Citizens' narratives depict how constructions and symbols are tied to historical conflicts, such as the Turks versus Arabs during WWI, or modern military operations in Syria.

The primary causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are the combined effects of tobacco smoking and air pollution. Despite smoking, only a limited number of individuals develop COPD. The protective mechanisms against nitrosative and oxidative stress in smokers unaffected by COPD remain largely unsolved. The research focuses on uncovering the defensive mechanisms against nitrosative/oxidative stress that might prevent or slow the progression of COPD. Investigated were four cohorts: 1) sputum samples from healthy (n=4) and COPD (n=37) subjects; 2) lung tissue samples from healthy (n=13), smokers without COPD (n=10), and smoker+COPD (n=17) individuals; 3) pulmonary lobectomy tissue samples from subjects with no/mild emphysema (n=6); and 4) blood samples from healthy (n=6) and COPD (n=18) individuals. 3-Nitrotyrosine (3-NT) levels were evaluated in human samples, providing an indication of nitrosative/oxidative stress. A novel in vitro model of a cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-resistant cell line was utilized to examine 3-NT formation, antioxidant capacity, and transcriptomic profiles. An ex vivo model, incorporating adeno-associated virus-mediated gene transduction and human precision-cut lung slices, was used to validate results obtained from lung tissue and isolated primary cells. 3-NT levels are demonstrably linked to the degree of severity within the COPD patient cohort. In CSE-resistant cellular contexts, nitrosative/oxidative stress elicited by CSE treatment was reduced, showing a direct relationship with a pronounced elevation in heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) synthesis. Within the context of human alveolar type 2 epithelial cells (hAEC2s), carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule 6 (CEACAM6) was identified as a negative regulator for the HO-1-mediated nitrosative/oxidative stress defense mechanism. A persistent reduction in HO-1 activity in hAEC2 cells led to a heightened sensitivity to CSE-mediated damage. Epithelial-specific overexpression of CEACAM6 in human precision-cut lung slices exacerbated nitrosative/oxidative stress and cell death when treated with CSE. In susceptible smokers, CEACAM6 expression levels influence hAEC2's response to nitrosative/oxidative stress, ultimately driving emphysema progression.

Combination treatments for cancer have become a focus of substantial research, aiming to minimize cancer's resistance to chemotherapy and effectively manage the diverse characteristics of cancer cells. In this study, novel nanocarriers were developed that integrate immunotherapy, a technique stimulating the immune system to fight tumors, with photodynamic therapy (PDT), a non-invasive light-based therapy specifically targeting and eliminating cancerous cells. Multi-shell structured upconversion nanoparticles (MSUCNs) were synthesized, characterized by strong photoluminescence (PL), for a combined therapeutic approach comprising near-infrared (NIR) photodynamic therapy (PDT) and immunotherapy, mediated by a specific immune checkpoint inhibitor. Utilizing the precise doping of ytterbium ions (Yb3+) and a multi-shell configuration, researchers synthesized MSUCNs, leading to significantly improved light emission at multiple wavelengths, with a photoluminescence efficiency enhancement of 260-380 times compared to core particles. To enhance the MSUCNs, their surfaces were modified with folic acid (FA) to target tumors, Ce6 for its photosensitizing properties, and 1-methyl-tryptophan (1MT) to inhibit indoleamine 23-dioxygenase (IDO). F-MSUCN3-Ce6/1MT, the FA-, Ce6-, and 1MT-conjugated MSUCNs, demonstrated targeted cellular uptake in HeLa cells, which are cancer cells expressing FA receptors. Endodontic disinfection F-MSUCN3-Ce6/1MT nanocarriers, illuminated by 808 nm near-infrared light, elicited the formation of reactive oxygen species, resulting in cancer cell demise and the stimulation of CD8+ T cells. This enhanced immune response stemmed from the blockade of the IDO pathway and binding to immune checkpoint inhibitory proteins. Subsequently, F-MSUCN3-Ce6/1MT nanocarriers are potential materials for combined anticancer treatment, which includes IDO inhibitor-based immunotherapy and enhanced near-infrared-activated photodynamic therapy.

Interest in space-time (ST) wave packets has been fueled by their demonstrably dynamic optical properties. Synthesizing frequency comb lines, each holding multiple complex-weighted spatial modes, allows for the creation of wave packets that dynamically alter their orbital angular momentum (OAM). By adjusting the number of frequency comb lines and the interplay of spatial modes across frequencies, we investigate the tunability of these ST wave packets. Employing experimental methods, we generated and quantified wave packets, dynamically varying the values of their orbital angular momentum (OAM) between +1 and +6 or +1 and +4, all within a 52-picosecond timeframe. We also examine, through simulation, the temporal duration of the ST wave packet's pulse and the non-linear changes in the OAM values. Analysis of the simulation results reveals two key findings: (i) the ST wave packet carrying dynamically changing OAM can exhibit a narrower pulse width when employing a larger number of frequency lines; (ii) the non-linear evolution of OAM values produces varying frequency chirps across the azimuthal plane at distinct time instances.

Employing bias-assisted carrier injection within the InP-based layered structure, we demonstrate a facile and responsive approach for modulating the photonic spin Hall effect (SHE). The photonic signal handling efficiency (SHE), for both horizontally and vertically polarized transmitted light, is remarkably affected by the magnitude of the bias-assisted light's intensity. The optimal bias light intensity, directly influencing the refractive index of InP, is crucial for maximizing the spin shift, a consequence of photon-induced carrier injection. In addition to varying the intensity of the bias light, the wavelength of the bias light can also be adjusted to modify the photonic SHE. Our study revealed that H-polarized light responded more favorably to this bias light wavelength tuning method compared to V-polarized light.

The proposed magnetic photonic crystal (MPC) nanostructure is distinguished by a gradient in the thickness of its magnetic layer. On-the-fly adjustments of optical and magneto-optical (MO) properties characterize this nanostructure. Varying the spatial placement of the input beam offers control over the spectral location of the defect mode resonance within the bandgaps of transmission and magneto-optical spectra. One can adjust the resonance width in both optical and magneto-optical spectra through alterations in the input beam's diameter or its focal point.

Through linear polarizers and non-uniform polarization elements, we investigate the transmission of partially polarized and partially coherent beams. Equations are derived for the transmitted intensity, illustrating Malus's law in specific conditions, and accompanying formulas represent transformations in spatial coherence properties.

High scattering samples, such as biological tissues, are often particularly vulnerable to the limitations imposed by the prominent speckle contrast found in reflectance confocal microscopy. This letter describes and numerically analyzes a technique for diminishing speckle, predicated on the simple lateral shifting of the confocal pinhole in numerous directions. The resultant reduction in speckle contrast is accompanied by only a moderate sacrifice in both lateral and axial resolutions. Using a simulation of electromagnetic wave propagation in free space within a high-numerical-aperture (NA) confocal imaging system, and assuming only single scattering, we assess the 3D point-spread function (PSF) determined by the displacement of the full-aperture pinhole. A 36% decrease in speckle contrast was observed following the simple summation of four differently pinhole-shifted images, despite a 17% and 60% reduction in lateral and axial resolutions, respectively. High image quality, a critical element for precise clinical diagnosis in noninvasive microscopy, is often challenging with fluorescence labeling. This method offers a significant advantage.

The meticulous preparation of an atomic ensemble in a specific Zeeman state is indispensable for many quantum sensor and memory protocols. The incorporation of optical fiber offers advantages for these devices. The experimental results of this work, complemented by a theoretical model of single-beam optical pumping for 87Rb atoms, are detailed specifically for a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber. Vardenafil solubility dmso Through the observation of a 50% population rise in the pumped F=2, mF=2 Zeeman substate and a corresponding decrease in other Zeeman substates, a three-fold increase in the relative population of the mF=2 substate within the F=2 manifold was achieved. This resulted in 60% of the F=2 population residing in the mF=2 dark sublevel. Our theoretical model underpins the proposed methods to more effectively pump in alkali-filled hollow-core fibers.

Three-dimensional (3D) single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, used for astigmatism imaging, provides super-resolved spatial data in a short timeframe from a single image. The technology is optimally designed to resolve sub-micrometer scale structures and temporal behavior in the millisecond domain. In the realm of traditional astigmatism imaging, the cylindrical lens is a mainstay, yet adaptive optics enables the experimental adjustment of the astigmatism. Normalized phylogenetic profiling (NPP) Here, we expose the correlation between x, y, and z precisions, varying in accordance with astigmatism, z-height, and photon energy level. Experimental verification underpins this approach, providing direction for astigmatism selection within biological imaging strategies.

Employing a photodetector (PD) array, our experiment demonstrates a 4-Gbit/s, self-coherent, pilot-assisted, 16-QAM free-space optical communication link resilient to atmospheric turbulence. Efficient optoelectronic mixing of data and pilot beams in a free-space-coupled receiver enables turbulence resilience. This receiver automatically corrects for turbulence-induced modal coupling, thus preserving the amplitude and phase of the data.