Efficient polarization splitter-rotator on thin-film lithium niobate.

Recently, thin-film lithium niobate coherent modulators have emerged as a promising candidate for the next generation coherent communication system. High performance polarization splitter-rotators (PSRs) are essential to further achieve dual polarization coherent modulators. Here we present a PSR on the lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) platform with the measured insertion loss less than 1 dB, extinction ratio exceeding 26.6 dB and 19.6 dB for TE0 and TM0 modes, working bandwidth of 1520-1580 nm and total length of 440 µm. In addition, a relatively large fabrication tolerance for waveguide width is also proved. This demonstrated PSR can find its potential application in polarization-division multiplexing (PDM) optical transmitter based on LNOI.

High-efficient coupler for thin-film lithium niobate waveguide devices.

Lithium niobate (LN) devices have been widely used in optical communication and nonlinear optics due to its attractive optical properties. The emergence of the thin-film lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) improves performances of LN-based devices greatly. However, a high-efficient fiber-chip optical coupler is still necessary for the LNOI-based devices for practical applications. In this paper, we demonstrate a highly efficient and polarization-independent edge coupler based on LNOI. The coupler, fabricated by a standard semiconductor process, shows a low fiber-chip coupling loss of 0.54 dB/0.59 dB per facet at 1550 nm for TE/TM light, respectively, when coupled with an ultra-high numerical aperture fiber (UHNAF) of which the mode field diameter is about 3.2 µm. The coupling loss is lower than 1dB/facet for both TE and TM light in the wavelength range of 1527 nm to 1630 nm. A relatively large tolerance for optical misalignment is also proved, due to the coupler's large mode spot size up to 3.2 µm. The coupler shows a promising stability in high optical power and temperature variation.

Integrated analyses of miRNA and mRNA profiles in leukocytes and serums in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-defined Pi-qi-deficiency syndrome and Pi-wei damp-heat syndrome resulting from chronic atrophic gastritis.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the microRNA (miRNA)-gene interactions underlying leukocyte functions and characteristics, especially the potential serum biomarkers, implicated in the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-defined Pi-qi-deficiency syndrome (PQDS) and Pi-wei damp-heat syndrome (PDHS) resulting from chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG). METHODS: Using RNA/miRNA-sequencing approach, compared with healthy control population, we identified the PDHS- or PQDS-specific miRNAs and genes in leukocytes or serums, especially the Zheng (syndrome)-specific miRNA-gene interactions, and further decoded their functions and pathways. RESULTS: Despite being the TCM-defined Zhengs resulting from the same disease of CAG, the Zheng-specific genes and miRNAs were not same. The PDHS-specific leukocyte genes were mainly involved in defense and immune responses, including NOD-like receptor signaling and several synapses-related pathways. The expression upregulation of PDHS-specific genes enriched in the neutrophil degranulation pathway, indicated the enhanced leukocyte degranulation activation. The PQDS-specific genes in leukocytes were implicated in inflammatory response, extracellular matrix (ECM) organization and collagen catabolism. They could be enriched in MAPK and IL17 signaling and helper T cell differentiation pathways, especially the pathways associated with cell-to-cell adhesion/junction and communication such as cell adhesion molecules, ECM organization and ECM-receptor interaction, probably contributing to the characteristics and functions of leukocytes. Also, the experimentally-supported miRNA-gene interactions, concerned with COL4A2, COL26A1, SPP1 and PROCR, were implicated in the regulation of pathways related to cell-to-cell adhesion/junction and communication, suggesting the potential roles of the PQDS-specific miRNA-gene interactions for the characteristic and functional changes of leukocytes. Interestingly, the PQDS-specific miRNAs in the serums and the corresponding leukocytes, seemed to have the common roles in contributing to the characteristics and functions of leukocytes. Importantly, the hsa-miR-122-5p could be a potential biomarker, capable of being contained and carried in plasma exosomes and much higher expression in both the leukocytes and corresponding serums in the CAG patients with PQDS rather than PDHS. CONCLUSIONS: These results may provide new insights into the characteristic and functional changes of leukocytes in the two Zhengs, PDHS and PQDS, especially the miRNA-mediated gene regulation underlying leukocyte characteristics and functions, with potential leukocyte and serum biomarkers for future application in integrative medicine. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02915393. Registered on September 17, 2016.

Dynamic 3D meta-holography in visible range with large frame number and high frame rate.

The hologram is an ideal method for displaying three-dimensional images visible to the naked eye. Metasurfaces consisting of subwavelength structures show great potential in light field manipulation, which is useful for overcoming the drawbacks of common computer-generated holography. However, there are long-existing challenges to achieving dynamic meta-holography in the visible range, such as low frame rate and low frame number. In this work, we demonstrate a design of meta-holography that can achieve 228 different holographic frames and an extremely high frame rate (9523 frames per second) in the visible range. The design is based on a space channel metasurface and a high-speed dynamic structured laser beam modulation module. The space channel consists of silicon nitride nanopillars with a high modulation efficiency. This method can satisfy the needs of a holographic display and be useful in other applications, such as laser fabrication, optical storage, optics communications, and information processing.

Integrated Analyses of lncRNA and mRNA Profiles Reveal Characteristic and Functional Changes of Leukocytes in Qi-Deficiency Constitution and Pi-Qi-Deficiency Syndrome of Chronic Superficial Gastritis.

METHODS: We adopted RNA-sequencing approach to identify differential lncRNAs and genes in leukocytes, clustered expression profiles, and analyzed biological functions and pathways of differential genes to decode their potential roles in contributing to characteristics and functions of leukocytes. In addition, interaction networks were created to detail the interactions between differential genes. In particular, we explored differential lncRNAs-mediated regulation of differential genes and predicted the subcellular location of lncRNAs to reveal their potential roles. RESULTS: Compared with TCM-defined balanced constitution (BC), 183 and 93 genes as well as 749 and 651 lncRNAs were differentially expressed (P < 0.05 and |log2 (fold change)| ≥1) in leukocytes of individuals from case populations 1 (QDC) and 2 (PQDS), respectively. Of them, 12 genes and 111 lncRNAs were common to each case population. Several networks were created to detail the interactions among case-specific genes, especially case-specific lncRNAs-mediated regulation of case-specific genes. Also, interaction networks were created for the common lncRNAs and genes. HCL analyses showed that differential genes and lncRNAs, especially the common genes and lncRNAs, kept similar expression patterns in both case populations. Furthermore, function enrichment analyses just indicated the common biological processes, namely, extracellular matrix organization and cell adhesion via plasma membrane adhesion molecules. In addition, most common genes underwent very tight and complex regulation of many trans- and cis-acting lncRNAs. In particular, of them, ADAMTSL5, COL26A1, COL27A1, MSH5, and LOC390937 could be regulated by multiple case-specific and common lncRNAs, including the means that directs binding of the common lncRNAs to their coded proteins. The common changes in the extracellular matrix and integral components of plasma membrane related to cell-cell adhesion/junction and communication may implicate the linkage between QDC and PQDS, contributing to alterations in characteristics and functions of leukocytes. CONCLUSIONS: These results may provide new insights into the characteristic and functional changes of leukocytes in QDC and PQDS, especially the mechanism underlying the linkage of QDC to PQDS, with potential leukocytes biomarkers for future application in integrative medicine.

LanceletDB: an integrated genome database for lancelet, comparing domain types and combination in orthologues among lancelet and other species.

Lancelet (amphioxus) represents the most basally divergent extant chordate (cephalochordates) that diverged from the other two chordate lineages (urochordates and vertebrates) more than half a billion years ago. As it occupies a key position in evolution, it is considered as one of the best proxies for understanding the chordate ancestral state. Thus, the construction of a database with multiple lancelet genomes and gene annotation data, including protein domains, is urgently needed to investigate the loss and gain of domains in orthologues among species, especially ancient domain types (non-vertebrate-specific domains) and novel domain combination, which is helpful for providing new insight into the chordate ancestral state and vertebrate evolution. Here, we present an integrated genome database for lancelet, LanceletDB, which provides reference haploid genome sequence and annotation data for lancelet (Branchiostoma belcheri), including gene models and annotation, protein domain types, gene expression pattern in embryogenesis, different expression sequence tag sets and alternative polyadenylation (APA) sites profiled by the sequencing APA sites method. Especially, LanceletDB allows comparison of domain types and combination in orthologues among type species so as to decode the ancient domain types and novel domain combination during evolution. We also integrated the released diploid lancelet genome annotation data (Branchiostoma floridae) to expand LanceletDB and extend its usefulness. These data are available through the search and analysis page, basic local alignment search tool page and genome browser to provide an integrated display.