Identifying stress vulnerability after antidepressant discontinuation may be useful in treating relapses in depression. Previous studies have suggested significant effects of the immune system as ...well as the central nervous system (CNS) on progression and induction of major depression. In the present study, we hypothesized that the factors that are not rescued by a tricyclic antidepressant imipramine may be associated with stress vulnerability and relapses in depression.
To address this issue, mice were exposed to 2 h of restraint stress for 21 consecutive days (chronic restraint stress (CRS)) with or without co-treatment of imipramine. These groups were exposed to an electronic foot shock (FS) as additional stress after imipramine washout. Main targets of stress and antidepressants were analyzed in the hippocampus, lymph node, and serum after a series of depression-like behavior analysis.
In this study, we found for the first time that mice exposed to CRS with a tricyclic antidepressant imipramine co-treatment, which did not show depressive-like behaviors, were vulnerable to subsequent stressful stimuli compared to the non-stressed mice after imipramine washout. CRS mice with imipramine co-treatment did not show any difference in BDNF, serotonin receptors, pro-inflammatory cytokines, or kynurenine pathway in the hippocampus compared to the controls. However, peripheral IL-4, IL-10, and alternatively activated microglial phenotypes in the hippocampus were not restored with sustained reduction in CRS mice despite chronic imipramine administration. Supplementing recombinant IL-4 and IL-10 in co-Imi+CRS mice prevented the stress vulnerability on additional stress and restored factors related to alternatively activated microglia (M2) in the hippocampus.
Thus, our results suggest that the reduced IL-4 and IL-10 levels in serum with hippocampal M2 markers may be involved in the stress vulnerability after imipramine discontinuation, and the restoration and modulation of these factors may be useful to some forms of depression-associated conditions.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Although polycrystalline hexagonal boron nitride (PC-hBN) has been realized, defects and grain boundaries still cause charge scatterings and trap sites, impeding high-performance electronics. Here, ...we report a method of synthesizing wafer-scale single-crystalline hBN (SC-hBN) monolayer films by chemical vapor deposition. The limited solubility of boron (B) and nitrogen (N) atoms in liquid gold promotes high diffusion of adatoms on the surface of liquid at high temperature to provoke the circular hBN grains. These further evolve into closely packed unimodal grains by means of self-collimation of B and N edges inherited by electrostatic interaction between grains, eventually forming an SC-hBN film on a wafer scale. This SC-hBN film also allows for the synthesis of wafer-scale graphene/hBN heterostructure and single-crystalline tungsten disulfide.
Abstract
Topological photonics provides a fundamental framework for robust manipulation of light, including directional transport and localization with built-in immunity to disorder. Combined with an ...optical gain, active topological cavities hold special promise for a design of light-emitting devices. Most studies to date have focused on lasing at topological edges of finite systems or domain walls. Recently discovered higher-order topological phases enable strong high-quality confinement of light at the corners. Here, we demonstrate lasing action of corner states in nanophotonic topological structures. We identify several multipole corner modes with distinct emission profiles via hyperspectral imaging and discern signatures of non-Hermitian radiative coupling of leaky topological states. In addition, depending on the pump position in a large-size cavity, we generate selectively lasing from either edge or corner states within the topological bandgap. Our studies provide the direct observation of multipolar lasing and engineered collective resonances in active topological nanostructures.
Abstract
Wavelength-scale lasers provide promising applications through low power consumption requiring for optical cavities with increased quality factors. Cavity radiative losses can be suppressed ...strongly in the regime of optical bound states in the continuum; however, a finite size of the resonator limits the performance of bound states in the continuum as cavity modes for active nanophotonic devices. Here, we employ the concept of a supercavity mode created by merging symmetry-protected and accidental bound states in the continuum in the momentum space, and realize an efficient laser based on a finite-size cavity with a small footprint. We trace the evolution of lasing properties before and after the merging point by varying the lattice spacing, and we reveal this laser demonstrates the significantly reduced threshold, substantially increased quality factor, and shrunken far-field images. Our results provide a route for nanolasers with reduced out-of-plane losses in finite-size active nanodevices and improved lasing characteristics.
Cerebral amyloidosis and severe tauopathy in the brain are key pathological features of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Despite a strong influence of the intestinal microbiota on AD, the causal ...relationship between the gut microbiota and AD pathophysiology is still elusive.
Using a recently developed AD-like pathology with amyloid and neurofibrillary tangles (ADLP
) transgenic mouse model of AD, which shows amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles and reactive gliosis in their brains along with memory deficits, we examined the impact of the gut microbiota on AD pathogenesis.
Composition of the gut microbiota in ADLP
mice differed from that of healthy wild-type (WT) mice. Besides, ADLP
mice showed a loss of epithelial barrier integrity and chronic intestinal and systemic inflammation. Both frequent transfer and transplantation of the faecal microbiota from WT mice into ADLP
mice ameliorated the formation of amyloid β plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, glial reactivity and cognitive impairment. Additionally, the faecal microbiota transfer reversed abnormalities in the colonic expression of genes related to intestinal macrophage activity and the circulating blood inflammatory monocytes in the ADLP
recipient mice.
These results indicate that microbiota-mediated intestinal and systemic immune aberrations contribute to the pathogenesis of AD in ADLP
mice, providing new insights into the relationship between the gut (colonic gene expression, gut permeability), blood (blood immune cell population) and brain (pathology) axis and AD (memory deficits). Thus, restoring gut microbial homeostasis may have beneficial effects on AD treatment.
Nanolasers are key elements in the implementation of optical integrated circuits owing to their low lasing thresholds, high energy efficiencies, and high modulation speeds. With the development of ...semiconductor wafer growth and nanofabrication techniques, various types of wavelength‐scale and subwavelength‐scale nanolasers have been proposed. For example, photonic crystal lasers and plasmonic lasers based on the feedback mechanisms of the photonic bandgap and surface plasmon polaritons, respectively, have been successfully demonstrated. More recently, nanolasers employing new mechanisms of light confinement, including parity–time symmetry lasers, photonic topological insulator lasers, and bound states in the continuum lasers, have been developed. Here, the operational mechanisms, optical characterizations, and practical applications of these nanolasers based on recent research results are outlined. Their scientific and engineering challenges are also discussed.
Recent progress of five representative nanolasers, including photonic crystal lasers, plasmonic lasers, parity–time symmetry lasers, photonic topological insulator lasers, and bound states in the continuum lasers, is reviewed in terms of their operational principles, optical properties, and practical applications. The future perspectives and challenges of these nanolasers are also discussed.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
The fundamental challenge in designing transparent pressure sensors is the ideal combination of high optical transparency and high pressure sensitivity. Satisfying these competing demands is commonly ...achieved by a compromise between the transparency and usage of a patterned dielectric surface, which increases pressure sensitivity, but decreases transparency. Herein, a design strategy for fabricating high‐transparency and high‐sensitivity capacitive pressure sensors is proposed, which relies on the multiple states of nanoparticle dispersity resulting in enhanced surface roughness and light transmittance. We utilize two nanoparticle dispersion states on a surface: (i) homogeneous dispersion, where each nanoparticle (≈500 nm) with a size comparable to the visible light wavelength has low light scattering; and (ii) heterogeneous dispersion, where aggregated nanoparticles form a micrometer‐sized feature, increasing pressure sensitivity. This approach is experimentally verified using a nanoparticle‐dispersed polymer composite, which has high pressure sensitivity (1.0 kPa–1), and demonstrates excellent transparency (>95%). We demonstrate that the integration of nanoparticle‐dispersed capacitor elements into an array readily yields a real‐time pressure monitoring application and a fully functional touch device capable of acting as a pressure sensor‐based input device, thereby opening up new avenues to establish processing techniques that are effective on the nanoscale yet applicable to macroscopic processing.
A design strategy for fabricating high‐transparency and high‐sensitivity capacitive pressure sensors is proposed, which relies on the multiple states of nanoparticle dispersity resulting in enhanced surface roughness and light transmittance. This approach is experimentally verified using a nanoparticle‐dispersed polymer composite, which, despite its low dielectric constant (≈3.0), has high pressure sensitivity (1.0 kPa−1) and demonstrates excellent transparency (>95%).
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Responsive photonic crystals (PCs) have attracted much attention due to their broad applications in the field of chemical and physical sensing through varying optical properties when exposed to ...external stimuli. In particular, assembly of block copolymers (BCPs) has proven to be a robust platform for constructing PCs in the form of films or bulk. Here, the generation of BCPs photonic microspheres is presented with 3D periodical concentric lamellar structures through confined self‐assembly. The structural color of the spherical PCs can be tuned by selective swelling of one block, yielding large change of optical property through varying both layer thickness and refraction index of the domains. The as‐formed spherical PCs demonstrate large reflection wavelength shift (≈400–700 nm) under organic solvent permeation and pH adjustment. Spherical shape and structural symmetry endow the formed spherical PCs with rotation independence and monochrome, which is potentially useful in the fields of displays, sensing, and diagnostics.
Block copolymer photonic microspheres with onion‐like structure are generated via confined assembly. The structural color of the responsive photonic crystals (PCs) can be tuned by selective swelling, yielding large optical tunability by varying layer thickness and refraction index of the domains. The formed spherical PCs demonstrate a large reflection wavelength shift under solvent permeation and pH adjustment, as well as rotation independence. They are potentially useful in displays, sensing, and diagnostics.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract
The study of topological phases of light underpins a promising paradigm for engineering disorder-immune compact photonic devices with unusual properties. Combined with an optical gain, ...topological photonic structures provide a novel platform for micro- and nanoscale lasers, which could benefit from nontrivial band topology and spatially localized gap states. Here, we propose and demonstrate experimentally active nanophotonic topological cavities incorporating III–V semiconductor quantum wells as a gain medium in the structure. We observe room-temperature lasing with a narrow spectrum, high coherence, and threshold behaviour. The emitted beam hosts a singularity encoded by a triade cavity mode that resides in the bandgap of two interfaced valley-Hall periodic photonic lattices with opposite parity breaking. Our findings make a step towards topologically controlled ultrasmall light sources with nontrivial radiation characteristics.
Harvesting energy from natural resources is of significant interest because of their abundance and sustainability. Seawater is the most abundant natural resource on earth, covering two‐thirds of the ...surface. The rechargeable seawater battery is a new energy storage platform that enables interconversion of electrical energy and chemical energy by tapping into seawater as an infinite medium. Here, an overview of the research and development activities of seawater batteries toward practical applications is presented. Seawater batteries consist of anode and cathode compartments that are separated by a Na‐ion conducting membrane, which allows only Na+ ion transport between the two electrodes. The roles and drawbacks of the three key components, as well as the development concept and operation principles of the batteries on the basis of previous reports are covered. Moreover, the prototype manufacturing lines for mass production and automation, and potential applications, particularly in marine environments are introduced. Highlighting the importance of engineering the cell components, as well as optimizing the system level for a particular application and thereby successful market entry, the key issues to be resolved are discussed, so that the seawater battery can emerge as a promising alternative to existing rechargeable batteries.
Rechargeable seawater batteries tap into earth‐abundant natural seawater as the active material to transform between electrical energy and chemical energy. The progress, challenges, and prospects of seawater batteries for practical applications are summarized.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
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