through lysosomal AXIN-LKB1 pathway. Correspondingly, the hippocampal down-regulations of ACSS2, PPARγ or TFEB alone failed to reverse CRTC1 reductions in CRS-exposure mice, ultimately abolishing the anti-depressant efficacy of D-arabinose. In summary, our study unveils a previously unexplored role of D-arabinose in activating the ACSS2-PPARγ/TFEB-CRTC1 axis, presenting it as a promising avenue for the prevention and treatment of depression.

The promotion of biofilm dispersion: a new strategy for eliminating foodborne pathogens in the food industry.

Food safety is a critical global concern due to its direct impact on human health and overall well-being. In the food processing environment, biofilm formation by foodborne pathogens poses a significant problem as it leads to persistent and high levels of food contamination, thereby compromising the quality and safety of food. Therefore, it is imperative to effectively remove biofilms from the food processing environment to ensure food safety. Unfortunately, conventional cleaning methods fall short of adequately removing biofilms, and they may even contribute to further contamination of both equipment and food. It is necessary to develop alternative approaches that can address this challenge in food industry. One promising strategy in tackling biofilm-related issues is biofilm dispersion, which represents the final step in biofilm development. Here, we discuss the biofilm dispersion mechanism of foodborne pathogens and elucidate how biofilm dispersion can be employed to control and mitigate biofilm-related problems. By shedding light on these aspects, we aim to provide valuable insights and solutions for effectively addressing biofilm contamination issues in food industry, thus enhancing food safety and ensuring the well-being of consumers.

Affinity-Driven Site-Specific High Mannose Modification Determines the Structural Polymerization and Function of Tetrameric IgM in a Primitive Vertebrate.

Teleost tetramer IgM is the predominant Ig in the immune system and plays essential roles in host defense against microbial infection. Due to variable disulfide polymerization of the monomeric subunits, tetrameric IgM possesses considerable structural diversity. Previous work indicated that the teleost IgM H chain was fully occupied with complex-type N-glycans. However, after challenge with trinitrophenyl (TNP) Ag, the complex N-glycans in the Asn-509 site of Oreochromis niloticus IgM H chain transformed into high mannose. This study, therefore, was conducted to examine the functional roles of the affinity-related high-mannose modification in tilapia IgM. The TNP-specific IgM Ab affinity maturation was revealed in tilapia over the response. A positive correlation between TNP-specific IgM affinity and its disulfide polymerization level of isomeric structure was demonstrated. Mass spectrometric analysis indicated that the relationship between IgM affinity and disulfide polymerization was associated with the Asn-509 site-specific high-mannose modification. Furthermore, the increase of high mannose content promoted the combination of IgM and mannose receptor (MR) on the surface of phagocytes. Moreover, the increased interaction of IgM and MR amplified the phagocytic ability of phagocytes to Streptococcus agalactiae. To our knowledge, this study demonstrates that site-specific high-mannose modification associates with IgM Ab affinity and its structural disulfide polymerization and amplifies the phagocytosis of phagocytes by the combination of IgM and MR. The present study provides evidence for understanding the association of IgM structure and function during the evolution of the immune system.

Dietary vitamin C and vitamin E with the risk of aortic aneurysm and dissection: A prospective population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The associations between dietary vitamin C (VC), vitamin E (VE) intake and aortic aneurysm and dissection (AAD) remain unclear. This study aimed to prospectively investigate the associations between dietary VC and VE with the incident risk of AAD. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 139 477 participants of UK Biobank cohort were included in the analysis. Dietary VC and VE consumptions were acquired through a 24-h recall questionnaire. Cox proportional regression models were used to examine the associations between VC, VE intake and the risk of AAD. Incident AAD was ascertained through hospital inpatient records and death registers. During a median follow-up of 12.5 years, 962 incident AAD events were documented. Both dietary VC [adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 0.77; 95 % confidence intervals (CI), 0.63-0.93; P-trend = 0.008] and VE (adjusted HR, 0.70; 95 % CI, 0.57-0.87; P-trend = 0.002) were inversely associated with incident AAD when comparing the participants in the highest quartile with those in the lowest. In subgroup analyses, the associations were more pronounced in participants who were over 60 years old, participants with smoking history, hypertension or hyperlipidemia, who were under the high risk of AAD. CONCLUSION: Higher dietary VC and VE intakes are associated with reduced risk of AAD. Our study emphasizes the importance of diet adjustment strategies targeted on VC and VE to lower the incidence rate of AAD especially in the high-risk population.

Evaluating the pro-survival potential of apoptotic bodies derived from 2D- and 3D- cultured adipose stem cells in ischaemic flaps.

In the realm of large-area trauma flap transplantation, averting ischaemic necrosis emerges as a pivotal concern. Several key mechanisms, including the promotion of angiogenesis, the inhibition of oxidative stress, the suppression of cell death, and the mitigation of inflammation, are crucial for enhancing skin flap survival. Apoptotic bodies (ABs), arising from cell apoptosis, have recently emerged as significant contributors to these functions. This study engineered three-dimensional (3D)-ABs using tissue-like mouse adipose-derived stem cells (mADSCs) cultured in a 3D environment to compare their superior biological effects against 2D-ABs in bolstering skin flap survival. The findings reveal that 3D-ABs (85.74 ± 4.51) % outperform 2D-ABs (76.48 ± 5.04) % in enhancing the survival rate of ischaemic skin flaps (60.45 ± 8.95) % (all p < 0.05). Mechanistically, they stimulated angiogenesis, mitigated oxidative stress, suppressed apoptosis, and facilitated the transition of macrophages from M1 to M2 polarization (all p < 0.05). A comparative analysis of microRNA (miRNA) profiles in 3D- and 2D-ABs identified several specific miRNAs (miR-423-5p-up, miR30b-5p-down, etc.) with pertinent roles. In summary, ABs derived from mADSCs cultured in a 3D spheroid-like arrangement exhibit heightened biological activity compared to those from 2D-cultured mADSCs and are more effective in promoting ischaemic skin flap survival. These effects are attributed to their influence on specific miRNAs.

Co-existing ambient fine particulate matter exacerbated electronic cigarette toxicity on human respiratory cells.

Respiratory co-exposure to ambient PM2.5 and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) frequently occurs in public. However, the combined effects on human respiratory health have not been well documented. To discuss potential co-effects and possible biological mechanisms, A549/THP-1 co-cultures and BEAS-2B cells were exposed to unvapedtobacco or mint-flavored e-liquids (0-7.2% v/v), e-cigarette aerosol extract (ECE, 0-50% v/v), PM2.5 (60 µg/mL), or PM2.5 + ECE for 24 h. Cell viability assessments on e-liquids, ECE, PM2.5 + ECE showed that the mint flavor exhibited higher cytotoxicity compared to the tobacco flavor in both A549/THP-1 and BEAS-2B. However, the influence of flavors on ROS levels and mRNA expression of inflammatory markers (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8, IL-1ß) after ECE exposure demonstrated inconsistency in the two cell models. PM2.5 + ECE treatment notably elevated ROS production and inflammation responses compared to ECE alone exposure. Only co-exposure induced a significant increase in nuclear transcription factor-κB p65 (NF-κB p65) and NOD-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) protein expression regardless of flavors. Our results indicate that PM2.5-treated cells exacerbate the adverse effects induced by ECE in both A549/THP-1 and BEAS-2B cells. Flavors in unvaped e-liquids affect cytotoxicity, oxidative stress and inflammation response, but these effects vary depending on the vaping process and the specific cell line.

Electronic monitoring versus manual paper-based monitoring for hand hygiene compliance: a comprehensive health economic assessment analysis.

BACKGROUND: Monitoring hand hygiene compliance (HHC) of healthcare providers (HCPs) in healthcare facilities is critical for hand hygiene (HH) promotion. However, less is known about the cost and effectiveness of different HHC monitoring tools. In this study, we aimed to compare various health economic indicators corresponding to electronic system-based monitoring (ESM) and manual paper-based monitoring (MPM) for HHC to provide evidence-based advice for HHC monitoring measures targeted selecting. METHODS: A before and after study in 40 clinical departments with 4,524 healthcare providers was conducted from December 2022 to January 2023 (MPM implementation phase) and March 2023 to May 2023 (ESM implementation phase). The cost-effectiveness, cost-efficiency, the extent of the Hawthorne effect, and indirect cost-benefit of the two monitoring methods were compared. RESULTS: The total cost spent on ESM for the 40 departments (17,702.92 CNY) was 4,123.76 CNY lower than that of MPM (21,826.68 CNY). The HHC of MPM (80.16%) was higher than that of ESM (69.82%) (p < 0.01). In high- and medium-risk departments, the cost-effectiveness ratio of ESM (7,977.90 CNY and 13,794.60 CNY, respectively) was lower than that of MPM (9,039.61 CNY and 14,549.05 CNY, respectively). In low-risk departments, the cost-effectiveness ratio of ESM (3,910.77 CNY) was higher than that of MPM (3,899.06 CNY). Compared with ESM, the incremental cost of MPM in all departments was 4,123.76 CNY, the incremental effectiveness was 10.34%, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was 39,881.62 CNY. Between the two monitoring methods, the efficiency of ESM (48.11%) in all departments was higher than that of MPM (14.20%) (p < 0.01). The cost-efficiency ratio of MPM in all departments (155,775.56 CNY) was higher than that of ESM (36,796.76 CNY). The extent of Hawthorne effect of MPM of HHC in all departments (43.99%) was higher than that of ESM (35.69%) (p < 0.01). When ESM was used as the HHC monitoring approach, the HAI rates (1.39%) in all departments were higher than that when MPM was used (1.34%) (p = 0.562). When the payment willingness was less than 40,000 CNY, the ESM method was the better option for cost-effectiveness; When the input exceeded this threshold, the MPM method was the better option for cost-effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: ESM exhibited notable advantages over MPM in terms of cost-effectiveness, cost-efficiency, cost-benefit, and the Hawthorne effect.

Free vascularized bone graft from the lateral epicondylar region of the humerus for treatment of scaphoid nonunion.

BACKGROUND: Free vascularized bone grafting (FVBG) has become one of the essential methods for treating scaphoid nonunion complicated by avascular necrosis. However, commonly used bone graft, including the medial femoral condyle bone graft and iliac crest bone graft, still present challenges such as a high rate of donor site complications and variations of vascular pedicle. In this study, we have introduced a novel bone graft-the lateral humeral condyle bone graft with the posterior branch of the radial collateral artery (PBRCA) as the vascular pedicle-as an alternative option, with the aim of overcoming some of the limitations of previously described FVBG procedures. METHODS: Nine patients who had a nonunion of the scaphoid that had been present for an average of 16.8 months (range 9-35 months) were managed with use of a free vascularized bone graft obtained from the lateral humeral epicondylar region. Avascularity of the scaphoid, as assessed on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging and intraoperative bone marrow puncture test. Postoperatively, regular X-ray and CT scans examinations were conducted to assess the progress of fracture healing. Active motion of the wrist, and grip strength recovery were measured periodically. Wrist pain was graded using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), while wrist joint functionality was evaluated using the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (Quick-DASH) questionnaire and the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) scale. The elbow functional outcome was evaluated by the Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS). RESULTS: All of nine lateral humeral epicondylar bone grafts were successfully harvested. The blood supply of the graft during surgery was excellent in six cases and good in three cases. The size of the bone grafts ranges from 1.0 cm × 0.5 cm × 0.5 cm to 2.0 cm × 1.0 cm × 0.5 cm. The average vascular pedicle length was 3.4 cm (range 2.0-6.0 cm). There were no early complications in either the donor or recipient areas after surgery. Union was successfully achieved in all nine patients, with an average time to union of 14.3 weeks (range 11-20 weeks) after surgery. The average follow-up period was 31.2 months (range 26-40 months). At the final follow-up, the average palmar flexion, dorsal extension, radial deviation, and ulnar deviation angles of the injured wrist joint were 56.1° (range 45°-70°), 56.1° (range 40°-80°), 10.6° (range 5°-20°), and 22.2° (range 15°-35°), respectively, which reached 79.0%, 82.1%, 59.4%, and 72.8% of the average activity of the contralateral normal side. The average grip strength of the injured side was 35.2 kg (range 22-51 kg), which was equivalent to 81.3% of the average grip strength of the contralateral side. The average VAS score for wrist joint pain was 1.0 point (range 0-2 points); the Quick-DASH score was 9.2 points (range 6-18 points); and the PRWE score was 13.1 points (range 9-16 points), the Mayo Elbow Performance Index was 100 points (range 100-100 points). One patient reported a feeling of friction during movement but no pain. One patient reported numbness in the donor site. One patient complained of pain when applying force to the scar in the donor area. During the follow-up period, these complications showed improvement without any treatment. CONCLUSION: The FVBG technique has been considered an effective method for treating scaphoid nonunion with avascular necrosis. Compared to traditional FVBG, the lateral humeral epicondylar bone graft exhibits a higher union rate, fewer complications, and easier accessibility, making it a favorable choice.

Distribution and characteristics of bacteria on the hand during oropharyngeal swab collection: Which handwashing points are affected?

AIMS: To identify the contaminated areas of the hand collection and analyse the distribution characteristics of bacteria in the hand after swab collection. DESIGN: This study used a cross-sectional design. METHODS: A cross-sectional study sampling 50 pairs of hands (sampling hand and auxiliary hand) of healthcare workers was performed. Ten samples were collected from each participant. The optimal hand hygiene rates and bacterial colony counts of the whole hand and different hand sections without hand hygiene were identified as the primary outcomes. RESULTS: The optimal hand hygiene rates of the sampling hand and auxiliary hand were 88.8% (222/250) and 91.6% (229/250), respectively. The lowest optimal hand hygiene rates for the sampling hand and the auxiliary hand were both on the dorsal side of the finger and the dorsum of the hand (86.0%, 86.0% vs. 90.0%, 86.0%); the optimal hand hygiene rates for both sites of the sampling hand were 86.0% (43/50), and the optimal hand hygiene rates for the auxiliary hand were 90.0% (45/50) and 86.0% (43/50). The bacteria colony counts did not differ between the sampling hands and auxiliary hand. CONCLUSIONS: The dorsal side of the finger and dorsum of the hand were the most likely to be contaminated during oropharyngeal swab collection. Therefore, it is essential to pay extra attention to hand hygiene care of these two sites during the collection process to minimize the risk of cross-contamination. REPORTING METHOD: The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines were adopted in this study.

Micro-computed tomographic evaluation on the quality of single-cone obturation using a modified passive-deflation sealer injection needle: an in vitro study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to design a modified passive-deflation sealer injection needle and investigate its ability to improve obturation quality of single-cone technique through assessing the distribution of voids in root canals using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight mandibular incisors were divided into eight groups (n = 6), according to the taper of root canal preparation (0.06 or 0.04), the needle used for sealer injection (modified or commercial iRoot SP injection needle), and the obturation method (iRoot SP sealer-only or single-cone obturation). After obturation, each specimen was scanned by micro-CT. The volumetric percentage and distribution of all voids were first analyzed and compared among groups, then the open and closed voids were separately analyzed and compared among single-cone obturation groups. RESULTS: Compared to commercial needle groups, modified needle groups showed much less voids, especially in the apical root canal part (P < 0.05). Besides, the modified needle groups produced much less open voids than commercial needle groups despite the root canal taper (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The modified passive deflation sealer injection needle could effectively improve the quality of single-cone obturation through reducing intra-canal voids, especially open voids throughout the root canal, thus might possibly be developed as an effective intra-canal sealer delivering instrument.

A Supramolecular Deep Eutectic Electrolyte Enhancing Interfacial Stability and Solution Phase Discharge in Li-O2 Batteries.

Li-O2 batteries (LOBs) have gained widespread recognition for their exceptional energy densities. However, a major challenge faced by LOBs is the lack of appropriate electrolytes that can effectively balance reactant transport, interfacial compatibility, and non-volatility. To address this issue, a novel supramolecular deep eutectic electrolyte (DEE) has been developed, based on synergistic interaction between Li-bonds and H-bonds through a combination of lithium salt (LiTFSI), acetamide (Ace) and boric acid (BA). The incorporation of BA serves as an interface modification additive, acting as both Li-bonds acceptor and H-bonds donor/acceptor, thereby enhancing the redox stability of the electrolyte, facilitating a solution phase discharge process and improving compatibility with the Li anode. Our proposed DEE demonstrates a high oxidation voltage of 4.5 V, an ultrahigh discharge capacity of 15225 mAh g-1 and stable cycling performance of 196 cycles in LOBs. Additionally, the intrinsic non-flammability and successful operation of a Li-O2 pouch cell indicate promising practical applications of this electrolyte. This research broadens the design possibilities for LOBs electrolytes and provides theoretical insights for future studies.

A Novel Ultra-Low Work Function TbFx for High Efficiency Dopant-Free Silicon Solar Cells.

The ability of carrier selective contact is mainly determined by the surface passivation and work function for dopant-free materials applied in crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells, which have received considerable attention in recent years. In this contribution, a novel electron-selective material, lanthanide terbium trifluoride (TbFx ), with an ultra-low work function of 2.4 eV characteristic, is presented, allowing a low contact resistivity (ρc ) of ≈3 mΩ cm2 . Additionally, the insertion of ultrathin passivated SiOx layer deposited by PECVD between TbFx and n-Si resulted in ρc only increase slightly. SiOx /TbFx stack eliminated fermi pinning between aluminum and n-type c-Si (n-Si), which further enhanced the electron selectivity of TbFx on full-area contacts to n-Si. Last, SiOx /TbFx /Al electron-selective contacts significantly improves the open circuit voltage (Voc ) for silicon solar cells, but rarely impacts the short circuit current (Jsc ) and fill factor (FF), thus champion efficiency cell achieved approaching 22% power conversion efficiency (PCE). This study indicates a great potential for using lanthanide fluorides as electron-selective material in photovoltaic devices.

High-efficiency thin-film lithium niobate modulator with highly confined optical modes.

We demonstrate a low-loss, high-efficiency lithium niobate electro-optic (EO) modulator with optical isolation trenches to achieve stronger field confinement and reduced light absorption loss. The proposed modulator realized considerable improvements, including a low half-wave voltage-length product of 1.2 V·cm, an excess loss of ∼2.4 dB, and a broad 3-dB EO bandwidth of over 40 GHz. We developed a lithium niobate modulator with, to the best of our knowledge, the highest reported modulation efficiency of any Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) modulator.

Massively parallel FMCW lidar with cm range resolution using an electro-optic frequency comb.

Frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) light detection and ranging (lidar) is a promising solution for three-dimensional (3D) imaging and autonomous driving. This technique maps range and velocity measurement to frequency counting via coherent detection. Compared with single-channel FMCW lidar, multi-channel FMCW lidar can greatly improve the measurement rate. A chip-scale soliton micro-comb is currently used in FMCW lidar to enable multi-channel parallel ranging and significantly increase the measurement rate. However, its range resolution is limited due to the soliton comb having only a few-GHz frequency sweep bandwidth. To overcome this limitation, we propose using a cascaded modulator electro-optic (EO) frequency comb for massively parallel FMCW lidar. We demonstrate a 31-channel FMCW lidar with a bulk EO frequency comb and a 19-channel FMCW lidar using an integrated thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) EO frequency comb. Both systems have a sweep bandwidth of up to 15 GHz for each channel, corresponding to a 1-cm range resolution. We also analyze the limiting factors of the sweep bandwidth in 3D imaging and perform 3D imaging for a specific target. The measurement rate achieved is over 12 megapixels per second, which verifies its feasibility for massively parallel ranging. Our approach has the potential to greatly benefit 3D imaging in fields where high range resolution is required, such as in criminal investigation and precision machining.