Metasurface- and PCSEL-Based Structured Light for Monocular Depth Perception and Facial Recognition.

The novel depth-sensing system presented here revolutionizes structured light (SL) technology by employing metasurfaces and photonic crystal surface-emitting lasers (PCSELs) for efficient facial recognition in monocular depth-sensing. Unlike conventional dot projectors relying on diffractive optical elements (DOEs) and collimators, our system projects approximately 45,700 infrared dots from a compact 297-µm-dimention metasurface, drastically more spots (1.43 times) and smaller (233 times) than the DOE-based dot projector in an iPhone. With a measured field-of-view (FOV) of 158° and a 0.611° dot sampling angle, the system is lens-free and lightweight and boasts lower power consumption than vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays, resulting in a 5-10 times reduction in power. Utilizing a GaAs-based metasurface and a simplified optical architecture, this innovation not only addresses the drawbacks of traditional SL depth-sensing but also opens avenues for compact integration into wearable devices, offering remarkable advantages in size, power efficiency, and potential for widespread adoption.

Squalene Epoxidase: Its Regulations and Links with Cancers.

Squalene epoxidase (SQLE) is a key enzyme in the mevalonate-cholesterol pathway that plays a critical role in cellular physiological processes. It converts squalene to 2,3-epoxysqualene and catalyzes the first oxygenation step in the pathway. Recently, intensive efforts have been made to extend the current knowledge of SQLE in cancers through functional and mechanistic studies. However, the underlying mechanisms and the role of SQLE in cancers have not been fully elucidated yet. In this review, we retrospected current knowledge of SQLE as a rate-limiting enzyme in the mevalonate-cholesterol pathway, while shedding light on its potential as a diagnostic and prognostic marker, and revealed its therapeutic values in cancers. We showed that SQLE is regulated at different levels and is involved in the crosstalk with iron-dependent cell death. Particularly, we systemically reviewed the research findings on the role of SQLE in different cancers. Finally, we discussed the therapeutic implications of SQLE inhibitors and summarized their potential clinical values. Overall, this review discussed the multifaceted mechanisms that involve SQLE to present a vivid panorama of SQLE in cancers.

Transcriptome Sequencing Unveils a Molecular-Stratification-Predicting Prognosis of Sarcoma Associated with Lipid Metabolism.

Sarcomas are heterogeneous connective tissue malignancies that have been historically categorized into soft tissue and bone cancers. Although multimodal therapies are implemented, many sarcoma subtypes are still difficult to treat. Lipids play vital roles in cellular activities; however, ectopic levels of lipid metabolites have an impact on tumor recurrence, metastasis, and drug resistance. Thus, precision therapies targeting lipid metabolism in sarcoma need to be explored. In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis of molecular stratification based on lipid metabolism-associated genes (LMAGs) using both public datasets and the data of patients in our cohort and constructed a novel prognostic model consisting of squalene epoxidase (SQLE) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). We first integrated information on gene expression profile and survival outcomes to divide TCGA sarcoma patients into high- and low-risk subgroups and further revealed the prognosis value of the metabolic signature and immune infiltration of patients in both groups, thus proposing various therapeutic recommendations for sarcoma. We observed that the low-risk sarcoma patients in the TCGA-SARC cohort were characterized by high proportions of immune cells and increased expression of immune checkpoint genes. Subsequently, this lipid metabolic signature was validated in four external independent sarcoma datasets including the CHCAMS cohort. Notably, SQLE, a rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis, was identified as a potential therapeutic target for sarcoma. Knockdown of SQLE substantially inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation while promoting the apoptosis of sarcoma cells. Terbinafine, an inhibitor of SQLE, displayed similar tumor suppression capacity in vitro. The prognostic predictive model and the potential drug target SQLE might serve as valuable hints for further in-depth biological, diagnostic, and therapeutic exploration of sarcoma.

Design of high-efficiency and large-angle homo-metagratings for light source integration.

Meta-optics integrated with light sources has gained significant attention. However, most focused on the efficiency of metasurfaces themselves, rather than the efficiency of integration. To design highly efficient beam deflection, we develop a scheme of homo-metagrating, involving the same material for meta-atoms, substrate, and top layer of the laser, to achieve near-unity power from light-emitting to metasurfaces. We utilize three degrees of freedom: overall add-on phase, parameters of meta-atoms in a period, and lattice arrangement. The overall efficiency of homo-metagratings is higher than that of hetero-metagratings. We believe our approach is capable of being implemented in various ultracompact optic systems.

A novel immune-related epigenetic signature based on the transcriptome for predicting the prognosis and therapeutic response of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Epigenetic modifications contribute to lymphomagenesis. Here, we performed an expression clustering analysis and identified two epigenetic-related clusters (EC1 and EC2). EC1 presented abundant TP53, MYD88, HIST1H1D, HIST1H1C, KMT2D and EZH2 mutations and an inferior prognosis. Pathways involved in the regulation of DNA methylation/demethylation, histone methyltransferase activity, and protein methyltransferase activity were significantly enriched in EC1. However, EC2 was frequently accompanied by B2M, CD70 and MEF2B mutations, which presented with enrichments in DNA damage repair, cytokine-mediated and B-cell activated immune signaling, increased levels of CD8+ T-, γδT- and T helper-cells, as well as immune scores and immunogenic cell death (ICD) modulators. According to the prediction, EC1 was more sensitive to vorinostat, serdemetan and navitoclax. However, ruxolitinib, cytarabine and CP466722 were more suitable treatments for EC2. The novel immune-related epigenetic signature exhibits promising clinical predictive value for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), particularly for guiding epigenetic therapeutic regimens. R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) based combination treatment regimens are suggested.

Reduced radiotherapy clinical benefit for primary Waldeyer's ring diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the rituximab era.

This study aimed to identify the prognostic factors in patients with Waldeyer's ring diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (WR-DLBCL), comparing the efficacy of radiotherapy (RT) for the WR-DLBCL patients in the pre-rituximab and rituximab eras. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 134 patients diagnosed with WR-DLBCL. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the prognostic factors for WR-DLBCL. Then, we divided these patients into the rituximab plus chemotherapy group (R-chemotherapy) (n = 88) and chemotherapy group (n = 46), and the Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression model analyses were applied to investigate the treatment value of RT in both the groups. Multivariate analysis revealed international prognostic index (IPI) ≥ 3 and chemotherapy without rituximab as significant risk factors for the progression-free survival (PFS, IPI ≥ 3: p = 0.001; chemotherapy without rituximab: p = 0.002) and overall survival (OS, IPI ≥ 3, p < 0.001; chemotherapy without rituximab, p = 0.024). Rituximab combined with chemotherapy significantly improved PFS (p = 0.002) and OS (p = 0.006) in these patients. RT did not significantly contribute to the survival in the overall cohort analysis, whereas in the subgroup analysis, RT significantly improved the PFS (p = 0.025) and OS (p = 0.029) for the patients in the chemotherapy group, but not in the R-chemotherapy group. In conclusion, the WR-DLBCL patients could benefit from RT in the pre-rituximab era, whereas the addition of rituximab to chemotherapy significantly improved the survival of WR-DLBCL patients, and the clinical benefit of RT was reduced.

Perovskite random lasers: a tunable coherent light source for emerging applications.

Metal halide perovskites have attracted increasing attention due to their superior optical and electrical characteristics, flexible tunability, and easy fabrication processes. Apart from their unprecedented successes in photovoltaic devices, lasing action is the latest exploitation of the optoelectronic performance of perovskites. Among the substantial body of research on the configuration design and light emission quality of perovskite lasers, the random laser is a very interesting stimulated emission phenomenon with unique optical characteristics. In this review article, we first comprehensively overview the development of perovskite-based optoelectronic devices and then focus our discussion on random lasing performance. After an introduction to the historical development of versatile random lasers and perovskite random lasers, we summarize several synthesis methods and discuss their material configurations and stability in synthesized perovskite materials. Following this, a theoretical approach is provided to explain the random lasing mechanism in metal halide perovskites. Finally, we propose future applications of perovskite random lasers, presenting conclusions as well as future challenges, such as quality stability and toxicity reduction, of perovskite materials with regard to practical applications in this promising field.

TUG1 is involved in liver fibrosis and activation of HSCs by regulating miR-29b.

TUG1 has been shown to be involved in diverse human diseases by regulating gene expression at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels via interaction with miRNA or proteins. However, the role of TUG1 in liver fibrosis remains unclear. Here, we found that Tug1 is dysregulated in liver fibrosis according to the microarray analysis. Moreover, we investigated the expression files of Tug1 by using CCl4-and BDL-induced liver fibrosis model mice as well as in the primary cells isolated from the mice. We demonstrated that Tug1 is over-expressed in the fibrotic livers and activated HSCs, but not injured hepatocytes. In addition, we assessed the function of Tug1 in HSCs and found that Tug1 promotes the expression of α-SMA, Col1α1, Mmp2/9/10 and Timp1. Mechanically, Tug1 promotes the expression of these pro-fibrogenic genes by down-regulating miR-29b, thus accelerating the progression of liver fibrosis. Further study revealed that TUG1was up-regulated in liver tissues of patients with cirrhosis. All together, our data indicate that TUG1 might be a potential therapy target of liver fibrosis.

FFAR1-and FFAR4-dependent activation of Hippo pathway mediates DHA-induced apoptosis of androgen-independent prostate cancer cells.

Evidence indicates that diets enriched in Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a 22:6 n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, reduces the risk of prostate cancer, but the biochemical mechanisms are unclear. The Hippo pathway has been well established as a tumor suppressor pathway and is involved in many diverse biologic processes including cell growth, cell death, and organ size control in organisms. Here we showed that DHA induces cell growth inhibition and apoptosis of human androgen-independent prostate cancer cells dependent on the Hippo pathway. DHA inactivates YAP by promoting phosphorylation in androgen-independent prostate cancer cell lines, accompanied by increased YAP cytoplasm translocation. We also observed that DHA-induced YAP phosphorylation was reversed by both the LATS1 and MST1 siRNAs. Further experiments showed that the mechanism of DHA-induced YAP phosphorylation associated with FFAR1 and FFAR4. Down-regulation of FFAR1 and FFAR4 resulted in reduced YAP phosphorylation and reversed DHA-induced YAP phosphorylation. In addition, DHA-induced YAP phosphorylation was abolished by dominant negative Gαs and PKA inhibitor H-89. Overall, these findings define a mechanism by which FFAR1-and FFAR4-dependent activation of Hippo pathway mediates DHA-induced apoptosis of androgen-independent prostate cancer cells, thus providing a promising therapeutic target for prostate cancer.

Thymosin ß4 attenuates liver fibrosis via suppressing Notch signaling.

Thymosin ß4 (Tß4) has been shown to have beneficial effects in a number of pathological processes. Although there was research reporting the endogenous expression of Tß4 influences hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation, the effect of exogenous administration of Tß4 in hepatic fibrosis remains unclear. In the current study, we used CCl4-induced liver fibrosis model mice to investigate the effect of Tß4 administration on fibrosis in vivo and the underlying mechanism. Our study indicates that Tß4 attenuates hepatic fibrosis and down-regulates the expression of fibrogenic genes in hepatic liver. In addition, Tß4 inhibits the expression of pro fibrogenic and proliferation genes in activated HSCs. Further study revealed that Tß4 attenuates liver fibrosis through inhibition of the Notch signaling, as Tß4 significantly reduces the expression of Notch2 and Notch 3 that were increased in hepatic liver. Our data indicate that Tß4 might be an effective anti-fibrotic drug for the treatment of liver fibrosis.

BAG-1M co-activates BACE1 transcription through NF-κB and accelerates Aß production and memory deficit in Alzheimer's disease mouse model.

Accumulation of amyloid ß protein (Aß)-containing neuritic plaques in the brain is a neuropathological feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The ß-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) is essential for Aß generation and dysregulation of BACE1 expression may lead to AD pathogenesis. Bcl-2-associated athanogen 1M (BAG-1M), initially identified as an anti-apoptotic protein, has also been found to be highly expressed in the same neurons that contain intracellular amyloid in the hippocampus of AD patient. In this report, we found that over-expression of BAG-1M enhances BACE1-mediated cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and Aß production by up-regulating BACE1 gene transcription. The regulation of BACE1 transcription by BAG-1M was dependent on NF-κB, as BAG-1M complexes NF-κB at the promoter of BACE1 gene and co-activates NF-κB-facilitated BACE1 transcription. Moreover, expression of BAG-1M by lentiviral vector in the hippocampus of AD transgenic model mice promotes Aß generation and formation of neuritic plaque, and subsequently accelerates memory deficits of the mice. These results provide evidence for an emerging role of BAG-1M in the regulation of BACE1 expression and AD pathogenesis and that targeting the BAG-1M-NF-κB complex may provide a mechanism for inhibiting Aß production and plaque formation.

InGaN blue resonant cavity micro-LED with RGY quantum dot layer for broad gamut, efficient displays.

The technology of RGBY micro resonant cavity light emitting diodes (micro-RCLEDs) based on quantum dots (QDs) is considered one of the most promising approaches for full-color displays. In this work, we propose a novel structure combining a high color conversion efficiency (CCE) QD photoresist (QDPR) color conversion layer (CCL) with blue light micro RCLEDs, incorporating an ultra-thin yellow color filter. The additional TiO2 particles inside the QDPR CCL can scatter light and disperse QDs, thus reducing the self-aggregation phenomenon and enhancing the eventual illumination uniformity. Considering the blue light leakage, the influences of adding different color filters are investigated by illumination design software. Finally, the introduction of low-temperature atomic layer deposition (ALD) passivation protection technology at the top of the CCL can enhance the device's reliability. The introduction of RGBY four-color subpixels provides a viable path for developing low-energy consumption, high uniformity, and efficient color conversion displays.

Advancing high-performance visible light communication with long-wavelength InGaN-based micro-LEDs.

This study showcases a method for achieving high-performance yellow and red micro-LEDs through precise control of indium content within quantum wells. By employing a hybrid quantum well structure with our six core technologies, we can accomplish outstanding external quantum efficiency (EQE) and robust stripe bandwidth. The resulting 30 µm × 8 micro-LED arrays exhibit maximum EQE values of 11.56% and 5.47% for yellow and red variants, respectively. Notably, the yellow micro-LED arrays achieve data rates exceeding 1 Gbit/s for non-return-to-zero on-off keying (NRZ-OOK) format and 1.5 Gbit/s for orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) format. These findings underscore the significant potential of long-wavelength InGaN-based micro-LEDs, positioning them as highly promising candidates for both full-color microdisplays and visible light communication applications.

Innovative Stacked Yellow and Blue Mini-LED Chip for White Lamp Applications.

This study introduces a novel approach for fabricating vertically stacked mini-LED arrays, integrating InGaN yellow and blue epitaxial layers with a stress buffer layer to enhance optoelectronic characteristics and structural stability. This method significantly simplifies the LED design by reducing the need for RGB configurations, thus lowering costs and system complexity. Employing vertical stacking integration technology, the design achieves high-density, efficient white light production suitable for multifunctional applications, including automotive lighting and outdoor signage. Experimental results demonstrate the exceptional performance of the stacked yellow and blue mini-LEDs in terms of luminous efficiency, wavelength precision, and thermal stability. The study also explores the performance of these LEDs under varying temperature conditions and their long-term reliability, indicating that InGaN-based yellow LEDs offer superior performance over traditional AlGaInP yellow LEDs, particularly in high-temperature environments. This technology promises significant advancements in the design and application of lighting systems, with potential implications for both automotive and general illumination markets.

Compact structured light generation based on meta-hologram PCSEL integration.

Metasurfaces, a catalog of optical components, offer numerous novel functions on demand. They have been integrated with vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) in previous studies. However, the performance has been limited by the features of the VCSELs such as low output power and large divergence angle. Although the solution of the module of VCSEL array could solve these issues, the practical application is limited by extra lens and large size. In this study, we experimentally demonstrate reconstruction of a holographic images using a compact integration of a photonic crystal surface-emitting laser and metasurface holograms designed for structured light generation. This research showcases the flexible design capabilities of metasurfaces, high output power (on the order of milliwatts), and the ability to produce well-uniformed images with a wide field of view without the need for a collection lens, making it suitable for 3D imaging and sensing.

Metasurface-driven polarization-division multiplexing of PCSEL for optical communications.

Free-space optical communications hold promising advantages, including a large bandwidth, access to license-free spectrum, high data rates, quick and simple deployment, low power consumption, and relaxed quality requirements. Nevertheless, key technical challenges remain, such as a higher transmission efficiency, a lower transmission loss, and a smaller form factor of optical systems. Here, we demonstrate the viability of circular-polarization-multiplexed multi-channel optical communication using metasurfaces alongside a photonic-crystal surface-emitting laser (PCSEL) light source at wavelength of 940 nm. Through the light manipulation with metasurface, we split the linearly polarized incidence into left and right circular polarizations with desired diffraction angles. Such orthogonal polarization states provide a paradigm of polarization division multiplexing technique for light communication. The PCSEL light source maintains a low divergence angle of about 0.373 degrees after passing through an ultra-thin metasurface without further bulky collimator or light guide, making end-to-end (E2E) and device-to-device (D2D) communications available in a compact form. Both light source and modulated polarized light exhibit a - 3 dB bandwidth over 500 MHz, with successful 1 Gbit/s transmission demonstrated in eye diagrams. Our results affirm that metasurface effectively boosts transmission capacity without compromising the light source's inherent properties. Future metasurface designs could expand channel capacity, and its integration with PCSEL monolithically holds promise for reducing interface losses, thereby enhancing efficiency.

Structural and optical analyses for InGaN-based red micro-LED.

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the structural and optical properties of an InGaN-based red micro-LED with a high density of V-shaped pits, offering insights for enhancing emission efficiency. The presence of V-shaped pits is considered advantageous in reducing non-radiative recombination. Furthermore, to systematically investigate the properties of localized states, we conducted temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL). The results of PL measurements indicate that deep localization in the red double quantum wells can limit carrier escape and improve radiation efficiency. Through a detailed analysis of these results, we extensively investigated the direct impact of epitaxial growth on the efficiency of InGaN red micro-LEDs, thereby laying the foundation for improving efficiency in InGaN-based red micro-LEDs.

Modified Distributed Bragg Reflectors for Color Stability in InGaN Red Micro-LEDs.

The monolithic integration of InGaN-based micro-LEDs is being of interest toward developing full-color micro-displays. However, the color stability in InGaN red micro-LED is an issue that needs to be addressed. In this study, the modified distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) were designed to reduce the transmission of undesired spectra. The calculated optical properties of the InGaN red micro-LEDs with conventional and modified DBRs have been analyzed, respectively. The CIE 1931 color space and the encoded 8-bit RGB values are exhibited for the quantitative assessment of color stability. The results suggest the modified DBRs can effectively reduce the color shift, paving the way for developing full-color InGaN-based micro-LED displays.

Ameliorating Uniformity and Color Conversion Efficiency in Quantum Dot-Based Micro-LED Displays through Blue-UV Hybrid Structures.

Quantum dot (QD)-based RGB micro light-emitting diode (µ-LED) technology shows immense potential for achieving full-color displays. In this study, we propose a novel structural design that combines blue and quantum well (QW)-intermixing ultraviolet (UV)-hybrid µ-LEDs to achieve high color-conversion efficiency (CCE). For the first time, the impact of various combinations of QD and TiO2 concentrations, as well as thickness variations on photoluminescence efficiency (PLQY), has been systematically examined through simulation. High-efficiency color-conversion layer (CCL) have been successfully fabricated as a result of these simulations, leading to significant savings in time and material costs. By incorporating scattering particles of TiO2 in the CCL, we successfully scatter light and disperse QDs, effectively reducing self-aggregation and greatly improving illumination uniformity. Additionally, this design significantly enhances light absorption within the QD films. To enhance device reliability, we introduce a passivation protection layer using low-temperature atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology on the CCL surface. Moreover, we achieve impressive CCE values of 96.25% and 92.91% for the red and green CCLs, respectively, by integrating a modified distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) to suppress light leakage. Our hybrid structure design, in combination with an optical simulation system, not only facilitates rapid acquisition of optimal parameters for highly uniform and efficient color conversion in µ-LED displays but also expands the color gamut to achieve 128.2% in the National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) space and 95.8% in the Rec. 2020 standard. In essence, this research outlines a promising avenue towards the development of bespoke, high-performance µ-LED displays.

Investigations on the high performance of InGaN red micro-LEDs with single quantum well for visible light communication applications.

In this study, we have demonstrated the potential of InGaN-based red micro-LEDs with single quantum well (SQW) structure for visible light communication applications. Our findings indicate the SQW sample has a better crystal quality, with high-purity emission, a narrower full width at half maximum, and higher internal quantum efficiency, compared to InGaN red micro-LED with a double quantum wells (DQWs) structure. The InGaN red micro-LED with SQW structure exhibits a higher maximum external quantum efficiency of 5.95% and experiences less blueshift as the current density increases when compared to the DQWs device. Furthermore, the SQW device has a superior modulation bandwidth of 424 MHz with a data transmission rate of 800 Mbit/s at an injection current density of 2000 A/cm2. These results demonstrate that InGaN-based SQW red micro-LEDs hold great promise for realizing full-color micro-display and visible light communication applications.