RESUMEN
Nanoimprint lithography is gaining popularity as a cost-efficient way to reproduce nanostructures in large quantities. Recent advances in nanoimprinting lithography using high-index nanoparticles have demonstrated replication of photonic devices, but it is difficult to confer special properties on nanostructures beyond general metasurfaces. Here, we introduce a novel method for fabricating light-emitting metasurfaces using nanoimprinting lithography. By utilizing quantum dots embedded in resin, we successfully imprint dielectric metasurfaces that function simultaneously as both emitters and resonators. This approach to incorporating quantum dots into metasurfaces demonstrates an improvement in photoluminescence characteristics compared to the situation where quantum dots and metasurfaces are independently incorporated. Design of the metasurface is specifically tailored to support photonic modes within the emission band of quantum dots with a large enhancement of photoluminescence. This study indicates that nanoimprinting lithography has the capability to construct nanostructures using functionalized nanoparticles and could be used in various fields of nanophotonic applications.
RESUMEN
Conventional photonic devices exhibit static optical properties that are design-dependent, including the material's refractive index and geometrical parameters. However, they still possess attractive optical responses for applications and are already exploited in devices across various fields. Hydrogel photonics has emerged as a promising solution in the field of active photonics by providing primarily deformable geometric parameters in response to external stimuli. Over the past few years, various studies have been undertaken to attain stimuli-responsive photonic devices with tunable optical properties. Herein, we focus on the recent advancements in hydrogel-based photonics and micro/nanofabrication techniques for hydrogels. In particular, fabrication techniques for hydrogel photonic devices are categorized into film growth, photolithography (PL), electron-beam lithography (EBL), and nanoimprint lithography (NIL). Furthermore, we provide insights into future directions and prospects for deformable hydrogel photonics, along with their potential practical applications.
RESUMEN
Air pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM) and diesel exhaust particles (DEP), are associated with respiratory diseases. Therefore, preventive and therapeutic strategies against PM-and DEP (PM10D)-induced respiratory diseases are needed. Herein, we evaluate the protective effects of a mixture of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KC3 and Leonurus Japonicas Houtt (LJH) extract against airway inflammation associated with exposure to PM10D. To determine the anti-inflammatory effects of the LJH extract, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the expression of inflammatory pathways were determined in PM10-induced MH-S cells. For the respiratory protective effects, BALB/c mice were exposed to PM10D via intranasal injection, and a mixture of L. plantarum KC3 and LJH extract was administered orally for 12 days. LJH extract inhibited ROS production and the phosphorylation of downstream factors of NF-κB in PM10-stimulated MH-S cells. The mixture of L. plantarum KC3 and LJH repressed the infiltration of neutrophils, reduced the immune cells number, and suppressed the proinflammatory mediators and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expressions in PM10D-induced airway inflammation with reduced phosphorylation of downstream factors of NF-κB. In addition, these effects were not observed in an alveolar macrophage depleted PM10D-induced mouse model using clodronate liposomes. The extract mixture also regulated gut microbiota in feces and upregulated the mRNA expression of Foxp3, transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1, and interleukin (IL)-10 in the colon. The L. plantarum KC3 and LJH extract mixture may inhibit alveolar macrophage- and neutrophil-mediated inflammatory responses and regulate gut microbiota and immune response in PM10D-induced airway inflammation, suggesting it is a potential remedy to prevent and cure airway inflammation and respiratory disorders.
