Due to the demands of personal travels and entertainments, light airplanes and small business aircrafts are developing rapidly. Light airplane structure is simple; however, it lacks crashworthiness design, especially the considerations on the impact of energy absorption. Therefore, in an event of accident, significant damage to passengers will be usually incurred. Airplanes made of composite materials structurally have high specific strength and good aerodynamic configuration. These materials have become the primary choice for new airplane development. This study mainly explores the topology optimization analysis of the light aircraft’s cockpit made of carbon fiber reinforced composites. This paper compares the compression amounts in the original models of composite material and aluminum alloy fuselages with the models after optimization during the crash-landing, in order to investigate the safety of fuselages made of different materials after structural optimization under the dynamic crashing. This study found that the energy absorbed by the aluminum alloy fuselage during crash-landing is still higher than that by the carbon fiber reinforced composites fuselage. On the other hand, the aluminum alloy fuselage after topology optimization could have an energy absorption capability enhanced by 40%, as compared to the that of the original model of aluminum alloy fuselage.

Using structured light to drive colloidal motors, due to its advantages of remote manipulation, energy tunability, programmability, and controllability of spatiotemporal distribution, has been attracting much attention in the fields of targeted drug delivery, environmental control, chemical agent detection, and smart device design. Here, we focus on studying the group control of colloidal made from a photo-responsive organic polymer molecule NO-COP (N,O-Covalent organic polymer). These colloidal motors mainly respond to the light intensity patterns. We chose a digital micromirror device (DMD) to modulate the structured light field shining on the sample, by considering its merit of fast refreshing speed, good programmability, and high-power threshold. It is found that under ultraviolet or green light modulation, such colloidal motors exhibit various group behaviors including group diffusion, group patterning, and group migration. The qualitative interpretation is also provided for these observations.

We provide quantitative results from GIS-based modelling of urban emission functions for a range of representative low- and mid-rise locations, ranging from individual streets to residential communities within cities as well as entire towns and city regions with the aim of whether lantern photometry or built environment has the dominant effect on light pollution. We demonstrate the scalability of our work by providing results for the largest urban area modelled to date, comprising the central 117 km2 area of Dublin City and containing nearly 42,000 public lights. Our results show a general similarity in the shape of the azimuthally-averaged emission function for all areas examined, with differences in total light output distribution depending primarily on the nature of the lighting and, to a smaller extent, on the obscuring environment including seasonal foliage effects. A comparison with global satellite observations shows that they are consistent with the deduced angular emission function for other low-rise areas worldwide. We further validate our approach by comparing results for a range of urban locations by the close agreement observed in a detailed comparison of with calibrated imagery from the International Space Station. To our knowledge, this is the first such detailed quantitative verification of light loss calculations.

A fast calculation method for the full parallax high-resolution hologram is proposed based on the elemental light field image (EI) rendering. A 3D object located near the holographic plane is firstly rendered as multiple EIs with a pinhole array. Each EI is interpolated and multiplied by a divergent sphere wave and interfered with a reference wave to form a hogel. Parallel acceleration is used to calculate the high-resolution hologram because calculation of each hogel is independent. A high-resolution hologram with the resolution of 20,0000×20,0000 pixels is calculated only within 8 minutes. Full parallax high-resolution 3D displays are realized by optical reconstructions.

Based on four major cosmological and astrophysical coincidences, it seems possible to develop a new model of Hubble-Hawking Universe having light speed expansion. Considering the analysis of 740 super novae data, it is possible to consider a constant rate of cosmic expansion. As there is no physical reasoning for the observed speed of light and all the cosmological observations are completely based on speed of light-by considering ‘light speed expansion’ as a characteristic nature of the universe, big bang, inflation, dark energy, quintessence and lambda term like ideal and unidentified concepts can be reviewed and relinquished at fundamental level and a practical model of expanding universe can be developed with ease and clarity. In this context, we would like to emphasize the point that, traditional definition of cosmic red shift is absolutely wrong. In terms of energy of photon, true cosmic red shift must be defined as - ratio of loss of energy in photon to the energy of photon at galaxy. We encourage the reader to see Figure 1 and Table 1 pertaining to light travel distances prepared with $\left(\frac{z}{1+z}\right)\left(\frac{c}{H_0}\right)\cong z_{new}\left(\frac{c}{H_0}\right)$. For data comparison, readers are encouraged to visit https://cosmocalc.icrar.org/ and http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/cosmodis.c. It may be noted that, considering 200 million solar masses as a cut off for ordinary gravity, dark matter can be considered as an effect of power law based super gravity of galactic baryonic mass. It is well believed that, Hawking’s findings about black holes are the most important contributions to physics in recent decades. Hence, we appeal the science community to recommend our Hubble-Hawking model for further research and study.

Dry eye disease (DED) most commonly caused by evaporative subtypes and mainly induced by meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). Intense pulsed light (IPL) combined with meibomian gland expression (MGX) is noninvasive treatment for improvement of ocular discomfort symptoms and MGD. In this prospective study between November 2020 and May 2022, the patients met the criteria of both ocular surface disease index (OSDI) ≥13 scores and standardized patient evaluation of eye dryness (SPEED)≥ 8 scores were enrolled in Kaohsiung Veteran General Hospital. Three separate treatment sessions of IPL therapy combined with MGX administered to the lower lids with an interval of 28 days. Further tear film assessment included lipid layer thickness (LLT), tear meniscus height (TMH), non-invasive tear break-up time (NIBUT), meibomian gland loss (MGL) either beforeor after 1st and 3rd IPL therapy combined with MGX. Besides, lissamine green staining and pain scores were also recorded. We totally enrolled 37 patients of 74 eyes. Men accounted for 18.92% (7/37). The mean age was 54.51 ± 11.72 years. The mean OSDI scores were 58.12 ± 22, while the SPEED scores were 17.03 ± 5.98. The mean Schirmer’s test was 3.66 ± 2.43 mm. After three sessions IPL treatment with MGX, the OSDI, SPEED, LLT, TMH, MGL, MGXS and pain scores were significantly improved. For the MGX scores (MGXS) ≤20 group, MGL and lissamine green scores showed significant improvements. For the MGXS >20 group, TMH and dry spot rate revealed statistically improvement. Noninvasive IPL therapy with MGX statistically improved not only dry eye symptoms but also tear film assessments.

This paper presents the light scattering matrices of atmospheric aggregated hexagonal ice particles appearing in cirrus clouds. In this work aggregates consist of the same particles with different spatial orientation and number of these particles. Two types of particle shape were studied: (1) hexagonal column; (2) hexagonal plate. For both shapes we study compact and non-compact cases of arrangement of particles in aggregates. As a result, four sets of aggregates were made: (1) compact columns; (2) non-compact columns; (3) compact plates; (4) non-compact plates. Each set consists of eight aggregates with different number of particles from 2 to 9. For practical reason the bullet-rosette and the aggregate of hexagonal columns with different sizes was also calculated. The light scattering matrices were calculated for the case of arbitrary spatial orientation within the geometrical optics approximation for sets of compact and non-compact aggregates and within the physical optics approximation for two additional aggregates. It was found that light scattering matrix elements for aggregates are depend on arrangement of particles they are consisted.

Ultra-short 230 fs laser pulses of 515 nm wavelength were tightly focused into 700 nm focal spots and utilised in opening ~ 0.4 − 1 μm holes in alumina Al2O3 etch masks with 20-50 nm thickness. Such dielectric masks simplify fabrication of photonic crystal (PhC) light trapping patterns for the above-Lambertian performance of high efficiency solar cells. Conditions of laser ablation of transparent etch masks and effects sub-surface Si modifications were revealed by plasma etch- ing, numerical modeling, and minority carrier lifetime measurements. Mask-less patterning of Si is proposed using fs-laser direct writing for dry plasma etch of Si.

Stray light is a critical aspect for high performance optical instruments. When stray light control by design is insufficient to reach the performance requirement, correction by post-processing must be considered. This situation is encountered for example in the case of the Earth observation in-strument 3MI, whose stray light properties are complex due to the presence of many ghosts dis-tributed on the detector array. We implement an iterative correction method and discuss its con-vergence properties. Spatial and field binning can be employed to reduce the computation time but at the cost of a decreased performance. Interpolation of the stray light properties is required to achieve high performance correction. For that, two methods are proposed and tested. The first interpolate the stray light in the field domain while the second applies a scaling operation based on a local symmetry assumption. Ultimately, the scaling method is selected and a stray light reduction by a factor of 58 is obtained at 2σ (129 at 1σ) for an extended scene illumination.

Light travels in a moving medium through densities that differ from the density of that medium at rest. This study derives a formula for light velocity through a moving medium for any direction of light propagation in that medium that, applied to the Fizeau experiment, gives a fringe shift of 0.23541. The Fresnel drag coefficient applied to the Fizeau experiment offers a fringe shift of 0.20466. The mean of the fringe shift observations in the Fizeau experiment of 0.23016 confirms both expectations.

The aim of this work was to investigate a new, simple one-pot combustion synthesis technique for creating sulphur-based CuS/ZnS p-n heterojunction nanocomposite photocatalysts. The study examined the photocatalytic activity and reusability of these nanocomposites in removing rhodamine B (RhB) dye under visible light irradiation. Various methods of characterisation were employed to determine the properties of the materials, including particle morphology, crystalline phases and bandgap energy. The intrinsic reaction parameters, such as catalyst loading, pH level of the solution, and initial pollutant concentration, were varied to establish the optimal photo-degradation conditions. The results showed that a binary CuS/ZnS catalyst with a 10 gL-1 loading, at pH 5, degraded 97% of 5 ppm RhB dye after 270 minutes of visible light irradiation. Addition-ally, this composite catalyst exhibited excellent chemical stability and reusability, achieving 83% RhB dye removal after five recycling runs. Scavenger tests identified the photogenerated holes (h+) and superoxide free radicals (•O2) as the primary reactive species responsible for degradation. This study provides valuable insight into the design of highly efficient nanomaterials for removing organopollutants in wastewater, and a possible reaction mechanism is proposed.

Although the vegetative stage of indoor cannabis production can be relatively short in duration, there is a high energy demand due to higher light intensities (LI) than the clonal propagation stage and longer photoperiods than the flowering stage (i.e., 16 – 24 hours vs. 12 hours). While electric lighting is a major component of both energy consumption and overall production costs, there is a lack of scientific information to guide cultivators in selecting a LI that corresponds to their vegetative stage production strategies. To determine the vegetative plant responses to LI, clonal plants of ‘Gelato’ were grown for 21 days with canopy-level photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFD) ranging between 135 and 1430 µmol·m^-2·s^-1 on a 16-hour photoperiod (i.e., daily light integrals of ≈ 8 to 80 mol·m^-2·d^-1). Plant height and growth index responded quadratically; the number of nodes, stem thickness, and aboveground dry weight increased asymptotically; and internode length and water content of aboveground tissues decreased linearly with increasing LI. Foliar attributes had varying responses to LI. Chlorophyll content index increased asymptotically, leaf size decreased linearly and specific leaf weight increased linearly with increasing LI. Generally, PPFD levels of ≈ 900 µmol·m^-2·s^-1 produced compact, robust plants that are commercially relevant, while PPFD levels of ≈ 600 µmol·m^-2·s^-1 promoted plant morphology with more open architecture – to increase airflow and reduce the potential foliar pests in compact (i.e., indica-dominant) genotypes.

Today, transit control systems go beyond simple controllers located at the intersections of our streets, involving large companies in the field, which with the implementation and use of sophisticated equipment encompass endless new and advanced technologies that manage to give control to the massive automotive park, thus ensuring fluidity and road safety. Many of these systems are used in the big world capitals, which is why the model used in Santiago, Chile is a system applied and brought directly by the SIEMENS Company of England (specifically the system used in the City of London). It is capable of transmitting the different control signals in a similar and digital way from the different interconnected devices in and out of the road infrastructure.

It has been known that dimensional constants such as ℏ, c, G, e, and k are merely human constructs whose values and units vary depending on the chosen system of measurement. Therefore, the time variation of dimensional constants lacks operational significance due to their dependence on them. It is well-structured and represents a valid discussion. However, this fact only becomes a meaningful debate within the context of a static or present universe. As well-established theoretically and observationally, the current universe is undergoing accelerated expansion, wherein dimensional quantities, like the wavelength of light, also experience redshift phenomena elongating over cosmic time. In other words, in an expanding universe, dimensional quantities of physical parameters vary with cosmic time. From this perspective, there exists the possibility that dimensional constants, such as the speed of light, could vary with the expansion of the universe. In this review paper, we contemplate under what circumstances the speed of light may change or remain constant over cosmic time, and discuss the potential for distinguishing these cases observationally.

Rapeseed is an important commercial crop in the world, which is used for animal fodder and human consumption. The varied insolation duration and intensity is one of the main reasons for effecting the seed yield and seed quality of Brassica napus (B. napus) in worldwide. In this study, a highly oil seed content rapeseed cultivar “Qingyou 3” was subjected to light supplementary trial at both vegetative growth period and the seed productive stage. Different light quantity conditions were stimulated by light-emitting diodes (LED), main plot factor was land condition under LED (Treatment) and without LED (Control) in natural condition. The size and thickness of leaves, photosynthesis efficiency, seed oil content of B. napus increased significantly after light supplementary. Eighteen cDNA libraries were constructed from leaf segments (30 days after transplanting, 30 DAT) and seed 30 and 40 days after pollination (DPA) for RNA transcriptome sequencing. It was found that genes encoding lipid transfer protein, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and plant hormone signal transduction were enriched in differentially expressed genes. This study is aim to identify the differentially expressed genes and signaling pathways in the leaves and seed of B. napus at the vegetative and seed productive stages under different light quantity. All the results provide the knowledge for understanding sufficient light plays a critical role in promoting photosynthesis, and is the basis of material accumulation and yield formation.

’Lockdown’ periods in response to COVID-19 have provided a unique opportunity to study the impacts of economic activity on environmental pollution (e.g. NO2, aerosols, noise, light). The effects on NO2 and aerosols have been very noticeable and readily demonstrated, but that on light pollution has proven challenging to determine. The main reason for this difficulty is that the primary source of nighttime satellite imagery of the earth is the SNPP-VIIRS/DNB instrument, which acquires data late at night after most human nocturnal activity has already occurred and much associated lighting has been turned off. Here, to analyze the effect of lockdown on urban light emissions, we use ground and satellite data for Granada, Spain, during the COVID-19 induced confinement of the city’s population from March 14 until May 31, 2020. We find a clear decrease in light pollution due both to a decrease in light emissions from the city and to a decrease in anthropogenic aerosol content in the atmosphere which resulted in less light being scattered. A clear correlation between the abundance of PM10 particles and sky brightness is observed, such that the more polluted the atmosphere the brighter the urban night sky. An empirical expression is determined that relates PM10 particle abundance and sky brightness at three different wavelength bands.

The recyclable paper based on photochromic materials not only reduces the pollution in the paper manufacture process, but also reduces the pollution caused by the use of ink, which receives wide attention. In this paper, a serial of PMoA-PWA/ZnO/PVP hybrid films which had different ratio of PMoA/PWA was prepared by the ultrasonic composite method. The results indicated that the hybrid film prepared when the ratio of PMoA to PWA was 3 had the best photochromic performance. In this system, ZnO was the photosensitizer while PMoA/PWA was the chromophore. The photochromic mechanism of PMoA-PWA/ZnO/PVP hybrid film was based on the photogenerated electron transfer mechanism. ZnO generated photoelectron under the excitation of visible light, then PMoA and PWA obtained the photoelectron and produced photoreduction reaction to generate heteropolyblue. The visible light photochromic paper was prepared by loaded PMoA-PWA/ZnO/PVP hybrid film (A3) on A4 paper. Application test showed that the prepared paper had extremely stable, excellent and reversible visible light photochromic properties, whether it was printing patterns or words and could replace the ordinary paper to realize the reuse of paper.

To study the mechanism of light color on a sea urchin (Tripneustes gratilla), blue light (B, λ450nm), yellow light (Y, λ585-590nm), red light (R, λ640nm), green light (G, λ510nm), white light (W, λ400-780nm) and darkness groups (H) were set up in a seawater recirculating aquaculture system. Six different LED light color treatment groups with a photoperiod of 12 L:12 D were tested for 30 d to investigate the effects of different light colors on the feeding, growth and enzyme activities of T. gratilla (142.45±4.36 g). We found that varying LED light colors significantly impacts the feeding, growth, and enzyme activity of T. gratilla. Notably, the sea urchins in group B exhibited better growth with a weight gain rate of 39.26%, while those in group R demonstrated poorer growth with a weight gain rate of only 26%. The feeding differed significantly (P<0.01) between groups B and R, with group B consuming the highest daily intake (6.03±1.69 g) and group R consuming the lowest (4.54±1.26 g). Throughout the three phases, there was no significant change in the viability of the AMS (P>0.05). Conversely, pepsin viability significantly increased (P<0.01) in group B. LPS viability remained consistently at the lowest level, with no notable differences in group W from those observed in group B. In group R, both AMS and pepsin viability remained lower, whereas lipase viability was noticeably higher in each phase compared to group B (P<0.01). Regarding antioxidant enzymes, group R exhibited a trend of initially increasing and then decreasing CAT, SOD, and GSH-PX activities, particularly during the third stage (15-30 d), with a significant decrease observed in antioxidant enzyme activities (P<0.01). The outcomes suggest that blue light positively affects the growth, feeding, digestion, and antioxidant capacity of T. gratilla in comparison to other light environments, whereas the red light has an inhibitory impact.

The photocatalysis process over N-doped TiO2 under visible light is examined for Pb(II) oxidation to form the less toxic and handleable PbO2 suggesting a new method for Pb(II) remediation. The doping TiO2 with N element was conducted by simple hydrothermal technique and using urea as the N source with various concentrations. The doped photocatalysts were characterized by DRUVS, XRD, FTIR and SEM-EDX instruments. Photocatalysis of Pb(II) through batch experiment was performed for evaluation of the doped TiO2 activity under visible light, with applying various fractions of N doped, photocatalyst weigh, irradiation time, and solution pH. The research results attributed that N doping has been successfully performed, that shifted TiO2 absorption into visible region, allowing it to be active under visible irradiation. The photocatalytic removal of Pb(II) under visible ligth over N-TiO2 showed more effective than that of over the un-doped photocatalyst. The removal of Pb(II) has notably taken place through oxidation, that may form PbO2. The highest photocatalytic oxidation of Pb(II) 15 mg/L in 25 mL of the solution could be reached by using TiO2 doped with 10%w of N, 15 mg of N-TiO2 weight, 30 minutes of time, and at pH 8, suggesting a feseable method for Pb(II) remediation.

The prevalence of digital devices in modern society has raised concerns about the potential neg-ative effects of blue light emissions on eye health and biological rhythms. Research into blue light emissions from digital devices and their potential impact on eye health emphasizes the importance of understanding and quantifying the extent and scope of blue light emissions produced by commonly used screens (smartphones, tablets and computers). This comparative study specifically evaluates three popular Apple devices: iPhone 12 mini®, iPad Pro 12.9® and MacBook Pro®. The devices' spectral power was measured using a spectroradiometer while displaying text and a game at different brightness levels. The study also examines the effectiveness of blue-blocking lenses from well-known brands. The research highlights the importance of quantifying blue light emissions and understanding their potential impact on eye health. By doing so, appropriate measures can be developed to mitigate adverse effects on ocular structures. Above all, this research provides valuable information about the risks associated with exposure to blue light, showing that all tested devices have blue wavelength peaks between 445 nm and 455 nm. By recognizing and addressing the potential negative impacts of blue light, the risks of eye health problems can be reduced and ensure more responsible and conscious use of digital devices.

The lengthy maturation period is the key cause of the reduced hot pepper market value. An experiment was performed to assess the effects of R/B/W light qualities on reducing the maturation period. The maturation period was shortened by 16 days under 4R:1B:5W compared to the control. The appearance of the first flower is a limiting factor affecting the maturation period. It exhibited a dark purple color and an abnormal petal under 4R:1B:5W compared to the control, which was associated with increased contents of flavonoids, total organic acids, and phenolics and decreased total amino acid and carbohydrate contents. Plant hormone, flavonoid, ABC transporters, key metabolites (such as amino acid, carbohydrate, organic acid) was associated with first flower development. Ethylene response factors (ERFs) mediated by light, especially ERF021, were identified as potential hub regulators during the development of the first flower due to their involvement in all the associated metabolic pathways.

Abstract: Bacterial biofilms are highly resistant to antibiotics and have been implicated in the etiology of 60-80% of chronic microbial infections. We tested a novel combination of low intensity ultrasound and blue light against biofilm and planktonic bacteria. A laboratory prototype was built which produced both energies uniformly and coincidently from a single treatment head, impinging upon a 4.45 cm^2 target. To demonstrate proof of concept, Propionibacterium acnes biofilm was cultured on Millicell hanging inserts in 6-well plates. Hanging inserts with biofilm were treated in a custom exposure chamber designed to minimize unwanted ultrasound reflections. Coincident delivery of both energies demonstrated synergy over either alone, killing both stationary planktonic and biofilm cultures of P. acnes. Biofilm killing was dose dependent on exposure time (i.e. energy delivered). P. acnes biofilms were significantly reduced by the dual energy treatment (p<0.0001), with a >1 log10 reduction after a 5 min (9 J/cm^2) and >3 log10 reduction after a 30 min (54 J/cm^2) treatment (p<0.05). Mammalian cells were found unaffected by the treatment. Both the light and the ultrasound energies are at levels previously cleared by the FDA. Therefore, this combination treatment could be used as a safe, efficacious method to treat biofilm related syndromes.

In this paper the thermodynamic and reactivity study of light alcohol fuels was prepared, based on experimental and numerical results. We also tested the influence of water addition on fundamental properties of the combustion reactivity dynamics in closed vessels, like the maximum explosion pressure, maximum rate of pressure rise and the explosion delay time of alcohol-air mixtures. Substances that we investigated were: methanol, ethanol, n-propanol and iso-propanol. All experiments were conducted at initial conditions of 323.15 K and 1 bar in a 20 dm3 closed testing vessel. We investigated the reactivity and thermodynamic properties during the combustion of liquid fuel-air mixtures with equivalence ratios between 0.3-0.7 as well as some admixtures with water, to observe water mitigation effects. All light alcohols samples were prepared at the same initial conditions on a volumetric basis by mixing the pure components. The volumetric water content of the admixtures was varied from 10 to 60 vol%. The aim of water addition was to investigate the influence of thermodynamic properties of light alcohols and to find out to which extent a water addition may accomplish mitigation of combustion dynamics and thermodynamic reactivity.

Drivers of L3 automated vehicles (AVs) are not required to continuously monitor the AV system. However, they must be prepared to take over when requested. Therefore, it is necessary to design an in-vehicle environment that allows drivers to adapt their levels of preparedness to the likelihood of control transition. This study evaluates ambient in-vehicle lighting that continuously communicates the current level of AV reliability, specifically on how it could influence drivers' take-over performance and mental workload (MW). We conducted an experiment in a driving simulator with 42 participants who experienced 10 take-over requests (TORs). The experimental group experienced a four-stage ambient light display that communicated the current level of AV reliability, which was not provided to the control group. The experimental group demonstrated better take-over performance, based on lower vehicle jerks. Notably, perceived MW did not differ between the groups, and the EEG indices of MW (frontal theta power, parietal alpha power, Task-Load Index) did not differ between the groups. These findings suggest that communicating the current level of reliability using ambient light might help drivers be better prepared for TORs and perform better without increasing their MW.

We appeal the science community to review the basic definition of wavelength dependent cosmic red shift. We would like to emphasize the point that, the true cosmic red shift must be defined as the ratio of loss in energy of photon to the energy of photon at galaxy. In terms of wavelength, photon red shift must be defined as the ratio of change in wavelength to the observed wavelength of photon. Considering the recent paper pertaining to cosmic halt authored by Cosmin Andrei, Anna Ijjas, and Paul J. Steinhardt and reviewed by Saul Perlmutter, in this paper we propose a very simple model of the universe having early stage light radius of proton seems to be equal to half the product of reduced Planck’s constant and current speed expansion and current stage quantum halt accompanied by continuous light speed rotation. In this context, representing early cosmic expansion and rotation as an outward spiral, it seems possible to consider Hubble’s law as a representation of current cosmic light speed rotation having no further expansion. To understand the current cosmic halt, we are proposing very simple and very strange atomic and nuclear relations that constitute Hubble parameter and gravitational constant. Qualitatively and quantitatively, gravitational potential energy of proton and electron separated by a distance of root mean square radius of proton. Based on uncertainty condition, it needs further study, observations and analysis. We have extended our analysis towards the microscopic coupling constants. Thus, instead of considering the cosmological variable nature of elementary physical constants, we consider the case of current or nearby cosmic halt by means of considering the equality of current cosmic variable physical constants having similar dimensions of fixed elementary physical constants and their combinations. In this connection, it is very interesting to note that, our estimated cosmic age of (2/H0) is matching with recent estimates proposed by Rajendra P Gupta and published in MNRAS.

It is well-established that plants are sessile and photoautotrophic organisms that rely on light throughout their entire life cycle. Light quality (spectral composition) is especially important as it provides energy for photosynthesis and influences signaling pathways that regulate plant devel-opment in the complex process of photomorphogenesis. During past years, significant progress has been made in the physiological and biochemical effects of light quality on crops. However, understanding how light quality modulates plant growth and development remains a complex challenge. In this review, we provide an overview of the role of light quality in regulating early development of plants, encompassing processes such as seed germination, seedling de-etiolation, and seedling establishment. These insights can be harnessed to improve production planning and crop quality by producing high-quality seedlings in plant factories and improving the theoretical framework for modern agriculture.

Chitosan (CTS) is widely used in agriculture as a soil amendment, plant growth regulator and promoter of cold resistance. However, the effects of CTS on strawberry seedlings under the combined stress of high-temperature and high-light are unclear. In this study, Xuelixiang strawberry was used as a test material, and 100 mg·kg-1 CTS solution was sprayed onto the leaves. We measured the chlorophyll content, membrane peroxidation, reactive oxygen species content, antioxidant enzyme content, AsA-GSH cycle activity and other related indicators of strawberry seedling leaves under the combined stress of high-temperature and high-light and found that CTS can increase the contents of antioxidants, increase the contents of osmotic adjustment substances, increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes activity,; remove reactive oxygen species over time, reduce the damage of reactive oxygen species to photosynthetic organs and cell membranes, and improve the photosynthesis efficiency of leaves of strawberry plants under high-temperature and high-light stress, thereby reducing damage to strawberry seedlings caused by high-temperature and high-light.

The principal objective of this project is to investigate the gravitational lensing by asymptotically flat black holes in the framework of Horndeski theory in weak field limits. To achieve this objective, we utilize the Gauss-Bonnet theorem to the optical geometry of asymptotically flat black holes and applying the Gibbons-Werner technique to achieve the deflection angle of photons in weak field limits. Subsequently, we manifest the influence of plasma medium on deflection of photons by asymptotically flat black holes in the context of Horndeski theory. We also examine the graphical impact of deflection angle on asymptotically flat black holes in the background of Horndeski theory in plasma as well as non-plasma medium.

Neurofilament light chain (Nf-L) is a well-known biomarker for axonal damage, however the corresponding circulating Nf-L analyte in CSF is poorly characterized. We, therefore, isolated new monoclonal antibodies against synthetic peptides, and these monoclonals were characterized for their specificity on brain-specific intermediate filament proteins. Two highly specific antibodies, ADx206 and ADx209, were analytically validated for CSF applications according to well-established criteria. Interestingly, using three different sources of purified Nf-L proteins, a significant impact on interpolated concentrations was observed. With a lower limit of analytical sensitivity of 100 pg/ml using bovine Nf-L as the calibrator, we were able to quantify the Nf-L analyte in each sample and these Nf-L concentrations were highly correlated to the Uman diagnostics assay (Spearman rho= 0.97, P<0.001). In the clinical diagnostic groups, the new Nf-L ELISA could discriminate patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD, n=20) from frontotemporal lobe dementia (FTD, n=20) and control samples with subjective cognitive decline (SCD, n=20). Henceforth, this novel Nf-L ELISA with well-defined specificity and epitopes can be used to enhance our understanding of harmonizing the use of Nf-L as a clinically relevant marker for neurodegeneration in CSF.

Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) have been used for liver gene therapy. Hemgenix and Roctavian are AAV-based treatments for hemophilia B and A, respectively. They cost $3 million and $2.8 million per dose, respectively. While AAV vectors may eventually be cheaper to mass produce, a bacteria-based DNA delivery system might be much cheaper for patients. Also, “bactofection” would allow for the delivery of much larger DNA packages. Such a bacterial system may now be possible, and a prototype for the liver could possibly be developed immediately.

This paper investigates the randomly stopped sums, minima and maxima of heavy- and light-tailed random variables. The conditions on the primary random variables, which are independent but generally not identically distributed, and counting random variable are given in order that the randomly stopped sum, random minimum and maximum is heavy/light tailed. The results generalize some existing ones in the literature. The examples illustrating the results are provided.

The technique of optical interferometry has many applications in various fields of knowledge, including astronomy, optical metrology, biology, and chemistry. The visible interference pattern of a conventional single mode fiber (SMF-28) tapered and core-offset structured in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer has been demonstrated. The white source is generated by an LED, with a wavelength range of 400 nm to 650 nm emission. We analyze the performance of the interference emission with a waist length of 1.8 mm to 6 mm and with a waist diameter of 10 µm to 60 µm for the tapered structure. The achieved visibility is V=0.14 with an FSR of 23 nm. The core-offset structure interferometer is analyzed with different displacements in x and y axis and with a separation length L of 2.5 cm, 4.0 cm and 5.0 cm between two core joints. The output interference emission has a visibility of V= 0.3, V=0.27 and V=0.34 with an FSR of 23 nm, 17 nm and 8 nm, respectively. The sensitivity obtained from the temperature sensor is of 3.53 a.u./°C, with R2 of 0.99769. The proposed MZIs are low cost and can be used for implementation of sensing system in the field as the industry and medical applications.

Observing air quality from sensors onboard light rail cars in Salt Lake County, Utah began as a pilot study in 2014 and has now evolved into a five-year state-funded program. This metropolitan region suffers from both elevated ozone levels during summer and high PM2.5 events during winter. Pollution episodes result predominantly from local anthropogenic emissions but are also impacted by regional transport of dust, chemical precursors to ozone, and wildfire smoke as well as being exacerbated by the topographical features surrounding the city. Two electric light-rail train cars from the Utah Transit Authority light-rail Transit Express (“TRAX”) system were outfitted with PM2.5 and ozone sensors to measure air quality at high spatial and temporal resolution in this region. Pollutant concentration data underwent quality control procedures to determine whether the train motion affected the readings and how the sensors compared against regulatory sensors. Quality assurance results from data obtained over the past year show that TRAX Observation Project sensors are reliable, which corroborates earlier preliminary validation work. Two case studies from summer 2019 are presented to illustrate the strength of the finely-resolved air quality observations: 1) an elevated ozone event and 2) elevated particulate pollution resulting from 4th of July fireworks. The mobile observations were able to capture spatial gradients as well as pollutant hotspots during both of these episodes. Sensors have been recently added to a third light rail train car, which travels on a north-south oriented rail line along which we were unable to monitor air quality previously. The TRAX Observation Project is currently being used to provide reliable pollutant data for health studies and inform urban planning efforts. Links to real-time data displays and updated information on the quality-controlled data from this study are available at https://atmos.utah.edu/air_quality/trax/.

Embryoid bodies (EBs) are multicellular three-dimensional (3D) aggregates generated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in suspension and serve as useful biological sources for many downstream applications. Imaging of live EBs has been hampered mainly due to the inherent limitations of the imaging techniques applied to date. This study aimed to image human iPSC (hiPSC) derived EBs to obtain their 3D volume, determining size, morphology, and cell viability from day 7 to 14 using Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy (LSFM). Furthermore, chromosomal stability was assessed using Multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (M-FISH) from day 8 to 14. EB volume increased from day 7 to 13 which, decreased at day 14. From day 7 to 11, the EBs mainly appeared spherical and morphed into an ellipsoidal shape by day 13. All EBs showed varied external morphologies and larger cavities at day 14. The EB karyotype was diploid 46XY at day 8 and exhibited a low level of aneuploidy from day 10 to 14. This study shows that an increase in cell death affects the morphology and chromosomal stability in EBs derived from hiPSC. We demonstrate that the combination of LSFM and M-FISH helps characterize EBs that will assist future stem cell therapies.

Numerical calculations of ultraviolet to near-infrared absorption spectra by cadmium selenide quantum dots (CdSe QDs) doped in anodic aluminum oxide pores were performed using a finite-difference time-domain model. The height, diameter, and periodic spacing of the pores were optimized. Light absorption by the dots was enhanced by increasing the height and decreasing the diameter of the pores. When the height was less than 1 μm, visible light absorption was enhanced as the spacing was reduced from 400 nm to 100 nm. No enhancement was observed for heights greater than 6 μm. Finally, the optical mode coupling of the aluminum oxide and the quantum dots was enhanced by decreasing the pore diameter and periodic spacing, and increasing the height. Laser ablation verified light absorption enhancement by the CdSe QDs. The experiment verified the improvement of the laser-induced damage ability with wavelength of 355-nm after aluminum alloy 6061 coated with functional films, which was fabricated based on numerical calculations.

The utilization of titanium dioxide (TiO2) as a photocatalyst for the treatment of wastewater has attracted significant attention in the environmental field. Herein, we have prepared a NH2-MIL-125-derived TiO2@N-doped C Visible Light Catalyst through an in-situ calcination method. The nitrogen element in the organic connector is released through calcination, simul-taneously doping into the sample, thereby enhancing its spectral response to cover the visible region. The as-prepared TiO2@N-doped C catalyst exhibited preserved cage structure even after calcination, thereby alleviating the optical shielding effect and further augmenting its photo-catalytic performance by increasing the reaction sites between the catalyst and pollutants. The calcination time of the TiO2@N-doped C-450 °C catalyst was optimized to achieve a balance be-tween the TiO2 content and nitrogen doping level, ensuring efficient degradation rates for basic fuchsin (99.7%), Rhodamine B (89.9%), and tetracycline hydrochloride (93%) within 90 minutes.

There is an urgent demand worldwide for the development of highly selective adsorbents and sensors of heavy metal ions and other organic pollutants. Within these environmental and public health frameworks, we are combining the salient features of clays and chelatant polymers to design selective metal ion adsorbents. Towards this end, the ion imprinting approach has been used to develop a novel nanohybrid material for the selective separation of Cu2+ ions in aqueous solution. The Cu2+-imprinted polymer/ montmorillonite nanocomposite (IIP/Mt) and non-imprinted polymer/montmorillonite nanocomposite (NIP/Mt) were prepared by radical photopolymerization process in the visible light. Ion imprinting was indeed important as the recognition of copper ions by IIP/Mt was significantly superior to that of NIP/Mt that is the nanocomposite synthesized in the same way but in the absence of Cu2+ ions. The adsorption process as batch study was investigated under the experimental condition affecting same parameters such as contact time, concentration of ions metals and pH. The adsorption capacity of Cu2+ ions is maximized at pH 5. Removal of Cu2+ ion achieved equilibrium within 15 minutes; the results obtained were found to be fitted by the pseudo-second order kinetics model. The equilibrium process was well described by the Langmuir isothermal model and the maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 23.6 mg/g.

Cutaneous mycoses are common infections whose treatment has become more complex due to increasing antifungal resistance and the need for prolonged therapies, hindering patient adher-ence and increasing the incidence of adverse effects. Consequently, the use of physical therapies, especially photodynamic therapy (PDT), has increased for the treatment of onychomycosis due to its antimicrobial capacity mediated by the production of reactive oxygen species. This study investigates the in vitro effect of the combination of blue light (448 nm) and red light (645 nm) with terbinafine on the cell viability of human keratinocytes and the production of reactive ox-ygen species. The combination of terbinafine and blue light exhibits a synergistic effect on the production of reactive oxygen species and a significant increase in the expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD), an enzyme involved in the reduction of superoxide ions (O2-) and the genera-tion of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Such effect could be useful in clinical practice to improve the response of cutaneous mycoses to pharmacological treatment, reduce their toxicity, and shorten their duration.

Semiconductor materials have been shown to have better photocatalytic behavior and can be utilized for the photodegradation of organic pollutants. In this work, three-dimensional flower-like SnS₂ were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method. Core-shell structured SiO₂@α-Fe₂O₃ nanocomposites were then deposited on the top of the SnS₂ flowers. The as-synthesized nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The photocatalytic behavior of the SnS₂-SiO₂@α-Fe₂O₃ nanocomposites was observed by observing the degradation of methylene blue (MB). The results show an effective enhancement of photocatalytic activity for the degradation of MB especially for the 15 wt. % SiO₂@α-Fe₂O₃ nanocomposites on SnS₂ flowers.

Although the neurofilament light chain (NfL) is used as a biomarker for neurodegenerative decline, its use in surgery- and anaesthesia-induced acute cognitive dysfunction remains controversial. We aimed to synthesise the evidence to explore the potential of NfL as an established biomarker for perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PND). We systematically searched the PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library electronic databases, and Cochrane Central Registry of Clinical Trials. Our results show that CSF NfL levels positively correlated with blood NfL levels (r = 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.42-0.77). The pooled standardised mean difference (SMD) showed a significantly higher preoperative CSF NfL levels (SMD = 0.27; 95% CI, 0.07-0.47) and both pre- and postoperative blood NfL levels (SMD = 0.53, 95% CI, 0.40-0.66 and SMD = 0.58, 95% CI, 0.43-0.73) in the postoperative delirium (POD) group. Postoperative blood NfL levels were significantly elevated in both POD group (SMD = 0.49; 95% CI, 0.34-0.64) and no-POD group (SMD = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.53-0.81). Our meta-analysis indicates that NfL may serve as a potential biomarker for POD, and elevated preoperative blood NfL levels could be a risk factor for POD. Further studies are needed to confirm the association of CSF/blood NfL levels with other PND types.

A strain of the filamentous non N-fixing cyanobacterium Phormidium sp. isolated from the Messolonghi (W. Greece) saltworks, was cultured in the laboratory at 6 different combinations of salinity (20-40-60 ppt) and illumination (low-2000 lux and high-8000 lux). At salinities of 60 and 40 ppt and in high illumination (XL-8000 lux) the growth rate (μmax) presented the highest values (0.491 and 0.401 respectively) compared to the corresponding at 20 ppt (0.203). In general and at all salinities, the higher illumination (XL) gave the highest growth rates and shorter dublication time (tg) in comparison to the lower illumination (L). On the contrary, phycocyanin, phycoerythrin and allophycocyanin production was extremely increased in the lower illumination (L) in all salinities, from ~14fold at 40 and 60 ppt to 269fold at 20 ppt of those corresponding to higher illumination (XL). Similar analogies were also recorded for the other two billiproteins. Chlorophyll-a content was also higher in lower illumination at all salinities in contrast to total carotenoids that did not exhibit such a pattern. The high growth rate and high phycocyanin content along with the rapid sedimentation of its cultured biomass can set this marine Phormidium species as a promising canditate for mass culture.

The SBA-15 loaded with methylene blue was successfully prepared by sample adsorption of methylene blue in SBA-15 and is characterized by an XRD, SEM, FTIR, and BET. The photocatalytic activity for methyl orange (MO) degradation was investigated under visible light irradiation under LEDs. Experimental results demonstrate that the SBA-15-MB exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than SBA-15 under visible light irradiation. The degradation efficiency of MO (50 ppm) by SBA-15-MB could reach 80% within 180 min under 25W LED visible light. The photocatalytic activity of SBA-15 could be attributed to the excitation of methylene blue by visible light, the transfer of electrons from methylene blue to SBA-15, and the production of radicals at the surface of SBA-15.

Bright morning light (BML) entrains the body clock, modulates circadian rhythm, and improves sleep-wake disturbances. However, its impact on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) at night remains unclear. Hence, we investigated the effects of BML exposure on activities of the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) at night. This non-randomized controlled pilot study included participants ≥60 years, diagnosed with a type of dementia or cognitive disorder. We excluded participants with pacemakers. The treatment group received 2500 lx BML, whereas the control group received approximately 200 lx of general lighting. We measured the heart rate variability to quantify ANS activity. The treatment group displayed significantly increased high-frequency (HF) power (Roy's largest root=2.44; P<.01) and insignificantly decreased normalized low-frequency (LF%) power. The corresponding low-frequency/high-frequency ratio (LF/HF), insignificant decrease, and cognitive function were correlated with PSNS activity (Roy's largest root=3.92; P<.01), which is effective for moderate dementia. BML exposure reduced SNS activity and enhanced PSNS activity at night, which consequently affected cognitive function. Furthermore, the light washout intervention markedly increased SNS activity at night. BML therapy may be a useful clinical tool for alleviating the deterioration of cognitive function.

PEDOT:PSS (polyethylene dioxythiophene:polystyrenesulfonate) is a commonly used hole injec-tion layer (HIL) in optoelectronic devices due to its high conductive properties and work function. However, the acidic and hygroscopic nature of PEDOT:PSS can be problematic for device stability over time. To address this issue, in this study, we have demonstrated the potential of an organic-inorganic hybrid HIL, by incorporating solution-processed WOx nanoparticles (WOx NPs) into the PEDOT:PSS mixture. This hybrid solution was found to have a superior hole transport ability and low Ohmic contact resistance, contributing to higher brightness (~62 000 cd m-2) and current efficiency (13.1 cd A-1) in the manufactured quantum-dot based light-emitting diodes (QLEDs). In addition, the resulting devices achieved a relative operational lifetime of 7,071 hours, or approxi-mately twice that of traditional QLEDs with PEDOT:PSS HILs. The proposed method is an un-complicated, reliable and low-cost way to achieve long operational lifetimes without sacrificing efficiency in optoelectronic devices.

Private vehicle travel is the most basic mode of transportation, and the effective control of the real-world fuel consumption rate of light-duty vehicles plays a vital role in promoting sustainable economic development as well as achieving a green low-carbon society. Therefore, the impact factors of individual carbon emission must be elucidated. This study builds five different models to estimate real-world fuel consumption rate of light-duty vehicles in China. The results reveal that the Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) model performs better than the linear regression, Naïve Bayes regression, Neural Network regression, and Decision Tree regression models, with mean absolute error of 0.911 L/100 km, mean absolute percentage error of 10.4%, mean square error of 1.536, and R squared (R2) of 0.642. This study also assesses a large number of factors, from which three most important factors are extracted, namely, reference fuel consumption rate value, engine power and light-duty vehicle brand. Furthermore, a comparative analysis reveals that the vehicle factors with greater impact on real-world fuel consumption rate are vehicle brand, engine power, and engine displacement. Average air pressure, average temperature, and sunshine time are the three most important climate factors.

Research on Traffic Light Recognition (TLR) has grown in recent years, primarily driven by the growing interest in autonomous vehicles development. Machine Learning algorithms have been widely used to that purpose. Mainstream approaches, however, require large amount of data to properly work, and as a consequence, a lot of computational resources. In this paper we propose the use of Expert Instruction (IE) as a mechanism to reduce the amount of data required to provide accurate ML models for TLR. Given an image of the exterior scene taken from the inside of the vehicle, we stand the hypothesis that the picture of a traffic light is more likely to appear in the central and upper regions of the image. Frequency Maps of traffic light location were thus constructed to confirm this hypothesis. The frequency maps are the result of a manual effort of human experts in annotating each image with the coordinates of the region where the traffic light appears. Results show that EI increased the accuracy obtained by the classification algorithm in two different image datasets by at least 15%. Evaluation rates achieved by the inclusion of EI were also higher in further experiments, including traffic light detection followed by classification by the trained algorithm. The inclusion of EI in the PCANet achieved a precision of 83% and recall of 73% against 75.3% and 51.1%, respectively, of its counterpart. We finally presents a prototype of a TLR Device with that expert model embedded to assist drivers. The TLR uses a smartphone as a camera and processing unit. To show the feasibility of the apparatus, a dataset was obtained in real time usage and tested in an Adaptive Background Suppression Filter (AdaBSF) and Support Vector Machines (SVMs) algorithm to detect and recognize traffic lights. Results show precision of 100% and recall of 65%.

In the context of the minimally extended varying speed of light (meVSL) model, both the absolute magnitude and the luminosity distance of type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) differ from those predicted by general relativity (GR). Utilizing the Pantheon+ data, we examine the plausibility of various dark energy models under meVSL. Both ωCDM and CPL parameterization dark energy (DE) models exhibit indications of cosmic variations in the speed of light at the 1-σ level. For Ωm0=0.30,0.31, and 0.32 with (ω0,ωa)=(−1,0), the 1-σ range of c˜˙0/c˜0(10−13yr−1) is (-8.76 , -0.89), (-11.8 , 3.93), and (-14.8 , -6.98), respectively. Meanwhile, the 1-σ range of c˜˙0/c˜0(10−12yr−1) for CPL dark energy models with −1.05≤ω0≤−0.95 and 0.28≤Ωm0≤0.32, is (-6.31 , -2.98). The value of c˜ at z=3 can exceed that of the present by 0.2∼3 % for ωCDM models and 5∼13 % for CPL models. Additionally, for viable models except for the CPL model with Ωm0=0.28, we find −25.6≤G˜˙0/G˜0(10−12yr−1)≤−0.36. For this particular model, we obtain an increasing rate of the gravitational constant within the range 1.65≤G˜˙0/G˜0(10−12yr−1)≤3.79.

Layered halide perovskites have emerged as a promising contender in solid-state lighting thanks to their tunable bandgap, high luminescence quantum yield, and high color purity. However, the fabrication of perovskite light-emitting devices in laboratories usually experiences low de-vice-to-device reproducibility since perovskite crystallization is highly sensitive to ambient condi-tions, such as humidity and temperature. Although device processing inside gloveboxes is primarily used to reduce the influence of oxygen and moisture, several extraneous variables, including gas-eous pollution traces and thermal fluctuations in the inert atmosphere or contaminations from re-sidual solvents confined in the enclosed environment, can destabilize the crystallization process and alter the properties of the emissive layers. Here, we examine different experimental set-ups for spin-coating deposition of layered perovskites in inert atmospheres and their influences on the formation of polycrystalline thin films. Our results demonstrate that fluctuations in the glovebox properties (concentrations of residual O2 and H2O or solvent traces), even in very short timescales, can negatively impact the consistency of the perovskite film formation, while thermal variation plays a relatively minor role in this phenomenon. Furthermore, careful storage of chemical species inside the workstation is critical for reproducing high-quality perovskite layers. Consequently, when applying our most controlled environment for perovskite deposition, the photoluminescence life-time of perovskite thin films shows a standard deviation of only 3%, whereas the reference set-up yields a 15% standard deviation. Regarding complete perovskite light-emitting diodes, the uncer-tainties in statistical luminance and EQE data are significantly reduced from 230% and 140% to 38% and 42%, respectively.

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have garnered considerable attention in academic and industrial circles due to their potential applications in flat panel displays and solid-state lighting technologies, leveraging the advantages offered by organic electroactive derivatives over their inorganic counterparts. The thin and flexible design of OLEDs enables the development of innovative lighting solutions, facilitating the creation of customizable and contoured lighting panels. Among the diverse electroactive components employed in the molecular design of OLED materials, the benzophenone core has attracted much attention as fragment for synthesis of organic semiconductors. On the other hand, the benzophenone also functions as a classical phosphor with high intersystem crossing efficiency. This characteristic makes it as compelling candidate for effective reverse intersystem crossing, potentially leading to the development of thermally activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) emitters. These emitting materials witnessed a pronounced interest in recent years due to their incorporation in metal-free electroactive frameworks and the capability to convert triplet excitons into emissive singlet excitons through reverse intersystem crossing (RISC), consequently achieving exceptionally high external quantum efficiencies (EQEs). This review article comprehensively overviews the synthetic pathways, thermal characteristics, electrochemical behaviour and photo-physical properties of the derivatives based on benzophenone. Furthermore, we explore their applications in OLED devices, both as host materials and emitters, shedding light on the promising opportunities that benzophenone-based compounds present in advancing OLED technology.

This paper describe the influence of the Rift Molango during the mineralization of elements of the platinum group and some light rare earths elements in a sedimentary exhalative ore deposit.

Background and Objectives: Light therapy (LT) is used as an adjunctive treatment for sleep problems. This study evaluates the impact of LT on sleep quality and sleep-related parameters in patients with sleep disorders. Materials and Methods: We performed a pilot randomized, open-label clinical trial. Fourteen patients aged 20–60 years with sleep disorders for more than three months were randomized into the control and LT groups (1:1 ratio). The LT group was instructed to use a device that provides bright LT (6000 K, 380 lux, wavelength 480 nm) for at least 25 minutes before 09:00 am for two weeks. A self-reported questionnaire was used to evaluate circadian preference, mood, and sleep-related parameters. We analyzed serum cortisol levels and clock genes expression. Results: The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), insomnia severity index, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality index were significantly improved within the LT group only after the two-week period. When comparing the two groups, only the change in ESS significant was significant (mean difference; control: -0.14 vs LT: -1.43, p=0.021) after adjusting for baseline characteristics. There were no significant differences in serum cortisol or clock genes expression. Conclusions: LT can improve daytime sleepiness in patients with sleep disorders; however, further well-designed studies are warranted to confirm its efficacy.

The presence of azo dyes in textile effluents is an issue of major concern due to their potential impact on the environment and human health. In this study we investigate the photocatalytic degradation under visible light of Reactive Violet 5 (RV5), an azo dye widely used in the textile industry. A preliminary screening of different titania-based catalysts was carried out to identify the best candidate for RV5 removal. The selected catalyst was then tested in a stirred and aerated lab-scale reactor illuminated with a light LED source (λmax = 460 nm). The effects of pH, catalyst load and hydrogen peroxide additions on the efficiency of dye removal were evaluated. Under the best conditions (pH 10, 3 g/L of catalyst and 60 mM hydrogen peroxide), the dye solution was completely decolorized in about 2 h. Overall, the results obtained suggest that the proposed process may represent a suitable method for the removal of RV5 from textile effluents.

The transmission of light is one of the key optical processes in the terrestrial environment (the atmosphere and underlying surfaces). The dependence of light transmittance on the illumination/observation conditions and optical properties of the atmosphere–underlying system can be studied using the integro-differential radiative transfer equation. However, for numerous applications a set of analytical equations is needed to describe the transmitted light intensity and flux. In this paper, we describe various analytical techniques to study light transmittance through light scattering and absorbing media. A physical significance and improved mathematical accuracy of approximations are provided using the analytical models for the diffusion exponent, average cosine of the light field, spherical and plane albedos. The accuracy of various approximations is studied using exact radiative transfer calculations with various scattering phase functions, single-scattering albedos, observational conditions, and optical depths.

Proper treatment of infectious air could potentially mitigate the spread of airborne viruses such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). The objective of this research is to test the effectiveness of ultraviolet (UV) in inactivating aerosolized PRRSV, specifically, four UV lamps, UV-A (365 nm, both fluorescent and LED-based), "excimer" UV-C (222 nm), and germicidal UV-C (254 nm), were tested. The two UV-C lamps effectively irradiated fast-moving PRRSV aerosols with short treatment times (<2 s). One-stage and two-stage UV inactivation models estimated the UV doses needed for target percentage (%) reductions on PRRSV titer. UV-C (254 nm) dose needed for 3-log (99.9%) reduction was 0.521 and 0.0943 mJ/cm2, respectively, based on one-stage and two-stage models. An order of magnitude lower UV-C (222 nm) doses were needed for a 3-log reduction, i.e., 0.0882 and 0.048 mJ/cm2, based on one-stage and two-stage models, respectively. However, the cost of 222-nm excimer lamps is still economically prohibitive for scaling-up trials. The UV-A (365 nm) lamps could not reduce PRRSV titers for tested doses up to 4.11 mJ/cm2. Pilot-scale or farm-scale testing of UV-C on PRRSV aerosols simulating barn ventilation rates are recommended based on its effectiveness and reasonable costs comparable to HEPA filtration.

Due to the ongoing climate change plants face multiple stress factors (mainly the abiotic ones) simultaneously, which means that the reduced yields of critical crops (including wheat, rice, or barley) can be expected. Therefore, our understanding of the light and temperature sensing mechanisms and related signaling is of primary importance. Herein we present a review focused on the direct sensing (ensured via photoreceptors) of light, which is the main abiotic factor driving the development, phenology, and especially resistance against oxidative stress via the increased accumulation of protective metabolites of crops. Thus, in the following text, special attention is paid to the description of the plant photoreceptors, their mode of action, ranges of perception, and related signaling pathways leading to the activation of target transcription factors. These finally lead to alterations in the expression of target genes related to photoprotection. Due to the focus of our research, genes related to the production of phenolic compounds (PheCs) were selected as a representative group of target genes having a UV-screening, and antioxidative function meaning that their activation and activity of resulting proteins can significantly contribute to the increased tolerance of plants against stress cues.

The development and use of selenium and iodine elements in agriculture aim to enrich agricultural food products for humans. This study was carried out as a three-factor factorial experiment in a completely randomized design (CRD). Three concentrations of sodium selenate fertilizer (0, 2, 4 mg/l), three potassium iodate (0, 2, 4 mg/l), and two supplementary radiation levels (blue light and sunlight) were used. The results showed that the highest and the lowest (3.44 & 3.12 mg/g f.w) leaf protein value was related to blue light and sunlight treatments, respectively. In the blue light treatment, the maximum and the minimum (4.77 & 3.39 mg/g f.w) leaf sugar amount was observed at 4 and 0 mg/l of the iodine, respectively. At 0 mg/l of selenium, the highest and the lowest (8.63 & 5.34 mg/g f.w) leaf vitamin C amount was recorded at the 4 and 0 mg/l of iodine, respectively. In blue light + 0 mg/l of the selenium, the highest and the lowest (2.94 & 2.10 mg/g f.w) leaf flavonoid quantity was seen at 2 and 0 mg/l of the iodine, respectively. In the blue light conditions, (5.20%) leaf nitrogen content was achieved in the selenium 4 mg/l group. In the same conditions, the maximum and the minimum (3.09 & 2.18%) leaf potassium amount was attained at selenium 2 and 4 mg/l, respectively. Under blue light conditions, the highest and the lowest (0.58 & 0.24 mg/kg dry matter) leaf selenium level was observed at 4 and 0 mg/l, respectively. In sunlightradiation levels, the maximum and the minimum (0.36 & 0.25 mg/kg dry matter) leaf selenium level were found at 4 and 0 mg/l of selenium, respectively. In the blue light conditions, the most and the lowest (1.65 & 0.72 mg/kg dry matter) seed selenium content was related to 4 and 0 mg/l of the selenium, respectively. In the blue light conditions, the highest and the lowest (8.49 & 4.25 mg/kg dry matter) leaf iodine level was recorded at 4 and 0 mg/l of iodine, respectively. In the blue light conditions, the maximum and the minimum (30.56 & 20.62 mg/kg dry matter) seed iodine value was related to 4 and 0 mg/l of the iodine, respectively. In the sunlight, the most and the lowest (24.96 & 20.29 mg/kg dry matter) seed iodine amount was achieved at 4 and 0 mg/l of the selenium, respectively.

Photosynthesis response curves were carried out using different light intensities in 14 olive cultivars subjected to moderate and severe water deficits. For each cultivar, the electronic transfer ratio in response to light was also obtained. The mathematical adjustment of these response curves allowed calculating, with a correlation coefficient above 0.95, parameters such as photosynthetic efficiency, the slope of the curves, the number of electrons required to fix a CO2 molecule, and the number of photons to assimilate a molecule of CO2, among others, as well as their variation with the lack of water. This work represents the first contribution of the response of photosynthesis in olive cultivars to different light intensities in moderate and severe drought conditions for a considerable number of cultivars. The parameters described, and the results provided, pave the road for subsequent work related to plant physiology and other areas of science and technology, and allow the tolerance to water stress to be objectively compared in these fourteen olive cultivars.

As the use of microbial inoculants in agriculture rises, it becomes important to understand how the environment may influence microbial ability to promote plant growth. This work examines whether there are light dependencies in the biological functions of Azospirillum brasilense, a commercialized prolific grass-root colonizer. Though classically defined as non-phototrophic, A. brasilense possesses photoreceptors that could perceive light conducted through its host’s roots. Evidence for light dependency of four microbial processes were examined and noted: biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), auxin biosynthesis, ATP biosynthesis, and iron and manganese uptake. Functional mutants of A. brasilense were leveraged and studied in light and dark environments: HM053 (high BNF and auxin production), ipdC (capable of BNF, deficient in auxin production), and FP10 (capable of auxin production, deficient in BNF). HM053 exhibited the highest rate of nitrogenase activity with the greatest light dependency comparing iterations in light and dark environments. The ipdC mutant showed similar behavior with relatively lower nitrogenase activity observed, while FP10 did not show a light dependency. Auxin biosynthesis showed strong light dependencies in HM053 and FP10 strains, but not for ipdC. Iron is involved in the BNF biological process, and light dependency was observed for microbial 59Fe2+ uptake in HM053 and ipdC, but not FP10. Surprisingly, a light dependency for 52Mn2+ uptake was only observed in ipdC. Finally, ATP biosynthesis was sensitive to light across all three mutants favoring blue light over red light compared to darkness with observed ATP levels in descending order for HM053 > ipdC > FP10.

In this study, divalent Yb2+-doped silica fiber was fabricated using rod-in-tube technology. The fiber core of Yb2+-doped silica glass was prepared by high-temperature melting technology under vacuum conditions. The spectroscopic properties of the Yb2+-doped glass and fiber were studied. The experiments indicate that divalent Yb2+-doped glass has a high quantum efficiency and superbroadband fluorescence in the visible region with an excitation wavelength of 405 nm. In additionally, the results suggest that Yb2+-doped fiber has a potential for application in visible fiber laser and fiber amplification.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 continues to impact human health globally, with airborne transmission being a significant mode for transmission. In addition to tools like vaccination and testing, counter-measures that reduce viral spread in indoor settings are critical. This study aims to assess the efficacy of UV-C light, utilizing the Violett sterilization device, as a countermeasure against airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the highly susceptible Golden Syrian hamster model. Methods: Two cohorts of naïve hamsters were subjected to airborne transmission from experimentally infected hamsters; one cohort was exposed to air treated with UV-C sterilization, while the other cohort was exposed to un-treated air. Results: Treatment of air with UV-C light prevented the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from experimentally exposed hamster to naïve hamsters. Notably, this protection was sustained over a muti-day exposure period during peak viral shedding from hamsters. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate the efficacy of the UV-C light to mitigate airborne SARS-CoV-2 transmission. As variants continue to emerge, UV-C light holds promise as a tool to reduce infections in diverse indoor settings, ranging from healthcare facilities to households. This study reinforces the urgency of implementing innovative methods to reduce airborne disease transmission and safeguard public health against emerging biological threats.

Mesoporous TiO2/reduced graphene oxide/Ag (TiO2/RGO/Ag) ternary nanocomposite with effective electrons transfer pathway is obtained by an electrostatic self-assembly method and photo-assisted treatment. Compared with bare mesoporous TiO2 (MT) and mesoporous TiO2/RGO (MTG), the ternary mesoporous TiO2/RGO/Ag (MTGA) nanocomposite exhibited superior photocatalytic performance for the degradation of MB under visible light, and the degradation rate reached 0.017 min-1, which was 3.4 times higher than that of MTG. It is proposed that Ag nanoparticles can form the local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) to absorb the visible light and distract the electrons into MT, and RGO can accept the electrons from MT to accelerate the separation efficiency of carriers. The establishment of MTGA ternary nanocomposite make the three components act synergistic effect to enhance the photocatalytic performance.

The transport and entanglement of photons is becoming prominent in optics applied to information and quantum computing, where the angular momentum of light stands out in the exchange and inversion of quantized states, with prospects for several technological applications, such as the transport and storage of quantum information. In order to contribute to the understanding of quantized states in photon-matter interaction, we describe a quantized state equation in multidimensional Hilbert space for the diagnosis of OAM states, where probabilities arise in a relativistic setting. It was found that the classical-relativistic variability of the probabilities constitutes a resultant capable of describing the quantized states of light, where the state variable is the variation of the angular momentum of the photon, capable of estimating the orbital angular momentum inversion points at angular incidence. It was found that the chances of finding the quantized states of light at angular incidence can be treated by purely relativistic probabilities, explaining that when both states have equal chances of being found and the angular momentum variation is zero, the source-observer synchronizations occur at the step of increasing relativistic regime of the photon dynamics. We found that the relativistic effect from the perspective of the source referential is able to alter the chances of an event occurring, dilating and contracting the probabilities of finding a quantized state of light at angular incidence.

Deep-ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) based on AlGaN crystals have low light-emission efficiency; therefore, there is a need to improve this light-emission efficiency for a wide range of applications such as water and air sterilizations. UV-light-transparent device structures are considered one of the many solutions toward increasing light output power. To this end, the present study focused on developing a transparent AlGaN-based tunnel junction (TJ) as the anode of a deep-UV LED. Deep-UV LEDs composed of n+/p+-type AlGaN TJs were fabricated under the growth condition that reduced the carrier compensation in the n+-type AlGaN layers. The operating voltage was 10.8 V under the direct current (DC) operation of 63 A/cm2. In addition, magnesium zinc oxide (MgZnO)/Al reflective electrodes were fabricated to enhance the output power of the AlGaN homoepitaxial TJ LED. The output power was 57.3 mW under a DC operation of 63 A/cm2, and it was 1.7 times higher than that realized using the conventional Ti/Al electrodes. The combination of the AlGaN-based TJ and MgZnO/Al reflective contact allows further improvement of the light output power. This study confirms that the AlGaN TJ is a promising UV-transmittance structure that can obtain a high light-extraction efficiency.

Many quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) utilize ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) as an electron injection layer (EIL). However, the use of ZnO NP ETL material often results in charge imbalance within the quantum dot (QD) emitting layer (EML) and exciton quenching at the interface of QD EML and ZnO NP EIL. To overcome these challenges, we introduced an Arginine (Arg) interlayer (IL) onto the ZnO NP EIL. The Arg IL elevated the work function of ZnO NPs, thereby suppressing electron injection into the QD, leading to improved charge balance within the QDs, Additionally, the inherent insulating nature of the Arg IL prevented direct contact between QDs and ZnO NPs, reducing exciton quenching and consequently improving device efficiency. The inverted QLED (IQLED) utilizing a 20-nm-thick Arg IL on ZnO NP EIL exhibited a 2.22-fold increase in current efficiency and a 2.28-fold increase in EQE and compared to an IQLED without an IL. Likewise, the IQLED with a 20-nm-thick Arg IL on ZnO NP EIL demonstrated a 1.34-fold improvement in current efficiency and a 1.36-fold increase in EQE compared to IQLED with a 5-nm-thick PEI IL on ZnO NPs.

Imaginary dimensions in physics require an imaginary set of base Planck units and some negative parameter $c_n$ corresponding to the speed of light in vacuum $c$. Fresnel coefficients for the normal incidence of electromagnetic radiation on monolayer graphene introduce the second, negative fine-structure constant $\alpha_2^{-1} \approx -140.178$ as a fundamental constant of nature and this constant introduces these imaginary base Planck units along with this negative parameter $c_n \approx -3.06 \times 10^8~\text{[m/s]}$. Neutron stars and white dwarfs, considered as \emph{objects} emitting perfect black-body radiation, are conjectured to possess energy exceeding their mass-energy equivalence ratios, wherein the imaginary parts of two complex energies inaccessible for direct observation make storing excess of these energies possible. With this assumption, black holes are fundamentally uncharged; charged micro neutron stars and white dwarfs with masses lower than $5.7275 \times 10^{-10}~[\text{kg}]$ cannot be observed; and the radii of white dwarfs' cores are limited to $R_{WD} < 6.7933~G M_{WD}/c^2$, where $M_{WD}$ is a white dwarf mass. This sets the bounds on charged blackbody objects' minimum masses and maximum radii.

Due to remarkable socioeconomic development, an increasing number of karst rocky desertification areas have been severely affected by human activities in southern China. Effectively analyzing human activities in karst rocky desertification areas is a critical prerequisite for managing and restoring areas with tremendous negative impacts from desertification. At present, a timely and accurate way of quantifying the spatiotemporal variations of human activities in karst rocky desertification areas is still lacking. In this communication, we attempted to quantify human activities from the corrected NPP-VIIRS nighttime light data from 2012 to 2018 based on statistical analysis. The results show that a significant increase of night lights could be clearly identified during the study period. The total nighttime lights (TL) related to severe karst rocky desertification (S) were particularly concentrated in Guizhou and Yunnan. The nighttime light intensity (LI) related to the S areas in Chongqing were the strongest due to its rapid socioeconomic development. The annual growth rate of nighttime lights (GL) has been slow or even negative in Guangdong because of its various karst rocky desertification restoration programs. This communication could provide an effective approach for quantifying human activities and provide useful information about where prompt attention is required for policy-making on the restoration of the karst rocky desertification areas.

This paper presents a study aimed at enhancing the performance of quantum dot light-emitting didoes (QLEDs) by employing a solution-processed molybdenum oxide (MoO3) nanoparticle (NP) as a hole injection layer (HIL). The study investigates the impact of varying the concentrations of the MoO3 NP layer on device characteristics and explores the underlying mechanisms responsible for the observed enhancements. Experimental techniques such as an X-ray diffraction and field-emission transmission electron microscopy were employed to confirm the formation of MoO3 NPs during the synthesis process. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy is employed to analyze the electron structure of the QLEDs. The QLED with an 8 mg/mL concentration of MoO3 nanoparticles achieves remarkable improvements in device performance, with a maximum luminance of 69,240.7 cd/cm2, maximum current efficiency of 56.0 cd/A, and maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 13.2%. The obtained results signify a notable progress in comparison to QLED without HIL and those utilizing the widely used poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) HIL. They exhibit a remarkable enhancement of 59.5% and 26.4% in maximum current efficiency, respectively, as well as a significant improvement of 42.7% and 20.0% in maximum EQE, respectively. This study opens up new possibilities for the selection of HIL and the fabrication of solution-processed QLEDs, contributing to the potential commercialization of these devices in the future.

Plasmonic nanocomposites have the ability to enhance light-matter interaction due to the 1 plasmonic effects leading to promising potential applications. In this paper, we theoretically study the 2 group index of the silver nanoparticle-gold nanoparticle-quantum dot plasmonic hybrid system in 3 the optical region of the electromagnetic spectrum using the density matrix approach. The quantum 4 dot is considered to be a three-level atomic system of a lambda configuration, interacting with strong 5 control and weak probe fields. We find that the plasmonic hybrid system exhibits at near resonance a 6 strong switching between slow and fast light, which can be controlled by the inclination angle of the 7 gold nanoparticle and the size of the metals nanoparticles, in addition to the strength and detuning 8 of the control field. Thus, the silver nanoparticle-gold nanoparticle-quantum dot could potentially be 9 used in optoelectronic devices.10

Our skin is constantly exposed to blue light (BL), which is abundant in sunlight and emitted by digital devices. Prolonged exposure to BL can lead to oxidative stress-induced damages and skin hyperpigmentation. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) on BL-induced oxidative stress and hyperpigmentation in B16-F1 melanocytes. Alpha-tocopherol (αTP) was used as a comparator. Our results showed that TRF effectively suppressed the formation of reactive oxygen species, and preserved the mitochondrial membrane potential. Additionally, TRF exhibited anti-apoptotic properties by reducing the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase molecule and downregulating the expression of cleaved caspase-3. Moreover, TRF modulated tyrosinase activity, resulting in a lowered rate of melanogenesis and reduced melanin production. In contrast, αTP did not exhibit the significant protective effects against skin damages and pigmentation in BL-induced B16-F1 cells. Therefore, this study indicates that TRF may offer superior protective effects over αTP against the effects of BL on melanocytes. These findings demonstrate the potential of TRF as a protective natural active against BL-induced skin damages and hyperpigmentation via its antioxidative and anti-melanogenic properties.

External quantum efficiency of industrial-grade green InGaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) has been measured in a wide range of operating currents at various temperatures from 13 K to 300 K. Unlike blue LEDs, the efficiency as a function of current is found to have a multi-peak character, which could not be fitted by a simple ABC-model. This observation correlated with splitting of LED emission spectra into two peaks at certain currents. The characterization data are interpreted in terms of non-uniformity of the LED active region, which is tentatively attributed to extended defects like V-pits. We suggest a new approach to evaluation of temperature-dependent light extraction and internal quantum efficiencies taking into account the active region non-uniformity. As a result, the temperature dependence of light extraction and internal quantum efficiencies have been evaluated in the temperature range mentioned above and compared with those of blue LEDs.

The accuracy of star position simulation is the key factor affecting the accuracy of ground calibration test of spacecraft attitude measurement system. To solve the impact of nonimaging polarized stray light on the simulation accuracy of star position in the optical engine of the system, the generation mechanism of non-imaging polarized stray light has been investigated, and an optimization method for polarization balance of the optical engine is proposed. The mathematical model of the incident light aperture angle and the ideal polarization parameter of the optical engine thin film is established, and the optimization evaluation function of polarization balance of the optical engine is constructed. An optical engine polarization balance film with the corresponding full-band binomial attenuation is <0.001 and the phase delay is <1°. Experimental results show that the simulation accuracy of the weak starlight simulation system is improved by 1.64 times using polarization balanced optical engine.

It is known that during the process of aging there is a significant decrease in the number of melanosomes in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells of the human eye. We have previously shown that the interaction of melanin melanosomes with superoxide radicals results in its oxidative degradation with the formation of water-soluble fluorescent products. In the present study, we show using fluorescence analysis, HPLC, and mass spectrometry, that visible light irradiation of melanolipofuscin granules isolated from RPE cells of the human eye results in the formation of water-soluble fluorescent products of oxidative degradation of melanin, in contrast to lipofuscin granules and melanosomes irradiation. The formation of these products occurs as a result of oxidative degradation of melanin by superoxide radicals, which are generated by the lipofuscin part of the melanolipofuscin granule. We identified these products both in the composition of melanolipofuscin granules irradiated with visible light, and in composition of non-irradiated but oxidized by superoxide radicals, melanosomes. In melanolipofuscin granules irradiated with visible light, ions that could be associated to melanin oxidative degradation products were identified by applying principal component analysis of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) data. Degradation of the intact melanosomes by visible light is also possible; however, this requires significantly higher irradiation intensities than for melanolipofuscin granules. It is concluded that the decrease in the concentration of melanin in RPE cells of the human eye with age is due to its oxidative degradation by reactive oxygen species generated by lipofuscin as part of melanolipofuscin granules under the action of light.

Transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) has been suggested as a non-invasive neuromodulation tool. Repetitive administration of light-emitting diode (LED)-based tPBM for several weeks significantly improved human cognition. To understand the electrophysiological effects of LED-tPBM on the human brain, we investigated alterations by repeated tPBM in vigilance performance and brain networks using electroencephalography (EEG) in healthy participants. Active and sham LED-based tPBM were administered to the right forehead of young participants twice a week for four weeks. The participants performed a psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) during each tPBM/sham experiment. A 64-electrode EEG system recorded electrophysiological signals from each participant during the first and last visits in the 4-week study. Topographical maps of EEG power enhanced by tPBM were statistically compared for the repeated tPBM effect. A new data-processing framework combining the group singular value decompensation (gSVD) with eLORETA was implemented to identify EEG brain networks. The reaction time of PVT in the tPBM-treated group was significantly improved over four weeks compared to that in the sham group. We observed acute increases in EEG delta and alpha powers during 10-min LED-tPBM while the participants performed the PVT task. We also found that theta, beta, and gamma EEG powers significantly increased globally after four weeks of LED-tPBM. Combining gSVD with eLORETA enabled us to identify EEG brain networks and the corresponding network power changes by repeated 4-week tPBM. This study clearly demonstrated that 4-week prefrontal LED-tPBM can neuromodulate several key EEG networks, implying a possible causal effect between modulated brain networks and improved psychomotor vigilance outcomes.

The involvement of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor in the Frank-Starling Law of the Heart, where the various activations are very limited, allows simple analysis of the kinase systems involved and thence extrapolation of the mechanism to that of angiotensin control of activation of cardiac and skeletal muscle contraction. The involvement of phosphorylation of the myosin light chain in the control of contraction is accepted but not fully understood. The involvement of troponin-I phosphorylation is also indicated but of unknown mechanism. There is no known signal for activation of myosin light chain kinase or Protein Kinase C-βII other than Ca²⁺/calmodulin but the former is constitutively active and thus has to be under control of a regulated inhibitor, the latter kinase may also be the same. Ca²⁺/calmodulin is not activated in Frank-Starling, i.e. there are no diastolic or systolic [Ca²⁺] changes. I suggest here that that the regulated inhibition is by myosin light chain phosphatase and/or β-arrestin. Angiotensin activation is by translocation of the β-arrestin from the sarcoplasm to the PM thus reducing its kinase inhibition action in the sarcoplasm, this reduced inhibition has been wrongly attributed to a mythical downstream agonist property of β-arrestin.

Simultaneous biofortification of vegetable crops with selenium and iodine is necessary in areas where there is a lack of these two elements. The main reason for lack of selenium and iodine in humans is inadequate intake of these two elements from vegetable crops. Biofortification through various agricultural methods including artificial lighting is a pragmatic way of increasing the concentration of these elements in plants. This research was conducted as a three-factor factorial experiment arranged as completely randomized pots replicated thrice in the greenhouse during year 2022. Three levels of sodium selenate fertilizer (S1: 0, S2: 2, S3: 4 mg/l), three levels of potassium iodate (I1: 0, I2: 2, I3: 4 mg/L) and two additional blue light radiation levels (L1: radiation and L2: no blue light radiation) were applied and data was measured at two growth stages namely 40 and 80-days. The results showed that the highest (11.44 g) and the lowest (9.55 g) shoot dry weight values at the 40-day-stage were observed in the supplementary blue light and sunlight (control), respectively. Moreover,, under complementary blue light conditions, the highest and the lowest (5.85 and 3.38 mg/g leaf fresh weight) of leaf chlorophyll value at the 40-day-stage were recorded at sodium selenate 4 and 0 mg/l, respectively. The highest and the lowest (5.24 and 4.76 mg/g) fresh weight of leaf anthocyanin at the 40-day-growth stage were related to supplementary blue light and sunlight treatment (control), respectively. Under the supplementary blue light and 0 mg/l of selenium , the highest and the lowest value of shoot trigonelline (102.56 and 72.14 mg/100 g fresh weight) were obtained at 4 and 2 mg/L of iodine, respectively. Furthermore, in the same treatment, the highest and the lowest of seed trigonelline amounts (0.99 and 0.74 mg/g dry weight) corresponded with 4 and 0 mg/l of iodine, respectively.

Antibiotic-free approaches are more important than ever to deal with the rapidly growing problem of antibiotic resistance. The blue light 460nm (BL460nm) has been shown to effectively attenuate Staphylococcus aureus to chemical and physical agents through photolysis of the bacterial virulence factor Staphyloxanthin. However, the phototherapy using BL640nm has yet to be investigated in detail for its safety in eradicating Staphylococcus aureus in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we used a LED source producing a continuous wavelength of 460 nm along with hydrogen peroxide to treat S. aureus in culturing conditions and a wound abrasion mouse model. The results proved the safety of the combined therapy when it did not modify the bacterial virulence factors or the susceptibility to the widely used antibiotics. In addition, the experimental results on the mouse skin infection model also showed that the combined therapy is safe to apply to mouse skin and that it did not cause adverse skin irritation. Furthermore, the therapy can help Staphylococcus aureus-infected wounds heal with efficacy comparable to the topical antibiotic Fucidin. The above results suggest that the combination therapy of 460nm blue light and hydrogen peroxide can be safely used as an alternative to or adjunct to antibiotics in treating S. aureus-infected wounds.

The principle of the constancy of the velocity of light, which stated that the light velocity is invariant to the motion of the emitter, was well established and directly proven by experiments. Interestingly, the further assumption that the light velocity is independent of the motion of the observer was, arguably, never directly proven by any experiment for a century. This paper proposed the design of two experiments to directly test this assumption, which tried to address some perceived technical difficulty in such experiments. One is to directly measure the light speed as to moving sensors. The experiment setup is designed in such a way that the concerns of time synchronization and dilation can be avoided. Another experiment is to test the isotropy of the light speed to a moving particle in the electromagnetic accelerator by measuring the momentum to acceleration ratio. The experiment result, if positive, will provide direct and solid proof of the assumption. Otherwise, it may imply a need for further investigation. Since the light speed invariance to moving observers is a key assumption of some fundamental physical theory, either way, the experiments will have significant meanings.

Silybum marianum L. is a well-known medicinal herb, primarily used in liver protection. Light strongly affects several physiological processes along with secondary metabolites biosynthesis in plants. Herein, S. marianum was exploited for in vitro potential under different light regimes in the presence of melatonin. The optimum callogenic response occurred in combination of 1.0 mg/L α-naphthalene acetic acid and 0.5 mg/L 6-Benzylaminopurine under photoperiod. Continuous light associated with melatonin treatment increased total flavonoid content (TFC), total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant potential, followed by photoperiod and dark treatments. The increased level of melatonin has a synergistic effect on biomass accumulation under continuous light and photoperiod, while adverse effect was observed under dark condition. More detailed phytochemical analysis showed maximum total silymarin content (11.92 mg/g DW) when placed under continuous light + 1.0 mg/L melatonin. Individually, the level of silybins (A and B), silydianin, isolsilychristin and silychristin was found highest under continuous light. Anti-inflammatory activities were also studied and highest percent inhibition was recorded against 15-LOX for cultures cultivated under continuous light (42.33%). The current study helps to better understand the influence of melatonin and different light regimes on silymarin production as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in S. marianum callus extracts.

The catastrophic twin earthquakes that struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6 2023, caused massive casualties and extensive damage to infrastructure, with the province of Hatay bearing the brunt of the impact. To investigate the potential of nighttime light (NTL) data for earthquake disaster assessment, we performed an analysis of pre- and post-earthquake NPP-VIIRS and SDGSAT-1 NTL data. The NTL change ratio (NCR) was employed to identify the extent of damage in Hatay Province following the earthquake to assess the impact on affected buildings and populations. NPP-VIIRS daily NTL Time-series data was used to establish an economic recovery framework for earthquake disasters in Hatay Province, assessing regional economic recovery after earthquake. The results revealed a strong correlation between the total reduced NTLs of NPP-VIIRS and SDGSAT-1 and the presence of severely and moderately damaged buildings. Conversely, the correlation with slightly damaged buildings was relatively weaker. Furthermore, the reduced NTLs of NPP-VIIRS provide a more precise identification of all earthquake damage compared to the SDGSAT-1 data, achieving an overall accuracy of 86.21% in earthquake damage identification and a Kappa coefficient of 0.72. In accordance with the earthquake economic recovery framework, as of the end of March 2024, neither the provincial economy nor any of its districts have fully restored to their pre-earthquake levels. The findings offered new and valuable insights into earthquake disaster assessment, assisting decision-makers in accurately assessing the level of disaster risk following an earthquake and efficiently allocating post-earthquake relief funds.

Exposure of experimental rodents to controlled cycles of light, food, and temperature is important when investigating alterations in circadian cycles that profoundly influence health and disease. However, applying such stimuli simultaneously is difficult in practice. Our aim was to design, build, test, and open-source describe a simple device that subjects a conventional mouse cage to independent cycles of physiologically relevant environmental variables. The device is based on a box enclosing the rodent cage to modify the light, feeding, and temperature environments. The device provides temperature-controlled air conditioning (heating or cooling) by a Peltier module and includes programmable feeding and illumination. All functions are set by a user-friendly front panel for independent cycle programming. Bench testing with a model simulating the CO2 production of mice in the cage showed: a) suitable air renewal (by measuring actual ambient CO2), b) controlled realistic illumination at the mouse enclosure (measured by a photometer), c) stable temperature control, and d) correct cycling of light, feeding, and temperature. The cost of all the supplies (retail purchased by e-commerce) was &lt; 300 US$). Detailed technical information is open-source provided, allowing for any user to reliably reproduce or modify the device. This approach can considerably facilitate circadian research since using one of the described low-cost devices for any mouse group with a given light-food-temperature paradigm allows for all the experiments to be performed simultaneously, thereby requiring no changes in the light/temperature of a general-use laboratory.

Zn_0.9Mg_0.1O nanoparticle (NP) were employed as electron transport layers (ETLs) with varying thicknesses to investigate their influence on the efficiency of the top-emission quantum dot light-emitting diodes (TE-QLEDs) fabricated inside the bank. An increase in the thickness of the Zn_0.9Mg_0.1O NP ETL led to a decrease in the concentration of oxygen vacancies, reducing the conductivity of the Zn_0.9Mg_0.1O and resulting in lower current density in the TE-QLEDs. The decrease in conductivity of Zn_0.9Mg_0.1O NP ETL was confirmed through electron-only device (EOD) characterization. Furthermore, it was noted that when the thickness of Zn_0.9Mg_0.1O NP ETL was 30 nm, the concentration of hydroxyl species reached its minimum. By minimizing the presence of hydroxyl species, exciton quenching at the quantum dot (QD) and Zn_0.9Mg_0.1O NP ETL interface was minimized, enhancing charge balance within the QD, significantly improving the efficiency of QLED. We successfully demonstrated that TE-QLED with a 30 nm-thick Zn_0.9Mg_0.1O NP ETL exhibits outstanding performance, achieving a maximum current efficiency of 91.92 cd/A and a maximum external quantum efficiency of 21.66%. These results suggest that Zn_0.9Mg_0.1O NP ETL, when tailored to an appropriate thickness, can serve as an ETL for TE-QLEDs, effectively suppressing exciton quenching and enhancing the charge balance in the TE-QLEDs.

Age-related macular degeneration is a progressive retinal disease that is associated with factors such as oxidative stress, decreased phagocytic activity, and inflammation. In this study, we evaluated the protective effects of SIG-1451, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug developed for treating atopic dermatitis and known to inhibit toll-like receptor 4, on light-induced photoreceptor degeneration. SIG-1451 was intraperitoneally injected into rats once a day before exposure to 1000 lx light for 24 h; one day later, optical coherence tomography showed a decrease in retinal thickness, and electroretinogram (ERG) amplitude was also found to have decreased 3 d after light exposure. Moreover, SIG-1451 protected against this decrease in retinal thickness and increase in ERG am-plitude. One day after light exposure, upregulation of inflammatory response-related genes was observed, and SIG-1451 was found to inhibit this upregulation. Iba-1, a microglial marker, was suppressed in SIG-1451-injected rats. To investigate the molecular mechanism underlying these effects, we used lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated rat immortalised Müller cells. The upregu-lation of C-C motif chemokine 2　by LPS stimulation was significantly inhibited by SIG-1451 treatment, and western blot analysis revealed a decrease in phosphorylated I-κB levels. These results indicate that SIG-1451 protects photoreceptor cells by attenuating light damage progression through inhibiting inflammatory responses.

Urbanization is a dynamic process. At different stages of urbanization, polices of managing car-bon emissions should be adjusted. In this paper, two types of nighttime light data and statistical data of 68 cities in China from 2002 to 2021 are used to establish an urban development evalua-tion system comprising population, economy, construction, and society subsystems. Then, cities were categorized into expanding, contracting, and stable types to understand the uncertainty of urbanization's impact on carbon emissions. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) Integrated nighttime light data is used to extract built-up area boundaries, achieving an overall accuracy ranging from 68.75% to 98.4%, with kappa coefficients ranging between 0.60 and 0.94. (2) Ex-panding cities were concentrated in the eastern coastal regions, while contracting cities were mainly located in inland cities with traditional industries. Urban agglomerations in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Yangtze River Delta region, and Chengdu-Chongqing metropolitan demonstrate synchronized characteristic of urbanization development. (3)Economy and con-struction have a greater impact on carbon emissions than population and society. For expanding cities, the focus of carbon emission governance should prioritize rational land use planning. Conversely, for contracting cities, emphasis should be placed on adjusting economic structures.

We present a Machian model of Quantum Cosmology with full dark matter and light speed expansion and rotation. During galaxy formation and evolution, fraction of dark matter transforms to visual matter with a relation of the form, m_vis = constant * (m_dark)^2/3. Using this relation and replacing MOND’s ‘critical acceleration’ with “current cosmic maximum angular acceleration”, galactic flat rotation speed range of (50 to 500) km/sec can be fitted well. Estimated flat rotation speeds of DD168, Milky Way and UGC12591 are 49.96 km/sec, 199.66 km/sec and 521.75 km/sec respectively. Based on these striking coincidences, it is possible to say that, MOND’s approach is implicitly connected with cosmological estimation of 95% invisible matter. Considering galactic total matter and current cosmic maximum angular acceleration, galactic working radii, angular velocity and visual matter density can be estimated. Even though, this model is free from ‘big bang’, ‘inflation’, ‘dark energy’, ‘flatness’ and ‘red shift’ issues, at 2.722 K, estimated present Hubble parameter is 66.24 km/sec/Mpc, cosmic radius is 146.3 times the Hubble radius, angular velocity is 146.3 times lower than the Hubble parameter and cosmic age is 146.3 times the Hubble age. With future observations and advanced telescopes, it may be possible to see far distant galaxies and very old stars far beyond the current observable cosmic radius.

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a monolayer of epithelial cells lying between the neural retina and the choroid and is essential for photoreceptor function and viability. Quail Coturnix japonica is a convenient experimental animal model for the study of age and pathological retina processes to an accelerated time regime. The three main types of pigment granules present in the RPE are melanin-containing melanosomes, lipofuscin-containing lipofuscin granules, and mixed melanolipofuscin granules containing both melanin and lipofuscin. It’s known that with aging and pathology in RPE cells the content of melanosomes decreases but lipofuscin and melanolipofuscin granules accumulate. We examined melanolipofuscin granules in macular areas of the quail retina by transmission electron microscopy in young, middle-aged, and old birds, and in middle-aged birds irradiated with blue LED light (450 nm, 4 J/cm2). It has been shown that during photooxidative stress caused by the action of blue light on the quail eye, active fusion of melanosomes and lipofuscin granules occurs with formation of various types, including giant, mixed melanolipofuscin-like granules. Irradiation result in almost twofold decrease in the number of lipofuscin granules and synchronous increase in the number of melanolipofuscin-like granules. Increased accumulation of melanolipofuscin-like granules was also observed in non-irradiated old birds. It is assumed that the decrease in the number of melanosomes in the RPE during aging and photo-oxidative stress is associated with their fusion with lipofuscin granules and subsequent degradation of melanin by reactive oxygen species formed in melanolipofuscin-like granules. The disappearance of melanin deprives the RPE cells of light-filtering and antioxidant protection, and significantly increases the risk of their oxidative stress.

The vast array of interconnected microbes across earth’s ecosystems and within holobionts has been called the “Internet of Microbes.” Research into the fundamental microbial properties has demonstrated that bacteria and archaea are masters of energy and information collection, storage, transformation, and dissemination using both “wired” and wireless (at a distance) capacities. These features suggest that microbes are quantum entangled within and between earth’s holobionts, and that specific tools affecting energy and information functions could provide an effective strategy for managing microbial populations. Microbes use four critically important microbial networking functions (sound, light, electricity, and magnetism). This narrative review focuses on microbial management based on two of the four: sound and light (as well as related vibrations). These are examined as: 1) tools for managing microbial populations, 2) tools to support new technologies, and 3) tools for healing humans and other holobionts. Given microbial sensitivity to sound, light, and vibrations, it is critical that microbial populations and microbe-laden holobionts are protected from potentially damaging exposures. We conclude that sound, light, and vibrations are useful therapeutic tools that can help support useful microbial populations and help to address ongoing challenges of holobiont disease.

Insulator defect detection is of great significance to compromise the stability of the power transmission line. The state-of-the-art network of object detection, YOLOv5, has been widely used on insulator and defect detection. However, YOLOv5 network has some limitations like poor detection rate and high computational loads in detecting small insulator defects. To solve these problems, we proposed a light-weight network for insulator and defect detection. In this network, we introduced Ghost module into YOLOv5 backbone and neck to reduce the parameters and model size to enhance the performance in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Besides, we added small object detection anchors and layers for small defect detection. In addition, we optimized the backbone of YOLOv5 by applying convolutional block attention module (CBAM) to focus on critical information for insulator and defect detection and suppress uncritical information. The experiment result shows the mean average precision (mAP) 0.5 and the mAP0.5:0.95 of our model can reach 99.4% and 91.7%, the parameters and model weight are reduced to 3807372 and 8.79M, which can easily deploy to embedded devices like UAVs. And the speed of detection can reach 10.9ms/image, which can meet the real-time detection requirement.

The genus Euonymus (L.) consists of shrubs or woody plants, distributed mainly in the Northern Hemisphere. To date, from Euonymus spp. several hundreds of different secondary metabolites have been isolated and identified. In addition, fatty oil was found in the fruits of some species of these plants, which accumulates not only in the seeds, but also in the arils. This study presents the research of unique long-term (ten-year-old) suspension cell cultures of Euonymus maximoviczianus Prokh. which were obtained from arils of unripe capsules. Suspension cells retain the ability to form oil droplets containing neutral lipids, both in the dark and in the light, the cells are able to synthesize very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs), and can synthesize delphinidin-3-O-hexoside, cyanidin-3-O-hexoside, and peonidin-3-O-hexoside. Here, we research of the fatty acid, VLCFA, and anthocyanin biosynthesis dynamics in the subcultivation, as well as the influence of methyl jasmonate (MeJa) on these processes in the dark- and under-light-grown cell cultures. In the darkness, the formation of VLCFAs is more intense, and the biosynthesis of anthocyanins is significantly activated in the light. MeJA substantially enhances the biosynthesis of anthocyanins in the light and, surprisingly, the formation of VLCFAs in the darknss. In connection with the commonality of the cytosolic pool of malonyl-CoA, which is necessary both for the biosynthesis of VLCFAs and dihydroflavonols (and, ultimately, anthocyanins), the competition of these biosynthetic pathways is discussed.

Trichoderma atroviride is a strong necrotrophic mycoparasite antagonizing and feeding on a broad range of fungal phytopathogens. It further beneficially acts on plants by enhancing growth in root and shoot and inducing systemic resistance. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are playing a major role in all those processes. To date, T. atroviride IMI 206040 and T. atroviride P1 are among the most frequently studied T. atroviride strains and hence are used as model organisms to study mycoparasitism and photoconidiation. However, there are no studies available, which systematically and comparatively analyzed putative differences between these strains regarding their light-dependent behavior. We therefore explored the influence of light on conidiation and the mycoparasitic interaction as well as the light-dependent production of VOCs in both strains. Our data show that in contrast to T. atroviride IMI 206040 conidiation in strain P1 is independent of light. Furthermore, significant strain-and light-dependent differences in the production of several VOCs between the two strains became evident, indicating that T. atroviride P1 could be a better candidate for plant protection than IMI 206040.

High efficacy LED lamps combined with adaptive lighting control and greenhouse integrated photovoltaics (PV) could enable the concept of year-round cultivation and become a feasible option even in the harsh climate of the Nordic countries. Meteorological satellite data of this region was analyzed in a parametric study to evaluate the potential of these technologies. The generated maps showed monthly average temperatures fluctuating from -20°C to 20°C throughout the year. The natural photoperiod and light intensity also changed drastically, resulting in monthly average daily light integral (DLI) levels ranging from 45-50 mol·m-2·d-1 in summer and contrasting with 0-5 mol·m-2·d-1 during winter. To compensate, growth room cultivation independent from outdoor conditions could be used in winter. Depending on the efficacy of the lamps, the electricity required for sole-source lighting at 300 µmol·m-2·s-1 for 16 hours would be between 1.4 and 2.4 kWh·m-2·d-1. Greenhouses with supplementary lighting could help start the cultivation earlier in spring and extend it further into autumn. The energy required for lighting highly depends on several factors such as the natural light transmittance, the light threshold settings and the lighting control protocol, resulting in electric demands between 0.6 and 2.4 kWh·m-2·d-1. Integrating PV on the roof or wall structures of the greenhouse could offset some of this electricity, with specific energy yields ranging from 400 to 1120 kWh·kWp-2·yr-1 depending on the region and system design.

Cyanobacteria are extensively studied and cultured because they can produce many value-added substances among which are pigments, mainly the phycobiliproteins phycocyanin (PC), phycoerythrin (PE), allophycocyanin (APC) and chlorophyll-a and carotenoids as well. As numerous cyanobacterial species await optimization for maximizing pigment production, we examined here two local marine species, Phormidium sp. and Cyanothece sp. batch cultured under 18-19.5 oC, at 40 ppt salinity with Walne’s nutrient medium, using white LED light of low (2000 lux) and high (8000 lux) intensity and additionally blue, green and red LED light. Significant differences were found among the intensities and colors of light used. Maximum growth was induced by high white light in both species (2.15 g dw/L in Phormidium and 1.47 g/L in Cyanothece). Next to them was green light (1.25 g/L) in Cyanothece and low white and green (1.26 – 1.33 g/L) in Phormidium. Green light maximized phycocyanin content in Phormidium (0.45 mg/mL), while phycoerythrin was maximized (0.17 mg/mL) by blue light and allophycocyanin by all colors (~0.80 mg/mL). All colors maximized phycocyanin in Cyanothece (~0.32 mg/mL) while phycoerythrin and allophycocyanin were maximized under green light (~0.138 and 0.38 mg/mL respectively). In Phormidium maximization of chlorophyll-a (9.3 μg/mL) was induced by green light while total carotenoids and b-carotene (3.05 and 0.89 μg/mL respectively) by high white light. In Cyanothece both white light intensities along with green light maximized chlorophyll-a content (~9 μg/mL) while high white light and green maximized total carotenoids (2.6-3.0 μg/mL).

After a 1.5 year screening survey in the lagoons of Western Greece in order to isolate and culture sturdy species of microalgae for aquaculture or other value added uses, as dictated primarily by a satisfactory potential for their mass-culture, five species emerged and their growth was monitored in laboratory conditions. Amphidinium carterae, Nephroselmis sp., Tetraselmis sp. (var. red pappas), Asteromonas gracilis and Dunaliella sp. were batch cultured using low (20 ppt), sea (40 ppt) and high salinity (50 or 60 or 100 ppt) and in combination with a low (2000 lux) and high (8000 lux) intensity of illumination. The results exhibited that all these species can be grown adequately in all salinities and with best growth in terms of maximum cell density, specific growth rate (SGR) and biomass yield (g dry weight/L) at high illumination (8000 lux). The five species examined exhibited different responses in the salinities used, Amphidinium clearly does best in 20 ppt far better than 40 ppt and even more than 50 ppt. Nephroselmis and Tetraselmis grow almost the same in 20 and 40 ppt and less well in 60 ppt. Asteromonas does best in 100 ppt although it can grow quite well in both 40 and 60 ppt. Dunaliella grows equally well in all salinities (20-40-60 ppt). Concerning productivity as maximum biomass yield at the end of the culture period, first rank is occupied by Nephroselmis with ~3.0 g d.w./L, followed by Tetraselmis (2.0 g/L), Dunaliella (1.58 g/L), Amphidinium (1.19 g/L) and Asteromonas (0.7 g/L) with all values recorded at high light (8000 lux).

Light can interfere like a wave in a multi-path experiment, but it also has particle properties when interacting with matter. In a closer look, the interference pattern is created by many individual detections ("clicks"), which do not all occur simultaneously. An established assumption is therefore that a single light particle is capable of interfering with itself by superimposing all possibilities to get from the source to the detector. This is in stark contrast to our experience with macroscopic objects, which always "decide" in favour of only one of the alternative paths.In 2010, Jin et al. (Ref. 15) described an event-based model which allowed the authors to show that an interference pattern consisting of clicks can arise in a multi-path experiment even if photons, like macroscopic objects, only follow one path. To do this, photons must be able to transmit the information about their travelling duration to the detector and the detector must have a basic memory. A threshold function uses the message of several light quanta to decide whether a single detection is initiated, which is not the evidence for a single photon. In this "proof of principle", the authors do not claim that the detector function is a realistic one.In the present paper, this detector is replaced by a material consisting of ionizable molecules whose interaction with light takes place according to a modified version of Einstein's radiation laws. Based on this, a photon pair interaction mediated by matter takes place, which in a multi-path experiment generates an interference pattern of clicks at the detector, even if an arbitrary amount of time elapses between the individual detections. In the present model an interference pattern with minima that have less than half the intensity of the maxima is the result of a peculiar behaviour of the detector: In this case, the entirety of its electrons must be described as a unit (a “field”) with many equidistant energy levels. The results of a simulation are presented which enable the model to be tested in experiments.

Light can interfere like a wave in a multi-path experiment, but it also has particle properties when interacting with matter. In a closer look, the interference pattern is created by many individual detections ("clicks"), which do not all occur simultaneously. An established assumption is therefore that a single light particle is capable of interfering with itself by superimposing all possibilities to get from the source to the detector. This is in stark contrast to our experience with macroscopic objects, which always "decide" in favour of only one of the alternative paths.In 2010, Jin et al. (Ref. 15) described an event-based model which allowed the authors to show that an interference pattern consisting of clicks can arise in a multi-path experiment even if photons, like macroscopic objects, only follow one path. To do this, photons must be able to transmit the information about their travelling duration to the detector and the detector must have a basic memory. A threshold function uses the message of several light quanta to decide whether a single detection is initiated, which is not the evidence for a single photon. In this "proof of principle", the authors do not claim that the detector function is a realistic one.In the present paper, this detector is replaced by a material consisting of ionizable molecules whose interaction with light takes place according to a modified version of Einstein's radiation laws. Based on this, a photon pair interaction mediated by matter takes place, which in a multi-path experiment generates an interference pattern of clicks at the detector, even if an arbitrary amount of time elapses between the individual detections. In the present model an interference pattern with minima that have less than half the intensity of the maxima is the result of a peculiar behaviour of the detector: In this case, the entirety of its electrons must be described as a unit (a “field”) with many equidistant energy levels. The results of a simulation are presented which enable the model to be tested in experiments.

The study aims to identify the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) hazard area, mitigation method, and possible sustainable development in a changing global climate. The critical environmental hazards are artificial light at night (ALAN) and air pollution with ambient PM2.5. People use nighttime outdoor environments for their needs, and the nocturnally migrating birds are attracted to urban ALAN during seasonal migration, which could increase the birds' exposure to PM2.5. A comparative study examines PM2.5 concentrations and the spatial correlation between ALAN and PM2.5 within urban versus rural areas. The author used the nighttime data of the artificial light on the Earth's surface and the PM2.5 level of concentration to estimate the extent of air pollution associated with PM2.5 in the ground-level atmosphere. The results can assist in determining the required PM2.5 control areas and designing and executing environmental conservation planning. Furthermore, the results of this study are not only beneficial to understanding accurately the regional differences of spatiotemporal PM2.5 emission dynamics and helpful for proposing alleviation policies in air pollution control and providing scientific support for regional sustainable development in changing climate. The integrated hazards of ALAN and air pollution are most significant and likely to increase within the urban and decrease within rural areas. This study was undertaken by the first author and built upon the context of the academic, scientific, and technological challenges to identify the PM2.5 concentration in urban and rural areas and the expected outcomes.

A visible-light photoredox functionalization of 3,4-dihydro-1,4-benzoxazin-2-ones through a Friedel-Crafts reaction with indoles using an inexpensive organophotoredox catalyst is described. The reaction uses a dual catalytic system formed by a photocatalyst simple and cheap, 9,10-phenanthrenedione, and a Lewis acid, Zn(OTf)₂. 5W white LEDs are used as visible-light source and oxygen from air as a terminal oxidant, obtaining the corresponding products with good yields. The reaction can be extended to other electron-rich arenes.

In this work, we studied light-output properties, efficiency function as well as PSD capability of p-Terphenyl scintillator. The selected solid cylindrical scintillation detector has a size of (45 x 45) mm with PSD properties. Recently presented studies of light-output functions have been meas-ured only for low neutron energies. Our motivation has been to determine more accurate the light output function for p-Terphenyl scintillator over a wider neutron energy range. The measurements have been carried out with mono-energetic neutron beams in the wide energy range from 2.5 to 19 MeV. The neutron-gamma spectrometric system, which we developed has been used for the measurement. The input analogue signal from the detector is digitized with fast 12-bits analogue to digital converter with sampling frequency of 1 GHz. Measured data from the detector are processed into gamma and neutron spectra. The light output function for protons has been determined by finding the position of the protons for given neutron energies. The more accurate light output function for p-Therphenyl scintillator has been calculated. The pulse-shape discrimination capability as well as efficiency of p-Terphenyl scintillator in comparison with NE-213 equivalent detector is lower.

Dunaliella salina is a rich source of 9-cis β-carotene, which has been identified as important in the treatment of retinal dystrophies and other diseases. We previously showed that chlorophyll absorption of red light photons in D. salina is coupled to oxygen reduction and phytoene desaturation and increases the pool size of β-carotene [1]. Here we show for the first time that growth under red light also controls conversion of extant all-trans β-carotene to 9-cis β-carotene by β-carotene isomerases. Cells illuminated with red light from a light emitting diode (LED) during cultivation contained a higher 9-cis β-carotene content compared to cells illuminated with white or blue LED light. The 9-cis/all-trans β-carotene ratio in red light treated cultures reached >2.5:1 within 48 hours and was independent of light intensity. Illumination using red light filters that eliminated blue wavelength light also increased the 9-cis/all-trans β-carotene ratio. With norflurazon, a phytoene desaturase inhibitor which blocked downstream biosynthesis of β-carotene, extant all-trans β-carotene was converted to 9-cis β-carotene during growth with red light and the 9-cis/all-trans β-carotene ratio was ~2:1. With blue light under the same conditions, 9-cis β-carotene was likely destroyed at a greater rate than all-trans β-carotene (9-cis/all-trans ratio 0.5:1). Red light perception by the red light photoreceptor, phytochrome, may increase the pool size of anti-oxidant, specifically 9-cis β-carotene, both by upregulating phytoene synthase to increase the rate of biosynthesis of β-carotene and to reduce the rate of formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and by upregulating β-carotene isomerases to convert extant all-trans β-carotene to 9-cis β-carotene.

Frequency combs (FCs)—spectra containing equidistant coherent peaks—have enabled researchers and engineers to measure the frequencies of complex signals with high precision thereby revolutionising the areas of sensing, metrology and communications and also benefiting the fundamental science. Although mostly optical FCs have found widespread applications thus far, in general FCs can be generated using waves other than light. Here, we review and summarise recent achievements in the emergent field of acoustic frequency combs (AFCs) including phononic FCs and relevant acousto-optical, Brillouin light scattering and Faraday wave-based techniques that have enabled the development of phonon lasers, quantum computers and advanced vibration sensors. In particular, our discussion is centred around potential applications of AFCs in precision measurements in various physical, chemical and biological systems in conditions, where using light, and hence optical FCs, faces technical and fundamental limitations, which is, for example, the case in underwater distance measurements and biomedical imaging applications. This review article will also be of interest to readers seeking a discussion of specific theoretical aspects of different classes of AFCs. To that end, we support the mainstream discussion by the results of our original analysis and numerical simulations that can be used to design the spectra of AFCs generated using oscillations of gas bubbles in liquids, vibrations of liquid drops and plasmonic enhancement of Brillouin light scattering in metal nanostructures. We also discuss the application of non-toxic room-temperature liquid-metal alloys in the field of AFC generation.

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are energy-efficient; however, the coordinating ligand can affect their stability. Sky-blue phosphorescent Pt(II) complexes with a C^N chelate, fluorinated-dbi (dbi = [1-(2,4-diisopropyldibenzo[b,d]furan-3-yl)-2-phenyl-1H-imidazole]), and acetylactonate (acac)(1)/picolinate (pic)(2) ancillary ligands were synthesized. The molecular structures were characterized using various spectroscopic methods. The Pt(II) coordination sphere in 2 exhibited a distorted square-planar geometry, with several intra- and inter-molecular interactions involving Cπ⋯H/Cπ⋯Cπ stacking. Complex 1 emitted bright sky-blue light (λmax = 485 nm) with a moderate photoluminescent quantum efficiency of 0.37 and short decay time (6.1 µs) compared to those of 2. Time-dependent density functional theory calculations suggested that the electronic transition of 1 arose from ligand(C^N)-centered π–π* transitions combined with metal-to-ligand charge transfer transitions (MLCT), whereas that of 2 arose from MLCT and ligand(C^N)-to-ligand(pic) charge transfer (LLCT), with minimal contribution from the C^N chelate to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital. Multi-layered phosphorescent OLEDs using 1 as a dopant and a mixed host, 3,3-di(9H-carbazol-9-yl)-1,1-biphenyl:3-di(9H-carbazol-9-yl)-1,1-biphenyl (mCBP)/9-(3’-carbazol-9-yl-5-cyano-biphenyl-3-yl)-9H-carbazole-3-carbonitrile (CNmCBPCN) were successfully fabricated. At a 10% doping of 1, a current efficiency of 13.6 cd A−1 and external quantum efficiency of 8.4 % at 100 cd m−2 were achieved. These results show that the ancillary ligand in phosphorescent Pt(II) complexes must be considered.